You Be Peace and I'll Be Quiet

 

Today's cup was under the market umbrella accompanied by cuttings of home grown sunflowers and hydrangea. In keeping with the mood, I selected a cup with a definition on the rim:

Tranquili * tea

n. a state of peace and quiet while drinking tea

  

Grace Tea's Winey Keemun is a staple in our home , a favorite standby.  I took a photo of the steeped leaves to share with you - you can see bits and pieces of tea leaves on the saucer. Whenever I put sugar in my tea I use turbinado because I like its warm, molasses-like flavor.

I took my Nook outside with me so I could read a sample from Michael Crichton's Pirate Latitudes, a swashbuckling adventure.  

I nibbled on a banana muffin - it had crushed flax seed inside and was topped with toasted pecans - College Girl baked a batch of them last night. You can smell a hint of fresh ground nutmeg before you even take a bite!

Have you had a chance to read a new book or magazine article? If you were able to drop by we could chat about it! You might've noticed I added a Shelfari book shelf to my sidebar where I share books I've read or are planning to read.

this cup is made by Mud Pie

 Hope you can carve a few minutes of peace and quiet into your life this week. Whether you dig into a book or not, just sitting down with a nice cuppa will definitely recharge your batteries.  

P.S. My scraproom is covered in gold glitter! College Girl has been using my Cricut to cut out things for her sorority's Fall Recruitment. The glitter has somehow escaped into the rest of the house. It's gotten so bad that kitty is sparkling, and I could have sworn Handyman was winking at me from across the room until I got closer and saw the glitter on his cheek!

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If anyone is wondering about this post's title it is from a line in the movie 'What About Bob' starring Bill Murray.

Chirp, Chirp, Chatter, Chatter~

The joy of being a mom with a school-age daughter is that I learn something new every day! College Girl shares so many facts, stories, and anecdotes about her classes and studies. In the last few weeks my knowledge has expanded on the topics of Thomas More, Augustine, the Greek Orthodox Church and the Gospel of Mark. I've also had a refresher on German verbs and discussed precipitation. When she gets home from school we chatter like two birds ~

 I enjoy the exchange of ideas and information. It's an interesting stage of parenthood - I learn as much or more than I 'teach' now, unlike the days when she was in elementary school. Rare are the times I am asked for a definition or explanation. 

We have discussions and debates,  which are deep and varied. I think these discussions give us each an opportunity to reflect on why we think and feel the way we do about things.  Since her reading is mandatory as opposed to pleasure, I share with her the books I am reading - a few of which I selected after talking to her about a particular topic.

 At the close of each day, I am grateful to still be learning~

  

I am glad to practice critical thinking, and to share my thoughts and feelings with this special young woman.

I am taking some time to recover from back problems. Thanks for visiting. Hope to be up and around soon.

 

   

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Saturday Show Off 

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Cameras, Horses and the Beginning of Moving Pictures

I'm reading a book called The Inventor and The Tycoon by Edward Ball. An unlikely friendship between the man who would become governor of California and an eccentric photographer who would become a murderer is the basis of this story.

Amazon book review: 130 years ago E. Muybridge invented stop-motion photography, making possible motion pictures. He was the first to capture time and play it back for an audience, giving birth to visual media and screen entertainments of all kinds. Yet the artist and inventor Muybridge was also a murderer, his trial one of the early instances of a media sensation. His patron was railroad tycoon Leland Stanford, whose particular obsession was whether four hooves of a running horse ever left the ground at once. Stanford hired Muybridge to answer that question. And between them, the murderer and the railroad mogul launched the age of visual media.

Does the surname Stanford sound familiar?  You're right if you think it's connected with the well known university in California.

STANFORD UNIVERSITY, stanford.edu images

  I'm reading this book on my new Nook.

my Nook dressed in it's Jonathan Adler case

I have to admit I like love reading this way. I resisted an e-reader for awhile but am seeing the advantages of having access to so many books, as well as the various features the Nook offers, like word definitions. I looked up the definition for Brobdingnagian by touching the screen and found it meant 'enormous'.

E. MUYBRIDGE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO PHOTOGRAPH YOSEMITE VALLEY

 
I'm half-way through the book and am enjoying it. I like the way it rounds out dates and facts with living, breathing people who traveled in different circles and yet through their interaction gave the world something new - a door from the machine age into the virtual world.



