Where is Shannon?

Defending Your Flock Against the HOA (aka your neighbor doesn’t like your chickens)

2012-01-30T21:39:00.000-08:00

Recently, I had the unfortunate experience of having to defendmy dear chickens at my neighborhood Homeowners Association (HOA) Board meeting.After numerous complaints from a single neighbor, my husband and I had toattend a hearing in which the fate of our chickens was in the hands of 3unknown Board Members. Though I won’t go into about the actual specifics aboutmy case (that’s a different post), I did realize I had a new wealth ofinformation to share with other folks who may be up against a similar threat.Here are a few tips to help you navigate through the murky waters of HOA rules.

Tip # 1: Do your research

This may sound pretty obvious, but knowing the rules is the most important part of building acase for your chickens. Read your CCRs carefully. Don’t just pay attention tothe rules about animals, think beyond the box. Have some knowledge in your backpocket.

What are the proper channels one should takewhen filing a complaint against a neighbor? In our case, the HOA encouragesneighbors to resolve issues on their own. Our neighbor never contacted us withher concerns about the noise our chickens made. Knowing that the HOA encouragesneighbors to deal with issues on their own shows that she a) doesn’t know therules, and b)if she knew them, she didn’t act upon them.

Find out what the proper dispute resolutionsequence is (for my HOA, it was having a hearing, then mediation, then arbitration).It’s good to know what steps you’ll need to take in case they deny your case.
Are there height/dimension limits to any coopsbuilt in your yard? Do they need to be a certain distance from your neighbors’ houses?This is important to know. For example, if our coop was another 2 feet taller,we would have had to get approval from the HOA to build it.
How much authority does the Board really have?In our case, the Board had the final say on issues – meaning one cannot get ameasure put on a ballot for the neighborhood to vote on. Some HOA’s allowmembers to gather enough signatures to get something on the ballot (howdemocratic!) This is worth looking into just in case the Board decides againstyou – you could still get a petition going and leave the vote to the masses.
Get your city and/or county’s municipal code,and be sure to include it with your materials. Many CCR’s defer to the municipalcode (be sure you don’t have more chickens than you are allowed!) Thankfullyfor us, our city doesn’t have a restriction on the number of hens you can keepfor non-commercial purposes.
If your HOA is run by a management company, getto know the person that works with your Board. If they are friendly, use theirknowledge of the CCRs to help build your case. This proved to be a great resourcefor me - I was told there was a 1987 CCR that prohibited poultry in ourneighborhood (which changed in 2007). I never would have known that if I hadn’t*gently* prodded my contact.

Tip #2: Get the support of your neighbors

I can’t stress this one enough. Thankfully in ourneighborhood, everyone loves ourchickens. It was really easy to pass a document around for their signature,stating that they did not believe our chickens were loud or a nuisance to the neighborhood.If you do get people to sign a document, be sure to include specific languagerelated to the CCR’s. I used “loud” and “nuisance” because there is a ruleagainst loud animals that are a nuisance. This allowed the Board to compare theCCRs with the support signatures apples for apples. Once you get those signatures, create a graphic that showsyour house in relation to all that signed your petition. This is a great way ofvisually showing those who support you in your neighborhood. Finally, if you’ve got great neighbors like mine, you’llhave them come as your posse to the Board meeting. I had 5 adult neighbors (and1 child) attend the meeting and speak in support of our chickens. Hearing thisfrom others really showed the good impact our flock was making in theneighborhood. (Note: a carton of eggs is a great way to show your thanks)

Tip #3: What have other Associations done?

Google “HOA and Chickens” or any combination of “chickens”, “HOA”,and “CCRs”. You’ll be amazed at what you find. Backyard chicken has a fewgreat forums with information from other chicken owners and their experienceswith HOAs. I found a few promising articles and presented this information tothe Board. I think it’s important to highlight that people all over the countryhave chickens, and there are many different ways of accommodating them in a HOA(whether that means restricting the number of chickens, or how the decision toallow chickens is made).

Tip #4: Are you willing to compromise?
On a personal note, this was the hardest part for me to come to terms with. If theBoard votes no more chickens – are you ready to go to the next level (i.e.court) to keep them? Are you willing to give up a few hens to keep theneighbor(s) happy? After taking everything into consideration, I decided topair my flock down from 6 to 3. Sure, I miss the extra eggs and the sound of ahappy coop. But, because I showed the Board that I was willing to compromise,they agreed to let me keep my remaining girls. In the end – totally worth it.

Go to the meeting with confidence and your head held high –after all, you are a steward of this uncharted urban chicken-raising territory!

Garden Porn

2012-01-29T21:48:00.000-08:00

If you can't find me, it's because I'm in a corner somewhere studying this:

Baker Creek's 2012 Seed Catalog. From the folks that own the Seed Bank in Petaluma.

Anyone else nerding out over purple tomatoes??

The Chickens Prevail!

2012-01-27T14:10:00.000-08:00

Eli and Foghorn. Eli came to the meeting to show his support!

A huge collective sigh of relief has descended upon theSunnyglen Drive neighborhood – we get to keep our chickens! I thought I’d sharea bit about how sh*t went down at our HOA Board meeting last night.

In case you need the background: Paul and I have had chickens in our backyardsince last March. In September, our next door neighbor began complaining aboutthe noise they were making (and separately, the noise coming from our house,our music, and our guests). Because so many complaints were filed, the HOAneeded to have a hearing where we would discuss the future of the chickens(namely, if we were in violation of the CCRs of the HOA).

You know me - I had graphics, a powerpoint presentation, and handouts prepared for that meeting. I practiced my argument numerous times in front of friends. That HOA (and our neighbor) had no idea what they were up against! We made it to the meeting with a convoy of supporters. I was nervous. I began by introducing ourselves and the context of the situation. I then started my argument, focusing on the one CCR having to do with animals. Itstates:

“An occupant may keepdomestic dogs, cats, fish and birdsprovided he/she doesn’t keep them for commercial purposes…keeps no more than the maximum number allowed by GovernmentalRegulations…and the Association can prohibit the keeping of any animal thatit determines to be a nuisance to anyperson of reasonable and normal sensitivity.” (emphasis mine)

To me, the argument was clear – we were within our rights ashomeowners. Chickens are domestic birds. The City of Vallejo has no limit tothe number of chickens a person can raise. And our neighbor (the complainant) isnot reasonable, nor is she of normal sensitivity.

I broke the CCR down sentence by sentence, and when I got tothe part about her being unreasonable, that’s when things got heated. Note:this neighbor is a BOARD MEMBER of our HOA. She was not allowed to vote in thiscase, though she was allowed to defend herself as a member of the development. I proceeded to tell the Board how bat shit crazy she is. Howshe has complained about the noises from our house since (literally) the day wemoved in. About the passive aggressive notes she leaves in our mailbox. How we’remore than happy to turn the music down if she would just call us or come over.How I got rid of 3 chickens just to compromise, and she still is complaining.How all of our neighbors have signed a document stating the chickens are notloud or a nuisance to our neighborhood. All of which makes her the unreasonableand sensitive one. The 6 neighbors thatcame to the meeting with us spoke about their love for the chickens, and aboutour neighbor’s “character.” That they too have been harassed by her fordifferent reasons.

She did not like this one bit.

When it was her turn to defend herself, she started reachingfor all the ammo she could. She presented to the Board a log of every noise thathas bothered her coming from our house (from music, to chickens, to parties). Mostwas between the hours of 7am-10pm (which is completely allowed). She said thenoise resonated throughout her whole house. That her son wakes up screamingbecause the chickens are noisy. How numerous people “come and go” from ourhouse, and how our garage has become the neighborhood hangout (jealous much?) Howshe’s had to rescue Coco before when she escaped out of our yard. How our catssomehow end up on her porch. There were so many lies I couldn’t keep track ofthem all. It took everything I had not to laugh or smirk (which I did a fewtimes, whoops!)

In the end, the Board decided that the chickens were indeedallowed. They diplomatically and politely told our neighbor that because she’sthe only one sensitive to the noise and that it’s something that doesn’t affectthe whole neighborhood – the complaints should be forwarded to the police.

She did not like this either.

The Board encouraged us to come to some sort of compromise - and we're ready and willing for that. Now we’re just waiting for her phone call (though I’m not expecting that anytime soon). In the meantime, I gaveFoghorn, Leghorn, and Rafiki a big hug and some treats this morning. I’m sohappy I get to keep my babies!

