phone dump

So, I got a new cell phone right before school started. It does tricks that my old phone couldn’t even imagine.

I realized yesterday that I’ve been sitting on a ton of photos. Here are the best and weirdest of the bunch..

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<3, Liz

okay, I guess it’s time.

More than seven years ago, while on vacation in Myrtle Beach, I convinced myself (and my parents) that I desperately needed a pet turtle. They look so cute and tiny in those fish tanks in the junky beach stores, don’t they?

Well, I picked one out, named it Mr. T. Turtle, and a new era began.

Honestly, I didn’t expect him to live long. I know that sounds bad, but it’s the truth. I figured I’d give him a better life for a few months before he kicked the bucket.

Well, Mr. Turtle lived in a dorm room with me for most of college. He was super tiny at first, so Valene (best roommate ever) and I would hide his little bowl under a towel or under our beds if someone came in for an inspection. No reptiles in the dorms, you know.

Mr. T. circa 2005

Through the years, the turtle and his tank grew and grew. When Forrest and I got married, we got him a big, fancy reptile tank because he needed more space! Yeah, we’re nerds. Mr. Turtle was happy.

Earlier this year, Mr. T. wasn’t doing very well. He was lethargic and swimming sideways. So we took him to the only exotic animal vet in Columbia where we found out that MISTER Turtle was, in fact, a lady turtle.  Anyway, the Turtle had pneumonia and needed shots and to be outdoors in real sunlight. She recovered well and spent the spring and summer happy as a clam, eh, turtle, whatever.

We planned for the day when we had a backyard big enough to build a little fenced-in pond for the turtle to live in during warm months. She would have loved it.

But last month, she got sick again, so we started taking her out for some real sunshine again, hoping that would do the trick. Sadly, one afternoon while she was out on the deck sunbathing, she passed away. I held her and talked to her for a long time. I know it’s crazy, but she was my first pet to die. Other than fish, because fish just don’t count.

We buried her in the herb garden. I miss that little turtle.

<3, Liz

flowers and christmas

Things have quieted down around here. No further raccoon sightings to report. And Lord knows, I’m looking for them now.

These zinnias are from Floral and Hardy Farm. They make me smile early in the morning and that’s no easy task.

ALSO, I’m getting super excited for the new She & Him Christmas album. It comes out in a couple of weeks! You can listen to their version of The Christmas Waltz on their website (top left). SO pretty! And then there’s this from last year on Conan: She & Him – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Live)!

I may not be ready for Christmas yet, but I AM ready for this music. It seriously has the potential to replace Diana Krall on my holiday playlists.

<3, Liz

mystery solved.

Strange things have been happening in the backyard.

Pots are overturned, holes dug, chair pillows moved around, bird baths full of dirt, tomatoes gone missing, gnomes knocked over.

Forrest estimates that it all started mid-summer. But we have so many stray cats around that I really assumed we had some annoying tomcat spending his nights under our deck. But last night while we were spending the evening with friends/cringing at the season premiere of The Walking Dead, we noticed Fitzgerald having a stare-off with something just outside the window…

We turned the lights on outside and…

AHHH! There were AT LEAST FOUR raccoons in our backyard! One was peeking out from behind a little tree, one was ripping up the pansies (oh, yeah, the ones I planted two hours earlier), one was chilling on the steps, and this little creeper really wanted in! It’s extra disturbing because our cats didn’t seem bothered. Like they’ve seen this a hundred times.

We live in downtown Columbia with a backyard no more than 20×20. What the hay are wilderness critters doing on my deck furniture?

Reporting live from the jungle, Liz.

PS- If you know of anything non-toxic, non-fatal to deter raccoons, please let me know. It’s getting sketchy around here.

tellin’ stories

Last weekend, we traveled to Jonesborough, TN with the Clonts family! Forrest’s family has been visting Tennessee for the National Storytelling Festival for years. I’ve been lucky enough to make it there with them a few times.

The Storytelling Festival is amazing. Jonesborough is just the perfect, quaint little town. They basically shut down traffic for the weekend and set up giant tents everywhere. Tellers come from around the country (and world) to perform. Thousands of people come to sit and listen to their fantastic tales. The energy is so great and we love being a part of this event! We listened to stories from sun up to sun down. It’s a busy weekend, but oh, so wonderful.

Here are some of our snapshots from the weekend! My favorites are the ones of us, Jennie, and Jay in our matching Storytelling Festival shirts. Hah! Jay is a “villain!” Too funny.

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<3, Liz

delay

Sorry for the brief hiatus from the blog, everything got insane right at once.

We had an a-mazing time in Tennessee with the Clonts family over the weekend. It was a non-stop weekend of stories and coffee. I love the mountains in the fall- the leaves, the cooler temperatures, the crisp air. More on that adventure coming very soon.

So, I started a sign language class yesterday! It’s through my district and I’m taking it with another teacher friend. We’ve promised each other to be on our best behavior. Is it dangerous to learn a silent form of communication with your friends? Perhaps, but we’re excited about it. We learned the alphabet yesterday and our teacher encouraged us to practice spelling the words on street signs while we drive. My driving skills probably aren’t good enough for that. I’ll stick to spelling my name over and over for now.

Also, I might have spent the past half hour trying to feed little feral kittens down the street. They are so tiny. I’m pretty sure they could balance on the palm of my hand. You know, if there were the slightest possibility that I could get that close.

That’s all I got. In honor of feral (and plain old insane) kittens everywhere, enjoy this photo of Fitz and me.

It’s funny. We both spend about 90% of our time looking exactly like this.

<3, Liz

 

s’mores?

SO, I saw a funny recipe for s’mores made with crescent rolls on Pinterest the other day. Have you seen it? You just put chocolate chips and mini marshmallows into crescent rolls and bake! I’m not big on crescent rolls, but I DO love a s’more.

Naturally, we tried it. Forrest’s chef buddy said this  idea was “trashy.”

Whatev, Hunter.

It was super easy, smelled great, and tasted awesome.

We’re pretty sure that you could make a high-end version of this with pastry dough, homemade marshmallows, and a little Valrhona. Maybe someday we’ll give that a whirl.

<3, Liz

pretty kitty

It’s been a rough day. My arthritis is seriously flaring and my right knee is so swollen that I haven’t been able to do anything (major bummer). I literally sat on our bed with an ice pack, my laptop, and a crochet hook all day. When I tried to get downstairs, I made it halfway before I gave up and sat down. Forrest carried me the rest of the way.

I have an amazing husband. Tomorrow will be better, I know.

<3, Liz