Happy Birthday Shelley

We are all able to look back on our lives, at any moment in time, and see the miracles and how they changed us.

Twenty-nine years ago today, our second baby girl was born; she is one of my miracles. Shelly came out sucking her thumb and was so content to look around and see what her new world was like. She stayed just that way for a long, long time - a happy, smiley little thing.

Today she is a beautiful, graceful young woman, full of kindness and always willing to put herself out to make someone else's day brighter. She is a true joy in all of our lives.

I'm not able to wish her Happy Birthday today because she is off in Thailand enjoying a well-deserved vacation with her husband and friends. I've had to send her birthday wishes on the wisps of the wind and I know that, somehow, she received them.

Happy Birthday sweet girl. I am soooo thankful that you are in our lives! I love you....

Call Me a Wimp

Go ahead, you can do it - call me a Wimp. I can take it, or truth be told, I just don't have it in me at the moment to fight back.

The following should only be read by those not faint of heart....

So, I just had that infamous little cracked tooth removed, you know, the one that ever so graciously cracked off well below the gumline - yep, that's the one. So, two really good things happened:

Number one is that it was so difficult for my dentist to remove the cracked portion (read that as my mouth and jawline were aching, aching, aching when he was done) that I asked the periodontist to wait a week before removing the entire rest of the tooth. Number two is that I felt bad that I was only going to see the periodonist for a single visit, when he had gone to the trouble to get me in as an emergency the first time, that I decided that I would have him (remember - he's a surgeon) and not my dentist take out my tooth. Both of these turned out to be GREAT things.

Besides the fact that the Lidocaine required two additional shots to numb my mouth, which we found out when the Dr. started drilling away to intentionally crack the remaining tooth and I started flying out of the chair. So okay, that was pretty bad, but here was the really, really bad, but sort of good too, thing that happened: the jawbone stubbornly refused to let go of the roots (translation - it took twice as long, required cuts in the gumline, and true pushing/pulling on the tooth to get the bone to give it up!) However, I can now say with complete confidence that I have fantastic bone; I even have a Dr. willing to attest to it. He is left to wonder if it's the goat's milk/cheese!?!

I'm off to go imbibe on pain meds....

Liquid Sunshine

My father was a research meteorologist. He worked for the USAF and then NOAA. I think rain was his favorite form of weather, especially with a rip-snorting thunderstorm.

You see, Dad was from Kansas where rains are few and far between in the summer months, the prarie grasses turn from green to brown very quickly, and there is lots and lots of dust. We didn't live in Kansas when I grew up, but his distinct dislike of the dry weather meant that pretty nearly everytime there was a summer rain, you would find my Dad sitting out on our covered back porch just watching the drops fall down, smoking his little cigars and drinking a martini (with a green olive - I loved those olives!)

Now if there was a thunderstorm rolling in he had me so convinced about how special they were that I'd pull up a chair and watch the entertainment, for hours sometimes, just watching and visiting. I still know the smell of a coming thunderstorm to this day.

Today it rained chickens, goats, and horses on the farm; it was a gully-whomper. Sadly, no thunderstorms but the rain was magnificent. Dad use to call it "liquid sunshine"; I think that was the Kansas boy talking.

From Crowning to Flipping

Yesterday, I blithely proceeded to the dentist expecting to have the small piece of tooth that I cracked last week to be fully removed, while the remaineder of the tooth would be fitted with a crown. Oh, the best laid plans of mice and me....

Blithely is a terrible exaggeration. I actually don't mind the dentist as long as it doesn't involve any of those long-needled shots of novacaine (in truth - probably lidocaine.) Of course, removing part of a hanging on kind of tooth did require those horrible, horrible shots. I survived that portion rather well, for me anyway. The wee problem is that tooth cracked well below the gum line and both the dentist and I were sweating it out as my very, very healthy gums refused to let go. Need I mention how sore my mouth is today?

It got worse - because it was so far below the gum line a crown was out at this point so today I had to go see a periodontist. Me, the very healthy gum person! Anyway, one look at the x-rays, and he very firmly told me that there would be no crown lengthening procedure involved, too close to the point of the dual root connection (yes, there is a technical term for this, just don't expect me to remember it.) So, the tooth will be coming out.

