the space between ms.and mrs.: October 2010

10.28.2010

far flung friday: the real houseguests of the hamptons

happy halloweeeeeeeen...

a wee bit early.

mr c and i are off...headed to the hamptons to celebrate the birthday of a good friend

and to indulge in a bit of hall-o-fear.

here's wishing you a completely wicked weekend....

~ mrs m

10.26.2010

away...away...away

i want to be this girl.

on my way to somewhere

i would love to live

like a rivers flows.

carried by the surprise

of its own unfolding.

~ john o'donohue

10.22.2010

far flung friday: backyard luv

my mum & dad are on their way up for a visit...at this very moment :)... so imagine my smile when i saw this image over at http://reverie-daydream.blogspot.com/.

fitting, right?

ok, back to work before the rents get here and mr c and i get to show them our lovely new digs.

but wherever you are...

i'm wishing you a stunning fall weekend filled with the people and things you luv the most.

muah ~ mrs m

10.19.2010

bon vivant tuesday: get it started

morning world.

for bon vivant tuesday, my favorite breakfast treat....

blueberry oat scones

the absolute best scone recipe....ever.

cross my heart.

a great recipe for home but also easy enough to take with you on an adventure.

when mr c and i go sailing, i mix all the dry ingredients before we leave, toss in a ziplock and then just add milk, butter, vanilla and blueberries the morning of.

3 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

11 tablespoons (1 stick plus 3 tablespoons) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons old-fashioned oats

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (about 5 1/2 ounces) or chocolate chips

1 3/4 cups chilled half and half

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 teaspoons raw sugar*

preparation

position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F. line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and coarse salt in processor; blend 5 seconds. add butter. using on/off turns, blend until mixture resembles coarse meal. transfer mixture to large bowl. add 1 cup oats and blueberries; stir to blend evenly.

stir half and half and vanilla in small bowl. gradually add to flour mixture, tossing until dough just comes together (dough will be very moist).

using 1/2-cup measuring cup for each scone, drop dough in mounds onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 3 inches apart. sprinkle tops with remaining 3 tablespoons oats, then raw sugar.

bake 15 minutes. reverse sheets and continue baking until scones are golden and tester inserted into center from side comes out clean, about 12 minutes longer. transfer scones to rack and cool slightly. serve warm or at room temperature.

*also called turbinado or demerara sugar; available at most supermarkets and at natural foods stores.

cherrio ~ mrs m

10.18.2010

spirit sunday: 4 little agreements

sometimes being my best me self can be hard.

but whyyyy at times, does it have to be soooo dang difficult??

i might not have control over others but surely i can control myself. well last week i was a little overwhelmed and definitely not my tippy top best ..so yesterday i took out don miguel ruiz's book on toltec wisdom and was reminded that four simple agreements have the ability to help me be a better me.

just 4 little things...surely i can do 4 things.

(1) BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORDS.

speak with integrity. say only what you mean. avoid the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

(2) DON’T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY.

nothing others do is because of you. what others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. when you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.

(3) DON’T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS.

find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. with just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

(4) ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST.

your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. under any circumstances, simply do your best and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.

a little ruiz background:

the four agreements comes from the ancient toltec wisdom of the native people of southern mexico. the toltec were 'people of knowledge' - scientists and artists who created a society to explore and conserve the traditional spiritual knowledge and practices of their ancestors. the toltec viewed science and spirit as part of the same entity, believing that all energy - material or ethereal - is derived from and governed by the universe. don miguel ruiz, born and raised in rural mexico, was brought up to follow his family's toltec ways by his mother, a toltec faith healer, and grandfather, a toltec 'nagual', a shaman. despite this, miguel decided to pursue a conventional education, which led him to qualify and practice for several years as a surgeon. following a car crash, miguel reverted to his toltec roots during the late 1970's, first studying and learning in depth the toltec ways, and then healing, teaching, lecturing and writing during the 1980's and 90's. he wrote the four agreements in 1997.

namaste ~ mrs m

10.15.2010

far flung friday: other peoples worlds

up until a few months ago, the only thing i knew about blogging….was it existed. i hadn't read a single blog until the day i created mine. but then i discovered this whole new world and i was instantly hooked. i don't know why, but i think people that blog are just so cool (unfortunately i do not include myself in this category)...perhaps it's their ability to be vulnerable or the fact they can take the mundane and make it extraordinary. and it seems strange to write and (and i bet even weirder to read) but i like reading the blog lives of women i don’t know....not the pretty picture blogs and the fashion blogs but the ones where the women have something to say. even if it’s just they love doodling art in their barn on sundays and parenting is freaking hard.

if they say it with individual spunk….as only they can...then they have me.

well i found one today that i like. i like her voice, i like her sweet husband and i like their video…an average summer in their lives….. with a surprise ending….. http://aurajoon.blogspot.com/

oh and i like the song too…..

Summer Adventures from Aura on Vimeo.

and speaking of other peoples worlds....here is the trailer for the serge gainsbourg movie - Gainsbourg (Vie Heroique) - which i plan to rent as soon as possible

all this poking into other lives brings up one big question...does this mean i am in fact somewhat of a voyeur? of am i just a narcissistic, stalker with a mild case of adhd?

~ mrs m

10.13.2010

relationship wednesday:our relationship with the world and the crazy ass officials who run it

schools are failing, property taxes are through the roof, unemployment is at an all-time high

and tax payers are about to spend $27 million…yes with an "m", to change nyc street signs from all caps to ones that only capitalize the first letter.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/bronx/million_kuj8X4Z2VolVhXnCymfkvM

supossedly janette sadik-khan the city transportation commissioner has said,”the new diminutive signs, which will also feature new reflective sheeting, may also reflect a kinder, gentler new york. on the internet, writing in all caps means you are shouting," she said. "our new signs will quiet down, as well."

well janette, THIS BRILLIANT MOVE RANKS UP THERE WITH STATING GAY PEOPLE AREN’T FIT TO BE PARENTS AND CHRISTINE O’DONNELLS “I’M NOT A WITCH... I AM YOU” CAMPAIGN.

seriously...wtf?

~ mad mrs m

10.11.2010

whatever makes me happy monday: kick it

what make me happy on this monday....

a tune that gets me in the hallooooweeen spirit

http://www.shopruche.com/index.php

something hot to kick on cool fall days

http://www.stinapersson.com/
something vibrant and dramatic to hang on the walls

bird
it was passed from one bird to another,

the whole gift of the day.
the day went from flute to flute,
went dressed in vegetation,
in flights which opened a tunnel
through the wind would pass
to where birds were breaking open
the dense blue air -
and there, night came in.
when i returned from so many journeys,
i stayed suspended and green
between sun and geography -
i saw how wings worked,
how perfumes are transmitted
by feathery telegraph,
and from above i saw the path,
the springs and the roof tiles,
the fishermen at their trades,
the trousers of the foam;
i saw it all from my green sky.
i had no more alphabet
than the swallows in their courses,
the tiny, shining water
of the small bird on fire
which dances out of the pollen.
~pablo neruda

..... and timeless poetry

happy mon ~ mrs m