Hanging By a Thread

Chasing the Sun {Summer 2014 Bucket List}

This is the time of year I start to get antsy.

Every June I have a deadline for a big work project. I sit hour after hour at my computer during the winter as the snow falls and then through the spring as the snow melts away and teases us with a warmer day here or there and then the sun begins to stay up a bit longer and warm, shiny afternoons beckon to me from the window, and still, I sit working at my computer. Eventually, school comes to an end and my kids are excited for summer break to begin, and still, I sit working at my computer.

I began to get restless and fidgety. I try to make deals with myself about working for so long and then taking a break for a fun little adventure. I work deep into the night so that I can be out in the warm shiny days and lovely lingering evenings with birds calling and bunnies scampering and kids laughing.

And then, finally, when I think I can't stand it for a minute more, I finish my work and my summer break begins.

I love Minnesota for all of its beautiful seasons, but summer is so long awaited and free from schedules that it has become my favorite. And I think it is because of our long, cold winters that there are so many wonderful things scheduled from June 1^st to August 31^st each year.

It's hard to fit everything in, but we pack in a ton. Some things we do every summer, sometimes on a weekly basis; others things on our list are firsts. And the greatest thing of all is that so many summer activities are free! 

We make memories and create traditions all summer long that carry us through those seemingly endless cold, snowy days and nights in the winter. Here's what on our bucket list this summer…

1. Picnics at Lake Harriet Bandshell; a favorite tradition and favorite place; music (every single day through the summer), picnic dinners, awesome playground, beautiful views and walking/biking paths.
2. Swim at Bryant Lake Beach; one of our favorite swimming beaches.
3. Week on the TX Gulf Coast with family at our favorite beach; one of my favorite things ever.
4. Swim at the pool at least once a week, meeting up with lots of friends.
5. Visit Johnson Space Center in Houston, a trip we always look forward to; each time our experience is different since the boys' ages are too.
6. MN Zoo Giant Bugs exhibit and playing at the splash pad and playground and seeing all the familiar animals.
7. How to Train Your Dragon 2. I really loved Hiccup and Toothless in the first movie and seriously am so excited about this movie…it better live up to my expectations.
8. Outdoor Movies at Centennial Lakes; another beautiful, free, outdoor venue for music, movies, picnics, strolls, mini golf and lawn bowling.
9. Shakespeare in the Park; I love Shakespeare and there happens to be one in a park very near to me this year. It's Comedy of Errors; always a good one. And it's the one I saw outdoors in London one summer long ago.
   
10. MN Sculpture Garden Mini Golf; very tricky, artistic challenging golf, that is. Or mini golf at Centennial Lakes or putt putt at a park nearby, or maybe all three.
11. Open Field at Walker Art Center; Sunday afternoons are the perfect time for us to hang out in this space. I love to take a picnic, go to church and then walk over to the Walker and hang out all afternoon in the Open Field space. There are all kinds of activities from sports to games to arts and crafts to musical instruments and more there for the using.
12. Conduct a "Best Ice Cream in Twin Cities" Tasting Tour. We are pretty pumped up about this one. The Twin Cities has some REALLY good ice creams and custards! This one will be an all summer activity. We have already begun planning it out.
13. Attend at least one parade, even if it's the State Fair parade.
14. Visit Family in Texas; we love this road trip tradition.
15. Watch at least one fireworks exhibit; so many to choose from around here.
16. Golf; with my husband; with friends; and maybe with my boys (after their lessons this summer). I'm really not good, but I really enjoy playing.
17. Ride the new Green Line from Union Depot Station in St. Paul to Minneapolis stopping at the MN State Capitol, the Weisman Art Museum, Ax-man Surplus and exploring several cultures along the way. (Green Line opens June 14^th)
18. Pick berries at least once; blueberries, raspberries and strawberries available around here. So good!
19. Dine al fresco as often as possible; the possibilities are endless around here, but my favorite is W. A. Frost.
20. Go to at least one Minnesota History Center's Nine Nights of Music; this has been on the list for several years and we still haven't made it there yet. I think this is the year for it. Plus we want to explore their Toy Exhibit inside too.
21. Pizza on the Farm; two favorites: A to Z in Stockholm, WI off the Great River Road (amazing drive – even if I can't eat the pizza, it's worth it) and Red Barn Farm in Northfield (run by a friendly family from the barn/kitchen behind their home and they have a gluten free crust option that's really tasty!) Both options are relaxing, beautiful, full of animals and gardens and flowers and magnificent views of farm land. We love this tradition. Oh, and if you go to A to Z, go early so they don't sell out and so that you have time to stop at the pie shop in tiny, picturesque Stockholm to pick up dessert or stop on the way home for really great ice cream at Flat Pennies on the Great River Road). Remember you bring the plates, napkins, blanket or table and chairs, pizza cutter, candlesticks, flower arrangements, salad, apps, desserts, vino, lemonade, whatever you decide is necessary for your meal. And you take everything, even the pizza box, back out with you! Oh, there are bathrooms available in both locations! I don't go that rustic.
    
