It's been a particularly wet October here in northern New Jersey, but somehow, the rain didn't shorten the lives of the leaves. They hung on for longer than I expected. In fact, a good portion of them are still hanging on!
Our driveway would NOT be a good example of the leaves hanging on...
A couple of years ago, I met a distant, elderly relative who collected owls. Not live ones, of course, but owl figurines, stuffed animal owls, owl paperweights, owl kitchen tools, stained glass owls, owl magnets--hundreds of variations of miniature owls were perched all over her small apartment. Big eyes and little beaks surrounded me! It was a mini museum, and I have to admit, I was completely charmed by it. Not only had she lovingly searched out her "pets", but everyone who knew her was aware of her owl-love, so she often received owl gifts. She lived alone, and her owls surrounded her with a sense of peace, love, happiness, and comfort.
My seven-year-old daughter is currently collecting business cards. (Yep, business cards.) Whenever we leave a restaurant, museum, or store, she looks for that certain spot near the front door where they stash the business cards, and I can see her face light up when she walks away with a little, white rectangle in her hand. She's "souveniring." The cards are something free that she can take home with her to remind her of the place.
When I was in college, I knew a young woman whose grandmother was a renowned art collector. That grandmother had traveled around Europe in the 1930's, and amassed a collection of work from famous painters and sculptors who were not famous at the times when she met them. She started to collect just because she loved their work, but because she had a knack for spotting great art, she became one of the world's leading authorities in early 20th century art. When she died, half of her collection was auctioned off by Sotheby's for 80 million dollars (!!!), and the other half was bequeathed to various major museums.
Three very different collectors, no? The owl collector was amassing her stash purely out of her fondness for owls. My business-card-collecting daughter is amassing business cards because they're free souvenirs that she doesn't have to spend her allowance on. The art collector had a passion (and talent) that turned into one of the key ways in which she defined herself.
Most of us have collected something at some point in our lives--stamps, coins, jewelry and so forth. But unless you're a candidate for "Hoarders" who has some sort of psychological "need" to collect (or the inability to control your purchases and keep your stuff in check), here are a few questions to ask yourself:
1. Why are you collecting what you're collecting? Be honest with yourself: Is it for the thrill of the hunt, or do the things continue to make you happy long after you've purchased them?
2. Can you honestly afford to keep up this collection? Remember how on "Sex and the City", Carrie Bradshaw was going broke because she was buying designer shoes? How much does each one of your things cost? Is your collection going to lead you to a debt collector? Are you eventually going to sell this collection for profit? If so, are you sure there's a market for it?
3. Is what you're collecting a firetrap or pest attracter? If it's made of paper, natural fibers, dried flowers, or other things that were once alive, assess the risks of keeping it in your house. If moths or mice might like to nibble on it, are you really sure you want it?
4. Is it creating more work for you? Do you have to dust it, polish it, organize it, or maintain it regularly? And if you're not cleaning it regularly, is it building up a layer of grime? (Glass objects in particular have this problem.) Your collection shouldn't just be collecting dust.
5. What's going to happen to your collection? Remember the old saying, "you can't take it with you"? Are you collecting things that your children or friends will want to inherit? (Have you actually asked them, or are you assuming they'll want it?) Is your stuff going to wind up at a garage sale, on eBay, or (worst of all) at the dump? How do you feel about that?
6. Do you really have the room for it? I have a collection of my father's old books, but since I got it when I was single and living in a studio apartment in Manhattan, I had to choose forty of my favorites and sell the rest. It was gut-wrenching at the time, but I just didn't have the space, and as a result, I treasure the books that I do have. Consider your living space and if your collection is encroaching upon it.
7. If it's something you've been collecting for a long time, are you still passionate about it? Would you spend the same amount of money on it today? If not, give somebody else a chance to feel the early thrill of ownership.
8. Can you collect memories instead of stuff? Can you just take photographs or write in journals about your experiences and adventures?
9. Could your collection be negatively affecting your health? This is a biggie! If you suffer from allergies or asthma, think twice about the stuff you're letting into your house to collect dust and possibly compromise your respiratory health.
