tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7424793882237650942024-02-07T17:42:31.440-08:00.:Mary:Maker:.Mary Casperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04455707557012465732noreply@blogger.comBlogger146125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-742479388223765094.post-41151436654168040622011-10-16T18:48:00.001-07:002011-10-16T19:00:08.865-07:00A Favorite Feeling<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15229735@N07/6251564651/" title="IMG_0198 by maryaveline, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6043/6251564651_c39fe62ed5_b.jpg" width="600" height="410" alt="IMG_0198"></a><br /><br />Even at small parties, when the swell of the Happy Birthday song grows and everyone is singing really loud, perhaps in desperation for cake, I love that minute where you're just standing there in the glow of the candles, gathering your breath to blow them out, thinking about your wish. Year after year, I find it overwhelming, but great.Mary Casperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04455707557012465732noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-742479388223765094.post-82845672496156861512011-08-04T06:31:00.001-07:002011-10-15T15:02:34.448-07:00Remember the Beach<div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15229735@N07/6008555916/" title="IMG_9543 by maryaveline, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6010/6008555916_facc2df109_b.jpg" width="600" height="410" alt="IMG_9543" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15229735@N07/6008579614/" title="IMG_9567 by maryaveline, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6003/6008579614_e257364e9a_b.jpg" width="600" height="410" alt="IMG_9567" /></a></div><div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15229735@N07/6008576124/" title="IMG_9563 by maryaveline, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6135/6008576124_eca0e023f1_b.jpg" width="600" height="410" alt="IMG_9563" /></a></div><div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15229735@N07/6008028033/" title="IMG_9562 by maryaveline, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6027/6008028033_98e77be38e_b.jpg" width="600" height="410" alt="IMG_9562" /></a></div><div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15229735@N07/6008571514/" title="IMG_9558 by maryaveline, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6029/6008571514_0ece4bc733_b.jpg" width="600" height="410" alt="IMG_9558" /></a></div><div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15229735@N07/6008563384/" title="IMG_9550 by maryaveline, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6148/6008563384_bcb151de4f_b.jpg" width="600" height="410" alt="IMG_9550" /></a></div><div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15229735@N07/6008015019/" title="IMG_9549 by maryaveline, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6121/6008015019_ed6b5dc14e_b.jpg" width="600" height="410" alt="IMG_9549" /></a></div><div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15229735@N07/6008012899/" title="IMG_9547 by maryaveline, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6126/6008012899_5f8debf61f_b.jpg" width="600" height="410" alt="IMG_9547" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15229735@N07/6008565450/" title="IMG_9552 by maryaveline, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6010/6008565450_5e441ff749_b.jpg" width="600" height="410" alt="IMG_9552" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15229735@N07/6008552816/" title="IMG_9539 by maryaveline, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6147/6008552816_6b5f1a10a6_b.jpg" width="600" height="410" alt="IMG_9539" /></a></div><div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15229735@N07/6008548798/" title="IMG_9535 by maryaveline, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6022/6008548798_aa301fd060_b.jpg" width="600" height="410" alt="IMG_9535" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/15229735@N07/6008580868/" title="IMG_9568 by maryaveline, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6150/6008580868_d3a35dbe61_b.jpg" width="600" height="410" alt="IMG_9568" /></a></div><br /><br />So old, but so good.Mary Casperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04455707557012465732noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-742479388223765094.post-26331129894750931292011-07-01T05:47:00.000-07:002011-07-02T06:16:47.391-07:00Faces<a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5104/5890177526_f3639d28fe_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 610px; height: 400px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5104/5890177526_f3639d28fe_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5240/5890180072_66182a1f1e_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 610px; height: 400px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5240/5890180072_66182a1f1e_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5231/5890900790_27a0d8cdf9_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 610px; height: 400px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5231/5890900790_27a0d8cdf9_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5278/5889622265_79d3193977_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 610px; height: 400px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5278/5889622265_79d3193977_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5063/5893361251_032108ffe3_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 610px; height: 400px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5063/5893361251_032108ffe3_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5303/5890178222_c3e7aa2da4_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 610px; height: 400px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5303/5890178222_c3e7aa2da4_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5191/5889614119_19607212d6_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 610px; height: 