tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84185900547499977462024-03-15T21:09:14.570-04:00Scattering LupinesCourtney at SL's No Ennuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03736115775389995749noreply@blogger.comBlogger327125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418590054749997746.post-5871581974748201032011-03-01T08:44:00.001-05:002011-03-01T09:11:55.648-05:00i'm taking an indefinite hiatus......<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-UQo8Tg01Bx4/TWzyWtUdElI/AAAAAAAAIeI/T2W5bGPoCtU/s1600/nice.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" l6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-UQo8Tg01Bx4/TWzyWtUdElI/AAAAAAAAIeI/T2W5bGPoCtU/s640/nice.bmp" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">(image </span></em><a href="http://willows95988.typepad.com/photos/___/french-flower-market-tulips.html"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">via</span></em></a><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">)</span></em></div><br />
I am going on sabbatical from Blogland. <br />
<br />
I've been debating this decision for awhile. I enjoy my morning blogging, but it does take a lot of time and I feel if I'm going to keep going, it needs to be with more of a mission. Plus, there are some other things I've wanted to pursue for awhile.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And then the decision was forced on me. I recently got a new job (I wasn't looking, but it's so perfect I couldn't turn it down), as well as an offer to be part of a committee developing a new Early Literacy project for the community...</div><br />
and I'm still in school full time with a Thesis due in April. I must say, it's a lot to juggle. But since I enjoy it all so much and everything fits so perfectly into my career plans, it's worth the frozen dinners I'm feeding Husband and the weekend hours spent at the library catching up.<br />
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<em>And</em> giving up the blog for awhile.<br />
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If you want to know when the blog starts back up, email me at <br />
<a href="mailto:scatteringlupinesblog@gmail.com">scatteringlupinesblog@gmail.com</a><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;">And for old times' sake, </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-CWPCdCOF4sk/TWz2xcokgpI/AAAAAAAAIeM/hDAj5RGfo3w/s1600/barnparty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" l6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-CWPCdCOF4sk/TWz2xcokgpI/AAAAAAAAIeM/hDAj5RGfo3w/s640/barnparty.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">-On my way out, I thought I'd share the most interesting <a href="http://www.unicahome.com/catalog/item.asp?id=50173&PartnerID=FR">hammock</a> I've ever seen. You won't believe the price: $35,000 for the whole set-up. <em>For a hammock</em>. But it <em>is</em> innovative.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">-The <a href="http://egg2cake.com/blog/2011/02/17/erin-pata-real-life-style-maven/">image</a> above is from a movie party in a barn. I love the hay bale stadium seating.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>-A great pair of spring/summer <a href="http://www.ninewest.com/Yarrow/6698437,default,pd.html?cgid=&itemNum=53&variantSizeClass=&variantColor=BLACKLE">shoes</a>.(At a much better price than yon hammock!)<br />
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-How to <a href="http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/2011/02/recycled-gift-bows-yellow-pages-version.html">use your old phone books</a> (yes, like <em>The Real Yellow Pages</em>!)<br />
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-So <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/good-things/twine-dispenser">smart</a>. I keep twine (for wrapping male gifts, especially) but it <em>is</em> rather a pain to store.<br />
<br />
-The next time I bake a fun cake, it <em>will</em> be <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Grand-Marnier-Crepe-Cake-241754">this one</a>. Who would have thought? <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/darkest-chocolate-crepe-cake">Chocolate</a> would be good, too.<br />
<br />
-It never dawned on me to look this <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Award_for_Best_Documentary_Feature">up</a>, but they're all on my weekend "movie" list now.<br />
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</div><span style="font-size: large;"><em>Thank you for reading</em>!</span> <br />
It's been fun, and I hope to be back once time allows...<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div>Courtney at SL's No Ennuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03736115775389995749noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418590054749997746.post-26901695110328261922011-02-18T15:34:00.000-05:002011-02-18T15:34:31.940-05:00no photos (and other links)That's right. There's no photo. And I had a truly awesome one to share. It was a photo of a stack of flour sacks in a restaurant we recently dined in. The sacks read: <strong>Hi-Gluten Flour</strong>.<br />
<br />
But my computer just got purged and the pictures weren't saved <em>like I thought they were</em>. Hoorah for people who remember to double-check. Boo for me. I had a lot of pictures I really wanted... so I'm not going to think about them scattered as fragmented dust mites in the depths of my hardrive. <br />
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Clean start for a beautiful day. <em>That's</em> what I'll think about instead :)<br />
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I spent little time this week blog-surfing. We've (almost completely) defeated the cold and flu virus.... so here's what I found to share with you in between sneezes, though you've likely already seen most of them...<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">LINKS for your weekend:</span><br />
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-Ultimately feminine (though slightly pricey for my budget) <a href="http://www1.bloomingdales.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=500313&cm_mmc=Froogle-_-n-_-n-_-n">rain boots</a>!<br />
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-Martha's <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/birthday-party-themes-for-adults?lpgview=thumb&showComments=true">ideas</a> for adult-themed birthday parties (yet still G-rated)!<br />
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-And another idea from Martha's team: <a href="http://thecraftsdept.marthastewart.com/2011/01/birthday-candles.html">custom, personalized cake candles</a>. So clever.<br />
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-I must be into parties this week. <a href="http://jordanferney.blogspot.com/2011/02/fringey-streamers-diy.html">Here's</a> an easy DIY for unique-ifying crepe paper streamers. And <a href="http://jordanferney.blogspot.com/2011/02/party-hats-diy-template.html">matching party hats</a>, too!<br />
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I hope you enjoyed!!!Courtney at SL's No Ennuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03736115775389995749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418590054749997746.post-29109294540042293892011-02-16T09:08:00.001-05:002011-02-16T10:02:39.027-05:00kuhfoozle books and soft happy pillows<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thank you for visiting me on Valentine's Day! I enjoyed your comments...</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zk6BIDxGkKc/TVvYhLThkNI/AAAAAAAAId8/vm75vjuI_tA/s1600/sukanart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" j6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zk6BIDxGkKc/TVvYhLThkNI/AAAAAAAAId8/vm75vjuI_tA/s640/sukanart.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TqfNxB733oE/TVvW77C7fZI/AAAAAAAAId0/L_uv3QVIIYw/s1600/sukanart.jpg2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" j6="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TqfNxB733oE/TVvW77C7fZI/AAAAAAAAId0/L_uv3QVIIYw/s640/sukanart.jpg2.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div>Aren't these pillows cheerful? I can't imagine how long it takes <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/sukanart?ref=seller_info">her</a> to cut and stitch those blitheful birds. Considering the work and tiny craftsmanship, her prices are very reasonable. She has so many designs. I love her <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/67930846/hand-embroidered-owls-linen-pillow-cover?ga_search_query=owls&ga_search_type=user_shop_ttt_id_5949875">owls</a>, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/68083614/birds-white-linen-pillow-cover">birds on a wire</a>, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/68150633/birds-20x20-yellow-linen-pillow-cover?ga_search_query=birds%2Bin%2Btree&ga_search_type=user_shop_ttt_id_5949875">birds in a tree</a>, and her fantastic <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/sukanart/search?search_query=kite&search_type=user_shop_ttt_id_5949875&shopname=sukanart">kites </a>that sing <em>SPRIIIIIING</em> at the tops of their linen-threaded lungs.<br />
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The bubonic plague (a.k.a. Cold and Flu virus) has hit our house. So until I can muster up an unfoggied brain and get back on track, I'll likely be absent from blogland. I kind of like the challenge of seeing how long it will take us to knock it out-- it's hopefully the closest I'll ever get to battle :)<br />