22. Go to a drive-in movie theater; eyeing the one in Litchfield right now.
23. Of course, we plan to frequent Riverview Theater too; we love this little, old (cheap) theater; some great classics being played this summer too.
24. Visit Little Mekong Night Market in St. Paul (near the Western Ave station on the Green Line).
25. MN State Fair; enough said
26. Throw a Lego Movie themed birthday party; working on figuring this one out…
27. Read, Read, Read
28. Writing, writing, writing
29. Adventure, Adventure, Adventure

Summer is an attitude. It's stopping at the fruit stand on the side of the road and then sitting in your car, eating a peach with warm juice running down your arms to your elbows and dripping down your chin; it's doing nothing but reading a book all afternoon on a quilt on a grassy hill; it's picnicking on any night of week, just because you can; it's swimming until your fingers and toes are all puckered and wrinkly and your shoulders are pink from a bit too much sun; it's finding out about an activity, location or event and piling into the car, heading there on a whim; it's ice cream long after bedtime; it's sitting around a fire pit, looking up into the pitch dark sky searching for stars; it's pulling over to read historical markers, following maps, visiting tourist traps, stepping back into history and soaking up as much sun as possible.

Here's to squeezing every last drop out of summer and making memories that last a lifetime. Over and out….

Anna

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Summer 2013 Bucket List {Let the Games Begin}

An Awakening {Spring Bucket List}

Move Over, Martha! {Imperfect is the New Perfect}

I'm no Martha Stewart. And {no offense, Martha} I wouldn't want to be compared to this pop-culture icon, perfectionist snob, ex-convict.

Martha's old-school perfect is not achievable in a real-life home where mom and dad work, kids run in, out and through, pets abound, schedules collide, meals are sometimes an after-thought and life happens without the aid of a personal assistant, driver, gardener, housekeeper, personal trainer, etc, etc, etc.

That doesn't mean that a home can't be cozy, warm, beautiful and inviting and meals aren't tasty, homemade, fresh and nutritious. There's just a new and improved standard of perfect.

When Martha rose to the top of her perfectly sculpted, hand-wrought, expertly starched, ivory hued {linen} tower, we were a different society. We were not do-it-our-selfers; we were not interconnected online; sharing ideas, recipes, photos and designs. We were simply observers; dreaming of living life in the penthouse. We were intrigued with her detailed, ridiculously long recipes and her hoity toity language and luxurious extravagance.

We are more self-sufficient now. We have blogs and Facebook and Pinterest to encourage us to give it a try; get some fabric, a bit of paint and some ribbon; be ourselves; give our homes our personal touch with our own signature looks; imperfect is the new perfect. We can do it ourselves. We are creative and inventive and colorful.

Recently, Martha had a bit of a tantrum. She spouted off about all the so-called lifestyle and foodie bloggers. She complained that they were not {GASP} experts; they had not sufficiently tested their recipes; they are inexperienced. Martha doesn't like these people moving in on her territory.

Dear Martha, calm yourself, you might get a wrinkle in your blouse…. I am sorry to tell you this, but you are irrelevant now. You may have helped us get here, but we are OK with making mistakes and living with wrinkles and making up our own recipes and following mere novices.

