put some of my latest stuff up on the wall. it felt good.
finally made a hanging plant inspired by 3191...
rainy day play. oh when, oh when will the sun come out?
we baked scones and ate them with friends.
and a cozy cat.
what are you up to this weekend?! xoxo
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fridays are full of baths (and curious kitties who really like the water), yummy meals, silliness at the table, visitors, and some painting time! we love our fridays.
what did you do today?
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a lot happens in a day!...
breakfast dishes alone. black tea and two fried eggs for me, hot rice porridge for her with honey and almond milk and rose tea.
i got these new stackable glasses at a local shop that are perfect for our open shelves and limited storage space.
i've been collecting antique mismatched silverware while out and about.
lunch is often joined by others. i love making a big salad or fried rice. brocolli is always on my lunch menu. and i love a simple platter of cheese and crackers. i've been drinking tons of water throughout the day...trying to offset my tea consumption.
i love the light in the evening. i was working on the computer and looked over to see this. beautiful.
my boys. i love my boys. and apparently they really love each other...see the hug? they spoon and embrace all the time. i love it.
i love watching the shadows as i cook dinner. they seem to capture my movement perfectly.
and the little one is so very content in our new space. she is really loving it all. i was cooking for over an hour tonight and she was happily playing right next to me on the floor.
that's just about what our day looks like. how about yours?! xoxo
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Happy Spring!! Just some photos from the last few days. We are enjoying our new wee space here, the wonderful light all day long, and the amazing view of the river.
We've had a stretch of amazingly warm weather...temps in the 80's, which means shorts and sandals, open windows, staying out late to ride bikes and scooter through town, skipping rocks in the river and hunting for heart rocks and sea glass. It's just been unbelievable. What a wonderful way to welcome spring!
Hope you are enjoying your week. What did you do to celebrate the return of spring?
Happy Equinox!!
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Thanks to all who entered the Polarn O. Pyret giveaway! Random.org chose #77...
always hunting for the right gear here! thanks for the offer :)
Andrea...you didn't include your e-mail, so please e-mail me at ewallacephoto(@)gmail.com and I'll hook you up with Polarn! Congrats!
Just some happenings from the past few days...
Hope you all had a good weekend! xo
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it's been fun getting to know the light in this new space. it's beautiful...all times of the day.
late afternoon is my favorite. watching the sun set, lighting the candles around the house, making dinner, and getting ready for a cozy evening. the little one and i are settling in and doing well.
i adore this space. i am feeling so capable, brave, strong, and full of life. i am excited about moving forward, discovering new things about myself and life. we are blessed with generous and loving friends. i am thankful for every bit of my life right now.
here's a little glimpse of what's new. my friends call it our "fairy house"...
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A collection of photos from a roll of film shot late last fall. Click on the photos for descriptions..
Hope you are all enjoying a happy weekend!
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Shots from a roll of film last November. Just around the house. Nothing special. Just daily life. xo
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we enjoyed a simple meal over the weekend. this skillet rosemary chicken was amazing. easy to cook and so yummy to eat! what recipes are you loving this winter?
and the room is almost done! it's so exciting. i love the white. i am on the hunt for some really bold artwork now, and i'm considering having my friend draw something directly on the wall. blank slates are fun! up next is pickling the floor, then i'm moving on to the living room. can't wait to enjoy many dinners in this room when it's done!
happy tuesday!
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sandy left friday night for a weekend retreat. the little one found ourselves alone with 2 dogs, 2 cats, and 7 chickens. we called it a girl's night and had a feast of smoked salmon, goat cheese, quince paste, and kale chips. i sipped on wine and she slurped her kefir. we had fun, the two of us.
i'm currently spending my days working on photo stuff, doing some shoots, taxes, and painting the new dining room. it's been pretty busy. i just started feeling better a couple of days ago, but i still don't have my full energy back. it's good to breathing normally again though!
hope you all had a happy weekend!! xoxo
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this sickness is definitely getting the better of me. everything is shifting, but not in a pleasant way.
i've been spending so much quiet time at home this week. and i am not normally a quiet person. it's been interesting to just relax, and be, and enjoy everything around me. i've noticed how much in this house i am grateful for on a daily basis. i love it all. it is home.
i have some exciting home improvements i was counting on starting this week, but just like everything else, they have to be put off for a time when i am feeling better. and that's okay too. it just means i get to enjoy what we have right now a little bit longer...
and i'm off to start preparing a super special dinner for a super special man. sasa's birthday is today, and the little one and i are going to pamper him and feed him and shower him with gifts and love until he closes his eyes tonight.
happy birthday, my love. xoxo
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Thanks to all who entered the giveaway! Random number generator chose commenter #93, which would be....
oh my goodness... what NOT to choose?? i love the surprise bowls and cups, the mini mushrooms and the red birds on parade bowl, just to start. i will be back to visit this shop, for sure!!
thanks for helping me discover it and should i be so lucky to win.
Susan...I'll send you an e-mail! Congrats!
Have I ever shown you guys my studio space? I can't remember if I ever did. My gals affectionally refer to it as the "girl cave" where we have art night and chill. We have lots of fun up here. And I get a ton of work done too. Everyone is happy! Well, here it is...
My favorite corners?! The little one's horse wall (she has also drawn me amazing photos of cameras) which are mostly old except for the top right corner. I love that one. I also love my bookshelf under the window with all my art books. I love my plants. My inspiration wall is crazy and out of hand, but I love it like that. It's like a visual of the inside of my mind. Crazy and awesome all at once.
So that's where I spend my days working. I'd really like to paint the room, but I just didn't have time before moving up here. So it will stay this color for a while. It's growing on me. At night I always have candles going, and it's pretty cozy up here.
