A little love note {#throwbackthursday}...

                                                                   

...goes such a long way.

{...as does a little meyer lemon. ~ 12-7-2013} 

Channeling my inner crone.

image via 

 

If you need a little (or- a freaking TON of) extra motivation today, READ THIS. 

Seriously, as our mother's/fathers like to "advise" us-  just do it.

And then ask yourself: "WHAT WOULD MY INNER CRONE DO?" (or- "WWMICD?" if you're short on time... because, it is Monday, after all. And that's almost as treacherous as Chernobyl.)
 

Something old, something new {#throwbackthursday}.

'something old (a pair of coupes gifted to us by my mom at our wedding),

something new (a damn good bottle of champagne gifted to me by my cousin for my birthday)'

...a throwback to my birthday of march, 2013~ in which we sat back, toasted to year #38, & watched the beautiful, final film of James Gandolfini~ to highlight {more importantly~ recommend} two of the best movies i've had the pleasure of watching this past year...

~one to rent, & one to RUN to get your ticket now~

1) Enough Said 
2) The Judge  

i guarantee~ your weekend will be dramatically improved.
      

Cloudy with a chance of chili {or reese's pieces}.

                                   

                                   

Clouds ~ triple check.
Chili ~ check. {and then some}
Reese's Pieces ~ there's always next year.
 

A web of magic {#throwbackthursday}.

Since I went so long without posting, I think I'll do a little #tbt-ing on Thursdays... Just for my own "journal-ing" purposes.

{disclaimer: unedited... unfiltered pictures... the days of spending hours on posts are gone... at this point anyway. afterall, i've got chili to prepare, cornbread to bake, spooky movies to watch... sleep to attain, before the wonderful madness begins...}
 
    

{nosferatu x2}

 
Halloween is hard work.

But the planning, creating, curating, decorating, embellishing, adorning, carving, lighting, .... when it's all spun together- well, it's nothing short of magic.
  

What you need to know...

...about 6-foot trick-or-treaters.
                                                                      
                                                                            
I shared this article {on Facebook} last year (along with the caption, "Exactly, exactly, EXACTLY..."), and I still feel the {exact} same way.

Friday eve, October 31st ~ See ya on the streets (my 5-foot-something someone included :))...

                                                                                       

In favor of early...

image via

{book via}

  

Touched.

I woke up, scrambled to the kitchen to brew coffee (my "brewer" is out of town), & before I even filled my cup, I filled my brain with the dread of all that needs to be done today... After a weekend of camping, & a Monday spent starting (and finishing) a book for tonight's book club, a LOT has to be done.

Then I watched this.

And suddenly, my to-do list felt much more doable.

   

{On} Civetta.

                                                          

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As more time goes by, the more I realize that the days I dedicated to writing, reading, commenting, & best of all~ connecting with new friends- beyond my own four walls- will always remain some of the best days of my life. 

That said, I plan on getting back to it... or better stated~ making time for it. 

Thanks to my beautiful, hilarious, soulful {#505} friend (&, like most of my 'blogger friends'~ we have never met. in person that is. but we will! beer/wine/coffee/green chili aplenty), I have an ENTRYWAY:).

She asked if I would fill out one of those questionnaires that I (apparently, we!) love so much. They are without-a-doubt the first pages that catch my eye in a magazine... Wasn't Real Simple the first to feature the ones with 'real' [non-famous or high-profile] people? Well, those were definitely my favorites. The ones I could relate to. I was honored that she asked me, & was overly excited to participate.

Thought I'd share it with you... & more importantly, share her, & her creative space so that you could get to know this lovely soul for yourself. {Here you go!}

  

 

{how can you not love a person who takes a picture like this??} 

 

Making {salad} out of nothing at all...

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Taking the 'minimalist approach' to stocking our pantry/fridge as of late, & deciding {in light of open-house} we needed to not cook/clean grab takeout for dinner~ the leftovers that were to be today's lunch were nonexistent ... & the 'minimalist shelves' weren't overflowing with options.

 ...a bunch of baby kale, a basket of lemons, an almost-to-down-to-the-rind piece of Parmigiano Reggiano, and of course~ garlic...

Dr. Weil came to the rescue. Tuscan Kale Salad. "...the sunny taste of Italy to your table." So simple. SO good.
                                                                

Speaking of Italy-- now to figure out how to manifest part two^.

   
 
{p.s.  Pine nuts are a nice addition :).}
                                               

Me before you.

This book is painfully good.

...and I mean that in the best possible way.

It is tugging at my heartstrings in all the right places.
  

That luminous part of you.

"Do those things that incline you toward the big questions, and avoid the things that would reduce you and make you trivial.  That luminous part of you that exists beyond personality – your soul, if you will – is as bright and shining as any that has ever been.  Bright as Shakespeare’s, bright as Gandhi’s, bright as Mother Teresa’s.  Clear away everything that keeps you separate from this secret luminous place.  Believe it exists, come to know it better, nurture it, share its fruits tirelessly."

{an excerpt from George Saunders’s Advice to Graduates}

The language of flowers.

I just finished The Language of Flowers yesterday. I loved the idea of being so utterly knowledgeable/mesmerized by flowers… by the meaning behind each one… and the emotions that they induce... the sentiments they express.

Acacia (Acacia) . . .Secret love

Baby’s breath (Gypsophila paniculata) . . . Everlasting love

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) . . .Hate

Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spectabilis) . . .Passion

Camellia (Camellia) . . .My destiny is in your hands

Carnation, pink (Dianthuscaryophyllus) . . .I will never forget  you

Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) . . .Energy in adversity

Cherry blossom (Prunus cerasus) . . .Impermanence

Chervil (Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) . . .I haveloved you and you have not known it

Daffodil (Narcissus) . . .New beginnings

Dahlia (Dahlia) . . .Dignity

Daisy (Bellis) . . .Innocence

Magnolia (Magnolia) . . .Dignity

Moss (Bryopsida) . . .Maternal love

Olive (Olea europaea) . . .Peace

Orchid (Orchidaceae) . . . Refined beauty

Oregano (Origanum vulgare) . . . Joy

Peony (Paeonia) . . .Anger

Peppermint (Mentha) . . .Warmth of  feeling

Ranunculus (Ranunculus asiaticus) . . .You are radiant with charms

Raspberry (Rubus) . . .Remorse

Rose, red (Rosa) . . .Love

Rose, yellow (Rosa) . . .Infidelity

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) . . .Remembrance

Saffron (Crocus sativus) . . .Beware of excess

Sage (Salvia officinalis) . . .Good health and long life

Scarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis) . . .Change

Strawberry (Fragaria) . . .Perfection

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) . . .False riches

Tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa) . . .Dangerous pleasures

Tulip (Tulipa) . . .Declaration of love

Water lily (Nymphaea) . . .Purity of heart

Wheat (Triticum) . . .Prosperity

Wisteria (Wisteria) . . .Welcome

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) . . .Cure for a broken heart

Zinnia (Zinnia) . . .I mourn your absence

{a portion of the flower dictionary}

 

 I want to... and will learn this language.

 
Images via (top to bottom) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6