Ezra’s Birthday

Posted on February 3, 2010
Filed Under Literary, art, daytripping, dining, music | 4 Comments

Yesterday was Ezra’s extra-fantastic birthday. He took the day off and we (Ez, Rainey, and me) all had such a nice time. We had yummalicious brunch at the S&S–haven’t been there in ages. (I had a boursin omelet and wheat toast, because I know you’re wondering!) There were at least four babies there besides Rainey, and overall it was pretty busy. It gave me a cozy feeling to see that they’re still packin’ ‘em in after 90 years. A woman sat down next to us and ordered borscht and chopped liver.

Then we hopped in the car. Well, we shimmied into the car. The S&S parking lot is a bit snug–all side mirrors had to be tucked in. We headed northward and did a little light birthday shopping in Kittery. Ez got a sweater, a cute hat, and funky shoes; Rainey got a few goodies, including a Steelers shirt for next season; and I even found something.

A trip northward is never complete without a stop in Portsmouth. Some years back–I think it was 2007–we wandered into Nahcotta Gallery on one such stop in Portsmouth and found ourselves surrounded by lots of the most wonderful little pieces of artwork. We had stumbled upon the very first Enormous Tiny Art Show. We wandered the pieces for a long time–probably more than an hour–and picked a piece or two that we hoped to buy. Alas, we were very much novices at the whole art buying thing, and all the pieces that interested us were already sold. The Enormous Tiny Art Show has become a biannual event at Nahcotta, and it’s even expanded to their sister gallery, Three Graces, as The Teeny Tiny Art Show. The Enormous Tiny Art Show 7 and The Teeny Tiny Art Show VI open this Friday, February 5th. It so happens that the folks at Nahcotta were busy hanging the art for ETA 7 yesterday, so we got near first pick of all the glorious goods. And, as it was Ezra’s birthday, we couldn’t say no. May I introduce…

tiny village

Tiny Village
8×8
Gouache on panel
Laura Berger

and…
Her Past was Never Far Behind

Her Past was Never Far Behind
4×7
Encaustic and mixed media diptych on panel
Beth Billups

Happiness!

Our trip to Portsmouth also included visits to River Run Books and BullMoose Music. Add American Rust by Philipp Meyer to my to-read list. Musically, I’ve recently been most interested in picking up jazz albums. In the last couple of weeks, those have included Giants Three: Nat Cole, Lester Young, and Buddy Rich (Verve, Recorded in Los Angeles in December 1945, vinyl), RCA Victor Vintage Series: Dizzy Gillespie (Recorded in the 30s and 40s, this collection released in 1966, vinyl), The Amazing Bud Powell (Blue Note, Recorded between 1949 and 1953, vinyl, some tracks feature Max Roach, Roy Haynes, Sonny Rollins), Atmosphere for Lovers and Thieves by Ben Webster (On Black Lion, 1965, vinyl), and Dizzy on the French Riviera (Dizzy Gillespie, Recorded 1962, Verve CD).

Giants 3 Bud Powellben websterdizzy

(I couldn’t find a good picture of the RCA Victor Dizzy record.)

Actually, I found the first two of those last Sunday at Twisted Village in Cambridge. I wasn’t sure if they were still kicking, but they ARE, thank goodness.

Ezra’s birthday was appropriately rounded off by dinner at The Portsmouth Brewery (where I had delicious smoked tofu and polenta) and caffeine at Breaking New Grounds. It happened to be game night at Breaking New Grounds, so we got in a round of Bananagrams before heading home.

Here’s to another year of Ezra!!


A slice of January

Posted on February 3, 2010
Filed Under christmas, collections, family, friends, me and my brain | 1 Comment

Most people probably agree that the cold months following Christmas and New Year’s can be a little bit of a letdown. But there are always good little moments. Here are some of mine so far in 2010.

One long weekend I finished up the Santa puzzle my mom gave me for Christmas in 2008. It was a lot of fun… a really good cozy winter activity. I think it looked better put together than it did in the picture on the box.

During our holiday visit to the farm, Ezra’s sister Abby introduced us to Bananagrams. It’s so completely up my alley–a word game, sort of like Scrabble and Boggle put together, but better (well, definitely better than Scrabble anyway). So on that long weekend I mentioned we gave Bananagrams to Amy and Doug for Christmas. Of course, we played several rounds.

Bananagrams
Amy’s fabulous creation with the Bananagrams tiles… not a part of the actual game

And, of course, we had to get it for ourselves shortly after that.

I’m still going through my Christmas postcards. I promise to share more about them soon (take that as a “coming attractions” or a warning, as you wish).


And… we’re back!

Posted on January 22, 2010
Filed Under the interweb | 2 Comments

I’m told ze comments are back in action. Sorry for the delay.


Phooey… Blog comments aren’t working

Posted on January 22, 2010
Filed Under the interweb | Leave a Comment

If you’ve tried to comment on my blog lately, your comment probably hasn’t gone through. Something seems to be amiss. We’re working on it!!


Don’t Blame Me, I Voted for Mike Capuano

Posted on January 20, 2010
Filed Under me and my brain, politics, rant, the 'hood | Leave a Comment

… in the Democratic primary for the special election to replace Ted Kennedy in the U.S. Senate. Here’s a link to Capuano’s official web site, in case you’re not familiar with him and his positions. He was the mayor of Somerville and we loved him. He’s currently our representative in the U.S. House and I still think he does a great job. He’s got a lot more spunk than Martha Coakley. I’d like to think he’d have beaten Scott Brown, but maybe the outcome of the election would have just been that much more depressing had it been him instead of Coakley. It would have been a much more spirited campaign–I’m sure of that.

