Round Up

NTSB-I applaud you, but how is this going to be policed? The same inept way littering is policed I suppose.

The Wall of the Dead-a memorial to fallen naturalists.

Very cool speech accent archive.

A lost Jane Austen portrait has been discovered.

Drum Roll please.....Introducing the 2011 National Toy Hall of Fame inductees.

Sheepherders of Northern Nevada and arborglyphs-this is fascinating. Normally I loathe when people do things to trees. I hate when people staple notices and election paraphernalia to trees because I feel it damages the trees. I wonder why the sheepherders doing it doesn't get my back up too. Hmmm!!!

Also, why does it take the folks who plaster trees, green spaces and telephone poles with their annoying forms of communique so long to retrieve those notices that then end up as litter that nobody does anything about? Sorry, I got off on a tagent.

I saw this Don't Break the Ice game the other day. Brought back a lot of memories.

I love these Mercury Glass owls .

Snow in a Can.

Tutorial for simple paper stars. (I'll let you know just how simple they are )

Great story about a town in England that is becoming a garden.

There seems to be some controversy over exactly what is the smallest library, or here.

Love this Etsy store-Kilted Woman . Crazy about anything Scottish (don't fret Scandinavia-I'm still ga ga over you as well).

This is a wonderful project-Library as Incubator.

Did you know the Steuben Company closed its only remaining factory-so sad.

NPR's Best Books of 2011 list.

This is my last post for 2011. I hope that you and yours have a wonderful holiday. May your days be merry and bright...


"Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time." ~Laura Ingalls Wilder

Round Up

R.I.P. Ruth Stone and Anne McCaffrey.

Barney Frank you will be missed!!

Increase your intellect by watching Khan Academy videos.

Very cute interactive advent calendar from the German Embassy.

There are so many helpful programs that most of us don't know about. In researching different program s for my family I came across the National Association of Atomic Veterans (NAAV).

People always complain about wallpaper, but I actually like it. I don't have any in my house anymore (we removed the horride design that was in one of the bathrooms). I believe that when people think of wallpaper they think of granny wallpaper. You know, big cabbage roses, prancing geese, etc. I love the wallpaper at Grow House Grow.

Still seem to have a lot of plastic grocery bags? Why not roll them so they come out like wipes? Hmmm.....

My favorite periodic table of elements in pictures. And speaking of elements 2 new ones are about to be added.

Two books: A. finished this book a couple of weeks ago and can't stop talking about it, Retirement Heist: How Companies Plunder and Profit from the Nest Eggs of American Workers (Portfolio (Penguin)Hardcover)by Eileen Shultz. He also just finished The Rise of China and India in Africa: Challenges, Opportunities and Critical Interventions (Africa Now-Zed Books) by Fantu Cheru.

Scabs Bandages.

HistoryPin-love this, love this, love this.

In praise of librarians and archivists (how nice).

Interesting article on sounds that have disappeared.

Award-winning biographer Stacy Schiff picks her favorite biographies.

Top 10 literary cities according to National Geographic.

That's all for this week folks.




"I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape - the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn't show." ~Andrew Wyeth

Round Up

R.I.P. Joe Frazier-I'm not a boxing fan, but Joe Frazier was more than just a boxer.

R.I.P. Dwight Arrington (Heavy D) Myers-I have had an old girl crush on Heavy D for years.
So sad to hear about his passing.

If you love architecture visit Archiplanet. It's one of those sites where you visit to look at one thing and one thing leads to another and another.......

Do nothing for 2 minutes-I double-dog dare you!!!!

Some books that sparked an interest: Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children) by Melissa Sweet, The Conductor (Chronicle Books)by Laetitia Devernay, a gorgeous wordless books for folks of all ages and From Here to There: A Curious Collection from the Hand Drawn Map Association (Princeton Architectural Press)by Kris Harzinski.

Just in case you have never heard of the Hand Drawn Map Association.

The "best of" lists are starting to appear-the 10 best illustrated books of 2011.

20 yummy fall pastas.

There's downsizing and then there's downsizing-the Tiny House Blog.

The UK Web Archive is a wonderful treasure trove based in the British Library. I can't wait to spend some time (probably too much time) exploring.

I came across the term "stampede strings" in a book I was reading. I had an idea of what they were, but I wanted to be sure. I guess we non-cowgirl/cowboy types would call them a chin strap on a hat.

I am incredibly humbled and awed by people's creativity and artistry. Aimee Baldwin the Vegan Taxidermist is amazing.

I love these Eames house numbers.

Don't get me wrong. I am very loyal to a Mason Jar We canned when I was growing up and I can still close my eyes and be transported to my childhood kitchen and the way it smelled when we were canning bushels of tomatoes from the garden. Of listening for that "ping" sound of the Mason Jar lids to know that all was well. With that being said I have developed a huge kitchen crush on these Weck Jars.

Mummy Mike-the ultimate rubber band holder.

That's all for this week. Have a great week and a wonderful Thanksgiving.

"Give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way." ~Native American Saying

Round Up

R.I.P. Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth

This wedding band with your spouse's fingerprints is lovely.

