weekending (and beyond)

On Thursday we bottled our first batch of homebrew (an Oatmeal Stout), progress was made on the tile in the bathroom-to-be,  and I made a batch of salsa verde with our tomatillos and peppers.  I also used almost all of the little fruits from our key lime tree for the salsa as well.  And, incidentally, it seems if I leave the fruits on longer, they turn yellow and then taste like lemons.  Say what?  Surely a lemon is not just an over ripe lime?

That evening we had dinner at one of the tailgate markets in Asheville and then stopped by Lowe's to buy approximately 600 subway tiles before heading downtown for a free outdoor ballet. Claire's ballet teacher was in it, but we didn't realize it at the time.  I was pretty preoccupied watching Claire dance and twirl all around.  Too bad I left the camera in the car, but papa took some sweet video of the little ballerina.

While she was still asleep (Mike was home, of course) on Friday morning, I rode my bike into town to meet a friend for breakfast.  I am challenging myself to ride my bike more often (that was the first time in ages) before making a final decision on whether or not to splurge on this bike that I've long had my eye on.  Breakfast was great- they make some delicious grit cakes at Louise's, complete with a sriracha cream sauce.  I like them topped with an over-easy egg with a side of toast to be sure I get all the sauce and such.  That evening we ate dinner outside and watched the bats come out, and at bed time Claire and I finished book eight in the Little House series.  Just one more to go.

I walked (mostly ran, actually, realizing we left the house a tad late for walking), pushing her stroller into town for Saturday morning ballet and then claimed my spot on the balcony, surrounded by a misty foggy morning, knitting in hand (per Karen's suggestion), along with a cup of earl grey, and my copy of Momma Zen.  Afterwards, we stopped at a great new antique store on the way to the market.  There were sweet potato pecan pancakes for lunch, a bit of garden tending, and then a visit from friends.

Sunday morning was slow and lazy, the three of us working and playing in and around the house.  She helped me peel the remaining apples from our neighborhood apple picking, and we dried them into apple rings.

 She discovered a new favorite way to eat the apples...

In the afternoon I took her for an across-town bike ride to a birthday party.  Papa met us there with the car and our stuff.  (score one for the cargo bike purchase...) We rode through town, down a greenway trail, under the highway, and through the community gardens on the way.  We saw horses and I realized that most of the streets I think (thought) were relatively flat are in fact not.  They are not at all.  They are instead either super fun to coast down, or require much effort to ride.  Or at least they do for this mama who has become somewhat unaccustomed to cardiovascularly challenging herself.  ahem.  But things are looking good- in three days I rode to town, walked/ran to town, and biked across town.  And my body feels it, in (mostly) wonderful ways.

At the party there were horse and pony rides (she and I both partook), swinging for the little ones full-body-harness-style (she is fearless, this girl, especially if her main man is holding the other end of the rope),  and a trial run on this bike (the big sister to the one I'm considering)....  and I'm thinking yes, yes indeed.

it was a good and full weekend~

*weekending with amanda