June In Review

After years of blogging I know that the Summer months are the hardest months for me to blog. That was pretty obvious for June. I'm usually not able to concentrate on blogging when I have so much else going on. June saw the beginning of work really heating up, many exploratory trips, visits and visiting, the beach, #watchercats and more. Now that I'm living in a seasonal town, Summer is even more packed. So for this Month in Review, I'll just let the photos do their thing:

Here's a few things I learned, or relearned in June:
- Every year is different, don't hold on to expectations.
- NJ is beautiful!
- Stay away from TV and you'll get more done.

OK, June you're done and dusted. Let shake off the cobwebs for July. 

June Plant Update

June was a good month for plant observations, but maybe not the best moth for photos of those observations. I did snap a few good ones. We got to spend a lot of time out doors, in the yard, neighborhood and at the beach (going nearly twice as many days compared to last month). and we also got to see some different environments, like the Pine Barrens. 

Beach grass and beach roses. 

This massive field loved all the rain this month. 

My porch roses before it got too hot and they all dried out. 

The ivy on the back fence is going nuts. 

Another beach rose. I can't get enough!

And lastly, my favorite pine behind our house. The white speck is a mocking bird that was sitting in the tippy top branch and performing a complicated ritual. 

This month and this year, I can't help but notice how many mocking birds there are!! Growing up I feel like I never saw them, but now they are everywhere. Some people might consider them pests, but I think they are lovely!!

What nature have you been observing in your neck of the woods this month?

Off Season: From The Garden

Ever since we moved a few years ago, I'd been hearing about From the Garden. The good word is out on this local fruit farm and apiary. 

We finally visited when we met up with my family for their Spring Fling. We got to walk the grounds which were just blooming in late April. We saw some of the bees on the grounds but they have hives all over Monmouth County. We also enjoyed the little market set up for the Spring Fling. We ate our share of pastries and tried local jams, and of course bought honey! 

I'm not sure what From the Garden is like when there isn't an event going on there, but I intend to find out. 

From The Garden
353 Fairfield Rd Freehold NJ 07728
- Look out for events and special days!
- local@fromthegardeninc.com
- Family owned and operated.
- First visit April 2017

May in Review

May was a moving forward month, May was a month that felt like the start of things!

The month flew by (which doesn't?) and we flower watched, #watcher watched, got down to work, visited friends, visited vets, went to the beach, and and work from home.  

Flowers were out in May despite it being temperate in weather. We walked out neighborhood and checked our (and other's) yard for new growth. In our town the end of may marks the beginning of Summer and all the flowers made it feel tropical and summery for sure!

#watchercats were also out this month, hanging out in windows, on porches, in doorways and any sunny patches. I travelled a little this moth and saw #watchercats everywhere I went!

Headed to old hoods and catching up with friend was a lovely priority this month, seeing friends and family at home is always relaxing. Luckily I had both in May. There's something amazing about having neighbors in the suburbs, especially those who bring fresh veggies from the garden!

Of course, we are happy to have friend from out of town come visit us and next month is a great month for that! Summer by The Shore, before the crowds arrive is a special time. We eagerly await visitors and the return of Summer residents. But before they show us, we tried to get to take advantage of the empty May beaches!

I was gifted an unexpected surprise in May and it was a great inspiration for getting some finishes made this month! Besides that, quilting rolled along, but work outside the house sometimes took over. 

I'm still loving the @madcatquilts instagram this month but it is a lot of work! I'm finding it fun to come up with quilty love for that space, so check it out!

In the spirit of growth, here are some things I learned, or relearned in May:
- Visiting interesting restaurants/cafes/spaces are good for inspiration but hard to make time for. 
- Having 2 instagrams is twice the work (possibly more!). 
- Sometimes planning things out is great, other times "just do it" is a good motto. 

In April I made a pledge to get back in a blogging groove, and although that didn't go quite as planned for May, that continues to be a personal goal. 

It was a weird start to the Summer, still rainy and cool, mild for May. Let's tune in for June!

Something Nice

When your neighbor brings you home grown spinach and homemade jam early in the morning!

May Plant Update

May had flowers, that's for sure!! I never realized how much I liked some of these common yard flowers until moving to Asbury Park. I mean, I like all flowers, but azaleas and roses have jumped up to become favorites in the last two years. It's amazing to see them bloom in the spring. 

Those colors are surreal!

I worry every year that our potted plants won't return, but so far so good!

Rododendrons are native to NJ and on my list for the yard. 

Such a lovey yard I came across walking in the neighborhood. 

Last year we had tons and tons of these wild little white flowers in the front yard. This year we were happy to see them return, even in fewer number. 

