Merry and Bright

I wanted to put together a little mixtape of Christmas songs together for you but it proved difficult to transfer it from the computer to my blog.  The few songs I really wanted to share with you were:

Dave Matthew's Christmas Song: Found on his Live at Luther College album (disc 2), the lyrics tell the story of Jesus's life in a genius way.

Sarah McKeown's Christ Child: A Celtic singer, found on her album with Through the Bitter Frost and Snow which is a beautiful collection of winter and Christmas music. Highly recommend!

In the Bleak Midwinter by The Tudor Choir found on Fair with Her Firstborn album.  This is a local professional chamber choir which I'm excited to see in concert this Saturday! 

If you have a few moments and can seek out those songs  either through XBox Music (which is where I found them) or iTunes, etc. 

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

xoxo ~Annette

Views from Denali Lodge

One evening Patrick and I went for a brief stroll around the property of Denali Lodge and captured some beautiful sunset views.


A public service announcement:

Last weekend I made this from ground cherries (husk cherries) that I found at our local farmers market.  If you can find yourself some of these heavenly little orbs at your farmers market or natural grocer I highly recommend making some for yourself.


Plus a little wish list:

for travel (in navy)
to adorn my neck
for creating a still life (its hard too choose a favorite in this shop)
embroidery to ornament
for inspiration in lettering
to snuggle into and feel beauttiful
help for filling up these white walls around my house with this
to throw on the floor for a slumber party
for a little greenery little pots and plants like this
to scent our home
to sip a sample
for those weekend breakfasts for two

Alaskan Survival

The Alaskan survival tour was the first of our tours we booked through the cruise.  Brian, our tour guide, hailed from the Seattle area but had been living up in Alaska year round for the last three or four years.  He shared with us tales of survival in the Alaskan wilderness, teaching us the five key elements to survival - shelter, warmth, food, water, and communication. 

We then played a scenario out in which we learned how to use the survival techniques.  Brian showed us how to use the gifts of the forest floor to create shelter, gather food, and build a fire.  We picked watermelon berries, saw examples of shelters built from branches, and demonstrations of fire starters. 

Patrick tried one of techniques for starting a fire, using a 9 volt battery.  He confessed that it was something he had experimented with as a kid.  The look on my in-laws faces was priceless!  (However it makes me nervous to think about have children with this man... well only a little!) 

The whole afternoon was incredibly fun and educational.  Although after hearing those survival stories I don't think I would last very long out in the wilderness.  Good thing I tend to stick close to home! 

First Glance

We returned from an eleven day land and sea cruise of Alaska on Saturday.  Alaska's beauty is striking.  I did my best to capture it in photographs but I fear I could hardly do it justice.  Alaska must be experienced in person. 

I am so grateful to have had the opprotunity to breathe in the sea and mountain air that mingles together.  Allowing the majesty to surround me completely.  Hearing the crack and thunder of the glaciers move.  I am slowly going through the hundreds of photographs that were taken.  Here's a first glance of the first few days in Anchorage and Talkeetna.

August

There is a joke in the Seattle area that there are only two seasons, winter and August.  I am joining in with Susannah's August Break to celebrate!

Also here are a few lovely links that have caught my eye of late:

the future of print
chamomile tea
wildflowers
the instant photo
sun printing
a sister's shawl
summertime picnic

Two books have been traveling with me for many months.  Each is being read slowly, savored.  Allowed to resonate.  One, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte, is a shared reading with friends.  Every Wednesday afternoon a phone book club is held, discussing a few chapters at a time.  Speculations arise as to the fate of our characters.  Astonishment at what has transpired within the plot is shared.  General appreciation for the craft of the author is remarked. 

The second, The Paper Garden by Molly Peacock, has also been read in a similar slow fashion.  Bits at a time.  In a way one might consider it a book club reading of sorts.  Alicia Paulson mentioned it on her blog Posie Gets Cozy.  I suspect many of  her reader did as I did and found a copy for myself.  Mine came from the local library.  Their policy on renewals of checked out items being limited to three has forced me to return the book a couple of times.  It's a book to be read slowly.  To browse longingly over the beautiful detail of Mary Delany's paper floral "mosaicks."

In the still, unhurried quality of reading, these books have sat with me on park lawns, in restaurants, on a cozy sofa, under the trees of my back garden.  These little editions have traveled.  It makes me ponder about the words themselves.  Where have they been as they were being written by the writers?  What places have readers found themselves reading these lovely molded sentences?  Where will the travel to next?

InDependence Day

Deer, deck flowers, doggies (Devin and Daisy), dune buggy, ending with a big detonation of fireworks!