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 It's Monday, What Are You Reading?


 

A Kindred Spirit ~

On the rare occasions our elementary class walked to the nearby public library, I was filled with anticipation of beholding those towering shelves and smelling the scent of books. We were free to select a book of our choice, but with no direction or guidance, I grew up without reading so many classics! It wasn't until I became a parent that I began to read books by Lucy M. Montgomery, Kenneth Grahame, E.L. Konigsburg, Tolkien, Cynthia Rylant, Maud Lovelace and Lloyd Alexander.

Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage  hosted an Anne of Green Gables Tea party recently which put me in the mood for a visit with the spirited Anne. May I remind you, that is Anne with an 'e'! I decided to make a card while reminiscing on all the adventures and mishaps little Anne got herself into. I went with a green and white combo as it reminded me of the home Anne loved so much. The white card stock was embossed with flowers (I used my Cuttlebug) and the straw hat has a small red maple leaf next to the bow. Anne's sleeves don't look very puffy in this photo, but I know she will get her wish if Matthew has anything to do with it~

 “Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.”

Ice cream...a treat Anne loved!

 
 “There's such a lot of different Annes in me. I sometimes think that is why I'm such a troublesome person. If I was just the one Anne it would be ever so much more comfortable, but then it wouldn't be half so interesting.”

This little jointed porcelain doll belongs to College Girl. The doll is wearing a calico dress, a lace trimmed apron and a sweet little straw hat. I love her 'carrot' colored plaits! If you have not read the heart tugging story of Anne, I hope you pick up a copy the next time you are in the mood for a good laugh, maybe a cry, and the sweetness that a little red-headed orphan was able to share with all those around her. 

“It's not what the world holds for you. It's what you bring to it.”

Eating pink strawberry ice cream and thinking of Anne~ Thank you, sweet girl, for the joy you've given to me as I shared your story with my little girl!



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Sweets for the Sweet~

I just found out I am the recipient of this blogging award from my sweet friend Kelly! I met her at Scrapbook. com and have been inspired by her design, attention to detail and fabulous sense of humor. Oh, and even better, she is a tea drinker....EXTRA Brownie points, Kelly!! lol~ Visit her blog, Keely Creates, for a peek at her gorgeous scrapbook pages and to get your daily chuckle.

To accept this award I am supposed to list seven bloggers who have inspired me; a tough feat because in this crafting realm which I enter when signing into Blogger, there are dozens of creative, inspirational, and charming blogs written by warm generous women! One of my dearest friends also received this Sweet Blog Award from Kelly, so I will exempt her from the seven for now but she inspires me daily. Patty, thank you for your evergreen friendship. You are a kindred spirit, my 'partner in crime.' Here are my seven choices in no particular order, and I hope you have the chance to visit these blogs. You'll be glad you did~ Miss Kathy at The Writer's Reverie is a joy. Dawn is a mother of nine and makes beautiful scrapbook pages. Pam at Faery Rocks just bought a dress form to decorate her creative space. Angela at Penny Stamper shares vintage images and designs stamps. Terri at Artful Affirmations is visiting England and always shares gorgeous teacups with us. Denise has a new grandson and told me where to find the brick stamp I love to use when I'm inking! Last but not least, I love to visit Altered Alice for inspiration.
Here are some weird, wacky facts about me;
* I love bees and bee skeps...the charm, the industry, the honey! ("Oh, bother!" says Pooh bear) I have kept a bee skep in my yard for the past 20 years, usually sitting in the herb bed. bzzzzz......

* I will not eat sweet pickles...one word, ick! Give me a crunchy dill~ You may all share my portion of sweet pickles on this planet.

* I love good children's books and reread my favorites regularly. You will find copies of The Hobbit, From the Mixed Up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, Anne Of Green Gables, Mr. Putter And Tabby Pour The Tea, The Gawgon And The Boy and more on my shelves.

*I studied Urusenke for three years with my wonderful sensei and performed tea ceremonies in public wearing an authentic kimono and obi. I had the priviledge to see the Grand Tea Master when he visited the United States.

* I do not watch much television, but I will sit down to watch David Tennant ~ the 10th Doctor~ in an episode of  Doctor Who.

And guess what? The Doctor drinks tea!!