nars - a turkish delight part 2

Keeping with a post theme from a few days ago, I wanted to share a few more shots of lovely pomegranates I photographed in Turkey. I adore the way each fruit dangles like a piece of jewelry and up close you can spot a few that are so ripe they spit open on the tree, showcasing their ruby-like pieces for all to see.

like hanging gems! 

so ripe!

all creatures great and small

Really nothing brings me and my husband more joy than our ginger tom Nino. He's sweet and cuddly and can be very naughty too. And lately, he's been such a happy little boy because he adores the Christmas tree so very much! 

snuggling with his mama (me)  :-)

admiring the Christmas tree

All things bright and beautiful,

All creatures great and small,

All things wise and wonderful,

The Lord God made them all.

3 years ago & 100 years ago

3 years ago - December 12, 2008 - my then boyfriend, my now husband proposed to me. We were in Breckenridge, Colorado, and it was a perfectly clear night - the moon was glowing and making the snow on the ground and coating the trees twinkle like something magical was afoot. The stars were so bright, like little diamonds strewn across the sky - it couldn't have been a more stunningly gorgeous night. I don't have any photos that capture the beauty of the scenery, but I have the most crystal clear memories! What a happy day that was!

a Christmas ornament given to my
husband and me by my parents to
remember the very special
day of our engagement!

100 years ago today - December 12, 1911 - my paternal grandfather was born! My brother and I called him "Poppop", and I have so many wonderful memories of him. I loved the way he would hit the mute button on the tv remote as soon as any commercials would come on, the way he praised me for thinking that Wonder Bread was really not that wonderful and actually rather awful, and how in his own quiet demeanor he exuded warmth to all of his many, many grandkids. Happy 100th to Poppop!

Poppop and me (trying my
best to look very serious and grown-up!)

nars - a turkish delight

Given that my blog's name pays homage to the amazing pomegranate, you can understand why I was truly delighted to see so many ripe pomegranates on my trip to Turkey recently. Here's one I captured on a most gorgeous day. 

nars - the Turkish word
for pomegranate

light and reflections

I adore glass Christmas ornaments - the way they capture and reflect light is enchanting. Here are a few of my favorites from our tree this year. 

flowerful friday

Mr. Jack Frost came to visit us last night and did he ever coat the garden in a beautiful grey blanket. There are no flowers from the garden to photograph, but luckily for me I have lots of photos of flowers in full bloom from warmer days. Here are 3 I think are particularly nice for a cold winter day. Isn't green just the perfect background color for just about any floral hue?  

almost like jewels

a violety-blue

 canary yellow

Happy Friday!

8 weeks ago, 7 hills

How quickly time flies! It's hard to believe that 8 weeks ago my husband and I were enjoying the incredible panoramic views atop the Seven Hills Restaurant in Istanbul. In every direction we looked mosques and minarets could be seen and once dusk set, these structures were lit with breathtaking beauty. From the soaring Blue Mosque to the more rustic Aya Sofia to the little neighborhood mosques that dot the city, these buildings were like glowing gems once darkness encompasses the bustling metropolis of Istanbul. 

the Aya Sofia -
the inside is amazing!

the Blue Mosque -
what a gorgeous site!

warm colors for a cold day

There's nothing like a little mind over matter on a day when it's bitterly cold outside. I love warm colors because even on a day like today these hues can make me feel a little toasty inside, and if I try hard enough I can imagine myself somewhere tropical, perhaps with my toes in the sand and a cool drink in my hand. Ah, doesn't that sound nice?

Well, I can't get to a tropical beach today, so the best I can do is look at some warm color photos I snapped while shopping in Chicago this past weekend. I'm in awe of how so many shops (here, Anthropologie and Merz Apothocary) can make something humble, like bars of soap, into practically a piece of art. 

the cutest juice glasses
in candy colors

 

hmmm...which to pick?

 

what lovely colors!
which would you choose?



I'd like one of each!
Porto Claus soaps -
as divinely scented
 as they are
 beautifully wrapped!
at Merz

hello, snow!

