wishfulfillment

be mine?

2012-02-14T20:06:00.000-08:00

for my GALentines.

2012-02-09T19:55:00.000-08:00

Hey darlings,

most weeks I can say that not much is going on (besides work) in the delta, but last week was WILD with birthday celebrations and social events. it was pretty fun to have a full dance card...and see so many people who aren't teachers and don't need/want/have to have my advice but just want to chat about life, books, the news, and upcoming events.

we did take time out of our busy schedules to watch 30 rock and parks and rec thursday night, and they were totally worth the time. PLUS, leslie knope inspired me to re-think valentine's day as GAL-entines day. ;) great, right?

i'm THE world's WORST at mailing things on time, plus we live an 1.8 hours away from any decent shopping spot, but if i could overcome these obstacles, these are the things i'd want to give my best gals.
gifties found here:pillow so they know how much they mean, cool umbrella pushpins, a pretty notebook to help us remember (we're getting old) elise mahan "together in the sky" print , or maybe some fun stripey straws

you say it's your birthday...

2012-01-28T04:58:00.000-08:00

i've said before that birthdays should be for moms and dads...they do ALL of the work and we just get to be born. now that i have friends who have become mothers or others who are in the final days of pregnancy, i think this at least 300 times as much as I did before.

i honor of the ones who made me exactly 29 years ago today, here's one of the first family photos from my first forty-eight hours in this world.

my parents have been JUST this loving and supportive every day of my entire life, so to have 29 years with these two folks has been the greatest birthday gift of my life. so, happy birthday to me...but most importantly, thank you mama and daddy.

happy weekend!

2012-01-07T09:30:00.000-08:00

happy weekend!

boone and i are spending this dreary saturday the perfect way. we're going to be inside vegging on 1st season law and order episodes, blogging at mess of greens, and sermon-writing and then heading out to see an old fave band of mine tonight. i hope your weekend is filled doing exactly what you want to do, as well. (or maybe filled with magic and fun, like this perfect photo from dara scully i stole from my friend's pintrest page)

let's get down(ton abbey)

2012-01-02T19:30:00.000-08:00

only 6 more days until a personal wish of mine is granted! the season 2 of Downton Abbey premieres on PBS Sunday and i've been waiting since last spring to see it. i can hardly stand it.

everything about the first season was so incredible...the clothes (and hats!) the characters, the time period (the hats!), the story, the setting...i was so aboserbed that i watched the entire season in one weekend. i loved this BBC miniseries MORE than the BBC's pride and prejudice, which is saying something since it had colin firth in it...and i don't think i'm the only one. twice recently i asked someone what they'd watched and liked recently and they gushed with me about DA for many, many minutes. if you haven't seen it, start watching it on netflix or pbs streaming right this minute (or if you're at work, the MINUTE you get home.) if you watch one episode a night and two on Saturday until Sunday when the new one premieres, you'll be 100% caught up. you'll thank me, i promise.

if you aren't convinced, here are a few stills, and a link to the website, to whet your appetite.

oh, did i mention that the hats are amazing?

of course i love the soap-opera-ish romances and the pot-boiling feuds between the sisters, the in-laws, and the servants, but some of my favorite pieces are the little period details and social and professional expectations of the world at that time since between the sinking of the titanic and beginning of World War I there was an incredible historical turning point. also, something about the society reminds me of earlier generations of southern families. i'm glad i don't live in those times, but i'm so intrigued...

also, if i'm preaching to the choir and you've already watched the show and are as excited as i am, take 2 minutes for the character quiz to find out your downton abbey doppelganger! the last season ended as world war one began, so i can't wait to find out where the writers pick up. let me know if you'll be watching so we can chat about it.

images from google

contemplation...

2012-01-01T05:39:00.000-08:00

“you do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. what you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith and hope.”
- thomas merton

what are you contemplating in the new year? i'm considering truly how to get healthy, make the best possible career switch, and putting down deep roots somewhere. i thought an apple a day's photo perfectly captured what it feels like to stare deeply into the future, and the unknown and be content. ;) happy happy happy new year!

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T14:41:00.000-08:00

boone and i are spending the new year in austin, tx with some of our dearest. when i think of nye, i think of sparkly clothes, champagne, and streamers, so we've not only packed our dancing shoes but also i'm thinking of packing my very own vintage champagne saucers because they feel SO old world and glamorous.

i hope YOUR new year's eve (and more importantly, your new year) is magical, glamorous, and filled with the ones you love.

creativity in the new year!

2011-12-30T07:11:00.000-08:00

hey friends, meet fashionary.

apparently it's a moleskin-esque notebook for the fashion-obsessed. not only does it come with sketches of many. many. many. kinds of tops/bottoms/acessories, BUT it has pre-printed figures to help you plan the outfits you want to wear. when i was an art teacher, we did a fashion unit...the hardest part was teaching students about figure proportions, but this takes all that uncertainty away.

love it. want it. in red.

cooking ahead...

2011-12-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

last year for new year's eve, our sweet friends from ATL came to visit the delta. to celebrate, we had a fo-real dinner party and then went to ground zero blues club for dancing and (just a teensy weensy) bit of drinking. NYDay we vegged out, watched football, and ate the lucky foods for the new year.

we'll be in austin ringing in 2012, but even though we'll be away from home, that doesn't mean i won't get to do a little new year's cooking.

champagne jello shots for NYE, anyone?

found this recipe on pintrest and definitely want to try it: Boil 1 cup of champagne and mix in flavorless jello then add an additional 1 and a half cups of champagne distribute into cups a viola you have champagne jello shots! (if you want them to stand on their own then just use less liquid...like 3/4 cup instead of 1 and a half)

and then black eyed pea hummus for good luck new year's day!

if time (and my hostess) permits, then we may even get some cabbage or turnip greens for money, and pork for progress. what are you cooking for the ny?

come have a mess of greens!

2011-12-27T20:26:00.000-08:00

hey friends....
i'm working on a new blog as a shrine to southern food and hospitality and wanted to share it with you... i'd love to know your favorite recipes or southern eateries so i can keep exploring, trying, and sharing!

it's still VERY MUCH in the works, and when work starts back things will be wild again, but the two things i do every single day is cook and eat, so i have a feeling this one might get updated more regularly...

xoxoxo

merry merry!

2011-12-25T11:00:00.000-08:00

heading to christmas morning church next door, then back home from grits and grillades with my family. i hope your day with your family is warm, joyful, and so, so happy.
found this lovely christmas image from kristybee on etsy

she's making a list (part deux)

2011-12-22T13:44:00.000-08:00

my list got longer before it got shorter, but the good news is that i'm on the downhill slope as we countdown to hosting our VERY FIRST big holiday.

~~design and order Christmas cards~~
~~get a tree~~
~~wrap presents~~
~~laundry~~
~~make stockings~~
~~make + deliver peanut butter balls~~
~~buy gifts for the work secret santa~~
~~mail Brett's family their gifts~~
~~decorate tree~~
~~CLEAN everything~~
~~- sweep~~
~~- mop~~
~~- vacuum~~
~~- dust~~
~~- clean out toilets and bathtubs~~

- ~~scrub the kitchen~~

~~- laundry~~

~~create arrangements for bookcases~~
~~plan menu for Christmas morning + Thursday night~~
~~- grocery shop~~
~~- make cheese grits~~

~~- make spinach cassarole~~

~~- marinate venison~~

get a new outfit for cocktail party/nye
~~finalize boone's present~~
~~finish wrapping gifts~~
address and mail Christmas cards

honestly, with all of this getting ready i've not really taken time to prepare myself for the spiritual side of this beautiful, joyful season. how are you preparations coming?

merry and bright!

2011-12-13T06:31:00.000-08:00

this is the christmas card i designed that I mentioned in yesterday's post ... i could hardly sleep last night because i wanted to share it with you! i know it's no award-winning minted design, but considering i used microsoft publisher (no adobe photoshop in this house!), free fonts, and got them printed on moo, i'm pretty pleased. We took the picuture last week when it snowed (in mississippi! in early december!) and the bayou looked really pretty. these light trees decorate the bayou and downtown, so we thought it'd be fun to take a picture around them. unfortunately, the snow and damp air got the best of my hair, but maybe no one will notice... ;)

anyway, merry merry!

she's making a list...

2011-12-12T21:34:00.000-08:00

did i tell you my folks are coming up to see us for Christmas? I know....hosting a holiday is a really grown-up thing to do, so we're feeling really excited about it and a little nervous about getting everything pulled together. i made a list and have been checking it twice (or thirty two) times a day to make sure i don't forget anything.
on the list since Sunday:

~~design and order Christmas cards~~
~~get a tree~~
~~wrap presents~~
~~laundry~~
~~make stockings~~
make peanut butter balls
buy gifts for the work secret santa
mail Brett's family their gifts
decorate tree
CLEAN everything
create arrangements for bookcases
plan menu for Christmas morning
get a new outfit for cocktail party/nye
finalize boone's present

i finally finished the Christmas cards today, and I LOVE them. ;) I figured out that I had publisher on our PCs and that I could use that to create a less homemade-y postcard than the "haaaay" one...so i did.
in fact, i placed our order with Moo only minutes ago while boone put all the lights on our REAL christmas tree. that's right, folks. we've got a real tree. sure, there are only 2 weeks until Christmas, and sure, we JUST got the tree, but you can bet we're going to enjoy the hell out of it from now until then. ;)

and last night i made 5 burlap stockings... one for my mom, one for my dad, one for boone, for me, and one for smidge.

;) they aren't the fanciest things, but I MADE them, so i'm feeling pretty awesome about it.

i only have about a zillion more things to make happen before now and next Thursday when my family comes, but i. am. relentless.

what do you have to do to get ready for the holidays?

well, hello Dolly....

2011-11-29T07:19:00.000-08:00

last week we drove through sevierville, tn (home of dolly parton) twice on our way to and from thanksgiving. it was exactly eight years ago last week that i fell in love with dolly while driving home for the holiday from college and happened upon the WSEV radio station that was only playing her music and a recently released album "Just because I'm a Woman." I'd always though of her as something of a hokey, down home joke, but when i truly listened to her lyrics, i knew she was speaking deep, powerful truths...specifically to me.

I thought of Dolly and made boone listen to that same album as we were sitting in traffic in knoxville.

not only is her music incredible, but her style is unmistakeable.

growing up in south mississippi, we had a saying "the bigger the hair, the closer to God." i guess some folks may have been joking about that, but not me. oh, no. since high school i've worked hard to have big, voluminous blonde hair. while all my friends were flat ironing their hair to pieces, i was using hot rollers (hot rollers in high school! in the year 2000!)

now i use a giant curling iron and velcro rollers to pump my hair up, but the concept is nearly identical. i have a feeling that it was dolly parton's early look (before "backwoods barbie" and all that surgery) with her flirty, fun personality that gave me the idea that this is what southern women could (and should) look and act like. (ie: they should be ferociously independent, truly smart and 'with it', able to make fun of themselves, care deeply about their appearance, and make men feel special and breathless.)

then, in college, when i learned that she donated entire libraries of books to children in her hometown and rescued injured bald eagles i realize that she truly was someone to be idolized.
and did i mention that she's for marriage equality? score ANOTHER ONE for Dolly. Yep, she once said, "Sure, why can’t they get married? They should suffer like the rest of us." ;)

i finally got to see her perform on my cousin's birthday a few years ago, and even though we were in the ABSOLUTE farthest rows away, she was still incredible..and so fun...and super sparkly...and her boobs looked enormous even from that great distance. ;)

anyway, when i meet another Dolly devotee (my friend Jon from Grad school and my coworker Sally to name two of the most important) i feel like we share an extra special bond because we know how truly incredible she is...we get it.

in fact, sally told me a few weeks ago that there's a new dolly movie coming out in January. I have NO IDEA about the plot, but i do know that i'll be buying a ticket for opening night and will try to introduce as many people as I can to the mountain angel.

Is there someone you love but no one else gets?

because he keeps asking...

2011-11-25T14:58:00.000-08:00

so, i mentioned last week that i'm not sure anymore that i want the shoes i've been saying i wanted for two years. apparently this foiled some christmas present plans to the max, so i thought i'd share a few ideas. ;) some are big, some are little, and honestly, i don't need anything but time with the ones i love.

for serious original artwork...maybe not this piece from anthropologie, but something amazing and one of a kind for our "art gallery" (the incredibly long hallway in our house)

beautiful letterpress personal calling cards...because boone has some and i'm jealous. or even just some new, traditional correspondence cards because i am O-U-T.

an amazing wear everywhere dress from boden, since i've been salivating over it since i saw it and it looks like it was MADE for my body.

or a softer than soft chambray shirt...because i had one that i wore into pieces and it's time for a replacement. the downside: boone and i could match.

or a teeny tiny delta necklace, to show my pride or an awesome monogram necklace from moon and lola (and because jewelry is always fun to get)

or a way to satisfy my karaoke craving at any moment and even in the comfort of our own home.

I've also been really wishing for a subscription to the HBR...nerdy? yes. still a super amazing read? oh yes.

thanksgiving traditions...

2011-11-21T06:49:00.000-08:00

i think i've told you before that boone's mom is a big tradition-maker and -keeper around the holidays. there's always the soup supper at Christmas, and the harris poll after thanksgiving dinner. there are always beignets christmas morning, and we always make peanut butter balls (buckeyes) together as a fam.

my side of our family, though isn't really big on the idea of "traditions" for the holidays. as a child, i tried to instigate an all-family macy's thanksgiving parade watching tradition, but that devolved into "biz turns on the TV to the parade but no one watches it because they're in the kitchen drinking bloody marys and cooking" tradition. ;) as an adult, it turns out that i like this "tradition" much better.

and although we don't call it a"tradition" we are ABSOLUTELY, FIERCELY loyal to the foods we eat each thanksgiving day. if you try to change the family cornbread dressing in ANY way, someone will DEFINITELY have a hissy fit. and oyster gravy, two kinds of cranberry sauce, my grandmother's yeast rolls, and the most amazing smoked turkey must be SOMEWHERE on the table, or someone's getting shanked (or anviled?).

we're going to be with boone's family this thanksgiving, and i'm planning on keeping my own personal holiday tradition of adding fordhook lima beans to the menu, and i'm really excited about the harris poll. I've been thinking though, now that we're all adults, maybe we can make our very own tradition of watching the parade with bloody mary's?

what thanksgiving traditions does your family religiously, ferociously keep? what ones do you want to add?

vintage photos of the macy's thanksgiving day parade from macy's, google, and life magazine.

hay, it's christmas card time...

2011-11-19T14:54:00.000-08:00

hey friends...

having the weekend off has given me time to get some MUCH NEEDED holiday planning done, including starting to design the christmas postcard (see here for year 1 and year 2).

but, the thing is, i need your help. unfort. we haven't taken many good photos of the two of us this year, and can't really come up with anything great to use. the ONLY idea we've got is this, taken from an autumn trip to a corn maze and hayride.

so, to help me, i need to know if you think these are funny, or if you think they're lame. it's been a creativity-lite year so i really can't tell.
cast your votes below. (honestly, we may have other options after thanksgiving, but right now, this is all we've got. therefore, my dears, if it's only sort of lame, we may still send it, but if it's terrible and super lame, well, then, we'll do some serious re-thinking). THANK YOU, sweet friends.

happy happy happy weekend!

2011-11-19T08:06:00.000-08:00

this is our first real weekend to relax in a long, long time...AND we're taking the entire week off to celebrate the holiday. i hope your weekend and your thanksgiving is as full of joy as this sweet photo...

love,

biz

it's time to play the music...it's time to light the lights...

2011-11-17T20:29:00.000-08:00

i'm excited times a billion.

almost everyone i know is up in arms about the twilight movie that comes out this week, but i can't stop thinking about amy adams, jason segel, and THE MUPPETS--three HUGE crushes I've had for some time now because they seem so good natured, honestly nice, and truly funny... and they're ALL in one place. Enchanted and I Love You, Man were two of the movies where I've laughed the most AND laughed the hardest in years. I mean, they were so sincerely, sweetly funny, and were like the only comedies that weren't even a little bit ironic, mean spirited, vulgar, awkward, or sarcastic.... and if this movie has those main characters AND adds in kermit the frog, how can it be bad?

honestly, i can hardly stand it. who else is with me? if you're not sure, watch this trailer (or this even better trailer) and try not to squeal with glee.

ava wrestles the alligator.

2011-11-14T05:27:00.000-08:00

I'm in a few book clubs these days...one helps me make sure that I connect with some girls i LOVE at least once a month and talking about books and also life (although we have to meet using google+ and conference calls), and the other ensures that I'm reading books I wouldn't have otherwise read. case in point from bookclub #1: Swamplandia! by Karen Russell. it was beautiful, poignant, and so, so suspenseful (although it is certainly NOT a thriller). Imagine a story about Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird set in the 1990s Florida Everglades written by someone who thinks like Salman Rushdie. awesome, right?

I won't give you the gory details here or share my own review, BUT here are some places to go to read more... and some really lovely visual representations of the subject and characters. pick it up if you want something to read on the plane home or while sitting around the fire this holiday season.

from the NYT

found here.

found here

the actual cover of swamplandia!

a tree house for grown ups!

2011-11-10T15:54:00.001-08:00

oh my...

did you see the NYT article "A treehouse grows in Brooklyn" yesterday? FIrst of all, I wrote my college essays about the book... what a classic. And secondly, if you didn't read the article....you MUST. right now. for $400 and lots of scavenging, this burgeoning interior designer created the MOST PERFECT hideaway complete with oriental rugs, french doors, and a rocking chair.

also, since last week's Modern Family (the treehouse episode") I've been thinking about how it would be SO MUCH FUN to have a special outdoor spot for reading, drinking wine, and pretending to be a kid...but I guess that's what a screened in porch is for. what kind of hideaway would you want to build?

books on wheels...