January Update

2012-01-23T11:36:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's been a month since I've posted, which means I must be really busy! The month of December consisted of Paul's 30th birthday blowout party, Christmas Eve (hosted at our house), and a New Years Eve celebration in Oakland. Between all of the chaos I was able to relax and gear up for my new job. And speaking of that....

I'm now into week 4 at the California Faculty Association, which represents faculty at all 23 CSU campuses. I'm the Statewide Events and Meetings Coordinator, and this past weekend was my first event! It went really well considering I'm new, and there were over 200 people for me to meet. I'm definitely feeling slightly overwhelmed (in a good way), but that's okay. My commute from Vallejo to Sacramento has been great as well - I've been driving to Fairfield and then taking the Amtrak to downtown Sac. It's been so nice to drink my coffee and stare out the window in the mornings, and decompress in the evenings. The only hard part about this transition is leaving my baby girl Coco alone all day. She's starting to get used to it, and luckily I have amazing neighbors that check on her every day.

Other than that, our lives are pretty full! Paul has been working in Gilroy trying to finish up a job at the new library. I have 3 meetings (1 in Sacramento, 2 in LA) between now and April, so I'm busy busy! We're hoping to take a much needed a vacation to Mexico in May or June - we'll see if we can squeeze that in as well.

Thanks everyone for the well wishes about my new job. I really appreciate them!

Ornament #5 and #6

2011-12-19T12:40:00.000-08:00

I've been so busy planning Paul's birthday party that I haven't been posting my ornaments! Anyway, here are #5 and #6 for your viewing pleasure....

Our good friend Rita made this ornament for us last year when we moved into our new house in Vallejo. I love this ornament because it reminds me of the excitement of owning our own house and making new Christmas memories here!

This here is a double decker bus from jolly old England. When I was a senior in college, I studied abroad in London and loved (almost) every minute of it. I was lucky to be there right before the holidays, so all of the lights were up and everyone was in the holiday spirit. I have a few ornaments that remind me of my time there, but this one is definately my favorite!

Ornament # 4 - Married!

2011-12-15T09:25:00.000-08:00

Here's our first Christmas ornament as a married couple! I love this one because it's both Christmas-y and wedding-like (the bells, the pointsetta). I can remember the ornaments that my parents had as newlyweds, and they weren't as cute as this one :)

Ornament #3 - The Fulton's

2011-12-13T08:30:00.000-08:00

Ornament #3 is a clay ornament that my mom bought at a craft fair with my aunt. I always loved this ornament because when you hung it on the tree just right, the twinkle from the lights would shine through the fireplace to make it glow. I'm so glad my mom gave this one to me when she was purging her ornaments years ago....

Ornament #2 - The Leg Lamp

2011-12-07T09:25:00.001-08:00

I'm sure most if not all of you have seen the timeless holiday movie, A Christmas Story. One of the best scenes is of the father receiving a large crate in the mail, filled with a surprise gift he won in a contest. Of course, he is enamoured and the mother is disgusted to see it's a life-sized lamp of a ladies leg (aka the "leglamp"). Raphie and his father can't keep their hands off it it!

A mini leg lamp

After Paul and I moved in together, we made a deal - I'm pretty sure it was if I could get a cat, he could have a leg lamp. He'd have to buy it himself, of course. Needless to say he's never gotten that leg lamp, but I did get him this fun ornament to hold him over...

12 ornaments of Christmas

2011-12-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

As I was hanging up my ornaments this year, I thought it would be fun to share 12 of their stories. For the rest of the month, I'll be posting 12 of my favorite ornaments and a short story about how I got them and why they are so special.

First up:

I love this ornament. I love it so much that it broke and I had to crazy glue it back together! This ornament I'm pretty sure I picked out at Macy's in San Francisco. See every year, my grandparents (or just my grandma) would take me to the city to experience the holiday season. Sometimes we'd see the nutcracker ballet, othertimes we would just shop in Union Square and eat at Kuletos (is that place still around?) I love this ornament because it symbolizes not only my favorite sight in San Francisco, but those yearly holiday trips with my grandma and grandpa.

Fig Jam and Lemon Curd

2011-12-05T08:30:00.001-08:00

I love this time of year - when the figs are still around, and the citrus is falling off of the trees...I scored 2 baskets of figs for $1.00 at Larry's Produce and am going to try my hand at fig jam. I've found a few recipes online, and have decided on this one - anyone have any other good fig jam recipes?

I also scoured our neighbors Meyer Lemon tree and am going to make some yummy lemon curd for them (and us, of course!) I love slopping this treat on toast, pancakes, or crepes. Mmmm....

Winter garden

2011-12-02T08:34:00.001-08:00

brussel sprouts

It's starting to get a little chilly around these parts, but my winter garden is looking pretty good considering I haven't done much to it (except plant the seedlings!) I've never planted a winter garden, so I'm excited to see how these "crops" do. In addition to what's pictured, I have radishes, cabbage, beets, broccoli, and beets going. I'll let you know how the first harvest goes!

garlic

spinach

carrots

Casting on

2011-11-29T12:53:00.001-08:00

Next up - some pretty sparkly pink scarves for some special little ladies...

What I'm up to today...

2011-11-28T12:14:00.001-08:00

Stockings, stockings, stockings! I found a great pattern at Martha Stewart and I'm working on some early Christmas presents for some special kiddos in my life. Come back for a wrap up of all 3 I'm making!

Thankful

2011-11-22T10:11:00.001-08:00

I have lots of things to be thankful for this season. Ya know, things like having an awesome husband that supports me, a loving family that I get to spend lots of time with, an awesome set of neighbors, new nieces and nephews to love, and all of my animals. What are you thankful for this season?

At Marcelle and Nisan's wedding

Coco Bean

New Baby Brayden

My Jazzy Jasper

Uintah

Brining Olives

2011-11-18T08:30:00.000-08:00

Have you ever seen or tasted raw olives? I have. They are very pretty, but don't taste very good. I'm assuming that's why they are brined or pressed into oil. I was lucky enough to spot some raw olives at Larry's Produce last week, and picked up a few pounds to brine on my own. I never would have thought of this myself, and would probably have lived with getting my olives at the olive bar at Whole Foods or Berkeley Bowl. However, after seeing a bring recipe in Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It: And Other Cooking Projects, I decided to give it a try. It's really simple - just make a salt/water bath for the olives, and let them sit in it for at least 6 weeks. Six weeks! The result, I've heard is amazing...I'll let you know around Christmas when they should be done :)

cleaned and cut

In their bath

Fried Green Tomatoes

2011-11-17T11:24:00.001-08:00

the bounty

...it's not just a movie, it's a real food. And a delicious one at that! Yesterday I went into my garden to check on the dwindling tomato plants. There were tons of green ones, and I picked a lot of them assuming they would never turn red with the upcoming winter. What does one do with 20 green tomatoes? Fries them! I mixed about a cup of corn meal, 1 tbl paprika, 2 t garlic salt, pepper and salt to taste - coated the sliced tomatoes in an egg and cornmeal mixture, and fried them in olive oil. We dipped them in a spicy garlic aoili (i.e. mayo). Delish! The trick I realized this time is to not overcook the tomatoes. The coating should be crispy, but the inside should be slightly firm. Otherwise they are a soggy mess.

green toms

the delicious result!

CUESA Cocktail Party

2011-11-15T13:04:00.001-08:00

Those of you that read my other blog, J. Jasper Events, may know that I recently shot photos at CUESA's Fall Cocktail party at the SF Farmers Market (one of my favorite places to spend money and support local farmers/artisans). Here are a few pics from the event - be sure to check out CUESA and all of the cool stuff they do!

Wish List

2011-11-10T10:06:00.001-08:00

I know, I know, it's not even Thanksgiving and I'm already thinking about Christmas! Not really, I've just found a few sweet books that I'm hoping Santa will leave under our tree...

The BUST DIY Guide to Life: Making Your Way through Every Day

Weekend Handmade: More Than 40 Projects and Ideas for Inspired Crafting

Jerusalem Artichoke Soup

2011-11-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

I've been a huge fan of Jerusalem Artichokes (aka Sunchokes) ever since I was introduced to them by my friend, Hannah. After seeing them finally appear at Larry's Produce, I decided to make a soup instead of roasting them like I normally do. I used this recipe found on Food Network, though I substituted greek yogurt for cream (since I didn't have any cream, and also wanted to make it less fattening). It turned out great, though a little curdled looking (my bad). Don't let that stop you though, try this as soon as you can!

ok, so maybe it doesn't look that great. but it was delicious!

