Thank You, Spring Breeze

There is a moment of the day (if you're lucky) when the bustling activity stops suddenly. The mind clears. The sound of birds chirping for rain can be heard above the din of life. A spring gust forces itself in through an open window, making the curtains dance, and brings with it...... wait, that's an old familiar scent...... Lilacs!

Usually it's Mother's Day weekend when I'm scrambling to fill a vase brimming over with lilacs from the bushes out front. Here we are -- one week early -- and the lavender beauties are in full bloom.

Stop everything. Find scissors. Grab a hammer (to pound the cut ends with so they fray and will take in enough water to last a little longer in the vase). Scurry out to cut a small handful of the most open lovely blooms. Pound. Old McCoy vase. Water. Ta-Da!!!! (The BIG vase spilling over with lilacs will come; this merely satisfies the momentary craving and happies up my afternoon.)

Wish I had a "Scratch-N-Sniff" feature on this blog.

Things I'm Loving Now

Yes, spring is coming, my friends.

The days are getting longer. The sun in making a more frequent appearance. But to bide the time until I see the first crocus flower bloom outside my back door, here are a few things I simply love.

• A smile so wide everyone wonders what you're up to.

• Leftover Chicago-style deep dish pizza.

• Hunting for treasures and bargains. Combine both in one shopping spree, and I'm deliriously happy.

• The trend in fashion toward flowers adorning everything.

http://tinyurl.com/yhxxdso
––This one has that "Oh, I just threw this on" carefree, casual look about it.

http://emersonmade.myshopify.com/collections/big-blooms
––I'm sad when flower corsages go out of style, and rejoice when they're back in again. This is full bloom fun and crazy beautiful.

• The special knack my little boy has for delivering a compliment that stretches wildly beyond anyone else's ability to make me feel like I'm walking on air.

• Collage artists who are catching my attention:

Dolan Geiman

LuAnne Payne

Allison Strine

• Marion Cotiallard's performance in "Nine".

http://tinyurl.com/yjduvun

––This is chopped up because it's been made into a music video. I wish I could find the whole scene from the movie, but it's a bawdy jazz number that I think every woman feels like performing at least once in her life.

• A certain shade of blue. It has a touch of purple. Most would call it periwinkle. I love color -- vibrant colors that communicate emotion. Fiery red, energetic yellow, soothing green, electric blue all have their place and time. I think that when I'm completely at rest, I am periwinkle.

Live in full color, and celebrate the coming of spring.

Taking The Cake

Tonight I finished baking my fourth chocolate cake this month, thanks to all the family and friend February birthdays. Chocolate was THE request. I think I'm ready to move on to other recipes, March celebrants....



Wanna lick the beaters?

Don't get me wrong, I love chocolate. What day is not made better by its presence? It's the perfect little pick-me-up when nothing else will do. (This feeling usually finds me around 3 p.m. in my office. If you happen to drop by, I'll be sneaking a luxurious piece of chocolate out of its hiding place in the depths of my desk drawer. I might even share, if you're nice.)

I read that chocolate contains a chemical called phenylethylamine, which causes a reaction in your brain similar to what you feel when you are falling in love. Delicious and enchanting. No wonder it's a Valentine's Day staple.

So as I say goodbye to February, the month to snuggle under the covers with a loved one, enjoy treats made of chocolate and linger over sweet prose from a little book of poetry, I'll avoid pondering how much chocolate I've consumed in this shortest month of the year. I'll try to reel in my chocolate cravings until..... Easter.

~Be My Valentine~ - 'JUNKMARKET' Style

This takes me back to the Valentines I knew when I was in third grade.

~Be My Valentine~ - JUNKMARKET Style

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Who Put The Happy In My Birthday?

It began yesterday. People with well wishes jumping the gun. And a delightful card that showed up at my office depicting all the things and people I love in this world and beyond.

