A Gift

I am a procrastinator.  It is well documented.  But I do finish projects from time to time.  

And I am now a great-aunt.  There is a connection here.

Our niece had her baby girl in December.  I made the baby Camille a blanket...in colors to match the Mimi Kirchner-designed doll that I bought from Land of Nod.

I was not finished with the blanket when the family had a shower over the Thanksgiving holiday.  I couldn't go to the shower anyway...it was in Northern Virginia and I was in Richmond...with a house full of guests.  But I would have liked to finish it and send it up for the shower.  I didn't.  Maybe that is for the best.  Then they would have had to pack it in their already over-stuffed luggage and take it back to California.  I finished it a little later and mailed it.

So here is the blanket.  Yes, I do finish projects occasionally. 

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Austin, TX

Five months ago we spent a few days in Austin, TX.  Since SXSW Music Festival is happening right now in Austin maybe this is a good time to talk about it.  

 Texas State Capitol

I always thought I would go to Austin for the music...oh, the music...Austin City Limits, SXSW, Nanci Griffith, Robert Earl Keen, Lyle Lovett, Guy Clarke, Joe Ely, Lucinda Williams, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Patty Griffin, Eliza Gilkyson,  Shawn Colvin, Slaid Cleaves, and I may be making some of this up but I think they are all some how connected with Austin, so there!

Tower at University of Texas

But when we went in October we were adding on to a family wedding trip to Houston.  And since the Austin City Limits Music Festival had happened the week before, there was just not that much music there the few days we were.  But that was okay.  We got enough of a taste of Austin that we will go back...and next time for the music...and the other stuff.

We walked, we ate, we enjoyed the neighborhood.  We visited the bats.

The bats (lots of them) live under this bridge.

We visited the LBJ Presidential Library and the Whole Foods flagship store.

We ate tacos and barbecue beef.

Torchy's Tacos

Ironworks

We saw the 500 year-old oak tree.

And we hung out in cool places like Rainey Street and SOCO

I kind of love it when I leave a place and want to go back.

Music Monday

So it's a slightly cheesy video...don't watch.  I love The Avett Brothers!  This is my favorite driving song!

Girls' Day

The Japanese Doll Festival (Hinamatsuri) or Girls' Day is March 3.  That's today.  So why am I so late coming to this game?  My house is filled with dolls.  Every room has at least one doll.  Some have many more.  I also am the mother to two girls.  So why didn't we celebrate Girls' Day?  I am sure that I knew about it at least 14 years ago.  I have no idea.

But it is never too late to start.  And it gives me an excuse to start sharing my dolls.  So in celebration of Girls' Day here is a quick picture of a few of the dolls that live here.

From left to right:

My mother's doll, probably around 1935; a plastic baby doll that my parents picked up at a flea market, I think; another doll that my parents found somewhere (It was a tradition for my dad to give me a doll every year for Christmas);  my guilty pleasure Blythe doll; Betsy McCall doll, around 1962; Raggedy Ann made for me when I went to college, 1973; black doll was a Christmas gift in 1971; another flea market find; Sister Belle by Mattel...she talked...one of the first...gift in 1961 when I had my tonsils removed; Mimi Kirchner doll bought two years ago.

You have no idea the can of worms I have opened here.