Nectar & Light

 

i love sharing with you what i am listening to right now; music plays such a centric role in my life that my current choices are not only reflections of my mood, but where i am creatively.  growing up there were two people who most influenced and guided my listening; my friend and now sister-in-law victoria who introduced me to mtv's headbanger's ball at 13 {i will forever be grateful} and one of my dearest friends amy, who at 14 was playing me black flag and the cocteau twins records.  to this day it is infectious metal hooks and haunting lyrics that most often work their way into the cavity of my conscious.  and the one thing i can not stop listening to right now encompass both:  the hazards of love - the new concept album by the decemberists.  it is essentially a rock opera about margaret - a river daughter, her shape-shifting lover, his evil forest queen mother and a treacherous rake who is beyond evil.  i am actually having difficulty putting down in words what this record has done to me - most likely because it effortlessly intertwines so many of my passions:  the land of faerie, british folk revival, deliciously dark word play, riffs that echo iron butterfly, shakespearean tragedy and a tale of love that transcends realms.  because of it's hold on me i have been stalking the small stakes and diana sudyka sites waiting with bated breath for their interpretations of the tale in poster form.

two more bands that are influencing my dreams are MGMT - the video for electric feel alone sends me on internal flights to the moon wishing to bath in her dust; and the black ghosts, whose lyrics are a cauldron of emotion and parallel to where i am and where i need to be.

what is moving your soul right now? 

xoox~jla

that i love about the south:

1.  my tante, who is more "mama away from mama" than aunt;

2.  my beautiful cousins christina and lindsey who are truly more my sisters - in body and soul;

3.  the air - the delicious depth of the air - the way it clings to your skin and fills your lungs;

4.  the women - i loved being called honey, and sugar and love - it makes my heart dance;

5.  the men - they way they hold doors and practically bow as you pass - an old world charm that makes them both full of charm and pride;

6.  kudzu - i know it is the bane of the south - but the way it blankets the landscape creating a secret canopy of magic and mystery beneath it's layers haunts me;

7.  biscuits - need i say more?

8.  that you can eat absolutely anything fried - anything - it is an adventure in itself; 

9.  secrets - like knowing better than to order a pepsi anywhere within a 100 mile radius of atlanta;

10.  bbq - it is a religion and you best bow at the alter of the smoke pit before partaking in it's delights.

xoox~jla

i have been a very, very bad blogger.  making promises i am not keeping, disappearing for days... i kind of partied like a rock star in atlanta and sometimes you simply do not realize how much you are need of letting loose until you are in the midst of it.  i am now on my way home with a pile of polaroids i will share next week, tired, happy and needing a vacation after my vacation.  i hope you had a beautiful couple of weeks... see you next week with pretty pictures and music that is making my head spin with fantasy and delight.

xoox~jla

hello from atlanta friends.  something i have been dying to share with you:  jen11.  a very special show and book spearheaded by the amazing jennifer khoshbin.  i am so honored to be a part of this amazing exhibition - explore the site to see what the show is all about and if you live near any of the openings, we would be so very happy if you joined us.

i will share some love from atlanta in the next few days...

xoox~jla

off to atlanta again for our all-girls road trip {my mom and babies} to visit my beautiful aunt and my gorgeous cousins - i will be taking along the laptop and scanner and hope to share some polaroid love while i am away... see you from there next week!

xoox~jla

five things that i will tell you today, on your fifth birthday:

1.  i love you so sweet baby;

2.  you are growing up so fast.  your sense of wonder and curiosity is a testament to your incredible father - never lose this desire to learn - your wisdom, like your soul fair creature, is very old; your passion and delight in the everyday is my embrace - savor my love, savor;

3.  i want you to always be the kind, generous soul that you are today - your compassion for your sisters, playmates and those you love is far beyond your years - may it forever be in your heart to love so unconditionally;

4.  i dream of taking you to rome one day, we shall sit on the steps of the house of ancient gods, holding hands and catching the delightful drips of chocolate gelato before they dance upon our toes;

5.  the moon whispered a secret to me, "today, she will have a day filled with chocolate, strawberries and love - always, love."

happy birthday my sweet fey - always and forever...

xoox~mama