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Until then, here's a great project to consider while in bed with a thermometer <em>or</em> walking about in perfect health:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H0oTB1CvF_g/TVvWrVASACI/AAAAAAAAIdo/hVMmy6wJDgo/s1600/sfgirlbayDesignJournals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" j6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H0oTB1CvF_g/TVvWrVASACI/AAAAAAAAIdo/hVMmy6wJDgo/s640/sfgirlbayDesignJournals.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zm3jVL7bMSQ/TVvWuWDhqBI/AAAAAAAAIds/KMs4nKOCGU4/s1600/sfgirlbybay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="436" j6="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zm3jVL7bMSQ/TVvWuWDhqBI/AAAAAAAAIds/KMs4nKOCGU4/s640/sfgirlbybay.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<a href="http://www.sfgirlbybay.com/">SF Girl By Bay</a> shared <a href="http://www.sfgirlbybay.com/2011/02/08/cut-paste-3/">her inspiration journals</a> where she keeps all the images from magazines and elsewhere that inspire her. I'm thinking of setting up my recipe journals like this-- with more photos and relics on each page with recipes we love. I can see it now: a bright, colorful journal for poultry, pork, beef, fish, shellfish, cakes, cookies, soups, sandwiches, salads....<br />
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It seems you could make one of these no matter your hobby or career. From sewing to marketing. I could even do it for my career: reading intervention and children's literature. Or story inspiration. Hmmm....<br />
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Side Inkle: (According to spell check, I made up quite a few words in this post! <em>Hoorah </em>for new words! Maybe I could make a "New & Improved Words" inspiration book! <em>Kuhfoozle</em> would be a great one to start with. What could <em>Kuhfoozle</em> mean? Delirious from decongestants?)<br />
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Have a great week, folks...Courtney at SL's No Ennuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03736115775389995749noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418590054749997746.post-33350294752973820922011-02-14T14:52:00.003-05:002011-02-14T17:04:31.411-05:00valentine's day activities<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3XJSvIEUSmw/TVmCjgD0Z9I/AAAAAAAAIdc/N65mtmjZB8g/s1600/DSC03990.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3XJSvIEUSmw/TVmCjgD0Z9I/AAAAAAAAIdc/N65mtmjZB8g/s640/DSC03990.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JY5Ad9Mm47c/TVmC7upktZI/AAAAAAAAIdg/KzP21Ex6C04/s1600/DSC04165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JY5Ad9Mm47c/TVmC7upktZI/AAAAAAAAIdg/KzP21Ex6C04/s640/DSC04165.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>-I just paid a stack of bills and sent them off in the mail tacked with heart stickers. I hope Duke Energy, AT&T, and the County Tax Collector appreciate them :) <br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">-I also hope the County Tax Collector reads my Post-It note reminding him about our 2010 tax refunds, now that he's collecting for 2011. It has a heart sticker on it, too.</div><br />
-I woke up this morning to a box of <a href="http://www.royalchocolates.be/chocolates/list.asp?Lid=7&pnav=;1;">Belgian Chocolate Thins</a>. They're thin as potato chips <em>and</em> oh so good. <em>And</em> they're almost gone. <em>And</em> I feel a bit lethargic and nauseated. <em>And</em> I think these conditions could be related...<br />
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-The Camellias in our yard bloomed this weekend. Just in time for today. No need for overpriced February florals in this house!<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">-Did you see <a href="http://www.eatdrinkchic.com/post.cfm/diy-je-t-aime-mini-card-sets">these CUTE downloadable cards</a> and <a href="http://www.eatdrinkchic.com/post.cfm/diy-je-t-aime-coffee-cup-wrappers">matching coffee cup wrappers</a>? Good heavens, they're fun... <em>and free</em>!</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">-Tonight, I'm giving Husband a delicious meal of <a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=10000001673018">Balsamic-Glazed Beef Filet </a> and <a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=10000000520448">Roasted Asparagus with a rich Red Pepper Sauce</a>. Both will take under an hour to prepare. Both are highly ranked by our tastebuds. If you need something to make for your beloved Other, I suggest this combo. </div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">-It's so warm and beautiful here. I have all the doors and windows wide open. It's nice to hear birds and noises from the construction next door and the school playground a block away. <em>How long will it last</em>, I wonder.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Happy Valentine's Day! I hope it's lovely in every way....Courtney at SL's No Ennuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03736115775389995749noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418590054749997746.post-53939429910437220542011-02-11T06:02:00.004-05:002011-02-11T06:23:17.244-05:00stylish out of context (and other links)<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wWjEhKYegeI/TVUYd1dO1-I/AAAAAAAAIdY/2Q80aj6EDqQ/s1600/al2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wWjEhKYegeI/TVUYd1dO1-I/AAAAAAAAIdY/2Q80aj6EDqQ/s640/al2.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">This image showed up on <a href="http://www.sfgirlbybay.com/">a "stylish" Bohemian blog</a> and totally cracked me up. It looks like a <em>real</em> backroad scene from Alabama (where I'm from) or South Carolina (where I currently live). Would they think it was so stylish in that context? I hope so. It's culture. I <em>love</em> culture.</div>And since it's Friday (woohoo!), <br />
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<div align="left"><span style="font-size: large;">Links for your Weekend:</span><br />
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-An <a href="http://www.kellyneidig.com/">interesting perspective</a> on landscape art</div><br />
-I'm thinking of starting a collection like <a href="http://egg2cake.com/blog/2011/02/04/my-indoor-sandbox/">this</a><br />
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<div></div><div align="left">-We wouldn't need <a href="http://www.howdoesshe.com/family-dinner-questions">these conversation starters</a> at our dinner table. We often sit talking way past the last bite. But I <em>would</em> use the idea for a small dinner party instead-- one where the guests don't know each other very well. Or better yet, <em>one where they do</em>.</div><div align="left">-Not your traditional Valentine's <a href="http://freshhomeblog.com/2011/02/round-up-cheeky-letterpress-valentines/">messages</a><br />
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-Use <a href="http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/2011/02/oscar-bingo-2011-edition.html">this</a> idea on February 27<br />
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-Great <a href="http://www.readymade.com/projects/road_scholar_travel_journal/next_step#steps">idea for globe trotters</a><br />
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-How about <a href="http://www.olivia-rae.com/2011/02/blue-cheese-drop-biscuits.html">this</a> for Saturday morning brunch? I'm <em>in</em>. <br />
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-Check out this <a href="http://www.dykast.us/scraplog/the-progression-the-kitchen-part-2">kitchen makeover</a>.<br />
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-Do you ever see an exquisite trio of plates an antique store and think, <em>But what would I do with just three matching plates</em>? I do. All the time. Apparently, <a href="http://www.readymade.com/projects/macgyver_challenge_china">someone else does too</a>.<br />
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-<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/60656684/vintage-silverware-cheese-marker-set">For the perfect party cheese tray</a> (it even tells you exactly what to shop for!)<br />
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-For some reason, I just like knowing <a href="http://blackeiffel.blogspot.com/2011/02/cave-hotel.html">this place</a> exists. See more photos <a href="http://www.yunak.com/cappadocia_photo_gallery.php">here</a>.<br />
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Have a great weekend! <br />
And <em>thank you</em> for reading. <br />
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I love reading your comments. I love seeing you on my sitemeter. You're the bestest folks :)</div>Courtney at SL's No Ennuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03736115775389995749noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418590054749997746.post-80646762636529841332011-02-10T06:34:00.000-05:002011-02-10T06:34:10.884-05:00just being audrey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TVKsJ7oBAXI/AAAAAAAAIdQ/yJW82h13Pek/s1600/audrey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="468" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TVKsJ7oBAXI/AAAAAAAAIdQ/yJW82h13Pek/s640/audrey.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4jVZgkhdNhQ" title="YouTube video player" width="640"></iframe><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<em><a href="http://www.harpercollinscatalogs.com/harper/503_1751_323930313830.htm">Just Being Audrey</a></em> went on sale January 25. So you could easily say it's <em>fresh off the press</em>. Illustrator <a href="http://www.juliadenos.com/">Julia Denos </a>did a phenomenal job capturing Audrey's stylish grace and charm.<br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I've had such fun clicking through her <a href="http://shannonassociates.com/artists/index.cfm?page_num=1&artist_name=juliadenos&large_num=3&highlight=3">portfolio</a> and perusing her <a href="http://thecinnamonrabbit.blogspot.com/">blog</a>.</div><br />
