My Bookshelf; Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

 image from here

Yeah yeah, I've read this book like fifty times.

If you recall the chapter in which Harry realizes that he was the one who conjured the full patronus to save himself & Sirius (as opposed to his father), I've experienced a renewed appreciation for the situation.  What enables him to accomplish the quite advanced charm is, in part, a belief in himself.  Simply knowing he is capable of the patronus, having seen it appear already, he manages a feat which was previously challenging for him.

And that, my friends, is a certain kind of magic we could all use a little more of in the day-to-day.

Feelin' cheesy,
Zoe Finn.

Yum Wednesday, 7.7.10

• the BESTIE'S BIRTHDAY: well, yeah. She's 21 & it's awesome, even if she's not terribly excited herself.
• plummeting temperatures: It's got to be like 60 degrees out today, & cloudy, & a little bit rainy.  (I know it's wrong, but it feels oh.. soo.. riiiight).  I'm listening to a Fleetwood Mac pandora station; it's cold enough for my red cargo jacket.  Sneakers! Jeans!  I could probably rock a scarf if I wanted.  I'm going to drink so much tea today.
• planning things: I have lists a'plenty, notes to myself on the back of envelopes, marble-shaped ideas rolling back & forth in my skull.. Things I have to look forward to:
• a cupcake bonanza, for which I need to brainstorm cupcake (or cup-pies..?!) recipes, as well as compile an outfit that fully captures the essence of a cupcake.
• my dad & sister coming to visit me; we have approximately 3 days in which to cram all the Denver awesomeness we can handle.  
• the move to Milwaukee.  Moving requires lists. And organization.  These are things I like.
• my trip to Portland! Where to eat? What to pack? I am actually crafting my own City Notebook, because Moleskine doesn't make one for Portland.  Nerd-joy.
• a new feature on Zoetry; My Bookshelf: I've been reading a lot lately. So, I'm thinking every time I finish a book I will share my thoughts & observations, whether it is a quick blurb or a full on wax-poetic-fest.
• etcetera: *really big, old trees; *guava daifuku; *lavender flavored things; *potlucks & dinner parties; *blank postcards; *knitting; *veganism; *pie crust recipes which call for vodka; *winding mountain roads; *Netflix; *Pride & Prejudice; *non-pareils.

 happy about the rain,
Zoe Finn.

A Roundup

So, way back on my birthday, I made this Grapefruit Almond cake for myself.  It was vaguely coffee-cake-esque, with a glaze-like syrup poured over the layer of sliced almonds.  I don't really know what to compare it to, except something exquisitely delicious.

At the end of May, I took a road trip to Wisconsin for my cousin's High School graduation &/or some general recharging.  It was so good for me; I got solitary-driving-contemplation time; visited with my best friend & my family; I learned to play poker; I helped my dad move into his new house (which is awesome); I went to Six Flags with my cousin & found out that I'm not afraid of rollercoasters anymore - in fact, I love them; drove a moped for the first time; fired my stepbrother's shotgun (another first); drove my friend's Jeep (firsts all over the place!); got food from a taco truck... To name a few things.  Then I flew from Milwaukee to Denver, trekked back to my apartment & slept for 12 hours, before getting up to repack & catch a Greyhound to Pueblo for some quality time with my ex-roomie.  Anyway, here is a photo from a Nebraska rest stop:

One of the things I did while in Pueblo was go to their Reservoir for a picnic.  It kind of stormed a lot, but then the lighting did crazy amazing things for some photographic opportunities.  Of the many (many, many) pictures I took:

The sisters Leach, being artist & muse.

 & again, together.

beautiful.

Rabble rabble, summer stuff of which I don't have photographic evidence.

Yesterday I went over to a friend's where we baked Sweet Potato cupcakes, drank amaretto sours, & picked up Middle Eastern food for supper.  Then we drove around in a crazy rainstorm looking for somewhere we could watch the fireworks, which we never did see.  I was too busy loving the weather to be too miffed about not having fireworks on the 4th of July.  There's always next year. :)

 

Going to read Prisoner of Azkaban,

Zoe Finn.