hump day nuggets: little bits of the season in photos and words about the last week
I rearranged my living room. It is amazing to me that, truly, there are endless possibilities for a different perspective. If moving objects becomes boring then there’s always the wall color. A new outlook, learning to appreciate a different landscape.
It’s almost like we are on vacation. Alice continually explores every inch of the space with her nose, Sam and Olive purr to the different view, thankful to have the same stuff to lay on. Ruby and Margot have new interest in toys because they are in a different place.
Yes, January is here. The time when I start to feel like I am in an exotic place because I moved the downstairs rug upstairs. I think that means it’s time to get away. Good thing I have some fun adventures on the horizon, beginning with my parents arriving tomorrow.
The shaking it up reminds me of when my high school art teacher taught us to draw the negative space around an object, instead of the actual object. Shifting what I was looking at and what I was trying to render changed everything for me, from then until now. Composition–whether in a photograph, an essay or conversation–is just as much about negative space as it is the positive space. It all matters.
nuggets.
:: I am so learning as I go with this whole parenting schtick. And I’ve learned a lot in the last few weeks. Like, Margot and Ruby have their own thing that has nothing to do with me. In fact, it’s often better without me. I have had to hold back at times, to keep from joining in. Sometimes, it’s hard to be on the out. Mostly, though, it is totally awesome.
:: We love the White Bean and Black Olive soup from Moosewood Cookbook and I planned to make it for my book club last weekend. I was out of some stuff and subbed some stuff and I’ll be damned if I didn’t make a very delicious soup that I want to share with you all.
White Bean and Black Olive Soup
adapted from Moosewood Cookbook
olive oil
1 onion, chopped
5 gloves, garlic minced
2 celery ribs, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 – 1 1/2 cups oven roasted tomatoes (I know that’s a tall order if you didn’t do it last summer but do it next summer – even if you don’t garden, buy from someone – and find endless opportunities to use the flavor-FULL bad boys)
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
4 cups water
2 cups cooked navy beans
1 can sliced black olives
salt
pepper
Throw a few tablespoons of olive oil in a soup pot over high heat, add onion. Cook for a few minutes. Add celery, carrots and green pepper. Cook for five minutes. Add water and barely bring to boil. Add tomatoes, beans and olives. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add garlic, basil, salt and pepper. So good.
:: Nose-freezing weather has made for super quick walks. I am loving my walks with the girls. Margot tells me stories peppered with observations. And, when she is in the stroller, she can’t see me smiling because she doesn’t like it when I smile while she is talking. She says, “Nooooo, mama. I am trying to tell you something. You can’t smile yet.”
“Mama, remember when I fell last year? That’s Amelia’s house. She isn’t home right now. My cheeks feel cold. When I am a great, big, big, giant, so giant girl like you I will drive. I will drive way, way faraway through the tunnel to Owen’s house every day. I really do like ducks a lot. Remember the ducks? Mom, tell me again where the ducks went.”
 |
| It might look cozy but it’s 12 degrees. |
:: Ruby is close to walking. I know *close* can last many months but sister friend adores being upright. Margot is mostly a good assistant except when she sees something more interesting to hold and forgets she is holding Ruby, not a doll.
But, to Margot’s credit, she kinda looks like a doll.
:: Andy gave a brief talk at the museum (he has a painting in the annual auction exhibition). I love how at-home my girls are at MAM. They sat front and center to hear their papa talk. Well, Margot sat and Ruby roamed, very excited by the stools and shoes with feet attached to them.
:: Margot has rediscovered a little cat her Great Aunt Jean made for her over a year ago. Darker blue is her new favorite and so this little kitty goes where we go. Always. He’s a boy. He’s nameless.
:: It’s super friggin cold and there is beauty there. Like, in the frozen rain barrel chain.
:: It’s super friggin cold and there is beauty there. Like, in rotating out the books in our living room to make readily accessible new, inspiring pages. AND color coordinating the spines.
:: A new little Valentine monster named Oscar in my shop for a limited time.
:: Art-making happens a lot these days and I am quite amazed at how Rubes imitates her sister. We leave the block crayons out all the time and Ruby crawls to use them several times a day, drawing over Margot’s lines.
So there has been some rearranging in our home even though all the guts are still the same.
The same physical space with different shapes in different places. Different positive and negative spaces, different relationships. Everything shifts and learns, creating different compositions. It is just as much about negative space as it is the positive space. It all matters.
Happy hump day out there.
52 Comments
I started to worry about you… I knew you wouldn’t miss the nuggets unless something crazy happened… like somebody trying to open a car dealership under your name or something. 😉
Ruby’s looking like such a big girl these days, and I’m loving her little curls at the back of her neck – so sweet!
You’re much braver than us. We haven’t been spending much time outside at all… we just got a nice dumping of fluffy white stuff over night last night and I couldn’t convince my nearly 4 year old daughter to come outside and play in it with me today. She’s all, “No Mommy, I just want to stay in the house. I don’t want a cold chin.” I’m hoping once we get out to use our new tobboggan she’ll change her mind. 🙂
I love the new monster valentine shirt! Sooo very very cute!
A quick peak and read… will comment from your house!…still do-doing “things”, alarm set for 3:30…..breakfast with you, Margot & Ruby….I feel like I am six and it is Christmas eve!!!!!!!!!!
xoxo, me
Living room looks great…so open! Like the green chairs together as a pair and color coordinated spines give everything such an organized look.
The picture of Margot and Ruby on the horse is one of my very favorites ever! Look at those dark brown eyes! Look at those blues!
Jill B (Overland Park,KS)
-Andy’s painting is outstanding.
Ruby is getting so dang cute! Good for you and your getting outside. We’re going skiing tomorrow, right out our front door.
Okay, so the mittens that Margot is wearing in the stroller–where can I find them? I have a hat that is very, very similar and would love to find matching mittens!
I freakin love this post. And I want to order the shirt for a little girl I know who has a February birthday . . . so cute!
Your girls? That photo on the rocking horse? Such beauty. Such art!
I love the way you rearranged your house, and super love the composition metaphor. One of my favorite posts ever of yours! A true integration of all your soulful, creative parts. xo!
Great nuggets, Nici! Love changing rooms around. It’s one of my favorite things to do. At our new house, Eric thought about all the ways I’ll change a room around and sufficiently added electrical sockets. Love him!
I think Ruby and Sullivan have matching eyes. Love them!
Today at blackcoffee, I was momentarily distracted. Above my computer is a metal sign made from a local guy. Here’s the thing. The original idea/sign is hanging on the outside and is a metal sign with the blackcoffee letters cut out. Matt and Jim thought the leftover letters were mighty beautiful in their own right, so they had another sign created out of those. It hangs on the inside. My distraction came in the form of me thinking about how I was glad they keep all the pieces and had two signs made because they are both great in their own way. Maybe not positive and negative space per se, but your post made me think of it, and I guess the reason I tell you all this is because I agree, it all matters.
It is 12:51 a.m. and I am so freaking tired. Just finished working and was about to hit the bed, but then I knocked a full glass of milk (swear, it was milk even though you’re smiling thinking it was beer) over. Was scrubbing the bejesus out of my carpet when I remembered to check your nuggs for the last time. Delivered. And now I’m not so sad about the milk.
Favorites this post:
*I know that living room. I was totally scanning recognizing what was out of place. Recognized the rug first.
*Ruby’s “O” face while Margot is picking her up.
*Color coded spine.
Okay, I am going to collapse.
Out.xoxo Tell yo mama I said hi.
I found this very inspiring; thank you! January is a time for renewal and CAN happen so easily when we just make do.
There was an article I read once in some magazine (I’m not so good with the details, but very good with the gist) that said the most influential relationships we have are with our siblings.
It is with our brothers and sisters that we learn our conflict resolution that will then last with us for the rest of our lives.
Arann and I are both the babies with abusive older brothers and we when we argue we both argue like babies who need to fight with all our might in order to defend ourselves.
I love that you recognize how important their relationship is.
And oh how I always wish I had a sister.
xo
I can sleep tight now that I’ve read nuggets. Love the color arranged books, Andy’s art skill, your beautify Ruby with the big girl ways and Margot’s sideways smile on the horse with little miss/little sis.
Rearranging the furniture is rad. It makes me feel so, so good and is something my man just doesn’t get. It’s a different view – cleansing and fantastic. I like it.
Cutie love monster. We’re loving tiny dolls, assisted steps and block crayons, too. Love you four, too!
Isn’t it interesting how the winter months brings you to need to rearrange/change a piece of your home? For me, during our snow day yesterday, I played with my own blog to give it a fresh start for the year. 🙂
Soup is a big draw for me during cold winter days too. It was stew yesterday, amidst the shoveling and other work, with snow angels and tunnels in between.
Thanks for your nuggets.
I absolutely LOVE your blog! I discovered it a few months ago via “Enjoying The Small Things” and have been positively hooked on it ever since! As a gal who’s anticipating entering the world of child-rearing in the next few years, I’ve been trying to prepare myself by sneaking little glimpses into the parenthoodin’ life of other folks, and your blog makes me excited for what’s (hopefully) to come!
