Bluebirdbaby

gardens and things that make my heart smile

I love to garden. I'm pretty sure that "must-be-in-the-garden-as-soon-as-spring-approaches" urge just keeps getting worse as I get older. I would be content with weeding, mowing the lawn, and planting veggies all day long. Our backyard is incredibly swampy, filled with clay soil, and chickens. You put those three things together and you have a disaster. If you are actually able to grow anything in swampy, clay-like soil, the chickens will surely dig it up during one of their dirt baths or eat it.

So enter some raised beds. Our friend was so kind to give these to us and we immediately put them to good use. They sit in the front yard, where the chickens won't find them and it's dry enough that they won't actually sink anytime soon! We filled them with organic loam, peat moss, and (the little one's favorite thing) alpaca poo. We spent all day yesterday planting, shoveling, and taking breaks for popsicles. We planted rainbow chard, kale, spinach, lettuce, basil, tomatoes, summer squash, zucchini, delicata, cucumbers, blueberries, elderberry, alpine strawberries, and snap peas. We also made some signs for all the seeds we planted (the little one had a lot of fun with this!). We all fell asleep talking about being able to get dinner from our very own yard soon. It doesn't get any better than that!

And, oh...how talented the little one is. She came running in while Sasa and I were making lunch yesterday to show us these pictures. The one on the left is "Mama as a bird wearing fairy wings." The two people on the right are "Sasa, who is my little brother in this picture (because I really want a little brother) and I am on the right. I am bigger than Sasa because he is my little brother. We both have very styled hair." Sasa got a kick out of that! Oh, and they are wearing fairy wings too. I love the little toes on each of us and the faces are so amazing!

And lastly, I love BBQs. Sasa grilled these marinated shish kabobs and they were delicious! We're settling in for a relaxing evening after some more gardening work.

I had an engagement shoot today at a super fun location! I will have previews up on my photo blog soon, so stay tuned! Hope you are enjoying your weekend.

Alewives Fishladder Festival

It's a yearly tradition to go see the alewives running. Every year the Fishladder Restoration holds a festival to raise money for the fishladder building project. These little fish make quite a journey from salt water to fresh water where they spawn. The ladder project helps them along the way, but it is tough. Watching those little fish swim against strong currents, inclining all the way is rather miraculous. I felt so helpless staring at them struggling against the strong currents. And, of course, some die of exhaustion because it is just that hard. And others are captured by osprey and seagulls. But those who make it are amazing.

We got some smoked alewives (seems a little counterproductive, doesn't it?!), heard some live music, watched a fabulous puppet show, visited with Rhea-Rhea where the little one got her face painted and I picked up my newly arrived quilt pattern (yay!), played osprey games, rode in a horse-pulled carriage with a tiny white dog named Olive chasing after us, and visited with friends. It was very fun.

We bumped into many Bluebirdbaby readers! It was so nice to meet you all! Thanks for introducing yourself. You guys all rock. We should seriously have a little BBQ or something this summer for anyone local...I am so enjoying getting to know you!

The little one bought a smoked alewife with her dollar. She wanted to bring it home for Kiwi the cat. Apparently, even though it's smoked we still need to cook it. So tonight, as I was laying with her in bed she said, "Mama...please ask Sasa to cook that fish for me tonight. I want to eat for breakfast tomorrow morning." Well, alrighty sweet one. So the fish is in the oven and will be ready for breakfast in the morning. I don't think I ever expected an entire fish, gills and all, on our kitchen table. But with the little one, you never know...

And this afternoon? Well, I'm so excited to show you. We have a new addition to our yard, and I am very, very excited! More on that later...

Happy Weekend!!!

Ten Little Chicks...

Well, our demand of Happy Eggs completely out numbered our actual supply, so we decided to adopt some more chicks. Ten to be exact. We got some from our friend's farm last week that were a couple of weeks old already, then we picked up some more day old chicks today. Oh my, they are so cute! We've named half of them (Happy, Cara, Molly, Delila, and Daisy) and the latest batch of five have yet to be named.

They are currently residing in a cozy corner of our basement until they are old enough to join the big ladies. Even then they will need to be separated until they are full grown. Apparently chickens aren't quite so welcoming when it comes to making new friends...

