welcoming the fall

as the summer comes to a close i find myself in the kitchen more, relishing in the tastes of this year's local harvest. from tomatoes to apples i can't help but celebrate with yummy recipes. our new favorite (well the grown-ups) is a simple pico de gallo that can be whipped up in no time. every thursday, i head to the farmer's market (or i try to run into my garden guru neighbor for some extras) for a bag full of red and yellow tomatoes, a small bunch of cilantro and a red onion. the only things i need to buy somewhere else are 2 limes. then, as the kids play on the back porch, i chop chop away while listening to them laughing and pretend cooking themselves (and please let me be honest, bickering, too but then i just turn up wfuv...) this recipe need not be precise. these 4 ingredients just work. i start by chopping and seeding the tomatoes - pretty small pieces - and placing in a large mixing bowl. 

then, comes the chopped red onion and cilantro. i mix these together to blend the flavors and add salt & pepper o taste. then about 10 minutes later i squeeze the juice of 2 limes into the bowl, mix and let sit until dinner. of course, a mexican meal would be the best route with the pico de gallo but it really can be added to so many things. i'm thinking eggs, small pasta or even just pita chips. the last few times i made it, i just served with plain old rice and beans. always a winner and so easy. 

my secret mission is to somehow find or emulate the recipe for 'green cactus grill's' (my hometown fav) salsa. i've been trying for years. no success yet...


the end of our summer was a busy one yet we still found some simple moments and for the girls, simple play - which always warms my soul :) the simplest of objects seem to be the most intriguing, especially for my two year old. she will play for hours with shells, driftwood, acorns, beach glass, dried beans, pom poms, pieces of moss, wood chips, flower petals..... 

i love watching her arrange these objects, put in and take out, stack, pretend cook, draw on... inspiring. what was even more magical was my eight year old's fairy village that she created and set up in our side yard. it makes me smile when her playing does not involve a nickelodeon pop star or batteries. it's like i want to take her imagination and protect it in a box so that she never loses it.


eden, my older girlie, has taken an interest in fairies and building fairy villages. she spent a lot of the summer creating her very own in our yard. one day i joined her in her efforts. so fun! ah, to be eight again! here are some pics of the tiny village.

the season has changed and with that always comes yet another home project... shall i say more. it's exciting and grueling all at the same time. i'm in the midst of making over our bedroom. that's right, my college dormlike, shoebox sized master suite (i know, i'm the one who insisted on the 100 year old house with "character" - over it). my hand me down ikea 'messer' has been broken for over a year so i figured it was time to get it together and get organized like a grownup. the plaster ceiling that was sagging was also a good reason to get this project going. so far the ceiling is replaced and the next step is painting. i wish i had taken a photo of this room before it was emptied into the rest of the house (it's actually fun having our bed in the livingroom though - it's like camping!). it was a sight for sure. but a shot of the empty room 'before' will have to do.

i am thinking very light and airy yet comfortable for our new room. cream or very light neutral with white trim. white curtains, pull shade. the previous curtains were very, very dark, a dark quilt, dark wood dresser, stuff everywhere. i want this new space to be a breathe of fresh air and a blank palette for the beginning and the end of each day. a book shelf would be nice. well, the 'after' pic, i am sure will not be posted for months as we piece together our new room but i will be posting updates and items worth sharing. can't wait to open and close my dresser drawers!

hanging on to summer

september is here already? it seems too soon for this summer to be over. back to school is a phrase that has so much more attached to it now - now that i'm a mama. it's back to our routine and schedule. dance classes, soccer practice, brownies...... i couldn't really understand how the average american family did not sit down for a family supper until now. it is very difficult to carve out the time and plan in between everyone's schedule. it's hard but not impossible i guess. so to start out the school year (which should really be called the new year) my goal will be to have as many family moments as possible. dinner, walks, games. i am looking forward to autumn - i do love this season. the air seems different. autumn is my ever-reminder of the reality of Change. change is the constant. and in autumn you can actually observe change.

above are some recent summer pics. a view of the tree tops during a family hike, the infamous "barbie cafe," the cafe refrigerator, and our one lonely tomato (the abundance of rain truly had an impact on gardens this year). 

when camp is out and playdates are far and few due to vacations, summertime play is beautiful to watch. eden plays for hours on our porch. she has set up a cafe/market. i love when she engages in pretend play because so much of the time is school, activities, tag along mama chores. when i was a little girl, i so enjoyed my baby dolls and playing with small figurines outside in my grandma's rock garden. those are some of my fondest memories as a child (an only child that is). anyway, i hope to keep the cafe up and running through the fall. maybe she'll serve hot cocoa?