The Bunch of Daffodils

Life limps along. It's St. David's Day & I have neither leeks nor daffodils; a gap I hope to fill later this afternoon. If you're in a cheesy mood, a Welsh rarebit might be on your menu.

I had much more to say & energy to say it two years ago about a St. David's Day in southern Italy.

cariad/xo

PS: I love this Robert Doisneau photograph; it's not easy to find in decent shape. It's available here in the States & in the UK. You can look through his portfolios by subject on his website.

Central Park in Fog

I don't do gift guides & shopping posts (though I enjoy reading them) & I'm certainly not paid for anything I recommend. Occasionally, though, I like something so much that I do link to it. I've loved Canadian Irene Suchocki's photographs on flickr for ages, enough to click 'contact.' People use her photographs quite a lot without mentioning that she has an Etsy shop, Eye Poetry. {finger wag}

Eye Poetry features three calendars this season & some discounted prints; there's a Cyber Monday discount on other prints as well. These are excellent prices, though, even without the discounts. Her subjects are like a round-up of what-I-love. Italy & France, animals, New York, fairy lights, carousels.

The holiday order deadline is past for Europe (& obviously Australia:) but as I said on Giulia Geranium, subscribe to the idea of the Twelve Days of Christmas & relax, man. The deadline for the States is the 5th, Canada, the 6th. Love those calendars. This bridge in Central Park is featured on a small black & white vintage-photograph holiday card that I've sent twice. I really love these, too, though they are mass-produced.

Cheers all...

(photograph by Irene Suchocki)

Happy Fourth of July

Have a happy & safe holiday if you celebrate it. If not have a great beginning to the week.

A few things:

I love these photographs from the White House last year. I only saw them today. The first is so sweet!

I want to make this Swedish cream cake. Add a few blueberries & it can be Fourth of July cake or a Bastille Day cake.

Speaking of Bastille Day..thanks to a French friend who has made it her mission that fireworks are on my dance card tomorrow. Many bisous to her (& her family). It will be fun to be with these leetle kids...there's even a 7 month old. Squeal! (That's me squealing, not the baby:)

I'm trying to post again regularly but things are muddled. I do post regularly on Giulia Geranium & if people think they'll comment now & again, I'll enable comments after 2 years. Please let me know what you think; I've had a "considering it" note over there for a few months. Thanks so much! xoxo

(photograph by Benoit Paillé)

Keep the Peace on Thanksgiving

...are you fighting yet? Wait a few hours...it's early. If someone is getting on your nerves, picking a fight, get outta there. I mean out of the house/apt. Even if it's your place. Take a walk & look for materials to make centerpieces, wreaths, swags, or little art installations. If you come up short on the flower-y/greenery/berry front head on to a market. Most of them have floral foam & wire if you want to make a more formal centerpiece arrangement. (Beg for a little bit of foam or wire, if that's what you really want. Of course, offer to pay.)

I saw some pretty Lady apples, Seckel pears, & teeny white pumpkins a few days ago for little money. Arrange on large platter or plate (runner/large placemat/tablecloth/pillowcase), tuck in sprigs of holly (or pine) the neighbor gave you, search your cupboards for a bag of whole nuts that are now, I assure you, stale. Arrange.

Personally, I like Emily Thompson's delicate wreaths & have made similar for years & endured teasing by unimaginative people with scads of cash. A dangerous combination. If all else fails, garland thyself. A crown implies power beyond words. Most people are not going to pick on someone wearing a crown (it would seem especially in America from all the breathless Royal Wedding Reports on the evening news). All of these ideas work for any holiday, in any country. But for fellow Americans & their guests, a special happy Thanksgiving from Julie the Cat & her obedient servant.

Here's the link to Design*Sponge labels Thanksgiving & flowers. (images via Design*Sponge)

Guardian Gourds

Happy Hallowe'en, Samhain, Nos Calan Gaeaf

A Hallowe'en photograph of me-as-Twiggy via scan of a crinkled snap has failed to amuse or please. Worse, I look entirely annoyed in the picture & have no idea why. So sorry, B, one of my sisters who sent it with a sweet note ("I thought you looked so beautiful..."). Maybe we can find it on a slide for next year. Fairy-lighted pumpkins against a dark blue sky will have to do for now. Lots & lots of spooky & scary Hallowe'en posts all over the wah-wah-web. (photograph via Martha Stewart)

PS: Happy birthday to John Keats

Plage de temps

To make a 'beach of time' - as in carving out much-needed restorative time to be...it needn't be at a beach or near water of any sort. Or more than 10 minutes, perhaps. It's a saying. So brilliant those French (don't tell them I said so, though). [Olga's umbrellas, same as on GG on Holiday] ciao.

Update - Monday evening, 5 July 2010. It is over 100-freaking-Fahrenheit degrees. In some places near here it was 108F. At a certain point, however, over 100, it's damn hot. Worse to follow this week. The ocean was lovely but a distant memory & it's not been a week yet. So. Perhaps people will hop over to Julie's site & click some worthy links. Oof.

