with egypt in mind and heart

Some items from Etsy.

Prayers for freedom and well being to the people of the Egypt.



Egyptian Aqua Crackle Heart Pendant from earthenwood

Cairo Spoon Ring from undeadmushroom12

Blue Agate Egyptian Ring from arosha

A Beautiful Thing Egyptian Proverb Typography Print from lisabarbero

Egyptian Rose Cashmere Lotion from bodyspell

Egyptian Spice Market Print from illuminatedluna

Egyptian Musk Shea Butter and Olive Oil Bar Soap from DeepSouthSoap

it's friday, i'm in love

tableau tuesday

plum island

We took a Sunday drive yesterday down the road to Plum Island, just outside of Newburyport, MA. Temperatures were in the teens, but the sun was shining brightly and the skies were a magnificent shade of blue. The result was a picturesque winter landscape -- fire and ice.

candlepin bowling

I'd never heard of it before today.

Aidan received a Wii for Christmas and has become quite the bowling aficionado -- he's developed one helluva hook and slice. So on a bitterly cold Saturday, an excursion with his dad to the local lanes seemed like a great way to pass some free time away from his little sister and have some fun.

One thing though -- the bowling alley had some weird, bocce ball-looking bowling balls, rather than the big ol' heavy, three-holed variety. And the pins? Super narrow sticks ... not at all like the traditionally-shaped ones.

Google to the rescue ... or more specifically, Wikipedia:

Candlepin bowling is a variation of Bowling that is played primarily in the Canadian Maritime provinces, Quebec, the New England states of Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, where it is much more common than ten-pin bowling, as well as in one municipal bowling center in Wyoming and Ohio.

Like apple cider donuts and stuffed quahogs, it's just one more Yankee thing I've discovered on this crazy adventure we're living up here in New England. Who knew, eh?

snow, snow, and more snow

I was starting to think that the infamous New England winters were "no big deal." After a chilly yet pleasant fall, and an almost snow-free December, my southern bones were lulled into a false sense of toasty security.

Enter January.

We were graced with our first blizzard right after Christmas, and every week since has ushered in another round of the white stuff. So much of it, in fact, that it seems as though the 6-foot drifts in our yard will be a permanent fixture 'til June.

On top of the snow, we're dealing with bitterly cold temps. Tomorrow's forecasted high of 16° and low of -11° is just a tad ominous. Thank goodness for warm fires, hot chocolate, and sweats that feel oh so comfy on a most un-comfy cold day.

It's made for a bunch of fun, though, especially for the five-year-old (and forty-year-old) in our household. Aidan and Ty have become quite the sledding connoisseurs. And me? I'm getting really good at figuring out how to take pictures of snow on my camera.

cold night, old town

We spent the evening in Portsmouth, NH yesterday, eating delicious seafood chowder, drinking hot coffee, and nibbling on pastries in downtown Market Square.

It was a beautiful, bitterly cold winter day -- crisp with flurries in the air -- and absolutely perfect.

I described to a friend that the reason I've come to love Portsmouth so much is because it's the perfect mix of the old and the new. Portsmouth was founded in the 1600s, and retains much of its original charm and architecture.

It sort of reminds me of a small Austin. It has a downtown area similar to 6th Street, complete with the independent record stores, coffee houses, bars, and art galleries. It's amazing and very American to see the old buildings of past centuries thriving side by side with the new.

it's been a long while...

... since Robert Pattinson has made an appearance on this blog -- way too long.

So, in anticipation of the release of his upcoming movie, Water for Elephants with Reese Witherspoon (love her!), I thought it was time to add some yummy RPattz goodness to brighten the day of all red-blooded females (and undoubtedly some males) on the planet.

And now, for your viewing pleasure, Robert Pattinson making things prettier in scenes from Water for Elephants.

Delish.

And, you're welcome.

sharing secrets

luck and money

Like the good southern girl that I am, we began the new year off right by enjoying a traditional meal of homemade jalapeno black-eyed peas, sautéed cabbage, and cornbread. Of course we threw in a tasty bottle of red wine, just for good measure.

I’m sharing a picture of the view from the kitchen, which is one of my favorite aspects of this house. In the summer, it’s fresh and green. In the fall, it’s color. In the winter, it’s serenity. I love that window.

So here’s to 2011 – may it bring “riches” beyond measure to all those whom I hold dear.