Last year, I planted this iris and it never bloomed. I was ecstatic to see it thriving! I hope they go nuts and cover the front bed. 

My lemon balm came back with a vengeance. 

These were roadside in Allenhurst NJ. Anyone know what they are?

I want roses everywhere!!!

Beach roses, too!

Theses are the roses in front of the post office that I pass every day on my way to work. It's such a treat and they bloom all Summer. 

What are some of your favorite May flowers? Did you plant this year, or just enjoy what comes up?  Share your plant observations!

Off Season: The French Market

Since moving to New Jersey in 2015, I've enjoyed exploring the state and do so the most when tourists are not around. Living in a seasonal tourist hot spot is fun, but I love the Off Season! Over the last few years I've made a few posts on the blog about places that I've seen, noted, liked or loved. Now you can find them all by checking out the Off Season link.  

A friend told me I had to visit The French Market in Rumson, NJ, bc it was right up my alley. She was right! I visited the last weekend in April and have been back 3 times since then! 

Mostly The French Market is a little cafe with fresh bread, pastries, take out prepared food, coffee,  and a ton of sandwiches, wraps, quiches, etc.. but it also sells gift items, plants, and very pretty, if not practical, planting supplies.  

I love the interior which is all black and white and brown with lots of live plants. But I especially love the back room which is a modified, winterized greenhouse and so adorable. The food is simple, fresh and tasty!

The French Market
114 E River Rd, Rumson, NJ 07760
- Open until 7pm on weekdays
- Owned by 3 designers/friends.
- Opened it's doors in July 2015.
- Sadly only has a Facebook page (which I won't bother to force upon you) instead of a proper website. But it does have an Instagram. 
- First visit April 2017

Something New: Introducing Mad Cat Quilts Instagram

Recently, I decided that I needed more quilt photos in my life so now Mad Cat Quilts officially has it's own Instagram! I hope any one interested in this blog follows @madcatquilts!

I've long had a personal insta, and feel free to follow me there, but I wanted a place for all the quilty goodness! Instagram is one of my favorite ways to connect with people and learn so I'm hoping to meet a lot of great new people, learn some techniques, branch out and connect, and see lots of quilts, of course!

Here are some of my recent posts:

I hope to show lots and lots of quilts, but a good mix of cats and other pretty things that inspire me to quilt, too! Playing records, walking my neighborhood, seeing art, and exploring all manifest in my quilt making. 

So far, I'm loving @madcatquilts and I'm trying to branch out from my usual instagram MO by trying to post new things (like videos!). I'm hoping to add more features and use this tool as a companion for the blogs, so next time you're on the gram, stop by and say hi!

April In Review

April was a busy month. Do I say that every month?

OK, before I get into reviewing and remembering last month, I need to get something off my chest; I was terrible at blogging in April. I had a hard time keeping to my schedule and meeting my goals. Sure, sometimes life gets ahead of blogging, but one thing I enjoy and want to prioritize is this space. It's not always easy, but I continue to learn and grow from my attempts to be a better blogger. In May I plan to renew my commitment to this blog and learning from it. I just wanted to say that, put it out there, at the beginning of a new month. 

Anyone else exclaiming their enthusiasm for their... trade, craft, blog, journal, instagram, etc...? Shout it out in the comments. 

Now on to April:

We spent a lot of time at home in April. We spent time chilling in the back yard with bonfires and cats, walking on our local beaches, planting, weeding, cleaning, crafting and catching up on sleep. Afternoon naps with cats are the best! 

We traveled some this month, too. Seeing friends and family and familiar places. Brooklyn's still cool, Cape May is still cozy, in case you were wondering!  

A good portion of April was just about going outside, enjoying the weather, spotting the #watchercats, and taking endless photos of flowers. 

A lot of sewing got done this month and some exciting things are happening for Mad Cat Quilts. Be on the look out for new work, new columns, new instas to follow! April was a time to grow!

In the spirit of growth, here are some things I learned, or relearned in April:
- TV is bad for me and my productivity (but I love it!).
- Getting up early is hard, but oh so satisfying. 
- I love seeing flowers I planted last year coming back again! 

April was plenty rainy, so here's hoping May sees tons of buds blooming!

April Plant Update

April saw a lot of plant activity! We're still on our way through the month and I hope the old April adage holds true, bc we have a had our share of rainy days!

We moved a bunch of plants around inside to help them thrive. 

My front beds were starting to bloom at the beginning of the month. 

After clearing them out a little and giving them some love, they are doing even better. 

Trees are blooming all over town!

My herbs are slowly returning. 

I've gotta clear these guys out and add soil. 

