Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book. ~Author Unknown

I couldn't decide which shot I liked better, so I just posted both.

The library has been kind to me lately. Lots of great finds.

Audrey Hepburn, an Elegant Spirit: A Son Remembers ~Sean Hepburn Ferrar I've said before, I LOVE biographies. This one is sweetly written, full of beautiful photos.

Peter and the Secret of Rundoon ~ Dave Berry and Ridley Pearson This final book of the trilogy is just a magical as the rest. If you have kids, this is a great read-a-loud.

The Shack ~William Paul Young I know everyone has already read it, but I'm just starting. There was a long wait on the hold list.

Holga: The World Through a Plastic Lens The Bro got me a Holga for Christmas and this book was inside the totally amazing box. I still haven't taken any pictures yet. Mostly because it's just too darn cold to venture outside for more that a few moments. I can't wait to try this thing out!


And yes, if you are wondering, I AM reading all of these at the same time. As well as Little Women for the 327th time. I like to be lost in a dozen different worlds at the same time. It's kinda like visiting the holodeck on the Enterprise several times a day.

Off to read some more...

Friday finds

It's back! And jam packed full of great stuff this week. Here we go....


It was crazy cat week on The Bro's blog. It's been the highlight of my week. I can't even tell you how many times I was doubled over laughing until I couldn't breathe.

I want to see 500 Days of Summer now, not in July. I watched the trailer and then immediately hit replay.

One more week till Coraline. Eeek!

Some of you will know why this post about MBHH from Emily Richards (Chapman) had me so excited.

Katie is back in Uganda. Her recent posts...well, you just need to read them. Come see Amazima's new website.

Hula Seventy lists are too good to be true. I need to do one this year.

Ali's nursery is one of the cutest I have ever seen. Love the crib in the center of the room.

Rachel's art journal pages are beautiful works of art. I want to be able to create like this.

Flickr was a treasure trove of beauties this week. One, two (this whole photostream is so deliciously vintage.), three (the fab Elsie), four, and five (LOVE this room, especially the corner shelves) oh, and six.

Listening to This American Life today and probably for a good part of the weekend too. Hula Seventy's suggestion. And I have a deep love for radio dramas.

FNL season 3 is even better the second time. The characters idiosyncrasies are addicting. They are all so perfectly realized and acted. The Emmy's are a joke without this cast included, in my humble opinion.

And don't even get me started on Battlestar. It's beyond-words-good right now.

Oh, how I wish I had some pure wool lying around to dye these bright colors.

Red Velvet opens on Sunday. Oh, happy day! And oh, unhappy empty wallet.



Enough? Ok, I'm off to get lost in this book for a while.

It's so beautiful. Written by her son. And the photos? Oh, the photos. I'm a BIG Audrey fan. (bonus: it was at the library! FREE!) The colors on the cover make me want to decorate a room or do something else creative in this color palatte.


Have a great weekend, everyone!

My brain is tired

Be back tomorrow when this headache is gone, and I can think again.

Lots of fun Friday Finds are on their way!!

Icy day....

...full of slipping and sliding down the sidewalks and steps.
Ice falling from tree limbs.

And it was foggy too.
Complete with foghorns from passing boats.

I love how it looks here when it's foggy. Kinda like I'm inside a story and the rest of the "real world" is going on outside of the fog. Everyone else is going on about their business, but I'm living in a magical spot that no one can find.

Oh, I know why....
When I was in college I was on the backstage crew for lots of musicals. (fun, fun, beyond fun!) My favorite was Brigadoon. It was about a magical town in the Highlands of Scotland that only appeared for one day every 100 years. "And this is what happened, the strange thing that happened when two weary hunters, lost their way." Oooo, I loved the music in that one.
Anyway, at the end, the stage fills with fog and Fiona calls to Tommy from across the bridge even though she should have disappeared. The fog is the curtain dividing the real world from the magical one. That's what foggy days feel like to my over-active imagination.

Ok, I'm done rambling. It was a icy, foggy day.

The end.

wouldn't you know it...

After yesterday's post, I woke up to a very bright window. Unusually bright. Bright white.


Oh, yes, it was snowing. Dang it. I had taken today off and was hoping to get a pile of errands run today. Things like buying my nephew a birthday present. (he really can't be turning 2, right? It's a dream) Things like going to the post office. Buying necessities like lotion (hey, it's drier than the Sahara right now!).