Now, I certainly don't claim to be a lifestyle or foodie blogger, but I do sometimes post recipes or holiday decorating or party ideas. So, I feel that I should offer a disclaimer here: I am not an expert designer, decorator, chef, recipe writer or party planner.

And yet, I have tested and consumed all recipes I have posted here. I have created, designed, planned and implemented all items involving home décor or party ideas shown on this blog.

And in that spirit of sharing I have a few holiday décor photos right here in this post. So, Move Over, Martha!

Oh, and for the record, back in the day, that is, the 1990s, I did try a few of Martha's "expertly tested" recipes and none of them were ever keepers. Ironically, I actually always wondered if they were indeed tested.

So, don't worry about whether your favorite lifestyle or foodie blogger is an expert and don't think twice about whether you're qualified to tackle a project in your home. If you like, try it; be creative and have fun; be your own Martha.

Over and out…

Anna

Blessings

Today, I feel blessed….

Blessed that I was able to spend time with my kids at their school this week….

Blessed that we could have dinner at my parents' house (in MN) on Halloween night (a first)…

Blessed that I spotted a bald eagle perched in a tree out in the wilds of the Minnesota River valley next to the highway….

Blessed that I did not get the virus passed around my family…

Blessed that we have money to pay bills and buy groceries and more…

Blessed that it's Friday…

Blessed that there's always next week…

It's the simple things that shape a life…

Over and out….

Anna

Photo Op Friday {One Moment from an Adventure}

Love this photo. Love this moment. It was drizzly and chilly. We were at the Twin Cities Fall Festival and Maze. You can't see any other kids in this photo, but shortly after I took this of my boys, they found new friends and played on the hay bales for a long time with their new friends; running, jumping, diving, climbing, getting filthy. They love it. We sat, sheltered from cold drizzle, under a big tent, munching on kettle corn, watching them play.

I love the ease and comfort with which my boys make friends and can play and play, sometimes never even getting a name, with these newly discovered friends.

Enjoy your weekend and whatever adventures you find yourself in. Over and out…

Anna

Photo Op Friday {Finding Hearts}

Ever notice that hearts abound in nature?

Last weekend, I was harvesting, chopping and freezing our Swiss chard from our garden and noticed the hearts.

This summer when the boys and I were in Austin, Texas, walking through a beautiful sculpture garden I noticed this heart-shaped leaf.

Hearts equal love.

Therefore, love abounds. Over and out…

Anna

 

Photo Op ...a little bit late... {Love is the Law}

My husband and I actually had a date night the other night! That may not be a big deal to some of you, but for us it's been a very RARE occasion for the past 3 years. But now, thanks to my parents living in the twin cities, we got a date night AND FREE childcare. Wow!

We started at Café Maude in Loring Park for drinks and apps and then meandered over the bridge to the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and then headed over to Uptown for Dinner. It was a long evening spent moving slowly and not checking the time and never once adding up the babysitter's bill.

Upon leaving Café Maude and making our way to the sculpture garden, we walked through the bricked and flowered alleyway. There was a photo shoot of a mom and her toddler going on, a woman reading a book on the back porch of her art gallery, fellow diners making their ways to Lurcat and Café Maude or heading for a stroll in the park. The sun was starting to set and it was a beautiful evening.

Something caught my attention as we walked along. It was this poster taped to a door in this lovely alley. I love it. The sign says it all and says it well. And we celebrate with this couple! Over and out...

Anna

Photo Op Friday {Summer Memories}

I love this photo. I took it in June. It was a lovely summer day with my boys spent at the Mill City Museum and Spoonriver and the Guthrie Theater and Open Book and the Mississippi River.

This particular photo is an outside wall of the Guthrie. This is Sir Tyrone Guthrie, founder of this excellent theatrical center, along with my son, appearing to be miniature in comparison to the expansive image.

As summer nears the end , I am torn between wanting more time for exploring, adventuring and lazing about with no particular agenda and wishing September would hurry up and get here, ushering in the start of the school year and with it a set routine.

But when I look back over the photos of summer I know it's been a memorable one full of family and water and sun and NASA and road trips and art and history and ice cream and neighbor kids and nature and camps and camping and music and sports and movies, and I feel blessed.

I like to keep a few photos from our summer adventures lingering on my desktop so that I will see them and open them up every so often and think about the memories from that particular excursion... this is one of those photos.

