Mama Craft

Things I liked this fall.

2011-11-13T18:13:00.005-05:00

The rosy glow of a fall afternoon...believe it or not I didn't change the color settings at all. The color was even more unreal in person.

Skeletal remains of a Chinese lantern:
Finding a few green beans after I thought they were finished. Most were munched before making it to the basket.
And Lilla as She-Ra for Halloween. Pretty simple to throw together....although finding the elusive second hand boots to coat in gold was a little tricky. All worth it for hearing Lilla comment with a dazed look in her eyes: "I can't believe I'm She-Ra." She's definitely striking a serious pose here:
Well hello there! It's been so long since posting here, I almost forgot how. And my poor neglected camera... I didn't take a single from the end of June until late September. But I thought I'd pop in to share what little bits are in my photo file. See you again soon I hope.

Dreaming of spring

2011-02-15T20:06:00.004-05:00

Came across these pictures just the other day. They've been sitting on my desktop for months. Probably just leftovers from a summer-time post that I never got around to writing. Seems to be the pattern these days...

After months of nothing but snow-scape, all the green in these pictures really popped out. And today with a mid-winter thaw, bits of green (mixed with heavy doses of mud) are slowly being revealed. Maybe just enough green to hold me over until we're back again to flowers and rhubarb, sundresses and bare feet.

A new year's kitchen

2011-01-07T09:49:00.002-05:00

After many, many months of work, the kitchen is finally up and running.

We're having fun living in and getting used to this larger space. And the kitchen includes a bonus feature: a fridge with magical slimming powers! Oh...okay, I know it's just the convex surface making my reflection smaller. But I like it, even if it lies.
Still lots of details to finish, but I think its come a long way from the before pictures. Have a look:
After all the work that took place in this room, the wood floor is in rough shape and needs refinishing. The pantry needs a proper floor cover, built in shelves and a door. The windows need attention and some kind of covering...a curtain or shade...still need to figure that out. In the meantime I'm using the velvet ones from the dining room. Hooks need to go up. Etc, etc.

Also, while I'm in this rare "getting organized" phase it wouldn't be a bad idea to remove the ladder, paint cans and tool bags from the corner they are still sitting in.

Goodbye 2010

2011-01-05T16:44:00.007-05:00

Happy New Year! After a long absence, I'm trying to catch up with this nearly non-existent blog with a few pictures from last year.

January:
February: Maple tap at the Baldwins.
March:
April in Boston:
May:
Rowan at the ropes course.
June:
July:
Chatham 4th of July.
August: Cousins.
September:
October:
November: Thanksgiving with the Daglios.
December:
Christmas at home.
And a glimpse of our new kitchen...ready in time for the New Year.

School, school, school

2010-10-13T11:24:00.000-04:00

There is something new afoot here. All three kids in school! A bit belated as school began over a month ago, but here are some first day snapshots of all:

These changes are exciting. Ava is onto her last year at middle school. And after two years of homeschooling, Rowan began 2nd grade at the elementary school. Lilla is going three mornings to a sweet little nursery school. All this back to school has me inspired to finally go back and finish up that degree after all these years. With everyone in school this year, I might just be able to carve out enough time to do it.

Oh fall!

2010-10-12T09:25:00.005-04:00

It's that time again. Super beautiful but bittersweet all in the same breath. I almost can't take it.

Finally, a new bathroom

2010-09-29T11:37:00.008-04:00

Slowly but surely projects are finished around here...

Ed and his friend Dave (with painting help from me) wrapped up this project last month. And my what project it's been with a zillion fiddly details to figure out!

But I like how it turned out and mostly just happy that it's finished. Well, except for some painting. I think I'll go back and paint the wall above the bead board. With a mostly white bathroom, I'm thinking the wall color could be a touch darker.
Ed designed and built this little cabinet which gives us some much needed storage. While I love the ascetics of a pedestal sink, a place to stow bathroom essentials is a must. And through it looks small, it manages to store a lot. By the way, this is how the bathroom looked in the earliest stages of renovation:

Garden glimpses

2010-08-20T11:18:00.000-04:00

Last month

2010-08-06T10:22:00.005-04:00

Here are a few belated glimpses from our trip to the Cape:

Quintin and Lilla at Nauset Beach. Their smiles were matched with squeals of delight as they dodged in and out of the coming tide.

Creative dives off the dock. I remember this from my own childhood when my siblings and I would have contests for the best can opener, cannonball...or even Nestea plunge. I loved watching the big cousins reconnecting and coming up with the same summer time games that I used to play.
The classic Chatham parade for the 4th. The whole town ( and people) get decked out in red, white and blue.
Hanging out with my sweet niece and nephew. I met Spencer for the first time! Look at these two...I just can't get enough of them.

And a group birthday celebration for all the June and July birthdays...Lilla, Sophia, Quintin, Dave and Mor Mor. Lilla received this pretty dress-up skirt and set about to twirling right away.
I hope we can sneak in another quick trip this summer.

Hello again

2010-07-14T12:23:00.003-04:00

With summertime in full swing, the computer has become a very low priority. It's been weeks since I've posted here, emails regularly pile up in my inbox and I haven't kept up with the various sites I usually visit. While a break from the computer has been great, I miss this little space. Plus, I have a backlog of things I wanted to share here. At the top of my list is my little one's 3rd Birthday. Yes, Lilla turned 3 last month and we celebrated her day with friends and family, water play and carrot cake (by her request).

With her mile wide grin and friendly nature, Lilla is a joy in so many ways. It's been fun to see how many common interests we share...she loves cooking and gardening and dresses that twirl. She'll happily join me for a yoga session or paw through fabrics at the store. Happy Birthday dear one...I can't wait to see what this next year holds.

The outdoor classroom

2010-05-25T22:01:00.007-04:00

On days as picture perfect as the last several have been, I'm so grateful we homeschool. The books, papers and meals all come outside. We can sit and soak in the fresh air and beauty...and completely avoid that torturous feeling of being stuck inside on a beautiful day. Oh, I remember that feeling all too well from childhood, looking out the classroom window and wishing I could be out there.

So we read, wrote and explored out of doors. Between watching the new bird build a nest, seeing our monarch caterpillars grow and building bridges at the creek, there's plenty to learn.

This week

2010-05-05T00:18:00.009-04:00

Some works in progress here and there. One side of the kitchen: getting closer!
The other side: not even close.
Late night bathroom tiling session:
A new veggie garden fence with the help of Eddie's latest toy...I mean tool. Thanks to first time home-buyer's tax credit.
Not much visible happening yet...but the peas are up, the asparagus, potatoes, onions, carrots, lettuce, kale, and herbs are in. The weeds aren't even out of control yet!

A picnic lunch:
Under a perfect blue sky.

Hope your week is lovely!

Toddler craft

2010-04-29T13:09:00.002-04:00

If you're like me and you have a prolific abstract painter in house, you probably wind up with reams of painted paper. What to do with all these delightful bits? Some end up on the wall as is ...others become gift wrapping paper or cards. This time around, Spring time inspiration struck and we decided to cut them into all sorts of butterfly shapes- Eric Carle style. Now the wall is covered with a mass of rainbow hued butterflies. Maybe we'll add some flower shapes too. And to complete the scene she painted a few of those classic egg-carton caterpillars. Easy, messy and good times!

I've noticed Lilla's imagination really blossoming over the last few months. She comes up with little stories about the butterflies, dolls or whatever she might be playing with. It's so fun to listen in on these sweet conversations she makes up between the characters. I've also enjoyed watching her speech develop. The other day as I weeded the garden she said "look the dandelions are having a party!" (yes there are that many growing in my yard) Then the next day when we had snow flurries (sad but true) she said "the snowflakes are dancing!" I love my sweet girl!

Green gifts

2010-04-26T15:27:00.005-04:00

Just a few glimpses of things making me smile inside and outside my door today. I love how lively all the fresh spring growth looks on gray, rainy days. Is it crazy that I wake up each day excited to see what new things might be happening in the garden? Sometimes I'm rewarded with little surprises as last fall's hastily set in perennials and bulbs come to life. My garden is small and simple, but Spring still makes me feel like a child on Christmas morning- anxiously waiting to see what gifts the earth has to offer.

I hope to steal a few more moments to come back here soon.

Signs of spring

2010-03-22T10:51:00.000-04:00

OK, I've had enough with the snow day pictures. Spring is officially here and for the moment the snow is gone! But since we've been known to have March/April snowstorms, I won't get my hopes up too much. For now I'm taking in the latest star to the landscape scene- snowdrop blossoms.
And maple sap! Though a very small scale operation with just a few taps hooked up, the kids are nonetheless delighted to fill and down a cup of the slightly sweet 'tree water.' And our little tree tap came in handy on the day our hot water heater was replaced and we were without water.We had a beautiful weekend full of outdoor play: swings, sandbox digging, biking and romps up the muddy, mossy hill. Now the rain's coming down and it's misty and cool. Refreshing!

Slow day

2010-02-25T19:41:00.005-05:00

The morning sounds are different, everything is hushed. It's so quiet, one almost can hear the slow flakes touching down. As the roads are blanketed with snow, we fold away all of our previous plans and possible errands. Today there's time for baking, making and just being. Even time for a little walk. I like that.

Gratitude 5

2010-02-04T12:21:00.006-05:00

Since all winter I've been left wearing a hat I hastily zipped up from some sweater scraps, I thought it was time to make a little more effort and knit myself something cozy. But I'm the kind of knitter that prefers the easy, mindless projects that don't require a lot of counting and marking. I think of knitting as something to do while doing something else...while hanging out with others or watching a movie. Actually I rather like the simplicity of no pattern at all.

So, with all that in mind I made myself a hat. Throwing caution, measurements and patterns to the wind, I just started casting yarn onto my needles. And hat #1....well that one fit Lilla just about right.

So I thought I'd make myself a different hat... and that one fits Rowan just fine (and even goes with his winter coat).

Fortunately, I have couple sweet little ones around here that can fit these off-sized caps.

