messy [japan]

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messy world, messy emotions, messy thoughts. The weekend was fairly devastating, don't you think? I switch between being riveted to the news and trying to carry on normally, but then feeling awkward about acting as nothing has happened and not knowing how to incorporate these latest disasters into everyday life...how to feel like a good person without totally detaching from the simple (shallow?) things that bring me joy.

In the last 10 years the world has become ever more connected and broadcast and, well, smaller. The major events which occur become part of everyone's life in some way... 9-11, Iraq, Afghanistan, Katrina, Indonesia, Haiti...and now Japan. Did you know it took a couple of weeks for Europe to hear about the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln? The news had to travel across the ocean by ship.  Nowadays it would be on Twitter before the sound of the gun faded.  I'm not saying connectedness is a bad thing...as a blogger and a tweeter who really takes joy from the online world, that would be silly. I do think it's all happened so fast (and is changing so quickly, too) we haven't yet figured out what it really means to be connected to the rest of the world...how it affects us, and how to behave and react in a truly meaningful, human way. None of the people you watch on YouTube expected their lives to be  turned upside down. What are we supposed to do? I don't know the answer, but I think I want to enhance what I call the auto 'donate & pray' reaction with a little more... mindfulness?

Yes...aid organizations need money/labor/supplies (If you are able to give $$, this article on NPR has a good list). Yes...the people in Japan need hopeful thoughts (Diane describes a lovely meditation).

Japan was prepared...money, infrastructure, drills, communication...and maybe that's what makes this all the more heartbreaking (read Tara's more eloquent reflection on Tea & Cookies).  Clearly I don't have any brilliant words and I'm not a great organizer  of people. I have not myself figured out what to do, let alone how to do  it. Cash feels so passive and it doesn't seem like enough anymore...though I know it's probably the most helpful. There is a part of me that thinks while we're clicking donation links we should also be checking in with ourselves. Are we prepared for our own worst days, wherever and whenever they may come (Slate has a good article on emergency kits).

Instead of being heartbroken, let's be active and keep our hearts full: hold those affected by disasters, natural and manmade, in our hearts. 

Be kind. 

Be your best self. 

Take care of each other. 

Prepare yourself for the good and the bad that may come your way. 

Live without regret. 

Be a good neighbor in your town, your state, your country...the world (online and physical). 

Carry these thoughts with you as long as you can and revisit them even when all is well and/or forgotten.

Thanks for being good readers,

♥ sara

where wednesday [sara]

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You're stuck with me this week...ha ha! It's week 10 of Where Wednesday...enjoy!

There are many ways to arrive at the decision that a place is important to you...maybe you find yourself in a certain spot everyday, maybe a significant event took place there, or maybe you just get a good feeling in a place that makes you glad it exists.  I had one of those good feelings recently at the Green Gulch Farm.

Green Gulch Farm is part of the San Francisco Zen Center. They offer classes in meditation and farming practices, among other things. 

"Our effort at Green Gulch is to awaken in ourselves  and the many people who come here the bodhisattva spirit, the spirit of  kindness and realistic helpfulness. This is how we offer our  understanding of Buddha's Way."

The farm is nestled into the hills just above Muir Beach.  We passed through the farm at the halfway point of a long hike and saw a few winter vegetables growing, but the fields were mostly resting...the farm composing itself for the coming spring. It smelled like green. The adjacent garden area was so beautiful, welcoming, interesting, and peaceful...with trained apple trees, an adobe tool hut, herbs, and lots of little friends to stop and say hello to...

I love places that have so much effort and thought put into them, yet do not feel 'off limits' or fragile. I appreciate their ideas of kindness and helpfulness, and I've been thinking about my quick stroll through there since the moment I left. I'm sure that visiting on another day, in another season, under different conditions, in a different mindset will change the place for me (not necessarily in a negative way)...but on that day of discovery I felt inspired...I felt potential...I wanted to sit and take it all in...I wanted to be a gardener...I wanted to get my hands dirty...I wanted to do yoga in the grass...I felt happy to be there. 

Where Wednesdays are a regular feature where I and a series of guest bloggers talk     about places that are important to us, be they work spaces, outdoor  spaces, sleeping spaces, places we visit, places we live, places we drink coffee, etc. etc.

