But Dad, it's shark week!

Goodness gracious, the Discovery Channel has done it again. I thought I knew everything about the animal kingdom after watching Planet Earth a vajillion times. Then, I embarked on my maiden voyage to explore the new Life series last night.


Ahoy my bizzare animal friends! Let's get to know each other.

Important Facts

I've discovered that:
1. Lox on a bagel is just not good without cream cheese. At all. Even with butter. And tomatoes.
2. I wish this stool didn't cost as much as adopting a needy child. I'd like two (of the stools just to be clear).


3. Laundry gets progressively worse as the process continues. Sorting, no problem. Putting in the washer, fine. Moving to the dryer after cleaning out the filter, meh. Folding endless piles, ugh. Actually putting them away, bleh bleh bleh.
4. Skunks are smaller in person that you'd think. I saw my first one last night and while the sample size is shockingly small, so was he.

2nd Annual Backyard Harvest

Last year, our friends Roy and Tiff encouraged us to start a garden. I was raised in a household with silken ficus tress and synthetic ferns. To say the least, I was intimidated.

It turns out gardening is actually easy, delightful, and delicious. Here is a simple plan that even my mother and father could follow:

1. Start seeds indoors about 6-8 weeks before the last frost. Hurry, friend! It's that happy time.
2. Water daily and watch them sprout. I swear, this is like giving birth without the pain. Naming your plants is encouraged. (Seriously, labeling is a good thing. Creative labeling even better.)
3. Plant outdoors after there is no danger of frost. In Boulder-weather-time, that's about May 1.
4. Establish a higher power for your garden, such as Zach the gnome.


5. Set up a reliable watering system. This could be you spraying it for 15 minutes twice daily, but imagine the hand cramps. We simply attached a timer and drip hose to our faucet.
6. Spend some time loving your garden. This may or may not include weed whacking, taunting potential pests, stirring soil, or reading garden favorites like Walden to your growing greenery.
7. Gasp at their tiny size!


8. Start searching for delicious recipes by ingredient. I promise to reveal my favorite when the time is ripe.


9. Harvest daily veggies with pride and hunger.


That's it! You garden. There are lots of other tips and tricks, but we'll save those for another day. Perhaps one that's not actively snowing.

Welcome, friend

This morning's snowstorm brought with it an uncharacteristic chirping. Clearly, it was seed lover's social hour at the Powers house bird feeder. Opening the window revealed this delightful creature, getting his fill in anticipation of another fluffy foot.


In an effort to nourish our blossoming friendship, I looked up this fella on allaboutbirds.org, Cornell Lab of Ornithology's identification and information site. I am amatuerly positive that he is a Red-shafted Northern Flicker.


I'm absolutely positive that it's time for me to get a better camera.

Daily Covet

Every time I see a room designed by Jamie Meares, I feel a little worse about myself. In a good way though. That's because I plan to take her hostage in my home one day and feed her nothing but Arby's and milk until she makes my house look just like hers.

Fridelight

Today started out just peachy with an early morning roller derby pratice. While this didn't involve an actual team or structure or excessive physical fitness, it did involve my pink knee socks.


The afternoon offered Duke's first win of the ACC Tournament along with a healthy dose of Scheyer faces. "Thank you," I said, happily welcoming this development.


The evening promises not to disappoint. It holds a happy hour to celebrate the marriage of two great friends, Derek and Dulce, whose love lasted despite the distance between Boulder and Brazil. Then, ladies and gentlemen, it is Boombox. Boombox. Boombox. Boombox. If that doesn't mean anything, leave immediately and search on Google. Listen. Love me.

Love,
Me
P.S. Thanks today.

"Book" Club

Tonight, I'm starting Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. It has officially been selected as the first book for our new club--The Babeliophiles. Yes, this is basically a bunch of friends getting together to drink wine. That's not the point though.

The point is, dear blog reader, that I'll be enjoying this book on my Kindle for the very first time. I feel kind of excited about this new venture, but also about as uncomfortable as a redneck at a poetry slam. "These words...they're just coming at me out of nowhere," I'll say.

Wish me luck.

Pegawho?

Remember Medusa? In Greek mythology, she was actually once a beautiful maiden. She turned away every suitor until Poseidon (god of the sea, earthquakes and horses) made sweet, sweet love to her in Athena's shrine.

In typical, god-like fashion, Athena turned Medusa's hair into a mane of writhing snakes to satisfy her anger and jealousy. From this point onward, no man could bear to look at the Gorgon Medusa's repulsive appearance without turning to stone.

Still unsatisfied, a vengeful Athena helped Perseus kill the monster of her own creation by guiding his hand in battle. Easy? Yes. Tragic? Perhaps. I think not, though, because here is the part where we meet our hero.

Out of Medusa's severed neck sprang Pegasus, the winged love-horse of Poseidon and his previously pretty Gorgon. Pegasus later became a favorite horse of the story-telling muses, created gushing springs when his hoof struck the ground, and rode heavenward where his constellation signalled the coming of spring.



Much later--no seriously--much, much, much later, Pegasus would go on to inspire a tiny business based out of Boulder, CO. Pegasus Meets Pen is now providing writing, editing and multimedia services for a variety of projects. As you can probably guess, the work of Pegasus is swift, driven, and heavenly. Medusa would have been so proud.

All the Single Squirreladies

This is why we have baby squirrels running about the yard.

For the Naked Ear

Working from home is just delightful. If I want to go to work wearing socks instead of shoes, that's fine. In fact, I can wear just socks and no one will be the wiser. That, my friends, is the kind of professional world where I'm happy to be employed.

This pants-optional situation gets even breezier with the right background tunes. You see, the ole "office" seems awfully quiet without any co-workers. Enter these heavenly albums:

1. The Postal Service – Give Up
Because a healthy dose of synthesizer is good for preventing carpel tunnel syndrome. No, not at all. But it just feels so right.



2. The Bowerbirds - Upper Air
Phil's voice practically allows you to meditate while still staying focused. Hone your desk yoga skills.



3. Eddie Vedder - Into the Wild
Clearly, I like setting a mellow mood. This is like watching the sun set while lying on your back in a canoe. Then realizing someone slipped you a Vicodin.



4. The Be Good Tanyas - Blue Horse
The most evil boss in the world introduced me to this album, and I am somehow able to love her for it. I not-so-secretly want to be in this band.



5. Punch Bros. - Punch
You may not like this one on the first listen. That's fine. Really. But if it doesn't become your favorite album after the fifth time through, you're dead to me.



Purchase these all immediately. Not because Oprah said so, but because you, too, like wearing socks.

The end, the side, and the start

"Avatar" was as good the fourth time when I saw it as it was the first. Or second or third. Unfortunately, today is the last day it will be showing in most 3D theaters to make way for "Alice in Wonderland." If you haven't gone, go. The little circling bugs and flying dragons just won't feel as real in 2D.


Speaking of popping out, I couldn't help but notice that there was an awful lot of sideboob shown throughout the movie. It's not surprising in the least though. My prediction that 2010 would be "The Year of the Sideboob" continues to be confirmed. Thanks, Rihanna, for giving us a sneak peak at what was to come.


O, by the way, welcome to my blog. Maybe come back and visit again sometime.