The last two days have been finally feeling like fall here in Austin...I am wearing a SWEATER!! I was a bit sad when we came back from the cool temps of Colorado last week and it was down right hot here. I also got sick...which is now not so bad as the weather plummeted to 50 and I'm sure I would have ended up sick anyway. At least this way I'm already halfway over it. and rambling. So anyway...I'm all excited about fall and sweaters, slippers...blankets on the couch and Thea texts me a photo of her front yard covered in snow. Which was when I realized that I never get to see the first snow of the year fall on the leaves and all of that magical and beautiful stuff anymore. I was sad. However, this morning I woke up to a text from my mom. It snowed in Millbrook last night. A month earlier then normal. They are expecting an ice storm this weekend...
Wow, its amazing how quickly you can get over missing something! AND I can run around outside nice in toasty in a sweater.
I was just going through my folder of blog images and was struck suddenly by the thought that in a few weeks, I will no longer drive through the woods on a daily basis. Not to say that I live in a particularly wooded area...the above image reminds me more of what its like up in my dads literal neck of the woods in NH, but still. Its things like driving down a picturesque dirt road though basically a forest to get to work everyday and meandering through the village late at night with random deer sprinting out in front of us that I'll miss.
My mom would more often then not yell out to us in the car "check out the view girls!" even on short drives to the store when we drove by the pictorial landscapes of the area. We all find ourselves as adults doing the same thing when we're in a car together and yet interestingly enough, in all our travels with each other...it happens more often in Millbrook then anywhere else. I have a feeling that I'll be stopping to capture a few my favorite spots in the next few weeks...I already know which spots are essential...the hill down to Amenia (famously captured in many, many paintings...there is ALWAYS an artist painting or snapping photos on the shoulder of that hill!), the view by the Dyson farm where on clear days you can see the Hudson River and the road to Turkey Hollow behind Tamarack...as its amazing! The gorgeousness of the Northeast and in particular the Hudson Valley are something I know take for granted but will my goodness will I miss it when I leave!
The apartment before the one I live in now was only one block away, but there is a world of difference in what is found outside. I am now smack dab in the middle of the village and instead of a yard, I have what I think of as a tree house porch. It's awesome, but I miss the fantastic gardens and trees that bloomed lush blossoms all spring in my old yard. I lived there for 4 years and every year would obsessively crawl around the trees taking photos of the flowers as they appeared. It was so lovely.
I can't even count how many times I have been in the midst of busy times and said to myself "self, why on earth were you not more productive in all of these projects you keep thinking up when it was slow?? There is no time now you ninny!". I admit, there are certain tasks that cannot be done when business is slow, as some require sales to need them...but then there is the category of, lets call it...cool things I wish to do that are not necessary but I think would make Manic Trout a better place. Well, as its not quite Valentines day shopping yet and due to all of this snow and a sudden blank spot in my social life, I have nothing but time on my hands right now. So this week I have been working on a few of these projects!!
First, I cleaned out the studio a bit...but that's just good old common sense. Then I cleaned out the inventory...which means that there is a going on! I finally got around to putting the new labels on all of the jewelry...well, my assistant has, but its getting done! I got around to posting the spring fashion preview on the blog and updated the on the website and facebook page.
I (and its about time) started to tackle the redoing of, which I took over this past Spring and have just been patching up the holes since then. It however needs a bit of an overhaul and I dug right in the other day! This one will take some time, but at least I got started.
My proudest accomplishment this week was going through the photos and starting to add model images to the jewelry on the web site. I have been putting this off FOREVER!!! The best part of this project is that I started it to plan for the 2011 Out & About series!! That's right my dear friends...in a few short weeks, the first Out & About of this year will debut...and it will be AWESOME!! Which is great on a few levels...
Out & Abouts are super fun to do.
I have holes to fill for model shots
I am always inspired after a photo shoots
ok...back to my coffee...must go to day job for a couple of hours and then yoga...no more fun projects until after I do all of this and get today's orders out. Hmmm, I wonder which dream slow season project I'll tackle next?? On deck are a database of designs in use...including materials and blueprints. I dipped my toe in that one..talk about a HUGE project. I'll admit...it scares me a bit just thinking about that one. Also up next is an online catalog/magazine of manic trout...fun!
The last two days have been finally feeling like fall here in Austin...I am wearing a SWEATER!! I was a bit sad when we came back from the cool temps of Colorado last week and it was down right hot here. I also got sick...which is now not so bad as the weather plummeted to 50 and I'm sure I would have ended up sick anyway. At least this way I'm already halfway over it. and rambling. So anyway...I'm all excited about fall and sweaters, slippers...blankets on the couch and Thea texts me a photo of her front yard covered in snow. Which was when I realized that I never get to see the first snow of the year fall on the leaves and all of that magical and beautiful stuff anymore. I was sad. However, this morning I woke up to a text from my mom. It snowed in Millbrook last night. A month earlier then normal. They are expecting an ice storm this weekend...
