Lazy Weekend

Hullo!

I am sorry for disappearing on you all yesterday, no poem! I was a) a 'lil sad and b) a 'lil hot so I played hooky. I am now in AC-land (my in-laws) and very relaxed. Kind of like Cali here.

Now there's a gal who knows how to lay low during a heat wave, right? Make nice with some porcelain tile, what a trendsetter she is! I am home guarding the heirloom tomatoes while the rest of the family sneaks in one last swim before bedtime (kiddo) and dinner (non-kiddos). I have a glass of wine, a stack of magazines and three dogs vegging in various places. 

Leaving a hungry Italian home alone with an heirloom tomato?

Good idea or bad?

I hope you're all enjoying your weekend, wherever you are!

P.S.  Look what I found on a photowalk last night! 

Inleaf Designs

Okay after huffing up the hill after school dropoff this morning, I admit I was near tears. I am out of shape and this is not an easy way to ease into exercising. But I am determined! Somehow I will get through this portion of the life program.

One way for me to get through is to reward myself. Today that reward was a quick escape into a pretty blog or Etsy shop, which is what I did immediately after walking in the front door & grabbing my water bottle. Inleaf came to the rescue!

blue queen anne's lace towel

Okay the towel doesn't need any sales pitching from me. It's so beautiful I can hardly stand it and have I mentioned my theory about how houses call out certain colors to me? My last house was all about yellows and this house wants blues. So there's that, but the photo! Where can I get a white brick wall?

brown fern sachet

Wouldn't these sachets make a wonderful hostess gift this holiday season? Yes I did say the dreaded h-word (holiday, not hostess!). It's all my friend Colleen's fault for point out on Facebook yesterday how many months to go, thereby planting an evil seed into my pea-sized Virgo brain.

Since I subscribe to the "one for you, one for me" philosophy of gift giving, here's what I will get myself. A tidy, compact, go with everything, clutch.

brown running cedar zip purse

Lotta is the kind of artist that I aspire to be. Using natural fabrics and everyday objects, she makes them into something breathtaking and extraordinary. I try to do this with my camera, by photographing the little things. Seamstress I am not, but lucky for us, we have Lotta. And lucky for us, she's going to keep blogging!

photo credits: Inleaf Designs

First Grade

Wake up: 

on time

Snuggle: 

a lot

Get up: 

a little bit late

Breakfast: 

scrambled eggs, half banana, english muffin

Skipped: 

half a mile downhill

Arrived: 

on time

Hugged: 

Teacher Colleen

Lunch: 

pb&j, grapes, apple juice, note from Mommy

Lunch Recess: 

a total hit

Trudged: 

half a mile uphill

Mood: 

tired, hot and a lil' cranky

(despite the pretty fuschia flowers)

After-school snack: 

apple cinnamon Clif Kid Zbar

After-school fun: 

indoor swinging, 

backyard bubble-blowing, 

beating Mommy  at the matching game *again*

Dinner: 

cheese tortellini, broccoli & homemade Alfredo sauce

Do you like first grade?

Tell us how you really feel!

Cali Figs

This weekend, I related well to a seven-year-old golden retriever and tried figs for the first time. 

Cali seemed quite forlorn by the boyish antics of her brother Duke and cousin Jackson. Figs (brushed with olive oil, topped with blue cheese and broiled for two minutes) are an easy appetizer as well as quite rich & delicious.

I also got my first sunburn of the summer when I went swimming for the first time all summer. Nothing like squeezing in lots of fun at the last minute -- first grade starts in T-minus 16 hours.

Friday Poems: Apache Wedding Prayer

A very important person from my son's old, wonderful, preschool is getting married tomorrow!

Unfortunately we cannot attend, but our hearts are with E&W as they join their lives and celebrate their love. I'd like to dedicate Friday Poems to them today with a verse we used in our own wedding ceremony.

a stained glass window from E&W's church

Apache Wedding Prayer

Now you feel no rain,

For each of you will be shelter to the other.

Now you will feel no cold,

For each of you will be warmth to the other.

Now there is no more loneliness,

For each of you will be companion to the other.

Now you are two bodies,

But there is one life before you.

Go now to your dwelling place,

To enter into the days of your togetherness.

And may your days be long and good upon the earth.

Many congratulations to you both! 

