Thursday, May 19, 2011

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

Friday, May 06, 2011

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

Monday, May 02, 2011

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