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Thanks for the inspiration adriana. I just happened to be walking the grocery aisles the next morning and a block of mozarella reminded me of your yummy bowl of goodness.
::fresh mozarella::juicy tomatoes::seedless cucumber::olive oil::balsamic vinegar::fresh basil from the windowsill::salt and pepper::
Summer is showing her face here these days. We are all a little hot and bothered. I definitely get grumpy when I'm hot. My husband finds it humorous, of course. My little Wisconsin skin isn't quite ready for the hazy humid days of Maryland summer. I know I'm in for a long one if today I was already thinking I couldn't wait until it was Fall again. Thankfully, we do have the blessing of air conditioning units in our house and a swimming pool just a walk away. (Although by the time I make the walk back up from the pool carrying a too hot, too tired toddler I'm usually just as sweaty as when I began.)
If you're not reading this blog entry in bloglines, you see that I've made some changes over the weekend. I have a lovely new banner designed by Jan at poppytalk. She is known for her blog buttons and when I asked her to design a new blog button for the miniswap, I asked if she would consider designing a banner for my blog. I just get so tired of trying to get the right size, uploading it with my dial-up, working out a font, design...I was in the mood to have someone do it for me. And I already knew that I love everything I've seen of Jan's on other blogs. So I love my new magnolia blue banner. It's perfect. Thank you Jan. I'm not sure if she's in the banner business for real now, so you'll have to get in touch with her to ask.
I'm also working on the content in my sidebars. I tried a new layout that shows the most recent pictures I have posted. I'm not sold on this layout yet, but I'm going to give a go for awhile. I've also taken some things away until I can update them. I've added what my bedside reading--I always read before I fall asleep...or I should say until I fall asleep. I loved BelCanto and now I'm working on Traveling Mercies--both of which I'm reading with a small reading group that meets monthly. I want to add more things to my sidebar, but will get to it as I can--an updated music list, books i'm perusing from the library, something with children's books, updated photo albums, etc. And I also imported my bloglines feeds. Thank you to all who offered lots of suggestions awhile back. I couldn't have done it with out you. Really.
And another thank you for all the suggestions for my little ant problem. We found some 'terro' finally. I didn't think they sold it in Maryland, but we found it at a little hardware store over the weekend. Those poor, misled ants are licking it up and carrying it home. I'm seeing less and less of them these days.
Hope you all have a wonderful long weekend. We are headed to visit my sister and mom for a quick overnight. Be sure to stop and smell the flowers and enjoy a few slow moments. (Do poppies smell?--I have to confess I've never stopped to smell them.) I found this photo of the pink poppies on my camera when I downloaded the pictures a few days ago. It was taken by Emma who got hold of my camera while we were weeding in the garden. I think she's really starting to get the hang of this photography thing.
Happy weekend everyone. See you next week!
I just wanted to share a few more of the wonderful treasures my mom brought me from her attic clean out. She gave me this box of Joan Walsh Anglund samplers. She is a wonderful children's illustrator and author, and wrote her first book, A Friend Is Someone Who Likes You in 1958. Apparently, she had numerous requests for prints of illustrations from her books, and so she chose twelve of her favorites and compiled them into this sampler. The illustrations are so sweet and innocent. I can't wait to get some of them framed and up in the girls' rooms.
Here are two of my favorites both from her 'Friend' book.
I especially love the illustration of the two girls--looks like Mary and Emma. Not that they stand that way very often....but sometimes.
And a little reality to this sweet little post. I have a major ant problem. They are everywhere in our house. My children at first went all 'tharn' when they saw them, but now they are such a regular occurence that Emma says in a sing-songy voice, "not another one!" and Mary greets them as if they were our newest pet.
Did I tell you that when I turned on my iron the other day to press some seams on a project they came frantically swarming out of the little water well? Swarming. Like ten of them. Then of course they are madly crawling all over the iron board. And still through the water line window, I can see one little corpse floating back and forth. I guess he didn't make it out. Or maybe the others knocked him back down into the water.
I've done the ant traps, which seem to make them increase, not decrease. And two days ago, I broke down and bought some spray. But when I really sat and read the label, I couldn't bare to spray it around my home. They are advertising the spray's residual effect and ability to still kill ants twelve(!) days after you've sprayed. Not in my house.
So does anyone have a more natural yet effective way to deal with my nasty little problem? A few days ago, three of them fell from the ceiling on to my shoulder and arm. And then there was one on the toilet seat which has made me madly paranoid every time I sit down. So I'll spare you the rest of the details...but I'm open for suggestions. Obviously.
My mom's in clean-out-mode. And for me, that means I'm finally getting some of the little treasures I've had my eye on for the last few years. Granted, she's not breaking out the bicentennial grandfather clock or silver yet, but a week of attic-cleaning for her has meant some hidden jewels for me. The first is this quilt pictured above. It was made for my mom when she was pregnant by a woman who was blind--that, in and of itself, is amazing.(what was my excuse for not quilting yet?)
