a very pleasant surprise

I haven't been spending much time at home lately. So, I was very pleasantly surprised to find that a pumpkin seedling pushed its way through the soil I planted it in two weeks ago. The seed made it across the Atlantic, from Hermine in Belgium, and now it's sprouting on my balcony. I just can't believe it.

(I'm soon to be without a deck—can I grow a pumpkin indoors? I'll Google it.)

propagation II

Remember these?

from seed

It's too sunny and beautiful outside to get any real work done today. But storms should arrive by the evening and I'll make some tea, put on some mellow music, and buckle down. It's been a perfect weekend with a dinner party, flowers, delicious small plates while dining outdoors, a cute boyfriend, and a few long walks.

I sowed four different varieties of seeds in a big ugly plastic trough, and—more quaintly—in some egg shells I'd been saving for the occasion. I'll still buy many seedlings from the garden center (hello, lavender!), but I'd love to eat some summer veggies which I grew from my own tiny seeds:

Gardener's Delight Cherry Tomato Lycopersicon lycopersicum
Roma Tomato Solanum lycopersicum
Arugula / Rocket Eruca sativa
Ring-O-Fire Cayenne Chile Capsicum annuum

aesthetician

I'm leaving on a plane to Austin, TX, in twelve hours. So, while pruning and watering all of my plants in preparation, I noticed one (which I'm propagating) has grown a tiny root stub (the big green one in the back, which is another one from my grandma). I can't wait to see how much it develops during the ten days I'm away. So, in hope of even more surprises, I took trimmings from some of my very favorites pets.

On a slightly different note—which is at the same time completely the same—after taking these photos, I turned to my computer and saw this on the screensaver:

aesthetician (noun)
1. a person who is knowledgeable about the nature and appreciation of beauty, esp. in art
2. a beautician

My heart melted, as it usually does. Isn't that what it's all about—beauty? Beauty in everything. Or is that just what I'm about? Beauty in all of everything.

a plant

. . . whose hair hangs in its face as mine does. Instant attraction.

Photo by Samuel, whose birthday is today.

Happy 

23rd, 

my boy.

blooming

(. . . because the back of a Polaroid is almost just as beautiful.)

an appearance

Two weeks old, yesterday, and look who came out to say hello.

paperwhites

My paperwhite bulbs have begun growing roots. I'm ecstatic.

(Show you tomorrow.)

self-portraits

It's Sunday. My new cardigan is beautifully shear, and with all the lights off in my apartment the overcast day seems incredibly bright. One of my New Year's goals is to begin taking self-portraits—sometimes I feel quite shy of myself, and I see this as peut-être some sort of therapeutic solution. But also, I usually find others' to be completely lovely and revealing.

So, hello from my bedroom. I had breakfast with Sam this morning, and now I'm spending the day relaxing with my plants and Audrey Hepburn (until I have to trek to my late night shift).

friday

I'm so very happy to see the sun today, touching everything in my apartment. Happy Friday, tout le monde.

Oh, do you see that I finally got those boots? They're perfect.

propagation

This plant came from my grandma ages ago. It's been sitting in a cup of water on my windowsill for over two years now, hence the root rotting. I cleaned it up a tad and will pot it tonight—it deserves some lovin'.

P.S. I'm trying to make this blog more navigable, so please forgive its current visual state. On the other hand!: my header now links, as do my post titles, and soon there will be a nice little archive list. Give me some time.

half-price mondays

 

Molly and I made a game plan before this thrifting adventure. My mental list consisted of: chunky knits, pretty beige night things, and pots to grow new plants (so inspired by Lotte). And I followed Alexa Chung's advice, and—very successfully—looked for sweaters in the little boy's section. For only $10, I got everything pictured above, plus the treasure-hunt-satisfaction that is the beauty of thrifting. I'm particularly in love with the soft pink nightgown find. I love the little boobs; they're perfect for my little boobs.

my new pet

Hedera helix // Pittsburgh English Ivy

This angel is considered a pesky weed in the Pacific Northwest. It is everything but, sitting in the sun by my window.