beauty that moves

not a recipe...

... just a list of ingredients.

one mango::handful of radishes::two cups black beans::diced green pepper::handful of fresh herbs, parsley and chive will do::the very, very best extra virgin olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar::sea salt and cracked black pepper::a glass or two of pinot grigio for the chef.

Add to this the perfect summer evening, and dinner is served.

it's been a whole month?

My goodness I had no idea! A whole month since I have posted something crafty. It's been a whirlwind around here to say the least... there was my cousin's wedding on Nantucket::the quaint but not so little Victorian Home Tour in early June, nearly 300 people came through our house!::while the house was clean we figured we'd have an end of the school year party for Emily's friends and their families::a really great and much needed gathering with family (thanks Donna)::job changes for Adam::finishing details on the frequently mentioned but still mysterious project (will be revealed THURSDAY morning!)::setting up a new studio::and now, settling (very easily) into the rhythm of summer, this is more my speed...

Did someone say a new studio? It's a little sparse and not completely personalized yet, add to that a camera that does not like to take wide angle shots of tight spaces, but still, would you like to take a look around. Notice Emily's first embroidery project, age 4, hanging on the shelves in the first pic. And Sukha, who is always available for sewing support!

Oh yes, I am so excited to call this space my own! I made sure to provide plenty of seating for guests too. It's the same not too fancy set up I've always had really, just no longer in the basement, which I am very grateful for. My family has given me a whole room, thank you for being ridiculously supportive, as always. This space has the best light, it's right next to Emily's room, and the breeze... dreamy.

So, I've begun making a few things again, and it's given me such joy to have my hands busy in this way. It's funny, as I look at these photos it is very evident where my heart has been lately. Brings a little smile.

Hope you are all enjoying summer, whether you are swimming, playing, gardening, or lazily embroidering beneath the magnolia tree.

a little about me

Would you like to know a few random things? About me that is. You see I don't have an about page, and I really do enjoy reading all of your random things... so why not.

1. When I was in high school I embroidered the jean jacket pictured above. It was the first thing I ever embroidered and I was pretty excited about it. So excited that I "crafted" a way to sneak in some more crafting time. According to school policy, if you were late to class 3 times, you got an after school detention, if you skipped that detention the punishment was in-school suspension. Six uninterrupted hours in one room. Do you see my plan unfolding? Yes, I actually planned to get in-school suspension to guarantee hours and hours of uninterrupted embroidery bliss. No regrets.

2.I still remember the moment Emily's eyes and mine met the moment after she was born. It's crystal clear, like it was two seconds ago.

3. I cry very easily at live musical performances and on mountain tops. Both are just crazily beautiful to me.

4. I really love sharing circles, even if I'm feeling silent.

5. When I was 18, I went with a girlfriend to a used car place so she could look for a new car. She was my age as well. After looking around for a bit, we talked to the owners, they wound up asking us if we wanted to do a job for them, it payed pretty well... before you start thinking what I know you are thinking... they said they needed some large parts delivered to another shop... 200 miles away... next thing we know we are handed the keys to a  huge FLATBED truck and are on our way to another state, in late afternoon rush hour! I'm pretty sure we were supposed to have a special license to drive that truck.

6. According to Dan Rather, I live in Heroin Town, USA. Thanks a lot Mr. Rather, that really helped out the community. Years later we're still trying to recover from that story. Must have been a slow news month.

7. My daughter taught me to knit when she was 7, now she is 9 and teaching me to play guitar.

8. As I stand in line at the store and notice headlines on magazines like "celebrity boob jobs, who's had 'em" , I feel strangely alone in how odd I find this type of 'news' to be. It seriously confuses me.

9. I got my first sewing machine when I was 29, I slowly taught myself (mostly), until I found all of you! You have all truly been my sewing teachers.

10. I could easily live without electricity, but I'm not so sure about being without indoor plumbing. hmmm... No hot showers?

11. I miss teaching yoga very much.

I guess I'll stop here... for fear of boring you to tears. And the beach is calling...

summer is upon us

I love summer more and more each year. Becoming a mother has allowed me to see the season through a different lens. Children are so in tune with the rhythm of the school calender, extended backyard play after dinner, neighborhood friends coming and going, and lazy 'read the afternoon away' days. Emily reminds me to slow down, schedule less, say no to a few things, spend less time doing and more time being. I really do adore life at a snail's pace.

Art Garfunkel once said he determined his success in life by whether he was able to not work in the months of October and May. If he could accomplish this, his life was a success. For me it would be October and June, the best of both worlds here in southern New England. I like his sentiment though. I really, really get what he means.

So, with Summer officially two days away... we're getting ready... berry picking... fresh herbs are plentiful from the garden... baked beans simmering for hours and hours... stacks of library books everywhere... lazy outdoor dinners... dessert date with neighbors tomorrow... Merle,I'll bring the iced tea with mint and lemon balm... and maybe the girls will catch fireflies.

eleven months ago

Eleven months ago today you entered our lives. In this photo you were tired, sick, extremely underweight, and on your way to your new home for the first time. We hadn't set out to adopt a seven year old dog, not with a little girl who wanted a new pup to grow up with. But your gentle spirit and loyal nature were obvious to me... and from the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew you needed to be with us. It took you a while to heal from the hardship of your lonely travels, and we will never know just how long that was. The folks at the shelter told us you were sent up from the south and it is very likely you were a Katrina dog. I do know it took you days to wag your tail, weeks to be able to run faster than Adam, but you still have not given up your desire to be held and loved constantly. We know that whoever your family was before us, they loved you too. It shows in everything that you do.

Who could have known at this time one year ago, as you struggled to survive and to make it another day, this union was on the horizon. Thank you dear Sukha, for the many blessings you have brought to our family.