mon dieu, il fait chaud aujour d'oui!

That is my favorite expression I learned in French. And about all I can ever seem to recall.

So....it was hot today! And yesterday and the day before that. The 100 degree weather and the smoke due to the fire that's been burning all week kept us indoors this weekend.

Greta drew while wearing her traditional Turkish garb.
Henry stayed up too late.
Zach took about a 3 hour nap on the living room floor.
And sadly, we said goodbye to Grandma Peggy. *sniff*

We will miss her so!

playa

sumimasen!

Mission: Feed children far from home sans Papa. Keep Henry happy and distracted. Avoid a scene.

5:45 pm: Walk into Benihana restaurant, Carlsbad, CA. The place is empty except for 2 tables.

5:46 pm: We are seated at a table, young cute couple to our right, older well dressed couple to our left. Friendly faces. Kids are promptly presented with menu hats and pencils. Kids are happy.

6:03 pm: We order. Couple to our left comment on cute kids. Obviously parents, probably grandparents. Couple to our right, eye contact-negative.

6:22 pm: Chef arrives at table. Showy display with sharp metal flinging objects. I scoot Henry's high chair back.

6:35 pm: A celebration at table across from us brings several waiters clapping and singing loudly in Japanese. Henry likes this. He claps.

6:40 pm: Food is being prepared. Greta fishes for ice using chopsticks. Man to right comments on her surprising dexterity.

6:41 pm: An ice cube flings through the air.

6:43 pm: Henry tosses his pencil onto the hot griddle. Chef gracefully returns it to Henry.

6:48 pm: Chef creates a volcano from onion slices, smoke billows from the top. Henry is not amused.

7:00 pm: Kids have filled themselves with white rice, mango lemonade, and miso soup.

7:04 pm: Henry moves to my lap where I sing Itsy Bitsy Spider until the check arrives.

Greta is patient and helpful.

7:10 pm: The check arrives. We say goodnight and walk out through the now packed

restaurant, hand in hand. Bellies are full.

Mission accomplished.

estate sale, i love you

Today I found two vintage metal lawn chairs that deserve some color. Project # 4,237 on my list.

An old globe. I have this thing for maps and a weakness for globes. Isn't it a beauty?
A yellow set and a pink set of these.
A funky hand thrown bowl.
This box was thrown in, no charge.
Also found were books books books! On birds, gardening, and art.

And on a happy note, this estate sale was not due to the passing of someone's dear granny, but a happy older couple selling their house and most of their stuff, moving on to a new adventure and home.

Hope your weekend was bright, that you enjoyed the great outdoors, maybe discovered the joys of composting.

We have Grandma P. in the house! Oh, how we love you Grandma Peggy! We're looking forward to a fun week.

The Longest Way 1.0 - one year walk/beard grow time lapse from Christoph Rehage on Vimeo.

tomato for you, tomato for me

I would love to say that this tomato came from our garden, but no, it was delivered by Spud.

Our garden did exactly as I imagined, dried up into a crispy weedy mess. The sunflowers thrived, but everything else was stunted by the malnourished soil. I know what your thinking, I need a compost pile. I KNOW! But can someone please come over and teach me how to start one, or better yet do it for me? It can't be that hard. I know there are rules and it's good to have one of those great big bins. It feels overwhelming to me. Maybe I can get it together by next spring.

Oh, and yes the soil is bad out there and it's hard to keep up on watering, but the main reason I gave up on watering my squash and other veggies, I noticed that our cat, Daisy, was pooping and peeing out there a little too close to the edibles. Really really gross and unhealthy.

We did have lots of flowers blooming out there and that was great, and a few tomatoes that were planted far from Daisy's dumping grounds.

There's always next year, always next year. With a plan to keep cats away and some compost we'll be in business.

Until then, Spud me.

what we've been doing

Wearing purses as hats in Auntie Em's Kitchen,

Eating delicious macaroons from Jin Patisserie,
Cruising the house in a beer box on a beach towel,
Creating a pillow zone and bonking our heads more than once,
Eating pasta.
Grandma Peg flies in on Tuesday. Greta is crazy excited. Weeeeeee!

Brilliant.

Gentlemen Broncos.

Simply brilliant.

for the romantics

Josh Goleman, photographer extraordinaire. His wedding work I particularly admire.

Check out the video and stills from this lovely 1920's themed wedding. Gorgeous!

palm springs photo booth

born free

Today I ran into a friend and her brand new baby. She had a beautiful birth, all natural, in a hospital. She attributed her going for a drug free birth after watching The Business of Being Born over and over again. I think she is the second person I know that has had a natural birth in the hospital. Sadly, it just doesn't happen that often.

I look forward to my doula days when I can help women who want an unmedicated birth achieve that goal. For now I will keep this dvd in my library and lend it out to every. pregnant. woman. I . know.

I spent much of my day around a hospital last week waiting for a friend who was seeing a doctor. I saw many sick people walking by. So many people that looked tired and weak, wheelchairs, canes, a children's hospital sign that took me by surprise. I saw many sick people, young and old and it broke my heart. And I saw several pregnant women that day. Beautiful with large round bellies, none of them had a smile though I gave them one. It didn't feel like the place for them, they didn't fit. Granted, some may have complicated pregnancies and need hospital care, but most healthy pregnant women just need a midwife and to be given the knowledge and opportunity to experience what birth is supposed to be like.

"Remember this, for it is as true and true gets: Your body is not a lemon. You are not a machine. The Creator is not a careless mechanic. Human female bodies have the same potential to give birth well as aardvarks, lions, rhinoceri, elephants, moose, and water buffalo. Even if it has not been your habit throughout your life so far, I recommend that you learn to think positively about your body."

- Ina May Gaskin

I feel quiet this week.

Can you guess where we are in this photo? HA!

Feeling the travel bug.

Have a great weekend where ever you be.

three years ago today

happy monday

Hope your weekend was happy too.