Spring

Spring! And Earth is like a child
who has learned many poems by heart.
For the trouble of that long learning
she wins the prize.

Her teacher was strict. We loved the white
of the old man's beard. Now we can ask her
the many names of green, of blue,
and she knows them, she knows them!

Earth, school is out now. You're free
to play with the children. We'll catch you,
joyous Earth. The happiest will catch you!

All that the teacher taught her—the many thoughts
pressed now into roots and long
tough stems: she sings! She sings!

--Ranier Maria Rilke, Sonnets to Orpheus I, 21

All photos by me, except for 2 and 4, which are by my friend, Corie.

Happy Spring. Pretty Bed.

Domino Magazine, Via The Daily Bed.

A Love Story

This is a perfect little gem of a film that will make you smile and break your heart all at once.

It beautifully details a trans-oceanic (and trans-seasonal) conversation between two characters via objects in a bottle.

Discovered on Swissmiss.

Wonderland

Autumn Maple Leaf Crowns

I am utterly enchanted by this wonderful project on Twig and Toadstool that shows how to make beautiful crowns out of maple leaves. Not a single other supply is needed besides the leaves themselves! So beautiful and simple and fun. See how to DIY, here.

Images via Twig and Toadstool.

Summertime

Yesterday, we went here for the first time. It was marvelous. Welcome, summertime in the city!

Also, am I surrounded by a whole lotta handsome or what?!?!

The Perfect Spring Day

Today was be-yoo-ti-ful here in NYC, and we spent much of the day soaking up the gorgeousness in the park. I actually left W with a friend for a few hours so that J and I could have some alone time, and when I asked J what he wanted to do, he was determined to go for a ride on the Central Park Carousel. So, with that as our goal, we traipsed through a wonderland of green grass and blue sky and pink blossoms, stopping to snap some pics along the way...

The Carousel was fantastic. We rode twice in a row...

...before returning home and collapsing into a sofa-nap pile:

Soon Taro got home from work, and we were all hungry for dinner, so we walked to our favorite UWS Ethiopian joint, Awash, where we shared the delicious Vegetarian Combination Platter. Heaven.

All in all, it was the perfect Spring day :)

One Year in Two Minutes

When the skies are grey and the air is cold and the low-grade sniffles are hard to shake, it's easy to forget that spring will one day arrive. If you're feeling stuck in a winter rut, check out this video. It is a really elegant and spellbinding illustration of Nature's cycle. Via Little Brown Pen.

Autumn in New York

Highlights from yesterday's glorious hike in the park...

Happy Autumnal Equinox

An oldie but goodie from 2007. I look forward to capturing a similar scene in the same spot in Central Park a few weeks from now -- this time with double the kiddos!

Not-Back-To-School-Fashion

Even though I did go to college, the unschooler in me is loving these "I don't go to University" T-shirts and sweats. Kinda made my day. Order here. Via Zoomdoggle.

Swimsuit Season Meets Belly Season

Since I'm not due until the end of August, my thoughts are starting to turn towards what I'll wear if and when I go to the beach this summer!  I've been looking around online and these are a few of the swimsuits I'm considering. Which is your favorite?

(From top)

1.  Twist Tankini from Isabella Oliver.

2.  Golden Mary Swimsuit from Bella Blu.

3.  Solid Eggplant suit from Modbe (not shown on a pregnant model, but marketed as a suit that will work for maternity because of the extra length of the top and the forgiving side ruching).

4.  Prego Black Solid Sweetheart Tankini from Pickles and Ice Cream.

5.  Carnival Flutter Halterkini from Tummystyle.

6.  Halter Maternity Tankini from A Pea in The Pod.

7.  Prego Black Dot Bikini from Tummy Style.