I also roasted some beets, onions, and parsnips to throw on some salads. I love root veggies!

and...a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my dear mama!!

Productivity...

2011-11-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

a new quilting project

replenishing our pickle stock

banana bread

something special for baby Brooke

Though I may be unemployed, there's plenty of work being done around here! So far this week: using up my scraps on a tbd quilting project, pickles, banana bread, dog walks, deep kitchen cleaning, the (neverending) laundry, painting.....

Hard to believe it, but this is my 500th post. I started this blog 6 years ago when I moved to Boston (geeez....time really does fly!) In 6 years I completed my MSW, moved back to CA, met my husband, got married, bought a house, started an urban farm. Pretty amazing when I think about it...

Fall colors

2011-11-07T08:34:00.000-08:00

Last week I was able to visit my mom as she was preparing for one of her endurance rides. The ride took place in Lake Sonoma, so not too far from Vallejo. As I was driving through Dry Creek Valley, I was amazed at how beautiful the grape vines were - I guess I've never seen their leaves change color! Anyway I had to stop just to get a few shots...

And here's what the "camp" looked like...

Mimi....my mom's Arabian horse..

Barn Red

2011-11-04T12:33:00.000-07:00

That's the name of the color of the paint I've chosen for the coop. It's not quite done yet (the impending rain made me stop) - but doesn't it look great so far??

Happy weekend everyone!

A little update...

2011-11-03T10:49:00.000-07:00

Hey folks! Since I've been MIA I thought I'd update you with 5 things I've been up to lately...

1. I dressed up as a chicken, and Paul dressed up as Tigger for Halloween. We went to an 80's themed party in Incline Village and had SO much fun (see pic below).

2. I've been busy applying for jobs - have gotten a few interviews, but nothing has been offered to me as of yet. I'll keep trying!

3. And speaking of jobs, I've secured another client for J. Jasper Events (my little side event production company). If you know of anyone needing a hand in party/wedding planning, please let me know!

4. I've transitioned my garden from summer to fall "crops" (though I'm hesistant to call them crops considering there's only 1 row of beets, spinach, garlic, cabbage, and turnips each). The tomatoes are slowly dying out and the last of the peppers have been picked.

5. My chickens are laying in full force which is great news. I'm also almost complete with painting the coop as well (pics to come soon!)

I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying this beautiful fall weather!

Someone has been hiding their eggs...

2011-11-02T09:20:00.000-07:00

The culprit - Lemonade Cookie. She's the best at flying out of the chicken "enclosure"...

And here's where I've been finding her eggs...

Up close...

She's a funny one!

Canning Time!

2011-10-11T09:25:00.000-07:00

It's canning time! This harvest season I decided to head over to Larry's Produce (aka the best farm stand on the planet) and stock up on some bounty that I could can. On the list: Strawberries, Green Beans, Tomatoes, and Tomatillos. Over the course of a few days, I made the tastiest green enchilada sauce (from this recipe), spicy green beans (for bloody mary's!) from this awesome book, stewed tomatoes from this site, and lots of low-sugar strawberry jam. I didn't realize how involved it is to can tomatoes - you have to take the skins off, boil off the water, and make sure to add vinegar to the mixture (otherwise it's unsafe to eat due to the unbalanced ph values). No one wants to get botulism! Anyway, I know that I could get any of these items any time of the year from the supermarket, but I wanted to fill my pantry with the yummy (and cheap) goodness of the summer.

He's here!

2011-10-03T08:49:00.000-07:00

a Raider fan already!

Those of you on facebook probably already know this, but I'm very excited to announce the birth of my first nephew, Brayden John Geissler, born on September 28th, 8lbs. 4oz. 21 inches long. Proud mama Jean and papa Eddie. Jean was a rockstar and only had to push for a little over an hour (though they had been waiting in the hospital for days...) I can't wait to spend some time with this cutie!!

Summer Highlights - Part 3

2011-09-27T12:24:00.000-07:00

Summer time is wedding season (yay for our friends getting married!) Paul and I were fortunate enough to celebrate the union of 3 of our favorite couples. First up: Steph and Jillian. They got married at this amazing venue in the Oakland Hills called the Highlands Country Club. Beautiful views of the bay, great food, and an awesome dance party made this a very special and fun wedding!

Next up: Chickie and Renee. I've known Chickie forever, and am so glad that he met Renee. They are such a great couple. Their wedding was so handmade (i.e. custom cornhole game, crafty bunting hung from the ceiling, handwritten note cards, wildflowers out of mason jars, cows in the background). The wedding was in Bolinas, and they made it really local by having a guy shucking oysters. If I wasn't allergic to them, I'd be all over it! The food was great and the dance party was even better. I saw so many old rafting friends that it also felt like an ARTA reunion...

And finally, the wedding we've all been waiting for....Nisan and Marcelle! I've been helping Marcelle with this wedding since the day they got engaged. It was seriously the best planned wedding I've ever been to. The details were amazing and the venue was beautiful. I wouldn't be surprised if this wedding ended up on Martha Stewart weddings (or featured in any wedding blog, for that matter!)

Did I mention how much I love weddings??

Summer Highlights - Part 2

2011-09-26T08:57:00.000-07:00

This summer I was lucky enough to go camping at least 4 times. You all know how much I love camping, so that made me a very happy girl! My favorite trip by far was the week long trip Paul and I took for our second anniversary (can you believe it's been that long?) We headed up Highway 50 to the Crystal Basin Recreation Area (outside of Pollock Pines). Lucky for us, it was after Labor Day and the place was deserted. We spent our time at Icehouse and Union Valley Reservoirs. We cooked, swam, hiked, napped, made fires, read books, played with Coco, and just lounged. It was magnificent.

Allright stop. Hammock time.

Dead wood.

Campsite guard

Beautiful sunsets

Paul - headlamp and fir nighttime fun

Shannon trying to be artsy

Summer highlights - Part 1

2011-09-23T09:07:00.000-07:00

Have I really not posted since July 8th? Wow, this summer has flown by! Between job hunting, taking care of my niece Cadence, planning events, and maintaining my urban farm, I've been a busy, busy lady. Luckily for you, my dear reader(s), I'm back! For the next few days I'm going to show you the highlights of my summer. First up - the Sonoma County Fair. It's not summer unless you go to the fair, right? We really soaked up the experience - beer, garlic fries, old fashion photo booths, petting zoo, random carnies, and best of all, the Demolition Derby! I'm not gonna lie, it was an awesome, white-trash-tastic time!

Old time photo booth - yes, I convinced Paul to take a photo

Demo Derby. I screamed. I laughed. I cried. It was glorious.

Paul met Barack and Michelle - no joke!

Dairy cows rule.

He wanted to come home with me. Enough with the petting zoo.

Building a chicken coop...

2011-07-08T10:49:00.000-07:00

Last week I was a featured guest on Dog Island Farm (an awesome urban farm here in Vallejo!) My post was about how to build a chicken coop (or, more appropriately, how to find a chicken coop you like so your dad can build it for you!) Check it out here!

Trip with Kids

2011-07-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

My friend Val and I headed over to the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito with her son Maddox and my niece Cadence. This place was amazing (and we happened to go on the only free day of the month)! There were so many things for kids to do both indoors and outdoors. It was so great to watch Maddox and Cadence play - they got along so well and were so sad to leave each other. In fact, when I was uploading these photos, Cadence said "that's such a great picture because it's of my friend, and I miss him." Love at first sight!

Fort Baker - can someone please get married there and invite me??

The GG from a different angle. The fog was coming in - awesome.

'Lil Update

2011-07-06T17:52:00.000-07:00

I've been MIA - I know this. Between doing flowers for a first bar mitzvah, coordinating a wedding, visiting my parents house, and saying goodbye to Paul** (oh, and watching a 4 year old) - you can say I've been quite busy. Things are going really well, the summer is hot, and it's hard to believe that I've been "unemployed" for over 5 weeks (though I'm keeping myself so busy it seems like I have a job). Coco is doing great (she's better with kids than she is with adults, which is strange), the big chickens are still laying consistently and the small girls are getting bigger! Our garden is going gangbusters (finally) and life in general is good. Here's a pic of our first "crop" of radishes:

And, my baby girl. She's getting so big!

