I'll Make You A Believer.

"Do you ever think about luxury?"
"I don't crave it, if that's what you mean."
"Luxury, I think, is the total fulfilment of all five senses at once. Luxury is now. I feel warm; and, if I wish, I can reach out and touch your hand. I smell the sea and, as well, somebody inside the hotel is frying onions. Delicious. I am tasting cold beer, and I can hear gulls, and water lapping, and the fishing boat's engine going chug-chug-chug in the most satisfactory sort of way."

"The Shell Seekers" by Rosamunde Pilcher

Maybe it has something to do with being a West Coast girl, but damn, I love the rain. As pretty and novel as the immense snowstorms of 'oh-eight were, there's nothing quite as refreshing and zingy as a good sprinkle. Truly, what's not to love about something that makes the grass phosphorescently emerald, flowers vividly kaleidoscopic against a silvery sky, roads shiny under the streetlights, and your skin all soft and hair super silky? With transcendent weather like this, how can anyone not want to go the whole hog by hopping on the next Aer Lingus flight to Shannon Airport and getting hopelessly lost in the cool, misty greyness and luminescent jade of western Ireland, with its sweet grass like velvet and Guinness as refreshing as water? Errrr... Heh heh... Heh. Ahem.

(And yes, the Guinness does taste different ~ as in *fecking better* ~ there, and don't go deluding yourself otherwise until you go and see for yourself. And I'll trow in a few punts for yer first as incentive! Arrr!)

Ah! Were you lucky enough get outside yesterday afternoon and catch the amazing wind that kicked up a bit, along with the golden light that seemed to last for hours and hours? It was that fabulously soft kind of wind that was cool, not cold, and hinted at the promise of warmer weather. As it blew gently on my face, it felt sooooo incredibly good to be alive, and I swear I could smell spring coming... The air sparkled with such a brilliant, clean freshness I was actually drugged with an overwhelming sense of well-being. What was it about the incredible air quality of yesterday? The currents? Barometric pressure? If only I could bottle it up and suck it in whenever I need a bit of a rev. These past few days have been nothing short of pure meteorological, sensory luxury.

I know it's only January... but as one who has rain for blood and spring fever burning at her brow, dare I suggest with a hopeful heart, the Season of Showers and Smiley Flowers (and cute little woodland creatures blinking their way out of cozy burrows) is a'comin', and with it a parade of adorable, celebratory outfits: pretty A-line skirts... cute little cardigans... hair caught up in swingy ponytails... Yay!!!

As a fond farewell to the dark, introverted days of winternacht, may I humbly present my newest musical obsession: "On the Water" from The Walkmen's newest album, You & Me. Although they originally hail from DC ~ indeed, from the same prep school that churned out the likes of Al Gore and Gore Vidal ~ their sound is pure, old-school Irish pub: dark and full of smoke, Guinneii and whiskey, swirling thoughts and late, late nights.

This is one for the speakers; enjoy it with your wind and rain.


The Walkmen ~ "On the Water" & "In The New Year"

Photo credit: Gorgeous Boy snapped this picture of me ~ watching rain fall on the ruins of a Knight's Templar's Castle across the field from our room ~ at Temple House, County Sligo, in March of 2003. I was feeding nineteen-month-old Jeeps at that moment while four months preggers with ArJay; the ultimate host body was I.