Amber & I Heart Him

Some days, I spend the whole day just waiting to get home, scoop Woody up in my arms, bury my face in his neck and sniff.

(Photo by James)

He smells of afternoon naps, oatmeal and enchantment.  At least that was the scent I got from him this morning.  He always smells like love.

Amber & Dead On

I like this better than the original, maybe.



Sadly, I am not a monster.

Amber & Bespoke for Me

This recon from ever-ape-vigilant Jimmy is either the Best Thing Ever, or The Worst.

If somehow the procedes go to help my primate cousins, I am all over this.  If, however, it actually smells anything like gorillas, I may pass.  Or will I?  Only your nose will know.  And the noses of everyone on the A train with me.

I'm not sure how making us smell like them aids the Ape Revolution, but I am sure there is a plan.

Amber & How To Spend My Day Off?

Sniffing Ginger's neck. It smells like softness.

Amber & Terrible Two (s)

Happy Birthday, little guys who are no longer so little!

Ginger has sure grown into those giant ears, but Pickles still thinks that snowman blanket is his momma.

Look at that curly belly!  And that pink nose!  I could just squeeze him to death.

As predictable as Pickles is (thunder?  under bed!  you're awake?  I'll give you fleece wand!), Ginger embodies the art of kitty mystery.

His love of fresh vegetables and fruits is matched only by his love of eating cardboard, shoes, and the leather on my handbag.

Having four cats is often very challenging.  (I wish someone had warned me!)  They don't always get along, they eat five cans of wet food every day, and there is nothing harder than lugging a 30 lb bag of litter up five flights of stairs.  Oh, and I go through about one lint roller every week.

But, it has been so, so worth it.  I love these special babies super much.  I feel so lucky to have such fascinating and snuggly critters live with me.

Also?  They smell like hope and comfort.  And unicorns.

I look forward to celebrating their fourteenth birthday on this blog.  Which, at that time, will just be beamed into your brains.

Amber & Doggies

Remember when I wanted to get an iDog and name it Daisy?

Welcome to Petey, my new iDog 2.0.  Petey is like Daisy, but he has less fur and will match better with Pickles.

(Photo by James)

See? Twins.  Plus, like Daisy, Petey can be carried around in a bag and not smell bad.  And, he can wear awesome outfits, like this Business Time look for when he accompanies me to work.

But, I will have to be patient and wait to get a Petey. Right now, I need to focus on Tiggy who has a vet visit tomorrow for her teary eye and sneezing, which I think means a bad tooth.

(Photo by James)

Everybody wish the girla luck, please.

Amber & Vetiver

I know it's been the Plant of the Week before, but vetiver is totally my B.P.F.  (Best Plant Forever).

It's in the same family as my other close grass friends, palmarosa and lemongrass, but vetiver and I are so perfectly matched that it earns a special place in my pantheon of plants that yield essential oils.  It's cedary, musky, earthy smell is calming and grounding when mixed with oil and applied to my pulse points-- making it a wonderful match for my issue-laden first chakra.

To quote the folks over at Ananda Apothecary...

Vetiver essential oil is used for emotional grounding and stabilizing the emotions. It is considered relaxing to an overheated, hyperactive mind an nurturing to an insecure self-identity. The oil may then be suited to the type of individual who constantly strives for perfection, but who loses touch with the ability to absorb and replenish, not letting things just be.

I sure let things be on my walk to the 168th Street station this morning.  A normal 10 minute walk mysteriously took me about a half hour.  Oh well, that's just the way it is.  Sigh.

Amber & Tiggy Oddities

Tiggy faces some challenges in her life.  Being the only girl (besides me) in a house with three boys can be tough.  I would never begrudge her any of her coping mechanisms, no matter how strange they are.

(Photo from the geniuses over at CuteOverload.com)

Tiggy has a shoe thing.  She likes to rub her face in a loving way on the outsides of suede shoes.  She also likes to rub her face on the insides of any shoes.  I'm not sure if it's about drowning out the smell of my feet with her cheek scent or maybe the opposite-- putting my feet smell on her face?  I do use a foot cream that has St. John'swort in it which does treat depression.  (Look an internal possessive, CRD!)

Amber & Masks

I love facial masks. And, my problematic skin benefits from doing them on a regular basis. The above one, photographed by James on a visit to Madison, Wisconsin, is a the classic Kiehl's Rare Earth Facial Mask. It works well as a general mask, but also as a spot treatment. It doesn't smell great, but it is really helps control oily skin.

My favorite store bought mask is Dr. Hauschka's Cleansing Clay Mask.

