A Perfect Summer Farewell

I am basking in the glorious aroma from the single drop of patchouli oil that the gypsy placed on my wrist.  What a perfect day to enjoy the magical fantasy of the Renaissance faire.  It is the last day of the faire for the season and it was the perfect finale before the Queen makes her way back from her summer holiday to the rigors of palace life.  Low 70's, gentle breeze, and many of the peasants who swarm on the weekends stayed home for cookouts.  Ahhh, though there were many around to get a taste of the whimsy, there were few lines and not too many toes stepped on.  A perfect farewell to Summer.

Low Key Sunday

 Today everyone has been doing their own thing.  The kids have been full of their play world and topped it off by an extended car washing escapade.  I've never seen the cars sparkle so or the yard so full of soapy water!  B is out for a long Sunday ride, and I've been doing a little quilting.  I just finished my second quilt top and trying to decide who the recipient will be.  Hmmm. 

My goodness, the kids must be growing like crazy.  I've just finished making them their 3rd full meal of the day, not to mention some healthy snacks.  They are insatiable!  With the way they are eating, I think they'd fit in just right in Tolkien's Shire amongst the Hobbits.

I've been asked to participate as a recurrent guest blogger over here.  I'm thrilled to have been asked and look forward to it.  Please do go take a look at the site, it is the pulse of a grass roots movement about food awareness here in Racine.  

I hope you too are enjoying a low key Sunday.

First Fall Friday

What a perfect fall day.  It's cool and windy.  The windows are all wide open, you can almost hear the house sigh with relief at the movement of fresh air.  We are now filling it with the rich smells of roasting tomatoes and garlic.  You can peak at the recipe here.  I think it will be a wholly garden dinner, using the sauce to top one of our beautiful spaghetti squash.

 Today has been a welcome relief from all of the humidity and masses of mosquitoes.  We bid fond farewell to a couple of friends who were very good to us this summer, yes, the cucumbers and tomatillos are now a thing of the past.  But they will be part of the future.  The hens are on cloud nine with all of the bounty we threw their way this morning in the form of vines and a few straggling fruits.  They will scratch this down and it will become part of next years compost which will enrich the soil of our gardens future.  The circle of life.

 Oh yes, and today was farm box day.  We had some cute Chinese food containers that we filled with the cherry tomatoes and all blue potatoes.  We also had the final zucchini and cucumbers today, baby bell peppers a couple of ancho chilies and a nice spaghetti squash for everyone.   Ah Fall, maybe I'll fill the house with the warm smells of baking tomorrow...

Happy Friday

A Need To Create

 Creativity is in the eye of the beholder.  To some, it comes naturally.  After completion of the first day of school and  a special supper  the kids had a little down time before showers and bed.  My little illustrator to be takes a few quiet moments to take advantage of the resources around her to create the picture in her head.   In today's backpack I'd gotten a sign up sheet for continuing strings that I threw away,  not wanting to push or do anything that would remind her of how sick she was earlier this year.  To that end, it seems we will be taking up viola this year.  After 1 1/2 years of violin (which we ended up stopping in February), she came home jazzed that in 4th grade she can do viola. She explained to me...

Mom, "it's what I wanted to do from the start, 

it just wasn't something we were allowed to do at 2nd & 3rd."  

"It sounds so much prettier, deeper."  

The need to play strings still burns within her, so happy! 

August in Review

Here is a look at the end of summer through my lens for the blog camp 365 project.