Out in it

Every year I am reminded that growing food is an amazing thing. To put seeds into the bare ground and be rewarded with the makings of meal -- I will never cease to be awed by it, at least I hope that is the case.



This year we expanded the garden and added some new things, once again just trying to figure it all out as we roll along.




This year we also have a sometimes enthusiastic, sometimes clingy little helper, of course, which is a lot of fun (though it does tend to slow things down a bit!). This girl just adores being outside. Always. She doesn't always want to do anything out here -- sometimes she just wants to stand in the yard and be held -- but she's always itching to get out here just the same. Which, of course, I love. And I hope her enjoyment of the outdoors sticks with her as she grows. I want her to love and respect nature. I want her to continue to wonder at the birds and the plants. I want her to grow up knowing good, healthy food and valuing the work it takes to get it to the table.



She's enjoying this little pail and tool set from Green Toys (and I'm enjoying that it's BPA-, pthlate-, and PVC-free and made in the USA from recycled plastic!). Digging in the garden soil myself while she digs happily in the soil nearby, having her look up from time to time to offer me a precious chunk of earth, is one of the times I feel like maybe we're getting things right.

Sun and soil

Thanks to the (somewhat unsettling?) summerish weather, this Sunday was all about being out in the yard.





 

I mixed up some potting soil, planted some seeds, messed around with the compost, and got nice and muddy in general. Adam worked on digging the giant, unstoppable weeds out of the new, larger garden space. And Adelaide had lots of good, outdoorsy fun and ate some mud (on my watch...mama needs to work on keeping up with this new on-the-move version of her baby!).

Snow day!

Yesterday was the first time I've played in the snow since, well, I don't know, but it's been years. The blizzard came through as predicted, but we were lucky enough to be tucked away all safe and snug at home for all the worst of it (and to not lose power at any point!). Plus, we got Wednesday off work. Excellent.



There was baking and lounging and sewing and playing in the snow (and for Adam there was also clearing the massive amounts of snow from the walk and the driveway, but I was lucky enough to escape that task). All in all, a very satisfying day off, made all the sweeter because we were "trapped" at home with no plans and no errands - a license to take it easy and enjoy ourselves.

Back home

We returned this weekend from a fantastic trip to London, Edinburgh, and Dublin. So that's what I've been up to. Of course, that only accounts for a couple of weeks of my month-long absence, but so it goes.

I hope to have a post or two about the trip in the next few days. But for now, I have a little project we undertook before we left: compost!



"Build a compost bin" has been on our to-do list since we moved, so it feels good to finally have that checked off. For months, every vegetable peel and egg shell I've thrown into the garbage has been accompanied by a ridiculous level of guilt, so I can finally cut that out. And eventually we will be able to spread our very own compost over our very own vegetable garden, which just makes me so very happy. Hooray!

By the fire

I miss the weekend already. Sigh.









One of the very best things about the house vs. our old apartments is having our own outdoor space. It is so nice. Especially on a lovely (reasonably cool) summer evening. Delightful.

We cooked dinner outside here for the first time. We need some practice. It was tasty, but we made a bit of a mess with a couple of the quesadillas (refried beans, corn, zucchini, tomatoes, cheese, yum!). Fire is hot, don't you know, and that can char a tortilla pretty darn quickly. Live and learn. Dessert is easy though. What is the point of having a fire if you aren't going to toast marshmallows? I don't even like marshmallows, but I love toasting them. Lucky for me, Adam loves s'mores and is happy to let me take care of the marshmallows for them. Then I nibble on the chocolate. Everybody wins.

Settling in...

We are getting settled in here at the new house.



Having fun with all the things that are so new and different about having a house after living in apartments for so long.

Things like our own yard! Complete with our very own outdoor spigots (that may not seem exciting, but I assure you that it is).



And our own bugs (non-city bugs are so much more enjoyable than city bugs).



And our own buried treasure.



It is so great, you guys. Really.