Tortuary?

So on Friday, my Mom and I went Thrift Shopping and scored big! I found some great vintage fabric to make totes out of, a small dress form to use as table decoration at craft fairs, an old wood mail sorter that's hanging in my living room to sort magazines and this fabulously huge jar!

It has a cut-out at the top of the jar about the size of an out stretched hand. When I saw the jar just sitting on the bottom shelf I knew instantly that I wanted to make a little enclosed garden out of it! I had seen a segment on these self-sustaining gardens on Martha but couldn't remember what they were called. I went the entire day calling it a "Tortuary" before my mother informed me that they were actually called "Terraiums." Doh!

I like my name, Tortuary, better. Sounds tougher..."Don't mess with me or I"ll put you in the Tortuary."

Off to research which plants will do well in my Tortuary...err, I mean, Terrarium!

Hope

All Spring, we watched two hummingbirds busily run (fly) around making this nest. They were kind enough to place it right in front of the craft room window, very considerate those little birds are.

Anyhoo, after months of refusing to allow anyone to go near it (didn't want to scare the little lovebirds off...they needed their privacy!) and realizing that they weren't coming back, we decided to climb up there and take a look...so amazing small. Put my big ol' fat finger there so that you could get idea of the egg's smallness. Wow.

Further up in the tree, there's another set of birds (Jim says they're Morning Doves...do we even have Morning Doves in El Paso?) making a nest. Once again perfectly place on the tree so that I can look at them while sitting at my sewing desk.

I wonder if Zefram is scaring away all the cats from our yard, allowing more birds to nest in the trees.

Hmm, at least the birds don't treat our yard as one huge litter box.

So, I've recently added to my list of addictions (the internet being first on that list, of course), Podcasts....love love love them! Since pretty much anyone can create a podcast, you really have to look around for the good ones but it's worth it in the end! I love listening to them while cutting fabric and sewing.

Here are some ways to listen to podcasts:
- Odeo (brand stinkin' new site)
- Podcast Alley (tons of podcasts)
- iTunes (4.9 has podcast capabilities)

Some of My Favorites Subscriptions:
- Cinecast (movie reviews)
- Earthcore (sci fi book being solely released on podcast)
- Left, Right and Center (political talk)
- The Al Franken Show (funny liberal political talk)
- The Dawn and Drew Show (hilarious adult-ish talk)
- This Week in Science (interesting science topics)

While looking for other podiobooks to listen to while working or driving to school, I came upon some really interesting sites:
- Miette's Bedtime Story Podcast (classic short stories)
- Crackle Back Short Stories (more short stories)
- Escape Pod (sci fi stories)
- iLounge Podiobook Listing (large listing of podiobooks)
- Sherlock Holmes Audio (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic series)

Whew, that was a lot of links.

Love to hear of any other good podcasts!

I'm "this close" to finishing my large order!!! I'll post a pic of the heaping mound of iPod covers when I'm done. I'm keeping this short so that I can get back to sewing:

Goodies from Craftland:
- Garden Charmed Life/Jess LC (I really really really want this necklace!)
- Crocheted Baby Top (might just have to buy this for Baby Laurie!)
- Girl Top with Red Boots/Wonderland Manhattan (great little tank)
- Bube Tube Bag/Heyday Fashions (previously Star Serge, hi Neesy!)
- Fairytale Princess Wings/Faerietail (I would so wear these around)
- School Lunch Balm Set/Bag Lunch (I'm curious about the PB&J)
- Happy/Laurel Denise Jewelry (so simple and beautiful)

I love looking at shops!

Simple Joys:
- having Zefram graduate from Puppy Training with flying colors last night
- waiting for Harry Potter
- having Jim kiss me goodbye in the morning and then falling back asleep
- having a friend come back in town (Hi Pati!)
- laughing uncontrollably with my Mom
- planning our 5 yr. anniversary
- buying baby things for some expecting friends (Hi Laurie and Josh!)

Ah, don't you love it when you wake up all nice and calm even though you've got 46 iPod Cover orders to fill?

Hah, came upon this picture while trying to clean up the computer. I'm not positive but I think we took this picture days before we got engaged. We look like kids.

Kinda funny but Jim's face pretty much wraps up the feeling around us during that time. We definitely had that "knock you on your butt" "what the heck is this!" kind of love. Took everyone, including us, by surprise. That Crazy Love still comes out every once and while but has now been mostly replaced with the comfort and security that only time can bring.

Our thoughts and blessings go out to the people of London. Hope you and your loved ones are warm and safe.