And speaking of knitting, Rowan just learned how to do it! Exciting! He's been finger crocheting for a while and just picked up the knitting needles the other day.

Gratitude 4

2010-02-02T13:47:00.000-05:00

Outside is still icy white and inside paper and fabric snowflakes are strewn about, but the days are growing noticeably longer as the sky still glows pink after 5pm. And though our igloo succumbed to a little January thaw, I'm grateful that we're inching toward Spring.

And Happy Birthday Dad- I hope you know how very grateful I am for you!

Gratitude 3

2010-01-27T09:16:00.001-05:00

Grateful for this guy...Eddie...especially for all his effort towards the house these days (or rather nights!) He's been doing much of the work himself and is also orchestrating any of the hired out jobs. In the meantime he's balancing his day job too. Right now, the downstairs bathroom and kitchen remodel are in the works. My, there are a zillion details to coordinate! And just in case you were wondering, all of the ceilings in the downstairs currently look like the above picture.
It's kind of like living in a barn. Though it's fun just to dream and scheme about how this house could be one day, I'm also looking forward to the dust settling and having a functional bathroom and kitchen. One can only hope...

Gratitude 2

2010-01-21T01:02:00.004-05:00

The bigger kids have been on a paper airplane making frenzy lately, turning out dozens of flying machines and leaving snips of paper in their wake. Amongst all those bits, an errant pair of kid scissors landed in the hands of our littlest one and she quickly set to work giving herself a trim.

Before I could stop her, Lilla's hair had turned into a punk/mullet combo.

Of course I'm feeling most grateful that she avoided a nip to the ear, but I'm also glad that hair grows back. And hats! It's a good thing that it's hat season.

The new cut cracks me up and kind of surprises me every time I look at her. As I snipped away to blend it in with the rest of her hair she kept saying "cut more!" She's so full of personality and quite the busy girl. Okay everyone, hide those scissors!

Gratitude 1

2010-01-17T14:01:00.002-05:00

As a way of coping with life's uneven terrain, Lynn has been sharing a Gratitude Project over at her place. And being a complete copy-cat, I thought I'd do the same. Even though I often am a bit of a 'glass half-empty' kind of girl, blogging allows me to step away from that and to frame the beauty I see. Maybe outside the frame there is clutter, a power line or something else unsightly, but being able to share and remember what's good or joyful has been rewarding. And where there is gratitude, unhappiness has a harder time finding a way in. So without further ado, today I'm feeling grateful for the candles and flowers that grace my table. When the shorter, darker days of winter come, candles often make their way to our dinner (lunch or breakfast) table. I guess that need for just a little more light is instinctual, something that isn't easily accomplished with electric bulbs. And sitting together, circled around the flicker of candles often reminds us to share a little prayer or offering of gratitude. Of course, there are plenty of times we're rushed or too distracted remember, but when we do it helps to put everything into perspective. Yes, the colder weather and lack of light really do call for extra nourishment of mind, body and spirit.And oh, to have flowers when everything else is gray and bleak! Just the unfurling of one delicate African violet blossom is quite enough to make me happy. This little potted plant was a gift from sweet lady at church. Hope this Sunday finds you circled around with friends and family.

Where I've been

2010-01-16T09:54:00.002-05:00

Coming up for air after a long and busy month+. Yes, those holidays stress me out. I stress about the things I do and then stress some more about all the things that don't get done. With the disruption from remodeling being ever present all month, a lot of holiday traditions were left by the wayside. We did not even get our own tree this year (no advent calendar, much baking or crafting either) And through it all I sort of felt like a bad mom...not taking the time to make things as special as I would like.

I also stress about finding everyone appropriate gifts, partly because I tend to procrastinate, putting things off in hopes of finding a more perfect gift. But of course all the procrastination just leaves me in a frenzy at the end. So here is my note to self for next year: begin all holiday preparations much, much earlier!

But we did get to go to the Cape for Christmas and this is why I forgive myself for copping out on such much on decorations/festivities at our own home. Oh there were heaps of snow to marvel at there! And we all took advantage of the snow-even as at began to melt away-for sledding on Christmas day. Weather depending I think this makes for a very good tradition!

See that grass poking through on this well-used hill and coat-less big girls? Nearly balmy.

And in since returning back home from the holidays we've had lots of bitter cold days, seemingly endless snow and way too many days stuck inside with one illness or another. So, I'm sorry to be away from here for so long. I see the sun poking out today...I'll be back soon.

Games

2009-12-13T11:05:00.002-05:00

In the midst of all the excitement during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend- family in town and excessive consumption of food- I only took a few pictures. Of a board game. No photos documenting the abundant and gorgeous feast, no pictures of family members in town (some of the Staffs came out for the first time in a few years!) But in a way board games make me think about holidays, of time set away to while away the hours in these mostly relaxing pursuits. When I was a girl, I used to love this game though the "sorry' line could get a bit old. I don't think I had played it since I was a kid and Mrs. D would come over to babysit all of us. It was fun to revisit it again.

Well, I'll be looking forward to maybe a bit more lounging and game playing soon as we plan to gather again with extended family at Christmas. In the meantime I should keep myself going full-force as there's still lots of holiday preparing to do. I'm trying to take lots of deep breaths.

Dusting off the needles

2009-12-10T13:59:00.009-05:00

For months all had been quiet in the sewing corner. The fabric and thread sat lined up waiting...the sewing machine was looking a little forlorn, gathering dust. And my will to craft: not especially abundant. Even the cooler weather could not urge me to grab the woolly yarn and knitting needles. A complete craft drought (well, aside from that Halloween costume I threw together for Rowan...the costume whose many components were misplaced or temporarily lost before I ever took any photos).

So, you can imagine how excited I was when a local mama put out the invitation for folks to come on over to her place and join in on some fun studio/crafty time (and treats too!) But Mother Nature had other plans for me: a snowy afternoon that left my snow tire-less car completely unprepared for icy, hilly roads. Once we have snow on the ground, I do not like to drive anywhere with just summer tires. So I stayed home...a little bummed out but a lot inspired to make things.

And I actually started some projects that night and even finished two over the next couple days. One was a hooded cape for Rowan's medieval festival. This was made from an old wool blanket that I dyed gray. The best part about it was how much it excited him. The medieval festival was a wonderful culmination to a class Rowan had taken throughout fall.And a mystery knitted item that will be a gift so I can't say anymore...just in case. Have a happy Friday!

Seven on the seventh

2009-12-09T10:04:00.001-05:00

Rowan my delightful one is 7. It really is a magical age. He wished for new lego sets and was completely surprised and ecstatic as he unwrapped those sought after packages. When he opened one to see a pirate set inside, he exclaimed "how did Grandma know exactly what I wanted!" and when finding his sisters had gifted him with Star Wars legos he shouted "Thank you! I LOVE you!" and dove toward them with a big hug. So sweet.

My dear boy may have a slight (or not so slight) interest in swords/pocketknives/guns/catapults/etc and dramatic, dangerous tales, but through it all his kind heart and sensitive soul shine though. Oh how we love him! Happy Birthday Rowan!

Disclaimer

2009-12-08T11:53:00.001-05:00

Over the last year this blog has been quiet....very quiet. As I sit here uploading a year's worth of pictures onto Shutterfly (sad that I do this so infrequently), I notice how much went unrecorded here. Not that my aim for the blog is to keep track of every minuscule detail, but I initially was drawn to this format because I liked the idea of preserving the fleeting moments amidst all the busy day to day tasks. I wanted to frame these things that matter. The things that draw me in and make me smile. As a mother and housewife days can often add up to mountains of laundry, dishes, errands and schedules, but recording and reminding myself of the all good things makes everything better.

But then I started to let myself feel shy here...and started to question why anyone would want to read these meanderings. And since I am most often the shy, reserved person in a group, this makes sense. But I do want to keep on plugging away, sharing the bits and pieces of our days. Hope you'll join us for the journey- blurry pictures, goofy writing and all.

Changes

2009-11-16T20:45:00.013-05:00

I think I was kidding myself when I said we were "just a little overwhelmed" by our house projects. Actually, I'd say we're closer to a lot overwhelmed since every room will need to be addressed in some way sooner or later. (and no Ari the shag in the office is out of here...soon). But I'm really trying to settle into the fact that it's not all going to be done tomorrow, next month or even next year. We will definitely be living amongst chaos for a time as we check off things bit by bit.

But while we were waiting for the closing we did go ahead and tackle a few of the projects we were anxious to finish before cold set in. A new little patio from large slate stones salvaged from around the house. Some of those stones were dangerously heavy. Yikes, I don't see us doing this again soon. (don't ask me why we felt inspired to finish just before winter...) Taking down- a bit regretfully- a beautiful old white pine that was right in the front of the house. The tree's shape and proximity to the house had us concerned. We feared one of those large forked branches would eventually smash down through the roof. After examining the tree once it was cut and seeing a fairly large section of rot, I felt at ease with our decision to take it down before a storm did. The next day a portable sawmill came and milled much of the wood into usable lengths. Now the wood is curing in the barn waiting for future projects.Replacing the fifty+ year old furnace with an efficient one and taking the winter off from wood heat has left us almost giddy. Warmth with the flip of a switch? What a novel and luxurious idea!

And leaves...well this is not a project we'll ever really complete...but this is the first year that we've really had to deal with the brunt of leaf collecting. Wow- there are a lot of leaves. And more to come each year.
And lastly here's a glamor shot of me utilizing our high tech leaf removal system. My dad once complained that I don't post any pictures of me on the blog...well this might explain it! This is probably the best of any recent photos I have of myself...oh well.

We have a home!

2009-11-08T13:41:00.006-05:00

Finally after a very long time patiently- and not so patiently waiting- our house is really and truly ours. We began renting this old farmhouse five years ago (almost to the day). The house had served as the church parsonage for awhile, but then it became a semi-neglected rental. Initially we were thrilled to be able to rent the entire house and have a large yard: the price was reasonable and we would no longer have to share walls with neighbors. But living in this big old house full of potential and not being able to do much to improve it became frustrating after a few years. Finally the church decided they would sell and the official papers were all signed last week. We're very thankful and just a little overwhelmed. Now we can move forward and work toward making this house our home. Wish us luck!