25 ways to wear a scarf in 4.5 minutes-very cool video.

Pumpkin facts.

Oh my, fudge-covered Ritz.

After you come home from trick or treating with your little ones why not read them to sleep with one of the 10 best Halloween books for children-of all ages.

The Collection A Day blog is now a book.

Lifeboat Tea has a Facebook page.

Historic U.S. Ghosts.

Interesting article on punctuation.

I think that volunteer vacation opportunities are great. I sometimes think that the volunteer is getting more out of the experience than the community that they are "supposed to be helping." It's not always the best thing to presume that we Westerners know what's best for other cultures. I also don't think it's always best to just through money at a situation, and to also go in and dig a well and then leave. Why not teach folks how to be self sufficient?

With that being said, I would love to volunteer with World Vets.

That's all I have for today. Have a spooky Halloween.

"May Jack-o-lanterns burning brightOf soft and golden huePierce through the future’s veil and showWhat fate now holds for you. "~Author Unknown

Round Up

R.I.P. Steve Jobs-there's not much more than I can say.

Congratulations to the three Nobel Peace prize winners. Kudos ladies!!!!

I am thrilled that folks are protesting, but what we really, really need is for people to vote. It's a quieter way to make your voice heard.

Brownie-battered poured over oreos-Yum. (back-in-the day I would have loved this-I could eat it now, but I would probably end up in a sugar coma).


I love this wrought iron snowfall gauge. Available here.

Find out about your company at GlassDoor.com.

Two fun periodic tables-Periodic table of Dessert and the Harry Potter Periodic Table.

Appropriate for this time of year-The Apple Lover's Cookbook(W.W. Norton) by Amy Traverso.

Chalkboard contact paper.

If you are having problems with people stealing your lunch at work I guarantee they will think twice if you pack your edibles in these Anti-theft lunch bags.

A grilled cheese slideshow.Fascinating article about how the author found 400 report cards from the 1920's. The report cards are all from the Manhattan Trade School.

That's all for this week. Have a good one.

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it." Steve Jobs

Another Round Up

I ran into so many goodies this week I thought I would have two postings.

I have fallen in love with these felted snowpeople. Cheese nails.

Love this crayon wreaths. (Please bear with me-I can see that I am going wreath crazy again). Maybe I'm just obsessed with circles. Here is how to make this cute wreath.

Pumpkin recipes.

I've been searching for the Hershey Pumpkin Spice Kiss and the Hershey Caramel Apple Kisses. If you know where to find them please let me know. And I don't want to order them.

Ingenious candle made from a clementine.

Book I want to read: Maphead: Charting the Wide, Weird World of Geography Wonks (Simon & Schuster/Scribner)by Ken Jennings. Ken Jennings is the Jeopardy champion who won $2.5 million.

Heart attack on a plate-Bacos.

People who became nouns.

Get ready for your mouth to water: Cupcakes of the day.

So celery is good for something besides as a bed for peanut butter.

Caramel stuffed apple cider cookies.

That's all for today. Have a nice weekend. 2 more days until October.


"How beautifully leaves grow old. How full of light and color are their last days." John Burroughs

Round Up

R.I.P. Wangari Maathai, what a wonderful, courageous, intelligent beautiful woman. Someone I admired wholeheartedly.

I'm enjoying the 3x3x 365 blog.

It's Banned Books Week.

I usually wait until October 1st to decorate my mantle with pumpkins and gourds, but I couldn't wait and decorated it this past weekend. I love all of the autumnal splendor.

The Big History Project.

High-tech bereavement: Legacy.com, GoneTooSoon and Remembered Forever.

These cookies are just too beautiful to eat.

And by the way, I have become addicted to Pinterest.

I think I am going to have to buy a hat from the Krochet Kids. What a wonderful cause.

Most of you have heard of the Make A Wish Foundation, but did you know there is a Twilight Wish Foundation. Twilight provides wishes for senior citizens.

I so want one of these in my yard.

Good Grief-Stick on eyeliner.

Generally I am all about peonies, but I also like roses. There's just something about them in general and for me the deepest, darkest red the better. However, I am becoming quite partial to amnesia roses.
Virtual firefly habitat.

Ergo Ergo Chair.

I've heard good things about the MacAusland woolen blanket.

Argyle Yarn Wreaths-I could seriously make wreaths all day long.

Pumpkin Spice Latte, just like Starbucks.

That's all for this week. Have a great week. 4 days until October.

"In a few decades the relationship between the environment, resources and conflict may seem almost as obvious as the connection we see today between human rights, democracy and peace." ~Wangari Maathai

Round Up

Nice eulogy for Michael Hart, the founder of Project Gutenberg.

Yes, we all know that Santa Claus is real, but just in case you have an interesting story about when some mean person told you that he wasn't-there's the Santa Claus Project.

Have you heard of Rocket Balloons?

Have you ever visited a website or blog and thought, "Hmmm, I wonder what font they used?"-What the Font! to your rescue.

Look at this cute Tassel-Eared Squirrel (Abert's Squirrel).