The quilt is very faded and lots of the squares need a little repair, but I love it--in all it's worn in, well-loved, faded glory. (Isn't martha trying to replicate this nowadays?) It has become the perfect summer quilt for Mary's crib now that I've put away the down throw that warms her little toes in the winter.
And then there was this:
Now I know it's not much to look at these days, but let me tell you this used to be a favorite of mine. One of my most vivid memories being the time that I interrupted a 4-H meeting that was being held on our farm to give a demonstration to those in attendance on how to "cut off a horse's head". I know it involved a stainless steal mixing bowl full of grain (to distract your horse) and a butter knife (probably not the most painless method, I'm guessing...) You can see I tried to add a little more detail to my 'horse' as the years went on. Mom thinks it's black paint from when we were painting the balcony that used to come from an upstairs bedroom, down the side of our old stucco farmhouse. I think it might be black shoepolish.
Either way, I'm going to find some way to bring it back to its glory, I hope. (Or should I say, I'm going to try to convince my husband to find some way to bring it back to its glory...are you reading this, Dan?) I can't keep the girls off it...at least Emma, who is the exact same age as my infamous beheading demonstration. It squeaks with each rock, as if pained that I'm bringing it out for another generation of riders. But I love it. And I love having it my house. And I love seeing my children's bruised and scratched legs draped around the same seat that rocked my bruised and scratched knees, as well. That, in my opinion, is good design.
A Final Note:
There were men climbing telephone poles all around the valley last week. Working their way up one road, around the corner to the next. I watched them as they worked and so badly wanted to know what they were up to. I even dared to faintly utter the words to my husband: "Maybe they're installing high speed internet?" And leave it to my father, to pull up alongside a truck and yell up to the man in the bucket....cable internet is the word. cable internet. it's coming. I even called the cable company that afternoon to get some answers...how long? how will I know when it's here? what if they forget to notify me? And sweet little Renee, put my name on a list, and she's going to call ME, when it's ready. Sixty days, folks. A sweet little 60 days.
And you know, when this little stint with dial-up is over, I think I'll be a much more patient, high-speed appreciative person. And after that I'll write a book: 1001 Things To Do While You Wait For A Page to Load.
Today--knitting a swingcoat for Mary. (not all in one page load, though...it's not THAT slow.)
I’ve been feeling rushed lately…like there’s not enough hours in the day, not enough time to get everything done, not enough time with my children, with my husband, with my family close by. Too many errands, too many piles of laundry, too many things that I think I should be doing, too many places I think I should be going.
So, I’m stepping back. I’m slowing down. I’m getting up earlier, too. I’m doing my best to enjoy the life around me that deserves a pause or a second look—a lightshow after a hard downpour, sun pushing through the clouds, a little girl in pigtails blowing bubbles on my porch.
I’m staying home more. I’m not going out and getting sucked in to the swirl of errand-running do-it-alls. I’ll still take that trip to the grocery store, but just once this week. We’ll still stop at the library but maybe not until Saturday when the whole family can go.
I’m going to finally put some vegetables in the row my grandmother gave me in her garden. I’m going to fill that empty pot at the bottom of my steps with flowers. I’m going to sit and color with my four year old on my lap. I’ll let the dinner dishes soak until tomorrow morning, if it means lingering at the dinner table a little longer with my husband tonight.
I mean really, what is the rush? Where am I rushing to? Really, what can’t wait?
So here’s a wish for some space in your life. Some easy-breezy moments. More quiet. More calm. Join me and take notice, relish in a moment, slow down, feel satisfied with getting less ‘things’ done, but somehow more accomplished.
I’m not alone…it seems others are thinking about similar ideas too.
added post-post: as I was reading a few of the first comments on this post, I was thinking that I would love to see pictures, read stories about how you all find a peaceful, slow moment this weekend...I think it helps to see/hear how others find ways to step back and slow down. what do you think?
Please don't tell them they're the leftovers...they're really no less special, they just haven't found the right homes yet. In fact, one of my favorites is still there...
If you're interested in any of the things below, send me an email, there's a link at the top left. The large pendants are $22, no shipping. Small are on sale for$10, also no shipping. I'm happy to ship internationally, but please add $2 to the price. You can click on the picture to get a close up of the pendants...
J, H are spoken for...
A,C: GONE may be gone as well, waiting to work out details....
And here's a few tissue holders that I have left as well. They are made from a line of vintage quilting prints. I'm only asking two dollars for them, also no shipping. They fit the kleenex pocket pack tissues. I'm not going to ship them filled so that I can send them in a regular envelope. It will save me a trip, lugging the kids to the post office!
