Fig Newtons and Scotch

Round Up

2012-01-30T04:59:00.000-08:00

R.I.P. Etta James-good grief it annoys me whenever someone other than Ms. James sings At Last.

R.I.P. Dick Tufeld, voice of The Robot.

Learn all about World Book Night.

Libraries on television and the movies.

Quiet a few books have caught my eye: The Knitter's Life List (Storey Publishing) by Gwen Steege, How Carrots Won the Trojan War: Curious (but True) Stories of Common Vegetables (Storey Publishing) by Rebecca Rupp, Science Ink: Tattoos of the Science Obsessed (Sterling Publishing) by Carl Zimmer, Ice: (Stories Without Words) (Enchanted Lion Books) by Arthur Geisert-really any book by Arthur Geisert is tops with me, and What Color Is My World?: The Lost History of African-American Inventors (Candlewick) by Kareem Abdul Jabbar.

A. and I got into a discussion about all the physicians who are also published authors. We attempted to see if we could name some, my goodness we didnt' even hit the tip of the iceberg with our paltry list.

Congratulations Felicity Aston the first person to ski solo across Antarctica alone.

Meet Qamar Hashim-What were you doing when you were 8?

Hyde Park Books has a wonderful author name pronunciation guide.

Love, love, love these artifact bags.

I have always wanted to take a calligraphy class, but have never gotten around to it. The Society of Scribes has some interesting classes.

Lots of good information on the Global Language Monitor.

Apparently Charles Dickens was very interested in interior decorating. Look at the slideshow of his 49 Doughty Street London rooms.

Humblebrag is hilarious.

Make some heart-shaped seed bombs.

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

"The only real prison is fear, and the only real freedom is freedom from fear." - Aung San Suu Kyi

Round Up

2012-01-19T03:56:00.000-08:00

R.I.P. Simms Taback and Reginald Hill.

New York Times candle-smells like newsprint. I don't know if that's a good thing or not.

I love specialty stores like The Ribbonerie. (problem with the stores URL so I'm linking to Apartment Therapy's piece on the store)

Back in the day the placement of a stamp on a postcard or letter could send a message all its own. Very nice piece on this charming custom.

You have heard of ghost towns, what about ghost counties.

Grammarware.

Love, love, love these Shanna Murray wall decals.

Books I've spied: Menu Design in America: 1850-1986 (Taschen) by Steven Heller, Jim Heimann and John Mariani, The Chicken Encyclopedia (Storey Publishing) by Gail Damerow and Hedy's Folly: The Life and Breakthrough Inventions of Hedy Lamarr, the Most Beautiful Woman in the World (Doubleday)by Richard Rhodes.

Push pins are passe-get a scratch map to mark your travels.

Here are some things librarians should do about SOPA.

I am ga-ga over Purina's dog breed library.

World's most expensive book-Good Grief!!!!

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

“Heaven preserve me from littleness and pleasantness and smoothness. Give me great glaring vices, and great glaring virtues, but preserve me from the neat little neutral ambiguities. Be wicked, be brave, be drunk, be reckless, be dissolute, be despotic, be a suffragette, be anything you like, but for pity's sake be it to the top of your bent. Live fully, live passionately, live disastrously. Let's live, you and I, as none have ever lived before. -to Vita Sackville-West, October 25, 1918” ― Violet Trefusis

Round Up

2012-01-04T07:50:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone!!! This is my first post for 2012. I just have a few items for this post.

R.I.P. Russell Hoban, author of the Frances series and many more books.

Did you know that there is a National Academic Quiz Tournament company? I found out about this company when I was trying to find out what happend to Mac McGarry who hosted It's Academic for many years. He's retiring from the show. One link led to another (as it so often does) and I ended up finding out about the Quiz Tournament company.

Have use of a list of windmills around the globe.

Walter Dean Myers is the new National Ambassador for Young People's Literature.

Yes, there is a Dr. Pepper Museum.

Two books that have sparked an interest: Quiet: The Power of Introverts (Random House) by Susan Cain and Dimity Dumpty: The Story of Humpty's Little Sister (Candlewick) by Bob Graham (I bet you thought Humpty was an only child huh).

What to do with all of those annoying packing peanuts.

Look at these wonderful literary dolls at Uneek Doll Designs.

Oh my, Paxton Gate has such lovely and unusual items.

I love all of these wonderful colors of masking tape-why wasn't this thought of years ago. Maybe it was a thought, but then the manufacturing of all the wonderful colors was found to be cost prohibitive. Who knows.

And speaking of colors, the color for 2012, according to Pantone, is Tangerine Tango. (just scroll down Apartment Therapy's entry about this. I liked their entry about the subject better than Pantones.)

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

"And now let us welcome the new year, full of things that have never been." Rainer Maria Rilke

Round Up

2011-12-15T04:46:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-02T04:42:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-14T04:28:00.000-08:00

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

2011-10-31T05:14:00.000-07:00

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

2011-10-12T05:24:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-29T06:44:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-26T05:24:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-16T04:04:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-06T04:14:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-19T03:58:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-08T03:59:00.000-07:00

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

2011-07-29T04:02:00.000-07:00

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

2011-07-21T06:36:00.000-07:00

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

2011-07-08T03:41:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-24T04:28:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-17T04:16:00.001-07:00

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

2011-06-10T04:01:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-03T04:09:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-19T09:36:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-06T04:11:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-02T05:33:00.000-07:00

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

2011-04-26T04:42:00.000-07:00

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

2011-04-15T04:19:00.000-07:00

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

2011-04-01T04:17:00.000-07:00

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

2011-03-25T04:13:00.000-07:00

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

2011-03-16T04:11:00.000-07:00

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

Round Up

2011-03-08T03:59:00.000-08:00

Feast your eyes on the quagga. This poor baby is extinct, but there is a Quagga Project in the works and "they" are trying to have the quagga make a return.

Airport Dining.net

Today is International Women's Day. Yes, this should have been the first item that I mentioned, not the quagga, and now I am too lazy to move the quagga down. So there! It's also Mardi Gras.

Did you know that mind-bender Uri Geller owned an island?

Books: Moby Duck: The True Story of 28,800 Bath Toys Lost at Sea and of the Beachcombers, Oceanographers, Environmentalists, and Fools, Including the Author, Who Went in Search of Them by Donovan Hohn (Viking Adult). I have this on hold at my local library.

Also, How the Government Got in Your Backyard: Superweeds, Frankenfoods, Lawn Wars and the (Nonpartisan) Truth About Environmental Policies (Timber Press) by Jeff Gillmand and Eric Herberling.

Gaelic Place Names of Scotland.

Smithsonian Research Online (SRO) is a searchable database established to enable users to located journals and research papers authored by Smithsonian Institition staff. This database is maintained by Smithsonian Institution Libraries (SIL).

Diggin' Oil of Olay's new bar soap. Why didn't someone think of this years ago?

Dolly Parton has been giving away books to children for years, now she's taken the Imagination Library across the Pond.

Who owns Kafka?

A book club turns one-hundred. How cool!!!

Google, Google you are indeed everywhere-introducing the Google Art Project.

Forvo is an online pronunciation dictionary. The public can add entries, but they will be checked (and I hope triple checked).

A treasure trove of Thomas Jefferson's books have been found at Washington Unversity in St. Louis, Missouri.

Since I whine about this every single year, I don't want to be remiss and not whine about Daylight Savings Time (DST) this year. It's this weekend folks. Yes, I still loathe it. I want it to be, I need it to be light at 6:00 a.m. and dark at 6:00 p.m. I don't see any need for it to be light at 9:00 at NIGHT. Plus, to me DST is just a harbinger of dreaded hot weather, which I also loathe. Okay, I'm done.

A robin just landed on the balcony outside a few minutes ago. The first one I have seen this year. I guess it's true-spring is on its way.

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

"Among those whom I like or adore, I can find no common denominator, but among those I love, I can. All of them make me laugh." W.H. Auden

Round Up

2011-02-25T04:05:00.001-08:00

These toast coasters are cute and look like some healthy, fiber-dense bread.

Some new books about history.

Wonderful items on Svpply.

There are a few things that unnerve me as I'm sure it is with most folks, and one of those things is big groups of dolls or even worse, doll heads. So the mere fact that I am providing this link shows that I REALLY want to share the article with my 3 loyal readers.

I'm not big on mid-century modern, but there is something very cool about Restoration Hardware's aviation collection. Bit pricey though.

Diggin' Mayer Hawthorne. Nice old school r&b.

Seattle's Walker Rock Garden is for sale. The family who created this marvel can no longer afford to maintain it. Let's hope that the purchaser keeps it just the way it is.

The top 19 best-read Presidents.

Folks keep crying about the possibility of e-books totally obliterating the need for the physical book. I think it is a bunch of hogwash. They said the same thing when paperbacks became popular. "What's going to happen to hardback books?". While folks are worried about e-books, they should probably through in the possible demise of book ends, bookcases, book carts, etc., etc.

2011 paint color trends from the Paint Quality Institute.

These underwear, gutchies, knickers, unders, etc. are the bomb. Available from Five Go Mad in the UK.

And, the 2011 USPS stamps. Looking forward to the Pioneers of American Industrial Design stamps (scroll down), American Scientists, Owney the Postal Dog, and Barbara Jordan stamps.

Really fun blog honoring the 1950's pink bathrooms that everyone is ripping out of their homes today-Save the Pink Bathrooms.

So your wee ones aren't so wee anymore and they don't want to watch their Clifford the Big Red Dog DVD's a hundred times a day. What to do with all of those children's dvd's that you cost a small fortune. Why not donate them to Kidflicks? Kidflicks was founded by a few moms that are donating kid movies to hospital pedicatric wards. What a lovely idea!!!

The secret life of punctuation.

These Angry Little Girls products are cute. I am an angry BIG girl.

If you want to feast your eyes on some culinary porn and some wonderful recipes visit the King Arthur Flour blog. I've mentioned it before, but it is so wonderful I feel it deserves a second shout-out. Just feast your eyes on the Cabot Cheddar Soda Bread or the Maple Meringues.

What was on Hamlet's playlist?

Drat!!! I missed the Hot Chocolate Festival.

And, speaking of festivals. The 19th Annual Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital takes place on March 15-27, 2011.

The New York Times is reviewing one children's picture book per week. Whoopeee!!!!

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

"Indulge your imagination in every possible flight." Jane Austen

Round Up

2011-02-15T03:51:00.000-08:00

R.I.P. Brian Jacques-what an incredible imagination!!

If a group of geese are on the ground or in a body of water they are a gaggle of geese. If a group of geese is flying they are a skein of geese. Love this handy-dandy bird group name chart.

Foodie Flashcards.

Congratulations Hickory!!!

Very cute storage bowl from Fishs Eddy.

I am just crazy for the show Oddities. I've been watching it on the Science Channel. The show is about the Obscura Antiques and Oddities shop located in NYC.

I think these CarLashes would look great on my dream car.
Interesting concept-a rice pudding restaurant Rice to Riches.