Where the wild things are

2009-11-03T06:54:00.002-05:00

Right now, this little wild thing is softly snoozing in bed. But very soon, she'll be roaring and ready to greet the day. At two, she is full of ideas concerning all aspects of her day. From picking her daily attire to choosing her next meal, she wants in on decision making. And Halloween was no exception: she had her mind made up about what costume she'd wear.
A "hobo monster" was her choice. Never mind that I had my own ideas: I envisioned us being a cuddly kitty cat pair as mama cat and baby cat. But this adorable costume got handed down to us from a friend. Though a teeny bit small and wearing thin at the at the seams, Lilla fell in love with this suit. And who wouldn't with all those fun details?

The only unfortunate result of our trick-or-treating foray was that this little miss has fine tuned her taste for a sweet treat. Umm, I don't think it is a good idea to give into toddler pleas for candy at 9Am. Oh wise Lynn could you please tell that Sugar Sprite to have a swing by our place?

Apples and more

2009-10-10T12:08:00.008-04:00

Living in apple country, we're usually over-loaded with apples at this time of year. But a visit to the apple farm proved this season to be a little different. I'm not sure why....maybe the late spring frosts and the cooler, damp summer took their toll. This year apple picking was more like treasure hunting. From afar the trees looked perfect, but upon closer inspection we saw a lot of bad apples: spotted, small, misshapen, not terribly tasty...a little disappointing I must admit. But with some careful hunting, there were apples to find and carefully tuck into our bags to savor later. And with less, I think we end up appreciating them all the more.
And there were other treasures to discover at the farm. Freshly cooked apple cider donuts that disappeared without photo evidence, hidden huts in the surrounding woods and a circular lilac hedge. A perfect little hideaway with the sinking sun lighting it up. Now if only I can remember to come here when the lilacs are in bloom...what a heavenly scented place that will be.

Bits of fall

2009-09-26T21:26:00.013-04:00

The evidence is all around: in the changing colors, the slanting, warm afternoon light, the nodding sunflowers and the last of summertime veggies. And if that weren't enough, the calendar assures us that autumn has arrived. Though bidding summer farewell often seems a bittersweet event, I can't help but be astounded by fall's abundance. It's funny...it happens to me every year. The scarlet leaves, the burnished fields, the graceful silhouette of a tree all take me by surprise.

As the landscape unfolds into its varied hues I feel all the more grateful for each lovely day we are gifted, knowing that soon we will be called back indoors to sip tea and cozy up to the fire. I want to gather up all the beauty, soak in the sun's rays and store it all to carry me through once the days grow short and crisp.

A little treat

2009-09-18T10:07:00.010-04:00

Sometimes I have a little helper that sits on my lap as I attempt to go on the internet. It's a tricky operation. She has opinions. She wants to listen to music....she wants to see certain pictures. She has plenty of advice for me: "Go backwards to THAT picture!" or "Different song, please." And this cracks me up: "I like that one!"

As I posted pictures from Ava's birthday party and she saw the cake, she decided she wanted cake. "Mama, make some cake!" Well, I wasn't planning on cake, but I did have lots of zucchini. So zucchini bread it was. And though she was not entirely convinced she wanted to try it, one powdered sugar sprinkled bite convinced her otherwise. A decadent treat for sure.

Better late than never

2009-09-17T11:58:00.001-04:00

Well, here it is: a very belated post complete with blurry pictures and birthday wishes for my girl. Her birthday was at the end of August, but I seem to be on my own time line with this old blog. My voracious reader, fan of horses (and a clothes horse herself), fun and sweet girl is twelve. I can't believe it.

Hello again

2009-09-03T10:31:00.001-04:00

Well I guess we've seen the last of our sandy, summer days this year. Though I'm not the least bit ready for it, September is here. Midday stills beams warm and golden, but the air has turned decidedly cooler at night. The change in the light and temperature is urging me forward to gather and organize. Time to bring in the last of summer's berries. Time to sharpen our pencils and line up our fall activities. From the brimming list of amazing things to do, how to pick and choose? This year has me just a bit more anxious than the past as this year is our first to officially report Rowan as a homeschooler. As things are shaping up I have a feeling that it will be a good and very busy year ahead. But as I ponder and plan how we'll be spending our days, I'm trying to ensure there will be plenty of time to just be. To be in nature's playground: learning, exploring and holding on to wonder.

A little trip and back

2009-07-25T12:00:00.003-04:00

Oh there I go again letting my blog slip for weeks without an update. Well, for all three of you waiting on the edge of your seats, I've have some pictures from our little adventure up to Lake Ontario. What a treat to be back here once again. I am very thankful that my brother in law's family are such gracious hosts. And it's almost like going to the ocean but just two hours away instead of the usual seven. Even the intense wind could not keep us from enjoying the full playground of sand and water before us, the company of friends and family and the gorgeous sunset finales.

From the earth

2009-07-09T12:53:00.002-04:00

Considering my CSA hands me this abundance and more every week, I have been asking myself whether my garden is worth all the effort. There's no way I can top the bounty of this local farmer.

But then I think back to my own childhood. We did not usually have a tilled garden space, but the yard had many fruit trees, bushes and perennials. I remember so vividly foraging in the yard for blueberries, plums, rhubarb, pears and more. With delight my siblings and I would find these edible gems and gobble them up.

Though eventually I would love to garden so productively that I could feed my family all summer long and into the year with my own labor, I'm not there yet. For now I think of it as a children's garden, a nibbler's place. A place to pluck a simple bouquet. A space to find treasures among the weeds- a strawberry here, a sugar snap there. I love to watch the joy and satisfaction of my boy as he pulls carrots from the patch. I hope to plant seeds of love for the earth that my children can carry with them always.

A week (or two) in pictures

2009-06-30T11:02:00.009-04:00

Savoring a few strawberries from the garden and loading up on buckets full at our favorite u-pick farm. Rowan's last day of gymnastics:
Almost daily wagon rides to and from the market:
Puddle stomping and rain dancing:
Making sour cherry syrup. Last year's frozen bounty was cleared out to make way for all the new delights about to fill my freezer. And with the addition of seltzer, this syrup makes a fabulous cherry soda. Or a slushy- we love our Hawaiian Ice maker.
Out riding with friends:Last day of school celebration for Ava- complete with cake and a slumber party. Look who's holding court with the big girls...
Hurray for summer!

Gardener's apron

2009-06-23T12:38:00.003-04:00

On the rare (and short!) break in the clouds yesterday I gave my new apron a whirl. Finally made one of these for myself- just a little half apron with pockets in the front for seeds, tools and other gardening essentials. The fabric is a sturdy printed canvas that hopefully will withstand all the wear and tear and grime.
Rowan was my photographer and I have to say that I'm very pleased he got the apron and not my hair. I very sorely need some help in that department. Specifically, I think it's time for a haircut. By a professional. It's been nearly ten years since I got my hair cut by someone other than myself or a family member.

In other apron news, if you're in the market for a fabulous mama/child apron set, you should head on over here and take part in the Garden Mama contest giveaway. Leave a comment and she'll put your name in the running! Sweet!

Black and white

2009-06-21T00:50:00.002-04:00

I am finding myself a little in love with this classic color combo. I think it all started with the silhouettes. Remember those? We did eventually get them framed- it was surprisingly hard to find decent ones in the right size. But once they were hung up on the wall above the couch, I knew I needed to make some black and white pillows to round things out.
And as I take these pictures of my girl, I see that her birthday dress carries out the theme. Another pinafore dress from The Children's Year book. Must make more of these. They'll be perfect for summer...that is if it ever decides to stop raining. I think this is day four of drizzle.
Oh, and this little ferry wooden boat toy was a gift we snatched up during our travels through the Adirondacks. The owner of the bed and breakfast we stayed at made bunches of wooden toys on the side. And after our travel by ferry I couldn't resist this one.

Wishing all you Dads out there a Happy Father's Day!

Could it possibly be...

2009-06-20T15:55:00.007-04:00

That our littlest girl is now two? Highlights from her day: the balloons at Auntie Lea and Uncle Kevin's house, presents to open and a decadent, three layered chocolate cake. And did I mention those balloons? My goodness- who could have known so much happiness could come from something so simple. Watch out Little Lad, I think you may have an heir to your balloon kingdom.

Happy Birthday to our dear, sweet Lilla!

The city and the woods

2009-06-18T09:02:00.003-04:00

After a few days in Kingston, we traveled on to our next destination: Montreal. With map in hand, we went seeking the old city and its lovely European style architecture. We browsed store after store, fueling up with coffee and hot chocolate in between. Then the rain came and we found cover in an endless maze of interconnecting shops.

Next followed a trip to the Adirondacks....never been there before. all of it was a lovely adventure, but I'm very glad to be back home again.

(I'm trying to clear out my drafts and see that this one never did get published...Though we took the trip a while ago, thought I'd include it for memories sake.)

Why we went to Kingston

2009-06-16T10:46:00.000-04:00

Can you guess?

Here he is: the graduate.
Over the course of four days, there were three graduation ceremonies to attend at two different universities.

These last two years have been crazy. I can't believe he's done. And it all started two years ago when this little Miss was just 5 days old. Look how much she loves her Dad:Congratulations Eddie!

Whizzing by the wind farm

2009-06-15T11:14:00.007-04:00

I should have suspected that my husband would not let me rest until I included something about the wind farm on Wolfe Island, especially considering his deep interest in this renewable energy source.

So here my dear Eddie, these photos are for you:

This tiny island is covered in turbines and farm fields. Just a few houses dot the land here and there. In this rural setting, the presence of wind turbines is not entirely displeasing to me, but I'm not in love with the look. Eddie thinks they look very cool out there among the fields. Of course it's an industry he hopes to become employed in, so there may be a little bias. I'm curious to know what other people think about wind turbines in the landscape...any thoughts?