Okiobdesigns has some nice items for all of you Francophiles. I love the French script candles.

I want to visit Bubby's Pie Company and have a piece of one of their pies. They use lard in their crust. I can just imagine the tender flakiness.

I think this wall of authors names would be so nice in a home den or library or really anywhere.

10 online alternative dictionaries.

Read about the Twitterstorians.

The Tennesee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. I have become a huge fan of these online niche encyclopedias.

Ruler wall mirror.

This Please Fire Me site is hilarious.

That's all I have for this week folks. Have an excellent weekend. I'm ecstatic that's it's finally cooler and I can BREATHE!!!!


"We come back to autumn, to zucchini that wilts like witches shoes." Margaret Hasse

Round Up

I just have a few items to share with you.

R.I.P. Nicholas Ashford-thank you and Valerie Simpson for all of your music, especially I'm Every Woman.

What people don't get about working in a library.

I love these matte Mason Jars.

Listening to: Jeri Southern and Michael Franks

Books that have sparked an interest: Boltzmann's Tomb: Travels in Search of Science (Bellevue Literary Press)by Bill Green, Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site (Chronicle Books) by Sherri Rinker and Cool City by Sean Kenny (Henry Holt and Company).

Oh my I would love to have the Dorothy Parker Audio Collection.

What would Flannery O'Connor tweet?

How fun-the Post-It war.

Which cemetery is the most literary?

Good Grief-Misquotes on the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial.

Origins of weird state park names.

Look at this adorable popsicle stick house from Martha Stewart. I've made lots of things with popsicle sticks in my day, but never anything as cute as this. Also, see the deer. If anyone knows where I can find small plastic deer statues please let me know. I would like them to be a little lighter in color than this particular one. I have an idea for my holiday mantle this year, but I need cute deer.

I love this print. It says all of the things I love about autumn.

Time magazine picks its 100 best non-fiction books of all time.

HyperHistory.

Have a nice week. 24 days until October.

"Stare. It is the way to educate your eye, and more. Stare, pry, listen, eavesdrop. Die knowing something. You are not here long." Walker Evans

Round Up

R.I.P. Bubba Smith

R.I.P. Nancy Wake

On Sunday, August 28, 2011 the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial will be dedicated on the Mall.

I think I have posted about Farmhouse Wares previously, but they are worth another mention.

Real-life places that have inspired literary classics.

I love the charts/posters from Pop Chart Labs.

Fun food quizzes.

Speaking of food, I loathe the majority of reality shows. For awhile I would watch Top Chef and Project Runway, but soon tired of those. However, I have found a show that I really like-Chopped. It's professional chefs competing and they always feature some product that is new to me.

I tuned into Chopped last night and one of the contestants was I believe 23 years old. He was competing against 3 other chefs who were older than he is, one a 60-year old woman. On this program they have these little asides with the chefs talking over what they were doing when they were competing. This young'un kept making all of these ageist comments. As a society we need to stop doing that. We have come a long way in (still a long way to go though) the way certain folks are portrayed in the media. We have come a long way (still a long way to go though) in the language that we use to talk about folks. I'm sure that the chef would have not made any comments if his competitors were a different ethnicity, sexuality or size than he is. Comments about folk's age need to stop as well. I have been guilty of that myself, even calling myself old, and I must stop that as well. Enough of this soapbox.

A book that has sparked an interest: Banvard's Folly: Thirteen Tales of People Who Didn't Change the World (Picador/MacMillan).

Everyone knows I'm a huge Etsy fan. Here are some of my new favorites: Shop Gibberish, KCSoapsNMore, Secret Safe Books and Bagatelles and Co. I love clutches and I used to have quite a few until I GAVE THEM ALL TO THE THRIFT STORE LIKE A NITWIT.

Do you have your Grandma's first cookbook? I have one of my beloved Gran's cookbooks, not her first, but one with her handwritten notes that I treasure.

Who doesn't love a good Venn Diagram?

Street Books-wonderful idea.

Top 10 books to read aloud.

My idea of heaven!!


Have a wonderful weekend. 42 days until October.

"There's a marked difference between acquaintances and friends. Most people really don't become friends. They become deep and serious acquaintances. But in a friendship you get to know the spirit of another person and your values coincide. Friends may disagree, but not about serious matters. A friend will stand for you when you no longer are able. A woman can say to herself, "If I die, I know that my friend, my sister-friend will be here to hold up the banner." Dr. Maya Angelou

Round Up

Cloud spotting-such gorgeous photographs.

Dress made from Golden Books.

Photo gallery of the gorgeous necklaces worn my the title character and Angela from the television program Bones. Some of this jewelry is made by Kate Lindsay.

Coral that looks like a flower. Pretty!

10 action librarians.

I am totally charmed by the Little Free Libraries. I am trying to figure out where I can place one in my area.

This is so interesting. A bookstore with books on only one subject-Winston Churchill. Granted, what a subject, but still.....

Well, it's about time there was an American Writers Museum.

Five great vacations for readers.

