Montreal Road Trip Short By My Very Own Brother

My Gorgeous Value Village Santa

Call him creepy and he'll most certainly give you coal.

The Original Carl Dravland

Standing, born late 1800s

Could I love her any more?

Flash

Maria Popova on 2013 Nobel Prize in Literature Laureate Alice Munro

As always, Maria Popova's Brain Pickings blog inspires with her article on Alice Munro's recent honor. Browse the site all day and if you're a Canadian, you'll probably forget to cook your Thanksgiving supper.

Canadian Treasure Alice Munro

More Banksy Brilliance: "I Hate Mondays"

In My Next Life I Want to Be Yo-landi Vi$$er

 J'aime Die Antwoord.

Jean Luc and Maxie

My lovely friends, Jean Luc and Maxie.  

Black Christ by the UK's Paul Baines

Check out the brilliance that is the Painter and Illustrator Paul Baines here.

Nicholas D'Agosto's Strip Perfection in "Dirty Girl"

If you haven't seen "Dirty Girl", you'd best watch it tonight.  It's hilarious, sexy, and real.  This scene rocked my world.  Enjoy!

Do you miss your old 35mm camera? Do you yearn for the days of the darkroom?

I came across some photos I took with my 35mm Pentax probably around 10 years ago.  My university dorm had a darkroom in the basement.  No one used it but me.

I had no idea how to use my camera so any photos that turned out were merely a fluke.  I had no knowledge of using the light meter so it was all guess work.  But wow, I love the texture, the true-ness, the character of these old photos.  I thought I'd post a few.  Most of them are of my beloved little sister, Anna, who was born when I was 16.  Some are self portraits.

What do you miss most about your old camera?

Justin Trudeau and My Sis: Romance at the Montreal Pride Parade

I'm so envious of anyone who got to attend the Pride Parade in Montreal today!  Of course, the glorious and graceful Justin Trudeau walked with the parade, stopping for this adorable picture with my adorable sister, Anna.  J'adore Trudeau!

Huge Vintage Book Sale - I'm Moving to Montreal!

So this uni-lingual girl is going to move to Montreal.  My family is there and boy, do I miss them.  It's hard to live so far away from my dear mother when I have a little boy who adores her.

I'm having a huge sale at my Etsy shop Exceedingly Well Read. 50% off everything in stock, starting August 15th, 2013.  I'll be listing new items daily so make sure to check it out often.

One of Many Reasons I Miss North Carolina

My brother Peter sent me this photo he took of his new friend, a little spring peeper he found on his window.  I miss the cacophony of their mating calls mixed with the incessant hum of cicadas.

My Steal-Proof Bike

Last year, a dear friend bought me a brand new bike for my birthday.  I've never had such a beautiful bike and I saw a lifetime with it's strong frame and easy gear shifting.  I always locked up my bike when I took it out of my apartment.  However, it was heavy.  And I live on the third floor.  One night I left my bike inside the apartment building (there are just 6 condos in the building) but did not truck it up the three flights of stairs.  I used it many times a day and taking it up and down was just too much.  That night I also forgot to take off the wheel and seat like I usually did.  I thought that inside the locked doors of my building it would be safe.

The next morning when I was headed out to a doctor's appointment, my bike was not where I'd left it.  I had to call a cab to make it to my appointment, and I cried all the way there.  Totally heartbroken.

A friend of mine gave me his old bike when I told him about my predicament.  I wasn't about to have it stolen again.  So I painted it, making it uniquely mine.

I wanted it to be different than any other bike so that I could easily identify it.  I wanted it to make someone think twice about taking it.  But neon pink I could not handle.  I wanted to be proud of it.  So after much thought, this is what I ended up with.

I admit it's not steal-proof.  It's pretty darn cute.  But it's mine because it says it is.  

Reunited and It Feels So Good

Yesterday's garage sales produced these two little guys.  One from each side of the great city of Saskatoon. When I put them together it just looked so right.  I love the ox's tender look towards to elephant.  Brother of another mother?  Looks aside, they certainly have a bond.  

Falling in Love with Vintage Taxidermy - My Puffer Fish

This is my new favorite creature in the world.  I found him at a garage sale while out riding my bike in the hot sun yesterday.  He's a puffer fish, of course, all puffed up, ready to look amazingly awesome for the rest of eternity.  

Oh, So True

Summer Lovin' at the Bus Stop

True story:  I carry vintage action figures in my purse just in case I find the ideal situation in which to photograph them.  When I say that out loud, it sounds kind of crazy, I admit, but let me tell you, when you've got to wait for the bus for 20 minutes, it can be quite an entertaining activity.

These guys are just taking a moment to take in California's decision on same-sex marriage.

Library of Congress Takes on John Newton's "Amazing Grace"

John Newton

I've always loved John Newton's "Amazing Grace", as has probably most of America. In 2007, the Library of Congress published an impressive collection of recordings, essays, original transcripts and virtually anything else related to the song's origins, evolution and significance.  You can find the collection here.

I'm not much of a 4th of July enthusiast unless my plans include wearing a bikini top and shorts in D.C. and eating jello 3-tiered parfaits.  It's stories like this one that not only reminds me of the country's beginnings but also reminds me of the power of redemption.  

The Art of Seduction: TedTalks Style

Six Fairy Tales for the Modern Woman

Call me a bit behind the times, but I just figured out how to follow blogs on Tumblr.   Here's my first brilliant find, Six Fairy Tales for the Modern Woman that was posted on the blog Funkademic.  

My sister picked up this beautiful edition of Robert Louis Stevensons' A Child's Garden of Verses at a Value Village in Saskatoon. It has no date and I can hardly find anything about the specific edition.  Illustrated by Charles Robinson, it's just divine.  Take a look: