Say Hello To...Squirrelly Minds

    

If there was such thing as a bloggie pen pal, Tan of Squirrelly Minds would be mine. Like me, she's a teacher by day, blogger by night. Even though she lives in Canada and I'm in the Midwest US, we seem to connect on so many levels and end up emailing about "real life" and blog life multiple times a week. She's engaged and planning what's sure to be a delightfully gorgeous wedding. Aren't her engagement photos so warm and earthy and delicious? Yes, delicious. I just love them.

   

All photos via AMERIS (An amazingly talented photography duo from Canada.)

Tan blogs about all things wedding related and also curates great fashion boards like this one.

Her colour pallette posts are just plain pretty. No other way to say it.

And she also posts about her own home. Love this pic of the huge bay window.

I asked her to play a little game of 3-2-1 (something I do with my students sometimes...) She happily agreed.

Three items you need daily...

--> Rosebud salve lip gloss. 

--> A big old water bottle.

--> My iPhone 

Two books that changed the way you see the world...

A Sunday at the Pool in Kigali by Gil Courtemanche.

 It takes place in the mid 90's during the Rwandan genocide. It really opened my eyes to the extreme cruelty people inflict on others every single day overseas and even in your own home. But it also comforted me knowing that for each person who hurts another, there are thousands more who will protect, love, and care for someone in need.

The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley.
 It's actually a fantasy novel set in King Arthur's England. It follows the journey of a revered and sacred priestess. This book made me realize even more that we can use the items earth has been giving us for thousands of years to heal a simple wound or dye a fabric rather than heading to the nearest big box store for something created in a lab. In today's world there is such a disconnect between what nature provides and what we get. After reading how the characters in the novel used herbs, flowers, tree bark, or whatever they could find for simple (and complex) remedies, I started learning about herbs remedies to create on my own. I've started using fresh thyme to soothe cold symptoms. How much of a hippy does this make me sound?

One movie you wish you could live in for a while...

I was originally going to say Roman Holiday, because a) I love that movie and b) it has Gregory Peck (swoon!). Then I asked my fiance this question and he said, "The first 20 minutes of The Lord of the Rings". Yeah. I had to change my answer right away. How lovely to live in hobbit holes, dance merrily, work in the garden (and use my herbs for remedies and dyes!), drink ale and not have a care in the world? That's my kinda' life. Only...can I bring my iPhone with me???

Be sure to stop by Tan's place and say "hello".  Click HERE to head over now.