Addition

Meet the newest addition to our wee garden!

The most beautiful basket of vibrant hydrangeas, a welcome-home-from-Europe-gift from my sweet friend Brittany. (Funny note, when we arrived home from the UK Josh literally dropped his luggage in the kitchen floor and immediately announced, "I'm going to check on our little green family!"  He barely even acknowledge the furry children dancing ecstatically at his feet or anything else for that matter.)  But anyway... aren't they lovely??  They definitely add a feminine flair to our otherwise entirely green wee garden.  

I love them.  

I solemnly vow to nurture an nourish them daily.

I promise to not forget to water them, or drown them by overcompensating because I forgot to water them the day before.  Or scorch them in too much Texas sun.  Or cause them to turn yellow because they got no sun.

And I confess, I already fret and worry constantly about my inadequacies as their caretaker.  

Ugh.  I'm so horribly afraid I'm going to murder them.  And murdering these lovelies seems so much worse than murdering a pot of herbs for some reason... because my friend gave them to me as a gift, because they're so delicate and girly, because their pink.  I don't know!  Just help me.  Lord, help me.  Help me not commit a massacre.  I cannot do this alone.

So how is your garden doing??

Erin

I.  Laughed.  So.  Hard.

I had to stumble to the car and sit down to catch my breath.  Then I laughed some more.  I couldn't stop.  I just kept laughing.

We had been out and about browsing at furniture and were headed back to the car.  I was walking a bit ahead with Shannon, chattering and rattling on about who knows what when her hesitant voice broke into our conversation.

"Guys...hey guys??"

I turned to face her.  She was bent over staring at... garbage in the parking lot.  She seemed to be debating something in her head.

"I think I feel inspired..."

We waited for an explanation.  Suddenly, decidedly, she snapped upright with an old clothes hanger dangling from her finger.  A disgusting, sticky, obviously rolled over by gigantic SUV's several times clothes hanger.

An awkward moment of silence filled the space between us, "Huh?  Are you being serious?"

"Yes."

"No, really.  Are you being...for real?"  

She shot me a look of feigned betrayal, "Yes!  I feel inspired by it!  Don't mock me!"

Another moment of silence rolled by and then I sort of chuckled, a deep, rising from my gut chuckle that got louder and louder until I had tears rolling down my face and stumbled towards the car in hysterics.  I fell into the passenger's seat both unable and unwilling to stop, enjoying the moment entirely.  I laughed and laughed and laughed, digging in my purse for my iphone.

Still giggling, barely able to see thru the tears in my eyes, I begged her to pose with it, "Please, Erin. Please.  I have to remember this moment forever!"

You can see the sarcasm on her face.  I love it.  So much.

On the one hand was my unashamed, blatant mockery, but on the other was a moment of sheer celebration and bliss. Though I made fun of her, I absolutely, completely identified.  In fact, I'm typically the butt of jokes for the very same reason.  It's all in good fun, I don't take any kind of offense. But I have to admit it's terribly refreshing to have moments of connection with another soul who totally gets it, who understands, who you can say things to like, "I feel inspired by this nasty hanger..." and not feel like a weirdo. (Admittedly they may laugh at you at first, but later they'll do something like post a blog about how much they identified with you in that moment ;-)

And tonight, in a few short hours, she's holding her first official art show.  I could not be more excited! I'm so proud of her.  Proud of her for facing her fears, for trekking around the globe entirely alone for the single purpose of honing her craft, for making hard, gut-wrenching decisions she never thought she'd have to make, for working so hard day in and out to make her dream reality, for expanding her horizons, for not settling, for believing, for dreaming...  Oh how she inspires me, for all of these reasons, definitely, but also for silly moments with dirty hangers in parking lots.

So cheers to you, my treasured friend, for everything you are.  And tonight, well, this is just the beginning...

Do you have a friend who inspires you?  Who you can laugh at and with because you really do understand each other?

Kerosene

Look.  At.  THESE.  Need I tell you how much I adore them?  I'm sure you can guess...