Two books that have sparked an interest: Skippyjon Jones: Class Action (Dutton Juvenile), it's actually a series, by Judy Schachner and Creepiosity: A Hilarious Guide to the Unintentionally Creepy (Andrews McMell Publishing) by David Bickel.

10 historically significant recordings.

Snacks of great writers.

Word Spy.

That's all for now. Have a wonderful week.

"Happiness is a place between too little and too much." Finnish Proverb

Round Up

I just have a few items this week folk.

Fine Cell Work is a UK charity that teaches embroidery to prisoners. Some of these works are incredible.

Diggin' this bicycle basket and Dalton Ghetti's sculptures.

Winnie-the-Pooh turns 90 this year.

The Encyclopedia Britannica has a blog.

I heard about these $39.99 eyeglasses. I may have even blogged about them before and my own personal eye situation-prescribed glasses around the age of 8 or 9, word many different types all giving me headaches, had various contacts-wore 1 for awhile-for the past 13-15 years have worn nothing, but have distance glasses for driving.

Now I am thinking of purchasing glasses for reading (the doctor says I don't need bifocals-yet). My eyes are so watery of late and I think it's mostly from eye strain-not allergies. A co-worker had a great-looking pair of eyeglasses from the $39.99 folks. They are stylish and they look great on her face. I think I am going to have to set up an appointment and get a new prescription. My understanding is you also need your pupillary distance if you are going to purchase your glasses from the $39.99 folks.

New favorite word-pogonip: frozen fog. I think Frozen Fog should be some kind of cocktail.

These Oreo cameos are astounding-I love when people use their incredible talents for good.

Love these Crumpled City Maps.

Look at the honey from Ballard Bee Company.

Do you have a Mutt, a Heinz 57, a dog whose pedigree is a mystery only known to her/his mother and father? Register your pooch with the Mutt Census.

WOW-Jane Eyre has been in continuous print since 1847. Look at all of the various incarnations of Jane.

Luna Bazaar has such nice items. And there paper lanterns are to die for.

Have a happy weekend.

I love the stark beauty of this photograph.

"The question is not what you look at, but what you see." Henry David Thoreau

Round Up

I just have a few items this week. I am suffering from heat-induced ennui.

Anthropologie Bookbinder Heels.

There's something about a walled city. I would love to visit all of them, but thus far, I have only been to Quebec City many years ago. I think that is some place A. and I will have to go. I think it's fun to go somewhere with your sweetie that one of you has visited previously.

The charming blog, 500 Pieces of Advice for my Baby Daughter, has been published as a very charming book. Full of loads of thoughtful and sometimes humorous advice for everyone.

Hmmm....Books about journalistic scandals.

Creativity abounds at Kickstarter.

It's easy-Get Swabbed-SAVE A LIFE.

Yes, you can mail a frisbee. I decorated a pink frisbee in the most girly way possible, with loads of stickers, and sent it to my niece. I don't know who got more of a kick out of it-her or me. Also, here.

Printable tatoo paper. I hope I can control myself. Also, Tattly-designer temporary tats.

Top ten books written by a librarian.

What could be more romantic, floating around on a barge bringing books to folks.

The African American Civil War Museum has a new home-1925 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001.

I confess. I have always had a penchant for globes. And some of the beauties at the Omniterrum are incredible.

I have become addicted to Aerial America on the Smithsonian Channel HD. I become totally mesmerized by the gorgeous cinematography and the beauty of this country. So far I've seen Maine (3 times), Oregon (twice) and Vermont.

Another addiction of the cloth variety-Tekla dishtowels from Ikea.

That's all for this week. Have a good weekend. And if you are fortunate to live in a cool setting-I'M SO JEALOUS. 72 DAYS UNTIL OCTOBER.






"Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure, you are not, in fact, just surrounded by assholes." William Gibson

Round Up

The 2011 Library Blog Award winners have been announced.

Fun-Literary Karaoke.

Wonderful story behind Bead for Life.

If you read this blog then you have read my laments about my talent for making awful pie crust. I go through periods when I end up reading a lot about pies and great pie makers. I stumbled upon a woman who lives in the American Gothic house and has the Pitchfork Pie Stand. Another great story. Here's her blog.

Charles Darwin's personal library is now public via the Biodiversity Heritage Library.

The National Book Festival is now 2 days, September 24 and 25, 2011.

I love the name of this company-Mole Hollow Candles.

A New York Times candle that, you guessed it, smells like newsprint-Hmm........

Paddywax Library Diffusers-I like this name too.

I was looking for lint filter for my clothes dryer and I found it at Repair Clinic.

Maggie Weldon coped with her troubled family life by becoming an expert crocheter. Now she is using her gorgeous crochet patterns and adapted them for pottery-Lace Pottery.

Haikubes.

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History is celebrating its centennial.

Google-A-Day-see if you can answer the daily query.

Behind the Scenes-Looking Fabulous in Fur-IMHO the only creatures who should ever wear fur.