2011-11-09T19:12:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking a ton lately about ways to work around the transportation issue that after school programs in the Delta face. a whole new fleet of awesome book mobiles could be just the kind of solution kids and families need to help them stay connected...

anyway, i thought it might be fun to look at the book mobiles have evolved and where they are now. who wants to help me make this happen

gift guide: the woman who who taught me about champagne tastes (and how to manage them on a beer budget)

2011-11-06T15:51:00.000-08:00

I know it may seem a little early for gift guides, but honestly, my life is so crazy I've GOT to plan these important things really far in advance. if you're with me, say amen. :) anyway, here are my thoughts for what i'd like to get my beautiful, special, so important mama this year...

the perfect wallet in the perfect color... because she's warm, firey, and crazy organized.

and a lifetime supply of her favorite lipstick color to match (even though I've been anti-orange flip a LONG time) :)

a heavenly feeling (and looking) cotton nightgown and cotton robe since they are SO hard to find. I mean, who wants fleece in a warm Mississippi winter? no one.

and maybe a snuggly and chic pair of slipper socks from jcrew to go with that nightgown

and a cotton license plate so she can show her Mississippi pride... (plus she keeps saying she wants one)

a subscription to a super useful, super delicious recipe magazine, because she and my dad love to cook together, but she's the comfort-food kind of mom.

or maybe some quirky but functional things to jazz up her workspace (since now she's a famous calligrapher)

or a surprise trip to her favorite restaurant (Galatoire's in New Orleans) for lunch...or dinner...or both. it makes her remember her dad, and is the penultimate spot for a celebration with sizzle.

gift guide.... the man who takes care of me, protects me,

2011-11-01T11:15:00.000-07:00

a harmonica and some lessons with a pro...because we live in the land of the blues, and he regrets quitting piano...

A pair of snazzy shades... because he can't wear his glasses ALL the time..

a new notebook for his ideas, since his moleskins all look the same and don't really fit into his back pocket very well..

new sneakers from JCrew and New Balance...because his are FALLING APART and he started drooling when he saw these...

a moustache and beard comb...so his facial hair can look as spiffy as the rest of him..

a portable basketball hoop...because we may not stay here forever, but he needs some b-ball in his life.

a canoe, so we can navigate the Mississippi together, and a fab, manly book about the great river's history (boone LOVES history)

capturing the delta...

2011-10-30T16:42:00.000-07:00

So, this year I get to work with NINE art, music, and dance teachers around the Delta (plus a host of other kinds of teachers)... but as a former art teacher, and as a super duper advocate for arts in schools this is a particularly heavenly assignment. see, when people think of my home, people IMMEDIATELY can conjure our musical and literary legacy, but rarely can they name even ONE visual artist. since both my mom is fantastically creative and talented with the oil paint, the ink pen, the potter's wheel, and the pencil, i hate that people don't look to MS for burgeoning artistic talent.

I'm not going to bore you with gory details, but here are four of my favorite visual artists who live, (or have lived) work, or create in the Delta. (and by favorite i mean, "would be INCREDIBLY excited to have a piece in my home" Two are pretty well known, two are smaller-time, but all are fantastic. PS: I don't mention my mom here-Holland Wilson- because her art already graces our walls. but she's probably my most favorite.)

Here we go...

Maude Schuler Clay: Sumner, MS

Alison Furr-Lawyer: Jackson, MS (ok, not technically Delta)

William Dunlap, Tupelo, MS (also NOT the Delta, but he paints the Delta A LOT)

Bradley Gordon: Clarksdale and Oxford, MS

has your appetite been whetted sufficiently? Go here to learn more about MS artists of all stripes

design and schools (two great loves of mine)

2011-10-21T14:39:00.000-07:00

what schools can look like....

see more here!

no apologies, and something new!

2011-10-16T11:44:00.000-07:00

aren't these colors so lovely? I know grey, greens, and browns are all the nail polish rage this fall, but I just can't bring mylsef topaint my nails any color that isn't somewhat flesh and blood colored. colors like tea with the queen, the full monty, and tramp stamp make me excited to get a pedicure. well, that and the massage chair.

find more here.

midnight special...

2011-06-05T20:18:00.000-07:00

this feels like an odd post to follow the one about baby alice...but seeing these photos this week in oxford american by an accidental-documentarian "the polaroid kidd" recently lit a little fire in my belly (or maybe it re-lit it).

all my life i've wanted to jump a train and live like a gypsy, and when i lived in the delta the first time and freight trains full of soybeans or cotton drove past my house not 100 yards away at least 3 times a day, it was all i could do not to call a friend and ask him to get ready to pick me up whereever i could get off. something about the freedom of not having control over where i would land or when i could stop seemed so incredible...

but i never did it. not once in the eleven months.

now we live a block from a freight train line again, and after seeing these photos i'm feeling a rekindling of the dream. its not that this seems glamorous, or even super fun*...but it seems so real...and the freedom! there are just things that need to be done, and if i don't do it now, i probably never will.

are there things you dream of doing?

* i know that this lifestyle isn't always a choice people get to make for themselves, so it's probably "freeing" when you get to choose it from a place a privilege, but even so, i'd like to experience it at least once.

new worlds...

2011-06-03T09:03:00.000-07:00

although my world right now is all about delta students, new teachers, building relationships, and our vegetable garden... over in atlanta, a close friend's world has just been altered irrevocably in an incredible way.

on tuesday anne gave birth to little, beautiful alice.

she and her honey blog here, which is where i stole these two photos. honestly, i didn't think i'd ever, EVER miss atlanta when we left, until my dear friend esta had twins. then all i could think about was how much i want to know the little ones in these super formative times, and how i'm missing parts of their lives (and will most likely miss more since atlanta probably won't be our home ever again.) and now, instead of holding this precious little one, i have to be satisfied with seeing her grow on the interweb.

with that said, THANK GOODNESS for the internet...otherwise i'd have to wait WEEKS to see alice's sweet smile.

anyway, all this is to say that i'm OVERJOYED for anne and her honey..but a little sad that i'm not there to help support and celebrate them right now. but mostly overjoyed that new life has been brought into the world and that two wonderful parents are here to nurture it!

on that note, do you live away from dear friends? how do you stay connected?

love is in the air!

2011-05-18T08:45:00.000-07:00

here's something i ran across on a friend's gmail that she found at huffingtonpost to make your day... an original, super sweet proposal.

(if you're a crier, grab some tissues before you click on the link!)

rolling in the...

2011-05-16T20:13:00.000-07:00

so, the flood is still happening... we're safe, though. thanks for all of your prayers! Two dear friends are coming to visit this weekend and if they're interested I think we'll head to a music festival/fundraiser for Tunica cutoff (a place REALLY affected by the flooding and sand boils) Saturday. If you want to come with us, let me know.

on another not completely unrelated note, I can't get adele's "rolling in the deep" out of my head. (the mississippi is deep..and definitely rolling these days). anyway, i drive to work singing it. i fall asleep singing it. i cook dinner singing it. i listen to other songs on my ipod and sing it.

this is worse than my dolly parton/kenny rogers "islands in the stream" fixation about a month ago. (that was so bad it almost ruined my marriage. seriously. ask boone.)

anyway, although i'm sure i'm WAY behind the times here, i had no idea what she looked like, but i did a google search the other day and was inspired that this woman with a golden voice wasn't a stick figure with no soul. instead...she's a soft, full figured, lovely lady with similarly silky voice. which means....

new. style. crush.

it's especially exciting because i've been feeling (and looking) softer and curvier every month we live in MS. i've been pretty unhappy about it, but now: 1) I feel confident that one can be curvy and still sexy and 2) I ordered the zumba videos so I can take control of my own body again. :)

the hog coming down the snake...

2011-05-10T07:11:00.000-07:00

it's been a really busy few weeks, folks. we went up to NC to see boone's family for Easter, Boone started his new job (!), i've been wrapping up the year with my teachers, and then we went BACK to NC for a wedding last weekend. on top of these things we adopted a stray kitten and have been wringing our hands about the mississippi river and all it's tributaries that have been and will be flooding for the next month or two.

on the news this morning the today show talked about the flooding in cairo, talked a little about memphis, then jumped straight down to baton rouge and new orleans, completely skipping over tunica, greenville/lake village, and vicksburg, all of which will likely be hit hard by the flooding. just like in 1927 and 1937.

we're going to be safe, i think...although IF (big if) the yazoo river levee's breached, we may be in some trouble. like, serious trouble. maybe i'm putting too much faith in the levee board, but i believe them when they say that things are looking ok on the eastern side of the delta. the cassidy bayou in front of our house looks full, but not it's flooding, so i don't think we need to evacuate.

but what about all the people with homes and jobs and lives even closer to the river? they're DEFINITELY going to be affected...plus the economic impact of this flood will likely further cripple mississippi, and none of the national news people are even talking about it.... none but NPR and the NYT. bless you for taking the threat to the mississippi delta seriously, public radio and hoity toity newspapers.

how are things actually going for the delta?

