sunday

yoga...the prettiest blue mat, muscles that used to stretch farther before I forgot about them and thought they always would, sixty minutes later and I'm going again on Tuesday

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tagged along

...with Case to his lab on Saturday afternoon, Hermie and I walked and photographed the sights while Case cared for his parasites, changed their media diapers and cloned out a gene.

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9.12 to 9.13

number 8 Numbers mean different things to different people. For example, the number 21 makes me happy because it is my birthday, my dad's birthday and it comes up often in Las Vegas. Or the number 3, there are three sisters in my family, and it is truly the magic number.

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As I go about my day today, it is fairly normal, Hermie sighs, the sun is out, the mailman delivers my mail and I had a bowl of strawberries and a cookie from yesterday for breakfast, but beneath all the normalcy there is an underlying sadness, a fear, sorrow, fright...it isn't only today that I remember 9/11, but it is in the firefighters I see, a flag hung above a front door, the emergency items stored in the garage, a disabled marine at the airport, a plan to pack up the animals in case we need to leave in a rush, a mother wearing the image of her militant daughter, and most importantly the human connection that stretches far beyond borders, history and politics, may today be one of normal happy moments and remembrance.

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*Thank you, Mom, for finding a vintage card catalog...it inspired today's post and I adore it and you!

simple chocolate chips, cool morning air, sleepy Hermie, the aroma of cookies baking, feet in slippers for the first time in months, the sound of the dryer, Ladybug purring, piles of freshly folded laundry, rumpled blankets from a restful night, lists of to-dos . . . for tomorrow

ah honey honey

mine The green eel used to be Hermie's toy until Tuna decided he liked it for himself.

four day...

weekend.

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: : : Tali included me in a collection of favorite blogs on her beautiful blog, here. Thank you! : : :

farmers' market love ♥the rainbow tomato Candace gave me from her garden (my first one!) ♥the strawberry tart from the new booth next to me, Gingerlily Bakery (super cute name) ♥the overflowing bowl of plums and nectarines from the nice fruit guy who sells in the aisle behind me (need to get his name next week) ♥the perfect coconut cupcake from Ginglerlily, too... Mary and Wade are the hearts behind these lovely confections and are as sweet as can be ♥the cluster of tomatoes in shades of yellow and green, delicious!

a new leaf Hermie and I used to walk very early in the mornings, then I got more and more comfortable with taking him later, sleeping in, browsing the internet upon waking...developed bad habits over the summer. With a new month upon us, we headed out early, the new morning light was refreshing, the students heading to school was delightful, and the bloom soaking up the sunrise in front of the bedroom was the cherry on top, there is only one right now, and it is beautiful.

tuesday

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:: The desk calendar is from SureAsBlue on Etsy. ::

four

the last days of August, scattered, busy, too few, too fast . . . gone

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: : : Thank you to Mia at MiaBeads for the lovely feature on your gorgeous blog! : : :

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8.28 to 8.31

an ode to summer long

sunshine

endless

sandy

organic

fresh

crisp

sweet

sticky

buzzing

yellows

oranges

free

eternal

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*8.26 to 8.27

brown mocha, chestnut, bronze, tan, chocolate, dust, mahogany, toast, cocoa, amber, ginger

love at first sight 8.24..Today I unpacked my new mixer (thank you, Mom and Dad!). I was taken aback by tremendous joy when I opened it on my birthday, so much so that I cried a little, it felt strange to shed tears of happiness for a mixer... but I love to bake, it wasn't something I was expecting at all, it is the most gorgeous of colors, and Mom and Dad just knew the perfect gift.

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l.a. heat 8.23..Sunday in Los Angeles at the Mini Market sharing a booth with the lovely Sasha Bell, plus Mom and Kadee helped with everything (thank you!!). It was a day of meeting wonderful people, both customers and artists and trying out some new items. The day was a hot one, I could've taken three showers when I got home, but I only had the energy for one and that would've been a waste of water anyways.

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up all night 8.22..No matter how much I think I have done I am always up til the wee hours the night before a show, tonight was no exception...new items being created for the Unique Mini-Market, soon to be added to the shop for fall.

the birthday girl Happily celebrating this wonderful day all about me!

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: : : Thank you for such sweet birthday messages! : : :

rise + shine

fresh

Going to get creative with some just-plucked-from-the-garden japanese eggplants.

(thank you for the eggplant, Candy)

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: : : Samantha at Design de Troy included me in a gorgeous feature on her beautiful blog. (thank you!) : : :

baby bird love

The eggs have hatched!

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I have been peeking and snapping images here and there, feeling a bit like a dove paparazzi...being so careful not to frighten them.

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Looks like two healthy new squabs...maybe three, the mama sits on them often and it is difficult to distinguish between the feathers, beaks and heads.

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They are wonderful, beautiful and delicate, they blink their tiny eyes into the sun and sleep snuggled tightly together.

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Today the hanging basket they are nesting in was swaying softly in the breeze, I think they picked the perfect home.

8.15 to 8.17....postcards from a long weekend

craving autumn

It may have been the chilly morning air, or the back-to-school commercials, the blog I read yesterday about preparing for the holiday season, or the plaid coat I fell in love with in the magazine I was reading...despite the fact that it is summer, and the sun is clearly warming up outside, I couldn't help myself from enjoying a warm bowl of quinoa with brown sugar and dried cranberries, just a glimpse of the season yet to come.

catnap

. . . staceynap, hermienap, lots of snoozing going on around here this afternoon

♥♥♥♥

Four years ago, today, on a cloudy morning, I wore a pink dress on a grassy cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean and looked into Case's beautiful eyes and held his sweet hands, surrounded by our families, as his lifelong friend officiated our promises to one another.

art!

8.11.......a celebration of Laguna Beach artists, some of my favorites here and here.

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atop a mountain

8.7 to 8.10....A six hour road trip and Case and I arrived at his childhood vacation home in Mammoth Lakes. Four days...beginnning with p0wer lines, desert beauty, volcanic rocks, cows, hikes, sky, fresh air, wild flowers, wind, patches of snow, waterfalls, family, peanut butter pie, lakes, sunscreen, fishing, ducks, sunshine, puffy clouds, trail mix, deer, ice cold water, fruit smoothies, bald eagles, a 2.75 lb trout, pine trees, ice cream, and ending with gorgeous mountain memories.

thursday + wednesday

8.6....Children's artwork is the very best, especially when they draw a picture of you with long pink hair.

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8.5....Above, a picture of my friend and booth neighbor at the farmers' market, Candace Wright. She makes gorgeous pieces of jewelry combining stones, silver, and leather in organic graceful designs. Her creations are inspired by sunsets, gardens and all the natural beauty she encounters, you can visit her new Etsy shop, here, and find a piece that sings to you.

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A new vendor at the market, and one that I hope will be back often, makes these delectable, golden, salted, sweet delights....mmmm!

grape

p o p s i c l e .+. t o e s

welcome, august

8.3....While I was waiting to catch a glimpse of the baby doves that may or may not have hatched, Hermie perched himself next to me and enjoyed the view.

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8.2....An annual tradition, the Del Mar Races in August to celebrate my friend, Julie's, birthday. Money was spent, money was won, and pistachio ice cream was enjoyed, a lovely day from beginning to end.

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8.1....Case and I babysat our nephews for an overnighter...it was a little less than twenty four hours of playtime, diapers, bumped heads, cartoons, superheroes, snacks, snacks all over the floor, nap time, walking to the park, chicken tenders in the shape of dinosaurs, baths, snuggles, bedtime stories, bottles, and the sweetest smiles as the sun came up.