An Addition

I don't know what happened to the picture from my Simple Woman's Daybook posted below. But, here it is posted again.

Simple Woman's Daybook

For today, Sunday July 25, 2010.

Outside my window...thick, still air surrounds the house like a blanket holding in the heat. And somehow it's oddly comforting. It feels like home. It is home.

I am hearing...the inevitable summer sound of locust humming outside my window and the sweet familiar music from WALL-E coming from the other room.

I am thankful for...my church family. I know I mention that often but I love them. The support, the fellowship, shared knowledge and wisdom flow freely. Yet another thing that feels like home.

From the kitchen...hamburgers from the grill and spinach salad have been cleaned up and it's almost time to brew my nightly cup of tea. From the spout tonight I will have Nursing Mother herbal tea. That's about as wild of tea you can have while nursing!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

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My sister with her two boys (her daughter Ella was still asleep), Burton and George along with my Savannah at my grandparent's house in Colorado last month. It's one of the most beautiful pictures I have taken. Aren't moments in the morning with kids the best? There is just something sweet about it.

One of my favorite things...a subscription to Mary Janes Farm that my sister gave me for my birthday. This has become my favorite magazine. Mark even calls me Sally Jane now. The Jane is from the magazine, Mary Jane's Farm and the Sally is from my favorite cookbook, Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon (another one of my favorite things). Boasting as an organic lifestyle magazine it features articles that span from "farm girls" on farms to a "farm girl" who farms on her roof top garden in New York City. I actually screamed "yea" out loud almost involuntarily when the latest edition arrived in the mail this past week. It's that good.

I am reading...the latest edition of Mary Janes Farm and Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, a fiction novel. It's too early to tell if the novel is good but I am enjoying reading something that's not educational for once. Sometimes you have to cap off the flow of knowledge and just absorb and implement what you have so far. Do you know what I mean?

I am creating...the discussion for the first session of the nutrition/cooking class I am teaching which starts this Wednesday. We are going to have a great time. Mandy, there is no need to be scared! Savannah and I will be creating a bouquet of flowers from cut up, painted, cardboard egg cartons and pipe cleaners tomorrow. And I am working on creating a candle lit chandelier from a dismanteled lamp shade. I'll let you know how it turns out.

From the garden...one watermelon is growing on the vine. We had two but the second was not to be.

I am going...to just soak in the last few weeks of summer, freedom, the kids, friends, heat, humidity, and all.

A few plans for the rest of the week...the class I mentioned, play dates, fun at home, maybe a little work but no house work! I'm ready to play.

For more daybooks check out simplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com

Simple Woman's Daybook

For today, Monday, July 19. 2010

Outside my window...clouds hover threatening a summer thunderstorm and holding the temperature to a pleasant degree. I love a rainy summer day. It almost makes you relax more.

I am thankful for...the mild summer we are having! Archer begs to be outside multiple times per day in spite of the heat. I'm not kidding, he literally begs by fussing and leaning towards the door. The minute you step outside he smiles. What a little stinker!

I am going...to be firm yet patient when Savannah tests me this week. I will not explode. I will not explode. I will not explode.

From the garden...my pomegranate tree is blooming adding bright splashes of color in the garden. But no pomegranates yet.

From the kitchen...we will be mixing up a batch of cookies after Savannah's rest/room time for our babysitter, Lee Ann who had surgery this morning. Her mom text me earlier and everything went well praise the Lord! Last nigth from the kitchen - and garden - we had venison fajitas with bell peppers and jalapenos from the garden and onions from the farmers market on sprouted grain tortillas. For dessert we made blueberry buttermilk ice cream. You would be surprised how wonderful the flavors of blueberry and buttermilk go together. It's one of my favorites and I don't even like buttermilk.

Recipe:
Combine 2 cups of buttermilk (I used buttermilk I made with raw fresh goat milk. Talk about adding some awesome probiotics to the diet. You can't get this stuff in a pill!), 1 cup sugar (I didn't put a whole cup and it was plenty sweet. I also used rapadura made by Rapunzel instead of sugar. It's less processed.), and a little vanilla.
Puree 2 cups blueberries and press through a wire mesh colander. Discard soilids and then add to buttermilk mixture. Pour into ice cream freezer and follow manufactuers instructions.

One of my favorite things...my children. I enjoy Savannah's personality even though she exhausts me with her ideas. If we had all of the time in the world we could not create all the crafts, menus, and parties she has in her head. But she is loads of fun and loves to travel like me. I look forward to becoming very good friends when she is an adult. And what's not to love about Arch? I can almost always get a laugh and a smile out of him. And his chub rolls have chub rolls. There is much to love on him!