The little one has had so much fun with them. She loves to check on them, sing them songs, and say good morning and goodnight. Those little chickies sure are loved!

And the big chickens? Well, they don't have a clue what's going on. We did find out they LOVE potato chips (and wooly thyme in my garden!)

I am still super duper busy, and June is going to be an even busier month. I may be a little quite on here while I get caught up on work. Happy Thursday!!!

The Huntington Family

I had the pleasure of photographing this sweet family on Monday. It was their 25th wedding anniversary and they gifted themselves with a family shoot. What a great gift! You can view more here on my other blog.

Waldorf Inspired Program

I've kept this off the blog for a while now, but I feel it's finally time to share. A few months ago, my friend and I just started talking about getting a Waldorf homeschooling group together, or even a little Waldorf-inspired school. When the idea became a reality (literally overnight) we were thrown into the process of starting and licensing a program, acquiring a space, getting the word out, and finding students. Well, our idea has formed a group of talented, strong women who believe in this concept with their whole hearts. We have put a lot of effort and hard work into this idea, and knowing that we are just so very close is exciting!

We have two amazing teachers on board, one of which helped start the Ashwood Waldorf School in Rockport, Maine and has taught there for years as well as running numerous programs out of her home. The other is a talented woman who has an amazing way with kids as well as numerous years of experience and ongoing training that will benefit this program so very much. We are thrilled to have them on board and know the whole process will be backed by their experience and wisdom.

So, I've been busy with this process as well! Weekly meetings, daily check-ins, personal work, and more has made my life full. But I feel like this is an opportunity for the community and area that can not be passed up. There is such a need for it.

I know I have a lot of local readers, which is why I'm putting this out there. We're holding a community meeting (read above image!) and would LOVE anyone to attend. Even if you don't have kids...even if you just want to know more, or would like to help in some small way. Please come!

And, of course, for all you non-local readers I'll be sure to post updates as we go along. It is a very exciting adventure that fills my heart with such warmth and love.

Back to regular posting soon! Promise! And a big thanks to Jessica's son Finn for his amazing artwork in the background!!

So Much Work, So Little Time

This is the busiest time of the year for me. Wedding shoots, portrait shoots, commercial work, design work, blogging, working a part-time job, being a mother and a partner...life gets busy. Really busy. So I just got home from a super sweet portrait shoot (I'll share more soon!) and I'm too lazy to get a shot set up on the back porch like usual. Plus, my outfit is so boring today. Really. Linen pants, brown t-shirt, and a floral button-down. It's about 80 degrees out there, so as soon as I got home I stripped down to jammy shorts and a tank. And you don't want to see that! So this is literally the laziest shot ever...me at my computer desk in the midst of downloading photos from my cameras. Ha! I guess I'll stop rambling on and get to the good stuff...

Links!

• Sasa made the BEST pizza ever Saturday night. And we cooked it in a wood fired oven. Oh my. More on that later! I can't wait to share pics!
• loving this song and video
• this was a really good movie
• love this photo (film is awesome!)
• and she is so darn cute
• broke down and got these for work (sales rock!)
• this is the cutest vintage wallet I've ever seen
• I've been completely craving amber lately. I think I need some golden amber for emotional cleansing. This necklace is calling to me. Thankfully, my friend and I are making some jewelry this week!
• Have I mentioned I've been running almost every morning for over three months? Oh yes, I love my little time to meditate and focus. It feels so good. And it cures migraines! Yay!
• ah!, oh my, golly gee, eeks...this is perfection and cuteness all in one stylin' package
• so much fun. must put this on my "to get" list
• I'm already totally exciting for camping season to begin. Bigger tent here we come!
• i had a lousy dinner tonight :: seaweed rice cake, hummus, and pesto. Totally not raw or filling, but I did make a raw mint chocolate "milkshake" yesterday. And my friend is bringing me in raw bread, raw bagels, and raw chive "cream cheese." 

Okay, enough for now. Must get to all that work I mentioned earlier...HAPPY MONDAY! What are you loving??!

Summer?

It's certainly starting to feel like summer around here. A day of 80+ degrees meant the pool was out, the hose was on, and we were living in the sun. We spent almost the entire day in the yard washing the car, playing with friends, and going on walks. (Oh, and that is the face of a little someone who got her dress all wet, and then decided that she didn't really want to be wet at all...)