Hope you all are enjoying your summer!

**So for those of you that don't know, Paul has moved to Vegas for (hopefully) just a few months for work. It's slow here in the Bay Area, and with me being unemployed, well, that's what had to happen. Sad face.

Santa Cruz Mountains wine tour

2011-06-27T09:47:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago, Paul and I ventured south for a visit to my aunt and uncle's house in the Santa Cruz mountains. Having essentially grown up there as a child, I love visiting their house because it really makes me feel like home. Anyway, our visit coincided with my cousin Alison's last week in California before her trek to Denver, where she's starting her residency. (side note: she just graduated from med school at USC. Go Alison!) In true Fulton Family fashion, we thought it would be appropriate to celebrate by going wine tasting. Sure, I knew there were some pretty good wineries in the Santa Cruz mountains - but I didn't realize how great they were (or how pretty the views were!) Here are a few shots from the day:

The view from Loma Prieta Winery

Burrell School

The grad!

Summa-time!

2011-06-20T11:53:00.000-07:00

It's finally summer here in Vallejo. All of my plants are finally starting to thrive! Strawberries are turning red, tomatoes are growing, and cucumbers are flowering! The radishes are getting bigger, and the sunflowers are growing taller. I love it when the weather gets this hot - it means fresh yummy veggies are on the way!

Russian River

2011-06-17T15:36:00.000-07:00

Paul had a few days off this week, so we decided to break in our recently acquired new (to us) tent. The weather has been clear and warm, so we decided to go to the coast. We ended up at Casini Ranch campground (on the Russian River near Jenner). It was spectacular. We were the only people on the far side of the campground, and we were right on the river. This was Coco's first experience in the water, and she loved it. Here are a few pics I took:

Yeah, it doesn't look like we had any fun :)

Before and After (aka, what I did today!)

2011-06-08T10:44:00.000-07:00

Our great neighbors gave us these chairs a while back. While they are very sturdy and great chairs, they needed some desperate TLC. Today I thought I'd update one of them for my craft room. A $3 can of spray paint and a piece of already-owned fabric later, and I have a rockin' new chair!

Before shot

Spray painting away...

Taking off the staples

Tools of the trade

Ta-da!!

Isn't it cute? I got the fabric years ago at a store in Portland. I'm so glad I kept it for this project!

FUNemployment Update

2011-06-06T10:44:00.000-07:00

Cadence is 4!
Well, today marks the first real week of my unemployment. How have I spent the morning so far? Yelling at my chickens. Yes, you heard that right. One of my girls (I think it's Rafiki) seems to think she's a rooster. That, or she's just very vocal. Every time another hen gets ready to lay an egg in the nest, she marches up into the coop and yells/crows at them. Maybe she's jealous they are laying an egg? Maybe she just wants them to play with her? I'm not sure, but it's getting annoying. Almost makes me wanna make chicken soup. I mean, I have 3 more adorable chicks just waiting for a spot in the chicken mansion. Rafiki better shape up or she's gonna make a nice coq au vin!

In other news, I signed up for the dole today. Marie graduated from medical school, and Cadence had a birthday party on Sunday (more pics to come). I took a fun workshop at Papersource on Saturday with my friend Marcelle (read about that here). I'm filled with so much crafting inspiration it's making me antsy. Which leads me to the task for the day: clean up the neglected craft room. I can't seem to produce anything in a messy space. Ready, set, GO!

The end of an era....

2011-06-01T09:47:00.000-07:00

So folks, today's the day. My last day here at the NWP. I've been here for 3 and a half years, and I have to say, it's a pretty bittersweet goodbye. I've learned so much here and have made so many incredible friends from across the country. I've been inspired by teachers who are deep in the trenches, serving kids (our future) with passion. I've also had wild nights with these teachers - from 4am snack runs in cabs to running to catch a flight because we're late, and many (many!) shenanigans in between. Thanks for that, friends!

I'm so so excited about the next chapter of my life. There's lots of things in the works, and a summer full of fun and sun as well. As the great rapper Tupac says, "life goes on!" Yes,it will!

Staff retreat...what??

TLN ladies in Little Rock, AR

Me in Tubac, AZ

Silly in Austin

Spike and I in DC

Babies galore at the staff picnic

Pig races in Montana

Best boss ever

My first (and probably only) trip to Disneyworld

BBQ in Austin with Babs

Paul Oh (my work husband) and I in Boston

Kareen and I at the Christmas gift exchange

Casey and I in Kansas City

Summer sewing

2011-05-29T10:02:00.000-07:00

How About Orange has compiled a list of skirt tutorials for ladies and little girls. I think my favorite is this one by Angry Chicken. She says it takes 5 minutes, but it'll probably take me a few hours. We'll see!!

The awkward stage

2011-05-28T09:44:00.000-07:00

It's true - my babies are growing up so fast! Only 2 weeks ago, our new chicks were cute little fluff balls...

And now, they are awkward teens...

They are named (in no particular order...) American Honey (or Moscato or Christy Swanson), Lemonade Cookie, and Ginger.

Outdoor Inspiration

2011-05-27T09:38:00.000-07:00

If you've been reading my blog recently, you probably know that I've been prepping the soil and growing starters in anticipation for an awesome garden this summer. Paul and I have spent the last week digging, tilling, and planting. I will post those pics this weekend, but in the meantime, here's an inspiration board I created for my dream outdoor set up. Now granted, I'll never have the money to purchase this stuff, but I can still dream, right? (click on image to see a bigger version).

Everything is from CB2 and Crate & Barrel

Tea towels!

2011-05-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

Whip up has compiled a list of resources on how to make your own tea towels here. This sounds like a fun project I could do this summer. Maybe screen print my chickens on towels? What would you do?

Birthday ideas

2011-05-25T09:21:00.000-07:00

My adorable niece Cadence's birthday is coming up, and although we already picked something up for her at Makerfaire, I really want to make one of these for her. You can get the free tutorial at Grosgrain. Check it out!

Makerfaire Recap

2011-05-24T11:45:00.000-07:00

Here are some of my favorite shots from Makerfaire. I'm so glad that Paul and I made the trek to San Mateo. There were so many cool demonstrations, crafts and talks, and I left feeling inspired by so many things. We had the greatest time, and can't wait until next year!

hand knit breakfast hat!

Diner doggies

train that went around the fairgrounds

Marshmellow man made out of Legos

The view in Expo hall

Paul chowing down on a polish sausage

Drummers big and small

Makerfaire!

2011-05-20T10:41:00.000-07:00

Makerfaire is coming to the bay area this weekend - wahoo! Paul and I are so excited to go again this year (here's my recap from last year). I'm excited to be around so many creative people, to browse the Bizarre Bazaar, to attend a panel discussion on "Crafting your Online Presence" (for makers of all kinds of things!) and meet the folks that run Dog Island Farm, an urban farm in Vallejo! I'll be taking lots of pics and notes, in hopes that this stirs my creativity for things to do post-NWP (last day is June 1 - it's coming up fast).

There's also a workshop on urban goats...sign me up!!

Summer of crafting

2011-05-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

It looks like I'll be watching my niece this summer while looking for a job - wahoo! I love my niece and I can't wait. I have lots of plans for us - going to the beach, gardening, crafting, swimming, napping...etc. etc. While making a list of the cool things we could do this summer, I spotted a great list of kids crafts on thelongthread.com. Check out the link here!

Almost time to transplant!

2011-05-18T13:36:00.000-07:00

Here they are, (most of) my starts - almost ready to transplant outside!
On the windowsill - tomatoes (4 varieties), cosmos, sunflowers, jalepenos, bell peppers, cucumbers, and an unknown squash

Still to come: beets, peas, lettuce and carrots!

Newest additions!

2011-05-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

I have the best husband - really. I've been wanting to get new chicks for our mansion chicken coop, but thought I should put it off until after June 1 (my layoff date) since I'll have more time to give to them. However, much to my surprise, Paul got me 3 new girls yesterday! In addition to our 3 Plymouth Barred Rocks, we now have a White Leghorn, a Buff Orpington, and a Rhode Island Red. They are 4 days old today!