The specifics:
2 3--light orange floral, lined with darker orange floral3--dark orange floral, lined with light orange floral
2--denim lined in green dots
1 2--green dots lined in denim
...about a piece of fabric. Kristen and I swapped one my pendants for some of her handprinted fabric. I've admired her work through her blog and shop, but I've never actually seen it up close or held it in my hands. When I opened the package I was thrilled and overcome in that "Ah! I LOVE this!" sort of way. I know it sounds a little odd, but I've never owned a piece of fabric that I completely and whole-heartedly loved and thought was so my taste and style. Kristen designs the fabric herself and then has it printed. Take a look for yourself....
Tomorrow I hope to post some of my leftovers from the "Holy Cow Festival" I participated in this weekend at this beautiful church--pendants (some new) and some tissue holders. 
And before I forget, several people have asked me for updates on Dolly and Sunshine. We kept Dolly for a few more days. It is so much work taking care of a newborn kitten. She wasn't eating much and I was getting worried about the state of her health. So we took her to the shelter and the main caretaker took her home to continue her care. It's good to know someone with a little more know-how will be caring for her.
And Sunshine is thriving. She is getting a little tamer every day and loves to run and skip and jump behind the girls. We let her out every evening after her bedtime feeding. The girls run up and down the hill to the barn and she chases them, until finally she gets too tired and wanders back into her stall. 
as I post some of Emma's latest artwork. Everything that comes across her art table lately just amazes me. She spends more time drawing and coloring....I love watching all the details emerge. For now, I've just been scanning like mad--putting all the drawings into my computer for what I hope is safe keeping. But the originals--I've just been tucking them inside my journal since I have no better plan. Any great ideas for storing away my stash of children's artwork? I'd love to hear what others do. But for now, please indulge me as I proudly share what's been brightening my days lately...
FYI: Tomorrow (saturday) I'll be taking all the leftover pendants from my etsy shop to an art fair I'm participating in. So if you're contemplating...I just wanted to warn you. What doesn't sell at the show will be back in the shop on Sunday. 
I tried something new two days ago. It was one of those projects that was floating around in my head and I wondered if it would really look good, if it would work. I am by no means a quilter, nor do I have any experience, lessons, tools, etc. But I've been wanting to try a small quilt-type project. I love simple designs and patterns--circles, squares, a tree by itself, one small bird. This project obviously shows those qualities that I'm drawn to. It was probably the most therapeutic sewing I've done in awhile. I was doing what I wanted, my own ideas not based on something I saw someone else do. I was making it for my own pleasure and I really didn't care what another's opinion was of the final project because I knew that I LIKED IT. So here it is. It is small, only about the size of a sheet of paper. I showed it to my husband and he said, "I don't get it." Funny. But okay. 
New Project #2:
A few days ago my aunt called wanting to know if we'd be willing to take one of her baby lambs that needs to be bottle fed. Of course, it didn't take long to decide. "Sunshine" arrived yesterday in all her wooly, wobbly legged-ness. We've been keeping her outside during the day in some grass with sun and a large tree for shade. And at night we tuck her into one of the stalls in the barn. She gobbles up bottles from the girls' hands and wags her tail in pure lamby pleasure. A perfect spring project.
Wow, it has been a long time since I've posted...let alone posted some pictures. I've entertained my little heart out. By the end of the week, my children were bleary-eyed and exhausted. After a few power-naps and some quiet days they have recovered. If I could just get some loads of laundry done, I think I will feel completely recovered, too.
In the meantime, I still managed a little crafty-ness. I would slip it in during the girls' afternoon naps.
This is my favorite project---a little pincushion nestled on top of a wooden thread spool. This way your needle and thread are always handy. I'd like to make more, especially because I need to improve on my assembly and stitching. 
My girls have been spending a lot of time at their craft table, but there is never enough room for the basket of crayons, the paper they are working on and all the other papers and coloring books that aren't being used. Remembering back to my days of elementary teaching, and having kids hang backpacks on the backs of their chairs, I came up with these. They are simply made out of dishtowels, with a little pearl button to hold them closed. And perfectly placed(thanks to the manufacturer), there's a hook on the inside of the dishtowel so that they can be hung on a hook, when not on the back of the chair. Emma's has recently been converted to her pool backpack though. She stuffs her beach towel, bathing suit and tap shoes (!) inside (all the necessities for a trip down to the pool).
Here's a few favorite pictures from our week with Wisconsin cousins. It was a good time, but at the end we all decided that next time we'll try just a long weekend. Everyone was very tired by the end.
I have more to share soon--a wonderful swap package from a sparrow, some sewing projects, artwork from Emma, and pictures from yesterday's trip to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival.
(I wanted to show a few more pix of the kids playing in the partially filled swimming pool, but realized that my youngest is bare bummed in all the photos...oh well, I'm sure you can imagine the fun.
