Tuesday, June 28, 2011

The Great American Backyard Campout.

Teddy enjoys his first Budweiser. How great is that can? The red pop-top? It has a crown stamped out in the center. I bought a 6-pack just to surprise Teddy's Mom. I knew she'd love it as much as he did.

In case you missed it, the Great American Backyard Campout is an annual thing, so maybe give it a go next year.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Yellow Stonecrop (aka Sedum Kamtschaticum).

My wonderful Mother surprised me Friday with a sweet card and a check for "Flowers, etc." Every Spring, since I moved into my place almost four (!) years ago, we'd spend a weekend shopping for plants and flowers and working on the yard. But this year, there were some scheduling conflicts – she couldn't come – and then also the rain never let up. Basically, I never felt like picking up the slack on my own.

So then this weekend hit, and with some extra cash in my pocket, the sun shining bright but not absurdly hot, I felt ready to make some progress. Several flats of flowers, a new pot for the front stoop, bags of potting soil and mulch later, and I was sort of on a roll. I trimmed some bushes, sprayed for weeds, and tried my best to clean up the front yard. I also put flowers in pots in the back. I can't even begin to deal with weeding the backyard border – it's a jungle. But I did make some improvements.

I also discovered strawberries growing on the ground in my front yard? And more ant hills. And then I sat on the deck and surveyed my progress after I filled the bird feeder so I could watch them all come have some dinner. It was a nice day.

Anyway, while I was at the nursery, I walked around for a while. I need to remember that this is much more fun earlier in the season when there is much more to choose from! But I did come across this pretty ground cover. The color is my favorite. I didn't get any because I couldn't figure out where I'd put it, but I love it.

Friday, June 24, 2011

61ยบ and Grey.

Finally Friday. The weeks have been long ones lately. I keep waiting for it to feel summery. It's so disappointing that it's just not. It makes me want to crawl under the covers all the time.

Wouldn't this be a nice cover to crawl under? My friend Liz made this out of fabrics she collected in Denmark on a recent trip. I love the unique color combinations and the layered look of the design. As usual I also love the back as much as the front.

So, every weekend I keep pushing my T0-Do list to the next weekend. Here's what's on mine:

Oil Change
Car Stickers
Farmer's Market
Clean Garage
Shoe Guy
Empty Gutters
New Sunglasses
Plant Flower Pots
Fix Back Door
Fix Back Door Light

Tonight is Gathering on the Green in Western Springs, but I think it's too gross out for me to want to go. Tomorrow night is also Great American Backyard Campout. There's about a 70% chance I will do this if Teddy asks me nicely. Hopefully it will be nice enough to get to the pool tomorrow, too.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Pool Party.

I could live here if you made me.

Photo of a home in Florida by AtlantaHomesMag.com via Splendid Sass.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Noriko Ambe.

Flat Globe 2008 White Cutting Vol. 1

A Piece of Flat Globe Vol. 6

Lands of Emptiness A

Aren't these pretty? When I was first looking at them, many ideas rapid-fired into my head as to just What? they were.

LACP Voyage 12

Sculpaper 1

Paper! Many sheets individually cut, some over many years, by artist Noriko Ambe. Visit her website to see many, many more examples. I also quite like what she has done with the books and the tree trunks.

Flat File Globe 3

This one above is part of a series that fill file drawers. Cool.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Fill in the _____.

1. The last movie I saw was 127 Hours.
2. I want to get my hair highlighted.
3. Surprises are spectacular... if you are the one doing the planning.
4. The best accessory is a sense of humor.
5. My favorite warm drink is coffee.
6. My favorite cold drink is water, beer or iced tea.
7. Currently loving my little niece Emerald.

DMK Burger.

Finally had dinner at DMK Burger this week. It was yum.

I ordered the #1 – Aged Cheddar, Smoked Bacon, Charred Balsamic Red Onions, Rufus Teague's BBQ Sauce. It was like a taste explosion happening in my mouth. Mary Jo got the #8 Patty Melt – Smoked Bacon, Burnt Onions, Leroy's Remoulade, Smoked Swiss on Griddled Rye. This was also delicious.

We split the Chili-Rubbed Onion Strings and Parmesan Truffle Cream fries. The fries were amazing. Onion strings were good. Then, we went right overboard and ordered shakes for dessert – To Go. I got the vanilla and it had flecks of vanilla bean in it. Her chocolate had a fudge swirl blended in. They were both so thick we couldn't sip them thru the straw and even added a second straw to get the pull going. I'd go back just for another shake.

*Photos from DMK website.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

The Hunger Games.

Read The Hunger Games in about 2 days for Book Club. It's funny – since it still feels no where near summer, and most of the weekends have been grey, cold and rainy, I've found myself spending a day under the covers – just reading. My rational is, if it were nice, I'd be spending my days under the sun on a deck chair – just reading. So what's the difference? Even though it doesn't feel like summer – it is! – and I think it's my right to have days of guilt-free doing nothing but reading.

I was enjoying this book well enough... quick, easy, suspenseful. It was a page-turner. It reminded me in a way of Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth, even though that was set in the past and Hunger Games is futuristic. There is a lot worth discussing, symbolism, analogies to be made, etc. It made me think of our future, 2012 predictions, a need for self-sustenance, basic human survival.

I didn't realize it was a trilogy until I was about half way into it. I thought, I can see reading all three of these maybe. But then I heard it was being made into a movie, and I don't know, I just sort of lost all interest in the story. I hate it when books become movies, especially ones where your imagination is allowed to create rough characters and elaborate landscapes and exciting scenes so easily. I know a movie will pale in comparison to the experience of reading this.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Sweet Pool.

It's been a while since I posted a good pool image. This one from the Standard (Tablet) Hotel in Bali landed in my inbox last night and knocked my socks off.