little good bye post.

I am finally taking the initiative and narrowing down the pages that I have online. Since my favorite posts to do (and I think the most successfully creative) were the sketch-of-the-week, even though I NEVER got around to doing one every week, I have started a new blog that will just be sketches - the goal is (drumroll)
daily. Five per week. Whichever comes first.

This has been a good exercise in writing, and thinking, and experimenting with graphic design, and I am happy that a few people have also really enjoyed reading it along the way.

If you miss me, come see my drawings at http://tsweers.tumblr.com/

I, personally, think that they are quite fun.

Bon nuit, petite bloggy.

Torunn

Me, in 2010, back when the blog was new.

Sad note: like this blog, Chicago's Fox & Obel grocery, deli and

restaurant are going out of business! Travesty.

little philosophies (wisdom teeth)

I look like a chipmunk, and am working on a knitting project while watching Annika Bengzton solve Swedish crime mysteries with her killer reporting instinct and sharp blonde bob.

Odwalla superfood, homemade custard and vegetable soup are my friends.

a few of my favorite things (october edition)

This Samuji Rosa stripe dress.

This Dutch stamp.

This Ship & Anchor down vest.

This bathroom sink trough and orange towels.

I am happy and home in good old California, snuggled up in a stripey fall sweater while the late afternoon sun makes lovely rusty shadows on the pine needles and birdhouses outside of the kitchen windows. A surprise visit from my Aunt this morning made for a happy start to the day, as did a walk to my grandparents' home. Broccoli quiche for dinner. Ooh, good to be home.

september garden (photography)

 Right now I am working on a short nonfiction essay. I have just finished reading Animal Dreams and it was so, so excellent. There is homemade rosemary pizza dough rising in the kitchen and tomato sauce made from our own tomatoes cooling on the stove. I have an interview for another barista job on Friday. I go home for a whole, glorious month just one week from today.

“I've about decided that's the main thing that separates happy people from the other people: the feeling that you're a practical item, with a use, like a sweater or a socket wrench.” Barbara Kingsolver, Animal Dreams

My beautiful bicycle!

things I am up to

. bopping in and out of Chicago (above)

. dinner at The Publican with The Boyfriend (we are so trendy)

. ceramic narrative piece in Sculpture II (picture an illustration of Mrs. Bennett, a colonial soldier, lipstick)

poetry

It feels as good as the feeling of peeling puff paint
in strips off a white cotton t-shirt,
As good as the feeling of growing your own tomatoes,
or running a hundred yards in the summer sun.
It feels as good as the feeling of stealing ice cream
from the freezer when your mother is away,
and eating it, chill-faced, all afternoon.

I don't know what I am writing about (maybe I do, but I will keep it to myself). I just liked the puff paint phrase and went from there. Plus, I do have tomatoes growing in the sun by my door (and gold and crimson mums, planted today). And I just enjoyed the feeling of stealing a green-tea Mochi from our freezer. My question is, what feels this good to you? I am in the phase of lots of little writing projects, and one big, and submitting things like crazy. I am also in the phase of lots of cooking projects, working my way through the six enormous kale plants in our garden, and developing ways to eat pita bread. The current favorite: rub a little olive oil on two sides of a pita, put in pan on high, sprinkle coarse salt, cracked pepper, rosemary on top, and fry on both sides until puffy!