happy birthday, mom!

Instead of a bouquet, I got my mom some "flowers" that will stick around long after her birthday. I made this planter out of four different types of succulents, which are drought-tolerant and easy-to-maintain plants.

spring blossom green

My sweet Aunt and Uncle have been on the prowl for my favorite Corelle pattern (Spring Blossom Green) for over a year now. Because we don't see each other often, we celebrated my mom's birthday and Christmas today while they were visiting my parents. I am touched beyond words at the generousness and dedication it took to track down this gift, especially considering how many states were traveled in the process (GA, TN, NC, AL, and CO, to name a few). I came straight home and set the table with my new-to-me dishes, which match our place-mat and chair upholstery fabric perfectly!

spring splendor

I will continue the floral theme with a picture of some gorgeous perennials. I'm finally starting to catch up on the blog with photos take this April.

a rose by any other word

Again, apologies for the "cheating". I took this one last April at the McGill Rose Garden. Yes, I realize it is not a rose.

bloomed

I must admit I have fallen off the wagon this week with the blog. All I can say is I am swamped with final exams and projects and that very very soon, I will reclaim my life again. Rather than posting a week's worth of dunce cap pictures, I've decided to post a few pre-blog shots. I took this photo last April at Wing Haven Gardens.

two peas in a pawd

I can't believe I caught them both smiling!

hoppy easter

I'm hot, tired, and so happy to take these ears off. I better be getting a giant Easter basket!

i tought i taw a bunny wabbit...

Maybe if I play dead, she'll leave me alone.

tgi[g]f

Is it Easter yet?

somebunny loves you...

He's not quite as convincing an Easter bunny as his pal Ramsey, but he was sweet enough to humor his mommy. He actually fell asleep with the ears on. My sweetie!

boxers are so eggspressive...

This darling photo is of our neighbors' Boxer, Ramsey. I can't take credit for this one, but I wanted to post something other than the dunce cap again. I hope this photo brings you as much joy as it has me. Thanks, Mandy!

back to nature

Beautiful walking trail in Albemarle.

pretty in pink

What a doll baby! It's hard to believe how much she's grown since her first appearance just a few months ago.

easy to love music

Despite a full day of driving all over the state (and a close-call with a tornado), I was able to end a very busy day with a serenade from some very talented musicians. Top picks from the concert: "Ivan and Alyosha's "Easy to love" (#2 in the video)" and "Aimee Mann's "Wise Up". Awesomeness.

give me park [minus the avenue]

In between meetings, I enjoyed an afternoon stroll through Thompson Park. Featured above from left to right: St. Mary's Church, a random falconlike bird (which was HUGE, by the way), the Mecklenburg Vietnam Memorial, and a personal memorial for a local serviceman. Despite the serene setting, the nearby construction noise, honking of impatient drivers, and hum of I-277 made it difficult to get back to nature.

topographical treasures

Want to remember a favorite hike? Memorialize the map in a necklace. Northwest of the potties above the heavy dark line is one of my favorite places along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

christmas in april

Spring gets the creative juices flowing. This necklace is made from a darling Christmas card owllistration. :)

Front

Back

a pretty sweet deal

In celebration of National Poetry Month, I thought it would be fun if students used magnetic poetry to create a run-on poem. As of today, here's what we've got:

Her cloudlike dreams must be visions of silence, told while crimson leaves play under trees, never really silent as life spirals through the world without ground where the soul is wise…

It turns out that jelly beans are a good bribe to get students to participate. Looks like we've got a few sweet-toothed poets on campus!

national library worker day

Happy National Library Workers Day! These flowers are from my boss, but I'm going to tell Seth that I have a secret admirer. :)

morE

More alphabetic art to add to the collection.

boo boo

Gromit had a rough weekend. His tummy got all out of sorts on Saturday, and he managed to cut the end of his ear on Sunday. Every time he shook his head, it looked like a crimson Jackson Pollock painting.

i will be good

Even though we had a super busy day at some very beautiful places, I somehow managed to avoid taking a single picture. Shame on me!

bubble yum

Is it dangerous?

Is it friendly?

Is it edible?

{sign} language

Butterflies cut out of newsprint,
words flow forth from poets of talent.
Happy National Poetry Month!

Showcasing the new ASL/IPP materials using a little "sign" language.

dinner was grate

I saw this neat idea in a Good Housekeeping magazine while waiting to see the chiropractor. Rather than ripping out the page (don't think I wasn't tempted), I opted for taking a picture. I am completely and utterly amazed at the quality of the photo. All I did was crop it--no other editing took place.

don't bug me

Some sort of mutant mosquitoesque insect. Is it really that time again?

lake james

Hiking at Lake James.

tom's creek falls

A gorgeous day at a gorgeous waterfall in Marion, NC.

My boys.

the present[s] & the [near] future

Bobby: I love this toilet paper holder.
Jessica: It's a toothbrush holder, honey!
Celebrating the upcoming wedding of some very very dear friends.

april fools

Gromit told me he wants to be a librarian when he grows up. Honest.