The papers of blood bank pioneer, surgeon and educator Dr. Charles Drew have been made available by the National Library of Medicine and the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center at Howard University.

A. reads a lot of nonfiction. Lately he's been reading books that he feels he somehow missed. He just finished two books by C. Wright Mills and one I recommended The Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triump of Spectacle (Nation Books) by Chris Hedges. Apparently this book reinforces one of my soapbox topics-the dumbing down of America.

100 best British films.

On this blog I have stated numerous times how I have a penchant for islands, and I would love to visit Mackinac's Island. Until I can get there I think I will settle for this documentary Ice Bridge. One of the problems is I would really like to visit in the winter.

More drool-worthy island information.

Knitter I am, but I don't know how to crochet. I am trying to teach myself by watching YouTube videos. I would love to get good enough so I can contribute to the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef. My place of work has their own chapter. Hmmmm......

Say you want to compare the BMW to the Mercedes or Vitamin B6 to Vitamin B12: reComparison makes it easy to compare and contrast numerous products.

I was just outside and saw a new lunchtime food purveyor-Goode'sMobile Kitchen. I'm not a meat eater, but my goodness, the food smelled wonderful. Their schedule is posted for those in the Mall area.

I read tons of literary blogs, bookstore blogs and newsletters and numerous book reviews. And in the past two weeks I have seen the book West of Here everywhere by Jonathan Evison. The books is being compared to Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurty, which I didn't like. Am I going to give this a chance. Probably. It's about the Pacific Northwest, which I like and geography always plays an important part in any fiction I read. I will probably wait until it comes out in paperback and add it to my teetering TBR pile.

Do you, or if you are a library person, your library, have old encyclopedias that you don't know where to unload? Tips here.

Get inspired by these 40 creative reuse ideas.

That's all for this week.

"It's by studying the little things that we attain the greatest art of having as little misery, and as much happiness as possible." Samuel Johnson

Round Up

2011-02-04T04:26:00.001-08:00

Why aren't there any Disney Princes? What's the deal with all of the Disney Princesses? It's 2011 and the media is still rampant with ageism, homophobia, racism, sizeism, and sexism. When will it end? I guess that's my rant for this week. And it's much to much of a long boring story to explain what put this particular burr under my saddle this week.

A bit of mead may dull my anger.

59 things you did not know about Virginia Woolf.

I think I would be delighted if I received Ted Kooser's Valentines (University of Nebraska Press)on February 14th. The story behind this publication is lovely.

Look at the incredible artistry of Li Xiaofeng.

I like this paperback wallpaper.

I have fallen in love with the delightful photography blog-From Me to You.

Some books that have sparked an interest:
Have You Ever Seen a Smack of Jellyfish: An Alphabet Book (Sasquatch Books) by Sarah Asper-Smith
Swallow: Foreign Bodies, Their Ingestion, Inspiration and the Curious Doctor Who Extracted Them (The New Press) by Mary Cappello

Perhaps I could read the above mentioned books while drinking out of one of these very cool cowgirl mug.

Author Sam Anderson is tweeting the best sentence he's read every day.

I'm not much for spicy food. However, I do like a hit of the ubiquitous Sriracha Sauce in certain things-lately this wonderful vegetable-laden soup A. and I have been making. Just a dash of this liquid fire seems to make all of the difference. And this sauce has inspired its own blog and cookbook. Plus, I'm a condiment nut and I love seeing that bright green top living in the door of my refrigerator.

Warby Parker-cool eyeglasses with a social conscience-Excellent!!!

Diggin' everything at the Old Village Hall, especially the chairs and various tote bags.

You know you want to share your story of how you got started in librarianship.

Personality traits of blood types. My blood type description seems to be very close. More here.

Put the word out on the Internet and it's amazing what can happen-One Million Giraffes.

Artist Bill Dunlap is painting murals on barns in Maryland. Each mural will also feature a poem.

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

"Always be smarter than the people who hire you." Lena Horne

Round Up

2011-01-26T03:47:00.000-08:00

R.I.P. Dick King-Smith-his book was the inspiration for the movie Babe.

Interesting book-The World Made Flesh-Literary Tatoos from Bookworms Worldwide (Harper Collins) by Eve Talmade and Justin Taylor.

Keith Olbermann-you will be so missed.

Just in case you were wondering-the 2011 Meteor Shower schedule.

The top 10 talking animals in literature. I'm so glad to see Toad listed.

What book was a best seller on your date of birth?

Look at all of these lovely tartan-themed books.

Book wagon for sale on eBay.

If the top 10 talking animals in literature didn't excite you, what about something a bit more hirsute-the 10 best literary beards in literature? Hey, what about Santa. His beard is fairly awesome. He's a literary figure and you know, he's also a real-life person as well.

I would love to visit these ice hotels-all of them.

I love finding these interesting architectural and geographic factoids. The buildings in the Carl Sandburg Village, located in Chicago, Illinois, are named after authors.

Why not combine your vacation with doing some good deeds-Global Action Atlas.

Very nice article on author/illustrator Jan Brett. I so envy people that are talented in such a way that they are able to do what they love and do it from the comfortable confines of their home.

One of my favorite catalogs is the King Arthur Flour Catalog. It's just filled with wonderful gadgets and really great recipes. They have a blog. A mouth-watering blog.

Lots of interesting geographical factoids about the Northwest Angle. More about the Angle here and here.

That's all for now.

"Chance favors only the prepared mind." Louis Pasteur

Round Up

2011-01-12T04:46:00.000-08:00

I just have a few things this week. I have been taken over by some sort of plague. I swear I don't know what monstrous germ has attacked me, but it just won't leave me. It's like some invading army that won't leave. What is it? Age or are these germs uber!!!!

I have to read the new Annie Proulx (pronounced PROO) book Bird Cloud (Simon & Schuster). Must, must read.

Gorgeous Harlem Hospital WPA Murals.

Love timelines and this food timeline is really well done.

List of words unique to New England.

Want to go to Africa with Jada and Will? Charity: Water

I find it a bit sad that there is only one company in the United States that just manufactures bells, the Bevin Brothers. Love reading company histories. And who knew that East Hampton, Connecticut was such a center for tintinabulation. I have a call bell at home that I have had since I was a kid. I was a very sickly child and the bell came in handy to let someone know I needed something when I was too breathless to call out. I am going to check and see if it was made by the Bevin Brothers. I hope so.

Saint Paul, Minnesota has a wonderful public art project: Poems or a City Sidewalk.

Enjoy the rest of the week and the long weekend.

"History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Round Up

2011-01-05T03:39:00.000-08:00

Just a few items for my first 2011 entry.

R.I.P. Teena Marie-Incredible voice on Lady T. She was a huge part of my youth. M. and I used to cruise around listening to her music singing along at the top of our lungs, and when the occasion arose-dancing out (in those days) little behinds off.

R.I.P. Dr. Billy Taylor-jazz legend.

Very interesting site/exhibition on the History of Vaccines by the College of Physicians of Philadelphia.

I am falling in love with everything Wisconsin these days-the Wisconsin Library Heritage Center.

Explanation of airport identifier codes.

Oh my, embroidered Wonder Bread.

I haven't read Keith Richards' book Life (Hachette Audio) yet. I think I am going to forego reading it and listen to the audio version voice partly by Johnny Depp. I don't think I have to explain anything more. Of course, to have Johnny read it to me in family room would be even better, but who doesn't have that fantasy.

Are you looking for something to do in your spare time? Has the winter doldrums got you down? Perhaps volunteering for the Transcribe Bentham project will cheer you. Here is the site.

I'm thinking of so many uses for magnetic putty.

Watch people buy books at the Book Depository (WARNING: HIGHLY ADDICTIVE)

In these difficult economic times (and for some of us it has always been difficult) one is always looking for ways to "squeeze the buffalo and make him cry." I have been a huge fan of Paperback Swap over the years and using this service has saved me tons of money; plus it is fun. Here are a few more money savers:
Swap DVD
Swap.com
Swap Baby Goods
Cities on the Cheap
Timebanks

Any and everything that you ever wanted to know about the sugar maple is researched at the Proctor Maple Research Center.

I'm a huge fan of t-shirts and I have a ridiculous amount, but I am always on the lookout for more. I've found oodles at Talk Back Tees.

Love these electronic glossaries. My new fave-Talking Glossary of Genetic Terms. (I'm so happy it teaches us all how to pronounce these sometimes difficult words).

And then there is the Internet Slang Translator. Once again hours and hours of fun.

Book of interest: Let’s Bring Back: An Encyclopedia of Forgotten-Yet-Delightful, Chic, Useful, Curious, and Otherwise Commendable Things from Times Gone By (Chronicle) by Lesley M.M. Blume. This looks whimsical and evocative. If the name Lesley M.M. Blume sounds familiar Ms. Blume is the also the author of the delightful children's book Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters (Yearling/Random House Books for Young Readers) and Tennyson (Yearling/Random House Books for Young Readers).

Have a good week.

"January is here, with eyes that keenly glow,A frost-mailed warrior striding a shadowy steed of snow." - Edgar Fawcett

Round Up

2010-12-21T03:23:00.000-08:00

This is the last round up for 2010. The year has indeed flown by.

Just in case you missed the lunar eclipse this morning or didn't quite understand what you saw here is a simple, wonderful slideshow that may clear up your confusion.

Plan for World Book Night (March 5, 2011).

How about giving a gift of life skill.

The Complete National Geographic: Every Issue Since 1888-what a gift this would be. I get heady even thinking about it.

Is there someone in your 'hood that deserves a place on the Tacky Light Tour?

If you are tired of Charlie Brown and Frosty, and then give Prep & Landing a watch. It's very cute and I somehow missed this treasure.

Look at this awesome book Christmas tree. All libraries should do this.

Scrabble pillows.

Lovely items-especially the cake plates.

Hmmm, tubeless toilet paper.

I Love Libraries.

The Early Office Museum is an online museum that showcases pre-1920's office goodies-paperweights, writing ink, pencil sharpeners and copying machines to name just a few items. The American Precision Museum is housed in the . This museum preserves the heritage of the mechanical arts, celebrates the ingenuity of our mechanical forebears, and explores the effects of their work on our everyday lives. Housed in the 1846 Robbins & Lawrence Armory, in Windsor, Vermont. The museum holds the largest collection of historically significant machine tools in the nation.

Switch Sticks walking sticks. They also have a ice grip that can be placed on your walking stick to assist in walking in the snow and ice. If you have to use a cane or walking stick should you really be out in the snow and ice.

Congratulations UConn Huskies-You Go Girls (I am so not current in my coolness factor!!!)

The Daily Tell-good news in trying times.

Excellent book blog-The Private Library.

The year's best cookbooks (according to the New York Times).

Happy Holidays to you and yours.

I leave you with the lovely Winter Song by Ingrid Michaelson and Sara Bareilles. If you saw the National Chrismas Tree lighting ceremony you saw these two very talented women perform this enchanting song.

"I have always thought of Christmas time when it has come around, as a good time; a kind, forgiving charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys." Charles Dickens.

