Murmuring in these last days of winter

Is that a murmur of starlings?! I couldn't tell, but I was driving & tried my best to catch these guys on the fly. ;) ;)

"... Ah world, what lessons you prepare for us; even in the leafless winter, even in the ashy city..."

Fuel Friends and Phosphorescent

Some say love, is a burnin' thing. 

You know when you have your music, new or old, playing in the background of whatever you're doing and then a song whispers, "Stop. What you are doing. Right. Now. And pay attention."

I Missed Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice - It's the shortest and darkest day of the year. It also marks the first day of winter. It was on December 21, 2012. And I missed it.

This was taken a couple days after Winter Solstice at my parents' house in Ohio - many a memory on this swing.

Rap Battles in the Rain

Every now and then the city (life) feels familiar and known and comfortable and predictable. That's not all bad. It's not really good either. But every now and then, Chicago (life) surprises me. Like it did a few nights ago - when I was asked to judge a rap battle in the rain.

Today, so far.

visual stun gun

You know, what-the-hey. Here's another poem for this week. Because we can. My brother wrote this whilst  'doing the dating dance' with his now wife.  His one year old son, Zeke, inherited the same blue stun-guns. 

She had a pair of blue-eye stunners
that pinned me to my chair
A bright flash of cotton candy sky
struck frozen by a stare

For that split second
with a smile on her lips and a step that quickened
time put on the brakes
and i was drunken

its an odd feeling,
paralyzed by a glance.
being numbed for a jiffy
with only a glance.

winter was the year for sleeping

it's a poetry kind of week.

Here's an old one of mine.

p.s. Rachel took these lovely photos.

Cold Hands

poetry.

High Tide

This picture.

Final in this calendar series. Additionally, it's my least favorite. Too muddy. No one guessed this picture, but here is the good news: if you guessed at all, I'm sending you a calendar! Yay for you! Yay for us! Yay for everyone!

-KM

kristen mrdjanov

I know it's not the last illustration but...

You're looking at Dewalt's newest Drill Competition Champion at Home Depot. Fastest Dude to drill 5 screws in a row. Hands off Ladies...this handyman is taken. Additionally, he did NOT screw his finger into the board, as did another contestant.

Calendar Contest

We're feeling in the Holiday spirit! If you guess which image has been selected from below for the final piece of calendar art by 8am CST on Monday morning, I will send you three calendars in the mail to share with your lovely friends, and a silly note from me and Rach. (This is not chronological, so could be for any month of the year). Guess in the comments section: illustrated image will be up on Monday.

Also, if a friend indicates you've shared our blog with them...one calendar for you (limit one each person, let's not go overboard)!

More after the jump...

Tree Tops

This photo.

I couldn't sleep last night.

One more in this calendar series...

-KM

<Last 'crafted' post: Dirty Laundry
 
>Next 'crafted' post: ?

Through a Dark Mirror, Dimly

KM

My husband will tell you that I am my gender’s biggest critic.  I cringe at the thought of being swallowed into women’s events: at being surrounded by mindless prattle. Don’t get me wrong: I often enjoy myself once there, and am guilty of “loving her shoes”, but in general, the thought of entering into it is painful. Lots of...fluff.  The longer I am on this planet, the more I realize that I share my father’s loathe of small talk.  And, I realize that while some of my rough edges have gotten shaved off by life, in many ways I have become sharper. Not in the intellectual sense.

MORE

DIY: Memory Jars

Last year, I was looking to create gifts for my family that were meaningful and wouldn't break the bank. I also was itching to get crafty! These memory jars were so much fun to do and pretty well-received and appreciated. They just took a little more time than finding that video game on your bro's wish list. (Sorry, Paul.) ;)

MORE

Chi-Town Love.

Rachel sent this to me today. I'm betting it sings to you in the morning.

Favorite Andrew Bird song? This is mine.

A little love-

RM and KM

Night Lights

 

I like looking out the windows while trapped inside at work. Seeing the sun setting and knowing I will soon be both entering and leaving work in darkness... well, scenes like these are a comfort. They are a consolation prize that actually mean something to me.

Real thoughts after the jump...

Let Your Heart Be Light

Hel-lo, December.

Agape: Through it all.

Always to and fro

Before I headed back to Ohio for Thanksgiving, a friend asked me what I was most looking forward to.

Dirty Laundry

This picture.

It's been a long day.

-KM
kristen mrdjanov
<Last 'crafted' post: The Thinker
 
>Next 'crafted' post: Tree Tops

The Thinker

This photo.
A song to listen to.Closing in on the final 12.

Much love, guys.

-KM
<Last 'crafted' post: Trembling Hands
 
>Next 'crafted' post: Dirty Laundry

Jeweled Brown Sugar Cranberry Tart

THIS IS OUR 100th POST!!!

I was told to bring whatever I wanted to Thanksgiving this year, so we brought two desserts...Pumpkin Cheesecake with Eggnog Caramel, and this Brown Sugar Cranberry Tart. In preliminary taste tests, this tart was the favorite, but I do have a tenuous relationship with Pumpkin. I know Thanksgiving is over, but there is still more than a month to scarf enjoy festive desserts. The cranberries are so pretty in the custard!