So this weekend we were at my parent's house celebrating Mother's Day, and just as we were packing up to leave my mom casually mentioned a bucket by the door with a lamp in it.  She'd said something about it earlier but I hadn't paid much attention.  As I was peering into the dirty blue bucket to get a glimpse however, she also mentioned something about an old dresser and some other odds and ends at an undisclosed location, to which I immediately responded, "Let's go!  Like, now.  Can we go??"

 Within 2.5 minutes we were all loaded up in two vehicles and setting off to treasure-hunt!  Family tradition, you know.  Mom and Dad in the truck, Josh, Tirzah and I in our car.  

Half an hour later I was the very proud owner of these beauties, antique kerosene lamps, and had effectively scheduled a return trip (okay, pathetically begged to return to the undisclosed location) the following weekend to pilfer through the remaining odds and ends.  I have my eye on several boxes of vintage dishes I'm certain Christine will adore, as well as all sorts of yet to be discovered trinkets, I'm sure.

How beautiful are these guys??  Look at the detail...

I've actually decided to split them up at the moment.  One in the guest room, one in the living, and the largest in our bedroom.  Josh has been lighting it every evening for me to read by.  It's so much softer than the light from our bedside lamp, and as my Dad noted with a chuckle "so romantic!"  He was half serious, half mocking, of course.  ;-)

I love them.  So much charm.  I keep finding myself stopping to stare at them for long moments.

Eventually I'll get fresh oil (not colored), but it's pricey so we'll certainly burn what's in them already first.  Great for blackouts!  Energy saving!  (sort of)  And of course they were FREE...  

Man I love treasure hunting.

Have you found any treasures lately??

Farewell

A few final glimpses of beautiful Edinburgh...

Heavy mist rolling in from the cold sea.

Parks and architecture, beautifully mixed.

Stunning cathedrals.

Mysterious monuments.

Bagpipes music really does fill the air.  As well as the songs of this singing wool spinning lady.  In a kilt.  And large boots.  With really strange hair.

One of our favorite areas.

Sir Walter Scott. (this is a close up of the 'mysterious monument' shot above)

Truly beautiful city.

And then the sweetest cherry on top, these two...

I can't tell you their names.  (He's like a secret government agent or something...)  But I can tell you she and I have been friends across the sea for several years now.  We were introduced via email 3 or 4 years ago and began a pen pal relationship of sorts, totally unintentionally.  It really is amazing how well you can know and love someone you've never met in person.  A friend, a confidant, a source of constant grace and encouragement and hope-filled direction...I'll never give her up.  She is beautiful in a thousand ways I can't even begin to express.  I adore her.  I count her among my closest friends, and when I really need encouragement or wisdom or prayer, despite the vast sea and lands that separate us, Scotland is always at the top of my list.  

God alone can bring hearts together like that.

Goodbye lovely UK!  We'll miss ya... you were full of adventure and surprises, sweet moments and laughter and fears overcome, new memories, new friends, so much joy.  It's always a bittersweet parting, but we'll see you again soon, promise. ;-)

Edinburgh

I can't wrap this series of posts about the England/Scotland tour without sharing a few highlights of our last weekend in Edinburgh.  So if ever you find yourself in this corner of Scotland, I highly recommend hitting up a few of these charming stops.

First, pop in this amazing little market (which was literally around the corner from our hotel, ahem, He will perfect that which concerns me ;-) and pick up a small bar of creamy, organic white chocolate.

Upon leaving take an immediate right and walk down about a block to what has to be the UK's most authentic feeling coffee shop, Artisan Roast.

Walls covered with burlap coffee bags, homemade french press and tea cup light fixtures dangling from a cloth-draped ceiling, a wood burning fireplace, windows overlooking ivy covered courtyards...

Chalkboard painted walls, coffee concoctions explained, a heart in my latte, and this terribly sexy guy sitting in a quiet back corner...

What's not to love?!  Nada.  Nothin'.  It's perfection.  Find a corner, unwrap your chocolate, dip tiny bites into your steaming cup of whatever until nice and melty and simply enjoy the ambiance.

