Archive   |   October, 2011

my new paranoia: fear of falling trees

badtree

I’m always remarking how much safer I felt living in the city rather than the ‘burbs. On dark and stormy nights, I miss being in close proximity of other apartment dwellers and having only one point of entry into our home. I also miss sleeping in a 12-story brick building that I know can’t be toppled by a falling tree. This weekend we were figuratively blown away by an extremely rare October snow storm. It was cold, wet and dangerous: The still-green leaves clung to tree branches, catching the damp heavy clumps as they fell from the sky, adding tons of weight to branches. Isadora and I sat inside, watching the spectacle out of the windows. POP! Down a limb would come crashing, just missing our neighbor’s car. Luckily no serious damage was done, but now I can’t help but look at the massive oak tree in our front yard with trepidation. It seems criminal to chop down a tree that’s been around hundreds of years. How do you know when it’s time to say good-bye tree, hello chain saw? This slide show, How Safe Are Your Trees at iVillage, offers some handy assessment ideas. Be on the lookout for warning signs like dead branches, splits in the trunk or even mushrooms growing out of the roots. — Angela M.

Have you ever had property damage caused by falling limbs or trees? Share your horror stories here!

Image from iVillage/Getty

post off: what’s your costume plan for halloween?

custume

Have we told how excited we are for Halloween this year? Our three-old daughter is combating the princess storm by dressing as the ONLY female Disney character with a job: Mary Poppins! It’s all about the accessories: hat, umbrella, carpet bag. Not easy, but the payoff will be worth it. Her dad and I will dress as obligatory chimney sweeps and allow her to steal the spotlight. After showing off our duds in the neighborhood parade, we’ll lure trick-or-treaters into a makeshift porchside photo studio to capture their portraits. Last year, Batman fell into our lair. Can’t wait to see who will stumble by this year. What will you be dressed as? — Angela M.

Photo by Chad Hunt

More Halloween costume posts:

What was your favorite costume, ever?

What was your best homemade costume?

plumen’s pretty low energy lightblubs come to u.s.

prettylight

Thanks to the savvy Ginny Figlar for pointing out on her new blog semicolonsomethings that these gorgeous lightbulbs have hit our native shores. We have long lamented that the design of CFL bulbs leave much to desire, and now that these beauties are here we should stop complaining. The Pulmen is pricey — $30 — but it iss gorgeous enough to stand alone or shine in a clear shade. It will last ya eight years, so really that’s pennies day.

real life test kitchen: holly’s perfect pumpkin muffins

hollycupcake

The other day we had the pleasure of crashing at the home of our dear friend Holly in Richmond, VA. A baker extraordinaire, she always has something delicious to offer. On Sunday she sent us on our way with a plate full of the best pumpkin muffins. They were moist, light and had a subtle complexity due to a mix of cinnamon, cloves, ginger and cardamon. But what really made them extra devourable was some dark chocolate chips hidden inside. Needless to say, all the pumpkin muffins are gone now. Holly was kind enough to share her recipe, so I will try to replicate over the weekend. Even if they’re just half as good as hers, they’ll be heaven in a paper cup. — Angela M.

Click through to the next page for the recipe. (more…)

steal this idea: walls covered with trim mouldings

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mild1

We spent a lovely day in Charleston, SC last week, admiring its historic churchyards, cobble stoned streets and shuttered row houses. Little did we expect to find such a mod decor idea there. At Kaminsky‘s downtown, the smell of wafting french roast mixed with baking cupcakes, while our eyes soaked in the these clever wall coverings. From across the dining room, they had a undulating texture that cast soft shadows in the morning sun glow. On closer inspection, we realized that this expensive looking treatment was really just rows of wall trim. The moulding that most homes use around the base or in decorative accents was glued onto the walls row after row, in creating a texture that was both organic and organized. Replicating the same effect in your home would not be too difficult; the hard part might be deciding your level of commitment. If you glued them on, it would be impossible to remove without destroying the wall. Another option would be to drill them on, and then spackle over the holes before painting. We’re thinking it’d be fun in a small room (like a half bath) or perhaps on just an accent wall. The white color used in Kaminsky’s allowed the shadows to take center stage, but it also might be interesting in a pale clay or grey. If you’re ever in Charleston, but sure to stop by 78 N. Market Street for a piece of red velvet cake and a look around. – Angela M.

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