Stopping to Smell Roses

I realize that a lot of my posts are wither about my day job or my days off and maybe not so much about printing or new ideas or the piles of fun wonders I have been creating.  Winter is for hibernating but I can't seem to get  up to full excitement speed.  I've been a little bit sick, very tired and working a lot at something that isn't my love.  That's just what I am doing for now.  How do I combat the lethargy that comes with being tired and sick? All the good ways: walking, small adventures, and remembering to take care of myself.

That's why you get a lot of photos of days off in the park.  You can't work all the time, no matter how much you love what you do. You still need rest and fuel.  Today I took a break from designing the new postcard to go fro a walk at the Oakland Rose Garden.  And what timing! Everything is in bloom (except one poor plant, misnamed "eternity").   I went to the rose garden last year for the first time, but foolishly rode up and over many hills to arrive.  It is tucked on the backside of a hill, in a secret little valley.  It is small and though the flowers are amazing, the whole park is under maintained and a little wild.  All of which makes it the perfect walking spot on an April afternoon.

Things are happening. Our garden is in a state of indecision as we prepare to find a new living space in Oakland. Plans for summer are made.  Maybe I will stop picking up extra shifts and finally make Eric's book and Janet's business cards.  I have been working on things I am not ready to share but maybe that will change.  Meanwhile I have big plans for 3 kinds of pizza this weekend for friends coming to visit this weekend on tour.  And I have been receiving many postcards from y'all and new subscribers, so thanks everyone! I better get to work!

This was my favorite, the Audrey Hepburn

You Thought I Was Joking

No messing around. I still get up at seven a.m. but while in the grocery store this morning I remembered a little bit of leftover winter whiskey. I got myself a bottle of ginger ale and my afternoon turned out right nice. Yes, this glass sits on a lovely letterpressed coaster given to me by Kathryn Hunter of Blackbird Letterpress. I will be joining her next week at the National Stationary Show in New York City.

But first, there is this meal to acknowledge. One of my favorite things about having a little down time is cooking up fantastic meals. I sipped on my ginger ale while kneeding pizza dough and talking to my dad about my inability to remember important numbers. He says he has the same problem. If I could cook for dad next week when I visit, I would. It seems like I may not be doing a lot of cooking in the next two months so I have made up for it with this:


Summertime is all about home made pizza in our house. Yes and it is all vegan. A little more processed food than I always like, but it was a special occasion. Vegi-chicken, and soy mozzarella, with pesto, roasted eggplant, roma tomatoes. I picked a bowl full of salad greens and grated some beet in it too. One of my favorite salad dressings is sesame oil and lemon juice with a little Tabasco, a recipe lifted from my first job in a vegan deli.

I didn't get to make the orange linen paper I hoped to for another collaboration post card but do not fear, even on vacation I will find plenty to do.