Thanks for writing such a wonderful, honest, fascinating, cute and interesting blog. Oh, and PS, your kids are purely adorable!!!!
– Jennie from Ontario
Guess this Floridian can’t use the excuse that it’s too cold to get outside. Luckily my boy is a nature boy and makes sure we do. Love your blog! And love the monster shirt.
Ruby’s eyes are beautiful and I LOVE that last picture of Alice!
I was just telling my husband a few weeks ago after the Christmas tree came down that I really wanted to rearrange our living room. We both had memories of when our moms did this, and how coming home from school it would feel totally exciting… and for a few days or even a week, you’d feel like you were somewhere else. So we managed to change up the girls’ play area (and I found the low book case just like yours to add to it). We didn’t do our living room yet but I think I’m inspired to now! Jan is def a month that kind of drives you to crave changes of scenery…and yes, rearranging rooms or organizing the books is the ticket (or about our only option haha) 😉
My Vivian was “almost a walker” for a few weeks before she just got up and went one day, about 3 weeks after she had turned 1. Just WAIT till you see the magic and shenanigans that come when the two of them are running around together. Vivi is 17 months now and she be runnin thangs around here! haha. Often it’s Lily following HER around! So much fun 🙂
Your living room looks great! But then again it always does. Whenever you have pictures of your house up, I always think how cozy it looks. What a great place for your girls to grow up.
Totally making that soup. Yum! Thanks for sharing. 🙂 Ruby really does look like a doll. She’s precious! And now I want to color code my sons book shelf! hee! Stay warm!
xo
Kris
LOVE the colorized books, the monster V day tee, and the adorable sisterhood your two girls have. 🙂
I love that fresh feeling you get by moving things around or adding something like a new pillow, or new duvet to your bed.
UGH, you are killing me. Guess who just used the VERY last qt of homegrown oven roasted tomatoes I managed to put up (4 plants was NOT enough after all, cough, cough husband who said it was too many)??
I might need to make that soup anyway with ordinary tomatoes. It looks awesome.
I look forward to your nuggets every week! And you delivered! Thank you for sharing.
I MUST copy the your color-coded book display! I am a rainbow lover and they look great that way – art in and of themselves.
Big fluffs of cotton snow falling from the sky here in Minnesota. Thought of you and ran outside to take a pic before it was too late (of course my camera sucks, oh well). Kiddo and I had a great time lookin’ at the unique fingerprints of nature. Thanks for the inspiration!
I love that about rearranging! Enjoy your “new” space. Is that a Holly Andres photo on your wall? She’s wonderful!
Well, gosh. 🙂 I feel so good Margot Bea likes Darker Blue enough to name him. Are he and her son friends?
I love white bean and black olive. I have made for years and I swear you cannot eff it up. One can do about anything to it.
Say hello to your dear ones.
She IS a doll. Not real. SO pretty. And the sister thing? You gotta love it. My sister and I are still that way, having babies together and raising them together and just living. Good stuff. Have a great week!
Love re-arranging a space to make it new… changing perspective, freshening up the place. We are overdue for that kind of shake-up. And those sisters?!? Love that they have their own thing goin’ on. But my absolute fave has to be that sweet Alice face on her green chair!
Happy nuggets.
xo
Kate
Just rearranged my living room last night with the help of my mother. Was going to write about it, but hadn’t formulated a cohesive thought. Your words are nice inspiration.
Enjoy your “new” home and time with your mama.
stopping back with this song to warm up your 12 degree day. It’s warming mine.
http://www.playlist.com/playlist/additem/815525649
I noticed that your books were color coded, in the very first photo! What a cool idea. Whenever I want to relax I often find myself color coding my clothes and arranging them in order of the 6 color chakras. Yeah….
I especially love the close up of the frozen rain barrow. The aperature and makes a great figure out of Alice.
Ruby’s eyes are really something.
More, please!
Melina
http://www.thewildercoast.com
Ruby does look like a doll. They are both so beautiful.
Love…when you write about Margot’s conversations…..
Enjoyed this post very much.
🙂
Nici, so much I love about this post and so much I would like to comment on…. but feeling a bit under the weather today.
I just wanted to tell you that I am really excited everytime you post a recipe. We loved the tofu, brocolli, p-nut thing (with our own tweaks of course), and I am excited to try this soup. I have the cookbook, guess I should open it more often! Anyhow, love your simple but muy delicioso recipes. xo
I feel you on the reorganizing vibe. All of a sudden an old space feels new and full of possibilities.
Just wish it were easier to move all the wall stuff. HATE patching holes and drilling new ones.
Makes me feel like I’m turning my house into Swiss cheese.
