I've moved on from pops of green to . . . green everywhere. Thanks to V & R's yard for the ferns.

Sunday, Earth Day, I got my bike out the door only to realize one of my tires was flat. Instead, I decided to walk the 2.5 miles to our friends' garden, cutting across parks and streets at a diagonal, pretending I was on a hike, keeping a steady pace.

It ended up being a full day and I went to bed exhausted. That's such a good feeling, putting in a "day's work"—whatever that means to you.

My ceiling needs to grow, because my plant has.

Life, ya know.

Sam had Monday off from work, so he made seafood gumbo with brown rice, and biscuits from scratch. We drank cheap beer and cracked the window, sitting and eating and talking—the kinda thing that makes you think, "This is what I'm supposed to be doing."

We went to Dose Market on Saturday, filled with beautiful people and beautiful things: veggie slider from Mana Food Bar, juice from Peeled, and a new cuff bracelet from Cities in Dust.

THOUGHTS ON CONTRADICTION:

1
Over drinks in a small bar Alice told Mr Sakamoto of the incident in the Métro, of the journey to the bookshop. She told him about the woman with the tattooed arm. Then she said that although she was studying modernity, she had bought a novel by Henry James.

‘So what is the problem?’ he asked. ‘You are large enough to contain contradictions. We are all large enough—are we not?—to contain contradictions.’

-Gail Jones, Dreams of Speaking, London: Harvill Secker, 2006, p. 83. [via Hila at le projet d'amour]

2
Don't take yourself too seriously, and take yourself as seriously as death itself.
Don't worry. Worry your ass off.
Have unclad confidence, but doubt. It keeps you awake and alert.
Believe you are the baddest ass in town—and you suck! It keeps you honest.

Be able to keep two completely contradictory ideas alive and well inside of your heart and head at all times. If it doesn't drive you crazy, it will make you strong. And, stay hard, stay hungry, and stay alive. And when you walk on stage tonight to bring the noise, treat it like it's all we have—and then remember it's only rock 'n' roll.

-Bruce Springsteen, SXSW 2012 Keynote Speech [via NPR at 48:15]

Some things I purchased at Spartan when I was visiting Austin last month. The shop is a dream, and a trap for people like me.

AROUND HERE TODAY:
1.
I've been really drawn to metallics lately, especially this new little number. (I'm still not buying any new clothes this year, but I had a gift card, guys.)
2. 
Always into the "One Book One Chicago" program and the new selection doesn't disappoint, haunting my thoughts and dreams.
3. 
The new issue of Kinfolk next to a lovely book from my friend Molly.
4. 
Do you spy the sprouted onions? What a lovely surprise! Sam's rolling his eyes—but with a smile, which is why I like him—as I let them grow.