Catching up!

So here I am, like you probably, trying to catch up to myself before the New Year. Lately, I sometimes feel like it's a never ending cycle of running to keep up with myself.

This has been a crazy year, for sure. Maybe you feel the same way. Merely two years ago, my life was predictable, even in its unpredictability. I worked a steady job, and ran around overtime doing art. I felt my life had purpose and despite the fact that I wasn't quite living up to my parents' idea of what a "good job" or good life was, I was happy. Not rich, not glamorous (although oddly, I WAS in performing arts), but happy.

Fast forwarding to the present, it seems as if I've fallen down some ridiculous rabbit hole and ended up somewhere completely nonsensical.

Anyone who's known me has known for some time that I've worked freelance in one of the most expensive cities for the past two years.
It's not a grand living, and in the meantime, I've been searching for jobs that are sort of more "meaty", and not necessarily near the city. Nope, not anywhere city-like at all. See, I have a fever. Again, if you know anything at all about me, I have this unbelievable desire to live the life of a farm-girl. And, no, I don't have a definitive reason for this except I've always loved nature, animals, old fashioned life and...well, anything FARM-like.

As you might know, "ain't no money in farming." Although, apparently there IS, according to some ads I have seen in the past two years of searching. Farm jobs seem to be a plenty--some more legitimate than others, apparently. Oh, I could tell you some funny stories of ads from even high-end corporate farms and dairies looking for people with my background skills, which SOUNDED great up front, but never really lived up to what they promised in the way of compensation. Looking back, some of these scenarios are now hilarious..if they weren't a little tragic (Cometragedy? Tragecomedy?)

Well, you see where this is going, right? I'm telling you this because you may remember this post awhile back (yep, I'm trying to catch up here!) where I might finally have a great job going in Kansas. A whole farming family with 700 acres and three generations of farming(swoon!) of corn, soy, cattle, and other Big Ag products was looking to diversify their farm. They needed ideas, someone organizational, and maybe some big city consumer insight. So guess who stepped in?

They actually paid my ticket to come out and I spent an amazing two days being on their unbelievable property. I loved their family vibe (the kids and their families lived within a two mile radius and were always in and out and helping the matriarch and patriarch--and boy was there a lot of food served!). The visuals were breathtaking!

This old house was built by the great-grandfather of the Moore's. He was the first to buy the property...

The family was very nice, they took me to farmer's markets and antique stores and organic stores (there is a suprisingly huge organic movement in Kansas that resembles something more on the line of LA or New York City!) and basically had me fall in love with Kansas. I loved the beauty of the wildflowers, creeks, the deer, the spotted tailed hawks and owls we saw every day in the fields....

But then when it came down to talking about the logistics of actually having me manage their farms, the family couldn't agree on what to do...the older ones being afraid of change, although the younger ones were the ones pushing forward for diversifying their farms. In the end, I couldn't guarantee them success (who CAN, really, though?) and I gave them the best business plan that they could use. I think it was too much of a change for some and I didn't end up with the job.

Now, let me say that I love this family and hold no ill will; I can TOTALLY understand being in their situation...dealing with business and money is never a sure-fire proposition, and they were simply being cautious. They were quite lovely to me and I will cherish the experience of being there.

But there is an internal grummmbling in my head. How do I get a green job? Or something remotely like it? How long do I wait before some sort of fortune comes my way?



Well, it might be sooner than you think....so while I won't be moving to Kansas, other things will certainly be moving! And that's another story I'll soon be telling you!

In the meantime, here are some lovely "souvenirs" I bought back from Kansas:

A feather from a hawk, and giant oak acorns:

An old hat box in pink and white, a hand sewn bag from an antique store, several sawed ancient oak trunks and an old metal tea box, from the old house on the Moore farm that was pictured above...

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you Peace, Love, Friendship and Kindness!

A few pictures I took around Town:

A Snowman from this past week's snow!

And a famous New York Christmas Tree....

Many Bright Blessings!

SNOW!

Alright Lovelies...I had a totally different post ready to go today, which would explain my wee absence from blogging. Lots of changes are headed to Wild At Heart...some good and some perhaps challenging.

But why worry about that when there are CLEARLY more important and timely things to talk about such as:

SNOW!

As a child, I always loved snow. Something magical overtakes the world, in my opinion. And no matter how much science tries to define snow as crystalized water molecules, there is just no getting around it's magic.
Somewhere along the way, though, I lost my love of snow. Maybe it's one too many years of living in New York, where snow quickly become dirty sleet underneath car tires and such.

Luckily, over the last few years, snow has managed to weave it's frosty spell on me again...and just in time!

(CLICK on PICS to enlarge!)


This is what I woke up to this morning:

It's the back of our brownstone, in our little gardenstead. I booted up and climbed our (precariously slippery!) fire-escape to go to the roof and check on the bees. The bees are okay (I think!) but I did need to dig out their little entrances. Not that they needed them to fly in or out of--they are now in a big ball, huddled deep in their hive for warmth.