2 Books that have sparked an interest: The Beekeeper's Lament: How One Man and a Half a Million Bees Help Feed America (HarperCollins) by Hannah Nordhaus and Better than Great: A Plenitudinous Compendium of Walloping Fresh Superlatives (Viva Editions) by Arthur Plotnik.

Literary homes.

Hope the rumors are true-Adios to the Oxford comma.

Great news-The New York Public Library (NYPL) has been saved from enormous budget cuts.

That's all for this week folks. Have a nice weekend.


"Sun is shining. Weather is sweet. Make you wanna move your dancing feet." Bob Marley

Round Up

R.I.P. Clarence Clemons

R.I.P. Clarice Taylor

100 greatest nonfiction books according to the Guardian.

Coolest app yet-Leafsnap

Books that have sparked an interest: The Trouble with Tom: The Strange Afterlife and Times of Thomas Paine (Bloomsbury Publishing) by Tom Collins and Bring Back Beatrice (Workman Publishing) by Jennie Griffin-Really, "Aren't you all tired of all of these odd names folks are naming their children?".

This just cracks me up-Phydough-food truck for the pups.

I've never played with , or I should probably say, built anything with Legos. I kinda, sorta think I want to build something-maybe this Lego Fallingwater. Probably a bit too advanced for a novice.

I have been spending way too much time on I Love Charts, Letters of Note-oh, how I love this site-so many lovely letters-the one from Queen Victoria to Mary Todd Lincoln is especially touching and Letterheady.

Author Ann Patchett is opening a bookstore.

Very cool periodic table playing cards.

World flag database.

Digital version of the Pentagon Papers.

Encyclopedia of Virginia.

Have a nice weekend.

"Not all those who wander are lost." J.R.R. Tolkein

Miniscule Round Up

I have just one link for today.

From June 20-June 26, 2011 is the wonderful AFI Silver Docs Festival. If you are in the Washington DC area you simply must see some of the documentaries that are shown at this festival now in its ninth year. Here is a link to the various documentaries.

Have a nice weekend!!!

Round Up

R.I.P. Geronimo Ji Jaga Pratt.

I have been a fan of Charley Harper for years. I love his birds and all of his wonderful puns. Fish's Eddy has a line of Charley Harper plates, bowls, trays, glasses and more via Todd Oldham, another huge Charley Harper fan.

250 books written by women that men should read.

How to make kick the can ice cream.

Top 10 dying industries.

I have stated before that certain doll faces give me the creeps. A group of said dolls can cause my flee response to kick in a heartbeat. But, I am trying to wean myself of this fear. That is why I am linking to these lovelies.

This year SeeCoast Manufacturing is celebrating 50 years in business. They manufacture coin-operated telescopes. You know we all have used them to see some Ahhh-worthy vistas. I love this sort of tidbit. I am always looking at items or picking up items and thinking, "Someone had to think of this, patent it, and now someone is producing this item." Of course my thought process is never that formal. I usually think, "Someone made this!!!!"

Chocolate and Peanut butter S'mores. Yummy!!!!

I saw this vanity plate the other morning on a vehicle from Alaska-SNOWIN.

Diggin' Snackwell's White Fudge Drizzled Caramel Popcorn-only 130 calories per pack.

What is the problem with using the words borrow and lend? I have probably been on my soapbox about this before, but I keep hearing folks using them incorrectly. And I hate to say it, but these folks all seem to be from a certain part of the United States. I'm not going to say where, but it's very interesting and annoying at the same time.

Saturday, June 11th, 2011 is World Wide Knit in Public Day.

List of State and U.S Territories encyclopedias.

Maryland is the first state in the nation to ban the wearing of felt soled shoes in Maryland waters. It has been found that the felt soles spread harmful organisms. More information here.

Argh me mateys-Who doesn't love a pirate story?




That's all for this week. Have a Happy Weekend.

"Forget not, the Earth delights to feel your bare feet and winds long to play with your hair." Kahlil Gibran

Round Up

R.I.P. Gil Scott-Heron

A few images from Amy Sedaris' apartment.

Jewelry and such made from coinage.

Where are you on the Geek Zodiac?

Books with numbers in their titles.

Pure Joy
5 museums that are devoted to food.

2 books that have sparked an interest: Nom de Plume: A (Secret) History of Pseudonyms (HarperCollins) by Carmela Ciuraru and Tolstoy and the Purple Chair: My Year of Magical Reading (HarperCollins) by Nina Sankovich.

I love this spider web gate. And this one, and this one, but especially this one.

I can always seem to find something interesting at Uncommon Goods. This week I am in love with these pillows.

It's the 50th anniversary of the publication of the wondrous The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. Michael Chabon has writted a wonderful introduction to the anniversary edition available from the New York Review of Books. If you have never inhabited the world of Milo and Tock-well you must. It's never too late. And Random House I am scolding you for not having a proper image of this classic on your site.

The best tactile books.

A very clever website devoted to Eleanor Roosevelt-Dear Eleanor Please Tell Me More.

If you haven't read the book How the States Got Their Shape (Smithsonian Institution Press-the Press' website is down-I don't like linking to Amazon unless forced) by Mark Stein; then see the documentary/program. It's on the History Channel, which I am still boycotting because of their lack of female narrators, but I stumbled upon this documentary by accident, and I read the book so I sorta, kinda had to watch it.