By boat to Cananda (and some island hopping)

2009-06-13T09:07:00.000-04:00

Making our way northwards we crossed the Saint Lawrence river by way of ferry, with a quick stop at Wolfe Island in the middle and finally landing at the charming little city of Kingston. While the ferry transports us to our destination, I feel my mind slip into memories of my youth and summertime on Cape Cod. Standing on the bow of the boat with the cool breeze off the water licking our legs and tickling our faces, I feel the excitement brewing. Here we are at the beginning of our week long adventure.

Been gone so long

2009-06-11T06:18:00.001-04:00

I hardly know where to begin. So here...how about a random picture from last month? Spring comes along and suddenly I want to paint my whole house and make new curtains and get organized. My head begins bursting with possibilities until- of course- a healthy dose of realism reminds me that there still is just 24 hours in each day. To fulfill my urge for brightening things up inside, I tackled the bathroom. A lick of paint here and there and just one window to make curtains for (my stash of Sis Boom fabric came in handy). Ah, the smallest room in the house is just my speed right now.

I'll be back soon with some tales (or at least pictures) of our recent travels.

Creekside

2009-05-14T15:39:00.001-04:00

Come warm weather, these are the spots I love to escape to. Following woodsy trails and coming up upon little hidden spots by the creek to find some calm, quiet and cool. The kids and I could spend hours here- climbing, splashing around (when it's not too cool), skipping stones, and just being mesmerized by the ever rushing water and the ancient crumbly stone walls.

These are the places- so abundant here- that I know I will miss deeply if the time comes for us to move away. With Eddie's program finished and his graduation less than two weeks away, there has been a lot of job searching and talk of relocation. For now, I'll just keep soaking in this place I love to call home.

May Day

2009-05-01T14:10:00.012-04:00

Our violets are back. These simple lovelies spread through the yard in a most irresistible way- looking a bit like misty purple clouds among the grass. Almost enchanted. Somehow their arrival always surprises me and leaves me with the happy assurance of Summer. Ahh... looking forward to more days of warmth and sunshine.

Greening up

2009-04-29T05:02:00.001-04:00

Dipping in.

Listening and watching for our feathered friends. We're all loving this book.
Outdoor snacking.

The Sun

Have you ever seen
anything in your life
more wonderful

than the way the sun, every evening, relaxed and easy,
floats toward the horizon

and down into the clouds or the hills, or rumpled sea
and is gone-
and how it slides again

out of the morning blackness
every morning on the other side of the world
like a red flower

streaming upward on its heavenly oils
say, on a morning in early summer, at its perfect imperial distance-
and have you ever felt for anything

such wild love-
do you think there is anywhere, in any language,
a word billowing enough for the pleasure

that fills you, as the sun
reaches out as it warms you

as you stand there empty handed......................

Mary Oliver

A fiddler

2009-04-25T06:24:00.001-04:00

I love watching him learn new things.

The skin you're in

2009-04-24T11:00:00.002-04:00

When I was a teenager, I was a complete sucker for all the skin "fixing" products out there. I was a regular at the drugstore scooping it all up: scrubs, Noxema, peeling masks, and benzoyl peroxide. I thought these products might be the key to blemish free skin. I also felt certain that a heavy slathering of make-up was a necessity before leaving the house. I came to rely on that makeup "mask" to help the vulnerable me feel a little safer, a bit hidden.

When I went off to college and especially while pregnant with my first baby, my pendulum swung the other way. I no longer wanted to buy into the false beauty system. I didn't want to put so many chemicals on my skin. I fell in love with herbalism and natural healing. Though Rosemary Gladstar's book- A Family Herbal - was a later addition to my herbal bookshelf, it's become one of my favorites. I still remember her calm and radiant presence when I went to hear her give a talk at a little Cambridge health shop years ago.

The book is full of recipes and general instruction for making and using all kinds of natural/ herbal remedies. Her "Perfect Cream" is especially satisfying to make.

Here's the recipe:
Waters
2/3 cup distilled water (or rosewater)
1/3 cup aloe vera juice
1 or 2 drops essential oil of choice
Vitamins A and E as desired

Oils
3/4 cup apricot, almond or grapeseed oil (I actually used olive oil)
1/3 cup cocoa butter or coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon lanolin (I left this out)
1/2 to 1 ounce beeswax

1. Combine waters in glass measuring cup. Set aside.
c 2. In double boiler over low heat combine oils. Heat them just enough to melt.
3. Pour oils in to the blender and let them, cool to room temperature.The mixture should become thick, creamy, semi-solid and cream colored. The cooling process can be sped up in the refrigerator, but you have to watch it closely so it doesn't get too hard.
4. When mixture is cooled, turn blender on to highest speed. In a slow and steady stream, begin to pour the water mixture into the whirling oil mixture. You may need to turn off the blender and scrape down the sides with a spatula.
5. When most of the water has been added, listen to the blender and watch the cream. When it begins to cough and choke and the cream looks thick and white, turn off the blender. Now you can add the remaining water by hand and beat with a spoon- don't over beat though.
6. Pour off into jars. The cream will thicken as it sets. Store in a cool location.

As the lotion is quite thick and rich, a little goes a long way. Use only a small amount on the face, more can be used on the body. This is my favorite part about Ms. Gladstar's instructions for using this cream:
"The only real 'rule' about this cream is that it can never be used with any negative thoughts about the body it's being used on. When smoothing it over the creases and maps of the skin, do so with love. Do it as if you are anointing yourself with precious balm. You are! This is part of the cream's magic."

While I really love the lotion itself, perhaps this kinder attitude toward oneself is the more important aspect of using this skin cream. I do appreciate this reminder to be just a bit more gentle with myself.

Birthday bits

2009-04-20T14:25:00.002-04:00

Eddie had a big birthday last week. And since turning that magical age of 35, he claims he's not young anymore. Well now, I just don't agree with that statement. I'm getting closer to 35 and I like to think that 35 is still a teeny bit young. And I think I've even heard people saying that forty is the new twenty these days...

In honor of our favorite newly thirty-five year old, the kids and I made a few little crafty things. To lend a festive vibe to our dining room, we made papel picado:
Ava and Rowan loved making these and given a little more time would probably have covered the entire house with paper banners. We used fairly large rectangles of tissue paper, folded them in half many times and then cut out various shapes to create the designs. There are some amazingly intricate ones pictured here.
The painted silhouettes of the kids were a gift for Eddie. I used acrylic paint on 11" by 14" canvas panels. This project has been waiting on the back burner for ages. Finally the desire to have a gift ready for Eddie's birthday gave me the motivation I needed. And with the help of a digital camera, the whole process didn't take very long- just part of an afternoon. First I took profile shots of each child against a blank wall. Then I fiddled with the size of each photo and printed them out. Next I cut out the profiles and traced them onto the canvas panels. Lastly I painted two coats of black acrylic paint inside the outlined silhouettes. I would have liked to have them framed up before giving them but I was lucky they were even dry by the time Eddie got home from work. I had Eddie pick out some frames and sooner or later we'll hang them up properly.

Later in the evening we went out for a dinner + movie date- thanks to Lea for watching the kids. And even later (days actually) we celebrated our sweet guy with a crazy chocolate/grapefruit concoction.

We love you Eddie! Happy Birthday!

Shoe horse

2009-04-18T10:55:00.007-04:00

Oh Lilla just loves shoes- especially fancy shoes that make a delightful clip clopping sound. While I am getting ready for the day, she fishes around the closet looking for a pair to slip into. I have a few fun ones to choose from, but nothing compared to some other members of my -ahem- family. Can you imagine Lilla's glee when she spied these shiny, high heeled numbers belonging to my sister?
She was instantly smitten and trotted off like she'd been wearing shoes like this for years.They look smashing with the little homespun Easter dress, don't you think?
The pinafore dress pattern came from The Children's Year book. I love, love, love the simple ideas in that book. I thought I would make her a matching bonnet, but somehow time ran out before it was time to pack up and hit the road for Cape Cod. Time has been short for blogging too...maybe I'll manage to catch up one of these days.

Peep, peep

2009-04-07T15:44:00.001-04:00

Rowan and I made a few new woolly friends:

With patience, warm soapy water and willing hands, a mass of fluffy wool batting can transform magically into a dense felted fiber. Well, perhaps not so magical when a favorite sweater shrinks three sizes too small, but that's a different story.

Any-who...to make our little woolen eggs we started with a hunk of batting.
We fluffed it up a bit and then layered it over some plastic Easter eggs. You could use any sturdy egg form. Before wrapping we taped our eggs closed so they wouldn't open up during the felting process. We wrapped 4-5 thin layers of batting evenly around the egg and then added a bit of colored roving.

Carefully, we dunked the woolen bundles into a warm soapy bath and gently began molding the wool around the egg form. In the beginning the wool feels all mushy, but slowly the fibers tighten up and begin to bind to one another. Before the wool begins to really felt, you have to work slowly and gently to avoid popping your egg right out of the wool.

Once the wool firms up, you can add more pressure as you cup and squeeze the wool, gradually working toward a smooth round shape. Every once in a while you might dunk it again in that warm soapy water.
Once the wool is firmly felted, all the soap must be rinsed out and the egg left to dry for a day or so. After the wool is completely dry, I used a small sharp pair of scissors to carefully remove the plastic egg within and to reveal our hollow woolen egg.
And this can be filled with any treasure you wish...a coin, a little sweet treat or even a little chick.
We cheated on the chicks and sewed them up from a felted sweater (oh yes! those shrunken sweaters aren't a total loss). The pattern is based loosely on one from the All Year Round book.

Just fold a small square of felt on the diagonal: you will have a triangle shape. Sew together the open sides of the triangle, stuffing the form with wool batting before sewing the entire thing shut. Now you will have a stuffed triangle. A little stitch of blue embroidery floss suggests the eyes and a snip of orange felt becomes the beak. A button sewn on the bottom lets the chick stand up.

