The (Big) Kid in Me

 

A teeny-tiny vignette from one of two terrariums I will eventually get around to showing you.

You may recall I made a total of four last summer and had profiled two at the time. Here & here.

I was recently given the Leibster award by Rachael over at Letters from a Mermaid. Although I do appreciate it, I'm not going to follow through on all the requirements of the award - instead I thought I'd just share one random secret about myself with you:

I'm still a big kid!

(and suspect many of you are as well :)

To get myself through the winter, I tend to read and watch a lot of movies. After sci-fi and fantasy, my favourite genre is the Children/Young Adults section. Whenever I find myself at Goodwill (which is quite often) a certain portion of my time there is spent perusing the kid's books.

         

I've either recently read, am reading or plan to read the above.

I've watched these movies in the past few weeks and each was a visual delight. 

I think it's important remain childlike (though not childish ;) throughout our lives. Children's literature and movies help me to stay in touch with the magical, whimsical and fantastical possibilities in life as seen through more innocent, wondering eyes. 

No Matter the Medium

I recently remembered it's almost a year now since Santa brought me a Kindle. At the time, I wondered how much I'd actually use it. Turns out, I read 6 books on it... not bad for a start - and I find myself using it more and more as time goes on. It's so light and portable, I even bring it in the tub with me - all safely enclosed in a zip-loc baggie :)

In fact, I just downloaded 'Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell' (which I am currently in the midst of re-reading) last night. 'Jonathan Strange' is a huge monstrosity and my arms simply refuse to take the weight of it again! - so in this instance, a reader is the perfect solution. I don't think I'll ever stop buying and reading actual books, I love the feel and smell of them too much, but once again, new technology has earned it's place in my life.

Haha! Ever feel like this guy?

Why do old books smell?

You Really Can't Judge a Book By It's Cover

Isn't this just about the cutest book (& most intriguing title) you've ever seen? A few weeks ago, a friend lent it to me - I'd been with her when she purchased it and had waited impatiently for her to finish till I could get my greedy little paws on it! Thankfully she's a fast reader :) I was feeling quite excited as I drove home with it tucked in my purse, immediately made a cup of coffee and expectantly dove in... well, you guessed it: Disappointment - with a capital D. I won't go into my reasons for not even attempting to finish - tastes are so subjective - ironically though, the title, which first attracted me in the first place, perfectly sums up the whole experience, lol!

What was the last book you abandoned like a mouse rat from a sinking ship? 

We Begin Our Tour

Sometimes I wish I could be the 'Curator of All Things Miniature' :)

Monday Greetings! I trust your weekend was enjoyable. We had lovely weather and I spent a lot of time outside tending to my garden (mostly weeding) and reading in my garden shed (aka my 'summer office') - I was so relaxed, I even nodded off a few times - and that rarely happens to me during the day. I'm currently re-reading The Republic of Nothing (winner of the Dartmouth Book Award) by Lesley Choyce. It's a humorous, cozy story, set on mythical Whalebone Island, aka the 'Republic of Nothing', just off the coast of Nova Scotia and is chock full of some of the most wonderfully eccentric characters ever assembled into one book. The link above leads to a good brief synopsis.

As promised, here are more travel pics from our time in New Zealand. Our first morning there, we hauled ourselves out of bed (the hotel we stayed at was only a few hundred feet from the Rotorua Lake harbour front) and went for a long walk along the beach. My new header pic was taken that same morning.

Rotorua has an abundance of walking paths throughout the city. In all of their literature, and also posted along the walkways, is the reminder to keep to the tracks at all times, due to the geothermal nature of the area. We saw numerous mud pools and steam vents along the perimeter of the lake that were cordoned off. 

It was very lush and we heard a lot of beautiful, unfamiliar bird songs.

This is Mokoia Island, a rhyolite lava dome.

It's famous for the tale of Hinemoa and Tutanekai, an old local love story. 

Sulphur rock sparkling in the sun.

On Friday, I plan to share with you an exciting speed boat ride we took to the base of Huka Falls and a lizard some experts believe predates the dinosaurs that's born with an extra something you'll just have to see to believe... Also, I'll be announcing the June recipient of the 'Whoo Loves Ya Baby' award - and you can all breathe a sigh of reief as we say bid a fond farewell to the monthly caption contest - it's enough that you visit... you no longer need to be funny as well!

This 'n That

Well, we survived our weekend storm! Apparently, we received more snow in one day (Saturday) than we had all season; 15 centimetres by nightfall. So here's a bit of colour to cheer us up :) JJ Hubby surprised me about a week before Valentine's with this pretty plant (Christmas Kalanchoe). I used to have loads of houseplants years ago (20 some odd just in my kitchen alone, yikes) but tastes change and right now this is my only one. I have yet to transfer it to soil.

Since we were housebound for a few days, I was able to devote myself to catching up on some of my reading. I'm now about 1/3 of the way into The Mists of Avalon - I'm really enjoying it and may have even made it to the halfway point, had I not picked up this book at my Goodwill last week!