Instead, I saw snow out of every window of my cottage. The camp director's kids were sledding on our only "hill" on the entire property.


But I decided to brave the elements and go out anyway. I got as far as the first stop sign, and I promptly slid almost entirely through it and narrowly missing a SUV. Lovely. My last experience with icy roads was still to fresh in my mind. Even though the main roads were okay, I was too much of chicken. I made it to the post office box and turned around. I just couldn't take my new car out into certain death or dismemberment.

So, I stayed home. I watch Jack Bauer be...well...Jack Bauer. (last night's ep. was great!). Then I popped in an old movie that we used to watch on snow days when we were kids.


I hadn't seen it in YEARS. I must say that the 70's clothing and style was just fantastic. I saw about 3 shirts/hats/mittens that I loved. And I still remembered so much of the dialogue. It was still funny and sweet.



The snow has slowed, but we are supposed to get ice/freezing rain tonight. Lovely. It is beautiful though. And I still will never get tired of this being my view from my windows.



****Happy B-day to G, one of my faithful readers and friends! Love you!

It's that time of year when all I think about is this....

The warm evening sunsets while the campers are running about.
Snack shop ice cream for dessert.
The boom of dodge balls hitting the gym walls.
Meals with friends everyday.
Flip-flops as my work shoes.
150 kids singing praise and worship songs.
Thrift store T-shirts and shorts = my work uniform.
Squeals of delight as kids pull the release on the giant swing.
Pool announcements heard through the windows of the office.
Children running EVERYWHERE.


It's SO, SO hard to be patient for summer to get here. SO hard!


ps...thanks everyone for the blog love! It's so nice to know someone is reading. I'm trying to be better about answering questions in your comments too.

tap...tap...tap....is this thing on?

Hello?

Hello?

Can you hear me?

I've been feeling kinda blog lonely lately.

Just wondering if anyone is still reading.

Windows everywhere

My brother posted about this amazing apartment last week. While I was there looking at the photos, I came across this place.




While I would never want to live in that particular area, nor have another house made out of cinder blocks (been there, am still living that), I would die to have windows like that. I beg my boss every year when budget time rolls around to put another story on the cottage. It would have glass walls like these and a big sweeping porch (heated for the winter). Of course this is merely a silly dream and a ridiculous request, but oh to have those windows!

just music

"Mighty to Save" (A favorite P&W at the moment)

"Everything" (an oldy that I re-found on my Zune the other day)

"For the widows in Paradise, for the Fatherless in Ypsilanti" (my church used this on a video a couple weeks ago and all I could think of is that episode of the OC where Johnny dies)

"The Ludlows" (the great James Horner. If you like soundtracks, this is a must have)

Jason Schwartzman's new album "Davy" (a fantastic actor and musician)

Allie Moss (found these songs through the great ZB, but I actually saw Allie last March on tour as Ingrid Michaelson's backup singer/guitarist. She was fantastic and I wondered how long it would be before she had her own stuff.)

Jeremy Larson (because everyone needs to buy Salvation Club. "Wintersong" is my fave lately.)

proof that it's been colder than COLD here

Exhibit A: Pine cones thrown into the river do not sink, nor do they actually go INTO the river.

Exhibit B: The tide breaks through the ice and creates ice waves. If you look closely you can see the little ripples where my shoes touched the water. Further out, you can see the "ice waves."

Exhibit C: The beach looks like it needs a scarf and gloves. But the sunset is still warm and glowy. I just made that word up.

Our river (I like to call it "our," like we can own a body of water) rarely freezes. I don't think it did at all last winter. Maybe a little ice on the beach, but that was about it. It's not like a pond though because
1. Tidal waters. Our spot on the river is at the mouth of this river and another one. They both dump into a HUGE body of water, which is what borders the other side of our property. A peninsula, we are.
2. Brackish water. Half salt water/half fresh.

Bet you didn't think you'd get a short science lesson today when you opened Cottage Girl, did you?

OK, now I have to go cause my fingers are numb. The cold likes to creep into the cottage too.

Where?

If you could wake up anywhere tomorrow, where would it be?


Found here, which led me to this site.

