“And she is going to dance,

dance hungry,

dance full,

dance each cold astonishing moment,

now when she is young

and again when she is old.”

- Anne Lamott

I’ve had photographs published in magazines, album artwork, websites and a book published by the U.N. but Steady Days is my first book cover!

Jamie Martin is one of many professional mothers that I continually admire. She is a work at home mom with three small children, a successful blog and now a best selling book on Motherhood! I’ve had the privilege of  spending time with Jamie, her husband and their three children. In every instance I have walked away feeling that being a intentional, professional parent is possible. My husband and I don’t have children yet but I grabbed up this book as soon as I could; I didn’t need to be a parent or read reviews, I have seen this family and that speaks louder than any 5 star review!

I showed up a bit before Jamie’s book release to snap a few photos.  The release itself was fun, intentional, celebratory and overflowing with joy and peace, just like Jamie. Here’s a few shots.

Thank you Jamie. You trusted me with a treasure and I was honored to do it. Your example of Motherhood is beautiful.

Please check out her blog! www.steadymom.com

My first crush comes to you from Cambodia. Throughout our travels my husband and I stayed in many guesthouses but none could match the gnome sheets we found in this one. I think my guest bed would look very fine with these (and a fun surprise for our guests).

Maybe it’s the coming of Valentine’s Day but love is in the air…

This second crush is a card by Paper Wheel. If any of you have a partner with an iphone you will understand the depth of sentiment.

I happen to be drawn to just about everything that is white, these “you+ me” hearts by Quotes and Notes are particularly lovely don’t you think?

How could I not end with a wedding dress, this one by ouma has a bit of a rosy pink twist. It makes me sigh…

It has been three and a half weeks since my husband and I returned from two months in the U.K. and Europe and one month in Cambodia. Almost 8 years ago, myself and three others founded Love146 an international human rights organization which combats child sex slavery and exploitation and cares for survivors. Unfortunately, I was not able to blog from here while in Cambodia but I did blog from here.

After almost a month I am finally getting settled back in. Expect to see more soon…

Baby it’s cold outside -

Well not exactly, here in Cambodia it’s in the 90s everyday but my lovely sister-in-law just emailed me from home letting me know that snow is “pouring” down. I’m quite excited.

In honour of the snow, I thought I would post this adorable hat (and mittens set) by dadaya.

My sister-in-law has also been sending me emails about her cozy Christmasy home. I’m so happy to be in Cambodia at present but getting those emails fills my longing for a Christmas in Connecticut. This lovely hair clip by LittleBirdsBoutique reminded me of something she would put in her daughter’s hair.

Do you think my love of birds would move in to obsession realm with this? Hmmm, at least it would be a fashionable obsession.

ring by dillondesigns

“So enormous, so dreadful, so irremediable did the Trade’s wickedness appear that my own mind was completely made up for Abolition. Let the consequences be what they would, I from this time determined that I would never rest until I had effected its abolition.”

“If any country were indeed filled with men, each thus diligently discharging the duties of his own station without breaking in upon the rights of others, but on the contrary endeavoring, so far as he might be able, to forward their views and promote their happiness, all would be active and harmonious in the goodly frame of human society.”

“Never, never will we desist till we … extinguish every trace of this bloody traffic, of which our posterity, looking back to the history of these enlightened times will scarce believe that it has been suffered to exist so long a disgrace and dishonor to this country.”

“If to be feelingly alive to the sufferings of my fellow-creatures is to be a fanatic, I am one of the most incurable fanatics ever permitted to be at large.”