The most accurate and up to date information i could find was at the delta council's website. friends, as of yesterday it didn't look good. memphis is cresting, but even that amount of water is more than will reach greenville and vicksburg. Our eloquent governor called the waters, "the hog coming down the snake" which, although oddly worded, is a pretty accurate piece of imagery. what about rosedale? friar's point? rolling fork? and the other teeny little towns that touch the levee?

if you love the delta like i do, cross your fingers, say your prayers, and get ready to support the Red Cross as the waters rise over the next few weeks. i think we'll ultimately still have a mississippi delta at the end of all of this, but lots of families close to the river are in trouble, and they'll need lots of help.

i thought you might want to see some photos from the 1927 flood in the delta, just to help you picture the worst case scenario. we're hoping for the BEST case scenario, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared.

all my love... and please keep the delta in your thoughts. and if you want to know more about the earlier floods, read rising tide.

ding dong the bells are gonna chime!

2011-04-28T20:49:00.000-07:00

what are you doing this weekend, friends?

i think we're going to beale street to hear the avett bros and wilco...or maybe we'll play in oxford or dig in the garden. what we WON'T be doing is watching the royal wedding. sure, i'll sneak a few peaks from CNN, just to see what they're wearing (but boone'll give me hell if he catches me)

...if these pictures are any indication, there will DEFINITELY be a hat involved.

well, regardless, it's their day, and i hope it's a wonderful one (for them AND you...whatever your weekend plans may be!)

photos from google.

you say tomato and I say delicious.

2011-04-27T09:28:00.000-07:00

a few weeks ago we planted our very first vegtable garden with eggplant, zuccini, squash, corn, beets, and green peppers (about the same size as the one below). everything but the peppers came from seeds... let me tell you....i've been just like a new mother to my little bitty plants, babying them and handwringing about the sun and their little roots.

I hadn't realized how proud i'd feel about our little garden and how excited i'd get when i saw that little plants were actually growing out there! with actual leaves and stems! and they look healthy! or how much fun i'd have getting my hands all dirty. crazy. maybe i have something in common with our founding fathers.;)

around the same time we planted the other vegetables, we planted some tomato seeds inside the house in little containters... i've been EXTRA-nurturey of those little guys. probably because they're not your run-of-the-mill lowe's or walmart tomatoes. no sir....we planted heirloom tomatoes. (find more out here.)

After last summer's oxford and taylor farmers' market experiences i wanted more, but i was pretty sure the delta wouldn't be an easy place to find more...purple, bumpy, bright yellow or striped, the novelty wasn't lost on me. then i read about buying seeds in martha, found some locally, and the rest is history.

so far they're only teeny little green plants with two leaves at the top, but soon they'll be big enough to plant in the garden and we'll have extra special, homegrown tomatoes all summer long. i can hardly stand it, so i started looking up pictures of my future fruit...

if you come visit i'll share them with you!

photos from thekitchn, tomatofest, and slowfoodreno.

such a special day...

2011-04-12T20:13:00.000-07:00

in december i was honored to at officiate one of my dearest friend's wedding (or really, two of my dearest friends' wedding.) she posted some photos of the ceremony and reception last week and i've had the most fun remembering all the love and care she put into every detail... and it's been special to remember how incredibly humbling and electrifying it is to share in the blessing of a couple's decision to spend their lives together. i know that it wasn't me doing the blessing, but i got to be the vehicle. how incredible is that?

anyway, the photos are lovely...you should check them out here.

winner, winner, chicken dinner!

2011-04-10T14:25:00.000-07:00

Jen, congratulations! you're the winner of it takes two. shoot me a quick email with your address and i'll send it ASAP!

it takes two...

2011-04-03T18:42:00.000-07:00

some coworker-friends and i are in a "super secret mix tape club" which isn't really secret and involves making mix cds, not mix tapes, but eh... semantics.

we make a mix once a month and pass them out to the other 3 in the group (it was 5 people total for a while, but apparently the 5th didn't really have time to devote to the hobby). ANYWAY, this month my mix is a compilation of my most favorite duets and two-person harmonies... here's a little visual taste for you..

tammi terrell and marvin gaye singing "if I could build my whole world around you"

stevie nicks and don henley (of fleetwood mac and the eagles) singing "leather and lace"

rodrigo y gabriela playing "hanuman"

she and him "why do you let me stay here?"

kenny rogers and dolly parton (sigh...) singing "islands in the stream"

gram parsons and emmylou harris duet "love hurts"

the avett brothers singing and playing "november blue"

lucinda williams and elvis costello on "there's a story in your voice"

some of these folks sang together ALL the time..and others just connected for one incredible duet. if you leave me a comment with YOUR favorite duet, and I choose your number on Friday, YOU can have a copy of this mix.

you know you want it.

happy birthday boone.

2011-03-15T01:39:00.000-07:00

To love is not to possess,
To own or imprison,
Nor to lose one’s self in another.
Love is to join and separate,
To walk alone and together,
To find a laughing freedom
That lonely isolation does not permit.
It is finally to be able
To be who we really are
No longer clinging in childish dependency
Nor docilely living separate lives in silence,
It is to be perfectly one’s self
And perfectly joined in permanent commitment
To another–and to one’s inner self.
Love only endures when it moves like waves,
Receding and returning gently or passionately,
Or moving lovingly like the tide
In the moon’s own predictable harmony,
Because finally, despite a child’s scars
Or an adult’s deepest wounds,
They are openly free to be
Who they really are–and always secretly were,
In the very core of their being
Where true and lasting love can alone abide.

- James Kavanaugh

going daffy...

2011-03-13T07:56:00.000-07:00

our little town LOVES daffodils...right now they're blooming all along the bayou and at the turn you make to come into town. last week i picked a few and couldn't believe how many different kinds were blooming....i really thought that there were two kinds...white with yellow centers, and yellow with yellow centers. wrong!

they're my favorite signs of the coming springtime...it turns out that I DO NOT have a knack for arranging flowers, (ask anyone who's seen my previous attempts) BUT this time, I think like my own arrangement better than this one

too bad i have to leave the warm, spring-ish weather for detroit, michigan this afternoon.... i hear it's 20 degrees there right now. hmpf.

love hurts...

2011-03-02T20:07:00.000-08:00

five years ago i was working as a high school art teacher and i got a wild idea to dye my incredibly long and naturally blonde hair jet black. now i realize it was a desperate attempt to emulate my idol, emmylou.

it's that she's always confident and refined, while still seeming easy going and natural. her voice is clear and authentic, and her harmonies make every song sound better. plus, a woman with a guitar is so unmistakably cool.

before i married boone and got the new last name of Harris, i'd had grand plans to name a future daughter emmaline louisa and call her emmylou.

emmylou wilson, sure. emmylou vanderzanden, perfect! but two emmylou harrises in the world might be one too many. ;) i still love her though.

who are your famous crushes?

brainstorming boone's birthday..

2011-03-01T18:52:00.000-08:00

cake.

i really get excited every march to make boone's birthday cake...i really love baking for his birthday since time in the kitchen= love. anyway, it's the one time i feel totally justified going ALL OUT and spending hours and racking up a pretty significant grocery bill buying ingredients for a baking endeavor. the first year we dated i made him an icebox cake with chocolate wafers and whipped cream, and last year i made smitten kitchen's chocolate peanut butter cake that was a huge ordeal but SO, SO worth it.

this year I want to top that. boone's favorite flavors are chocolate, peanut butter, ice cream, and caramel. here are my thoughts thus far...

1. chocolate stout cake from smitten kitchen

2. a sweet and salty caramel cake from baked.

3. an oatmeal chocolate chip cake from bake or break...

4. ina garten's black and white angel food cake...

5. or a coconut cake (but mostly this would be more for me and because it's beautiful and less for the birthday boy.) enjoy the photo because I probably won't make it this time.

what kind of cake would you make for your lover's birthday? can you think of a great recipe (with chocolate/caramel/peanut butter) i could make for boone?

springtime sno....

