Weekending

We began our weekend Friday night with pizza night

Yesterday momma & daddy's allergies decided to start acting up. And a certain baby decided to teeth miserably. Poor Ree tried really hard to keep everyone from getting too cranky

We woke up congested again today. Not feeling sick, just stuffy and sleepy

There was Mass, coffee, trying to ignore the humidity, lots & lots of knitting by Momma, lots & lots of coloring by Ree. Still to come today is visiting family

It's a three day weekend so we have more tomorrow! A cookout with family here. I am planning on making chowder and clam cakes....my first time! We'll see how it goes!

Linking up with Karen!

Around the yard

There is lots of things going on in our yard this week!

The gladiolas that we planted two years ago are still coming up. One of Ree's favorite things to do is run outside in the morning to see if there are any new ones flowering.

This morning we counted twenty peppers growing with lots more flowers. A few eggplant flowers. Lots of lettuce. It looks like the spinach may be passing by. I need to get out there and pick some. This week we picked almost all the radishes to bring to my mom. There are still some left, but they are little so we are hoping they grow a bit more before she gets them too.

The onions and beets and carrots are humming along nicely. Probably will be ready to pick in a few weeks.

There is a bug in one of the eggplant leaves that I don't know what it is. At first I thought it was an earwig but I don't think. Possibly a wasp, but I didn't want to get too close to see just in case!

This week we also found a dead robin and I stepped on a garter snake. 

Never a dull moment in the yard!

Make and Listen Along

I had meant to have a yarn along post for yesterday. But it would have pretty much been the same as last week! I am still on the cuff of my sock, and just finished the book (which I loved!). I did decide I would be frogging the first sock I made up to the cuff, making the cuff longer & the foot longer too. I had plenty of yarn and I just don't think it will fit the recipient right the way it is. I'd rather take some out to make it correctly. 

Other then sock knitting, this week has been a lot of memory making. Monday evening we decided, spur of the moment, to head to one of our local beaches for some playground fun and sunset watching. Ree had so much fun on her "surprise" as we didn't tell her beforehand where we were going. There was some sea shell collecting, a race between momma & Ree & baby (who had help from daddy) some swinging and going down the slide (by both Ree & I. I haven't swung that high nor gone down such a big slide in a long time!)

We caught the sunset and it was stunning. The past few days have been dentist appointments and errands and spending time with my sister & her kids at my parents. Just a whole lot of being in the moments as they come, soaking up one another presence and those of our loved ones. 

I won't kid, there have been some melt downs, late nights & early mornings that make for tired momma's and littles, a teething baby and the return of the heat. But we really are making the best of things and taking life one moment at a time.

As for listening, there has been the return of the upstairs air conditioner, very noisy peepers at night, the happy squeals of a baby, the questions of an inquisitive 4 year old, the lapping of the waves on the shore and the shouts and laughter of children at playgrounds. 

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A reminder about the Poetry in Everyday Beauty course. Registration is open and will remain open through September 8th, start day! The option to bring a friend will stay until then as well!

Weekending

This weekend: 

 There was a trip to the library that resulted in my budding artist picking out almost all the drawing books

me bringing home some books on book binding and journal making

thanks to Amy's hard work with her Art Together series, especially issue 4,

we will be going down a little trail of making our own books 

I went out for a few hours Saturday to run errands

came home to a screaming baby

someone missed her Momma. As soon as I was home she was all smiles

We watched Good Will Hunting & Dead Poets Society

I spent some time working some more on my Poetry In Every Day Beauty (registration will be open through September 8th, along with the bring a friend option!) course

and some time planning out some more of "school". Ree has been insistent about reminding me that this year she is going to learn to read and do math and cook

We went to a car show we happened to pass after Church & an impromptu trip to the zoo

both resulting in no naps or rest time yesterday which made for some cranky kids at my sister-in-laws

A not too bad weekend if I do say so myself!

Joining with Karen & all the other lovely weekending ladies!

This week

Thank you so much for your enthusiastic reception of my Poetry in Every Day Beauty workshop/ecourse (I'm not really sure what to call it!)

There is still just over two weeks before we begin so there's plenty of time to find a friend and sign up two for one! Everyone who signs up will get an email a few days before we begin.

This week has been a slow one. Lots of art and coloring time; exploring a new to us park after dinner;  watching the flowers bloom; going on walks around the neighborhood; just slowly savoring these days of summer. 

I hope you have had a good week as well and a wonderful weekend to come!