My sabbatical has come to a close. Now, to Cambodia…

I have to admit, I have this intense and odd love for anything that is I term “creepy scientific.” I was a vegetarian for sixteen years and yet still love ancient and apocryphal looking insects pinned to boards, animal skulls under glass cloches and antique diagrams of birds and reptiles and anything to do with natural science really. Also under “creepy scientific” are old medicine vials, surgical tools and diagrams of say the human brain or something. I think if it wouldn’t do permanent damage to my future children and totally freak our guests out I would have a room dedicated to “creepy scientific” but for now I will tone down the weirdness and stick with having a crush on aminitray’s etsy store. She sells things like this Victorian microscope pendant

and wood fungus reliquary

My second crush this week is on an apron. Yep, I go from skulls to feminine aprons in about 2 seconds. This one is from one of my favourite stores Anthropologie (insert sigh). Don’t you think with all of the holiday cooking coming up one could justify such a purchase?

When I was younger, I used to think the perfect man for me would have the character of Jean Valjean (you know after the prison thing), the wit and intellect of Oscar Wilde and the dark mystery of Mr. Darcy. Throw in the looks of Cary Grant, the golden heart of Jimmy Stewart and the liquid honey of Bing Crosby’s voice. Obviously that wasn’t too much to ask because I eventually got all of that and so much more in my Jon. One of the thing that ties all of these men together is being a gentleman (ok, yes, some of them are fictional characters and some of them in “real life” weren’t quite all gentleman but just go with me on this). I love gentlemanly manners, gentlemanly ways and gentlemanly tools so when Jon and I stumbled in to a shop in London called Geo.F. Trumpers I was practically giddy. This shop has been around since 1875 (in the same location) and specializes in gentleman’s grooming tools (think badger brushes and straight razors). Everything was a warm wooden glow. They even had a back room where men where getting a shave. I’m sure Cary Grant comes by to visit occasionally. Melt, melt goes my romantic heart.

“One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice–
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
“Mend my life!”
each voice cried.
But you didn’t stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do–
determined to save
the only life you could save.”

- Mary Oliver

I think for one day you should bring your camera out for a walk. It’s amazing what you can see in your everyday walk around. Really, it’s magic. You will find things you never noticed before, you will find utter surprises around corners and you will surely find beauty. Below are a few photos I took while walking around Venice.

Piazza San Marco. Sadly it is now forbidden to feed the pigeons in this Piazza (You know what comes with pigeons and apparently there was so much of it it was ruining the buildings!) but luckily these girls had no idea (until about 5 minutes in when the Police came). They obviously came prepared!

After the two young girls where quite seriously told of the law forbidding the feeding of the pigeons, this woman crouched down arms akimbo and waited. I can only guess that she was hoping the birds where not clever enough to realize she offered no bird seed on those arms.

Lucky for me he’s handsome AND amazing.

No, we didn’t ride in a gondola but,

I thought the drivers where cute.

Alter to Mary

Alter to Gucci

These are the kind of wonderful surprises you can photograph when you bring your camera for a walk.

I’m not quite sure what this store was selling…

This week’s crushes come from all over the globe.

1. These shoes! I think I might believe in love at first site. Jon and I passed by this shop window and I actually gasped when I saw this pair of green Italian pumps. I don’t know who makes them but the next time I have $300 US dollars to spend on a pair of shoes I’ll be sure to find out:)

2. Wouldn’t this cape by the wonderful French designer zig zig zig zig be adorable for a flower girl (or any girl really)?

3. Speaking of flowers I think these perfectly lovely burlap cones by New York designer Painted White would make a beautiful wedding aisle decoration.

Tomorrow (Nov. 24) we leave for Venice. We won’t have internet where we’re staying so I won’t be able to blog. We’re back in England on the 28th. I have some really yummy crushes lined up so I hope to post them as soon as possible. Happy Thanksgiving to all of our American family and friends. We miss you so much.

Here are a few pics from our walks around Rome.

Growing up I had four grandmothers. As I grew each gave me something to carry within myself especially my grandma Missy and my grandma Marge. One of the many things that grandma Marge has given me is a love of the Catholic church and a deep belief in the power of prayer, lighting a candle and respect for Mother Mary. Although I am not Catholic and likely never will be, I love the Church because I love my grandma and it is part of who she is.