And here are some links I'm loving at the moment:
What are you loving my friends? Also, thank you for the super sweet and encouraging words on my post a few days back. They mean the world. You sure know exactly what to say. Thank you. xoxo
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This afternoon you would have found us in the backyard swinging, picking pumpkins and squash, playing with tractors, being totally amused by the chickens watching themselves in their new mirror, and having a fabulous visit from the little one's schoolmates!
We're trying to soak up days like this as much as we can. The colder air has made its appearance and we know that warm days full of sun and short sleeves are quickly disappearing. This afternoon was just perfect.
Perfect is nice.
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morning :: egg collecting.
noon :: bread making.
night :: watering the plants on the porch.
I'm suffering from a pretty severe migraine tonight, so it is a sweet and short post for you, my friends. I'll be back with more tomorrow! xoxo
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It amazes me how fast this summer has flown by. The garden is winding down (we did just plant our fall crops of beets, carrots, and lettuce though), the beach days are coming to an end, the feeling of having forever is slowly disappearing and we're left thinking about school, wool sweaters, and the slowing down of a busy wedding season.
I find that most days, we are just content with enjoying it all in a very easy way. Staying home, curling up on the back porch in the sun with a pile of books, taking long walks to look for wildflowers, and finding creative ways to devour all the goodies from the garden.
Today was one of those days. We gardened, we practiced the violin, we went for walks, we read many of our favorite summer books, we had a visit from Belina (our chicken who loves the kitchen), and snuggled on the couch.
What are you doing to enjoy the last bits of summer?!
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I drove the 5 hours back from the Vermont wedding this morning in the middle of Hurricane Irene's worst winds and rain. It was scary, but I made it back safely.
Now we are settling in with a pot of soup, some games, and friends later. We brought in all the outside plants and I'm loving the way our home became an instant greenhouse. The front door is open to feel the amazing breeze and we are watching the trees dance across the street. The wind is just amazing. Luckily, the pouring rain seems to have subsided for now and even the sun seems to be poking through.
Hope you are all safe at home today!
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today we rode our bikes all over town.
today we ran through a field, skipped rocks in a river, and picked wildflowers.
today we baked bread, picked blackberries, made a pie, baked kale chips, and roasted beets and garlic.
today we felt the cooler breeze that came through the open doors and windows. a reminder that fall is slowly creeping in.
today we made exciting plans for tomorrow.
today we talked about school starting.
today we marveled at just how gigantic our sunflowers are. nearly 14 feet high at this point...
tonight we used the leftover 4th of July sparklers.
tonight we are snuggled in, with the cool air outside, and a warm cup of tea in our hands.
what did you do today?!
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Thank you all for your sweet words of comfort and support on sweet baby Silas. You must read further down in the comments to hear some of Kirsta's words and a poem her amazing mother wrote. Kirsta...you are an inspiration. xo.
And today? Today we enjoyed some milder temperatures and a day packed full of fun. It was a sweet little mix of out and about, and being home hanging out. Love that. Some days it's so hard to find that balance. Life seems to move so quickly 
I've been enjoying the way our upstairs is evolving from a dated, wallpapered and linoleumed cave, to an airy space that fits us perfectly. I love walking through this hallway every morning and night.
Do you see the lone chicken? That's Daisy. She lays us the blue eggs. She escapes everyday, all day long. Flying in and out of the fenced run. The other chickens look through the wire longingly as she enjoys foraging in the yard. I kind of like having one chicken out and about...eating up all the bugs but not destroying my gardens. Yea...Daisy rocks. And her blue eggs do too!
Speaking of eggs...the little one loves checking on their laying habits all day long. She excitedly announces "Oh! Belina is laying now!" or "Oh man...Violet just won't get off!" When she finally gets all the eggs in her little basket, she's so excited about them she wants to eat them all right away! So cute, she is.
And Mr. Pickles. Oh, what can I say about this cat? I love him so. I'm pretty sure I'm still not a cat person. Nope. I'm, in fact, a Mr. Pickles person. This cat is unlike any other animal I've ever known. He's kind of like some zen master here to teach us a lesson on how to "just be" while being really comical about it at the same time. Love him. This is his favorite spot of late...on the back porch under the bird feeders...
Did I mention we finally found a second car? One that was in our budget? Sasa found this 1980 diesel Mercedes a while ago. We debated, and debated some more. Took it for a test drive and kind of fell in love with it. It came home with us last night. I'm pretty sure the little one loves it more than we do. I told her if we took really good care of it, it would be hers when she is old enough. (What I didn't tell her is she would have to pry it out of my hands first!) Now my car goes into the shop for a couple of weeks to get some major work done. It feels good to know we have a second set of wheels...just in case.
So...what's bringing you joy this Wednesday?
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Today I woke up late, went for a run, made sun tea, ate a delicious lunch Paleo style (it's working and I feel great!), mowed the lawn, weeded the garden, started sorting through the 3,500+ photos from a beautiful wedding, did four loads of laundry, threw open the windows to let in that (finally) summer air, cleaned the kitchen, and took the dogs for a walk.
It's a quiet day here, and I'm trying to settle into that and appreciate its gift to me. The little one is off with her Papa and I have the whole day to devote to me; whatever I want to do. I've been taking care of myself, moving slowly and honoring my body's needs, and letting myself finish up those tasks that require a little extra effort and concentration. It's been a good day.
Now I'm headed to the farmer's market for some fresh veggies and meat, then it's off to a bbq.