<div> </div><div> </div></div>Courtney at SL's No Ennuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03736115775389995749noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418590054749997746.post-72874013815189199482011-02-09T08:48:00.003-05:002011-02-09T08:50:07.475-05:00there's something sprouting on your neck<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TVKYv3rhYAI/AAAAAAAAIdA/-jr3dNxb8sU/s1600/wearableplanter.jpg2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TVKYv3rhYAI/AAAAAAAAIdA/-jr3dNxb8sU/s640/wearableplanter.jpg2.jpg" width="640" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TVKYuv4_2zI/AAAAAAAAIc8/-FHVD_l5AQI/s1600/wearableplanter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TVKYuv4_2zI/AAAAAAAAIc8/-FHVD_l5AQI/s640/wearableplanter.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><br />
I'm not sure how well it would survive hanging from my neck as I can be a bit clamorous in my movements (note: that doesn't say <em>glamorous</em>), but I can picture these hung along a rustic strand of white lights or from the ceiling on long, transparent lines during a festive meal. <br />
<br />
They can be used as tiny planters <em>or</em> flower vases.<br />
<br />
Such a unique <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/colleenjordan?ref=seller_info">idea</a>. <br />
<em>What would you do with it?</em>Courtney at SL's No Ennuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03736115775389995749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418590054749997746.post-45857308086385592762011-02-08T18:00:00.001-05:002011-02-08T18:07:12.335-05:00housekeeping resiliency<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TVHKrihENQI/AAAAAAAAIc0/JX3qgTWbAWY/s1600/DSC04056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TVHKrihENQI/AAAAAAAAIc0/JX3qgTWbAWY/s640/DSC04056.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Don't you just love finding new uses for common objects? Not that shotglasses are <em>common</em> in our house... but you get the picture ;)Courtney at SL's No Ennuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03736115775389995749noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418590054749997746.post-80066051680104670412011-02-07T16:31:00.002-05:002011-02-07T17:40:06.758-05:00our service soiree complete<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TU_-F_e37dI/AAAAAAAAH9s/JpwHQWvBzts/s1600/DSC04073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TU_-F_e37dI/AAAAAAAAH9s/JpwHQWvBzts/s640/DSC04073.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">On Saturday, our dining room was converted into a Valentine factory.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">In case you missed <a href="http://scatteringlupines.blogspot.com/2011/02/share-love.html">the planning post</a>, we invited friends to casually drop in on Saturday evening to make homemade Valentines, mingle,and enjoy dessert and champagne. All the Valentines will be taken to a local children's home and women's emergency shelter.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">About 16 people "dropped in" to contribute.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TU_9pCyNxQI/AAAAAAAAH9o/mZseXdY1uKE/s1600/DSC04078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TU_9pCyNxQI/AAAAAAAAH9o/mZseXdY1uKE/s640/DSC04078.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">To set up, we completely covered the dining room table with newspaper and taped it down with painter's tape, hung Valentines on a twine "garland" in the window to dry, and spread the supplies down the center of the table for easy access.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TU_9FYmeMjI/AAAAAAAAH9g/n5IpxvNF6Fk/s1600/valentinesmaterials.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="530" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TU_9FYmeMjI/AAAAAAAAH9g/n5IpxvNF6Fk/s640/valentinesmaterials.jpg" width="640" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TVAyeFjuAYI/AAAAAAAAH-I/5pLG2NTTQFA/s1600/valentinesmaterials2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="284" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TVAyeFjuAYI/AAAAAAAAH-I/5pLG2NTTQFA/s640/valentinesmaterials2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;">Our list of recipients included lots of women and little girls-- definitely the <em>easiest</em> gender to create Valentines for. You just have to pursue one of these goals: pretty, colorful, dainty, sparkly. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><br />
But the elementary-high school <em>boys</em> on the list were a little more challenging.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>For those, we ended up pulling from history, nature, and sports magazines (one of our neighbor's ideas). We tried to glue fun facts and short articles into their Valentines. The Smithsonians' monthly feature on "<a href="http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/This_Month_in_History200510.html">This Month in History</a>" provided a lot of concise fun-fact fillers.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TVA1c-BD6ZI/AAAAAAAAH-M/RFQEEXpGoOo/s1600/DSC04105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TVA1c-BD6ZI/AAAAAAAAH-M/RFQEEXpGoOo/s640/DSC04105.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TU_9Nes7wjI/AAAAAAAAH9k/ddkXjsiMCzQ/s1600/valentines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TU_9Nes7wjI/AAAAAAAAH9k/ddkXjsiMCzQ/s640/valentines.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;">After everyone left, Husband and I sat flipping through the Valentines. The two pewter buckets that started the evening stark empty were brimming with over 100 homemade messages for lonely, neglected individuals we will likely never meet. Each of these cards will go to someone no different in biological makeup than ourselves but whose life has unfolded so differently. I hope these cards can bring them joy, even if just a little.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;">As we sat considering the profound implications of having new friends (people we've known for less than a year) respond so openly and joyfully to such a bizarre invitation <em>simply because they want to help</em> whenever the opportunity arises, we felt the full impact of the words, </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><em>Our cups [or pewter buckets] runneth over </em><br />
with goodness and joy and all the blessings of fellowship and service<em>.</em><br />
<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TU_--WXIGUI/AAAAAAAAH9w/iDc2yd9WCVs/s1600/DSC04063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TU_--WXIGUI/AAAAAAAAH9w/iDc2yd9WCVs/s640/DSC04063.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><br />
Thank you to everyone who helped <em>Share the Love</em> for this project! It was fun, productive, and altogether <em>sweet</em> ;)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;">Now, if only I could stop eating these leftover sweets for breakfast, lunch, and dinner...</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><strong>For the dessert table, we served:</strong></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lemon-Cream-Sandwich-Cookies-351029">Lemon-Cream Sandwich Cookies</a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Dark Chocolate-Raspberry Cake Balls (<em>recipe to come</em>)</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">and <a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=10000001023804">Red Velvet Cheesecake</a> Squares</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Courtney at SL's No Ennuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03736115775389995749noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418590054749997746.post-78025212871036272992011-02-04T08:10:00.003-05:002011-02-07T09:52:45.339-05:00indoor yard games (and weekend links)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUv6Rp_vPQI/AAAAAAAAH9c/3CiyFs5n8DM/s1600/yardgames.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="340" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUv6Rp_vPQI/AAAAAAAAH9c/3CiyFs5n8DM/s640/yardgames.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;">Who says it has to be pretty outside for <a href="http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3387865&cid=CSE:GoogleProductSearch">yard games</a>?</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Links for your Weekend:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">-<a href="http://www.stephmodo.com/2011/01/paris-birthday-party.html">What a party</a>! How fun would it be to make each birthday celebration a different city or cultural theme? <em>No Ennui</em> for sure!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">-Hardware knock-off <a href="http://www.copycatchic.com/2011/01/anthropologie-hardware.html">alternatives</a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">-<a href="http://celesteswanderlust.blogspot.com/2011/01/snow-day-at-beach.html">Snow day at the beach</a>!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">-What a fun Valentine's surprise <a href="http://www.designspongeonline.com/2011/02/diy-project-justinas-valentines-day-fort.html">this</a> would be... for any age!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">-A <a href="http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2010/10/homemade-almond-joy/">homemade version</a> of the mass-produced classic!