Zombie Car Wash, yes please

This Saturday in the Capital City, at the TransAlta Art Barns, you can have your car washed by Zombies!!! O man, so cool. It costs $10 with food bank donation and proceeds go to Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and Edmonton Food Bank. Here's more info.

That's the reason I've been holding off taking the ol' Rabbit for a wash...

What I'm Doing this Weekend

1. Sleep in. 

2. Coffee and pancakes.

2. Go to Old Strathcona Farmers market.

3. Head over to the Royal Bison Craft & Art Fair. 

4. Take shoes to cobbler for new soles. 

5. Whatever else I would like. 

It rained!

There were worms all over the sidewalk yesterday. It made me wonder what it is about the rain that makes worms want to come up from underground. I did a little research and discovered that worms don't surface because they have to (this was initially what I thought) but because they can. They're moist little squirmers and most of the time it's too dry above ground so they stay where it's nice and shaded and cool but when it rains they're able to safety venture and crawl around above ground.

Lets celebrate the rain this weekend by spending lots of time outside.
And go to the Royal Bison Craft & Art Fair!

photo via my camera

Ambition

Pretty Peonies

Peony flower / timelapse from munich timelapse on Vimeo.

I just love the silence. So pretty and delicate. 

photos via the internet

Tunes to make you sway

Don't Be so Mean Jellybean by alt country Toronto artist Justin Rutledge. 

Micheal Caine

I watched (Sir) Micheal Caine on David Letterman last night. Such a charming fella.

And wasn't he fantastic in Children of Men! The scenes with him were my favourite.

photos via the internet 

My 12 Commandments

The Happiness Project is a fantastic thought provoking blog I've been reading for the last year or so. The author is Gretchen Rubin - you may have heard a lot about her recently as she's just launched a best selling book of the same name. She's very experimental and hands on when it comes to reflecting on her happiness. As an exercise she suggests making a list of your 12 Commandments for happiness.

Here's what I've come up with:

1. Forget the past

2. Be Nicole*

3. Go outside

4. Be proud

5. Forgive

6. Try something new

7. Meet people

8. Keep calm

9. Simplify

10. Smile

11. Show gratitude

12. Love

What do you think yours are?

photos via the folder on my desktop titled 'Inspired'
* don't worry I put the little fishy back 

This is Just to Say (take II)

This is Just to Say

By: Heather O'Neill

Dear Mum,

This is just to say I forgive you for eating all the plums, the apples, the pears and even drinking the last of the orange juice

I forgive you for emptying dad’s bank account

And for painting stars on our station wagon

Right before you got in and drove away

I forgive you for leaving us without even saying good bye

Your plans were always so sweet so delicious

And so cold

This poem by Heather O'Neill was featured on a This American Life radio show that featured commentary and analysis. I love her version. I find it so raw and beautiful. It's even more moving when you hear her reading it on the the show.

The poem I posted yesterday by William Carlos Williams is the original (an actual note he left for his wife).

photo via the internet

This is Just to Say

This is Just to Say

by: William Carlos Williams

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

lovely plum painting via John Azoni

The Right Kind of People

The Right Kind of People
By: Edwin Markham

Gone the city, gone the day,
Yet still the story and the meaning stay:
Once where a prophet in the palm shade based,
A traveler chanced at noon to rest his mules.
“What sort of people may they be,” he asked,
“in this proud city on the plains o’erspread?”
“Well, friend, what sort of people whence you came?”
“What sort?” the packman scowled; “why, knaves and fools!”
“You’ll find the people here the same,” the wise man said.
Another stranger in the dusk drew near,
And pausing, cried, “What sort of people here
in your bright city where yon towers arise?”
“Well, friend, what sort of people whence you came?”
“What sort?” the pilgrim smiled, “Good, true, and wise.”
“You’ll find the people here the same,” the wise man said.

Someone I love sent this excerpt to me. It reminded me to try to see the 'good, true and wise' instead of the 'fools'. This is especially appropriate while driving.

photo via somewhere on flickr

Got some tickets in the mail

I recently received our Caribou tickets in the mail. Now I just have to wait until June for the show.
Sample music here. Check out 'Odessa' video for some head bobbing any time of day.

CARIBOU - Odessa from Caribou on Vimeo.
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CARIBOU - Odessa from Caribou on Vimeo.

Happy earth day everyone!

Today is a good day to reflect on our efforts to be respectful of the earth and her animals.

Dreaming of...

the rain.
Boy o boy, do we need it.

I would love to have this bag.

Oh Nokomis, 

you always have the prettiest things. 

I would love to own this bag. 

I would carry it to the park, 

and bring it to buy coffee,

while strolling to the market

and use it to carry my fruits, 

and veggies, 

and maybe even the eggs.  

What a lovely summer we would have. 

(photo via nokomis) (bag designed by erin templeton)

Vintage prints

I was snooping around on etsy and found a great shop with antique maps, prints and other fantastic finds. It's called Bananastrude. I even found a silly little map of Alberta!

There was a lot of this today...

I'm working on learning to render my own type. This is my first try.

this isn't forever

Picnic in the Park

Ah, there's just nothing as lovely as lounging in the park on a sunny afternoon. Having just returned from just that I am speaking from experience. It is so beautiful in the city today and it's suppose to be bright and sunny for the entire weekend. I'm giddy with delight.