My Valentine

February

"Winter's in labor and soon will give birth to the spring..."
Angeline by Mickey Newbury

I awoke before daybreak one morning last week and went outside. I caught the scent of spring, it is on it's way.

Last night we visited a garden center and I had to stop at the roses, smell the Meyer lemon blooms and the English lavender. I took a  piece of each of these and put them in the pocket of my purse that still held a piece of very dry but still wonderfully aromatic piece of a pine tree from early December. 

Ben Gazzara

Oh no, Ben Gazzara passed away. When I think of Ben Gazzara,  the movie Husbands always comes to mind. It is but one of my favorite Cassevetes films, all three of my favorite actors were in it: Falk, Gazzara and Cassavetes. I always felt they were to independent film what Sinatra, Dino and Sammy Davis Jr. were to torch songs and celebrity. The Rat Pack was all jokes and song (and dance) with a hint of danger. The Cassavetes set was truly threatening, harboring demons and ceaseless, inexhaustible emotions that wouldn't be nearly as entertaining to watch should they have ever held a "summit" and became drunk on stage. Although, in the following clip....


I always thought Gazzara was a truly talented actor, he was able to arouse the attention of Cassavetes and keep it until the death of my favorite director. He was once married to Janice Rule, one of my favorite broody actresses. I always thought they made a sexy if not dark and broody couple together. The marriage didn't last.

At 81 it can be said he lived a long life and indeed he did, however, when I read the cause of death was pancreatic cancer, I couldn't help but become a bit sad. 

Love

Last night I made three Valentines. Hard to believe it is that time of year again. I wasn't able to make any last year and felt a bit rusty but it was fun to sit down and play. This year I am working from a truncated box of paper and card making supplies but have all the essentials. Working on ideas and plan on making more.

Pale Yellow Graces

Small graces bestowed upon me in the midst of chaos are never wasted. Despite how imperfect a day I might be having, finding that moment of bliss and beauty has the ability to make whatever was weighing on my mind pass. After a trying day with little good news, I entered the evening still distracted and agitated. I set foot in the kitchen, not in the best of moods, breaking a longstanding, personal rule.

My cast iron skillet needed a quick seasoning so I poured some olive oil into it and set the burner on high. In the process of whisking eggs to scramble, I reached for the heavy cream instead of the milk. I then poured the mixture into the overheated skillet. Exasperated over having maybe ruined my eggs I turned off the burner. That is when the happy accident occurred. As I quickly scrambled the eggs the shiny, black skillet showcased the pale, yellow creaminess of the eggs. It was a beautiful contrast. I worked quickly to avoid scorching my meal. I noticed how the temperature of the skillet ended up working well with what I was doing and the eggs were done after three simple folds of my spatula. They were so fluffy and actually quite exquisite. I saw that not a trace of them was left behind in the skillet. I slept well that night.

Picking up new habits....

"If a man moves confidently in the direction of his dreams and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."
~H. D. Thoreau


This quote by Thoreau came into my head while on a walk today. It was incomplete and the part I remembered kept swimming in mind. I continued to go over and over it in my head as if it were a piece of stale chewing gum that I couldn't get going. Finally, after several minutes, I was able to abandon it. It was replaced with the thought that I am where I should be and enjoying every minute of it. The walk, a  new habit.

Let's go to the flea market...

I longed to hear a rooster crow, smell manure, pet a bunny and see some goats, so we headed for the flea market this weekend. It felt great to be around these animals. I was only able to shoot a few photos as there was much activity; many of the animals were going to new homes, others being fed and kept hydrated, some coming out of their cages just to get loved on. Time spent here was well worth it. My husband found a few clean vinyl gems and I got my chicken, bunny, goat, pony, puppy fix.

12th Day

Bidding farewell to the holidays and the southern winter. Soon we will be back north just in time for snow. Planning on a small cup of Mexican hot chocolate this evening to mark the 12th day of Christmas and end of the season. We'll lay the tree quietly to rest outside.

On New Year's Eve we enjoyed a pizza pie, again. It was much improved upon and even yummier than the previous one. That cozy meal was followed by fireworks, big and brilliant in the backyard. At midnight I toasted with sparkling cherry. My first alcohol free New Year's Eve since I was twelve.

Have been resting up and slowly gathering and organizing, preparing to take off again. I'll miss Texas, friends and family. However, I have come to love the excitement of new places, faces. Wishing you all a great year!