When Vanilla is anything but

A happier post for your reading pleasure.


Have you seen these? They are made by Vanilla Bicycles in Portland. One man makes all the bikes that come from there. They are handcrafted by Sacha White and are just stunning. Truly a craft. Each bicycle is custom made for the customer. WOW. Aren't they gorgeous? I would be just so adorable on one. Navy blue, with a brown leather seat. yes. oh, wait...there is a FIVE YEAR waiting list. Just enough time for me to save enough money to get on of these puppies.

I have been interested in these for a little while, but recently came across a documentary about Sacha White and Vanilla. You can see it here. Very interested stuff.


Maybe if/when I move to Portland, I will acquire one for my bike riding future.

well, am leaving town tomorrow, will see you kids Sunday!

Walks through the garden of roses with her barefeet laughing

I read this today and loved it.

Never let a season go by without planting something." Such simple advice, isn't it? And yet, it's so easy to get bogged down by the logistics of gardening, space and growing and time and "black thumbs" and all of that. But plant something - sprout some seeds in a paper towel, grow basil in a pot in your kitchen, toss some carrot seeds in the ground and see what happens. Never let a season go by without the opportunity to get a little bit closer to your food, and have reason to dig your hands into the Earth.

from Soulemama

I firmly believe this. This is my first major growing season and I honestly don't know how I went so many springs without a garden. Oh, every year I grew something. A house plant here, some pansies there, herbs one year, daisies another. But I never really got it, never made it a priority. This year, feeling the need for life, and green and growth and nature, I gave it a go. I can tell you this friends; I will never go back.

I love the feeling of dirt under my nails. The heady of smell of damp soil being turned over. The itchy feeling you get after working on your knees in the grass for hours. The sweet, natural fragrance that greets me every morning when I step into my kitchen with the windows open. The dark green of growing lemons, their branches straining to hold onto them until they are ready to be freed, yellow and pungent. Herbs just begging to be included in a recipe, some standing tall and proud saying "build a meal around me, you won't regret it."

It gives me life. and hope. If they can grow and thrive, I can too. I will.

*pictured are my buckets of tomatoes, basil and tomatillos.*

A respite

I want to be here.



so cozy and inviting. Maybe with a book and big pitcher of water. Or maybe with nothing at all.

Photo from ReNest

Alabama the Beautiful

I don't know how much longer I will stay in Alabama. I have a year long lease, so at least another 11 months, but after that...who knows where God and my life will take me?

Because of this, I have vowed to take the next 11 months to see Alabama. Do Alabama. I am going to treat our lovely state as though I were a tourist. I don't want to leave (IF) and miss out on all of the wonderful events and places and foods and people of the place I have called home for the past 5 years.

I started today. CJ and I started out about 9am. We drove to York to see The Coleman Center for the Art, a small gallery smack in the middle of a little town (run by 2 people whose last name is Munoz!!). Alas, there was no exhibit, so we peaked into the window and explored York. Did you know that there is a Progressive Childrens College of Common Sense? According to this article, it is "which will serve as a launching pad for a preschool education program". That is one hell of a name!

Downtown York (also see the above article) is lovely, with everything from a beautiful basket weaving shop, stained glass and mosiac studio to a store called "the Watch ma call it" shop, where CJ spotted 'Nsync dolls, right next to vintage vases. We also spotted what we think is a bike shop, and a blues bar in the midst of renovation. Took some great pictures of bldgs and the train (which I considered jumping on and seeing where I end up...). all in all, a cool little place that I would never have seen but am glad that I did.

By the way, York is called "The City on the Move.".

Back in the car to drive another hour through small towns and past farms and cottages and struggling communities to Faunsdale...for a Crawfish boil! I grew up on Crawfish, and eating them is comfort food for me. We hunkered down on overturned milk crates and ate etouffe, boiled crawfish and beer. Wandered, listened to conversations as well as BAD country music (has it gotten worse lately?...it was gross). Then we did what probably looked funny to everyone there. We pulled out books, found a shady shop a bit hidden away took off our shoes (I had another fire ant incident, so was itching and stinging like crazy. sigh.) and read. We had our beer, we were reading books and we were happy. It was great. Stayed for a few hours and hopped back into the car home. We both lament the fact that they had not set up the mechanical bull yet, we had dressed accordingly!

On the way home, CJ introduced me to Northport and we stopped in the Kentuck studio and perused the wares. I am learning the the art community in Alabama is large and varied, but a small, interconnected community. Very cool. The drive home was stunning, with small farms and cows lounging all around us. The interstate was flanked on both sides by a lovely rose colored plant. I came home exhausted but happy.

First day of Year of Tourism: successful. Tomorrow: Old 280 boogie in Waverly, AL. This is year 2 for me and I LOVE this festival. Waverly is a cool town with great people and a kick ass festival. Check out Standard Deluxe print shop and eat at The Yellow Hammer. A 2 hour drive that is well worth the drive.

So here we go. I have some places in my mind (Rural Studio, Tannehill, Kentuck festival, Black Warrior River, Ava Maria Grotto, etc, etc), but I clearly do not know all the secrets that Alabama has to hold.

Are there places you want to go? Somewhere you have been or heard of? Somewhere that I simply must go? Please tell me! I will probably be chronicling my trips and experiences here. I know that I will not get to them all, but I am sure going to try.

This keeps popping to my head as I write this,
"If you can't be with the one you love, honey, love the one your with."

Dirt manicures preferred

I have been spending my lunch break reading Farmgirl Fare, a blog that chronicles a 26 year old (then married) woman's journey from urban Cali to a huge farm in Missouri. See also Writings from Woodridge Farm, the newsletters from the very beginning.

I want to follow her. My coworkers make fun of me because I want a goat and 2 chickens. Really badly. My back porch has no room for a table with all of the pots of vegetables growing. My Dad laughed when he saw the tray of seedlings growing on top of my washer (hey, it's warm there!).

As I consider the Great Wide Open and where life may take me (both physically and emotionally) in the days and years to come, I am starting to wonder if I need to go where the Buffalo Roam (or the Lemon trees grow...whatev). Can I do both...urban and country? do I want to?

I don't know where God is leading me, but it seems that it is somewhere where the air is clean and people don't scoff at bike commuting and maybe, just maybe, a chicken coop in the backyard is ok.