Friday Featured Art: Young Women Values

While I was in Utah, I picked up a set of Young Women Values Exemplified by Women in the Scriptures cards.  They're from Steve Nethercott's line of "Real Hero Posters."  The young women thought they were pretty awesome.

Thursday Text: To A Mouse

My husband reminded me of this Robert Burns poem the other day. 

To A Mouse

Small, sleek, cowering, timorous beast,
O, what a panic is in your breast!
You need not start away so hasty
With hurrying scamper!
I would be loath to run and chase you,
With murdering plough-staff.

I'm truly sorry man's dominion
Has broken Nature's social union,
And justifies that ill opinion
Which makes thee startle
At me, thy poor, earth born companion
And fellow mortal!

I doubt not, sometimes, but you may steal;
What then? Poor beast, you must live!
An odd ear in twenty-four sheaves
Is a small request;
I will get a blessing with what is left,
And never miss it.

Your small house, too, in ruin!
It's feeble walls the winds are scattering!
And nothing now, to build a new one,
Of coarse grass green!
And bleak December's winds coming,
Both bitter and keen!

You saw the fields laid bare and wasted,
And weary winter coming fast,
And cozy here, beneath the blast,
You thought to dwell,
Till crash! the cruel plough past
Out through your cell.

That small bit heap of leaves and stubble,
Has cost you many a weary nibble!
Now you are turned out, for all your trouble,
Without house or holding,
To endure the winter's sleety dribble,
And hoar-frost cold.

But Mouse, you are not alone,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes of mice and men
Go often askew,
And leaves us nothing but grief and pain,
For promised joy!

Still you are blest, compared with me!
The present only touches you:
But oh! I backward cast my eye,
On prospects dreary!
And forward, though I cannot see,
I guess and fear!

Figural Bunny Collection Serveware

We were in Utah last week for the NCAA games.  It was all very exciting.  On the way home, I picked up the latest issue of Martha Stewart Living, and I was glad I did!  It had a lot of great ideas.  One ad that was particularly cute was for Martha's Figural Bunny Collection serveware at Macy's.  I also liked this bunny cake stand.

Friday Featured Etsy Seller: Wild Life Designs UK

I was reading on Etsy about a beautiful Scottish wedding.  The men wore cufflinks from Wild Life Designs UK.  I love this squirrel necklace and this hare tie pin.  They're so whimsical and fun.

Thursday Text: Mouse Tales

Did you read the book Mouse Tales when you were little?  It's by Arnold Lobel and contains seven little stories.  It is delightful.  (I just got it for my Kindle.)

Aldmdudler Limonade

I bought a can of Almdudler Limonade at the Global Foods Market in St. Louis last month, and it was delicious.  It's lemonade from Austria that's slightly fizzy.  Their web site has beautiful pictures of the Alps, complete with mountain sound effects.

March Madness!

It's that time of year again!  Do you get into March Madness?  We love filling out our brackets and then tuning in to the mayhem.  (Sadly our Utah State Aggies didn't make it this year...)

Friday Featured Art: Michelangelo's Slaves

A year ago we were in Istanbul for spring break.  I was recently looking at some of our photos from the trip.  We had a layover in Paris and got to visit the Louvre.  (That was a dream come true!)  Michelangelo's Captives are almost beyond belief.  The Rebellious Slave and the Dying Slave were carved from marble but left unfinished.  The muscles in the arms and the chests are so incredibly lifelike.  I love Michelangelo.  {These are photos I took.}

Thursday Tunes: Hitchcock at the Movies

Last Friday we went to a Chicago Symphony Orchestra concert.  It was Friday Night at the Movies and featured some of Hitchcock's best films.  They showed clips from the movies on a large screen while the orchestra played the music live.  It was fantastic.

The Original Soup Man

When I was at the store yesterday, I saw some new boxed soup: The Original Soup Man.  It's soup from the guy that Seinfeld's soup Nazi was based on.  So we had lentil soup for dinner, and it was delicious!

Bissinger's Easter Eggs

I can't believe I've never posted about Bissinger's!  It's our favorite place for chocolate and a St. Louis original.  They have beautiful papier mache eggs with treats for Easter.  Are you getting ready for Easter yet?

Barbara Coupe Scarf

I saw this scarf in The Simple Things a couple of months ago, and I think it's beautiful.  It features a map of the British Isles and is made by Barbara Coupe.  Really I like anything with maps...

Friday Featured Etsy Seller: Scottish Beach Finds

To go along with the post from yesterday, I wanted to feature the Etsy shop Scottish Beach Finds today.  This shop has fascinating finds discovered by two young brothers who live on the coast of Scotland.  I would love to order something from this shop - sea glass, marbles, pottery shards, etc.

Thursday Text: The Winter Sea

Our next book club category is "historical," so I've chosen a couple of historical fiction novels to read this month.  The first is The Winter Sea, by Susanna Kearsley.  I'm not very far into it, but I'm enjoying it so far.  (It's set on the coast of Scotland.)  Has anyone read anything by her?

Water Punch

For New Beginnings last week, we had a polka dots theme - with DOTS standing for "depend on the Savior."  It was a lot of fun.  All of the refreshments were round or polka dotted.  I made the old classic: water punch.  I remembered this from when I was little, and it was a big hit!  I floated slices of orange, lemon, and blood orange on top, and it was pretty.  Try it!

WATER PUNCH

1 tbs. citric acid

1 tbs. lemon extract

5 qts. water

2 cups sugar

(float slices of oranges and lemons on top)

Folk Fibers

I loved reading about Folk Fibers in the latest issue of Country Living.  Maura Grace Ambrose is the girl behind Folk Fibers.  She creates timeless quilts using natural dyes, vintage and new fabrics, and classic designs.  This quilt with mitered corners is similar to a very striking one that was in the magazine.  The simple patterns are fantastic.

Friday Featured Etsy Seller: Verre Encore

Visit Verre Encore on Etsy for beautiful enamel jewelry.  I love the post earrings.  They come in three sizes and a variety of colors.  And don't you think this necklace is cute?