“The Clown” by Prentice Cole (1977, Philadelphia Daily News)
I find it hard to believe that tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I have two special turkey day memories that I think of every year. I was once a screaming blackbird on top of the ‘Sing a Song of Sixpence’ float in a Gimbel’s Thanksgiving Day parade in Philly, and I famously defrosted the first turkey I ever cooked (a 15-pound rock-solid frozen Butterball) in a jacuzzi on Thanksgiving morning (which remains the tenderest turkey I’ve ever cooked).
Over the next few days I plan on slowing down to enjoy the things I am most thankful for: my family and my health. I’ll spend time cooking, watching the Macy’s Parade and some football, and finish an embroidery piece I am excited about. I will also be thinking those of you who visit this blog occasionally or have become followers. Thank you for your support and encouragement. I wish you all a wonderful holiday full of family, friends, food and fun.
It’s only 4 days until Turkey Day and the nation’s holiday shopping madness officially begins. I’ve already got gift ideas for the little onesandtweensin my life. But what to get for the slightly harder-to-please grown-ups? Here a few of the things I am considering – maybe you’ll find the perfect thing for your brother, sister, boyfriend, girlfriend, or bestie too…
I have a real love/hate relationship with technology and try to avoid giving gifts with plugs. That is especially hard to do when buying for anyone young (say between 10 and 20). I find money always works, but if you are looking for something a little more personal to give your favorite tween or teen the following 18 ideas score high on the ‘cool’ scale and ‘low’ on electricity usage…
I’ve been busy making my lists and checking them twice and now I am ready to share a few of my favorite things to buy for Christmas 2017, starting with 15 gifts sure to please your littlest loved ones…
It finally feels like fall and not a moment too soon, since Halloween is almost here. I never did get the chance to work on my 2017 Halloween mantle design so I am making do with a shiny door wreath and full-size candy bars and calling it a day. It feels like I lost the month of October while helping my mom recover from her surgery, and thought you’d like to check out some of the things which kept me spellbound during her convalescence …
Thank you Maia Weinstiock for submitting your Woman of NasaLego Ideas, available November 1st
1725 German Wood Floor from the J. Paul Getty Museum
Even though we are experiencing summertime temperatures today is officially the first day of fall and I am more than ready for autumn. Between weekend travels that have taken me north, south, and east to see my children and preparing for the opening night of an art installation next week I haven’t had much free time to explore the web but did manage to stumble upon the following:
I am looking forward to having the next few days off and hope to finalize my Halloween mantle decorations (see last year’s design here), watch the new Kingsmen movie, catch some football (go Eagles!), and cook (I am hoping to make Smoky Pasta alla Vodka and Slow Cooker Honey Lime Ginger Pork). Hope you have a relaxing weekend doing the things that make you happiest…
I spent a lot of time last week exploring ‘all things eclipse’ prior to viewing the big show on Monday, along with preparing for a one-day geneticists meeting, planning a water conservation art installation for September, and driving to Indianapolis and Mobile to help my children get settled into their new apartments and another year of college. What little free time I had left was spent watching pre-season football (Go Eagles!) and web-surfing. Here are a few things which captured the totality of my attention (and hopefully yours as well).
On August 21st everyone in the US will, weather permitting, experience some part of the total eclipse of the sun. Here in Nashville, we are expecting 500,000 visitors to join us residents in watching the totality, which is expected to be a two-hour show from start to finish.
Since I forgot to buy glasses I plan on going old-school and make my own out of a Lucky Charms box. If you purchased glasses check to make sure they are ISO12312-2:2015 solar glassesto avoid damage to your eyes. There are a lot of fakes out there (in our area, a local school district and college just destroyed thousands of dollars of non-ISO solar glasses purchased by accident).
I’ve been spending a lot of time checking out NASA’s Eclipse101exploring all things eclipse. You can find interactive maps and eclipse activities, enter the eclipse quilt design contest, learn about eye safety and even watch the live feed on August 21st.
Check out astrophysicist (and my sewing buddy) Natalie Hinkel explain why she loves space, the stars, punk rock, and drinking. Her enthusiasm is infectious (and is partly to blame for my own eclipse excitement)!
Did you know the Monday’s eclipse has been nicknamed the ‘Great American Eclipse’ because it will cross through the United States and no other country. Check out more fun eclipse facts and indulge in some sweet planet lollipops at the same time.
I wish I had some little ones to share the eclipse viewing with. If I did, I would get them ready for the big event with a game of Solar Bingoor by reading Dr. Seuss’s There’s No Place Like Space (sadly, minus Pluto).
Special events deserve to be remembered with special art. To commemorate the event I plan on buying a t-shirt and poster (or two) from artist, astronomer, and night sky ambassador Dr. Tyler Nordgren at Space Art Travel Bureau.
Finally, I am going to keep Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon on rotation as I watch the eclipse in all of its epic totality. I can’t think of a more perfectly suited opus to accompany the earth and sun as they perform their eclipse duet.
How about you? Are you psyched about the eclipse? Will you watch? Do you have any special eclipse viewing plans? I’d love to know…
It’s been awhile since I posted ephemera gathered from around the web. That’s because I am just about over the unceasing onslaught of ‘The One [fill in the blank] you MUST have’ or ‘The 10 Best [fill in the blank] You Must Try’ articles, emails, and posts I get inundated with. That said, there have a been a few things that have managed to capture my attention and led me into the time suck that is the world wide web, if you’d like to waste some time of your own…
Finally, if you are staying inside because of the crazy high temperatures, I recommend watching the newest season ofThe Great British Baking Show and/or GLOW! Hope you have a lovely weekend and can find some time to get lost exploring ephemera of your own!
Parents amaze me with the unending list of things they do and sacrifices they make to ensure the best for their children, mostly with no notice and little praise (except on days like Father’s Day). I’ve written before about the gifts my mother and father gave me (hereand here) and I doubt my dad would mind me sharing what I think of as his ‘Wheaties Wisdom’ this Father’s Day…Continue reading “Pennies from heaven…”→
The Grey Goddess 