[do you want to talk about a place or space that's important  to you? let me know and I'll set you up with a Wednesday!]

list of seven

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Not long ago I added a new blog to my daily routine called Indivisualism, full of lovely & interesting words and pictures. The blog is curated by pretty Petra, who last week passed on her Stylish Blogger Award to me & a few others *blush*

I loved Petra's globe-trotting take on the requisite list of seven you must write as an award recipient...but I think I'll fall back on the simple seven random facts about me: 

  • I'm half Canadian...which my Mom (the Canadian) insists isn't really a thing, since Canada is just as much an ethnic mish-mash as the States... Nevertheless, I'm proud of it, eh!
  • I lived in a converted old train caboose in the desert for 3 months while working at Joshua Tree National Park. I'll find the pictures and scan them soon-ish.  I had to wash my dishes in the shower.
  • Please don't make me eat bell peppers.
  • I am a dog person who does not want a dog.  I will make friends with and borrow and love your dog, but I won't get my own. (maybe ever)
  • I sneeze and sniffle a lot (mold, pollen, and dust are mainly to blame...and the occasional cat).  Sometimes people locate me based on my sniffling. I carry a lot of handkerchiefs.
  • I procrastinate and I generally run 10-15 minutes late. These flaws have been growing in strength lately...I'll fix them later ;)
  • I never changed my major in college (biology w/ marine emphasis). I thought a lot (even now) about switching to general biology, geology, english, art, or environmental studies...but I couldn't keep myself out of those tidepools ♥

swoosh

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Did you have a lovely weekend? We spontaneously decided LATE Friday afternoon to hit the slopes for the weekend...leaving all other cares behind (blog posts included). What a wonderful time we had swooshing down white hillsides...

This was the first time I've skied outside of the magical powder-land that is Utah.  The term 'Sierra Cement' is no joke...as my legs will testify, but it doesn't take away from the fun.  The conditions were great and a good time was had by all...hopefully it won't be another 5 years before we hit the slopes ∆∆∆

Fissssshhhh

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Uh, I guess if you are sensitive to situations where 'nature takes it's course' you might skip to the bottom video portion of this post :) 

Fish aren't the first thing you think of when you think of a snake's dinner...but it happens. Here's some pics I snapped at the aquarium of a Burmese Vine Snake (Ahaetulla fronticincta) munching on a fishy lunch.

Pardon the blurriness...some bite readjustment was happening.  So cool.  I watched a few of these snakes catch lunch, and then of course had to wait and watch them get the fish into their bodies...so awkward...and lumpy. 

Speaking of animals, you must watch this short film. It's hilarious and you'll probably watch it 50 times and you'll probably sing it and quote it for at least a week.  You have been warned. Huge thanks to Diane and her sweetie for sharing this delight.

where wednesday [natalia]

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[We're got our first international Where Wednesday! Natalia from Army of Two is my guest this week. I've known Natalia for a few years now, and she is a remarkable woman...she's always got a story to tell and some kind of adventure in the works.  She's had quite the year...her blog's tagline says it all: From beaches to barracks,  flip-flops to fatigues,  this is my journey from  California to Washington DC, Army Wife to Army Soldier. Catch her on her fabulous blog and wish her luck before she leaves on her next adventure: basic training!]

The Appian Way, Italy

The Appian Way, or Via Appia, was Ancient Rome's earliest and most strategic road. It led from Brindisi, on the southeast coast, to Rome, as all roads did then of course! The road allowed for the efficient movement of trade goods, soldiers and travelers.

To walk the Appian Way is to walk in the foot steps of history, quite literally.  The smooth gray stones are worn down into long grooves where centuries of wooden wagon wheels have passed over them. 

On a summer's afternoon hot enough to melt the city's sidewalks, I walked down a preserved potion of the road just outside Rome.  The dusty road was lined by stately cypress trees, lichen-covered statues, bone-filled catacombs and blood red poppies shimmering in the yellow fields. The air was heavy and still, interrupted only by the buzzing of insect wings.  As I continued to walk down the Appian Way, ancient Rome unfolded before me. I could hear the marching steps of a thousand leather-sandaled feet, the creak of the wagon wheels pulled by braying donkeys and bellowing oxen, the crack of the whip, voices of laughter and frustration, and smell the dirt and sweat of man and animal.

For a student of Roman history and archaeology, walking the Appian Way is a thrilling, almost magical experience: for an afternoon I truly traveled back in time.