Happy Monday! xoxo
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On Wednesday...
she twirled in her new mama made skirt! (This one was her favorite, with pockets big enough for all the crystals she's been finding everywhere!)
we made a delicious lunch.
we found a real horse saddle at the thrift shop. It, of course, came home with us and entertained a certain someone for the rest of the day. Now we need to make a horse! No problem...
I made sun tea. I can't wait for my morning iced tea tomorrow!
we found a bird's egg on the sidewalk on our walk. We both spotted it at the same time and squealed with delight!
we enjoyed the blooming clematis on the porch.
I checked on the garden, did a little weeding, wondered just how late the spring peas were going to be.
I did the third load of dishes under my summer window. I love how it shifts so organically with the seasons.
We are enjoying some relaxed days lately. I am loving just being home, gardening, sitting in the sun with my girl and a good book. It's oh so needed right now. Pretty soon I'll be in full swing with the wedding season, so I'm soaking all this relaxing in while I can!
What did you do this Wednesday?
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Wow...you all loved Seed and Sky! Yay! A big thanks to Kelcey for the giveaway! Random.org chose #49 ::
Ooh, I just had a look at it all, it's gorgeous. Thanks for the giveaway, Erin.
So Jules, send me an e-mail (ewallacephoto@gmail.com) and we'll get your earrings out to you!
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On Monday I...
went out wearing my ripped up, covered in paint jeans paired with a gauzy shirt and my favorite shoes. I felt comfortable.
stopped for a quick thrift and found some treasures.
admired our new artwork by this amazing artist.
did a little sewing for the little one's summer wardrobe.
admired all the plants on the doorstep waiting to go into the ground once this rain stops.
What did you do on your Monday?
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This weekend was so full of everything! Playdates with wee friends, gardening, three more raised beds (!!) and three more to go, practicing for a violin concert tomorrow night, stories, ice cream trips, Sunday morning pancakes, bike ride after bike ride, long walks with the dogs, fishing, watching sunsets, barbecues, first smores of the season (we found yummy organic marshmallows! ha!), reading on the porch, sitting in the sun, adoring my new Lisa Leonard magnets, pizza parties with family, and late night viewings of this (which had Sasa and I feeling so nostalgic for the 80's and all it's fashion no-no's!).
What did you do this weekend?! Happy start of the week to you!
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On Thursday,
We hung loads of laundry outside in the breeze.
We went for so many bike rides I lost count.
We discovered just how important our daily rhythm is, and how thankful we all are for it.
We had eight people stop by.
We put 4 tomato plants in the ground and a bunch of basil.
We went on a late night ice cream walk.
We made our sidewalk pretty.
We checked on the growing pie pumpkins and wondered where to put the watermelon.
We found some beautiful light close to bedtime in the little one's room.
And we are settling in for a quiet evening.
Hope your Thursday was fabulous too!
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It's blue now.
And I'm in love.
It was free paint from my friend's basement.
It couldn't be a more perfect color. I only wish I had a before to show you, but it was so hideous that I guess I never took one.
Happy Wednesday! I'll be back with some gardening updates! Yay!
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This weekend just flew right by! We got ambitious and decided to rip up the remaining linoleum and carpeting upstairs. We have this weird little room that you enter just before you reach the master bedroom...we use it as a kind of walk-in closet, although I see my office someday being up there. It was painted this bright greenish color, and matched with the crazy linoleum floor we had some pretty bad feng shui going on. The wallpaper in the hallway is next to go.
So I emptied the room out (which took forever) and we got to work! The floor was ripped up, including the floor in the hallway. The little room is now primed twice and ready for color! It feels like an entirely different room. The little one had a blast in her little painting outfit helping us get the walls done. She actually did a lot of work! That top shelf in the closet? My vintage sheets. Crazy, eh?
The hallway floors turned out to be really rough. It's like subflooring and definitely needs to be covered. The carpet runner on the stairs is going too, but we need some sort of traction for a wee one and the dogs. I found these, but they are too expensive! Anyone know of something like this that is more affordable? Or how to make your own?
I'm going to look into cork, bamboo, and the wood laminate for the hallway floor. Any advice or suggestions? The little room I think we will sand and then paint. Then I will get some of these! I think I will eventually move my office up here, once we find a bigger dresser to hold the rest of our clothing.
It was a very productive weekend and it feels good to get some work on the house done. I love transforming it into our own little place. So much fun!!
What were you up to this weekend?!
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Today I ran in a sleeveless shirt and what felt like too-short shorts (these pasty white legs felt a little modest after a long winter). It felt so good. I think my body had forgotten what it was like to run without my lungs practically freezing.
We spent the day mostly outdoors, but this morning we opened windows, mopped every hard floor in the house, put the blankets to air out on the line, then we sat on the back porch letting the sun hit our faces and make us feel alive again.
The world is changing around us...snow is melting and we are seeing bulbs pop up out of the muddy soil. Birds are chirping in the threes above, and the air smells like life again. We talk a lot about the root children waking up below the ground and how they are polishing all the beetles, mending their spring clothes, and helping to push up all the flowers right now. The little one is changing right along with it. Her bleached blonde summer hair has been too long out of the sun and is darker. Freckles started popping up on her nose today, reminding me of my sister. She's growing so fast and I'm constantly amazed by her maturity and sweet presence.
This afternoon we mended the chicken fence, then sat down in the sun to read more of our favorite spring books. "To Market, To Market" inspired a hunt in the stream for salmon which we caught and then "smoked" in some birch trees. We then headed to the farm (the local market) to pick some lettuce, an avocado from the tree, and dig up some garlic from the dirt. On our way home we collected our smoked salmon and headed home with our loot to make a delicious spring-inspired dinner. So much fun!
This evening we did some more fishing in the river. Fly got his feet wet in the cold salt water and we all walked home by the light of the almost full moon.
