Seriously, how excellent is this? It’s an elephant teapot. I didn’t really need it. Even when I drink tea, I almost never use a teapot. But when I saw it in the store, I loved it.

I was responsible. [...]]]> I have a fixation I didn’t even know about. It started with this teapot.

Seriously, how excellent is this? It’s an elephant teapot. I didn’t really need it. Even when I drink tea, I almost never use a teapot. But when I saw it in the store, I loved it.

I was responsible. I didn’t buy it. But I kept thinking about it. Which of course meant I needed to go back and buy it. So I did.

Then, on my quest for a vintage snail planter I once saw on Etsy (what, I didn’t tell you about my quest? I’ll save that for another post.), Ebay told me I needed this:

That, my friends, is a gravy frog. And I needed it. Again, my cooking doesn’t involve a lot of gravy, or any separately served sauces, really. But how could I possibly go on without a froggy gravy boat? So I bought it.

When I went to take a picture of the frog to show my excellent Ebay find, I remembered the elephant teapot. And that is how I figured out I have some sort of weird animal serveware fixation. I don’t seek it out. These things find me. What comes after an elephant teapot and a gravy frog?

I can’t even imagine.

SciFi Man and I spent a long weekend in Chicago. We met up with some of his friends and visited the Field Museum and the Shedd Aquarium. I’ve always had a soft spot for fish and watery places, so I really loved spending an afternoon at the aquarium. They had exhibits covering a [...]]]>

SciFi Man and I spent a long weekend in Chicago. We met up with some of his friends and visited the Field Museum and the Shedd Aquarium. I’ve always had a soft spot for fish and watery places, so I really loved spending an afternoon at the aquarium. They had exhibits covering a wide range of habitats, but my favorite was the Wild Reef exhibit, which was absolutely full of vibrant, beautiful corals and fish.

I also really liked seeing the “coral nursery,” where the aquarium was raising new corals for the exhibit. There were several tanks full of baby corals, and it looked as though two fish were helping to tend them.

Obviously, there was more to see at the aquarium than what I’ve posted here, but I didn’t want to overwhelm you with pictures. You can see more aquarium photos on my flickr stream.

A small bit of my stationery stash.

I have always had a special place in my heart for pretty stationery. Over the years, I have created a collection of pretty papers and note cards that seems to outpace my opportunities for sending little notes and letters. I will often [...]]]> …than a hand-written note?

A small bit of my stationery stash.

I have always had a special place in my heart for pretty stationery. Over the years, I have created a collection of pretty papers and note cards that seems to outpace my opportunities for sending little notes and letters. I will often glance at my stationery stash and wish for a reason to send someone a note by mail. I finally found a reason with a post on IndieFixx this week, in which Jen proposed the Penpal Project. Inspired by some e-mail problems, she thought it would be great to connect IndieFixx readers with one another to exchange real, snail mail letters. I love it! I have already arranged to be penpals with a couple of people, but if you are also interested, send me a message (there’s a link to my email just over there, on the left)! (I’m serious. Let’s be penpals. Who doesn’t love mail?)

Sometimes, it seems like things snowball. And this handwritten-note/stationery love thing is one of them. Just today, I stumbled across a giveaway on Elephantine for some really lovely note cards and gift tags made by Kristin Sanchez. You should definitely take a peek at her charming Etsy shop and sign up for the giveaway. If you win, you can use one of the note cards to send a letter to your new penpal!

Do you remember the story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff? I didn’t remember all the details, but the character of the troll really stuck with me. Throughout the years, I’ve occasionally encountered people that I’ve thought of as “bridge trolls.” I know that isn’t [...]]]>

The Big Billy-Goat Gruff Tramped Over the Bridge

Do you remember the story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff? I didn’t remember all the details, but the character of the troll really stuck with me. Throughout the years, I’ve occasionally encountered people that I’ve thought of as “bridge trolls.” I know that isn’t very nice, but then, sometimes we meet people who aren’t very nice, too!

Over the weekend, I visited with a friend who lives in a small town nearby. We spent a day visiting small local shops and antique stores. And when I came upon this illustration of the Big Billy Goat and the Troll from a 1938 version of the story, I simply had to buy it. I mean, seriously, who else feels such a strong connection with the bridge troll? It was meant to be.

Of course, then I had to look up the story to remember how it went, and I was sad to learn that the billy goats triumphed by apparently killing the mean old bridge troll. Sure, he threatened to eat them, but he also never actually did. Poor guy. Also, it strikes me that a lot of children’s stories and songs are seriously morbid. I mean, the big billy goat actually says to the troll:

Well, come along! I’ve got two spears,
And I’ll poke your eyeballs out at your ears;
I’ve got besides two curling-stones,
And I’ll crush you to bits, body and bones.

Sheesh! I’m feeling more and more sympathetic for this poor little troll. And maybe I will start being a little warmer towards the “bridge trolls” in my own life, too. Maybe. Either way, I’ve now got this fabulous bit of bridge troll art for my wall, and I love it.

Are there any bridge trolls in your life? Or any other creatures from weird children’s stories that you’ve held on to the way I have the bridge troll?