ALICE! I want to kiss your nose!
,,,love the new arrangement, it’s very inviting and cozy,,,margot looks like her papa, ruby looks like her mama,,,alice looks cozy (smile),,,you make a collection of books pretty,,,i shall read “farmer jane”,,,nuggets hit the spot!,,,
Ok so I’m not a creeper or anything but I just googled your husband (to see his art of course!!)and I was blown away! That’s one talented guy you have there. The photos of your girls are always great but my heart melted a little at Alice’s “close-up”. I always look forward to your NUGGETS and this post didn’t disapoint. Tracie O
I’ve been reading your blog for a few months and I love it! I’ve never commented but had to today when I read something you wrote. I had my 2nd child when my first was 17 months old. They are very close. Always by each others side even with the 3rd child that tries to come between them. But, I remember vividly the day when I realized that my daughters’ relationship with each other, has NOTHING to do with ME!! It hit me like a ton of bricks. I went into my bedroom and cried. And then after I let loose all those tears of sadness that I wasn’t part of that intimate relationship, I found my self SO happy that they have each other. For life. Even when I am no longer there. Now I only shed tears of joy when I see them grow closer to each other without my interference. I do snuggle a lot with my baby (18 months) so I feel like she is all mine until she jumps the fence to be closer to her sisters.
Thankyou for sharing your life with strangers…I find inspiration from your words and pictures.
That soup looks awesome. Moosewood and Vegetable Heaven are two of my favorite cookbooks – use them all of the time. I started doing a weekly soup/stew swap with a friend (we each make double recipes over the weekend and share the other half – makes the weeknight meal freakout easier and yummier) – I’ll have to try this one.
I love the livingroom re-arrange you did. I’m in WY and I totally get the snowed in and restless thing. Every time it snows I start moving furniture.
What cutie pie girls you have. I’m loving Oscar the Valentines Monster. My girls would be gaga over that! Stay Warm!
Changing around furniture-who knew? I am sitting here trying to figure out how to move mine:) You are a brave mama taking them out for walks, when it is 40 degrees they are going to think you moved to Florida!
Hello! I am a new reader and love this post and everything you said! I have a little miracle who is so so close to walking as well. She will be turning one next month. I needed that reminder you posted about negative space. So true.
I had to make the white bean and black olive soup. The photo and the black olives were a winner with me. And the soup IS delish! Yum! My whole family (husband and 2 yo son) enjoyed it.
This is a great post. I love the pic of the frozen rain barrel chain. Thank you for sharing the recipe and the nuggets! xo
Ah the coordinated spines are a beautiful! I love the green chairs grouped together, but how does Alice feel about that? How is she supposed to look for Andy or at random squirrels? (like how I put the dog’s concerns before everyone else?). The chain picture would be beautiful as a B&W too. Very nice.
Not organizing here…purge and organizing is a pre-Christmas event around here. I just seem to be in the constant state of picking up. I too don’t like to have the shoe missing melt down moments myself, but it’s usually as result of a missing wallet, camera, or keys.
Girl is down, so time to blog and to make Roasted Garlic Lentil soup. Mmmm…love the “Daily Soup” cookbook.
Enjoy your weekend,
Jennifer
I have no choice but to make that soup. It looks like a delight!
Hey I love the hoodie Andy got me for Christmas. LOVE IT. It’s perfect. It’s funny how many women I know who are talking about house stuff, cleaning, organizing, re arranging, what space means to them, etc. I like knowing we all cycle through similar drives and feelings during the year. It’s interesting and pretty cool I think. Hope you are well. Happy 2011!
I love what you said about your girls having their own “special relationship” that does not involve you. My kids are getting older and I am often so grateful for the sibling bond. It will carry them through life long after school chums are forgotten and parents pass on. They are eternal friends.
Seriously I just stumbled upon this. I thought you didn’t post last week, too busy preping for the folks. I am excited to see it. Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, what a living doll she is. I want to just sweeze her. The living room looks great. Love the red rug upstairs, the room is full of color. And looks bigger. Ok so now I wait for this weeks post. TODAY. For me it will be a twofer. Andy looks like he had a good crowd at the MAM. xoxo
Love the valentine shirt!
Yep. I’ve made the soup twice now. I’m addicted. I used butter beans and I highly suggest it!!
Fixed the soup and my whole family LOVED it. I just love reading your nuggets. I enjoy each and every bit.
Made the soup and LOVED it!!! Shared it with my 4yr old….he LOVED it as well. Thanks for sharing!! great blog
I will be fairly certain I’ve look at this very same sort of assertion in other places, it must be gaining popularity while using public.