Road Trippin'

First of all...THANK YOU! You all know how to make a girl feel loved. I was so excited/nervous to share my news with you, but your sweet, heartfelt comments put this mama-to-be right at ease! Your kind words carried me through this weekend, which found me road-tripping through Massachusetts and Vermont, covering a few craft markets and art festivals along the way. I found the drive through Vermont to be so peaceful. I just love those country roads.
Every bend in the windy road would open up to an expansive, breathtaking view. I had to keep pulling over to snap pictures, until finally (way behind schedule), I told myself...ENOUGH....keep driving!
But of course there were certain things that warranted a stop...such as fields of purple lupine....
and fluffy alpaca, artist studios, picturesque views...and finally, ice cream, of course. Mocha Mud...you are just killing me, and helping me to fulfill all pregnant women stereotypes!
I hope your long weekend was full of fun and adventure...and ice cream!

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27...and a wee bit of news

So today is my birthday, 27 years old. I am normally not one to get overly excited by my birthday...I think 21 was the last birthday that warranted a big celebration! But this year, I am definitely in the mood to celebrate.

Can I show you a few of the gifts I received for my birthday?
Have you guessed my wee bit of news?
I am pregnant!! Four and a half months to be exact, with a due date of November 1. Can you believe it? I am still in a state of pure shock and bliss. Our lives are going to be changing in the best way possible this year, and we could not be more excited. I have been dying to share this news with you, but I had to wait until a few work-related things were wrapped up.

So on that happy note, my friends, I would like to wish you the very best weekend! Thank you for sharing in this news with me...and I promise tons of baby crafts and nursery projects in the very near future!

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Heat Wave

Yesterday we experienced record-breaking temperatures (95 degrees F) here in Rhode Island, and it just so happened that I was out at the farm with a school group for the entire day. I kept wondering to myself...what exactly does a heat stroke feel like, because I either am having one, or am right on the verge! Basically I felt just how this pig looks...By the time I got home, I was so wiped out that the very thought of turning on the stove and making dinner sent me into the sweats. So we turned off all the lights in the house, opened all the windows and ate a giant bowl of cherries! Besides being miserably hot, it was a surprisingly romantic way to spend the night!

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Whirlwind Weekend

Whew...I am totally wiped after this weekend, which found us road-tripping to Greenwich, CT and back through Boston, hitting FOUR markets along the way. A few craft markets and a few farmers' markets (where I was thrilled to see the season's first STRAWBERRIES!) were on the itinerary. It is a funny feeling, not being able to share more than a few fruit and veggie shots with you, considering the fact I took over 300 pictures! However, discretion must be used as the very best pictures and experiences will be saved for my book! Anyway, was anyone else pleasantly surprised by their farmers' market this weekend? What delicious dishes do you have in store for your fresh produce? Our berries haven't made it into a single recipe...we keep eating them plain, by the bowl-full. Ah yes, summer is almost here!

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A New Home

Thank you so much for all of your sweet comments about my girls being kicked out of their home. I had to laugh at the one anonymous comment scolding me for not knowing about the ordinance before getting chickens. Are you kidding?! Of course I knew I was breaking the law, but aren't some risks worth taking when you believe strongly in something (like the right to grow/produce food in my backyard). Silly anonymous commenter...you aren't the tattletale neighbor, are you??!! So after having a minor panic attack about where I could (temporarily) house my girls, I found a fabulous home for them at Seven Arrows Farm. When I pulled up and saw the property, I knew I had made the right decision.The farm was a beautiful, lush, sprawling place, with the kindest owners. They take in rescued fowl of all kinds, so my chickens will be keeping the company of peacocks, ducks and plenty of other chickens.
Of course they have to be kept separate for a while, just until the rest of the flock has acclimated to them.
Which brings me to the traumatic part of the goodbye...my chickens had to go into a cage, just for a week or two, while they acclimate. But my girls are used to roaming free, so they completely freaked out when we placed them into the cage. They started flying around the cage, making their "stressed-out" noise and almost working themselves into a full-fledged panic attack. It was so upsetting for me to see them like that. Their little eyes all bugged out, their necks fully outstretched. It broke my heart.
And to make matters worse, the largest rooster on the farm took an immediate liking to my girls and proceeded to stand atop their cage crowing at the top if his lungs, which totally freaked out my sheltered chicks. I felt like a protective mother shooing away suitors from my teenage daughters.
All I can hope is that this friendly goat (such a sweetie) will look out for my chickens until I can visit them next week. Is that too much to ask from a goat...I think not.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, free of any and all fowl drama!

