blue.speckled.eggs

moments...

2010-01-29T03:21:00.000-08:00

...photographed as part of the Moments project

sometimes our family room looks like this ::

and then there's the rest of the time ::

i used to be someone who loved a neat, clean house (car, office, etc...) all the time.

now i'm someone who still craves an organized, picked up home, but also loves the mess that accompanies life, and has learned to be okay with, and even sometimes enjoy, the clutter that is inevitable with children. (i just enjoy the neat, clean, and quiet after they've gone to bed, and before they awake in the mornings).

january one word photo...

2010-01-26T07:28:00.000-08:00

...here's my photo for january's word :: create

"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up."
Pablo Picasso

check out the other amazing create photos at the one word flickr group. february's one word is nurture - so many possibilities!

photography explored...

2010-01-23T19:01:00.001-08:00

...so one of the items on my 101 in 1001 list is to take a photography class. and while i've had my upgraded camera, Nikon D80, for almost a year now, and browsed through the manual, i still don't feel like i have much of a grasp of all there is to know - ISO, shutter speed, apeture, f/stop, different lenses, speedlights, etc...

so i signed up for a class through the city Parks & Rec Department, and this past weekend took my first of 4 classes. and i'm so glad i did - while the class made me realize just how much i still need to learn about, it also made me feel like at least i have a basic knowledge of composition and photography just from using my camera so frequently, and being interested & exploring.

so along with my goal this year of getting our photo albums organized, and stories told, i'm adding photography to my list. they seem to go together well - the capturing of images, and the display/organization of them.

on my to-do list for photography:
- research online resources - so far, i've found shutter sisters, and clickin moms to be great sites
- participate in the One Word and It's the Moments projects to expand my creativity in photography
- learn more about the above mentioned technical terms (ISO, etc...), as well as different pieces of equipment, like speedlights, and different lenses
- be able to apply what i've learned to different photography situations (indoors, bright light, etc)
- download & become familiar with Adobe Lightroom
- read Understanding Exposure
- read "Dorothea Lange: A Life Beyond Limits"... she's probably one of my favorite photographers (other than my great-grandfather, of course). i love this photograph, taken of a migrant mother and her children during the Great Depression

i really like the quote that ended class today: "Photography is 1% talent, and 99% moving furniture"... as our instructor said - it's a hobby (like most others) that the more work you put into it, the better you get.

hope (and so much more) for haiti...

2010-01-18T19:31:00.000-08:00

...since the earthquake devestated haiti a week ago, my mind has been filled with thoughts of what is happening there. the struggles, the heartache, the recovery efforts, and so much more. such a tragedgy certainly puts into perspective just how trivial much of our daily "struggles" are, and i've found myself thinking so many times just how insignificant what i'm thinking of/worried about/bothered by is in comparison to the haitian people.

there are so many ways to help. so many different charities to donate through - even if it's just $5 or $10. the red cross, unicef, and doctors without borders are just a few. another, which we donated through, is mercycorps. paul farmer's organization, Partners in Health, which i read about in his book mountains beyond mountains is also doing amazing work for the haitian people.

the women behind crafthope started a crafthope for haiti shop on etsy. and i donated a few items - nothing big that would bring in a large amount of money for the effort (although when they last posted, they had raised close to $10,000.00 - amazing!). just a few bibs, and some burp cloth sets. but it felt so good to help in a tangible way - the physical act of doing something that might help. i was reminded of the caps-to-cap-haitian project from a while back. i was thrilled when i got an email saying that one set of burp cloths sold, and am hoping another donation sells soon.

update: it looks like all three items have sold! so thrilled, and even more motivated to do more crafting for the shop when it reopens

the shop is closed for a few weeks to let the organizers regroup, and then will reopen for donations. i'm thinking about another donation - perhaps some black apple dolls, a child's apron, or a small quilt. in the meantime, the current crafthope project is going on, and while i'm not much of a knitter (i'm slow, and have recently come to realize perhaps knitting isn't one of my crafts of choice), i'm giving it a go.

i love the concept of craftivism. one of my goals is to find additional ways to incorporate volunteering into my life, and my families, particularly as my children grow and gain an understanding of the world around them.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
Margaret Mead

101 in 1001 project...

2010-01-11T17:47:00.000-08:00

...so back in mid-2009, i stumbled across the concept of a 101 in 1001 project, and of course the list-maker in me loved the idea. identify 101 tasks/goals/items to accomplish in 1001 days (about 2.75 years). if you're interested in this concept, feel free to stop by the blog i set up last year (and only just recently updated) just for this project (bluespeckledeggs101in1001) which has a much better description.

i loved looking at other lists, and while i need to identify a few more goals to add to the list, it's fun to have this "big picture" in my mind of some of what i'd like to do/learn over a 3-year-period.

what are some of the things you'd add to a 101 in 1001 list?

born naturalist...

2010-01-10T19:46:00.000-08:00

...inspired by several books i've read lately, my son's complete love of the outdoors (this boy seems totally unaware of the temperature - he could play outside for hours at a time in 30 degree weather!), and my own belief that time outside, for all of us, is not just a good thing, but necessary, i've started another blog, bornnaturalist, which i'm hoping will be a place to collect the stories, adventures, photographs, and explorations my family (and others, i hope!) experience.

i hope you'll stop by!

2010 calendar (in photos)...

2010-01-06T03:28:00.000-08:00

...last year, one of my aunts made up calendars full of family photos, and sent a copy to each family - i think that was perhaps my favorite gift from Christmas, as it was completely unexpected, included some great photos, and we enjoyed it all year. so come January 1st, it was time to find a replacement. since Ben & I are starting on a year-long project (inspired by the bird calendar Amanda's family did), i thought a calendar full of nature photos i've taken the past two years might serve as both inspiration, and a good reminder.

a few that are included in this year's calendar (i was definately lacking summer photos)...

a new year...