I hope your summer has been magnificent! And for us, in Minnesota, it's not quite over.... the State Fair hasn't even started yet! Over and out...

Anna

Photo Op {I Spy}

A Spy Training Camp Birthday Party {In Photos}....because maybe you care.

My recently turned 7 year-old son LOVES everything spy/secret agent related....EVERYTHING. So, naturally, this was the theme he chose for his birthday party. I found several helpful resources online and then found everything I need at home or at the dollar store.

This was my most favorite of all the birthday parties we've done, so far.

 

We did everything outside.

 

I made "Cherry Bombs" or Cherry Chocolate Whoopie Pies and served fruit snacks, popcorn and water and juice boxes. E-A-S-Y!

 

There were multiple spy camp training courses: designing a disguise, making a passport,
mixing "chemicals" for truth serum, etc., target practice, laser beam training and vigilance training.

 

Of course, each spy recruit completed the training and received his trophy and "Official Spy Kit."

 

Fun was had by all; even with a bit of rain. After all, a spy has to know how to handle all types of situations!

 

So, what lessons have I learned....keep it outside....parties get better with age {the kids' ages, that is}! Over and out...

Anna

**I'm off to a conference this weekend, but when I return I think I may finally have a chance to finish my posts on camp waivers, reminders about heat and cars and dangers for kids and pets and my take on Zimmerman and Martin and more....

Photo Op {Pro-Woman....Need I Say More?}

Isn't it funny how a place can feel like home even when you haven't been there for years and years and all the memories come flooding back and you can navigate by instinct? Well, last weekend I was in Austin, Texas; my birthplace; the capital city of Texas. We were there with lots of other Berends for a cousin's wedding and staying just off the Congress Ave. bridge; the one where millions of bats live (aside – a very cool thing to see at sunset).

It was the first trip to Austin for our sons. I was so excited to show them the Texas State Capitol and regale them with stories my childhood memories of visiting this magnificent building on school trips and with my mom and brother during summer excursions and playing and picnicking on the beautiful grounds and how my birth (& my brother's) had been proclaimed in the legislative chambers and of my great uncle, a state representative, etc.

It was a hot day; 104 degrees we later found out. The boys had complained of walking too far in the intense heat on our way to brunch (remember, they're Minnesotans). Our most helpful waiter told us we could catch a city bus for $2.50 just a across the street from the Snack Bar (sidebar – this is an amazing, delicious, fresh, farm to table, very accommodating café on S. Congress – go there if you have the chance!) So, we did; getting off just a few blocks from the capitol building and walking up the street, capturing all its grandeur and all my memories, as we did.

As we walked, a sign caught my eye. It was written in red marker on a white poster board and it had been stuck into the wall of a boarded up storefront. It made me think of that magical night just a few weeks back when there was that possibility that women could win a battle over choice and autonomy when it comes to their own bodies; that night when Wendy Davis stood, unwavering, for 11 hours, prepared to go longer, intending to go longer; that night when men and women filled the layers of that awe striking white rotunda, going up and up and up; cheering and shouting. The images I saw made me long to have been there; filled me with gratitude and admiration for leaders like Wendy Davis who refuse to stand down just because it's a difficult battle and an unpopular opinion. It made me proud to be a woman from Texas.

This photo is of the sign I saw on Congress Ave just two blocks down from the Texas Capitol last Saturday. Need I say more.... Over and out....

Anna

Photo Op Friday {Lake Harriet Bandshell}

One of my favorite places ever. This is summer in Minnesota to me.

Yesterday the weather was so glorious that my soul leapt for joy. This season of green and blue and yellow is why we, in Minnesota, slog through the long, dark, cold, snowy winters.

And these beautiful days and nights are why we stay out playing and strolling and eating and chatting until the last drop of sunlight has disappeared.

They don't last long here, but they are worth the wait.

Now, this particular photo was taken last week when the air was still a bit cool and the sky still a bit gray, but it marked the first of this year's summer picnics and concerts at Lake Harriet.

Notice the balloons floating off above the bandshell.

Enjoy the weekend. Over and out...

