Equations and reveries

Spring weather + Driving + Listening to Iron and Wine = Waves of pleasant tumult in my heart.

"Resurrection Fern" by Iron and Wine

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Sometimes it is hard for me to express how I feel when something penetrates me in such a way I feel almost paralyzed. The music of Iron and Wine does this to me on a regular basis. With my own creativity waning, leaving me parched and dry, I often relate to and feel alive in the expressions of others. A while ago, I explained this in a somewhat similar manner. To paraphrase myself (assuming you clicked the link and read the blog entry there), it is like a sweet intoxication soothing and nurturing the abrasive fragments churning inside me. I never feel badly when this happens. It simply helps to polish the shards into smooth recognizable thoughts, sending me into serene reverie.

Hidden in plain sight

Yesterday while enjoying the warmth of the sun on my back, I came across a delightful book on our dining room bookshelf. This particular bookshelf is full of books belonging to my late grandparents. At first, I was amusing myself with an illustrated collection of History of The United States and American Heritage volumes dating from the 1950s - 1970s. As my eyes scanned the titles pertaining to the Revolution and a newly formed nation, something completely unrelated caught my eye:


Wouldn't you agree that this is the perfect title to find in these early days of Spring? I happily flipped through the pages, allowing myself to become more and more anxious for the world to be in bloom again. The few minutes I spent with this book helped me to identify some pretty little flowers whose names I had not previously known. I can foresee many mornings and afternoons spent studying the contents of this little treasure.

Outfit details: shirt - Forever 21, corduroys - thrifted

My teeth chattered rhythms

Clouds. Wind. Brr. / No clouds. Wind. Brr.

Cardigan: Old Navy, Dress: thrifted, Tights: gift, Shoes: H&M

My time spent outside yesterday was short in duration. The wind was furiously marking its territory, unkind to those venturing out for some fresh air and a photo session (hence the facial expressions). Upon returning inside, the beginnings of a poem began trickling to the forefront of my thoughts, but I haven't been able to fully develop it yet, resulting in my second unfinished poem this week. I am not particularly fond of abrupt creative disruptions.

On a different note, I feel that I will be living in this particular dress for most of Spring and Summer. I thrifted it about a month ago and after snipping out some shoulder pads it is all ready to go. I was amused to discover that my current favorite nail polish (Revlon Iced Spice, in case you were wondering) nearly matches a few of the colors in the dress. Unintentional, but still fun!

What are you looking forward to wearing most this upcoming Spring and Summer (or Autumn and Winter, if you're in the Southern Hemisphere)?

A letter. No postage necessary.

Dear Spring,
Welcome back! I was still asleep when you officially arrived at 7:44 AM, but let's not let that come between us. Your sun-filled afternoon has stirred rays of delightful warmth into my favorite cup of tea, sweetening each sip in ways sugar never could. The brook runs steadily, performing its melodic gurgles. As you see, I'm not putting away my winter boots just yet. I thought we might enjoy several outings in their company as well.

All my love,
Emily

I have been tagged by Ariella at Pearls In Your Hair.
Thank you, Ariella!

The rules are:
1. Respond and rework: answer the questions on your blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, add one more question of your own.
2. Tag other un-tagged people.

What is your current obsession?
Spring's impending arrival, Lady Grey tea

What are you wearing today?
A pretty polka-dot polo shirt with 3 heart shaped buttons, a white cardigan, comfy & worn-in skinny jeans, and my moccasinsDo you nap a lot?
Usually, yes!

Why is today special?
There were intervals of sunshine during the morning hours and the air is a mild temperature and smells of rain

What would you like to learn to do?
Ride a horse and sew

What's for dinner today?
Leftovers :)

What's the last thing you bought?
Gasoline for my car and an ice cream cone

What are you listening to right now?
Nothing in particular. There are various background noises throughout the house though.

What is your favorite weather?
Not too hot, not too cold, sunshine, a few clouds, and a light breeze -- perfect!

What is on your bedside table?
Alarm clock, photographs, a stack of books, a bamboo plant, an empty vase, and a few bottles of hand lotion

What's your style?
Casual and sweet with fun & pretty details

What is your most challenging goal right now?
Getting my life in order and finishing my BA. I suffer from "I-still-don't-know-what-I-want-to-do-with-myself" syndrome!

Say something about the person who tagged you:
Ariella radiates sweetness and elegance. Her blog posts are a pleasure to read and she has an eye for the prettiest clothes :)

If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?
The English countryside, coastal Maine, Nova Scotia, or Prince Edward Island

Favorite vacation spot?
Maine! www.visitmaine.com

Name the things you cannot live without:
My loving family, my dear friends, my freedom, my faith, and feelings of happiness

Name a memory from childhood that sticks out in your mind:
I did not dislike any of the questions, so I just reworked this one a bit.
One summer (I think I was 11 or 12) while vacationing in Cape Cod my friend and I stayed up late to watch a meteor shower. We sat on the beach atop a warm blanket and admired the sky - it was truly an extraordinary experience!

What person would you like to have in your hands right now?
I would love to hug some of my sweet, sweet friends whose company I do not get to enjoy as often as I would like

What would you like to get rid of?
My shyness. Sometimes I'm too reserved and miss out on things.

