wordless wednesday

the cuteness competition

from January:

What's so entertaining, Abe?

"Oh, just these crazies...

on my lily pad with me."

Just a typical Saturday morning with our 2 month old and 3 yr old.

Lulu's having to step up her game with this tough cuteness competition.

She wants to make sure we know she can smile on command.

"Mom, are they really always this silly!?"

Reflections on Little River

stopped for lunch on the bridge

 

surprised by my own reflection

          not so nice for 7.5 months pregnant lady-
      (still not sure where my ab muscles are now)                        nice for 7.5 months pregnant lady-      

Back in September we took a Saturday off, from working on the house, and headed out to the Little River. It was a perfect birthday weekend activity, a much need break from nursery renovating, and baby's 3rd canoe trip! Isn't canoeing the most peaceful? Maybe I'll print one of these photos for the delivery room. Clearly birthing class, which starts tonight, is on my mind. Hope to head back to the mountains before due date at least once more, though it is quickly sneaking up on us. Which reminds me, nursery photos are coming soon!

June and Lemon Cake with Ina

I've been a little bit blogged out this summer. So I'm back-posting some photos and fun until I catch up with the calendar. I'm sure you all don't mind:) Not sure I'll be able to post everything in sequence, but let's start with food! Remember one of my resolutions to cook with the Barefoot Contessa whenever possible? I've had some good excuses to bake lately- I'm always looking for a reason (more than two of us) to get out the beaters.

First- Lemon Cake, lots of lemon cake from Ina's Parties cookbook for our summer garden party. It was so delicious, lemony, and sweet, with blueberries and Ready Whip for the perfect accompaniment. (It's much easier to take before and during photos of food... people arrive, too much to finish up to get the camera back out, food is gone- that's just the reality) Thankfully we had a few leftover slices to fancy up for a photograph before indulging again. 

I baked six of these the day before the party. After the first batch, which seemed to be overdone on the edges and not so much in the middle, my mom gave me the tip to turn the temp down and let them bake longer. Perfect! While baking these Friday night, Elizabeth told us that growing up her mom wouldn't let them play around the oven when she was baking a pound cake because they would fall. Sounds like an old-wives tale, right? Well, the last two I put in the oven Saturday morning while we were setting up and cleaning up for the party- i.e. running in and out and up and down all around the oven. You guessed it- they fell right down in the middle! They still tasted ok, but weren't as nice and airy as the other ones that rose properly. I'd say there's a lot to be learned when baking eight cakes!

Next up, and from quite a while ago, Ina's Chicken Piccata, just as indulgent as her lemon cake, with white wine, lemon, and butter!! I love cooking with lemon lately, and Laurence loves chicken.

And, a summer staple since living in Atlanta with Colleen and Amy, Summer Orzo! Every ingredient in this is so yummy... and all roasted together! I've learned so much about roasting veggies from Ina. I love any veggie roasted... just add some salt, pepper, olive oil, and garlic. Our favorites to roast together from the garden last summer were eggplant and green beans- unfortunately we'll have to buy these at the Farmer's Market this summer.

And lastly, Maple Oatmeal Scones. Perfect for a baby shower brunch... or for an afternoon snack, but really they should be enjoyed with a hot cup of coffee, while sitting:) These are the most time intensive of the recipes, but it makes a lot, and is so worth it. I'm eager for my next excuse to bake so I can try out her strawberry and cranberry orange scones too. Such a rare treat!

Until next time I would recommend getting out some kosher salt, lemon, and butter, Ina won't disappoint!

my loves

It is June! Sunshine.

Canoe. River. Toes. Water.  

Ears flopping in wind.

Can you smell summertime yet?

at work and play

Last weekend is the first free weekend we've had since the beginning of March! We love hosting and having visitors, and traveling to visit family and friends, but we relish our free weekends, which are so few and far between. A little R&R sounds nice, but that's not for us on our free weekends. We work, ALL DAY LONG, usually stopping for some unhealthy lunch- which we deserve, and where we can go covered in dirt or paint, and sweat. Last Saturday we even headed back out after dinner, working until dark. Here's some of what we did, and that's only the back yard! It might appear that we got to do a lot of fun planting, but really it was mostly weeding and mulching. We were both having trouble walking the next day. Really, who knew weeding is such a good workout?

Lu on the other hand got a lot of R&R. She's not adjusted to the weather yet and loves fresh wet mulch!

I did take a break to make some lemon mint tea, since trimming the bountiful mint was on the list. I don't usually even like iced tea, but all this mint and lemon- so refreshing!

Lu also found a good spot to relax next to the air vent- so worn out after lounging outside in the heat!

I've promised Laurence some work days now after all his help outside. Next on the list, and really almost finished, the booth in our kitchen nook!

Micanopy's Canopies

In April I got to visit Grandmother down south and accompany my mom on the two day road trip back to Tennessee. We took our time and decided to stop late one afternoon in Micanopy, FL. Ever since I can remember I've heard references to Micanopy and Cross Creek. It's a recurring topic for my mom, grandmother, and aunt, sitting around a kitchen table, somewhere. With eager eyes and animated hands, this old Florida is spoken of with reverence, longing, and an appreciation that must result from something soul-resonating. Cross Creek, "crackers," the orange groves, the cookery, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, the ice cream shop, etc. I've listened to and appreciated their enthusiasm but never been able to fully enter into the transient world they seem so obsessed with. Maybe it's an age thing, maybe I had to see it for myself, but that afternoon the soft light and live oaks draped in spanish moss whispered a knowing welcome to my soul. Maybe it's in our blood. I sure love the women in my family and that this bonding experience in nature is so much more appropriate than a debutante ball, a first roasted chicken, or new home ever could be. 

So, as I approach thirty this year (wow!), having now visited Cross Creek and the home of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, I feel I've made a significant step into adulthood. And, after reading her book, Cross Creek, I know I'll find myself one of the women the next time we're at Grandmother's kitchen table and the conversation inevitably leads to Micanopy. 

I didn't have my camera with me but had fun playing with the settings on our point and shoot. My mom and I took a nice walk around what's now an overgrown orange grove and enjoyed the trail around this picturesque playground, adjacent to Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings' home.

on the summer reading list:

"Who owns Cross Creek? The red-birds, I think, more than I, for they will have their nests even in the face of delinquent mortgages... It seems to me that the earth may be borrowed, but not bought. It may be used, but not owned. It gives itself in response to love and tending, offers its seasonal flowering and fruiting. But we are tenants and not possessors, lovers and not masters. Cross Creek belongs to the wind and the rain, to the sun and the seasons, to the cosmic secrecy of seed, and beyond all, to time..."

- Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Cross Creek

Lucky Dog

Since I've been posting so much about our yard these days, I thought I should spotlight the ruler of the roost. She enjoys sniffing, snoozing, chasing, barking, jumping, running, digging, protecting, wagging, observing, and most of all, PLAYING! We adopted little Lu with a broken leg when she was four months old on a whim almost two years ago. She's a mess, and such a joy! I'm pretty sure she enjoys digging in the dirt and soaking in the sun as much as I do. She was somewhat confused when we tried to take a siesta, on her turf, with one of her blankets, last Sunday, but she quickly joined us, even though she was way too excited to snooze. Here are some of the many hats she wears around here:

guard dog

race dog

dog tired

bird dog?

happy dog

watch dog

good dog

bad dog

puppy dog

dirty dog

downward dog

pretty dog

hot dog

search dog

top dog

lap dog

lulu dog

lucky dog