Friday Happiness::

.I have in the house right now, to cook with this weekend: butternut squash, fresh mozzarella, two pounds of carrots, swiss chard, two bunches of broccoli rabe, about twenty apples, a pie-crust (ready to go), four pounds of potatoes, some fig jelly, two-and-a-half dozen eggs, some nice goat cheese, and lots and lots of greens and arugula. Not sure what exactly I'm going to do with any of it, but am looking forward to figuring that out.

.I am going to take a walk every day, from now on, even in the rain, even if it's just once around the park. It makes me sad that I've gotten away from walking everyday, so I'm going to change that.

.Anna is writing in a journal (asking me for each letter of every word) the following sentence: Sisters are superheroes, they can teach you anything.

.I have a new, charcoal grey sweater that my mom bought me that I haven't worn yet. I'm pretty sure it's going to be cool enough this weekend to wear it.

.I like the way echinacea and black eyed susans look when they are done blooming, with their dark spikey heads and black stems all looking right up at you.

.I like that Tim called me on his walk to work this morning, to report that the little pocket park in town is putting in a cool-looking play area.

.We started using our napkin rings again last night. We each have one that came from my grandmother. Some have her family's initials; one says "Providence, RI"; two plain ones I had engraved with the twins' initials a few years ago, for their birthday.

I know that when my mother sees this picture of the napkin rings, she will think that they really need to be polished.

.The combination of dark chocolate and sea salt is haunting me. The shop in town that used to make these perfect little squares closed up, though.

The tearoom in town, of all places (!), is doing so well that it expanded into the next store. Which is good news, because I really need to restock our supply of loose tea.

.Our neighborhood movie night in the park is planned for tomorrow night. I really hope it doesn't get rained out.

I'm glad the weekend is here. I hope you all have a happy one! Thanks for reading.
tt

Friday Happiness::
.Apple cake and bread to bake today. And knowing that at this moment, a friend is making roasted acorn squash soup for our dinner tonight.

.The Avett Brothers on the radio this morning. "Ah, Brooklyn, Brooklyn, take me in."
I especially like the words "tell the ones that need to know"; doesn't that conjure up the people in your life that you love?

.Measuring everyone's height, grown-ups, too, in pencil, on our kitchen wall.

.The beautiful photos, at this joy+ride, from our neck of the woods.
When we were young, my brothers and I used to take picnics to the cemetery, and swim in the river that winds along its edges. I realize that sounds strange and morbid, now. But it didn't seem strange at all, then. It's actually one of my clearest and fondest memories.

.Way too much on our plate this weekend, but all of it promises to be fun. If you're local, come join us for the opening reception for Public Bookstore on Saturday.

Enjoy the weekend. Thanks for reading.
tt

Friday Happiness::
I am completely on the run today, but don't want to leave here for the weekend on such a moody note as I've struck the last few days.

I'm feeling quiet but happy, and the bit of grey this Friday brought is welcomed by me.
No matter what storm of self doubt settles over me some nights, every morning brings the head-clearing constants of my daughters voices, and a pot of really strong tea.

Just three things I want to mention.
.my photo today is shamelessly inspired by Rachel's much more skillful photo yesterday. It's the sort of photo that made me gasp, and then grab my camera and go outside and try again.
I really needed that yesterday, so thank you.

.I know this is out there everywhere right now. Jen told us about it. Alicia told us about it. I finally watched it last night. And then sat mesmerized and watched several in a row. A couple of times. I just have to jump on the bandwagon, because I love it.

.As is just my way, I mention the NYABF for days, but then never get around to telling you much actually about it. So, I'm circling back and mentioning that one of my favorite tables was the work of Kate Glicksberg. I didn't get a chance to go back in and talk to her some more, or buy one of her amazing little books. But I loved her photography, and the fact that she was passing the time at the show on Sunday by sitting at the table, hand folding sleeves for a set of three little photography books she had made. Awesome.

OK, I really, really have to go out into the world. But I am feeling good.

Hope you are too. Thanks for reading.
tt

Friday Happiness [Public Bookstore]

[work visible here by: Stephanie Dennis, Ilse Schreiber Noll, and Bret Wills]

The show is up, and we think it is excellent. Much black and white work in the exhibit, as this first issue of the 'zine is black+ white, so we were looking towards that as we edited the selections. But some color, here and there, lending the gallery overall a clean, cohesive look that we love.