400px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5191/5889614119_19607212d6_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5160/5889618183_104c4e5003_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 610px; height: 400px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5160/5889618183_104c4e5003_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6015/5889619301_227912301e_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 610px; height: 400px;" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6015/5889619301_227912301e_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6051/5889623139_0848d4a94a_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 610px; height: 400px;" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6051/5889623139_0848d4a94a_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5065/5890184634_eed42e03a9_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 610px; height: 400px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5065/5890184634_eed42e03a9_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5301/5890903530_7211fd43af_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 610px; height: 400px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5301/5890903530_7211fd43af_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />My summer project is portraits, but I'm still a sucker for messy, beautiful food and comraderie.Mary Casperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04455707557012465732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-742479388223765094.post-42956119105354733142011-02-03T14:42:00.000-08:002011-02-04T00:20:41.800-08:00Big Dee<a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5048/5380837401_c15ce24e36_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5048/5380837401_c15ce24e36_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5283/5381428490_a68f030f77_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5283/5381428490_a68f030f77_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5286/5380819085_de8c8cd1e1_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5286/5380819085_de8c8cd1e1_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5125/5380820169_26ec0f71a0_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5125/5380820169_26ec0f71a0_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5289/5381425066_55d40a91e5_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5289/5381425066_55d40a91e5_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5050/5381423404_e8c9a47cf3_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5050/5381423404_e8c9a47cf3_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5209/5381431716_5f52deae46_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5209/5381431716_5f52deae46_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5246/5380828425_e1d8295fc6_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5246/5380828425_e1d8295fc6_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5243/5380827179_9915c4cdb7_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5243/5380827179_9915c4cdb7_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5165/5381433204_201ccd15c7_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5165/5381433204_201ccd15c7_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5246/5381433688_8ab5fe76c7_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5246/5381433688_8ab5fe76c7_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5128/5381435262_b9fd53cf1c_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5128/5381435262_b9fd53cf1c_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5085/5381436786_2a844affc8_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5085/5381436786_2a844affc8_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5126/5380831677_a251447f6d_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5126/5380831677_a251447f6d_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5045/5380837553_ff1eb1a3e0_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5045/5380837553_ff1eb1a3e0_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5164/5381438238_e4d644e681_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5164/5381438238_e4d644e681_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5010/5380818711_c780e80ec0_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5010/5380818711_c780e80ec0_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5247/5380835589_5a325c546a_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5247/5380835589_5a325c546a_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5249/5380836793_6f1d35ea2d_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5249/5380836793_6f1d35ea2d_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5010/5380836069_3cd6eaec95_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5010/5380836069_3cd6eaec95_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5290/5381439598_aba1eafc0c_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5290/5381439598_aba1eafc0c_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5130/5381440626_a4a807f75e_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5130/5381440626_a4a807f75e_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />This post is wildly overdue. I was in Detroit just before Christmas, visiting my best bud, and this is a collection of images from my trip. I ended up working through the whole visit, like a terrible, horrible friend, but we eked out some nice meals and some adventures in between my homework. As the first stop of my three week stint in the Midwest, I still found the freeze and snow a bit romantic, through the window of Jacob's bedroom say, though it made exploring a little painful. So in lieu of walking around the city, we had a few nice drives and some tasty comfort food and some really smooth Polish vodka. These photos are linked in series, only in that I experienced them all over the course of my time in Motor City.