Bernie

2010-12-10T17:17:00.001-08:00

This will be a short entry.

Senator Bernie Sanders (VERMONT) my hats off to you. You are amazing, wise and magical. I have always had soft spot in my heart for Vermont and you have deepened my love for you and your state.

Even if I did not know what was going on in the country, listening to even a portion of your wondrous speech was an education.

KUDOS TO YOU!!!!

Round Up

2010-12-10T04:53:00.000-08:00

R.I.P. Leslie Nielsen-You made me laugh so very much!!

R.I.P.-Elizabeth Edwards-dignity, courage and grace.

50 Books about Books

Is there any cooler historical society than the Wisconsin Historical Society? I think not. I actually have a huge crush on their press. They publish so many interesting (to me anyway) books-People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin's Love Affair with an Ancient Fish by Kathleen Schmitt Kline (I have this awaiting me on interlibrary loan at my local public library) and Penny Loafers and Bobby Pins: Tales and Tips from Growing Up in the 50's and 60's by Susan Sanvidge, et al.

A 9,400 word definition for the word "Information."

I really like this colorful African Folklore embroidery.

A Year of Giving-maybe there are angels amongst us.

It would be great to see some of the tomes in the Lambeth Palace (the Archbishop of Canterbury's crib) Library.

I've spoken of my love for Persephone Books before. I even like their address: 59 Lambs Conduit Street.

Museums dedicated to the art of illustration:
National Museum of American Illustration
Museum of American Illustration
Norman Rockwell Museum
Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art
I would love to visit all of the above, but the Eric Carle Museum is first on my list to visit.

Hmmm-Chocolate Donut Beer.

If you have not had the pleasure of seeing Disney's Prep and Landing (animated Christmas movie) you can watch on Hulu. You are in for a treat.

I want a Bookworm Badge.

Books-Otis (Philomel/Penguin) by Loren Long, The Phone Book: The Curious History of the Book That Everyone Use, but Nobody Reads (Perigree/Penguin) by Ammon Shea, the man who Read the OED, and Couples: An Eclectic View (MustSeeBooks)by Max Fallon.

Diggin' this recycled sweater journal.

Sweet potato butter-this appeals to me on so many levels.

Pretty-gilt decorated books.

Urban Moonshine Organic Maple Bitters.

Dictator lit.

Librarian lit.

Top 10 female detectives.

I'm sure by now you have all seen the adorable duo Pomplamoose and their Christmassy Hyundai commercial. You also must see their equally adorable rendition of Earth, Wind and Fire's September. (I'm having problems embedding the video here).

Wonderful project-Operation Photo Rescue.

Good Grief!! They exhumed Tycho Brahe last month.

A disposable camera was given to every carrier that works for the Royal Mail and they were asked to take photographs of every day life on their various routes.

Have a wonderful weekend.

"Winter came down to our home one night. Quitetly pirouetting in on silvery-toed slippers of snow." Bill Morgan Jr.

Round Up

2010-11-22T03:45:00.000-08:00

Did Snoopy ever have a girlfriend?

It would be fun to attend the Cheese School of San Francisco.

Rigor Mortis-literary zombie magazine.

Pancakes galore!!!

What fun-pine cone projects.

12 cool and creative calendar designs.

I just love this. Green Apple Books is donating any proceeds from Dubya's book to San Francisco VA hospitals. One of the co-owners stated that this is a perfect way to make a political statement about the book (and the author), and still offer the book to customers. The store donated proceeds from that Palin woman's book to the Alaska Wildlife Alliance. Love it.

Cool Morse Code necklaces.

Is your company's social media policy legal? Hmmm.......

Morton Hot Salt

Very cute double-decker dress shop.

And I thought cupcake trees were great. Now there are individual cupcake stands.

Purchase your shoes at Shoe Revolt-help stop human trafficking.

I think this magnolia printed on an old dictionary page is so beautiful.

Oprah's Ultimate (and last) Favorite Things list.

Have a wonderful holiday.

"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice."-Meister Eckhart

Round Up

2010-11-12T03:43:00.001-08:00

R.I.P. Belva Plain-I can remember all of my girlfriends passing Evergreen around when it was first published.

R.I.P. Eva Ibbotson-I didn't read her wonderful children's literature until a couple of years ago. What a delight her books are!! You simply must read the award winning The Secret of Platform 13. Yes, it does deserve it's own Wikipedia entry.

Audrey Niffenegger's wonderful picture books for adults.

Jeudevine Falls is for sale. I wish I could purchase it.

For all of you Francophiles out there-French-Word-a-Day.

The top 10 sidekicks in literature.

Oh my!! Some children have convicted Goldilocks. Let's see breaking and entering (B&E), theft, sleeping in someone elses bed-she should be sent down the river!!!

If you are someone who reads a lot of series fiction then you should peruse FictFact.

For those of you who are seeking employment, have you thought about the non-profit sector. Lots of jobs on Idealist.org.

The "best of" lists has already started. Here are the best illustrated children's books of 2010.

A book that I must read is A Secret Gift: How One Man's Kindness---And a Trove of Letters---Revealed the Hidden History of the Great Depression by Ted Gup. The excellent blog Shelf Awareness has an interview with the author.

Everyone knows I'm a candle whore, and I've found yet another candle I think I would love-Cire Trudon. Of course these are ridiculously out of my price range, but a woman can dream can't she? More on these luxury candles. Even my beloved Votivo have gone up to $25.00-$30.00 a candle. Everything is going up and up except our depressed salaries.

40 things you didn't know about Tina Fey. I confess that I wasnt' a Tina Fey fan until her spot-on satirical portrayal as Sarah Palin, but now I think she's great.

Look at these gorgeous college libraries.

Handy, dandy cliche finder.

That's all I have for this week. Happy Weekend!!

"Do or do not. There is not try." Jedi Master Yoda

Round Up

2010-10-27T07:56:00.000-07:00

Diggin' these glass sculptures of infectious diseases.

Diggin' Kem and Kathleen Jenkins.

10 literary Halloween costumes.

Want to read: Steady Hands: Poems About Work by Tracie Vaughan Zimmer. I like a picture book that is kind-of, sort-of for adults. I like the picture books that are for kids too.

Want to look at: Food Lanscapes by Carl Warner. Each landscape is constructed totally out of food-genius.

Want to listen to: Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton. Actually all of the Maestro selections look great.

Dick and Jane and Vampires (Oh My!!!)

Only a few entries on the Children's Book-A-Day Almanac, but it's very well done.

These felted wool acorns are just too cute. More here and here-with a tutorial on how these are created.

ISO-Ben and Jerry's Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream.

I could spend hours reading all of the interviews on the Paris Review site. Maybe while I eat some Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream.

The Land of Nod has so many nice items. We have 3 little ones to buy presents for so anything that gives me ideas is great.

I like the packaging of the candles from Paddywax. I'm still loyal to my favorite Votivo candles, but it's always fun to try new brands.

Who knew there were so many Legophiles. I can say with all honesty I am a Lego virgin. I have never Legoed. Ever.

Have a wickedly frightful Halloween!!!

'Tis now the very witching time of night,When churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes outContagion to this world.~William Shakespeare

Round Up

2010-10-22T04:03:00.000-07:00

Just a few items this week.

First, a couple of comments.

Dr. Anita Hill-you have more class in your little finger than......

Juan Williams-never a fan of yours. If memory serves you made some extremely sexist comments back in the day, but FOX NEWS. Freakin' FOX NEWS. Have you no shame!!!

Enough of that.

Bite into the Cherpumple.

Best Halloween decorations ever-Grandinroad. They actually have some very nice non-holiday related items as well.

Very cute muffin pan sponge. It really is an event for me when I receive the King Arthur Flour Company catalog in the mail.

These are the absolute best candy apples I have ever seen. And Matt's Winter Cocktail sound pretty tastey too.

This is so naughty-My First Dictionary.

Famous inboxes of fictional characters-this time Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Love this.

I am crazy about frosted window film (even though I don't have a window where it could be used) and clear acrylic party buckets. I lived in a few apartments where the frosted window film would have come in very handy.

Think Be4 You Speak is a wonderful idea. It's a shame that we have to have actual movements to teach people to be sensitive and considerate of others. I am so sick of it still being "okay" to make derogatory remarks about people's sexuality, about people's age and about weight-challenged individuals. This is exemplified night after night on some of the garbage that is on television. It's 2010 and you still have people writing scripts with this kind of derogatory dialogue. It's sickening and we should be better than that.

Drum Roll Please-The Israel Antiquities Authority and Google bring you the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Very interesting article on trap rooms. Trap rooms are a deliberate error placed into maps to attempt to catch copyright infringement by rival companies.

And speaking of maps-these are incredible.

That's all for this week. Have a tranquil weekend. And remember if you are able to vote early (A. and I are voting after work today) please do so or wait until Election Day-the most important thing is to VOTE!!!

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

Round Up

2010-10-15T03:39:00.000-07:00

Collective sigh of relief hearing the news that the 33 miners and the rescue workers are all safe. Nice to have great news for a change.

R.I.P. Solomon Burke-King of Rock and Soul

R.I.P. Joan Sutherland

Always on the lookout for interesting organizations, government or other-how about the National Climate Extremes Committee, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Why do zippers have YKK on them? Hmmmm.......

I like witches so I would not use these gorgeous witch balls to disuade a visit. I have always had a thing for glass orbs-crystal balls, Christmas ornaments, floats-there's just something about them. They are beautiful pieces of art. More here.

Love, love, love this sign. This site has a lot of very nice signs.

Catalog Living (Tee-Hee)

Choc-O-Lantern Pop Tarts and Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts.

Everyone knows Martha Stewart loves Halloween and every year she outdoes herself with great Halloween crafts and decorating ideas and yummy treat recipes.

Brett Herbst-King of the Corn Maze.

Recycling cork-a good thing.

Falls pumpkin beers.

Love this embroidery.

99 fun facts about dogs.

Fold your towels just like the ones in a department store.

I've been hearing about this Orange-Scented Olive Oil Cake for years, but have never made it, or for that matter, tasted it. I may have to break down and make it.

The Library of America has a boxed set of 6 of Lynd Wards novels that he did in woodcut. Incredible!! More information on Lynd Ward.

I am going to keep saying this, but you must get out and vote. It's imperative Progressive that you VOTE!!!!

Have a nice weekend. I think a grilled cheddar and cherry preserves sandwich sounds like a nice treat this weekend. Munched on while I enjoy my book and a Fireside tart.

"Corn and grain, corn and grain, All that falls shall rise again."- Wiccan Harvest Chant

Round Up

2010-10-06T03:44:00.000-07:00

Well, my favorite month is here and I am thrilled. It's still too warm for my taste, but the weather is getting there.

We attended the Progressives rally last weekend on the mall. I haven't been to a rally in years. I used to go all of the time, but I just stopped going. The weather was great and there were tons of people with very creative signs. I had forgotten about that special feeling you get looking around and seeing so many different types of people (remember we Progressives are about inclusiveness-not exclusivity) and listening to the various speakers. Marian Wright Edelman always gets to me. She is a tiny powerful woman and once you hear her speak you won't forget her words. We plan to attend more of these gatherings in the future.