Another thing the little one and I love to do is watch all the flowers bloom. We remember from last year where all the different flowers bloom around the neighborhood. When the lupine field starts to flower, it's just gorgeous. And buttercups! They are everywhere this year! We also have some gorgeous yellow flowers in our backyard, which I think are snapdragons. We love making beautiful bouquets for our dinner table. I think our next project will be to make a map of our neighborhood, drawing in all the flowers where they grow and naming them. Oh yes...that would be fun!

Oh, I think I'm going to enjoy summer this year...extreme heat or not!

Cookie Delivery Day (and more sneak peeks!)

Every so often the little one and I bake an extra special treat. But with two of us not eating processed grains, and all three not really eating sugar, we have a hard time making two dozen cookies and leaving them on the counter to spoil. So we do a special cookie delivery!

This morning the little one and I set out to make the best chocolate chip cookies ever, and boy...did we succeed! I used honey instead of cane sugar, but did opt to use brown sugar as called for. It always tastes better that way.

The little one had a blast measuring, mixing, and stirring. And, of course, the best part is taste testing. There was plenty of that too. When gluten-free batter tastes good, you know the finished product is going to be amazing.

So the cookies were finally finished, cooled, and packed up in her delivery basket to head into town. She wanted a ride in the sling on the way down, and with our big umbrella we headed out in the pouring rain to deliver the best chocolate chip cookies ever. Everyone was very excited. Just what was needed on a rainy day!

And here's another glimpse of a corner of our kitchen. I can't reveal the whole thing yet (even though you all are incessant with your pleads!) because it's not quite finished. Trust me, you want to wait until it's done. Which hopefully will be by Saturday. So there. For now, check out my pyrex collection. I have yet to organize it, but it's fun seeing it out.

And lastly, I had to snap this picture of the little one's lunch. It's her favorite. And I think it looks so darn pretty. Those strawberries were such a treat! Sasa said they were better than candy, and I certainly agree!

What are you up to this week? We're hoping for sun tomorrow...!

A Very Busy Monday

Phew! I'm beat already! An early morning run, a full day of work, a relaxing and oh so satisfying visit to the chiropractor, and finally home, making din din (gazpacho, thanks to Sasa...he rocks!), and working, working, working. I have over 2,000 photos from the wedding I shot over the weekend, so I've got my work cut out for me! I spent about eight hours yesterday going through and editing. Which also prompted me to set up a photo blog. This one is probably temporary until I get something else worked out and have more time for the designing. So take a peek here and stay tuned for some photos from the latest wedding. I should have them up sometime tonight.

And the above photo? Well, that's my complete and total admiration for the kitchen pose. I love it. Love love love it. We just got our lights in this morning and they are awesome! Sasa's Pop found them at a salvage place down in the big city and they couldn't be more perfect! A couple more things need to be done before I reveal the entire room...

Some quick links (because I've got way too much to do tonight!)

• i've been loving Ella Fitzgerald on Pandora lately
• I made my own action for CS4. Yay!
• this photo is perfection
• oh this...this is just so very lovely
• I'm thinking about this suit for the summer. But the underwire? Blech.
• this video had Sasa and I totally cracking up AND in awe :)
• the most beautiful clothesline ever
• eeks!
• loving this
• I think I may save up for these for summer

That's all folks! I'm off to eat and work! Happy Monday!!! Until next time...

a day in the kitchen

A glimpse of our lives returning to normal...

Without a kitchen for a number of months, our rhythm was completely thrown off. We are settling into our typical home life again, and boy, it feels good! I will have complete kitchen pictures to follow soon, but it's not quite done. Cabinets, shelves, hardware, lights, etc. have yet to be finished and when they are, I will reveal the entire kitchen. Yay! And it's seriously so amazing. The way it makes me feel when I'm in there, how it inspires me to cook and bake all day long. I could spend my entire life in this one room. It's the first room I've ever had in my life that is exactly how I would design it. It's perfectly us.