This, for a girl who spent some years purposefully hiding her birthday so that nobody would notice. I blame this partly on the fact that a birthday so early in the year meant suffering through birthdays at the hands of people ridden hard by the holiday monster. I mean, really, who wants to concoct another celebration and come up with yet another gift in early January. Cake, too? Can't we just say we're exhausted and make it up at another time?

The other reason I hoped to escape birthdays was the confusion about happy celebrations and excitement for the sake of it. I spent a good portion of my 20s working through codependency. I worked 12-step programs and attended Adult Children of Alcoholics meetings. I learned why happiness didn't seem natural to me, but confusion and chaos felt normal. My 30s I'm glad to say approached normalcy and happiness rose to the top of things worth fighting for. Now, I say, bring it on.

Not to say that birthdays weren't special days in my family. There were birthday dinners and favorite cakes. My grandmother turned out this lovely creation called an Italian Cream Cake, my hands-down favorite: a dense white cake with pecans, coconut and cream cheese frosting (topped with more coconut). Lordy. I have so many fantastic memories because of my grandmother and I miss her dearly. So when this little card showed up at work reminding me of my favorite things, my eyes fell upon the center of the card where a red heart with the word "Grandmother" in the center stopped me for a few moments. I searched my brain for how anyone would know what to put on such a birthday greeting, and remembered a little questionnaire I filled out shortly after I accepted my position. Who did I most admire? My Nanny.

Today was a birthday approached with reluctance at first, then full-on acceptance, sprinkled with moments of pure joy. Here it is by the numbers:

11
The shades of red nail polish I own, all with their own merits. Though I rarely paint my fingernails because I'm so hard on my hands and the polish doesn't wear well, I can't give them up. I contemplated if the extra minutes to paint my nails would be worth it as a celebratory birthday gesture. Decided to skip it.

35
The number of electronic birthday salutations I received this year, which is 32 more than I received last year. Long live social media, the marvel of my life in 2009.

3
The number of times a memory of my grandmother reduced me to tears today. There are days when the longing to be with her is palpable and it makes me wonder if she's one of my angels in close proximity at the moment I'm having that thought.

16
The number of cents left in my checking account. Let's not go there.

20
The number of dollars I was given as a gift card from one of my favorite stores as a birthday gift to come in and shop. What?! Free money on your birthday? Not a bad thing. I must spend enough money there that they decided to give a little back. I figure it this way: a new outfit makes you feel brand new. More than new shoes or a new hairstyle. Feeling good on your birthday is worth a week's worth of lunches and coffee, especially when you start with twenty bucks free and clear.

36
The age I would be indefinitely, if the universe ever gave me the option. Also, the number of roses it takes, when presented en masse, to make me giggle like a young school girl for at least a good hour.

1
The number of flowers my son can draw on my birthday card to make my heart beam with joy.

5
The number of sugar highs I experienced today as a result of tiramisu (a favorite dessert), chocolate cake with white frosting, followed by chocolate cake with fudge frosting an hour later, a chocolate caramel candy after dinner, and another chocolate birthday cake at home with the family. That's a new personal record.

All in all, a very, very happy birthday.

Holidays With Heart

I'm poring over my finds from the One of a Kind Show today. Love it all. An entire floor of the Merchandise Mart in Chicago filled with artists doing what they are most passionate about. Oh what fun.

Here is my Vintage Sculpture heart that will find a place on my tree -- but a more permanent place after the holidays because I won't bear to wrap it in tissue and pack it away. www.vintagesculpture.com

Next stop: Weener Ware. Found a red cardinal in flight to wear on my lapel.
(www.weenerware.com)

Thomas Mann had lovely pretty things. Bought a tiny pewter heart to string on a necklace as a remembrance.... but will check out his catalog often! www.thomasmann.com

I could go on, and on. But I'm too inspired with thoughts to capture while the ideas are fresh in my brain. Got to get my hands dirty and be creative.

Attracted To These Holiday Magnets

The urge to paint has come upon me. Seems my most productive hour is between 11:00 and midnight.

These are sets of glass pebble magnets -- and they make great little hostess gifts.