My answers (because I couldn't narrow it down to one):

• The Dragonfly Inn in Stars Hallow on a day that there is a town meeting and breakfast at Luke's.
  
• A house on the shores of Sunset Beach in Oahu.
• In my college apartment with all my college friends around me so we could talk and act like 20 year old's again. Sigh....I miss those days.
  
• A Friday Night in Dillion, TX during football season. Only if Tim Riggins, Matt, Smash and Landry are playing. And I can sit next to Tyra and Julie.
  
• At Katie's house in Uganda on a Friday night when all the kids come for dinner. And we would have enough food to feed everyone who came. I could sit and snuggle with them and sing songs.
  
• At an orphanage in China where I can hug little babes all day.
• At Hogwarts in year one of Harry's time there.
• The Seafarer room in the Historic Maplethorpe B&B in Prince Edward Island. Preferable on a sunny warm summer day and lots of time for Anne sight seeing.
  

See what other people said here. And be sure to watch the short video's too. I loved the one in England. It reminded me what a beautiful rainbow of humanity God created.

And what would your answer be by the way?

Happy 35th, Mom and Dad

I am truly blessed to have parents who still walk hand in hand down the beach after 35 years of marriage. They just got back from a 2 week missions trip to Ecuador.

They inspire me constantly.

Love you both!

Polariod fun

Found this fun link the other night. Turn your photos into Polariods for free! It's kind of addicting. I just rummaged through my bazillion old shots and found a few keepers.

My trip fabulous trip to Atlantic City last spring/winter. Great friends and great fun.

My backyard last winter.

My trip to NYC a few years ago when I saw Wicked with two of my camp buddies!

A calm night on the river behind my house.

The line up of rain boots at the cottage last year. We love rain boots here.

Finally, the days are getting longer

It's finally staying light outside a little big longer. I took these one evening this past week after walking home from work. I don't care how long I live here; this sight never gets old. Never. It still makes stop and stare. It still makes me thank God every moment that I get to live and work here.

And I didn't Photoshop these at all.

Straight from my camera to the blog.

The colors. Just drink in those colors.

And the water. Oh, it's the water that gets me every time. It soaks into my soul.

I never, ever, ever infinity get tired of my view when I come home.

Faith without deeds is dead

This song was on Amazima's site (Katie's blog). I haven't been able to stop humming it and pondering the lyrics especially after reading all of Katie's blog, and the stories that refuse to leave my thoughts. Plus last Sunday, our pastor talked about James 2:14-26 (faith without works is dead).

I love the line in the song:

"Now that I have seen, I am responsible."

I need to be reminded of that. When I hear (or see) something that I believe God is speaking to me about (like orphans in China or Uganda or wherever), I am now responsible for that knowledge. I am responsible, if my choice is not to do anything.

We were talking about this in my small group on Monday. It was a wrap up for this book, which I HIGHLY recommend. One of his quotes is...

"Don't choose issues; choose people....then you won't have to worry about which cause you need to protest (or be involved in). Then the issues will choose you."

We were talking about how there are so MANY things that we could be involved in. How do we choose? The author's passion was for the poor and homeless. That was the area that he felt God called to his heart. It may not be the same for me/us. But He will reveal those things. And when He does, do I take action or just think that someone else will do it?

I want to be proactive in the areas that God leads me. My personal passions may not be someone else's, but I am responsible for what He is doing in MY heart and not theirs. I don't want to waste an opportunity, like sponsoring a Compassion child or helping parents afford adoption through Shaohannah's Hope, because I think "oh, someone else will do that." I want to be involved and active in the areas that my heart cries out for.


*****You can hear more of Brooke Fraser's music on her myspace music page.

10pm - All the cool kids are watching...

Need something to watch tonight?

I watched the season that begins tonight on NBC when it was on Direct TV this fall. It.is.fantastic. Fan-dan-tastic. Truly.
Probably the best show that was on TV from Sept - Jan.
Try it and let me know what you think.
Seasons 1 & 2 available on Hulu.

new photos return

They aren't the best pictures in the world, but it was heavenly to hear that shutter click again. Oh, how I've missed you, sunlight, and the wonder you bring to my aperture.

The furry one seems to be enjoying her stay at Chez Cottage. I'm loving having a galloping, black streak zip towards me as soon as I open the front door at the end of my day. She's a crazy one, but I love her.

