The Summer Garden Tour

Walking through the yard in the morning has become one of my favorite pastimes. I find myself taking time to notice things and appreciate them in all their worth.

As I walk I spy texture. I spy happiness. I spy a place to sit quietly and read. I spy evidence of play. I spy rusty things. I spy (and smell) sweet lavender. I spy a patience builder. I spy a sweet snack, that never makes it in the house before being consumed. I spy bounty. I spy color. I spy geraniums, and memories of my grandma who had these growing at her house. And then the silence is broken; I spy the biggest (and most comfortable) attraction in the yard. Yes, we can fit the whole family in here. Although it’s nice and cozy with just two. Taking time to spot things, to notice things, forces me to slow down and appreciate. Slow down and savor.

What are you noticing today?

What to Do with Lettuce

Lettuce, lettuce, lettuce everywhere.  Our recent hot weather sent me running to the garden to harvest the last of my lettuce and spinach before it bolted.  I picked two sinkfuls of wonderful green stuff.  Then I was left with question of what to do with it all.

I cleaned it really good and spun it dry in my salad spinner.  Then I placed it on a layer of paper towels to dry.  Once it was dry I bagged it up in zipper bags with a paper towel to absorb any extra moisture.  Now I’ve got seven bags of lettuce to eat and share with my neighbors.

I think it will make up for the gobs of zucchini that I’ll be giving out very soon….

We’ve also got beets, lots and lots of beets.  I’ve never liked beets, until I had them fresh.  They are so very good.  I’ve been roasting the beets in foil on the grill and then quickly sautéing the greens with olive oil and garlic.  Even better is when it’s topped with caramelized onions.  I’m also fixing to try pickling them, for my pickled beet loving boys. 

Do you have a garden and what do you do when it overflows?

Lately…..

We’ve been enjoying treats from the ice cream truck and the mad dash for change as soon as we hear the music.

I’ve been wearing my new favorite skirt, all the time.

My new favorite place to be is the farmer’s market.  The colors, the scents, the yummy things at every booth.  I seriously can’t get enough of those fresh, local berries.

The hammock is our new favorite place in the house.  It’s big enough for all of us, but just right for a little snuggle with my man.  (grin)

We’ve been enjoying jammie walks, strolls around the block once they’re all ready for bed.  It’s a great wind down at the end of the day. 

 

And I’ve been enjoying the quiet afternoon that happens after a morning at the library.

Mostly, we’ve just been loving summer and the lazy summer pace.  But I’m just wondering if the days have been so long and lazy how come they’re going by so fast?

Scenes from a Monday

    

    

The farmer’s market, some park time, slip and slide, baby time, and some water balloon fights all make for a lovely summer day.

Hope your Monday was fabulous as well.

Reflecting on Mirrors

So remember this project? I was trying really hard to fill up the big wall with something and was bound and determined to do it on the cheap (or even better, for free). I threw the quick art project together with the goal of filling the space. I succeeded in that goal, but I wasn’t very happy with the results. So I did what I always do when I’m stumped by something in my house: walk around in circles while eating chocolate. I figure this way I’ll eventually come up with some kind of idea, good or bad. And if nothing else, I’ll have eaten good chocolate.

It took awhile but I stumbled upon a solution. I’ve always wanted mirrors, but mirrors are expensive. I had two round scrolly mirrors, but those weren’t enough on their own. Then I found one from Urban Outfitters, on clearance. Score! Even better was it’s beautiful shade of blue. I was in love. For about 15 dollars, with shipping, this little beauty was mine.

I love the result and the bit of light that the mirrors catch and throw around the room. This wall can be dark because of the exposure of the other windows so the mirrors add a bit of brightness.

I also love the lesson here, that it’s okay to be patient and embrace my home as work in progress. I know I could always drop a pile of money on something to fill my walls, but by being patient I was able to use what I have and snag the perfect piece when I found it. The end result is something I absolutely love.

What’s the best deal you’ve found for your home lately?

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A Tea Party, some Friends and Gluten Free Strawberry Scones

Every once in awhile you just need to have a party, a good one with just the girls. Two other friends and I have close birthdays so we decided that a tea party was in order-hats required.

my friend Anna and me

So we partied and we ate lots of yummy tea foods and we had a great old time. It was great way to have a birthday.

