Some red jewels of the PNW

Today

we picked

 8 flats of these delicious beauties!

so sweet and delicious.  They just about melt in your mouth. 

A local organic raspberry farm needed pickers so we figured we'd go pick for a couple of hours and make a little side cash. 
With rows and rows of berries (like 30 rows) and lowing cows in neighboring fields, we braved the hot weather with water bottles and playlists. 

It was a fun afternoon with my girl ... eating and picking and eating and picking.

Pur et Simple

Pur et Simple is French for pure and simple. You probably figured that out already!   :-)

 

For me this is what comes to mind.  

Pure: clean, unmixed, 100% authentic. 

Simple:  uncomplicated and uncluttered.

 

It's all I want to be and I think, mostly, it is who I am.  

I do so like things clean and in order. (Is it scary that I find organizing a relaxing activity?)

I am all about things beings natural, healthy, and organic...real. 

 

 

And I always want to be authentic.  I want people to know that what they see in me is real.  That my words match my actions.  My talk matches my walk.  Sometimes that is a lot easier to say than to do.  (Ha, how ironic!)

I am a work in progress.

 

 

I crave the uncomplicated.   I am always drawn to the simple.  

 

simple cooking, and simple styling, and even simple relationships.
Simple because they are marked by truth always gently spoken.

 

 

It's my heart's cry for my kids too.   Honesty with themselves and with others. And above all - a pure and simple faith in God and His Word.

On another, and completely different note.  I brought this in fresh from the garden this morning.

 

We are having a heat wave!  It's 90 degrees.  That's pretty warm for the PNW.  Tonight we break with tradition of homemade pizza {No thank you, 500 degree oven!} and opt for simple fare.  I'll add a little chicken and some homemade dressing.  Voila.

Enjoying the simple joys of summer. 

Father's Day '15

father

[ ˈfäT͟Hər ]

NOUN

noun: father · plural noun: fathers

1. a man in relation to his natural child or children.
   synonyms: dad · daddy · pop · pa · dada · papa · old man · patriarch ·

   More

   
   

Yes, and so much more!  Fathers are strong and steady.

Dedicated and dutiful. 

Bold and brave. 

Selfless and sensitive.

I am sure much weighs heavy on their hearts about how to best protect, provide, teach and guide those that are entrusted to their care.   Discernment for when to be the quiet listening ear, or the voice of sound advice.  When to apply tough love or gentle grace.   How best to know intimately each unique child.

 

What a blessing it is as one grows into adulthood to be able to call that man Father...

and

Friend.

  

 

This father and his eight blessings.  Each so unique with their gifts and personalities.  Each loved so deeply.  Some call him Daddy, another calls him Papa, still others call him Dad or Pop or Pops. 

So thankful for him and for our own fathers too.

. . . . .

Father's Day also reminds me of the Perfect Father. My heavenly Father.  My Abba Father. He is the Father worthy of my childlike trust and the only one who can satisfy my need for that close, intimate relationship unique to a father with his child. 

He is perfect. He shows me perfect love and loves me perfectly.



 

Summer fun kick off

Last week Eric's company threw a pirate themed summer kick-off party for his team and their families.  

 

The night before it rained.  It rained all night long, but the forecast was for clearing skies, so we took the chance, believed the weather man, and ventured out to meet Eric.

 

There was all sorts of  Pirate themed bootie for them to enjoy.

 

And fun blow-up slides.

Last year Mary was petrified to go down these.  She went up ok, but once at the top, she didn't want to go down.  Ellie had to give her a "nudge" because she was holding up the whole line. 

This year. . .  there was no stopping her. 

 

There were hula hoops {and a contest too, but we missed the timing on that.}

 

 

 

Yep, Mom's still got it. ;-)

 

 

"Angry Birds"

 

 

My guy and blue sky!

 

 

Something for the bigger kids

 

And there was food.  Lots of food.  They served hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken skewers, veggies skewers, corn on the cob, plantain chips with dipping sauces, ice cream, snow-cones, cotton candy. . .

My kids got their fill of sugar and artificial colors and flavors ~ and loved every minute of it.