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A Tearful Goodbye

After starting this week on such a high note, thanks to your wonderful well wishes on my upcoming book, I am afraid that things took a turn for the worse around here. I was paid a visit by Animal Control yesterday and they informed me that one of my very own neighbors had ratted me out and reported that I had chickens in my backyard. I was given until Friday to find them a new home (and luckily I found a wonderful women willing to take them in).

I cannot even tell you how upsetting this news is...first to be betrayed by a neighbor and second to have to say goodbye to my girls. I have always been very upfront with my immediate neighbors, checking in to see if the chickens bothered them, giving them eggs when we had a surplus...so I find this all the more shocking.

Providence is SO behind on the times...it is still illegal to keep chickens in our city. Luckily there is a group of citizens fighting to change these laws...and you can bet that I jumped right in to the fight yesterday. I will be working with several local leaders to amp up the fight, and my hope is that if all things go well and the law is changed, I will have my girls back within the year.

I would love to hear from any chicken owners who have fought the laws in their town...and if you are a Providence local interested in joining the fight...shoot me an email...christine.chitnis@gmail.com. The city just doesn't know who they are dealing with!!

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The BIG Announcement

I have been sitting on some big news for quite some time now, and I am literally bursting at my seams with the urge to share! Now that the time has come, I can hardly find the right words. So I guess I will just blurt it out...I am writing a BOOK!

Yes, you heard me...I am working on my first BOOK! Remember a few weeks ago I asked New England readers to tell me about their favorite farmers' markets and craft events? That was the final bit of research for my book, tentatively titled, Artisan Markets of New England. I will be exploring over 50 markets and events this summer and fall, photographing and writing about each one. I will also be writing about the importance of shopping locally and supporting our artisans....a topic which I am extremely passionate about.

The book will be released next summer (2011) by The Little Bookroom, the amazing publisher responsible for Pia Jane Pijkerk's Paris Made by Hand and Amsterdam Made by Hand, among many other amazing titles. I am so honored to be working with such an incredible team.

Writing and photographing my own book has been a dream of mine ever since I began my writing career, but zeroing in on the topic was tricky. Luckily, through the evolution and growth of my blog, I began to realize that the subject nearest and dearest to my heart was the one that occupied my every Saturday morning, my local farmers' market. It is with extreme excitement that I embark on this journey and I hope to share little sneak peeks with you along the way. As always, thank you for your support and encouragement!

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Istanbul Modern

I have been busy unpacking, resting and trying to beat my jet lag, so excuse my light posting this week! I do want to share one last piece of Istanbul with you, Istanbul Modern Art Museum. We met a friend for lunch in their ultra-swanky cafe. The food was delicious, but it was the decor that really caught my attention. I love the counter, which glowed from within, highlighting flowery cut-outs.
I also liked the silver globe lights that hung across the bar area, creating interesting reflections in their mirrors.
Finally, I thought this approach to storing wine was rather inventive!I would have loved to show you around the Museum itself, which highlighted both traditional and modern Turkish art, but no pictures were allowed. I did manage to sneak this picture below, in the Museum's library, of the ceiling made up of suspended books.
And that, my friends, wraps up my Istanbul trip! I am so happy to be home, staying put for the whole summer! It's time to get to work on some projects around the yard and house. Plus, I have some BIG news to share with you in the coming weeks! Oh, the excitement...

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Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers and expectant mothers the world over! I was looking through my childhood photographs to find more vintage shots of my mom like the one above, but then I thought about this picture below, from India, which so perfectly captures her spirit, and I thought I would share that instead. She is beloved by children worldwide, I swear it. Whether she is leading my brothers boyscout troop (she deserves sainthood for this endeavor- a large group of wild 11 year old boys with too much extra energy and too few listening skills...), or interacting with children on the streets of India, patience, gentleness and kindness just radiate from her. I was so blessed to have such a wonderful women as my mom, and I aspire to be just like her one day when I am raising my own family. I love you Mom!

