even though I won't be done teaching for the summer until next Thursday, I've been playing a game wherein (until I have to go to work in the afternoon) I tell myself it is already summer break. and guess what? it kind of works. there have been lots of smoothies, plenty of lingering in the garden in the mornings with a cup or two of tea, dinners on the deck and sun tea brewing on the railing. the days feel easy and relaxed and we spend at least as much time outside than in. now that we're halfway through the Little House books again, I checked out the DVDs of season one of Little House on the Prairie from the library and we've been enjoying watching them together almost daily. Claire is digging the loosened rules regarding screen time and aside from the fact that at least every third episode has nothing to do with the books, I am enjoying it quite a lot, too.
it has been a pleasure to be able to pick quite a bit from the garden these last couple weeks. loads of greens and garlic scapes, mostly. but there have also been strawberries, a little bit of broccoli, and now we're just getting into the peas. a fairly common meal for me lately has been sautéed broccoli rabe with an egg and a heap of Lisa's hot peppers. yum!
our lavender plants have finally seemed to find their footing and take off, and they make me so happy.
another fun thing: artist trading cards
we made these with all of the kids at art over the last few weeks, and they have very much enjoyed trading cards with friends. there's something a bit wonderful about creating little 2.5" x 3.5" works of art and then trading them with your buddies for their own little works of art. I always think maybe I'll skip it myself but then once I start it's hard to stop- it becomes almost meditative, the doodling and painting with no set end product in mind.
I bet those hot peppers are amazing! That's my go to breakfast as well , some sort of green and a fried egg. I don't have any hot peppers but I do have homemade "krautish" that I love to eat with it.
ReplyDeleteLOVE these hot peppers. I was gifted a jar of them once and then set up a little trade so as to acquire more. yum, yum, YUM! Krautish, huh? so is that a kraut-like condiment? sounds good to me!
DeleteKC, I can't believe I haven't sent you a jar yet. Hmn, I may have to fix that.
DeleteYour post shouts out summer, the reality over here it has been like winter again howling winds and cold. I am hoping that the weather picks up soon....
ReplyDeletea touch of cool I wouldn't mind, but mixed with howling winds? ooph. hope it turns around quickly for you!
DeleteIt's nice to hear that you are enjoying some relaxing time and taking advantage of the summer weather to be outside.
ReplyDeleteI envy your lavender, I can't grow French lavender down here, but I do have a Spanish one that is on it's third year.
I have the Little House books on my shelf and need to pull out at least one to read to my girl before August.
Great artist cards. I used to draw a lot on cards, but haven't in awhile, would be a great project during the hot July month.
Have a grand time!
did your Spanish lavender seem to take off on it's third year, too? I feel like mine wanted/needed a couple years to get settled before they were really happy.
DeleteWe've loved reading the Little House books to Claire. We read them all the year she was 3, finishing right before her 4th birthday. She enjoyed them but then didn't recall much from them afterwards (though from the start they hugely influenced her playing and imagination and that part stuck tight). So we started again shortly after her 5th birthday and it's amazing how much she really does remember as we read through them. We've read them in order both times- I think Little House in the Big Woods is a great one for when they're little, anyway. So much fun in there! We do find ourselves editing a few things now and again- though less so this time around. all of the "children should be seen and not heard" sort of stuff. et cetera. you know.
hope you're enjoying early summer near the shore!
We've been on summer break for a little over a week now, but so far it hasn't been that relaxing. Doctors appointments, vet appointments, one girl starting her first job, the younger one in driver's ed, tiling the kitchen... I keep thinking "it will slow down"...
ReplyDeleteOh that sounds like a lot of challenges and intensity (though definitely several exciting things!) in a short period, Anke! I hope things settle down for you soon. I need slow, too.
Deleteyes, summer time is here but then a cold front arrived so we are waiting for the warm air to return. My husband is on a summer schedule and I see him more often than not, which I love :)
ReplyDeleteIt was chillier here this morning, too~ not terribly so, but I was in a sweatshirt when I headed over to work on the farm!
DeleteI love when our schedules line up to allow us to have lots of time together. that's what it is all about anyway, right?
enjoy!
Ah! Sun tea! What bags are you using?
ReplyDeletePG Tips for the regular tea and a Tazo 'iced citrus bliss' bag for the herbal one this go around. I think I let the PG Tips steep a little too long though because it got that sour tea taste after just a day in the fridge. (maybe I just need to drink faster ;)
DeleteArt rocks! My daughters have made some cool projects with the art consultants.
ReplyDeletesuch fun!
DeleteHello! I've been enjoying the start of summer vacation, too. I love not having to race off anywhere in the mornings. We're lounging around the gardens, doing mini-projects and wearing jammas most of the day. Your lavender is gorgeous. When we moved here, there were two large plants. That first summer they were FULL of blooms. The next winter was that polar vortex and it killed the biggest bush, and the second seems to not be doing so well, although there are some buds forming. Last year I bought 6 plants from Painters and from that lot only one remains, and it has yet to bloom, though it looks very healthy. This year I came home with another two plants, so we'll see what happens with those. Oh! the effort we go through to have our favorites in the garden.
ReplyDeleteAnd that little meal you've got there...I eat it almost daily :)
LOVE those slow, easy mornings. Lavender can be so weird. I was actually surprised when the last two winters killed my rosemary but the lavender survived. the ones that seem happiest are in rocky soil and/or loose beds.
DeleteI love greens and eggs. and it has been made so much better with the addition of your yummy peppers!