It is bitter cold here on the water, as of late. Way below freezing during the day with horrid wind chills. And the nights....let's not speak of them. The Cottage is whistling in the wind while the heat is trying it's hardest to keep up. Did I mention that I hate winter? And the 500 layers of clothing that it requires? Cause I do. I really, really do.

These are the types of intelligent conversations I have with my baby brother...

***Chuck = Chuck Bass. (We were discussing this week's Gossip Girl)
***Tim Riggins = this guy. (I can't explain my love for this character)
***Spike = my favorite vampire (Sorry, Edward Cullen. You don't even come close.)

2 more days and all will be revealed

The last 10 episodes begin on Friday.

Bets on the final Cylon anyone?

This may be the coolest propaganda poster I've ever seen.
(buy the artwork here)
Found it at the end of this article.

link to fun

Check out this post on The Bro's blog. You're guaranteed a gasp and a laugh.

These are the insane things that our camp kids/"adults" would do if they could. A couple years ago, we had a HUGE snow storm and a couple of the kids who lived here (at the time) sled off the roof of one of the buildings into the snow. Sweet. (no I didn't cause I'm not brave enough to scale the slate roof....ahhhem....).

I'm sorry this is another TV post. I just can't help myself...

This was my favorite moment from last night's Golden Globes. I love Kate Winslet and have since Sense and Sensibility, which is my favorite performance of hers. It was so wonderful to FINALLY see her acknowledged (twice!) after losing so many, many times. I love that Emma Thompson (her big sis in S&S) was there to give her a quick hug and smile. And didn't she just look beautiful!


And I must say I was ecstatic that Slumdog Millionaire won too. I'm telling you, you must see this movie.

Flickr happy

1. starry eyed lovers, 2. Merry Christmas baby, 3. Carpe diem, 4. Life is Beautiful, 5. roses and skulls in the garden, 6. chloe in the light, 7. Desperate to blend in, 8. I am trying to break your heart, 9. it's a girl thing, 10. Mademoiselle, 11. sfgirlbybay's apartment therapy., 12. Such Great Heights, 13. Holga Surfer Silhouette at Pro Event, 14. all the fun of holga, 15. holga, mojave phone booth. 2000., 16. why I love my holga, 17. img007.jpg, 18. Untitled, 19. in through the back door, 20. *, 21. Untitled, 22. Black Apple Dolls, 23. New Years Eve 2008, 24. Untitled, 25. to all y'all, 26. take [10], 27. princeville-resort2, 28. Untitled, 29. i'm far away from everyone, 30. Untitled, 31. Pirate Galleon in the Fog - Whitby, 32. Tall Ships 7, 33. Tall Ship - sails and rigging, 34. Untitled, 35. Heart Bokeh Pink Tinsel Tree, 36. Today's Catch...!


It gives me such joy and inspiration. I got lost here (especially here) for way too long yesterday. I think my creative block has so much to do with the horrid darkness of winter. I desperately miss taking pictures when I'm done with work at the end of the day....


Now, off to channel flip between the Golden Globes (red carpet ridiculousness) and 24 season premier (Jack freakin' Bauer is back).

Good TV night, amen.

I got nothin' today

Instead...

Check out one of my favorites blogs Hula Seventy.

Her images are stunning. Her posts...thought provoking.

I want to see the world in pieces like she does.

She gets the crazies at night

It's nice to have furry face to come home to.

missing outlet

Oh, how I wish I could find an outlet to release some of my pent up creativity. I feel like it's ready to spill out, run all over the place, flooding paper and film and words. But the ideas just swim around in my head waiting for their moment to come alive. One day we will finally find our common ground and it will be beautiful.

One day.....

history lesson on vacation

I got to watch lots of things during my "winter break." In the past, this break was the time that I discovered a new TV show. During the past few years, I've found 24, Heroes, Firefly, Gossip Girl and Chuck with a few more I've forgotten I'm sure.
This year, I watched Lost: season 4 (I had given up after episode 4 this past year, but they were all still online), Smallville: season 5, a few episodes of Gilmore Girls: season 4, a few episodes of Arrested Development, lots of Anthony Bourdain (which had marathons galore!), and movies like Wall*E (with my parents), Hancock and Seven Pounds (I liked it) and a disturbing Audrey Hepburn/Shirley MacLaine movie called The Children's Hour.

