Holiday Hullabaloo

So much has happened this past week or so, so I'll try not to make this too long..

I found a vintage Velvet tobacco tin for my sister, an almost-antique sketchbook of Washington Irving (the author of Sleepy Hollow, I believe), and then I crocheted a few coasters for Timothy and his brother for their apartment! (I know it's a basic granny-square, but for some reason I have a hard time with these sometimes).

I also crocheted a scarf/headband/turban using this pattern! I used the wrong kind of yarn I think, so it doesn't look exactly like the picture..but it's so warm and cozy and I'm very proud of it!

My sister has also been doing my hair a lot this break, and this is one of the few hairstyles I've had. I don't know what she did, but all I know is it's got a fishtail braid in it.

(And this is my baby Ginger, sleeping by the Christmas tree). x

Timothy's gift to me this year was a trip to Asheville, in the mountains! We went to the arboretum (they had a few flowers and a lego sculpture exhibit) and puttered around downtown for a little bit (there was a bookstore that also sold wines and champagnes! It was magical). We didn't have time to see Chimney Rock or the Biltmore mansion-castle, but we had tons of fun getting lost everywhere. Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the trip:

(photos from the arboretum)

(downtown)

(He fell asleep at the hotel, you turn off the lights and he goes out with them!)

I have a bunch more, but I think I should stop before I get carried away.. Hope you all have a wonderful new year's! x

White as snow

Oh, one of these winters Timothy and I need to go ice skating. I've never been, but I am convinced that is the sweetest, most wonderful experience in the world. I imagine it is a lot like flying, and I love that feeling more than anything else. And flying with a sweetheart would be the icing on the cake!

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(And if I could only wear a frilly, flouncy outfit to go with our flight, it would be absolutely heavenly!). x

[None of the above images belong to me. Their sources are linked with the x's]

Fall break part 1

Break began Wednesday night, but I didn't actually go home until this morning..so here are little tidbits of my escapades thus far!

I had been meaning to steal some flowers from the bush that I pass on the way to class. But, I've never had the chance too, except for at ten o'clock at night when no one is on campus (except for the one boy who almost spotted me). --oh, and sorry, my phone has awful quality..

But I hung them to dry on my dresser, and I'm so very excited to see how they look when I come back (if the baby spider infestation hasn't gotten to them...eeep).

Then Timothy and I went to a new diner on Thursday (we're trying to try something new more often, so this is where we wound up!). And oh my goodness, it was absolutely delicious! I had orange french toast with whipped creme, and then a slice of pumpkin-apple bread. Oh, we need to go back.

Then my momma has a little pumpkin collection on our kitchenette table.

I would write other personal things, but I don't feel comfortable including certain other people; but all you should know is that my heart was warmed today and I'm very glad I came home. x

Рас-кролик-ов!

I've been so busy with school lately, but tonight I caught a little bit of a break (even though I really need to do a Russian recording, oops). Anyway, today I wore my bunny sweater with my lacy shorts and tights (with a baby hole).

(I had a hard time taking photos today, especially of bunny poses..oh well).

I made my first little Russian pun today; hence the title of this entry!

Well, for those that know me, I love rabbits and I love Crime and Punishment. The main character of this wonderful novel (which you should pick up and read right this very minute) is named Raskolnikov. So I was practicing my Russian while I was getting dressed, and the word кроликов (pronounced krolikoff), rabbits, reminded me of my favorite fictional axe-murderer.

And so "Raskrolikov" popped into my head, and I giggled at it --an axe-wielding killer bunny --even though no one today seems to appreciate the pun nearly as much as I do. Sigh. Oh well..

And these are just flowers from the other week --Timothy and I tried to find a pizza place, and while we were walking I snapped this one quick. It's been so chilly here the last two days, I'm beginning to think summer is gone for good this year.

But at least I get to wear my new sweater! My friend, Emily, gave it to me during my trip to Pennsylvania, and it's the coziest thing I've ever worn! (And I'm starting to think I have a thing for pom-poms, because both sweaters in this post have them..). Then there's my Fossil bag, which has been taking quite a beating ever since I got it; and then the book I'm currently reading for class, The Brothers Karamzov. Yes, more Russian literature, and yes, Dostoevsky, of course.

Thusly, in September

So far this school year, there's been plenty of reading and poetry translating and trips to the arboretum and a concert for Timothy's birthday and dinner at J. Lake with his parents and puttering with Varsha (and sometimes Kat too) for an hour between classes and it's all been really, really nice. x

(A pre-storm concert sky, and neck hug with the camera disturbed --but it's me, a kiss, and Lermontov's wonderful novel).

(A snidbit of J. Lake, pretty flower shots from the arboretum -the second trip, and Timothy being a bun-eyed cutie).

Merry September everyone! xx 

Arboretum & such

Yesterday I finally unpacked my room, and I simply love it! It's a bit of a dormer-attic-type room, and it's perfect. x

 When I first arrived I was a bit terrified, I didn't think the furniture would fit in any nice manner, and I was not prepared for the slanted ceilings (with asbestos in the walls, but they say we are completely fine as long as the walls aren't damaged, so I'm super paranoid about what I do to them). But! I rearranged my side, and Tim lowered my bed some, so now I have a cute little nook for a sleeping area!

(And this is my closet door, we have old, cream-colored wooden doors with shiny, used knobs --and the keyhole! This made me so happy, you have no idea).

Then today I bought a little framed poster of a couple kissing on a mini-swinging-pirate-ship-ride and a post card of the Mad Hatter, March Hare & the Door Mouse, and they're hanging on my bedside wall. They look so nice, I just need to find more things to hang up (my side looks absolutely plain and barren).

And here's my shelf and things. x

Also yesterday, Tim and I walked around the Arboretum across the street, and oh we had such a silly, wonderful time. We tried to sit in a tree, but I couldn't get onto the branch (even when Tim tried lifting me) --but he struggled getting onto it too, so I guess it was just too tricky of a tree. But one day we'll have a tree branch photo, so until then, we'll resort to laying in the grass! 

And then when we got up, we had wet dirt stains on our knees and elbows, as if we were children again! It was quite refreshing. (And then later that night, we had a water fight, and I wanted him to win and I let him and I was happy to be a cutesy good sport, because he got to pour water on my head --after I tried snatching it away of course --and it was just sweet and silly and very childish). xx

And here are some other photos of the large garden:

This is the iconic style of picture taken at the arboretum: the look down the walkway.

A small snap of the walkway.

Amur Maple: its name reminded me of amour, and bitten, half-gone heart-shaped leaves surrounded the sign, which I found a bit bitter-sweet.

I don't think I looked at their names, but I thought this came out nicely.

There's a butterfly on the bush, eating I assume --but as I tried to get closer a little bumblebee scared her to another flower --too far away from me to get. Oh well. x

Classes start up again tomorrow, and then I have my first little shift at work, so I'm excited! (Although I'm more excited for Wednesday, when I have my Russian classes~). 

A lengthy, belated post: Pennsylvania, ja.

This picture will never do P.a.'s landscape justice, because I could barely manage to get a decent picture from my car window cruising down the curvy, tree-hugging highway..but! This is the only one where you can see the "blue wall." North Carolina is very flat in comparison, so when you look in the distance, there isn't much to see. But up there, there are hills covered with trees and valleys and there are so many layers... you can see  one ridge fall into another ridge, and some go from green, to green-blue, to blue as you look on. Oh it's so beautiful; I've tried explaining the blue wall to Tim, but I'm afraid it is something he will just have to see for himself. And hopefully one day I'll be able to document it much better than in this picture. x

Little ol' me and Frank C. from Cast in Bronze

Then I got to visit my friend Emily! We had a horrific experience with Philly (I won't even begin to tell you about it), but then we went to Musikfest! I'd lived up there for seventeen years, and not once did I go to Musikfest (or at least when I was at an age where I could remember it). And I'm so happy we went! 

Apparently, there is a carillon player (and this carillon is a giant system of bells, arranged so he can play them kind of like a piano or organ, only he plays with balled up fists), and he plays there every year. And I immediately fell in love with him! Oh, and I was told he never takes off his mask (Timothy says he looks like a medieval italian doctor, which is pretty clever of him  considering the carillon was made 500 years ago). But yes! I got to have my picture taken with him and he talked to us a tiny bit and his hands were dark and cool and he was just so nice, I'm so very glad I got to meet him.

(On a little side note, he was on America's Got Talent, or whatever show it is, and I watched his clip on youtube, and oh my goodness, I was so angry. He's wonderful, and if you're ever in the Bethlehem area of P.a. during the first or second week of August, you must see him).

There were tons of pretty little stands (one where they sold preserved insects, and I was so tempted to purchase a fluorescent-luminescent-looking butterfly, but they cost more than I had with me at the time..). But I bought my baby brother this frog! You take the stick from its mouth and move it up across its back, and it croaks! It's adorable. My brother just asked us to make the frog noise for him, he couldn't quite do it as well, but I think he liked it anyway.

And then of course I had to buy one of the bell man's cds, and I like this one very much! It's so beautiful, although I have to listen to it as a low lullaby...because as much as I hate to admit it, the high-pitchedness of some of the bells makes my head hurt a little, but I can't help but listen to it, it's just so lovely (in person this didn't happen though..). 

And then I got to have my favorite snack ever, black cherries and Nutella! It was so nice to have fresh, delicious cherries (unlike the strange, not-so-nice fruit down here..). I went through a bag all by myself!

 

My great uncle Will's cat (we spent a couple nights at his house; and he told me stories of his travels and was disappointed when I told him I don't play the flute much anymore --so I think I will pick it up again, maybe). He's so cute, I swear. Oh, and the cat is, too.  

 

And these were some pictures hanging up in Emily's house; their home is covered with beautiful things, there are paintings Emily's made hanging in their kitchen and in the dining room and practically everywhere. And I got to see Muga and Emily's mom, and they love me so much, I like getting the chance to see them, too. x

And last, but not least: Photographs taken by a baby brother of mine

This is Uncle Will and his girlfriend, Shirley. We were all taking pictures and my brother just held his arms up like the rest of us and clicked, and I think it came out adorably!

And this one was taken a few days after we got back from P.a. (but it fits the baby-picture-taking theme here). I made him a fort out of his playhouse and a couple dining room chairs, and I let him play with my camera again. So this one would be of me and his little baby finger~

And with that, this post finally comes to a close. I'm so sorry. x