Send From My iTouch

The headline says it all. WordPress has a very handy application for the iTouch to make blogging on the go a snap. This may be the thing that pushes me to make the transition from Blogger.

Focus, or Lack There Of

I’ll be honest. I have been having trouble focusing on any one thing lately. Should I knit, or make a necklace, or research buying a house or building a barn orshouldiscanpicturesorshouldiusemywiifit… instead, I will just sit here and play Aurora Feint until it is time for bed. This has been happening a lot lately. I have so much that I want to do that I am getting overwhelmed and instead I do nothing. In a way this has been why I haven’t been posting. I see so many things I would like to blog about in any day that I can’t imagine finding the time to blog about all of them, so I blog about none of them. How do I get out of this rut?

Open to the Heavens

Scaffolding in NY is a way a life. On any given day I am walking under it for about 25% of the time. As long as I have been at my current job, my subway exit and path to coffee has been covered. Great on rainy days, oppressive on sunny days. What can you do? Last week, on a perfectly normal day I emerged from the subway like I have about 500 times before to bright light! What? After almost 2 years, the scaffolding has finally come down. What a difference.

What Have I Been Doing

As I look over my blog I am realizing that for the last month I have been posting once a week. Not a great track record. The first step to recovery, is admitting you have a problem. I hope that you have stuck in there. I am planning a comeback.

Shore

We had such a great time at the shore. Lazy days of beach with paddle ball and muckers, more games at night and of course lots and lots of ice cream. We were staying in the coolest house. It had nine bedrooms. Yes, you read that correctly, nine. It used to be a convent and has beautiful stained glass windows, heavy solid wood doors with fantastic hardware. Literally a two minute walk from the beach, two blocks away from a fancy market with fantastic ice coffee and a short walk from everything else you would want on a beach vacation. I wish I had more pictures, but I was so lazy I didn’t even bring my camera out. I was nice to have so much of my family together. We are hoping to do it again next year and rent one of those four person bikes with the canopy!

Joss is at it Again

I am currently watching Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog. It is a Joss Whedon production starring Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillion and a few other people you probably don’t know. I have seen Acts I&II (of III) and it is hilarious. The final act comes out Saturday. I can’t wait!

Jersey Shore

This weekend I am going to the shore (the Jersey version of the beach) for a 4 days with some family. We are going close enough that we won’t be in the car all weekend and far enough that I can feel like we are escaping. When I was a kid we would spend a week every summer with family at the shore. Days laying on the sand and playing in the ocean, nights walking the boardwalk and playing Uno. The type of vacation I haven’t taken in a while and boy do I need it. I have a book, some games and no expectations. Saturday can’t come soon enough!

Pocket Mod

While clicking around yesterday I stumbled upon this fantastic mini personal organizer. Using there super easy online program you can click and drag your way to a personalized pocket organizer with a calendar, grids, lines, music staff sheets, to do lists, Sudoku… All using one side of one sheet of paper. Sound wasteful? What if that sheet was already printed on the other side and otherwise doomed to the recycle bin? Now how does that sound? Brilliant I say! Just brilliant. via

Crochet Orb

I love knitting. Crocheting I can take or leave on a project by project basis. This project is worth it. With a balloon, some jute and watered down glue, Margie over at Resurrection Fern created this wonderful glowing orb. I can see how you could make a bunch of these to cover larger christmas light bulbs. via

Burning Man

A little known fact about my Grandfather is that he loves fire. When he is up at our property we have to keep a very close eye on him lest he burn the place to the ground or possibly worse, put something in the fire that shouldn’t go in, like plastic or rubber. I am certain if left on his own he would start a tire fire. When he really gets going he has two burn barrels that he set up for us, starts the blaze with kerosene and adds wax to keep the whole thing going. Today I found two recipes for DIY firestarters. This one would be perfect for the burn barrel. I will make sure to have some for you next time grandpa! And the following recipe is from an article from Body+Soul with 25 eco chic ideas for your home. I can’t wait to try these with my next campfire. Rosemary smoked marshmallows anyone?

Herbal Fire Starter

Pinecones and dried herbs such as rosemary, sage leaves, and cinnamon sticks make fragrant kindling for a winter fire.

1. Bundle dried herbs and small pinecones in a sheet of newspaper and secure the ends with raffia or cotton twine.
2. As you pile up logs for your fire, nestle the herb bundle underneath, with paper ends sticking out.
3. To start the fire, light the newspaper ends.

As the paper burns up, the herbs inside will ignite and incinerate, giving the logs a chance to catch fire.