Recommended procedure after extraction - an implant. No, no, no. Here I am getting ready to have my old mercury fillings removed, I'm not about to put in any additional metal objects into my body. Next option - a flipper. Yes, that's right, a flipper. (I love that word!) Just a simple little single tooth denture. Now I'll have something to play around with when I'm bored.

I can even do a little 'take that' kind of flip when I'm frustrated with someone. I think this has great potential.

Happy Birthday Lexie

It's so hard to believe - our first baby girl turned 31 today - from a tiny, perfect little baby to the beautiful woman she is today, with babies of her own! It has been magic watching her all of these years! Congratulations Lexie - I love you....

Our family tradition is that the birthday person gets to choose their favorite meal; the rest of us divide the efforts of the preparation between us. Lexie's choice is shrimp puffs, green salad, garlic bread, stuffed shells, and our special birthday cake (yellow cake layered with what can only be described as the filling in hostess cupcakes, and milk chocolate frosting - YUM.) The very nice thing about this menu is that I really like it too!!!

Lexie's Watson and their little Peanut just finished decorating the dining area, purple and pink streamers abound, with lots and lots of tape - we are now officially ready for the festivities to begin!

Back Again!

Oh, the time has slipped away; where I'm not quite sure....

It might possibly have been spent in basking in the wonderful life I live: sharing laughter and giggles from two delightful grandbabies; long, heart-filled chats with my two beautiful daughters; special moments with my best friend and love, and of course, time spent relaxing and loving each of the very special people that share my life.

We went back to the east coast last week to visit family. It was ever so nice to come back home again! I asked the VVDH to please, please, please, not make me leave the farm for a good long time again. (Not that he made me the last time however!) I truly enjoyed seeing all of our relatives and everyone is doing as well as can be expected, but here in the Pacific Northwest is where I find my peace and tranquility. My special dear ones are all here, but it's more than that. This is the place that we chose, from New England to here, and it has felt ever so right since we arrived many years ago.

So today I am thankful for being on our farm where the leaves are turning their bright, vivid golds and reds, and the sun is lighting them on this blue-skied day! Oh, the complete joy of being home again.

Back Again

How could it possibly be almost three weeks since I've popped in to say hello? Where, oh where, has the time gone?

Possibly, it has been spent in......cuddling a precious new baby who curls up so trustingly in your arms, cuddling a precious little two-year old who is not quite sure what happened but who's world has been turned a little sideways, hanging laundry, gardening, cooking, doing a bit of 'real' work, and last but not least, making those twice-daily forays down to the barn to once again ask Babette to share her creamy, rich milk. I'll have you know that I have indeed found a bit of time to sleep, albeit, probably not as much as I'd like (I really, really excel at sleeping!)

Our newest little grandbaby was indeed born on July 4th. We made it to the birthing clinic at 6:00 p.m., she was born in the water at 7:02, and all of us were back home by 10:40. The firework displays were filling the skies over our entire route home; it was a beautiful way to celebrate Lexie and Watson's littlest miracle. Little Pumpkin is a lovely baby girl, blond hair, blue eyes, and best of all - a really gentle, calm disposition. Yes, she can, and does, let Mama know when it is time to eat, but the inbetween times are filled with coos and contentment. She appears to have the 'typical' water-born baby attitude towards life.

It has been a wonderful few weeks and I remain basking in contentment myself.....

A Knock on the Door

I was slowly and peacefully starting my 4th of July day when the VVDH knocks at the bathroom door and informs me that our littlest grandbaby has let Mama Lexie know that today is her day to 'meet the world'! With just a few short words, the adrenaline starts to rush and my mind starts to race.

There is food to pack, special drinks to put in the cooler, and a final check with the people who need to take over milking duty. All of this done with a veerrrryyyy calm attitude, rather than the laughter and anxiousness just waiting to bubble over.

