Today

Today I am..
 

Feeling.. exhausted..but if the sun ever comes out, I'm pretty sure I'll switch to Energetic really quickly! Right now it's just so very dark out, with the heavy clouds, the drizzle, and the damp.

Seeing.. babies everywhere at the cafe we went to! Mostly happy babies, but not entirely..

Smelling.. bacon and breakfast sandwiches grilling behind the door..I don't want any of it though, I'm just..

Tasting.. coffee..and a bit of Yarrow's orange juice

Listening.. To other people's conversations. I can't help it, the man next to me have one of those voices that can intrude on anything. He's talking business though, nothing interesting at all.

Grateful... for the tiny grasses coming up where we planted them, for an early morning doze, for finally catching the chicken that escaped this morning..

Reading.. Letters from friends.

Loving..the front garden that looks better and better each day! And the new pigs: Welcome to your last home Othello and Desdemona!

Hoping..for a chance to throw again this week, and fruit trees for the front of the land..

 

What is your day looking like? 

What I wore Sunday

We got ready this morning with Florence + the Machine singing ‘Shake it out’ while Yarrow spun

in circles singing ‘shake. Out. Shake. Out. Oh oha’ and trying to keep us dancing along with her. I had a sense of panic when I remembered that the zipper on the dress I’d intended to wear was broken (it stuck permanently on Ascension Thursday and had to be ripped off) so I had to dig out one of my silk wrap skirts, because I wanted desperately to wear my new tights (can you see them?).

Yarrow decided to go as Anthropologie-baby, despite not having a stitch of Anthropologie clothing on (I wish!). We thanked God for a Mass free of sappy Mother’s day add-ons, as well as for the much-needed rain, the garden, and a whole host of other things; before heading off to brunch at one of my favorite cafes! They usually aren’t open on Sunday, but they made an exception today and oh-my-goodness-Smoked-salmon-omelette's are amazing! Now I’ve got fun, buggy yard work to enjoy! Tomatoes and melons to plant (don’t worry, we have cold-frames!), and tea to drink.

Blessed Sunday all! And check out all the fantastic outfits at Fine Linen and Purple!

7 quick takes..Vol. ??

Hosted by Conversion Diary...

1.

My husband and I

now like to text in haikus.

It makes each day fun.

2.

My new favorite wine:

Gazela - fresh! Clear! [And cheap].

Best sipped with peaches.

3.

Yarrow bathes herself -

In cold buckets while laughing.

She fears naught but leaves.

4.

Rain feeds the garden.

Arugula springs from dirt

To greet the gray days.

5.

Storms move slowly by;

I watch from my old machine,

Sewing for Sunday.

6.

Feeling beautiful -

In black hair, red lipstick, and

Literary tights!

7.

Making Butterbeer:

Whip vanilla gelato

With dark chocolate stout. 

Happy Friday All!

Growing Things

We’ve been planting. My lettuce is coming up, as are the peas and just a couple bean-plants so far. I’ve planted beets, broccoli, broccoli-Rab, spinach, radishes (watermelon and french breakfast), carrots, kale, arugula, and a nice bed of sweet-Annie where Seth spilled the motor-oil (we can’t put anything edible there!) We’ve really jumped into everything this spring - with bonfires every Thursday to clear the brush, and the building of actual beds in some parts of the garden. This dry spell has really been a blessing for us - a chance to dry out and clean up. But I’m looking forward to rain. We’ve added three huge metal barrels to our ‘system’ of water-storage, and Seth has been keeping up on filling and refilling the necessary ones. We’ve now got water stored near the front garden -where the pigs will be soon, two barrels near the house, and two big ones half-way between the house and stream (a do-able distance for me, while Yarrow waits in the yard).

I’ve looking around at perennials to add to our front garden, not that we’re spreading out a bit. I want evening primrose, hollyhock, and too many roses to count. And we’re picking up fruit trees this weekend as well! I’m not certain my elderberries made it through the winter, which is a disappointment. I’ll try again, I don’t see why they shouldn’t live, if I can keep the chickens from

bedding down on top of them! This year we’re extending our chicken-run to keep them happy without letting them free-range quite as often.

Today

Today I am..

Feeling..  Inspired. I think I’m going to make a good week of it! Lots of half-finished drafts lying around! I should manage to finish one or two this week!

Seeing.. New, bright red saucers under blue cups and a clean desk.

Smelling.. Woodsmoke and sunshine..it’s a chilly morning!

Tasting.. Just coffee..It’s fueling my inspiration

Listening.. To the radio..gravelly voiced host, perfect for keeping Petka asleep. She was up early this morning, and needs a bit of a rest.

Grateful.. For peace and quiet and new water barrels! We’ve been keeping up with our barrels, keeping them full, and it makes keeping the plants and chickens watered easier.

Reading.. The Simple Things Magazine..Such a perfect addition to a Monday morning coffee.

Loving..the pretty, new raised bed - all ready for more Scarlet-runner-beans!

Hoping..for more wheel time this week, another couple runs, and couple pigs by the weekend..we’ll see!

What is your day looking like? 

Today..

Today I am..

Feeling..  behind.Monday was a hazy day for me - I never quite made it out of dreamland..and today I wish I had checked off even half of yesterday's list. It's definitely and black coffee -and- bare-feet sort of day!

Seeing.. mess and dishes everywhere! I keep discovering little spots of trouble all around the house and yard. But if I look up, all I see is bright and blue and joyful..until the sun gets too bright  - then all I see are spots. 

Smelling.. Ham broth. Boiled down for tonight's beans and rice. A fantastic, hearty, homey scent. Dziękuję bardzo my poor, dead pigs!

Tasting.. coffee and grapefruit, my favorite meal these days.

Listening.. to the 'I am no mermaid' song from the playlist we put together for a friend, who always reminded me of one in college - when she would swim out too far in the ocean on our visits up here..the girl whose beauty taught me to see my own.  

Grateful.. for good friends with a passion for reading. For my Shakespeare club in the world and the Harry Potter Book Club online, and the real, living, and enthusiastic people who make up both!

Reading.. Harry Potter. I have to, I'm the voice of harshness and judgement in the club. But I still don't have book one (the library's fault, not mine!) so, really I don't have to be reading book four..;)

Loveing..my husband, who forgives me for running off to do laundry and leaving him to fend for himself - food-wise yesterday evening!

Hoping..for more wheel time this week, a chance to trim up my 'keeper' mug, and for this weather to keep going all week!

Blessed Tuesday!

What I Wore Sunday..first week

This is my first What I Wore post..and this is what I pretty much always wear. I have grand intentions of branching out with new and differently colored clothes, but I didn’t finish the skirt I was making in time for this Sunday. So here I am in my regulars: The skirt is from Orchid Lane in Ann Arbor, the shirt and earrings are from the thrift store, and the scarf is from Old Navy.

I love Sundays..We had croissants, grapefruit , and coffee listening to Christian pop (I know, but sometimes I just love it!), watered seedlings and now we’re off to read Shakespeare with friends on a picnic..Idyllic, isn’t it. But don’t worry, it’s only on the surface. The freezer is not freezing right now, and we spent part of the post-Mass hours taking out all the meat, chipping away at ice-build-up and trying again to kick it up to temperature.