via theSteward

If you threw her in the water
she would float upstream.
What if baby Moses had floated upstream,
bobbing toward Lake Victoria in his bullrush boat,
passing the transfixed laundry women,
leaving them behind in a wake of amazement?
What would have become of the children of Israel?
The middle daughter forgets,
there is always history.

Show her white, she sees black.
The problem is her vision.
From infancy she has thrown off
every color we wrapped her in:
first the pink, contemptuous,
and later even the blue, for reasons
we hadn’t the nerve to be thankful for.
She wants to wear red, or nothing.
And you should see her with her red shirt
flapping on her spindle body
like some solo flag,
marching up the river,
leading the salmon to slaughter.
She says they aren’t really dying.
She says something is born of swimming upstream
that finds its way back to the sea
and spreads like a grassfire through the seaweed
across the floor of underwater continents
and finally comes back to the very same river,
not one, but a thousand fish,
a generation of fish.
This middle daughter believes
she will make history.

–Barbara Kingsolver

P.S. Read up on other Friday poems here.
P.P.S. I am a middle daughter :)

(Click to enlarge!)

You’ve all seen the many (many, many, many) different directions I’ve decided to go in with my humble home’s decor, but I think this might be the winner. Blue shades from royal to navy plus lots of texture? I think I can handle that. I particularly like that it’s a little bit beachy without being over the top, and that it’s adaptable to all seasons.

Some more inspiration:

Southern Living

via Simply Seleta

Domino

Jack and Lulu’s house via Design*Sponge

via Simply Seleta

House Beautiful

via The Inspired Room

from Cannelle et Vanille

from Canelle et Vanille

Oh my, this wedding is divine.

See more on Design*Sponge! All photographs by the very (very very very) talented Jose Villa, with styling and planning by my favorite, Rebecca of Duet Weddings.

Is anyone else thinking about Christmas cards yet? I’ve been collecting supplies here and there for mine, but in the meantime I’ve been looking for inspiration. Minted has it in spades, and I think if I was sending out a photo card I would choose one of their designs. So lovely, and I love that they’re all made by independent designers! Here are a few of my favorites:

by frooted design, from $1.58 each

by sydney newsom, from $1.58 each

by stacey day, from $1.58 each

by cococello, from $1.63 each

Which design is your favorite?