February 2016 Books

Things have been hectic. But that seems to be the pace of things now, frantic. I guess we adjust; we learn to run faster. Oddly, I picked books to start this month which are set in the past rather than hectic present. 

Currently, February 2016

Books: I finished Reading in the Dark by Deane (on a plane back from Las Vegas). I started A Star Called Henry by Doyle. (I seem to be in an Irish literature phase, perhaps due to the impending St. Patrick's Day...) Plus, I finished a few small creation projects. Here's one: 

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Gratitude: Emotional support from unexpected sources; tiny white lights on snow-covered trees; fabulous friends; serendipitous travel; and good company for dinner.

Perfume: I've been finishing out Passiflora by Nest, mostly because it's got a matching hand cream and winter wreaks havoc on my dry skin. In addition to the previously mentioned American-made, small batch favorite Library of Flowers, True Vanilla (full of the hallmark warm scents of winter), I've discovered the perfect travel perfume, also  from the Library of Flowers, Kirimashi Air. It's lovely and light without being overwhelming to the others packed like sardines in the plane. (Nothing worse than a heavy oriental fragrance, that you are not wearing, in a small space.) It's supposed to be white tea, bamboo and orchid petals. What I get from it is a combination of pepper and a powdery floral. 

Random: There is magic in the earth, in growing things. Being too far from this magic - in structures of dead trees, stone and glass - perhaps it changes your view. Perhaps you lose sight of what's real.

Stress: Finding a new space. Ugh. This was supposed to be easier.

Take-away - Growth is never without pain. Pain doesn't change the need to grow. 

Other posts you may enjoy:
- Currently, January 2016

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A Stitch in Time

I hate shopping. Seriously. Unless it is for shoes or furniture or books, I don't like it. Which means clothes shopping is one of my least favorite activities. Recently I discovered a service - at a great price point - which will shop for you! Heaven!

This is what happened when I tried Stitch Fix. (And yes, chalk this one up to serial sharing as well.) 

Lessons - 2015

Life's about change and nothing ever stays the same. Truth.  Life's also about lessons. This is what I learned in 2015:

1. Receive gratefully. It tells the universe you are ready for gifts (aka opportunities).
• Take that cup of coffee if someone offers it. Say thank you. By not doing so, you are depriving other people of the gift of giving. People like to give. It's part of how we show care as humans.
2. Being grateful (having a grateful heart) doesn't mean you can't want more.
• Wanting more doesn't negate your gratitude. It means you accept the universe has more to offer. The universe is infinite, so there is certainly more available. 
3. Reflect. You may notice a pattern of positivity you've missed before.
4. It's okay to take your time being sad, just don't wallow - you'll miss opportunities.

"Learned" may be too strong a word for how the year unfolded. It's more like I was reminded of these essential life truths as I was ready to hear them.

Take-away - Who you are is largely part of what you've learned, and it's never too late to learn who you really are.


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Vegas in the Winter

Recently I spent a few days in Las Vegas on business. Despite the rain and chilly weather, it re-affirmed my love for multiple word cities that start with 3 letters: New Orleans, Las Vegas, etc...

I stayed at the beautiful Four Seasons, right on the strip. My first time at that particular Las Vegas property. (I used to go to Vegas on business regularly and have stayed at a number of Las Vegas hotels over the years.) It didn't take long for me to decide I quite like the Four Seasons and would love to stay there whenever possible. The question now, how can I make it more possible?

Currently, January 2016

Every year I try something different in this space. (Life's about change.) 

Image credit: Unsplash

• In 2014, I added books. 
• In 2015, I added recipes and then a touch of random beauty tidbits (serial sharer in the house!)
•  For 2016, I'm adding a monthly catch-up post. 

Welcome to my current obsessions and random observations - Stardate: January 2016

Coming Clean

Bunny Haven Manor is still not a beauty blog, but I am still a serial sharer. And over the last few months, as things in my world have changed, I've been in the mood to try new things, to expand horizons. So, I'll be sharing what I try - along with the usual books, recipes and random.