What a beautiful 54 degree day in March. It was surely enough joy to last a long time!
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Just some scenes from around the house this weekend.
I finished my dishcloth finally.
We washed the winter woolens.
My new thrifted blue jar makes me happy nestled next to a stack of inspiring books.
Then I tackled my Polaroid wall I've been meaning to do for ages.
And I finished my taxes today. So very happy about that.
I'm itching to take some creative photographs. I have some beach shots to share soon. And I'm working on a stop motion video. And I've been challenged to create a kick butt collage this week with two other friends. Looking forward to all that creativity. It is much needed towards the end of this long winter.
Hope your weekend was full of sweetness and fun. I'm going to challenge myself to do a creative Monday photo shoot for y'all tomorrow. Yay!
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We've been busy the last few days. Snow, cooking, baking, visits with friends, sledding, cozy fires, and so much more. Here's a little glimpse from some scenes around the house...
Started my day with a cup of tea and a peek at the Fedco catalog. Making lists and dreaming of more raised beds for more greens next year. So much fun to think of summer while buried in snow.
This print reminds me of our home...always people coming and going. Always food to share and soup on the stove.
The little one requested her art corner back, which was prompted by a move of her play kitchen setup to enlarge her new "home" (the playstands). She's been drawing, and painting, and creating, and displaying it for all to see.
I've been baking bread weekly. It's nice to have an official bread baking day again and makes soup days that much yummier.
Mr. Pickles is hanging in there with all the canine commotion. He surfaces every now and then for some cuddles and sunlight. He makes me happy.
When we had yet another snow day this week which pretty much shut down town, we get around via sled. It's fun to use the roads as our own personal sledding path.
I had a little fir tree growing in that pot on the left. When I brought it in late fall it didn't make it, but up popped a dandelion and some clovers. I love love love it. We have yellow dandelions blooming just about every other week. Such a fun reminder of summer.
The little one...she is getting SO big and her hair is so very long and beautiful. She wanted to cut it last week, but then realized that it wouldn't be long for a while again, so she opted to keep it the way it is. I secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Snow snow snow. This is the scene from my computer desk. I love looking out at the snow falling against the windows, with me cozy and warm inside.
Happy weekend everyone! I hope you enjoy every minute of it!
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I love days like these. Over a foot of snow in less than 12 hours. We were housebound, and I loved every minute of it. All three of us (well, five including the indoor animals) warm and snug in our wee house. There was dancing (The Nutcracker, of course), granola making, bread baking, shoveling (lots and lots), many many many rounds of wet snowpants, hats, mittens, scarves, coats, and boots, book reading, sewing for Purple Violet and her new horse, and an evening sitting around the table joking and laughing while knitting and sipping wine by candlelight.
I love how snow, especially lots, will completely calm a town. You walk out your door and there is...silence. All around, silence. There are no cars, no sounds of chatter. It is silent. Like you are the only one in the world marveling at the white wonderland before you. It's magical and my favorite part of winter.
Tomorrow we're prepared for more sledding, more snow fort making, more baking, and more snuggling. I can't wait.
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I'm not really here. Or, at least, I shouldn't be. My t0-do list today is insanely long, which always happens on Sundays (my only full work day). I'm always optimistic it will all be finished, but usually two or three things get crossed off a list of a dozen or more. And blogging here? Yea...not even on the list. (Neither is sneaking into the kitchen every ten minutes for more chocolate chips...oh well.)
But I finished my hat. And I had to show y'all. It was fun. I love the yarn I chose. A perfect color. I had eight rows left when the puppy got a hold of it and ripped it out. So I got behind. But I finished it yesterday in the midst of kids running and "galloping" all over the house. It felt good. All info on Ravelry here. Now I need to finish that sweater I started a few weeks ago...And this is all to show you that if I can knit, anyone can knit! Seriously...I am a beginner and I was baffled by it my entire life. Didn't get it. Never thought I would. Thanks to an awesome friend (Ann!), I got over that fear and now I have three hats, two scarves, two sweaters, and a Milo vest to show for it! Yay!
Oh, and yea...the hardwood floors in the living room rocked even more than the playroom. They are wide pine boards, just like our kitchen. Can't wait till they are refinished and all shiny! But for now, we are enjoying their aged look immensly. Anything is better than that carpet!
And want to know what the little one has been up to for the last six months?! Horse play. And pretty much nothing else. Horses horses horses horses horses horses. My head is spinning from all the horses. These are on loan to us from a friend and the little one adores them. We had to braid their hair this morning to get them ready for a show.
What are you all up to this weekend?!
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Well, someones birthday was pretty awesome. I cooked a super yummy breakfast, we enjoyed a day at the beach, and topped it off with a macrobiotic potluck that night. (Sasa has a great recipe coming soon!) Happy Birthday Sasa!! We love you!!
The little one and I are big fans of elderberry syrup during the cold winter months. Our budget is really tight right now and elderberry syrup is expensive. I stumbled across this video on youtube and decided to make our own. So one afternoon we got all the ingredients and made our own little batch. I have to say, next time I will just use ginger. The cloves and cinnamon give it a "potpourri" kind of taste. But it was very easy to make and I have almost a pound of elderberries left, so there will be many more batches!
I try not to take many pictures of the rug that covers two-thirds of our first floor. It was here when we bought the house and scared to find out what was underneath it, we just left it. There were other pressing things needing to be done (like, um, a shower...). So the rug, now covered with stains, making it look sort of polka-dotted, got pushed back on our list for over two years now.
Sasa can tell you it's been a constant source of agony for me. The stains staring at me in the face everyday, the constant vacuuming, the dog and cat hair woven into it...but in the last couple of months I've made peace. Then yesterday, Sasa announced he was going to rip it up. Well, okay then. No rug is better than a rug I have to make peace with.
