Stacyverb

Mom & Dad's wet Atlanta weekend

My folks visited from PA last weekend, and unfortunately, the weather here was the worst we've had all spring. And of course we had tickets to some outdoor events. But we didn't let the downpour stop us!

Saturday night: Willie Nelson (a family favorite) at Chastain Park Amphitheatre. Who would've predicted we'd need coats and wool hats for an outdoor show in Atlanta in May? We really lucked out because our seats were some of the very few at Chastain that are covered. We only got wet getting to and from the car.

 

Sunday afternoon: Braves vs. Mets at Turner Field. Braves won! The weather was actually pretty nice during most of the game, but it did start raining during the later innings. Again, we just happened to have seats that were covered, so we were able to watch the game in comfort.

Slimy weather or not, a good time was had by all!

In progress: porch curtains

During nice weather, our porch is one of the most-used "rooms" of the house. Even during the work week when we're not home much, we at least try to eat dinner out there whenever possible.

There used to be a tree on the west side of the house that would make nice shade on the porch in the early evening hours, but that tree got struck by lightning and had to be taken down. So now at dinner time when we want to eat at the porch table, there's all this blinding hot sun beating down right there. This has been our temporary solution:

Yep, a grungy old blanket. It gets the job done, but it sure isn't pretty. Let's get a close-up of that mounting hardware:

Right. That would be a hemostat hanging from a nail. Of course. How else would you hang up a curtain that's actually a ratty old blanket? Hey, I never claimed we were classy, just resourceful.

Anyway, I have a plan for a much cuter solution to our sun/shade problem, and the first step was a trip to IKEA this morning.

A few quick seams on this fabric (sometime this week...) and BOOM, instant curtain. This red checkered fabric is sure to add to the cozy cafe vibe we have going on in that corner of the porch. And yes, it will be hanging from an actual, real curtain rod! With finials, even. Crazy.

RIP George Jones

Sad news today for country music lovers everywhere. As I was thinking about what song I wanted to post here, I debated about whether or not this one was too obvious. But I decided that there was no other choice, really.

I have a vivid memory of when this song was popular. I was about ten years old, and it could often be heard coming out of the gigantic console stereo my parents had back then. The song was on frequently enough that I pretty much knew all the words, but one thing puzzled me. So I asked my dad why the song said "they placed a wreath upon his door." And my dad explained that it was a funeral wreath, that the man in the song had died. And I remember so clearly the light bulb going on in my head, realizing what the song was really about, and how sad it was, and that moment was, I think, the first time music made the hair stand up on the back of my neck.

My response to this song is still the same. It's physical. It makes my spine tingle and my heart hurt. And when the violins come up and George starts wailing that title verse, it makes my eyes fill with tears. Every. single. time.

No other choice, really.

 

Mondays on the Beltline

Lately on Mondays (our day off), Anthony and I have been taking long walks on the Atlanta BeltLine. Based on an old rail corrider that circles the city, the Beltline is transforming those abandoned rail trails into a network of parks and paved paths connecting dozens of neighborhoods.

The BeltLine is a great place to walk, run, bike, skate, whatever. It's amazing to be able to walk from all the way from, say, Inman Park to Piedmont Park, and not even feel like you've worked all that hard. The paths make it so easy and pleasant to get around, without having to dart across busy streets or wait at crosswalks. You just get on the trail and GO!

Here are some sights from today's walk on the Eastside trail.

Piper the cat and her (his?) mailbox, as seen on CNN and elsewhere.

 

Piper was amenable to some hands-on attention after we plied her (him?) with Greenies.

Paris on Ponce is always a good place to stop for a restroom break, not the least of which is because of Marie Antoinette here:

 

Isn't she amazing? Her dress and incredible wig are all made out of cut paper. I need to find out more about her. All I know is I have to pass by her to get the restroom in Le Maison Rouge (any excuse to go to Le Maison Rouge!).

Watch for more photos from the BeltLine in future posts!

Happy Record Store Day!

For some people, Record Store Day is a chance to grab all the special releases, either to collect or to sell on eBay. For others, it's a day to re-visit youthful times spent discovering exciting musical gems.

For me, it's neither of those things. In my rural childhood, we got our records at Zayre or the BX. Shopping for music was something we did while out buying socks, or on the way back from getting groceries at the commissary. In my teen years, we lived in a suburban area where I thought I was hot shit because I had easy access to a mall. The mall contained a Musicland --just a crappy corporate chain staffed by random people who needed whatever job they could find, but I wasn't thinking about any of that at the time. I was just impressed that there was a whole store devoted to nothing but music!

I don't think I had much experience at all with independently owned record stores until I moved to Atlanta in 1994. Really, I just hadn't had been exposed to such a thing. When I moved here and suddenly had not one but two shops in my own neighborhood, it was a whole new experience for me. You could ask the clerk about something, and they would be knowledgeable. You could casually mention some song you loved 15 years ago, and they would offer to track down a copy for you.

So to me, Record Store Day isn't about the thrill of hunting for exclusives or the nostalgia of reliving days gone by. It's about celebrating the fact that I have access to such places. Supporting small businesses. Being part of a community. Running into friends, drinking a beer, enjoying a spring day, and listening to a band. Discovering new music and handing my cash to a person, instead of just clicking my mouse and making Apple richer.