If you live in the WDC metropolitan area here are some fun things to do this month. Great if you have some children in your life, or if you are just young at heart:

Boo at the Zoo
Butler's Orchard 30th Annual Pumpkin Festival
The Enchanted Forest
Summers Farm Adventure
34th Annual City of Fairfax Fall Festival (kind of underwhelmed by their website)
Nightmare Manor

150 covers of Lolita.

List of the 2010 MacArthur Fellows.

There used to be a Bagel Bakers Union.

Of course there is a National Caves Association for all of the spelunkers out there.

25 photos of camouflaged animals.

Diggin' this skull print dress.

I am so addicted to Radiolab. The podcast on Famous Tumors was fascinating. And speaking of famous tumors Henrietta Lacks finally received a headstone. If you don't know who Ms. Lacks was then you must read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. Even if you aren't a science nerd like yours truly-read the book.

The Radiolab podcast entitled Vanishing Words was also fascinating. Sheds new insight into Agatha Christie's later books.

It's getting to be time for wrist worms.
The Rare Book and Manuscript Room of the University of Pennsylvania has digitized over 2000 photographs of poets.

Love this candy corn tree. This one too (I thought Lillian Vernon went out of business.)

I would love to stay at the Heathman Hotel in Portland, Oregon just so I could see their library.

Meet the wood stacker.

7 image search tools that will change your life.

The privatization of public libraries makes my blood boil.

I like They Draw and Cook website. Everyday an artist or illustrator submits a recipe. What a cool idea.

I'm ready to settle back with a cider doughnut, burn my Mountain Lodge tart and read a good book by the fire.

That's the Round Up for this week. Have a wonderful long weekend (even if it is for a stupid holiday).

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. " George Eliot

Round Up

2010-09-24T03:39:00.000-07:00

I just have a few items this week.

R.I.P Barbara Holland-Endangered Pleasures: In Defense of Naps, Bacon, Martinis, Profanity and other Indulgences is a treat!!!

Origami napkins

If you live in the WDC area and are a food truck devotee please sign the petition to keep the food trucks in business.

I am beyond thrilled that it is finally autumn, but guess what? It has been in the 90's the past two days and it is supposed to be 96 today. Pesky summer with it's ever present blinding klieg light has to get in its last few licks. That's okay. Soon it will be my time of crisp air and walking through piles of leaves. Soon, very soon (I hope).

This skull pan certainly puts me in a good mood. This one too.

Who knew? Joan Lunden is now an inventor. These sort of devices bother me-always have, always will.

Author groupies delight-Book TV-Writers on Writing Videos-I may have posted about these videos before, but they are so wonderful they deserve a double posting.

Yum-carrot cake whoopie pies-I think whoopie pies might be the next big bakery trend, I keep seeing them everywhere. Cupcakes move over.

Online alarm clock.

Things made by prisoners-some of these were a surprise to me.

The National Zoo has new lion cubs. Too cute!!!

The Paris Review has a new website.

Pen names in literature.

If you like that new book smell-use Smell of Books.

20 brilliant bookcases.

Postertext

Have a great weekend.

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

Round Up

2010-09-17T03:41:00.000-07:00

R.I.P. Joan Steiner-I purchased so many of Ms. Steiner's wonderful Look-ALikes books for children through the years. I had a ball myself trying to find the objects in her wonderful creations.

Would love to peruse the entire Penguin English Journey Series.

After reading about the John Smith Chesapeake Trail I found out that there are 16 other National Historic Trails. I'm glad that there are historic trails, but I thought there would be so many more. More about the trail here.

Nice autumnal library necklace. Wonder if its heavy.

WWII on Facebook.

The Antiquarian Booksellers' Association has a Missing and Stolen Book Blog.

I can't believe I have never heard of the amazing Dr. Louise Jilek-Aall. Someone, perhaps me, should write a Wikipedia article on this woman.

A library reference desk made of old books. Very cool!!!!

CONELRAD 100-Atomic Film. An entire listing of films with Red Scare/Cold War and Atomic themes. You may also make film suggestions.

Which shall I try-Spoonfudge or Spudfudge-or both? There is something so illicit about eating something yummy from a jar. I might have to indulge in the Spoonfudge. Hmmm, not what flavor(s).

15 essential back-to-school podcasts.

Finally some decent scrubs for the medical profession to sport-Blue Sky Scrubs.

This Corporate B.S. Generator is ridiculously fun.

I saw this museum on an episode of the History Detectives. The French Cable Museum, located in Orleans, Massachusetts , has an incredible collection of original Atlantic undersea telegraphic cables, instruments, maps, and assorted memorabilia. That area of the country is my absolute favorite and the next time I'm in the vicinity I will have to visit this very interesting museum.

I just read a review of Amore: The Story of Italian American Song by Mark Rotella. Another to add to my TBR list.

I'm reading Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time and the Deadliest Hurricane in History by Erik Larson. This is a departure from my usual non-fiction reading. I'm not big on disaster reading or disaster movies, but I keep bumping into this book in one form or another. When that happens I always think the universe wants me to read the book-so I do. The author does a good job of bringing Galveston, Texas in the year 1900 to life. The Isaac in the title is Isaac Cline who was the resident meteorologist for the U.S. Weather Bureau. This is a gripping read and your heart will ache for the town of Galveston and the 6,000 people who lost their lives.

About time-the first aiport library.

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

"I shall stay the way I am, because I don't give a damn." Dorothy Parker

Small Round Up and Coveting

2010-09-08T04:02:00.000-07:00

The original Kermit the Frog is now living at the National Museum of American History.

Top 10 typefaces of the last decade.

I can't wait to purchase these non-religious 2010 holiday stamps.
The American Antiquarian Society has a nice online exhibition entitled A Place of Reading: Three Centuries of Reading in America.

Picturing the Past 10 years-love this chart.

Now for some items that I am coveting:

Swans Island Blankets-these are gorgeous and way out of my price range, but oh my goodness.

Ancient Industries has such nice things. I am coveting their oven mitt.

Love these stone walls. Can't fit one in my back yard, but would love one.

And these luscious Duchess Marden products.

And now for books.

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews. I can't believe I never read this. It was written by my shero Dame Andrews and plus it just looks fun.

I Love Macarons by Hisako Ogita.

Stagecoach Sal by Deborah Hopkinson

Lost States of America by Michael Trinklein

I think I have to take a gander at Stickwork by Patrick Dougherty.
I love the eerie whimsy of his work. Here is more on his wonderful creations.

"All are inclined to believe what they covet, from a lottery-ticket up to a passport to Paradise." Lord Byron

Round Up

2010-09-01T03:51:00.000-07:00

Look at these lasagna cupcakes-everythings cupcakes these days.

Two books I am interested in reading-Brilliant: The Evolution of Artificial Light by Jane Brox and The Violin Maker: Finding a Centuries Old Tradition at a Brooklyn Workshop by John Marchese. (Good Grief!!!!! I tried to link the book by Jane Brox to the publishers website, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and my computer froze and all sorts of things happened).

Felony and Mayhem Press publishes previously out-of-print mysteries. Books by the great Margery Allingham and Robert Barnard. I just went through their latest catalog and want every title.

What is the deal with this showing of bra straps everywhere I look? Back in the day bra straps weren't seen, now it seems to be some sort of fashion statement. I know I'm old school, but I don't care for it. I can't stand bras anyway, hideous constricting contraptions that they are. Soon I won't have to see bra straps, dirty feet in those awful flip-flops and way too much exposed skin-it will all be covered by parkas. And no more deafening noise from the annual tree cicadas.

30 awesome college labs.

Just in case you are wondering when Apple Gifting Day is (January 1) or National Cherry Popover Day (September 1, which is today) wonder no more. There is an American Food Holiday Calendar. And a National Food Holiday Directory.

Another interesting timeline to add to my collection: the Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History.

I haven't read The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett or seen the mini-series on Starz that was on a couple of weeks ago, but I want to do both (read and see). I get ridiculously excited when a single book title warrants its own Wikipedia entry.

While looking for something on Etsy the other day I found a plethora of items with French script. All of you Francophiles out there go crazy!!!

Embroidered newspaper clippings.

These Amish Scooters are great. I love the basket.

The Perfect Five is a music blog that offers 5 different genre's of songs every week for your listening pleasure. You can listen to a classic, remix, a much hyped tune, covered or love. There are 5 new ones every week. Such fun.

There was a time when I was alll about dresses. These days I am always in some sort of pants, but if I ever resurrect the old me Shabby Apple has the dresses that I like.

Want to improve your language skills, but the Rosetta Stone tapes just aren't your style-try Lingo Friends.

The private Newtown Library celebrates 250 years. Brief history of the library here.

An interesting and "un-common" take on copyright law.

By now, everyone has already seen the Old Spice guy and his video about libraries. Here are some more witty library videos.

That is all I have for this week. Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend. I hope the weather prognosticators are correct and it's going to be a bit cooler.

"We should so live and labor in our times that what came to us as seed may go to the next generation as blossom, and what came to us as blossom may go to them as fruit. This expresses the true spirit in the love of mankind. ~ Henry Ward Beecher

Round Up

2010-08-24T03:44:00.000-07:00

R.I.P. Jose Saramago.

It's cool today and overcast. I am happy.

Manuals online.

The 50 best cookbooks.

The timeless beauty of National Geographic.

11 movies with librarians in starring roles.

I am having a ball traveling around Atlas Obscura.

I really enjoy ABE books blog Reading Copy. They also have a Weird Book Room. Some of these titles are hilarious.

Yum-Double Chocolate Moonshine Cake.

I admit I am obsessive about pronouncing words correctly. I'm not so rude that I correct people when they commit verbal faux pas, (except for A.-we correct each other), but I just think that it is important to at least make an attempt at learning how to pronounce words correctly. Have you noticed that it is always the person who talks too much, talks to loudly that needs the grammar and pronounciation police to arrest them? Anywho-perhaps the Carnegie Mellon Pronouncing Dictionary will assist us.

Years ago I gave my 1963 copy of The Joy of Cooking away. (what a dolt!!!). I had too many cookbooks and I gave away some of the older ones. I was young and foolish-what can I say. This site shows the history of the famous book. It would be fun to try and collect all of the editions.

I am not going to order this-I'm not, but I would love to try this Speculoos Spread. I'm a Nutella nut, but I hardly ever purchase it because I just eat it off of the spoon and fairly soon the entire jar is gone. Speculoos Spread is named after a Dutch cookie. More on that here. And here. There is probably some store in the WDC area that has this treat, but I AM NOT GOING TO LOOK FOR IT!!!

Author Andrew Carroll ( Letters of a Nation: A Collection of Extraordinary American Letters and War Letters: Extraordinary Correspondence from American Wars) has a new project. The Here is Where Project is an all-volunteer initiative to document those places in history that are forgotten. I think this is wonderful.

Nice list of alternative London maps.

Look at this blue tomato.

