Tuesday, March 10, 2009

from home to mars


aahhh, now THAT's how to start off your morning. a steaming pot of 2/3 earl grey-1/3 lapsang suchong. even better if it's made in a bright cheerful teapot that at least reminds you of the sun (since you doubt it will ever shine again). although the sun isn't shining, the special nordic spring light is coming back. it's most noticable early in the morning, which i suppose will change once we make the switch to daylight savings time.

we live on the edge of town. across from our house is a soccer field and a park where half the town walks their dogs and a little stream with a little footbridge over it. and small grove of tall pines that sing in the wind. but it is still in town. which is why i was so surprised to see that we have a daddy and two mommy pheasants living in our back yard. and even more surprised to see the male pheasant sitting rather high up in a tree:


the pheasant is the state bird of SD, where i grew up, but i seriously have never in my life seen a pheasant up in a tree. he looked awfully pretty with the evening sunset rays shining on him a couple of days ago (hey, that's proof of sunshine!).

i'm trying to appreciate my last week of hanging out around the house. over the past year, as a consultant with a fast consulting gig, i got to be at home a lot, since much of my work could take place here. it was such a privilege and i feel so grateful for the opportunity. i'll still get to work some from home, since i'm working in a different country from the one in which i live, but i will also have an office to go to here in denmark. i'm looking forward to being around other adult people. i'm ready for it. but i am trying to savor these last days of being at home. the kitchen is the room (other than the studio) that makes me happiest:


part of the happiness undoubtedly stems from the fact that it's clean, thanks to the wonderful aelita who comes every friday. which in turn reminds me of this 1924 silent film from soviet director protazanov--aelita queen of mars:



funnily enough, the music someone has put on this version is by the cleaning women

thankfully, our aelita has shown no signs of being from another planet:


tho' frankly, i would rather like dressing up like that. maybe we'll have to have a protazanov/mars themed party. it's just so charming to see a 1924 futuristic vision.

whoa, how did i start with my teapot and end on protazanov? that was quite a leap this morning here on moments of perfectly clarity. but, i never really know where the writing will take me. thanks for coming along for the ride.

14 comments:

Cindy said...

ah, Julocha, your kitchen, and teapot, are the perfect cure for missing the sun. I am heading back to work soon too. I will really miss being home. I loved seeing the pheasant in the tree and I really enjoyed the trip from teapot to protazanov.

iasa said...

If you ever have that Protazanov/Mars themed party I'm going to invite myself.

beth said...

I love your little teapot and your home feels so warm and inviting !

and hmmm, pheasants in a tree...yes, I'm baffled too as we don't see that here either !

maybe he's part morning dove ?

Alicia @ boylerpf said...

I live in ND and see the pheasants in the trees all the time. Not normal as they love the cattails...they are so beautiful..the males that is! Thanks for sharing a cup of tea.

Tess Kincaid said...

Your kitchen and living area are so charmingly cheery!

Lynne said...

I love the glimpse of your home! But what does the note on the kitchen counter mean?

julochka said...

thanks everybody!

iasa, let's book the party now. when are you coming?

lynne, it says "spitting on the floor is forbidden" and is a family heirloom from husband's great grandfather's margarine factory, where it was apparently necessary to have such a sign. :-) we just think it's funny!

Char said...

you write like I think - I restartd my entry today several times.

you are so charming and graceful that I think I would love to share that pot of tea with you.

heidikins said...

Um, I have a crush on your kitchen. And your chairs. And your red KitchenAid.

If any of them happens to go missing...um....I take no responsibility.

(Anyone know of a good company to steal and ship a kitchen from Denmark? Anyone?)

xox

kristina said...

wow, you're kitchen looks amazing! so cozy - looks like the perfect place to spend hours drinking tea and solving life's great questions :-)

Bee said...

Love the yellow and red -- that teapot practically glows.

Kitchen time seems more precious when you know the happy idling days are numbered! One year I was working full-time and working on a Master's degree and I remember the absolute bliss of making a pot roast one night. Just to do one simple thing . . .

BTW, I've never seen a pheasant in a tree either. They tend to be lazy sods who do their best to get run over by cars.

Delwyn said...

Julie, your home is bursting with sunshine even tho it might not be outside, and you too are a little ray of sunshine to us...

Phyllis Hunt McGowan said...

"how did i start with my teapot and end on protazanov?"
That was a leap, yes, but your gigantic leaps in logic and connection and imagination are what keep me visiting your blog, and the teapot was the most cheerful thing I've seen in months, and now I feel all Spring-like. And I still want those chairs.

iasa said...

October, if the exhusband's health holds up.