<br /><br />I was pretty self-conscious about taking photos of Detroit's well-publicized blight, though some of these are that. Instead, Detroit reminded me of the other industrious centers I've seen nearby--Milwaukee, Chicago, Gary, Indianapolis and I imagine Cincinatti, Pittsburgh even. They are proud, amidst depression; hard but bright; working, if fairly unemployed. Sure, they're frayed and fraying, especially in comparison with the younger, more lovable coastal metropolises, but there is a latent might in their skylines that nods to their devoutly American past, referring without saying, to the memory of what used to be.<br /><br />Even covered in ice and slushy snow, I'd find Detroit catching the breath up in my throat. It may have been a sort of surprise at finding unexpectedly, an optimism. Five days just wasn't enough.Mary Casperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04455707557012465732noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-742479388223765094.post-71779226634695356952011-02-01T07:14:00.000-08:002011-02-04T20:38:43.713-08:00TwinkleIt may seem funny to talk about Christmas in February, but sometimes, that's just how things have a way of working out. Houston has some funny traditions in the holiday decoration department. The 'Bandage + Snakes', shown here, is a general style of stringing up white lights that seems to be all the rage among the Houston fancy schmancy. The oak trees get covered in a dense wrap, and then sparser strands are left to dangle from branches, as though reptilian predators. For the record, this same technique was applied equally to the huge palm trees out near the mall here too. It's pretty, but bizarre. And this coming from a Christmas junkie.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5048/5380840243_0ec7ba5f3b_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5048/5380840243_0ec7ba5f3b_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5165/5380840099_cbfaf66bb1_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5165/5380840099_cbfaf66bb1_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5286/5381443310_724648a108_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5286/5381443310_724648a108_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5166/5380840881_e5852bf6fb_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5166/5380840881_e5852bf6fb_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />You shoulda seen my neighborhood around Halloween. We are talking Giant. Glowing. Spiders. Stuck. On. Mansions. Houston is Ridic(ulous).Mary Casperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04455707557012465732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-742479388223765094.post-30343114887434813362011-01-31T19:55:00.000-08:002011-01-31T20:06:56.549-08:00And When All Else Fails<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5057/5406727804_84520a1532_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5057/5406727804_84520a1532_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Thank goodness for food.Mary Casperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04455707557012465732noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-742479388223765094.post-33230046795307370862011-01-16T19:37:00.000-08:002011-01-16T20:25:52.183-08:00Laughing<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5289/5362177889_0696434c8c_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 411px; height: 600px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5289/5362177889_0696434c8c_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />For The Win.<br /><br />Thanks to my mom and her epic photo present over the holiday...Mary Casperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04455707557012465732noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-742479388223765094.post-27822527128167586552011-01-15T00:18:00.000-08:002011-01-16T20:31:29.521-08:00Winter Light<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5249/5313274403_2a8c1ec421_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5249/5313274403_2a8c1ec421_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5205/5313870752_4d40da842b_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5205/5313870752_4d40da842b_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I used to walk across this baseball field every day, going to and from elementary school. The fields seemed enormous at the time, constituting a major chunk of what seemed like a very long walk to my little kid legs. Now they just seem small and lonely and the light in the morning, so cold.Mary Casperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04455707557012465732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-742479388223765094.post-52727748745694071132011-01-14T00:14:00.000-08:002011-01-14T08:26:14.039-08:00She's A Master<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5247/5313756678_f0b1e4c0bb_b.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5247/5313756678_f0b1e4c0bb_b.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5282/5313750850_c0cd746377_b.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5282/5313750850_c0cd746377_b.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5286/5313160313_63b700e5e5_b.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5286/5313160313_63b700e5e5_b.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />For holidays, my grandma makes the pies in our family. That's pumpkin, mincemeat, peach and pecan. Where'd you think I learned all the tricks?Mary Casperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04455707557012465732noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-742479388223765094.post-72330821393876212672011-01-13T11:49:00.001-08:002011-01-16T17:38:20.871-08:00Family Times<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5290/5313832488_e3ceacbae1_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5290/5313832488_e3ceacbae1_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5287/5313236807_8dfaa22429_b.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5287/5313236807_8dfaa22429_b.