The Library of Congress is asking the public to vote for their favorite author who has attended the National Book Festival in the last 10 years. The National Book Festival is on September 25th this year.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies-Yum again!!

These map watches are incredible. I don't even need to ask what they cost. Just gorgeous.

That's all I have for now. Have a great week and if I don't post another entry bffore the long Labor Day weekend-Have a great one.

"Do not worry about people not knowing your ability: worry about not having it." - Confucius

Round Up

2010-08-13T03:58:00.000-07:00

R.I.P. Daniel Schorr, Fess Parker and Alaina Reed Hall.

Love the art of Sukie.

And the children's literature author and illustrator Simms Taback.

You will probably enjoy Listverse if you are list crazy like yours trul.

Alibris for Libraries has a blog.

Interesting article about Eunice Frost, Penguin's secret editor.

Literature's best-dressed characters.

Mmm-Skillet baked chocolate chip cookies. For most of my life we always made chocolate chip bars in a 13x9x2 pan. It's so much faster than drop cookies. Then we made home made chocolate icing or home made penuche icing to top the bars. I never thought about using a skillet.

Fabulous mystery novelist P.D. (Phyllis Dorothy)James is 90 years old and still writing books.

I love that every state has a poet laureate and that Montana's laureate, Henry Real Bird, is going around the state on horseback and handing out books of poetry. I wonder if he could use an assistant. Let's see a horses, poetry and a poet-sounds like a little slice of heaven to me. Something tells me I wouldn't be able to keep up with him riding horseback.

I loathe the word cougar in describing older women, I guess you have to be a hot older woman to have that term conferred upon you. I also hate, hate, hate the literary designation-chick lit-if we have chick lit, then we should have "dick lit". I find the word "chick" used in reference to women as debasing as I find the word "dick" when used to describe male anatomy.

This weekend (8/14/2010-8/15/2010) the National Parks are offering free admission.

The book site The Millions has a Collaborative Atlas of Bookstores Google Map. Very cool.

Little Cream Book. Here is an interview with the author of the Little Cream Books.

How to make ice cream without an ice cream machine.

Love castles and I would love to see this medieval fortress being built.

Bembo's Zoo by Roberto de Vicq de Cumptich is a wonderful children's book that contains pictures of animals made entirely of words and punctuation marks. Bembos Zoo is also an interactive site that I'm sure was created for children, but it is so much fun. I think all ages can enjoy. You need flash

The world's most beautiful lakes.

That's all folks. Have an excellent weekend. Hopefull it won't be too humid in my area.

"Strange is our situation here upon earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to a divine purpose. From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: That we are here for the sake of others...for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy. Many times a day, I realize how much my outer and inner life is built upon the labors of people, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received." - Albert Einstein

Round Up

2010-07-30T03:45:00.000-07:00

I think I may have to make this sweet gum wreath this year for the holidays. Every year I try and make a new wreath and I think this might be this years craft.

Library and Archival Collections on the Web-this is an excellent listing and one could spend hours perusing the various collections.

Oh goody-a Nancy Drew blog.

NPR journalists asked female musicians what it's like to be a musician today.

I have a very nice commute into DC every day. I go through a very nice part of DC to get to my boring job. I've noticed various historic markers on my way to work, but the problem is I can't read most of them as I whiz by on the bus. There is one particular marker that is driving me nuts, because it is on 16th street on the corner of an ordinary-looking home. All I can see is that there is a man's face on the marker. I also see various beautiful buildings and jot down there addresses so I can look them up on Internet when I get to work. I'm glad these gorgeous buildings don't readily announce what they are, but it just sparks my curiosity bug.

This happened this morning. I had noticed this building on a previous trek, but I kept forgetting to jot down the addess. This morning I remembered-2460 16th Street, NW. I found out that this is the Council for Professional Recognition. Yup, that's what I said. What do they do? Well, luckily they have a mission statement on the site.

But, that wasn't the cool part of my early morning detective work. I ended up clicking on a few more results from my address search and I ended up here at the Historical Marker Database. Who knew there was such a thing? Could this database possibly assist me in my quest to find out who my mystery man is on the marker in the yard? Yes, it did. This was Frank Reeves home and that is his nice fact that I almost see every morning. History Detectives watch out!!

I love that you can add your own photos of historical markers to the database. I am a maniac about reading markers every where I go. I used to drive my family crazy with it. Wait until I tell them it's not just me!

Register your bicycle at the National Bike Registry.

This is Blood Falls located in Antarctica. Here is the explanation for the red? You know you want to know.

1,000 Recordings to Listen to Before You Die. I haven't perused the entire list, but so far I haven't listened to very many of these. I better get busy. And lets face it, some of them I'm never going to listen to-ABBA-I simply can't.

Or what about 100 classic love songs.

Bring old rugs back to life with salt.

Have you heard of Maria Telkes? She was a Hungarian-American scientist who worked on solar energy technologies. She became known as the Sun Queen. I came across her name in a mystery I was reading and decided to find out more about her.

Science magazine has the Breakthrough of the Year Award. The award acknowledges the most significant scientific breakthrough of the that year. The award used to be called the Molecule of the Year Award. I think I like that better.

I like this poetry rug.

BRAVO!! 18 bookstores in Charlotte, North Carolina are donating money to help keep libraries open.

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

"It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is, What are we busy about?" Henry David Thoreau

Round Up

2010-07-16T04:34:00.000-07:00

R.I.P. Manute Bol-a gentle big man.

I think I would like to go to Solitude Farm.

Historical Currency Exchange Rates.

The Debt to the Penny.

NeighborGoods-kinda like Freecycle, kinda like Craigslist.

In my travels through the Internet and in various magazines I have been seeing quite a few owl-themed children's parties. This by far is the cutest owl party I have seen. I wish I had been invited. And I love the owl pinata (towards bottom of page). Here is another owl pinata.

Something else that I keep seeing are garlands-everywhere.

Now they have gourmet s'more kits. Good Grief!!! We made "gourmet" s'mores when I was a kid. We would have homemade marshmallows and white chocolate, store bought marshmallows and a Snickers or a Peppermint Pattie-all sorts of combinations. We were ahead of our time and didn't even know it.

Today, July 16, is National Corn Fritter Day.

This Cakewich baking pan cracks me up.

Finally a place to get nice kitchen twine.

I like these rings at Deka Ray.

I have found that I am now a breakfast person. For years and years I never ate breakfast. For the past 6 or 7 years I have been eating bad things for breakfast-brownies, cookies, carrot cake and various and sundry sugar-laden carbohydrates. I have found that if I go out for a nice breakfast, say a veggie omelet, some faux bacon or veggie sausage, maybe even some melon, I am a happy camper. I can enjoy this meal with my sweetie, other folk or even alone with something to read. Pure contentment.

If I ever visit Portland, Oregon I must have breakfast at The Tin Shed. If I ever get to retire, when I am traveling around taking factory tours, I can find cool places to have breakfast, and of course blog about both experiences.

The 20th century's most reclusive writers.

Best books of the year-so far-according to Amazon.

Bookshelf porn (I may have posted before, but so what. It's worth a second peep).

Really like this pink therma jug.

If you haven't watched The Choir (BBC America) you must. It is excellent.

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

"The greatest gift we can give one another is rapt attention to one another's existence." Sue Atchley Ebaugh

Round Up

2010-07-06T04:00:00.000-07:00

I just have a few items I found interesting for this post. The dog days of summer are taking their toll. 86 days until October.

This is a message to all of you folks who are raising children. Please teach them good manners. Please teach them that blowing your nose at the table is disgusting and rude, teach them to hold the door open for those that come behind them, teach them to be kind to animals, older folk and everyone in general and particular, teach them to have quiet voices, teach them not to dig at their private parts in public, teach them to eat with their mouths closed, teach them to be good listeners even if they are listening to the most boring drivel in the university, and the most important thing to teach them is to never judge books by their covers. Enough said.

A real life Dr. Greg House. Apparently Dr. Gahl doesn't like the comparison to the cantankerous, terrible rude television physician.

The Necklace: 13 Women and the Experiment that Transformed Their Lives by Cheryl Jarvis is like an adult version of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashears.

6 sudden savants.

We have a new Poet Laureate-W.S. Merwin.

Looking for some great Beach Reads.

Deletionpedia-deleting from Wikipedia

The Story of Stuff

A literary genre that I had never heard of before-Steampunk.

It is sick enough when people put cats and dogs into library book drops, but condiments.

Voyagers 1 and 2 Infinite Playlist.

London Lives gives free access to 240, 000 manuscripts.

Interesting podcast on the history of Supreme Court Nominations.

This photograph is of some of the bookshelving in the Stockholm Library. It makes me dizzy looking at it from this angle.

Can't think of an interesting name for your new pooch? Perhaps Dog Names Woof or Fun Pet Names could be of assistance.

Wondrous, colorful kitchen gadgets-I'm in heaven.

Just in case you missed the incomparable David Suchet, in my opinion the best portrayer of fictional detective Hercule Poirot, in the Masterpiece special On the Orient Express-you can still watch it here. I adore trains and David Suchet is one of my favorite character actors so this was a wonderful treat for me.

10 ways to repurpose light bulbs.

That's all for this week. Have a good one, and try and keep cool. It's supposed to be 101 today.

"In winter I get up at night And dress by yellow candle-light. In summer quite the other way I have to go to bed by day."~Robert Louis Stevenson

Round Up

2010-06-24T11:30:00.000-07:00

AFI SilverDocs is still going on until June 27, 2010.

Top 25 librarian blogs.

There is just something very sweet and cool about Pomplamoose. I love their rendition of La Vie en Rose.

Love to see People Reading.

I've added one more to the list of my fascination with associations-National Pony Express Association.

I spend an extraordinary amount of time wondering why some people seem to have it so easy and others do not. Why some people seem to have a cauldron of disadvatages cast upon them, and others do not. Prudence Mabhena appears to have a whole host of disadvantages, but she has more heart and spirit than most. What an incredible person!! More about Ms. Mabhena here.

I was never a big fan of the television program Little House on the Prairie. If I had to watch something about some poor pioneer-type folk, I watched The Waltons. The Waltons weren't pioneers, but you get my drift. However, I found out some interesting trivia about one of the stars of Little House. Allison Arngrim, who played the bratty character Nellie, her mother in real life was Norma MacMillan ,the voice of Casper the Friendly Ghost. Ms. MacMillan was a voiceover artist of some repute.

More goodies about my favorite periodic table. Here is the Periodic Table of Videos.

More videos. These are about some of the symbols associated with physics and astronomy.

A few years ago I wrote about Beekman 1802 soap. I can't recall if I provided the back story to this soap or not, and I am too lazy to go back and find the entry. I'll provide it now.

I am always looking for interesting bar soap. I don't use it on my face, but I like to have a nice bar of soap for the bath. I also love an interesting story to go along with a product. Beekman 1802 soap is made from milk from the herd of goats that live on the Beekman Farm.

