four years

in the rising of the sun and its going down,
we remember them.
in the glowing of the wind and in the chill of winter,
we remember them.
in the opening of the buds and in the rebirth of spring,
we remember them.
in the blueness of the sky and in the warmth of summer,
we remember them.
in the rustling of the leaves and in the beauty of autumn,
we remember them.
in the beginning of the year and when it ends,
we remember them.
when we are weary and in need of strength,
we remember them.
when we are lost and sick at heart,
we remember them.
when we have joys we yearn to share,
we remember them.
so long as we live, they too shall live,
for they are now a part of us, as
we remember them.

sometimes i wish so much that you were still here. i marvel at how much has happened in the last four years since your passing. i know that you are with us and i'm comforted knowing that your love resides deep inside of me.

you truly are a part of who i have become.

i love you dad.

forty

i still haven't baked him his favorite cake...carrot with cream cheese frosting.
he's been so, so patient. he knows its definitely worth the wait. its that good.
and i know his eyes will definitely light up when he sees all those candles.
it will be a joyous celebration.

ending my day

with a bit of citrus sunshine.

happy groundhog day and cheers to february.

puglie & grace

the light changed today and she knew it too.

the blues

sometimes it felt as if we would never see blue skies again.

its been a good long while since we've had any clean air to breath in the valley. as i walked along the river celebrating the storm we received overnight i didn't mind the cold wind on my checks and tears in my eyes.

launder

the mice i've heard in the walls have also had a cozy winter bed amongst my gloves. there was no stopping my immediate need to handwash each and everyone.

new

pajamas and socks, love santa.

2010

happy, happy new year to you and yours.

wishing you

all things
merry & bright

gratitude

making me happy in every sort of way:
- waking up every morning next to b and the sweetest little girl
- embracing our journey of well being and good health
- receiving amazing amounts of love and thoughtfulness from family and friends
- walking along the river and appreciating nature's most simple gifts
- working with beautiful, inspiring friends
- wearing tights and layering to keep warm
- learning to slow down and be more present in the moment
and so, so much more

wishing you a joyous day of thanksgiving
and yummy food with those you love.

illuminated

i promise there will be an abundance
of celebration and thanks giving this month
for my very favorite...pumpkin pie.

also giving many thanks
for our beautiful moonlit walk last night.

happy november!

until

i've never been fond of goodbyes.
sadly, today's snow storm and freezing temperatures have not been kind to you. i know that my tummy will ache for your fresh nourishment and my eyes for your splendid colors and growth. darkness is falling earlier and earlier and the mornings are burr, burr cold. i'm slowly accepting and witnessing the changing seasons and thinking of all the new things i will plant in your place again.
until.

mister toad

currently loving:

+ this surprise visitor on our morning river walk
+ eating homemade three bean turkey chili
+ the arrival of this beautiful book in my mailbox today
+ pumpkin spice lattes
+ snuggling under warm blankets
+ burnt orange, ochre and red
+ these wrist worms

fresh picked

breakfast.

her glow

tonight i am enjoying a rare moment of quiet. a moment where i can rest my tired feet, eat only french fries for dinner, let the world fall away and give myself some much needed time alone. as fall's almost here, i've been feeling nostalgic and dreaming of crisp, cool evenings under starry skies huddled close to a campfire. oh how i love a good fire. undoubtedly, she always wraps her warmth around me, calms my worries and lets me focus on life's most important bits.

end of summer

oh hi there. happy tuesday.
how are you?
how was your holiday weekend?

oh i think the last days of summer are upon us.
autumn for me is about shorter days, late night walks under the stars,
craving baked treats and comfort foods, layering clothing and finding
warmth under blankets.

i tried this amazing recipe. its truly melt in your mouth good.
we ate it last night for dessert and i went back to the store again today
to buy more berries.

+++ i mistakenly added 1 cup of buttermilk to my batter instead of the 1/2 cup on the recipe. it made the cake heavier - almost bread pudding texture. pure delight. i definitely would add the full cup again.

we're off for a walk and maybe, just maybe a wish upon a falling star.

an extended visit

to his space.
to paint.

pina colada

i'll be away from this space for a little while longer but i wanted to thank you for all the amazing love, prayers and well wishes for b. you have helped brighten many challenging days.

i'm wishing you lots of beautiful hot summer days full of snow cones and rootbeer floats. yum!

orange-rhubarb

good morning. i just wanted to stop in and share a few photos of this delicious bread i made last night. ever since i brought home two big bags of freshly harvested rhubarb from grandpa's garden i've been collecting recipes. it's so good almost a cake...just the perfect mix of sweet and tart with a bit of cornmeal. oh, how i love rhubarb. it always brings up delightful memories of childhood trips to knott's berry farm for thanksgiving...always a small dish of sweet stewed rhubarb served with dinner.

wish i could share a slice with each of you. have a good day!

**orange-rhubarb quick bread
2 1/2 c all purpose flour
1/4 c yellow cornmeal
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 c sugar
3/4 c butter, melted
3 eggs
1/2 c milk
2 tsp finely shredded orange peel
2 tbs orange juice
2 c finely chopped rhubarb
streusel topping (optional)

lightly coat two 8x4x2 inch baking pans with nonstick cooking spray. set aside.

in a large bowl combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. set aside.
in a medium bowl stir together sugar, butter, eggs, milk, orange peel, and orange juice until combined; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.

gently fold rhubarb into batter. divide and spoon into prepared pans; sprinkle streusel topping evenly over tops. bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 - 45 minutes. cool in pans for 15 minutes and then turn out on wire racks.

streusel topping: combine 1/2 c flour, 1/2 c packed brown sugar, 1/8 tsp grated nutmeg. with a pastry blender, cut in 1/4 c butter until mixture is crumbly. stir in 2 tbs sliced almonds, if desired.

a sneak peak

more to come soon!

the garden needs my attention today and primarily stage four.