cane grind

just a quick post to share some images from our (january was it?) trip to annual sugar cane grind. yet another agricultural item that D. has become obsessed with. he hopes to one day do an old-fashioned grind. i will add that this was one of the only legitimately cold days we have had here all winter... unfortunately :(

to become sugar the cane has to be stripped, pressed for its juice, then boiled, separated from its molasses and then dehydrated to make sugar. in the old days the stripping was often done by beast of burden using a mechanism like this. 

there are few small producers of cane syrup (which tastes much like a light molasses). the grind is a bit of a homage to old florida cracker culture, but this grind offered selections of some locally produced syrup!

                                  d. tasting all the syrups :) they were delicious.

how are you? i've been busy writing my little heart out and unpacking and settling our new place. hoping to snap some pics and share them shortly... 

11 things

so, i saw this on Julie's blog today and it reminded me so much of those emails that used to go around in college that you were to complete and forward back to friends ... I thought i'd do it and would LOVE my fellow bloggy friends to do it too!

11 things you might not know about me...

1. I was a true vegetarian for 11 years, but began eating fish & small quantities of meat (if I know where it comes from) more recently after reading a lot of Michael Pollan. At times being veg made me feel very disconnected from my family and our culture.

2. D. and I met in high school. We are high school sweethearts. We first got to know each other from tennis team. We knew each other as friends for several years. I thought he was very funny, but had no idea he liked me (from what he says he had a crush on me for 2 years before asking me out). One day I was in the parking lot on campus taking photos for photography class, and he ran me down. and very awkwardly asked me on a date. I said yes. We married young and yes we are very happy and still very much in love.

3. I don't like cell phones, although I own one, I don't know how to text or access the internets on it :)

4. Although I feel like I have my dream job (full-time, teaching, near my family, in a cool city) if I were to become anything else it would be an Ayurvedic Practicioner.

5. I like everything about food... eating it, preparing it, growing it, studying it! My favorite cookbook right now is Deborah Madison's, Local Flavors.

6. Writing my dissertation is slowly eating away at my soul, (not completely, just a little), but I'm really committed to the goal of finishing (this summer, woot!).

7. I don't like when people list  "meeting new people" as a hobby.  I prefer to have a few good friends that I am extremely loyal to and know lots about. When I do meet new people I prefer to get to know them gradually and cultivate a sincere connection with them.

8. I have recently become addicted to coffee. I did not begin drinking it until I was in graduate school. After that only occasionally. I feel as though I have now entered a whole new kind of "old" because I drink at least 1-2 cups daily now.

9. I don't like the night time and I'm not a huge fan of sleeping. I much prefer early mornings and the day light.

10. I sort of grew up in the 1950s & 1960s. Actually, my mother did. But her and I share a very close relationship, therefore much of her musical taste and preferences for things from the era have rubbed off on me. Some of my greatest memories are the two of us, windows rolled down, cruising around town, singing at the top of our lungs while the radio was blaring "Build me up Buttercup."

11. If I was musically inclined and could learn (and afford) any instrument in the world, I would take up the accordion. I love Italian & French folk music, Zydeco, polka, Mexican Banda... you name it, I love anything with that classic 2-steppy sound. This is a dream, but I'm still hopeful that someday I might take it up and actually learn it, I just don't know how to read music so I find the whole process of learning to play an instrument very intimidating.

Ok, that is me. I REALLY would love to hear your 11 things, so I'd like to tag anyone interested in posting....

less is more.

I've been so excited about moving, I can't seem to focus on the million things I'm suppose to be doing... like editing the dissertation, grading papers and preparing lectures. Instead I've been doing what any gal would do this fine V-day afternoon... browsing for some new home decorating inspiration ideas.

Going with the whole goal of downsizing, I don't want to spend any money on redecorating our new space, instead I'd like to refurbish or rehabilitate what we've already got. 

Source: pinkpostcard.blogspot.com via Andrea on Pinterest

I really love the idea of painting our current coffee table this color... 

Source: heartcityvintage.com via Andrea on Pinterest

Aren't these so cool? faux flower mobiles, who says babies get all the fun stuff? 

Source: absolutelybeautifulthings.blogspot.com via Andrea on Pinterest

You can kind of see what I'm going for in our new place, which reminds me very much of an old key west cottage...  although I could probably live without wicker

observations on a move...

D. and I moved into our current apartment just days before I had to start my new job in August 2010. It was a last minute scramble to find something that would suit us, in our budget, close to my work. Thus far, its been a great fit. It's not that we don't love our place, we do, its just that we've decided its time to move on. We've really enjoyed our time here, but ever since we've moved in D. has longed for some open space to cultivate and I've longed for an outdoor area to drink my coffee and read books. We made the most of visiting all our nearby parks, but as you know, its not the same as having your own little patch of dirt. 


Needless to say since our lease expired we've looked for anything with promise. Our area is a nice one and therefore good places are rented up fast. We checked craigslist frequently and call when we see signs--usually the prices are ridiculous or we get beat out. Recently however, we were taking a little drive and stumbled upon a really cute little cottage not too far from our place now. We put in a call about it, but didn't get our hopes up, assuming it was over our budget since its a whole house with a yard. 


We were happy to learn its slightly under budget, because its tiny and quite modest. After taking a look inside it had everything we were looking for...  a screen door, itsy bitsy front porch & a cute little yard with an enormous live oak tree. After weighing our options pretty seriously, and some encouragement from this article (thanks Chelsea!) we decided although smaller than our current apartment its perfect for us. The article actually made me realize that being small was a good thing, and got me excited about an opportunity to downsize & conserve. 


Can't wait to share more details!!! 

on turning 30....

For my 30th birthday D. and I visited St. Augustine... a place we've both mythologized, but had failed to visit. My 30th birthday which arrived on December 28th seemed the quintessential moment.

D. could not resist fresh oranges....

the historic fort was a nice place to showcase my most favorite

 "Maggie O'Connell" sweater of the winter season.... 

staying at a b&b was a real treat for us

D. enjoys his coffee best on a front porch

Turning thirty was much less scary than I had imagined it in my mind when I was in my twenties... for the first year in a long time I'm really embracing my age. For me, aging has been a wonderful process. I've enjoyed the gaining of wisdom, maturity and insight that only can come with each new year. Not to mention the feeling that while I've enjoyed the last decades, there are some moments that you don't want to relive. I kind of like some of the perks that come with my new age... like more respect from young & old, greater camaraderie with women over shared experience, and the general feeling that things are coming together. 

new year, new resolutions

I think I've put it off long enough... the new year post! Admittedly, I am cautious about putting my resolutions down on "paper" (for fear that I may not follow through).  2011 brought some serious challenges for me. We lost our beloved Henry, I had my first hospital surgery (awesome!), and I still have not submitted a final draft of my dissertation (although there is a complete draft-- woot!). With all of the bad from 2011, came a whole lot of good and growth. I learned a lot about myself and what it most important to me. So, it is with great confidence in the year to come that I commit to: 

1. play with my niece + nephew more

2. graduate! 

3. consume less, make more

4. keep in better touch with friends

5. get a haircut

One down, four to work on. 

Happy New Year/New Beginnings everyone!

outfit posts

(dress: oldie but goodie, shoes- new, back/blazer- thrifted)

I wore stuff over the break, but only shot a few of them.

Here are two favorites.

(jeans- thrifted, blouse & cardi-exchanged, boots & scarf- oldies but goodies)