The Beekman Estate in Sharon Springs, New York was purchased by Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell in 2007. Brent is a physician and was Vice-President for Healthy Living at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. He has since given up his position at Martha Stewart to devote himself to the Beekman Farm and its businesses full-time. Josh Kilmer-Purcell is in advertising and is also a best-selling author. They have been a couple for 10 years. They have created a working organic farm. Josh still works in advertising in New York City and commutes home to the farm on the weekend.

They now have a reality show entitled The Fabulous Beekman Boys on Planet Green and it is a hoot. I love it and I am kind of down on most reality programming. The show chronicles the couple's trials and tribulations in becoming farmers. Give it a watch and meet "the girls" and Polka Spot, Farmer John and the village of Sharon Springs.

A sea glass blog. I love sea glass, but unfortunately I don't have any. I'll have to work on that.

Just in case you were wondering how to pronounce D'Youville College-it's pronounced Doo-ville, rhymes with Whoville.

You can read and get your do done at the same time at Beauty and the Book.

What were they reading on the Titanic?

Meet Dr. Colleen Fitzpatrick, the DNA detective and a fascinating subject forensic genealogy.

Religious I am not, but I love church and cathedral architecture. Take a gander at Los Lajas Cathedral in Colombia, South America.

So you want to say you are sorry about something, but don't have the cahonas to say it in person or you do have the cahonas, but you don't know what to say or what to write. You might want to gain some assistance from these helpful websites: I'm Sorry, Perfect Apology and The Public Apology.

That's all for this week. Have a good weekend. It's sweltering in my neck of the woods and yes I am counting down the days until October-97 more to go.

"Ah, duty is an icy shadow." Augusta Evans

Chocolate Math

2010-06-14T04:45:00.000-07:00

1. Pick the number of times a week that you would like to have chocolate.

2. Multiply this number by 2.

3. Add 5.

4. Multiply that number by 50.

5. If you have already had your birthday this year add 1760. If you haven't had your birthday this year add 1759.

6. Now subtract the four-digit year that you were born.

7. You should have a three-digit number. The first digit of this figure is your original number (how many times you want to eat chocolate per week). The next two numers are YOUR AGE!!!

"After eating chocolate you feel godlike, as though you can conquer enemies, lead armies, entice lovers. " ~Emily Luchetti

Round Up

2010-06-10T04:50:00.000-07:00

R.I.P. Eleanor Taylor Bland

The world's coolest bookshops.

June 14th is World Blood Donor Day-give blood, it's easy, fast and it doesn't cost you anything, and can mean life for someone else.

My favorite fingernail polish company OPI and computer manufacturer Dell have partnered to bring us nail polish colored laptops.

This summer use Festival Finder to located your favorite music festival.

This sucky economy is hitting everyone. The Washington National Cathedral may sell some of its rare book collection.

I'm all about canines, but Sockington's twitter feed is the bomb!!

3 books that I want to read:

The Finger: A Handbook by Angus Trumble. I'm not even going to tell you what it is about. I am going to have so much fun when people ask me what am I reading, and I can say, "the finger". (yes, I'm an 8-year old boy). I also love the author's name-Angus Trumble.

The Wisdom of Donkeys: Finding Tranquility in a Chaotic World by Andy Merrifield. Much to many people's surprise donkeys are very docile creatures. Yes, they have that very loud bray and they will kick you if you tick them off (in that case I wish that I were a donkey), but they are gentle creatures and revered in many cultures. Not to give too much of the book away, but while visiting France the author borrows a friend's donkey for a long walking journey and he and the donkey become friends. Just sounds like a very interesting memoir/travelogue.

Zero Decibels: The Quest for Absolute Silence by George M. Foy. I think the title gives away the theme of the book.

Hey, there's an elephant sanctuary in Tennesee.

I hope that children are learning about things like the Pea Island Life Saving Station and men like Richard Etheridge in their history classes.

Gladiator graveyard is found in England.

The Library History Buff Blog has an interesting piece about some books that were purchased by the Library of Congress that were on the Lusitania-fascinating.

These Star Wars cookie cutters are making me giggle-Tee Hee!

Nice summery drink-cucumber gimlets.

NPR's top ten summer cookbooks.

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

"Fearlessness may be a gift, but perhaps more precious is the courage acquired through endeavor, courage that comes from cultivating the habit of refusing to let fear dictate one's actions." Aung San Suu Kyi

Updated Bookstore Blog List

2010-06-07T05:36:00.000-07:00

I've been updating my list of American bookstores with blogs. If I have left anyone off of the list please feel free to let me know. I am including a couple of blogs that haven't been updated in awhile, but they are still bookstore blogs and on my list. If the actual bookstore website is not obvious on the blog I have also included the link for the store. When I started this list I also included some of my favorite publisher's blogs, but I have decided to omit them from this list and just include bookstores.

In case you can't tell this list has become a tiny obsession with me.

Aaron's Books

Alpahbet Garden

Atomic Books

Bay Shore Blog

Bear Pond Books

The Common Reader (McNally Jackson Bookstore)

Cooks with Books (Barbara Jo's Books to Cooks)

Curt's Books

Between the Covers (Tattered Cover Bookstore)

Birch Bark Books (store)

Bookavore

BookCourt

BookCourt Kids Blog

Book Culture

Book Dwarf

Books, Etc.

Book Passage

Book People

Book Soup (Book Soup Bookstore)

Boone Bridge Books

Boswell Books

Brookline Booksmith

Bunch of Grapes (store)

Chevalier's Books

Chop Suey Books (store)

Common Good Books (store)

The Drowning Machine (Aunt Agatha's New and Used Mysteries)

Flap Copy (Changing Hands Bookstore)

Flyleaf Books (store)

Globe Corner Blogs (store)

Greenlight Bookstore

Gulf of Maine Bookstore

Hawthorne Books (store)

Indie Booksellers of New York

Inkwell Bookstore (store)

King's English Bookshop (store)

Kash's Book Corner

Laguna Beach Books (store)

Lemuria Bookstore Blog

Literary Life Bookstore and More

Magers & Quinn (store)

Maine Coast Bookshop (store)

Maria's Bookshop

Matter Bookstore

Monkey Read (store)

Mr. Micawber Enters the Internet (store)

Monkey See, Monkey Read (store)

Murder by the Book (store)

Musings from a Catholic Bookstore (store)

Newtonville Books (store)

Norlight Lit Life (Northern Lights Books and Gifts)

Northshire Bookstore (store)

Omnivoracious (Amazon)

Porter Square Books (store)

Portrait of a Bookstore (store)

Ptak Science Books (store)

Powell's (store)

Pudd'nhead Books

Reading Copy (ABE Books)

Reading Odyssey

River Run Bookstore (store)

Rocketship

Sam Weller's Bookstore (store)

Seattle Mystery Bookshop (store)

Shakespeare and Company

Skylight Books (store)

Subterranean Books (store)

Titcomb's Bookshop (store)

Village Books (store)

Vroman's (store)

Well-Read Donkey (Kepler's Bookstore Blog)

Wessell & Lieberman (store)

Round Up

2010-06-01T04:15:00.000-07:00

I just have a few items for this round up.

R.I.P. Purvis Young and Louise Bourgeois.

Want to save money on books-Thriftbooks, also a Wikipedia entry.

Did you know that there is a Southern Food and Beverage Museum? No, I didn't either.

Apropos for the season: BBQ Sauce Reviews and Hot Sauce World.

The world is gearing up for the FIFA World Cup and I just read that 32 members of the Haitian Football Soccer Federation including 2 coaches died in the January earthquake.

Discovered a new rare book blog in my Internet travels-BookTryst.

I only got 6 correct on this Mark Twain quiz-Blast!!!! I hope you do better.

Lapham's Quarterly has a very cool Friends, Lovers and Family graph.

Oh fun-interactive Magnetic Words 3.0.

Maps that change the world.

Joyce Bailey donated clothing from her deceased mother's collection of clothing designed and worn by African Americans over several generations to the Smithsonian. These items will be on exhibit at the soon-to-be constructed National Museum of African American History. Nice Washington Post slideshow.

Really enjoying the National Postal Museum's blog-Pushing the Envelope.

50 iconic book covers.

Your daughter's summer reading list.

50th anniversary library edition of the Cramer Kik-Step Stool; a step stool for bookworms.

Have a great week.

"As surgeons keep their instruments and knives always at hand for cases requiring immediate treatment, so shouldst thou have thy thoughts ready...." Marcus Aurelius

Round Up

2010-05-24T04:22:00.000-07:00

Love this blog-A Collection a Day.

Another New York Times (NYT) slideshow-A Loft filled with Felt.

Cool store-Day Trip Society.

I must purchase this poster and soon!!!!

I found this article about the Dell Map Back mysteries fascinating. I had no idea these existed, now I want to seek them out.

This cracks me up-Hot Guys Reading Books.

If I haven't said it before Rachel Maddow A. and I absolutely love you. You are the bomb!!!

These Ice Milk Aprons are great. They also have a nice blog.

I have been reading the Forest History Service's blog Peeling Back the Bark. This is a well-written and informative blog. Fascinating!!!

Truman Capote's house is for sale.

Iowa State University has an innteresting oral history project, The Women in Chemistry

I wish my bus stop looked like this. At the bus stop this morning we were saying that the people who design bus stops never have to use them. They are not deep enough. When it is raining and you line up like we do you end up getting wet because you are standing in front of the bench. I guess we should be grateful that we have a nice bench to sit on.

This looks like an intersting book, Fallen Books by Melissa Dubbin and Aaron S. Davidson. This books is filled with photographs of books that have "fallen" because of some natural disasters. While reading the book description I learned about the Mercalli Scale an alternative to the widely used Richter Scale used to measure earthquakes. The Modified Mercalli Scale measures an earthquakes impact on humans, objects and nature on a scale from I through XII.

Nice photo gallery of literary Edinburgh.

I have to get this off of my chest. The same people who are crying too much government, the Democrats are this and that, are now the same ones who want the government's intervention in this awful cataclysmic environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Make up your minds folks.

My heart breaks for the people who live in the area and make their livelihood from those waters. My heart breaks for the wildlife that will die because of this and my heart also breaks to see such pristine beauty destroyed by the "bipeds with brains" greeed.

I thought after Valdez there would have been something in place to handle this type of situation, but there is not. I just don't understand our species-the bipeds with the big brains. If I were a being on another planet I would never want to visit here. Look at the moronic things that we do!!!

Okay, enough of that.

A book returned to the library 221 years late. (better late than never I guess).

Shape of a Box claims to be You Tube's first literary magazine.

Dorothy "Dottie "Kamenshek, the inspiration for Geena Davis' character in A League of Their Own passed away. She was 84.

I understand that last night (May 23, 2010) was the Lost series finale. I watched Lost 3 or 4 times and I just could not get into it. Yes, I could have looked at Sayid (Naveen Andrews) and Sawyer (Josh Holloway) all day long, but even their considerable appeal couldn't increase my interest in the actual program.

