Earth Hour

Did you guys turn off the lights from 8:30-9:30? We compromised... Lights off, Denver Nuggets on. Kevin did his bike PT in the dark :) 

valentine

Our first two Valentine's Days were spent in Antarctica, in an environment where we grabbed a heart shaped cookie on our way out of the galley after dinner and held mittened hands while walking back to our room.  There wasn't much time or space for romance.  This year, K returned from a week long business trip in Ohio, so when I got back from work last night, he was home with a big yummy meal prepared.  For dessert, we tried out a tealight powered fondue pot I found for free at a yardsale, and dipped strawberries into chocolate.  It was lovely, simple, and just what I needed after a week without him. 

Before I met him, I never gave Valentine's Day much thought, shrugging it off as a manufactured holiday, but this year I decided that I like it.  What's bad about a day designated for showing love?  If you decide not to buy into the commercialism of roses and boxes of chocolate, it's just an excuse to slow down, make some good food, and snuggle.  Or share some wine with your closest pals.  Or spend a little more time playing with your pet.  There's nothing silly about designating a day for some extra love that we could all use. 

gondry and revelry

Two things.

1 - The trailer for Michel Gondry's new film has recently been released and it is so beautiful.  I don't understand French, but the imagery alone made me teary and joyous at the same time.

2 - Off to Missoula for some revelry tonight... after a rather lonely winter, a bunch of people we love are converging in one place and I couldn't be more excited!

Have a stupendous weekend, my friends.

new music - kishi bashi

Does anybody else go through phases with music, where your desire to listen ebbs and flows?  Sometimes I want to listen to music all day, but probably two thirds of the time, I prefer silence.  I'm on the tail end of a long silent spurt, much to Kev's chagrin (he has been wanting to play Kendrick Lamar, but no thank you).  There might be a shift towards a music oriented period again, however, because I finally found something I want to listen to... Kishi Bashi's album 151a.  I'm a sucker for finger snapping and hand clapping, and this has those things, plus an Animal Collective mood, and a big dollop of cheerfulness.  Perfect for beating off those everlasting winter blues.

Side note, I dig the album artwork, a LOT.  The little girl looks strikingly similar to me as a wee one, with a hairstyle I rocked until fourth grade, and am thinking about resurrecting.  Any thoughts?  Also, I had a dream while in Antarctica last year that Kevin was a tiger who was leading me somewhere, and I can still FEEL the soft folds of fur on top of his tiger head.  Dreams are weird...

summer film

I noticed I wasn't the only one around here that was longing for summer lately.  I caught myself flipping through a couple of rolls of film I shot this past summer, particularly the photos from a getaway to Portland, Maine.  It's 17 degrees out right now, with snow blowing frigid whispers down the street.  Don't mind me while I get back to my knitting, daydreaming of the seashore, charcuterie boards, and warm breezy bike rides...

Lately

Our last season in Antarctica marked the beginning of some big changes, both for us and for the culture.  We were given strict uniform parameters which came as a big morale blow, as our department was known for having far too much fun with costumes.  We celebrated Casual Fridays, where guys would wear tights and leather vests... just tights and leather vests.  Someone cleaned all day in a giant Pooh costume.  There were hats, high heels, masks, face paint.  But then we were shut down with uniforms.  There was nothing written in the new code about shoelaces, so the first thing I did was order a pair of red ones.  The boots they adorned wore out pretty quickly - most things do down there - but I just discovered them and transferred my laces of protest to my hiking boots.  They have most certainly added a pep in my step right when I needed them.

For better or worse, K has perfected hollandaise sauce.  It's better for my mouth and worse for my thighs.

When K developed a passion for birding, I didn't think too much of it, and saw it for an opportunity to sit by ponds or in the woods and paint while he tiptoed around with binoculars glued to his eyes.  I've recently discovered that I have learned a lot through osmosis.  During our particularly glorious New Year's Day Bike Ride 2013, I saw a little bird swooping about before me, and knew right away it was a kestrel.  A year ago I had no idea what a kestrel was.  They're pretty dang cute.

A wonderful package from Lindsay came and brightened my day.  Thanks so much, friend!

What are you guys up to lately?

2013

I am so thrilled 2013 is here.  2012 was kind of the pits for us.  Don't get me wrong, it provided some truly incredible experiences (Everest, India, New Zealand, Antarctica, Cornelia, etc...) but it was also the hardest year yet in a lot of ways.  The past few months have been quite the challenge, but I finally have a job, we have exciting plans formulating for the future, and we've been provided the fresh start of a new year.  New Year's Eve was spent over a Scrabble board, sipping a Coscto-sized bottle of champagne, discussing our lessons learned in 2012 and hopes for 2013. 

I thought I'd share my resolutions here, because they feel particularly important this year.

1. Spend more time cultivating my passions.  Writing here is a good format of organizing those things, and I want to spend a lot more time here this year.  But I want to read more, write a lot more, take more pictures, make more, get more into pyrography, learn more about gardening... all those things.  I want to finally publish some stories, and perhaps corral some stories into a collection.  I want to keep pushing myself.  And this journal can hold me accountable.
2. Get more cardio exercise.  We are moving all the time: I walk to work, bike for errands, we stroll every evening after dinner.  But I don't sweat that often, and I need to do that, to keep this body of mine on track.
3. I get really socially anxious sometimes which makes me really shy, and I think might make me come off as bitchy or stuck up to some people.  I need to remember that people really aren't that scary.  I also need to keep putting myself in situations that make me nervous. 
4. Volunteer at the local recycling program and animal shelter.
5. Take time to grow together with K as well as individually.

What are your resolutions?  How did you spend the first of the year?  Happy 2013!

happy holidays

A semiannual tradition, this half of my family and I like to go to the thrift store, pick out the ugliest red and green garb we can find, and then partake in an outrageous photo shoot.

Merry Christmas!

stop motion xmas

Despite being a somber trip, my recent visit out to Boston provided me some precious moments frolicking around with these whippersnappers.  My Dad adopted 9 month old twins three years ago, and these turkeys quickly became such a vital part of our family.  I adore them.  We spent the morning before I flew back wandering around a deserted Christmas tree farm, saturated with mist.  For Christmas, I wanted to do something different than the routine toys for them.  They love watching videos, so I set out to make a stop motion video.  Phew, those things are labor and time intensive!  I spent over six hours working on this baby, and it's just over a minute long!  But it was really fun, and I can't wait to do more in the future!  They haven't seen it yet, I just mailed them a card with the link on it :)  Dad, if you happen to look at this, you don't get to watch it yet, wait til xmas!

weird birds shop!

Hi Friends!

Just wanted to pop in and let you know that if you want to get your order from the Weird Birds Shop in time for Christmas, you should order things this weekend so we can mail them out on Monday.  

I am taking custom orders for earrings, and we also can discuss custom designs for boxes or wooden plaques.  Go check it out, and let us know if there's something you want us to make especially for you or your loved one!

Have a wonderful weekend, hug those that you love extra hard.