7 Quick Takes Friday — 7/8/11

1.

You may have noticed the new blog design (I wish I would’ve thought to do before and after screencaps!). I thought it was time for a change but since I am basically the least tech-savvy person ever, it still has a lot of kinks to work out. (Though some of those I might just have to live with because I’m not sure how to fix them! Well, knowing me I’ll keep trying to make them perfect…and probably just get really frustrated! Ergh. I wish I had more expertise in this area!)

I also feel like the tone and content of the blog has shifted a little. No, I still don’t really have a well-defined tone and subject matter for this space, but I definitely know that my writing style has changed a bit in the past two years. Looking back on some of the things I’ve written honestly makes me cringe! I’m not sure if this is just a own-worst-critic thing, but I want to hide my head in shame and embarrassment after reading my old ‘about’ page, for example.  It just sounds really corny and tacky to me. :P I also don’t really like the title of the blog. “Just Audrey” sounds either narcissistic or exclusive, I think. But I haven’t been able to think of a better name (any ideas). So, until I do, it remains.

2.

But enough griping over first world problems! I can across this on Tumblr a while ago and found it to be a powerful and humbling reality check:

3.

This article about G.K. Chesterton and his wife, Frances, appealed to the romantic in me. :) Imagine receiving poetry like that!

4.

I have really been enjoying following the Duke and Duchess’ recent tour of Canada. In particular, I’ve loved seeing what Kate wore. Here are some of my favorite looks of hers from the trip so far…

It was also fun to read about how she visited Anne of Green Gables. PEI is definitely on my bucket list of places I’d like to visit!

5.

I celebrated my (20th […scary!]) birthday a few weeks ago and made a lemon layer cake with fresh berries and fluffy lemon frosting. It was SO good! My family really liked it too, and there were no complaints about it being vegan. (They could’ve just been being nice for my birthday, though…?). I absolutely love the fresh, summery combination of lemon and seasonal berries! I used this recipe for the cake but it was a tad dense. I had better luck with this one (just make the cake part. I also added 1 teaspoon pure lemon extract because I like a lot of lemon flavor). The frosting was this recipe (it makes a lot!). I also put a fresh raspberry filling between the layers, but you could just use the frosting (or lemon curd…or a strawberry filling. I think I might do one of those next time). I topped the whole thing off with fresh blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries—plus a final sprinkle of lemon zest and a sprig of mint for garnish. Delicious!

Sorry about the low-quality photos. Also, don’t spread on the frosting until cake is totally cooled. I made that mistake and, as you can see, the frosting got a little runny. It still tasted great, though. :)

6.

I really want to learn more about photography. It’s something I enjoy and have been wanting to explore further for a few years now. I just love finding the beauty in the simplest and most everyday things. As you can see by the above photos, I need some work. But even if my skill and equipment isn’t that great, I do think (if I may say so) that I have ‘the eye’ for it. I just need to learn some technique. I’m thinking about pursuing some classes, but I’m kind of scared.

7.

I’ve been working my way through the Beany Malone series (as you might see in my Goodreads sidebar widget). Written in the 1940s-1960s, these books are very light but nonetheless entertaining reading. Even if some of the characters are a bit one-dimensional and the plots sometimes predictable, they are a lot of fun. It’s nice to be able to escape to that simpler world. I’m not at a point where I want to read a lot of heavy or dramatically depressing books, so these are perfect!

Have you read any good books lately?

 
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“In spite of illness, in spite even of the archenemy sorrow, one can remain alive long past the usual date of disintegration if one is unafraid of change, insatiable in intellectual curiosity, interested in big things, and happy in small ways.”

— Edith Wharton, A Backward Glance