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">-<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/36419985/giclee-fine-art-reproduction-spring?ref=sr_gallery_23&ga_search_query=rain%2Bjackets&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_ref=auto">Let</a> <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/62433477/inventory-clearout-tootlewears-dog-full?ref=sr_gallery_19&ga_search_query=rain%2Bjackets&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_ref=auto">it</a> <a href="http://www.landsend.com/pp/StylePage-393043_A8.html?amp;CM_MERCH=REC-_-FPPP-_-GGT-_-1-_-393043-_-393049">rain</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">-And <a href="http://www.landsend.com/pp/BucketHat~219179_-1.html?bcc=y&action=order_more&sku_0=::JVB&CM_MERCH=IDX_00007_0000000228_0000001028&origin=index">the hat</a> that <a href="http://www.landsend.com/pp/StylePage-393043_A8.html?amp;CM_MERCH=REC-_-FPPP-_-GGT-_-1-_-393043-_-393049">matches</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Come back next week for a report on <a href="http://scatteringlupines.blogspot.com/2011/02/share-love.html">our Valentine's party</a>... and a unique (easy!) treat to share with those you find particularly <em>sweet</em>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Flavor preview: <em>fresh raspberries</em></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Courtney at SL's No Ennuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03736115775389995749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418590054749997746.post-22815478720085378302011-02-03T08:44:00.004-05:002011-02-07T09:53:34.458-05:00how to be neighborly<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUgeOik7J5I/AAAAAAAAH6o/7SbzFgeLoYE/s1600/DSC03974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" s5="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUgeOik7J5I/AAAAAAAAH6o/7SbzFgeLoYE/s640/DSC03974.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUggX9Rzx9I/AAAAAAAAH6s/mEVv1AETx9Q/s1600/orangecakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="332" s5="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUggX9Rzx9I/AAAAAAAAH6s/mEVv1AETx9Q/s640/orangecakes.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our neighbors define <em>neighborly</em>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Miss E rarely bakes without bringing us a sampling. She'll hand it to me with a comment like, "I just didn't want you to think I hadn't done anything today." </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This week was no exception. She showed up on our doorstep with this antique china cakestand full of little Orange Cakes. Frankly, I would have delivered them on a paper plate or maybe even wrapped in aluminum foil. But not Miss E. She goes the whole nine yards.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I knew at<em> first glance</em> that these little gems would melt on contact with tastebuds. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Luckily, Miss E had the foresight to know the next words out of my mouth would be, "May I have the recipe?" So before I could ask she was reaching into her pocket to pull out a handwritten copy saying, "I thought you might want the recipe."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So <em>neighborly</em>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>To make Orange Cakes like Miss E's:</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Use a recipe like <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/14/dining/142brex.html">this</a>. Then soak 1.5 cups raisins in the juice of one fresh orange for at least 30 minutes. Spread the soaked raisins evenly across the bottom of your pan and pour the prepared batter over them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Miss E says it's best to let them sit for a day to fully absorb the orange flavor. "But," she says, "that's <em>if</em> you can keep your hands off them until then. <em>We</em> never can."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And Husband and I couldn't either.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Courtney at SL's No Ennuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03736115775389995749noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418590054749997746.post-11321924220661871562011-02-02T09:16:00.005-05:002011-02-02T12:38:35.992-05:00a service soiree<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUlhgqamkwI/AAAAAAAAH7Q/8EulABJTopg/s1600/valentineparty.jpg3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="436" s5="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUlhgqamkwI/AAAAAAAAH7Q/8EulABJTopg/s640/valentineparty.jpg3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Image via </span><a href="http://www.olivia-rae.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Everyday Musings</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">' </span><a href="http://www.olivia-rae.com/2011/02/dinner-party.html"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Dinner Party</span></em></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> )</span></div></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We're having a party on Saturday, and part of the preparation includes calling local shelters and children's homes.</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Guests have been invited to casually drop in for a visit. We'll have dessert, champagne, and a spread of paper, fabric, string, and glue for making homemade Valentines.</div><div style="text-align: center;">There are countless options for this sort of party. The tone can be kid-friendly and casual or fetching and elegant .<br />
<br />
<strong>It could include:</strong></div><div style="text-align: center;">-your immediate household (like a family night activity)</div><div style="text-align: center;">-your children and their friends</div><div style="text-align: center;">-your coworkers<br />
-your book club</div><div style="text-align: center;">-your neighbors</div><div style="text-align: center;">-one or two other couples or families</div><div style="text-align: center;">-or a gathering of a dozen or more people filtering through</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>If you'd like to join me in this, simply:</strong></div><div style="text-align: center;">-call one or more local children's services, shelters, hospitals, or nursing homes to find out how many Valentines they will need and when they would like them dropped off</div><div style="text-align: center;">-pick a few simple desserts to display on a buffet table</div><div style="text-align: center;">-mix up a pitcher of red punch or just serve champagne with frozen raspberries floating on top</div><div style="text-align: center;">-gather together lots of paper, doilies, glue, and scissors<br />
-Cover your dining room table with newspaper, lay out the supplies, hang some bunting, and play old-time jazz music<br />
-Invite people to drop in between a specified time (such as Saturday between 5 and 10 p.m.)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
The point is to bring people together to make pretty, handmade Valentines for those who are lonely or down. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<strong>If you want to help but don't want to throw your own party,</strong> </div><div style="text-align: center;">email me at <a href="mailto:scatteringlupinesblog@gmail.com">scatteringlupinesblog@gmail.com</a>. </div><div style="text-align: center;">We'll talk about how you can simply make a Valentine (or ten!) and mail them to me.</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div>Courtney at SL's No Ennuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03736115775389995749noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418590054749997746.post-60602436525937368562011-02-01T10:29:00.000-05:002011-02-01T10:29:00.083-05:00two ways to organize your kitchen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUgiEPjAR2I/AAAAAAAAH64/J0AmNrTC92c/s1600/lettermakingReadyMade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="526" s5="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUgiEPjAR2I/AAAAAAAAH64/J0AmNrTC92c/s640/lettermakingReadyMade.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">1.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Label transparent glass storage jars by letter-etching the labels. It just looks so neat and clean, doesn't it? </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Tutorial, photo, and idea found <a href="http://www.readymade.com/projects/learn_a_lesson_in_label_making">here</a>. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">As for the storage jars, I have <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/search/?query=slom">these from Ikea</a>. I love them because they're inexpensive and durable (according to all the times I've dropped them and they haven't shattered... <em>and</em> the lids have clung on amid the impact). The lids are also attached, which makes cooking somehow more orderly. You don't waste time trying to re-match and locate lids during the post-mixing clean-up. Plus, they just look good.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">2.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Now, are you ready for the simplest idea ever?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Store plastic grocery bags in empty paper towel and wrapping paper tubes.</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">This has been a major space-saver for our pantry. Plus, it gives those empty rolls another purpose before they're recycled. It's like thrice recycling.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Idea via <em><a href="http://www.cooksillustrated.com/">Cooks Illustrated</a></em> (i.e. the-best-magazine-ever)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Courtney at SL's No Ennuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03736115775389995749noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418590054749997746.post-81363782038017007112011-01-31T09:12:00.001-05:002011-01-31T09:19:39.123-05:00weekend recap<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUX_u_GUAAI/AAAAAAAAH5w/fE-ErwxCfbY/s1600/DSC03904+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="468" s5="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUX_u_GUAAI/AAAAAAAAH5w/fE-ErwxCfbY/s640/DSC03904+-+Copy.