Where Wednesdays are      a  regular feature where I and a series of guest bloggers talk    about    places that are  important to us, be they work spaces, outdoor    spaces,    sleeping spaces,  places we visit, places we live, places  we  drink    coffee, etc. etc.

[do you want to talk about a place or space that's important  to you? let me know and I'll set you up with a Wednesday!]

book report [restless]

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I finished reading Restless which I borrowed from my Mama and Papa when I was in SLC in January...and THEY bought it from Shakespeare and Company in Paris...so this one will be going back to their library as a keeper for sure.

Restless is the story of a woman whose mother suddenly reveals that she was a British spy in WWII, and who needs help finding someone from her past because her 30 year cover might be blown.  The chapters alternate between the mother's story and the daughter dealing with it all (as well as possible intrigue in her own life).  It was well written, interesting, and suspenseful...good read!

monster chunks

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I am one of those people who is 'project oriented'...I'm sure I've put that on more than one job application.  That's such vague terminology though...for example, projects at my day job can go on and on for years and years and even though you work on something all day and actually accomplish quite a lot you wonder why you're doing it at all because the project will NEVER BE DONE. Seriously. I know that's very vague...I don't claim to be a good storyteller.  The point is, at home lately I've been trying to pick quick crafty projects to get some finished product satisfaction.  For example, I downloaded a free pattern from knitting genius Rebecca Danger...Monster Chunks!

My first chunk took awhile because I had to teach myself to knit in the round. And then I gave her some terrible button eyes that made me shove her into a drawer because she wasn't right. And then the feet were tricky. And so on and so forth.  But the last week I dropped 79 cents on two pairs of googly eyes and away I went...

Madame Monster

Mister Monster

This was a great project if you want something quick and have little bits of yarn leftover from other projects. Also, we live next door to the cutest 3 year old twin brother and sister  in the whole world, which gave me a good excuse to whip up a handmade  little prezzie for them. I delivered the wrapped up little monsters to the cuties next door and got big hugs, so I hope they like them when they unwrap them!

where wednesday [the dew drop inn]

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[For Where Wednesday this week I bring you Diane from the dew drop inn.  Diane shares such interesting and thoughtful ideas and projects on her blog (remember her word project ?), do pay it a visit. I met Diane online through Indie Biz 2.0 and immediately connected over books, art, and life...the expression 'fast friends' comes to mind. Just a few days ago I finally had the pleasure of spending a splendid afternoon with this lovely lady, in person, in her little corner of the world...can't wait to do it again! Without further ado, welcome to the dew drop inn on the sagebrush coast...]

the space i am sharing with you today is my beloved sky chair...

it is my space for relaxing...

meditating...

reading...

hanging out with my pup...

and gazing out at the beautiful trees and hills of sonoma county...

i first sat in a sky chair at a renaissance fair over a decade ago.  i fell instantly in love with the feeling of being in an upright hammock.  it completely relaxed me and brought me such simple joy.  i made a wish then and there that i would someday own one.

in order to have a sky chair, one must have a tree, a strong ceiling beam, or a frame on which to hang it.  because my gypsy lifestyle and various domiciles did not provide any of those things for many years, it took over a decade for my wish to come true.

when my husband and i moved into our current home, we finally had a space where a sky chair could live.  i was surprised and deeply grateful when he gave me the sky chair as a gift.  his thoughtful offering has now become an amazing part of my everyday life.

although there are plenty of trees on the hill where i could have placed the sky chair, my wonderful friend miles built me a frame so that the chair could live on our deck and be used more easily every day.

in my chair, i love to:

* feel calm and at rest.

* meditate...sitting and swinging keeps me awake, alert, and relaxed.

* read while gently swaying in the breeze.

* take spontaneous naps.

* wrap myself in a warm blanket on a foggy morning with a cup of hot coffee.

* drape tapestries overhead in the summer to make shade, read, and sip iced tea.

* cuddle with my best friend's twin babies.

* gaze at my garden and at twinkly star-filled skies.

* engage in deep heartfelt conversations with my sweet love while my pup snoozes next to me.

the sky chair is my place of peace and one of my favorite spaces on earth.

xo

Where Wednesdays are    a  regular feature where I and a series of guest bloggers talk  about    places that are  important to us, be they work spaces, outdoor    spaces,    sleeping spaces,  places we visit, places we live, places  we  drink    coffee, etc. etc.

