Scenes From The Weekend

We headed to the lake on Friday night and officially declared this past weekend the first of the spring thaw at Round Pond. The snow started dripping off the roof, revealing our long-lost skylights, and the lake took on a glassy hue as some of the melting ice puddled on top. It was warm enough for a nice walk Saturday afternoon although the road is still one big sheet of ice so it was tricky going. Again though, it was a relaxing weekend with few signs of human life aside from three brazen snowmobilers crossing the lake. Wildlife started to emerge with some chipring birds and a tiny fox wandering across the ice late Saturday afternoon. Long after he tucked himself onto the shore across the way, Merwin remained glued to the window on high alert.

A Poem For A Friday

The New Song 

W.S. Merwin

For some time I thought there was time
and that there would always be time
for what I had a mind to do
and what I could imagine
going back to and finding it
as I had found it the first time
but by this time I do not know
what I thought when I thought back then

there is no time yet it grows less
there is the sound of rain at night
arriving unknown in the leaves
once without before or after
then I hear the thrush waking
at daybreak singing the new song

It's Here! Stitchfix #2!

It seemed like a long wait since my first fix and it was super exciting to find the box at the door when I got home tonight! This time I did a better job not peeking at my account to see what was in the shipment so was surprised upon opening it. I immediately LOVED the colors and textures--springy, lacy, stripey...all things I adore.

I started with the Lace Detailed Short Sleeve Sweater by Under Skies. Lace on clothes always makes me happy. This one was a little tricky though. The mint color didn't necessarily flatter my pale skin and the top section of the sweater is just the lace, making it slightly transparent. How does one handle this with bra straps?! I'm still undecided...what do you think?

So then I moved onto the High Waisted Cropped Pants by Margaret M. They really didn't fit right and were not so special in the, um, rump area. Pants without much structure don't do it for me, and these were another slip-on, no pocket, no distinct waistband kind of thing. Quickly nixed them, although I am on the prowl for some similar patterned ankle pants. I paired them with the Aiya Eyelet Detail Blouse, also by Under Skies. Adorable! And way too big. It's unfortunate because I like this style, love the eyelet around the neckline and, as my stylist mentioned in her note, could use it as a perfect mid-season layering staple.

As you can see, at this point Merwin was totally perplexed about what was happening and desperate for his evening walk! The last two items in the box were the Westerly Textured Stripe Knit Top by Collective Concepts and the Roxanna Chevron Open Knit Cardigan by TCEC.

I'm on the fence about these. I LOVE the short sleeve striped top. The two pleats at the top are a nice touch, the fabric is comfy with a bit of texture, and I love black stripes. But it's a little boxy. And the open cardigan has great colors for spring, is something I would never select on my own, and would be another nice transition piece. But what to wear under it? Should I keep these or send them back? Help!

Again with this fix, the stylist was on target with what I like, but I had less luck with things fitting just right. In preparation for fix #3, I'm going to do some tinkering with my profile and also maybe request some accessories. I can't tell you how fun it is to open this box of goodies...I'm sort of in love with the idea of secret shopping by mail! We'll see how it goes come April! 

Merwin And The Pond

What a happy dog (and happy humans too).

Happy Spring and A Throw Back Thursday

It's official. Spring is here. Feels so warm and fuzzy. Birds chirping. Bunnies hopping. Flowers blooming. Sun shining. FALSE! There are still humps of icy, gravelly snow everywhere, we woke up to rain in the dark, and I. Am. Sick. Of. Wearing. Boots. This #TBT is intended to inspire hope that yes, one day it will be so hot the sidewalks will sweat.

I've also been thinking a lot about "happy." I've drafted a few blog posts trying to define "happy" and articulate a process for finding it. They are still drafts and I haven't figured it out (has anyone?) There is a challenge circulating social media platforms called "100 Happy Days" where participants are directed to post a daily photo of a moment that makes them happy. It could be as simple as a piece of cake or dinner with a friend or your couch at the end of a long day.

I'm not up for that challenge (lazy) but this photo brings back a happy memory. Dog. Lake. Summer. Now that is happy.

Photo credit to MissMelissy!!

A Poem (And A Rant) For A Wednesday

We so often get bogged down in the day, the week, the month, and fail to savor the minutes within the collection. Sometimes work and life and shuffling from here to there can be so gosh darn overwhelming. It becomes a burden as we scramble to resist cracking under the weight of it all, scraping together some semblance of happiness as we dash along our ingrained ruts to the office, home from the office, to the dinner table, to the couch, to the bed, repeat. And the things that really stand out are the stressful moments at work, the frustrating commutes, the drone of the TV and the worrying about this, that, and it all. It takes you down, robbing you of respites, slivers of joy, and breaths of fresh air among the life smog.

