Short Story Long

Berry Patch Farms - lots of flowers, not so many berries, yet! Last week, we went to Berry Patch Farms as we did last year.  We should have waited another week or two, we were not allowed to pick berries to our heart's content, only two pints per...  We thought that was two per family but some people nearby apparently interpreted that as two per half person.  Anyway, we did not get enough to make a batch of jam.  We did get enough you-pick-it basil for some delicious pesto.  I don't know why I waited so long to make my own, I LOVE basil.  So no berries, but luckily, my friend Judy had called me a month ago asking if I wanted in on some peaches.  Yesterday, our twenty pound box arrived.  The boys all wanted to eat them out of the box; not me, I don't like the whole fuzz thing.  Today, we are making our first batch of peach preserves for the year.  YUM.  Thank goodness for blogging: I could not find the recipe I u...

I realized yesterday that August always seems to be a lovely month.  It's still summer, a few days or weeks left to sleep in, but the garden is starting to produce more veggies, there's a nip in the evening air, and the looming school year makes the last days more valuable.  When I woke up this morning, I needed a blanket so I could stay in bed a little longer.  Mmmmmm blankets.  Mmmmmm sweaters, I am looking forward to September, too.  We spent as much time as we could holding our new baby cousin while she was here.  I knew my kids would love her; they LOVED her.  They posed for pictures with her every day, even if she was crying.  Everyone got a turn holding her just before she left.  We had several birthdays to celebrate so my parents took us all to Casa Bonita, where we took in a puppet show, survived Black Bart's Cave, and won tons of tickets in the arcade.  And ate a lot of sopapillas - yum.  I wish I had...

I've been knitting like crazy but can't show you much - samples that are secret until they are published, and presents that are secret until Christmas.  I've been wanting to show you all the fun but I just can't yet!  But finally, a little something for you.  It's been a while since I've had the inspiration and time to put together my own pattern.  I'm so excited about this hat!  I hope you like it too... I've been teaching the beginning knitting class at my local yarn shop and approached the owner about a new pattern to teach - the last one was cute but has been on the schedule for a year or more.  She requested slipped stitch colorwork and I thought that was a great suggestion.  It's a little slouchy to keep you extra warm, not to mention stylish.  An i-cord is woven through the eyelets around the bottom allowing you to adjust the size, and finishes with a bow in the back.  My sister was in town this week so I took the opportunity t...

"When the real Santa was alive, he was nocturnal."  - the Bruise

something with your town's name on it (chalk drawing at the Chalk Art Festival) wheel trim architectural detail cheese night tree branches cutlery a farm animal view outside my door Items I neglected to shoot were 'an elephant', 'a childhood memory', and 'something that starts with z...'.  I had something in mind for all of these, just didn't get it done.  Yet. Blogger told me a couple of days ago that I had exceeded my upload quota, so I have put off updating my blog.  In order to prove to BFJ that there's a problem, I did this whole post - without any problem.  Of course. 

I saw a quote yesterday on someone's blog to the affect of 'children spell love t-i-m-e,' so when I saw that mine were getting antsy today, I found some things in the closet that had belonged to dear Marie , or g.g., as they called her. (Great-grandma.)  Because I know, summer can seem boring while you're in it, and so fleeting later.  I taught them Chinese Checkers; I hate to tell you that I won but no one would listen to my strategy recommendations!  Then they taught me Pirate Code.  And then two looked through all the wonderful marbles while two of us had a nap.