And Mark Stein has also penned How the States Got Their Shape Too: The People Behind the Borderlines (Smithsonian Institution Press).

Having problems trying to pronounce names of scotch? Not anymore. (be prepared to turn up your volume to hear the pronunciations, but turn it down for the many advertisements)

Eddie and Sylvia Brown-Marylanders of the Year.

It is the National Library of Medicine's (NLM) 175th birthday (I would love.love, love to work there). Also, the New York Public Library (NYPL) turned 100 on May 23, 2011.

Paper artist Yulia Brodskaya's works are so intricate-amazing.

Ulysses meets Twitter-Bloomsday, June 16, 2011.

That's all for this week. Have a Happy Weekend.

"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly." - Siddhārtha Gautama

Round Up

R.I.P. Edward Hardwicke-you were a wonderful Watson, and my personal favorite.

Medgift-unique gift registry with social networking.

Whale design.

Oaxaca al Gust! An Infinite Gastronomy ( University of Texas Press) by Diana Kennedy won the 2011 James Beard Foundation Cookbook of the Year award.

I've always admired folks who have beautiful handwriting. Neither my mom, nor I were gifted in that way. My grandmother was a different story. Her penmanship was simply exquisite. Since she is no longer with us, and I am so glad that I saved all of the letters and recipes that she wrote. Here is an interesting article on cursive writing.

Dr. Dorothy Height has a post office named for her.

What does your literary tote bag say about you?

Book that has sparked an interest-Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops?: The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the 70's and 80s (Perigee Trade) by Gael Fashingbauer Cooper and Brian Bellmont.

Horse artists' art -Moneighs (tee-hee)

Everything you always wanted to know about Kansas, but were afraid to ask at Kansapedia.

Are you a sandwich nut? Does nothing set your heart aflutter more than seeing cross-sections of various items (i happen to be a cross-section groupie). If you answered yes to both questions you must visit Scanwiches.

I can generally take or leave newspapers. I really shouldn't say that, but I have always been more a book and magazine person. However, I do like local newspapers and newsletters. I use to love Grit years ago when it was published as a broadside. When I became obsessed with the Amish and had to read absolutely everything I could get my hands to learn about them, I subscribed to The Budget, an Amish and Mennonite newspaper.

With that being said, I have been having a ball reading the front pages of many newspapers available from the Newseum's Today's Front Pages. It's fun to see what news makes the front page of all of these different newspapers.

I like this basket backpack. I'm also diggin' this Reisenthal Carrybag. Even though I'm having all sorts of issues with the word "carrybag."

History of public bathing (EWWW).

Triceratops cookie cutter.

The Library of Congress has made historical sound recordings available to the public free of charge through its National Jukebox site.

These light up your mood lightswitch stickers are so cute. I have to find some place in the states to purchase them.

That's all for this week. Have a good weekend. 134 days left until October.


"You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete." Buckminster Fuller

Round Up

R.I.P. Phoebe Snow

R.I.P. Jackie Cooper

R.I.P. Almena Lomax

I am in awe of botanical artists.

Tomorrow, May 7th is National Train Day.

Book: A is for Atticus: Baby Names from Great Books (Hachette) by Lorilee Craker.

Book: Farm (Orchard Books) by Elisha Cooper.

Book: Science Fair Season: Twelve Kids and a Robot Named Scorch....and What It Takes to Win (Hyperion) by Judy Dutton.

Literature published posthumously.

I love the story behind the name of Mortgage Lifter Tomato.

Diggin'- Hall's Defense Vitamin C Supplement Drops with Assorted Citrus Flavor.

Vending machines are dispensing more than soda and candy bars.

Love these Eva Grace aprons.

Oliver's Peoples has a some cute eyeglass designs. They are carrying a copy of the eyeglasses that Gregory Peck wore in To Kill a Mockingbird. Lovely story about how this came to be.

Cool other-worldly plant llareta.

Sculptor Thad Mosely.

While I was waiting for my commuter bus the other day. I noticed the elm tree?? had a tag on it with the numbr 1163 or 1168. I started wondering if I could track this number and find out information on the tree. So far I have found this Washington, DC tree map, and for now that is as far as I have gone with this. I will keep you updated when I complete my quest.

Have a great weekend and Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms out there.

"He who breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." Gandalf

Festivals and Such

I keep running into random tidbits about the upcoming festival season in the Washington, DC area, so I thought I would post some of them here.

It's May and I have started my countdown until Oct 1. Summer, the season that I loathe, is over for me October 1. There are 151 days until I will feel normal once again.

May is Asthma Awareness Month. I am one of the 20 million folks who has been afflicted with asthma since I was 4 years old. As with any chronic condition it can be annoying, maddening and just plain inconvenient, but asthma is also manageable.

Now for the fun stuff. Some of the festivals took place this past weekend like the National Cinco de Mayo festival and the Fiesta Asia Silver Spring festival.