2010-01-03T17:53:00.000-08:00

...and of course with it comes thoughts of what i'd like to accomplish, focus on, devote my time and energy to. 2009 felt like the year i finally got our house organized and decluttered. not that this is a task that i can check off my list, and never come back to... in fact, it feels like something i'm consious of on a continual basis so as to not let the clutter creep back in. but it feels good - calming - to have a place for everything, and that the amount of "stuff" in my house isn't overwhelming. i'm also finding that because the major organization is out to the way, i'm able to evaluate small aspects of our home/organization that aren't working quite right, and find a better way.

i've also learned to let things go. that i can't do as much as i'd like, and that's okay. that my kitchen floors won't get mopped & vacuumed as often as they should. that i won't cook all the recipes i might want to try. that i can't do every craft project that interests me, or read all the books i might want to. that i need to prioritize, to select what i really want to do, and let the rest fall to the side - that perhaps in the future i'll have time (and the interest) to try them, or perhaps not.

what i gain by letting those things go, those expectations, is more time to focus on what is most important. my family. my friends. my (part-time) job. and the few other things that i'd like to focus on.

with that said, i sat down and thought about what i'd like to say i accomplished when december 31, 2010 arrives. i'd like to get our photo albums organized - print out & include those i really love and that tell the stories i think are important for our family. not scrapbooks, but albums that focus on the photos and stories. i'd like to learn more about photography, about how to use my camera and the different aspects of it. i'd like to get in better shape, physically, and complete a 5K and a sprint (short) triathlon, & make a few more changes in this area of my life. i'd like to find more ways to volunteer. i'd like to develop more routines and structure for our family life, continue with traditions and start a few new ones. most of all, i'd like to spend time raising my children.

there will still be projects, of course, although i'm working on just picking one at a time. and i'm hoping to get quite a few things crossed off my 101 in 1001 list (posting about that next)... but i'm feeling less like i have so much to do, and so little time. like i can focus on what's really important. that feels like a good way to start the new year, and a new decade.

let's give it another go...

2010-01-02T19:45:00.000-08:00

...so it's been a while. more than a while, actually, since i spent much time here. .the more time went by, the less motivated i was to come here. but i found that i kept thinking about blogging every once in a while, and after thinking about starting over with a completely new blog, or giving up blogging altogether, i decided to weed out the posts i wasn't especially attached to, keep those i liked (for a variety of reasons), and give it another try.

but that's not the whole story - of course not. perhaps the biggest reason behind my lack of blogging, and my general lack of creativity, was an debilitating, anxiety-filled pregnancy. a pregnancy i longed, wished, hoped & prayed for, but that instead of being blissful was anything but. a pregnancy that i worried about from the first days with a baby who was measuring "a little small but will probably be okay" to the very day of delivery. and every day in between. every. single. day.

there's so much i could write about secondary infertility, adoption research, injections, IUI's, OHSS, IVF, nightly injections with 3-inch needles for months on end, crippling fears about miscarriage, severe birth defects, stillbirth, the unfairness, sadness & hurt that accompanies the challenges so many face in trying to add to their family. but after spending 2 years living with those things, i'm beyond grateful, thankful to be living with this...

as hard as pregnancy was to come to, and get through, parenthood the second time around with my daughter can only be described as blissful. not in the everything-is-perfect-all-the-time blissful, but in the she's-here-and-i'm-unbelieveably-grateful-beyond-what-i-could-ever-have-imagined blissful. i keep expecting to wake up one day and the feeling, the disbelief that she's here, finally, to be gone, but it's still here, as strong as it was 5 months ago when i first heard her cry. i love my son, of course, almost more than i think is possible, but i love my daughter in a way i think can come only after a desperate longing. as much heartache as i felt during the struggle to get her here, i feel joy 100 times more powerful. i will never understand why some of us struggle with our fertility. while there are surely lessons to learn from what this part of life's journey brings, there's also heartache, so much heartache. i'm forever changed by the heartache i felt through my struggle - forever changed as a parent, and a person by it.

so i'm finally feeling up to blogging, at least a bit, again. i have a few things i'm hoping to blog about in the coming days & weeks - my 101 in 1001 project (which i'm 1/2 way through), new year's plans, holiday crafting, and a childhood outdoor blog project which i'm giving a try as well.

it's good to be back.

right now...

2009-04-19T18:06:00.000-07:00

...so there's a whole bunch of posts that i have, and it seems the more i have to post about, the less likely i am to actually sit down and start posting. it seems i'm not the only one, though - several other blogs i visit seem to be the same way, which makes me feel just a little bit better about the lack of posting.

so i thought i'd attempt to get past my bloggers block, which reminds me of writer's block, and start with something easy. i'm hoping to post about easter basket goodies, and a little bit of a certain little boy's birthday presents and crafting i did (and also what i didn't quite get to), and go from there.... so, right now, i'm

photographing :: blooming azelas, this month's One Word Project photo

listening to :: Time after time by Eva Cassidy, Blackbird by Sarah McLaughlan (this is one of the lullabye's i've always sung to Ben, and i love that he now tries to sing along with me), Speaking of Faith podcasts

reading :: Living Simply with Children: A voluntary simplicity guide by Marie Sherlock, Seeking Peace: Chronicles of the worst Buddhist in the world by Mary Bray Pipher

eating :: leftover baby shower cake

creating :: colored pencil roll from Last Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts

doing :: planting our garden

enjoying :: spring weather, eating dinner outdoors

Caps to Cap-Haitien...

2009-02-10T10:52:00.000-08:00

(a catch-up post)

...a Mama To Mama project, organized by the ever-inspiring Amanda. when i read about this project, and the idea of Mama To Mama, i was thrilled, and couldn't wait to get started.

i salvaged a few tees that were in the Goodwill donation box, and then made a stop at a local thrift store on their 1/2 price day, which helped me gather together a few more shirts (almost all of which i paid 50 cents for).

the project moved right along - i didn't commit a large amount of time to this on a particular day, but rather did some cutting, pinning, and sewing whenever i had a few spare minutes - the nature of the project worked really well for quick crafting whenever there was time.

over the course of a week, i ended up with enough shirt material to make a total of 32 hats. it felt so good to package them up, and mail them out to Amanda... i think i smiled the whole time i waited in line at the post office.

what i loved most about this project was that while making the hats, i found my mind occupied with what life is like for mother's in third-world countries. the focus they must have on making sure their children have the most basic of necessities - food, shelter, safety. such a contrast to what seems to be the focus of many parents in America, and other first-world countries. yet the common thread between those that have much, and those that have little is that we all want the same basic things for our children.

there are lots of other craftivism links on the Mama to Mama site. when making a recent donation at the thrift store, i picked up a few pillow cases, and am hoping to start on some Little Dresses For Africa soon. and of course i can't wait for the next Mama to Mama project.

right now...

2008-11-02T10:07:00.000-08:00

...i'm

reading :: the zookeeper's wife

baking :: rugelach

doing :: raking leaves & acorns

watching :: the red violin, pre-election coverage

listening to :: npr's fresh air podcasts

creating :: a small quilt, pajama pants for ben

enjoying :: a big stack of new books & lots of creative, collaborative projects at work

photographing :: the changing leaves & beautiful fall colors

drinking :: tazo chai tea

hoping :: for a president obama

owls, owls...