2011-02-24T09:08:00.000-08:00

last weekend the delta had a break in the dreary, bleak skies and had two and a half days of sunshine. there's no way I could have anticipated how positively a little vitamin D would have on my mood...my outlook...my personality. i was more optimistic, more energetic, and just generally more fun to be around.
maybe this had something to do with the fact that we went on walks by the bayou, played yard games with friends by a lake, and drove with the windows down...but no matter.

this week has been pretty dreary, by contrast, BUT the sunshine of the weekend was just enough to tell me that spring IS on it's way. (that and the fact that the daffodils have started blooming in the yard!)
then i got an email from my friend anne today. anne lives in atlanta and reminded me of the fun we used to have in the summer walking from my teeny apartment in the highlands to the orlegian snocone stand on ponce that was only open one day a week for a few hours. in fact, i walked there so many times only to find it was closed..which ruined my day. what made her think of it was today's scoutmob deal (atlanta's answer to the groupon).

apparently in atlanta there's a place where you can get snocones ALL year long! inside a building! with air conditioning!

in the 'sip new orleans style snocone stands don't start appearing until after spring break or Easter and last until Labor Day. and even then you have to stand out in the hot sun waiting for someone to take your order. this revelation made my mouth water and made me looooong for spring even more. thank goodness it's on it's way.

what makes you excited for the beginning of spring?

mardi gras! (a little early)

2011-02-02T19:38:00.000-08:00

my WHOLE life (well..my whole adolescent life) i had mardi gras themed birthday parties. last year, i went all out and made a king-cake from scratch, and so this year i thought i'd bring back the old b-day tradition JUST SO i could make a kind cake. ridiculous? yes. fun for me? yes. with this in mind, THIS WEEKEND we're throwing a big b-day mardi gras soiree at our house, complete with king cake, beads, gumbo, red beans and rice, and hurricanes (plus wii karaoke and a bonfire) jealous? well, don't be! you're invited! as long as you dress like this:

we're starting to cook tommorrow...and i decorated monday night. when was the last time you had a themed party? what kind of party would you have?

images from imgspark.

and the winner is...

2011-01-31T17:44:00.000-08:00

laura!

congratulations...if you'll email me @ wilsonec@gmail.com your address i'll get transitions and transformations in the mail to you ASAP!

the perfect color... ?

2011-01-30T16:18:00.000-08:00

so there's been some buzz among my most fashionable work colleagues that this season's jcrew models' lipstick is TO DIE FOR. i absolutely love the way jcrew styles things...and noticed the super bright red-orange when i opened up the catalog, but i'm not really into lipstick with tons of color. (i'd love to wear red-red, but i haven't found the right one yet). anyway, since at least 3 women i know are obsessed with the color, i figured there are more of you out there...

so, what IS the most perfect color and fashionable color lipstick this season?the color that goes well with nudes, with jeans, with military green, AND bright orange?

are you ready?

here it is! NARS heat wave.

it really is beautiful... do you think i could pull it off (or could you?)

images from jcrew , the electric, and admiral and tea,
and color from hb

golden birthday.

2011-01-28T16:42:00.000-08:00

well y'all....i turned 28 today. :)as an official, for-real, no-way-around-it adult, i have to say that i still REALLY love birthday cake (just like i did when i was 2) and apparently never outgrew the ridiculously high ponytail phase (wearing my hair this way, as i type). anyway, boone has made the day really special and been extra sweet to me and my coworkers made funfettie cupcakes...my favorite, and we're heading down south to see my folks right now so I can celebrate with the ones who made me.

what all this tells me that if the rest of my 28th year is like today, it's going to be a pretty good one. hope you have a birthday that makes you feel as special as i do right now. :)

see you on monday when i post the winner of the mix giveaway! it's not too late to enter!

new year, new mix...

2011-01-25T11:20:00.000-08:00

oh no!

y'all, i made the MOST AWESOME new year mix (CD) EVER and i forgot to post the contest! well, it's never too late and January isn't over yet... ;)

leave a comment with a song that helps you start fresh (or a song that helps you manage change) and your email address and i'll post the randomly chosen winner of transitions and transformations monday!

romantic (and historic) getaway...

2011-01-24T12:26:00.000-08:00

my mom brought an old martha stewart mag last week when she came to visit and there were these great photos from historic deerfield, ma. it's apparently this incredibly old community (several houses are from the early 1700s!) after seeing them and doing a little more research about fun things to do, i'm dying to visit. the homes are soooo beautiful...

and the doors to the houses are amazing...they're almost the best part! can't you imagine nathaniel hawthorne walking out of one of these and strolling down the street?

find more here.

a little koolickle...

2011-01-23T13:42:00.000-08:00

i told you i'd share more about my folks' visit last weekend but it's been so crazy i've hardly had time to breathe, much less blog...
anyway, probably the highlight of the weekend was when we went fun driving around these teeny delta towns looking for local potter's studios, antique stores, and delicious regional delicacies.

all the pottery studios were closed, but we did find a delicious new restaurant by the ms river and i introduced everyone to the "koolickle." it's a pickle steeped in kool-aid until it turns a bright color and tastes like a combination of dill and grape (or dill and cherry). when i first moved to the delta as a teacher 5 years ago, my friends and i were welcomed with little sandwich bags of koolickles... and then a year later, john edge wrote a story about them in the NYT. anyway, it seemed only fitting that while on a delta adventure everyone try a famous delta treat. so they did...

boone HATED it..but he also thinks dill pickles are the most disgusting things in the world, so i should have expected it. my parents said they were "interesting" and "really unique." i don't think that means they want another one anytime soon, but at least now they can say they tried one!

i took the photos above of my dad in the Great River Road state park, but here's a photo from the professionals...

art is life.

2011-01-16T19:01:00.000-08:00

my wonderful, wonderful parents came to visit us this weekend and brought a BEAUTIFUL book of giorgio morandi's work that a neighbor sent to me.

i can't stop looking at all of his natura morta (still life paintings) the colors are perfect...so clean and simple. so full of light. and i'm as obsessed as he was with this odd shaped vase. isn't the texture perfect?

if you haven't ever heard of him, look him up! he's often described as italy's greatest still life painter...i can see why! doesn't it remind you a bit of a simpler, softer, neutral cezanne?

the new book was only a teeeeeny bit of my parents' visit, so stay tuned for a better recap soon!

the blanket of snow...

2011-01-10T20:19:00.000-08:00

the delta got 6 inches of snow last night...which made the landscape so beautiful this morning. it looked like everything was covered in this smooth white blanket. in fact, neko (the cat who rooms with us sometimes) stepped out of the door and pounced on the snow just like she does on the bed when our toes move under our white down comforter.

this isn't my photo, but i took a few when boone and i went for a walk around the town. as we walked, i remembered a retreat we went on together (getting trained for a summer job) just after we'd declared our mutual affection but just before we'd actually been on a date.

that day, we walked around in the snow and through a labyrinth on this amazing methodist retreat campus outside of atlanta and learned about each other. i was DYING to snuggle up to him and hold his hand, but we hadn't even been on a DATE yet so i tried to play it cool. it was really comforting to get to walk with him last night as the flakes fell and nestle under his arm as much as i wanted. ;) the joys of having a life-long partner, i guess!

did it snow where you were this weekend?

new year's style crush...helena bonham carter.

2011-01-03T18:30:00.000-08:00

isn't she the coolest? i know. it's either the curly hair, the wild outfits, or the cigarettes. in the new year i'm going to try to take my coolness to this level (never going to happen, but a girl can dream). who's your style crush this year?

to 2011!

2011-01-02T15:00:00.000-08:00

happy new year! we've been celebrating it with our wonderful, sweet friends from atlanta. we danced the night away friday night and yesterday i made sure we all ate blackeyed peas, pork, and cabbage for good fortune in the new year. plus we watched all the football in the world (or all i could stand)... it was such a perfect weekend and has put 2011 off to a great start. how did you celebrate NYE?

did you get a new year's kiss?

2010-12-31T02:04:00.000-08:00

i hope so. :) hope 2011 is a lovely year for you!

merry and bright!

2010-12-24T08:57:00.000-08:00

we're home safe and sound with my parents...the christmas tree is up, we went to the best christmas party in the southeast, we've been singing carols, and we've been cooking and wrapping presents frantically. it's wonderful! another christmas tradition at our house is to have a family meltdown, complete with tears and hugs all around. (we can check this off of our christmas list, too. hooray.)

because i'm trying to spend every moment i can in the real world with my parents and boone (and i bet you are doing the same with your fam), there's not much time for a post today...but here are a few super fun christmas links as a gift to you!

you and the little ones can track santa on his travels!

the ipad can make christmas even more festive?

my favorite tv chefs share their favorite holiday recipes and they look GOOD.

i wouldn't mind spending christmas day in paris..

extreme santas. really, really extreme (this one's basically from my hometown!)

my fav tv show does a christmas episode..

getting carded....

2010-12-19T08:52:00.000-08:00

hey darlings!
all my teachers have the holidays off, so things slowed down for me a bit friday which gave boone and me enough time to wrap presents, make peanut butter balls (his mom's special Christmas treat) and mail Christmas cards. i designed/ordered them ages ago and i've been dying to show them off, but felt like i couldn't before we mailed them out. now that they're in the hands of the U.S. Postal service i'm ready to share them (of course i accidentally deleted the final image, but this is pretty much* what they look like).... what do you think?

ridiculous? totally joyful? silly? a slice of the delta? i hope so! what do your holiday cards look like this year?

*the cards actually ended up saying "wishing you the joy of a mississippi snowball fight" :)

ice, ice, baby...

2010-12-14T18:43:00.000-08:00

it was soooo cold outside this morning...for some of you, 18 degrees is nothing, but for us, it is COLD. frost on the grass, see your breath in front of you, hands freezing on the steering wheel cold. the best part of cold weather for me is how beautiful and clean everything looks...

so, here are some lovely photos that remind of this this morning.

enjoy!

forever and ever...

