So here I am, in the middle of November and posting a summer recap. But better late that never, I say! It’s important to me to pin these pictures on my piece of the Internet, suspended here forever. So I can always visit them and remember — “Ahhh, it was a good summer!”

It started with the lemonade. It was the end of spring, and I had a bunch of lemons from our tree that I wanted to make sure and use before they went bad. And the weather was finally warming up, so I thought — Lemonade! I’ll make lemonade with Waits and it’ll be fun. I wrote it on the chalk board that covers our spice cupboard in the kitchen, so I wouldn’t forget it.

The next day I came into the kitchen and Jeremy had added to my list: “Camping”

And then a few days later, he added another: “Dodgers Game”

Oooh I love a good bucket list, and I could see where this was going! So I began adding my own ideas to the board, and before we knew it we had ourselves a solid summer plan. And I’m happy to say that we hit every one of our goals (some with more pictures than others, but all of them accomplished nonetheless). It was little things and big things. It was simple pleasures and grand adventures. It was us — our list touched on all our favorite summer traditions.

So here it is — a summary of our summer! A bucket list in photoessay form . . .

Lemonade

Camping

Dodgers Game

Berry Picking

Outdoor Movie

Ocean Kayaking

Hike 7-Falls

Lake Day

Fireworks

Yeah. It was a really, really great summer.

When I began the draft of this post, I titled it “Spring Things [2017]“, and I worked on it for weeks, returning to it, adding a bit here and there (that’s how I tend to blog these days) before I realized that it’s not actually 2017 anymore. I almost published it with the wrong year, and I think that’s indicative of something. Don’t ask me what, but something.

Life is moving quickly, and I used to say that with the subtext “too quickly, I can’t keep up” but now everything is different and the subtext is more like “WHEEEEE this is awesome!”

Life is moving quickly because it’s very, very full and everything that fills it is happy and good. For once, and finally. Things are so good.

While I was organizing this post and putting all the finishing touches in place, I couldn’t help but notice how many of these photos were taken outside. In nature. In the wild, wide open. And isn’t that what spring is all about? Re-emerging, and re-embracing that wild, wide open?

Here are a few of my favorite moments from Spring:

On May 4th, Jeremy and I celebrated our 5-year anniversary — an anniversary that was very hard earned. Through moving to a new city, starting a small business, starting and finishing graduate school, opening a wine bar together, closing the wine bar and the business, moving in together and then moving again, bouts of depression, finding new jobs, constant financial struggle in this ridiculously expensive part of the world, and of course parenting our way through all of it — well, it hasn’t been easy. I don’t talk about it much, the details of our relationship, I guess because it feels like they aren’t just mine to share. But I will tell you this: we’ve gotten here by the skin of our teeth. 5 years. And there were so many times I was sure we wouldn’t make it. Relationships are strange things, and this one is particularly so, because it involves two emotional, eccentric, opinionated people (and one very, very spirited child). But I don’t know, man. We keep working and trying, growing and learning. And we keep on loving each other through all of it, despite all of it, and also because of all of it. I am so proud of what we’ve been through, how far we’ve come, and how we’ve both made the commitment to keep showing up for this relationship, again and again, no matter what.

5 years.

We went camping, of course.

It was a wonderful weekend, and a perfect way to celebrate our 5 years together. But of course, all good things must come to an end. Back to real life . . .

This little person, who is not so little any more, finished second grade. It was a bittersweet beginning to our summer vacation, because his lovely little charter school, where he has gone for kindergarten and 1st grade and 2nd grade, and has had the same amazing teacher the entire time, is closing its doors for good. It was a hard goodbye; the loss of a wonderful community, and a real shaking of foundation for Waits.

Which, you know, I guess that’s life? Endings and beginnings, love and loss. Spring turns into summer turns into autumn. Little baby boys turn into charming young men, and grow up way too fast and it breaks their mothers’ hearts (am I right?). That’s the way of the world.

As it should be.

And now , because it’s been so very very long — the one, the only, Le Love List!

Waits cooked Jeremy and I dinner, from start to finish, with very minimal help, and not only was it amazing to see him so careful and focused, but it was GOOD. It was a damn good meal. // Homegrown anti-anxiety tea. // My garden in general, it’s so pretty this year. // The way the cold night air hits me when I leave my office after dark. The whole world smells like ocean. // Waits singing at the top of his lungs when he’s in the shower. // Painting Vesper’s toenails. // Burning candles every night (this one really makes Jeremy happy). // Jade. // I didn’t shave my legs for 2 whole months during winter, and it was awesome. // When Waits lets us sleep in waaaaay late on the weekend. // Jeremy and I getting down and dancing to Salt ‘n Peppa in the kitchen. // Childish Gambino (duh). // Juicing pineapple. Every. Day. // WE ARE GOING TO BELIZE!!! Jeremy and I have been talking about traveling together internationally since the day we met, and we have been planning this trip for soooo long. But life always got in the way — it was always something coming along that would make us have to change plans, and postpone and postpone and postpone. Until now. Now, the flights are booked and the work leave is scheduled and the beachfront cabana is reserved and we are GOING TO BELIZE in August. 1 masters degree, 2 small businesses, 3 big moves, and a million obstacles overcome later, we are going to Belize. And damn I think we deserve it. ♥

So alright, that’s it for now. I miss all of you and I’d love to hear about your spring, what you’ve been up to, what’s been hard and what’s been good — all that stuff that makes up a life worth living. Leave me a comment, let’s catch up!

♥

When I was just a wee baby blogger, I wrote a Love Letter to autumn. To quote: “I want to curl up with a strong cup of coffee and write and write and write. I want to put on moody music and map my future on scented stationary. Today I want to pen my manifesto, find myself a bullhorn, and sing my dream to the world.”

Gosh I was young, back in 2010.

But of course, autumn still does that to me. Not that I’m curling up and penning manifestos these days . . . But at work every day after lunch, I take a long walk at Campus Point. Out along the bluffs, dusty and dotted with ice plant, and the occasional twisted evergreen stretching itself so far out over the ocean, just daring the cliffside to crumble. I love walking high above the beach. Watching the waves toss pebbles onto the sand. Autumn oceans are turbulent; brilliant cobalt blue but capped with heaving whitewater. It’s not the still sea of summer. And I love it. I may not be unholstering my bullhorn these days, but autumn still fills me with fire. I’m reflecting. Reflecting on everything.

It’s a good way to go into winter. I’m ready to set some new intentions. Ready to hibernate for a spell, cocoon myself up and grow some pretty new wings for spring.

And I hope that you are too! Are you still out there in Internet land? I mean, of course you are. And whether you’ll find this blog post, or whether you never do, I hope you’ve had a really wonderful autumn. ♥

Okay, here are a few of my favorite moments:

And that brings us to now. November. Deep autumn, readying for winter. Dreaming of solstices and holidays, long dark nights and lots of cozy time. I’m really looking forward to it.

Okay, now it’s time for the one, the only, Le Love List! I’ve been saving it up on my phone again, a little list of happy that travels with me wherever I go . . .

Being naked. // Not getting sick. My strong-as-hell immune system. // Waits helping me cook, and his enthusiasm for it. // BABIES! (still) // Feeling genuinely impressed with myself. // Doing guided meditations for Waits at bedtime (early autumn). // Waits reading himself to sleep every night, wrapped up in his blankies with his little headlamp to light the pages (late autumn). // Intentional parenting. Working on that — getting better at that. // An old friend called me up, while he was driving back from his young daughter’s back-to-school night. He had met all the other parents there — all these good, smart, nice, normal people. And he couldn’t connect with anyone. He said “Everything that came out of my mouth seemed to just hang in the air. I felt like everything I said was weird and everything I did was wrong. I’m an alien. I don’t fit in with normal people . . . So I just wanted to call and talk to someone who really knows me, and loves me.” I know the feeling, my friend. And I do love you. So much. ♥ // My sleep mask, which allows me to sleep in late, no matter what. Preeeeeecious. // My home apothecary, which makes me so proud. // The way that Jeremy laughs over, and over, and over again while watching this gif. // The last few months at work have been so intense. I joined the team less than a year ago, and now I’m leading the whole team while my boss is on maternity leave. It’s a huge endeavor with a million balls in the air at all times, with ~1,000 students depending on me, with so much pressure and very little room for error. Three months ago I imagined that at this point I wold pretty much be holed up in my office, hiding under my desk weeping and eating my feelings. Or something equally disastrous. But instead, it’s just . . . worked. I’ve worked it. It’s all gone so smoothly, and I’m in charge, and I’m doing it, and it’s all working out. It feels pretty freaking awesome, man.

