Pictures Of Things + Le Love List

July 3rd, 2016 - filed under: Furthermore » Feedback

Hello my dears! It’s been so long since we’ve done one of these Pictures Of Things + Love List posts, and I’m so excited to share these bits and pieces of our life with you, and to read all of your Love Lists that you leave in the comments here. It’s summertime and my schedule has begun to open up, and the very first thing on my list is to get back into my blogging groove! I’ve missed it — and you all — so much. ♥

Right now as I write this, it’s Sunday morning. I’m lying in bed with my love, lazy long morning sleeping in, sipping coffee and settling in to write this post. And I couldn’t be happier! It’s a holiday weekend, I have 2 whole days off, to play with my man (Waits is with Damian), and no work, absolutely no work, on the schedule. Just garden fun and kitchen witchery, grilling out together, craft cocktails in the back yard under the shade of the fig tree, naps and movies and snuggles, maybe a trip to the hardware store. A walk to the beach to see the fireworks tomorrow night. It’s just what we need and it’s going to be so good!

One of the fun projects we’re going to be attempting today is to make some new ferments: a ginger bug (for homebrewed ginger beer) and some fermented Harissa hot sauce. We’re pretty excited, and I’ll be sharing my [hopefully] success in an upcoming post. July 22nd is The Ball Jar Company’s “Can-It-Forward Day” — a day meant to celebrate the bounty of the season (and the joy of preserving it). This year, they’ll also be donating to various local charities as part of the event. Oh! Also, they have a Tumblr and you guys, it’s so full of so many beautiful mason jar ideas I can’t even handle it. I just scroll and drool. It’s so good!

Anyway, so that’s what we’re up to today, and here’s what we’ve been up to in a more general sense:

Exploring back roads with my love. Have you ever seen a fennel field? It looks like a teeny tiny forest.

Closer.

Touring a winery in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley.

And then, the winery was nice enough to put together a vegan and gluten-free spread for the Pinot pairing, full of pickley, fermentey delights. So awesome!

Checking out the annual I Madonnari Italian street painting festival with my kiddo and my papa.

My favorite piece.

Waits with his little bestie, Weston. They call themselves “The Two Double-Yoos”.

More winery fun. Bubbles and a big vegan spread, enjoyed by vegans and non-vegans alike. ♥

We chaperoned Waits’s school triathalon.

Foraging.

Homemade limeade popsicles with foraged nasturtiums.

Bowling with friends.

VEGAN BEER FEST!!!

This year I was asked to be a part of the judging panel for Vegan Beer Fest, and this is my crew — Team Sweets! (Me, Janette VeganGirl4Ever, Excel The Evolving Vegan, Kelly The Veg Foodie, Khad Vegan By Grace, and Ndem BigTymer32) We sampled every single sweet treat, dessert, and confection, plus kombucha, craft soda, and cold brew. Whew!

Mmmmm beautimous.

But of course we ate some savory grub as well.

Vegan ramen with a vegan hard boiled egg — probably the highlight of my day.

The communal altar at our Summer Solstice party. Happy Summer!

~~~

And now, it’s time for the one, the only, Le Love List!

SNAP CHAT! You guys I am obsessed. I basically snap all day every day. It’s kinda crazy. @SaywardRebhal. // Playing tag in the grass with my dad and a bunch of kiddos, at first just my own, but then a friend we ran into, and another friend who found us, and then stranger kids began to join the game. Spontaneous inter-generational tag-a-palooza. It was really sweet. ♥ // The meditation that is weeding. // Sri Lankan ceyclon black tea. // Watching Susan Weed’s herbalism and wildcrafting videos on YouTube. (here) // An old friend stopped by the wine bar, out on a late night walk with his toddler. And smiling slyly, he handed me a cardboard box, and I opened it up to find 6 perfect little cucumber starts. Garden people are the best people! ♥ // Sandwiches. (No really, the. addiction. is. real.) // Kitties making biscuits on my belly. // Arrowheads. // Frankincense and Sandalwood and Dragon’s Blood. // Sunflowers. // I’ve always been the sort of person who needs to have a good story to tell myself, about myself. I like to have definition, if you know what I mean, and I do this by creating a narrative about me — almost like an archetype — that helps to guide me through my daily life. And for the past few years, ever since my divorce and moving back to Santa Barbara, I’ve sort of . . . not had one. I’ve felt lost and meandering. “Directionless, yet driven”. Not quite sure of what this new chapter of my life should be about. No strong sense of where to go and how to get there . . . or of who I was in this new place, and this new life.

But recently that’s changed. Recently, I found a way to reclaim my narrative. I feel empowered in my life again. I’ve given myself permission to be exactly who I am, and it’s the very best feeling. I’ll share more on this in the future, but for now suffice it to say: I’m BACK. And it’s so damn wild.

~~~

Alright guys, now it’s your turn! I do so love to read your beautiful Le Love Lists, so please please please, leave them down in the comments below. What little pleasures have been making you smile lately??? ♥ ♥ ♥

And as always, I hope you have a most amazing weekend!

♥

https://www.youtube.com/user/gneasachamasoin WookieWifey

I didn’t think I had this in me today. Life has, quite frankly, been terrible for the last few months and, as a result, I’ve spent most of the last 3 days in bed crying with one of the worst depression bouts I’ve ever had. However, I guess that’s all the more reason to dig for the good things and battle this shit!

