Daily Life | 1

Sometimes I worry that this space is me talking at you (whoever you are) rather than really engaging in some kind of modern-day one-sided conversation. Sure, I love documenting the different things I'm making and the ways I'm exploring new and old passions alike, but I also want to look back and see my daily life mixed in. Because the truth is, the majority of my life isn't built up of DIYs or calligraphy or baking. It's an uneven hodge podge of all of those things and more. Some nights I watch marathons of Netflix, some nights I take Skillshare classes, some nights I bake lemon blueberry muffins and read cookbooks like novels and wash dishes for what feels like hours. Some nights I come home at 5 and sleep until 7. I want a record of that, too. So that's what this is. I'm taking a week off of Instagram to stay focused on what's going on right here around me, to really dig my fingers and toes into my daily life. I plan to take a photo each day, whether on my phone or my camera, and share it here.

Today, I'm working from home. We were lucky to find an affordable apartment with a small second room where we've set up a little office/sewing/business space for both of us (Mike's big on eBay these days). It's where Mike does his homework or grading, where I sit most of the days I work from home, where I sew or write or play with one of the many hobbies I've picked up over the years. There are two windows in the room: one that overlooks our neighbor's porch and grape vines, and the other looks out onto our street. It's often loud because of school traffic or yapping dogs, but sometimes the way the sun hits the mint and blue houses across the street makes me pause my work and stare. We're planning to stay in this apartment at least another year, and sometimes I find myself nostalgic for it even as we're still here. Though I sometimes complain about how cramped it feels or how you can't actually rearrange any of the rooms because of their size, this is our home and I will miss it one day when we are gone.

Around here | Spring edition.

Have I shown you how our camera wall has grown? I first wrote about it when I started this blog, and it was a humble six cameras. Since then, we've kept collecting vintage cameras and interesting frames, and every once in a while when Mike is feeling crafty, he adds to it. We've joked that one day it's going to extend onto the ceiling, but looking at these pictures, that joke may become a reality if we live here much longer.

When we first moved in together, I realized how much stuff Mike has. He's a big collector. The past seven months, he's been actively getting rid of things that he doesn't need or love, making room for the things that he does love. We also have a display wall of his View Masters, but I'll share that another time...

I'm going out for a coworker's birthday tonight, and I decided to give Joy the Baker's latest cookie recipe a try for the celebration. They're pretty incredible (but again, what with "double chocolate" in the title isn't?). 

We've been on a major Spring cleaning tear lately. Just beyond this photograph are bins and boxes that Mike's going to sell at a flea market and put into storage. Our apartment is a good size for us now, but we're making an effort to make it more spacious by parting with things that don't really fit this space. 

These little succulents have been threatening to die for a few months now, but ever since I moved them to the kitchen window and have backed off on watering them, they've slowly been looking better.

And this guy. He doesn't complain much until I forgot to water him for ohhhhh about a month. (What! And people want me to get a dog?!) But after two straight weeks of keeping him watered and in the shifting sunny spots around the house, he's starting to look more like himself again. 

Don't let the sunshine in these pictures fool you—we're back down to the 30s and 40s this week, but I'm thankful for at least some warmth when the wind isn't blowing.

Film | K&E wed, November, 9, 2013.

I'm officially at that age where multiple friends of mine are engaged or married. I was honored to be a bridesmaid in Katie and Emily's wedding last November, and though I was technically on Emily's side, it never actually felt like separate sides. We spent the morning running between hotel rooms, borrowing bobby pins and make up, and then we all rushed downstairs for pre-ceremony photos together. I was nervous all day, practicing my speech in whispers in the bathroom with clammy hands, but once those doors opened and we were all parading down the aisle in a statement of love and support and commitment to these two, all nervousness and fear was gone. Amidst the dancing and the wine and the multiple cupcakes and the group trips to the bathroom, giggling, I whispered to Katie and Em, "I'm afraid I'll never be this happy again!" 

It wasn't a real fear of course, it was just the realization that the love of others and your love for them all bunched up in one big room—well, I imagine it's similar to some kind of drug. If I'm having this much fun at friends' weddings, I can't imagine how much my cheeks will hurt at my own. 

All of the burnt oranges.

Maybe it's just the awareness that comes as you get older, but this has been the most spectacular Fall I've experienced. Every day, just walking to work in the morning or walking home in the afternoons, I am struck by a certain patch of light or pile of leaves. This past weekend, which we spent in Brooklyn, I woke up each morning in awe of the view of Brooklyn and the ever shifting sunlight.

All photos taken with iPhone 5s.

Went | New York for the weekend.