So he ripped and ripped some more. We found the usual crazy linoleum underneath (yes there were masks involved and plastic on the doorways), and then under that there was wood. Wood in good shape. Hooray! So the wood is staying, and after we save up to refinish it (likely in the summer) it will sit as is, with some area rugs on top.
The little one had the best time mopping. Actually, she's mopped the kitchen, the bathroom, her bedroom, and the playroom in the last two days. She's a cleaning machine I tell you!
And now, the living room is next. Enjoy your weekend everyone! I'll be back next week with some super exciting news! (No, I'm not pregnant...)
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King Winter finally decided to listen to a certain little person's pleas and graced us with over a foot of snow today. And it's still snowing. Hooray! The town pretty much shut down and everyone was cozied up inside their homes. We made hot chocolate, shoveled, played with neighbors, read books, started a new knitting project, drank lots of tea, watched the snow fall, made muffins and butter and whipped cream, and constructed snow forts.
This storm was so perfectly timed; following the bustle of the holiday and forcing everyone to slow down just a little bit more. I loved having nowhere to go and nothing to do. The ease of just being is so very wonderful.
The wind is whipping through our old window panes right now. The house is as cozy as it will be, and the cool outside air that is slowly seeping in is nice to breathe.
I hope you all enjoyed your Monday. I'll be back with more film photos to show you soon. In the meantime, enjoy the new banner! xoxo.
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Happy St. Nicholas Day!! St. Nicholas paid a visit to the little one recently. She was so excited. The night before we polish our shoes, write a letter to St. Nicholas, bake a special treat to leave him, get some hay and a carrot for his horse (apparently his horse's name is Snowflake! Who knew?!), and we leave it outside her bedroom door. In the morning, the little one finds her shoes filled with gold covered chocolate coins, a candy cane, and a special gift with a note left by St. Nicholas.
This year she awoke to find a special horse harness for play made by one of St. Nicholas' elves. Wow. St. Nicholas even told her that the bells on the reins were from his very own horse. She was so excited.
We also began celebrating the first week of Advent on Sunday. We got out our birthday ring which also doubles as an Advent wreath. We sang our candle lighting song for Advent:
"I light the night my candle burns,
I light the night my candle burns.
First one, then two, then three, then four,
my heart is shining like a star."
Next we read the words for the first week of Advent:
"The first light of Advent is the light of stones.
Stones that live in crystals, seashells, and bones."
We placed some special crystals the little one got for her birthday, some seashells we found on the beach this summer, and some beachstones as well.
And there wasn't really a better day to celebrate, because we got our very first winter snowstorm today! It was SO much fun. I was very satisfied with our snow activities...we made chili (for a chilly day!), cornbread, apple crisp, shoveled the driveway and the porch, went grocery shopping, took out the fall plantings in our window boxes and put in a variety of winter greens, went sledding, I made a wreath (my first one!!), had three delicious homemade meals, and got some knitting done. Such a good day.
I love that we live in this little town. The little one calls it "our cozy town." It was slippery out there and so very snowy, but we could walk everywhere we needed to go. We trek through our backyard to get to the co-op and I bring this amazing basket Sasa got me for my birthday. It fits all our groceries, usually ends up weighing more than I do, but is so nice to be able to carry our food home on foot.
The wreath making was so exciting and super successful. I cut some berries and vines out back and added them to the greens we got at Sasa's sister's house over the weekend. I think the wreath turned out pretty great and it now hangs on our front door!
So yay for winter and St. Nicholas, and Advent! Tis the season for sure!
Happy Monday y'all! xoxo. Oh, and stay tuned for another awesome giveaway on Wednesday, and more to come next week!!
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Each fall I go through our home and make it ready for the long winter ahead. It's not just getting out the winter woolens, boots, and coats, but about making what's inside seem a little bit "newer" to inspire more play, creativity, and fun during these dark, cold months. I've spent the last couple of weeks doing this...putting the odds and ends of toys no longer played with in the thrift store bag and switching around toys that are played with to inspire new creative play.
I can't say it enough...less is more when it comes to toys. I think it's so very important to have a calm, peaceful, inviting play area. Everything must have a place, and the quality of toys is essential. We really strive for handmade, wooden, and natural toys. This could be as simple as a basket of river stones, chestnuts, sections of tree branches for stacking, and a basket of felted figures. The little one plays with a bowl of chestnuts and acorns as much as she does her dollhouse! Simple things are often the best!
Sasa and I occasionally look around saying, "There are too many toys!" and we know when we are saying that, we really need to think about what we are bringing in our home and what the little one's play is like. There are many times when she can't get a good play rhythm going. It's quite often due to the fact that she is too overwhelmed by the things she does have to play with! So we go through, get rid of stuff, and create simple corners inspired by the natural rhythm/season around us.
The little one has three main playing areas. A nature table corner with a basketfull of wooden animals and people, barn and gnome home, an embroidery kit, and a basket of playsilks. The main play area has a wooden kitchen, doll play area (swing, bed, and high chair), shelves full of felted people and animals and wooden stacking toys. She has a dress up corner with a box of all my old ballet outfits (12 years worth!), dress up shoes and face paint.
Upstairs in her room is her reading corner and her beloved dollhouse made by grandpa. We recently moved her room around to allow more space for play. AND it encouraged her to sleep in there again. Phew!
Our mudroom is all decked out in wool. I love it.
So those are our newly arranged play corners just in time for the long winter ahead. I love that these beautiful toys exist. I love that they inspire hours of creative play. I love that she is aware of the quality, the beautiful handmade details, and the connection to the natural world. To learn more about creative play, I love Sarah's description of Waldorf education, but also love the creative play piece.