And since we are sort-of, kind-of on the topic of India, did you see the most recent Anthropologie catalog? I felt a sense of deja vu as I flipped through the pages. See if you can find the catalog pictures similar to mine below!
So I am wondering...why didn't they just call me up, I would have gladly shot the catalog for them!! Really, it would have been no trouble at all!

And finally...a great piece on What Cards Don't Say on Mother's Day. Thank you for passing this along Mrs. Lenhoff!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

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Street Scenes, Istanbul

Istanbul is a very European city, with many outdoor cafes and beautiful street scenes. Now that the weather is warming up here, there are also ice cream vendors on every corner. Don't you just love how the cones are stacked up to the point of almost toppling over? The more authentic outdoor cafes always seem to have these low tables, where everyone gathers to smoke, drink Turkish coffee and play backgammon...but mainly just smoke! I wish I had been better about taking pictures of my favorite buildings...but here is a colorful one for you! Tomorrow is our last day here...so I'm off to soak in the last of it!

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Tulu, Istanbul

I thought I had died and gone to textile heaven when I set foot inside if Tulu, a gorgeous shop here in Istanbul owned by American antiques dealer Elizabeth Hewitt. True love brought her to Turkey, where she now lives with her Turkish husband...and true love was exactly what I was feeling as I wandered through her shop. She designs all of the prints in the shop, which adorn everything from luxurious bedding and pillows, to scarves and tunics. You all know how I feel about the colors pink and green...so of course I devoured the pillows above, eventually settling on a pair of Euro shams. What will I use them for...who knows? But they were just so soft and luxurious I couldn't help myself! In addition to the items that Elizabeth designs, she also sources antiques from around the world, adding to the fact that Tulu feels like an exotic treasure hunt. There where vintage sari wrapped journals, antique pillows, and gorgeous enamel tiffins (Indian lunch boxes). She also refurbishes antique furniture, which she reupholsters with her own prints. How do you think one of those would have packed up in my suitcase?
Luckily, for those of you that don't have a trip to Istanbul on the books, you can find Tulu products in the States... just check out the stockists list on the Tulu website. But for anyone coming to Istanbul, you simply must add Tulu to your itinerary. Trust me...you will thank me (your wallet and husband might not, but I cannot be held responsible for that!).

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On the Road Again

Last week was so unbelievably busy that I didn't even have a chance to blog about our travel plans. Yes...we are on the road again. This time landing in Istanbul, Turkey. Now...before you start thinking that perhaps I am really an international spy, let me explain. Much of the travel that we do is for my husband's work, but in order to keep his work confidential, I rarely mention it. But...that should help clear up the fishy issue of our bulging passports!Anyway, Friday night we flew out of Boston to Munich, and from there to Istanbul, arriving late in the afternoon on Saturday. We spent Sunday in the company of friends, and made sure to get to bed nice and early (jet lag is a killer). This morning I headed off to the Grand Bazaar, an indoor marketplace full of touristy kitsch and the occasional treasure.
The only thing that really caught my eye were these gorgeous Turkish ceramics, of which I bought a set of ice cream bowls. Aren't the colors just so rich and lovely? After that touristy scene, I headed out into the streets, wandering around until I found the perfect kebab place to stop for lunch. While strolling, the Muslim call for prayer rang out and surprised me with its volume. It was only when I looked up that I realized I was surrounded on all sides by beautiful mosques...all with their speakers blaring.
Just take a look...the skyline is covered with the speaker towers of mosques...simply amazing.
The architectural details on each mosque are just incredible. I especially loved this jade green window...what beautiful, intricate carvings.
So tonight, the plan is to have a leisurely dinner on the bank of the Bosphorus River. I am just loving the Mediterranean cuisine, which is (besides kebabs) heavily vegetarian. Think delicious stuffed grape leaves, rice, grilled vegetables, stuffed eggplant and heavenly salads, dressed with pomegranate molasses.
So there you have...that is where I disappeared to! I promise many more posts from Istanbul, including a tour of a to-die-for textile shop tomorrow. Stay tuned!

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