Hostess with the mostest.

This will be the first year that I attempt to host Thanksgiving for my family. They've all packed into their cars and have set out towards Ohio. The anticipation is killing me.  I couldn't be more excited for their arrival! While I'm a complete amateur at all things cooking and decorating, I did try my best to throw together a few items I already own for our dinner soirée. Seen here, ceramic cups used as flower vases, spray painted bird salt and pepper shakers, and my wedding china... in all its glory. 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

                            

                             

Artsy smartsy.

I have a deep appreciation for those quirky, a little off their rockers, type of people. You know the kind. The oval shaped ones. No squares here.

Sometimes you're good at something but lack passion. I think that might be my issue. Or else, maybe I'm just really, really lazy. I posted about my artistic abilities in this post here and haven't lifted a pencil since. Why? Well, I can't quite put my finger on it.

I'm drawn to artsy people though. I admire them from afar, anyway, like some type of tropical flower that needs closer inspection. I think I admire their courage to be different the most. Maybe that's my problem. Maybe I lack courage. Maybe I've been trying so hard to blend in that it's inhibiting my true abilities. Blame it on the red hair. I like to think on a subconscious level I'm aware of my inability to completely blend into a crowd. So maybe it's a self esteem issue then?

Maybe I like to keep my artistic abilities locked up inside, away from prying eyes, because I lack the self-esteem to proudly prance around announcing how different I am.

Oh my. If that's the case, I feel sad...for me. 

Or maybe, as I said before, I just lack passion. If I truly loved doing something, wouldn't I be doing it? Even if it was just in the privacy of my own home?

I may not paint on canvas, but I do love painting for hours on end those little holiday, under the Christmas tree, village houses.  I also do occasionally enjoy pretending to be a photographer. Or dipping my toes into the DIY world every now and then. And I'm clearly not too embarrassed to post my random writings on the internet.

Although, admittedly, I've never really truly tried to be a great blogger. Just look at those huge gaping time lapses between posts. Or the fact that I don't have sponsors, or buttons, or an incredible layout and graphics. Or, followers. Ha ha. In fact, I'm surprised you're even reading this right now! Thank you for taking a liking to my half-assed attempt at blogging.

Half-assed. I think that's my problem. I really like people who go in with their whole ass because I'm only ever giving it a half-assed attempt. Maybe if you don't ever truly try, then you can never truly fail. Mmm.. I think I might be onto something.

What do you think?

Why in the hell....?!

"Jesus, Mary and Joseph!"

"Goddammit."

"Christ all mighty!" 

It's been awhile since I've posted a random pondering of mine. And, well, here's one for you. This whole business of using the Lord's name in vain. Did you ever stop and think about what it is people are actually muttering, spluttering or cursing? It's ludicrous really. And I want to know how it started.

Maybe it began as an actual prayer. As in, something happened and someone yelled out in a moment of desperation for assistance... "Oh, God. Help me!" And then perhaps over centuries it somehow evolved into a mere muttering under the breath. More like an "Oh for Christ's sake." Grrrr.

That grr changed everything.

Or maybe people just started using all of these names in vain because they were told not to do it. Kind of like if you tell me I'm never allowed to eat cheese again and then how ALL I WANT TO DO IS EAT CHEESE afterwards.

Who knows?

No, really...who actually knows the reason? I'm curious and my husband was incapable of procuring a satisfactory answer to my random inquiry last night as we were attempting to go to bed :)

Good morning.

I know everyone thinks that there puppy is the cutest, but really...no really.. my dog is the cutest. I win. I win. I win. How can you not fall in love with this little poochey face greeting you every morning? Did I mention she's a snuggler? Like, under the covers, in between that little crook in your arm, snuggler. She's perfect.

Minus that whole house training thing. We still have mistakes every now and then.

But ohhh, that face.

I give up. The face wins. She's perfect.

Red, like love.

            

I don't know about you but, as of late, I've had to resist the urge to pull over on the side of the road like a crazy lady and take random photographs of all the vibrant yellows, burnt oranges and brilliant reds flying on the trees. But alas, I've kept my inner photographer at bay. I did manage to sneak a photo of the above specimen from my neighbor's yard. And they're e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e. Those reds. I swear I really don't remember these incredibly bright colors in past years. How can you not enjoy the temporary myriad of colors? They somehow manage to make even a dark, stormy Fall day beautiful.

Ps. No, there was no tweaking of colors or contrasts digitally in these photographs. Clearly, from my slight overexposure, I think that's probably obvious. But you know, just in case you were wondering, these photos are au naturale.