The Heritage India Festival, May 14-15, 2011 held in Chantilly, Virginia.

The Meridian International Children's Festival, May 21, 2011 in Washington, DC.
And speaking of children, May 2, 2011-May 8, 2011 is the Children's Book Week.

Gaithersburg Book Festival , May 21, 2011, Gaithersburg, Maryland.

The incomparable Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival, May 19, 2011-May 21, 2011 at the Kennedy Center.

The World Children's Festival is on June 17-19, 2011 on the National Mall.

D.C. Jazz Festival, June 1, 2011

Washington D.C.'s Caribbean Carnival is on June 25-26.

Old Time Banjo Festival, July 16, 2011,

Capital Fringe Festival, July 7, 2011-July 24, 2011

Food Festival of the America's, May 23, 2011 at the Organization of American States (OAS). There are loads of food festivals in the area, but I just thought I would post one of the many.

That is all. Have a good week.

"A little Madness in the SpringIs wholesome even for the King."- Emily Dickinson

Round Up

I love the curly pink fluffiness of the Kwanzan Cherry Tree.

IMPORTANT NOTE-If you are a Maryland driver and you obtain new license plates, DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT throw your old ones away. Return them to the DMV and obtain a receipt.

Sorry to hear that Henning Mankell has penned the last Wallander mystery.

We had a lot of pheasants in my area (Southwestern PA) growing up, but none that looked like the Lady Amherst.

What could be better than a nice meal and a free book-Traveler's Food and Books.

Secret messages in jewelry.

I love this house on a harbor in Maine. I'm not one for a lot of white appliances and decor, but it seems appropriate to homes that are so close to a body of water, preferably the beach. Oh, if only I had deep pockets.

I've posted about Swan Island Blankets before, but they are so worth another post. Just gorgeous.

Diggin' these blackboard garden labels.

I just finished reading a children's book by Wendy Mass entitled Every Soul a Star (Little, Brown and Company). This is a wonderful story about 3 very different kids who meet at a summer camp to witness a solar eclipse. If you have a child that is an astronomy fan or even if you are, read this lovely story. You won't be sorry.

Some other books that sparked an interest: The Red Market: On the Trail of the World's Organ Brokers, Bone Thieves, Blood Farmers and Child Traffikers (Morrow\HarperCollins)by Scott Carney and Nighttime Nursery Rhymes: A Bedtime Shadow Book compiled by Barbara Paulding. The latter title would make a lovely baby shower gift or a great gift for a young child.

If you are lucky enought to be visiting New England this srpring, then you must make Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts a stop. The Bridge of Flowers is a must-sees while you are in the area. The bridge was originally a trolley track crossing the Deerfield River. Falling into disrepair once the trolly service ended in 1928, the bridge became an eyesore.

The bridge was purchased by the Shelburne Falls Fire District since the bridge carried water mains. At the impetus of a couple of townspeople funds were raised and the bridge was turned into a floral footpath.

Very large photographs of whales.

How women see color as opposed to men.

An astrobiology graphic novel.

Can you locate the painter in these ingenius paintings?

Oh my goodness!!! These are great, but I wouldn't be able to take advantage of them. Especially the first one. YIKES!! Crazy in love with all of the Scandinavian countries though.

That's all for this week.

"To live and let live, without clamour for distinction or recognition; to wait on divine love; to write truth first on the tablet of one's own heart - this is the sanity and perfection of living."

~Mary Eddy

Round Up

R.I.P Manning Marable, prolific author, social activist and historian.

And, R.I.P. Jane Russell, Betty Garrett , Steve Landesberg and David Nelson.

There is a Film Noir Foundation and a National Pigeon Association.

What does your favorite kid book say about you now? Hmmmmm.

Interesting book: Dairy Queens: The Politics of Pastoral Architecture from Catherine 'de Medici to Marie Antoinette (Harvard University Press) by Meredith Martin.

I love what Roz Chast had to say at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament.

Let Tootsie Roll Industries know what you think about their new flavors.

Some accessories for all of the bookworms out there.

Restaurant salaries.

That's all for this week folks. Once again, blogger is giving me headaches. May have to switch to Typepad. "A committee is a cul-de-sac down which ideas are lured and then quietly strangled." - Sir Barnett Cocks