Nothing too fancy...just a fun little thing to make and something for the little ones to play with. I'm thinking one of these will end up in Lilla's Easter basket. Hope you and your peeps are having a nice week!

Welcome Spring

2009-03-29T22:30:00.003-04:00

We had a glimpse of lovely warm weather yesterday. We spent the day outdoors...preparing garden beds and boiling more maple sap. Yes, we threw ourselves in to making syrup again this year. After last year I wasn't certain I'd attempt it again considering the investment of time and effort required to get just a bit of syrup. But, oh well it's just too delicious to resist. And we do have several mature maples only steps from the house. And now we have nearly two gallons of syrup for the upcoming months!

And with our wonderful weather, Lilla had the opportunity to wear her new outfit Grandma brought back from India. She just loves to jingle the bells attached to the skirt:
And investigate all the sparkly mirrors attached to the shirt.
But now she says enough with the photos, Mama. Put this lens cap back on please!

Chess with a six year old

2009-03-20T14:51:00.005-04:00

The other afternoon Rowan and I played a casual game of chess. Or so I thought.
Everything seemed to be going smoothly for me, until...
Suddenly Rowan had me in checkmate.
Hmm. Looks like I ought to crack into those chess books.

Greetings from Lego land

2009-03-05T00:39:00.002-05:00

Oh thanks so much everyone for stopping over to give some advice on the sofa! The fabric dilemma has not been resolved entirely, but Eddie made it very clear that he was NOT interested in the lively pattern idea, soooo...that's one down. Now I'm on the hunt for something velvet, maybe turquoise? I haven't found it yet. Anyone have a spare 10 yards or so?

Otherwise, not too much going on. Here we are in March and the weather is very lion-esque. So we're indoors a lot: stoking the fire, eating too much and living in the midst of toy land:

Legos, anyone?

Project in the wings

2009-02-26T23:17:00.000-05:00

Years prior to its arrival here, I had long admired this sofa while visiting Eddie's grandparents. While the seat was admittedly funky with its popped up, bouncy springs, the graceful old lines and elegant carvings had me completely. And now this beautiful- and yes a bit tattered- sofa has wound its way here and has patiently stood awaiting a turn at a little primping and refining.

After the local upholsterer quoted the job to be about $1000, I've seriously considering taking on the project myself. But diving into this beast is a little scary. I've completed a few smaller upholstery jobs, but I've never had to get in so deep to the guts of a piece. And figuring out how to properly tie down the springs will require quite some effort (and HELP- please, oh please Eddie?). The first hurdle for me will be deciding on and finding fabric I love and can afford. And yeah, I'll probably need some uninterrupted time and space. Guess I'll figure out that one later.

So should I go totally wacky and find a really bold/modern print? I can't help myself from being a little in love with this Anthropologie sofa. The mixing of brilliant fabric with the antique looking wooden frame is very appealing right now (though may not be in a few months!)

Or should I listen to saner side of me which urges toward a pared down natural linen or gray velvet. Those would be very sensible choices I think. Hmm...what shall I do? I'd be very grateful for some advice.

Indoors

2009-02-22T00:05:00.012-05:00

A little green:
And a little yellow:

Ah...that's better. Outdoors a mass of gray and swirling white greets me. Still. But my head is beginning to buzz with Springtime possibilities and dreaming about that seed catalog.

The aftermath

2009-02-19T01:17:00.006-05:00

First there was an yummy ice cream cake brought over by my lovely sister and brother-in-law, then there was some sugar induced silliness:
I've heard of the theory that sugar doesn't have a direct impact on behavior, but somehow I just don't believe it.

Scaling new heights

2009-02-16T06:49:00.001-05:00

Here I am- camera in hand- holding my breath as I watch Rowan navigate and strain to reach each rock. Although he's tethered and secure, he is a little uncertain at first about this whole rock climbing business. The first few tentative tries don't seem to do much for his confidence. But on the third or fourth attempt he finds his footing and all of a sudden nears the ledge, the entrance to the "cave" that has become the goal for all the children climbing that day. And then I see it, just a corner of the smile that has crept across his face- that slightly shy smile of recognizing one's own success. Lilla too is becoming a little climber at home, wanting to go "up, up, UP!" those stairs all by herself. And I'm trying not to hold my breath too much as I follow behind her, ready to catch her.

Heart Day

2009-02-14T12:41:00.000-05:00

Flowers from my sweetheart:

A woodblock print found at the farmer's market for my Eddie: Danish paper hearts filled with chocolate goodies. This site has wonderful directions.
Rowan carved his very own soap with inspiration found over here. My sweet boy has wanted a real carving knife for quite some time. The butter knife and soap method is a great way to get those itching fingers crafting. The added bonus was mama received a fresh supply of castille soap shaving for whipping up a new batch of laundry soap.
And of course some heart shaped (or something approaching that) pancakes on the breakfast table.
Hope your day was surrounded by those you love.

Occupying me

2009-02-05T07:06:00.007-05:00

The recurring theme over the last month has been furniture: moving furniture, fixing up furniture, and selling or freecycling the excess. Hardly a day has past when my trunk hasn't been at the ready with boxes destined for Salvation Army drop-off. With this kind of activity, one might guess we were preparing for a move. But no, not yet, though I do look forward to moving on from this rental one day.

All of this fussing actually began in mid-December after Ed helped clear out his Grandmother's home and brought back a full Uhaul truck. And these things- chairs, tables, buffets, dressers, an antique sofa, a mish-mash of old china, books, photos and sewing oddments- all landed in my dining room, filling it from wall to wall. So for a time here I've been swimming in excess... pouring through piles and trying to make sense of these bits and pieces accumulated over the years- ranging from the old and beautiful to the broken and worn. I've been sifting through boxes wondering about the woman to whom the items once belonged, imagining what her life might have been like and wishing I might have had the chance to know her better in person.

And here and there a project is finished. I was happy to bid farewell to my old dining room chairs and table and make way for these new (old) ones. I applied a favorite (and lovely smelling!) linseed/beeswax finish to all the pieces and Ed tightened up the joints. Then I layered and stapled new cushions, batting and fabric onto the drop-in seats. The heavier weight cotton fabric is an Amy Butler design. The fabric purchase was a bit of a saga as I wavered back and forth between several choices. I browsed online to find quite a few I liked, but ultimately settled on purchasing this one from a local shop. While I wanted to do my little part in supporting the local economy, I think I might have chosen another fabric given the multitude of options out there. Ah well, at least we're enjoying being able to sit in our dining room once again. Stay tuned for more projects in the works!

Fun with color

2009-01-30T21:45:00.006-05:00

We plucked out all the broken crayons bits out of the BIG crayon basket, methodically peeled off papers and got to work making a fresh batch of crayons. Not an original idea but something I'd never tried out before. I must say there was something very satisfying about cleaning out that basket. Some of those crayon bits have probably been kicking around since Ava's early artistic meanderings (I think those old ones were especially tedious to peel- stuck on as they were). All we did was lightly oil an old muffin tin, put our peeled broken bits till about 3/4 full, popped the tin into a 200ºF oven for 10 or so minutes. Let cool until set and tapped them out.

With our abundance of white outdoors, these little punches of color make me very happy.

Ski with me

2009-01-29T23:35:00.013-05:00

Yesterday was a snow day. Canceled plans, school called off and the flakes piled up some more. I don't think we've seen bare ground since November. But, no matter, I was not unhappy to delve in a bit- just tiny bit- into those cozy winter activities where pajamas are the required attire. And yesterday's snowy gift combined with mild weather (whoa, heating up beyond 30ºF!) sent us out today to take in the scene by foot and by ski. The pace of cross country skiing is just right for me, I'm not one for speedy downhill adventures. And now, I believe I have a very willing ski companion.

Home again

2009-01-28T00:06:00.008-05:00

Oh, I've been a bad, bad blogger. Hardly posting at all for weeks (months?) and then dashing off last time with one big run on sentence, no pictures and a serious shortage of details. Well we're back again from another trip. We've been traveling a bunch lately, or it could be that the intervals of time between trips just seem nonexistent. This trip was definitely a sad one overall as we went down to Virginia for Ed's Dad's memorial. As someone said, it's easier to think of him off on one of his traveling adventures or out sailing than to accept he's passed. But life's circle spins forward and there were some rays of light and warmth to seek playing with the kids outdoors :

In contrast here we are back home to the icy cold. Bundled up and gliding along on a friend's pond. As the days grow longer, the light is beginning its return and with it the promise of an (eventual!) Spring. For that we are grateful.

I've been

2009-01-21T00:31:00.006-05:00

enveloped in a new novel gifted to me at Christmas
listening to my littlest one spout out a bunch of new words
working a bit
relinquishing Christmas decorations
trying to keep this drafty house warm
baking
knitting
preparing a *very* belated birthday party with friends for Rowan
fixing up furniture
praying for my nephew...get better dear one.

Sweater pants

2009-01-14T17:30:00.003-05:00

With today's weather briskly in the single digits, I didn't stray too far from home. In fact I didn't allow myself to get too far from the wood stove. I just enviously eyed Lilla's super warm sweater pants. These were made last winter out of a Salvation Army sweater, but due to Mama's extra generous sizing they are fitting Miss L just right this year.
Okay, I know I've already mentioned before what a wool junkie I am, but the material is such fun for so many repurposing projects. We've turned old felted sweaters into mittens, slippers, hats, pants, Christmas ornaments and stockings. Thrift stores (and the closets of your friends and family) are just overflowing with beautifully colored and textured woolen sweaters. And once the sweater is felted- needs a high wool content and some vigorous washing and drying- the edges won't fray. I so prefer working with this material over the thin polyester felt you can buy in craft shops. Another cool part about working with sweaters is trying to incorporate the finished edges into your final project. For instance, I cut out the pants so that the bottom cuffs would line up with the bottom of the sweater where it was ribbed. I just used a pair of baby pants for a makeshift pattern, but I would imagine a store bought pattern would work well.