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5083/5313243973_7cfa428fcd_b.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5083/5313243973_7cfa428fcd_b.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5205/5313839494_968bb11859_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5205/5313839494_968bb11859_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Post holiday Sumnicht family get-together. Little Chute, WI.Mary Casperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04455707557012465732noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-742479388223765094.post-52554678638399746492011-01-01T13:35:00.000-08:002011-01-02T13:40:47.192-08:00Hometime New YearsI am entirely too disorganized to post all the food and the adventure and the holiday I've been having, but in the spirit of 'one step at a time', I thought I'd just stop in to wish you a happy start to this year. I crossed into 2011 happily in the company of both of my siblings and my old time besties Abby + Matt in their fair Madison, WI. (This, you may realize, is a mere stone's throw from my hometown hometown, Neenah.) New Years's in Wisconsin have never been in my experience terribly memorable and this year, we were hoping to change that.<br /><br />We made homemade ravioli! I've never done that! And despite their filling being a little 'overwhelmingly hazelnut', they were tasty. Other perks of the holiday included some scrappy rum and coke pre-gaming, champagne and cocktails at the <a href="http://undergroundfoodcollective.org/" target="blank">new cozy & hip</a> farm to table spot downtown for midnight, an awesome show in a crowded bar to finish off our livers, hot, frosted cinnamon rolls and breakfast sammies to cure any lingering hangovers this morning and, then, college football. With the exception of Badger defeat at the hands of TCU, it was perfect.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5284/5313298623_e60529f568_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5284/5313298623_e60529f568_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5164/5313884788_38330aa3e2_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5164/5313884788_38330aa3e2_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5290/5313951510_0aabaaf2c7.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5290/5313951510_0aabaaf2c7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5042/5313929840_81a5205370_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5042/5313929840_81a5205370_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5121/5313918210_80ce2053d3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5121/5313918210_80ce2053d3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5005/5313607957_3b7221976f_o.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5005/5313607957_3b7221976f_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5088/5313395601_96fb3cc7de.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5088/5313395601_96fb3cc7de.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5124/5314250884_9545e51032_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5124/5314250884_9545e51032_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5162/5314099334_fced0187d9_z.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5162/5314099334_fced0187d9_z.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Not bad, Wisconsin, not bad at all. To the new! Cheers.Mary Casperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04455707557012465732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-742479388223765094.post-11113797938557838942010-10-24T11:47:00.000-07:002010-10-24T14:02:16.814-07:00Epic MeatsGot a call from a friend on Saturday that something epic was afoot at the aforementioned Ice House. Boy, was it.<br /><br /><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1072/5111285196_3dcdb003b4.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1072/5111285196_3dcdb003b4.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />That, for the record, is a burger skewered on sausages and wrapped in a woven cloak of bacon, waiting patiently for space on the grill. One of many, many, many meat treats at the, get ready, <a href="http://www.montrosebeerandgunclub.com/" target="blank">Montrose Beer & Gun Club Annual Cookoff & Music Extravaganza</a>, a benefit for, also get ready, <span style="font-style: italic;">kids who wish things were better</span>. You pay five dollars at the door and then eat as much as you possibly can from the 20-30 little stands set up on the grounds at the ice house. Beer is for sale, like always, but mostly, there's just a crazy amount of food. Things get made in waves, the offerings change as the day wears on, but we saw lots of chili, six kinds of beans, tenderloin on the grill, a roasted pig head, tamales, tacos, chicken, quail, rabbit, everything. And each with some kind of sauce, tenderly drizzled over top. I got to eat some stuff here and there, but yeah, mostly I just watched.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1069/5111287628_9e8fdbde23.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1069/5111287628_9e8fdbde23.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1153/5111327017_e9a8cf7ba5.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1153/5111327017_e9a8cf7ba5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1347/5110702859_a1b7fe245f.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1347/5110702859_a1b7fe245f.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1262/5110691489_1124721d2b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1262/5110691489_1124721d2b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1060/5111296116_c67dc28aca.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1060/5111296116_c67dc28aca.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4090/5110698493_449df05622.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4090/5110698493_449df05622.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1184/5111313408_81bd7a0006.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1184/5111313408_81bd7a0006.