I drove to Minneapolis today and there was a clear line, like a line of demarcation. South of this east-west line it looked like a crisp late fall day. And then suddenly, north of this line, winter was in full force. We haven't had but a dusting of snow in Madison so I was quite surprised to see a winter wonderland just an hour and half north. The trees were coated in a beautiful white. It's the type of snow that clings onto every branch regardless of size or shape. And despite my being on a rather busy interstate the scenery lent such a quietness to the surroundings. The stunning scenary made it so I just had to stop the car to take a few photos.

entering the wonderland of winter



rather like icing, don't you think?

form and function: the architecture of chicago

A trip to Chicago wouldn't be complete without noticing and appreciating the city's amazingly diverse and impressive architecture. Here are just a few of my favorites from Chicago.

the famed Chicago theater (foreground)
35 E Wacker aka Jewelers' Building -
(background)

Mies van der Rohe's IBM Building (left)
the shiny Trump Tower (right)
the Hancock Building (background)

the Wrigley and the Tribune Towers

a morning at the museum

On a recent morning, my mom and I visited the Art Institute of Chicago. The beautiful pieces were as stunning as ever. We always seem to find new paintings or sculptures that we hadn't noticed before. 

I was especially taken with the other museum visitors on this trip. There were lots of families and especially many students - from little kids in beginning drawing classes to college students in art history courses. It was wonderful to be in a place where pretty much everyone was so happy to be and so appreciative of their surroundings. What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday morning!

foreground: a young girl sketches
one of Degas' ballerinas
background: a college class
learns about Monet

left: a man on an audio tour
right: little girls sketching
a Renoir painting

a class learns about Seurat's
 masterpiece, "Sunday Afternoon on
the Island of la Grande Jatte"

mother and son talk about
Toulouse-Lautrec's intense use of colors in
"At the Moulin Rouge"

mother and daughter admire a portrait

light and reflections

It's always been a tradition in my family to celebrate the feast of St. Nicholas on the morning of December 6th, but St. Nick must have heard that I would be out of town for work, so he came early to our house this year! 

As kids, my brother and I would put a pair of our shoes outside our bedroom doors and in the morning St. Nick would magically have arrived with small gifts. It was always such a treat! St. Nick really outdid himself this year with a gorgeous winter wonderland scene from Germany. It lights up our kitchen buffet table in a magical way!

a winter wonderland!

isn't it precious?

flowerful friday

It's December 2nd, and the snapdragons in my garden are the only flowers still in bloom. I put together a bouquet of my snapdragons along with ivy, scented geranium, lavender, and a few sprigs of evergreen from the garden. The lavender and peppermint scented geranium leaves smell divine. 

Snapdragons must be one of the best "bang for your buck" annuals. I planted them in May and here it is December and they are still blooming, of course, they're not as bountiful as they were in the summer. But their prolific blooms do amaze me. One more reason to love these whimsical and frilly yet strong flower. 

probably one of the last bouquets
from my garden for the year

snapdragon, close up -
frilly yet hardy

silver and gold

My favorite knitting project of late is an unbelievably soft and cozy silver and gold cowl. I love the sparkle, and think it's perfect for the holidays or to just lend a little shine to a dreary winter day. Plus, it's warm and oh, did I mention it's so soft?!  

I purchased the yarn from the Etsy shop,
http://www.etsy.com/shop/yarnsofitaly?ref=ss_profile
and couldn't be happier with the quality

the finished project -
silver and gold stripes

The scarf's colors remind me of that great, classic Burl Ives' Christmas Song, "Silver and Gold". Here are the lyrics to this Christmas standard: 

Silver and gold, silver and gold

Ev'ryone wishes for silver and gold

How do you measure its worth?

Just by the pleasure it gives here on earth.

Silver and gold, silver and gold

Mean so much more when I see

Silver and gold decorations

On ev'ry Christmas tree.

Silver, silver and gold

Silver, silver and gold

Silver and gold

Silver and gold

Silver and gold

Wise men brought gifts to the mange I'm told

Mary was humble to see

Shepherds and kings there on bended knees

It's silver and gold, silver and gold

Feeling the world with their lives

Silver and gold how they shimmer on ev'ry Christmas night

On ev'ry Christmas night

Silver, silver and gold

Thinking of Burl Ives singing this Christmas classic puts me in a holiday state-of-mind!