The Zafu Difference

Comfort can follow

wherever your meditation takes you.

On wooden floors...yoga mats...the solid earth.

The Zafu

How do you know which zafu is right for you?

Sturdy construction...

Ease of transport...thanks to the built-in handle...

Durable fabrics...

In prints that speak to your heart...

Or the flip side, which offers a solid

for the mellow you.

In the end...

the best way to choose

which zafu is right for you...

is to follow Fonzie's advice...

"sit on it!"

It's all in the feel and contour that the buckwheat hulls provide.

Find your zen. Find your peace.

Get your zafu on.

Nice Wheels

I broke every rule in the book...

well, excluding the Thursday-Friday rule.

Garage Sale 101

will tell you to pre-plan...pre-price...

advertise...display creatively...

and so much more.

To which I turned up my nose and said, "Bogus!"

Now I'm $58 dollars richer.

See where cocky will land you?

Next time around I will follow their advice to the letter.

I have had very successful sales in the past.

I thought people would show...just because.

WRONG...again!

To keep James occupied

(for lack of customers)

a neighborhood friend hung out with him.

Baillie showed up riding this...

I had to take pictures...

it was the highlight of our day!

(She refused the photo op)

This ride brought back a few memories.

Especially that banana seat...

although the velvet is an up-grade.

Loving the details...

like I said, I had some time on my hands.

James gave it a test drive

and looked like a fish out of water... as they say.

Couldn't quite figure out those cruising handlebars.

A cool ride for a cool chick.

Thanks Baillie...

for being a good friend.

Now I'm going to buy a coffee with my profits!

Fruit Basket

A sweet design that has stood the test of time.

But wait a minute...

those aren't peaches I see

peaking from the top.

A perfectly good box

with a metal support handle

must be re-used.

It's an unwritten rule!

This time around it will be carrying

soy candles to market.

A rusty can embellished simply

with a burlap bow

and a dust protector.

An old maid new playing card.

In fragrances of the season to come...

Harvest Pumpkin...Farmhouse Cider...

Grandma's Kitchen...

Grandpa's Pipe...Fireside.

Hand poured by me with love.

My house is filled with a mingling of these scents...

lovely.

What's in your basket?

Coveting

As you know...

I like all things old.

Ergo...the flea market is a favorite

stomping ground.

One was conveniently held in my neck of the woods...

at Schoolhouse Commons...in Lambertville.

James is always willing to join me.

Together we sifted through rusty gold.

There's always excitement in the air...

like you just know

you're about to find something

breath-taking-ly beautiful!

And that's when I saw her...

Don't be concerned....

I'm talking about that vintage trailer.

I walked closer...

as if in a dazed, dreamy-eyed state.

"You can take a look inside if you'd like..."

Oh...I like...

Can I take a few pictures...I have a blog...

"So do I! Sure...go ahead."

And so I did.

It went from lust to love.

Vintage touches that pulled at my heart

in a big bad way.

Oh...I want one...

pretty please with sugar on top!

We exchanged web sites...

so now I can visit "Bessy" whenever I want.

So can you...

at www.LittleVintageTrailer.com

One last look over my shoulder

before saying my final good bye.

I don't know if it's just me...BUT...

I could swear

she winked at me.

Oh, yeah...the flea market.

There was more to see and do...

more digging for buried treasure to be done.

Even though my heart was

already taken...

I had to plod forward.

I wanted one of everything...

it must have been the mood I was in.

Unfortunately, the budget wasn't cooperating.

James wanted a turtle from

Woodland Exotics.

Eewww...I don't think so. Moving on...

I left with a perfectly used pair of cycling shoes...

locally made clover honey...

a cantaloupe...

and a broken heart.

James found a Firestone repair tin...

and a book...

Heat Wave. Castle is one of his

favorite shows...I'm thinking

it may be a bit mature for him...hmmm...

just thinking...

As we headed out for a drink...

an ice-cold water on a very hot, humid day...

James found his heart's desire.

I must say...the boy has good taste!

p.s. the honey cost more than the shoes! Love it :)

p.s.s. a fun day of dreaming...priceless.

The Mat Pack

A New Denim Yoga Mat Carrier

The Mat Pack

A little groovy...mixed with punk...

joined with urban graffiti.

I get bored easy.

Doing the same thing over and over and...

just ain't me.

Nothing like a new idea to get

the juices flowing.

The back side is still clean-cut with

a large pocket.

A side pocket for added storage options.

Fun details make it urban chic...

a spliced...frayed strap...

Patched decals add a fun design element...

frayed bottom... Of course... it's double stitched throughout for strength and durability... and fully functional! Living Large enough to haul all your yoga props. And did I mention... Lookin Cool! Let me tell you...I had fun with this one... got another one all planned out.

This one is on its way to...

Harmony in Life.

Old jeans given a new...fresh...

young lease on life.

That's Old Maid New.

Sneaky

Like putting zucchini

in brownies...

having James bike to the corner

store for some bread...

asking both boys to practice

their BMX skills.

