Little glimpses into the past few weeks . . .
{{ feeling that patriotic vibe all summer long with this handmade T-shirt. my sister saw similar ideas online and I took what she showed me and made our own version or the fourth of July. I was so pleased with how they turned out. }}
{{ confetti from our poppers on the fourth of July...we don't do fireworks at home; instead, we head to town for their fireworks show and do little poppers at home. and yes, we swept up our mess afterwards...my sister made sure every single little piece was picked up so no little critter gets ahold of one. }}
{{ a july sunset on the way home from a day trip to the hills }}
{{ homemade blueberry muffins...the perfect late night baking session }}
{{ a good-night mug of nourishing hot cacao with whipped cream whilst watching Vera...I've started adding some cardamom to my hot cacao, and oh my goodness, is it divine! }}
{{ deep summertime green...one of my favorite colors }}
{{ we absolutely enjoyed a couple days where the high temp was 78-80 F...if summer felt like this during the day all the time, I do believe I could love it }}
{{ so thankful to live in a quaint cottage nestled in the trees...I feel like I live in a treehouse ♥ }}
{{ another night...another mug of hot choco }}
{{ pattern mixing is one of my favorite things...and so is pairing up favorite pieces with old pieces to make them feel new again }}
outside my window
Absolutely gorgeous summertime green...which I will not stop talking about because it's seriously one of the only things I actually like about this time of year. We've had lots of rain this spring and summer, which gives me all the happy feels, and I think the trees love it, too. We've had to water more lately as it's been so incredibly hot and things are starting to not look so good...our basil is looking rather poorly. The crepe myrtles are stunning this time of year, though. All the different colors are gorgeous around town!
i am thinking
Of what I want to cook for dinner over the next few days; how to use up leftovers so they don't go to waste; of some crafty project ideas with my sister; of what book(s) I want to read after I finish the one I'm working on; what fun autumnal things I want to do this year
i am thankful for
rainy days; sunset drives in the countryside; admiring the lush vibrant green; being inspired by creative folks; *really* good books; candlelight and mugs of hot cacao; simple, ordinary days that are my favorite kind of day
from the kitchen
Last week, I made lemon butter salmon for dinner, and it was my first time eating it. I'd made it before for my mom and sister, but I'm so not a fish person. To my complete surprise, I actually loved it...this felt like a major accomplishment to me. Ha! It was my sister's birthday on Wednesday, and she requested homemade peanut butter ripple ice cream with dark chocolate chunks and a caramel fudge chocolate cake...not only was it so fun making them, along with her birthday dinner, but they were so delicious!
i am creating
In the last week, I have crocheted so many granny squares, I've run out of yarn...I'm hoping it is on sale this week. I am officially obsessed with granny squares. And I'm officially over halfway through making all the squares I need for my first afghan. My sister and I have also done some decoupaging recently; we have a bit to do to finish our project, but it's been so fun.
i am wearing
On this hot August day, I'm wearing one of my favorite sundresses...brown and white gingham dress with a floral crop blouse with lace details over. You can see it in the photo above. {{smiles}}
in my cup
Just plain ol' iced water for me this evening. I'm someone who genuinely loves drinking water, and on hot days, it just hits the spot.
i am reading
I've been thankful to read a couple really good stories these past few weeks. First, I read The Penderwicks at Point Mouette, which is the third book in the series. I absolutely loved it; and seeing as how it was set at the beach, it was the perfect summertime read. I love the Penderwick family so much, and I really enjoyed getting to know Aunt Claire in this book. She is such a sweet, caring, understanding aunt. At the time of writing this post, I'm in the last 100 pages of Anne of Avonlea, which is just so darn good. It's my first time reading beyond the first Anne book, and it is exactly what I hoped and dreamed it would be...and more. L.M. Montgomery is quickly becoming a real favorite of mine. I love her storytelling style; she has a true knack for immersing her reader in the story and makes it feel as though Anne, Diana, Marilla, Rachel, and Gilbert are your own little circle of friends...and how I wish they were. It's a good thing to read a book you just really, really love, but it's also a bad thing because you hope your next read is just as good, and when it's not, it can put you in a real reading slump. At least that's what I've noticed about me.
i am listening to
Aside from listening to some of my favorite film scores while cooking dinner in the evenings, which I highly recommend, by the way, my top 5 songs this past month are:
Chasing Rainbows (The High Kings); Up on the Roof (James Taylor); Through the Dark (One Direction); Sunrise (Norah Jones); On the Sunny Side of the Street (Steve Tyrell; from Father of the Bride)
i am watching
Seeing as how I've been crocheting nearly every evening, it's given me a chance to try out a few Hallmark movies, and I've got a few new favorites to add to my list.
A Harvest Wedding- I loved this one so much. Jill Wagner is one of my favorites, so this was a must-try for me. The autumnal scenery was stunning and I loved the farm setting. The whole story was really sweet, and I also greatly appreciated how the usual tension and miscommunication and misunderstanding part of a Hallmark movie wasn't really present in this one. For me, this one belongs on my "favorites" list.
The Way to You- This is another one to go on my "favorites" list. I seriously loved this movie. I loved the wintry New York City setting, and the main characters were both likable, which is always a plus. I loved how the male lead who lived a more mainstream lifestyle really respected the female lead's unconventional, creative lifestyle, instead of condemning it or making subtle jokes about her choices. That was refreshing.
Hearts of Winter- Another Jill Wagner movie. While I wouldn't consider this one a favorite, I still really enjoyed it. I especially loved the father-daughter relationship that was portrayed in the movie; it was really sweet and heartwarming. I loved that the father's character was so devoted to his daughter and he really tried his best to be the best dad he could be for her. I found that particularly touching.
i am hoping
that the rest of summer isn't too hot; to continue working on my granny squares; that the next book(s) I pick up to read are just as amazing as the last few I've read
i am hearing
cats playing and goofing off; the air conditioner just clicked off; TV on in the background; the hum of my computer; and music playing in my headphones
around the house
lots of little tidying and cleaning projects...it's amazing how spending 15-30 minutes working on an area makes a HUGE difference.
one of my favorite things
My newest favorite thing is my brand spanking new crochet hook with a grip...it makes my crafting time so much more enjoyable and easier on my hands.
word collecting
I think magic is remembering. Remembering what it feels like to talk to the wind as a child, to trust the pull of the moon, to believe the world was alive with something unseen. Maybe growing up isn't about forgetting. Maybe it's about learning to listen again.
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Thanks for joining me here today...
I hope your upcoming week is a beautiful one!