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUX9309a8sI/AAAAAAAAH5s/a0KE4THSYQk/s1600/DSC03899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" s5="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUX9309a8sI/AAAAAAAAH5s/a0KE4THSYQk/s640/DSC03899.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUatWX8M1BI/AAAAAAAAH50/hzHTSwWUEoM/s1600/fallspark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="392" s5="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUatWX8M1BI/AAAAAAAAH50/hzHTSwWUEoM/s640/fallspark.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUa9lQLzpwI/AAAAAAAAH6c/A_dcjmY_ojg/s1600/groupphoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="494" s5="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUa9lQLzpwI/AAAAAAAAH6c/A_dcjmY_ojg/s640/groupphoto.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>(blurry group photo that my boots are trying to monopolize)</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">I hope the weather was as beautiful where you all were as it was here this weekend. I spent two hours reading on our tiny deck in the warm sunshine yesterday and wore a light knit shirt and linen scarf to an Oyster Roast in the late afternoon. It feels so much like the most perfect mid-spring weather-- I'm just waiting for the next cold front to sweep in and remind me that it's <em>February</em>. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">My brother and (we hope) future sister-in-law visited this weekend. And I'm proud to report, <em>my Gluten-Free studies were fruitful</em>! We had a tasty <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pork-Tenderloin-with-Balsamic-Cranberry-Sauce-100314">meal</a> when they arrived, and I got the stamp-of-approval for having done accurate research :) It was something I needed to learn more about anyway, as many of my students have been on Gluten-Free diets to help their focus and OCD tendencies. I was also impressed with the <a href="http://www.bettycrocker.com/products/bisquick/glutenfree">Bisquick Gluten-Free mix</a>. We made <a href="http://www.bhg.com/recipe/pancakes-waffles/peach-pancakes-and-chai-syrup/">peach pancakes with Chai Tea syrup</a> in honor of the beautiful weather, and while the batter was a bit gritty, I could hardly tell the difference once they were cooked.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUa1xWb46KI/AAAAAAAAH6I/coTNJ-5Kul4/s1600/weekend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="490" s5="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUa1xWb46KI/AAAAAAAAH6I/coTNJ-5Kul4/s640/weekend.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">As for Bethany, she had to deal with me setting the smoke alarm off more than once, nearly chopping my finger off (and I'm still not positive the zucchini didn't have a piece of my finger in it), playing show-and-tell with my favorite picture books, Husband and I either meeting them late or making them late everywhere we went, Khan's overwhelming energy, and my brother's shenanigans, which I suppose she's used to by now. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">She is the most pleasantly tolerant person I've met, not to mention one of the most interesting. She's opinionated yet gracious; intelligent yet down-to-earth. She has taught English in China for 7 years and is currently in Tibet for the majority of the year. Hearing about the culture and politics from her angle was fascinating. I'm not very sophisticated (though I'm <em>trying</em>) and didn't even know until Friday night that Mandarin Chinese is communicated mainly through intonations of the voice. The same word has very different meanings, depending on how you say it. It makes me think of a story we were told recently about a woman who could convey thousands of messages simply through the way she said the word, <em>Well</em>. Apparently, all of the Chinese are that adept at communicating through voice control. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Did I mention we really like Bethany? Jack better act quickly. As it goes, <em>Jack be nimble, Jack be quick</em> :)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUa8_h_LDOI/AAAAAAAAH6Y/W_3idZV85GI/s1600/DSC03948.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" s5="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUa8_h_LDOI/AAAAAAAAH6Y/W_3idZV85GI/s640/DSC03948.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUaxbjlPqgI/AAAAAAAAH58/QstofPitQjM/s1600/fallsparkfun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" s5="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUaxbjlPqgI/AAAAAAAAH58/QstofPitQjM/s640/fallsparkfun.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The weekend was perfect in my opinion-- with the ideal balance of together time with personal time, silliness with seriousness, and antics that were questionably unsafe though not fatally dangerous. If I could change anything, I would have turned the smoke alarm <em>off</em> and let Husband chop the vegetables.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Thank you for visiting us, Bethany and Jack! </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">We enjoyed you both thoroughly and appreciate the time tremendously.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Courtney at SL's No Ennuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03736115775389995749noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418590054749997746.post-30023844326515400492011-01-28T06:59:00.004-05:002011-01-28T08:34:51.197-05:00a canning glow (and other links)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUKgs88UBWI/AAAAAAAAH5g/5HtQ0vv4xOQ/s1600/LAMPgoodsMAINE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="604" s5="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUKgs88UBWI/AAAAAAAAH5g/5HtQ0vv4xOQ/s640/LAMPgoodsMAINE.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/66653325/orono-ii-vintage-canning-jar-lamp">A lamp like this </a>just hollers <br />
<em>weekend-away-with-an-old-classic-and-a-good-view-out-your-window</em>.</div><div align="center">(Somehow I feel when you string together words with hyphens, it's like creating a single adjective. Agree or no?) </div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">I'm currently <a href="http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2008/05/gluten-free-dessert-recipes.html">cramming for the gluten-free test</a>. </div><div align="center">We're having company this weekend-- and one has a gluten allergy.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">So while I cram for the test every rookie cook must face sooner or later, here are</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><span style="font-size: large;">More Links for Your Weekend:</span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">-<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=P9Fyey4D5hg">This is really possible</a>?!? Khan is SO getting retrained...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">-<a href="http://www.bhg.com/recipe/pancakes-waffles/peach-pancakes-and-chai-syrup/">YUM</a>, easy, and creative!<br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">-You'll have to find <a href="http://www.theinventionofhugocabret.com/index.htm">this book</a> in the children's section, but I give it a "Mature" for intensity and suspense, a "Profound" for its layers upon layers of meaning, and a "Bravo" for its amalgamation of fact and fantasy... not to mention the sheer brilliance of its design and execution. And I guess I'm<span style="color: #cccccc;"> </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/26/books/26selznick.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=brian+selznick&st=nyt"><span style="color: #cccccc;">not</span></a><span style="color: #cccccc;"> </span><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2008-01-14-childrensbooks_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip"><span style="color: #cccccc;">the</span></a><span style="color: #cccccc;"> </span><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/22665745#22665745"><span style="color: #cccccc;">only</span></a><span style="color: #cccccc;"> </span><a href="http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecotthonors/2008caldecottmedalhonors.cfm"><span style="color: #cccccc;">one</span></a><span style="color: #cccccc;"> </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/15/arts/15arts-CHILDRENSBOO_BRF.html?_r=1&sq=caldecott&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&scp=1&adxnnlx=1295955052-Z5AWvmPKFE12xdwqyTCmxA"><span style="color: #cccccc;">who</span></a><span style="color: #cccccc;"> </span><a href="http://www.hbook.com/audio/podcasts/caldecott2008.mp3"><span style="color: #cccccc;">thinks</span></a><span style="color: #cccccc;"> </span><a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18086934"><span style="color: #cccccc;">so</span></a>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">-<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/smileyssweets/3331745348/">Such a cute idea</a> (yet kind of unappetizing)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">-Speaking of, I love<a href="http://www.shopmerimeri.com/cupcakekits.aspx"> these kits</a><br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">-There's just something about <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/66740849/red-print-of-original-watercolor">him</a> that makes me pause... <br />
<br />
