Tuesday, November 09, 2010

Cabbages and Kings

I had plans to write a post this weekend but then this happened. . . .


I'm not complaining, in fact it's been kind of pretty and cozy (don't tell, but while the kids were gone yesterday afternoon I actually listened to some Christmas music on the sly) though it did make it difficult to take the kids to school yesterday. An HOUR there and back. I swear! They say we got eight very wet inches.

But we consoled ourselves with plans for the upcoming holidays and some Philly Cheesesteak Pizza:


And I think today I may actually mess around with this ultra-cool contraption:


We have some neighbors up the street who are in the habit of leaving out piles of things they don't want by their mailbox--you know, things that they're too lazy to take to the thrift store or the dump but they're sure someone else wants? Because if the tires are too bald for them they're going to be perfect for someone else out there. Oy vey.

But apparently my kids are the exact clientele these neighbors were hoping for because they went through the latest heap of trash and came back home bearing newfound treasures.  Yes, they have the makings of world-class dumpster divers.

At any rate, they actually came back with something pretty great this time. A rock tumbler.  Do you remember those holiday JC Penny catalogs? We used to poor over them, making out our Christmas lists and things like toy rock tumblers and mini telescopes and tiny play sewing machines were always on my list but I never got a rock tumbler.

It's just as well because I doubt the Penny's catalog had tumblers that would have survived my childhood but this one is the real deal. Complete with grit and polish and everything I need to polish them rocks.


So while the snow falls I believe I will have some fun polishing these rocks I found on the beach in Homer and here in Anchorage.  They're already rounded and when they're wet they're the most gorgeous colors. Wish me luck.

And if that's not enough for you here are three other very cool things:


Drives of a Lifetime: 500 of the World's Most Spectacular Trips is a book I found at our latest Border's hot chocolate run and if you have someone who is a road trip junkie (like me) and loves great pictures and dreaming of travel then this is the book.

Carved Butternut Squash Centerpieces is just that--a way to make this funky yet beautiful and strange holiday decoration.

Pumpkin Spice White Hot Chocolate looks as if it could take it's place as the best drink on the planet. Could you get a better set of modifiers all in one place?

7 comments:

jean said...

I can't believe you've got snow!! It looks beautiful.

page2 said...

My kids would love a rock tumbler, but I thought it would be too loud. Is yours really noisy? I guess it could run in the garage.

CountessLaurie said...

TOTALLY JEALOUS! Of the rock tumbler, not the snow. You can keep the stinking snow up there in Alaska where it belongs :-) I got a rock tumbler for Christmas a couple years ago. I made it to stage 3. It took over 6 weeks. It is not an instant gratification kind a thing. Stage 3 requires lots of intervention, so I am hopeful I can someday complete it. Keep us posted on your tumbling...

Scribbit said...

The tumbler part is lined with rubber to help reduce noise. It's just the sound of the motor (which isn't big) running. I have it in the garage under our bedroom and can hear it faintly if I listen but it kind of is like the refrigerator's hum.

I'm wondering if it will work at all--luckily if it doesn't no harm done. I mean, we have plenty more rocks out here where those came from :)

hoopty doopty said...

The snow is beautiful. I love that you listened to Christmas music. It's uplifting is it not? Wishing I were going to be enjoying a white Christmas but it's heading into summer here and it's heating up.
Those rocks are pretty I'm curious to see them after you tumble them.

actron cp9190 said...

wow! beautiful scenery, us that your house?

Daisy said...

My brother is a road trip junkie. This would be perfect for him. He would do the trips on his motorcycle, not in a car, if possible.