And while Lost was good, my favorite thing was actually something I found on C-SPAN. Yes, that's right....it was a fantastic documentary on the White House. I was flipping through the channels and happened upon it and couldn't turn it off. I came in about half way through, but still loved it!



One little building in the whole United States so full of history. It was so interesting to see all the changes that have been done to it. All the improvements by different presidents. Those who left behind a big mark on it. Theodore Roosevelt built the West Wing so his bedroom wouldn't have to be across the hallway from the offices. Harry Truman gutted the entire 1st floor leaving only the shell so that steel beams could replace the old wooden ones (you can see a photo of it here). He also added the Truman Balcony, which at the time caused quite a stir with the public because it changed the look of the outside.
It's interesting too how many of the presidents say that they consider Lincoln to be the best president that we ever had. His portraits seemed to be the favorite of all the artwork that hangs there.
It was also neat to see the private family rooms and hallways. Just imagine that being your home?! You pick out some of the artwork, but so much of it is already in place when you arrive. You sit on the couches and read in the corners. I wonder what Obama's little girls will think when they get their rooms and run up and down the halls like Roosevelt's kiddos did so long ago. Imagine getting in trouble for running/throwing balls/slamming doors/stomping on the floor in "the House!"

Anyway, it was such a well done documentary. If it's ever on again, you should check it out. I'm hoping it will because I'd love to see the beginning again. I was lucky enough to go on a tour of the White House on a field trip as a kid. It was decorated for Christmas and just beautiful. Now, I'm dying to do it again. So much history to soak in!


***listening to the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack while typing tonight.

wistful summer dreaming

...and it's only January. Why can't winter only last 2 months?

Things I'm missing....

flip-flops
tank tops
8:30pm sunsets
cool grass
smell of sunscreen
laughing/screaming kids
summer friends


Hurry summer, hurry fast!

i think spaceships are cool

...and now back to finish watching Sunshine. It's not really that great, but I can't say no to a spaceship/sci fi movie. I heart spaceships. Especially ones named Serenity. Or Millenium Falcon with captains named Solo.

I'm a sci fi girl/nerd forever and always.

journal entry

This article from The Times is amazing. Really made me think. I found it on this blog, which I also have been unable to get out of my head. I have pictured little Ugandan kiddos in my head pretty much constantly since I read the story of Amazima. By the way...have you ever seen Invisible Children? Good gracious, I sobbed like a baby for a good 10 minutes straight after seeing that documentary. The whole situation in Uganda is just heartbreaking.



Do you ever wonder what God is doing with your life? Do you wonder if you are doing all you can to change the world? Do you ever beg Him to make your life count for something eternal, to help you to ignore your own human "wants" ? Do you ever second guess the place where you are at the moment, when you see something that seems so much more important?



I've been asking those questions quite a lot lately. Sometimes I wonder if camp is a silly ministry to be involved with when there are children that are dying without moms and dads and simple things like food and clean water. Sometimes I want to pack everything up and move to another country to pick up those kids and just hug them. But then again, I think there is something important about what we are doing here.



I know that kids in suburban America need Jesus too. I know their little hearts are just as important as an orphan in China. I know that they can change their world. I know that I have seen this place change lives. And not just kids, but the staff that works here. I know without a doubt that God is at work here. I know that He begs us to let go of all the silly human ideas we have for this place and just let Him have free reign to do things beyond what we can imagine.



It's so easy to be complacent. It's so easy to sit back and just do the same old thing over and over because I know it's "the right thing to do." It's easy to let another summer go by and just do the job. That's the easy part.

The tough part is stepping outside that comfort of doing the simple thing and letting God really, truly have His way in my life. And I don't necessarily mean that I will leave the ministry I am in now. I mean being open, no matter where I am, to what it is He is trying to tell me. I mean stepping out in faith to ask Him to bring on the challenges and to really show up in my life. I mean that I will take those steps of faith to really see Him at work here. It means dreaming beyond my own ideas and seeing what He could (and wants) to do here.

I want to live a life that He will be proud of when He chooses to bring me to heaven for good. Eternal purpose. That's what I want. Him to shine so brightly that I am invisible. To see me, you have to look through Him. That is the person I want to be in 2009.


What about you?