Now if I could just find a sweater big enough for a giant, I might whip up a pair for myself and then probably hide in the house looking like an oddball.

Hello January

2009-01-07T08:22:00.004-05:00

Christmas on Cape Cod, New Year's in Virginia. We've been a busy band of gypsies going from here to there, unpacking and repacking four times over. All this shuffling of belongings, people and a dog combined with the bustle of holiday crafting, shopping, wrapping and the like leave me a bit frayed. We're home now and I think I'm ready to bring this blog out of hibernation mode.
A few of the things that managed to make it out of my craft space in time for Christmas:

::A new stocking for Rowan- every bit of it made from reclaimed fabrics and trims. It's a little sick how much joy I get from re-purposing old things.
::Leg warmers for my littlest (hurray for that bit of mohair left over from my cowl)
When she's not wearing these on her legs, she puts them on her arms. This girl has become increasing interested in her clothing and has a fashion sense all her own. On Christmas Lilla received a new Hawaiian shirt from my sis and immediately Lilla stripped out of her dress (with help) to get that new shirt on.

::A hooded cape for Row. Well, I wish I could say this was a hit, but I'm afraid it turned out a little heavy. I'm please to say the fabric was recycled from things I had around the house. Scraps of brown velvet from Ed's grandmother and a few old velvet garments of mine. Even the clasp came from a Nordic sweater in my woolens bin. But the double thickness of velvet makes it second in line for dress up capes. And the expression on Rowan's face here might better illustrate his point that "it's embarrassing to get dressed up in front of grown-ups." This is an unfortunate recent development. Also, it reminds me of the story about Eddie as a kid. Apparently he liked to roam around Martha's Vineyard decked out like Superman, but did not like if anyone noticed. ::A bag for Ava. She noticed one I had made for my niece and then said she wanted one for herself. I love this fun fabric from a cozy little shop down the street.
This bag has become Ava's school satchel, so she requested a coordinating pencil bag.

And our travels to the coast gave us plenty of time for admiring the winter sky and sea and for enjoying the company of family and friends.

Happy 2009!! And thanks to all who make the trip to my little corner here and for the kind words you share.

Decking the halls

2008-12-16T02:13:00.021-05:00

The farm looked like this the day we went to pick out our Christmas tree: Yes, almost every tree covered in mounds of snow, but that didn't stop of from trudging around through the deep, deep snow looking for that perfect one. Finally choosing, we circled round our tree to give thanks before cutting and bringing it home. I love so much the sweet forest scent that now fills the indoor spaces.
And I love the gleam captured on sparkling ornaments.
More little bits to add some holiday flavor:
This one is Ava's.
Here's Rowan's.
The advent garland which I can never seem to get a good photo of, but on most days the kids awake to a little treat tucked inside.
And the little felted bird- an idea stolen from the fabulously crafty Leanne at Homemade Rainbows. I've been admiring the ones she made some time ago for her little one's birthday and have been waiting for the moment to make my own. And now I can't wait to sew a few more.
Hope your holidays preparations are merry and bright!

Winter picnic

2008-12-13T00:17:00.010-05:00

Come join us ...we've got heaps of new fallen snow. Everything is frost covered but it's really not too cold. Bring out your sleds and we'll dine at the top of the hill- today's menu: freshly baked potatoes washed down with a mug of hot chocolate.

Birthday Scenes

2008-12-12T00:47:00.014-05:00

And now Rowan is six. Our sadness from the loss of Ed's father is momentarily set aside to remember the day- December 7th- six years ago when we were graced by the arrival of our dear boy. With Eddie away attending family matters, I pulled together a simple birthday celebration beginning with a star path (an idea from The Birthday Book, which I adore).

Rowan awoke with morning's first light to find a trail of golden paper stars laid out on the floor beside the bed. After realizing the trail was meant to be followed by a certain birthday boy, he bounded out of bed and tip-toed his way to discover this at the end of the path:
And the unwrapping and playing with new treasures ensued, with my boy still pajama clad:In the afternoon the kids (all three!) and I ventured out to see a movie . As we so rarely go to the theater, this was indeed a very special something. Rowan guessed that he had only been out to the movies once or twice before... and it was Lilla's theater debut. Considering the intensity of the surround sound, I'm not sure it was such a great idea for the little one's ears. But we went and had a perfectly good time munching popcorn in the darkened theater, laughing a bunch and me crying a little too. Afterwards, we treated ourselves to Rowan's requested pizza dinner and returned home for a bit of carrot cake and the company of my sister and her husband.
Happy Birthday Rowan!

Rest in peace

2008-12-06T09:21:00.003-05:00

On Friday, Ed's father Bob passed away unexpectedly. We are all so stunned and saddened. When we saw him in September, he looked so vibrant and healthy as he expertly took us aboard his beautiful sailboat. I never considered the possibility of him passing on at only 71 years old. I think most of us expected him to achieve centenarian, or near that, status like his own mother who lived to see 100 years. Hard to accept that he is gone...this man who generously welcomed me into the family over 11 years ago.

On the heels of this loss comes Rowan's birthday. Somehow I am finding comfort in preparing a celebration for my son. The simple things- wrapping of gifts, snipping up golden stars, baking a cake- keep pushing me forward, reminders of life continuing on. Reminding me to hold tight and to find joy in all the precious, but fleeting moments of life.

Giving thanks

2008-12-01T01:57:00.001-05:00

Last Thursday we celebrated Thanksgiving here, just the five of us. We did not travel to visit family as we normally do and skipped cooking the usual feast to instead eat at a restaurant. All in all a very untraditional holiday, but like Eddie commented it is such breaking away from tradition that makes one appreciate it all the more. Too often, amidst life's busy-ness and responsibilities, I forget to feel gratitude for the joy and wonder that surrounds. At this time of the year, I am reminded to pause and reflect on all the happiness in my life: family, friends, the peace and comfort of home, nature's beauty and the bounty of good things to eat. In honor of this holiday, we made a Gratitude Tree using our watercolor leaves painted a few weeks ago and took turns writing what we are thankful for on the back of each leaf.
While the word family was written more than once on our leaves, I was grateful for Saturday afternoon when Ed took the kids out for a few hours and I stayed home alone to putter around (very novel indeed!) I even had a chance to play around with the new sewing machine kindly gifted by my husband and paint a bit of my boy's bedroom. And when the kids and their dad returned, I was ready to receive them...for a break was just what this Mama needed to feel all the more thankful for these loves of my life.

Happy December 1st!

Healthy fried dough

2008-11-24T16:40:00.001-05:00

Actually I totally lied. The only "healthy" thing about the following treat is the whole wheat flour I substituted in to make the dough. And there's reason to argue that point as well. But as I bit into our warm from oven (or should I say burning hot because I just couldn't wait) monkey bread, I started thinking it was a lot like fried dough except not as fattening. Nearly patting myself on the back as I reached for another morsel, I then recalled the stick of butter the recipe required. Oops...healthy it is not...but yummy and fun to make with little helpers. I think so. Especially since it looks like this outdoors:
and this :
and this:And we needed some warm cinnamon-y delight to have with tea after being out and about examining the snow growing in the garden.

But be forewarned. Monkey bread, at least our monkey bread, is not pretty. See for yourself:
After careful inspection upon un-molding our creation, we all agreed that it's looks would be better suited to a Halloween themed spread.

If you care to join in this monkey business, we found the basis for the recipe here.

Outside and in again

2008-11-19T00:40:00.012-05:00

After my complaining of the cold and snow flurries last week, we were gifted with one more golden day. Since we had had our fill of tinkering around the house, tea drinking and cozying up to books, we eagerly flung open doors and made an afternoon dash to the park. This two mile city park loop is just ideal for a mama, a stroller, a biking boy and a dog tagging along. Giant turtles...there is a fantastic Children's Garden here.
The last of the fall's burnished glory:
After our joyful day out, the weather has returned to that more typical of November. And I'm returning to cocooning tasks, revamping my indoor spaces for the coming months and trying (this is hard for the pack rat in me) to de-clutter a bit. And for the stuff I can't seem to part with yet, I'm re-purposing with a few little projects here and there... like turning this antique mirror frame into a blackboard. The mirror was long gone when I scooped up this old frame. I had intended to replace the missing mirror, but this pretty thing has just been gathering dust in the basement. I painted the wooden backing with some blackboard paint (I'm a little addicted to that stuff all of a sudden) and now it has a new life in our school area.
And when my children and sewing machine cooperate, I'm playing around with fabric and ideas. Some pillows for lounging- made from an old barkcloth(?) daybed cover:
And there is gift making in the air. But for now I'm keeping those things to myself. Hope you're having a lovely week.

Carrying light

2008-11-14T00:43:00.006-05:00

To celebrate Martinmas. The festivities were much the same as last year. Even the menu was alike: curried lentils with baked potatoes. The kids and I also made up some parathas to go with it- whole wheat Indian flatbread- flaky and stuffed with scallions. Rowan and Ava were quite the experts in rolling out the dough. And we had fun sharing the food around the table- symbolically breaking our bread and potatoes in half to share with the person next to us. Ed was a little baffled, but went along with it anyhow. After the meal, out came the simple lanterns we had made earlier from glass jars covered in tissue paper with handles formed from florist wire. Even Lilla got into the gluing action. And again we carried our lanterns out into the night while singing songs to push back darkness and make way for light.

Nature gifts

2008-11-12T15:42:00.009-05:00

Found and gathered:

And steeped to make little jars of sunshine for healing all year long: I like to make a calendula salve to have on hand for cuts, scrapes, and dry or chapped skin. Back at the end of September the calendula blossoms were plucked from the garden and set in a jar to infuse in olive oil for several weeks. Then the good healing oil was strained and squeezed out from the plant matter and placed in a small pan over very low heat. As the oil begins to warm, bits of beeswax are added and stirred in until melted. I never really measure this out, but just add enough wax so the final salve has a good consistency- so it melts into the skin without being overly drippy. If I don't get the consistency right the first time, I just re-melt and add a bit more wax or oil as needed.