Don't forget to eat on your wedding day!

Love, the Js

Sweet Surprise

I am resurrecting my other blog, the one about all things children, handmade and festive. I have missed it ever since I stopped posting, which was just days before we moved into the studio & my life went topsy-turvy.

My dream is to combine Sweet Eventide and Wee Festivity into one home online but it will take a lot of behind-the-scenes tinkering. For now, I decided it was better late than never and to just start posting again.

It would be sweet if you'd visit me over there too. 

Blik Here, There, Everywhere

I have this family room, this really wooden family room, with a lot of wooden furniture in it. I'm on wood overload here. 

The paneling is not in good enough condition to paint. I am not up for painting all of my wooden furniture (desk, two drawer units, media units) some other color either. Hello Totally Impractical. 

And yet, I need to break up wooden room, including and especially, this giant 12' w x 9' h wall of imposing wood seen on the left there! I have already removed the wooden closet doors and will be putting curtains up to soften up that side of the room.

For the giant wall of wood, I bought a roll of white contact paper and planned to cut 9 circles out to mount on the wall above the tv, right in the middle of the Giant Wooden Wall. I got the idea from my IKEA chair.

But this got me thinking, what kind of cool wall decals are out there?

Well. I could save myself the tracing and cutting and put up these red ones. 

We do have a red thing going in the room, between the beloved red upholstered rocker and the red ticking stripe curtains I got.

Or I could finally get a little Eames action 

going in my own home with these rad circles.

Or we could bring a little of the beautiful outdoors in.

Or we could change gears altogether and go all elementary school style. 

And switch out the curtains. And ignore the giant red chair, ha ha.

All decal images from Blik

Tasmania

Oh dear, I think my husband is going to have to work from home for a few days. I just walked into the nearest airport and left the Bay Area. I'm clear over in Tasmania after tripping over these beautiful stone cottages featured on the Beach Vintage blog.

Shhh...don't you hear the ocean gently lapping upon the shore? I know it's a bit damp, but our nice cup of tea is warming us from within. And our hearts? Calm and peaceful they are. Yes, I think Yoda may have come from Tasmania.

As much as I enjoy chit-chatting with you all, I feel in a quiet mood. I'm going to read a book in bed and have myself a nap.

And sweetie? There's a frozen pizza for dinner.

Kiss the Noodle for me.

Pinkness

Good morning!

We had a productive weekend. We finally finished getting our things out of the studio and storage on Saturday and yesterday, we made huge progress assembling our outdoor shed that we bought on Craigslist last weekend. 

The shed is not a small project considering there isn't a speck of flat land anywhere on the property. It is also critical to my peace of mind because it is a key ingredient to finishing unpacking before school starts next week. So I feel confident we will finish which is in high contrast to how I felt 24 hours ago. 

Huge props to my husband for dedicating almost an entire Sunday to something un-fun for me!

I've noticed these flowers blooming around the yard in the past week. There are about five of these across the back fence in the open space. This one is right by my driveway. I love these random bursts of pretty pinkness among all the wild, unhewn areas layered with dirt, random stepping stones, flagstone, pine needles and fallen oak leaves. It's kind of like being the only girl in a house of boys (furry ones too).

What do you think?

Friday Poems: Bed in Summer

Ever since we put the swing up in our family room, I am feeling whimsical, child-like and more playful. So this week's poem reminds me of me in a way and of course, my Noodle.

Enjoy!

photo credit: AdWriter

Bed in Summer

by Robert Louis Stevenson

In winter I get up at night

And dress by yellow candle-light.

In summer, quite the other way,

I have to go to bed by day.

I have to go to bed and see

The birds still hopping on the tree,

Or hear the grown-up people's feet,

Still going past me in the street.

And does it not seem hard to you,

When all the sky is clear and blue,

And I should like so much to play,

To have to go to bed by day?

Scene Around Home: Drawing

Two days ago, I scored a cool table on Craigslist that is going to be home to lots of creativity. It is a long-term dream of mine to have an area of our home dedicated to artful endeavors.

I set it all up Monday night. Now there are several containers of pencils, pastels, markers and crayons at the ready, along with paper galore within reach. Even my sewing machine now lives underneath it, close to a power strip and a good source of light.

When the Noodle woke up yesterday morning, he was inspired to draw right after breakfast. I was so tickled. He drew what he could see right out the window, our plum tree (with a boy in a high branch eating a plum) and the house in the hills above us. 

Yesterday I went to IKEA and got two adjustable chairs to keep at the table (instead of stealing dining room chairs all the time). Inspired by J's drawing, I sat down to draw last night too. 

Jeff took this photo of me with his iPhone. I had no idea he was taking it which is why I like it. I was trying to draw a girl on a swing, because we had just finished installing a swing in our family room. In the end, I had more fun drawing the girl's dress so I started a new drawing just of a pretty girly dress. 

Illustrator I am not though, so no sharing!

So this is a scene from our family room. Jeff and I sat at the table listening to Pandora last night and sharing a glass of wine. Talk about a lovely night!

Key Lime Martinis

Notes on the ingredients:

Quarante y Tres, we can learn more about this mystery ingredient together here.

(3 tablespoons)

Absolut Citron is what we've been using.

(1 tablespoon)

Nellie & Joe's Key Lime Juice is one of two we've tried. Just be sure not to get that little green plastic bottle you see in the produce section. The right kinds will be in the juice or alcohol section of your market.

(2 tablespoons)

I use Clover Organic heavy cream because it's local.

(2 tablespoons)

Combine all delicious ingredients in a cocktail shaker.

Cover.

Shake.

Strain.

Enjoy!

Thanks Papa and Tutu for bringing us this fabulous summer beverage when we moved into our new home.

Paaarty!

This weekend found me eating cupcakes with my beautiful sister-in-law, shopping for adorable little Japanese things, cracking up with my nephew and unpacking my four large art boxes.

Lulu got these little pins for me after it took me a little too long to understand them.

I am an odd case that way though.

This weekend also found me working my first photo shoot: a first birthday party! I have more than 400 photos to sort and process this week, but here is a little sneak peek. 

It was an honor to document this special occasion for a truly beautiful family, inside and out.

Of course, I ended the weekend with our Summer '09 weekend tradition: KLMs (key lime martinis) with my sweetie. I'll post the recipe tomorrow. 

How was your weekend?

Friday Poems: The Dining Room

Oh my goodness, sometimes the stars align just so and my world comes together for Friday Poems. 

On Wednesday night, my MIL came over and helped me figure out the best place for my dining table and buffet that I inherited from her. On Thursday, I spent all day working to clear the living room and dining room of boxes so I could move the buffet into position. Last night, I was able to sit in my tidy dining room and snap a few photos. 

a little glass of sunshine

Today I went to the library to force myself to rest. I've been lost in France this week and found myself in the foreign language section where I stumbled upon Selections from French Poetry, circa 1965. Next I walked confidently to the international music where I knew there would be a Carla Bruni cd waiting for me. And there was...one single cd, her new one! (That's an iTunes link btw). What a fascinating woman that I am only learning about this week.

Without further ado, notre poésie!

A glimpse of an old dresser, now a buffet

La Salle à Manger

(The Dining Room)

by Francis Jammes (1868-1938)

translated by Joseph T. Shipley

There is a rather dull cupboard here

that knew the voice of my great aunts,

that knew the voice of my grandfather dear,

that knew the voice of my father too;

and to these memories it is true.

You're wrong to think it can only sit,

because I talk with it.

There's also a cuckoo made of wood.

I don't know why its voice is no longer good.

I don't like to ask . . . You see,

the voice might really be

broken, up there in its head,

just like the voice of the dead.

There's also an old buffet

that smells of wax and of conserve,

meat, and bread, and ripened pears.

It's a faithful servant and it swears

'twill all our goods preserve.

Lots of men and women have been here, near it,

who do not believe in such a spirit.

And I smile, when a visitor comes my way,

that he thinks me alone, and starts to say:

"Good morning, Mr. James, how are you today?"

Click here to hear the poem in French!

Au revoir!

Wave by Suzy Lee

Wave, a wonderfully wordless book by artist Suzy Lee, is one of those gems that stops you in your tracks the moment you lay eyes on it. It's published by Chronicle Books* of course. 

That is exactly what happened to me sometime in 2008 when I first saw it at Anthropologie. It was one of the hardest times for me to follow my self-imposed rule of not buying books. 

When I saw it during my last library trip, I snatched it up breathlessly. I didn't even tell the Noodle it was for me. 

I highly recommend you find this book somewhere as soon as possible and see what happens on the page before this one where the little girl gets soaked! It is classic. Come on, I had to tease and challenge you a little!

This little girl is back at the library waiting to delight someone else besides me. But part of her is in my heart and I have a feeling she will come out to play the next time I get myself to the ocean for a little visit.  

*Have I blogged about Chronicle Books yet? About how this year I've realized that most of my favorite books are published by them? They have a great Twitter feed too. I highly recommend it. Talk about a dream job for Jess, I'd scrub their coffee filters if that was all they had available.

Scene Around Home: Salle de Bains

Good Monday to you!

I've decided that as I tip the scales past unpacking and more toward design & nesting, I'd like to share little corners of my new home with you. So I'm introducing a new column, Scene Around Home. There won't be a set schedule like Friday Poems, but I will publish it as I make my way through the house, turning it into our home.

One thing that finally helped me create a first corner or two was buying myself a bouquet of flowers on Friday. I do this from time to time, probably not often enough. Then I split it into many little jars, vases and jugs and share the color anywhere that suits me.

salle de bains

One spot that received a dash of floral color over the weekend was our (only) bathroom. I paired the orange daisies with the pale green glass of a saved Dr. Pepper bottle. I love the original tiny orange tiles in our 1940s house. And don't get me started on my white ruffled shower curtain! Oh ruffles, how I adore thee!

I'm in a French-y mood lately too and doesn't bathroom just sound so much better in French?!

Friday Poems: Back Yard

It is the eve of a new month that will bring a new school year, with longer days. This new month is going to mark the beginning of my job search. I wonder where I will end up? 

For now, it is still July and it's nice to remember the now. Sunsets. Key lime martinis with my husband on Friday nights. Movie escapes with music to drool over.

Maybe this is the weekend I will hang my lanterns in the back yard...

photo credit: Dana Graves

Back Yard

by Carl Sandburg

Shine on, O moon of summer.

Shine to the leaves of grass, catalpa and oak,

All silver under your rain to-night.

An Italian boy is sending songs to you to-night from an accordion.

A Polish boy is out with his best girl; they marry next month;

     to-night they are throwing you kisses.

An old man next door is dreaming over a sheen that sits in a 

     cherry tree in his back yard.

The clocks say I must go--I stay here sitting on the back porch drinking

     white thoughts you rain down.

     Shine on, O moon,

Shake out more and more silver changes.

Glorious Books

I think I can safely say the Noodle and I both squealed with glee when I opened a certain box this morning. Oh how we've missed that silly boy with the bunny on his head! 

Not to mention all the wonderful ways of saying good night. 

Today I've also found our wedding photos, Parcheesi, playdoh and a dartboard which has promptly been hung in the Noodle's room. The remaining box count has dropped from 21 to 16!

Yesterday

I hit a giant wall on Sunday in my unpacking. I just -- stopped. I'm worn out. I've been sitting in the red rocking chair a lot, sharing the tv with the Noodle (Curious George vs. HGTV) and trying not to judge myself too harshly. 

Moving twice in eight months is a lot to coordinate and navigate already; knowing this house is temporary (because it is not ours) halts my motivation fairly regularly. I find myself questioning every box: "Do I really need to unpack this? If I don't, where will I put it? If I do, where will I put what's inside?"

I did manage to make dinner though.

Hello crockpot chicken tacos.

I've got my desk somewhat set up. 

Isn't the early evening light dreamy?

He seems to like it too.

Does anyone have ideas on linen storage when there is no linen closet? I have thought of a) buying an armoire, b) install shelving in the dining room closet, c) use an 8' bureau that I already own, d) one towel per person and that's it.

Also, I am obsessed with antique white furniture for this house. Is it to counterbalance all the wood paneling? One must wonder.

Late July

My post title does not refer to my favorite crackers, but rather to last night's sunset as viewed from my driveway.

This weekend also included a retro dresser found at a garage sale for $30, a birthday party, unpacking, yard work, the end of the Tour (I get my evenings with my husband back, hooray), couscous with roasted cherry tomatoes, hidden Italian bakeries discovered by a dear friend, smashed thumb nails and key lime martinis.

How was your weekend?