Swedish Midsummer Mystery

I love this photograph by Olga, taken in Sweden. It brings to mind an Inspector Wallander book (& PBS series with a brilliant turn by Kenneth Branagh as Kurt Wallander) & waving fields of golden-yellow flowers...on a midsummer's eve.* The series is shot in a rarely-seen part of Sweden & it's beautiful, wistful, melancholy, tortured, etc. So of course, I love it. (When you're finished reading Stieg Larrson's (sadly) final book, check out Henning Mankell's series, if you've not already done so.)

Speaking of Sweden, Anne's Food, written by Anne (surprise) in Stockholm has excellent (impressively organized) easy-to-print recipes & wonderful photographs. Mother to an adorable baby boy, Titus, who made the scene in May 2009. She has cats. Her profession is "political secretary." All very intriguing & I've only had 3 years to find out more. Here are Anne's labels for 'midsummer'; it may be too late to bake/make anything now...but who says you can't do it later? Don't get into too much trouble tonight.

*Depending on where you are (sorry Antipodean friends, for being so Northern-centric).

[second image via Jane Austen's World - also a wonderful blog. I know. You're thinking, wha??? What's that got to do with Jane Austen. Well, go visit & find out!]

A Kiss in Times Square

I wasn't going to post today but Edith Shain (see above--she's the nurse:) will be an honored guest in The National Memorial Day Parade today. How could I resist? If you're in DC & see this, here's a link to parade info--it begins at 2pm. There will be live video (I think). Have a safe holiday (anywhere you happen to be).

Update, Later that day: Dear Anonymous Weisenheimers, I well know just what the day commemorates. NACP - No. Anonymous. Comments. Period. If you're that angry, froth elsewhere. Cheerio.

[Kiss in Times Square on V-J Day, Alfred Eisenstaedt, August 14, 1945 via LIFE Archives]

She Moved Through the Fair

The Celtic Cat & I raise a toast (a day early) to friends near & far. Here's a favorite song; also The Chieftains' rehearsal of The Foggy Dew video for Long Black Veil (also with O'Connor).

Once Upon a Time, a St. David's Day in Italy

My favorite St. David's Day (March 1) memory is a daffodil quest in southern Italy. I was visiting friends for a few weeks, near Naples. One of this delightful duo was shy about his southern accent & still-tentative English. My southern dialect--forget it; "regular Italian" - it kept slipping into French. Our Italian-speaking link was doing something important --foraging for dinner ingredients. Me? Of course, I was obsessed with flowers & on this weekend, daffodils. I forgot the Italian word, if I ever knew it. Finally after squeaking out 'spring, 'yellow,' & I don't remember what else in Italian, S. lit up & said, "trombone?" I, being an ass, said,"No, no. Trombone? What? No that's an instrument in inglese." Finally, slow me, oh. Daffodils. They are trumpet-shaped--ah.

The sight of an older man pretend-playing a horn instrument & a younger, somewhat exasperated English-speaking woman performing the universal hand-to-head circling motion amused a bunch of bored children with no immediate interests except a Saturday gelato. We made a little bow to the kids, & slunk away. After the forager returned, she explained what was what (after laughing a bit too much--ahem), & S. became obsessed with the idea that I should have trombone. I was embarrassed that I had not only called him crazy in a public market, but now I had given him a new mission. He's one of those lovely people around whom one should be careful to express any wish that he could possibly (& maybe not even possibly) fulfill.

Later that evening, as I fussed with the sitting room brazier, tossing in clementine peels to achieve the most fragrant scent, I looked up & there he was in the doorway, holding a gigantic bunch of the longest-stemmed daffodils I'd ever seen. Before or since. I don't know where or when he got them that day, but being an Italian he possessed a sense of the dramatic moment & thus waited for a post-dinner flourish.

Here are some lovely links to a celebration of St. David's Day weekend in Rome (yes, yes), the end of which involves daffodil distribution. Also, here is a link to a current National Museum of Wales exhibit: Italian Memories in Wales.

cariad & ciao

[photograph of Sophia Loren, I should look so good, via If It's Hip, It's Here; Scented Alley in Naples by golden puppy via flickr]

Year's End - Goodbye to All That

Call it what you will; I say good riddance to a thoroughly disagreeable decade. Cheers!

