It’s time to break out my favorite Wallace Stevens poem for a post title–“at the end of winter, when afternoons return.” None of us could get enough sunshine:
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Friday Links
1. German Forest Ranger Finds Trees Have Social Networks, Too. Clearly I need to get a copy of this book when it’s published in English in September:
Presenting scientific research and his own observations in highly anthropomorphic terms, the matter-of-fact Mr. Wohlleben has delighted readers and talk-show audiences alike with the news — long known to biologists — that trees in the forest are social beings. They can count, learn and remember; nurse sick neighbors; warn each other of danger by sending electrical signals across a fungal network known as the “Wood Wide Web”; and, for reasons unknown, keep the ancient stumps of long-felled companions alive for centuries by feeding them a sugar solution through their roots.
2. My justification lately for buying clothes is “I’m too old for cheap flats/itchy sweaters/what have you.” I like this Iris Apfel qupte for shoes and hairdos, too:
Let’s Talk About Eye Makeup
In the almost 10 years of this blog, I’ve only talked about makeup a few times and only recommended one product (which I still love). But the trip to the Nordstrom beauty counters a couple weeks ago yielded some really great products, so let me share.
I think because I didn’t wear makeup for so long, any dark shadow on my eyes just reads as “wrong” to me–like that’s not how I really look. But if you’re wearing a full face of makeup, you need something on your eyelids or you just look like you forgot that part. Enter NARS Eye Paint in Porto Venere:
It really brightens more than adds any color, but it just makes me look “finished.” It’s buildable, not too sparkly, and a really lovely light gel texture–not cakey or hard like other cream shadows I’ve tried.
And for eyebrows, again, if they’re too painted on I just don’t think I look like myself. But again, they need something. I’d been filling them in a bit with pencil and then putting on clear gel, which seemed like a step too many. Plus the gel I was using (Anastasia Beverly Hills) was super “crunchy” and hard to apply. Enter Bobbi Brown Natural BrowShaper and Hair Touch Up:
It fills in everything perfectly and just makes you look well groomed. It’s easy to apply (just use a light hand), doesn’t dry too crunchy, and doesn’t flake off during the day. I do recommend finding your color match in person but hey–that’s what Nordstrom beauty counters are for. (Sephora doesn’t have the full color range.)
So there you go. Beauty is just a purchase away!
Peach Feet Poem
My friend Kim left this in a comment on the picture of Toby’s feet last week and it is just delightful. And yes, I do think “peach feet” now when I see Toby’s toes.
Sandra Cisneros
surely they would hold one another
in their peach sleep.
And if peaches had feet
it is sure they would
nudge one another
with their soft peachy feet.
And if peaches could
they would sleep
with their dimpled head
on the other’s
each to each.
Like you and me.
And sleep and sleep.
Looking For Sun
Doc and I took a long weekend to head south, to Zion National Park at the bottom of the state. That area’s closer to Arizona than anything else, so it was 60 degrees and sunny for most of the trip. We saw the sights in the park and then went looking for “secret” petroglyphs.
Of course, we hit the storm that had come through northern Utah on the drive back (which took two extra hours due to terrible road conditions), but we saw sunshine and blue skies. We’ll be able to keep going through the last bit of winer.
Friday Links
1. Can you feel it? We’re halfway through winter (February 1 marks just 6 more weeks til the spring equinox). It stays light later and birds are starting to migrate back. This is an amazing animated map from Cornell Ornithology showing the paths of 118 different species.
2. These re-titled romance novel covers are hilarious:
Happy Belated Birthday, Mozart
Yesterday was the 260th birthday of the delightful Wolfgang Mozart, who gave us many sources of delight, including this: twelve variations on what we know as “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.”
It’s Wednesday
Making It Count, Professionally
Continuing the theme of “‘look what I do all day,” I have to share some work we did with a non profit, Equality Utah. They are campagining to update Utah’s pretty-much-unusable hate crimes law, so we got some very brave people to speak out on camera about their experiences trying to prosecute their attackers. (It was an intense day of filming.)
Here’s the first one:
Check it out in context here.
Happy Thoughts
It was a “steam clean the other couch, finish reading J.K. Rowling’s mystery book, watch the birds at the feeders, and make Doc go to the beauty counter at Nordstrom with me” sort of weekend–there was fresh snow here Sunday and so we were lazy and didn’t hike.
So instead of hiking photos, here are some inspirational pictures from Pinterest for your Monday: