Pictures Of Things + Le Love List :: 15/52

April 16th, 2017 - filed under: Furthermore » Feedback

Fifteen weeks straight! Not so bad for a perpetually-busy bee like me.

This week was strange, with glorious Saturdays sandwiching a seriously grumpy, grouchy, no good, very bad week. I was in a funk Monday through Friday, despite some exciting goings-on (Jeremy’s birthday!) along the way. Does that ever happen to you, just an unexplained malaise? No fun . . . but I’m out of it now, so that’s what matters I guess. Onwards and upwards!

Here’s what the fifteenth week of 2017 has looked like:

A stunning drive up to wine country last Sunday, with the wild mustard lighting up every hillside.

Touring the Holus Bolus vineyard with Peter, the winemaker. Discussing very important details like grade and altitude and soil composition . . . and ooh look, a bug!

And of course, tasting (this Roussanne was a highlight of the day).

None for you, Butters!

This week in the kinder-garden, we finally got to harvest the bananas we’ve been oh-so-patiently waiting for. The children were so excited!

On my Love List: listening to children playing when they don’t know you’re listening.

Harvested homegrown lemon balm — going into the dehydrator to become herbal tea!

For Jeremy’s birthday, we decided to open a 77 year old port from his “cellar”. That’s right, a wine that was made in 1940 and aged in oak for 60 years, then bottled in the year 2000. What an experience!

Such a rare and precious thing calls for a proper vegan cheese plate. (and a proper party,
which we had of course)

UCSB’s Pride In The Park was awesome and adorably kid-friendly. It’s really inspiring to see such a strong queer youth community — makes this old lady very proud!

This silly fellow keeps me smiling even through my funk. (and also, we’re not the only household that uses the washing machine as basically an catch-all everything receptacle, right??)

Play dough party.

On Friday we celebrated the end of the week (and the end of my funk) with this year’s first family beach picnic dinner. This is something that Jeremy and I have been doing with Waits for as long as we have been together. Every spring through fall, every few weeks, we pack up blankets and food and drink and most importantly, portable speakers (music is key) and hit the beach for a sunset dinner. It’s free, it’s easy, and MAN it’s just amazing. One of my very favorite of our traditions.

Whenever he finds trash “Mooooooom, put this in your bag!” My passionate little environmentalist. ♥

Happy.

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

Playing old folk records during family dinner time. // Hot tea alllll day at work. // When I step out of my work building and get hit with the smell of the ocean. // Getting the UCSB Pride Week email in my inbox, and excitedly reading through the itinerary. Started off with this glorious image, and included such events as “You Cannot Weigh Beauty: Body Positive Pool Party” and workshops like “Just Because You Suck Black Dick Doesn’t Mean You’re Not Racist.” LOVE. IT. // In that vein, working at the University. The cultural diversity — just the number of different accents — that surround me every day! People from *all* over the world. I feel so lucky to work there. // Dozens of tangerines on my desk — my favorite afternoon snack. // That my godparents come to parties at my house. *Love* // Seedlings! // The incredible little human being that Waits is becoming. He surprises and delights me every day, and I thought that no age could beat 6 (6 is so good!) but so far 7 is taking the cake for most epic snuggles, best clear-eyed conversations, and sweetest affection, with the added bonus of real bona-fide budding comedy. I love that little boy with my whole heart, and my gratitude is all the way to the moon and back that he is mine. ♥ ♥ ♥

~~~

Alright guys, now it’s your turn! I really love reading your own Le Love Lists, so please leave them down in the comments below. What are the little things in your life that make you smile this week?

I hope you have a magnificent week!

♥

http://suburbansnowwhite.com Katrina

Yes on the malaise! It’s always so weird when it happens, no? You think you got it all figured out and then — boom — Eeyore mopiness. (Mopeyness? Spell check is not pleased with this word.)

My love list: Waking up inexplicably at 4:30 this morning, making coffee, and walking the neighborhood in my jammies and slippers with my favorite pottery mug full of the good stuff. Birds twittering awake everywhere. I felt part of their world, and oh-so-happy with our newly flowering spring here on the outskirts of Boston. Buzzing with relief for a friend who hospitalized herself (2 weeks outpatient) for depression and who is now doing SO much better after having met so many people who GET what she’s going through. It’s amazing what talking to people who get your story can do. Hummus — it never gets old. My budding business and the gargantuan amount I’m learning through my B-School course. Rainbow drawings from my students. Just starting reading Emily of New Moon and it’s amazing and just what I was in the mood for. Avocado toast with just a few dabs of hot sauce. Colorful post-its. My Tombow Markers. My sweet pups who are exhausted but happy from their daily hikes in the woods. My hubby, who recently quit his job and is back to teaching guitar again and walking dogs. He’s SO much happier than I’ve seen him in years. Plastic Easter eggs. (I’ve always loved them.) Meandering bookstores. Smelling really nice candles. The pair of purple finches who are building a nest RIGHT next to my studio window. It’s amazing to watch. They’ve stopped bringing hay and stuff to it, so it must be close to egg-laying time! Reading your blog. :)
Shannon

Here you on the funk, I’ve been dealing with senioritis since it is my last year of on campus work. Only two more weeks and a dissertation defense to go!

My love list – keeping up with old friends, researching my new soon to be home, movie nights, finding a pair of jeans that fit, Ann Friedman’s newsletter, baking, sandwiches for lunch, and walks across this campus- I will miss the scenery here.
http://myblissfuljourney.com Jennifer

First timer to your blog! LOVE it! I will surely be back! LOVE the photos you shared! And all of the SMILES!
Rebecca Carnes

I totally agree with watching kids play while they think no one is watching…love hearing their tiny voices and conversations <3

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