[unattributed photograph via LIFE archives]

Countdown

Go buy some almonds & you can have these done in less than 15 minutes--no kidding. (They'd be fine with other nuts, too.) I've eaten far too many since ice & snow have kept me from delivering a lot of Christmas gifts. So, I'll be making some more in a moment. [Photograph & recipe both from Martha Stewart.com]

There's No Place Like Rome

...ever. Especially at Christmastime. Merry Christmas especially to SBL in Darfur, Sudan, AB in Uganda, CLS in Afghanistan. [photographs by Enzo D. & the wonderful & generous Giampaolo Macorig via flickr]

Christmas Wrapping Rumpus

Dreading tonight's second holiday wrapping-for-donation gig. I used to be fairly good at it. Years of inability to give gifts have rendered me as four-thumbed as this child. Seriously, wrapping-under-pressure is stressful. The only thing more stressful? Two weeks ago there were very few customers in the large bookstore. Eep. Hope for better tonight. And no lectures from those who disapprove of Amnesty International. In a departure from my tight, slight, polite smile, I fear I might roar back causing said person to back-flip in manner of Peanuts characters. Off to brew calming ginger tea. Do visit Hazel at The Clever Pup who is back with amusing Christmas tidbits (original art, French video, handmade moose ornament, & much more).

It's also supposed to go colder & wetter this evening. But of course. Wish me luck.

[photographs by Nina Leen via LIFE archives]

PS Update: Amy Merrick on Design*Sponge has a funny post on lagging behind in holiday spirit & what she did about it. Hint: it involves a fishnet leg lamp & a Daisy Red Ryder BB gun.

Happy Thanksgiving!

On verge of birthing a cow as I'm running late & afraid I'll look like one in my dress. Ah well. Here's what I'm taking to hosts (whom I don't know well). Flowers, chocolate, & stinky cheese. That should do it. (Arriving with half-a-Frenchie famille, so this won't be out of order). Hope everyone has a happy & safe holiday.

[Images via we heart it, Whole Foods blog]

Happy Vintage Fourth of July from DC

After so many years in DC, I've a cache of personal & professional-photographers-who-are/were-uh-friends Fourth of July fireworks pix. Where are they? I do not know. (I'm in the midst of tearing up the apartment, shredding, tossing, cleaning, etc.) I hereby vow to find photographs for Christmas in the next few weeks so I won't be caught up short then, too.

Fortunately, Jessica at myvintagevogue has two great vintage shots. The photograph above is by Robert Kahan , Glamour magazine, 1942. Jessica included, as will I, the Condé Nast Store website link.

(The other one, here...it's spectacularly Graeco-Roman-goddess-as-American symbol. My ancient history & architecture professor would be in heaven. Sadly, he is in heaven for real. And he would've enjoyed that cheeky comment, so no booing, please.)

The little red shot is a pathetic one of mine excavated from the desk drawer, undated. The collage & other shot are by ohad* on flickr commons (from 2006). Don't know where or if I'll see any fireworks tonight. All is in flux. I do wish friends who live at 13th & U with a rooftop were in town this year. A great place to have a drink, kibbitz, ooh & ahh, & then three floors down to the apartment. Just like that. Yesterday out & about on the Mall at the Smithsonian's annual Folk Life Festival, fabulous as usual. A friend & I had a lot of fun & catching up to do but ...just thinking about getting back on the Red Line to the Mall--which is not far--lacks appeal. For a fireworks fanatic (me), that's saying something.

Signing off with a cheery, Sparklers Forever!

Week's End - Summer Sparklers

Fourth of July Eve pix-into-collage. Though I have approximately 1 million (I counted) photos of various Fourths (including in France & Italy, explanation forthcoming), no time to organize them & scan. I dearly wish I could be a girl on the beach with sparklers this year.

More tonight or tomorrow. Perhaps with a bit of coherence, even? Maybe.

[Girl on the beach by Peter Stackpole, LIFE Archives; remaining by John Dominis for LIFE' girl in converse sneaks by D Sharon Pruitt/Creative Commons flickr set ]

Easter past

(egg credit)

Multicolored balloons in a green sky

Happy St. Patrick's Day. I wish someone would leave a case of Harp & a bottle of Jameson on the front stairs. Seriously. Considering I was a founding member of the James Joyce Society in DC, one of three responsible for running the first Ulysses marathon reading in the U.S. at American University in 1984, & on & on...one would think I'd have more to say. Quote Yeats, at least, if not Joyce. Anecdotes about friends at the Abbey? My collection of Irish children's books (that are anything but sentimental, of course)? Nope. Not feeling it tonight (as this is 16 March). Perhaps later. xo. (photo credit)

Bouquets of yellow mimosa...

...to all on International Women's Day. The annual theme is up to individual countries, but this year "Women and men united to end violence against women & girls" is the official UN/global focus.

When it comes to the condition of women & girls, my knowledge is mostly southern Italy, Sicily (Italians...sorry, it's true & you know it), the Middle East (all countries & territories), north & central Africa. I'm thinking a lot about colleagues, friends, & good acquaintances who are either on the Chad-Darfur border or detained in Sudan. Don't know yet. Border hopes.

On a less serious note, March 8 is celebrated with a great deal of fun & flair (no surprise) in Italy. See here for a little Roman anecdote. xoxo

Update: I can't believe I'm doing this. But if it makes some people happy, then I'll make your damn day. In Italy, there's an argument (of course) about the proper title of International Women's Day. So. Today is also Buona Festa della Donna. I hereby declare both titles correct. /susan/8 march/noon EST. Grrrr.