We encountered some delays when we received the first printing of the book; we had used an online self-publishing site, and we were disappointed with the quality. So we started from scratch and went with a different printer.

Now, back on track, we are ready to move forward, and excited to get this project, six months in the making, on it's way.

::

We are also looking forward to this weekend, and the New York Art Book Fair, put on by Printed Matter. Can't wait to see all the inspirational work that others are doing. I have a feeling Tim and I will come home from the show reinvigorated and with our heads full of ideas for our next project.

::

Other than that event, this is one of those weekends where the girls' social schedule trumps ours, so mostly we'll be driving and picking up from various birthday parties. The thirteen-year-old crowd now apparently are no longer into sleepovers, so much, but rather into having parties that run well after the grown-ups around here are usually in bed.

I'm personally of a mind that if you are going to keep my kids up past ten o'clock, you should keep them overnight. Although, I'm not a big fan of sleepovers, either.

I'm a lot of fun, huh? Oh, don't worry. I'll get over it.

After all, it's the weekend, again. And this one promises to be cool enough for the first outdoor fire, a big scarf and my favorite boots, and definitely something cooked long and slow in the kitchen.

Certainly that's worth staying up late for?

Enjoy the weekend! Thanks for reading.
tt

Friday Happiness

I was bereft of inspiration, and on top of that
I had to bring my little girl over to the pre-k
and leave her crying and
yelling "mommmmmmy...I want to stay with yoooooou"
and even though I completely recognized in her voice
and her carriage
a touch of the "putting on", of the slipping this costume of bereftness
over her purple dress, and trying on the whole idea of being lost
without me,
still,
I know her.
And she was and was not
feeling it.
I was feeling it.
I was hot and cloudy and hoping
that if I just scooped her up
and out of there
all would be ok.
But, alas,
I'm no spring chicken.
And I know that she will be ok,
and that I need to leave her.
So I went,
listening through the closed,
single paned windows,
as my little purple-dressed girl,
wailed inside.
::
I turned right instead of left,
and with my camera on the seat
next to me, like a puppy,
I drove to the one place I would always go,
given a chance.
And my puppy and I got out and went for a walk,
and bought some bread,
and took many, many pictures of flowers,
and vegetables and then on the way out,
pulled over in front of the "no parking" sign,
right next to the "electric fence" sign,
and looked and laughed at the geese, honking
at I don't know what. But they certainly all agreed
that one particular thing deserved
honking at. (And by the way, they are not all the same,
at all. They are all sorts of colors and with stripes even,
and some are definitely cuter than others. Something to do
with the placement of their eyes, I decided.
Although they all honk the same.)
And then one hit me on the head.
One acorn, and another and another-not all hitting me
on the head, but all over the place, and all different
and perfect, even though many of them lose their caps
when they fall from the tree.
I had the impulse to glue the caps back on.
Isn't that ridiculous?
Why do I always want to fix things
so that they are just so, again?
And scooping them up,
and meaning to take them home,
I felt that I had found some sort of treasure
and that the girl
who runs the childrens' programs,
(and who was very pregnant the last time I saw her,)
was going to stop me and say I couldn't have those acorns.
They need to stay here. They belong to the farm.
But she just smiled and waved, and called out "how are the girls?"
and drove away,
no doubt to pick up that baby of hers.
And so I turned back toward the car,
walked away from the geese,
with a handful of acorns,
and went back to the place from which I had come.
And picked up my smiling,
purple-dressed girl.

Inspiration found.


Enjoy the weekend. Thanks for reading.
tt

Friday Happiness

Flowers blooming well into September.
Soup weather.
Little girls playing dress up. Big girls going along.
The first local apples, by the bag-full. And going like hotcakes around here.
The resiliency and ebullience of kids. What sometimes seemed simply loud and chaotic, is looking joyous and full of life these days.
Music. And, this music video (thank you, Brian), which I find so beautiful and haunting (in a good way!)
Friends. Friends. Friends.
Every.new.day.

Enjoy the weekend. Thanks for reading.
tt

Friday Happiness

::being completely happy to be chilly in the mornings.

::pots of loose leaf tea.

::Anna making a fort in the livingroom, with a sheet that still smells like the beach.

::determination.

::kids who laugh on their way to and from school.

::friends who stop by the house when it's empty, and leave cake.

::eleven green, tart, somewhat mottled apples on our tree. a new record for us.

::roasted broccoli with lemon and garlic. go make it now. you won't be sorry.

::neighbors who blow kisses across the park.