So here's to lots of creative play this winter! Care to share with me your play spaces? Leave a link in the comments!
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Glimpses of fall.
Baking. Red, orange, and yellow leaves. Mums. New kitchenware (a big smooch to my sis for those awesome scores!). Zucchini bread and tea parties with neighbors. Finding leaves on our kitchen floor. Wind. Rain. Fall stories. Mugs full of hot tea. Wool sweaters and socks. Blankets on the couch to snuggle under. Cleaning out the gardens of the summer harvest and watching the fall crops grow.
We're enjoying fall so much. I'm amazed at how fast it seems to be flying by.
What are you doing this fall?!
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This is what we've been doing on this rainy, rainy day. Snuggling on the couch, drinking tea, eating popcorn, reading books, knitting, and just relaxing.
Sometimes rainy days are good for that. Happy Friday!
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We are still recovering from the 4th birthday bash. It was one of the best nights ever. But Sasa and I are still catching up on sleep. So in an attempt to keep this short and sweet, but to let you all know I'm still here, I would like to share some sweet moments from the last few days..
Applesaucing! We love this tradition. We sat on the porch washing, peeling, chopping, and ended up with a huge pot full of applesauce that we devoured in a single day. Yum! The little one is so helpful. I can't get over it.
Speaking of helpful, she cleaned half of the chicken barn all by herself. We spent one morning last week getting it ready for the winter. She was beyond thrilled to be helping out. She kept setting aside hay for the "goats" (we'll hopefully be getting some soon!). We've come to the conclusion that we need some barn cats. We have mice eating up our chicken feed and we're not too thrilled with that. So we're on the hunt for a couple of barn cats and think we found a source. Yay!
Not only has my girl been washing apples and cleaning barns, but she loves to mop. Loves, loves, loves it. She was so excited when I got the mop out. I may make this a weekly activity instead of monthly, because she just loves it so.
She was so lucky to receive so many thoughtful and handmade gifts. She was playing with this little basket of garlic, cinnamon sticks and nutmeg, along with a miniature grater. It kept her busy for so long. Another favorite was the gluten-free play clay. Hours of entertainment with that (thanks Maria!).
And she got a sweet little tree fort just in time for her birthday! Sasa's sister and her husband have been working on it and it was almost finished over the weekend. The little one and I primed it today to get it ready for our funky colors. I can't wait to show more!
What have you all been up to?! I hope to have a link list tomorrow.
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We decided to take advantage of the cool morning and bundle up in our sweaters and hats. The balance bike is still getting a tremendous amount of use, even though she rides a "big girl bike" now. Purple Violet had to come, so mama rigged up a little baby seat in the front. It worked perfectly.
The little one was so happy about having a passenger. We ended up taking a nice long walk through town (on top of three others today) and ended it with a hot cocoa date with some friends. I can't tell you how excited she was about the whip cream. Mama is usually a tad careful about the sugar consumption. But it was quite a treat.
We spent the afternoon collecting acorns and chestnuts. The little one wants to make chestnut horses, but we need a few more before that. So we're keeping an eye on the tree next door, waiting for some to fall. Although we've talked about saving lots of chestnuts and acorns for the squirrels who need them for the winter.
We also got out some of our fall reads. I've updated the list to the side with some of our favorites. I think I've read "Woody, Hazel, and Little Pip" dozens of times these past few days. She just adores that book, and I do too. I love how she is pulling all the Elsa Beskow books off the shelves these days. They are such gentle reads inspiring lots of imaginative play long after they've been read.
And, of course, our nature table needed a little lift! What are some fall reads you are loving? Also, I'm craving a good novel about farming. Any ideas? I just can't wait to get some goats (and bees!).
Happy almost Fall!!
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There has been lots of making going on here lately. Knitting, sewing, canning, cooking...it's all about creating. I love it. I got to thinking today how my personality seems to shift quite dramatically throughout the year. I am greatly affected by the moon's patterns, the seasons, and life around me. The seasonal change gets me every time. When I settle into fall (which is typically a good 3-4 weeks before fall is actually here...), I become more of a home body. I love being domestic. I love hanging laundry, cleaning up the dishes after lunch, and tending to the garden. It makes me feel so connected to myself. I also love to spend more time in the woods. The summer is all about the beach, but come fall I have a craving to get out into the woods and hike and explore. The little one seems to do this naturally too.
In addition to all these autumnal cravings, I also start creating more with my hands. I'm working on a secret present for the little one's birthday coming up next week (she'll be four...oh my!) and have settled into a nice rhythm of knitting after breakfast on the back porch, during quiet time after lunch, and after dinner with a glass of wine. I love it. I'm hooked on knitting and can't believe I only learned last winter. I was missing so much!
I've also gotten some sewing in lately. Two more pants for the little one and matching pants for Alex. I love, love, love this pattern I made up a couple of years ago. They are 3/4 length pants now, but will fit for a full three years and turn into shorts as she gets bigger. And Alex is pretty thrilled with his "new threads", as the little one likes to say.
And the skirts. Well, there's no denying that my girl loves layers. She definitely gets it from her mama. As it's getting cooler, she's adding more and more layers to her outfits. Undershirts, long-sleeved shirts, then a short-sleeved shirt over that. When she put on a pair of wide-legged jeans the other day, I thought she was all ready to go. But she quickly corrected me and said, "Mama...I haven't put my layer over my pants yet!" I tried to explain to her that teensy tiny skirts with shorts attached underneath were going to be very hard to put over wide leg jeans, but she managed somehow. We decided that morning to make a trip to my favorite little fabric shop to see Rhea-Rhea, and the little one got to pick out her own fabric for some skirts. So she did, then we came home and made them. They are long enough to fit for a few years. And they are much easier to put over jeans! Purple Violet got a skirt too, because I couldn't leave her out.
