Love...

Changed to winter sheets. Weird I guess, but my mom does it and now so do I.

Love this room. Love this quilt. Love the 'I love you' heart from sis I see each night before bed. Love to linger in this bed in the morning with sis curled up next to me giggling. Love to fall asleep snuggled against Jon each night. Love the sound of rain outside this window. Love the pictures on my table of Jon and I @ graduation and the one of the kids in Venice walking with their arms around each other. Love my books. Love this room.

Don't love the cold floor.

Favorite Friday is Back with the Avett Brothers

Last night Jon and I went to the Avett Brothers with our good friends the Fugals. I had listened to their latest album online and loved it. Some of their music is really mellow and others pumped up and a little rowdy. The concert - so PUMPED full of energy and totally fun! These guys were amazing!! There were four performers on stage. There are two "true" Avett Brothers, but three men make up the actual group, the third being a bassist - who also plays guitar and sings. The fourth fellow on stage played the cello like I have NEVER before seen! Both brothers played the piano, drums and guitars - acoustic and base and one played the banjo as well. Also they both do vocals.  We were on the balcony above the stage left. I could not have asked for a better view. They were incredible. Pictures never capture the energy in a situation like this, nevertheless, here are a few to take a look at captured via my phone.

Check out the cellist. He was crazy amazing.

You can listen to their music on their website. They have full albums you can stream but not download. Check it out.

Project Month - Day 15 - Sweet Breads

Its just so cold. I finally broke down and switched on the furnace. (Our apartment has very high ceilings and therefore costs a small fortune to heat.) As the frugal gal that I am, I had vowed to keep it off until Halloween, but this cold spell means it isn't getting above 63 in here and even with a sweater and a fleece I am chilled.

Anyway days like today are made for baking. Everyone knows that. Plus, I consider a baking oven a supplemental heat source. So today I baked.

poppyseed bread with an orange almond glaze - 7 loaves

7 poppyseed + 6 pumpkin (4 of which were still baking at this point)

grand total = 13 loaves

All said, it was a very productive day. I gave one loaf away and we ate one of each of the others, so only ten made it to the freezer. Tomorrow is supposed to be another cold day, so I may venture into the world of sugar cookies. We'll see. I'm off to see the Avett Brothers in concert tonight. Should be great!

Project Month - Day 14 -Decorating

How is it October is more than halfway through already? How is it I am just now getting the Halloween decorations up? Yeah, life is like that sometimes.

I'm keeping this post short today and I'll let the pics speak for themselves. Pretty much, I love this holiday.  I love its spookiness and whimsy. I love the colors and the contrast.

Mostly, I love these pumpkins which I have had for something like ten years now. Sis had a good time getting them ready for Halloween this year.

Project Month - Day 13 - Sweater Weather

my "front closet"

I love this ritual that comes with the changing of the seasons. Today I celebrated the cold weather by clearing out the closets of warm weather clothes and replacing them with sweaters, scarves and knee high socks - which I am now wearing.

Coats were pulled out of the back closet and bins of thermals were unloaded into drawers. Good-bye strappy sandals, capri's  and cotton skirts. Hello warm hats - one of which I am also currently wearing, wool sweaters and loads of long sleeves. The winter gear got moved to the "front closet" and it is jam-packed!

Even the jammies and workout drawers got a makeover with UnderArmour gear (a Baltimore staple), various fleece goodies and running caps.

gloves, hats, scarves 

(FTR ~ it'll look like this for an hour or so and then byebye order, hello chaos. Can't say I don't try.)

It's like getting a whole new wardrobe without spending a penny. Plus, who doesn't love sweater weather?

My Beloved Reefs

my favorites - reefs

I couldn't do it. I have been telling myself for weeks that my perfectly comfortable, vibrant flip-flops would be up for retirement when this day came. But I just couldn't do it. Look at them. Okay, I realize they are a little on the grungy side and to some they look like they should have been ousted a long time ago. But in their defense (and mine) check out the toe grooves. They're perfect. They're a second skin. They've been with me for so long, I can hardly remember another pair of perfect flip-flops. Actually there was that pair my sister gave me - the blue ones I can't remember what brand - that I wore all over Italy, but were finally retired based on the inability to rid them of their smell. And then my beautiful green Merrills with the M on top(for Mishel) that fit so well the first time I tried them on I never wanted to take them off. I loved those shoes. Loved them! Whatever happened to them anyway?... So instead of getting tossed, my reefs went into shoe hibernation until next year when I will pull them out and wonder why I saved them all winter long until I put them back on my feet almost to hear my feet sigh and marvel at the fit and fall in love all over again. I don't know whether to say fortunately or unfortunately, but about that same time catalogs will begin to flood the house full of vibrant colorful things for summer and I will find another pair of reefs or merrills or whatevers that capture my heart and I will part with my beloved reefs and the love affair will start over with a whole new pair.