state-shaped food

emily's broken matzah. from our beloved blue ribbon bakery. isn't this curious and rather accurate?

luck

i save my birthday candles. for luck. 

i think it's working.

expressionism

my beautiful friend katherine, who is near and dear to my heart, 

is putting together a project. and i want you to participate! 

rather simple and really fun. it's called expressionism.

 

take a picture of yourself and attach one word about your current state. 

then email it to kath.robinson2@gmail.com

it's turning out to be quite the lovely project! 

watch out though. i spent a good minute taking pictures before i realized that i should have written my fancy letters mirror-imaged.

but it's okay, because we can all admit that having a tiny and indulgent photo shoot with yourself is silly and fun.

 

the lion

i fully identify with being a leo.

trickery

i was somewhat confused and concerned about these young ladies' school being closed down.

when i asked why, a girl said "because we are bad and there are no rules and we do whatever we want." and when i asked what her future plans were after the school closes, she responded with a rather aloof "i don't know." and when she said they came from england to protest in new york city. in front of the public library. and when not one of them had any variation of a british accent. and when i looked rather bemused and she said "well, we made a movie about it and it comes out tomorrow so hopefully we raise enough money to save our school." and when she handed me a branded lip gloss and mirror.

i must remember that i am swimming amongst actors. nonetheless, it made me smile.

weekend treats

the world is filled with treasure.

it is everywhere and it is completely subjective.

and that is the fun of it all.

certain things just appeal to others more.

my rule when purchasing absolutely anything, i always ask myself if i love the particular item, whether it is clothing, a new notebook, furniture or food. i only buy what i truly enjoy. my room is a testament to that. it took me over three months to get a mirror for the space on the wall above my bed, and not because i wasn't looking. i searched until i really found the one that i loved. i think i have a pretty good grasp on what i will like temporarily and what i will adore for quite a while. when i'm surrounded by everything that i thoughtfully chose and love, then that's a really good feeling, too.

these are my treasures that i found in vermont this weekend. they are wildly delightful to me.

• a lovely dress.
  
• a perfectly over-the-top swan statue from recycle north.
  
• an embroidery kit with instructions on how to sew poppies.
  

burlington, you bring me happiness

hey burlington, you're wonderful!

thank you for this weekend.

we strolled around church street and

ran into old friends.

we had the yummiest brunch

with colorful fruit plates

and the mandatory bucket-o-spuds, which were gone in five minutes.

brunch-time cake for the beautiful and kind birthday girl, anne-marthe!

i came up with my next few craft project ideas this weekend,

including a floral needlepoint.

burlington, you're knee deep in creativity. of all sorts.

when i bought a bar of beeswax at city market, just to have,

the cashier and i talked about craft ideas that include beeswax.

to use for color and such things.

and most importantly, thank you to burlington, for providing a good energy. it is certainly contagious.

the greatest feeling

this weekend was my second-ever university of vermont alumni weekend. i shared a room in the burlington sheraton, across from our old dorms, with my college roommates of two years. yes, six out of the seven lovely ladybirds of converse court. in one room. for two nights. we hadn't been this many all together since we graduated in may of 2008. the best of memories were all rehashed. it felt good.

my roommate and i were talking about the best feelings in the world. all this time in our old college town reminded us of what really just feels the greatest of all:

waking up on a freezing cold, vermont winter morning, being delightfully comfortable in your warm, soft bed and then having that conversation in your head. the one where you are really trying to convince your better judgement. "it's so difficult to hike the 15 minute walk up pearl street to campus in the snow. it's just too cold to walk up that far. has my bed always been this comfortable? i haven't skipped any classes this week. i could just ask my friend for the notes. i'm doing really well in that class."

and at that very precise moment, when your indulgent side wins and you decide to email your professor saying that you're (very unfortunately) sick (later on in the afternoon to give your story a bit more credibility), you drift back to sleep. securely warm and blissful. that's the greatest.

the next few posts will be dedicated to all of the things that i love about burlington. this weekend was wonderful and i loved everything about it. it was so incredible to see old friends. we all have such a camaraderie. regardless of how long it's been since we've talked or seen each other, there is this perfect, nostalgic love. joyful reunions are also the greatest.