I slowed to a wander on Sunday. It felt good to be so lazy and slow. The weather has been gorgeous. Bright and dry and just generally so pleasant. Our yard has been suffering the drought. It's been months since it's rained, I think. I was watering a bit through the summer and then I got busy and stopped. Andy spent the day moving the hose around from place to place. He did an imitation of a hydrangea before and after watering that was spot on — I wish I had a video. "Before" was this sad, parched, drooping, reaching thing; "after" he was bouncing in place and looked like he was on his way to a birthday party. :-) Pretty cute. I think the yard is a bit happier now, but honestly, I'd be relieved to stop worrying about it. A good rainy day would be most welcome, but all week we're supposed to be mid- to upper-eighties, and clear as a bell.
Before the slow, we packed and shipped orders, cleaned the fridge, got some groceries, did some laundry, watched television. Every night lately we've been falling asleep before 10 p.m. I made the blueberry cake again with marionberries, and a version of this pasta for dinner, but with sage instead of rosemary. I need to get it together, and get back into my cooking routine. I feel like this happens every year at this time! I need to sit down with my cookbooks and get inspired to cook for fall. Maybe actually plan [shivers involuntarily]. I suck at that. I don't mind the cooking; it's the thinking of what to cook every day that hinders. "What should we eat?" "I don't know. What do you want?" "I don't care. What do you want?" "I don't know. Pizza?" And pizza, because unless I'm actually looking at a cookbook or a recipie or a restaurant menu it's the only food I can seem to remember. I have the palate of an eighth-grade boy now. Hrrmmmm.
Making a new little preppy-hippie quilt. It's very yang. Thinking about maybe putting together a little quilt kit this winter. I think that would be really fun.
Puppers worries so when her Andy is down in the front yard without her. . . . What if he should fall down? Or need help with the sprinkler? Or someone should walk by? Or someone and A DOG should walk by? "Could you open this thing please?"
Last year (or maybe the year before?) the dahlias were $2.50/bu. Inflation. Still, a bargain.
I think I´m in love with your dog. He is says so much with his eyes alone! Plus, I´m also in love with your house...
ottolenghi has been inspiring me lately.
http://www.amazon.com/Plenty-Vibrant-Recipes-Londons-Ottolenghi/dp/1452101248/ref=la_B002A0CKME_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347895794&sr=1-1
here's his column.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/series/thenewvegetarian?INTCMP=SRCH
some are more labor intensive than others, but all are inspiring in the veg department.
I am so with you on the planning meal thing, I hate it..your pictures are beautiful as always,,ordered your fancy breakfast one can't wait to get it,,hoping you have a wonderful week.
Devon
I so love your little Clover Meadow! xoxoxo
Things are still unusually warm down here too. So ready for fall, so that I can walk without roasting, bake without roasting the whole house, and so I can actually roast things in the oven instead!
A quilt kit would be perfect. Love the quilt in the photo.
I love my ornament kit! Dan is making me wait until my birthday (early oct) before I can "open" it.
I think your idea for a quilt kit is also very lovely!
I am trying to be inspired to cook now, too. In fact, I am just about to search for kale recipes to make with the giant amount of kale in the fridge.
We were in OR a couple of weeks ago visiting family and as always we felt the urge to move there, and I think the lovely pictures on your blog act in my subconscious urging me on.. :)
your quilt is going to match you perfectly xoxo
I would be first in line for a quilt kit you put together.
I'm dreaming of those magic Alicia colors :)
HA HA HA HA! I'm still laughing at the 8th grade boy thing....:)
Super cute little plate the piece of cake is on! Also, I love the Swedish-ey light in your photos - very Carl Larsson to me.
i think you need to consider making a calender with all of your amazing photography. yes i do. after the quilt, of course.
have a lovely week!
Love the mix of pics - and your sweet doggy of course. I have both a cute dog and cat myself so I´m weak for that kind of photos! :-)
I love the quilt! The pinks are perfect with the greens (seriously, who needs any colors other than pink and green?)
I'm off to check out that pasta recipe. It looks delish...
Lovely photos. Yes, our weather is just the same. How odd for Vancouver to have all these absolutely clear skies!Until the end of the month they say. Oh my!
(I have been wanting to make home made lasagna. Maybe you have a great recipe,... can I inspire you, so you can inspire me, haha?)
Wishing you and yours a great start to the week;-)
Oh we had a pizza week last week too. Every other night, we picked up pizza or heated frozen. I baked a great big ham 2 nights ago. I guess it will be ham week this week. :P The kids and hubby really don't care. Have a good week :)
Nice photos! Especially love that pupper's face and the flowers with the honor system payment. Thanks for sharing, and please pass a square of that delicious looking berry cake. :)
Yes definately do a quilt kit i'd absolutely love that!
Love love love your blog you bring some sunshine to my dreary cold english day! :)
Quilt Kit, I'm in line for a hippie Quilt. See you need to write a cookbook, well, after the Quilt Kit and Calendar, I spent all weekend working on my ornaments, and listening to "The Carpenter", Crazy Good.....
Alicia, if you're going to plan meals, I think it's better to do it for a week ahead, but it is time-consuming. Looking at recipes, grocery prices, trying to balance what you're eating. It's a good thing to do, but sometimes I get sick of it and just skip it. If you can make a list of tried-and-true dinners and keep adding to it, seeing that list will help. (but, everybody's different, and everybody's schedule is different.)
The anxious look on your doggie's face struck me - they love us and trust us so much, but their lives are still so dependent on us. And some of the more sensitive pets will try to figure us out (I'm thinking of my cat, Dolly); what pleases us, and knowing it will also help them to be happier. (I don't think I'm imagining this! am I?)
Blessings to you -
like the quilt, of course! :)
oh yeah, a hippie quilt...those of us who lived the 70s salute you and wait with much anticipation....yes please. trust me, you do NOT want to be an 8th grade boy...many many noises and smells....and i too am pants at meal planning, therefore i make myself plan one month at a time, 4 days each week...that leaves two for eating out, one for leftovers...makes it much easier for shopping and for cooking....just so you know.
Your meal conversation sounds so much like ours. Though usually my husband will say that he wants food. When pressed, he amends it by saying, "Tasty food." So useful, I know.
What's Clover thinking?
Her dear face... that's going to stay on my mind all day.
I made that blueberry cake the last time you blogged about it - OMG, it was fabulous. Seriously thinking about making THAT for dinner. Yeah, the whole dinner.
That blueberry cake looks soooo good! More beautiful photos!
I just read Dinner: A Lovestory and it got me inspired to make dinner again. In fact I can not wait to get home and cook tonight. I have not felt that way all summer!