I am creating...a curriculum for a nutrition/cooking class I begin teaching at the end of the month. We have 17 ladies coming! I am so fired up about it. We are going to have a blast. I just finished creating my first weaving project and I am now addicted. I think I will try to weave a table runner for fall next.

A few plans for the rest of the week...art camp for Savannah, a couple of play dates, hopefully I will get to work some, a wedding shower, and lot's of visiting with friends.

Simple Woman's Daybook

For today July 13, 2010.

Outside my window...lazy summer days are rolling in with the breeze. It's been unseasonably comfortable out.

I am thankful for...these last few weeks of summer before Savannah heads off to kindergarten and we begin a schedule. We have had 5 years of freedom to come and go as we please and I plan to soak up every last minute of it.


From the kitchen...pizza dough is fermenting on the counter in yogurt for dinner and in another bowl dough for cranberry orange bread is fermenting in homemade buttermilk. Yum!

Around the house...a sweet little boy is sleeping.

One of my favorite things...is pictured in the bottom of this post. When I shop, I rarely buy anything because I talk myself out of everything. Basically, I am cheap. But when I saw this wind chime I knew I would be parting with some of my birthday money. It is one of my favorite things and one of my favorite things to do is look at it and listen for it. It's a triple favorite.

I am creating...a lamp for Archer's room. I think it's about time I get a nursery together for the poor boy. It's good to be creating again. Somehow my pregnancy hormones interfere with the brainwaves needed for creativity. I am enjoying the new-found and much needed brainwaves.

I am thinking...about all the projects I want to do around the house and the yard now that brainwaves are flowing again.

I am going...nowhere for once. Praise the Lord! I plan to stay at home as much as possible this week.

From the garden... dangling red grapes are ripening. But before you get too jealous you must know that the skins are as tough as shoe leather and the flesh is as tart as a crab apple. Practice and patience needs to be my garden sign.

I am reading...nothing. Lately I have had information overload so I purchased a fiction novel at our local book store on the square. But for some reason I haven't picked it up yet. It awaits me on the ottoman.


Here is a picture I am sharing with you...



This new wind chime dangles above Archer's swing under our pergola on the back porch. I could not have chosen a better mobile for him to gaze with wonder at. He remains captivated for hours. And as an added bonus it attracts hummingbirds. The little flying piggies think it is yet another bird feeder for them.

Tea For The Next Generation

Before our trip to Colorado, my grandmother asked Savannah what she wanted to do while there visiting. Savannah had one reply, a tea party like the many her mother (me) had with Granny Smiles (my grandmother) while growing up. And that's just what we did.


Savannah, Ella, and even Burton (the latter 2 are 2 of my sister's 3 kids)all dressed for the occasion.






At first I was worried Burton our only boy of tea drinking age, would not get into it. Here he is squatting to get a better view of the ant who has captivated him oblivious to the tray of delectable treats beside him. Ladies, are we ever oblivious to delectable treats? Um, no.




Burton quickly caught on though and drank more tea than the girls!




Savannah scouting out treats.



Granny Smiles, Tea Time Diva.







Savannah worked hard to stick her pinkie out as she sipped.



Don't drop the cup!


Ahh, much better.



Ella conquered the tradition with ease.


Now Burton may have been born in Aspen but he talks so slow (and sweet!) that you would swear he is from Texas. "I'n waaannna stick my pinky out Beeeaaannna" (They call me Aunt Beana).



Dang, he's cute!







Tea, scones, cookies, tea sandwiches, lemon curd, big hats, and family... to be a yearly event? I think so.

These are a few of my favorite things...

Mark and I were browsing one of my favorite stores the other day on our Date Day and I realized I had not shared this treasure trove with my blogger buddies. How selfish of me!

Eclectic Architecturals is just that, eclectic. Mark and I had the chance to chat with one of the owners and witness his visionary mind brainstorming. The couple travels to France and Italy multiple times per year to purchase unique "things" such as old doors, interesting aged windows, random pieces of architecture from ancient buildings, long forgotten antique tools, and even modern art. They have just returned from France and the creator's mind was reeling with ideas. He has the rare talent of making cool things even cooler. (Cindy, he reminded me of you in that aspect. I wanted to call you right then and invite you out to play in this warehouse of an adult playground!) He told us of his plans to turn some architectural features into mirrors, headboards, chandeliers, and lamps. We cocked our heads to the side at times in hopes of seeing what he saw in his head. But sometimes an artist's vision cannot be translated into words.

They just returned from a trip so their full gold mine is not shown yet on their website.

Check out Eclectic Architecturals' website for more information, their location, or if you can't make it there in person. They have locations in Shreveport, Longview, and Dallas. If the style looks familiar you might be thinking of Brad and Nicki's house. They bought several pieces from there while building their charming house.