Listening to: Uncle John’s Band – Grateful Dead

Brook Farm General Store is one of those places to browse with a cup of tea. Add Sunday Suppers Blog {another great place to visit} and her amazing photos in the store here and you will find yourself having to set the timer while you browse.

I would post her images here, but I’ve been too busy to ask for permission, so check out the link. I’ve been obsessing about those chicken wire oyster/clamming baskets since seeing The Love Letter  9 years ago.  Remember Kate Capshaw’s character kept the bookshop mail in a clamming basket? love it.

Listening to: February – Dar Williams

“The garden had reached the time when every day and every night it seemed as if Magicians were passing through it drawing loveliness out of the earth and the boughs with wands. It was hard to go away and leave it all, particularly as Nut had actually crept on to her dress and Shell had scrambled down the trunk of the apple-tree they sat under and stayed there looking at her with inquiring eyes. But she went back to the house and when she sat down close to Colin’s bed he began to sniff as Dickon did though not in such an experienced way.

‘You smell like flowers and–and fresh things,’ he cried out quite joyously. ‘What is it you smell of? It’s cool and warm and sweet all at the same time.’” -The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett

Mrs. Statton read The Secret Garden aloud to my 5th grade class. It was so simple and comforting. I am constantly searching for ways to bring that kind of quiet hum into my life and my daughter’s. {I love this article from Simple Mom on 20 Tips for Finding Your Routine With Kids that I stumbled upon via Ali Edwards’s Twitter Feed.}

I didn’t plant these crocus. I’ve never seen them come up once in the seven years that I have lived in this house. But here they are. The second I saw them I thought of the Dar Williams song above that mentions them. There are a thousand metaphors for spring and new beginnings and change, but the one I keep returning to is a sense that something that I never knew was there can find its way to the surface and change everything for the better.

I found this clipping in an old journal today that I needed:

“Hope without action is destructive because it goes to magical thinking…the lesson was about not postponing joy and about the ability to transition when you simply don’t want to. Life has its seasons, and you must be able to transition or you’ll be wearing a parka in the summer and a bikini in the winter…

There’s a passage in Ezekiel that asks: Can these dry bones live again? My own life has had such dry spells, such desolate times, but I know that dry bones can live again, that hopeless things can be turned around, not with magic but with hard work. I feel that’s what I’m on the planet to talk about.”
-Robin Smith from O Magazine in 2005.

Listening to: Mushaboom – Feist

I love Michelle Slatalla’s article, 10 Secrets of an Unflappable Working Mom, in the March Real Simple. For 5 years, I’ve read everything from Working Mother Magazine to self-help books on this topic and this may be the most succinct collection of tips that actually work that I have come across.

Turns out, she has a regular column with The New York Times that you can find here, a blog here, and a Twitter feed here.

Definitely worthy of tea time.

Listening to: Hurricane Season and Insomniac, both by Billy Pilgrim. {In a quick search to find out what happened to them, I realize one of the members, Kristian Bush, is now part of Sugarland and the other member Andrew Hyra has a solo career.}

We came in the door yesterday evening and I saw the sun falling into the tulip petals and scrambled for a camera. Spring, I am ready for you. On those days when I miss living further south, I think about how thankful I am to experience the seasons.

Just in case your Sunday includes dread for tomorrow’s workday, this article in Forbes Woman addresses finding happiness at work.

I wish you a peaceful week.

The winner can choose between a $2,500 gift certificate for Southwest Airlines OR a Canon 5D Mark II. I shoot with the latter and it is heaven and, to put it frankly, I want another one. What can I say? I’m a shutter junkie. So, I post this here to hopefully boost my chances of winning and to let you know about the contest. Their bags are super cute. I’m partial to the Lola {link here}.

“No one outside the family could have felt Amy’s death more acutely. Yet what she said to Harris, and to the rest of us, was dispassionate: ‘You are not the first to go through such a thing, and you are better able to handle it than most.’” -Roger Rosenblatt

What great advice in the face of something extremely challenging – whatever it is. I am probably not the first, and have many blessings that will help me.

Right on.

Here is a link to an interactive excerpt. All profits from the book go to Room 13, “a unique initiative that provides an environment for underprivileged children to unfurl their imagination. Here they can express themselves in anything from painting and drawing to drama, poetry and storytelling.”

Links collected this week:

{I am sorry that links don’t appear in a new window. I am working on this.}

*100 Layer Cake featured a Jane Austen inspired wedding here. I remember a Sense & Sensibility wedding in an old Victoria Magazine years ago that was amazing. I remember the bride also wrote for the magazine and had this great name, Pip or Piper or something cool.

*Junebug shared these custom cake stands from Sarah’s Etsy shop that come in every color of the rainbow to work with your unique wedding colors. Personally, I don’t think you can go wrong with white milk bottle glass, but these are neat for color.

*Junebug Weddings also featured this Cozy Winter Wedding Table complete with knitted silverware holders, hot cocoa, square marshmallows and carafes of milk.

*Simple Blueprint featured this Summer Retreat that looks like the perfect studio space.

*NPR featured the book Making Toast in this article. I’m starting to wonder if they are reading Teaworthy {insert wink here}.

*The Food Beauty post on House Martin is mouthwatering. Something about the peaches and sugar in a jar reminds me of being a child.

*Stephmodo shared Martha Stewart’s tips for How To Fold A Fitted Sheet. I feel that one of the great mysteries of the world has been solved.

Lately, I have been folding them up and putting everything inside one of the pillow cases so that each set sheet is in its own bag in the closet. My sheets will never be as neat as Martha’s.

*The Diane Keaton Profile In Style from the Times Magazine here is very cool. I particularly like the family photos.

Listening to: music in the car

Have you seen these cloth covered editions of Penguin Classics? I took this from my phone at Anthro a while back because Lord knows they will snatch a camera out of your hand there if they catch you. They sell them at Morris Bookshop, too or online here.

Listening to: I Melt With You – Modern English

On Sunday morning at Doodles Restaurant, I Melt With You came on the radio and the entire kitchen staff started singing along. Loudly. Sincerely. With Dance Moves. It was day-changing. I love it when things like that happen.

On the topic of Doodles, check out these Doodles At Lunch pads. They are intended for kids, but I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t enjoy these. I saw them on Shim + Sons blog which is always a great source of creative parenting inspiration. Her etsy shop is lovely, too.