(Don't get me wrong, I do download music sometimes. But not if I have other options. Downloading doesn't help my neighbors pay their bills. And there's no ceremony in it. I often remember the circumstances around buying a physical record or CD--where I was, who I was with, what the weather was like, what else I did that day. But I never have lasting memories of the experience of downloading something.)

If you're lucky enough to have access to indie music stores, please support them today and every day!

Buh-bye, Cloudette

Hey, does anybody remember this cardigan?

Ringing a vague bell? I started it in May of last year, then it went into the closet and hibernated for a while, then I pulled it back out in October and worked on it for a while, and then it hibernated again for a few months. I pulled it back out last week and got back to work on it, at which point it looked like this:

 

Nothing left to do but finish one sleeve make the other! Woo-hoo! The home stretch! FINALLY.

Today that cardigan looks like this:

Oh no I DIDN'T.

Yup, I sure did. I was almost done, and I tore the whole thing apart. I tried it on at the one-sleeve-finished stage and I hated it. HATED it. The belt, which I thought was such a cute, waist-emphasizing feature, was just getting tangled up. Worse, somehow I must have mis-measured something, because the belt sat waaaay below my waist. It didn't look cute and tailored, it looked sloppy and stupid.

I realized I would never wear this thing. Or rather, I might wear it once and feel uncomfortable in it all day, and then avoid wearing it ever again. Why force myself to finish a project if my heart wasn't in it? Life's too short, folks.

As I always tell my students, one of the great things about knitting is that it's one of the few things in life where you can actually get a do-over. Mistakes can be unraveled and corrected, and in extreme cases like this, whole garments can be undone and the yarn re-used to make something else.

Some friends who saw me right after I unraveled Cloudette asked me how I felt, after putting all that work into it and having nothing to show. Honestly? I felt great. Sometimes, what's even better than a project that's finished is one that's just DONE.

In progress: Sencha blouse

"In progress" might be overstating things--really all I've done so far is cut out the paper pattern pieces. But hey, ya gotta start somewhere.

 

This blouse is my first official project of spring, but its origins date back to Christmas. The pattern was a present, and I bought the fabric in PA during my Christmas vacation with a Surplus City gift card from, uh...Santa. I got some buttons then, too, but I decided they weren't right for this blouse, so I bought these ones recently instead.

I'll be making Version 2, with the buttons up the back and no keyhole at the neck. Sencha has the kind of shape I love--tapered in at the waist and wider across the shoulders. The fabric is just a lightweight cotton print, nice and summery but should be great for fall as well with a cardigan (Featherweight, I'm looking at you) thrown over it.

Pondering some red pants to go with this. Hmmmm.

Sunny and surreal

It was another beautiful spring weekend in the ATL! I am loving it. Especially because my sweetie just finished up a huge freelance job, so he has more time to goof off now. We spent Sunday afternoon at one of our favorite places, the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

 

Tulips and flowering trees were out in full force, and the Chihuly fountain was sparkling in the sunshine.

 

LOVED these tulips in hot colors. (I planted tulips once. Squirrels stole my bulbs. *shaking fist* Damn you, squirrels!!!)

 

Woody trunk of a wisteria vine. Impressive, huh? The wisteria wasn't blooming yet. It seems a bit late this year. The trees in our neighborhood are usually dripping with it by now.

 

This strange-looking tree reminded me of something out of a Tim Burton movie. I couldn't get close enough to its little label to see what it's called. Anybody know?

These umbrellas and upside-down flower pots were part of the Orchid Daze: Surreal Beauty exhibit.

 

Ditto these colorful shoe planters in the trees in the orchid house.

 

Not part of the surrealism exhibit, but a just plain gorgeous orchid.

 

Two goofballs enjoying the beautiful day together. I hope you all are having some wonderful days, too. Make the most of them!

Spring in Oakland Cemetery

The other day Anthony and I happened to be driving past historic Oakland Cemetery and we decided it was a great day to take a walk around there.

I'm not into cemeteries as a rule, but Oakland is a such an interesting feature of the city and a lovely place to walk around admiring monuments, landscaping, and city views.

Yes, the sky was really this blue. I love the light in Atlanta at this time of year, before the air gets so hazy with pollen and humidity.

Much like last weekend when I got on a roll with tail light photos, on this day I became obsessed with...mausoleum doors. (Click to embiggen.)

Now, I'm not a tour guide or a history expert, so I actually have no idea who any of these grand monuments belong to. But if you'd like to do more than casually admire Oakland Cemetery, they have a very informative web site, and for those of you who are local or plan on visiting Atlanta, they offer guided tours and other community events.

 

Here's one of my favorite sights in the cemetery. This mausoleum is so over the top, and I love the weird combination of Gothic architecture and landscaped...cacti?? Plus, this is such a cool view, with the MARTA track running behind it in the distance (and yes, I purposely did wait to take this shot until a MARTA train went by).

 

Here's a peek through the ironwork doors to the inside of the mausoleum.

 

And here's a shot of the gargoyles guarding it from the tower. (I don't know who "Richards" was, but I'm gonna go ahead and guess, "a rich white guy.")

So there you have it--a beautiful April day in Oakland Cemetery. It's a wonderful place to spend an afternoon, whether you visit for the history, the architecture, or just for some peaceful exercise.

Opening day

Here's what you do when you can't be at the stadium for the first game of the season.

Game on the radio, hot dogs & fries from Skip's, beer from The Beer Growler. And during the seventh inning stretch, I'll be busting out the mandolin for a little "Take Me Out To The Ball Game." Feel free to sing along.

GO BRAVES!!!