Make and Listen Along

This week I have been making an e-course. Finalizing the first draft, making it ready for a second draft, to polish it for final draft. I had put it aside for pretty much the whole summer. The other day I was inspired to finish it and share it. To step out in faith that someone needs it, that maybe my words and pictures will resonate with others. 

It doesn't require much time on the computer. It encourages you to get off the computer and open your eyes to the beauty that surrounds you each day. 

Won't you take a look and let me know what you think?

Yarn Along

My knitting mojo is coming back and I've missed it!

Over the weekend I finished the first sock of my Christmas knitting (appropriately Christmas themed socks) and the book Becoming Jane Eyre. Jane Eyre being my favorite book, I enjoyed this fictional look into the writing of it. 

On Monday I began the second sock and The Namesake which I am also loving. The author grew up in my hometown and went to my high school so I especially love anything she writes just because of that!

These socks may be a little small for the intended recipient. Does anyone have any recommendations on Christmas colored yarn? I may have to keep these for myself and make a new pair as a gift!

Look for the Light

I did not mean for there to be so much silence here for so long! I have taken a break from social media, but fully intended to keep up with my blog & blog reading. What do they say about the best of intentions?

There has been so much tragedy and heartbreak in our country, in our world the past few weeks. I can't take it. I needed to step back from the social media because of all the comments, opinions, judgements and the general bombardment the sheer weight of the news. I made the mistake of going on Facebook this morning. Oh my aching heart!

I do not live in a vacuum, I do read the news in order to be kept up to date a little bit and what I see and hear is so sad. I was starting to get a bit depressed, hence the stepping back. This morning though I realized that stepping back from reading it all and stepping back to fall into a little bit of a void are two different things. I long for a world of peace and beauty. My thoughts need to be "how can I bring even a little bit of that peace and beauty to the world" rather then thinking "I wish someone would bring peace and beauty to the world."

My first step will be to get back here regularly, if nothing else! I miss the interaction of all the inspiring women who stop by this space and whose spaces I stop by. So be looking for me to come knocking on your doors this week!

My second step is to finish fine tuning my Poetry in Everyday Beauty workshop in order to have it ready to run in early September. Look for more information on that at the end of the week. I have been hemming and hawing about finishing this all summer. Now is the time. I want to find & create beauty in my everyday and I want to find & create it along with all of you.

Around the Garden

The garden is coming along nicely!! This week we harvested some lettuce and radishes. We like the lettuce. I don't care for radishes, very bitter! But they are my mom's favorite. So she will be getting a good amount! I could pick some of the spinach too. I need to get a few cucumbers and tomatoes and I have a nice salad all ready!

A few of the gladiolas that we planted a few years ago are blooming. And the other day Ree and I spotted the praying mantis hanging out over there. 

How is your garden coming along?

Weekending

So far this weekend has been:

*harvesting radishes from the garden

*a slow Saturday morning

*a few errands just Momma & baby

*chasing said baby who can now crawl very fast

*baby proofing the house as she finds the things she can't have

*finishing up the big girl quilt top

*working on my craft swap goodies

*finishing my book

*helping clean out the garage; we finally got rid of the extra couch in there

*stepping outside to watch the almost full Super Moon rise

*watching this movie; we enjoyed it; time to read the book!

Today is more of the same

*Church

*maybe putting the back on the quilt

*family time

*visiting time

Joining Karen

Rhythm

The rhythm of the seasons is going full steam ahead here. I am noticing a subtle shift in the mornings this week. The air is just a little crisper. The sunlight is shifting as it moves across the living room. When I went out to check on the garden this morning I found this leave in my path reminding me that very soon fall will be knocking on the door.

Today I will be working on a little pre-school rhythm for the fall. Ree is pre-school age and she is very insistent that she "do school" so she can read and do math. So I ordered a few things and today will be putting together a rhythm for our days. On paper at least. And really nothing will change to how we go about our days. Except that we will do a few things at the table that we will call school and she will (hopefully) be happy!

I am ready for the rhythms of our days to change. I like summer and the slower days but I am looking forward to our fall and winter rhythm too. And by the time spring rolls around I will be ready for a summer rhythm. I am so glad nature provides these changes for our bodies and minds.

This past week we were camping and it seems like after this annual trip I am always ready for the shift to begin. Although I will also be squeezing out every last drop of our summer too. I am not quite ready to leave behind the fish n chips, the beach evenings or the sound of the peepers at night!