I woke up yesterday to a text from my son showing a photo of runners. “Starting lineup,” he’d written. I kept one eye open long enough to type “For what?” “The Boston Marathon,” he replied. He hadn’t mentioned that he planned to be at the marathon when we talked the night before. But that sounded [...]
Picking up from last Friday’s post—a mama racoon died unexpectedly right here beneath the floorboards of our home and her cubs went missing and that’s left me unsettled all week. But there was also a happy circle-of-life surprise this week. My niece Kristen gave birth to little Lila Sharon and all of a sudden I [...]
I thought I’d be rhapsodizing about cherry blossoms this morning. Instead, I’m waiting for the Opossum Angel of Death to remove a dying critter from my crawl space. Mother Nature is full of complexities. A few nights ago as I lay reading in bed, I heard something scratching underneath our bedroom floorboards and woke my [...]
Reading about how a walk in nature can relieve brain fatigue (no kidding) makes me even more grateful to be surrounded by rejuvenating spring greens this time of year. Other things that perked me up this week: 1. These charming Coach videos of old and young fashionistas playing dress up together (via Advanced Style). 2. [...]
The night before our wedding, my oh-so-chic Aunt Carole and Uncle Curtis gave us an elegant bud vase made by the Stueben Glass company. Recognizing that we didn’t have a clue about fine art glass, they let us know that this little vase was something of value. That it might be an heirloom someday. We [...]
Like a tipsy party guest, oxalis—with its day-glo yellow blossoms and exuberant growth patterns—can be a pain to those attempting a manicured springtime garden display. Here in the woodland hills of Oakland, however, outrageously cheery swaths of oxalis are as welcome as a sunny patch of daffodils in a proper English garden. Also, did you [...]
On the prowl for new reading material last night, I dropped by a local church hall to hear Rebecca Miller (author, filmaker, wife of Daniel Day Lewis) read from her new novel “Jacob’s Folly.” Miller was articulate and the book seems intriguing, but as she spoke I was as distracted as her protagonist housefly. You [...]
Spring played peek-a-boo this week with on and off showers and some balmy days punctuated by frosty nights. Nevertheless, I enjoyed several playdates in the garden with some cold-weather annuals. Like my mother always says about lipstick—everyone needs a little color! Here are a few other things that brightened my world: 1. If you, too, [...]
Last week I stepped away from my computer for a short break to work on my Purl Soho scarf while half-listening to an old episode of Glee. As the Warblers warbled, I fussed with getting the herringbone pattern established, then returned to work. Later on I walked down the driveway to pick up the mail [...]
My apologies to the rest of the country. I know you’re oh-so-tired of shoveling snow and watching icicles form on icicles. But here in the Bay Area, we are in the clutches of an early spring and we can’t help but crow about it. Try to think of our incessant postings of beautiful blossoms as [...]