So alright, that’s it for now. I’m hoping to be back here soon with a holiday DIY tutorial (is it too late for “homemade holidays” tutorials? Did I already miss the boat on that one?)

As always, thank you so much for reading. Thank you for being out there, and for checking in here. I’d love to hear from you in a comment below! And I hope you have a really wonderful winter.

If you ever want to see what I’m up to, check out my Instagram. I’ve recently discovered Instagram stories and I’m preeeeeeetty obsessed.

Lots of love!

♥

The inspiration for this recipe came to me rather unexpectedly — from Waits’s teacher! A few Mondays back I was dropping him off at school, and I asked her about her weekend. She told me that she’s made a delicious nasturtium pesto, and I was like “Wait, WHAT??”

I love nasturtium flowers and I eat them every spring: sprinkled in salads and wrapped up in rice paper rolls and even frozen in popsicles. I love eating the flowers, but it never really occurred to me to eat the leaves!




In past years I’ve always foraged for my nasturtiums, because they grow with great gusto around these parts, filling hillsides and creek sides and side yards and pretty much anywhere else they can think to creep.

But this year, sort of on a whim, I actually grew my own. They’re early bloomers and I appreciate a colorful entry into spring. Plus we put up that big beautiful lattice last summer, and it was just begging for some creepy crawly climbing annuals.

So anyway, when I heard “nasturtium pesto” my eyes just it up and I knew I had to veganize it!

When selecting nasturtium leaves for eating, choose the smallest, most tender ones you can find. Nasturtium is quite peppery, like arugula, so taking only the youngest shoots will ensure you don’t get a pesto that tastes “mustardy” or bitter.

If you’re foraging your nasturtium (it’s easy to do so you might as well), always make sure you wash it thoroughly before preparing — especially if it’s growing near a road.




Ingredients:

2 cups nasturtium leaves
1/2 cup avocado (or other neutral) oil
1/3 cup raw green pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
juice from 1/2 a lime
1-4 cloves garlic, to preference
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, to taste

Instructions:

Add all of the ingredients to a food processor or blender. Process the ingredients, stopping every so often to scrape down the sides, until thoroughly combined. You want just a little bit of texture — not too clumpy, but not a paste either.

When the pesto is done, transfer it from the food processor. You can store it in a glass jar in the fridge, where it will last about a week.

Or, you know, devour it immediately.

Enjoy!

♥ ♥ ♥

We’ve been making Meadow Tea for 3 seasons now, ever since I found this nettle source here in Santa Barbara. I mean, I fell in love with nettle infusions ages ago back in Portland, but I didn’t start adding the other herbs and aromatics until a few years ago. And now, all spring and summer we get to drink this delicious, icy-cold and oh-so-refreshing, totally nutrient-rich beverage, and we just can’t get enough!

It’s easy as pie to make and I’m so excited to finally share the recipe with all of you.




Meadow tea is meant to be a “field blend”, which means you can add any of your favorite aromatic herbs to the mix. I use a variety of plants depending on what’s available, but the one herb I’m always consistent with is my beloved — the powerfully nutritive nettles! Mmmmmm nettles. They’re mineral-rich and medicinal as well, and perfect for children because they’re such a building herb. Bone-building calcium and phosphorous, blood-building iron (one of the very highest plant sources!), and tissue-building vitamin A and vitamin C. It really is a vegan kid’s powerhouse plant, and I feel awesome knowing that Waits is getting such a superhero infusion every time we make this tea.

Nettle grows across most of America, but I know that not everyone has access to this particular plant. If you can’t get your hands on nettle, some wonderful alternatives — which are all impressive nutritives in their own right — are oatstraw, red clover blossoms, and comfrey leaves (leaves only). Any of these will fill the role of nourishing nettles in this recipe.