While on the roof, I took a different shot of our little garden:

From there, I decided to trek down to the mother of all nature areas in the Big City, Central Park. I love Central Park, it's one of the few places for a nature girl like me to get her fix of flora and fauna.

Once in Central Park, something magical happened. The wintery spirit of cheer and imagination seemed to come from everywhere and everyone. As I made my way into the park, I was first struck by the beauty of snow everywhere.

No it's not a painting, this is really a scene from atop a hill in the park!

Clearly, Jack Frost had his hands full last night!

I still love the ivy clinging to the tree in the foreground!

I also saw the sweetest and happiest scenes of people all around me. There were loads of children accompanied by parents and various sleds and snow gliders, such as this little rabble, walking in front of me:



Children in colorful and impish winter-wear ran about like wild wee elves!


The snow had turned everything enchanted and romantic, such as this path under the bridge:

Ahh, amore!

And New Yorkers showed just how creative, self-sufficient and surprising they could be!

Look again, she's on skis!

Perhaps my favorite pictures are these, of this hill where everyone gathered. Children being chased by their sweet family dogs, sledding downhill, friends talking together, and so much more.



By the way, the large building in the background is The Metropolitan Museum, which I talked about in this post.

Anyhow, the picture very much reminded me of the works of Pieter Bruegel, who seemed to have a penchant for expressing the energies of winter.



Cold as it was outside, it was a very warm day today; people smiling and greeting each other, stranger or not, even New Yorkers can surprise me with their kindness every so now and then!

Ahh, but how to bottle this sort of love for the whole year round?

I hope your holidays are as special as this.....

Thanksgiving Mayhem! Part 2

Continuing the story of Thanksgiving Adventures from the last post...

A few days after we went to several food markets, my sister and I went to both the Metropolitan Museum and Times Square.

The Metropolitan is one of the largest (if not the largest) museum that holds antiques in one place. Artifacts, art and priceless relics from various civilizations and times make up this HUGE museum. It takes up an entire city block, and could probably take a whole day to see all of it (I've never been able to visit all of the exhibits in one visit, there is definitely A LOT of walking involved!)

Here are some highlights:

Ancient Egypt

Hatshepsut the Pharaoh Queen


The temple of Dendur--a temple accredited to Cleopatra.
The whole temple is INSIDE the building!


Ancient Indian Civilization



Medieval




Ancient China


There's my sister, again!


American

Here is a whole courtyard of Nouveau American Sculpture!

And that was a fraction of what you would see if you went!

The day after the museum excursion, we went to Times Square--the heart of Broadway!

Actually, I think much of it is an advertiser's dream--huge electrified signs...not unlike Vegas, or a big crazy circus:

Here is the tower from which the New Year's Ball is dropped every year! Very different during the daytime, no?

The Hard Rock Cafe:

More crazy lights....

These next two pics illustrate the difference between my sister and I...

Who do you think was the straight A, top 10 grade point average bookworm?

Or the ultra flamboyant performing arts student? I know, it's hard to tell which is which, right?

Anyhow, after that, it was a trip to a bakery shop for hip-inducing food and fun! And that, my friends is the story of our Thanksgiving mayhem!

Thanksgiving Mayhem! Part 1

Hello Lovelies!

As promised in my last post--here are a few of the MANY MANY pictures my sister and I took while she was visiting me over the Thanksgiving holiday...

First--because I am such a farm-girl, we went to the large and lovely farmer's market downtown (really, you wouldn't think this was in the middle of New York City!)

Squash

...and more squash!

What could scream "Farmer's Market" more than a huge chicken display sign? Oh, believe you me, I was thinking of how to sneak it home!

Lovely dried flowers and plants

Mmmmm...piessss....

These guys were at a Christmas fair next door to the farmer's market. They were selling Swedish and Norwegian foods. The costumes were definitely a selling point!

Then we went to Chelsea Market, which is a renovated historic warehouse (apparently selling many goods in the 30's and 40's), which is now home to some high end food and goods stores. It was wonderful!

Here is an amazing cake bakery! Love the little Sesame Street iced cupcakes at the top!

At the same shoppe were some gorgeous wedding cakes. We were in love with the one on the right, which LOOKED like a wedding dress! (Click to enlarge)

The inside of the warehouse is all exposed brick and structural magic. Here, my sister stands in front of a "fountain" that is made of an old, exposed pipe!

Further along, in front of a lovely organic produce store, we found an interesting carved pumpkin display--maybe a lasting ode to fall?

Check out this interesting bunch! Note the "turkey" on the right:

I loved this guys nosepiece:



And I really loved this hand carving and little lightbox next to it...


Other interesting carvings:

Just in case you get lost....

A pumpkin carving of a...pumpkin! Plus, the name of the organic produce store:


And, of course, in case you wanted to look it up:

(Hmmm...I wonder if they will give me free products in exchange for free publicity?! Ahh, well, a girl can dream, right?)

Next up, a visit to the metropolitan museum and Times Square!