I single-handedly made the brownies

healthier, snuck in exercise...

and grabbed a little alone time!

It doesn't end there.

The refrigerator has become

home to my

word-a-day venture.

Deceptively easy words when considering

their multiple meanings.

Take marrow: noun. 1: The soft fatty tissue in the interior of bones.

2. The inmost, best, essential part.

3. Any of various squashes in green or creamy-white colors.

(I didn't know that!)

4. A helper, co-worker, friend or spouse.

So...I read "my" new word aloud...

recite the meanings...

give examples...

(saving etymology for the official school year)

and use the word throughout the day.

It's gotten comical

with Joey intentionally (I hope)

mixing their respective meanings...

i.e., "you're giving me a corolla!"

All from the comfort of the computer.

Using wordsmith.org

with its weekly themes.

This week...words with more than one meaning.

Just getting the ball rolling...

getting our feet wet...

because

the early bird catches the worm...you know.

Peachy

The Red Havens are ready...

here in Michigan.

The perfect peach...

just plucked from the tree.

At Bennett's Orchard...

right around the corner from me.

Better get them while you can

because they sell

fast!

Yes...they're that good!

Napkin required!

If you happen by...

make sure to get some just-picked-today

corn...the best I've had all summer.

Beyond Zucchini Bread :: Recipe 2

The Zucchini keeps coming.

I've used it sauteed with onions,

peppers and tomatoes

in a delicious omelet.

Oven Roasted with fresh veggies from the garden...

Today I had a sweet tooth.

I searched on-line for a chocolate zucchini cake.

I found one!

It looked wonderful.

One problem...

there was no flour in my house.

So, run to the store...right?

Only if you have exhausted every option available.

I did have a brownie mix.

That's just like flour...again, right?

I adapted the recipe I found on-line and created...

Double Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

Trust me...an easy recipe that will have

you going back for seconds and thirds...

and because there's

zucchini in them...

you convince yourself they are good for you!

Here's what I did:

2 Cups Grated (actually, food processed) Zucchini

1 Cup Chocolate Chips

Toss in a bowl with a few scoops

of the dry brownie mix.

Combine By Hand:

1 Boxed Brownie Mix

1/2 Cup Olive (Extra Virgin) Oil

3 Eggs

1 teaspoon instant coffee crystals (said to enhance chocolate flavor...optional)

Fold All Together Using A Spatula

Divide evenly into 2-8" round pans

sprayed lightly with Pam.

OR

1-10" round pan.

Bake @ 350 degrees for 40 minutes

or until done

(springs back when touched in center)

Dust with confectioners sugar while still warm.

I created a winner here.

Moist...Chocolate-y...Delicious.

You're Welcome!

More Favorite Things

What can I say...

No one knows you quite like a best friend...

throw sister into that mix

and it's like you have a mind reader!

Scary stuff...

sometimes they know you better

than you know yourself!

The proof is in the birthdays.

A fun bundle of Amy Butler fabrics...

that coordinate in a most unusual

Amy Butler way...

A trio just begging for someone

to get creative!

And then there's the soap...

While I was at my sister Mary's house

I kept finding reasons

to wash my hands...

just to smell that lovely fragrance.

She couldn't remember where she bought it...

couldn't remember the name.

All I knew was that fragrance kept

taking me to a happy place...

a childhood place.

Books have that ability as well.

I love when others share some of their

favorites with you.

I can't wait to escape!

Lest I forget...

the joy of receiving the handmade gift.

Mary Rose is a paper crafting genius.

Creating these precious little pieces of art...

knowing that the recipient will put those

funky buttons to good use...

on the same project as the fabric perhaps...

perhaps.

Sweetest of all...

Loving words from a prolific writer!

Thanks for being my baby sister.

I love you, too.

(PS...Sue started this today!)

Coulda :: Shoulda

Let me set the scene...

downtown Toledo...

with my sisters...

lunch at Packos with a quick stop

at Swan Creek Candle Co.

...where upstairs there is an antique store.

I spot an unfinished quilt...$10...

a Fanta pop bottle carton...$2.50...

dink...dink...dink...

pass.

Filled with regret.

Fast Forward to my birthday...

Sister Sue to the rescue!

As soon as we left the area

I went on and on

about how I should have gotten my finds.

"How cute would that bottle carrier

have been in the summer to tote

my Corona salt and pepper shakers...

napkins...

silverware?"

"And that quilt...

a steal at $10...It could have been utilized

in so many projects...

it was so lovingly constructed by hand...

in such cool vintage summery prints..."

"It would have looked so

great on my table

until I found another use for it..."

"Why didn't I get them?"

"I guess I will have to talk Rudy into

driving downtown another day...

and they will probably be sold by then..."

And they were...

to Susie...

for me!

You can always count on your sisters

to see you through those

coulda...shoulda...woulda times.

Thanks Susie...

For getting the shoulda's for me.