Things that make me happy.

Really well-worn-in oxford cloth.

Feet dangling over water.

Stuff like this packed in a bag.

White-washed piers.

When this is my view.

Cy Twombly = Love.

I love Cy Twombly's work. Love.

I was sorry to read about his passing earlier this week at 83. I always loved seeing his paintings and drawings in museums and thinking how it was cool you could still meet him under the right circumstances or given the opportunity. I feel sad that that's no longer true.

I love that he was so different, controversial, and that he kept so to himself. I love that he say stuff like, "[after finishing a painting] I usually have to go to bed for a couple of days."

You can read this NYT article for more information (& look how cute he is!) or view many more images of his life's work here.

A Morning in the Garden, July 3.

Happy 4th of July, Friends.

Sweet Davey.

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.

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.

61º 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.

Pool Party.

I could live here if you made me.

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

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.

Via Automatism.

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.

Via Noodles & Waffles.

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.

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.

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.

I highly recommend this book.

I recently finished In the Heart of the Sea – The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex.

This book sat next to my bed for several months. I never wanted to start it. Then one day I opened it and I could hardly put it down. It's the true story that inspired Herman Melville to write Moby Dick, about a ship from Nantucket that sails around South America in search of sperm whales. The crew members, about 6 to a small boat that launches off the main ship, catch these huge whales – 65 feet long and weighing on average 60 tons (120,000 pounds!) – which they then chop up into slabs and boil down the blubber, harvesting the oil.

The statistics in this book are mind-boggling. Just the details about the whaling industry (not to mention life in general) in the 1800s are fascinating. But then the story gets more impossible when main boat gets attacked by an 85 foot, possibly 80 ton whale. As it sinks, the men are stranded in 3 of the whaling boats, which I think were only 21 feet long, floating in the vast Pacific ocean.

I seriously don't know if I'll ever be able to complain about being thirsty again.

Cinco (Siete) de Mayo.

This party is a fun little "anniversary" of sorts. Besides the hosts, Eric and Kris, & Katy and Steve, it's the only time a year I see the other 20 or so other guests, and it's always interesting to catch up with them. I so love this now "tradition" and look forward to it again just about the minute it's over. Interestingly, now over the past two years, I've been reminded that altho we complain about it year after year, it really never is warm at the the beginning of May. Thinking back there's always a chill on the deck when we step outside, but the flowers are blooming and the Japanese maple always looks incredible. And even tho it was kind of raining, it was the perfect day for a party, and it's always a perfect day to eat some good food!

But let me back-track a second because prior to the party, I was given a very important assignment: Eric asked me to visit El Milargro at about 26th and California to pick up the chips and tortillas straight from the source. It was like a total different world down there. I want to go back and have dinner! But, going to the little store front and picking out tortillas from boxes on palettes on the floor (still warm) plus the chips everyone loves so much was a mini-adventure. The best part? 10 dozen tortillas and 4 bags of chips was only $9!!

Back to the party... There is always an assortment of beverage choices. Last year the hibiscus margarita made a debut, and I am happy to say there was a repeat performance (thankfully for my head, I learned a lesson and limited myself to only 2 instead of 30). Something made that a little easier... New to the mix was a melon horchata (like a cantaloupe juice, including blending the seeds which added a creamy consistency, and I believe maybe sugar and rice water?) that you could enjoy plain or with rum (with rum!). Super tasty.

Three different kinds of salsa (tomatillo, chipotle, and pasilla), plus a cucumber salad/relish/topping and chipotle relish. All great on chips (or tacos later).

The guacamole was amazing, but the second batch added a new twist. Eric blended in smoked salmon. I didn't think I'd like it but guess what? Delish!

The real visual stunner for me were the short ribs, prettily wrapped in banana leaves and cooked indirectly over the coals as well as steamed by their own juices dripping into a pan underneath outside on the grill. These were just as pretty to look at as taste.

Unwrapped short ribs.

The roasted pobano peppers, onions and cream is a crowd favorite. My favorite last year, I was glad to see it again.

This chicken might look pretty ordinary on the grill. I have no clue what he did to this thing. It was, truly, the most delicious, melt-in-your-mouth chicken I have ever eaten. This might be my second favorite thing I tasted all day. I was kind of bummed I got so full off the chips and everything else before I tried it, stupidly thinking, Eh, chicken? I went back for seconds even though I was totally stuffed.

Skirt steak, chicken and at the top there, the short ribs now off the bone for making tacos. There were chopped onions, cilantro, all the salsas and toppings, queso fresco, etc. to create your own combinations on lightly grilled corn tortillas.

That up there? Now, I'm not a dessert person. At all. Savory for me always wins... but this was my FAVORITE thing I tasted all day. What you're looking at is strawberries, bananas, plums and pecans, sauteed in butter and TEQUILA, and was served over homemade SOUR CREAM ice cream!! It was to die for! There was also chocolate chipotle ice cream, with chunks of chocolate covered chipotle peppers in it. Ridiculous.

What a great party. We missed Katy and Steve this year. That kid and all. But new to the crowd was my friend Sara who I have a feeling will be wanting to come back next year.

Affordable Art Fair - NYC.

This weekend is the AAF in NYC. My friend Liz Jaff is exhibiting with Kris Graves Project group, Booth A6. I wish I could be there.

If you happen to be reading this and you'll be in NYC this weekend, Go! And take pictures Ruth!

Fried Fish.

So I've really been daydreaming about a good, old school fish fry. Mostly I've been thinking about how we used to go to The Big Foot Inn or Bayshore Lodge on our way to Lake Geneva for Friday Night Fish Fry when I was a kid – when I was a kid and absolutely HATED this ritual. Those long dinners with family friends were 90% begging for quarters to play video games... And I thought the fish was "gross".

Anyway, it suddenly dawned on me that I had some frozen fish, bread crumbs and oil at home, so why not make my own fish fry? This version is not the same as the thick-shelled, beer-battered kind I've been craving, and not nearly as good, but suddenly I was now daydreaming of a slice of light rye bread with a layer of butter folded over a fresh piece of fried walleye from shore lunch.

Hands down, the very best way to eat fried fish is to catch it in the morning, filet it on the shore, and cook it in an enormous cast iron skillet over an open fire outdoors for lunch. Even though it's already fried in oil, I always coat the bread in butter. The butter melts wonderfully into the bread, but the combo also prevents you from burning the hell out of the roof of your mouth when you can't wait to take a bite out of the piping hot fish. Holy Yum. When we go fishing in Canada, this is lunch every day for a week and I absolutely NEVER get sick of it.