<3 Finally starting to see through the other side of this depression spell some. <3 that soon I should have my car fixed after a YEAR and should finally be able to get a job and get back on my feet. <3 that a 10-year, stagnant, emotionally abusive relationship is finally over. <3 that I'm finally learning to stand up for myself and what *I* want out of life. <3 that I have been getting hit on by super young guys and they all think I am about 10 years younger than I am…even though I don't bite…let's face it, they wouldn't know what to do with me if they caught me. XD <3 that I have a good friend that's paying for my car repairs and going to let me pay them off to them so that all this is possible. <3 finally letting go of a toxic, one-sided friendship I'd clung to for 15 years. <3 focusing on myself for once, finally, for the first time in my life, even if it is lonely and scary as shit. <3 finding out I can have kids when I've been told my whole life I couldn't, even though I had to miscarry to get that information and that whole process was VERY hard, just the possibilities it has opened up are pretty amazing. <3 the few friends and family members who have been there for me through all this and have kept reminding me, through all the bad things, that I am a good person and don't deserve what I've been through lately. <3 being loved by someone new, even though it's on the rocks and even if it doesn't end up working out, because I've learned a lot about myself from it. <3 my bestie/sister-in-law whisking me away for a weekend of retail therapy, good food, and getting shitfaced in order to help me through the tough times. <3 Instagram and particularly your feed, Sayward, since I feel a bit of witchy solidarity I didn't even know I needed so badly.

So…kind of a bittersweet love list, but in a big depression bout, I think it is about the best I can do.
http://www.one-sonic-bite.com/ Jennifer

Is harrissa traditionally fermented? I’ve made the recipe for it from Vegan Eats World, but it mentions nothing about fermentation, which if it does use it, that would be nice because I get so many hot peppers from my CSA and it would be a great way of saving them. I use to make pickled jalepenos but they tend to freeze in the back of the fridge, breaking the glass jars…. not good.

And good luck with your ginger bug! That is something I’ve always wanted to do. I guess I’ll just stick with yeast for homemade sodas for right now.
Ayla

Dear Sayward,

This is the first time İ’m posting on your blog, but İ’ve been reading it for several years and truly value your insight, creativity, and honesty, as well as the lovely community that has grown around it. And OMG… the limeade popsicles with nasturtiums!!!

My Love List:
*** studying biomimicry: learning about how to learn from nature has totally opened my eyes and heart to how incredible, beautiful, and sustainable nature is, and how the world could be transformed if our species consciously looked to nature for guidance *** a bowl of gazpacho on a hot summer day *** lavender oil for my armpits *** playing cribbage with my love during train rides *** being able to connect with dear friends who live across the ocean thanks to this crazy technology *** knowing that all İ can do is try my best and let go of the rest *** swimming in the Mediterranean Sea *** my aloe plant and its cooling, juicy ooziness for the sunburn İ got after swimming in the Mediterranean Sea *** this blog! ***

XOXO
Ayla
Rebecca Carnes

I always get to the Love lists late :) Better late than never though right?
LOVE: Summertime late nights, Afternoon/after school beach play with P, Berries, Our blooming sunflowers!! And finally, watching all the kiddos play into the night on the 4th of July…reminded me of being a kid & not having a care in the world;)
http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

Always better late than never! Our sunflowers are blooming and I just cut my first bouquet a few days ago. I love homegrown sunflower season!

I love what you said about watching P play and getting to relive that feeling through him. One of my favorite parts of being a mother is getting to catch a little high on that feeling of being a child — carefree and living for PLAY. It’s such an amazing experience. ♥
http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

Oh I love this comment! So glad you finally said hi, and left such a lovely Love List!

I’d love to hear more about your thoughts on biomimicry and the potential it has when implemented by people. Hope you’re having a great week Ayla!
http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

Actually I don’t think that it is. That’s why I was so happy to find this recipe! Like me sriracha, I always think that fermented versions of things are superior to non-fermented versions of things. =D
http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

WOW Lenn!!

I am so, so sorry that there is so much difficulty in your life right now and in the recent past. It sounds like you have really been through some shit (like most sensitive people I know have recently – I think we talked about this?). But honestly this Love list is beautiful! It sounds like you are Pheonixing like a badass fire warrior emerging from your ashes to reclaim your life in a bigger, better, more amazing way. I think you have incredible things coming to you and this Love list makes me really excited for you!
https://www.youtube.com/user/gneasachamasoin WookieWifey

The last 3 or 4 months have truly been the hardest in my life. I’m hoping it is coming to an end soon, as I’ll be able to work and try to put myself back together once I have my car, but…I just keep telling myself that I’m a badass and I got this…even when I don’t believe it. :)
Judith

Hi!
I thought I’d try to join in here aswell, especially since I find it hard to pinpoint what makes me happy atm… so trying to write a love list might be some form of self-therapy ;-) But first I wanted to say, that the last parts of your list, about lacking ones narrative and feeling lost, resonated deeply with me, because I realized that’s exactly how I’ve been feeling for a while.
Now, my love list:
watching the moon in the night sky/lying on my bed in the dark watching and listening to the thunderstorm and rain outside/coffeebreaks/berries from the garden/the first homegrown tomatoes and zucchinis/my slackline underneath the apple trees/greenhouse chores at work/warm nights/riding my bike/being taken care of by my mom/leaning on my boyfriend’s shoulder/the cats who seem to follow me on every step/looking forward to meeting up with friends and family.
Brie

Hello! Lovely post. :)
My love list: my furry friends that follow me around the house all day, the subtle invigorating feeling from a simple stroll, the impressive strength and determination of the healing body, my partner who is kind and giving even when it is hard, soup, and the sunshine that pours into my window from 7 till 9 pm (ah life in the northern latitudes).

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