Lexie and her Watson have opted to have this baby at a birthing center as opposed to a hospital. Lexie had Peanut completely naturally and expects to do the same with this one. This is a hard feat to accomplish in a hospital where the typical staff feels that labor is a 'medical procedure' rather than a very normal and natural event, (other than the rare case when intervention is necessary and appropriate.)

I go along to act as a birthing coach; what a priviledge it is to be asked to share in this very special and private affair - aren't I a lucky mother! And for those of you wondering, yes, oh yes, it is incredibly difficult to see your own well-loved child in pain and is sometimes all one can do to stay calm and keep your own tears at bay.

And so to all of you - have a fun and Happy Independence Day! You already know that ours will be an especially exciting one....

Colors of the Season

I've continued to walk by those poppies, morning and night to milk, as well as a myriad of other reasons, to wander by and gaze upon these unbelievably luscious flowers. I truly think that this year is their best display ever; I suspect that it is proabably thanks to all of the rains that we've had up until now.

I'm so mesmerized that I had to bring them into the house and put them up on the mantle. I'm not sure how long they'll last, but OH, they are beautiful! And with the 4th of July holiday almost upon us, I think that the red, white and blue colors, (okay, yes, really it's a hot-pink, not red), are especially appropriate.

Poppies

Doesn't everyone grow hot-pink poppies in their vegetable gardens?

I keep thinking that we really need to move them, but then they re-seed themselves for the following year and we just don't have the heart to pull up what we know will be THE most spectaular blooms in the garden!!

Little Things

I finally feel that now I am ready for little Miss Kicky-Feet to arrive (not that I have any say in the matter!) I had one more tiny project to make, one of those things that only a very small, sweet baby can use. First the little project had to be sewn. I made it in swiss flannel, a lovely light weight twill-woven cotton cloth, perfect for these warm summer days and cool nights. Then, the finish work began....

Little sleeves were smocked (I always love the way smocking acts as 'elastic', lovely gathering but lots of stretch!)

and the neckline was smocked in gradiated shades of lavender.

Buttons were added, a wash in lavender water, a good pressing, and now we have a pretty little day gown for an already loved little grandbaby.

I can, just barely, wait to meet her!

On a side note, when my VVDH knew I was going to be doing smocking and heard me lamenting about having to hand-gather all of those little marks on the fabric, he suggested I just go ahead and buy a pleater. And so I did, a Super Amanda Smocking Pleater! It works beautifully and is so well-made that I know I will be able to enjoy it for a long, long time. I probably would have done more smocking when my own girls were little, if I'd had this machine back then....

The Sun Shines

I enjoy the whole process of hanging clothes on the line: handling and snapping the freshly washed laundry, pegging them on the line, and then folding the crispy, clean clothes into the basket. I even like to iron!!!

Normally, I don't use the clothes dryer from about the middle of April until well into October; my being home most of the time allows me to adapt to the weather here and there. However, this year there has been NO adapting. It has rained, rained, and then rained some more.

I know that people think that it rains a lot in Seattle, and it does in the fall and winter months, but the late spring into fall can be unbelieveably dry (and incredibly beautiful). So dry that it is weeks on end between sprinklings of rain. So, today, when the sun is finally out (but is due to be absent again starting tomorrow), I pegged the most important of the 'sun needed' laundry on the line - my kitchen towels, dishcloths, and still in the wash, our Hudson Bay wool blanket needing to be lovingly wrapped and stored for the winter (I sent it once to a dry cleaner as recommended, never again, but that is quite another post.)

And then, I stopped and smelled the roses!

A Ladies Tea

Lexie and her 'almost here' little girl were honored Saturday evening with a Ladies Tea! A number of Lexie's close friends attended and she had a wonderful time just sitting back and visiting the evening away, without the interruptions of the dear wee ones or the also dear husbands.

It was an evening for tables dripping with starched white linens overlayed with embroidered linens and flower arrangements at the center of each of the tables.

We served baskets of fresh croissants, cheese platters (including our Wild Rabbit Farm goat cheese!), meat platters, fresh fruit bowls, deviled eggs (thank you chicken girls for the luscious orange yolks!), Welsh currant scones, and of course, several delicious teas.

And not to be forgotten - a beautiful and delicious custom cake from the bakery (chocolate with a chocolate ganache layer - yum!!) Almost as beautiful as my girls!

It was such a girlie night!

Little Romper

Little Miss Kicky-Feet is due to arrive in less than one month; I can hardly wait to meet this lively little girl!

I had been working on a hand-embroidered shadow work collar for a little romper. The collar was recently finished so then it was on to the sewing: lots of little pleats front and back, rick rack on the collar, sleeves and legs, and little buttons up the front.

So, what do you think - won't she look precious?

Weekend Away

I love to tent camp, especially in the woods. We (as in the VVDH and myself) decided that it would be wonderful to share this with little Peanut who is 2 1/2 now. We considered carefully: not being gone too long, a campsite that was well surrounded with vegetation so that we wouldn't have too much 'exploring' going on, and a beach to do some really fun castle building at.

We headed up to Deception Pass State Park, Whidbey Island, on early Friday afternoon. We discovered that Peanut excels at stake hammering, distributing air in the blow up mattress, and 'gardening' with his shovel and bucket. He enjoyed running away from the waves along the Strait of Juan de Fuca, but most of all, Peanut is a master castle maker and just loves to play in the sand! It was all about the beach.....

Sunday arrived with the rains. There is nothing quite like a 2 1/2 year old telling you he is 'awake now' at 6:00 in the morning and then becoming more insistent, and louder, when your eyelids refuse to open. In consideration of our fellow campers still trying to sleep, and recognizing that the beautiful weather was behind us, we packed up in record time and made it back home for a late breakfast! It was a fun weekend, and what a treat to share it with this lovely little boy.

Oh Yum

And here it is, that lovely, lovely cheese! Mixed with a bit of French herbs and garlic, it is sure to be delicious.

I'm off to have a mid-morning snack :-))))

Season's First Cheese

OH YES - We're in the cheese (sung happily to music)!

We finally have enough milk, now that Babette is milking twice a day, to both drink it and make chevre - oh happy day!

The rennet has done 'its thing' to the milk producing a lovely curd after 24 hours

The curd is next drained through cheesecloth for 24 hours
and tomorrow - CHEESE!!!!!

Thank You

On this Memorial Day, as always, I am reminded of those who choose to uphold peace and freedom for their fellow countrymen. It is an amazing gift they give to each of us as well as a huge commitment that they are willing to place on themselves and their families, at sometimes great personal risk.

For those who have chosen this path, both in the past, now, and in the future, I thank you and sincerely appreciate what you do for me. Thank you especially Daddy, Guy, Vince and Jeremy....

Summer Pots

The final planting of the summer pots is all done. I'm sure that once the sun comes out and the weather turns warm (if it ever does again!), that they will start to grow with wild abandon. In the meantime, I must rely on my imagination to see how decadent they will be. Come along, I'll show you some of them....

Greetings at the back door with ivy geraniums

Greetings at the front door with African daisies

A tub full of marguerite daisies

A corner filled with a bit of herbs, blue petunias and small, bright marigolds
One of several baskets between the doors of the garage

Brittany Blue

We went to Brittany, France a few years ago, to Rospico, on the ocean. We spent a week in a lovely old farmhouse, beautifully updated, complete with a hand-thatched roof. The house had a small orchard, gardens, pasture, and it was just a short stroll down the lane to the walking path that skirts up and down the coastline. I fell in love with it all.

I also walked away entranced at how an entire geographical area can be in agreement with the color of house trim, including big, beautiful, wooden shutters. I call it 'Brittany blue' - a deep gorgeous blue with just a touch of purple. I don't know how or why, but it works and I love it!

So last week I went on a search. A search for a BIG, O (round), Brittany blue, ceramic pot. It was an adventure, but we finally found IT and it is lovely. Right now IT is filled with three delightfully scented rosemary plants and six white lobelias. They are all young plants but can't you just see the white of the flowers tumbling down that gorgeous blue pot?? You can see what it looks like today, but wait, just wait - in a month from now I know how absolutely lovely it will be!!!

My Brittany blue pot!