Good things

I love fall. I love seeing my fruit bowl full of apples and pears:


My dad eats his pears green and crispy. For most of my life I assumed that was the way you should eat a pear. Only in the last 8 years or so have I discovered how much better they taste when they are actually ripe. But not too ripe. I like them to still have a hint of green to them so they aren't too soft. Why am I talking about this? I have no idea. On to more interesting ramblings...

For the first time in a loooong time, Martha Stewart inspired me. Usually I just try to pretend she doesn't exist so I can live my life feeling somewhat capable. After touring some model homes, KB Homes gave me a gift subscription to Martha Stewart Living. A normal person might enjoy receiving a complimentary magazine in their mailbox. Not me. I can't stand that magazine and all that it represents, namely order and unrealistic expectations.

Everything is executed perfectly, from the plum tarts with goat cheese to the holiday table settings. Even the crafts are designer quality and not likely to be achieved without several uninterrupted hours dedicated to their accomplishment. In fact I have a hard time qualifying them as crafts in the first place when the supplies cost three times what the final product would retail for.

Don't get me wrong, I love crafts and I do appreciate organization, especially since I'm completely deficient in that area, but who is this woman kidding? No one, and I mean no one can do/make all the stuff compiled in those monthly reminders of one's personal limitations. Maybe someone with healthy self esteem looks at those magazines and sees beauty and something to strive for. Me? I see beauty and more evidence that I will never measure up. Martha would go into convulsions if she entered my home. If she deigned to enter my home.

So imagine my surprise when after flipping through page after page of domestic perfection, I find something that even I, warty and hunchbacked though I may be, can do. Of course, not quite in the Martha way...

Martha's version:



My version:




Can't really afford to use raw silk and velvet, Martha. Especially when cut on the bias. But thanks for the idea. Yes, mine are a little bit country and yours are a little bit ... well, not rock 'n roll ... more like champagne wishes and caviar dreams.

And I like mine better.

So there, Martha.