2008-10-31T18:15:00.000-07:00

...this year there were quite a few costume possibilities floating around our house - nemo, minnie mouse, and various animals, including an owl. one of our favorite bedtime reads for quite some time has been owl babies by martin waddel. being a bit partial to owls myself, i was glad to settle on this costume idea for ben. of course there didn't seem to be any owl costume patterns available, so after some google image searching, i found some inspiration from this adorable costume...

some fabric, a pattern for the sleeves, a sketch-turned-template for the wings, much felt, and a whole lotta fabric glue later, this was the result...

i knew a hood or a mask was out of the question, so a hat was in order. lots of photos of cute owl hats were found, and after one try which looked more like a ram, an owl face with small horns was made.

ben prompty took to calling himself Percy, one of the owls in the story...

with owls on our minds, we did a quick craft project that i'd found in a recent issue of Wondertime that used some felt, feathers, glue and pinecones

i'm loving them on our nature table (which is in serious need of some leaf organization!). i also really love each issue of Wondertime - it's by far my favorite parenting magazine around (though Brain, Child is a close second). lots of other simple, fun crafty ideas are available on their website.

on the hammock...

2008-10-25T18:36:00.000-07:00

...it seems like our hammock gets much more use in the fall and spring than it does in the summer. just the right place to relax after the (endless) leaf & acron raking. it's also been just the right place for some late afternoon reading, relaxing, and looking up at the trees to see the changing colors.

a pile of library books, a blanket (knit by my step-mother), and of course a late afternoon snack of apples.

i think i'd spend all afternoon out there if i could. oh, i love the fall.

a visit to the state fair...

2008-10-23T17:43:00.000-07:00

...(in photos)

...beautiful fall weather (sunny and cool), baby pigs, newborn chicks to hold, and lots of fair foods made for a great day. oh, how i love those piglets!

muffin tin & colored sugar cookie fun...

2008-10-20T18:00:00.000-07:00

...this week's muffin tin challenge was halloween. fun, fun. i opted to go with black, orange and white foods - using up some of the things we had in our kitchen and cupboard...

contents: black beans, cubed cheese, rasins, mandarin oranges, vanilla yogurt with chocolate sprinkles, goldfish

there are some really creative contributions to the challenge here - so much fun to look at. as a side note, sycamore stirrings, the originator of muffin tin mondays, is about to embark on a fabulous adventure living abroad in Luxenbourg. i can't wait to read about her adventures living there.

we took the orange and black color scheme a bit further, and made colored sugar cookies. over the weekend, ben had so much fun with my sister and brother-in-law (who are rocking their roles as aunt & uncle) making cut-out cookies that i thought we'd make some more - this time using orange and black food coloring.

one batch of sugar cookie dough divided in half, lots of orange coloring, and just a bit of black later, we had 20 orange jack-o-lanterns, and 10 black cats (i still haven't figured out where the rest of the cats went...)

...the magic of a little food coloring!

right now...

2008-10-19T16:38:00.000-07:00

i've seen this on a number of different blogs, and always enjoy reading it - short glimpses into a life. thought i'd try my hand at it on a semi-regular basis

i'm...

enjoying :: a just cleaned & vacuumed car, a quiet house, folded laundry

watching :: This American Life

reading :: Kindness: A Treasury of Buddhist Wisdom for Children and Parents, and A good Indian wife

thinking :: about a dear friend, who recently lost her mother

creating :: a cross-stitch as a gift for my sister-in-law, collage art for Ben's playroom

drinking :: mulled apple cider

eating :: spice cupcakes from my sister

planning :: our November menu, my week's to-do list, a visit to the state fair

wanting :: 2009 Nikki McClure calendar, Plan Toys airport

making :: leaf art projects, pine cone owls

baking :: pumpkin muffins

loving :: the fall colors, cooler days and nights

mushroom hunting & making...

2008-10-06T18:12:00.000-07:00

...it seems there are mushrooms of all shades and colors popping up around our home. the walks we take most evenings have become mushroom hunts of late - ben carrying his mushroom eliminating stick with him in search of the next mushroom. and when one is found, he exclaims in joy that he's found it, we look at the color, and then he proceeds to knock it over with the stick. again. and again. and again...

a few we've found (prior to elimination)

of course i thought about getting books on mushrooms out of the library. children's books. our library didn't have much, other than the field guide to north american mushrooms. not exactly what i was looking for for a 2 1/2 year-old boy. ah, well... we made due with that, and got to work on our own mushroom project.

using an empty cardboard egg carton, ben painted his mushroom caps. after they dryed, i cut them apart, and we glued a stick to act as the stem on each one. i found this idea on a search for mushroom craft ideas, but i can't remember where i found it. then we went to plant them in the yard.

while it seems not many others would know right away what these are, ben has loved going out and checking on his mushrooms. and surprisingly, they're still in tact. unlike the rest of the mushrooms in our neighborhood. (i'm starting to think little boys, at least a good number of them, are hard-wired to hit things with sticks. it's definately not a learned behavior, so that's my only explination)

both sides of my kitchen window...

2008-10-03T17:48:00.000-07:00

inside

witch ball : found in the "famous" hardware store in Old Forge, NY on my trip. i've been eyeing one of these for a few years now at different fairs, but never found one that i loved. until now. worth the wait.

outside

pansies : a perfect windowbox cool weather annual. i love that these last far into the winter - a little bit of color after all the leaves have fallen.

...i find myself spending lots of time looking out my kitchen window, like so many others do. washing dishes, washing hands (big and little), cleaning up from a cooking or art project. two things that brighten a spot in the house that can always use a bit of joy.

Unplugged Challenge: Fruit...

2008-09-29T18:29:00.000-07:00

...after my weekend in Upstate New York, i had all things fall on my mind. fall, among other things, makes me think of apple picking - something i remember doing with my family during childhood (one of my favorite photos is of my two sisters and i, sitting on the back of my grandparent's truck, in the midst of an apple orchard).

so the unplugged challenge of fruit had me wanting to do some apple picking. sadly, there doesn't seem to be many local apple orchards around us - this was a shock to the girl who grew up in a town that hosts it's own apple festival each year. we opted to instead make a trip to the local farmers market - i knew ben would enjoy picking out apples. we came home with two bags of courtland apples, as well as a flat of pansies, and our first pumpkin of the season.

since the weather was beautiful, we took our supplies outside - cutting board, peeler, apple slicer & corer, knives, bowls and pots, and got to work - peeling, slicing and sorting.

once we had a big pot full of sliced apples, we made applesauce.