We also gathered black walnuts to make an ink and clothing dye. With gloves on, I ripped off the hulls from 20-30+ walnuts, set them in a cloth and tied it off. I put the little sack filled with the hulls into a big canning pot, covered with water and let it sit for three days. Then I boiled up the brown looking soup (hulls still in the pot) and let it sit again over night. The liquid then gets strained out. I use a fine mesh just in case any walnut bits escape from the cloth. Much of the liquid I used to dye some clothes. The verdict is still out on the results of these.

One jar full of the liquid was saved for ink. Here's my boy trying out the walnut ink, using a turkey feather found at his old nursery school:

What a difference...

2008-11-10T12:06:00.013-05:00

...just a few weeks makes. Here we were: watching Rowan play soccer and basking in Autumn's golden light. No jacket required- outdoors and loving it.
Well, fast forward to today: snow. Yes, that's right. Snow. It's not sticking, but the flakes are hurrying down. And I actually have to leave my house. Oh dear. I'm not quite ready for this.

A little gifty

2008-11-09T10:38:00.000-05:00

I never showed you this pretty little necklace that Eddie brought back from Germany. It's a thin strand of Labradorite beads with a pearl in the middle.

I love jewelry, but I don't tend to wear it as much with a babe in the house. Too often the dangling earrings get yanked or the necklaces become strangle prone in the grasp of those inquiring, pudgy fingers. I've had my share of jewelry strings snapped and beads this way and that. But this one I've had on nearly every day since Ed came back, and Lilla hardly even bothers it. It's simple, dainty and has a pearl right in the middle-just like my girl: Lilla Pearl. Oh, I love it!

Just sitting

2008-11-08T04:07:00.005-05:00

Inspired by this flickr group here, thought I'd share my little place to Sit a Spell.

Here you can find me stealing a moment to sit and read or knit. It's not a quiet corner though, as it sits sandwiched between the back door entry and the wood stove, in the midst of the kitchen business and chaos. More often than not shoes, coats and bags get left here before finding their rightful spots on a hook or in a bin. But when the space is cleared and I take a leave from household chores, I like to linger here- with a pup at my feet, the tea kettle at the ready and the stove radiating warmth nearby. Sunshine pouring through the window adds to my delight.
This little second-hand bench has been with me for a while...it's worn many fabrics and seen lots of paint jobs- from green to aqua, red, and then white. The quick and easy nature of changing the paint and stapling on a new fabric seat keeps my fickle self endlessly entertained. Hmmm...what will it be next?

Yes, here you'll find me working on some simple hand warmers like this or reading a great book- Jhumpa Lahiri's "Unaccustomed Earth" is my latest favorite.

Where do you like to sit?

Seeds of change

2008-11-04T11:47:00.006-05:00

This is Rowan releasing milkweed seeds into the air: And here's Ava this morning right before leaving for school. Tucked into her bag is an extra matching shirt for her friend to wear. Ava's school holds an election today so the kids can cast their own votes for president. Can you guess who she's rooting for?

Trick or Treat

2008-11-02T11:11:00.016-05:00

My loves all dressed for Halloween:
Almost all costume components were scrounged from around the house. The black furry fabric was a left over from years past and quickly sewed up into a tunic, ears, treat bag and tail for my Ava cat. To get the tail to curl and stand up I used an opened up coat hanger, but the thing still had a mind of its own.
Rowan's blue coat was pure serendipity as a trip to the Salvation Army yielded a size six girl's sailor coat. All I did was rip off (carefully!) a bunch of the white trim. His hat was once a floppy brown one of mine, but a bit of dye and a few stitches later it became a tri-cornered hat such as a Revolutionary War soldier might wear. My rendition is a little shabby, but those Minutemen were not known for their formal wear. As far as we're read, they were lucky to have shoes. Lilla's forest elf dress and cape ( I skipped the fairy part because I ran out of time for wings) was created out of my recycled woolens stash, bits from a velvet skirt, brown bias tape and a pair of old curtains my sister (remember these Kristina?) might recognize. Oh, and I was a mama on the prairie, but the only photo of me is a blurred bit of the bottom of my dress (an old Gunne sax dress I've had around for years).
I think Ed wins the award for the creepiest costume of all- a borrowed suit from one of the labs at work. He was quite a sight amongst all the kids as we trolled the neighborhood looking for treats.
Boo!

Slapdash

2008-10-29T00:43:00.000-04:00

Last night I finally began my Halloween costume making. Could I be any more last minute? It all of a sudden dawned on me that I would have to get started sometime as we are leaving town today and not arriving back until Friday afternoon (mere hours before trick or treat time). I'm packing up and bring along the little hand sewn bits I have left to finish off during the long car ride south: the cat ears for Ava's costume, seam binding and fabric leaves for Lilla's fall fairy costume and the woolen hat (which I dyed blue last night!) for Rowan's Minuteman outfit. Right now my sewing space is a wreck with mounds of black faux fur, snipped up woolens, velvet and voile everywhere. I'm saving cleanup for when I return. And what, might you ask, am I doing on the computer right now?

Puppy love

2008-10-27T09:39:00.001-04:00

A new little friend for our family. Charlotte's her name. She came from the animal shelter, but before that she was an island girl. A vet brought up a few stray pups from the Bahamas (hopefully the pups don't mind being rescued from a tropical paradise). Apparently there are thousands of these dogs running amok and just barely eking out an existence. They are known as "Potcakes" because they eat the caked-on scraps from the bottoms of pots and pans left out by the locals. This website here has some interesting tidbits about these dogs.
The kids had been begging to get a dog for a long time, but the timing never seemed right. I'm so glad we finally took the plunge...Charlotte is a great little dog.

Into the woods

2008-10-23T14:35:00.001-04:00

Last week we went out seeking autumn color and light in the peaceful quiet of the forest. A woodland hike with a few friends and a backpack stashed with some painting supplies helped in our quest. After finding a leaf covered clearing and nestling in a bit, the paint and paper came out and both the mamas and the little ones joined in the fun. With pencil, we traced a variety of leaf shapes onto our watercolor paper. Then with paintbrush in hand, we filled in with a wash of color. Even after leafy subjects were exhausted by the boys, they continued on, creating abstract landscapes and humming all the while. The real treat was in the process: playing with color to the tune of leaves rustling and the singsong of childhood.

In sadness

2008-10-18T00:18:00.009-04:00

"In times of sorrow the universe holds you in its embrace."- Barbara C. Lee
Found this quote on the kind of card no one ever wants to buy. The card that quietly attempts to bring some measure of comfort in a time of sadness.

This has been a heartbreaking week. There have been losses on both my side of the family and Ed's family. My sister's dear twin babies- Isabella and David- were born early and were just too small too survive. Ed's grandma Alice died at 100 years old.

Many leaves and tears are falling.

Making history

2008-10-12T14:11:00.001-04:00

A few snippets of our day at the Newark Valley Apple Festival last weekend. Every year I plan and hope to go to this event, but for one reason or another we've never gone. This year, however, I was not going to let that happen. So the kids and I went- Eddie the martyr stayed home to stack the three cords of wood mounded beside the house. As excited as I am about apples, the real feature of the day is touring the grounds and buildings of this gorgeous historic farmstead. And the kids busied themselves making old-fashioned crafts, playing traditional games and watching (and helping) the living historians at work.
After spending a day in such a place, I felt a little torn about leaving. There is something I love about the beauty and simplicity of days gone by. Sometimes I feel like I was born in the wrong era. Of course, I am also reminded of how easy I have it. The woman spinning flax talked about how it would take a full year to make a single linen shirt- from growing the flax, preparing the fiber, weaving and sewing. I am so fortunate that I may chose (mostly) how to spend my time. I am not required to sew or cook from scratch. Our livelihood does not depend solely on our gardening ability. I do happen to enjoy such pursuits, but perhaps I wouldn't if all I did was labor away.

Apple goodness

2008-10-06T11:40:00.023-04:00

My weekend wishes were fulfilled: apple picking and a festival (more on that tomorrow).
This year the crop was so good that the farm was practically giving them away. We filled up two half bushel bags in no time. Rowan made me laugh as he just had to use the stool and the grabber pole to aid with his picking. There was plenty of fruit hanging low and heavy on the branches, but he just needed the added challenge of reaching up to the tippy top of the tree.
Some of the apples have been put to immediate good use. While I was at work the other night Ava whipped up an apple crisp for the rest of the family. She's quite the baker these days and is especially motivated when sweets are involved. I returned home to find just a bit left- and stole a few delicious bites.
Today Rowan put his chopping skills to work helping prep fruit for applesauce. After simmering and letting the apple-y fragrance fill the kitchen, we sat down to share our snack with a favorite friend.
And the dishes were scraped clean.

Elfkin babushka

2008-10-03T16:47:00.011-04:00

A new little hat for a little girl. And why not with a little bell? (reinforced to stay on well.) Actually the bell was Ed's idea. I was just going to make a little pom-pom like the pattern suggested. The pattern is roughly copied from the gnome hat in The Children's Year (a favorite crafty/seasonal book of mine). Because I used a different needle/yarn combo than called for, it took a little tinkering before the sizing worked- well kind of worked. Anyway, I like to try and use just the materials I have on hand (and whoa I have way too much yarn on hand), so this one's knit up with one strand of 100% wool held together with a variegated acrylic. I usually steer clear of synthetic yarn, but for this I like the combination of the two fibers. The hat is soft and warm without requiring a lining, one less step for me!
And the brilliant trees with their rainbow colors are making me very happy indeed.
Happy weekend...I think we're going to an Apple Festival on Sunday and hopefully some apple picking very soon as well.

Birthday Wishes

2008-09-30T23:38:00.004-04:00

To my favorite brother:Guy- how very lucky all of us sisters are to have a brotha' like you. When we were little you were always leading with some fun game for us to play (krautniks anyone?) or some adventure to take us on (how about a motorcycle ride on Setucket?) And you're still as cool, creative and fun as ever. Hope your day is fab.

