The First Signs of Spring

“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome."
- Anne Bradstreet

Penncroft Attic Photoshoot

Back in June of last year, sister-in-law, Emily, and myself started a vintage Etsy shop. After a few sales and a lot of New Years motivation we are kickstarting the shop! Today we took a little trip across the street to the State Park by my house. We wanted to showcase this beautiful fox fur collar coat we picked up at a vintage warehouse in Philly. A simple dress form didn't do this stylishly mod coat justice, but Emily is rockin' it!

Want it for yourself? Hurry up before it's gone! Penncroft Attic

Upstate New York Family Reunion

There's nothing like some fresh mountain air to rejuvenate your spirit. This past weekend my mom's family had a family reunion at my grandparent's home nestled in the mountains between Lake George and Lake Champlain in New York State. They moved there initially to open a restaurant many years ago, before I was born. And although the restaurant dream didn't last very long they've stayed and continued to build their lives there. Growing up and visiting Gram, Pop, and the rest of my aunts uncles and cousins were always exciting adventures. This time around, Chris, Emily, Dante and myself packed up the Jeep and headed North.

Over the weekend the house was full of family I knew, some I haven't seen in years, and some I only just met. And of course, nothing brings family better than good food and drink. It was lovely to reconnect with people and catch up on each others lives. I love to hear stories about my grandparents when they were younger, or of ancestors long before me. And even though it's been two years since my gram has passed away, she is never forgotten when the house is full of merry makers.

The house at sunset. Currently everyone is watching the clay pigeon shoot out on the hill.

Middlebury Vermont is close by. We took a tour of the Woodchuck Cidery.

Frogs are just one of the many creatures that live nearby.

And tiny toads too.

Wildflowers stud the surrounding fields.

UPDATE: Emily has posted a bunch of beautiful photos on her blog from the weekend. Go check them out!

Nancy Rose: Photographing Squirrels

I just thought I'd share these adorable photographs by Nancy Rose because it's Friday (woohoo) and they make me laugh. Need I say more? Rose creates these itty bitty sets in her backyard and waits for squirrels to interact with them. Here are the results of some genuine craftiness and a whole lot of patience...

Even though squirrels are one of the lesser favorites in the animal kingdom, I love them. I find them hilarious to watch when they're not deciding the best way to get hit by a car.

I actually miss our college campus squirrels who were so fat and brazen from a diet of cafeteria food, they'd scurry right up to you and ask for hand-outs.

Squirrels are now few and far between at our house with our ferocious nine pound chihuahua on the prowl, (or it's more likely the chickens that scare them off).

I can't believe I have this much to say about squirrels.

An artist and her muse. Damn, I wish I could get a squirrel to eat a peanut on my arm.


*All photos credited to Nancy Rose

A Doggy Weekend

Dante was picking up all the ladies of Phoenixville Friday night.

Dante and Carl at Jeff's Birthday Party.

Cousin Colin

Where does Colin end and the blanket begin?

Party Planning: A Weekend in Food & Drink

I'm a planner by nature. And as much as I'd love to throw a party and not think about it too far in advance, I can't. Next weekend we're having a Cinco de Mayo/ Dante's birthday party (an excuse for a fiesta). So this past weekend was spent prepping outside, shopping and making some food in advance. Norristown has a lot of Mexican shops and produce stores where you can get things that aren't available in the supermarket regularly, or at all. We had fun picking out some special things like piñata candy, and fresh poblanos for the party.

For me, prepping food a week before is a time and stress saver. I've started with salsa verde and roja, mini cornbread, and Cilantro syrup for drinks. I also tested a jicama seasoning and the "new to us" gas grill we found on Craigslist. As the week progresses I'll be posting some recipes!

Salsa Verde and sliced jicama

Cilantro Limeade

Chris supplies music while I do the grilling. Brought to you by Sly Fox Beer.

The grill works! Kielbasa, onions and homemade spicy whiskey mustard.

Piñata Candy

UPDATE 05/07/2013: Emily took some awesome photos at the party, take a look here!

Garden Journal 4.18.13

My mom kept a garden journal of when things needed to be planted or divided, landscaping plans, and so forth. I'm not that organized yet, but this weekend I thought I'd start a photo journal of when things bloom.

The new additions this year are the Columbine and the Saxifrage. I'm familiar with Columbine, a beautiful perennial that grows like a wildflower. I never seen Saxifrage before, but I was smitten with the little red flowers, and the mounding quality will look nice around the border of our path. I planted the Phlox last year, and they're in full swing now. And I can't extol the wonderfulness of sedums enough. These low lying ground covers are easy to grow, they take root anywhere from a cutting, and they have beautiful color all year round. What more could you ask for? The Bugleweed is one of those plants that could be considered a weed depending on where they grow. I don't mind them in the middle of our lawn because of the dainty purple flowers, but if you grow them in a bed they're an excellent ground cover that will quickly spread. And lastly the tulips are in full bloom. This is their third year, and I've decided I need to plant three times more of them! I love the differences in color, size, and curly leaves. So Springy.

* As a side note, the real weekend activities were spent building our coop, The Penncroft Hen House! Photos to come...

The Magnificent Chicken: Tamara Staples

Throughout my chicken raising research I've come across a lot of information as well as a lot of people who love chickens. Tamara Staples is a photographer and chicken enthusiast. Her publications include, The Fairest Fowl: Portraits of Champion Chickens and a newly revised and expanded edition, The Magnificent Chicken: Portraits of the Fairest Fowl. These are the American standards of "poultry pulchritude". Our little hens aren't any fancy breeds, but I'm sure they'll be just as magnificent! Check out these fair fowl workin' it for the camera.

Bearded Buff Laced Polish Frizzle Bantam Hen

Black Langshan

Blue Cochin

Fancy Buff Cochin Bantam Hen

Belgian Bearded d'Anver Cockrel

I think my favorite is the little Belgian, his feathers are so beautiful, he looks like a painted wooden carving. Who do you think is the most magnificent?

Vision in the Desert

I made these for personal downloading and/or printing. This is a photo from our "would be" home in Apple Valley, CA. You can get the font here. It's called "One Direction". Little did I know, it's the font of the UK boy band... Eh, I still like it.

"A Period of Juvenile Prosperity": Mike Brodie

Talk about adventure. Photographer Mike Brodie, aka the Polaroid Kidd, spent 10 years hopping freight trains and covered the expanse of 50,000 miles and 46 states. His latest exhibition, entitled "A Period of Juvenile Prosperity" opened today at the Yossi Milo Gallery in NYC. Additionally a book will be released, A Period of Juvenile Prosperity, published by Twin Palms.

  

Manayunk Bike Race

The Philadelphia International Championship, ”America’s top international cycling classic, and one of the richest and most prestigious one day races outside of Europe.”