Signs?

My sweet tomatoes

Oh, yeah and Jeremy's tomato plants are in the background. 


Ha ha! I just noticed that Rowan has Tow Mater on his shirt! Wow. And... get this - We were on our way to have dinner at Sweet Tomatoes!!! 


Chill bumps, y'all. I can't stand it. It's too much. 


"Is it possible that there are no coincidences?" (from Signs - Graham Hess, as played by Mel Gibson)

Worth Reading

I've been checking out a few new blogs recently and thought I would share them with you. 


The Meaning of Pie 
If you're looking for food fantasy fodder, check out Kelly's sheet cake recipes. Actually, just check out everything, 'k?


Bev Cooks 
... and she makes me laugh. Food and fun, fun and food. It's a winning recipe.


Alisa Burke: Redefine Creativity 
She makes cool stuff, is inspired by nature, and uses bold color.


goop 
This is Gwyneth Paltrow's weekly blog about rich people stuff. Her recipes are fun and she writes about London. 


In the movie about my life, I'd like to thing GP would play me. You know, 'cause we look so much alike and all. 

Who would play you in the movie about your life? And, what are you reading that I need to know about? 

5 Things

1. Spring blooms. I love 'em! The plum trees are exqusite this year. I pass by a small grove of them on my way to work and can't help but extoll their beauty every time. The azaleas, pear trees, dogwoods, and cherry trees are lovely, too. And so vivid! The colors are almost Seuss-like.
2. Pinterest. I've known about Pinterest for a while but finally took a minute to explore it. It's a neat concept, particularly if you are planning something (like a wedding or room re-do) or like collecting things. It's easy to use and appeals to my organizational sensibilities. Warning: You can lose a lot of time wandering around in there.
3. Cropped pants. I have a black pair but I want more. Definitely khaki, possibly red, maybe floral if I am feeling brave. Look what you can do at H&M's website.
4. The Pool. We belong to a community pool and it's time to renew our membership. I can't wait for it to open!
5. Running. I replaced my worn out (and muddy-beyond-cleaning) running shoes and have yet to try them out. I must get to the gym.

What have you been thinking about or pining (pinning?) for? 

On my mind...

I was watching When Harry Met Sally for about the 198^th time last Friday night. Love that movie – Nora Ephron is a masterful storyteller. But I digress… So I jump in near the beginning when Harry and Sally are on their way to NYC and stop for a bite to eat. As they are squaring up the bill, the song playing is The Right Time of the Night by Jennifer Warnes. I have not been able to get that song out of my head since then. Jennifer Warnes has an awesome voice. Yes, An Officer and a Gentleman and Dirty Dancing would not be the same without her. But there’s more to her than that. Incidentally, I saw a little bit of “New Girl” on Fox last night. Jess, played by Zooey Deschanel (who looks a lot like Debra Winger to me), was watching the end of “Dirty Dancing” and singing along. Coincidence? I think not.

You know who else I can’t get out my head? Ryan Gosling. I finally saw Blue Valentine a couple of weeks ago and it haunts me – especially RG’s character. Then last week at the hair salon I read an article about him in Esquire while waiting for the chemicals in my hair to produce the perfect shade of “natural” blonde highlights. I did not know that he was a Mouseketeer along with Britney, Christina Aguilera, and Justin Timberlake. (That was a little after my time.) He’s an odd fellow. Eccentric and kind of dark.  

Which leads me to the next preoccupation of mine: coffee. I think it started about a month ago when I read The Girl Who Played With Fire. There’s a lot of coffee drinking and sandwich eating going on in that series. I find my tastes highly susceptible to the power of suggestion. Maybe it’s because of the cooler weather and overcast skies we’ve been enjoying here lately. I don’t know. But I do know that coffee is yummy!

The Savannah Half-Marathon is about 6 weeks away and my bestest childhood friend, Andrea, and I are going to wear tutus while we walk/run it. In my search for adult-sized tutus, I found a neat site called glamrunner. They make super cute glamwear (i.e., tutus) to raise money for Girls on the Run of San Diego. Girls on the Run is an interesting education/development program for girls aged 8-13 years with councils all across the country.

What are you obsessing about these days?

Recommended Reading

Looking for something good to read this summer? Here are a few reads we've enjoyed lately.

For the kiddos:

• Birds by Kevin Henkes: The illustrations are really neat. This is one of Raleigh's favorites.
• My Hippie Grandmother by Reeve Lindbergh: My mom found this one. It's good to know a librarian.
• Who is Driving? by Leo Timmers: It's fun to look at the clues to figure out who's driving.

For the adults:

• Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout: Each chapter is a stand-alone short story but they're all tied together by one woman, Olive Kitteridge. Sometimes she's the narrator or a main character. Other times she is mentioned in passing. It's a neat concept with great writing.
• Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand: You'll wonder how one person can experience so much adventure in one lifetime. It's a long book but a fast read.
• Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs by Molly Harper: This is the first in the Jane Jameson series. Jane is a former librarian and new vampire in rural Kentucky. You're intrigued already. Admit it. These are quick, fun books. Don't expect enlightenment, but do count on a chuckle or two.
• My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me: Forty New Fairy Tales edited by Kate Bernheimer: Modern authors adapt classic fairy tales from across the globe. Some are even more creepy than the original versions. At the end of each story the authors briefly describe their inspirations for their new tales.

On my mind

Here are a few things that I've encountered lately that I just can't shake. I figured you wanted to know about them, too. Yes?

• Bitchin Kitchen: I saw this the other night and was transfixed. The host, Nadia G, is such a character. I like her irreverent sense of humor and her kickin' style. I can't really tell you about her cooking but I would like to see some more of her show. I was a tad distracted by her curious accent. Sometimes it sounded Italian, sometimes eastern European... It doesn't really matter in the end, though. Check her out.
• The Walking Dead: Zombies in Atlanta. Sounds like a regular ol' Tuesday to me! It's an interesting concept that leaves me with so many unanswerable questions. Jeremy and I critique and analyze the show and plot as we if have first-hand experience in battling Walkers. Is it far fetched? Yep. But it is a fun escape. Thank you, AMC.
• Chobani Greek Yogurt: It's yummy. And, you can get a lot for a great deal at Costco. Don't be afraid. Try it.

What's new in your world that I need to know about?

News to me

Here are a few things that I have seen and heard lately that made me think and/or smile. Maybe you'll like them, too.

• Paperless Post: It looks just like fine stationery except it's virtual. You buy virtual "stamps" to email your notes. It's a lot cheaper than regular mail and it's really cute. I received an invitation for a baby shower and it was very cool. I think this would be good for a save-the-date announcement or something casual like that. This is a neat concept, but I still prefer real mail for stuff like this. There's nothing like seeing a fun envelope in your mailbox and opening it to read happy news.
• Mila's Daydreams: Cute, Anne Geddes-type photos of a sweet baby named Mila. Her mommy is the photographer and states that this is her maternity leave hobby. What?! I feel quite accomplished to get in a shower and one healthy, balanced meal per day! If you dig a little deeper you will find that they live in Finland. Aha. That explains a lot.
• The Novaks: I heard them on XM channel 59, Little Steven's Underground Garage. (Great channel. Check 'em out if you have satellite radio.) They remind me of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, circa Damn the Torpedoes. It's been a long time since I have heard a band that made me want to search them out and hear more.
• Jazz and 80s: This makes me giggle. But, after the second listen, it's quite good - something to chill out to. Some of the songs sound better jazzed up than the originals. My favorites are Purple Rain and Do Ya Think I'm Sexy (from Jazz and 70s).