::actually getting to wear back-to-school clothes the first week (see #1).

::photo inspiration all around.

::hugging my friends every chance I get. I can't think of anyone who couldn't use a hug. Can you?

Enjoy the weekend. Thanks for reading.

tt

Friday Happiness

Hello, Friday! This week has flown by, of course. And this will be my last Friday here in Maine...by next week it will be all about back to school, and back to work, and looking forward to our September show. Next week I'll start telling you a little about some of the artists who are a part of Public Bookstore. I can't wait to share some of the wonderful work that will be included in our first collective volume.

::

Today, another show begins; this one at Nahcotta, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and although we can not make the opening reception tonight, we are planning to stop on our way home and check it out. I can not wait! I've wanted to see the space and the show since I first laid eyes on the extraordinary work of Jennifer Judd-McGee. Go check out the list of artists, here. There are so many names on that list that I'm looking forward to finally seeing (their work) in person.

::

For now, for a few more days here, it is still all about tea in the morning and the beach in the afternoon. Good bread from the bakery down the road, walks through the wooded path, watercolors, and Our Daily Red. Snuggling on the porch, and collecting rocks.

And finding that your favorite flowers right now seem to be something you grew up calling a weed. But loving them, nonetheless; finding them everywhere, and appreciating their prettiness, despite their ordinariness.

Isn't that what it's all about, after all?

Quotidian beauty.

More tomorrow. Thanks for reading.
tt

Friday Happiness::Pink Street edition

::waking up to a taste of fall-cool air, tea ready in the kitchen, toast and honey on the table.
::taking a long walk into the woods, finding the sea at the end of the path.
::discovering the "hidden" cabinet filled with all the essential cookware. (Better late than never.)
::Maine blueberries-in ice cream, in pancakes, in pie.
::the kitchen radio on in the background all day-classical music, classic rock, and The Writer's Almanac-Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.
::going to bed early; watching The Godfather movies in installments, like a mini-series.
::reading The Passion of the Hausfrau. It feels like I'm hanging out with a friend who gets it, and can make me laugh about it, too.
::weeds and flowers growing along the side of the road; vases filled every day.
::bookshelves in the dining room; forty years of books on the shelves.
::No plans, no hurry, no trouble.

Enjoy the weekend! Thanks for reading.
tt

Friday Happiness

I'm still out of the swing of things, both here in this space, and in general. I've got my feet in one place, and my head and heart (and husband) in another, I suppose.

But I thought I'd share these few more pictures from last week in Maine, and say hello and goodbye, and wish you all a cool, breezy end-of-August.

We are going to lay our heads down tomorrow night in the place where this here space was born. I looked back at the first posts I wrote, from up there in Pink Street. I'm not sure what to make of this last year...let's NOT call it the "year of blogging"... but none-the-less, it was a very, very good year.

Best wishes, and happy Friday. Thanks for reading.
tt

Friday Happiness

Cooler weather.
The house filling up.
Wanting to cook again.
Birthday presents all wrapped up.
Making plans to meet up with friends, on vacation next week.
Checking things off my list, so I can leave home with a clear head.
Being able to do errands on foot.
A new book so good, I'm reading it slowly.
Farmers' market tomatoes, in everything, on everything: omelets, tacos, sandwiches, pasta, bagels, pizza...and best of all, on their own.

But most of all: one more day, and I've got all the girls back on the ground, in one place, ready to celebrate. And finally, the fun begins.

Enjoy the weekend! Thanks for reading.
tt

Friday Happiness:: looks good on paper

Because it is Friday,and it is Summer,and it is raining,
and I am missing two of my girls,
and worrying about things I can't control,
like weather patterns and airplanes,
and because I have two little girls,
(who I can't control, either, come to think of it)
down here on the ground,
who are giggling and teasing,and eating bagels,
and are right here in front of me,
needing me
and drawing me away
from my worry,
and I am full up, knowing that I will very soon
have all six of them back in front of me
and will be wondering then
how I ever will manage with all of them,
just as now,I am wondering
how I ever will manage without them all around me this week;
I take a breath now and think: yes,
this is who is here and where we are in the summer;
remember when we drew this plan?
remember how I thought it would feel?
and it is better, because now I am feeling it,
and real,
is always better
than on paper.
And for that,on this Friday,
I am happy.

