Frog In The Doorway

(Literally!)

So, I have to admit: I'm not a fan of anything squeamy: bugs, snakes...okay, bugs and snakes. That may be it. :) Oh and fish...those, too. Ew.

Living in Minnesota, however, in the middle of somewhere, I have learned that nature abounds....whether I want it to or not.

And I have discovered that I really like frogs.

Last summer, I came downstairs, and Man (my beloved) directed me towards towards the staircase wall, so I could see the frog that had been there since the night before. (I call him Man as he changes my oil, knows what a Piston is, and can quote me my eighth-amendment rights in about three minutes.)

This poor little guy was plastered against the wall like the Titanic was going down--he did not move for two days--or at least that we saw him. Poor little guy.

Finally, we sent him back outside.

Today, we noticed a little face sticking out of a planter by the patio door. He had the same little look: "don't step on me-don't eat me-please love me" of our little frog from last summer.

Sorry for the badness of the image (via my Droid), but he is still super cute.

Collectibles: Depression-Era Glass

One of my favorite hobbies is antiquing. I could happily spend hours in an antique shop sorting through vintage clothing, books, china, and glassware.

What I really love, though, is depression-era glass. My mom started collecting it about ten years ago and passed on that love to me. Her philosophy was that you should always serve food to guests on pretty serving dishes.

My philosophy was that if I served my food on pretty dishes, no one would notice my cooking. :)

I'm a big fan of repurposing pieces, so I like to use my depression-era cookie jar as a vase, and I use a serving bowl to store my daily jewelery and hair pieces.

I'd like to start collecting the green-colored glass like the piece shown below.

Vineyards With a View...

There is something invigorating about the pop of a champagne/sparkling wine cork. That "pop" speaks of hope, love, romance, a future, a celebration of things to come, or a remembrance of things past. (Thank you, Proust.)

I had the good fortune to visit Gloria Ferrer in Sonoma and sample some wonderful sparkling wine.

What I experienced really surprised me. The vineyards are endless. The study of viticulture (is obviously) rampant, and I enjoyed learning different grapes and how they grow. (And the tasting part was a real challenge. :) )

A lovely delight at GF...the most wonderful spicy almonds that accompany the tasting menu. I was so enamored that I asked if I could buy them and take them home...the answer was no. They were not available to sell, but they would gladly send me home with some (for free) and tell me how they were made.

Loving Kate...

I am absolutely loving my new Kate Spade accessories. More to the point, I am appreciating the mottos come with them. My favorite thus far: Have Courage.



The insert...




The bangle...







The packaging...




The wearer. :)