Countdown Sticks - How Many Days 'Till Whatever!

OMG! I crafted AGAIN!

Well, to be fair, Pip and Sprout crafted and it was a fun one!

Whether you are counting down to a trip to the beach or a visit from Santa Claus, our Countdown Sticks (TM) are the sticks for you!

First, take some jumbo popsicle sticks...as many as you have days to count down.




Decorate them any which way you please.



(We used markers, glue, beads, pens, and glitter foam with adhesive backing).






Place them in a cup or tin (or in this case our Christmas Countdown Cup - even though we're counting down to sun and sand - see the deflated Water Wing?).



Each day, take out one stick so you'll know how many days you have before you can rip open all your presents (or how many days you have to pack the sunscreen and water wings).



Voila!

Raindrops

First we had too much.

Then we've been having too little.

Tonight the raindrops are just right.

I love the sound of raindrops on the roof.

Have you ever felt like moving...

from some place like here to some place like here or here or here?

What did you do?

Tips for the Traveler

As I have gotten older I have come to appreciate the sounds of bluegrass, gospel, and what you might call traditional country music. I am busily planning a trip that I hope to take when Pip and Sprout are eight and nine; granted, a long way off, but part of the excitement of the trip is planning and looking forward to it.

Here is my planned itinerary. Can any of you add comments, make suggestions for additional stops or tell me about your experiences? Until our road trip, I will live vicariously through you!

Stop One: The Carter Family Fold

Stop Two: Dollywood

Stop Three: Graceland

Stop Four: Grand Ole Opry

Any smaller places along the way would be a perfect way to break up the driving.

See Differently at MoMA

Loving the Line

In my neck of the woods, close to Washington, D.C., the weather has been absolutely beautiful: no rain, low humidity, gentle breezes. This is quite unusual for D.C. summers where breathing, Mark Twain (I believe) once said, compared to sucking blubber through a straw.

I have received so many comments at my original Clothesline Challenge post. Please check back there for my replies as you know Blogger does not provide me with your personal email addresses.

I think it's time for another giveaway, don't you?

I have just finished reading, and am perfectly in love with, The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs by Betty Birney. If you have ever read, and loved, Cold Sassy Tree or even Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe you will understand the feel of this book. So, please leave a comment if you would like to be entered into a drawing for this little gem by Sunday, July 19th, 2009 at midnight Virginia time. And with all my friends from abroad chiming in, how could I not not ship internationally, so enter away!

And just to be clear, since it seems that bloggy giveaways are coming under a bit of scrutiny, this book will be purchased with all the money I'm saving by line drying.

Mount Kearsarge - Poems from New England

Great blue mountain! Ghost.

~From "Mount Kearsarge" by Donald Hall

Listen! to Donald Hall recite "Mount Kearsarge"

Let Evening Come ~ Poems from New England

To the bottle in the ditch, to the scoop
in the oats, to air in the lung
let evening come.

Let it come, as it will, and don't
be afraid. God does not leave us
comfortless, so let evening come.

~From "Let Evening Come" by Jane Kenyon

Finish Every Day - Quotes from New England

Finish every day and be done with it.
You have done what you could.
Some blunders and absurdities
no doubt have crept in;
forget them as soon as you can.

Tomorrow is a new day;
begin it well and serenely
and with too high a spirit
to be cumbered with
your old nonsense.

This day is all that is
good and fair.
It is too dear,
with its hopes and invitations,
to waste a moment on yesterdays.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

De-Crafto Craft

Um, remember when I vowed to NEVER craft again?

Well, I crafted.

And I am so proud of myself because I cannot craft. Seriously.

But here, by some miracle, a crafty endeavor actually worked! Inspired by The Nester, I stuck with the project from start to finish! I did not waste money by purchasing cute accoutrements that found themselves relegated to the back of my closet! My daughter expressed joy at my finished product!

So without further ado (or don't) I present to you a pair of Ikea curtains. Hemmed (big accomplishment!) with Stitch Witchery (who knew?!) and then cuted up with an adorable trim of pink pom-poms (Hot Glue Gun!). Yippeeeee! Now I am really gung-ho to complete my daughter's room in the Fifties, chenille-esque bed covering, girly-girl, princess phone look I'm going for... Any suggestions? Who knows...I may craft again...

39

This was my first full day as a 39 year old and goshdarnit it wasn't that bad. I do feel like I am suffering from a few aches and pains; I guess it is time to kick that exercise regime into full gear, er, I mean, kick start it period.

Any suggestions from you young whippersnappers?

The Power to De-Sour?

Wendy asked, "Waaah, I want to participate, but we have a humidity problem I don't know how to deal with. Sometimes I hang the clothes out and instead of drying, they SOUR!! Does anyone have that problem?? I assume it's the humidity, but I have no idea!"

I did not know the answer, so I promised her I'd ask the masses: YOU! :)

On a related note, please check back under comments if you leave me a note. I read all of your messages (thank you, thank you!) but sometimes Blogger does not allow me to reply directly to you.

As for summer reading, run, do not walk, to your nearest bookstore or library and read the beautifully sweet, funny, and all around peach pie delectable "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty Birney. I'm only half-way done and it's my favorite book yet. See what happens when you listen to third graders? You can find some marvelous books that way!