Of Hearth and Home

Lately, I've been 

1. making applesauce (which is delicious and easy, as long as you have a Vitamix or a really tireless chopper)

2. Hung out and drank peppermint espressos with my dear friend Aimee, who is so photogenic and poised, unlike Clawhand on the left. 

Cheers to that!

3. Taught the baby how to do the wave. Here she is, practicing for the next big game.

4. Made her a very frilly headband from pantyhose, fabric scraps and a flowery shirt.

No, she doesn't know where Carmen San Diego is.

5. Threw her in the Ergo and took her outside in her pajamas to water the plants every morning this week. We're both morning people--she does most of her correspondence (esp email) before noon.

6. Witnessed the power of chicken manure. Check out how my withering, pathetic tomatoes came roaring back. This is on the same plant.

7. Quick peek at the rest of the garden: Broccoli

One lone, brave eggplant.

Navel oranges from our little sapling.

And my favorite--a new blueberry plant, which I'm babysitting for my little friend, Carter. He always comes over and loves picking our blueberries, so I decided to get him one.

I love taking in all the sights and smells of our garden! 'Course, I just started a compost heap, so that could change.

Also, Chris doesn't reeeeally know about it yet, but I'm hoping that I've buried the scraps deep enough. If not, it will either jeopardize our marriage or our neighbors will start letting the air out of our tires. Maybe both. Will keep you posted! Cheers!

Hope you get to spend some time outdoors this weekend, even as it gets chilly. In all honesty, I think it's really restorative and necessary to human happiness.

Note about the weather: Here in southbay/LA, it's always, even in mid/late November, about 55-60 degrees. No, I'm not bragging. Unless you mean by bragging, gloating and giving myself shoulder rubs and a big thumbs up. 'Course, we still have the horrific, grinding traffic and a generally ruder population prone to violence and car-burning...Don't be jealous. It all evens out.

Happy Easter! Fresh Eggs, Fresh Blooms, and OOTD

 

     Happy Easter, lovely people. It's been a little foggy and misty these past few days. Do I wish I hadn't gloated about Southern California's perfect weather last post? Maybe. Didn't keep me from enjoying Easter foods. Especially since I didn't have to make any of it. 

     These hand-dipped eggs were made by my friend Gabby. She used leaves from her garden, panty hose, and a pot she didn't mind throwing out. That's also hand-made bread, which was completely delicious with a LOT of butter. Didn't need it--I just like butter. 

     Gabby and I went to a garden center the other day together. We both love plants--me, blooms. Her, succulents. 

     I only have irises for you.

 OOTD: I wore my Eva Franco dress for church, and Avery wore a flowered Carter's dress.

Yes, I know--I should have taken a full-length picture. Sorry I'm so lame. Just believe me when I felt like an Asian Jackie O without the yacht. Or Asian Joan Harris without the crazy chest.

Avery looks like a baby Asian Laura Ingalls Wilder.

The dress was too tight, so had to slip into some Deletta--perhaps the most comfortable dress I own. Just all jersey softness. Off, off, oppressive tweed!

OOTD:
Anthro Deletta Corsage Twirl Dress
Anthro Moth Windy Dunes Cardi

Avery's outfit:
Skirt and Cardi, gifted
Baby Legs, Leg warmers
Headband, gifted

Happy Easter, everyone!...And the winner of the Perricone giveaway is Alexandra! Congratulations!

Ming Garden, a Mini Garden, and Outfits of the End of the Week

Hi friends! We made it to the end of the week. Whew! Is anyone else as exhausted as I am? I'm sure we all feel a little battered and bruised. 

Well, one of my simple pleasures in life is my tiny garden that I started when I first moved in with Chris after we got married. I felt this inexplicable longing for something--maybe post-traumatic stress from the wedding? Maybe growing pains? Just a general malaise. Blah.
 

Well, starting a garden from seed and tending to it everyday seemed to nurture my soul. I can't say enough about it--even though I have the brown thumb of death, these flowers and tomatoes seem to grow. DESPITE my best efforts!
 

It's a wonderful exercise to feel at peace with yourself, to be outdoors, to let go of your stress. 'Course, my favorite part is being able to eat from my own plants--as a city girl, I find that AMAZING. I water these suckers everyday--and in a few weeks, I EAT what I just added water to. 

BLOWS. MY. MIND.