this week from the garden...

nature walk...

A few days ago the girls and I took a nature walk on a nearby trail. We do this fairly regularly. DD almost 16 and I kind of just followed the little one around and took it all in through her eyes...

To her this is very serious business...
New discoveries everywhere...
She was utterly convinced she spyed a beaver dam...
every few feet we stopped so she could document all her finds, animal tracks, flowers, wild berries...
educational for her, utterly entertaining for us...

I love this age...

gifts from the garden...

My friend Susanne dropped off all this lovely lavender from her garden. Thanks Susanne, I really appreciate it! It's hanging down in the basement with last years harvest of hydrangea from my mother in laws garden and garlic from ours...
Here are lavender buds and rose petals drying for potpourri and sachets. I have been developing a deeper appreciation for ways to use what I have rather than buying things. I was thinking this could all be made into gifts this holiday season. It's not just about being frugal either, for me it's about being less wasteful, more appreciative and a better steward of God's gifts.I will be on Retreat this weekend. It was kind of a last minute decision, but the details fell into place. I will be part of a larger group retreat but I don't know anyone else going. How exciting! I will have the opportunity to meet new people or completely be by myself at least some of the time. Either way, sounds good to me!!!

Have a wonderful weekend!

peace,

amy

"thankful faces"

Edited to make more sense...I hope.=)

Today is the first day of Vacation Bible School in our parish. I am heading up the snack department. I made 100+ large rolled sugar cookies on Saturday so we can make "thankful faces" this morning. They will be large sugar cookies spread with frosting, m&m eyes and nose and orange slice candy smile. The children will learn about Jesus healing the 10 lepers and how only one of them came back to say thank you. Oh, how like us as humans... Always asking, getting and forgetting to say thank you to The One who gives so abundantly...

As I was baking away I got a little caught up in all the details I needed to accomplish over the weekend. To be quite honest, I was feeling a little overwhelmed. Then it occurred to me how ridiculous it was to be overwhelmed about making sugar cookies as well as the other things I needed to do-even though the list may have seemed endless that day. I was getting overwhelmed by my blessings-It was all good stuff, well mostly... I don't mean to convey we don't have difficult times around here because believe me we do. But...I have a wonderful husband who is a wonderful father to our three wonderful children -yes I know I said wonderful 3 times-and we are all healthy and have lots of family and friends who love us. We are truly blessed.
From now on, I am going to practice being more thankful...

this and that...

I finally finished these seat cushions for my mother in law. I was off to a rocky start with them. In my thriftiness I decided to recycle the old stuffing, I pre-cut all the fabric before I realized the stuffing was going to be very difficult to work with-oopsie- but by that point, with the fabric cut I was already committed to working with this stuffing. I perservered and I am happy with the finished product.
Remember these dishtowels. I said I would keep them for a while and enjoy them. Oh well, I still have more, at least for now.

The pillows, made from really cheerful vintage linens as well as new fabrics are now available at Lulu and Tutz...
We enjoyed the first red potatoes of the year from the garden. We like them best sprinkled with EVOO, (Extra Virgin Olive Oil-yikes did I just use a Rachael Ray-ism) course salt, fresh cracked pepper and roasted in the oven-yummy! I don't think you can tell but when these were just taken out of the ground they are a really bright fabulous fuschia color, just one more reason to have a garden.
We also had the first of the broccoli. I made the broccoli salad for the little one and I and used this recipe, it's so tasty.

It is sooo hot here today!!!
I usually don't mind the heat that much. But this is just a little too much, a little too soon.

Stay cool! =)

everything is coming up roses...

Except maybe these geraniums...

Here are the peonies I picked up at Market yesterday. I still can't believe these were only fifty cents each! The girl at the stand said she has never seen peonies this beautiful and she has been working with flowers her whole life.
I have been hitting the vintage linen jackpot at yard sales lately...
These dish towels were a nickel each. They are the very large ones too.
They would make some very pretty pillows or something, but I think

I will just keep them and enjoy them.

eek!!!

I'm 40!!!

Our neighborhood does a mom's night out, monthly. Last night we all went out to the nearby Olive Garden that just opened yesterday. The girls surprised me with presents, cake, singing, and treated me to dinner. I haven't been a huge fan of Olive Garden in the past but the service was impeccable, the food, delicioso and the company was delightful...a wonderful night.
After Mass this morning, the kids and I headed down to Central Market for Fruit Smoothies.

and none of this....
There is a great selection of produce, flowers, meats, cheeses, all kinds of things... I got the most beautiful bouquet of peonies, I forgot to take a picture, I'll do that tomorrow.
The market has been around a couple of hundred years and is so charming...

Hubby and I drove down to a nearby farm to pick up some perenials this afternoon.
I noticed this adorable plaid vintage lunchbox...
It was the help yourself cashier...
labeled "money box"...

Ahh... to trust is a beautiful thing indeed....