So I'm having a GREAT day, in case it was't quite clear. What I really want to do though is be better at recognizing that a) the above is dramatic and exaggerated but more importantly b) those moments to savor are frequent if you just do the looking, pausing, and reveling.

Mr. Collins could help us understand a bit better. The entire poem describes images in, and of, silence. They're not necessarily humanity's finest moments, but nonetheless they present an opportunity to stop and recognize the opposite of what we usually see. The process of learning to see these silences could help us better weed out what we want from the overwhelming pile we sort through every day. Usually, it's the loud stuff we take on but instead I'm going to try to find the quiet bits tucked here and there. They might provide just the refreshment I need.

Silence
Billy Collins

There is the sudden silence of the crowd
above a player not moving on the field,
and the silence of the orchid.

The silence of the falling vase
before it strikes the floor,
the silence of the belt when it is not striking the child.

The stillness of the cup and the water in it,
the silence of the moon
and the quiet of the day far from the roar of the sun.

The silence when I hold you to my chest,
the silence of the window above us,
and the silence when you rise and turn away.

And there is the silence of this morning
which I have broken with my pen,
a silence that had piled up all night

like snow falling in the darkness of the house--
the silence before I wrote a word
and the poorer silence now.

Dinner and the Oscars

I don't know why I am so resistant to the term "date night." It irks me. There ends my complaint of the day.

Irregardless (teehee) Saturday night we headed to one of our favorite Cambridge restaurants, Hungry Mother which is cozy and warm with delectable yumminess all over the menu. Plus, they have cardinals everywhere...on the menu, over the door, above the bar, etc. Win! They feature a "dinner and movie" special since they're a hop skip and a jump from the Kendall Square Cinema. You arrive, tell them you want to swing by the movies after dinner, and they pick up your tickets for you. Second win!

Dinner represented a third win with yummy garlic soup, skillet cornbread, monkfish and "cast iron chicken" followed by a chocolate pudding cake for dessert. But the biggest winner was our trip to the movie theater. We noticed they were playing all the Oscar-nominated animated shorts and thought it could be fun.

We saw the five nominees as well as three highly commended shorts. I've never seen a "short" much less an animated short, but I'll tell you, shorts are a good option for someone with a constantly dwindling attention span. Our two favorites were "Mr. Hublot," featuring a quirky old man with serious OCD whose eccentric little world is flipped on its head with the arrival of a robotic puppy (trailer here), and "Room on the Broom," where a sweet witch and a cast of adorable animal characters embark on an adventure complete with an evil dragon (trailer here).

Mr. Hublot captured the gold on Oscar night, but I have to tell you, I was pretty amazed by all of the nominees. While the stories from these two were most interesting, the animation in "Feral" was really, really neat--kind of papery and sketched-looking if that makes any sense. Beautiful. I'd definitely recommend the collection and it was a fun way to spend a Saturday "date night."

Ten Books

There has been a post circulating on Facebook where you are asked to list "10 books that have stayed with you in some way." The instructions explain that you shouldn't think too hard about naming the "right" or "great" works, but just the ones that have somehow impacted you. Here's a few that fit the bill.

1) The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi

I rarely re-read or even re-watch things (with the inexplicable, classy exception of The Fugitive with Harrison Ford) but for some reason, I've read this book dozens of times. First as an assignment in sixth grade but then many times thereafter, even just a few years ago when I happened across it on my old bookshelf.

2) The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Not much to say. One of my favorite books of all time. Perfect.

3) Rain in the Trees by W.S. Merwin

This collection of poems was my first introduction to Merwin's work, way back during sophomore year of college. Judging by the multiple doodles along the margins of my copy, I wasn't exactly immersed.  After graduation, though, I turned back to it and fell in love with his work.

4) The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dustbowl by Timothy Egan

If you've scoffed at the idea of reading about history, this book could change your tune. Really fascinating look at the Dust Bowl told in riveting stories of families struggling to survive but also an accounting of how the government basically caused the whole thing...

5) Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing

Talk about tales of survival! Shackleton started it all -- that insatiable desire to read gritty tales of survival that somehow morphed into a yen for post-apocalyptic fiction. Thanks Shacky. But yeah, Shackleton was an Arctic explorer who ran into some trouble, stranding himself and his ship amidst the tundra. This guy was tough. Read it.

