April 10, 2013

Bits of found things






Our first daffodil of the year and a deer promptly trampled the poor little thing and bent the stem so it was left staring at ground rather than the sun. Happily I swooped in for the rescue and gave it a new home in living room where it gets lots of attention.

I heard this song on the radio yesterday afternoon as I sat parked outside the school waiting for the girls. "Me likey," I said to no one in particular and I wondered if it was Josh Ritter but the announcer didn't say. Found it online today and I was right — it's Josh, and I've been listening to it all day. Mighty fine tune.

I also found my favorite tea, Madagascar Vanilla Rooibos (red bush tea), after almost a year of looking. It was like the tea company quit making it for a while or maybe African red bushes had a year of terrible production. Who knows. But I was parched with thirst for it, living off the memory of that delicious brew . . . then I steering my cart around the Good Food Store and viola! there it was (and on sale no less). I snatched four boxes just to be safe, but now I'm thinking I should go back for a few more just in case it goes missing again. I started drinking it years ago when I was reading a lot of Alexander McCall Smith's The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books (his website - linked with his name here - is fun). I loved those books and the way Precious Ramotswe talked about her refreshing pots of red bush tea. All her yammering about it made me thirst to try it. So I did and I was hooked. It's naturally decaffeinated so you can drink it day and night, which I have pretty much been doing these last few days.

Just finished Margaret Atwood's The Blind Assassin and I really enjoyed it. I'd never read anything of hers before but I'm sure I'll read more now. Atwood's writing was lovely (and her vocab large, I grabbed a dictionary more than a few times). The story itself was very engaging. Hmmm, how would I describe it — part mystery, part tragedy, part romance, with a twist or two, and people and place I could vividly see in mind's eye. Yum, I do love a good book. 

Question: I'm looking for new linens for my bed. A summer quilt. Some pretty 100% cotton sheets. Shabby chicish, maybe white, maybe with tiny flowers. Anybody know of good online sources for bedding?

Happy midweek adventure to you all.

p.s.
Oh bother, I keep meaning to tell you that I've added a button so you can follow me on Bloglovin' now. I guess Google is eliminating their blog-following services in a few months. It's easy-peasy to set up an account with Bloglovin' and they even import all the blogs you were following with Google.

15 comments:

  1. Margaret Atwood is a favourite of mine. 'The Handmaidens Tale' is very good.

    Leanne x

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    1. I thought that one sounded interesting - I'll have to add it to my reading list. Thanks Leanne.

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  2. I really like IKEA's bedding. I've only shopped with them online, as we don't have a brick-and-mortar store where I live, but their bedding is good quality and affordable to me (thus far). I understand how you feel about the tea; I've searched for years for a tea I had no trouble finding in the east but can't find here. It's made by Celestial Seasonings and shouldn't be this hard to find. We're planning a trip to CO this summer and I intend to visit their factory to see if I can buy some there. It's a fun trip anyway, I love going there.

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    1. I didn't even think to check IDEA - thanks Jennifer. I would love to go to the tea factory someday. Hopefully they'll have your tea there and you can stock up.

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  3. Nice to have that daffy in the house!! Wu-hoo on the tea find... it IS still tea drinking/book reading weather. I'm looking for new bedding too... (for our matching beds). Good luck!! Thanks too for the bloglovin' heads up. I'm adding it to mine too. :)

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    1. Tracy - let me know if you find any good sources. I'm thinking whites, reds, little bits of greens or small touches of blues to match the wall color without making it too overly blue in there.

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  4. I love having daffodils in the house -makes me feel it's spring although the weather still feels like winter.
    You'll have to tel me what the Josh Ritter song was -I'm a huge fan. Saw him play several times in a wonderful small Irish pub before he became famous.
    Haven't read any Margaret Atwood although my husband has.

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    1. I bet he was great - what a perfect venue. The song I heard is called "Hopeful" and it's on his new album. I haven't checked out the rest of the record yet, just that song.

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  5. Thanks for that - must check it out.

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  6. I listened to the Blind Assassin on CD and it was fantastic... somehow listening to the reader interpret the different characters helped to follow the three levels in the story. I loved it! Highly recommended... as for sheets~ hmmm, let me know what you find!

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    1. I bet that was a great way to hear the story. It was so good, wasn't it? Very original.

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  7. You know, I've still not read The Blind Assassin and it's been on my book shelf for about ten years. Shameful!

    This IKEA bedding set is pretty: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60198526/ and I love this Cath Kidston reversible one: http://www.cathkidston.co.uk/p-16696-cut-roses-reversible-duvet-set-single-double.aspx?referrer=category.

    Happy bedding shopping! x

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    1. Those are both great options - thank you! I can't count the number of times I've said that I sooo wish you could buy Cath Kidson stuff in the U.S. and I never thought about having it shipped. Geez I need to get with the times.

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  8. L love Margaret Atwood and actually met her once at a Cosmopolitan Book Day in London. So my copy of The Blind Assassin is a signed one. You might like 'Cat's Eye' my favourite. About girls and bullying and there's a paiting metaphor running through it.

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    1. I'm jealous that you got to meet her. I will put "Cat's Eye" on my reading list. Another friend recommended that one as well.

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