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

"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in." Greek Proverb

Leaf Land and Music

2010-05-17T04:26:00.000-07:00

I have talked about my pie crust woes before. I am a fairly decent scratch baker-cakes, cookies, breads, even various candies and on and on. However, my pie crust is never as flakey and light as it should be. My mother thinks I work with it too much. It's gotten to where I just don't make pies because I refuse to use store bought pie crust. I love my boyfriend the Pillsbury Doughboy, but I am not buying his pie dough.

I always felt that lard made the best pie crusts. This was back in the day when people, especially in my rural neck of the woods used lard, or a mixture of lard and vegetable shortening to make pie crusts, but believe me, I always thought that the pie crusts made with lard were just so much flakier and had a better taste.

I was reading about leaf lard the other day, and now it seems to be following me around. I had never heard of leaf lard, the highest grade of lard, is obtained from the visceral fat around the kidney and around the loin. It has little pork flavoring and is therefore great for baked goods, in particular pie crust.

Now, I am a vegetarian and I have been for years; not a vegan mind you, but a vegetarian. I eat eggs and dairy products, but no meat, chicken or fish. I also am not a fan of items mad with meat products when I can avoid it. Leaf lard is not something that I would use now, but I find it so interesting. Here are some articles and blog posts about this wonder ingredient: here, here, and one of my new favorite blogs-Art of the Pie.

And now for some upcoming music festivals for in the DC area.

The 15th annual The Kennedy Center Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival is this weekend (May 20-22) and the DC Jazz Festival formerly the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival is June 1-13, 2010.

Have a nice week.

"The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you've got to have a 'What the hell?' attitude." Julia Child

Round Up

2010-05-14T03:42:00.000-07:00

R.I.P. Lena Horne-you were beautiful on the inside as well as the outside.

I like this watermelon moon and stars variety of melon.

I like these Hunters Wellington Boots-rumor (rumour) has it the Queen wears this brand. Cheerio, Pip Pip!!!

I have become a huge fan of the New York Times' slideshows-look at this one-Captivating Capadocia.

With the slideshows, I've also been viewing these wonderful panoramas.

Jimi Hendrix's patchwork coat is now at home at the National Museum of the American Indian.

So is the D River in Oregon the shortest river or is it the Roe River?

I think I am going to have to take a gander at the United Cakes of America:Recipes Celebrating Every State, by Warren Brown. He's the man who was an attorney and baked cakes on the side, quite being an attorney, and opened up bakeries in the WDC area.

Did you know that there is a National Scenic Byways Program? The public can post their own American road adventures on the site as well.

Before I leave this realm, and before I get to decrepit, I must, must, must visit Mackinac Island and it has to be in June for the Lilac Festival. To be able to live on an island that does not allow motorized vehicles must be heaven.

If only the Fojol Brothers and Curbside Cupcake would show up at the same day. I could have lunch and dessert a the same time.

I was reading something the other day, and for the life of me I can't remember what it was, but the article made a reference to concrete ships during WWI. I actually had to read it twice because I couldn't grasp my brain around CONCRETE ships. I did a little research and it's fascinating.

And what's even weirder is I have been to Cape May (many years ago), and I don't remember seeing the S.S. Atlantus at all. I was a kid so maybe I was too short to see out the window.

No offense, I'm glad to have a job and all, but I would be much happier in a ship/boat museum. I am just not about planes at all. (I just had to get that in).

Diggin' Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings.

May is National Bike Month so get yours out and enjoy the scenery.

I love people's creativity. Lindsay Laricks turned a 1957 cute camper into her stage for her gourmet snow cone business Fresher Than Fresh Snow Cones. Love it, love it, love it. Here is her blog.

The best children's books ever.

Have a nice weekend.

"Life is like riding a bicycle, to keep your balance you must keep moving." Albert Einstein

Round Up

2010-05-04T03:38:00.000-07:00

Wannietta Prescod-fastest knitter in North America.

Are you living the weisure life?

Look at these Royal Teabags!

Listen to an NPR story about small communities, or hamlets, around Lexington, Kentucky founded by freed slaves. They have names like Clabber Bottom, Frogtown and Zion Hill. Photographer Sarah Hoskins has been photographing the folks who live in these towns and she tells some of their stories.

Oh boy, the Mommins have a movie!!!

The 2010 Cookbook of the Year is Rose's Heavenly Cakes by Rose Levy Beranbaum.

I may have mentioned the wonderful Instructables sight in a previous post, but it is so wonderful it deserves multiple postings.

The Daily Library blogger works in a library and takes a photograph every day.

I should have mentioned Harriet the Poetry Foundation last month since April is National Poetry month, but better late than never.

Welcome to Butch Anthony's very creative home and the Doo Nanny festival.

Watch Kevin Bales' TED talk about modern slavery. This exceptional talk sheds light on an issue that I think most people are unaware.

Interesting-corn flake crunch french toast.

Interesting Slate article on how future historians will use the Twitter archives.

New York's Museum of America Finance has an exhibit Scandal! Financial Crime, Chicanery and Corruption that Rocked America.

I like Shanna Murray's wall and window decals.

It is sold out, but look at this Manhattan Subway tape.

The most beautiful ferry rides in the United States.

I've been all about cupcakes the last few years and Ming Makes Cupcakes has wonderful, creative cupcake recipes.

Follow David and Janet Carle as they travel around the world following the 38th parallel. They are seeking water-related environmental and cultural connections.

The Darwin Song Project took place in 2009 the bicentennial of Charles Darwin's birth. Folk artists gathered in Shrewsbury, England (the place of Darwin's birth) and wrote songs that had a relevance to Darwin's life.

Fictions talking animals.

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

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius, and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." Albert Einstein

Round Up

2010-04-21T04:47:00.000-07:00

Sad goodbyes to two tireless advocates for civil rights-Benjamin Hooks and Dr. Dorothy Height.

The iconic Hollywood sign is in jeopardy.

Have you ever wondered how to clean your box grater, you know without ripping your fingerprints off of your fingers?

Very cool bent objects.

The National Postal Museum has an online exhibit about postal inspectors. The museum also has a very nice blog.

Did you know that along with having a birthstone, an astrological sign and a Native American sign, you also have a birth tree? Mine is cedar.

Become a Project Gutenberg proofreader.

Sail Rock, Maine is the easternmost point in the United States. I think when I was growing up we learned that some other place was the easternmost point in the United States. Any thoughts?

April Davila and her Month without Monsanto project. This is fascinating. Here is her blog.

Woo Hoo!!! Cupcakes are getting their own television program. Maybe now I can go back to watching programs on TLC. I have been boycotting TLC because of all of their programs devoted to irresponsible procreators.

I so want to read Cartographies of Time by Daniel Rosenberg.

I think most people have heard of the Nobel Peace Prize, but what about the Right Livelihood Award. Read the list of winners or laureates of this award and become awed!!!

Love these passive aggressive signs in libraries.

Dog in Car blog-it's you know, photographs of pooches in vehicles.

The new archivist of the United States, David Ferrerio, has a blog.

Mark Twain's marginalia.

I'm diggin (way too much), Ben & Jerry's Cinnabon Ice Cream. I have also been making homemade fudge sauce to go with it. It's really just ganache that I sometimes add things to like Bailey's Irish Cream to add even more of a zing. After this pint is gone-that's it. I MEAN IT. NO MORE.

Bumper stickers for your shoes-why not?

Have a good week and a good weekend folks.

"We are, because they were." African Proverb

Round Up

2010-04-16T03:54:00.000-07:00

R.I.P. Wilma Mankiller and Robert Culp.

R.I.P. Dixie Carter-you wowed us as Julia Sugarbaker, and even though I didn't agree with your politics, I thought you were a fine performer.

An entire site dedicated to faux bois (fake wood).

This absinthe spoon is gorgeous.

All of these home libraries at book lovers never go to bed alone, makes my book-loving heart go thumpity-thump-thump.

Let me introduce you to the world's toughest bacterium-Deinococcus Radiodurans.

Here we go again with the 10 worst and best foods. It's such a gyp that the worst foods are all so yummy and the best are oh so bland, boring, pedestrian, etc., etc.

I look at places like these Cottages at Cabot Cove and think how wonderful it would be to go to someplace like that or to even be able to live someplace like that. That's my first thought. My second is-they probably don't let minorities visit much less live there.

DLL Rainwear-meets all of your rainy day needs. They have primo wellies.

A nifty little organizer to store all of your medical information-Pocket Doc.

Wonder how these taste-Salted Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats. Love Smitten Kitten.

I just finished two nonfiction books. The first one is Sweater Quest: My Year of Knitting Dangerously by Adrienne Martini. I go through periods where I read quite a bit of nonfiction narrative and I really enjoyed this book. I think the majority of knitters have heard of Alice Starmore and the Mary Tudor sweater. Ms. Martini's book describes how she took on the challenge of knitting the Mary Tudor. This funny, informative ( I learned so much more about the Tudors from the author and she presented the history in a fun informative way) book is not just about knitting. It's about life. How life gets in the way of our goals. It's about perseverance and yarn, and knitting blogs and on and on. Great read.

The second book was also good. Harry Truman's Excellent Adventure: The True Story of a Great American Road Trip by Matthew Algeo. After Harry and Bess Truman left the White House, they retired to Independence, Missouri and lived the lives of ordinary citizens. They only had President Truman's small military pension to live on. This was long before the days of large Presidential pensions, Secret Service protection for life and $250,000 payment for 1 speaking engagement.

When I was reading this delightful, well-researched book I was not shocked, but a bit surprised to realize how much has changed in over 50 years. In 1953 Harry and Bess took a road trip-no Secret Service, just Harry and Bess. They stayed in small motels, as well as some very ritzy places, ate in diners and explored America. The author retraces their 2,500 mile trip. When I was reading this book I became very fond of these two. In so many ways they were just plain folk. And President Truman was really a stand up guy who never wanted special treatment from anyone (even though people just naturally gave it to him). Read this wonderful book about a time long since gone and I think you will become as fond of Harry and Bess as I did. Here is a book review from the Washington Post newspaper.

There are oysters in my beer.

Submit an idea to Idea a Day. Read some of the ideas in the archive. There are some good ones.

Going somewhere, check out AIRBNB.

Whenever I see things like this poster I do have to stop and take stock and realize how very fortunate I am. Do I have the ideal life I dreamed about? No. Do I have every material thing I want? No. Do I have the job that I have always wanted? No, but I have a job, I have a home, I have so much more than so many.

I am not a coffee drinker, but whenever I walk past a Starbucks and see the long lines and I know how expensive all of those fancy coffee drinks are, I think how so many people live on $1.00 a day. A dollar a day. I also think how those same people in line wouldn't give a dime to the homeless man they just passed on the way to their corporate watering hole.

I guess that's my rant for the day.

That's all for this week. Have a nice weekend. It's going to be in the 60's here so I am very happy about that.

"At least two-thirds of our miseries spring from human stupidity, human malice and those great motivators and justifiers of malice and stupidity: idealism, dogmatism and proselytizing zeal on behalf of religous or political ideas. " Aldous Huxley

Round Up

2010-04-07T04:12:00.000-07:00

Just a few items this week. I got struck down by tonsillitis and acute pharyngitis. I asked the doctor what am I 6 years old. Plus, there is something wonky going on with my back -my left leg is bothering me, but it might be another disc problem. I AM NOT HAVING ANOTHER BACK SURGERY!!

