A Study Break Surprise

Today is Saturday. Tomorrow is the last day before the last week of classes of the semester. My boyfriend Joe and I spent most of the afternoon and rest of the day studying (he studied, I played on Pinterest!) in the College of Saint Benedict's library, Clemens Library.

It was interesting how occupied the library was at 3 pm. Joe and I could hardly find two seats next to each other that were empty! By 7 pm it was pretty well cleared out, except for some students who were silly enough to become English majors and still needed to pump out a few more papers before going home for break. *cough, cough*

I usually hardly realize how many times I go to the bathroom, except on days when I have my butt glued to a computer chair (be it in my dorm room or the library). Anyways, on one of my frequent mini study breaks, I noticed this over-sized book on the bottom of a book shelf:

In a college library, once can expect to find literature on daunting mathematical concepts, but not so much enchanting, visually illustrated mathematical books. "How Much is a Million?" was one of the childhood books my family owned. Entertaining for both girls and boys, it is an academic yet whimsical (note the unicorn on the cover) book that is appealing to children of all ages... Point in case:

Do you still have some of your childhood books? Bring a few of your favorites out of storage and tie a large red ribbon around them to use it as a special Christmas decoration. Make a pretty bow and you're set to go!

With simple happiness,

"The Barn"

This a poem I wrote back in high school. I found it while looking for writing samples. I've changed a few things already, but if anyone has any advice, I always love to make my pieces better. Does anyone have a better title idea? Enjoy!

"The Barn"

An aged, but not old, scent met us on the
pebble road as we skipped up to the barn.
Partway there, Jewels crept up to us
with her tongue out and her pups right behind.
The horses called out as my sister passed
to grab some apples for her favorites.

~

My special spot in the barn is the loft.
Kittens can be found playing in the hay.
Mother cats watch high from the golden bales.
Streaks of sun create a warm atmosphere.
I like to sit still and simply listen.
Sounds of the barn are of the most calming.

~

When my sister departs back to the house,
I walk past each horse to say my hello.
It is soothing when horses lock their eyes
with yours and all things seem to be at ease.
Walking back to my house I think about
a world without any barns. How upsetting.

With simple happiness,

Using Pottery for Holding Toiletries

Pottery always looks so natural and welcoming. I love to use it to house some of my bathroom things like cotton balls, bobby pins, and hair binders. It warms up the room!

What are some other creative things you do with pottery?

Joel Cherrico is an art major graduate from CSBSJU who now makes pottery that he sometimes sells at a discount to his fellow students at St. Bens. The pottery in the picture is Cherrico pottery. If you are interested in buying your own Cherrico pottery, his website is CherricoPottery.com.

With simple happiness,

A Little About Me... I Love Tea!

Hello Everybody!

My first post. Hehe :) Let's dive right in!

In the spirit of autumn, I have been drinking more and more tea. My favorite is GoodEarth's Original 'Sweet & Spicy' Tea and Herb Blend ($4.49 for 18 bags). Its flavor is a rich, robust sweet cinnamon which is warming and delightful for the cooler weather! I have been having it every morning to help wake me up. It also has some notes of orange to make it subtly sweet. Also, I love the anise flavor, which is wonderful for sore throats or people who just plain love anise (me!).

Ingredients for GoodEarth tea: black tea, rosehips, cinnamon, chamomile, lemongrass, peppermint, papaya, jasmine tea, anise seed, ginger root, orange peel and orange oil.

If you're looking for another brand, Harney & Sons has a similar tea called Hot Cinnamon Spice Tea ($6 for 20 bags). I prefer the Good Earth simply because I like the anise and it has more flavor. Harney & Sons cinnamon tea doesn't have anise in it (for those of you who don't necessarily appreciate the black licorice-y flavor of anise) and it is lighter in flavor.

Ingredients for Harney & Sons tea: black tea, cinnamon, orange peel and sweet cloves.

The best way to buy tea is online in bulk. My mom, Christine, just sent me an early birthday present (Oct. 17th!) of 50 tea bags of Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice tea. Only $10 for 50 tea bags! Its a much better deal than $6 for 20 bags.

Want to cuddle up with your own cup of tea this fall? Find it at GoodEarth.com or Harney.com

With simple happiness,