local inspiration: the urban garden

we often entertain the idea of moving into town. we are about a 15 mile drive into the county, not bad really, but all those winding 30 minute drives to and from town do add up. dan and i both work in town. tashi and tristan both go to school in town. most of my doula clients live in town and birth at the hospitals there. and then there are all the conveniences of town: that you can walk & bike places, that there are parks and pools and farmer's markets and shops and music venues. 

but the flip side is that we have lots of space where we are. we have woods to explore and a creek to wade in. we have vast gardening potential. we have herds of deer, beautiful birds, and the occasional bear. if there is not complete silence, there is birdsong and the sound of trees dancing in the wind (and lately, thousands of cicadas). tristan can ride his bike up and down the driveway and tashi and i can hang out in our peaceful cedar grove where we do tarot readings, talk about herbs, and observe the seasonal changes. the starry nights are bright and healing. we have a very direct connection with the natural world, which is probably the most valued feature. the land we live on, wild and unkempt though it is,  remains a refuge and a creative work in progress.

visiting some friends in town recently, i was so inspired by their gorgeous urban garden. it was a great reminder of the natural connection you can nurture, no matter where you are. their yard features a large vegetable bed, a chicken coop, and beautiful flower patches throughout. there are blueberry bushes, peonies, roses,  fruit trees, and mounds of potato patches. every space is put to good use. there is whimsy and charm and the most amazing handmade playhouse. the fence is also handmade, and has hearts and moons carved in its gates. it is a truly magical natural space. i wish i had taken so many more photos, but here is a glimpse of what can happen in the heart of town, on a very busy street corner!

and the most beautiful flower of them all, their four year old daughter, 

on the gorgeous bench her papa made with his own hands. 

climbing out of the sinkhole into the cicada sun

a negative sinkhole was developing today with my four year old hurling a torrent of unsavory phrases at me. this is nothing new, and sometimes it can be quite a challenge to rise to the occasion and redirect things. but once i do manage to redirect things, his sweet heart usually opens, and there is no end to the hugs, enthusiasm, and terms of endearment.

snacks help, especially when served outside. there were a few of his favorite things: blueberries, mango, and goat cheese. and a few of my favorite things: goat cheese, garlic scape pesto, hummus, and olives. a loaf of french bread from the bread machine rounded it out. 

have you tried garlic scape pesto? some dear friends gave me a sack full of scapes from their garden recently, and i've been making batch after batch from the recipe at the bottom of this link. 

served with a refreshing glass of nettles infusion = wellness!

sometimes when there is a lot of negativity coming out of the small one, it is really difficult for me to want to play with him. i know that probably i just have to get over that, but some sort of craft or cooking project is often a good middle ground. 

today we made sun prints. we collected blossoms, leaves, cicada wings, stems, and toys! 

arrangements were made and sun prints were developed. and there was a much rejoicing. 

then dad came home and they set out for an adventure while i made dinner. phew!

all of our outdoor activity at home lately has unfolded before the cicada symphony. nothing like real life catches the height of volume these critters have reached the last few days. the buzz is amplified!

slipping into summer

it's been a topsy turvy time. schedules are altered, logistics are challenged, coughs still linger, and summer is approaching like a steam train. all the while cicadas are filling our forest with their siren song which is absolutely stunning in its volume.

i haven't much to share at the moment. trying to formulate my summer goals which include going through every room in the house with a fine toothed comb and purging stuff. i feel like we are at max capacity and there is just so much accumulation, in the garage, in the bathroom drawers, in the game closet, in the crawl spaces, in baskets, on the book shelves, in each room. tashi has been interested in switching bedrooms, and tristan recently requested his own room (his bed has been set up in ours), so the time has come for a big switch-a-roo. the question is how to find the time, and energy, to make it all happen.

speaking of topsy turvy, i baked this very fun rigatoni cake the other day. i snapped a couple of quick shots on our kitchen counter, and then carried it over to the table on a cutting board, remarking at what a wonder it was to behold, when it slid right off of the cutting board and onto the floor. luckily it remained mostly on the base of its springform pan, with only an edge touching the floor and the wall. it remained round-ish and there really was only one visible dust bunny clinging to it. it was delicious and odd; i highly recommend it (without the spill).

alive on earth

shots from this afternoon in the garden

i am my mother's daughter and my daughter's mother. . .

the best kind of mother's day is one where you've been granted the opportunity to sleep in,

only to awaken to the savory scents of a fully prepared breakfast. 

and what a breakfast it was! popovers & jam, prepared by tashi. 

eggs, potatoes, sausage, coffee, juice. so much food that we skipped lunch.

 

and there were homemade cards!

with chocolate and gifts!

and flowers!

followed by an absolutely amazing talavya tabla performance. 
if these guys ever come your way, do yourselves a favor and check them out!

 

the performance also provided an opportunity to walk inside the new common ground healing arts center in the renovated jefferson school city center, a quite lovely building.

 

followed by a stroll on the mall where i indulged in one of my favorite activities, photo taking

it was a fine day, concluding with a dinner of the left over pastitsio i made saturday. 
and call the midwife. and a game of dan's vintage version of lord of the rings.

 i leave you with some images of my own gorgeous mother through the years. when i was a child, she was the most beautiful and most mysterious woman i had ever encountered. she lives far from me now, a distance which phone and skype really can't bridge. if we lived close, we probably would have shared in a picnic today, a favorite activity of hers. 

i love you mom, and hope that we have many picnics yet to come.  

thank you for making me the mother that i am today.