6) Random Family: Love, Drugs, Trouble and Coming of Age in the Bronx by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc

It's hard to forget this book. I think it really inspires the understanding that no matter what we do, there are some inescapable cycles of inequity. The stories are haunting.

7) World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks

I resisted the zombie thing as long as possible but this book is fantastic. It's a series of post-event testimonials that walk us through the zombie war and subsequent wildness in America. The movie--"meh" but definitely read this. So good.

8) The Awakening by Kate Chopin

I barely remember it now (I can't remember yesterday) but know that I thought about it for a long time after reading it. The pressure of societal norms probably ain't going anywhere and this book, as old as it is, digs into that oppression.

9) Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Sigh...love.

10) Under the Banner of Heaven: The Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer

I don't know what to say about this other than it has had a lasting impact. True to the task at hand, this book has really stayed with me, possibly more so than any of the others.

It's Here! Stitchfix #1!

Having things to look forward to is really beneficial, whether it's a vacation or a cardboard box full of stuff at your doorstep. It's slightly embarrassing to admit how excited I was for my first Stitchfix. The box came last night, and although I had peeked at the details on my account page, they don't show photos, so I didn't really know what would be inside.

The box includes a little note from your stylist explaining her selections for you with some suggestions for how to wear each item. I received five pieces-- two tanks, a sweater, a pair of boot-cut jeans and as requested, a dress.

I dove in! Right on top was some yellow, my favorite! The 41Hawthorne sweater is a keeper. Slightly loose-fitting crewneck in navy and white stripe with a bright yellow block at the top. I tried it on with some dark skinnies and brown boots but think it will also be fantastic with white pants on cooler summer days.

Here's the rest of the loot. I have to admit, stylistically, these were right in tune with what I generally wear. Unfortunately, I quickly nixed the dress. Belted items are nearly impossible for me and this was a "fit and flare" dress that emphasized my crooked, muffin-top hips. I really loved it, but couldn't justify keeping it at $128 and a not entirely flattering fit. I'll spare you a photo.

That flowy embroidered top! So, so, so adorable! Sadly though, the arm holes are ginormous. While I think it looks cute, again, it's just not worth the price for something that didn't fit.  That brings me to my first (and basically only) complaint with the service. If a size doesn't work, you can't exchange for a new one because they have limited stock and can't handle adjustments. So I slipped the blouse into the return envelope and attempted to erase it from my brain.

The SOLD Design Lab Bootcut jeans are a perfect dark wash, but were some sort of weird pull-on style...no fly and super stretchy. I recently bought a pair of dark Red Engine jeans and just don't need another similar style.

Down to the last item! This black crochet tank is NICE. It has a slightly scooped neck and a relatively (ha!) flattering, slim fit. I really dig lace and crochet clothing and this definitely fits the bill. It'll be great with white jeans in summer and can easily be dressed up for the oodles of fancy parties I will inevitably attend in the near future. Cough. I kept it.

So all in all, I'm a sweater and tank top richer and $86 poorer, but boy, was the experience worth it. It's such a blast to get a little surprise box of goodies delivered to your door and so fun to uncover each item, mix and match it with clothes in your current wardrobe and go nuts. At every step of the way, Stitchfix welcomes feedback, so during the check out process, I was able to mention my issues with the dress and how with loose, flowy, blouses I typically wear a size smaller than with other tops. We'll see if they can incorporate that feedback into Fix #2, due to arrive March 26th!

In the meantime, I will work on a) taking better quality photos and b) avoiding this strange, thumbs-up pose.

A Poem For A Thursday

        Luke
        Mary Oliver

        I had a dog
          who loved flowers.
               Briskly she went
                     through the fields,

        yet paused
          for the honeysuckle
                or the rose,
                      her dark head

        and her wet nose
          touching
                the face
                     of every one

        with its petals
           of silk,
                 with its fragrance
                      rising

        into the air

           where the bees
                 their bodies
                      heavy with pollen,

        hovered--
           and easily
                 she adored
                      every blossom,

        not in the serious
           careful way
                that we choose
                     this blossom or that blossom--

        the way we praise or don't praise--
            the way we love
                  or don't love--
                      but the way

        we long to be--
            that happy
                  in the heaven of earth--
                      that wild, that loving.

Wow, this poem! It appears in Mary Oliver's newest collection, Dog Songs, which is currently sitting on my bookshelf at home, yet to be opened since receiving it as a Christmas gift. I seriously can't believe I haven't delved into it yet. Lucky for me, Luke leapt into my inbox via The Writer's Almanac this morning and I got a sneak peak. This simple, sweet poem is exactly what I needed today. Dogs are great. Flowers are great. Happy Thursday!