2010-12-10T13:23:00.000-08:00

here's another post from the road...
so boone and i are on our way to laurel for the wedding of a dear, beautiful friend i've had for FOURTEEN YEARS...megan. she's truly going to make the most beautiful bride and i can hardly wait to be her matron of honor since we've been talking about love, boys, and forever since we were 14 and 15. in celebration of megan and her handsome honey, here's one of her engagement photos. beautiful, right?

congratulations pretty girl!

gift guide: my four lovely nieces who love drawing mermaids, wearing pretty shoes, and live on the other side of the world.

2010-12-06T20:27:00.000-08:00

not many more gift guides to go, friends, but here's one more for you in case you're looking for something for little, adorable, precious gals in your life..

here we go...a fun girlie-fied fort. because boys shouldn't have all the fun hiding out.

an easy-peasy introduction to sewing...even i couldn't mess that up.

or maybe a giant doughnut pillow...it's snuggly AND delicious!

a way to make even the white-est, plainest sneakers look awesome.

a way to jumpstart their imaginations and get their writing career started by publishing their own stories..

a make their own puppet set!

something pretty to decorate their shared room...

or a set of the most adorable girlie picture books on the market to indulge and encourage dressing up and playing pretend...

or, the mermaid shadow puppet...seriously, what little girl wouldn't LOVE this at bedtime?

and a new pair of sparkly shoes...because dressing up is the MOST FUN kind of play that their is (for little girls and big ones)

left my heart in san francisco....

2010-12-06T10:29:00.000-08:00

well folks, the wedding was just beautiful and full of so much love. every detail was perfect (what would you expect from snippet and ink's founder?) and i had the best time hanging out with the happy couple before the wedding and with dear friends the rest of the time. we danced, and ate, and walked around the city...but right now i can't wait to set foot in the 'sip.

it's been a looooong trip home.

apparently teeny planes that go to Memphis can't fly in snow, so we were stuck in salt lake last night, then sent to phoenix. we're currently on a plane to memphis and scheduled to land any minute, so the photo above is my vantagepoint.

cross your fingers for a safe return to our little hamlet!

image from imgspark.

marrrriage.......

2010-12-01T15:16:00.000-08:00

so two of my dearestest friends are getting married this weekend... and about a year and a half ago they asked me to be the officiant. it's the most incredible honor and everytime i think about it i really just can't get over it. all week i've been remembering our own wedding and about the commitment that boone and i made to each other before our family, friends, and God. Then i remember that i get to stand there with kathryn and ryan while they say their vows and commit their lives to each other and i get teary and tingly and so, so happy for them.

any minute now we're going to get on the plane to head to see them, so if you don't mind saying some prayers that all goes well or crossing your fingers, or something else entirely for good measure and vibes, i'd be so incredibly thankful. my eposicopalian neighbor priests tell me (as did my divinity school preaching professor) that the holy spirit descends and gives the minister the words and authority to speak... so i'm holding out that that will happen on saturday. but until then, i'll have to keep taking deep breaths and reminding myself that although i have a big role on saturday, it's not about me at all. what happens Saturday is really between Kathryn, Ryan, and God...and i just get to be the vehicle. how humbling and beautiful is that?

gift guide: my mama, whose creativity flows from her pores and who is my very best friend...

2010-12-01T05:59:00.000-08:00

my mama is my best friend, but she's also super hard to shop for because she's as particular as i am about stuff that goes in her house or on her body. plus, she keeps freaking out that boone and i are starving (which, clearly by looking at us you can tell we are NOT) so she gets mad when i try to buy her things. throwing caution to the wind, here are my ideas for the most creative, most beautiful, most loving mama in the world.

it's warm in the 'sip pretty much all winter. this seems like the perfect little thing to dress up her herbs.

my mama works hard, so maybe a massage and a manicure would be a fun way for her to get relaxed and feel loved!

my mom is as particular about her stationary as i am..and her favorite is moonstone grey stationary by crane. can you blame her?

she may already have this but if not, then she DEFINITELY needs a copy of my cousin's new cookbook...so do you, come to think of it.

this weekend i walked around cheap joe's...an INCREDIBLE NC art supply store. i'd be stupid if i didn't set my mama up with some new supplies...

and if i had big money, then she would have this in a heartbeat (it'd be PERFECT in her studio for all of her supplies)

it never gets cold enough in the 'sip for a pair of chalet socks, but boy would she like them for those few nights it does get chilly...

or maybe i'll make her a set of these terra cotta pot chimes...i bet they'd sound so pretty when the breeze blows.

gift guide: for the little boy cousin who could use a little low-tech in his life

2010-11-30T05:58:00.000-08:00

so i have this adorable (but pretty wild) little cousin who was the ring bearer in our wedding...his parents have given him EVERY single toy in the world...swords, video games, legos, so i'm thinking a healthy dose of imagination might be just the trick!

here are my thoughts...

so if a child doesn't have a tree swing, they're missing out. seriously.

a fun coloring book that actually encourages creativity and doodling!

a hat for warmth AND pretending!

because every little boy (and little girl) dreams of being a hardy boy or nancy drew...

because every little boy loves ninjas, which means he'll be excited to learn to bake with these...

a light that hangs on the wall and goes through the stages of the moon

some astronaut ice cream so he can stare at his moonlamp and pretend he's in space...

and a paper airplane set so he can test out hypotheses about which plane body flies farther (yeah, scientific method!)

gift guide: for my golf-loving, iron chef pretending, education-reform seeking daddy.

2010-11-29T03:00:00.000-08:00

oh my dad hates getting christmas presents...the last present he got super excited about was a new bill bryson book last year, and two years before that he got an automatic knife sharpener that changed his life. this year, i have some ideas because we went shopping TOGETHER...but still, i don't have a great handle on him. what are you going to get your dad?

the olive oil of the month club...because he LOVES cooking and experimenting and this is second to the nonexistent beef-of-the-month club

tickets to go see an awesome blues show at a fab local venue...because what's better than entertainment?

a dapper hat that actually fits his head for the gold course..otherwise he wears a trucker hat. eeek!

a new chef's jacket in soft, soft demin since his old one looks SO ratty that even the meat he carves recoils in horror.

a cool new pair of sandals for his trip to australia (yep, that's right...a trip to australia) because his usual summer footwear gives his geekery away.

a butterbean tie...well, because a tie is a classic dad-gift, PLUS he and i are butterbean fanatics. perfect.

and an i-o-u to see waiting for superman and do take some action together

my dad is quite the world golf-traveler...plus he's a realtor and LOVES maps, so maybe this fun scratch off where you've been map might be something he'd want for his man room..

of maybe i should make a donation to save the music since dad's great passion (besides golf and cooking) is playing his guitar.

or...just maybe a musical print or two from a friend's fab etsy shop (there's a 2-for-1 deal that ends today)

superhero sweet potatoes!

2010-11-25T17:54:00.000-08:00

one of my all-time favorite foods is the sweet potato...when i start talking about all the ways i love to eat them i sound like bubba from forrest gump talking about shrimp. in fact, my first year in graduate school i made a new friend, craig, who had just moved to the south. somehow, somewhere he also discovered the excellence of sweet potatoes and so, for his birthday that year i made a sweet potato feast... sweet potato fries, brazilian stew, casserole with marshmallows, and a sweet potato, spinach and g nut and special sauce dish were all on the menu.

anyway, i was playing around on the interweb today while boone and his folks watched football and found this fantastically exciting article. did you know that my favorite starch is being used to battle malnutrition in mozambique and other african nations. another thing to be thankful for!

there are a few other s-p related articles out there today...want to learn more? click here, or here.

oh...and here's another thing i want to share... an old friend's semi-new investment...a sweet potato butter business. want to try some? read about it here and buy it here.

images here and here.

thankfulness...

2010-11-24T20:01:00.000-08:00

well my darlings, happy happy thanksgiving day! please know that i'm incredibly thankful for so many things this year...and one thing on my long list is you. yep, really and truly. so many of you are real-live friends of mine who have taken care of me through thick and thin, and others of you make my day because you've decided to read my just-for-fun blog, which is really kind of you since there are so many other better blogs out there you COULD be reading.;)

so, thanks. thank you, really.

i'm also thankful for boone, for his love and patience every minute of every day. and his support through the dark, dark, difficult month of october.

and my mom and dad, who really and truly are the best parents in the world!

for the teachers of the Mississippi Delta, who work their pants off because they love their students and believe that their kids deserve excellence.

for carrie, scott, and our four beautiful nieces...for giving us the chance to see another side of the world AND giving me the opportunity to be an aunt. it's an opportunity i've ALWAYS wanted.

i'm thankful everyday that we have employment, insurance, a house, reliable cars, and food on the table (much more than we need) when so many don't have these things. and I'm thankful for the people who are working to secure this for everyone.

and all the people willing to give their time and lives to help others.

and for our new neighbors who have been a bigger blessing in our new town than they will ever realize.

for new life...new, beautiful babies with pink pink pink fingers and toes. florence and anne harrell, i'm talking about you.

and, while i'm at it...let me be serious for a moment. i'm thankful for massaman chicken, the new harry potter movie, gypsy the stray cat who comes to visit us weekly, the interweb, beautiful grey delta days, and charlaine harris trashy novels. ;)

what are YOU thankful for?

photo from here.

gift guide: the tiny lady who loves soups of all sorts, adores her family, and worries about everything

2010-11-23T05:00:00.000-08:00

gift guide 2 (i'm on this one since we're heading to NC today!): what do you get the adorable, soup-loving, bread-baking, tradition-holding, college student advising, super duper adorable worrywart of a mother-in-law? here are some ideas.