Anna

Photo Op {Here’s Your Sign}

My mom and I spent Mother's Day together browsing through little shops in South Minneapolis. I found this hand printed art by Fifi Du Vie in one of my favorite shops, Paper Hat. I loved it when I saw it; and my mom bought it for me.

I put it where the 3 reading members of the family can see it every morning. It's simple; it makes me smile; it makes me believe it. This is my new mantra.

TODAY is Going to be a GREAT DAY! Over and out...

Anna

Photo Op {A Standout Among the Crowd}

I took this photo just a few weeks ago in early May around 1 pm. It looks more like mid-afternoon in late November or early December by the color of the sky and the lack of leaves or buds.

Something about this tree really speaks to me. It wasn't until after I had taken the photo and looked back at it that I felt drawn in by it.

The tree itself is so imposing and commanding of respect with its giant stature and sprawling branches reaching out above the other trees surrounding it. The starkness of it gives it beauty and gives me pause.

What types of photos speak to you? Over and out...

Anna

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Photo Op {Spring Comes in Many Shades}

Photo Op {This is May?}

Photo Op {This is May?}

This is May 3, 2013. Dreary, snowy, wet, chilly....We did have a few days of spring last week. And Spring and Summer and Fall and Winter will come again, each taking it's turn. But today we pretend it's mid-November, not early May, and hunker down with movies and pizza and warm, comfy sweatshirts! Are you having a Winter-Spring where you live?

Enjoy the Weekend! On a Soapbox coming this weekend. Over and out....

Anna

Photo Op {A Sign of Spring}

I couldn't wait until Friday for this photo. Spotted: chives pushing up through the snow and dirt in the old, crumbling pot it's been in for years. This has got to be a good sign; a sign of spring! 

Photo Op {Spring Comes in Many Shades}

A few weeks ago, spring looked like this. All the snow and ice had finally melted. There were bits of green grass emerging in the lawns. And the boys were playing catch at the neighbor's house.

Today spring looks like this. It's blustery and wet and messy. This morning we woke to a beautiful white Spring wonderland. And try as I may, I can't hate it. It's simply too magnificent. Early this morning Darling 2 and Violet the Saint were out bounding through the yard enjoying the scene.

One day soon, the white will be gone for good, or at least for a good 6 months or so, and it will be filled with shades of green and pink and white and purple as our lawns and trees and flowers finally bud and bloom and grow.

Enjoy the weekend! Over and out....

Anna

Photo Op {A New Series}

It's been a while since I tried anything new here. So, here goes. This week I've had my nose to the grindstone working towards a work deadline, and I haven't had a chance to write at all! {I hate weeks like that.} What I do have are lots of photos that I really love for various reasons. And so, I decided that on Fridays I will post a photo from my files.

I may or may not explain them. This photo is from this past summer outside of Amarillo, TX. We had spent a day of exploring with my mom and my cousin's son. This is from Cadillac Ranch. I love all the colors!

A Hearty Merry Christmas to You! {The Berend’s 2012 Virtual Christmas Card}

We wish you warm cookies, cozy blankets, deep belly laughs, clear, peaceful nights, a never-ending cup of hot chocolate, happy memory making and a deep sense of hope on this, the most magical of Holy Days! May the Peace, Joy, Love and Mystery of the Season be yours.

Merry Christmas!

Curb Appeal: Sometimes Things in Life are Free

Free Stuff

"??Lamb Meat?? We have some lamb meat that we would like to give away, it has been in our deep freezer. There is nothing wrong with it, my family just don't eat it. We have Lamb roast, lamb stew meat, and a leg of lamb. Thanks for looking!"

    ~from a Craigslist posting under Free Stuff

Uh huh.....I don't know about you, but lamb meat from someone's freezer is NOT something I'd accept from a stranger, free or not.

But hold the phone; if you live in a city and you aren't checking this heading on your local Craigslist site before you head out the store, then you're selling yourself short.

At first, it was amusing to see what people were posting; the frozen lamb meat??, a sprinkler that kind of works, a couple of hens and some roosters, Depends adult diapers, but then I started really looking at the postings and for one whole weekend we monitored the "Free Stuff."

