Floating House

How amazing is this floating house on Lake Huron? If I ever decide to move to the midwest, I'd love to call this lovely place home.

images via MOS

thanks for the heads up, A Cup of Joe!

Sublime Seas

"Be not the slave of your own past. Plunge into the sublime seas, dive deep and swim far, so you shall come back with self-respect, with new power, with an advanced experience that shall explain and overlook the old."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Walking

I was taking the puppy for a walk, and literally ran back home to grab my camera. The late afternoon light was just so lovely! On a day like today, it's nice to be reminded of the beauty that surrounds us.

Lemon Cake

It's been raining for days now...and I'm starting to get cabin fever! I'm grateful this Smitten Kitchen lemon cake helped to brighten my afternoon. It also gave me an excuse to use up a few of those lemons!

Bella Donne

First of all, The Sartorialist is incredible. I constantly visit this site for inspiration, and these three ladies do not disappoint. Wouldn't it be lovely to walk the streets of Milan with your two best girlfriends...looking this fantastic! Now, where can I find the billowy pants and green leather gloves?

image via The Sartorialist

Wisdom

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

Martin Luther King Jr.

Citrus

With an "epic" storm moving in, I ran outside to pick the citrus off of the trees. There's a reason they call it Orange County! Now I just need to figure out what to do with all of these lovely (organic!) oranges, lemons and limes...any and all suggestions are welcome!

Odd and Comforting

If there's one thing I love more than taking photos, it's looking at them. In recent years I've fallen in love with some of the older images I've found of my parents and grandparents. There's just something so totally odd and comforting (like everything you may be experiencing has already been experienced) about looking into the past...photography is pretty remarkable in that sense.

Well, I stumbled on this site today...It's clear some amazing moments have been captured on film! Here are a few that made me smile.

images via MyParentsWereAwesome

Before It's Over

After a family dinner last week, one of my brothers revealed he could not be truly content until he'd determined the purpose of life. After hours of unanswerable questioning, we began to define life in terms of meaning. Does meaning come before or after death? For many, purpose and meaning are determined by the afterlife. Do you live a sinless existence with hopes for heaven? For those of us who aren't totally sold on the idea of the afterlife, purpose and meaning come from each living day.

I'm reminded of a recent Woody Allen film, in which an Allen-inspired character continually suffers from panic attacks. Throughout the film this particular character yells out, "I'm DYING!" He's not dying in any immediate sense, but the inevitability of the end is just too much. It's humorous, but it's true! There's no question there will be an end to our realities as they are known. The question is how we will find purpose and make meaning before it's over. For me, this means much more loving and learning.

image via ffffound

The Holidays

The new year has begun, and I'm reflecting on the whirlwind that was the 2009 holiday season. Here are a few of the happy memories I will keep (SanO Christmas Eve surf, Rock Band with the family, snowboarding/skiing, Wizard of Oz monopoly and many beautiful beach days). However uncertain 2010 may be, I intend to make many more very happy memories!

Ten for 2010

In the new year, I will...

1. finish reading all of the books I've been neglecting.

2. successfully hold a 30 second handstand w/o support.

3. try new recipes.

4. travel.

5. practice my Italian.

6. eat as a vegetarian at least one day a week.

7. spend less time on my computer.

8. paint and take photos.

9. share gratitude and laughter with 0thers.

10. be more fearless.