We've also been making pickles (14 jars of dill and confetti pickles) and pasta sauce for the winter. Yum! Between our jam, frozen berries, pickles, frozen zucchini, and pasta sauce, we are gearing up for a long winter ahead. I feel good about all the work we've done, both in the garden and in the kitchen. Next on the list is freezing some of the delicata squash we've been getting. Our kale and rainbow chard are still going strong and we're enjoying those daily. I can't wait until our winter lettuce comes up!
So...what are you making these days? Do you find that your intentions and attitude shift seasonally as well? I'd love to hear more about what you all think!
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Sometimes I love rainy days. Especially when they are following a hot and sunny summer. Today was chilly, so I bundled up in some corduroys and sweaters. The little one still insisted on shorts and short sleeves. We baked some "surprise muffins" this morning and followed it with lots of creative play.
Then there was reading to Kiwi. (A Curious George book opened to her favorite page...the one that shows how to make a paper boat!)
Then we headed out to have an afternoon of tea and knitting at a friend's house. So fun. On our way home we stopped at a great store to get some nail polish that didn't have acetone and formaldehyde in it. (Why must they put that in it anyway??!) The little one kept asking this morning if I could paint her nails. I have no idea where that idea came from, but it was the perfect rainy afternoon activity and she was so proud. And purple, of course.
After our manicure session, we made some kale and white bean soup and biscuits. Biscuits are my new favorite thing to make, and the little one's new favorite thing to eat! What a yummy dinner.
We ended the day with a late night trip to the store to get Sasa a surprise card. We found the perfect card (with a Border Collie on it) and drew pictures on the inside and hid it upstairs. The little one kept saying, "Sasa, don't peek! Sasa, don't look! Sasa...your surprise rhymes with mard. Sasa...it also rhymes with pard. Okay Sasa...you're getting closer. Don't look under the covers in your bed, because that's where you'll find the surprise that rhymes with mard." She had us in tears we were laughing so hard! He did eventually find his surprise "card" and he said it was the best card ever.
He then told the little one that there would be a yummy surprise for her when she woke up in the morning. He said it would rhyme with "negg"...can you guess what it is?!
Happy rainy day!!
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The little one and I have been doing lots of picking, cooking, and eating. Remember Bri and her gorgeous family? Well, she let us come back up for some blueberry and blackberry picking. And boy...we got loads. I spent the better part of yesterday (and Sasa the night before) picking through the berries to freeze for the winter. The little one and I love this book. We read it almost daily in the summer time. When we were picking blueberries she said, "Mama...you're going to take these home and can them for next winter!" Yes indeed. Perhaps not can all of them, but freeze them for sure!
We've made blueberry muffins, jam, a tart, and "smoothie popsicles" out of them already. (We discovered that adding Greek yogurt to our homemade popsicles is deeeelicious!) The little one is such a good helper with all this too.
We've also been enjoying loads of tomatoes and cucumbers, so a simple salad of the two mixed with olive oil and feta is a great lunch.
And the jam...oh my. This is just some of it. We are going to be all set with jam through the winter. A lot of you have asked what recipe I use. It's just the "low sugar" recipe on the back of the Pamona's Pectin. I typically use 1/2 cup honey per batch.
We have been enjoying so many picnics and dinners on our back porch. The little one has been so interested in setting the table all by herself. See those folded napkins? She did that! We found a vintage children's cook book at a used bookstore and it illustrates everything, right down to setting the table. She adores it. So sweet. And Sasa and his Pop worked so hard on this porch... it's just beautiful. We have been enjoying it every second!
And up for today...zucchini bread, homemade hummus, millet sqaures, and quinoa salad. Yum!
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We've been spending an insane amount of time in the kitchen this summer. Blueberry cakes, muffins, pancakes, and jam, raspberry jam, blackberry jam, banana bread, roasted kale, rainbow chard frittatas, ice cream, summer soups, cucumber salads, zucchini pasta, pesto, pesto, pesto, and more pesto. And the list goes on...
I love how the little one is getting so used to cooking and baking. I think she'll be able to throw a muffin recipe together on her own in no time! And I absolutely love how excited she is now to pick things from the garden and bring them in to cook and eat. I love that she knows where her food comes from and that she played a part in helping it grow.
Nothing beats homegrown food and all the yumminess that is coming out of our kitchen! What have you been cooking lately?
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It's been HOT here. Really hot. The temperature has been in the 90's and humid. We're trying to stay cool every way we can, which means sprinklers, long days at the beach, and swimming in the lake. Oh, and popsicles and ice cream. Can't forget those. But in the midst of the heat, we've managed to do some other things too...
We worked on the porch. (Gotta love the skirt tucked into the undies...!)
Had puppet shows. (Based on this story. Such a sweet and simple tale.)
Ran through the sprinkler and swam in the kiddie pool for hours.
Made gazpacho for dinner.
Had lots of fun outside in the shade.
And dressed like a kitty!
That's what we've been up to, how about you?!
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We spend a lot of time in the yard. A lot! If we're not at the beach, or the lake, or downtown with friends, we're out back. We're hardly ever inside anymore! So I've taken some yard scene pictures over the last couple of weeks. It's quite the hodgepodge, but here you have it...
