I’ve been TREASURED! …Isn’t Etsy the best?
If you’re not familiar with Etsy, being treasured basically means an item from your shop has been selected as part of a collection by someone else. People make treasuries of favorite items, but mainly they make groups of things that go together, or are similarly-themed. But enough Etsy talk… go check out my feature!
I was trying to think of “Cr” words to go into this post title, and the only thing I could think of was “cringe.” And normally a spider of this magnitude inside the house would definitely make me cringe (I don’t even pretend to be calm- ask Tanner). But something about this spider, maybe because it was outside, maybe because its web was so beautiful, I was just drawn to it like a magnet. Thank you, spidey, for awakening my inner-scientist.
P.S. If you like to read funny awesomeness, When You Are Engulfed in Flames, by David Sedaris, has a pretty good spider essay.
With the approach of fall, it seems that all of nature is renewed one final time before it actually turns cold and frozen. I love the color going on outdoors already, and I can’t wait to get out there and take some photos. When I do, I will likely post some of those goodies to my new photography site, amiratzlaff.com (if you’re into that sort of thing, give it a bookmark!).
I feel it necessary to warn of the inherently silly endeavor of taking a house full of dogs and trying to make them all simultaneously pose for a photo. This is only to be attempted by the most wildly foolish of folk (such as myself and my family).
And wonder of wonders, do my eyes deceive me? What a treasure; maybe we’ll even print this one.
Friday was the first day of the 2011 Kansas State Fair. We gave the locals a day to warm it up, then joined the fun on Day Two. We ate an obscene amount of bad food that tasted good: fried cheese curds, pizza, pronto pups, taffy, funnel cake, and deep-fried spiral potatoes… In between the shoveling of fried food into our mouths, we rode some rides and saw a life-sized butter sculpture of a monkey riding a sheep.
At the end of the night we decided to take a trip on Ye Old Mill. This started as it does every year; we climbed aboard the small boat and entered into the darkness. About two thirds of the way through, lights came on and our boat came to a stop! Apparently it was closing time, and they thought it best to shut down with us inside. We ended up getting out inside the tunnel and had to walk along the edge to the exit. Since we didn’t get to ‘enjoy’ the full ride, we asked for a refund. Our request was denied. Turns out the poorly managed closing time procedures turned the ride into an adventure, and adventures are much more exciting than rides.
• ( revel in) get great pleasure from (a situation or experience)
A quick post about some things I’ve been enjoying lately. What do you revel in?
Weather: about to cool down
Reading: Just finished The Map of True Places by Brunonia Barry and about to start The Anglel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz
Listening: Gillian Welch
Revelling: Leftover pink roses from my birthday
Dreaming: About the perfect career
My cousin, Jordan, congratulated me with a Happy Birthday, but then was quick to add that I had joined some sordid-sounding club called “Dirty Thirty.” I suppose I have. Tanner and I drove down to my hometown for a quick trip of birthday fun. My mom really got into the spirit, by getting out all my baby toys I hadn’t seen in years (younger sister Julie said, “whoa, they are vintage now,”). She also brought out the dog-shaped cookies, which I had to post. In Hutchinson, the preeminent cake-and-cookie-maker is without a doubt Kathie Girst. She is always booked, but if you schedule ahead, you get the best sugared-goods in the state. My dad made the fried tacos, Julie gave me 30 wrapped gifts (yes, I typed that correctly), and it was really too much fun. So fun, I forgot I had just gotten another year older.
George and Annabelle- the two best toys a gal could hope for.
Bichon Frise Birthday Cookies
What a beautiful day for a birthday!
I have a few different collections, mostly things that other people don’t really get into collecting. There is something comforting in valuing items that are special to only you. My favorite collection involves hoarding vintage greeting cards wherever I can get my paws on them; usually garage sales and thrift stores. I’ve been debating about whether to start an Etsy shop selling them, since the collection has gotten a little out of hand. The problem I face is… I don’t know if I can bear to part with them! What unique things do you collect? 
Two of our favorite experiences from our week in Oregon were visiting the Chinese Gardens and the International Rose Test Gardens. We went to the the Chinese Gardens first. It was so quiet and serene there, we could have stayed for hours. I think admission cost something like $10 and was a little off the beaten track, but was so very worth it.
The second place we went was to the Rose Gardens. This was just across the way from the Chinese Gardens, and was completely free of charge– it’s a public park! I couldn’t get over how something so gorgeous and scenic could not cost anything at all. We took our time wandering about, and I wouldn’t hesitate to return. This is a must-see if you visit the Portland area.
This was one of many exquisite views from the Chinese Gardens. Truly transporting.
Olfactory and visual beuaty prove a delight.
"In a sky so clear and blue"
Tanner and I got to travel to Portland, Oregon this summer, and goodness me, I need to move there immediately. These first pictures are from a party we attended (part of the “OSCon” Open Source Conference which was the official reason for the trip). I sort of hate to brag, but I don’t hate it enough to actually refrain: it was awesome, people!
Lots of delectable goodies from the famous Voo Doo Doughnuts
Yes, you see dancers on stilts and crazy marching band music. Descriptions do no justice here.