Take that spring

I spent yesterday working in the studio. I've realized that my idea that I could use the same table for jewelry and craft projects as I use for sewing, was not very well thought out. I'm never really at an ending point to clean up all that accumulates there, and even if I was I'm not sure where it would all reside while I use the table for sewing. I need to keep my eye out for something else. A lot of people sew on the floor, but I can't quite imagine how this works.Then again, I'm not the most coordinated person in the world. I listened to The Reindeer Section the whole time. It's been a really long time since I've listened to them. Whenever I put it on,after a long time, I always think,"Oh where have you been?". If you visit the site, I recommend listening to Your Sweet Voice. A wonderfully cohesive collaboration before Gary Lightbody was "discovered" by Grey's Anatomy.

sunshine

I realized as I posted this picture here, that I posted a nearly identical picture last spring.But, then I thought, isn't that was awaiting spring is all about anyway? Knowing and looking forward to that green bud we know will come year after year. Forcing a little green is kind of irresistible in February.

My last post I think I mentioned trying to get through February. Funny that it is the shortest month and yet it always feels the longest. I guess my silence means it's been a but of struggle. It's amazing what a say or two of sunshine will do for you. Even knowing that there will still be snow (last year we were snowed in on Easter, for crying out loud.), it just feels so good. Ramona and I have been out for long,long walks this weekend. It's time to lose that winter layer.

Here's a little B&S sunshine for you.

Maybe four years ago I remember listening to the Promise Ring's Wood/Water a lot around this time of year. Because of that, I always think of these lyrics when things show signs of thawing:
Spring cleaning's coming as we lose the cold weather
Put away your long johns and all your thick sweaters
We'll cut off all our winter hair
Sit out on the lawn chairs
As the sun forgets that we're here
We forget our career
All the lukewarm weeks at sixty degrees
We're hoping it's humid show our summer knees
Once in a lifetime once in a while the sun will shine on me

Merry Christmas to Devin

Devin's big Christmas present was the first professional recording session for our music project, Prairie Fire Organizing Committee. We're recording an ep of songs based on the poems of Richard Brautigan. I just wanted to share some of the images from our time spent in the studio. We're recording at Metrosync. Back in the day, it was a radio station. The Beatles once played live in the room where we're recording.

When We Covered Cleveland in Ivy

So, its not very Christmasy, but I guess it is very seasonal, particularly if you live in Iowa. I was catching up on Tiffany's blog when I came across this quiz. I decided to take it,and while I don't want to reveal my personal results it did get me thinking about this guy. I'm not just saying that because he's my very own congressman. Actually it reminded me of a really great Dave Egger's story. The published version was included in his short story collection How We Are Hungry. However you can read another really great version here. It might be a little silly, but I have to think that crazy idealism isn't such a bad thing.

Meanwhile we are turning the corner of one week until Christmas. I have a few more crafty projects up my sleeve. We'll see how many I get done. I had decided not to bake any presents, but then I saw this post and I'm all a flutter with ideas. I'll let you know what the next few days bring. For now,I'm just listening to this and looking at this:

enough

I was reading a copy of the magazine Yoga + Joyful Living from the library and they had an excerpt from the book The Simple Home: The Luxury of Enough. It was in the sukha (good space) section. This weekend, which was divided between organizing, playing catch-up and reading, hanging out, I thought about it a lot. As pedestrian as it might sound I get that feeling of satisfaction when the last load of laundry is on the line, and particularly when I have a clean kitchen. Cleaning the kitchen is a task which I simultaneously hate doing and enjoy the results in equal amounts. I think that feeling of enough isn't just when things are done or organized. It's also the level headed satisfaction that comes with milk in the fridge and plenty of coffee and a new loaf of bread. I can't explain why it is, but it relieves my anxiety of life if I know that I can, at the bare minimum, have coffee and toast.


I've been listening to the new Feist a lot lately. I like it a lot. It feels very French to me, which I guess should come as no surprise since it was recorded in Paris.Last week on Coudal they had a link for photos of the Paris flood of 1910. They are really amazing photos. I've been on a bit of a Coudal kick lately. If you're not familiar with it, I'm not sure I can even begin to explain the site. Even they can't really define themselves. Their lack of focus means there's something for everyone, so you are bound to not leave disappointed. I'm particularly enthralled by their summer Swap Meat. Although I have to admit that the name "Swap Meat" makes me think of any number of disgusting things, in particular people mailing smelly meat packages to one another. It makes the vegetarian in me shudder. It's worth getting past the name though, I promise.

the sporting life

I'm not really much of a sports fan. This is probably partly because I'm not much of an athlete and mostly because the town that I grew up in is fanatical about high school sports that it's been the subject of a well-known documentary.With that much said, I have to admit that it makes me really happy when a hometown team makes good.I'm sure that I've mentioned it before, but my city has a serious inferiority complex. It is pretty well earned, but even amidst the hard knocks, I still happen to think it's a pretty great place to live.I know all about getting close to something good and then having yet another thing not work out.So, it gave me a few goosebumps last night despite the hot humid night, when Devin was refreshing the score and it was clear that our team would win, and all through the night,up and down the street, you could hear people in their living rooms cheering and celebrating. It mad me appreciate the whole notion of sports and community a little better.For a McSweeneys take on the NBA, check this out.



I have no images that are even close to being sports related, but I like this picture from the Tall Ships festival a lot.It also reminds me of the other thing I did yesterday, which was watch the Decemberist's dvd, A Practical Handbook. The live Portland show is really great as are the interviews. I am endlessly fascinated by the evolution of bands. It also includes some music videos. I love the Bachelor and the Bride video. It's a series of animated silhouettes. I tried in vain to track down a link for the video here. Here's a link to the video for O Valencia instead.

As I'm ending this post, I find it hard to believe that I'm about to type "sports" as a label. Maybe I'm getting over my sports rebellion. It probably has something to do with that big birthday I just had.