on the wings of the wind

yesterday morning an incredible flock of 33 geese passed over our home. i'm glad to have been looking out the window just at the right time. geese are a common sight in this area yet i am always awe struck by the beauty of their flight. whether it be a single bird or 100.

another flock of a different feather passed by yesterday afternoon. this flock numbered 31 birds. Rob had mentioned he saw what he presumed to be the biggest *flock of seagulls (*no pun on the band intended) the day before. as luck would have it, yesterday he was in the yard and i noticed his gaze fixed upon the sky...

...observing poetry in motion.

"But you were never made, as I, on the wings of the winds to fly! The eagle said."~ 1911, Will Carleton, poet.

i cannot readily identify these aerial friends from my rudimentary knowledge of bird breeds, but seagulls they are not. cranes maybe? they emitted the most gentle and soft pigeon/dove-like cooing, a beautiful and melancholy sound... if you know what birds they are, please do leave a comment and let me know. i was enchanted by them.

bon voyage my friends! how i would love to fly away with you.

*thank you Chicago for being the first US city to dim tall building lights to save birds' lives during migration season. to learn more visit Lights Out at Audubon.org and Lights Out Chicago.

slow journey

you may recall i mentioned earlier this month i had sent a group of new bears to abracadabra teddies UK shop. well, they still have not arrived. sadly, they missed their target arrival to be included in the big birthday party november 20th :( i just hope at this point they are safe and warm, and it's just a simple matter of being delayed at customs or something. will keep you posted if i hear anything.
this is norman, a classic "antiqued" sock monkey. he's the last monkey needing a home over at the wonderful Collins Gifts. he's hoping to join your holiday festivities (just keep him away from the egg nog, if you want any left for yourself). need i mention how talented monkeys are at the art of xmas tree decorating? hand him some tinsel and let him do his thang. *reminder, there will be no more monkeys until 2011*!

we are enjoying thanksgiving leftovers tonight... again! and down to that last slice of apple pie. enjoy the rest of black friday weekend!

a Garland of Birds

"Nothing is more honorable than a grateful heart." ~Seneca

giving thanks to all creatures and grandma's mushroom gravy

'tis the time of year when kitchens are aglow, the hearth fires warm cold hands and the cup of glögg lifts weary spirits...
when i was a teen, my grandmother would make a special vegetarian mushroom gravy pot just for me. everyone else around the table would end up liking it more than the meat gravy! mushroom gravy is on the menu tomorrow, as it has been for years. i'm making our traditional veggie feast from scratch, using mostly organic ingredients. the main dish is from a fantastic book that i refer to so often that it's falling apart. i highly recommend it:

the feast will be:

• Nutloaf (from Vegetarian Nights by Bonnie Mandoe)
  
• some Tofurkey deli slices, warmed
  
• whole cranberry sauce
• mashed potatoes
• roasted yams
• collard or mustard greens
• corn bread
  
• mushroom gravy
• apple pie

it's pretty simple and healthy! this year it's just the two of us, so they'll be plenty of leftovers. i try to steer away from tofu fake meat, as it's so processed. the fat Tofurkey ball doesn't appeal to me either... don't like the texture. the ultra thin Tofurkey deli slices are great and you can just peel off how many slices you want. there's plenty of protein in nut loaf anyhow. i'd best return to the kitchen where many bowls and pots await...

wishing you all a warm and wonderful thanks+giving. xoxo

secret sale of sorts

getting in the spirit of holiday madness, black friday approaching and all that~ i am having a secret sale on my sock monkeys over at my web site!! no lines, no waiting, or parking spot dueling ;) to snatch one up just send me an email: peng@peng-peng.com.

toodles!

pfatt marketplace november ellie

PFATT Marketplace update is today! my november offering is an adorable behatted mini elephant *peppermints* named appropriately after his gorgeous red tipped silver mohair on mint green backing. it's a marvelous color combo and *peppermints* shows it off well. he is one of a kind, and offered at a very special PFATT price, see his listing here. SOLD, thank you!

etsy treasury ~ charmed

hey! remember my art prints? i've totally neglected my 2-d art, and my fancy archival ink printer. but i do have some prints ready to go, like my old favorite *the silver squirrel* which is featured in etsy treasury "charmed" -curated by a very talented lady, dawn of laTouchables.

tomorrow is the 10th which = PFATT marketplace november update! check back tomorrow to see what cutie pie will be showcased.

signing off... and heading outside to enjoy this california-esque weather chicago is having! the gods have smiled on us :)

enter the kitty dreamscape

lo-fi cat psychedelic dreamscape music video animated/directed by my best gf/ art college classmate jeanne hospod. tomorrow is her *birthday*!
the ending gets me choked up 'cos it reminds me of my 3 kitties sailing into the afterlife. jeanne also was a 3 cat momma, now she has 2. both are rescues.

equal parts "ghost-rodeo, space-travel, cats, art and enlightenment from the far reaches of austin, tx". sit back and make sure the volume is on. it's a beautiful 4:30 minute ride :)

sunbathers

our first giant sunflower! i planted about 5 seeds but one dominated the others and took over. the overhead powerlines aren't very picturesque, but it's the city and that's how it is. the squirrels use them quite effectively as aerial bridges. speaking of squirrels...

i looked out my window one chilly morning and saw this little guy sunbathing absolutely motionless on the tree trunk for a good long while. enjoy it while you can, right?

we were graced with another Gemini sighting today. a real close encounter... our back deck! Rob ushered me into the kitchen "hurry hurry, shhhh.... don't scare her away". i said she can't hear us through the thick deck doors ;) it was so comforting to see a kitty nearby while having morning coffee. we miss the company of felines. i couldn't leave the room until she left.

have a fantastic weekend! hope there's sunshine on ya. xoxo

yum

a fellow cat lover/ dear friend forwarded this to me the other day. could you use a cup right now? me too :) being the season for all things warm-in-a-cup.

i'm back in the studio busy working on new bears for abracadabra teddies 10th birthday event happening november 20th. hopefully they will get there in time!

stay warm and cozy.