Next stop, Unicorn Antiques.  A short walk from the coffee shop tucked down a residential street, if you're into treasure hunting in foreign lands, it simply cannot be missed!

Oh my goodness gracious.  I wish you could have witnessed my school-girl squeals of anticipation and delight...

Endless shelves and rooms and hallways and staircases packed full of trinkets and treasures!  The photos alone make my heart race.

Josh eventually dragged me reluctantly away, grumbling my angst about leaving before I had the chance to fully examine each dusty corner and individual box of junk.  And photograph it, of course.  He said I'd get over it.  I still haven't.

He wanted to head back to Grassmarket for lunch. (and you should too, by the way.  I keep forgetting if this post is about you or me... Ok, back to recommendations. ;-)  For lunch, do head across town to Grassmarket.  It's a lovely part of the city, full of character and color.

For a quick bite, stop in Oink.  You can't miss it, I promise.  Just look for the line of people next to the roasted pig in the window.

I wasn't much into the pig.  (I'm vegan-ish these days, you know.  It's yet to be determined if this is a passing phase or something more lasting.  Josh is hoping it's a phase.)  He did happily indulge in a pig sandwich however, just before we wandered into this lovely shop next door called Demijohn.

Ah, yes, much more my style.  They sell the most wonderful vinegars made with locally sourced ingredients, definitely worth a stop on your agenda.  I tasted about a dozen before deciding on Lemon, Strawberry, and Blackberry.  They're SO tasty.  Like dessert.

After your vinegar tasting take a walk down the Royal Mile, just because you should.

Don't forget to stop in Elephant House, the coffee shop where JK Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter book... longhand.

I popped inside and snapped this shot, then nonchalantly announced to Josh this was the specific spot where she sat while she wrote it.

He believed me for about 4 seconds.

After a long afternoon wander about the city, you'll be ready to eat no doubt.  If you happen to be into the farm to table movement like we are, check out this darling little cafe, Urban Angel.  (which also just happened to be immediately around the corner from our hotel, just between the organic market and the coffee shop ;-)  It's delicious.

Wild mushroom risotto, roasted sweet potato wedges, some sort of delicious 'teenage lamb' stew.  (I said I was vegan-ISH.  That means I get to be vegan when I feel like it and use it as an excuse to not eat things I don't want to when necessary...like gigantic roasted pig that still has cute ears and a face.  Although I have to admit that typing the words 'teenage lamb' in reference to our stew suddenly sounds equally awful...  (Oh my, how ironic.  As I was literally typing that last sentence my husband walked in and handed me my latest package from amazon...Alicia Silverstone's 'The Kind Diet' Vegan Cookbook.  I'm not kidding.))

Hmmm....and on that note, I'm signing off!  Tomorrow I'll take you for one last walk thru the stunning city itself... and tell you about a few upcoming adventures. 

Couple

Early Friday morning after hugs and email exchanges and last minute photo ops, Josh and I said goodbye to our group and dropped them at the airport.  We had planned to stay a few extra days in Edinburgh to explore the city on our own, and we definitely had a few must-see places in mind.  I'd heard whispers of a hidden coffee shop just around the corner from our hotel as well as a farm-to-table restaurant, and I'd read about a thrift store I was dying to check out, too.  A hike up Arthur's Seat for panoramic views of the city was also on our list, maybe seafood at the pier, and a who knew what else!  Half the fun is not knowing.

There's simply no feeling on earth like being in a foreign city with someone you love, nothing in particular that has to be accomplished, the day dancing before you, teasing you with endless possibilities.  I love it.  I live for moments like these.

Making our way back across town we stumbled upon these two, loving them instantly.  

We followed along behind them for quite awhile, listening to their chattering, whispering and pointing at their hand holding, his hat, their overall general cuteness.  It reminded me of this little man.  

I took several photos, totally unbeknownst to them of course, praying for them silently, trailing behind them down the street until finally Josh smiled at me, took my hand and dragged me the other direction saying he definitely needed a hat like that!

I giggled, wondering if he was serious or not, and off we went to explore...