I'm in Kansas City right now for my last NWP event, but I can't wait to get home and snuggle with these ladies!

Pickling Carrots

2011-05-13T10:29:00.001-07:00

Another sweet thing I got for my birthday was a book of labels to use for homemade food items (i.e. canning jars, cookie bags, goodies, etc):

I figured I'd put them to good use and pickle some carrots! (they are super yummy and great as a snack or in bloody mary's):

Carrots cut and in the jars

Grinding mustard seeds, salt and peppercorns with garlic

The finished product - 3 days in the fridge and they are ready to eat!

Gifts galore

2011-05-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

My friends and family know me all too well. I received the best gifts this year! Here are a few of the awesome books that I got:

From L to R: A year subscription to Martha Stewart Living, DIY Poppies kit from Papersource, Making It: Radical Home Ec for a Post-Consumer World, Chicken and Egg A Memoir of Suburban Homesteading, and A Householder's Guide to the Universe.

I also got this awesome milk bottle measuring cup that I blogged about last month (from Anthro):

Paul got my a tripod and remote for my camera, and my parents are helping me with a photo class. I got other great things too that I didn't take pics of, but I love them nonetheless. I am the luckiest ever!

Birthday Recap Round 2

2011-05-10T15:28:00.000-07:00

The infamous photos of my "Dirty-Thirty-Laid-off-Potluck-Party" have made their appearance on facebook - I thought I'd share my favorites here:

This was the best birthday week that I've had ever. The festivities just got better and better as the week progressed - it will be hard to top this decade!

Birthday Recap Round 1

2011-05-09T10:43:00.000-07:00

My first celebration was actually with my mom, bro and Paul (but I forgot to take pics). Napa for lunch and sushi for dinner. Lots of white wine and sake in between.

Celebration number 2: Angeline's for my "Dirty South/Dirty 30" hosted by my Ladies that Dine besties....

...Dirty 30/Mexican/Lay off party pics tomorrow...

A birthday for Coco

2011-05-05T15:22:00.000-07:00

Coco is only a puppy (5 months old), I know. But when she turns one, I want to have a dog party for her. Yes, I know that sounds silly, but she's our first child - and what child doesn't get celebrated on their first birthday?

Anyhow, I stumbled upon some free cute vintage pup stamps that I can use from Just Something I Made. I think they would also be cute incorporated into a baby shower or something - what do you think? Just post this under "random" and or "Shannon has some crazy ideas"....

Beantown trip

2011-04-28T08:45:00.000-07:00

I am so so excited to be in Boston! I'm here for NWP's Urban Sites Network conference, but I'm also hanging out a few extra days to see my friends! Wahooo! I'm really looking forward to drinking beer at Boston Beerworks, watching the Sox play (they'll be in town!), walking through the Common, celebrating my 30th birthday (!), and of course, going to my favorite pub in Brookline (Publick House). See ya next week!

Chicken Update

2011-04-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I updated ya'll on my chicken operation (i.e. 3 chickens). My dad and Paul recently completed their brand new coop (a whole 12x4 foot mansion!) The girls are in heaven - in fact, they are not quite sure what to do with themselves. I find them still hovering around each other, not realizing how much space they have! Anyway, they are each still laying 1 egg per day, which means we're getting a 1/2 dozen every 2 days. It's awesome! Coco has finally been introduced to them, and she's been great - no barking or rough housing, just lots of sniffing.

The building...

The girls...

Camera time

2011-04-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

I finally did it. I bought a DSLR camera. I'm been drooling over this one for a while, and it finally went on sale at Best Buy. So, I did it. Sure, I'll be unemployed in a month, but I am trying to drum up some event planning business (and need to take great pics of the work I'll be doing). Anyway, I need to take good care of my new snazzy camera by keeping it in a stylish bag. I've scoured the internet for the cutest/most functional bags. Please, my friends, tell me what one you like the best!

The Backgammon bag from Ketti Handbags

The Ginger from Epiphanie

TheSLR Sloop from the PhotoJojo store (comes in different colors!)

The Rose bag in Pewter by Jo Totes

What do you guys think??

A weekend at the parents

2011-04-25T08:33:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago, we made the trek up to my parents house to meet our new niece Riley, and introduce Coco to the family of dogs. At first I was a little nervous, as Coco had only met 1 other dog in her short life. Over the weekend, she interacted with 8 dogs; not just interacted, but played, ran, and jumped with them. She had a great time as part of the pack, and it was so nice to see her running around in the meadow. She was so good and kept close to us, despite the 90 acres she had to run around. And boy, was she tired! I can't wait to bring her back (and I'm sure she can't wait either)!

Sitting pretty

The view of the house from the meadow

Coco watching Reggie in the pond

My little bearded lady!

Easter Plans

2011-04-22T10:14:00.000-07:00

It may come as a surprise to some, but Easter is my favorite holiday. Yes, Christmas is a very close second, but even as a child I always loved Easter the most. I think it has to do with the changing of the seasons - flowers are blossoming, gardens are being planted, the sun is finally shining. And there are crafts involved with Easter - dying eggs, making treats for baskets, and creating yummy spring food. This Sunday we'll be hosting Easter at our house for the first time. I have so many ideas in my head for decorations, food, and of course, an egg hunt for the kiddos. I might even get a few baby chicks for the occasion! (I was planning on getting some soon anyway). Here are a few things from around the interweb that are inspiring my Easter plans...

Easter basket card from Two Brunettes

Egg toppers from Potter and Butlerr

This Easter table scape from Styled

Hank and Hunt

2011-04-21T08:34:00.000-07:00

Hank and Hunt is my new favorite website. Really, you should check it out.

How cute is this free font?? It makes me wanna make something pronto.

E-reader Case

2011-04-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

Loving this DIY e-reader case over at thimble. I too, have resisted the e-reader craze - mostly because I love the way the pages of a book feel, how they smell, the fact I can write in the margins, or stare at its cover. An e-reader doesn't offer any of that, but as many of my e-reader-owner-friends say, it offers a whole lot more than that. If and when I do purchase one, this is the cover I will make:

On this cloudy, April day...

2011-04-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

I'm inspired by this...
Creative Mint

Oh Martha...

2011-04-18T09:01:00.000-07:00

Your Crafts Dept. has done it again. They've gone and interviewed Christine Smith of Yellow Owl Workshop. How cute are these Cyanotype scarves? Not only are they a fun DIY project, but they are the perfect weight for spring time temps (i.e. not too heavy, not too light). I think this would be a fun project even to do with kids.

P.S. Christine has the cutest rubber stamp sets for sale. You should check them out!

DIY business card holder

2011-04-15T07:24:00.000-07:00

Spotted at Blue Cricket Design - A DIY business card holder. Since I'll be out of work soon, maybe I should make one of these for my new business cards?

I love Twig and Thistle

2011-04-14T11:51:00.001-07:00

Seriously, they post the best stuff ever over there. Like these milk bottle measuring cups from Anthropologie...

and, AMAZING save the dates! Too bad I'm already married...

Must Make

2011-04-09T10:11:00.000-07:00

Felt peeps for Easter - aren't these the cutest? Made by Megan.

April Books

2011-04-08T19:03:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Thimble for posting a list of books to check out this April. The ones I'm most interested in checking out are:

The Edible Front yard

Undecorate: The No-Rules Approach to Interior Design

While on our trip to Pennsylvania, we stopped by this awesome independent bookstore named Farleys in New Hope. I was able to get a copy of The Backyard Homestead, which I've been drooling over for a while. I can't wait to start reading it!

Family time

2011-04-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

I'm so lucky to be spending this week with Paul's family in Philadelphia. We haven't seen all of them since November 2009, so this visit is way overdue. I won't be posting this week, so have a great one! And I'll be returning to the Golden State soon....

Next up: Cheese and Yogurt making

2011-03-31T13:54:00.000-07:00

In spite of the fact that I'll be out of a job soon, without expendable income, and with lots of time on my hands, I've decided to read up more on Urban Homesteading. I've blogged about this before, and I can't say enough about how excited I am to grow my Urban farm and become somewhat self sustained! (I know - naysayers beware - if I have fresh eggs and veggies, and a compost pile, then I am way more self-sustained than any other city folk). Anyway, cheese and yogurt making seems something that I could do that would save a lot of money. Granted, I wouldn't get a cow to get the milk (well, I would if Paul/the HOA would let me!) but at least I can use good organic milk to begin with. This book has me dreaming of all things dairy. Mmmm.....