Round Up

Please excuse the run-on style of this entry. I have tried over and over again to edit this entry to no avail. It's April and it is National Poetry Month. So this month why not celebrate on April 14th with Poem in Your Pocket Day. Or take part in the Free Verse Project. Here is a handy dandy events calendar if you are looking for poetry readings and other poetry-related events. I was chatting with someone yesterday about poetry and of course we started talking about our favorite poets. I like lots of poets, but the the poets that I have been reading for years are Emily Dickinson, Lucille Clifton, Langston Hughes, Billy Collins, Mary Oliver and of course William Shakespeare. Who can write a better poem (sonnet) than old Bill Shakespeare. Here is one of my absolute favorite Billy Collins poems entitled Dharma. Corpus Libris is a photoblog of people covering themselves with book covers that depict the part of body they are covering. It's a cold, rainy day (my favorite) and I think a nice Dot Calm would go down nicely. I stumbled across Little Switzerland, North Carolina the other day; a new place to add to my ever growing list. The English Muse has a wonderful blog entry on the gorgeous journals of Rachel Duarte. What fun-Do's and Don'ts of diary-keeping by Michael Palin. I think this chalkboard is so cute. Would I pay that price? Absolutely not. Famous picture book + famouse science fiction book= Good Night Dune. Interesting article on deciphering old texts. A beautiful gown made of Golden Books. Penguin's new hand-sewn book covers (Gotta love Penguin). Adorable embroidered pillowcase. This quilt show is something that I would have loved to have seen. That's all I have for this week. Have a Happy Weekend. "It is difficult to get the news from poems, yet men die miserably every day for lack of what is found there." William Carlos Williams

Round Up

I just have a few items for the round up this week.

R.I. P. Elizabeth Taylor-one of the few that I considered to be a movie STAR. Gorgeous on the outside, incredibly talented and gorgeous on the inside.

Alfred Hitchcock goodies

R.I.P. Knut

Love this woman's products. I wonder what absinthe lip balm is like. Hmmmm......

BldgBlog

Google has a full-length online magazine-Think Quarterly.

I'm always looking for interesting associations. Just found this one the other day-Association of Directory Publishers.

2 books that caught my eye: Knit Your Own Royal Wedding (Andrew McMeel Publishing)by Fiona Goble. Diary of a Crayon (Xlibris)by Abbey Lauren Ash Behan and Stephanie Ash.

I love these Filson totes. I have a ridiculous amount of totes, but these are so nice.

Jonathan Klinger is driving a 1930's Model A car around the contry and blogging (365 Days of A) about his adventures. I wish that I were there with him. Maybe in my fantasy beloved Nash Metropolitan though.

Every library/archives should take a look at this site by National Library of Medicine. The Emergency Preparedness and Response: How to Safely Stabilize Library Collections in the Event of a Water Emergency is a multi-media site with instructions and videos on saving various library and archival materials.

That's all for this week. Have a great weekend.





"It was one of those March Days whenthe sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light and winter in the shade." Charles Dickens

Round Up

Every time I see an image of the devastation in Japan my heart shatters. I'm sure yours does as well.

The Health Physics Society is an association of health professionals working in radiation safety. Their very informative site provides fact sheets, current nes curriculum support, documents and publications. They also maintain the Radiation Answers site that provides scientific information in an easy-to-read format for the general public.

I think it's very cool that this woman paints bicycle portraits.

My love for the periodic table of elements keeps growing by leaps and bounds.

Some books of interest: Grilled Cheese Please! 50 Scrumptiously Cheesy Recipes (Andrew McMeel Publishing) by Laura Werlin. There is just something so comforting about a grilled cheese sandwich. Craving Earth: The Urge to Eat Clay, Starch, Ice and Chalk (Columbia University Press) by Sera Young. For some reason I always am around someone who crunches ice (pagophagist) and it drives me nuts. When I was in nursing school I was taught that crunching ice was a sign of iron deficient anemia. Some people say ice crunching is a sign of sexual frustration. I don't know if there's any medical proof of the sexual frustration part, but, Whatever-it gets on my NERVES!!!! Lastly, there's the The Trouble with Chicken: A J.J. Tully Mystery by Doreen Cronin.

Writing sheds of famous writers.

Congratulations to David Suzuki on receiving the George Woodcock Lifetime Achievement Award. I have been a fan of his for years. If I had the ever had the honor of meeting him, I would turn into a blushing, unable-to-speak, schoolgirl.

If you or your parents need assistance with technology Teach Parents Tech is a wonderful site filled with educational videos showing how to cut + paste, change your wallpaper and on how to create a blog. The videos give instructions for both Macs and PC users.

I have been using jojoba oil on my face for years. It's wonderful. Of late I have been seeing so many skin oils pop up on the cosmetic scene. Tarte's Maracuja Oil is one and Rodin Olio Lusso Oil is another. These are both pricey, but I would love to try them, but for now I will stick to my $6.00 a bottle jojoba oil.

Anthropologie has such wonderful items. These milk bottle measuring cups are adorable.

Michigan mittens-you know both Wisconsin and Michigan folks always say that their states are shaped like mittens. And the reason I am throwing Wisconsin into this mitten-shaped topic is because I have a friend (Wendy are you out there) who is from Wisconsin and she always said her home state was shaped like a mitten. I thought Michigan was the cute mitten-shaped state, but since I'm from the big honkin' keystone state?????

And speaking of state-shaped items. Look at this Louisiana-shaped cutting board.

Look at this incredible steampunk ring.

A story about chickens that will having you thinking twice before you order those buffalo wings.

If you are a lover of libraries, you must visit the Library History Buff Blog. The buff has a wonderful post (March 15, 2011) about the first catalog cards. A very enjoyable blog.

Color wheel of worry.

That's all for this week. Have a good one.

"Like fragile ice anger passes away in time." Ovid