-<a href="http://www.readymade.com/magazine/article/have_house_will_travel">Modernized gypsies</a> (the romantic kind)<br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">-Sometimes it utterly shocks me <a href="http://www.confettisystem.bigcartel.com/product/tassel-garland-neutral-palette">what people will pay </a>for a really fun concept (that could <em>easily</em> be handmade on a rainy day); I guess that's why they say<em> to each his own</em>...<br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">-And as my grandmother would say if she saw <a href="http://www.hackcollege.com/blog/2010/9/5/labour-day-weekend-fun-diy-solid-ice-drink-tray.html">this</a>, "<em>Oh, good heavens</em>!"<br />
<br />
-<a href="http://www.shopruche.com/mosaic-festival-ruffle-dress-p-5374.html">Great beach or lawn party dress</a>! Ah, summer. How I hope to see thee soon...<br />
<br />
</div>Courtney at SL's No Ennuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03736115775389995749noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418590054749997746.post-71997157920459582722011-01-27T08:11:00.000-05:002011-01-27T08:11:21.550-05:00like a silk brocade on the desert floor (a lesson in garam masala)<div align="center"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUFn0acX93I/AAAAAAAAH5c/5SDAaJkBoL0/s1600/IndianButter.jpg3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="438" s5="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUFn0acX93I/AAAAAAAAH5c/5SDAaJkBoL0/s640/IndianButter.jpg3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">For supper last night, we tried the <a href="http://www.goodlifeeats.com/2010/02/indian-butter-chicken-with-%20basmati-rice.html">Indian Butter Chicken</a> that made Katie Goodman's (of <a href="http://www.goodlifeeats.com/">The Good Life Eats</a>) <a href="http://www.stephmodo.com/2011/01/katies-top-5-favorite-recipes-of-moment.html">top five favorite dishes list.</a> </div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">In the process, I learned about the basic Indian spice blend <em>Garam Masala</em>. It basically <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garam_masala">translates</a> <em>an intense, pungent mixture</em>. Not spicy <em>hot</em>; spicy <em>intense</em>. Not fiery like a pepper; but pungent like a dozen silk <a href="http://www.sareeworld.com/gallery/EnlargeView.aspx?Image=EMH36">sarees</a> against a dirt wall. It has a piquancy both delicate and bold. Flavors that would totally interrupt the dish if they didn't <em>fit it like a fine glove</em>.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">The spices in this blend can vary from black & white peppercorns, cloves, Malabar leaves, long pepper, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, star anise, and coriander </span></div><div align="center"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">depending on the region and the cook.</span></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><span style="color: #444444;">We bought the McCormick brand, since that's all our little South Carolina grocer had to offer. It was delicious, but I imagine it was also a bit culturally appropriated so as not to shock my all-American tastebuds. I'm sure the most authentic versions can get downright racy.</span></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><span style="color: #444444;">Find the recipe <a href="http://www.goodlifeeats.com/2010/02/indian-butter-chicken-with-%20basmati-rice.html">here</a>. </span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #444444;">(I used Canola Oil Butter to keep it less cholesterol-ridden, and Husband gave it the I-can't-tell-you-lightened-it stamp of approval.)</span></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><br />
</div>Courtney at SL's No Ennuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03736115775389995749noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418590054749997746.post-11403702849365862252011-01-26T10:52:00.001-05:002011-01-26T11:08:18.494-05:00a new look<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUA9Z55DU2I/AAAAAAAAH4g/10sgRlvgVWY/s1600/peacefulforest.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" s5="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TUA9Z55DU2I/AAAAAAAAH4g/10sgRlvgVWY/s640/peacefulforest.png" width="449" /></a></div><br />
I love this illustration by <a href="http://www.peacefulforest.co.za/portfolio/">Peaceful Forest</a>.<br />
<br />
In case you were wondering, the results of this blog's survey were:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<strong>Most people want:</strong></div><div style="text-align: center;">-Daily posts</div><div style="text-align: center;">-Moderate length</div><div style="text-align: center;">-Posts about personal life and creative ideas </div><div style="text-align: center;">(with half wanting recipes in the mix as well)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>It was a tie between:</strong></div><div style="text-align: center;">-More pictures than text, long posts, very brief posts</div><div style="text-align: center;">-Posts about personal life and creative ideas</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Very few people want:</strong></div><div style="text-align: center;">Multiple posts a day</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>No one wants:</strong></div><div style="text-align: center;">Only weekly posting</div><div style="text-align: center;">Lots of text with few images (which is kind of what I'm doing right now...)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
I must say, I'm ecstatic y'all are actually interested in my personal life! I mean, I think our life is pretty wonderful, but I sometimes fear sharing it will verge on:</div><div style="text-align: center;">(a.) narcissism or </div><div style="text-align: center;">(b.) redundancy</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'll try to share more. Thank you for your interest :)<br />
<br />
As for changes,<br />
I'm changing the name to Scattering Lupine's <strong>No Ennui</strong>. <br />
<br />
I feel that it fits my life focus better-- it has become my mantra! It means (literally) <em>No Boredom.</em> To me, boredom means apathy, which <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZ-tomShsmc">Ellie Wiesel said</a> is the most dangerous of outlooks. His words were, "What is indifference? Etymologically, the word means 'no difference.'"<br />
<br />
No Ennui is about continually striving to positively improve, learn, produce, and become.<br />
Even if some of it <em>is</em> mere (and seemingly superficial) aesthetics.<br />
<br />
I'm also changing the subject categories to <em>verbs</em>. They're not fully updated yet.<br />
<br />
I hope to continually improve the new banner as well, updating it seasonally.<br />
I'd love your reactions...<br />
<br />
</div>Courtney at SL's No Ennuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03736115775389995749noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418590054749997746.post-1104173094997008742011-01-25T07:04:00.002-05:002011-01-25T08:15:51.576-05:00knack now<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TT67Xi9z5NI/AAAAAAAAH4U/9Pwzi6tdgrk/s1600/knack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" s5="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TT67Xi9z5NI/AAAAAAAAH4U/9Pwzi6tdgrk/s640/knack.jpg" width="424" /></a></div><br />
Do you have only one earring you can't seem to toss? </div><div style="text-align: center;">A broken bauble? </div><div style="text-align: center;">Cracked Pottery or china?</div><div style="text-align: center;">If you're like me, you have a whole basket of broken dishes and randomness just waiting on a DIY knight in shining armor, a spare moment on the clock, or a wave of creative brilliance to come along and rescue it from the shards bin...<br />
<br />
(I actually have <em>one and a half</em> drawers FULL of pretty things I've broken labeled "<em>Future Mosaics</em>")</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Here's one idea-charming: </div><div style="text-align: center;">Use it to <a href="http://knackstudios.blogspot.com/2009/09/repurpose.html">make magnets</a> from junk, just like <a href="http://www.knackstudios.com/">Barb from Knack</a>. </div><div style="text-align: center;">(I think you could also use it to make hardware for <a href="http://scatteringlupines.blogspot.com/2011/01/art-worthy-jewelry-organizer-and-other.html">the jewelry pegboard</a>.)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Now, if only I could find something to do with derelict socks...</div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Image via </span><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/knackstudio"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Knack's Etsy shop</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">)</span></div>Courtney at SL's No Ennuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03736115775389995749noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418590054749997746.post-50685909994553256042011-01-21T05:15:00.026-05:002011-01-26T10:59:01.515-05:00lightbulb flower vases (and other links)<div align="center"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTjIgfq7ugI/AAAAAAAAH4E/Cf7QsL4AZS4/s1600/lightbulbvase.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="526" s5="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTjIgfq7ugI/AAAAAAAAH4E/Cf7QsL4AZS4/s640/lightbulbvase.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I would love to spend an afternoon making a trio of these Lightbulb Vases!