So, what do you think? I know that paying $4 for a tub of Greek yogurt makes me mad, considering it's simply milk, with some bacteria, strained. I'm hoping someone gets this book for me for my upcoming Dirty 30th birthday (hint hint!)

DC Bound

2011-03-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

I leave today for NWP's Annual Spring Meeting in Washington, D.C. Obviously, this year the visit is vitally important, since we have been zeroed out of the budget and are needing to fight our way back into it. I'm excited to return to D.C., and I'm excited to see all of our teachers fired up about the writing project. I'm hoping they will take that frustration and anger and turn it into positive stories that impact those with whom they speak. Scratch that, there's no doubt in my mind that that's what they will be doing. Case in point: 1,000 blog post in support of the NWP. Read the growing list here. I'm so proud to see my fellow writing project supporters post what the writing project has meant to them. I'll even be more excited to see this enthusiasm in person. On the flip side, I'm a little sad that this will be my last Spring Meeting, barring any unforeseen circumstances. That definitely brings a tear to my eye (and I'm sure to everyone else that's attending the event). I'll have to remember to pack the tissues....

How I'm doing

2011-03-29T12:00:00.001-07:00

Well folks, it's been one helluva week. Last Monday I found out I was being laid off June 1 (hence why I haven't posted all week). I'm not going to say that yesterday (one week later) was the best ever, but it was tolerable. See, the sun is starting to shine in California, and plans are starting to be solidified.

What does that mean for me? Well, many things are in the works. Going to work on getting my childcare provider's license so I can watch kiddos in my house if I need to. Working on a new website/blog for an event planning business that I've always dreamed of starting (links to come - soon!) Maybe starting a crafting co-op with some friends of mine - and organize a few craft shows around the country for small vendors. Maybe watch my niece Cadence for the summer. Plant my new garden and order 3 more chicks for our mansion coop (still being built - the relentless rain has finally stopped). Make a list of free things to do in SF that I've never been able to do (i.e. museums, beaches, etc). Work out. Visit my parents more often. The list keeps growing and growing.

Most importantly, I'm keeping my head up. And thanks to all of my friends and family, for their outpouring of support during this rough time. You have all given me permission to be sad, and strength to be optimistic. Basically, you kick ass.

Sad, sad day

2011-03-23T10:52:00.001-07:00

Monday was a sad day here at the National Writing Project. Our ED let us know that they have to reduce staff by 60%, due to the fact that our federal funding was cut. My emotions have been all over the place - from sad, to angry, to optimistic - to everything in between. I was told that my last day is June 1. I bawled. I knew it was coming, but there's something about getting a letter of termination that makes it so official. I know that I'll be fine, that every cloud has a silver lining, and that this is an opportunity for me (despite the shitty circumstances). I can get over getting laid off.

I can't get over what this means for our country.

The message our politicians are sending: that it's okay to devalue teachers and educators - people that are creating our future citizens. While other countries are investing in children, we are divesting at a seriously alarming rate. It's hard to wrap my head around how we have gotten here. It doesn't matter what political party you are. We are all members of the human party - and if we don't value our children - our future - than what is worth valuing?

Best bag tutorial

2011-03-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

Here's my next project: A pleated tote/beach bag from thimble:

The tutorial looks fairly easy with lots of pictures (which are always helpful!)

Help Japan

2011-03-18T09:55:00.000-07:00

This has been a pretty overwhelming week for me - returning from the high of attending the NWP Rural Sites Network Conference, to the low seen in the horrific images of Japan. Though I would consider myself to be a pretty optimistic person, I'm not going to lie - I'm feeling pretty down these days. I'm trying to concentrate on work, on the puppy, on life - but, it's been hard.

W+K Studio has created this beautifully simple print to raise money for relief efforts in Japan. If you can, please donate - I already have. It's made me feel like I've contributed somehow.

Happy St. Patty's Day!

2011-03-17T09:33:00.001-07:00

From Coco Boling, the ever-growing puppy-dog. She's all that a puppy should be (rambunctious, playful, soft, cuddly, good kisser). She's also a chewer, if you haven't noticed!

So much for posing with the Celtics hat

Oh, Little Rock!

2011-03-16T11:26:00.000-07:00

I returned Saturday night from a wonderful visit to Little Rock, Arkansas for the 2011 NWP Rural Sites Network Conference. Not only was the program great, but the city was fun as well! And, it was great to be around NWP peeps (as usual). Given the current funding circumstances, it was especially great to network and catch up with the teachers from across the country. I would say that people were in good spirits and ready to fight the good fight to try to get NWP funding back into the federal budget. One of the best parts of the conference was hearing Spirit Trickey speak about her work, her life, and her mom (Minnijean Brown Trickey) of the Little Rock Nine). She was very inspiring, and I left feeling really empowered!

Sunset over the Arkansas River
And now, for the fun part. Yes, those are ducks you see swimming in the Peabody Hotel fountain:

Legend has it that the general manager of the original Peabody Hotel in Memphis had a little too much whiskey and left his live decoy ducks in the fountain. The guests loved it and they let them stay. Now days, the ducks are paraded twice a day on the red carpet for all to see:

Source

I took some video of the whole parade, but am working on making it into a movie with fun sounds and stuff. So, I'll post that later. If you ever get the chance to go to Little Rock, I would totally recommend it!

Eating my way through Kansas City

2011-03-11T08:29:00.000-08:00

I totally forgot to give a recap on my trip to Kansas City. The meeting was very productive and we got a lot of work done. But the best part of Kansas City was the food. The first night I was in town, we went to this yummy place called Grand Street Cafe. It was right around the corner from our hotel, and had an awesome selection of what I would call "California cuisine". I had a fried chicken salad (an oxymoron, right?) It was delicious. I will definitely be going back there in May.

Our second night we ventured a few more blocks from our hotel to the Beer Kitchen. This place was the bomb. It reminded me a lot of the Publick House in Boston. Lots of artisanal beers and comfort food. I had a reuben sandwich with fries (the fries come with different aoili sauces. YUM!) Our table also ordered these amazing deviled eggs as an appetizer. Highly recommended.

And finally, the mother of all barbeque joints - Gates BBQ. A Kansas City institution.

Our group went all out on our trip to Gates. I had a burnt end sandwich, which is basically all of the ends of the meat on a bun with lots of bbq sauce. That sh*t melted in my mouth!

Katie, our Kansas City Writing Project colleague and host, ordered the 4-boner (heheh). Four different meats on one plate:

She made me take most of it home for Paul. Luckily for him, the leftovers made it home and he was in heaven. I can't wait to go back in May!

Tough times

2011-03-09T14:10:00.001-08:00

Most of you may know that I work for an amazing organization called the National Writing Project. The NWP is a network of over 200 university-based sites that provide professional development opportunities to local teachers with the goal of improving writing in all of our nations schools. I joined the NWP over 3 years ago, and was drawn to the organization because of it's values - teachers are treated as professionals and experts in their fields of study. Teachers are respected (what a concept!), and writing is something that is a part of our everyday life (and is fun!) From a social work perspective, the organization is a fine example of organic community organizing - NWP began as a group of teachers in Berkeley coming together every summer to talk about what's happening in their classrooms, and to share knowledge. It doesn't get more organic than that.

Times are tough for us right now. We've been cut from the budget that was signed by the President last week. Among us are programs like Reading is Fundamental and Teach for America - we are all considered "earmarks." And, we all know what earmarks mean in the current political scene: Sarah Palin and the bridge to nowhere. Pet projects and "pork." But we're not just an earmark - we're so much more than that!

We're an organization that serves 130,000 educators and 1.4 million students. These educators are the people that I get to work with on a day to day basis - whether that's helping them plan for a professional development event or drinking a beer after a long day of conferences. These are educators that are doing amazing work in the communities in which they live. They are educators who tell me about their students lives, and how their own lives have changed by being a part of a national network of hard-working teachers. Educators that don't spend their summer vacations poolside drinking pina coladas. These are teachers who are facilitating and participating in Summer Institutes - places where a whole new world of personal and professional opportunities await.

Of course I am sad that there is a possibility I may lose my job, but for me that's not the saddest part. For me, I'm sad, frustrated, and angry that these amazing teachers won't be able to pass on the knowledge from the NWP to their own students. I am a product of a NWP educator (my freshman college writing instructor started the Central California Writing Project at UCSC). He was the first person to show me the power of writing. What about the future of our nation's students, who need the NWP?