On to brighter topics…


And finally… My Collections: Vintage Christmas Ornaments–Miscellaneous

Posted on January 18, 2010
Filed Under christmas, collections, nostalgia | Leave a Comment

I’ll finish up with some favorite odds and ends.

Red and yellow with flowers
Small red and yellow ornament with flowers

This one looks (to me) like a round grenade.
grenade
grenade bottom

Red with blue dots
Red with blue dots

Gold with pink dots
gold with pink

Flowers
flowers

Tree
Tree

Silver, Red, and Green
Silver Red and Green

Unsilvered lantern with pink and mica
unsilvered lantern

This one is stamped West Germany.
West Germany

Blue-green lantern
lantern

Pink and white with mica
pink and white with mica

Candles
candles

Silver striped lantern
silver striped lantern

I really love these last two.

Plaid with red and blue
red and blue plaid

Plaid with red and white
red and white plaid


And even more… My Collections: Vintage Christmas ornaments–Flocked and painted words and images

Posted on January 18, 2010
Filed Under christmas, collections, nostalgia | Leave a Comment

I found this one at an antique shop in Montreal.
Merry Xmas green

I have a larger one very similar to this but in worse condition.
Merry Christmas

Joyous Christmas
joyous
Christmas

Silent Night
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2682/4267164599_9601ed05f4.jpg

Merry Christmas
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4012/4267909138_b2de5acdfc.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2684/4267162507_65e1db7f77.jpg

Santa on skis
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4042/4267907748_37d3b2262f.jpg

Merry Christmas w/holly
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4062/4267160413_7f65d3d6d4.jpg

Red Merry Christmas
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2775/4267906422_198e19a6e0.jpg

Santa and stars
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4065/4267905676_1fceaa3ae9.jpg

Now Dasher!
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2753/4267905544_2afd7cca28.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2692/4267905424_e64a69cb3c.jpg


My Collections: Vintage Christmas Ornaments–Bells

Posted on January 15, 2010
Filed Under christmas, collections, nostalgia | Leave a Comment

I promised the ornaments would keep on coming! I’m wishing now that I’d taken better photos of them. Ah well… maybe next year.

So! Onto the bells! My guess is that these are from the 40s or 50s.

Red bell with white glittery stripes

small red and white bell

This one looks a little older.
old bell ornament

It has a clapper inside it, so it rings.
clapper on bell

clear bell 40s

white and red bell

Little green bell

red white blue silver bell


My Collections: Vintage Christmas Ornaments–Hand-painted leaf and feather shapes

Posted on January 13, 2010
Filed Under christmas, collections, nostalgia | Leave a Comment

I am especially drawn to these ornaments, many of which I believe are from the 1930s, though some are probably newer.

1. Probably 30s
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4066/4267170553_0659f85c9d.jpg

2. One side
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4062/4267170265_3f20a26bb2.jpg

2. Another side
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4036/4267169979_60a74046ba.jpg

3. Probably 30s. This is a recent addition to my collection.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/4267168669_f6a0a624df.jpg

4. Probably 30s.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2693/4267914760_f8112f8298.jpg

5. 30s or 40s
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4004/4267914390_fdbb45a6ff.jpg

6.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2689/4267914262_ed18c81dda.jpg

7. Probably 30s
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2762/4267910874_cc9c74fb90.jpg

8.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4267164293_4be2caf5a2.jpg

9. Most likely from the 1930s, this is one of my absolute favorite ornaments.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4040/4267910068_650b3be1fb.jpg

10. This one looks a bit newer.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4041/4267909950_83c46584ee.jpg

11.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4016/4267157869_bc7a2371b0.jpg

12. Probably from the 1930s.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2701/4267903892_34eb81e449.jpg

13. I love the translucent red glass of this one.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4062/4267156415_e54236f15c.jpg

14.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4047/4267155669_1cd274c652.jpg

15.


My Collections: Vintage Christmas Ornaments–Fruits, Seeds, Flowers, etc.

Posted on January 12, 2010
Filed Under christmas, collections, nostalgia | 4 Comments

Most of these ornaments are much older–probably from the 1930s, possibly 1920s.

Pine cones
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4051/4267173137_93460bcb02.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4035/4267919016_7dfaa0f3fa.jpg

I just got another lovely silver pine cone ornament, but I haven’t photographed it yet. I like the lightly frosted pine cones a lot.

Acorn
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4068/4267918476_58ab428bb5.jpg

Grapes, berries, fruits
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4053/4267918338_c95f3a1700.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2778/4267168981_ba52c57fb2.jpg

This next one might be a little newer. Note that the top is not as narrow as some of the others.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4006/4267909536_7771d384ac.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2742/4267903370_a0ef2e04a4.jpg

I’m not sure about this one. Cluster of berries?
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4052/4267171809_1ba412f0b3.jpg

Flowers, baskets of flowers, etc.
The rose
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4020/4267917608_e27eab9c4b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2712/4267918062_f544b8868b.jpg

The top on this next one has definitely been replaced.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4016/4267164017_1a6959bd0d.jpg

This one is tiny and would have likely been used on a feather tree.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4055/4267909688_912c965c49.jpg



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On My Needles

Rhapsody in Tweed cabled pullover for Ezra! using Tahki Donegal Tweed in Forest, from Fall 2004 Interweave Knits. I've just picked this one up again, so it's moving up in the queue!

Sweater with Cable Patterns pullover using Araucania Nature Wool Chunky in Mauve, from Rebecca Magazine Number 28

Heather Pullover using Classic Elite Wings in Larkspur, from Rowan’s A Season’s Tale... This needs the knit doctor. I'm going to have to frog back a little bit and redo the shoulder area. Long story.

Hush Pullover using Jo Sharp DK wool in Wine, from Rowan’s Calmer Collection

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