I purchased Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell at my daughter's recommendation - she was with me and read it a few years ago herself. I merely cracked the cover open... now I fear I am under it's spell! All other books have been cast aside for the time being, lol. Dark and mysterious, it's set at the beginning of the nineteenth century and chronicles the news of the return of magic to England. Susanna Clarke's style of writing has been compared to that of Charles Dickens and Jane Austen. So far, it's a delicious read. (Am I a fickle reader? Sometimes, but I do eventually finish every book I start - unless it's a stinker like Fried Green Tomatoes.)

When I made Peter Pan a few months ago, I was also commissioned to fashion a TinkerBell for my niece's birthday in April. The above book, which I also picked up on Wednesday is obviously dated, but is still a fantastic resource and I know I'll draw from it for this project. (I couldn't begin to express to you the number of treasures I find on a regular basis at Goodwill.) I'll post pics of TB when I'm done. 

As well, Peter Pan now has his own dog! 

I didn't post the pics at the time, but when I sent Peter Pan off to his new home, I also

sent along a little kitten for my niece. 

Before I go, did you know today is No Brainer Day; a whole day devoted to obvious choices...

I think I'll have cinnamon buns for breakfast and stay in my pj's all day!
How about you?

What about the Bookworms?

I went Goodwill hunting yesterday and came home with a new book...

Don't get me wrong, I love the Kindle I got for Christmas; 

it's light,

small,

portable,

and I can have any book I want now !

In fact, it could probably replace this entire bookshelf...

but is that really what we want?

You can't press flowers with a Kindle...

You can't collect old or rare e-readers...

Where will we hide our jewels?

Where will the library cats go?

Sometimes books come in handy for other reasons...

Would this painting feel quite the same if she was holding an e-reader?

The Joy of Books... simply magical :)

The Arts of Beauty & Hints to Gentlemen

How to Acquire a Bright and Smooth Skin

"I have to tell you, ladies -- and the same must be said to the gentlemen, too --

that the great secret of acquiring a bright and beautiful skin lies in three simple things,

as I have said in my lecture on Beautiful Women -- temperance, exercise and cleanliness.

"No; if dssipation, late hours, and immoderation have once wrecked

the fair vessel of female charms, it is not in the power of

Esculapius himself to right the shattered bark, 

and make it ride the sea in gallant trim again."

Hints to Gentlemen on the Art of Fascinating

"You cannot be too attentive to your dress. You should never approach a lady except 

when dressed so as to look precisely as though a tailor had made you not more than

fifteen minutes ago. 

If you are wise, you will not fail to impress upon a lady's mind the idea that you are a 

great deal more particular about your clothes than your mind, for your mind, 

being always out of sight, can never offend her taste, whereas your clothes are

constantly before her eyes."

The Arts of Beauty & Hints to Gentlemen

'Artificial Means'

"The following wash is a great favorite with the ladies on the continent of Europe, 

and cannot be used without the happiest effects, while it is a delightful and refreshing perfume:

Distill two handfuls of jessamine flowers in a quart of rose-water and a quart of orange-water. 

Strain through porous paper, and add a scruple of musk and a scruple of ambergris.

There cannot be a more agreeable wash for the skin."

Hints to Gentlemen on the Art of Fascinating

"By all means wear jewelry; if you have it not of your own, borrow it,

or get it some other way, for you must be sure that you go not into the presence

of any woman, whose opinion is worth having, without being loaded with jewelry.

An immense breast-pin, either of diamonds or paste, with two rings on each hand

and a heavy fob chain, twelve inches long, will be sufficient to prove that you are

a man of substantial good sense..."

For further info on this book and new Friday feature "walk this way"...

Recent Discoveries

Well, believe it or not, I tried my very first pomegranate the other day!

I still remember being in grade school and watching kids eat these at recess and wondering 

what they tasted like... flash forward forty + years and I finally made it happen, yes siree, Bob :)

Thank goodness for the internet - I was so intimidated that I needed to watch a YouTube video 

on the proper way to cut into this most mysterious fruit. (ps: very messy, no matter how you slice it.)

Upon further research, I've since found out there are tons of pomegranate recipes out there,

and that they can be enjoyed in salads, desserts, appetizers, sauces, relishes,

drinks (as a garnish) and can be frozen.

  

Whooo Knew!

If you're a regular reader, you already know I'm a huge fan of all things second-hand;

be it VV (Value Village), Goodwill, antique malls, flea-markets, out-and-out junk stores... 

It's been a while since I've posted any finds; here are a few recent acquisitions :)

Over the course of this past summer & fall, I was able to pick up all the Harry Potter books 

for next to nothing at Goodwill. I'm very close to finishing 'The Order of the Phoenix' 

(fifth in the series of seven). All are in amazing condition.

These sit on a wooden 'lazy-susan', very retro and they go in my house perfectly.

I anticipate using this a lot throughout the Christmas season. 

I have Christmas oranges in them right now, but they'll soon be great for candies and nuts.

I see I need to dust!

Beautiful pottery & my new butter dish :)

I rescued this purse from a 'junk' store in Creston, BC on our trip to Nelson this fall.

It has an extra long strap; the leather is very thick, buttery soft and smells sweet.

One of my very best finds in a long time.

I love showcasing the great stuff you can get at these places and really encourage everyone 

to go once in a while (if you don't already) - who knows what you'll find?