Pictures Of Things + Le Love List

July 24th, 2014 - filed under: Furthermore » Feedback

Hello, and happy weekend! I don’t know about you guys, but we are in go-go-go mode over here, getting ready for a super grand adventure – and you know how I do so love my adventures! This weekend, Jeremy and Waits and I are embarking on a camping extravaganza, making our way northward through California, over the course of 8 days. We’re seeing Sequoia and Yosemite and Tahoe, and then ending up at Mount Shasta for my annual family reunion (I wrote about that last year, here, and the year before, here, and I just re-read both of those and man . . . life is wild. My life is untamed and beautiful and wild, and I’m so glad to have lived it up and down and all the way through these past few years. I’m so glad to be here where I am, right now.) So currently we’re packing and planning and generally very excited about all that!

And I always think it’s rather reckless when bloggers announce their upcoming vacations – like, “Hello, rob me now!”, so I just want to say that 1) I HAVE A HARLEY SITTER MY HOUSE WILL NOT BE EMPTY DON’T ROB ME PLEASE K THANKS, and also 2) there’s seriously nothing to steal, nothing of value here, I promise. Sad but true.

And Waits has never been camping before. Jeremy bought him a miniature head lamp (to match Jeremy’s adult-sized head lamp which he wears pretty much constantly when he’s working around the house – did I mention my man’s eccentric? ♥) and his very own camping chair, and Waits is so excited. They are geeking out like whoa and I am basically dying of the cute. It’s good times.

However! I am hoping to bank some posts to auto-blog while we’re away. I’m looking at 2 weeks gone with very limited internet access, so if it’s quiet around here, or if I take forever responding to comments and emails, please forgive me! I’m doing my best to stay on top of things . . . and we’ll just have to see how well I can keep that up. Wish me luck and Bon Voyage!!

In the meantime, here’s what life looked this past week:


curry soup

This curry soup = crack in a bowl.


raspberry pickingcalifornia raspberry picking

Raspberry picking adventures!


children's books
Mama, I want you to read me ALL these books. And these ones too. Can we read all of them? (we did. on the floor of his new bedroom. it was wonderful.)


homegrown pinto beans
The great “Grow Your Own Vegan Protein” project of 2014 continues. Have I even mentioned this on the blog? It’s a thing. More detail coming later but for now – I grew pinto beans!


beach glass
A 2-hour walk on the beach with one of my oldest friends . . . fruitful in many ways.


preschool passage ceremony
All dressed up at the preschool Passage Ceremony. It was such a beautiful celebration.