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
A serene, quiet beach

Which language do you want to learn?
Oh, more than one! Italian, French, and Polish just to name a few! I would also like to brush up on Spanish.

Which countries have you visited?
Greece, Italy, and the Vatican. I did have layovers in Germany and France - does that count?

Sunrise as seen from Frankfurt International Airport, Germany
February 2001

What are some of the things you like about where you live?
I do not live in the most exciting of places, but I do enjoy its quaint, country charm. I love the quiet country roads, coming across old stone walls in the woods and always having fresh air to breathe.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Happy ♥

I tag: Raquel, Lauren, Ana B. and Lexie.

Sweet tooth

I am not of Irish heritage. Truth is, I only wore green today because the local ice cream shop/convenient store chain around here was promoting single-scoop ice cream cones for 50 cents to those wearing green for St. Patrick's Day - meet my unleashed inner child! What flavor did I choose, you ask? Only my favorite - peanut butter pandemonium (vanilla ice cream with swirls of chocolate and peanut butter and itty bitty peanut butter cups). I even sweetened up my green cardigan with this deliciously beautiful vintage scarf my Mum found at a thrift shop.

Here Comes the Sun

I spy with my little eye a pair of red glasses! My mint green cardi looks almost white in the sunlight. Here's a more true-to-color photo.

Cardigan & shoes: Target, Skirt: Gap, Jacket: little girls department at Target
Bird brooch: vintage via eBay, Bracelets: borrowed from Mum

"Little darling I feel that ice is slowly melting, Little darling it seems like years since it's been clear, Here comes the sun, here comes the sun, It's all right, it's all right." Thank you Mr. George Harrison for such a sweet and cheerful little ditty!



I happily enjoyed another sunny, pre-Spring day. Everything just seems a little bit better when the sun is shining and its warmth can be felt all around. One of my dearest friends and I skipped around (not literally) to look for wedding shoes and take care of a few other errands. My feet ached by the end of the day, but the sun was still shining so I didn't mind in the least. I felt recharged with the sun on my face and clean, crisp breaths in my lungs. The slow crawl out of winter will soon be forgotten.

Watching movies at night helps lull me to sleep...

...and this is often my go-to film of choice. I never tire of Pride and Prejudice pleasantly compacted into 2hours and 9minutes, although I usually save the longer versions (my favorites!) for lazy afternoons.

photo source

Perhaps watching such a beautifully directed and visually stimulating film isn't the best idea when one is in a state of half-sleep!

Countdown to Spring

The mild, spring-like temperatures we've been enjoying this weekend have been a real treat. So refreshing! I cannot wait until our little corner of the Earth is in full bloom. I must not get over-anxious, though. It is still winter after all.

Cardigan: little girls department at Target
Romper: thrifted
T-shirt: H&M

This romper/dress is one of my most recent thrift store finds. While scanning the racks of dresses, I immediately grabbed this little garment hoping that it was my size. You see, I have no real sewing skills to speak of other than mending minor tears and fixing buttons, so altering a thrifted clothing item to my measurements is pretty much out of the question. Luckily, this piece is within a suitable size range for me. The slight excess of fabric in the leg area nearly masks the fact that this is not a dress. I was even fooled at first and didn't realize it until after trying it on. It's so comfortable and I love the purple floral print!

Luna

The evening comes quietly
accompanied by mild air.
Deep are my breaths
fixed are my stares
at the gentle light
cast by the moon
so far far up
and up
up
up.

Shirt: Urban Outfitters, Scarf: hand-me-down, Skirt: Levi's outlet, Tights & shoes: Target

"You remind me of..."

We all know that character costumes in movies serve as inspiration to our own sartorial choices. We "ooh" and "ahh" at gorgeous articles of clothing making inquiries as to where we can get a hold of them for ourselves; sometimes settling for the more practical knock-offs. Or we visualize our own wardrobes trying to figure out a way to recreate a certain outfit or look.

One ensemble that I've admired over the years is the simple costume that Jennifer Connelly wears as Sarah in Jim Henson's Labyrinth. Sure, it screams 1986 in almost every way, but it also exudes a classic and casual style, highlighted with flouncy and romantic details ideal of an imaginative girl smitten with fantasy stories. A white blouse, a great pair of jeans, and a pair of flats will always result in a feel good outfit however one chooses to style it. And why not top it off with a detailed vest, just for fun?

This scene has been one of my particular favorites:



Oh, David Bowie. This is by far the best song sequence in the film and must be shared whenever someone makes reference to Labyrinth:



EDIT: Erin just informed me that Who What Wear is currently channeling inspiration from Labyrinth! Thank you, Erin!

They say March comes in like a lion...

Weather-wise, we've been pounced upon by another winter storm. Health-wise, my immune system has given in to a beastly cold. I have just finished my fifth cup of tea, letting the hot liquid soothe my throat and the rising steam alleviate my nostrils. I'm contemplating another cup.

The snow and my sniffles have me thinking of a remedy all things warmth and comfort:

Tea being poured from this beautiful blue & white dove print tea-for-one set from Stash Tea. This is definitely going on my wish list.

Cozy cotton classic pajamas in "retro swank" from Pine Cone Hill.

Hearthside slippers from L.L. Bean, a.k.a. supreme happiness for your feet. You'll never want to take them off. I know I never want to. Besides it's the little things you do that help a cold run its course ;)