It's a clay mask which comes dry and then you add water to make it into a paste. I usually do this one after steaming my face under a towel with a bit of lavender and chamomile in the water. Its pretty amazing. After it dries, it gets little wet spots again which I think is it sucking the gook out of my pores. It's a little cost-prohibitive, though, as is its sister product, the Rejuvenating Mask. I use that one for colder weather or when my face feels "hot." I first discovered it when Amy and I had anthroposophic Spa Day at Area in Brooklyn.

But, my all-time favorite mask is not at all expensive, even though it is Dr. Hauschka-related in that I got the recipe out of this book. To make it, you mix honey, goldenseal powder, and raw wheat germ. It doesn't taste as good as you might be tempted to think, but it sure does wonders for my difficult skin. And I look so pretty doing it whether I do it in Madison, Wisconsin...

Or right here in New York!

It sure is hard to maintain my beauty.

Amber & Fenugreek

Mysterious Manhattan Maple Syrup Smell? Solved.


Or is it?

Amber & Kitty Profiles: Woody

You probably know Woody has Health Issues. His tore his anterior cruciate ligament (twice), he had unnecessary dental surgery, and he has ongoing tummy woes.

You also probably know he was a crazy-looking frizzy, snake-eyed baby that my mom found in her rhubarb patch. But did you also know that now, sometimes, he has a tendency to be cross-eyed?

Woodrow Wilson Gutherie Feline Hewins is beautiful. He is a flame-pointed Siamese, only he's not because he is a mutt. He matches well with both natural ratan, wicker and wood tones...

...and with pastels which really bring out his softer, pink side.


Woody likes belly rubs, people food, sunshine, and sticking his paw in your cup to get a drink. He doesn't like being attacked by kittens when he is napping, the smell of lemongrass body lotion, or when I eat scones and don't give him any.

Woody gets alot of attention, mostly because he demands it. But, I am more than happy to give it to my fuzzy little animal buddy.

Photo by James

Amber & Kitty Profile: Tiggy Winkle

Have you met Tiggy Winkle? She is featured over there on the right in Tiggy of the Wink regularly, but maybe you should get to know her a little better.

Tiggy is known for being shy. Some people mistake this for grumpiness, but really she's just a very private kitty. It makes sense when you realize that all her life she has been bullied by boy cats. All she really wants is a snuggly environment and a clean litter box and some cheese.

Tiggy hasn't always been so low maintenance. Once, she ate thread from my sewing machine and almost died! It took several weeks (and a pair of scissors that got thrown away) before she stopped passing poop-on-a-rope.

Tiggy once saved my life when we lived in D.C. She is now our official fire warden. I am trying to teach her to say "carbon monoxide" as well.

My girla cat was named after a hedgepig. Tiggy likes: environments, sunshine, chest rubs, towel touches, high up places, Madisonwisconsin hall walks, and licking the insides of messenger bags. She does not like: kittens chewing on her tail, strangers, the vacuum, the smell of lemon body lotion, being locked out in the hallway overnight on Avenue B.

I sure love my Tiggy Winkle.

(Photos, except Tiggy with Amy, by James)

Amber & Early Autumn, Late Planes

I love rainy autumn days. I love raincoats and sweaters and boots and tights. I love the smell of wet trees. I love the sound of wet leaves russling in the breeze.

I don't love it that a little rain has delayed Kevin's return to America, though.

Hurry back, little Kevin, so you don't miss out on autumn.

Amber & Marjoram

I love marjoram. I think it's a vastly underrated herb. I was first introduced to it in a New Recipies from the Moosewood Restaurant feature called Zucchini Ankara. It's a simple dish, with zucchini, onions, chickpeas and feta and one of my favorite things to eat. I love it served over couscous. It makes it into my menu at least once per month--sometimes more often.

I find marjoram goes well in any tangy, acidic recipe. I like to use it in pasta sauces or vegetable soups. I love the smell when it's frying with onions, and I've often wondered if it would be nice in a black tea blend. I'm going to Google marjoram-scented lotion and see what comes up.

Amber & Danger! in the Kitchen

I nearly burned down the house last night, but Tiggy saved us all. I had put the kettle on for tea, but, unbeknownst to me, the whistler part had stopped working. Without the tell-tale whistle, I completely forgot about my tea making. Luckily, Tiggy found the two foot high flames and the smell of the burning plastic handle unpleasant and stood in the hallway outside the kitchen howling. I got up to see what she wanted and ended up swatting out flames with a hand towel. It would have made for better blogging if I had grabbed the camera first.

Only minutes earlier, it sat next to a happy pan of mac & cheese.

Sad little melted teapot.

Good little safety Tiggy.