PROSPECT PARK SATURDAY.

Tall grasses around the lake.

Last Saturday we had the tiniest taste of spring weather: warm in the sun, chilly in the shade and a bit windy.  We decided to celebrate by walking to and around Prospect Park.  We stopped at the new (and first) Brooklyn Whole Foods to pick up some lunch, then strolled through the beautiful neighborhood of Park Slope before heading into the park.  We walked around for a bit, choosing a winding path we had never taken before, and pulled over to a bench to eat.  Afterwards we played frisbee for a bit and then continued on to one of the lakes for a look around before heading home.  There was just the smallest amount of ice left, and the ducks and seagulls were resting on it, while basking in the sun.  It got really cold the next few days, but one nice day sure gave us hope that warmer days are just around the bend!

Raf, lakeside.

One of the many lovely streets in Park Slope.

CRAZY CAT LADY.

I may have become a cat lover over the past few years.  It might have something to do with the guy I live with.  I guess I've thought of myself as a "dog person" for as long as I can remember.  We always had cats and dogs on my farm where I grew up, but I suppose I felt a bit more connected to the dogs.   But since meeting Raf (aka the Cat Whisperer), I've actually become really fond of discovering the personalities of cats.  They have SUCH personalities!  We had a few favorites in Berkeley -- one in particular (who happened to just let herself into our apartment through an open window whenever she wanted to say hello) we were really sad to leave behind (we miss you Orange Kitty!).  We definitely didn't expect to have feline pals in NYC.  However, our backyard (and our whole neighborhood of backyards) is somewhat of a sanctuary for approximately 12+ semi-wild cats.  There is an actual crazy cat lady who feeds them and has had some of them either spayed or neutered.  We don't feed them, but sometimes give them water (we make it warm so they can have their "kitten tea" in the morning), and Raf made a little shelter for them (see below), because we have had some incredibly cold days this winter.  This cast of characters are so unbelievably entertaining.  I'm not even kidding, some days it is impossible to get anything done.
They are just such funny personalities, and at this point we know exactly how they all fit into their little cat society out there.  We have even named them:  Noodles (name courtesy of our awesome upstairs neighbors), Tiny Noodles, Fluffy Noodles, Other Noodles, Beady, Brother (formerly Beady's Brother), Big Beady, Punk, Cookies, Mr. Fuzz, Jewels, Tubbers, and New One.  Seriously.

Drinking kitten tea, watching People TV.

Isn't Punk intimidating, yet beautiful?  :)

So cuddly.

Mr. Fuzz

Kitten shelter.

My sweet guy shoveled for them!

WINTER.

My first winter since moving back east from California.  Sigh...  I have never been a fan of cold weather. The snow was really pretty in the beginning, but it is now looking gross (as per every winter), and it has been really, really cold in New York.  We all could use some serious spring around here.  I can't wait for open windows and chirping birds, and greenery blooming!  But, we had a lot of friends and family visit (yay!) and this season was really nice in a lot of ways:

This guy's fancy winter work party.  And the cape he accessorized with.

Many cauliflower crust pizza nights.  SO yum!

This dog sitting on a rug in a carpet store window.

Pepitas on all of the salads.

Leftovers from a party.

It might have been a cold winter, but we had brilliant sun most days.  Thank goodness.

A few big snowfalls.

Amazing winter kitchen light.

My metalsmithing class and my first ring!

Visitors from Germany!

Over-the-top Christmas decorations on my street.

Fun with my 11-year-old niece in Manhattan.

Finding cool old signs in my neighborhood.

Getting bundled up.

Delicious pancake breakfasts.

Discovering the handiwork of a Berkeley friend at Anthropologie!

All of the roasted grape tomatoes on all of the things!

TEACHING ART.

Self Portrait, age 5.

I have an awesome job: teaching art privately to kids around Manhattan and Brooklyn.  Currently, most of my students are 4 and 5 and they are making some amazing art.  So much fun!

Self Portrait, age 4.

Self portrait, age 4.

Self portrait, age 4.

Cityscape watercolor and styrofoam print, age 5.

Van Gogh inspired watercolor and collage, age 4.

New York skyline at night, age 4.

New York skyline at night, age 5. (not quite finished :)

Observational drawing, age 5.

Abstract painting, age 4.

Abstract collage and printmaking, age 5.

Abstract paper sculpture, age 4.

Collage, age 5.

Observational drawing, age 5.

Pattern drawing, ages 4 & 5.

BACK IN THE UK!

We were recently in England for 10 days, in our old stomping grounds of Cambridge.  Raf had work there, and many of my students were on winter break, so I tagged along!  I forgot how beautiful it is -- the architecture, the lush green everywhere, the river...just all very lovely.  We spent many of our days hanging out with friends and it was so nice!  There was a bit of rain and some gloomy clouds, but we got pretty lucky as the sun seemed to show its face a lot.  It was definitely warm compared to NYC!  We celebrated the sun one of the days by taking a walk through the old city and along the river before reading in a park for a bit and then heading to a friend's for brunch:

A pathway along the river Cam.

Opposite the path and river.

They had some crazy rain and wind a few days before.  This was the aftermath in a nearby rubbish bin.

The swans!

Love this spot.

After the rain.

We spent a cold and mostly rainy day in a (tiny) nearby town called Ely.  It was very quaint and had an impressive cathedral.  

A park near the river in Ely.

This garden!  (Ely).

Inside the cathedral.

This buddy came over to say hello and let me give him a pet.

Raf warming up in the sun.

Tiny me next to the huge cathedral!

More cathedral.

Back in Cambridge...I spent most of my days (when not planning lessons for teaching - mostly during rainy spells) just walking and walking and walking around this beautiful city.  When we lived here, I got around by bike.  This time I really think I got a chance to actually stop and see more on foot.

Inside the gate of Trinity College.

A vegetarian restaurant (the Rainbow Cafe) we discovered just down the street from our hotel.  It was delicious.  Amazingly, we never went there when we were living in Cambridge.

King's College.  We got to eat a fancy fellows dinner here in the fancy dining hall as a guest of one of our (fancy) new friends (who happens to be a fellow there).  Lots of tradition and the fellows actually wear their robes at dinner :).

People enjoying the sunny day outside of King's College.

Beautiful street.

A light festival, King's College.

We stayed at a lovely hotel called the Hotel Du Vin.  It had a library where you could relax and have tea, and a cool bar in the cellar that looked like a wine cave.  We ate breakfast in the hotel bistro every morning.  One of the waiters got to know us pretty well as we ordered basically the exact same thing every morning.  By day 4, he would just kind of nod at me, and then go place the order!

Vegetarian English breakfast.  Raf would make a face out of it every day, which made our waiter smile a little smile. :)

French toast with yogurt, berries, and honey.  Yum.

My breakfast sweetie.

Sad/worried breakfast face.  

Switching it up one day!

View from our hotel.

This was my favorite street to bike down.

The view around the bend!

Gigantic door, with tiny door you actually walk through.

On the other side of the door.

Punting boat launch, near Trinity College.  This is where Raf and I went punting with our friend Amos.  You can read about that here.

Punters.

View from the bridge.

Cambridge is such a special place and I'm so glad I got to spend some more time there!