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>That there? That's a candied jalapeno. Momentarily sweet but really just hugely spicy, for the record.Mary Casperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04455707557012465732noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-742479388223765094.post-242207977928497892010-10-21T11:27:00.000-07:002010-10-22T02:06:01.817-07:00Sweet SpotsI should confess, I still have a suitcase on the floor of my room full of clothes. It's not exactly still packed, but the stuff in it is that sort of in between clothing that you don't want to devote one of your three precious drawers to, but also, that you actually wear. I believe its a medley of athletic clothing and old t-shirts that are really only suitable for sleeping in, when you've run out of otherwise more suitable pajamas and shorts or ruffled bloomers I wear under dresses while bicycling and enormously bulky Russian socks and long underwear and the odd pair of sweatpants. They are things I don't need right now, but might need someday and the whole mix leaves me really uncertain about myself. Let alone what kind of storage solution I require.<br /><br />So, yes, I haven't documented the state of things here, as they are still very much in progress. Sorry. I really need a dining table and I think all other negligence in my apartment sort of orbits around that main issue. And in my defense, I am almost never actually here. So never here, that my neighbor was shocked to see me in the daylight the other day. I actually <span style="font-style: italic;">startled</span> him.<br /><br />But there are some little spots where in between brewing coffee or reading or brushing my teeth, I've put down little roots and hung up the things I love. Sometimes, I've just used the nail that was already in the wall. But even the little wispy bitty roots we put down, they do help to hold things up.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1094/5103170304_05c3bb75e6.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1094/5103170304_05c3bb75e6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1410/5102979141_70dba37ab2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1410/5102979141_70dba37ab2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1064/5102410823_7b6d70bf7f.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1064/5102410823_7b6d70bf7f.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1389/5102584455_16475f4fec.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 411px; height: 600px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1389/5102584455_16475f4fec.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1406/5102525749_b5ec966312.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 411px; height: 600px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1406/5102525749_b5ec966312.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1396/5102391787_ca7275e004.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1396/5102391787_ca7275e004.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1346/5102412349_397613e5d7.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1346/5102412349_397613e5d7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1371/5102988796_f86c4d33f4.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1371/5102988796_f86c4d33f4.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/5102398617_6a63727255.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/5102398617_6a63727255.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1408/5103007018_7b5f34dbbe.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1408/5103007018_7b5f34dbbe.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1104/5102414973_03ba4636df.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1104/5102414973_03ba4636df.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1129/5103116018_1ec2fd0d1a.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1129/5103116018_1ec2fd0d1a.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1221/5102384965_de977364be.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1221/5102384965_de977364be.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1142/5103117998_8d404b4d8e.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1142/5103117998_8d404b4d8e.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1102/5102993756_d6e1b2fc99.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1102/5102993756_d6e1b2fc99.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I've always been really attached to my house. (Nester, obviously.) But here in Houston especially, I realized that the things I've held onto, through all the moves and all the shakes, are the things that will always remind me of some very specific moment or person. And all these silly little things, tacked to the walls of this little apartment, is a way of surrounding myself with all of the moments and with all of the people with whom I've known love and felt life. To linger over them in the minutes between the usual, ho-hum everyday? Well, it just, it really helps.Mary Casperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04455707557012465732noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-742479388223765094.post-45381471434482553222010-10-20T01:00:00.000-07:002010-10-21T11:15:41.229-07:00Can't Be AllI daresay, if you can manage to make a perfect peach pie and drink some nice whiskey with a friend once in a great while, it can't be all bad.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/5097635044_92f7b0afbd.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/5097635044_92f7b0afbd.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />That half that's missing we ate to celebrate the end of our first review and one quarter pie each was well-deserved.Mary Casperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04455707557012465732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-742479388223765094.post-74972784043052033742010-10-19T12:12:00.000-07:002010-10-19T12:46:44.642-07:00West Alabama Ice HouseI am not ashamed to say that I have managed to locate for myself, a bar. Arguably, for a grad student and a fan of fun, this is the most important thing to nail down in a new city. This one, it hits all the notes. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/5097662474_baa31c5879.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/5097662474_baa31c5879.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4133/5097664678_42e06b9a0f.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4133/5097664678_42e06b9a0f.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4149/5097659654_fbf705ffe2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4149/5097659654_fbf705ffe2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4111/5097657248_69a429509a.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4111/5097657248_69a429509a.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4107/5097057815_431856ba8e.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4107/5097057815_431856ba8e.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Pool table, outdoor seating, cheap beer, old timers, taco truck, huge white dog, <span style="font-style:italic;">check</span>.Mary Casperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04455707557012465732noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-742479388223765094.post-15314920934499053192010-08-23T06:01:00.000-07:002010-08-23T06:12:17.964-07:00Change SceneSavoring my last few moments in bed this morning, before I pick out my clothes and get ready for my first day of school. It has been a long time since I've had this nervous, pent up, excited feeling over finding out what will make tomorrow so different from yesterday.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4081/4914026411_5491988696_b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 410px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4081/4914026411_5491988696_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Fingers crossed no drowning will be involved. I'm a little scared, but also ready to have routine and obligation. I'm not very good at floating around, you might say. I get lazy.Mary Casperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04455707557012465732noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-742479388223765094.post-19483598479018714232010-08-22T09:56:00.000-07:002010-08-23T06:13:41.998-07:00The Stand of Cleo & Ramsey<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4117/4914633428_ee6076676a_b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 410px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4117/4914633428_ee6076676a_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Houston, Texas you all.Mary Casperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04455707557012465732noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-742479388223765094.post-67347992788800518132010-08-21T16:21:00.000-07:002010-08-21T21:06:22.275-07:00And HoustonI've been in this Texas town now for about a week. I know my way around, I've done some exploring. Some things are still in boxes and others are right at home on shelves and in drawers. I've located iced coffee and thrift stores and Indian food. I'd been telling people for so long that this is where I was going and all of a sudden, I'm actually here. It still seems a bit surreal to say, I <span style="font-style: italic;">live</span> in Houston, but mostly because now it feels really true.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4140/4914630164_0668136291.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4140/4914630164_0668136291.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />This place has a few things in common with Oakland, California. Abundant Mexican food, for one. Perhaps more obviously, it's really different. It's harder to settle in here on a budget, I'm finding. There's <a href="http://urbanore.ypguides.net/" target="blank">nowhere to mine</a> for salvaged hardware or cool but shabby furniture. No <a href="http://www.berkeleybowl.com/" target="blank">produce market</a> to write home about. No <a href="http://cmonoakland.com/" target="blank">amazing soccer pub</a> around the corner from my house. I know, these things will take some time to unearth. For now, I'm fairly content with the light that comes into this little apartment around 6 o'clock in the afternoon. Certainly, no substitute for the particularly handsome boy I sent back to California on Tuesday morning, but I find it such a comfort.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4099/4914627482_4113a134fb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4099/4914627482_4113a134fb.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/4914019707_7b0d64813b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/4914019707_7b0d64813b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />More soon! Promise.Mary Casperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04455707557012465732noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-742479388223765094.post-1596591614722720082010-07-11T09:35:00.000-07:002010-07-12T13:27:19.848-07:00Ok, Ok.We were celebrating and I have a million or so photos, but then we were relaxing and then, you know, one thing leads to another and three months go by and here I am excusing myself, yet again to you.