One of the shake-ups has been in my skin care routine. I've been a faithful fan of DHC Care for years as my cleanser, but it's a Japanese brand. I'm a huge fan of American brands, in all things. When I came across a similar style of product to what I was using which was both all-natural and American-made? Color me SOLD!

Meet Thesis Beauty.

Winter Lights

Image via Unsplash.com

Winter just isn't my season. To me, winter is darkness and silence. I try to enjoy the elements of the season  - bad ice skating, snowball fights, the stark beauty, but winter is rarely something I enjoy. It is stillness and too much space to think about what might have been. Sometime in January, I usually remember to let in the light.

This year has been different. The winter season was late; and the darkness came from my choice not to accept what was unacceptable.

The Work

Fresh raspberries (from the new garden plants) on an Asian blue plate. It's  beautiful image. Or at least I think it is!

The blue and white plate. The ripe berries. A little patriotic. Certainly delicious and so very summery! The pairing looks thrown together in a wabi-sabi kind of beauty. It's also deceptively easy. Nothing worth having is ever easy - someone wise said that long ago. The proof of that is more apparent to me every day. 

Getting from planting to plate took effort. In some ways it is like a relationship - some may look effortless but all require work, care and tending to flourish. 

Waste Not Banana Bread

I absolutely abhor waste. So, when the bananas start to look like this one - too brown, I click over to a favorite recipe for banana bread from Simply Recipes to whip up something yummy which will last for several days longer than the bananas would alone.

I promise  - this recipe is simple. Here's how....

October 2015 Books

What happened the last few months? Oh, life. Work. Moving stuff into one house. I've had more yard sales than I care to think about as I've been downsizing from the move. And I've learned: 1) downsizing is a pain and 2) yard sales are great for "interruptible" reading - back issues of Southern Living, blog posts, etc. -  and not so good for reading books, and 3) I really miss vacation (Mexico or NOLA, both were good).

But....

Is it Kismet?

Naked Gypsy, Crushed Coral, Wildflower - Kismet Cosmetics

This is not a beauty blog by any means. But...I am a serial sharer. What I like. Ideas. Shortcuts. Happiness. And I'm also an experimenter. Sometimes it is food and recipes. Sometimes it is books. And, sometimes it is a bit of make up and skin care.  

The importance of self-care should not be under valued.  Good skin care. A nice perfume. A pretty lipstick. These things are pick-me-ups. 

"Pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick, and pull yourself together." Elizabeth Taylor

And Again, Please

The human male and I are currently plotting our next vacation - probably next spring. This April we took a trip to "paradise" aka Tulum, Mexico on the Maya Riviera for 9 days. It was a space and time to decompress. Something I didn't even know I needed.

As an adult, I'd never been on a vacation before. Vacation =  go somewhere exotic, do not work, do interesting things you've not done before, and do nothing. I learned several things.

Summer Fruits

This year, I haven't been in the garden or even out as much as some other years.  The season will move on without you. This I know.

But a garden is a place of hope. We plant for this year - but not this moment. Sometimes we even plant for next year, as with asparagus or raspberries. A garden is always filled with hope.

Produce Selfie!

Take-away - Jalapeño or raspberry, the flavor is your choice, kind of like your attitude.

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Summer bounty

We have entered the "OMG the zucchini  is the size of cats!" phase of summer. (If you planted them, you know what I mean. You blink, and they are too big for most recipes.) We've all made enough zucchini bread, and we've all grilled enough zucchini. So, NOW WHAT DO you do with the zucchini?

I have answers.

June 2015 Books

Another busy month and less book reading. The books seem to dwindle month by month. Let us hope the tide changes in July!

What happened?

What We Leave Behind

This month has been tough. The original Bunny Haven Manor has a new caretaker. Someone else to watch over the flowers and bunnies. She's a gardener, so it will be okay. 

