SANDY

I will make it short, we have been hit by Sandy and it has been bad. Most of our neighbors, including ourselves, have had no power since Monday and we are permanently on the go to find a warm spot, warm food and /or internet access or outlets to power the phones.  The food in the fridge needed to be thrown away, the freezer still has some stuff I hope to safe. Hard to say, since there is basically no information when power will be reestablished in the neighborhood. Some rumors talk of the weekend, lets hope the truth lays somewhere before that!

A huge tree has hit our garage and parts of the roof where our addition to the house is located. We have been in touch with every possible place to get help to remove the tree, getting the insurance involved and now we have to wait and see how fast we can get back to normal.

But my heart goes out to those, who have lost so much more: Their homes, livelihoods and lives. It is scary to be exposed to the fierce powers of nature and to be so utterly helpless in the face of it. May we all be able to soon re-build and be safe. 

Again.

Image by V.Zlotkowski

CREATIVITY

There are so many ways to unlock one's creativity, not just one's own, but others too.  A wonderful way to get there is to offer a space, where playful explorations can be encouraged. A space literally or in your mind...It can be a meeting with like minded friends, a basement, where messes can be made, where art supplies are not locked up in a closet, but made easily accessible, lots of discussions, an open mind to the strangest subjects, sharing of dreams and thoughts, rather often unheard of....Walking the city or rambling odd sites....
Seeing things in a different light and really looking for a new prospective. All this makes life so much more interesting and unleashes at the best of times our wildest imaginations and creativity!

Found here

And maybe even these stormy days will blow away some of the road blocks in my creativity....

I keep my mind open.

And smile.

...

Image as indicated

Sometimes

Sometimes, when the going gets tough for my children, when long school days stretch ahead without a break, daily sports bring sudden injuries, when test results go wrong, way off the hoped for mark, when student jobs are lost or hopes for them are shuttered, then they need a little extra tender care. 

Reminders that they are loved and cherished, no matter the grade, the mood, the loss.

An extra hug, a phone call, a little boost, a foot rub, a funny text message, a small gift: Something to cheer them up! We all need cheering up...

I find the mornings in our family the most relaxed time during the day. We get up early to sit down around the table for a real breakfast, cereal, coffee, smoothies, freshly baked rolls, eggs any style...(To be sure: I am not a super mom, I just plan ahead) We chat and joke. To get my children off to another day, happy, smiling, and most of all ready to tackle yet again the challenges of the day (which make them sometimes want to hide), this is my goal every day.

This morning was such and I cheered them up with this:

 Our son asked, can I really eat from this? (He is the mass cereal killer....)

And our daughter mentioned framing it.... It's a quote from one of her most beloved stories.

Engraved spoons from here

Laughter and relaxed happiness were the hoped for results. Off they went, smiling and energized!

Wishing you all a day to smile about!

(And you can spoil someone any time, no injury required....)

Images by V.Zlotkowski

Nest

Autumn is for building a nest.... the temperatures drop, students are back into the groove, a cozy place beckons....

I love making a nest at this time of year!

Image via Houzz

Nick Frank

The photographer Nick Frank and his Mira Series: The Germany based artist takes pictures in and around Munich.

via

How cheerful! Click on the link above to read more...





Image via Trendland

Happy weekend

Found this on Etsy, I thought it is a fun piece!

And you could style it like this....

via

Or this....

via

Or this...

via

Happy weekend!




Image via Etsy (1st) site and as indicated!

The Casual Vacancy

The day, the latest book by J.K.Rowling,  The Casual Vacancy came out, I begun reading it. It has gotten critical reviews, but this has not stopped me in the least from being more then curious.  In a way it encouraged me....

I was pulled in from the first pages, with a strange power, which had less to do with the plot of the story at first, but more  with the language. 

The setting is a small English town, picturesque at the first glimpse. The death of a citizen and councilman evokes the feverish actions to secure the vacant seat in a power struggle, which leaves many townspeople in its wake. There is a war raging, not only around the council vacancy, but also between families, between teenagers without much outlook and across the society at large. We look into a mirror and the reflected image is powerful if not downright ugly.

With the clinical precision of a surgeon, Rowling dissects, she cuts open festering wounds, drains the pus, to make a healing process possible. These are wounds many would rather leave alone. I applaud her for this and admire her form. 

Her language is harsh, bordering on the vulgar, but that only adds in my opinion to the truthfulness of the novel. This is not the J.K.Rowling world of Harry Potter. It seems to be the opposite end of her story world spectrum. Where the Potter series shows us a magical world, a world where young people, filled with powers and determination reach their worthy goals, and good fights evil successfully, here we find a realistically drawn, egotistical society, often careless adults, with barely camouflaged ugliness, trying to realize their questionable intentions at any cost and lost teenagers, without much hope of a future worth living for. There is bullying, there is calculated 'love' and abuse of power. There is violence and many lies. Only in the end she shows, although not a happy ending, a possible way out. A redemption. 

Until the end I was not really interested in the Council seat squabbles of the townspeople, but in Rowling's masterful art of writing and her psychological insights. The story unfolds stronger and more interesting towards the middle and end, but her way with words kept me going from the start. I did not regret the time.