Okay enough complaining.

April is National Poetry month. Read a poem you haven't read before, read it aloud, read it to someone, just do it!!!!

I would love to obtain in Master of Arts in Children's Literature. How wonderful.

I love the idea of an underground supper club like the Whisk & Ladle.

A New Jersey family has their own book review blog-The Lateiner Gang Book Review Spot.

Oh, good grief. Alec Baldwin purchased a bookmobile.

I was never a big fan of Curious George. Probably because I'm not a huge monkey lover. However, I think this book The Journey that Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H.A. Rey by Louise Borden. The story tells of how the authors, both German-born Jews fled Paris on bicycles to escape the Nazis.

Every year I keep saying I am going to purchase a bicycle, and I still haven't. This idea always gets overtaken by events. I've become even more inspired to purchase one since I started visiting the Let's Go Ride a Bike blog.

I love absolutely everything in My Sparrow. When my ship comes in I will have a shopping frenzy.

This Chicago Manual of Style purse is the cutest darn thing.

Just in case you didn't get to go to the White House Easter Egg Roll you can purchase one or some of the Easter Eggs.

Another interesting museum-the Computer History Museum.

Top 10 books written by librarians.

Look at this kitchen island made from Legos.

The next time I am in Richmond, Virginia I must stop and get a boxed lunch from Sally Bell's Kitchen. Since I'm a vegetarian I'll have to give my sandwich to A., but the rest of the goodies, especially the very cool cupcakes sound great. I don't know how I didn't know about this place.
Make sure you read the history of this place.

No matter how many times I see the cherry blossoms it still blows me away.

"I am amazed at this spring. This conflagration of green fires lit on the soul of the earth, this blaze of growing, these sparks that puff in wild gyration. Faces of people, streaming across my gaze." D.H. Lawrence excerpt from The Enkindled Spring

Round Up

2010-03-26T04:13:00.000-07:00

My dream car: A 1961 Nash Metropolitan. It has to be these colors too. I have had a love affair with Pyrex measuring cups for years. I have them in various sizes and use them for all sorts of things. I spied this measuring cup with a digital scale in a magazine the other day. Also, measuring cups with lids.

Faces behind famous hands.

I was searching around on the web the other day looking for interesting paper clips. What can I say? I'm an office supply nerd. I came across the history of the paper clip. I like the paper clip gallery.

I was kind of ticked off about the short shrift Jean Simmons death seemed to receive. I was a huge fan of hers and I just found out the other day that she had died. I have this thing about nun movies and I loved her in Black Narcissus even though it was oh so racist.

I can remember seeing a lot of movies with my mother and her explaining to me that some of the themes in the movie(s) were racist. We both loved musicals and I can remember seeing Flower Drum Song with her and her quietly telling me that this is racist and that is racist. I used to know every word to every song from Flower Drum Song. Oh well, as usual I digress.

Also, farewell Mr. Phelps.

I love when I hear about folks helping out the pooches-Pilots and Paws.

Case, cases, cases-Caselogic

I just love the name of this restaurant named after a beautiful mushroom-Hen of the Wood.

Interesting sled history, and more on Morton sleds.

Recycle your kids baby clothes into a beautiful quilt. I don't know if they do this with adult clothes, but I would have loved to have some of my grans aprons and other things made into a quilt.

A librarian and his daughter bond over what else, books.

The difference between gray and grey.

Martha wants to teach us how to fold our napkins into bunny ears.

There's March madness, and then there's March literary madness.

Shaq's mom , Lucille O'Neal has written a memoir, Walk Like You Have Somewhere to Go.

Oh my favorite Lapham's Quarterly has mapped some classics.

2010 is the Year of Cataloging Research.

Have a great weekend. I leave you with a host of golden daffodils.

"I do not want people to be agreeable as it saves me the trouble of liking them." Jane Austen

Round Up

2010-03-12T04:38:00.000-08:00

Okay, you all know it's the time of year when I have to whine up a storm. This weekend it is Daylight Savings Time (DST). I LOATHE, HATE, DETEST this human supposed solution to a contrived problem. I hated it before when we had to "spring ahead" in April-now we have to do this in March. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now that I have gotten that out of my sytem.

If you are an ice cream aficonando you must try Laloos. This ice cream made from goats milk is so delicious. Now they have ice cream sandwiches. I found Laloos at Whole Foods.

Some book talk:

I read The Works: Anatomy of a City by Kate Ascher.
This book is excellent. The author tells all about what it takes to run a city, specifically New York City. All the sytems from sewage, to mail, to zip codes are discussed. The book is filled with great graphics and informational factoids like the following:
Did you know that the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is so long, and its towers are so high, that the builders had to take the curvature of the earth's surface into account when designing it? Did you know that the George Washington Bridge takes in approximately $1 million per day in tolls? Did you know that retired subway cars travel by barge to the mid-Atlantic, where they are dumped overboard to form natural reefs for fish?

Now I haven't read People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin's Love Affair with a Fish by Kathleen, but I plan to.

Another unusual museum-the Museum of the American Gangster.

Did you ever wonder what the difference was between Dutch pressed cocoa and natural cocoa? I did and this is what I found out.

10 words you need to stop misspelling. Also comes as a poster.

March 16-18, 2010 is the DC Environmental Film Festival. Lots of great movies and documentaries at great venues. Hope to see you there.

I love soaps. I just think for not all that much money you can buy yourself a nice smelling treat or give a nice bar of soap as a gift. I love the packaging and the names of the soaps at Seattle Sundries.

How cool is this? A scholar located a 1641 letter from philosopher ("I think, therefore I am") Rene Descarte. Can you imagine? My hands and everything else would have been shaking if I had something like that in my hands.

What a clever idea. The Animal Blueprint Company will render a blueprint of your favorite dog.
Love it, love it.

I learned to embroider as a child, but I could never master a French knot. I put my embroidery hoop away when I hit puberty, but I have taken it up again and I am still trying to master the freakin' French knot. Maybe this will help. Or here-an actual video. Or maybe I am just hopeless. I learned to make knots in Girl Scouts. I guess it just isn't the same thing at all.

I am so excited that Liberty is coming to Target. The British are coming, The British are coming. I have been a fan of Liberty prints since I was a teenager. We had to make these boring aprons in Home Ec and one of the girls had this fabulous fabric and it was Liberty. I never did find out where she got such a treasure (much too shy to ask). I mean we were in a tiny place in Southwestern, PA. Not exactly the hot spot for fashion or cool fabrics. I've been covetous of Liberty prints ever since then. I so hope Target doesn't 'uck it up.

This would be such a cute craft project for the kiddies at Valentines Day.

I love terra cotta pots and I must, must have one made by Guy Wolff. More about the artisan and his pots.

These pussy willows made from branches and felt balls are adorable (March 7,2010 entry). Betz White has such great ideas.

Check out this NPR slideshow of jobs that have gone by the wayside.

That's all for this week. It's going to be a nice rainy weekend, which I love. I think I am going to relax, run a few errands and
make some Guiness cupcakes.

Have a nice weekend.

"The human mind treats a new idea the same way the body treats a strange protein; it rejects it. " P.B. Medawar

Round Up

2010-03-05T04:41:00.000-08:00

Just a few items this week.

Last week I was channel surfing and I came across Daryl Hall and John Oates singing. I think I was on MPT2 or maybe WETA Create. They still sound great, but I must say, I miss John Oates' mustache. I was curious to the age of these two, so I did some investigating. I'll just say they are both in their early 60's.

I always loved their sound. I like all sorts of music and I am a huge fan of great voices. I might not be a fan of an entire genre of music, but if someone has the pipes I'm generally won over. Daryl Hall has a great voice and a nice range. I found out that he restores old houses in his spare time, has Lyme Disease and has a delightful online program, Live from Daryl's House.

Look at these clever pothole gardens.

Typo of the day for Librarians-love this stuff.

Ruth Kaiser is looking for spontaneous smiley faces. This is just too cute. See if you can find any.

Louis Armstrong's Red Bean and Rice Recipe.

Wouldn't it be fun to honor someone you love with a rose with their name.

Tired of cereal for breakfast, but can't think of anything else to eat. Check out Mr. Breakfast. What a fun site.

Gorgeous photographs of yummy food-Tastespotting.

How wonderful. The U.S. Navy has named a ship after Dr. Charles Drew.

Archer-so bad it's good. (The episodes are on Hulu)

Sharpie art. More art on Styrofoam cups.

Interesting article about compact literature.

"It is our choices Harry, that show us what we truly are, more thatn our abilities." Dumbledore to Harry Potter (books by J.K. Rowling)

Round Up

2010-02-26T04:36:00.000-08:00

I just received an email from Peter the guy who runs Flashlight Worthy, the coolest book recommendation site around. Apparently he is looking to expand his offerings of book club books. Take a look at what he has and if you have some ideas as to a list you could contribute, get in touch with him at info@flashlightworthy.com.

I wish I had known about these curling-themed cocktail glasses. I am all about curling these days.

Nice hotel in a ghost town-Dunton Hot Springs.

I was flipping through an issue of People magazine the other day and noticed that Pernell Roberts passed away. I can remember watching Bonanza when I was a kid and having a young schoolgirl crush on his character Adam. My girlfriends were all about Little Joe (Michael Landon), but I just thought Adam was so cool. He always wore black, he was educated and lets face sexy as hell. ( Of course I would't have said that as a young girl). I thing some folks may not realize that yep, he was wearing a toupee for the role of Adam, and that Mr. Roberts was a civil rights activist. I still thought he was "all that" when he played Trapper John M.D.

Every new President and First Lady is permitted to change the art in the White House. They do this by borrowing from museums, art galleries and private collectors. Look at some of the art selections the Obamas have made.

I read about the 50 in 52 journey, which led me to the Pepsi Refresh Project. Both very interesting projects.

OH-MY-GOODNESS-Pizza Cones. I think I'm in heaven.

I stumbled upon the best food blog yet, Not So Humble Pie. This woman is amazing. First of all she bakes macarons-the real French ones. Secondly, she makes science cookies-I am verklempt. My favorite of course is the Periodic Table of Elements cookies. (scroll down to the bottom of the page of the last link I provided.) I want to move next door to this woman and apprentice with her. BRAVO!!!!!

I never thought about this before, but you can tap the maple trees that are in your own yard for syrup.

Lidia Schaefer is an angel.

In my never ending quest to find the most unusual museums (drum roll please!!!)-The Flour Art Museum.

More book wallpaper.

10 Websites for Vintage Books and Covers.

That's all I have for this week. Everyone have a nice weekend. For those that are suffering through their own "Snowmageddon" you have my sympathy. For my area we have to batten down the hatches with this crazy wind.

"And finally Winter, with its bitin', whinin' wind, and all the land will be mantled with snow.~Roy Bean