[do you want to talk about a place or space that's important  to you? let me know and I'll set you up with a Wednesday!]

where wednesday [andrea]

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Where Wednesdays are    a  regular feature where I and a series of guest bloggers talk  about    places that are  important to us, be they work spaces, outdoor  spaces,    sleeping spaces,  places we visit, places we live, places we  drink    coffee, etc. etc.

[do you want to talk about a place or space that's important  to you? let me know and I'll set you up with a Wednesday!]

[Where Wednesday this week features the stylish Andrea from Style Pie, a darling newish fashion and style blog you should definitely check out. Andrea always has a handful of creative and stylish projects up her sleeve. Oh, and she's my beautiful sister-in-law. Please welcome her to Sagebrush Coast!]

My Where Wednesday is a place I have always loved to play in, fill up, clean out, and put my morning creativity to the test: my closet. As a little girl, my basket of dress up clothes was a space I loved digging in for just the right combination of tulle and plastic high heels. The tulle may be long gone, but the thrill of finding just the right outfit for the day ahead fills my mornings.

My closet is a little place of refuge for me. I enjoy standing in front of my closet each morning seeing new possibilities in things I have worn a hundred times. Since I am a girl on a budget, finding those new possibilities makes it a little game testing my creativity with renewing the old. Some of my favorite items were found on sale or in a second-hand shop. Second-hand shops bring about the same feeling I get hunting through my closet, a place so full of possibility where I create the trend or style I want in that moment.

My favorite part of my closet is the jewelry collection hanging inside. I have always loved the look of solid colors and basic t-shirts paired with bold necklaces or large earrings. There is something about making a statement with jewelry that never gets old, pieces just waiting for that right occasion. Sometimes that occasion is buying groceries, but that’s what makes it fun!

I drool over the well-styled pages of Anthropologie and J. Crew when they arrive. I use those bursts of inspiration with my own closet by trying more prints, new textures, and bolder color combinations. My style is best described as bohemian chic. I am not afraid of a thousand layers as long as the fit is great and I look pulled together.

Thanks for having me! Maybe next time I will show you around my favorite street that also happens to have the best second-hand and vintage shops in Portland. xoxo, Andrea

flashback

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Stop what you're doing and get ready for a fabulous trip to parallel universes. Photographer Irina Werning's Back To the Future project takes old photos and recreates them with the same people...from wardrobe, to poses, to lighting.  It's a fun gallery to look through...check it out HERE.

It's hard to choose a favorite, but this one was the most hilarious:

Flashback bonus:

Today sfgirlbybay paired vintage+modern fashions in a great post HERE.

impatient

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Today I wanted to share a example of my impatience...my need for instant gratification. I had a great idea for a bracelet yesterday...

It's hemp twine with a faux pearl bead.  The bead is strung on what I call a fish braid (these look really pretty in long hair too...), surrounded by some loose strands of hemp.  Looks cool, right? 

Hemp is kinda bulky and I struggled for a while with how to finish off the bracelet. I considered different knots, beads, wraps, elastic...I thought it would be best to go to the bead store and see what clasps they had that might work.  BUT I couldn't wait that long...

I wanted my bracelet NOW. I knew I wouldn't get to the bead shop for days, weeks even.  So what you see here is a tangled mess of knots, loops, and extra strands wrapped around, covered in a gluey mess.  The glue is the white goo you see...it actually dries clear, but this was after I got out of the shower. Yeah. So this will stay on for a while, then on to something new...or maybe an improved version of the mess I made here.

I'll show you a cool piece of jewelry later this week that is distinctly NOT a mess. It's beautiful, even.  

Happy ♥ Day

friday five [chill]

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I usually go to the climbing gym on Friday evenings, but tonight I'm really looking forward to throwing on my cozy down slippers and having a chill Friday night at home.

Five things on my agenda as soon as I get off work?

1. get a latte on my way home [double tall soy cinnamon dolce]

2. work on some sort of crafty project [finish a jewelry project, organize my sock drawer (seriously)]

3. stretch and spend some time with a foam roller [feeling stiff & hunchbacked]

4. eat homemade chicken burritos and have a beer [oof, do we have tortillas?]

5. watch a movie [either Social Network or Dead Man Walking. Or yesterdays The Office]

book report [pride & prejudice and zombies]

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Silliness.  If you like both Jane Austen and Quentin Tarantino [think of Mr. Darcy meeting Uma Thurman in Kill Bill], you might have fun reading this. If you don't like blood, violence, and vomit...nor early 19th century Britain, this is not for you! I have to say, with all the books out these days playing off of 19th century authors (Jane Austen, the Brontes, Oscar Wilde...) this does stand out in creativity and execution (no pun intended). 

