A Spoonful of Sugar

It's only Monday night and I'm sitting in my bed scavenging for a way to get back to the weekend past. I want my virginal Philadelphia back; with it's narrow petal pressed streets and pastel doors inlaid in vintage brick. I want to see the man who has wheel chaired his 89 year-old uncle down market street every day for the past ten years, smiling as he chats his way down the street with his dearest friend. I want the bustling market filled with fantastic Amish food straight from the farms. Give me back the kitten that slept in the bend of my legs, and the charismatic mutt that gave me the most play I've gotten in a span of time worthy of notation. Philadelphia, how I fell, so quickly, in love with you. And now I have to find a way to be content in this place, when all a I want is to do is carry a goldfish, take small steps, and recite "I want a vacation from my problems" (referential: What About Bob). But tonight i'll take heed to another weekend movie moment: 

The forecast is, sleeping with the window open, sipping tea from a mug (stating the time old truth- "You can take the girl out of Scotland, but you can't take Scotland out of the girl") and lighting Cedar incense... I'm counting on a good dream. 

For...

A robin feathering his nest
Has very little time to rest
While gathering his bits of twine and twig
Though quite intent in his pursuit
He has a merry tune to toot
He knows a song will move the job along - for

A Spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down
The medicine go down-wown
The medicine go down 
Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down
In a most delightful way

As I read what I've written, I can hear my mom's voice reminding me that the nest I'm building is perhaps more sugary than medicine-like. I'll allow myself to indulge in my exhaustion, but I know life is pretty fabulous. 

 Fare well tonight, 

Justine

A sip of heaven

Milk Thistle Organic Dairy Farm 

Recently while carousing through the dairy section of Whole foods, Justine stumbled upon a sweet little bottle. Creamy, fresh, and pure, this milk rung with an air of local.

Milk Thistle Organic Dairy Farm is an "intimate, family owned, organic dairy located in beautiful Columbia County, New York"..... and we can't get enough of them. It's been true love ever since, and their small bottles of lightly pasteurized chocolate milk have accompanied us from the park, to snuggling on the couch at home, to (unwisely enough) speech class. We guarantee, if you have any fondness towards milk, this will add a little bit of goodness to your day. 

Here is their website so you can check out their delectably delicate products

                                           

Chilly Spring Fondue Party

              

When Auden moved into her somewhat shabby (now utterly chic : ) ) Upper West Side apartment, little did she know a surprise was waiting for her.  While she was sweeping, scrubbing, and generally rummaging around her new abode, she discovered an unopened fondue set underneath the kitchen sink. "Wow," she thought happily to herself, "this is wonderful. Someday I will make my very own fondue and share it with friends." The seed had been planted.  Slowly but surely, the stars aligned and the Big Night was planned. With the support of little Pipster (Pippa Soo), Faithful Lover (Ryan), and of course, her right hand woman, magic happened.

Ingredients for the Perfect Night of Fondue-ing

1. Chilly Night- preferably winter or late fall, but early spring will work. 
2. Small Abode- we're aiming for comfy. 
3. Twinkle, or candle light- a warm storybook sort of air.
4. Pots, plates, bowls, and mugs- to deal out the goods
5. Two fondue Pots with multiple skewers- we used a Crock Pot for the chocolate
6. Our recipe for Chocolate Fondue- seductive, warm, and smooth (1 pound semi sweet chocolate, and 1 pint heavy cream)
7. Our Cheese Fondue- bold, mellow and luscious (cheeeze)
8. Scrumptious Goodies, Sweet And Savory- granny smiths, galas, mallows, graham crackers, bananas, baguette, sourdough, sausage, grapes, cookies, gummy bears (anything you can think of that meshes with cheese and chocolate). 
9. Classy Booze
10. The pulpit... invite over some good friends for some good conversation (and be sure to invite the Amelie Soundtrack.) 

getting to know you

Ten Sentences on Justine, By Auden

Justine grew up running naked and splatter painting through the mountains of Colorado. Her hair was long and wild, her limbs reaching and playful, and her eyes took in the world like the summer sky. Her father: an artist, her mother: finding new work, her brother: a filmmaker. Her parents are still in love. Now far from home, she misses the sharp alpine air, her father's hands, her mothers skin, and her brother's smile. Herself: an artist, actress, traveller and good soul. She will cook you beautiful treats and draw you delicate pictures and melt you with her pillowy little fingertips. She vehemently loves snuggling and tea, "The Giving Tree" and local produce, cuddling, bookstores and picnics and snuggling and cuddling : ) . Her spirit is flowing and free, honest, and unafraid.  She is the last flowers of summer. 

From e.e. cummings "Tulips and Chimneys"

2

Thy fingers make early flowers of

all things.

thy hair mostly the hours love:

a smoothness which

sings, saying

(though love be a day)

do not fear, we will go amaying. 

thy whitest feet crisply are straying. 

Always 

thy moist eyes are at kisses playing, 

whose strangeness much

says; singing

(though love be a day)  

for which girl are thou flowers bringing?

To be thy lips is a sweet thing

and small.

Death, Thee i call rich beyond wishing 

if this thou catch, 

else missing. 

(though love be a day

and life be nothing, it shall not stop kissing). 

Ten Sentences on Auden, By Justine 

Auden was born in Houston Texas. She was raised by a man who carried an air of home, and a mother with the world in her smile. She became the oldest of four girls, and they lived for years in a fairy kingdom made of sheets, tea, fruit and quick steps. Auden now goes to the Juilliard School and studies acting. She loves eclectic scents, comfortable high heels, crafts, costumes, pillows, poetry, the french countryside, art, romance and Kate Winslet. She smells like baby, sugar, and cotton. Auden's most recent roles include Vera in A Month in the Country, Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Katie Jo in Broadway (she'll hate me for adding this as a sentence). Her talents include Acting, frosting, brewing, cuddling, sassing, smiling, and massaging. Her weaker points include walking. She is loved like large snowflakes on indoor days, and daisy bracelets on sweet wrists. 

Monet's Cliff Walk at Pourville 

And 

The Nutcracker's Waltz of the Snowflakes 

Dear Reader,

We wanted to break the ice with a quick description of what we wanted to do with this blog, and then move on real quick to bigger and better. Justine first learned about the blogging world through her friend Meg, who started up a blog about 4 months or so ago (thats a rough estimate). Meg's blog was witty and charming, sweet and thoughtful. We want to create a place for all of the things we love to go... and then some. A diorama of sorts to get us thinking about where we've been, what we've read, eaten, sung, and seen. Hopefully it will get us thinking and appreciating, and you can come along for the ride. 

Sincerely, 

Auden and Justine