Aren’t the hats a hoot? And don’t I have beautiful friends? I am truly blessed.

I am also loving the scones that I made, and thankfully there were none left because I’m sure I would have finished off any leftovers on the drive home. They sure were a treat! I modified the recipe I found at The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen. The original recipe called for raspberries, I didn’t have those so I used strawberries. I also used different flours. Here’s my modified version for any of you interested-it was so very good, and also dairy free. Yippie for a scone everyone’s tummy will love!

1 cups brown rice flour

1/2 cup millet flour

1/2 cup potato flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon xanthan gum

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ cup Spectrum Organic Shortening

⅓ cup maple syrup (I use Trader Joes maple and agave syrup blend)

½ cup + 2 tablespoons cold coconut milk

1 heaping cup fresh strawberries, cut up small

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place all dry ingredients in a bowl and sift together. Cut in the shortening with a pastry cutter or two knives.

Combine the coconut milk and the maple syrup, stir into dry ingredients. Gently stir until a moist dough forms, don’t over mix it. Fold in berries.

Drop by spoonful onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Take a wet finger and smooth out the tops of the scones, getting rid of any bumps.

Bake for about 15 minutes until done, depending on size. I got a dozen scones out of this.

And that my friends all makes for a fun birthday party. We decided we needed to do this once a month, it was a great time getting together. Friend time is so important-do you get time with your girlfriends on a regular basis? If not I encourage you to make time-you won’t regret it!

A birthday, a castle cake and getting back to regular life

This little gal is turning four this week.  Gulp.

She desperately wanted the castle cake she saw in a magazine.  I did the best I could to deliver it, in a super hot kitchen and then transport it to the river where she always wants to celebrate her birthday.

It’s crazy to me that my baby is nearly four.  I think it’s pretty unfair how fast they grow, but I do know I love each stage-even when I’m missing those sweet baby years.

So we decided to celebrate early while my parents were here for a visit.  They spent all week watching our kiddos while we spent all week hanging with some awesome teenagers at youth camp.  By the time we got home Friday I’m not sure who was more tired, Zac and me or my parents. 

Today they began their drive home and I finally got through Mt. Laundry and a some other catch up things-like bills and sleep.  I’m thinking we’re going to be getting back to summer normal around here and I really like that.  For all it’s amazing activities, summer is so very busy sometimes.  This week I plan on some slowing down and some savoring.  Savoring the heat, savoring the sight of the kids running through the sprinklers and savoring the mad dash for change when the ice cream truck rolls by.

What are you enjoying during your long summer days?

Celebrating Freedom

The day started off with a community church service that was packed.  Then we promptly hustled over to our church’s parade float to get ready for some candy throwing.  Every year our church hands out water during our city’s parade, this year was a record 5000 bottles.  It’s super fun and a great way to make connections in our community.

  

This year is special because our city is turning 100.  Everyone showed up for the celebration today, decorated and all.

At home we chilled with family, and ate good food. 

Indoor s’mores?  Yes, when it’s too windy to use the fire pit the gas stove will get it done.

And what fourth of July day would be complete without fireworks and sparklers?  Nearly everyone agreed that it was the best way to end the day.  (However, one young Aida and one four legged wonder did not.)

What a day, full and fun.  We’re so grateful for our wonderful nation.

Refreshing Accessories

Every season it seems like the accessories around my house need a bit of refreshing. I usually pull everything off and pile it on the floor. I dust and clean and sneeze my way to a new look.

On the ladder shelf I added shells, even though we live nowhere near the beach. It’s just a summery thing to do. This time I focused on whites and glass, with some blue.

I couldn’t resist using my old vintage fan.

I focused on white and clear this time around.

And I made sure to include this guy, a memento from Zac’s grandpa.

Repurposed strawberry baskets on top of candle holders add a bit more blue.

Ladder shelf before:

Ladder shelf after:

I also redid the hutch, here it is before:

hutch after:

(okay this one doesn’t seem too different, but it needed some serious dusting!)

Thank goodness for the change in seasons, otherwise I might not ever get the house properly dusted!

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