Our missing piece

2008-09-27T10:37:00.008-04:00

Ed's been away the since last Saturday. We all miss him. We're all a little lost without him. Rowan and Ava have each said "I miss dad" no less then twenty times. In the evening when we hear his usual bus pull up to the house, one of us is quick to comment that if dad were in town, he'd be home by now. Rowan watches the planes overhead and wonders if they're heading east and if they might be possibly heading to Germany.Well later today, we pick up Ed from the airport. This week has been a long one without him. From my scattered and fuzzy communication with him, sounds like he's managed to have a little fun. Definitely not an all work, no play kind of trip. He went to Oktoberfest after all, toured Germany's charming countryside and ate fantastic food coupled with an array of local beers. Not too shabby. The main reason for the trip however was school related: to check out some solar energy fields (sites, plants?? don't know how you label them). Alternatives to petroleum sourced energy has been an interest of Ed's since before I met.Right now Rowan is hand sewing a little coaster as a homecoming gift for his Dad and we're trying to tidy up the house a bit. I'd better sign off for now.

Did I mention that we can't wait to see him?

Things for fall

2008-09-23T23:34:00.010-04:00

A mess of flowers brought in to brighten our table:
Beginnings of a gnome hat for Lilla. I keep knitting and ripping this one out over and over. Now I think I 'm finally on a roll. Playing with my shadow: a self portrait. I love autumn's late afternoon light.
Here's Rowan making a nest of the fallen leaves and pretending to be a bird.
A frost was predicted late last week, so I scurried to bring tomatoes and basil in from the garden. We've been eating a ton of tomatoes lately. I'm also freezing some whole as supposedly one can produce good tomato sauce in the winter from the frozen fruits...we shall see.
Harvesting lots of these cheerful yellow calendula blossoms for making a favorite salve.
Savoring time out of doors: playing, reading, snacking and relaxing:

Happy first week of Fall! And Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

Going south

2008-09-20T23:07:00.017-04:00

Like the geese steadily making their way southward- their classic v and clamoring honks overhead- we too journeyed south last weekend to see Ed's family. And we settled in for a few nice days milking the last of summer.

A very hot day at the zoo in DC:

An afternoon on Papa's (Ed's dad) new sailboat. Strong winds kept us zooming along, the boat heeling and me a little anxious aboard with a wiggly one year old. On our last day, a quick jaunt out on the motor boat kept the thrill seekers happy:
We took hundreds of photos...and of course more than half of them went to the trash already. I'm still getting used to the digital SLR and trying to figure out all the new features and settings. It had been years since I last used a SLR, so I feel way out of practice. Thankfully, there's an auto button. And a trash button. Also, a funny thing happened after getting the new camera. Now we find ourselves with lens envy.

One more piece of summer

2008-09-16T09:04:00.002-04:00

At the beginning of September, I was thinking about my blueberry stockpile...thinking that I didn't get quite enough berries in the freezer for the coming months. Thinking that I had missed the boat and would just have to settle with the berries I had collected, frozen and jammed back in July. But then last week a friend told me about a u-pick farm that still had berries. She said the picking wasn't great, but on a whim we headed out there to find plenty of berries still clinging to the bushes. Sweet, small, lovely berries. I couldn't get enough of the old-fashioned, self-serve scene: picking the berries in the overgrown hillside field full of bushes and the honor system payment plan of weighing the fruits myself on the farmer's porch and then dropping my money in the jar.

With purple stained fingers, we picked berries until sunset and brought home enough fruit to fill a gallon size freezer bag, eat too many fresh ones and make a blueberry pie (Mark Bitman's pie recipes are my favorite!).
And then just as I was beginning to accept the fact that summer was over, we headed south for the weekend to visit family. And my, it was one hot, full-fledged mini summer vacation. I'll have more on that tomorrow. Today I am unpacking (why did I think I needed so many long-sleeved shirts and pants?), organizing and sifting through nearly five hundred pictures from the weekend. We just got a new camera and neither Ed nor I can restrain ourselves from clicking away.

Easy riders

2008-09-09T10:54:00.015-04:00

All sorts of riding going on these days.
Ava's been riding horses on and off for years. This fall she begins a program at our local university to ride in their P.E. class. Very exciting indeed.
Rowan is a marvel on his bike. Last summer at only four years old, he stepped up to a two wheeler (no training wheels!) And this past weekend he moved on to a larger bike that was scored at a yard sale for a buck and lovingly fixed up by his Dad.
And here's Lilla, hopping onto the "Wonder Pony." This was a great hand me down from friends and reminds me of the ride-on horse I had as a kid. I wonder if my childhood bouncy horse made it through all the rowdy rides from my siblings and me (is it somewhere in the basement Mom?)
As per my to-do list this weekend, I got on the sewing machine and made this little shirt for my girl. A supposedly quick pattern (Easy Mcall's 2889) sewn up in this light weight crab-apple print. The directions were simple, but the shirt came out a little wonky at first -and maybe still. Flaws included really long sleeves, an overly large neckline, and a too short length (I added a linen trim to make up for it). I ran out of time to make the linen pants that I planned on... hence the bare legs. Luckily the weather is still warm enough for such indiscretion.

Happy Birthday Lea!

Four things list

2008-09-07T09:50:00.002-04:00

Sabrina (another one!) over at mamabee tagged me to do this. I'm giving it a shot, but I'm afraid my answers are not terribly exciting (gosh- I've hardly traveled out of the country and I think it's fun to sit at home sewing on a Friday night).

Anyhoo- Here goes:

4 things I was doing 10 years ago...
traveling cross-country
moving out of Ithaca, NY
chasing a one-year old
learning to crochet

4 things on my to do list for today...
go to the Ellis Hollow fair with my family
sew something!
take a walk
relax

4 things I love about my husband...
he's Mr. Glass Half Full
he loves me and appreciates the things I do
he's willing to learn new things and take risks
he doesn't mind cleaning the dishes

4 jobs I have had...
waitress
bookkeeper
newspaper girl
assistant to an Irish Step dance dress maker

4 movies I have watched more than once...
Harold and Maude
Spinal Tap
Good Will Hunting
Kiki's Delivery Service

4 places I have lived...
Cape Cod, MA
Washington, DC
Ithaca, NY
Somerville, MA

4 places I have been...
New Orleans
Portland,OR
Bar Harbor, ME
All over Florida- lots of times
I guess I'm not a globe trotter...maybe someday

4 places I want to visit...
Spain
Baja
Alaska in the summer
Denmark

4 t.v. shows I watch...
we don't have cable...
Does a Flight of the Conchords DVD count?

4 things you may not know about me...
I want to learn to play a string instrument (banjo?)
I don't take criticism well and cry too easily
I love Scandinavian design/style
I would love to hike the Appalachian trail someday

4 people I tag...
whoever wants to join in...I tag you!

A wedding away

2008-09-05T08:35:00.015-04:00

With my sister's wedding inviting us back, we ventured again to Cape Cod before Summer's last hurrah. The morning after our late night arrival we joined my brother and his family and my youngest sis for a trek to one of the "Big Wave" beaches-those icy cold waters on the Atlantic side of the Cape where the large waves allow for body surfing, boogie boarding and even a few surfboards. I loved these beaches as a kid (feet numbing and all), but as a mother with small children I find them a little terrifying. Ava, however, can't get enough of the tumbling waves and begs to go each time we're near. This time the weather report and the skies did not look so promising:No matter...After a fortifying lunch at the Beachcomber restaurant (just a little hike up beyond the dunes), the clouds parted and the day turned into a beauty:But as fun as all the beaching was, the real reason for our trip was the wedding of my sister, Lea and Kevin, her mate of many years:
Aren't they lovely? The ceremony was set in a gorgeous sunken garden with the party following at this most amazing place:All in all a sublime weekend....except for the long car ride home...which had a few moments looking like this:Oh, my poor sweet Lilla is not in love with her carseat.

Endings, beginnings and celebrations

2008-09-04T09:47:00.002-04:00

Where, oh where did you go July and August? Each year summer slips by faster and faster. As a child I recall the summer months lasting for what seemed an eternity, but now with a blink of an eye September is here and to be honest I'm not sure I'm ready yet.

Blogging has been on the back burner these last few months, but I'm ready to be back...when I can find the time. The last week and a half has been a busy one. First I got sick with that dreaded mastitis AGAIN. Though I normally avoid the doctor and most conventional treatments, I went ahead with an appointment and got antibiotics. With so much going on lately, I knew my recovery time would be limited. In the last week, two big days have transpired: a birthday for my big girl and and wedding for my little sis. Ava just turned 11 -eleven, I can't believe it- and we had a gaggle of girls over to help celebrate. They did spa treatments, went to the movies and had a sleepover. The whole birthday scene is becoming more grown-up as these girls get closer to adolescence. Here is a little glimpse of the day: After the party, we prepared for yet another trip to the Cape for my sister's wedding.
I'll share more on that tomorrow...it was a beautiful day and setting to celebrate the couple.

Summer snippets

2008-08-25T00:36:00.000-04:00

For the last week or so, Fall has been sneaking its way into our evenings. Just a few nudges here and there of the coming season: the fans are turned off, a little sweater might be worn for an after dinner stroll and maybe an extra blanket lands on the bed. But right now the days are still warm or even hot. There is still time to linger outside: splashing in the water, kicking back at the playground as my kids run circles around me, savoring icy treats under a hot sun and hiking around to discover the gems hidden at the end of a trail. So before summer makes way fully to falling leaves and frosty days, I'm drinking in these these summer time scenes:

Reminscing

2008-08-19T08:09:00.017-04:00

Inside this tiny chapel in the woods:With this little flower girl leading the way:
And a sweet Blue-grassy band playing along Simple Gifts:
This guy:
And this girl:Made themselves official and got hitched:
Seven years ago this past July 28th marked our day- though Ed likes to joke that we were betrothed the moment we bumped into each other on the street- almost exactly twelve years ago. Either way, I'm happy we found each other and look forward to growing old together.