Applesauce (from The Joy of Cooking)

3 lbs. cooking apples, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1/2 to 3/4 c. apple cider or apple juice, depending on the juiciness of the apples
1 to 1 1/2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 large cinnamon stick

Cover and simmer, stirring often, over low heat until tender, but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Stir in:

1/4 c. sugar or 6 tbsp. mild honey
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground mace
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Cooking, stirring, until the sweetener is dissolved and blended, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Discard the cinnamon stick. For chuncky applesauce, break up the apples with a wooden spoon. For medium texture, crush with a potato masher. FOr smooth sauce, use a food processor.

though i like more chuncky applesauce, i knew a smoother consistency would be a bigger hit around the house, so we processed the cooked mixture in the food processor. i kept a big bowl for eating now, and canned 6 jars to enjoy throughout the winter

easy to make, lots of ways for little hands to help, and delicious - i'd say this was a successful project all around...

fall wedding (in photos)...

2008-09-28T03:59:00.000-07:00

...spent this past weekend in the Adarondack Mountains attending a family wedding, which included a rehearsal dinner pig roast, a Saturday morning hike up to a breathtaking view of the fall folliage, and a beautiful outdoor ceremony & reception. thought i'd share just a few images from the weekend...

inn where the wedding took place

view from the top of the mountain

...it was so good to be back in upstate New York in the fall

because sometimes a little puddle just won't do...

2008-09-07T11:17:00.000-07:00

...hurricane hannah came through our state bearing lots of rain in a short amount of time, which caused the pond at the end of our street to overflow onto the road, creating an oversized puddle. (to say there are some drainage issues is an understatement!). since ben, like most little kids, enjoys splashing in puddles (i must admit i still do, too), i thought this extra-large version would be a huge hit with him - especially since the roads in our neighborhood aren't busy.

i have to admit i also thought it would be fun to photograph this adventure, as well. while it was a bit overcast, and the lighting wasn't perfect, i still managed to cull a few good shots our of the dozen or so i snapped...

caught up on a yearly tradition...

2008-09-04T10:58:00.000-07:00

...for the past few years on Father's Day, we've had a picnic at Duke Gardens, one of my favorite places in this area. we were gone on Father's Day this year, and the summer seemed to slip away from us, but we finally had a chance have our belated Father's Day picnic there over the Labor Day weekend...

2008... 28 months old, trying to master rolling down a hill

i also had a walk down memory lane looking at photos from our past few visits...

2006... 2 months old

2007... 14 months old, reading with Harry

i love having these small, almost ordinary traditions scattered throughout the year to look forward to. i'm starting to think of them as the thread of our family's quilt of memories.

grace...

2008-08-28T11:44:00.000-07:00

...i find that waking up early, before anyone else rises, and sitting on my deck with a cup of coffee to watch the sun rise and listen to the birds, is one of my favorite ways to start the day... just a little bit of quiet to calm my thoughts before a day filled with the many activities and adventures that go along with parenting, work, and life in general. this week, though, i've been needing a little bit more quiet in my life. i found myself wishing i was up at the farm, where i could walk down to the lake and sit watching the waves crash against the rocks. then i realized that while i didn't have that option, i did have some water nearby, so i've taken to grabbing my cup of coffee, and heading down to our neighborhood pond to watch the sun rise

this small shift in thinking, of being grateful for what i do have, rather than what i was wishing i did, was a reminder to me of how to approach other things in my life.

and then just when i felt i needed it the most, i saw my grandmother - the woman who, to me emboddies the word grace - in someone the other day. it was in the way this older woman put her arm around her granddaughter's waist, and smiled at her. it took my breath away, it reminded me so much of her - all at once the heart-stopping pain of losing her, coupled with a feeling of calm, the calm i always felt in her presence. and i knew she was there with me, bringing me a reminder of how she faced things, always with grace. that i could chose to do the same.

Daring Bakers Challenge: Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream...

2008-07-30T18:17:00.000-07:00

...my first Daring Bakers challenge. i was excited to learn what the challenge for this month would be, after checking out the past few month's challenges - Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream, taken from Great Cakes by Carol Walter. i read the recipes (yes, multiple recipes for this one cake) several times, and browsed around looking for tips and suggestions. then i decided to give it a try...

i opted to follow the recipe pretty closely, using filberts (aka hazelnuts), dark rum, and apricot for the glaze. after searching around for the elusive filberts, i found some at my local Fresh Market - a bit pricey at 7.00 for 1/2 lb., but since we like hazelnuts, i decided it was worth the expense. also picked up some Giradelli chocolate bars for the ganache glaze (and resisted eating them before i started to bake).

first step was skinning the hazelnuts. thanks to tips i read, i learned an easy way to accomplish this - using 1.5 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda, and blanching the nuts for 2-3 minutes. after this, the skins just rubbed right off. i let the nuts dry overnight, then toasted them the next day. worked great... i was off to a good start - they processed easily.

next step was to make the filbert genoise. the closest i had to a 10" pan was a 9" one, so i used that, and just discarded the excess batter. a whole bunch of eggs (almost a dozen!) were included - i had lots of practice seperating whites from yolks. i also learned about clarified butter, which i'd never used before. everything came together well, and smelled amazing. i think it may have taken more than the recommended 40 folds to incorporate the nut mixture, but all looked good. i used cake release to grease the pan, something i learned about in my cake decorating class, and once baked, it slid out of the pan nicely.

i was a bit concerned about how i'd be able to get three equal size layers out of such a thin cake, but decided to leave that for the next day. definately a mistake. i had thought i'd use my cake slicer (another trick from cake decorating), but the cake was completely cooled by then, and i ended up having to use a knife. my middle layer didn't fare very well... in fact, there was a large portion of the middle missing!

next up was to make the praline buttercream, which was a multiple recipe process. i made the praline brittle, and let it cool, then broke it into pieces, and processed in my food processor. this took far longer than the recipe indicated - a good 5 minutes or so. i also added just a little bit of vegetable oil to the nut mixture in order to create more of a paste than a powder (another tip i learned from fellow daring bakers).

i then made the swiss buttercream. i'd never made buttercream before from scratch, and admit this was the part of the recipe that seemed most intimidating. i did take a shortcut of not whisking the sugar into the egg whites over simmering water. i ended up having to beat my buttercream for quite a while - a good 5 minutes, but it finally came together, much to my relief. i added in the praline paste, mixed some more, and put in the refridgerator. i also put some of the buttercream into a pastry bag for decorating the cake at the end.

next up was making the sugar syrup. no problems there. while this was warming up, i also made up the whipped cream, which was also really easy (just beating heavy cream for several minutes on high - it's how i always make whipped cream). i then started the assembly. first up was covering the bottom layer with the sugar syrup. then a layer of buttercream, then a layer of whipped cream. next cake layer (aka the layer missing the middle), cover with syrup, layer on buttercream, then whipped cream. finally, the top layer. there ended up being thick layers of buttercream and whipped cream - i think the cake had almost equal parts of all three. i might go a little lighter on the buttercream and whipped cream next time, though it was reallyreally good.

next up was the apricot glaze. no problems there, other than the glaze seemed to soak into the cake quite a bit, so perhaps it wasn't thick enough. the directions were a little unclear about consistency - i got the idea the glaze sould be thin, but i think next time thicker would work better. i then put the entire cake into the fridge to cool while i made up the ganache.

the ganache - oh, the ganache! so delicious... what's not good about cream, good chocolate, vanilla, and rum. after making it up, and letting it thicken/cool a bit, i drizzled it over the top of the cake. it went on really well, but didn't flow down the sides in some places, unfortunately. i had decided to skip the part of the directions that said to trim around the cake - i was worried my cake would come apart if i did this. i was able to spread the ganache around the sides in most places, so it turned out to be almost completely covered by the end. i decorated it with tip 104, rather than the suggested 114, as this is the one i had around, and topped with the remaining chopped filberts.

this was a big hit in our house. harry commented that it tasted like a $7.00/slice cake. it certainly wouldn't win any cake decorating contests, but it sure did taste good. i'm not sure how often i'd make this, as it took quite a while, but i did learn some new baking tips and tricks, which is exactly why i'm participating in the daring bakers challenges. the recipe (it's a long one!) can be found on lots of other daring baker's blogs, along with their filbert gateaus with praline buttercream.

i'm looking forward to next month's challenge already!

recipe...

Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream
From Great Cakes by Carol Walter

1 Filbert Genoise
1 recipe sugar syrup, flavored with dark rum
1 recipe Praline Buttercream
½ cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
1 recipe Apricot Glaze
1 recipe Ganache Glaze, prepared just before using
3 tablespoons filberts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Filbert Genoise

Because of the amount of nuts in the recipe, this preparation is different from a classic genoise.

1 ½ cups hazelnuts, toasted/skinned
2/3 cup cake flour, unsifted
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
7 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar, divided ¼ & ¾ cups
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. grated lemon rind
5 lg. egg whites
¼ cup warm, clarified butter (100 – 110 degrees)

Position rack in the lower 3rd of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10” X 2” inch round cake pan.

Using a food processor, process nuts, cake flour, and cornstarch for about 30 seconds. Then, pulse the mixture about 10 times to get a fine, powdery mixture. You’ll know the nuts are ready when they begin to gather together around the sides of the bowl. While you want to make sure there aren’t any large pieces, don’t over-process. Set aside.

Put the yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, and beat until thick and light in color, about 3-4 minutes on med-high speed. Slowly, add ¾ cup of sugar. It is best to do so by adding a tablespoon at a time, taking about 3 minutes for this step. When finished, the mixture should be ribbony. Blend in the vanilla and grated lemon rind. Remove and set aside.

Place egg whites in a large, clean bowl of the electric mixer with the whisk attachment and beat on medium speed, until soft peaks. Increase to med-high speed and slowly add the remaining ¼ cup of sugar, over 15-20 seconds or so. Continue to beat for another ½ minute. Add the yolk mixture to the whites and whisk for 1 minute.

Pour the warm butter in a liquid measure cup (or a spouted container). * It must be a deep bottom bowl and work must be fast.* Put the nut meal in a mesh strainer (or use your hand – working quickly) and sprinkle it in about 2 tablespoons at a time – folding it carefully for about 40 folds. Be sure to exclude any large chunks/pieces of nuts. Again, work quickly and carefully as to not deflate the mixture. When all but about 2 Tbsp. of nut meal remain, quickly and steadily pour the warm butter over the batter. Then, with the remaining nut meal, fold the batter to incorporate, about 13 or so folds.

With a rubber spatula, transfer the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with the spatula or back of a spoon. **If collected butter remains at the bottom of the bowl, do not add it to the batter! It will impede the cake rising while baking.

Tap the pan on the counter to remove air bubbles and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. You’ll know the cake is done when it is springy to the touch and it separates itself from the side of the pan. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Invert onto a cake rack sprayed with nonstick coating, removing the pan. Cool the cake completely.

Sugar Syrup
Makes 1 cup, good for one 10-inch cake – split into 3 layers

1 cup water
¼ cup sugar
2 Tbsp. dark rum or orange flavored liqueur

In a small, yet heavy saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add the liqueur. Cool slightly before using on the cake.

Praline Buttercream
1 recipe Swiss Buttercream
1/3 cup praline paste
1 ½ - 2 Tbsp. Jamaican rum (optional)

Blend ½ cup buttercream into the paste, then add to the remaining buttercream. Whip briefly on med-low speed to combine. Blend in rum.

Swiss Buttercream
4 lg. egg whites
¾ cup sugar
1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly firm
1 ½ -2 Tbsp. Grand Marnier or liqueur of your choice
1 tsp. vanilla

Place the egg whites in a lg/ bowl of a elevtric mixer and beat with the whisk attachment until the whites are foamy and they begin to thicken (just before the soft peak stage). Set the bowl over a saucepan filled with about 2 inches of simmering water, making sure the bowl is not touching the water. Then, whisk in the sugar by adding 1-2 tablespoon of sugar at a time over a minutes time. Continue beating 2-3 minutes or until the whites are warm (about 120 degrees) and the sugar is dissolved. The mixture should look thick and like whipped marshmallows.
Remove from pan and with either the paddle or whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and sugar on med-high until its a thick, cool meringue – about 5-7 minutes. *Do not overbeat*. Set aside.

Place the butter in a separate clean mixing bowl and, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter at medium speed for 40-60 seconds, or until smooth and creamy. *Do not overbeat or the butter will become toooooo soft.*

On med-low speed, blend the meringue into the butter, about 1-2 Tbsp. at a time, over 1 minute. Add the liqueur and vanilla and mix for 30-45 seconds longer, until thick and creamy.

Refrigerate 10-15 minutes before using.

Praline Paste
1 cup (4 ½ oz.) Hazelnuts, toasted/skinless
2/3 cup Sugar
Line a jelly roll pan with parchment and lightly butter.

Put the sugar in a heavy 10-inch skillet. Heat on low flame for about 10-20 min until the sugar melts around the edges. Do not stir the sugar. Swirl the pan if necessary to prevent the melted sugar from burning. Brush the sides of the pan with water to remove sugar crystals. If the sugar in the center does not melt, stir briefly. When the sugar is completely melted and caramel in color, remove from heat. Stir in the nuts with a wooden spoon and separate the clusters. Return to low heat and stir to coat the nuts on all sides. Cook until the mixture starts to bubble. **Remember – extremely hot mixture.** Then onto the parchment lined sheet and spread as evenly as possible. As it cools, it will harden into brittle. Break the candied nuts into pieces and place them in the food processor. Pulse into a medium-fine crunch or process until the brittle turns into a powder. To make paste, process for several minutes. Store in an airtight container and store in a cook dry place. Do not refrigerate.

Apricot Glaze
Good for one 10-inch cake

2/3 cup thick apricot preserves
1 Tbsp. water

In a small, yet heavy saucepan, bring the water and preserves to a slow boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes. If the mixture begins to stick to the bottom of the saucepan, add water as needed.

Remove from heat and, using a strainer, press the mixture through the mesh and discard any remnants. With a pastry brush, apply the glaze onto the cake while the cake is still warm. If the glaze is too thick, thin to a preferred consistency with drops of water.

Ganache Glaze
Makes about 1 cup, enough to cover the top and sides of a 9 or 10 inch layer or tube cake

6 oz. (good) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, like Lindt
6 oz. (¾ cup heavy cream
1 tbsp. light corn syrup
1 Tbsp. Grand Marnier, Cointreay, or dark Jamaican rum (optional)
¾ tsp. vanilla
½ - 1 tsp. hot water, if needed

Blend vanilla and liqueur/rum together and set aside.

Break the chocolate into 1-inch pieces and place in the basket of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer into a medium sized bowl and set aside.

Heat the cream and corn syrup in a saucepan, on low, until it reached a gentle boil. Once to the gently boil, immediately and carefully pour over the chocolate. Leave it alone for one minute, then slowly stir and mix the chocolate and cream together until the chocolate is melted and incorporated into the cream. Carefully blend in vanilla mixture. If the surface seems oily, add ½ - 1 tsp hot water. The glaze will thicken, but should still be pourable. If it doesn’t thicken, refrigerate for about 5 minutes, but make sure it doesn’t get too cold!

Assembling Cake

Cut a cardboard disk slightly smaller than the cake. Divide the cake into 3 layers and place the first layer top-side down on the disk. Using a pastry brush, moisten the layer with 3-4 Tbsp. of warm sugar syrup. Measure out 1 cup of praline buttercream and set aside.

Spread the bottom layer with a ¼-inch thickness of the remaining buttercream. Cover with ½ of the whipped cream, leaving ¼-inch border around the edge of the cake. Place the middle layer over the first, brush with sugar syrup, spreading with buttercream. Cover with the remaining whipped cream.

Moisten the cut side of the third layer with additional sugar syrup and place cut side down on the cake. Gently, press the sides of the cake to align the layers. Refrigerate to chill for at least 30 minutes.

Lift the cake by sliding your palm under the cardboard. Holding a serrated or very sharp night with an 8-ich blade held parallel to the sides of the cake, trim the sides so that they are perfectly straight. Cut a slight bevel at the top to help the glaze drip over the edge. Brush the top and sides of the cake with warm apricot glaze, sealing the cut areas completely. Chill while you prepare the ganache.

Place a rack over a large shallow pan to catch the ganache drippings. Remove the gateau from the refrigerator and put it the rack. With a metal spatula in hand, and holding the saucepan about 10 inches above the cake, pour the ganache onto the cake’s center. Move the spatula over the top of the ganache about 4 times to get a smooth and mirror-like appearance. The ganache should cover the top and run down the sides of the cake. When the ganache has been poured and is coating the cake, lift one side of the rack and bang it once on the counter to help spread the ganache evenly and break any air bubbles. (Work fast before setting starts.) Patch any bare spots on the sides with a smaller spatula, but do not touch the top after the “bang”. Let the cake stand at least 15 minutes to set after glazing.

To garnish the cake, fit a 12 – 14-inch pastry bag with a #114 large leaf tip. Fill the bag with the reserved praline cream. Stating ½ inch from the outer edge of the cake, position the pastry tube at a 90 degree angle with the top almost touching the top of the cake. Apply pressure to the pastry bag, moving it slightly toward the center of the cake. As the buttercream flows on the cake, reverse the movement backward toward the edge of the cake and finish by pulling the bag again to the center. Stop applying pressure and press the bag downward, then quickly pull the tip up to break the flow of frosting. Repeat, making 12 leaves evenly spaced around the surface of the cake.

Make a second row of leaves on the top of the first row, moving the pastry bag about ¾ inch closer to the center. The leaves should overlap. Make a 3rd row, moving closer and closer to the center. Add a 4th row if you have the room. But, leave a 2-inch space in the center for a chopped filbert garnish. Refrigerate uncovered for 3-4 hours to allow the cake to set. Remove the cake from the refrigerator at least 3 hours before serving.

Leftover cake can be covered with foil and kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

our summer nature table...

2008-07-20T04:26:00.000-07:00

...which seems to have changed into our nature room (aka the dining room). we did a bit of rearranging, and moved the nature shelf from the kitchen into the dining room - it seemed like a much better spot, as it's right on the way in from the backyard, and more convienent for little (and big!) hands to place finds from outside. (disclaimer: it rarely is this neat and organized!)

top: fern, piece of bark, pinecones, rocks & stones of different sizes, piece of wood, acorn tops, dish of shells

lower shelf: books, birds nest

i also added some books about different science topics - some which ben helped me pick out, and others i thought he'd enjoy or are related to things we're exploring right now...

I can name 50 trees today!: All about trees
Face to face with whales
The vegetables we eat
The brook book: Exploring the smallest streams
Seeds
From seed to plant A place for butterflies
Porcupines

he seems to enjoy sitting in the sunny spot by the door, and looking through the pictures or asking me what different things are

i also placed a few art supplies - crayons, colored pencils, watercolors, and a pad of paper. we've spent some time drawing different things we've collected (and occasionally on those things)

and in an effort to model, i attempted drawing the birds nest. certainly not a fine work of art, but that wasn't the point

i also thought one corner was the perfect spot for a butterfly tree - i'd had this idea in my head since seeing the coffee filter butterflies the Kindergarten students at my school made, and also Dayna's tree. this project was a big hit with ben - i think he would have made 25 butterflies if we hadn't stopped

our dining room certainly isn't a fancy dining room, but i love that it's being used more often now. it feels just right for our family right now.

bird salt & pepper shakers (a birthday gift i'm completely in love with, and just perfect for this space!)

the farm...

2008-07-17T18:32:00.000-07:00

...it seems like the minute i drive away at the end of a visit i'm looking forward to our next trip, no matter how long our stay has been. it's a place where i feel my head clear, and a sense of calm. a peacefulness that comes from being completely removed from the business of life. it isn't anything fancy, of course - a farmhouse and some outbuildings built in the 1850s, but to much of my family, it's home.

my grandparents purchased 200 acres in rural central New York, right on Lake Ontario, during the 1950s, in part as a way to keep my father and his sisters away from summer in the city when polio was a concern. my grandmother and all 5 children would spend the entire summer there, with my grandfather coming back on the weekends. my father tells of walking down the hill to a nearby cherry orchard, working along migrants and earning 2 cents a pound. i love looking at the photos of my father and aunts as children during their summers there.

my father, 1949

my father & aunts (early 1960s)

it looks much today like it did back then - outhouse, no running hot water (dishwasher, washer...), though there have been many improvements as well. i spent half my summers there throughout childhood, and the times surrounded by my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters and father are among my most treasured memories. when i needed to escape college life, i'd head there. and when i feel like i just can't wait to get back, when it's been far too long, it's time again to visit.

the beach

playhouse

chicken coop

art outside

i hope ben comes to treasure this place in his own way.

snapshots of vacation...

2008-07-15T20:12:00.000-07:00

a few of the moments from vacation i'm treasuring...

- curling up in a big hotel bed to read stories and more stories
- seeing a place i've been through the perspective of my child
- the relaxing motion of a boat to lull me to sleep
- ben collecting shells, and more shells, and examining each one with delight

digging in the sand at Myrtle Beach

eating gelato in Savannah

meeting a "new friend"

exploring at animal kingdom

enjoying the warm, warm water

playing shuffle board (who knew it was so funny!)

the makings of a beach weekend...

2008-05-27T09:40:00.000-07:00

a big sand bucket and lots of shovels

a good book

feet buried in the sand

shells to gather (and add to our nature table)

lots of homemade food: potato salad, bread, brownies, macaroni salad; mixed in with the "usual" camping fare: hot dogs, hamburgers, s'mores

the fun of running in and out of the tent (over, and over, and over, again!)

a visit to the aquarium

kite flying weather

...we went camping again this memorial day weekend, this time at the Outer Banks of North Carolina (a much shorter drive than Assateague Island, where we camped last year). camping & a beach weekend was just the right way to start off our summer season...

strawberry picking...

2008-05-18T18:52:00.000-07:00

...it's the middle of strawberry season, and we made time on Saturday to stop by our local patch. this was ben's first time, and he reacted much the same way he did at the pumpkin patch - amazed by all the choices!

we brought home a good amount, though i'm not sure of how many pounds. of course, we enjoyed strawberries as part of our dinner, and for breakfast the next morning. and, of course, a bowl of strawberries and cream...

we prepped the rest for the strawberry jam, and strawberry ice cream i'll be making this week (recipes and photos to come!)

around our home...

2008-05-11T14:14:00.000-07:00

...gathered from our yard...

pansies

wild roses

poppies

wild strawberry leaves

baby geese...

2008-05-01T04:14:00.000-07:00

...the pond just down the street has some new wildlife additions - 6 baby geese. i don't love the 7 or so geese that live around the pond (nor do i mind them much, expect when they won't move out of the middle of the street). baby geese, on the other hand, are just about impossible not to love (just like baby kittens, puppies... pretty much any baby animal)

we've been to visit them several times, and ben always calls out excitedly when we pass by them in the car. we've taken old bread to feed them, and always keep our distance - the parents are very protective. i've also taken lots and lots of photos... i can't help myself - they're so sweet and fun to photograph.

also fun to watch - the turtles that never come out of the pond. they're also interested in free bits of bread (and baby geese as well)

we also checked out several books on geese and turtles from the library. some recent favorite reads:

A gaggle of geese - Philippa-alyas Browne
Duck and Goose - Tad Hills
A gaggle of geese and a clutter of cats - Dandi Daley Mackall
Turtle splash!: Countdown at the Pond - Cathryn Falwell
One tiny turtle: Read and Wonder - Nicola Davies
Old turtle - Douglas Wood

we're enjoying watching them grow - their feathers seem a bit darker each day. i didn't notice any babies last year, but i'm hoping it's a regular event around "our" pond each spring.

nature shelf, spring-style...

2008-04-24T17:19:00.000-07:00

...so the shelf i cleared off for the bits and pieces of nature we find has started to fill. i had two ideas of what to put on it as a start - some sunflowers, which we found at whole foods, in anticipation of the seeds we'll be planting in ben's garden, and a terrarium. i didn't have much of an idea of how to construct a terrarium, but did a search and figured out the basic components - gravel on the bottom, dirt in the middle, and grasses, moss and other bits on the top. i used a large jar, and had ben help gather up some of these things from around yard.

we also found a little frog (or toad - i'm not sure which one), and put him in it. we kept him in there just for the better part of a day, and then let him go. we may put some woolly worms in there in the future, as ben seems to be quite enamoured with them right now (he insists on letting them crawl up his arm whenever he finds one)

other additions - a stick with some birds and butterflies (we picked them out together at the local craft store), some moss, a few interesting shaped pinecones, and a small bowl for the berries and wild strawberries growing around the yard. we'll keep our eyes open for an abandonded birds nest like the one we found last year, and perhaps some empty robin's eggs.

i'm curious to find out what'll end up on the table as the season progresses.

the emergence of pretend play...

2008-04-20T10:21:00.000-07:00

...turns out the wooden bowl i placed for ben to put some of his outdoor collections in is serving another purpose - making salad. i was cleaning up some toys in his sandbox, and he surprised me by coming up with the bowl filled with several leaves, and said "making salad". i think this is one of the first instances of pretend play i've seen.

we walked around, finding more things to add to the salad - pieces of pinecone, leaves, small sticks, mulch - it turned into quite the salad. he then wanted to mix his salad, so we found two small sticks that he could use (he loves to help me mix the salads we have for dinner).

the exploring we did around the yard to look for ingredients made me think about something mentioned in the creative family - fairy houses. i can remember creating something similar when i was younger, which evolved into working with my sisters and cousins to create our own cabin made entirely of sticks (we called it camp near wilderness) at our grandparent's farm. we worked on it for hours every day, weeks at a time, each summer for several years. i still look at the spot we built it every summer when i'm visiting - though the sticks have long since scattered, the memory is still as strong as ever. though ben imagination isn't quite ready to create something like this, i'm looking forward to making them with him in the future.

inspiration (courtesy of FamilyFun)...

future reading...
fairy houses... everywhere! - Barry Kane

recently taken...

2008-04-13T18:13:00.000-07:00

...a few of my favorites from the past few weeks...

and while i'm prone to delete photos i don't think are "good enough" (and i take lots of those!), i also took a few recently that aren't really what i'd consider good in terms of composition and lighting, but seem to capture the moments they were taken just perfectly...

oh birds!

2008-03-18T19:20:00.000-07:00

...a few weeks ago, we got around to purchasing some birdseed to refill the feeder that had been sitting around, empty. we filled it up, and hung it on a low branch of the crape myrtle tree that's right next to our lower deck. this seemed like a good place since we spend lots of time out there, and it's also easy to see from our family room doors that open onto the deck - a place we often spend time playing and reading. after hanging the feeder, ben started trying to summon the birds by calling "birds! eat food! eat, eat, eat!" (over and over and over again)

of course the birds did come, and they haven't stopped coming since. we have a pair of cardinals, a blue jay, and many others which i haven't yet identified (but will, as soon as i remember to bring home a field guide to birds from my library). we all love watching them, and decided to put another feeder up, in an effort to keep our feathered friends happy.

we've also been checking out bird books the last few trips to the library (along with shark books, but that's a whole different story). a few of our recent favorite reads about birds:

Birds, nests & eggs - Mel Boring
About birds: A guide for children - Cathryn Sill
Owl babies - Martin Waddell
Blue sky bluebird - Rick Chrustowski

set crafting...

2008-03-13T19:39:00.000-07:00

much of my personal crafting (and pretty much all other hobbies) took a back seat for about a week as I worked to create the set for our school’s One Book, One School production, which this year was “The great Kapok tree” by Lynn Cherry. The drama teacher and I work together on the project, and since I’m not a bit skilled in directing or choreographing plays, but am relatively crafty, I’m in charge of costumes and the set.

After brainstorming (and the suggestions of a few very creative parents), the 18’ high tree started to take shape. I spent lots of hours using felt, fabric, floral wire and hot glue (lots and lots of hot glue), to make oversized leaves that would stand upright. Got everything assembled, and a trunk made and covered with brown craft paper, with the help of the students and Harry (those branches required power tools to attach!). The Kindergarten classes made a variety of animals, including lots of butterflies, which I placed all over the tree, and added some vines and tissue paper flowers as well.

Also rolled up green craft paper to create oversized grass, and hot glued some oversized flowers (made from 2 liter soda bottles and painted) to sticks from around my yard. This part of the display has already been moved into the library as part of the backdrop for our spring book display (as seen in the photo).

All I need now is to take some of the branches off so I can relocate the tree to the library. I’ve already scoped out a spot, and have had many people tell me we should make sure to keep the tree. After all that work, it’s definitely staying! I’d been wanting some type of tree in the library for some time, and it also goes along really well with the décor, which is student artwork (since we’re a visual and performing arts school).

super quick + easy baby quilt

2008-03-09T19:20:00.000-07:00

...i finished up a baby quilt that lived up to it's name of "super quick + easy". it was a project from "last minute patchwork and quilted gifts", and it took me less than an hour to complete. most certainly the fastest baby blanket i've ever made, and i love how it turned out - just like the photograph in the book, minus the sweet, sleeping baby (i resisted the urge to sneak into ben's room and put it on him).

i opted for two blue and white dot fabrics, as they seemed to go together really well and looked just right for a newborn baby boy.

the trickiest part of the project was figuring out which stitch to use. the directions made mention to satin stitch oval, but i couldn't find this option on my machine, so i substituted it with the cresent stitch

this quilt reminded me of the tie quilts my grandmother had in abundance around her house - the overall project was simple + sweet. i made a total of three using the same two fabrics - two for little boys recently born, and one to list on etsy. i have some vintage pink fabric that would work well for this project that i may use in the future. my first project from "last-minute patchwork and quilted gifts" went so well i'm looking forward to the next few.

signs of spring...

2008-02-21T19:44:00.000-08:00

"That is one good thing about this world... there are always to be more springs." Lucy Maud Montgomery

suddenly it seems spring is almost upon us. a few sights around our yard...

i love hearing the sounds of the birds early in the morning. ben loves listening to them as well, and searches around each time he hears them chirping. i can see birdhouses and bird feeders in our (near) future!

mindful gratitude...

2008-02-17T17:23:00.000-08:00

i heard about keeping a gratitude journal a while ago, though i can't recall where. the concept of this was something i thought i'd like to try. after all, it's easy to become bogged down in the trials and challenges of everyday life and lose sight of all there is to appreciate. after i read Eat, Pray, Love, which for me was a spiritually-changing book, i again became renewed in my effort to be mindful of the every day things. turns out keeping a gratitude journal is good for a person's mental and emotional well-being.

Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others. - Cicero

Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude. - Denis Waitley

for the past few months, i've written down 5 things i'm grateful for each day. i limit myself to 5, and i try to write down different things each day, though there are repeats (family, friends). i also try to be specific, rather than broad, which helps me reflect on just why i'm grateful for each thing. the fact that i know i'll be writing down 5 things at the end of the day has started to shape my view of each day, especially days when i would much rather grumble than laugh. i find myself more aware of the positive than the negative, simply because it's where my headspace is. doesn't always get me out of a funk, but it sure has helped.

today i'm grateful for:
1. a warm house after coming in from walking the dog
2. watching the sky change from inky black to rosy pink to bright blue and enjoying the silence before the day begins with my morning coffee
3. clean, folded laundry
4. a book i'm really enjoying
5. the bowl of rocks on my dining room table from one of my favorite places - the two summer weeks we spend there each july seem so far away this time of year

weekend exploration...

2008-02-03T18:40:00.000-08:00

the weather was beautiful over the weekend, and we spent lots of Saturday morning exploring around the pond just down the road from our house. ben loved waving to the geese, looking for frogs, and getting his shoes dirty.

i loved finding little bits of green, and spending the morning outside with my boy

outdoor adventure

2008-01-20T17:40:00.000-08:00

it's been pretty chilly over the past few weeks, but ben is definately a boy who likes to be outside. despite it being on the cool side (which is warm by my old Western New York standards for the month of January!), we ventured outside for a bit of exploring.

ben was interested in looking at all the remaining fallen leaves, branches and other odds and ends around the yard (of which there's lots thanks to all the trees we've got!)

i was caught completely amazed when he started picking pieces of a dried "flower" and handing them to me, saying "hereyougo". completely understandable, and his first three-word sentence. i think he must have done it about twenty times, because each time he did, i'd clap and say "yay!"

we brought some of what we collected inside, and put it on the dining room table. ben really loves pointing to the things he collected, and i love having something from the outdoors decorating my dining room table.