Thursday Text: 2 Nephi 21:9

I've been reading in 2 Nephi, and we used one of the verses as our Family Home Evening topic.

2 Nephi 21:9:

They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

(Check back for more on this millennial message tomorrow.)

Buttercup Bag

Here's my first attempt at making the Buttercup Bag. It was a really fun little project. I used some old suiting fabric that I bought years ago and have gotten so much use out of. The lining is some of Joel Dewberry's Deer Valley fabric. I didn't put a snap in, but now I'm thinking that I should have...

Harvest Time

It's harvest time in my area. I love this time of year. We found these interesting pumpkins/gourds at a neighbor's down the street. The crops have been amazing this year. The soybeans (in the bottom picture) seem really tall. Fall is my favorite.

Weeping Willows

We were at a golf tournament a couple of weeks ago, and I was noticing the beautiful weeping willows throughout the course. I really love the imagery and symbolism of the weeping willow. I like primitive designs. I am fascinated by weeping willows on grave markers. I took this picture at the cemetery of St. Michael's in Llanfihangel-ar-Arth, Wales, last summer.

Friday Featured Art: The Birth of Venus

My Art History II class covers the period of time from 1400 to 1800 A.D. I really love Renaissance art. We looked at Botticelli's The Birth of Venus the other day, and I was reminded of how much I like Botticellli's work. The face and hair are truly exquisite.

Thursday Text: September Midnight

Sara Teasdale is always great for seasonal poetry. Here's one I found recently called September Midnight.

Lyric night of the lingering Indian Summer,
Shadowy fields that are scentless but full of singin,
Never a bird, but the passionless chant of insects,
Ceaseless, insistent.

The grasshopper's horn, and far-off, high in the maples,
The wheel of a locust leisurely grinding the silence
Under a moon waning and worn, broken,
Tired with summer.

Let me remember you, voices of little insects,
Weeds in the moonlight, fields that are tangled with asters,
Let me remember, soon will the winter be on us,
Snow-hushed and heavy.

Over my soul murmur your mute benediction,
While I gaze, O fields that rest after harvest,
As those who part look long in the eyes they lean to,
Lest they forget them.

WalMart Flowers

I bought more $5 WalMart flowers in advance of my parents' visit. My mom's favorite color is yellow, so I thought these large mums would be cheery. They're in a Frankoma vase that I found in a historic town in Missouri.

Becoming Jane

Last week I watched Becoming Jane. I'm still not sure how I feel about it. It was interesting. I liked that Laurence Fox (from Inspector Lewis) played one of the characters (on the right). Perhaps I'll have to read the book...

Haribo Gummi Fizzy Cola Bottles

When my parents were here, we went over to Galena for a visit. They have a new shop that's German, and we found these Haribo Fizzy Colas. I've never had the fizzy ones before - they are delicious!

Friday Featured Art: Mother and Child on a Seashore

The last time that we were at the Art Institute, I saw a lovely painting of a mother and child. I can't find it, but I came across this one instead. It's titled Mother and Child on a Seashore by Jozef Israels, a Dutch artist. I like the serenity that it implies.

Thursday Text: Love Song

In my art history book there is a poem from Egypt's New Kingdom (between 1300 and 1100 BC) that is now in the Cairo Museum. Here's a part that I thought was especially sweet.

While unhurried days come and go,
Let us turn to each other in quiet affection,
Walk in peace to the edge of old age.
And I shall be with you each unhurried day,
A woman given her one with: to see
For a lifetime the face of her lord.

Map Project

We recently made a map project to track our travels (and to plot new ones). We used a map from National Geographic and some foam core. Then we covered the heads of our map pins with silver glitter and marked all of the places that we've been together. We ran out of pins and will have to get more... (I think I got the glitter idea from Cathe Holden's blog, but I can't seem to find it.)

Flower Pins

When I was home last month, my sisters taught me how to make these cute flower pins. Go here for the instructions. The plaid one is made from the Grant tartan that I bought in Edinburgh and has a gold golfer button that I got from one of my sisters. Isn't it so preppy?

Boots No.7

Boots, the UK pharmacy, is now selling beauty products at Target. The only thing that we got at Boots in England was an adapter for the electrical outlets, so I was excited to see their things being sold locally. So far I've bought some makeup and face wash, and they're great (except the brush sheds)!

Friday Featured Art: Lascaux Cave

Here's an example of what we've learned about so far in my Art History I class (prehistoric-1400). There are some incredible cave paintings from the Upper Paleolithic Era. Lascaux Cave in France has many sophisticated images and a fantastic web site that lets you explore the cave. Check it out.

Thursday Text: StoryPeople

Brian Andreas is an artist from Iowa who created StoryPeople. They're unusual little line drawings with intriguing sayings. Here are a couple of quotes.

They came to sit & dangle their feet off the edge of the world & after awhile they forgot everything but the good & true things they would do someday.


She said she usually cried at least once each day not because she was sad, but because the world was so beautiful & life was so short.

Tiger Stripe Ice Cream

One of our favorite things about the end of summer is going to the Missouri State Fair. The University of Missouri always fills a building with various Mizzou goods and information. We like to visit the ice cream counter, where they serve Tiger Stripe ice cream. It's a specialty of Buck's Ice Cream Place on the campus of MU. French vanilla with a dark chocolate swirl - delicious.

The Shop Around the Corner

Last week we watched The Shop Around the Corner - the Jimmy Stewart movie on which You've Got Mail is based. I really, really love You've Got Mail, but The Shop Around the Corner was delightful and quite funny. It's worth watching.

Bron's Bee Company

Last week we made the trek over to Whole Foods and found a fun surprise. An Illinois company called Bron's Bee Company makes honey with cocoa added to it. The best part is that it comes in a really cute, round glass bear jar.

Friday Featured Art: The Old Barn at Whitchurch

(Sorry for the delay - we've had some internet issues!) Today's artwork is another George Price Boyce: The Old Barn at Whitchurch, which I saw was sold at auction last November for over $13,000. It's a nice autumn-looking piece. I wish fall would come soon!

Thursday Text: Women's Conference

Last Sunday, we had a fireside for the Relief Society women in our ward. The topic was Julie Beck's talk from Women's Conference. It is an inspiring talk. Here's one idea (below). Go here to read the whole thing. (You will be glad if you do!)

"women are like lionesses at the gate of the home. Whatever happens in that home and family happens because she cares about it and it matters to her. She guards that gate, and things matter to that family if they matter to her."

Marv n' Joe

Now that (really good) tomatoes are in season, I've been thinking about a Marv n' Joe. At Utah State, there was a bread place in the food court, and I would always see people walking around with these yummy-looking pieces of bread with tomato and melted cheese on top. It took me a while, but I finally figured out that you had to ask for a "Marv n' Joe" to get one. Delicious! Check out the link to see exactly how they're made.