Jon and I went to the Vatican today. Although there were no candles to light I said a prayer for my grandma Marge who has given me so much in this life.

St. Peter's

This depiction of Mary was a bit creepy for me. Remember the scene in Lord of The Rings when Gandalf visits Saruman? I think this statue might work well with Saruman’s sense of home (or tower) interiors.

The Pieta

While I was getting a postcard for grandma, Jon was in the courtyard of the Vatican and took this shot which I think is great.

A gritty train ride launched our time in Rome. First stop, our hotel. After walking into our room which Jon thinks used to be a utility closet (it is the size of a double bed  with enough space for the two of us to stand on one side) we walked out in to the city. We both have been here before (not together) and were excited to be back (together). After being in a small village, the energy of city was wonderful. We ambled about and stumbled on the colosseum just as dusk fell, staying until dark beneath the beautiful site.

Stumbling on the Colosseum…

As darkness came

Everyone here likes Gelatto

I liked how the Colosseum seemed so authoritative as to frame the moon in the sky

Not a bad first night.

A friend sent me “The Road” by Walt Whitman in an email. I so appreciated the gesture, I hadn’t read it in years and loved reading it again. Here is a tiny excerpt.

Thank you Anastasia.

The earth expanding right hand and left hand,
The picture alive, every part in its best light,
The music falling in where it is wanted, and stopping where it is
not wanted,
The cheerful voice of the public road, the gay fresh sentiment of the road.

I think heroic deeds were all conceiv’d in the open air, and all
free poems also,
I think I could stop here myself and do miracles,
I think whatever I shall meet on the road I shall like, and whoever
beholds me shall like me,
I think whoever I see must be happy.

Now if a thousand perfect men were to appear it would not amaze me,
Now if a thousand beautiful forms of women appear’d it would not
astonish me.

Now I see the secret of the making of the best persons,
It is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth…

Your days become strangely turned when your on sabbatical. Instead of the normal “to-do” lists, pressures etc. the daily challenges have become where can we buy the cheapest clemantines. This search could take at least two hours as you amble your way through a village or catch a train to the next village in search of these perfect bits of sunshine. Or, another challenge might be trying to get one of the old men that seem to sit in the square day and night to smile back you (I never succeeded at this one). You begin to lose track of time and days but you are more aware of minutes (little bits of eternity) that seem so meaningful. It seems extremely meaningful to watch a sunset for a full 40 minutes or to smell your latte twice before you even take a sip.

These are our days in Vernazza. A tiny room in a tiny town overlooking a tiny harbour.

Vernazza – told you it was tiny.

Our room with a view

We came to Italy for 1. the beauty 2. the sunshine 3. economic reasons. We found 1. beauty 2. sunshine and 3. Vernazza is so expensive. Our kind Land-Lady  provided us with a hot plate so we could cook our own meals. You can’t get much better than vegetables and cheese from a local market and fresh handmade pasta. Not bad for a hot plate.

After dinner everyone heads to the harbour to watch the sunset.

and I sneak off by myself…

Stephanie, Jerome and Jeanne – what a joy to be part of your family if only for a week. Thank you so much for everything.

Goodbye friends and France (for now)

Hello Italy…

” Battered and torn still I can see the light tattered and worn but I must kneel to fight

Friend of mine what can’t you spare I know some times it gets cold in there

When my legs no longer carry and the warm wind chills my bones I reach for Mother Mary and I shall not walk alone

Hope is alive while we’re apart only tears speak from my heart break the chains that hold us down and we shall be forever bound

HDR

When I’m tired and weary and a long way from home I reach for Mother Mary and I shall not walk alone

Beauty that we left behind how shall we tomorrow find

Set aside our weight in sin so that we can live again

HDR

When my legs no longer carry and the warm wind chills my bones I reach for Mother Mary and I shall not walk alone

Burn to shine.”