1. a stylish apron from birdkage so she can keep her cute clothes clean when she bakes and bakes and bakes..

2. a few bowls from peter's pottery in mississippi...so she can enjoy her soup and hold tight to her ties to the deep south.

3. a collection of caldecott winning children's books since she started out as a pre-school teacher and has four grandaughters to read to!

4. a new pair of shoes for work and shoes for play (both gold!) because she loves to look cute.

5. boone's mom and dad have been wanting to learn how to cook stir fry, so maybe we'll get them a wok and some sesame oil to point them in the right direction

6. what about tickets to see the alvin ailey dance troup? the group is touring NC this year and i think boone's parents would really love the dancing, the history, and the costumes (so would i)

7. or, (and?) we can make a donation to a cause she feels really strongly about after her trip to ethiopia to adopt her newst granddaughters...

man o man...i LOVE gift guide time since it gives me a chance to think about how special each of my family members are and remember their passions and wishes. ;) hope you're having as much fun gift-giving as i am!

gift guide: the love of my life who loves red meat, quirky comedians, and has a penchant for comfortable style

2010-11-22T06:06:00.000-08:00

1. a new pair of kicks that say "i'm awesome"

2. a few new oxford shirts and a new vneck sweater...because it gets COLD in the delta and it's a little more cashz than a blazer.

3. the new mike burbiglia or david sedaris book...because he's a huge fan of all things awkward and hilarious.

4. boone's beard can get pretty unruly...and he says shaving is a pain...so maybe some rough-and-tumble shaving products would make fun stocking stuffers...

4. maybe a candy apple red smoker...because the man of the house has been doing a lot of the cooking lately, and he deserves a manly way to do it.

5.a new, flatscreen tv... because we're probably the last people in America who still don't have one.

6. a pair of suspenders so he can look dapper whenever he feels like it!

7. or maybe boone would like a getaway to the ozarks when it warms up a little. it's supposed to be beautiful there, and a perfect change of pace from the delta.

8. or...maybe a manly, delicious dinner at the delta's best steakhouse.

9. and lastly, since my honey is a volunteer fireman, is working on a love of whisky, and cares about other folks..maybe a bottle of jim beam that supports the 9/11 firefighters or operation homefront

dear santa...

2010-11-21T12:05:00.000-08:00

so yesterday we went on a christmas shopping excursion...it was super fun because my folks met us and so we got to spend the afternoon together. however, christmas shopping with 4 people (two of whom are the kind of fellas who H-A-T-E shopping) is pretty difficult, especially if you're trying to shop for some of the people who're with you.

the good news is that i was able to check most people off of our list. the bad news is that boone saw me buying a few of his gifts...which means my holiday gift guide will need to be extra tricky this year so he can't figure out what is. also, he kept asking me what i wanted for christmas, which really and truly, is nothing. but, while we were out and about i did run across a few little items i wouldn't mind having... ;) and here they are!

1. the most lovely pair of flats in the world.

2. an ina garten cookbook that i don't have but i've seen everywhere

3. in the move to the 'sip i accidentally threw away my two peter's pottery fat bunnies. replacing them would make me SO happy.

4. a great pair of (cheap!) black or tan wedges for dressing up and going out.

5. lovely grey ruffled pretty pillowcases to replace the ones that flew into oblivion on our move from oxford.

6. a book of WPA posters (or better yet, this actual poster or this one) since they are my absolute fave kind of design and would look fab in my office.

7. and who doesn't want a polka dot cardigan?

8. i'm incredibly particular (and really traditional) when it comes to my stationary. unless i'm writing a fun note or sending a birthday card, i like to have plain white embossed (and classically monogrammed) correspondence cards. unfortunately i used up two sets writing wedding notes and haven't had any for over a year. i think this necessity is the perfect way to round out my wish list! ;)

9. last year i asked for a tshirt where the proceeds went to an incredible organization that supported education on the African continent. this year i want to support education reform a little closer to home.

10. but honestly...what i really and truly want for christmas is some time to go on an adventure with my honey. who can give me some time?

what do YOU want santa to bring you for Christmas? I've got gift guides coming this week and next, so if you're not sure check back for some ideas!

haaaarrrrrryyyyyypotttteerrrrr!!!!

2010-11-18T19:12:00.000-08:00

in lieu of letters to santa...

2010-11-17T17:27:00.000-08:00

so, boone's mom LOVES a tradition. LOVES them. She has them for all holidays, but christmas is the one where she feels super strongly about them. their family eats the same meals on christmas day (beignets) and christmas eve (soup) every year, they bake a birthday cake for jesus (so fun and sweet!) they watch a charlie brown christmas, and they ALWAYS fill out the harris poll on thanksgiving. the harris poll is basically and really fun way to write a christmas list...plus it's a neat way for us to reflect on the year and share things about ourselves with the rest of the family.
every year the poll asks different questions, and this year, because we're not going back to NC for christmas, we took the poll early so we could take our gifts to NC when we go. i thought you might enjoy seeing the questions and asking them of yourself. happy reflection!
1. Something unexpected I accomplished in 2010.

2. Something challenging I hope to accomplish in 2011.

3. It doesn’t cost much (Mom’s $30 rule), but I wish I had it.

4. It’s worn out and I need to replace it.

5. A good book I read in 2010. A book I would like to own.
6. My favorite place to shop online? In the store?
7. I worry about...
8. Please don’t make me eat...
9. But always have.... to eat.
10. I hope my children will remember be for my...
11. My favorite season is...
12. It’s a little costly, but I would like to have...
13. I will always remember...
14. When I cook, I like to make... Wish I knew how to make...
15. A movie I saw this year that I consider a “keeper.”
16. I have a lot of stuff, so I’m going to get rid of...
17. Shoes or clothes person?
18. My idea of a good party?
19. It’s time to do more...
20. To help others during 2011, I will
21. Something I will do for the environment during 2011.

and the winner is...

2010-11-16T05:38:00.000-08:00

The winning number* is 5! congratulations to mary (masweet)! email me your mailing address at wilsonec@gmail.com!

thanks everyone for commenting!

*i used the random number generator...sorry that i can't make printscreen work to show you. ;)

clicking my heels...

2010-11-14T15:26:00.000-08:00

oh oh oh oh oh....

loooooook at these! wish the grey ones weren't sold out. they would be on my christmas list and then would be my go-tos every work day! shoes from modcloth

a little november blue.

2010-11-11T15:06:00.000-08:00

i've got a workshop this weekend and have been feeling just awful all week with a cold, but i wish you a perfectly lovely, relaxing autumn weekend. one where you get to wear a wool blazer and a scarf, frolic in the leaves, and feel the breeze blowing in your hair.

don't forget to leave a comment on yesterday's post to win the november mix!

image by corrie bond

you can't go home again?

2010-11-11T12:59:00.000-08:00

last month's halloween mix give-away was so fun that i think wishfulfillment needs to make it a more frequent happening.

since thanksgiving makes me think of heading down the highway to see my parents, snuggle in my childhood bed, and eat perfect, warm, comforting food, i thought a mix about going home would really get me in the mood for one of my fave holidays.

so...are you in? leave a comment by tuesday, november 15 with a song that reminds YOU of going home. I'll choose the winner by drawing a random number and will post them here on wednesday the 16th!

mantra...

2010-11-05T14:40:00.000-07:00

ran across this wonderful workspace on imagespark... love the desk, love the chair and I really LOVE the poster and would love to have a copy of it since:
1) it's printed on kraft paper. my fave.
2) and it's sort of the KIPP charter school network's motto. I'm not hardcore enough to make it as a teacher at KIPP, but I sure do love what they do
3) plus, I just believe that the phrase is a great mantra to live by.

it's especially fun that i found the poster this week since tonight i'm meeting up with my KIPPster friend, shapiro. she and another wonderful friend are visiting the 'sip (their old stomping grounds) and we're meeting up in oxford. katie's been an all-star teacher since day one and it always inspires me to be around her and listen to her talk about her kids. :) I CAN'T WAIT.

what are YOU doing this weekend?

driving rain...

2010-11-04T20:29:00.000-07:00

it's been raining this week...and the delta needed it so badly. thank goodness driving to my schools looks nothing like this commute!

photo from imgspark

let's do the numbers....

2010-11-01T18:42:00.000-07:00

wouldn't this be an amazing centerpiece for a book club? i know.

images from the brilliant paul octavious.

creative energy..