mud fight
But the real fun was at the after-party! Nothing like a good mud fight in your fancy clothes. ♥

~~~

And now, truly the best way to set the stage for a lovely and loving weekend: Le Love List!

Damian is away at the National Pool Championship in Las Vegas, which means I get Waits all to myself for almost 3 weeks. It’s so precious to have all this time together, and I am soaking up every single second of it. // Quietly drinking my morning coffee while listening to Jeremy and Waits play a board game (the game was Fur and Feathers if you’re interested – it’s a great game for vegan/animal loving kiddos!) // All three of my produce bowls overflowing with summer’s bounty. // Gathering with all the other parents for the passage ceremony at preschool. Feeling the connections I’ve made there. Watching the children be amazing together. // In that vein, watching preschool-aged children work their shit out *amongst themselves*. Most traditional educators don’t believe that’s even possible, I’m told, but it is and it is friggin’ beautiful. These tender tiny people who have learned how to express their feelings, how to listen, and how to have real conversations with other tiny people? They are going to change the world some day. // Besting Ms. Mousy in my garden. // The rare and esoteric wine-geek wines that Jeremy brings home for me to try (leftover from their tastings). // When Waits get’s in the car and hollers “Put on Ukulele Anthem, mama!” // Eye contact. // Looong walks everywhere, even when they leave you with a bit of sun-scorch. // Connection. I’ve had a number of re-connections this week, as well as what can only be described as a sort of re-connection inside myself as well. Many of my friends are experiencing the same thing, in their own lives. Do you feel it too? Something is shifting. For me I’m in a place of bloom – but also of pushing, working to expand, digging deeper, inward as well as interpersonally. Connection is the theme. Do you feel it too?

Alright guys, now you’re up. You game? I hope you’ll leave your own little Love List in the comments below, because I (and everyone else who’s here) would really love to read them.

Happy weekend!

  • veggiesara

    Have a great time out camping and with your family! Safe trip!

    (I’m jealous at you, growing your own pinto beans and such)

  • Frugal Vegan Mom

    I agree with letting kids work it out for themselves! I watch 3 year old twins in addition to my own and find things get resolved a lot faster without my interference. My love list right now consists of enjoying the present more than I ever have – it’s summer in Minnesota and I’m 29 weeks pregnant, so… life will be very different soon. Also, never ceasing to be amazed by seeing how baby boy jerks my stomach in the craziest directions.

  • Sarah C.

    I do feel it, and it’s powerful, and it’s liberating. I’ve been re-connecting with myself in this last month, with my sense of myself and my life goals and where I’m at, and how I’m to a point now where I just don’t care about what people think of me anymore — I’m feeling free in a new way. My husband and I have also been re-connecting in a major way lately — talking about the big stuff, and realizing (all over again) how much we synch, how we share values and goals about the big things: like money, how to save it up and what to do with it, namely to get to a point of FREEDOM. Realizing that we share the goal of getting into the mountains and wilderness more, and that being in nature as a family, and being FREE, is more important to us than career goals or status in society. Our theme lately has been FREEDOM and it has been amazing to realize this, and that we share this theme/goal. So that’s my “I hear ya!” AND my love list all in one!

  • Katrina

    Wow. I want a mud fight. :)

    I have a favor to ask. Is there any way you could ask the educators at Wait’s school for the resources they use to promote conflict resolution? (That’s obnoxious teacher talk. I like your way better. Work their shit out.) This is something I’ve gradually instilled in my own 3rd/4th grade classroom but I’m always looking for more ideas because every single year has its unique kids with their own unique ways. One size does not fit all and it feels like I’m starting from scratch every year. Many thanks if you are able to do this. No worries if you can’t. :)

  • Merle Lynne Ludwig

    My love list for this week- my big one was my son’s 13th b-day yesterday. He’s with his dad for a few more weeks but we will celebrate when he gets home. We are meeting some new friends this weekend and found out that some old friends will be moving to Fl from NY and will be close to where we are. So excited! Waits is beyond cute… I love those passage ceremonies- it gives the kids a sense of accomplishment..Have a wonderful and safe trip!

  • http://www.greenfoodgreenthumb.com/ Lindsay

    my favorite posts are always Le Love Lists! This week I have one to share too. I’ve had a rough summer with several ups and downs, but this week my focus is to be grateful for the life I live, the people I cherish, and so much more. Loving: late night homemade dinners with my husband, the wonderful blogging community and incredible individuals I’m blessed to call long-distance friends, balmy Florida summertime nights, fresh summer fruit at the farmer’s markets, and my health (although a pain in the ass sometimes, it usually comes around!)
    Happy Friday Bonzai readers!!

  • Penelope

    Sounds like a grand adventure indeed. I work at Yosemite (in the museum…behind the scenes, so I likely won’t run into you…)–hope you’ll have a chance to stop by the museum. If you do, and Julia Parker happens to be working (inside the museum, in the Indian Cultural Exhibit), you should chat with her about acorns and other traditional Native American foods :) She’s written a book on the subject called It Will Live Forever. She’s an amazing woman. Anyway, that’s my atypical Yosemite recommendation for you ;) Have a great trip!

  • http://windycityvegan.wordpress.com/ Monika {windycityvegan}

    Ha, I know what you mean about announcing to the internet that you’re going on vacation. I waited to talk about mine on IG until we had a house sitter lined up! I’m so excited for Waits to be going on his first camping trip – this is the first summer we haven’t taken Nina camping, and she’s very very sad! I had no idea it meant that much to her, so now the wheels are turning about how to squeeze in some camping in the next few weeks. Oh, and I went through my own spate of re-connecting a few months ago – maybe it’s the next zeitgeist?

    Love list! This article. // Teaching my last cooking class this weekend before school starts. // Watching Nina muddle cherries and mint from the garden to make herself some cherryade. // Avoiding whining and over-tired conflict by parenting through song. Example: Nina is on the verge of throwing a fit because we asked her to pick up her room and caught her shoving everything under her bed; we’re on the verge of responding by collecting everything up off the floor and taking it to the thrift store. Instead, we turn to the lyrics of Ice Cube to give her fair warning, “you better check yo self before you wreck yo self.” We all laugh our asses off, she asks for help (rather than petulantly demanding it), and we all live happily ever after. True story. // spicy maple-tamari glazed tempeh // I’m making a top(!) secret(!) cookbook of family favorites for Nina and the husband, because they still don’t quite realize that they’re going to have to make dinner every weeknight for themselves, and quite possibly me, too.

  • Give Vegan

    I am LOVING searching for happy moments. Creating them everyday. Documenting them with photographs. I’ve been doing this for a month and a half now and it’s really, quite literally “changed” my mind. From the time I wake up I’m looking for something special in the day-big or small. If I can’t find it I MAKE IT HAPPEN! Love to all. Heidi xo

  • stephie137

    Love the Passage ceremony and the afterparty! LLL…summer thunderstorms, big potlucks where I see all my friends with families and everyone brings vegan food (almost all from the OSG cookbook!!), kid fun, decluttering, and decluttering enough that the kids wander into the craft room and settle in with me for a while, lunch with my work mentor, running while Kid #1 rides his “four wheeler” beside me…yeah, kids are the best.

  • Elizabeth

    Love it! I’m also leaving on my own vacation this Saturday, to St. Augustine, Florida, for a family reunion of sorts, 2 weeks of extended family fun just like when we were kids (and at the same resort, no less!) I’m looking forward to sharing this beautiful place with my boyfriend and to helping the kids turn beach finds into all sorts of jewelry. AND to FINALLY taking a REAL vacation! AND having ALL of our renovations completed while we’re gone!!!!!! Also, oddly, but amazingly, the death of a passionate, life-loving friend with a beautiful soul who passed away much, much, much too early 2 weeks ago (leaving behind a loving husband and 3 year old son) affected me deeply for a while, but her memory seems to have now renewed my zest for life and the desire to get over my silly issues and just LIVE MY LIFE without being afraid of consequences if I actually go after the things I want! Wow, I don’t know what it is about you, but your posts always make me want to pour my heart out! And one more for the love list, nectarine, candy cane+golden beets from the garden+cucumber+a whole bunch of fresh herbs also from the garden+ginger dressing = heaven! I’ve had it 3 days in a row!

  • Vi

    The use of the word “crack” as descriptive is insanely offensive to anyone even remotely touched or affected by crack addiction. Just a professional tip and an alternate perspective.