The only thing we can do now is urge everyone to contact their local reps to try and get us back in the budget. Please, anything you can do will help us tremendously. Click here to find out who represents you in DC.

If you're interested, here's more press:
Congress Chops Funding for High-Profile Education Programs

Famed state writing program on federal chopping block

Two-Week Continuing Resolution Shows No Path Forward on Funding

Statement by Sharon J. Washington, Executive Director of National Writing Project

Fine little stuff

2011-03-08T12:22:00.001-08:00

Thanks, Creature Comforts, for introducing me to the Fine Little Shop. Look at all of the adorable stuff they have!

Cute packaging tape
postcard set
nature-inspired pillowcase
Go check it out!

What a weekend!

2011-03-07T10:59:00.000-08:00

So many fun and exciting things happened this weekend! First of all, I came home from work on Friday to our FIRST EGG!

We're not sure who laid it, but she's laid a total of 3 so far! I'm so excited about it - five months of chicken farming has paid off. And the eggs are delicious!

Foghorn
After making that discovery, Jenny, Paula and I hopped into the rhino and drove up to Squaw Valley to celebrate my friend Kim's dirty 30th birthday. We got up there around 9pm and bar hopped in Squaw Village, returning to our condo around 1am and proceeded to eat mass quantities of chips, salsa, guacamole, and M&Ms. There were a few dares going on, none of which can be revealed on this blog due to their embarrassing nature. You get the picture.

Saturday morning we (umm...I) nursed our hangovers and went tubing. I think the whole ski resort could hear me screaming as I made it down the hill. Those tubes are scary! (and are made for 5-year-old butts):

Jenny and Paula being pulled up the tubing hill
We ended the day with naps and dinner at the Blue Coyote Cafe. Luckily there were no more dares, only a rousing game of Celebrity (courtesy of Jenny). After a yummy breakfast Sunday morning, we bid adieu to Kim and the land of snow. We treated ourselves to In 'n Out in Davis, and made it home in time to do laundry and go grocery shopping. And play with the puppy! It was a much-needed, exciting weekend!

Team Coco

2011-03-03T10:24:00.000-08:00

I can't help myself. I'm in love with this dog. She's everything that we expected and more - a typical puppy that chases things, bites toes, pees on the floor (we're working on that) - but also, a total sweetheart who gives big kisses, is mellow, and doesn't chase the cats! We are very proud puppy parents, and things are going very well so far. Of course, the biggest thing now is bonding and working on potty/house training. Though she's still learning, she's just had a couple accidents while we've been home (and she nearly always makes it onto the puppy pads when we're not home). She's very happy-go-lucky and I think is in love with both of us as well :)

Here are some shots from her first week home:

Her first bath

And....videos!! She's such a rascal.

Fashion model!

2011-03-01T15:41:00.000-08:00

Yay! I just got this pic from my dearest friends who recently had little baby C. Here he is, modeling the onesie I made him!

Project complete!

2011-02-26T11:13:00.000-08:00

Hi folks! Just a quick update with pretty pictures of my latest completed project:

Made for a soon-to-be-born nugget. I won't mention who, so if you're my friend and you're expecting, this may be yours! Sorry to blow the surprise, but I was just so excited about how cute it turned out...

Spring travels

2011-02-25T11:41:00.000-08:00

These next few months are pretty insane for me - I'll be in 6 different states and 1 different country before the end of May is here. Crazy! Even though my schedule is packed, I'm really excited to get to all of these places/meetings.

Anyway, I purchased a fun LeSportSac bag with Christmas money that I thought would be perfect for my upcoming travels. While I love its functionality, it doesn't hold my laptop :( I spotted a sweet Fossil bag at Macy's that I'm dying to get. And I should, right, since I'll be getting a raise? This is the one that I want - the "Key-per" - at only $88, I think it's a good deal:

And then, I spotted the Holy Grail of travel bags - the Vintage re-issue Weekender:

At $218, I think that Paul would kill me if I bought it. Drool.

Kansas City here I come...

2011-02-24T11:46:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I leave for a 3 day meeting in the land of good barbecue (oh so I've heard): Kansas City. I'm meeting with a few NWP folks to plan the 2011 Web Presence Retreat, which will be held in May. The weather looks a little menacing - snow flurries - so let's hope I don't get stuck there. However, after reading this Kansas City City Guide on Design*Sponge, that doesn't sound so bad!

Ladies that Craft

2011-02-23T09:30:00.000-08:00

Knowing I had some serious crafting to complete before my spring travels, I held a "Ladies that Craft" lunch/craft session on Saturday. I invited 2 of my craftiest friends, and we sat around my table, ate yummy food, drank wine, and crafted away. Erin made a delicious Lemon Pound Cake (which we had for dessert) and was working on a few knitted items. Jenny and I worked on a few things for her sisters upcoming baby shower:

Awesome streamers from Oh Happy Day

Poms from Martha Stewart

A make-your-own-onesie station

Can't show pics of our final projects, as it's supposed to be a surprise for the mama and papa-to-be. Additionally, I worked on a new quilt for another mama and papa-to-be (those pics to come soon). This is definitely going to become a permanent "Ladies that..." event. Wanna join us??

Introducing Coco Boling

2011-02-22T10:24:00.001-08:00

The newest member of the family (aka "Fulton farm" as some people have called it). I have to say that it's not actually just the Fulton farm - it's the Boling farm too, since Paul is the number 1 supporter of adopting Coco.

Last night we spent some quality pup cuddle time with Coco (we don't pick her up until Sunday). Knock on wood, but she was a joy! She took to snuggling in her bed, and licked/played with her new stuffed monkey toy. We have made all of the preparations in our home for her arrival - I just can't wait! We've been talking about getting a dog for at least a year - we couldn't decide on the right time, the right breed, etc. Then this little mutt came into our lives. We realized that there's never the "perfect" time to get a dog (like having a child) - but we feel prepared enough to take on the house training right now and give her enough love to be a wonderful family dog. Welcome to the ~~farm~~ family Coco!

Snow in SF?

2011-02-17T14:32:00.001-08:00

If you've ever needed evidence of global warming, come to the bay area. Last week, we had temps in the 70's, sun, and warm breezes. Today we have dumping rain, fierce winds, and snow on Mt. Diablo. Now really, we've always had this kind of bi-polar winter weather (ever since I can remember, at least) - though it seems like it's getting even wackier. I remember when I was a small child and it snowed on the hill tops in San Jose (elevation 1000ft maybe?), though I've never heard of snow fall in San Francisco. Today there was an interesting article on The Poop (San Fransisco Chronicle's baby blog. Don't ask). It featured some really old photos of the "great snows" of SF:

1887:
Probably easier to stay warm in petticoats
From the collection of John Carpenter/Chronicle archives

Outside of the Conservatory of Flowers in GGP
Courtesy Edward Brown & Lorio/Chronicle archives

1962:
Crazy hippies
UPI photos

The SFO airport
Aero Photographers/Special to the Chronicle

When I lived in Boston, I thought the city looked so beautiful when it snowed. Never mind what it looked like after the snow (i.e. dirty slush, garbage, and salt everywhere). I have a few distinct memories of staring out my window on Commonwealth Ave, watching the snow fall and feeling like I was in the middle of a forest. No cars driving by, no people on the street - just the quiet noise the snow makes. I would be stoked for a Berkeley snow day right about now!

Rustic "chic" camping shower

2011-02-16T13:09:00.000-08:00

Let me preface this post with I AM NOT PREGNANT.

However, that does not stop me from having baby-related blogs in my RSS feed. My newest discovery today is Ontobaby.com (from the ladies at Wedding Chicks). They sure have the market covered, don't they?

Anyway, this post has me written all over it. Friends and family, when you throw my baby shower, will you please make it a Rustic Chic Camping theme??

Flannels are required

The colors remind me of our wedding...

How cute is the garland?

The texture on the cake is like wood grain. SO AWESOME

Photos by Carlie Renee for Gabriel Ryan Photographers. All other vendors are on the post.