Recipe after the jump...

Fab

So... this is going on at Fab.com right now.

I also look like I just rolled out of bed, but maybe that's the beachy look they were going for?

Maybe it was just a Hard Day's Night. Either way, some of these pictures could end up in my mom's photo album.

-KM

A Room with a View

I like taking walks at night because I like peeking into other people's lives. Lights are on: pockets of lives on display. I know.... it's creepy. Olden day Facebook, if you will. There's something mystifying about how we are all living simultaneously, completely oblivious of each other. I also like looking at other people's photo albums. Some think that's creepy too. Maybe you feel the same way. Either way, peeping or not, here are some pictures from this last weekend. Don't feel obligated to click through unless you're my mom.

Melt, Cleveland and it's 'cheesy' decor.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum

The destruction of Thomas in Words with Friends

More after the jump...

Apple-Pecan Caramel Skillet Crisp

Recipe and photos after the jump...

Cornmeal-Crusted Trout with Warm Tomato Salsa

I know. Fish are a polarizing food. Whole fish are especially polarizing. We didn't eat a lot of fish growing up, although we asked for fish sticks as kids, which my mom didn't pretend to understand. Really? You want these? With Ketchup? Really?

As a poor college student, I definitely didn't eat fish. Too expensive. I was also too busy eating rice and salsa, which was about the extent of my culinary prowess.

However, I do like fish. David didn't grow up on fish either, so we're en-devouring on this journey together. How exactly to you scale a fish? How do you bone it? Why go to all this effort when you can roast a chicken in 45 minutes flat and not even have to look at the weird fish eye staring at you? 

Because, my precious: "The rock and pool, is nice and cool, so juicy sweet. Our only wish, to catch a fish, so juicy sweet."

Recipe after the jump...

Impossible To Know: Degrees of Separation

This is long overdue, y'all.

 
Impossible To Know by Kelly Condron from JakeVK on Vimeo.

So rewindin' back to July: I was asked by ma friend Jake to help with a music video he was plannin' on shooting for musician Kelly Condron.

I can't recall how I responded to him, but I remember thinking, "Umm... yeah!"

This is where six degrees of separation comes in. There are more connections in this video than I can keep track of, and that's what I find most awesome about this adventure.

Trembling Hands

This picture.

This song.


Lots of love,
-KM
kristen mrdjanov

<Last 'crafted' post: Pencil Light
>Next 'crafted' post: The Thinker

A short note to parents of teenagers.

A short note to parents of teenagers:

I was asked what advice I'd give parents of teenagers. I’m not a parent, but I’ll share the two things I most appreciated about my parents.  Both are related to transparency: on your kids' part, and on your part.

More after the jump...

Pencil Light

This picture.

This series.

Think hard. Work hard. Play hard.

-KM
kristen mrdjanov
<Last 'crafted' post: Mirror Mirror 
>Next 'crafted' post: Trembling Hands

A letter to my 16 year old self (part 2).

Oh hey. Hello.

You remember when I told you I’d have some advice for my 16 year old self…tomorrow? Yes, I’m aware that was four days ago.  But, we’re here now.

More...

[Mon]day Magic: Master and a Hound

Hey, Monday.

Wonder Bombs (cont)

After the jump...

An Ode to Warmth

::sigh:: I think our Golden Days are coming to a close. How sweet was our Indian Summer? With the reports on Hurricane Sandy and the "early winter" forecasts (hyperbolic in nature, but yikes...), I've been taking in the last touches of warmth while I can. Grateful for those sun spots...

A letter to my 16 year old self. Part 1.

Hey Guys! We always appreciate your supportive emails, and especially enjoy the blogging suggestions.  Someone recently asked me what advice I would give to my high school self.

 A Note (real news starts tomorrow!) after the jump...

Mirror Mirror

This picture.

Happy Monday.
-KM
<Last 'crafted' post: Drama
>Next 'crafted' post: Pencil Light

Drama

This picture.

Getting ready for a little drama with my Mama tomorrow.  

Beso beso,
-KMkristen mrdjanov
<Last 'crafted' post: Skipping Stones

>Next 'crafted' post: Mirror Mirror

And That's Life.

Radiolab did a short recently on "what a slinky knows" (here's a link to the piece).

This really isn't going to be boring and science-y, I promise. Life lesson stuff.

Slinky linky...

Skipping Stones

Not the best copy ever. This picture.
Part of this series.

Love to you.
-KM
kristen mrdjanov
<Last 'crafted' post: Whispers

>Next 'crafted' post: Drama

Anchors, Futures, & Everything in Between.

Solomon: (Rising.) You see, it’s also, this particular furniture—the average person he’ll take one look, it’ll make him very nervous.
 

VICTOR: Why’ll it make him nervous?

Solomon: Because he knows it’s never gonna break.

Some thoughts after the jump...

Fall, Football, & Some Thoughts on Being Perfect

Before the storm - a little father-son futbol action was taking place on the Nettlehorst Elementary School playground.

Oh, Autumn.