Only about half my baby roses made it thru the Winter, but the ones that did are living it up!

I can't wait until the weather evens out. What have plants been doing where you live this month?

Something New: Writing Letters

I debated even making this post when I still have a letter that needs finished and sent.

Writing letters in an old thing that's new again for me recently! When I was a teenager, I loved writing and receiving letters and had penpals that I wrote to until my early 20s. But living in the city, the internet, a cell phone, etc... helped make letter writing fade from my routine. That was almost 20 years ago. 

About a year ago one of my BFFs moved across the county and started writing letters to folks back home. We've exchanged a few and I'm hooked again! Now I'm looking for other far off friends to write letters to. That's not a car test when most of my friends live at least one state away. 

Letter writing isn't as easy as I remember it from my childhood. It's hard to find the time to get a letter written, hard to wait for a response (especially if there's any mail shenanigans), hard to remember what you wrote about in the last letter. It's hard not to text, call or email the person instead. But so far, I'm finding it a fulfilling and lovely pastime. 

I've settled into liking to use a Sharpie Pen and grid paper for my letters. This is basically the same set up I use for my Bullet Journal as well. I love to sit at a cafe, bar, or my dest and write, uninterrupted. If I have a beer, cocktail or cup of coffee, all the better. A cat in my lap helps, too. 

I think letter writing is a great mindful, slow activity, and I need more of those in my life!

Any letter writers out there? Any favorites, tips, tricks, ideas? Feel like adding a pen pal to the mix?

WIP 4/9/17

We're off on an adventure today, and I hope to do some slow stitching in the car. 

Tom is staying home and guarding the quilts. 

March in Review

I can't believe March is all ready over. Wow. This year is flying by already and it's pretty nuts. I am shocked each week at how fast it goes by. 

March didn't really come in like a lion or leave like a lamb. March was pretty all over the place all month. We had sun, 70 degree days, torrential rains, mild days, grey and sun. We had our share of snow.

Beach days were few this month (only 5 compared to last month's 11 - which was also pretty bad). But we made the best of them and found some wonderful treasure. We are honing our sea glass collection and straining our eyes but becoming better hunters. 

#watchercats, on the other hand, were out in full force. I saw many porch cats, and watchers enjoying the warmer days and the rays of sunshine when they could. Tom even made an unexpected pot sitting watcher cat appearance. 

We drove around a lot this month and made some new discoveries. At home we made the most of new growth. We saw family and friends, traveled some for work, but mostly stayed close to home. We made plans, and started new projects. 

A lot of sewing happened this month, aided by the long awaited addition of a dining room table (more on that soon)!

By far the best activity in March was just hanging with our family cats!

So March was full (but not so warm), and went fast. What do you have in store, April?

Simple Swap: Green Tea

I've been trying to make little changes in my life and routines. Going to the gym, eating less bread, using less paper towels, setting cleaning and food shopping schedules, replacing OK solutions with better ones. I'm making some simple swaps. 

Lately, I've been drinking green tea. I dig it. I like the feeling of caffeine without the jitteriness of coffee. Don't get me wrong, I still love coffee and I wouldn't give it up! I like to have my 2 - 3 cups of coffee, then switch over to tea in the afternoon. I also have been having trouble with my knee lately, and green tea is a great anti inflammatory. What an easy simple swap. 

Anyone else out there working on making some little changes?

March Plant Update

The beginning of the month was warm and promising for bulbs and shoots, but as it went on we had snow and storms and cold temps. Hopefully most will survive and Marches plants will bloom to April flowers. 

Snow covered shoots. 

The beginnings of a bloom. 

One of the many succulents I bought last month grew a little flower that only lasted a few days. 

My neighbor's daffs get more light than mine...

But not as much as this dude.

Our kitchen tree is going nuts. 

The quality of this last photo is pretty poor and not a plant update, but a certainly a yard update. The Cooper's hawk that visited us last year has returned!

What were your March Plant Observations?

Something New: Spring Capsule Wardrobe Ideas

Despite having read a lot about and taken inspiration from Capsule Wardrobes, I have never actually made one. This Spring, I plan to actually try it. You may be thinking, but it is Spring! I know! Just two days after the vernal equinox I'm testing out some ideas, writing some goals and getting started. I hoping to have my Spring Capsule done and ready by the start of April. 

"What is a capsule wardrobe?" You might ask. Basically, a capsule wardrobe is a an assortment of clothing limited to a few key pieces (usually 33-37 items) that are the only ones you wear for a season. All your other clothes are either given away, discarded, or stored for another capsule. 

