Summer by the Sea(ttle)

Piper and I enjoyed a short summer getaway to the Pacific Northwest and visited with friends and family. We did a little bit of the touristy things before heading up the Puget Sound via the Mukilteo Ferry to Whidbey Island to Bellingham for his cousins wedding. Short but sweet, it was nice to get away from the Appalachian Ohio heat.

always room for dessert

Since the time surrounding my actual birthday was such a whirlwind of activities, I decided to delay celebration and threw a dessert picnic for my friends this afternoon. Friends gathered at our house for a bike parade with streamer sticks to the secret picnic location which I had set up ahead of time. I had so much fun planning for this day.

The delicious spread included peach tarts with pecan crust, blueberry tarts with ginger crust, vegan cashew torte with oatmeal lavender crust, lemon curd tartlets, palmiers and mini flourless dark chocolate tortes baked in paper souffle cups. I also made three varieties of soda pop: lemongrass, peach ginger ale and lavender lemon. I am so thankful to have such wonderful friends in my life and relished in the opportunity to treat them all to a special day.

A Fabulous Fourth

A lovely weekend spent floating with friends pondside, lakeside and riverside, drinking cocktails, eating watermelons and sweet corn. Fireworks and potato canons and kickball, too much fun.

wild food

The bounty of a lovely evening hike with a good friend yielded a delicious meal of wild harvested foods. Morel and Dryad Saddle mushrooms, Water leaf and Nettle, and young Fiddle Head Ferns made a delicious saute topped off with ramp pesto over local pasta. Bon appetit!

It takes a village to raise a wigwam

Taking a break from our home construction project, we spent the day helping our friend Sarah raise her wigwam. With wobbly ladders and lots of lashing, we took a platform floor and made a home. Sunshine, good food and many hands made for a productive day in Meigs.

free engagement photo session giveaway

sweet smell of spring time

a flower for a friend on a rainy day. looking forward to more and more blooming

muffins for a gloomy day

Making muffins on days off, and trying to protect them from the muffin monster that resides here.

welcome spring

Upon my bike, en route to the farmers market, I caught the first glimpses of spring.

hell on wheels

maybe once in 15 years have i strapped 4 wheels on each foot. celebrating our dear friend sarah's birthday, we shared the floor with adult skate regulars. I only hope at 80 i'll still be on the rink.

all in a row

A favorite day of the year is the day the first seed goes in the ground. Small surprises in the soil- 3 purple potatoes waking up from hibernation to find their way back into rows. Peas, onions and potatoes in, and the garlic is excitedly peaking through.

voyage to marietta

a fine day of junking fruited an italian ravioli cutter, hazel atlas jelly jar with zinc lid, amazing lion ephemera, this sweet pig planter and charming tiny silhouettes.

sushine=productivity

A most productive day, 15 gallons apple wine, apple pear wine and cider bottled, 5 gal. ipa kegged, sunroof sealed, pig returned, mad dog snow cones devoured, sunshine absorbed. spring is near!

sunny afternoon

The sun decided to come back for a visit, the first time i've seen it in weeks. Relishing in the opportunity to bask in its glow, we visited the sugar shack and lake cadillac.

a winters hike

Cameras in hand and snow crunching under our feet, a winters hike in rhododendron cove this afternoon was a much needed treat. Traveling in high style, only the finest meats and local cheeses will satiate our hunger. Good friends not often seen, in a place not often traversed.

our little foster pig

A grand adventure this will be, Piper and I are fostering this sweet little piglet. She is a Vietnamese pot belly pig and we call her piggle. Look at her precious smile

postal pardon?

been meaning to improve my time between crafting a package for post and getting it to the box. apologies to bps members in austin, albuquerque and oxford who have long awaited a plentiful mailbox. i'm trying harder to get my ducks in a row.

valentine's faire

Such a delicious spread at dogtown today. popcorn and truffles, cake walks and fiddles.

snow day

it started falling last night and we knew the winter of war was not over. morning revealed a white playground as we sipped cayenne hot chocolate and looked for lost gloves.

rain rain go away

every year, the few snow covered days memories fill up my head making me forget the reality of miserably cold rainy days. this, while waiting in the truck, hoping it would start. piper without cover fiddles under the hood. no straw bales today.

for the love of junk

there's nothing i love more than appalachian junk stores. sadly, one of my favorites, randy's odds and ends in lancaster, was closed today, but we made a grand adventure of the shoe factory and the flea market in logan with good friends. I finally found the spreading knife i've been longing for, piper bought 50 more drill bits and an angle chisel. I swooned over vintage valentines, and bought a few. Found some perfect presents that i can't wait to give and am trying to convince piper that we desperately need the 3 foot diameter solid round butcher block for our kitchen.

I love the colors of this charming croquet set. maybe some day when i have a yard, i can justify such treasures.

delicious

a lovely start to the day. roasted red pepper quiche with caramelized onions and baby swiss.

wild harvested remedy

I have a sick boy in my bed.

our daily journey

a highly traveled but not often documented trip is the daily voyage to the trimble kroger and post office. an excellent opportunity to get out of the office and get in some high knees