Under the pear trees

Many times, I've thought how I'd love to get rid of the ugly chain link fence around our front lawn. But watching a toddler play freely on a lovely spring day, I've never appreciated it more. Perhaps we can replace it with something nicer someday? Justin has talked about making our lawn into a pretty little enclave, a crazy old lady's wild garden with gnomes and birdbaths, like the statue cemetery we had on Jamestown 14 years ago when Justin and Lee would steal statues from other people's lawns (we were kids, after all). I really kind of love that idea.

I hope to spend many more days for the duration of my pregnancy meditating on the beauty of nature as I relax in our little front lawn.

Shakespearean Fairy Princess Tiara

My favorite faveskies in all the world is Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Last year for my cousin Brit's special day, I made some Titania-inspired fairy princess tiaras (technically, Titania is a queen, but you get the point). In honor of spring, for which I am pining, here are some pics. They make a great party favor and are fun for dress-up, one of my other favorite things.

If you would like to make one, simply use silk or fabric flowers, some tulle, iridescent fabric or party paper, some cheap old dollar store headbands (the wider the better), and glue gun yourself silly. It doesn't matter if they look over-the-top; you are going for Elizabethan fairy queen, after all.

Enjoy the fairy tale silliness, and beware of love potions if you find yourself traipsing around the woods alone in fairy country!

Aunt Sandy (who especially deserves to celebrate; like my mom, she is afflicted with autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease) loved hers too.