The Haul

Here's what we got....for free: a solid oak dining table, a slightly nicked and scratched Ethan Allen shelving unit, a three tiered wall shelf, a wicker chair {I'm a sucker for wicker}; art paper, crayons and chalk (for the kids), a 2 drawer file cabinet and a small shelving unit for closet organization, or office supplies, in my case, and big camping tent.

There were some cool things we weren't quick enough on the draw to get too. And there were things we just didn't need, but that would have been fabulous in someone's home.

Often all these items need are a good scrubbing and perhaps a coat of paint or varnish and sometimes, they are in perfect condition; like the dining table we got.

The Ethan Allen piece can be seen in the photo above. I cleaned it, filled in a few scratches with wood fill and then painted it yellow. I pulled together an ensemble of items from various rooms in our home to make this inviting area in our bedroom, without spending anything.

Before we got this round dining table, we had always had a rectangle table. This table is much smaller than our old one, but the change in shape seems to have changed our meal time atmosphere. For some reason, this smaller, round table is creating more unity and better conversations to our mealtime and work/homework time in the evenings.

I haven't found a place for my wicker chair or wall shelf yet, but I will. And I'll be watching the Free Stuff listings too. I may never buy another piece of wood furniture again.

Items to Skip Over

There are items I would avoid, besides the frozen lamb meat. I would never get a mattress/box springs, linens or luggage from Craigslist. I would be concerned about bed bugs, etc. Unless, you know how to re-upholster, I wouldn't choose the free couches and chairs, etc. either, but there could be some exceptions. I would steer clear of any food listings, formula listings or anything with an expiration date. And one should NEVER pick up for free (or buy) a used car seat or car seat base for safety reasons.

The Scoop

The thing about Craigslist is that you just never know what you're going to find. So, check it out, have fun, be creative and use your head when it comes to what you get and where you go to get it, but don't think about it for too long, because if it's fantastic and free, it won't be on the curb for long. Over and out...

Anna

Frozen Custard {A Perfect Spring Night}

My mom and my aunts are here from Texas. On their first night in the Twin Cities we watched 5 year-olds play t-ball, ate locally produced, fresh food outside at a picnic table at Wise Acre Eatery and laughed and laughed and laughed on a perfectly beautiful spring night.

One of the highlights of the evening was the frozen custard from Wise Acre, as pictured above. It was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

I'm taking a bit of a hiatus during their visit, but I'll be checking in here and there when I have a chance. I do have so many things I want to write about right now; what I lack is time, but I'll get there.

For now, go ahead and feast your eyes on that delicious frozen custard. It's alright to drool. Have a wonderful weekend! Over and out...

Anna

A Pinterest{ing} Question: Is it Safe to Pin?

Failing to See the Forest for the Trees

A few weeks ago, we tried one of those do-it-yourself yogurt bars where you choose from 16 some odd flavors of yogurt and then pile on the toppings. You can go crazy or keep it modest. I let the boys choose their flavors and toppings with minimal help from me, allowing them to create their own unique treat. They actually kept it pretty respectable with a balance of fruit and candy.

On the way out the door, Darling 1 dropped his cup, spilling some of the kiwi fruit, gummy bears and brownie chunks out on the sidewalk. He panicked and began to go into hysterics, but I scooped it up and assured him that I had saved most of his delicious concoction. Once seated and chowing down on his frozen yogurt treat, he forgot about those lost gummy bears; and despite this small hiccup and near meltdown, he enjoyed his very distinctive "fro-yo" creation.

Sometimes we lack vision and can't see past a small stone in the path that we mistaken for a giant boulder. When that happens it takes insight from others to realize it's not really such a big deal.

Jumping the Gun

About a month ago, a woman wrote a post explaining her tearful decision to close her Pinterest account over fear of lawsuits regarding the photo links she "pinned" on this social media platform. After reading the Pinterest Terms of Use and considering copyright laws she basically panicked, pulled her boards down and spread her paranoid post across the blogosphere. I've been ruminating on this issue since reading the article. And finally, I have a chance to write about it.

For those who don't know, Pinterest is a relatively new social media platform where users can create virtual bulletin boards with different themes. Each time a user places a photo link on a board, it's called "a pin." Many websites have added buttons titled "Pin This" or other similar statements to encourage readers to post the link with a photo to their Pinterest boards.