More tomorrow. Thanks for reading.

tt

Friday Happiness

Things I've learned this week::

That watercolor paper is really expensive, and acrylic paints don't come right off of a four year old.
That the best way to get help is to ask for it.
That I do not like dark-chocolate covered edamame, but I do like roasted shrimp cocktail.
How to play the pentatonic scale on the bass guitar.
That even the best laid plans need to be changed, sometimes.
That the chemistry between Chevy Chase and Goldie Hawn can not save every movie that they are in together.
That there is a place behind the Pleasantville train station that makes hands-down the best lobster roll I have ever eaten. Anywhere.
That it still gets light out very early in the morning, but it's getting dark, earlier and earlier in the evenings.
That I am so not beyond needing my mommy.

Learn anything new this week?

Enjoy the weekend! Thanks for reading.
tt

Friday Happiness

Months ago, when many of our summer plans were hammered out and set in stone (camp, vacation schedules, gallery deadlines, house rentals, pool fees, camping reservations-it takes a lot to organize summer for eight), it all seemed abstract and so. very. far away.

Another week goes by, and as I mentally (and literally) cross off day after day, I shake my head in disbelief.

I know I'm not telling you anything you don't know, here. But I'm wondering, is there something you're not doing, or have not yet done, that you meant to do this summer?

I can think of a few things on my summer wish-list that seem to be slipping out of my hands as the summer progresses.

Let's promise ourselves to do them.

::

This afternoon, I'm checking one off: a day in the city with grown-up girls, only.

Tomorrow, a road trip upstate again. Mapping out our culinary stops with the help of the latest Edible Hudson Valley. Awesome.

And here's my summer love-song dedication to the man who'll stay behind, today.

Enjoy the weekend. Thanks for reading.
tt

Friday Happiness

I have a friend, who is away, and encouraged me to tend to her garden, of which I have become covetous.

I have basil, and I have sage.

But I do not have snap peas, and string beans, red lightning and sun globe tomatoes, squash blossoms and marigolds, just for color I suppose.

I do not have it.

I was so glad to go "help". What I did not anticipate was the true joy of doing...of looking and seeing and picking and "don't step on the plants" and "pick it this way, sweetie." and "look what I found!"

The pleasure was mine.

::

Other pleasures today?

The new Wilco album, and that song with Laura Feist.

Another supremely good story from the Huffmans.

Jennifer Judd-McGee featured on a new-to-me blog, Upstate Fancy. Besides being happy that Jen is getting the proper attention, I've got me a new phrase to work into a sentence this weekend. As in, "this potato-crust tart isn't quiche-fancy. It's, you know, upstate fancy."

Looks like a beach club night. Better make a run over to Stone Barns, and get me some more of that Swiss chard.

Enjoy the weekend, and I hope you get to pick something fresh, too. Thanks for reading.
tt

Friday Happiness

::back home, taking care of business, sorting through the stacks, and drinking pot after pot of tea

::catching up with blogs and flickr, and thrilled to find Brian Ferry's photos in the new issue of This Joy + Ride

::thinking this might be just the thing for Anna, who is desperately missing her sisters, already. I see a whole set of five girls for her to tuck into a sweet little pillow. Too bad her mama can't sew.

::dinner with my parents, and half of my brothers. This doesn't happen very often any more, so being around a table with them is a rare treat.

::I'm going to try to recreate various parts of the awesome meals we've had with friends, lately. Grilled salmon, maybe. Or those pork chops with balsamic vinegar. Definitely tomato salad. Roasted asparagus...grilled mushrooms. I think we'll just head over to the market and see what looks good for the grill.

::planning a day trip, or two. Hudson, perhaps. Or that drive-in movie we've been meaning to get to.

::And finally, I've talked the mister into an Ikea run. Planning a surprise mini-redo for the girls' rooms, when they all finally land back home.

Best wishes to you all for a happy Fourth, and some sun this weekend. Thanks for reading.

tt

Friday Happiness

When Thursday night is this good, Friday happiness comes on pretty easily.

Welcome, summer.

Tim-plus-three are away camping for a few days. That leaves me with "just" three kids. Plenty of girl stuff is planned. Plus lots of packing, for no sooner do the campers return, then we head out again to the farm.

Then back again, only to send some girls to the Cape. And on, and on, straight through August. Summer takes it's time getting here, but once it comes, it's like a freight train with a monkey at the helm. (Sorry. Maybe I did listen to a tad too much Grateful Dead in college.)


So, Friday happiness? Yeah. Pretty much everything.


More tomorrow. Thanks for reading.
tt
ps::only the first two photos are mine. Give a girl a camera...