Most productive day off EVER

2011-02-15T14:43:00.000-08:00

Today, I finally tackled a project that's been a thorn in my side for many months - the craft room. About a month ago, I painted a few walls a beautiful color called "Solitude" - I couldn't decide what new furniture I needed, what I already owned that I would repurpose, or how I would arrange it all. Well, my friends, I'm so excited with the results! I can't wait to start crafting away in this space!

Closet Before:

Closet After:

Ikea table for crafts:

My sewing space:

Bulletin board up close:

Happy Valentines Day

2011-02-14T10:12:00.000-08:00

Whether you think Valentines Day is a Hallmark sham-holiday, or whether you think it's the perfect occasion to tell the people in your life that you love them, I hope you have a great day! Paul and I celebrated early with a nice homemade dinner - on the menu was surf and turf with ice cream and berries for dessert:

Then, Paul surprised me with a few fun presents:

Hairpins from my favorite Benicia boutique

Egg holders for our soon-to-be-fresh eggs!

A new cookie cutter

New addition to my S&P collection

I got Paul a bottle of Cazaderos Anejo tequila and a few limes. Because he loves that *almost* as much as he loves me....

p.s. I'm in love with the Retro camera app on my phone. I don't think I'll ever take "ordinary" pics again!

Annual Review time

2011-02-11T14:19:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year in the NWP - the time when educators from across the network come to Berkeley to review continuing funding applications for current sites. What does this mean/entail, you ask? Well, each wonderful site across our network (over 200 in all 50 states, DC, PR, and the Virgin Islands) must submit a proposal to get federal funding every year. Leaders from across these sites gather in Berkeley in February to do a peer review of these applications, recommend sites for funding, and write each site a thoughtful letter, telling them what a great job they are doing.

All of this happens in 2 1/2 days at the beautiful Berkeley City Club. Needless to say it takes lots of coordination, organization, and paperwork to get this all accomplished. This used to be one of the main events that I helped support (before my promotion). I'm still helping out this year, but don't have to worry about how the leaders got here or whether or not they have their pencil sharpener. I get to chit chat with my favorite site folks and make sure there's enough chocolate on the tables.

Here are a few shots from the morning:

The morning welcome
One of the review rooms

And a few of the Berkeley City Club. In case you didn't know, this place was designed by Julia Morgan (who also designed the Hearst Castle):

Year of the rabbit

2011-02-09T09:55:00.000-08:00

It's not surprising that this year is the "Year of the Rabbit" in the Chinese calendar. Seriously, people are having babies like bunnies this year! I already have 2 friends and a sister-in-law that have given birth within the first 5 weeks of 2011, and about 5 other friends/acquaintances that are due this summer. Not to mention all of the celebrities that are pregnant. It's in the water, I'm telling you!

This all means that it's time to get busy on baby projects (and by that I mean presents - not the baby making process) I already have 1 quilt in pre-production, and a few other small items in the works. My favorite piece so far is this cute onesie I "designed" online from this screen shop in Cincinnati (of all places). The graphics were limited, and since I don't have photoshop, I couldn't put anything fancy together. However, I thought the generic rafting clip art and the funky 70's font make it a fun and festive addition to the little guys wardrobe. Let's go rafting!

Sorry for the poor quality photo (I need a new camera!)

Tackling Circular Needles

2011-02-08T07:13:00.000-08:00

This post from Whip Up motivated me to (gasp!) try circular needles!! I've been really wanting to make a cowl neck scarf, and regular (even long) needles would be too cumbersome to use, especially since I do most of my knitting on the bus. The pattern came from Ravelry. Look how great it looks (so far!)

Stitch Nation's Alpaca Love in Peacock - who knew the lady from Stitch n' Bitch had a line of yarn?
I thought that the circular needles would be harder to maneuver, and that I would get confused and lose all of my stitches - but I was so wrong! Why didn't I start using these needles long ago? I must admit, I've very proud of myself. And only a few mess-ups so far (though they are hardly noticeable). I'll post pics when it's complete!

A week at the Ranch

2011-02-07T11:33:00.000-08:00

I've finally had the chance to download some of my pics from my visit to Redtail Ranch (aka my parents ranch) over the holiday break. The week I spent there involved good food, dogs, horses, thrift store shopping, friends, and snow. The biggest news was the welcoming of my mom, Kevin, and Rick's new Arabian horses (Mimi and Rio). They came all the way from West Virginia to be a part of the circus...err...ranch.

Up by the barn

Buster Boy

Toby (aka Mr. Ed)

Reggie-dog

Thrift store find

Mimi

Obligatory tractor photo

I do love visiting the ranch, and a week was just the right amount of time. My mom has reported that the new horses are doing well - and she's thinking about getting some chickens this spring! Quite the circus I tell you!

More valentines ideas

2011-02-04T11:22:00.000-08:00

Now this is something I'd like to make for Valentines Day....

ManMade's Chris Gardner shows you how to make a custom fingerprint piece of art for your Valentine this year.

What do you think? It's not too tacky-lovey-mushy, but heartfelt and cute. Paul probably could care less if I made it or not, but I think I might make it for myself..errr..."us".

Quarter life crisis?

2011-02-02T15:45:00.000-08:00

Have you ever heard the song “Why Georgia Why” by John Mayer*? It’s about being a twenty-somethingish person, figuring out if you’re on the “right” life path, why you’re doing what you’re doing, and where you’re “going” (somewhere, I assume, is the answer).

Some of the lyrics are really resonating with me right now. Namely:

Either way, I wonder sometimes
about the outcome
of a still verdictless life

Am I living it right?

-and-

It might be a quarter life crisis
or just the stirring in my soul

Maybe I’m doing some serious reflection because my 30th birthday is coming up in a few months. Not that I’m scared to be thirty, in fact, I can’t wait to be thirty! I feel like I’ve accomplished so much at thirty – a great start at a career, an awesome husband, my own house. But this “big” birthday is making me think a lot of what the next thirty years holds. Is my life still “verdictless”? As in, do I continue on the same path that I’ve created for myself, or can I create a new one? Can I back out? (and is it too late to back out?) Is this restlessness a quarter life crisis?

I remember when I was a bright-eyed-bushy-tailed 22 year old who wanted to save the world. I still do. I guess my 20's made me realize that I want to change the world in different ways than I ever expected. By having kids. By starting my own business. By connecting with amazing, inspiring teachers across this nation.

I guess only time will tell if I’m living it right. And I guess the only person that makes that determination is me.

*I know that as my husband’s reading this, he’s cringing. He hates John Mayer, almost as much as he hates Jack Johnson.

The Season of Love

2011-02-01T09:39:00.000-08:00

I love this Valentine Inspiration over at Eat Drink Chic. Makes me wanna start making things for the people I love. There are lots of fun tutorials on the web for Valentines gifts and crafts. My favorites are here, here, and here. And this lovely cake, just for good measure.

Trophy tour - coming to a city near you!

2011-01-31T12:13:00.000-08:00

The World Series Trophy has been making its way around California, and I can't wait til it comes to Vallejo on February 22nd! Who wants to take a picture with the trophy and me?

Winter reads

2011-01-28T09:54:00.000-08:00

One of my new year's resolutions is to be more sustainable and keep on workin' on my urban homestead. Well, today I came across this post on Design Sponge that included many inspirational books on sustainability, urban homesteading, and living handmade.

I'm resisting the urge to go out and buy every book on this list (another 5 days 'til payday), though I think this one is a must-buy for a weekend read:

The Urban Homestead: Your Guide to Self-sufficient Living in the Heart of the City
Now, we don't exactly live in the city, which is great because we have a lot of space to work with (read: garden, raise chickens, maybe a goat or two?) This post may have inspired me to put my work gloves on, rotate the compost pile, and start digging this weekend.

Happy Friday to all!

What I do after 2 glasses of wine...

2011-01-27T11:29:00.000-08:00

I make a kitty quilt! I mean, what else do people do when they are stressed out about getting CT scan results*? Yes, I'm cracked out. Let's just leave it at that. This is where I got the inspiration:

Craft: How to make a color spectrum cat bed
Now, I already had the squares cut out from a past project. Add some leftover scraps an voila! Kitty quilt heaven.

It's no pillow, but it will keep the cat hair from accumulating on the couch/cat scratch post/any other comfy spot a cat likes to sleep

*The CT scan I had Monday to see what's wrong with my ears. I'm sure I'll be fine, I just keep chanting in my best Arnold Schwarzenegger voice "it's not a TUUU-MA!"