I do have a Pinterest account, but I admit that I have barely used it and I'm certainly no expert on Pinterest, but my opinion is that this woman made a mountain out of a molehill. There are two issues to address: 1) Terms of Use; and 2) copyright laws. Neither of these issues are unique to Pinterest.

Terms of Use

The woman who sadly left Pinterest was apparently shocked to find that Pinterest claimed indemnity when it came to copyright issues, including attorney fees. Well, let me tell you that all online platforms who have covered all their bases, dotted every i and crossed every t is going to place all the blame squarely on your shoulders and leave your mess in your lap should you violate someone's copyright. And why shouldn't they?

After all, it's not Typepad's {my blog host} responsibility to make sure that I don't infringe on anyone's copyright, etc. They are merely the paid host of thousands of blogs. They are not the regulators of content, nor the owners of any of the content contained within each blog. Just as it is not Pinterest's obligation to ensure that everyone being pinned is alright with this. So, any legal actions, including any costs incurred, are the user's liability not the platform's problem.

This should not have been a shock to this woman. This is standard language in a Terms of Use policy. I would be shocked if the Terms of Use didn't contain these provisions. There's no reason to quit Pinterest because of this standard and fair language.

Copyrighted Material

As with any social media platform, all users should have at the very least a vague understanding of copyright laws in order to protect their own works and protect themselves from getting in trouble if using someone else's original work. I think, in general, misunderstandings about what constitutes copyrighted material and what is an infringement of such copyright abound in the world of social media.

It's actually quite easy to infringe on someone's copyrighted material if you're pinning content on Pinterest, posting photos that you didn't take or writing articles with liberal use of other's written words without permission from the copyright owner.

Here are a few of the basic concepts:

• What type of material is protected by copyright? {the short answer}
  • Copyright protects original works of authorship including literary, musicals. Dramatic and artistic works.
  • Copyright does not include ideas, systems, facts or methods of operation.
• What constitutes copyright infringement?
  • In general terms, a copyright is infringed when a person makes a derivative work, reproduces, performs, publicly displays or distributes copyrighted material without the permission from the copyright owner.
• What is fair use?
  • Fair use is a doctrine that allows for limited use of copyrighted materials without first acquiring permission from the copyright owner.
  • Under fair use, copyrighted material may be used for news reporting, criticism, commentary, educational uses, research and the like.
  • In determining whether fair use applies, a court will look at 4 factors;
    • Purpose and character of the use;
    • Nature of the original; material made for commercial use is less protected;
    • Amount and substance of original used; and
    • Effect that the use has had on the market of the original material.

Pinning without Permission

While "pinning" a photo that acts as a link to the original source, may or may not be considered copyright infringement {the courts haven't considered this specific issue yet}, most website owners are not going to be upset by this link. The pinning to a board in Pinterest will likely cause increased traffic to the original source's site, which for most will be considered a positive effect.

One exception might be photographers who are showcasing photos of clients or selling their art on their sites. These sites are often protected by passwords and/or have water marks on photos and provide language about the use of their photos.

However, should your "pin" not link the material to the original source, a problem could arise. And yet, most likely the first course of action will not be to file a lawsuit. Most of these issues can easily be corrected by contacting the person who is infringing on another's copyright and demand that the offending person take down copyrighted material immediately.

If that doesn't do the trick, a formal cease and desist letter would follow. And then, if there is still infringement or if there is a gross infringement or habitual infringement, a petition would most likely be filed in federal court.

The Scoop

Few with a heavy online presence haven't had to send a demand to take down a page or post or photo. It happens often, whether on purpose or in ignorance. I don't mean to say it isn't a big deal; it is. But it's usually something that can easily be dealt with without filing a lawsuit.

So, should you close up shop at Facebook, Twitter, your blog, Pinterest, et al? I don't think so. But I do think you should know what the Terms of Use that you have agreed to say and understand the basics of copyright law. When in doubt about whether what you're "taking" from another constitutes copyright infringement be sure to look it up; you can find anything online. Oh, and I'm fine with you "pinning" this on Pinterest, sharing it on Facebook or Retweeting it on Twitter Over and out....

Anna