There are many reasons I want to try a capsule this year but a major reason is that, although I have cut way down on what I buy (and I almost exclusively buy second hand now), I still have far too much. This is true of several aspects of my life, but with my clothes it's out of control!! This seems especially unnecessary bc I mostly wear the same things over and over. For 2017, I'm focusing on reducing my things and the waste that comes along with having too much. 

I'm trying to make our house less cluttered and more usable. Reducing the ridiculous amount of clothing I have (and don't use) will help that. The space taken up with these could be better utilized and I am sure I can learn to live with less. I'm hopping that I can be more organized and only hold on to the items I really need. This will be a good way to continue to shop sustainably, either by buying second hand or buying clothing made in the USA, or by responsible makers.  

Here are some initial thoughts:
Style - I'd like to have one... Maybe this can help. 
Work clothes - Id like to dress a bit more thoughtfully at work. Why not dress more thoughtfully all the time?
Comfort -  Is paramount.
Things I love - Color, pattern, high wasted jeans, plain t shirts, sweaters, dresses and skirts with pockets, Vans...
Precious things - I want to wear clothes I love, not hide them bc I worry they will get ruined.
Practical things - I want the clothes I wear to be useful in all aspects of my life and not in only one or two situations. I want them to fit well, and make me feel good. 

I have tried some other wardrobe projects in the past, but I'm hoping this one works. I'll be checking in from time to time with more thoughts. I hope to keep a record of this experiments but also to open it up for discussion among my readers. For more info and inspiration on Capsule Wardrobes follow these links:
Unfancy
Be More With Less
The Blissful Mind
Rowdy Kittens
 

Anyone else new to capsule wardrobes? Already have one? What works for you?

Two Hours in Atlantic City

A few weeks ago we took some day trips around NJ. We headed down to Atlantic City, but not for gambling as you might suspect. We headed to see some Jersey Shore sights and visit the Atlantic City Aquarium. 

We only spent a few hours in town but we were struck by the shocking contrast of the gaudy, loud, false facades of the casinos and boardwalk, and the serene beaches and skies. The clash of nature and man is very apparent. The divide between opulence and extravagance and utter poverty is everywhere. 

Like much of the once great coastal attractions AC is falling into ruin. With casinos closing, damage from Super Storm Sandy, and depletion of natural resources, the old family friendly beach resort is crumbling. I will definitely be keeping an eye on what happens to Atlantic City in the future. 

Zoo at Home, Zoo Abroad: Atlantic City Aquarium

Last week was our 4th wedding anniversary and we decided to take several day trips around NJ instead of one bigger trip. We are still new to living here and there are so many places to explore. New Jersey has many unique areas and environments for a small state. 

The first day, we opted to wing it, and headed down the coast until we got to Atlantic City. I have been wanting to check out the Atlantic City Aquarium for a few months now. 

Atlantic City is a sprawling peninsula/island in South New Jersey. Obviously known for it's casinos and gambling, it also has lovely wide beaches, protected wetlands, and is a stopping point for tons of shore birds. The aquarium is on the north west point of the land mass. 

This aquarium is pretty small with two floors plus a bonus tiny third floor that is really more of an observation deck. The views are quite spectacular. 

The Atlantic City Aquarium has been open since 1999 and houses many creatures, both local to the area and exotic. An interesting aspect of this aquarium is that there are lots of touch tanks scattered throughout the exhibits. We were able to see rays feeding and rushing around their tank and touch them as they sped by! There were horseshoe crabs and small sharks to touch as well. 

There were quite a few workers there, minding the touch tanks, and available for questions. We talked with one for quite a while about a giant loggerhead sea turtle in one of the larger tanks. We learned that he was rescued and brought to the zoo about 15 years ago. He is blind and had beached himself, a sure sign he was close to death. Now 22 and living comfortably in the AC Aquarium he is hand fed squid and fish jello everyday and can live out his remaining 75 years in peace. 

Outside the aquarium, there was a small village, amphitheater, and shops, which were not open while we were there and must be a Summer attraction. There was also a diving bell which had been an Atlantic City oddity. Visitor could pay to get submerged off one of the boardwalk piers. 

This seems like a perfect place for smaller children and a good stopping point as you make your way thru NJ. There are docks, and other things to do in the immediate area, a seemingly small oasis from the rest of the City. AC is a bizarre mix of opulence and utter despair. Gold gilded casinos line some block while the next block seems completely burnt out or abandoned. Besides the aquarium I would like to visit the Absecon Lighthouse, which had closed by the time we got to it on this trip. While most of AC made me feel uneasy, the Atlantic City Aquarium was a peaceful place. I would definitely recommend this aquarium and will be coming back to visit in other seasons.