A "Hooray!" Day

There are a couple things that call for an extra-satisfying, celebratory breakfast today (Mom's homemade quiche and toast with goat cheese and jam, yum).  The first is that this beautiful woman had her birthday yesterday!  We did the best we could with texts, phone calls, and online chats, and we will celebrate together in person next week when I go out to Massachusetts for a few days during my vacation, which includes her wedding shower, because yes!  there is a wedding happening in September!  So, another birthday wish and xoxo to Trish this morning, and sips from the twin mug made in her honor :) The other thing is that I finally found a place to live in Lexington, where I'm starting grad school in just a few weeks, and I think I'm going to love it.  It's a garage converted into an apartment, encompasses two floors, and was built by a Swedish psychology professor.  It's all wood paneling, and as far as I can tell, will feel like living in a log cabin.  There is also a little pool in the backyard.  Woohoo!  Looking for an apartment is always stressful, and it's such a relief when something is settled.  I move and start and school in 3 weeks, eek.  Feeling nervous and excited.


ps:  By the way, do you ever get tired of looking at tiny apartments when you're trying to find a new place?  I scrolled through a million crappy craigslist ads and almost didn't even respond to the one I ended up taking because it didn't give much information.  The whole process made me keep thinking of this Tom Robbins quote:  "Priscilla lived in a studio apartment.  It was called a 'studio' apartment because art is supposed to be glamorous and landlords have a vested interest in making us believe that artists prefer to sleep in their workrooms.  Real artists almost never live in studio apartments.  There isn't enough space, and the light is all wrong.  Clerks live in studio apartments.  File clerks, shop clerks, law clerks, community college students, elderly widows, and unmarried waitresses."  Ha!  And graduate students.  

Ink and Wood 2

Wink wink*  Another doodle.  But this time during a spot of rain!

Cloudbirth

Today I past a group of Clouds

Bulging in late-term pregnancy.

They looked fit to burst

When - 

Their water broke.

And with Thunderous Groans,

           Lightning-

                             quick

  Contractions,

They birthed a storm.

An energy exhilarating and terrifying soaked the atmosphere,

  Until at last

The afterbirth rose up in steam,

And the Clouds gave a misty sigh,

Rustling the leaves below them.

The Storm reached out to its surroundings,

And the Land bloomed forth to embrace it.

Birthday Breakfast

Happy Happy Birthday to my best friend in the world!  Carolyn turned 24 today, and we celebrated with a great brunch on the porch, cocktails in the very late afternoon, and a festive dinner with lots of laughter and stories at night.  Food, family, and friends; what more could you need?  Well, we all gave her presents too, I guess :)

Ink and Wood

The heat wave that's been hitting us finally ended!  I worked outside almost every day during a week of average temperatures above 100 degrees.  I actually had a heat rash for a couple of days, which hasn't happened to me since I was about five years old.  Craziness. Attempts to stay cool included swimming, hitting the movie theater, eating black licorice ice cream, sleeping in the AC, and avoiding too many outdoor activities, which left time for indoor crafts.  During all that time of heat and NO rain, I started daydreaming about wild storms and adventures, and using paintbrush and ink to doodle away the hours :)

Miss you like the Moon would miss the Tide

Miss the woman with so much spirit that she finishes a half marathon looking like this!  My cousin.  Think about her all the time :)

At the Garden

 Here's a look at one of my summer jobs!  I am working in this amazing garden, clearing and being caretaker for big terraced beds that are currently overgrown.  It's a man's backyard that overlooks Lake Onalaska, where the bike trail and the train tracks run right nearby, and he doesn't have time to keep up with it all.  Breathing in the air and smell of plant life, and walking away covered in dirt and sweat - it's very mentally and physically satisfying.  The body is made for this kind of labor, you know?

Madison

I returned home to La Crosse this week after spending time in Madison at a Feldenkrais workshop and National Summer Cello Institute - programs that Uri and Hagit Vardi created and held several summers now.  If any musicians are reading this, you should definitely check out the workshop in the future.  The Feldenkrais portion is open to all instruments and is so amazing, and the NSCI has famous guest teachers that come give lessons, masterclasses, and seminars.  There is a really unique environment and community created in two weeks; everyone always says it's unlike any other summer program they've been to.  And Madison is a really special place to be in the summer - so beautiful, with much to see, eat, drink and explore.  There is a website for the program, although it's super outdated right now...but I heard rumors that someone was going to be giving it a makeover in the coming year, and it should look like it belongs in the current decade(!) and give clear information.  Anyway, Madison was amazing, as always, and I'm missing it a bit.  It was really nice to absorb so much new information at the workshop by day, and spend time with the lake and friends by night.  But it's good to be at home, too :)

Sipping and Stamping

Today was ideal weather for coffee-drinking and letter-writing outside, and a handful of envelopes were dropped in the post this afternoon :)  A tip for anyone visiting La Crosse:  Bean Juice has the best dry cappuccino around.  Seriously, check out that foam!

Playing Carpenter

You guys!  I built this bookshelf!  Yes, it is a simple design (ladder style), and yes, it is maybe a little over the top with the paint job...but I had an idea of what I wanted, and I started the project, and I finished it, and that is an awesome feeling.  The whole thing cost about $10.  I picked up some old boards, put on some paint, measured angles, drilled holes, put in screws, leaned it against the wall, and voila!  I'm still deciding exactly how to fill all the shelves.  It's part of my room redo (That wall color is new, too.).  Before and after pictures of the room will be shared...