Vacation Bound

Off to sandy shores for a spell...
We'll be back in a week or two.

Pickin'

We ventured up to Grisamore Farms on Saturday and returned with many buckets and baskets laden with blueberries and sour cherries. Have I mentioned before my love and devotion to cherries....? As a kid I lusted after those pre-packaged cherry pies- hydrogenated oils, food coloring and all. In the summer I could ride my bike down to the Little Store and buy one of those wax paper encased treats. Heaven. And sweet cherries? Oh my, I can easily polish off a bag of those. But sour cherries are a more recent love. I only see them sold fresh at farmer's markets and u-pick farms and when I see them I need to have them. I love to have a freezer full of enough summer fruits and shelves lined with enough homemade jam so I can dig in come wintertime and remember summer days.

Hello!

I've been meaning to get back over here and write a bit of something, but the week has flown by for one reason and then another. First my sister Ari arrived with her little Quintin in tow. We've been waiting for them to get out here all summer, so we were very happy they finally made it.

But then an unfortunate thing happened to me. I got sick. Really sick. Chills, fever, nausea, and pain sick. Lucky for everyone else, it was not a contagious thing but just another round of mastitis for me. This is the third or forth time I've had it in the last year and it's just plain awful. The main treatment is to get in bed, drink lots of liquids and rest. But when you have three kids under foot, visitors you want to hang with and a job to go to it's really impossible to JUST rest. So instead of getting well in a day or so, I dragged out the illness. I'm happy to report, however, that I seem to have recovered fully and am quite ready for some summer fun. Be back soon...

When life hands you mint,

...make mint syrup. Or something like that. When I dug out and planted my garden space here a few years ago, I threw caution to the wind and put a mint plant in the ground. Yes, I put the mint seedling smack dab in the middle of future flower and garden beds. Books I read suggested growing mint in containers to keep it from spreading too much, but I waved my hand at that knowing how much my family- Ava especially- likes mint. I really had no idea how well the mint would take off, sending runners here and there all over the garden.Well, since I'm blessed (or some might say cursed) with an abundance of mint, I'm trying to make use of at least some of it. Of course the fresh and dried leaves make an easy, delicious tea (hot or cold). And finely shredded mint makes fresh spring rolls sing. But lately I'm smitten with the idea of mint syrup. Mint syrup to slip into iced tea, mint syrup to stir into citrus elixirs (seltzer, squeezed lemon/lime/grapefruit Oh My!) and maybe some for making mojitos, mint juleps or another similarly natured beverage. And making mint syrup is simple: 2 cups sugar + 1 cup water + 1 cup mint leaves- put into a pot, bring to a boil, simmer for 5 or so minutes, let it sit for another few minutes, strain and then refrigerate. Yum.

Beachy

Yesterday we returned home after a full day spent at this gem of a place:
Today I'm finding happy reminders of the lovely day: sand collected in the bottom of tote bags, wet swimsuits and towels hanging to dry, and slightly sun-kissed faces (despite multiple sunscreen applications!)

And Mom- Happy Birthday! Hope your day is as sunny and bright! We love you!

Another summer birthday

While we were heading home from swimming the other day- car windows open wide and breeze swooshing through our hair, Ava shouted above the din "now it feels like summer!" It definitely has turned into summer mode here...with the arrival July, fireworks, gorgeous weather, more berry picking, sleeping in, garden foraging, swimming, and just hanging out. Last week was a really nice balance of scheduled things and completely unscheduled things- happily leaning more heavily toward the unscheduled department.

July 4th has come and with it the birthday of Quintin, my youngest nephew. He turned one yesterday and as the song goes, he's a real Yankee Doodle Dandy (sorry I couldn't contain myself since he is a Fourth of July Baby). Here's Mr. Quintin:
Happy Birthday cutie-pie! I can't wait to see him and pinch those adorable cheeks.

Happy Birthday Sophia!

A year ago today my sister Laura welcomed this sweet cerulean-eyed babe into her arms. 2007 was a very exciting time for our family as four cousins were born within just a few months of each other. While I was pregnant with Lilla, I mentioned to my midwife that three of my sisters were also expecting. In response my midwife quickly quipped that these babies "were coming with friends." Yes indeed, that is my hope for these four little ones- to have each other as my siblings and I had (and have) each other. Already these cousins are toddling around. Before we know it they will be off running and having adventures together. What fun to watch them grow!

Happy Birthday Sophia-Bobia!

Birthday goodies

I've been meaning to share a few of the sweet gifts Miss Lilla received for her Birthday. Look at this adorable pink sweatshirt with a hand embroidered matryoshka detail (Thank you Daglios): And then there's this sweet as can be dress with a hand done applique design (thank you Staffs):
Here she is with that little dress - the look complete with a ponytail atop her head. This was all Ava's doing... she loves to pick out Lilla's outfits and "do" her hair. Funny, I remember doing the same to my little sisters.Since we don't have real chickens wandering around the yard, Grandma brought a pair of these garden ornaments for Lilla's visual entertainment. Grandma admitted to an ulterior motive: she wanted to hear Lilla say "duck!" I didn't mind at all because now I have some funky chickens (wait is that a dance?) gracing my weeds garden.
And now we have to go to the bank and open an account for Miss L with all her birthday money- thanks everybody for all the loot!
Happy 1st of July!