40 years young

  Yesterday my partner turned 40. He was trying to act like it was no big deal but as the day got closer I could tell he was bummed. He wanted no party, no fuss made at all. Wanted the day to slip by without notice...

  The xylophone & the piece of bubble wrap (a piece of work packaging that she ALWAYS sneaks up from Daddy's office) are the two favorite toys right now. She's pretending to wrap the xylophone...

  Garden dinner bits.

  Happy birthday to my dear sweetie! You are my anchor and I love you so!

cozy time.

 We've been making an effort to take extra long walks and explore the neighborhoods of Seattle a bit more. There are so many things you miss when you are driving through and now that my little lady is almost 2 1/2, her legs can handle a small walk all on her own, as long as it's interesting.

We looked at this chair tree a long time. I've been by this way so many times but never noticed the dozen or so chairs wedged and tied to this tree. It was hard to get a good picture but it was really lovely! So Fremont! Fremont is a sweet little neighborhood and they have the yummiest vegan/gluten free bakery. Flying Apron is our special treat stop. We get to go today to pick up Daddy's cake. mmmm...

  A few days ago was, I think, our last sunny day. Hopefully the tomatoes got enough sun to keep ripening or else I need to start researching green tomato recipes... There are still hundreds (we have 13 tomato plants) of green ones in various shapes and sizes.

  Shady cat nap spot. All the wasps and hornets have moved out, this chair was formerly one of their favorite spots. Tommy loves to nap under it on warm days.

Finally, ripe tomatoes. WE slow roasted them in the oven. so so good!

  Try as I might, I was unable to get a picture that capture the magic and immenseness of this tree. It's in our neighbors back yard and it's just HUGE. On warm breezy days, it's magical to lay on a blanket and listen to the whispering rustle of the leaves. I look at this tree and focus on it and I can imagine all the houses and pavement and man made things falling away and just picture this place as it once was, an untamable forest. I want to go there. I want that so badly.
  Someday we'll have it. For now we're in the city and have to take the trees where we find them, and there are many, but soon we'll have a home where there are more trees than houses! We're working towards that.

  My favorite kind of mess!

  I'm trying to make as many bags and clothes as possible so I can update my handmade etsy store and for bootyland and for a trunk show my friend is organizing in november. My etsy vintage store is doing well and I feel so  happy about that. Selling to vintage stores is something I just don't want to do anymore and it looks like, if I concentrate on these other options, I won't need to. Thankfully!

I'm trying to decide if I should put the heat on for a little bit. It's so crisp in here. I am wanting some hot apple cider or hot cocoa or well, a mocha. With all the other dietary restrictions we've imposed, a little coffee once in a while will have to be allowed.

the chicken coop

  This was the project of the summer! Finally all the work is over. I have no experience making these types of things but my experience in sewing cooking and crafting leads me to believe I can make anything. I was wrong. This was an insane, time consuming and difficult project. Much of it needed force and skill that my body and hands do not possess. Hello husband! Well, um,  partner? boyfriend? whatever, we're not married-all those words sound funny when you're over thirty... Anyways, My little ones Daddy made this for us! It turned out really nice and the chickens love it and are SUPER possessive of it. They enjoy lots of little hiding/shade spots so that's why those little lean-to boards are in place.

Cinnamon, Bubbles & Sadie are about 8 weeks old and still pretty small. Much smaller than our predatory cats. When the hens are bigger we plan to let them out into the yard, but for now, their run is so big and a whole world of fun for them.

  Many of the materials were free and salvaged. There was a custom door shop that was moving locations and I happened upon them when they were getting rid of so much really fancy wood and we found some other wood under the house. See my shallots drying on the screen?

  Tommy is not really happy about this. He doesn't see the point in locking up his chicken dinners...

  I'm already fantasizing about building a rabbit hutch into the other side... We'll see when spring comes.

  I've been keeping my eyes open for interesting large branches for the ladies to play on. Keep finding ones way to big or tiny. Soon I'll find ones that are just right. Now I have to sleep. I was entertaining my little gal, cleaning, weeding, planting and gathering poppy seeds all day. Darn sore & tired. Happy Monday!

bye bye gluten, bye bye dairy...

  The allergy test results came back and I was expecting gluten but dairy... and the other big ones are sesame seeds, red grapes (???), turmeric, ginger and mustard. My naturopath was just leaving the office but wanted to give me a quick call and tell me the major ones before she sent me the papers with the complete results. bye bye friday night visits to the ice cream truck...

We've only been eliminating gluten and dairy for three days but already there is a big change. My little lady's skin no longer feels like sandpaper and she isn't constantly itching/crying.

Yesterday we had lemon cucumbers with white and gold tomatoes from the garden with an avocado and splash of balsamic vinegar.

The bees are loving all the dandelions in our yard.

  I had to take a picture of Kim's latte. Yep, Seattle is coffee heaven!

  We're lazing around, doing chores today. I am missing my oldest way too much. It was easier the last couple times he went to his dad's because he was having a really fun time but this time his dad is working most of the time and he's bored and bummed and I feel sad for him. 10 days to go...

 

my girl

  My littlest one took these pics the other day when she snatched my camera (I was weeding).

You can barely see me hidden behind the lilac sprouts, furiously weeding.

it's summer somewhere!

Probably in Australia? I found a treasure trove of vintage swimsuits that I stashed away last fall and of course it's not really summer anymore (well, not in Seattle!)... Thank goodness there's etsy!

I am really going to make an effort to update my etsy stores weekly.

  Happy end of summer. Ours was over before it really began. sigh... At least every thing's green here.

moments...

  Today I put my oldest on a plane to go visit his Father for two weeks. It was his first time flying alone and it was much harder for me than him. He called when he landed and said it was "no big deal".

  Last week we went down to the aquarium on the waterfront and it was a normal Seattle grey day.

  Thrifted lace score drying. I even found some black bits which are hard to come by.

Soaked Blueberry pancakes. These were really delicious. I love almost anything with blueberries and yogurt in the ingredients. They were mentioned on Clean which I just stumbled across recently. I love that there are a never ending amount of wonderful blogs-it's a treasure hunt to find them!

  So much is growing in the garden. Now if only some female flowers would bloom on the pumpkins and squash so I might help the bees pollinate the plants!

  Getting a start on holiday projects. We had all my knitting books out in the yard and my nieces were showing me their favorite hats (easy, gift giving for me!) not knowing I bookmarked them so I could get started.

  This past week has been crazy hot (mid 90's) for the NW. We've been having some early morning adventures, then spending afternoons under the shade umbrellas or in the playroom on the cool wood floors in front of a fan.
  Tomorrow is thrifting day for me, off to visualize goodies while I clean house!

new friend!

  We got to meet Oliver for the first time today. What a sweetheart! He is such a happy fellow, so much like a dog. 

  Patiently waiting for a watermelon rind...

  Which the hens were trying to steal.

  His hair is coarse and impossibly stiff.

  She happened to have her cousins stuffed pig (wrapped in a hanky with a lavender sachet clutched in her hand as a pillow...) with her and the whole way home kept pointing behind her and at the little stuffed pig saying, "piggy! friend!". When we got home and told Daddy, the first thing he said is, "we can't get a pig." haha... He knows me too well. We'll see, come springtime, what we'll be getting next. Most likely bees, but someday a PIG!