10. Can you resist the urge to buy more for your collection? Are you a shopaholic? Will you ever consider your collection complete, or is it a never-ending quest for more and more stuff?
It all brings me back to those owls. They were a source of pure joy to their owner. Every single day, she looked upon them with fondness and smiled. How many collections in your home fit that description?
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How 'bout you? What do you collect, and why? Let's hear it in the comments section. I'm all ears!
P.S. If you enjoyed this post, check out these other posts that are right up the same alley:
I consider it a privilege that we live an hour outside of New York City. This past weekend was jam-packed with metropolitan fun! On Saturday, we took the children to their first opera (our friends won tickets to "The Magic Flute"--very kid-friendly, and Ana Durlovski's highest notes could make Mariah Carey weep). On Sunday, we traveled back into the city to take the kids to their first dim sum in Chinatown (at Nom Wah Tea Parlor--delish!). We ended the weekend in Central Park (pictured above). It wasn't their first visit to the park, but the beauty of the country in the middle of the city always seems fresh and new.
I hope your week ahead is filled with colorful adventures!
It's official: I'm head-over-heels in love with autumn! Even the rainy days have a certain beauty, as the colors of the leaves really shine. In the spirit of soaking up all of the fun and natural beauty the season has to offer, I rounded up five posts that feature super-easy, not-your-run-of-the-mill, ultra-creative crafts using three of the biggest stars of autumn: leaves, acorns, and pumpkins. Best of all, they're not just for kids (although I'm sure my kids will love them). I can't believe how pretty and elegant some of these designs are--wait 'til you see them!
It was so difficult for me to choose just five pretty decorating and craft ideas for fall that I ended up creating a brand-new Pinterest board dedicated to autumn crafts! You can find MANY more gorgeous ideas there, plus a few more in the Related Articles section below. Have a colorful and crafty weekend!
When I was a little girl, my favorite gifts from my parents were always new sketchbooks. I could spend hours alone in my room, drawing and doodling, filling up sketchbook after sketchbook with pictures, ideas, and (let's face it) a healthy dose of nonsensical ramblings! My parents were both artists (one by trade, the other by hobby), so they knew first-hand the importance of starting with a blank canvas.
Just recently, I had one of those Oprah "Aha!" moments: I realized that even after all of these years, I still can really benefit from a blank canvas. Starting off the day with an open sketchbook gives me the focus and direction I need.
I came to this realization while I was eating my breakfast last week, with a view to the woods, re-reading (and heavily underlining) Walden and feeling a sort of corny kinship across the ages with Thoreau. (I totally "get" his desire to live in the woods and work undisturbed!) I had a sketchbook near me on the table, a pencil ready. From time to time, a thought would flutter by and I'd scribble it down, then go back to my reading.
After breakfast, I moved to the couch with my sketchbook. I had a different view of the woods, still tranquil. My velvety-eared dog, Delilah, curled up next to me on the couch for a good dog-nap (snoring included), and I let my hand just wander across the pages with a pencil, making random designs and notes, catching little wisps of thoughts.
Almost an hour went by, and then the phone rang. The ringing jarred me out of intense concentration. I realized that I'd been totally "in the moment" with my own thoughts, completely unplugged from the outside world. I felt creatively rejuvenated.
My mother used to say, when she was frustrated with her painting, "I can't hear myself think!" It puzzled me when I was a little kid, but now I know exactly what she meant. If you can't hear yourself think, you tend to move through the day on auto-pilot, without any clear focus or direction. You have to have the time, the space, and the silence to tune into your own frequency.
These are some ideas that help me to focus so I can hear myself think and tap into my creativity:
Pick a "sacred time." For me, mornings are sacred, which means that I don't schedule any appointments or meetings before 11:00 a.m., if I can help it. I don't make any phonecalls, and I limit any internet time. Block out a time on your daily calendar when you're going to focus your attention fully on your creative work. Mondays and Tuesdays are my biggest creative workdays, so I try not to commit to anything else on either day.
Choose a room with a view, but not one where you're watching a whole circus pass by. If you don't have a calming view, find some tranquil pictures for your office or work space.
Use the power of silence or chimes. I know it sounds terribly "New-Age-y", but wind chimes soothe me. My good friend Alex sent me wind chimes as a housewarming gift many years back, and it's still one of my favorite gifts. It's so calming and meditative to hear the wind playing its own little tune outdoors, and its rambling "melody" is perfect for random idea-generating.
Don't get overwhelmed with trying to think up "The Big Idea." Just doodle. Free-associate. This is called "Mind Mapping" in the corporate world; for creative types, it's called art journaling.
Aim for at least 15 minutes of uninterrupted, super-focused time every day. If you have a full schedule, don't stress yourself out with trying to set aside an hour or two. If the only time you're not going to be interrupted is when everyone else in the house is asleep, then use that as your "sacred time." Or set your alarm a little earlier in the morning. Just carve out some dedicated time and make it a priority.
Respect the importance of doodling. Sometimes, your best ideas will pop up when you least expect them, so keep sharpened pencils, smooth-writing pens, and a sketchbook on-hand. Even if I'm writing, I prefer sketchbooks over lined notebook paper. (More free space!) Sketchbooks are great for writing little snippets of poetry, jotting down quotes, journaling, and creating visual plans. (Since this is a green blog, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention here that I use only sketchbooks made from recycled paper!)
Most of all, just relax and repeat these steps on a regular basis. Listening to yourself think--to your impressions, to your ideas, to your instincts--is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. My parents were really on to something!
How 'bout you? How do you generate your ideas? Do you have a "sacred time" that you set aside for your creative or personal work? I'd love to hear about it in the comment section below. (If you're an email subscriber, click on the blue title of the post to get to the main site.)
There's a show-off in every crowd, isn't there? One that steals the spotlight, dependably, like clockwork. In our neighborhood, it's this tree. The Orange Tree. Not the fruit-bearing kind of orange tree, but the kind of tree that lights up in October as if it's on its way to a Mexican fiesta. I have a soft spot for this orange tree. I look forward to its magnificent show every single year.
Since all eyes are on the super-spectacular fall foliage right now (at least in this neck of the woods), I thought it would be the perfect time for a little pop quiz, to see if you can identify trees by their leaves. Think you really know your stuff? Ready...set...name that leaf!
Match the following letters to the numbers on the photos:
A. Silver Maple
B. Sassafras
C. Japanese Maple
D. White Oak
E. Black Tupelo
F. Red Oak
G. Bigleaf Linden (Lime in the U.K.)
H. Sawtooth Oak
I. Yellow Birch
J. Red Maple
Clue for #3: These yellow leaves are VERY large--about 8-10 inches long!
Okay, let's hear it! How did you do? 'Fess up in the comment section below!
P.S. If you'd like to learn more about the leaves where you are, I used the following resources to check and double-check this post: Forestry.about.com; leaf-id.com; arborday.org; and the Leafsnap app for iPads and iPhones. (I wrote about Leafsnap a while back, along with some other fun apps for nature-lovers.)
Did I get your goat? (Sorry, couldn't resist!) This is one of the "locals" at Sun High Orchards in Randolph, New Jersey. A kind and patient model, always on the lookout for a tasty carrot or two...
One of my favorite things to do in the morning is curl up in a comfy chair with a view of the woods, blank notebook in hand, hot tea at the ready. If I'm just gazing outdoors to a peaceful view, my thoughts can naturally wander and I can (usually) come up with a new idea or two. But sometimes, as I'm looking out at the woods, I suddenly realize that somebody is looking back at me--a deer, or two, or three! They blend in remarkably well. Even Delilah can sleep through some of their secretive visits!
I'm half-Swedish but I know far too little about my Swedish roots, so I've been studying all kinds of Swedish things lately. I love the simplicity of Swedish design. The following shots of leaves remind me of the Swedish aesthetic: crisp and pure and uncluttered.
The golden leaf below reminded me of a potato chip...maybe I was just hungry for lunch?
The shot below was my favorite picture of the week. I think it's very "Swedish country-style" with its clean, red color against a neutral backdrop.