I was moved in the end and the book and it's message has not let me out of it's grip since I finished the last pages. I keep thinking about it.

True, the book is filled with a  language hard to stomach at times, but nevertheless a rich one and I could sometimes see the old, familiar Rowling spinning her tale and there were moments, when I instantaneously made a Potter parody out of some lines. There is her dark humor, Rowling writes with kindness about her fellow citizens. The book struck me with it's honesty, a clear vision of the state of our society and the setting, which, of course, can be anywhere, my own small American town included. It fits in, right here, right now, and if some descriptions seem overdrawn it's for the better.

I would strongly recommend this book, also for teens. It would be appropriate school reading from 10th grade on. It should encourage many discussions and food for thought. Perhaps more then this. A change.

Please, go on and read it!

Image through amazon.com

modern living room

modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room


modern living room

Modern living room is the place in the home occupation. Therefore it must be fresh, serene and inspiring place, with cumbersome and properly selected interior colors in furniture and decoration. If you want to change this central location in your home, you may do so without overhaul. Refreshment of the zone may start with accents. Unexpected effects can be created with the color of one wall in a bright color or with the addition of cushions or carpet in your modern living room. maybe most people forget this one design, the living room. with modern design the interior of a home would be complete and look beautiful. modern concept of the living room also looks stunning and exotic. The first is the arrangement of the living room and also clean up the place, if there is someone visiting your house then you will be flattered thanks to modern living conditions of your home. second, that the court made the room for you then you will be able to arrange, put a furniture and object if placed in your modern living room. exotic concept design of the living room seemed alive and meaningful to the guests who visit and those who have the house. I hope this article useful to readers everywhere, and make the house as well as modern living your dream and the palace for you.

small living room designs

Small Living Room Decorating Ideas Pictures:
 
small living room designs


small living room designs


small living room designs


small living room designs


small living room designs


small living room designs


small living room designs


small living room designs


small living room designs


small living room designs


small living room designs


small living room designs


small living room designs


small living room designs


small living room designs


small living room designs


small living room designs


small living room designs


small living room designs

Most people think of their homes as a way to express their personal style and taste. Homes can reflect who we are, what we appreciate and our preferences. Decorating a home can be a rewarding experience that allows home owners to enjoy their space as much as possible, either by themselves or with company. However, the architectural configurations of a house can greatly limit what a home owner may do with a particular area within the home. Often, the living room is an area that owners use for recreation, and home owners may need help with small living room decorating ideas. In particular, apartment homes are notorious for having smaller dimensions. Older homes of certain styles may also have small rooms. When the living room area is particularly small, there are various ways by which the home owner can improve and maximize the use and look of the space, depending on the purpose intended for the area. Whether the living room area is intended as a destination to be used mostly as a personal recreational room or as a gathering space for visitors, the following small living room decorating ideas can be helpful for most situations. Small Living Room Decorating Ideas for a Cozy Personal Retreat For anyone looking for tips on how to make the best use of a small living room as a personal retreat, the main objective should be that of relaxation. A small living room can provide the perfect environment for a reading getaway. Alternatively, it can simply be an area to enjoy listening to music, as well as somewhere comfortable to use a laptop. With that in mind, the central aspect of the décor should be to keep things simple and clutter free. An organized area goes a long way towards providing a restful and quiet space. While furnishings should be comfortable, a seating area for two people is usually enough, whether a futon, loveseat, or a pair of loungers. The use of curtains is recommended if the space has windows. Minimalistic drapes that allow natural light but add warmth to the room are best. A smaller coffee table, perhaps with drawers to store reading material, a stylish reading lamp, a live plant for oxygen and an area rug bring the space together while adding comfort and functionality. Finally, a narrow bookshelf may provide adequate storage as well as place to store music equipment and CDs. Small Living Room Decorating Ideas for a Gathering Space When the living room area will be used as the hub for gathering space, the attention needs to shift to the seating arrangements within it. Fortunately, modern designers have greatly improved sofas. Whereas multi-seating sofas used to be bulkier and took up large amounts of space, designs today offer compact alternatives that maximize usage while not sacrificing comfort. Some pieces are modular, where seat units can be added as needed, in different orientations and configurations to best match the space. Whether U-shaped or L-shaped, modern options allow effective use of space. Another benefit of modern sofas is that they can double as sleeping areas, since many manufacturers offer sofa beds within their modular collections. A well designed conversational sofa can provide all the space needed to enjoy company. Adding a center tray table or ottoman will round up the space when entertaining. Using mirrors on walls is often recommended to visually expand the look of the space. Small Living Room Decorating Ideas with an Entertainment Focus A small living room area may also provide the best setting for an entertainment room. In such a case, the focal point revolves around a well organized entertainment console. Whether the area is meant for gaming or TV viewing, having a console that can store electronics and accessories properly is essential to containing clutter. Units now offer drawers and shelves specifically designed to hide cables, remote controls and all types of accessories, which can quickly turn into a tangled mess when constantly in sight. In sum, using the above small living room decorating ideas can improve the functionality of any small living room. Decorating around the intended use allows home owners to avoid unnecessary purchases and exploit the space benefits. Rather than feeling constrained by the dimensions of an area, these tips and ideas can help to make the best use of any small living room.