 

The SeaFair Pirates

These menacing men wondered around, sticking pirate stickers on shirts, and talking in very piratey accents.  They were funny and friendly {though Mary looks a little uncertain.}

It ended up being sunny and nearly 80 degrees.  A good start to summer, for sure.

It was a day full of fun for all

and

 all for free. 

:-)

Progress in the potager

We planted the third week in May. 

 

We thought it might be fun to make the vegetable rows diagonal with a center isle for walking.  Kinda different and fun.

We planted flowers all around the perimeter. {mostly sweet peas and zinnias}

 

We bought organic vegetable seeds.  My friend gave me the tomato starts {the plants on the left closest to the fence.}  She also gave me three cucumber starts {on the right.}

The flower seeds I got last fall for free, but we really have no idea how well they will do being already year old seeds.

 

After reading about how and when to move blueberry bushes,  we decided to go ahead and move them this season. 

 

How crazy is that?  The left side {the older side} is growing well, but things in our new expanded section are coming up so slowly.  I am not sure if it is due to the soil, or if cucumbers and pickles just take longer to grow than lettuce and beans and beets, or what?

I'm happy to report that the blueberries are doing well in their new space.

We'll have lettuce soon.  :-)

 

green beans

tomatoes

cilantro ... smells so good!

 Did you know that when it goes to seed - that it is coriander seed?

The flowers in the garden are not coming up, but God's are. 

The foxglove grow wild everywhere on the property.

 

and then there is keeping these away. 

 We use Sluggo, and it works really well and is safe around pets.

Each year my goal is to plant just enough to eat fresh all season, but this year I also hope to have enough green beans and pickles to can.  I might have a chance with the green beans, but I'm not too sure about the pickling cukes. 
Gardening, for me seems to be a bit of trial and error, and a lot of learning as I go. 

Hoping for the sweet taste of success. 

Are you gardening this year?  How is it going for you?

Oh, wow!

My aunt was going through some things and came upon something of a treasure.

And she sent the treasure to me!

 

 

 

A box filled with vintage {circa 1940's} fabric cut into squares,  

along with various stages of a cathedral window quilt that her mother

{my grandmother} had been working on.

 

 

 

 

This is what a Cathedral Window quilt looks like.  This portion is nearly complete.

 

She made a quilt just like this for Eric and me for our wedding gift.

 

Her handwork is a testimony to her generation and the attention they paid to mastering homemaking skills.

Her stitches are tiny and perfectly, evenly spaced.

 

Even her simple basting stitches are meticulous.

 

 

 

It is intriguing to see the various stages of this quilt.  It's a bit of a puzzle to me since I have no idea how it goes together.

 

I love that parts even still have the pins in them... a work in progress.  Almost like she is showing me the steps.   

It also shows me that this is by no means a quick project.  No instant gratification here.  I imagine her working a little at a time, as time allowed.  I wonder if she was making this as a gift?  Did she have a certain person in mind? 

I'd like to pick up where she left off.  I have always wanted to learn how to quilt.  This is not quilted on top, so I suppose it is more accurate to call it patchwork.  It is a daunting project,  ~ being quite intricate ~ but perhaps I can become best friends with YouTube?  How I wish she was here to teach me.

I am so thankful that the fabric remains in excellent condition and didn't rust from the pins.   I have no idea from the amount of supplies how big this will be when it is completed, but I figure I'll just take it to the end and see what we get. 

Maybe it will make a large bedspread? 
Perhaps it will be a wedding gift for our youngest?  It just might take me that long!  ;-) 

If you are a reader who knows any good links with information about the Cathedral Window quilt... please let me know, by leaving me a comment.

. . . . .

We have finished school for the year, and are looking forward to the lighter schedule of summer.  Sun-shiny days filled with sprinkler fun, trips to the park, and dinners on the BBQ.
We have a couple of small adventures planned, maybe a house project or two, and Eric, Matthew and I are even going to a Need to Breathe/Switchfoot concert.   {I love Switchfoot's surfy sound.} 

Hope you are enjoying your summer days.

:-)

 

. . . . .

Linking with Tuesdays with a Twist