On Friday, Nabi and I met up with Cyndi at the Museum of Natural History. Museums aren't always at the top of my list of things to do, but this one is the exception. This place is a mixture of history and art. The installations are thoughtful and interesting. Cyndi's old roommate Ellie took us on a tour of the Mammalogy department where she works, and I had the genius idea to create a Museum Museum. So much goes into the care and creation of every detail, it's a wonder how it ever came to be.

This week has been a quiet one so far. Mike is still on the baseball trip with his dad, and so it's just me at home each evening. I'm enjoying this chance for alone time; taking over the living room to piece together printed t-shirt patterns, spontaneous trips to Target and Trader Joe's (I am fully stocked on wine and beer and toppings for crackers). Usually when he is gone, I make hodge podge meals that aren't very healthy, but this time I've enjoyed singing to Pandora while I cook. Last night I had roasted chicken, mashed cauliflower, and asparagus, and tonight I did a little throwback to NYC with a bagel and lox and salad. I'm impatiently waiting an order of fabric so I can get started on some summer dresses. Each time I make a dress I can feel I'm getting closer to making something I'll feel comfortable wearing in public.

The past two nights, I've had meandering phone calls with a good friend (one of whom I was visiting in New York this weekend). I miss Mike, but I want to take full advantage of the quiet freedom of solitude.

Around here | July so far

This is more or less what my fourth of July weekend looked like. We finally tried Tatte in Kendall Square. The brownie was uh-mazing, but the Jeni's ice cream—I'm sorry—was overpriced. I'm glad I got it out of my system and have at least tried the legendary brambleberry crisp. It was all it's chocked up to be, but I won't be paying $4 for a half a scoop of it. It ain't gold. 

On the way to Tatte, we saw this very complimentary bit of asphalt. 

I sweated through my shirt baking these cookies and on the morning of Independence Day, I filled them with homemade coconut ice cream and rolled them in chocolate chips. Talk about something to celebrate!

We spent our Fourth of July on Jenna and Ron's porch, eating and sipping and laughing and sweating. Two years makes it a tradition, right? 

At first I was bummed we couldn't go anywhere for the long weekend, then I realized we had all kinds of time to do all the summer things. Like pick strawberries. 

 I spent most of the time running from bees. Mike was a natural on his first time berry-picking. He even presoaked towels in ice water to keep us cool! We scored on fresh farm eggs and homemade ice cream as well, then stopped of at the Natick Mall for some free A/C.

How's summer treating you?

Went | West Hurley for Memorial Day

For Memorial Day this year, we rode down to West Hurley in Jenna's new car for a few days away in an adorable farmhouse. It was rainy and cool on Saturday when we arrived, so we made a delicious lunch and explored the house and the market nearby. The house was right down the road from Overlook Mountain and Woodstock, both of which we took full advantage of on Sunday and Monday.

 

On Sunday morning we made a big breakfast and headed up to Overlook Mountain for a quick hike. I say "quick hike," but as a sporadic hiker (at best), it was a challenge for me. I was thankful when we got to the remains of what was the Overlook Mountain House, built in 1871. The story behind this place is pretty incredible: it was destroyed by fire, renovated, destroyed by fire again, then renovations began again, but were never finished because of the owner's death. When his son went off to war, all of the top of the line building materials were stripped out and the remains stand as a reminder to not rebuild in a place plagued by fire. Seriously.

Once we got to the top, we were expected then climb this six story fire tower, left over from the days when the fastest way to get news of a fire was by having a volunteer stand above everything looking down. Now it serves as a chance for hikers to get an even better view of the summit. I made it up about two flights before my knees buckled and the intense winds made me turn right back around. 

The overlook was incredible despite being one of the lowest elevations in the Catskills. I'm content working my way up from the bottom. 

After the hike, we explored the nearby monastery then walked around Woodstock. We ate a late lunch at the Garden Cafe, and it was amazing. It's all vegetarian, and the black bean sweet potato burger and the brown rice and kale bowl were just what we needed after our trek up the mountain.

We all took long naps then woke up around 9 for matzoh ball soup and board games. We didn't want to leave on Monday, but we took the long way home, stopping in Woodstock again and then in Rhinebeck before heading home. The weather was so beautiful, we were all giddy with the windows down, and I was able, for once, to stave off the realization that vacation is nearing its end. 

Self-timer and manual focus are not friends. 

I woke up from a nap to Jenna and Ron getting out of the car to take pictures of one last overlook. 

I miss that farmhouse.

Around here | Evening walk after rain.

Now that the weather has begun its transition into summer, Mike and I have been going on evening walks after dinner. After almost a full week of rain, the skies cleared in time for us to stretch our legs. I always love seeing photos of Meg's New York, so I think of this as my own version of that, my Cambridge.