Birthday Celebrations

Patrick surprised me on the Saturday morning before my birthday with a present sitting on top of our antique radio in the living room. From all appearances it seemed to be a shoe box. I was gitty at thought of receiving the L.K. Bennett heels but admittedly deep down a little twinge of sadness snuck in thinking I wouldn't be getting the camera. Upon picking up the present though the weight of the box was a little suspect. I unwrapped the shoe box to find it said Rockport instead of L.K. Bennett. Patrick was up to his usual tricks. It was the Canon EOS 60D!!!! 

After stopping off at the local farmer's market for the deliciouslemon sugar crepes we headed to the Washington Park Arboretum to play with my new toy.  Patrick brought his Sony SLR camera as well.  We strolled out along the Foster Island trail.  Stopping now and again to take photographs.  Patrick was very helpful in providing me tips on how to adjust for different lighting and focus points.  We then made our way towards Marsh Island but true to its name the trail was more marshland than trail.  Without wellies to keep our feet dry and a little Cavalier to think of we turned back.  This was Daisy's first visit to the arboretum.  Her ears were perked, tail high and wagging, nose low sniffing around everywhere.  She seemed to being having just as much fun as we were.  The Wilcox Footbridge was our destination.  A couple with a small baby girl were having a portrait session along the bridge so we waited until the coast was clear and took a few photos there ourselves.  By this time our tummies were grumbling and so we packed up and headed home. 

The next afternoon found us on Kirkland Argosy day cruise.  The winds were blowing strong on the lake making for great sailing weather.  We saw a number of sailing boats out enjoying the day.  This leisurely cruise took us along the shores of the lake exploring some of the neighborhoods of Seattle and the east side.   One of the highlights included Bill Gates' home.  As the boat slowed in front of his house I saw a man strolling the grounds.  Perhaps it was Bill Gates himself!  His house is the reddish one with the adirondack chairs in front. 

My birthday day started quietly with tea in my favorite tea cup and a beautiful bouquet of peonies picked up at the farmer's market a couple days before.  Then it was off to celebrate my dear friend Teresa at her graduation ceremony from graduate school. 

   
Needless to say there was a lot of pomp and circumstance for this lady's birthday!!!

Birthday Wish List

Someone has a birthday quickly approaching (fingers pointing at myself) and I was asked to share a detailed wish list.  Here are a few things my heart is desiring.

1. Beautiful deck furniture to lounge in while meditating, reading or having tea in my serene back garden. (Cost Plus World Market has a nice set.)

2. Heels to walk around like a princess.  (L.K. Bennett Sledge Court Shoes Taupe - I wear a size 9 and am not quite sure what that translates to in UK sizing.  Found in the US at Nordstrom.)  

3.  A camera to capture the simple joys of life.  (Canon EOS 60D or other similiar high quailty camera.  A point and shoot camera as a staple in my purse would be nice as well.)

4.  A book for dreaming of the English countryside.  (Jasper Conran's Country perferably the UK edition found on Amazon UK.)

5.  Magazine subscription for inspiration in creating my own English style home.  (The English Home magazine so I don't have to continue buying every couple of months from my local Barnes and Noble.)

Other things that have been catching my eye around the internet of late:

wave watching

it never gets easier

quill

undone

green lake

spring rain quilt

a home tour

sunprints

ice cubes

Wild Flower Studies

As spring has progressed I have thoroughly enjoyed watching the wild flowers come out slowly bit by bit.  Each one adding their voice to the chorus of spring and the summer to come.  Wild Flower Studies by Bessie D. Inglis was first borrowed from the library at time when there were little in the way of wild flowers gracing the hiking paths.  I poured over the beautiful watercolor illustrations trying to understand how to identify these lovely creatures.  Hoping that I could gain a, "familiarity with these [to make] it easy to recognise the plants themselves on a first meeting."  The section on 'The Structure of Plants' was quite informative, simply illustrated, and a wonderful way to get my feet wet in the field of botany.

Over the weekend my small family took a short walk on the open paths surrounding our home.  As we went I bent down to collect a sampling the wild flowers that have been capturing my heart.  Daisy wasn't sure what to make of me and my treasures in hand.  She would jump up on my leg and rustle about impatiently every time I stopped to pick another wild flower.  Normally we walk at a pretty brisk pace and I'm the one reminding her to stop sniffing about the bushes and get on with the act of walking.  It was if we had reversed roles. 

Once at home the hand picked bouquet was placed in one of my favorite little pitchers.  Unfortunately we had some dinner plans so time did not allow for me to sit and study as I had wanted until this morning.  Amongst my collection I gathered hop clover, red clover, ox-eye daisies, bulbous buttercups, dog rose, and a couple others that I wasn't able to identify. 

Tomorrow I will be forced to return Bessie's lovely book as my library's policy of three renewals has run out.  Bessie and her illustrations have brought me a lot of comfort this spring season.  Hopefully I can continue the study of the wild flowers.