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Believe it or not, it's <a href="http://www.readymade.com/projects/lightbulb_bud_vase">a very simple DIY project</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">More links for your weekend:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">-I've known<a href="http://ahuckleberryovermypersimmon.blogspot.com/2011/01/recipes-banana-nut-bread.html"> the bride in this post </a>since I was about 5 years old, and the girl on the far left is one of my oldest, best friends (who reads the blog sometimes... Lowrey, if you're reading, HI!) Back to the bride, I adore her simple wedding gown with that heavy, triple strand of pearls. So elegant. Simply fetching.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">-I enjoyed <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0343660/">this movie</a> at the gym this week. A few years old, but oh-so cute! It's a real feel-gooder-- and made my workout <em>fly</em> by.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">-Speaking of movies, did you see <a href="http://www.simplyseleta.com/2011/01/cozy-family-movies/">this clever post</a> that links classic films with color palettes? I'm going to have to catch up... I haven't seen at least half of them.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">-<a href="http://inspiredhouseofwright.blogspot.com/2011/01/how-to-describe-your-stuff-on.html">Pretty funny</a> if you've ever used Craigslist!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">-I like the way <a href="http://alifesdesign.blogspot.com/2011/01/restful-retreat.html">this gal picked one patterned fabric</a> to work throughout her lair.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">-<a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/elizalee17?ref=seller_info">These</a> would make such unique wedding gifts! I love <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/65671684/e-isabella-designs-pearls-and-lace-large">this one</a> and <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/65049856/vintage-inspired-dessert-pedestal-bold">this one.</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Have a great weekend, folks!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div>Courtney at SL's No Ennuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03736115775389995749noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418590054749997746.post-58396772709484574692011-01-20T12:49:00.000-05:002011-01-20T12:49:28.202-05:00fresh cherry sandwiches<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TThxHMruJlI/AAAAAAAAH30/PwYRxRag7CU/s1600/DSC03822.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" s5="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TThxHMruJlI/AAAAAAAAH30/PwYRxRag7CU/s640/DSC03822.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TThzZXSOkDI/AAAAAAAAH4A/5IhcyVYx7Rw/s1600/DSC03829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" s5="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TThzZXSOkDI/AAAAAAAAH4A/5IhcyVYx7Rw/s640/DSC03829.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TThwvkPrgJI/AAAAAAAAH3w/ptQTeFphKbc/s1600/DSC03838.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" s5="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TThwvkPrgJI/AAAAAAAAH3w/ptQTeFphKbc/s640/DSC03838.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TThx90L_r3I/AAAAAAAAH38/uufX8lzeOeY/s1600/DSC03833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" s5="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TThx90L_r3I/AAAAAAAAH38/uufX8lzeOeY/s640/DSC03833.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Sliced Brie</div><div align="center">Fresh Cherries</div><div align="center">Baby Spinach Leaves</div><div align="center">Toasted Almond Slivers</div><div align="center">Multi-Grain Sourdough Bread</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">All pan-grilled until the spinach wilts <em>just slightly</em>, the brie melts, and the bread toasts to a nice, clean surface crisp.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">The best winter sandwich <em>ever</em>.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><br />
</div>Courtney at SL's No Ennuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03736115775389995749noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418590054749997746.post-30266215069985517512011-01-20T12:20:00.003-05:002011-01-26T10:59:21.527-05:00the giveaway has been drawn!<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TThsjVkgX_I/AAAAAAAAH3s/iatPQfcwL8Q/s1600/DSC03846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" s5="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TThsjVkgX_I/AAAAAAAAH3s/iatPQfcwL8Q/s640/DSC03846.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">And the winner is....</div><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TThrp_bfocI/AAAAAAAAH3k/ONkByLWrot8/s1600/DSC03860.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564315708761809346" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TThrp_bfocI/AAAAAAAAH3k/ONkByLWrot8/s640/DSC03860.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="480" /></a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Congratulations, <a href="http://ahuckleberryovermypersimmon.blogspot.com/">Michelle</a>! Have fun <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/ParadingChicks?ref=pr_shop">picking out your painting</a>....</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thanks everyone for playing!<br />
<br />
</div></div>Courtney at SL's No Ennuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03736115775389995749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418590054749997746.post-57949195765502158042011-01-19T19:43:00.001-05:002011-01-19T19:44:20.147-05:00giveaway drawing delayed...<div style="text-align: center;">The giveaway drawing was supposed to be tonight, but since this day ran through my fingers at the rate of lightning, it's being extended until tomorrow...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Go <a href="http://scatteringlupines.blogspot.com/2011/01/unique-giveaway-from-new-etsy-store.html">here</a> to enter. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/65100487/parading-red-galoshes-splashing-through">This</a> little painting would cheer ANY room!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Courtney at SL's No Ennuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03736115775389995749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418590054749997746.post-55665295457026763402011-01-19T07:39:00.003-05:002011-01-19T08:48:47.954-05:00the mastery of carpentry<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTBXk8tprAI/AAAAAAAAH18/KeTNwyTD18o/s1600/TubCaddyByPegAndAwl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" n4="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTBXk8tprAI/AAAAAAAAH18/KeTNwyTD18o/s640/TubCaddyByPegAndAwl.jpg" width="640" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTBXr9C19WI/AAAAAAAAH2A/JcRkM0nDkq4/s1600/pegandawl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" n4="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTBXr9C19WI/AAAAAAAAH2A/JcRkM0nDkq4/s640/pegandawl.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
When I think of carpentry, I think of Jesus, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph">Joseph</a>, and Whitman's words, "The carpenter dresses his plank, the tongue of his foreplane whistles its wild ascending lisp" from <em>Song of Myself</em>. And did you know <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrison_Ford">Harrison Ford</a> once worked as a carpenter? <br />
<br />
I also think of <a href="http://www.chainsawcarving.net/bear_carvings.htm">the bear statues</a> on sale at various roadside shops throughout the Blue Ridge Mountains... and of expensive, custom-made cabinetry.<br />
<br />
The carving and sanding of wood is as much an art as the sculpting of marble. The difference lies in the cultural interpretation (and thus value) placed on each.<br />
<br />
One is rustic; the other ornate.<br />
One is humble; the other luxurious.<br />
One is austere; the other lavish.<br />
<br />
<em>Yet, is it really so?</em><br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/PegandAwl?ref=seller_info">Peg and Awl's shop</a> of <em>rustic</em> items made from reclaimed wood is a beauty for perusing. I hope to see <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/56343968/tree-swing-made-of-reclaimed-wood?ga_search_query=%2Bswing&ga_search_type=user_shop_ttt_id_5756840">that swing</a> hanging from a huge oak tree in my (future) yard someday. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">They do such <strike>humble</strike> luxurious work :)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div>Courtney at SL's No Ennuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03736115775389995749noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418590054749997746.post-61217441986302586612011-01-18T10:00:00.001-05:002011-01-18T10:05:35.653-05:00music and the human soul<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTRXaZembWI/AAAAAAAAH3Q/uoSD55GNAoo/s1600/DSC03649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" n4="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTRXaZembWI/AAAAAAAAH3Q/uoSD55GNAoo/s640/DSC03649.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">"... to ask, <em>What is art?, What is poetry?, What is music? </em>is one way of asking <em>What is a human being?