Always a Peony

There is a phrase about roses - bud, bloom or blown, a rose is always a rose. We forget at times in our search for blooming perfection that what we see, even if not perfect, is still perfectly a rose.

May 2015 Books

"Every lady needs a signature weapon."  It may be my favorite line from Waistcoats & Weaponry. I started that this month - and then got distracted.

Books are flowing from the original Bunny Haven Manor to Bunny Haven Manor East. Tiger Eyes, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Jacob I Have Loved, Wrinkle in Time. As they pass through my hands to the new space, I've remembered why I love them. For me the books that resonated most were about being different, not fitting in and succeeding in your own way. It's something to which I still aspire.

Take-away - We are shaped. By others. By our choices. How does what shaped you then resonate with you now?

May Extra - Basketball coaches like books too. This is Steve Kerr's reading list.

Posts also of potential interest...

• April 2015 Books
• March 2015 Books - That Weren't
• February 2015 Books
• January 2015 Books

The Incredible Edible Egg

Asparagus and red pepper frittata

Breakfast should be easy. On the weekends, it should be sumptuous, but still easy. Eggs are always super easy plus nutritious. To upgrade your egg experience,  if you have cheese + vegetables, go with a fritatta!

You can Google "fritatta" and come up with any number of recipes.  The basics are this:

- Saute vegetables on a medium heat

- Add eggs at a medium low heat

- When the eggs are almost set, top with cheese and pop the pan in the oven on broil for about 6-8 minutes.

Frittatas are the original "use what you have" meal. You can vary out the cheese. You can vary out the vegetables. You can vary the spices or herbs you prefer in the eggs. You can add milk or not. Here's the one trick, use an oven-proof saute pan. 

My recipe - For the frittata above, I melted less than 1/2 a tablespoon of butter and sauteed 1 red pepper (washed and diced) and 1 bunch of asparagus (washed and snapped into 1 inch pieces) with salt+pepper. 5 eggs, whipped with a touch (less than 1/4 cup) of milk and salt+ pepper, that went in the pan while I lowered the heat and turned on the broiler. I had about a 1/2 cup of a 3 cheese mix (asiago, parmesan, and romano) which I then added on top just before popping in the broiler. In about 7 minutes, it was perfect. The cheese will be melty and the eggs dry and fluffy. We also had biscuits. (I cheated and used store bought.) This is Saturday morning at Bunny Haven Manor East.

Take-away - Sometimes you deserve a little luxury, even if you have to make it yourself.

Pretty: And I love this Instagram pic of individual frittatas! What a great "meal to go" idea.
Sound bonus: Ever heard the Incredible Edible Egg song?

April 2015 books

This was definitely a reading month! Not only was there a lovely vacation late in the month, but also a bonus day off for Good Friday. Which meant I got a chance to read a number of books in April, including a bit of "mind-candy".

Welcome to Paradise

Learning to slow down. Learning to accept. Learning to enjoy. 

Take-away - All experiences teach you. Are you paying attention. 

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The March 2015 Books That Weren't

Great Ides of March!

It's been a month. I basically didn't read a book - except that February cookbook - for the better part of 7 weeks. Mostly for a good cause - lasik. Weird but true - my eyes had to "recover" from my contacts for 5 weeks before they'd even check me for lasik. And my glasses are not computer happy - so at the end of every workday my eyes were too tired to read.

Spring

My heart greets the signs of spring with joy. 

Tiny though they may be (enlarged crocus)

Take-away - Keep watch for what makes your heart glad and rejoice. 

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Here's Coco!

If you've reviewed The Herd page recently, you may have noticed the Herd has gotten a bit bigger. Her name is Coco, and she's been with us about a 6 weeks. True to any new family member, I can't imagine life without her!

On the right is how she looked when I first saw her at a Pet Refuge event. Purring. T.S. Elliot's kind of jellicle. Missing a front fang. Adorable. And needing brushed. (On the left is Day One at Bunny Haven Manor East after much brushing.) She decided in the first 5 minutes that this was her house and she was good with that. (She's much like Griffin.)