So much fun. Snap pea picking, sprinkler runs, dancing for the chickens, blackberry ice cream smiles, and knitting! And that purple sweater? My FIRST ever sweater? Totally done! The button was put on today. I am so excited to show it and as soon as it's cool enough for the little one to model, it will make an appearance here. That and the three pairs of beach pants I'm working on for her. Oh yes, all I want to do is create! And it's so much fun.
What are you currently working on?
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Okay, okay. I know you've all been waiting forever to see these pictures. But honestly, I wanted it to be perfect when I showed you! It's still got a few things left. The drawers and cabinets on the bottom need to be straightened and tweaked, and we are ordering some knobs for them as well. So I was going to wait to post the completely, totally, absolutely finished kitchen, but since I have no clue exactly when that will be, I decided to just go for it.
And a huge, big, enormous thanks to Sasa's parents who helped us with all of it! They are the best!!
Enjoy the tour...
Before
First project (rip off layers of wallpaper!)
Things are starting to be ripped out
The gutted kitchen
Welcome to our new kitchen! The chicken is from here. I love it. It reminds me of Belina. I got this for Sasa for Christmas. He loves it too! Print is from here.
We decided on open shelving to display our fabulous dishes. They really add so much color to the kitchen. We went with butcher block counters, which look amazing, but are hard to keep up with. We need to oil them daily so they don't get ruined. I love how the sink looks so awesome now.
I was collecting lots of vintage glasses for these shelves.
Sasa's Pop found the lights at a salvage shop down in Portland. They are unbelievably perfect!
I had been hunting on Craiglist for a hoosier for ages. I finally found one in New Hampshire, which I thought would be no big deal to get. It just so happened that my perfect hoosier was almost in Cananda! Sasa drove a super long drive just to get it. He rocks! And we both love it to pieces!
I love these trays. I find them at flea markets all the time.
Yay for Pyrex! I'm all done with Pyrex now. No more will fit. Do we use it all? No, but a fair amount we do! They make great leftover containers. We stored some bulk beans and grains up there too.
The wine rack and chalkboard was my crazy idea. There is a post behind that chalkboard which meant we couldn't extend the open shelving over. So we put that chalkboard on, which is actually a cabinet door and behind are some very narrow shelves for small bottles. The wine rack is so handy. Sasa wrote this little love note to me as soon as the chalkboard paint had dried. Aw! We'll eventually use it to label the wine.
And lastly, the little one's area. It's such a sweet little space. To the right of the door we knocked down a wall, put up another wall blocking two doors that were not in use, and our washer/dryer and refrigerator sit there with open shelving above for storage.
The floors were refinished after linoleum (layers and layers) and plywood was ripped up. The paint colors are both by Benjamin Moore. The blue is "Ice Blue" and the cream is "Mannequin Cream".
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Space has been something on my mind lately. Physical space, emotional space, mental space. It's one of those things that you tend to notice when you don't have enough. I'm in a purging mode: things in the house must go to leave blank walls, open floors, and empty corners. Our bedroom was the first to receive a bit of cleansing. My mind and life are next.
I've been thinking a lot about this space here; this space that I adore so very much. But this is also a space that requires a lot of energy, thought, and time. When other parts of my life get hectic and busy, this space is the tipping point. But I know when to back off, when to say enough. And there is comfort in that.
I appreciate that consciousness that allows me to say slow down, in all areas of my life. I know the most important thing to me is our little family, our time together, the simple things.
Sometimes it seems like there is never a moment for those simple things, that life is just too darn busy. But I know that those simple things are all that really matter, and making space for them is the most important thing I can do.
So that's what I'm doing. I'm mothering, I'm being a partner, I'm working, I'm being a friend, I'm gardening, I'm running a home, I'm having fun, and I'm being ever so aware of letting the simple things take up the most space.
Here's hoping that you are finding space for those simple things too. I miss you all. Now let's get out there and find joy in fresh flowers, the smell of barbecues, a walk through a meadow, friend's laughter, a little one's embrace, or the gentle kiss on the cheek from our loves. Joy is everywhere. Just look...
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Gosh, I miss you guys. I miss this space here. I know I haven't been away that long, but life has been so very, very busy. Which is good, because it means I have lots of work. But my creativity in other areas is a bit lacking, especially in this space here. Not so much the posts, but more the thought that goes into it is what I miss. And, of course, I miss hearing your lovely thoughts!
I wanted to post about something the little one and I find so grounding amidst a busy stretch in our lives, and that would be the kitchen. We bake, we eat, we clean, we play...it is something that consistently brings us all together, and inevitably ends in something yummy. It's no wonder that baking day is on the first day the little one arrives back home. We have a moment to settle in, then it's straight to the kitchen!
I guess it's the process :: gathering wholesome ingredients, measuring, pouring, stirring, mixing, taste-testing, and then watching as whatever we are making slides into the oven. We are so very focused on the act of baking in the moment together that it creates this immediate bond where we feel the love we have for each other without ever mentioning a word. There are always many kisses from the little one while I help her pour and stir, and I typically feel her tiny body leaning into mine for a pat on the back. She's a good helper and I look forward to our baking days all week.
Today we started with morning surprise muffins. My mother and I used to make these for special treats. We sweeten ours with honey and use homemade jam, or jam made without sugar. The jam is placed in the middle, so when you bite into it you are surprised by the sweetness inside! They are delicious.
Then there was clean up (she helped wash the dishes), sweeping, putting the ingredients back in their places, and setting the timer. I love how involved she is in the whole process, from beginning to end.
Dinner included roasted asparagus (yum!) because the little one spotted it in the co-op and wanted to bring a bunch home. It was so, so good.
And after dinner we made macaroons dipped in chocolate. Oh yes, it was a very yummy day indeed. I think I may have to end this now so I can go grab another...
I hope you are all enjoying your week! Until next time...
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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.
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