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1008/4724732729_49750ee0be_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 410px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1008/4724732729_49750ee0be_b.jpg" alt="" border="0"></a><br /><br />We were celebrating Emily & Ryan's wedding in Delaware. Here they are, wife and husband:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1339/4725833064_0d5d2c2e8e_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 410px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1339/4725833064_0d5d2c2e8e_b.jpg" alt="" border="0"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1198/4725851766_a06ab5b828_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 410px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1198/4725851766_a06ab5b828_b.jpg" alt="" border="0"></a><br />Helping your best friends get married is so much fun. So much fun, in fact, that we spent two weeks recovering after we got back. Going to bed at 9:30 for a week is actually pretty epic, in its own, underrated sort of way. A more complete recap is in order, but not just yet.Mary Casperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04455707557012465732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-742479388223765094.post-49235243979428114182010-05-06T19:52:00.000-07:002010-05-07T11:13:24.288-07:00Some sun.Why, hello summer. I didn't realize you'd be stopping by so soon.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3323/4581725528_7d32ab4dd2_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 410px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3323/4581725528_7d32ab4dd2_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/4581734866_5da022d1c2_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 410px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/4581734866_5da022d1c2_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4055/4581128213_248d772169_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 410px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4055/4581128213_248d772169_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4002/4581122783_264579f1ed_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 410px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4002/4581122783_264579f1ed_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4067/4581741058_eda1434298_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 410px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4067/4581741058_eda1434298_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Mary Casperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04455707557012465732noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-742479388223765094.post-19109490921563714682010-05-06T12:39:00.000-07:002010-05-07T10:07:43.971-07:00Houston and a Warm Quinoa SaladTo start, I want to whisper to you about this new favorite of mine. It's a food. I got these new small size blue pyrex bowls a few weeks ago, and I can't seem to stop filling them up with warm quinoa salad with pinenuts & feta and spinach and raisins and in this case, caramelized leeks and avocados. Oh, and a fried egg plopped on top. Bloop.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4070/4581084323_7f1d91177d_b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 410px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4070/4581084323_7f1d91177d_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />It's been quite awhile since I could justify taking the time to cook myself a meal. For months now, we've scaled back on making things from scratch, opting for fast and easy and non perishable groceries instead of bulk grains and fresh vegetables. It's been really nice getting re-acquainted with the kitchen and with real food and with slowness.<br /><br />I mentioned last week that I'm headed to Houston in the fall to start the Master of Architecture program at Rice University. And surrounding this news, I've been re-acquainting myself with some other feelings, a bit more distant, more unfamiliar than lazy cooking. The feeling of making a decision for myself and by myself, the feeling of moving to a new city, a new life, a new livelihood and the feeling of knowing and not at all knowing what my future will look like. This is a little vague, but that's sort of how I feel about this newly acquired life plan I have. I know the plot, but not the language and I've just taken the book off the shelf. It's not an unfamiliar feeling, this feeling of beginning, but it's been a long time. When I'm not terrified, I am really really excited about it.<br /><br />It'll be hard to leave this city, of course, and the people who have helped it feel so very homey over the last year. But I am excited for the challenge of Houston. I'm excited to live in a place less likable, less saturated with people so similar to me. I'm excited to live in the middle again for a while, excited to experience again what most of this country is like. I'm especially excited to do so, while studying the way we organize ourselves through architecture. I really agonized, to be honest. Before I saw Rice for myself, I was so uncomfortable picking up again within two years of arriving here, to move my life again. As you know, I am instinctively a nester. Our move to the west coast was so much harder than I thought it would be. But at the same time, I feel like I'm about to commence such a terrific adventure. That feeling, for now anyway, has completely taken hold.<br /><br />It has been a long time since I saw what I wanted, and had it.Mary Casperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04455707557012465732noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-742479388223765094.post-13627828451527016172010-04-24T09:40:00.000-07:002010-04-24T10:41:25.393-07:00Hello!So much to say, really. I will start with this house I saw last weekend in Alameda. Sometimes reality feels thoroughly indistinguishable from make-believe. I can hardly believe this kind of thing has managed to outsmart time itself.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4068/4548598846_a0196960f9_b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 410px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4068/4548598846_a0196960f9_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Speaking of reality, I am in fact moving to Houston, Texas. And, what's more, I am <span style="font-style: italic;">stoked</span>. More to follow.Mary Casperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04455707557012465732noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-742479388223765094.post-74747659563492735832010-03-09T13:28:00.000-08:002010-03-09T20:25:28.371-08:00Hardworking, that RyanThanks for being so patient. As I foreshadowed last week, I have some photos to show you of a fun project I did recently for one of our very best friends, Ryan. He asked me to make him a holster to wear at work back when he and Emily visited us in November. November was a while ago! I've been busy, as you well know.