If anyone would like to read it, I'll send my copy to you...first to ask gets it :)

where wednesday [craftyMSP]

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Where Wednesdays are    a regular feature where I and a series of guest bloggers talk  about    places that are  important to us, be they work spaces, outdoor  spaces,  sleeping spaces,  places we visit, places we live, places we  drink  coffee, etc. etc.

[do you want to talk about a place or space that's important  to you? let me know and I'll set you up with a Wednesday!]

craftyMSP

[For today's Where Wednesday I'm excited to present Marie...aka CraftyMSP.  Marie was a fellow IndieBiz2.0 student last year and I immediately admired her quilts and crafts, built with great shape and color. Check out her crisp and refreshing guest post here, then head over to her BLOG to see what crafty-ness you can find. Do visit her ETSY shop...she's got some great embroidery art for Valentine's Day ♥]    

Even though I work during the day as a designer of buildings, my most  favorite places in the world aren’t usually the structures that I find  myself in. Instead, I’m drawn to the outdoors. To the magical places  that stop my breath, slow me down and remind me of the beauty of nature.  One of these natural locations is right in the backyard of my home town  - the greatest Great Lake of them all.

I grew up in a tiny town in Northeastern Minnesota and I always go back  to inhale the fresh air and get a glimpse of Lake Superior. And in my  opinion, the best view of this giant body of water in the winter is on  the ski hill – flying down the slopes in a winter wonderland.

So – fresh from the slopes (a most perfect day of skiing last weekend) –  here are some images from one of my favorite places.   

where wednesday [sam]

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Where Wednesdays are  a regular feature where I and a series of guest bloggers talk  about  places that are  important to us, be they work spaces, outdoor  spaces,  sleeping spaces,  places we visit, places we live, places we  drink  coffee, etc. etc.

[do you want to talk about a place or space that's important  to you? let me know and I'll set you up with a Wednesday!]

[This  week's Where Wednesday is from Sam, my awesome mama-in-law. I'm pretty darn lucky in the Mother In Law department because we get along great and have a great time hanging out together.  Among other things, Sam is a published scrapbooker & a savvy crafter...it's always fun to see what projects she's up to! Read about Sam's space below, then check out Sam's blog HERE  ]

Where Wednesday? A dozen places come to mind - pick one she asks? Knowing I can change my mind 5 minutes from now, I’ll go with my “all mine space” - my craft/scrapbook/computer studio. I’m Sam and to some known as ScrappySam, Sam’s Amusing World or Sam’Studio. My space is located on the top floor of my home with large windows overlooking the forest we live in on the side of a mountain. I’ve surrounded myself with a desk, a drafting table, a wall of counters, a bulletin board wall, a stuffed closet and family photos.

It’s quiet (except for the headphones I wear listening to the radio or tunes), it’s organized (well, at least I know where everything is or where it’s suppose to be), it’s filled with paper, pens, pencils, die cutting machines, a tall cabinet of die cut forms, buttons, ribbons & string, embellishments, rulers, stamps, inks, punches, glue pot, scissors and other paper cutting devices all within reach.  And my connection to the world - my computer.

If it’s a craft that requires paper - I’m on it. Scrapbooking pages, cards, altered book journals, origami boxes, notecards & more. Give me a photograph and it’ll become a scrapbook page. Give me a holiday and it’ll be a present or card. Give me a booth and it’ll be filled with paper products for sale. Give me an idea and I’ll run with it.

I’m an early riser and head to my space around 4:00 am. I usually know what I want to work on for the day and get started after checking my emails and my daily blog spot visits. Once I get my fingers in the glue pot, I get lost in design & ideas. Being creative is a must for me - to let the artist in me come out to play.  Getting the creative juices flowing is an euphoric sense of freedom. To get messy, try new things, make mistakes, and sometimes get it right. Except for my scrapbooking pages, I either sell or give my creations away. I share. I’ll invite others to come play - but, I admit I’ll hover like the mother I am, letting others play with my toys that I’ve collected for over 10 years.  I love playing in my craft studio - I come alive - I create - I let the artist in me come out to play.  And the best thing is knowing that at 4:00 am tomorrow morning I get to go play in my very own - all mine - crafty studio.