Until it's complete, please enjoy some glimpses of our kitchen and how we're enjoying it oh so much...

homemade blueberry muffins for breakfast

fresh flowers we collected from our yard and our walk around the hood

my lunch :: a raw sandwich with raw seed bread....YUM!

making our own homemade orange juice for our creamsicles

creamsicles in the making...oh yum (we used homemade OJ and vanilla yogurt with a little extra vanilla extract)

dancing in the kitchen with her new boots (just like mama's!)

homemade fries for dinner with a big, delicious, local green salad

So that was our day. It was almost all spent in the kitchen, minus our trips out into town. It was lovely. I can't wait to do it again tomorrow!

My mans got some Vans

Oh that Sasa. He rocks my world. Always giving me support, encouragement, and sweet compliments when I need it. So now it's my turn. He and his surfing buddy are going to start skateboarding and possibly start a skate park in the town. Sasa is getting his new wheels soon, but I decided a little surprise was in order. So I got him his first Vans (full body safety pads to follow...) and he was just completely giddy over them. I think they look pretty swell and I can't wait to get some action shots!

So Sasa...I am so excited about your little boarding adventure, as long as you don't build one of these in our backyard! But really dude, I know you're going to be swell! The little one and I will be on the sidelines cheering you on. xoxo

a day

My start to this day was pleasant. Eyes opened as the sun peeked in through the windows, my body began to stretch, and I slowly climbed out of bed. I pulled on my running clothes, got my music, and went out the front door into the early morning sunshine. Ah, that smell. That smell of everything waking up. The breeze, the trees, the flowers, the birds. I love it. It's my favorite part of the day. I run, breathing in the cold morning air, waving to familiar faces and loving the way my body feels, so strong and so alive.

I come home to a warm shower, breakfast, and the beginnings of the day. Shopping lists, the search for black tea, the gathering of items I needed for a day at work, and finally a kiss and goodbye for Sasa. I was on my way, out into the big world in this sweet little town we call home, with familiar faces and warm embraces.

Work ended. I came home to a cozy house with a bright, happy kitchen. I put the groceries away, looking forward to a dinner of garlic goat chèvre, oil cured olives, smoked salmon, cucumbers, avocado, and snap peas. A glass of white wine to top it off. Dessert was delivered by a dear friend and now raw ice cream sandwiches sit in our freezer waiting for later when our bellies are hungry once again.

Life is good. Life is simple. Life is marvelous. We are all so lucky for what we have. We are lucky for the love that surrounds us and the ability to filter out the stuff and energy we don't want. There is just so much to be thankful for. My life. My family. My joy for everything and the love I have to share with others...it all makes life so wonderful.

Feed the Birds Monday

Oh, this is a great Monday. Do you ever have those days where you wake up so completely giddy just to be alive? Well, this was one of those days. I wanted nothing more to be giggly, bouncy, smiley, and happy all day long. I still am. It's like walking on air. Everything makes me happy today. It's insane, but good. The little one wanted me to wear my hair "just like her" so I braided it in the five spare minutes I had this morning, stuck bobby pins in it and I was good to go. I swear...bobby pins are a gift from the Gods. Just three will keep a hairdo like the one above in all day long...no elastics required. And the outfit? You've seen that sweater dress before (I paid about $4 for it years ago...), the shrug is new but cheap ($8), and the tights are so old and I discovered my first hole in them today. I almost cried. But they lasted me, um...eight years! So who can complain?

Oh, do I have some GOOD links to share with you....!!!!

