A week (or two) in pictures

Savoring a few strawberries from the garden and loading up on buckets full at our favorite u-pick farm. Rowan's last day of gymnastics:
Almost daily wagon rides to and from the market:
Puddle stomping and rain dancing:
Making sour cherry syrup. Last year's frozen bounty was cleared out to make way for all the new delights about to fill my freezer. And with the addition of seltzer, this syrup makes a fabulous cherry soda. Or a slushy- we love our Hawaiian Ice maker.
Out riding with friends:Last day of school celebration for Ava- complete with cake and a slumber party. Look who's holding court with the big girls...
Hurray for summer!

Gardener's apron

On the rare (and short!) break in the clouds yesterday I gave my new apron a whirl. Finally made one of these for myself- just a little half apron with pockets in the front for seeds, tools and other gardening essentials. The fabric is a sturdy printed canvas that hopefully will withstand all the wear and tear and grime.
Rowan was my photographer and I have to say that I'm very pleased he got the apron and not my hair. I very sorely need some help in that department. Specifically, I think it's time for a haircut. By a professional. It's been nearly ten years since I got my hair cut by someone other than myself or a family member.

In other apron news, if you're in the market for a fabulous mama/child apron set, you should head on over here and take part in the Garden Mama contest giveaway. Leave a comment and she'll put your name in the running! Sweet!

Black and white

I am finding myself a little in love with this classic color combo. I think it all started with the silhouettes. Remember those? We did eventually get them framed- it was surprisingly hard to find decent ones in the right size. But once they were hung up on the wall above the couch, I knew I needed to make some black and white pillows to round things out.
And as I take these pictures of my girl, I see that her birthday dress carries out the theme. Another pinafore dress from The Children's Year book. Must make more of these. They'll be perfect for summer...that is if it ever decides to stop raining. I think this is day four of drizzle.
Oh, and this little ferry wooden boat toy was a gift we snatched up during our travels through the Adirondacks. The owner of the bed and breakfast we stayed at made bunches of wooden toys on the side. And after our travel by ferry I couldn't resist this one.

Wishing all you Dads out there a Happy Father's Day!

Could it possibly be...

That our littlest girl is now two? Highlights from her day: the balloons at Auntie Lea and Uncle Kevin's house, presents to open and a decadent, three layered chocolate cake. And did I mention those balloons? My goodness- who could have known so much happiness could come from something so simple. Watch out Little Lad, I think you may have an heir to your balloon kingdom.






Happy Birthday to our dear, sweet Lilla!

The city and the woods

After a few days in Kingston, we traveled on to our next destination: Montreal. With map in hand, we went seeking the old city and its lovely European style architecture. We browsed store after store, fueling up with coffee and hot chocolate in between. Then the rain came and we found cover in an endless maze of interconnecting shops.

Next followed a trip to the Adirondacks....never been there before. all of it was a lovely adventure, but I'm very glad to be back home again.

Kingston

By boat to Cananda (and some island hopping)

Making our way northwards we crossed the Saint Lawrence river by way of ferry, with a quick stop at Wolfe Island in the middle and finally landing at the charming little city of Kingston. While the ferry transports us to our destination, I feel my mind slip into memories of my youth and summertime on Cape Cod. Standing on the bow of the boat with the cool breeze off the water licking our legs and tickling our faces, I feel the excitement brewing. Here we are at the beginning of our week long adventure.

Been gone so long

I hardly know where to begin. So here...how about a random picture from last month? Spring comes along and suddenly I want to paint my whole house and make new curtains and get organized. My head begins bursting with possibilities until- of course- a healthy dose of realism reminds me that there still is just 24 hours in each day. To fulfill my urge for brightening things up inside, I tackled the bathroom. A lick of paint here and there and just one window to make curtains for (my stash of Sis Boom fabric came in handy). Ah, the smallest room in the house is just my speed right now.

I'll be back soon with some tales (or at least pictures) of our recent travels.