<br /><br />Ryan is a server at the bustling <a href="http://www.cantinaloscaballitos.com/" target="blank">South Philly Cantina</a> and he wanted something to carry a check presenter, an iPhone, a pen and a pencil and his chapstick, with possibly a secret pocket thrown in for good measure and belt loops to attach to his belt. My schedule had a tiny window in it two weeks back and I headed to this year's legendary <a href="http://www.whiteelephantsale.org/" target="blank">White Elephant Sale</a> (a great source for fabric and raw material for crafting projects) on the hunt for interesting plaids and inspiration.<br /><br />I decided to make him two. One for business and one for pleasure, you might say. One classic red and black plaid with brown leather accents and one crazier one, featuring vintage/awesome hand screened canvas in a neon green and yellow and purple pattern. That way, if Ryan is feeling fruitier one day and lumberjacked the next, he need not sacrifice self-expression while working.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2785/4403189334_7d2147ca09_b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2785/4403189334_7d2147ca09_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2718/4402423347_31dd5abfd7_b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2718/4402423347_31dd5abfd7_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2803/4403191214_1536c5d6a2_b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2803/4403191214_1536c5d6a2_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4053/4421764038_66b94387f7_b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4053/4421764038_66b94387f7_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4029/4420910361_83679edef9_b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4029/4420910361_83679edef9_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4403190150_993c4da4ec_b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4403190150_993c4da4ec_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />In the end each included designated pockets for each of his aforementioned necessities, plus a few extra, with two reinforced belt loops of leather or seatbelt, two secret pockets for small things in back and a stitch-suggested pocket for chapstick.<br /><br />It was so nice to be sewing again. So nice.<br /><br />**John's modeling here, as Ryan lives in Philadelphia.Mary Casperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04455707557012465732noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-742479388223765094.post-13625443758886703822010-03-02T19:18:00.000-08:002010-03-02T19:43:40.009-08:00I'm With StupidSometimes, John and I totally lose it. We're both really busy right now--he with the regular rigor of graduate school and me with the regular chaos that chases me around--so that when we take communal breaks from our respective work...all bets are off. Sometimes we gossip about the cats in our neighborhood. Sometimes we make jokes about who is the smart one and who is the funny one. And other times, well other times, the only thing in the fridge are two dozen eggs and we do really pretty ridiculous things while trying to figure out dinner.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4037/4402309069_78ed20910e_b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4037/4402309069_78ed20910e_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2735/4402308215_4340bb3938_b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2735/4402308215_4340bb3938_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/4402309475_28da74191f_b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/4402309475_28da74191f_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4043/4403151782_79af6a8163_b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4043/4403151782_79af6a8163_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I finished a really exciting project over the weekend, but because it's in the mail to someone, I want to wait to post until it's been received. Please stay your appetite for fun with these funny pictures until then.Mary Casperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04455707557012465732noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-742479388223765094.post-43282795613246189862010-02-23T09:07:00.000-08:002010-02-23T09:07:00.129-08:00All the FixinsIn honor of President's Day last weekend, we went to Macy's and went out for lunch at the Claremont Diner. I ordered this <span style="font-style:italic;">gut-bomb</span> you see below. Yes, that's mayonnaise atop swiss atop grilled onions, with a chocolate malt standing frosty and proud in the background. Although I'm sure this "went straight to my hips" as the kids would say, my heart is still operational because I've been getting fit at the Oakland Y as of three weeks ago. It was a veggie burger, though it hardly matters. I didn't quite make it to the clean plate club. And a good thing--the mall is no place to head when you're stuffed to the gills. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2779/4369407665_308d1960bc_b.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2779/4369407665_308d1960bc_b.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4025/4370152196_5488506a1d_b.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 600px; height: 411px;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4025/4370152196_5488506a1d_b.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Leaning back in the booth, digesting, we were kindly treated to a gaze at the slowly looping model train which decorates the upper echelon of the dining room. Choo-choo.Mary Casperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04455707557012465732noreply@blogger.com0