• this song and video ROCKS. Amazing. Seriously amazing. The little one absolutely adores it. She keeps asking for "valentino" in the car. So cute!
• Rhea at Alewives got this pattern in after I asked if they had it. I am SO excited to start my first quilt. Rhea...you are awesome! thanks so much :)
• have I mentioned I've completely battled my migraines and WON?! Um, yes indeedy! You know what it took? No sugar, no red wine, no chocolate, no dairy, no processed grains, and running every.single.day. I'm up to 3.5 miles now and going strong! Yay!
• Sasa and I just started watching Glee. Oh my. I can't say enough good things about it. It's one of those "feel good" shows. We were in complete hysterics after watching this scene the other night. I came down to breakfast this morning and Sasa and the little one were sitting eating their eggs. Sasa was singing, "All the single babies, all the single babies..." And the little one would go, "woah oh oh, oh oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh oh..." Seriously too cute. Best memory ever.
• got this print for the kitchen. it arrived today and is amazing. I love how it looks like Sasa and the little one in the garden, complete with all our treasures on the windowsill. Can't wait to get it framed...
• love this for summer picnics
• there's something about this picture that I love. I think it reminds me of my childhood. I used to swing and swing and pretend I was falling from the sky. I can remember doing that almost everyday during recess. Now I'm so prone to motion sickness that I can't even swing!
• oh, this dress...need I say more?
• I'm loving this song right now...especially on my early morning runs
• oh my oh my oh my
• handmade underwear? why yes! and something that looks like it actually might fit me! score!
• I think my color this year is yellow. Love it. Can't get enough of it.
• I've got TONS of work to do tonight. Then it's relaxing on the couch with Sasa for either a good book or movie.
• Sasa made the BEST ever tomato soup tonight. He'll share it on his blog soon!

So what are loving this Monday? I need a super good bathing suit. One without a halter top (causes neck problems for me) which are so hard to find. I want a two piece. Any suggestions??

HAPPY MONDAY!

Winner and Happy Mother's Day!

Thanks to all who entered the giveaway! Sasa (my random number generator) picked number 72 ::

Heidi in Maine said...

I am a huge fan of Sara's photography and a follower of her blog. I heart the laundry hanging photo!

My husband always makes breakfast on Mother's Day which is always a treat. My children usually shower me with homemade goodies and we usually spend the day together doing something Mom likes to do. Like walking the beach, visiting the Good life Center, hanging in a bookstore, driving up the coast to explore, etc. We also visit/ call important other "Moms" in our life to wish them a great day. Thanks for the giveaway Erin. Happy Mother's Day to you, you rockin mama. : )

So Heidi...please e-mail me and we will get that print out to you soon!

Well, I had an amazing Mother's Day. I woke up extra early for a great morning run before the festivities began. Then I came home to a treasure hunt, complete with four poems written by Sasa (oh my...he is so good) and ended with a huge bunch of purple and pink flowers. Sasa and the little one ROCK! It was such a lovely morning. And guess what? The best part of all was the fact that we had breakfast in our kitchen!! It isn't done enough to show you the full pictures, but I thought I'd surprise you with a sneak peak! How do you like it so far??

And the little one obliged her mama with some pretty braids. She wore them for almost the whole day, even though she thought the bobby pins were "nails" in her hair. She is so beautiful!

The rest of the day was spent with family, at two separate "parties" (as the little one likes to call them). Oh my...what a fun day. It was a fabulous Mama's day and I am so happy to spend it with my daughter who makes my life so alive, and my mother who I have so much to be thankful for.

I hope you all had a fantastic Mother's Day too!! I'll be back tomorrow with some awesome links!

Giveaway :: Delight's Mama Print

I'm sure most of you have heard of Sara Janssen and her amazing family who travels across the country in a veggie-oil powered RV. She has an awesome blog here, which is always super inspiring. Waaaay back when the little one was just a wee newborn, I stumbled upon Sara's photostream on flickr and was so wowed by her photos that she inspired me to dive into my own photography. I owe a lot of thanks to her!

So, in honor of Mother's Day, Sara is giving away one of her amazing Mama prints to a lucky reader. Not only that, but she is offering 15% off any print if you use the code "bluebirdbaby" (Your 15% will be refunded back to you.)

Leave a comment, telling me what your favorite Mother's Day tradition is (if you don't have one, that's okay too!), and I'll draw a winner Sunday night at 8 p.m. EST. Good luck!

Sara's Blog

Sara's Shop

Sara's Website

One Year Ago

We're still in chaotic kitchen mode here. And we're super busy in general. I haven't even picked up my camera today! We did enjoy the beach yesterday. It was so warm we wore our swimsuits. And I got a sunburn! (ouch...but I'll gladly welcome the first sunburn of the year!)

Since I didn't have any pictures from today, I decided to go back into the archives to find a photo from a year ago this month. I found this and couldn't resist. She had been bouncing on the trampoline for about an hour. The static in her hair was crazy! I love Sasa's big grin in the background. They were having so much fun!