</em>"</div><div style="text-align: center;">-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Mayne">Michael Mayne</a>, <em><a href="http://www.abebooks.com/products/isbn/9780232527421/4088815064">This Sunrise of Wonder</a></em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ah me, so true. As I organize myself to start spring semester full-force tomorrow-- and prepare to spend a lot of time in this chair, staring at this computer screen, here are some songs speaking to my core, reminding me in their diverse rhythms and lyrics what it is <em>to be alive</em> and full of aspiration <em>and enjoying it all:</em><br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Frankly Mr. Shankly by Oslo Swan</div><div style="text-align: center;">Electric Boy by Lili Ster</div><div style="text-align: center;">Groove Me by King Floyd</div><div style="text-align: center;">Hallelujah by Astrazz </div><div style="text-align: center;">La Mar by The Beautiful Girls</div><div style="text-align: center;">Dreamcatcher by Secret Garden</div><div style="text-align: center;">Umbrella by PV Nova</div><div style="text-align: center;">Folding Chair by Regina Spektor</div><div style="text-align: center;">Lucky by Colbie Caillat and Jason Mraz </div><div style="text-align: center;">Let the Music Play by Robert Earl Keen</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<em>P.S. The Giveaway ends tomorrow. Go <a href="http://scatteringlupines.blogspot.com/2011/01/unique-giveaway-from-new-etsy-store.html">here</a> to enter</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Courtney at SL's No Ennuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03736115775389995749noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8418590054749997746.post-14788822345017797622011-01-17T07:52:00.002-05:002011-01-26T11:00:15.525-05:00weekend recap<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTQy0lv3WOI/AAAAAAAAH3I/7LQm1v4Qlhc/s1600/DSC03631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" n4="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTQy0lv3WOI/AAAAAAAAH3I/7LQm1v4Qlhc/s640/DSC03631.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTOidcbhFfI/AAAAAAAAH2o/rwcPy6-jAy4/s1600/DSC03638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" n4="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTOidcbhFfI/AAAAAAAAH2o/rwcPy6-jAy4/s640/DSC03638.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTOiBpFpHSI/AAAAAAAAH2g/f0KKotnvkO8/s1600/DSC03624.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" n4="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTOiBpFpHSI/AAAAAAAAH2g/f0KKotnvkO8/s640/DSC03624.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
The snow and ice finally started to melt from Greenville, SC yesterday. It was almost 60 degrees outside, so it was dripping from every roof and tree, making it sound like a small, rushing stream around our house.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Snow in the South is a paradox of good and bad. We love the novelty-- yet the novelty also makes it a pain. We only had one day of "fun" snow, then it was just treacherous, debilitating ice that the city didn't seem to have the equipment or the know-how to deal with.</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It seems like a town in the foothills would be better prepared for snow-- they only cleared it from a handful of roads and didn't clear <em>that</em> very well. It quickly turned to ice, which they didn't bother to sand. So, the roads remained like ice skating rinks for the better part of four days. I even slipped on the ice on our road and bruised my thigh (I'll spare you an image).</div><div style="text-align: center;">In the full scope, this is how it went:<br />
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The snow came early Monday morning, and by Thursday the grocery stores were practically out of food. I almost fought a lady for the last red bell pepper :) <br />
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We couldn't drive anywhere without seeing someone skidding over ice or spinning into a 360 off into a ditch. It was like Armageddon in Greenville. Even Starbuck's was closed until Thursday. <em>Starbucks</em>. Come on, really? Plus, the downside of business being shut down for days means bored employees end up imbibing during their heaped-up free time. One of them showed up on our doorstep wanting more gas for her car-- and smelling like an opened bottle of gin. Needless to say, we showed her to a safe place to wait for a ride.<br />
It was all a little ridiculous.<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Many others, however, embrace the snow in wondrous ways. All those in the city who own<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-terrain_vehicle"> four-wheelers</a> and golf carts road throughout the town in packs, enjoying the snow-covered parks, roads, and fields. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">People circles around the golf courses at night with their carlights shining on the hills so children could sled.<br />
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It makes me wonder if Greenville DOES know how to handle snow-and-ice covered roads... but they choose the unplanned holiday instead. "<em>Oh well</em>," everyone says. "<em>Snow day!"</em> And next thing you know<em>,</em> responsible parents have morphed into children and career-oriented employees into sidewalk drunks. I love the energy of it all, but I'm very glad things are stabilizing in this celebratory little town.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">We've enjoyed looking at Husband's favorite house across the street:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTOnk_sYfGI/AAAAAAAAH28/lPbokZ555HQ/s1600/DSC03611.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562974218747411554" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTOnk_sYfGI/AAAAAAAAH28/lPbokZ555HQ/s640/DSC03611.JPG" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="480" /></a> <br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">and my favorite house-- which happens to be most of them-- including these from my dog-walking route:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTOnkZGqwTI/AAAAAAAAH2s/xsvvXmyniwY/s1600/DSC03545.JPG" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562974208388677938" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTOnkZGqwTI/AAAAAAAAH2s/xsvvXmyniwY/s640/DSC03545.JPG" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTQxF5LkRII/AAAAAAAAH3E/chdaR1q6CeM/s1600/DSC03621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" n4="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTQxF5LkRII/AAAAAAAAH3E/chdaR1q6CeM/s640/DSC03621.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">On Saturday, we went for a short flight with our neighbor to look at what was left of the snow. We may not own a four-wheeler, but we DO have a neighbor-friend with a plane and pilot's license ;)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTOfLfxAwAI/AAAAAAAAH2Y/prf_XYqqIoY/s1600/DSC03750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" n4="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTOfLfxAwAI/AAAAAAAAH2Y/prf_XYqqIoY/s640/DSC03750.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"> I especially loved the view of the bare foothill forests and the shadows from the tall trees falling across the snow.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTOdlWgzfeI/AAAAAAAAH2U/xlTyqHhNHeg/s1600/flyingwithwes2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="432" n4="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTOdlWgzfeI/AAAAAAAAH2U/xlTyqHhNHeg/s640/flyingwithwes2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">And of course the view of the lake-- with all the islands, inlets, and the banks plunging down into the depths of the water. It's fascinating to see the topographical formations of water and land from the aerial perspective. Oddly enough, on commercial flights I don't notice it as much. Probably because they fly too high to identify the world below.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTOdkLtLm2I/AAAAAAAAH2Q/WVX_qjo4yOE/s1600/flyingwithwes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" n4="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTOdkLtLm2I/AAAAAAAAH2Q/WVX_qjo4yOE/s640/flyingwithwes.jpg" width="550" /></a></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">As for the rest of our weekend, it included a perfect balance of socializing, rest, and learning. </div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We:</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">-Had dinner guests for Husband's famous, <em>secret</em> chowder (and they agreed: it's fame-worthy)</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">-Went for a run</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">-Went out to a Tapas joint with new friends (and Tapas make Husband very irritable! So little food...)</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">-Facilitated our Sunday School class on Luke 3. It was a fantastic marital experience. It made us research and plan together in a way we don't often experience. We had to get on the same page, research, reconvene, research more, then rendezvous again to organize. And after all that, the class participants were so smart and enthusiastic we barely had to say a word and only shared about a fourth of our research. A truly humbling and exciting experience.<br />
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Then we:</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">-Enjoyed French Press at our favorite brunch cafe while debriefing our Sunday School experience</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">-Took a long nap</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTQ579qqVpI/AAAAAAAAH3M/K4bd_hTQ4Ww/s1600/furmanwithkhan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" n4="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oWZrZaPhwTg/TTQ579qqVpI/AAAAAAAAH3M/K4bd_hTQ4Ww/s640/furmanwithkhan.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">-And took Khan to play at a local University. He hates the big seesaw, but Husband says it's good trust-discipline for him.</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">How was your weekend?</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div>Courtney at SL's No Ennuihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03736115775389995749noreply@blogger.com8