Misadventures of the Monster Librarian

Last night was about a long walk a vodka and soda on the rocks an amazing sunset yoga mediation reading before bed One more day of Summer Reading. Tomorrow. I can do this. "Sunset" Slowly the west reaches for clothes of new colors which it passes to a row of ancient trees. You look, and soon these two worlds both leave you one part climbs toward heaven, one sinks to earth. leaving you, not really belonging to either, not so hopelessly dark as that house that is silent, not so unswervingly given to the eternal as that thing that turns to a star each night and climbs- leaving you (it is impossible to untangle the threads) your own life, timid and standing high and growing, so that, sometimes blocked in, sometimes reaching out, one moment your life is a stone in you, and the next, a star. --Ranier Marie Rilke

We had 3 babies born within the last 6 months in my inner circle of closest friends: my best friend Kim & Joe had my Goddaughter, Mika on my birthday (October); friends Kate & Chris had Ellie in November; brother A3 and sis-in-law, Dayna had my nephew Alex in February. My sweet Savannah Banana celebrated her 2 nd birthday two weekends back, all of us gathering to celebrate her and all of our babies being together for the first time. It was just too sweet. Lots of little smiles from the girls; lots of passing around Alex, our newest addition and his first time meeting the gang; new parents looking up any time a baby cried, to see who it was, since all of them spent the afternoon not holding their own. Mom is coming down today for Easter weekend with me, though we're going to meet A3, Dayna, and these two for breakfast tomorrow.  Life is good. Protective big sister, Savannah with Alex Savannah and Alex, sweet sibling love

Sometimes I get so foot-stompingly, hmpf'ing-ly angry when life doesn't go the way I planned it, and that's usually when I see the "life is beautiful," reminders like Sunday night's sunset. 

Yep, it's official--I'm a weird cat lady Librarian.

So many things I want to talk about! More on that soon, but until then I did want to share some pics of my mini-vacation-long-weekend! I drove down to Mummy Dearest's in NC on the sunniest and most glorious fall day! Clouds over Tennessee! We bought fresh flounder and shrimp--caught that morning!--from Gay's Seafood. Not sure what these are called, I'm calling them trawling boats. Mummy Dearest and I woke early on our last morning and watched the sunrise over the Atlantic. We were rewarded with dolphins! Little Fish (7 yrs. old) and I built this sand castle--she's got quite the designers eye!

Yesteryday morning I had a 9a.m. meeting with the other library directors in the county; somehow I managed to walk out the door REALLY early, coffee in hand, and caught the most amazing remnants of sunrise: gentle pinks and blushy oranges, a warm yellow sun thawing the frost that covered the fields and grass. In short, everything was gorgeous. I said a silent "thanks," to God, snapped a couple of photos and was on my way. That beautiful sunrise is still in my mind as I get ready for bed, and I am laying here thinking gratefully about this first fall in my new farmy, flat Midwestern town... Happy weekend!

I, like probably 99% of Americans, am so tired of all the political talk, ads, campaign hoopla, etc., that today instead of blogging about elections or cutesy picture books about voting, I've decided to NOT TALK ABOUT POLITICS! Instead, I will be sharing about how having a kitten is like having a baby...or a spastic toddler (which I loving call Hemingway) No one tells you about the responsibility or what they'll need or that: They cry when they're hungry They want what you're eating, not the dry, fish-smelling kibbly stuff in their bowls Their medical bills cost more than yours You make sure that they get their flea medicine once a month when you can't even remember to take your own damn vitamins every day Their, "Who cares if it's 3a.m., I'm wide awake," attitude Their new "thing," involves them walking across your throat, YOUR THROAT! at 3a.m., and then trying to lay there inconspicuously, as though they're a scarf and you wo...

Atlantic Ocean Along the Ocean Path Ocean Path, Otter Cliff (Otter Pt.?) at the end of the trail. Sand Beach--the water was COLD! B2 Hiking the Beehive, Day 2 We made it to the top of the Beehive! That's me! The Bowl, near the Beehive View of the Beehive from the bottom. View of Sand Beach from Great Head Trail Our weekend in Acadia National Park whipped my sedentary librarian ass into shape super quick, with the 14ish miles of hiking we did. I was super proud of hiking the Beehive (pictured above) because it's a hike where you feel like you're climbing up up up forever--at times you even use metal wrungs in the mountain to climb/pull yourself to the next part of the trail. I highly recommend it! Be warned, it is labeled as a "strenuous hike!" HOORAY for camping!

This is our newest edition, a male calf born last Thursday night to Curly Horn s, one of our dairy cows. This little guy was named Don Curlyone by the Farmers (get it, get it?) They're so clever--tee hee.   Anyway, he is flipping adorable! See how good he was for his first photo shoot!? Don Curlyone with his next door neighbor.

Been meaning to post this, but waited for pics, so here goes! Despite being a cook and loving to cook, it has been over a month since I moved into my little cabin in the woods and I hadn't cooked in my little kitchen until this past Sunday night. I'm not entirely sure why, other than the fact that I don't like eating alone, so I jumped at the chance to try out my new kitchen when Ian, a fellow Farmer, suggested we hang out...and maybe even make dinner...and maybe even make dinner at my house. Ian showed up with arms full of food and headed back to the Farm's kitchen for more ingredients (perk of working at the Farm is that we shop in the Kitchen's pantry, fridge and freezer). I'd chosen to try my hand at making galumpkis (stuffed cabbage) to see if I liked it enough to make it for the Farm; Ian decided on gorgonzola cheese mashed potatoes and maple rosemary roasted carrots. And so we stood side by side, me mixing galumpkis filling and boiling ...

 My lovely tomatoes  Shadow gardening!  The cukes which became the pickles which are almost gone! 32 quarts this year!  Yum! Fresh Farm cabbage!    Farm cauliflower--divine! Ok, maybe thinking of summer is jumping the gun...a little. But, I am tired of snow already and want to be ankle deep in dirt, hunched over in a garden. I want to see things growing! I feel so whiney! It is this cold I caught, forcing me to wish that I didn't have to sit wrapped up in a blanket, in a way too warm cabin, sipping loads of peppermint tea. Ok, ok, at least the 5 inches of fluffy stuff we got last night is pretty to look at. The trees are positively picturesque, loaded with heavy winter white coats. Ok, ok, summer is too much to ask for...I'll settle for an early spring...that starts NOW!