2010-10-31T18:30:00.000-07:00

really and truly, we live in one of the most lovely spots in the delta...and the whole country, in my opinion. i felt inspired today to take a few hours to paint something. it's been so long that I didn't really do anything serious, but i've really been inspired by the cassidy bayou that floats by our front porch. i'm thinking that one day soon when i have another burst of creative energy i'll start working on something like this since it's what i see every day.

see what you're missing by not coming to visit? ;)

dog in fog by maude schuler clay (actually taken at our cassidy bayou), an oil painting by american artist alexander john drysdale, two images from pixdaus, and a sara norris original print.

brainstorming...

2010-10-29T15:34:00.000-07:00

LOTS has been going on in my world recently... but one of the most frivolous things that's been occupying WAY too much space in my grey matter is the question "what are we going to be for halloween??"

we've been through at least 6 different ideas in two weeks, but I haven't had much time to actually plan the costumes, making the best of our ideas prohibitive. If you're still looking for a costume idea, here are a few we considered...

dolly parton and kenny rogers (I REALLY wanted this to happen but i just don't have the outfit to pull it off this year.)

a firewoman and a fire. (boone has a fireman's suit, you know. and we have a lighter)

max and carol

and because we had the most costume pieces that involved the least amount of construction we're going with...

captain jack sparrow/william turner and elizabeth swann

boone is going to look pretty good, ya'll. ;) who doesn't like a pirate?

what do you think? what are YOU going as for halloween?

new to me...

2010-10-26T18:08:00.000-07:00

ooo.....i'm in love. apparently this has been around the blogosphere and back, but i've been out of the loop and JUST laid my eyes on this, the most perfect little blazer I've ever seen. sigh.

delta delight...

2010-10-26T05:34:00.000-07:00

had a GREAT time with the "ins" this weekend...we ate our way around the delta (tamales, doughnuts, catfish, lusco's, mennonite bakery chess pie...we really did eat everything) and shopping all the antique stores we could find. SO FUN. plus toured the great river road state park and ran into morgan freeman around lunchtime at ground zero. I thought boone's mom was going to faint--she was that excited.
if you've never been to lusco's or you don't know what joy eating a delta tamale can be...and if you were pretty sure that the only Ground Zero was in NYC, then here's something for you...

ground zero...and one of the owners:

lusco's..yes, those are curtain rooms where you have dinner in utter privacy!

and some delta tamales...this isn't you're ordinary southwestern/mexican dish...oh no. it's MUCH better. (i.e. greasier)

all that is to say...we had an excellent time together, want tem to come back soon, and hope YOU'LL come visit us too!

photos from ground zero website, southern foodways alliance, and southern living.

waiting on the weekend...

2010-10-20T20:05:00.000-07:00

boone's folks are coming into town this afternoon for the weekend and we're both really excited to show them around the delta! I've got tomorrow off plus we've planned autumn-appropriate dinners (pot roast, pork tenderloin and roasted apples) mapped out every antique store in the area, and made the guest bed so all there is to do is wait.

thank GOODNESS i love boone's folks and he loves mine..i can't imagine feeling the way some folks do about their inlaws. mine are so adorable and kind to me that i'm a lucky, lucky gal!

red-dy for autumn?

2010-10-19T08:04:00.000-07:00

sorry for those of you who despise puns...my creative juices are running low. but you have to admit, it's not one you've heard before, right? ;)

images from imagespark.

wishing for a pile of leaves..

2010-10-18T20:04:00.000-07:00

the first time boone and I were really ever alone together was when he had a broken collarbone and couldn't drive his truck, so i gave him a lift home. as we walked to the bus (to pick up my car) we walked by the most perfect pile of crisp leaves...and the urge to kick them was really too hard to resist, so i ran over, scooped them up with my foot, and flung them everywhere. they made SUCH a great crunch sound. but when i looked over at boone, he seemed so surprised that i got embarrassed... and then i realized that the pile had been so perfect BECAUSE some poor person had to rake to get them that way. i tried to scooch them back into place, but really..the damage was done.

to this day i look at piles of leaves and think of 3rd grade and st. john's day school and my first time alone with my honey. although it's autumn here, i really haven't seen any leaf piles... if you see one where you are, give it a kick for me, ok?
anyway, with this in mind, this weeks' posts are brought to you by the letter "l" and crisp, rust colored, autumn leaves. ;)

photos from imagespark

so many treasures...

2010-10-12T20:04:00.000-07:00

so a few weeks ago i went to some training in the city (new york city, actually)and i got to spend one night with some sweet friends, jenny and thomas. while thomas was in class, jenny and I went juking around their neighborhood, peeking in used book stores and thrift shops along our route. then we stumbled upon the best place in the whole world... olde good things. it was filled with treasures! treasures that i wanted to bring home SOOOOO bad.

and the best part was that they were old, and cool, and moderately priced. if you live in new york or la, or scranton, pa (what?) then you're sinning if you haven't visted olde good things and taken home everything you can fit in your car.

and the winner is.....

2010-10-11T09:04:00.000-07:00

michelle! thanks for your suggestion of witchy woman. email me your address and you'll have a revised version of tricks and treats in the mail to you in plenty of time for halloween!

a perfect ten...

2010-10-10T19:37:00.000-07:00

i was pretty excited when I realized that today is 10/10/10 since it feels like a really auspicious, important number. ok, maybe not as important as the number 3, but if you read a little bit about it, it IS pretty impressive.

anyway, my 10/10/10 involved getting to hear boone preach at church (he was fantastic, by the way) watching a law & order marathon, napping, visiting with our neighbors, and cooking. besides feeling a little yucky, it was a perfect 10. appropriate, right?

trick or treat...

2010-10-05T09:04:00.000-07:00

in the spirit of halloween I made a playlist to make you look over your shoulder and dwell on the morbid....though i'm not convinced that it's complete, which is why i want your input. the most original suggestion in the comment box by next Monday wins a cd copy of the mix!
tricking and treating...
1. run devil run- jenny lewis and the watson twins
2. this devil's workday- modest mouse
3. halloweenhead- ryan adams
4. black betty- ram jam
5. 51 phantom- n. ms allstars
6. maxwell's silver hammer- the beatles
7. hotel california- the eagles
8. is there a ghost- band of horses
9. prison girls- neko case
10. people got a lotta nerve- neko case
11. i killed sally's lover- the avett bros.
12. nobody knows- dave matthews & emmylou harris
13. little sadie- tony rice
14. oliver james- fleet foxes
15. friend of the devil- grateful dead
16. thriller- mj

what do you think? scary enough?

****************
btw: if you comment, please leave your email address too so i can let you know if you win! :)

it's true....

2010-10-04T19:03:00.000-07:00

so, i mentioned that i've been super into sexy vampire books recently...is this incredibly mortifying for me? yes. did it stop me from proclaiming it on the interweb? no.

what i didn't mention was that the sexy vampire tv show, trueblood is what got me into the sexy vampire books on which the show is based. sure, i have to close my eyes at the really raunchy parts and the awful southern accents make me cringe but for some reason i just CAN'T get enough of this show. this isn't the first awful tv show i've fallen head-over-heels for. one february it was smallville, then gilmore girls, then it was NCIS. now, trueblood. anyway, since stores have started selling halloween costumes and trick-or-treat bags i thought i'd share some set photos from my fave new guilty pleasure because i really love the way the sets look AND because trueblood is really addictive. don't take my word for it...rent the DVDs and see for yourself. and lust after the sets...or just lust. whatev.

bill's house

inside bill's house (so fab, right?)

sookie's kitchen..i love the light!

the vampire bar. too much blood red? nah.

a little window (web) shopping...

2010-09-28T20:18:00.000-07:00

*sigh* why are all my fave modcloth dresses sold out? boo. and so many winter weddings....

backyard inspiration...

2010-09-25T15:52:00.000-07:00

now that we have an honest-to-goodness yard boone and i have been talking about how to make it a good looking, really fun place to be. to do this, we've done some backwards planning and identified some next steps to get there. Here they are:

Step 1: get ready to entertain
how fabulous would this look in my backyard filled with ice and beer? i'll tell you---- so fabulous. should it really be step 1? maybe not, but i can dream.

Step 2: get a dog and a place to keep said dog

so, (don't tell my dad) there are four stray dogs that are living near the preK classrooms at a school i visit. these dogs are PERFECT...so sweet, just the right size, good looking AND they need a home really badly. boone and i are thinking about bringing one or two of them home to live with us in the backyard..which means we need a goodlooking dog pen/dog house.

Step 3: set up the hammocks.
do you need more information about this?

Step 4: Decorate

um..we've actually already accomplished step 4. maybe that's backwards, but michelle and michael gave us this WONDERFUL birdhouse when we got married and I'd been dying to hang it up. PLUS we had a bottle tree stand we

needed to utilize and some deep windchimes.

images from AT, google and a random blog(our birdhouse and bottletree and the dog we're going to get LOOK like these, but these aren't ACTUALLY ours)