Hopefully I'll have more to share soon. If not, happy weekend!! I hope to share some kitchen shots next week. Woohoo!

Something Simple

I don't have many words this morning, just a photo. The little one picked this flower for me on May Day. We marveled at the two flowers growing out of one stem. She put it in a little vase and I added it to our window sill. Days later it's still going strong and whenever I look at it I think of her sweetness.

We're off to the beach today (oh, how I love the sun!) and our kitchen is getting finished sooner than expected! I should have photos next week. Happy Wednesday everyone!

A Stormy Monday

At the shoot yesterday, the tripod mount thingy that's attached to the bottom of my camera apparently fell off and got lost. I went to take my Monday shot and realized I couldn't get my camera to stay on the tripod! Oh no! Just then, I heard the doorbell. Hmmm....who could it be? I went to answer it and there was my friend (and future photography assistant!) coming over for a chat. Perfect! So she took this picture for me. I have great friends. She told me to go "Aaaaah! There's a storm coming!!!" So I did. And yes, there's a storm coming. Although the wind is blowing fiercely and I think the dang storm clouds will just blow right on by. But I do love a good thunderstorm. I was really counting on it! Thanks Meghan for taking this photo...you ROCK!

Links...

• so I'm sitting here at my desk, windows open, breeze blowing all my papers around, and I can smell freshly cut grass and a slight hint of rain in the air. Heaven.
• loving this song today
• loving their shirts. I want to get one for Sasa.
• the vintage boots in the photo above are from Poppy. They were hers and she gave them to me. I adore them!
• love this dress and her post. such lovely, meaningful words. 
• I want my friend (and photo assistant) to get this dress
• these are super cute!
• I am loving spring and all the fresh flowers that go with it! Our house is just covered in yellows and pinks from all the flowers in our yard. Sasa does an amazing job with flower arrangements. It's crazy how good he is!!
• love, love, loving yellow this season. like this!
• this mini-series is AMAZING. I kid you not. You MUST see this at once! We were completely mesmorized...
• I find this photo completely captivating and beautiful.
• I have the sorest muscles today, the worst stomach ache, and a splitting headache. I don't know what is wrong with me, but I am looking forward to a night spent relaxing on the couch doing nothing!

What are you loving this Monday??! Happy start to the week!

The Veth Family

I had the pleasure of photographing this amazing family today. They drove up from Massachusetts and we met in the big city for some photo shoot fun. The first location was full of the most amazing trees. And the second had a great beach and a lovely hill. Their little girl was seriously the cutest thing ever. She would say something and totally crack herself up! She's someone I would want to hang out with everyday because she just made be giggle so much! She was just too funny. I had such a blast spending time with them. Thanks guys for such a lovely day! I hope we get together again soon!

The above photos are just a sampling of the hundreds I took. I am seriously thinking about designing a photography blog to share more from each session I do. I like the idea of bigger photos. I'll let you know more when it's finished...

Happy start to the week! I'll be back tomorrow with my Monday links!

Happy May Day!!

My parents had this sweet little tradition with me on May Day when I was little. My dad would ring the doorbell during breakfast and my mother and I would rush to the door to find two little baskets filled with goodies. We'd have to go find him and give him a kiss and say, "Happy May Day!" I told this story to the little one and she was so excited for May Day. So this morning I snuck out the back door while the little one and Sasa were playing and left my goodies for them on the front steps. I rang the bell and quickly hid in our rhododendron bush. They eventually found me, but it did take a couple of fake sneezes!

We followed the surprise with a special breakfast. I've been off eggs since this raw diet thing, but enjoyed an omelet made with fresh chives and basil, tomatoes, and ricotta salata. Oh my. The little one enjoyed the fruit salad made by Sasa. We just love eating in our new kitchen!!

The rest of the day was spent at home gardening, running inside to read and get out of the hot sun, and plenty of walks. My legs are going to enjoy a good rest on the couch tonight.

And the day ended with a surprise picnic from Sasa at our favorite little spot. The sushi was amazing...even Doggie Fly enjoyed some. And to top it all off, Sasa had a raw chocolate cake hiding behind a tree for me. Aw, he just rocks!! The little one was in on it too! They are something special.

What did you do for May Day? I think May Day has to be one of my new favorite celebrations ever!