So along with the nettle, I often add mint and chamomile, and fresh lavender when I can get it. Other options include bee balm, lemon balm, chocolate mint, hibiscus, fennel, calendula, elder flowers, and any other herb you enjoy! Each of these plants will impart their own herbal properties — for example chamomile is calming, bee balm is great for digestive issues, and peppermint is stimulating — but more importantly, they taste great too! Play around with combinations to find your own family’s favorite blend of flavors.




Making Meadow Tea (a bit of a misnomer — it’s actually an infusion) is super simple. First, get your biggest stock pot and fill it with water. Then, add clean herbs, like lots of them. Infusions are meant to be strong, so for example, in the picture above I used a full bundle of nettles, a full bundle of chamomile, a full bundle of mint, and about a half bundle of lavender.

Bring everything to a boil, stir the herbs into the boiling water, and then cover with a lid and remove the pot from heat. Now, allow the mixture to steep 4-10 hours (overnight works well, but 4 hours is fine).

When you’re done steeping, strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth, into a container of your choice. I store my Meadow Tea in a big 1-gallon jar in the fridge, but you can use a few quart canning jars (or whatever you happen to have).

Serve cold, with the sweetener of your choice. I like stevia drops (I make my own) or even better, add some fresh stevia leaves to the stock pot when you’re making the infusion!




Meadow Tea will keep in the fridge for up to a week. But honestly, it never lasts that long around here.

Cheers!

♥

So. This post, which I intend to write every. single. year. but never actually get out in time, may actually be able to do some good this year. Yay! (or, well, boo! Sick is no fun!)

As an all-natural pharma-phobic healthy-living hippie, facing cold and flu season can be pretty confusing. The “natural remedies” aisle at your local health food store is most likely rivaling CVS in sheer size and volume of products, with each one promising it’s own miraculous one-ingredient wonder-cure.

But personally, I’m not so into the newfangled, specially-formulated power-powders. I like my remedies tried and true, and those are the ones I’m choosing to share today. My own small-but-fearsome arsenal of all-natural bug-busters. Trusted and standing the test of time, most of them are old – ancient even – because, well, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, right?

Right! So here they are:


1) Dry Skin Brushing
A few months back I was chatting with an old scientist friend of mine, and she remarked that thanks to me, she’s been using a dry skin brush and loving the results (namely, a much stronger immune system – essential for her with 2 young boys). She said something to the effect of, “You know, lots of times when you blog about something it sounds pretty kooky and I have to admit, I’m a bit skeptical. But then I go do the research and it always turns out to be totally scientifically legit!” I had to laugh at that because I think it’s a great description of me: Kooky, but scientifically legit. Ha!

Anyway, dry skin brushing (I use this brush) stimulates the lymphatic system to activate blood flow and eliminate cellular waste. The increased circulation can also help to energize you, and as an added beauty bonus, it’s a great exfoliator! Use your skin brush before your daily shower, and keep your immune system going strong.


2) Green Juice // Wellness Shots
Like the dry skin brushing, green juice is great preventative medicine. Jeremy and I have been under so much stress lately, and I’ve been trying to keep the green juice flowing – pumping us full of precious antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to combat any germs that we might come across. I especially love parsley and cilantro in my green juice, since both of these are potent chelators which help to release and remove heavy metals and other bioaccumulative toxins.

I also love to make “wellness shots” (featured in the photo up top) – usually some combination of citrus like lemon, blood orange, mandarin, lime, etc, plus lots of ginger and some sort of pepper (either a juiced jalapeño or a liberal sprinkling of powdered cayenne or chili). Sometimes I add powdered turmeric, apple cider vinegar, or crushed garlic (yuck!). But the real key is citrus, ginger, and chili. Plug and chug!


3) Mulein Garlic Oil
I use this brand and I love the stuff. It’s cheap and it’s potent and it’s my number one go-to at the first sign of a sniffle.

Mullein garlic oil is actually intended for ear infections – which is how I discovered it and why I love it, because it’s safe for wee babies – but I use it for all the bad little bugs. Mullein (an herb) is an antiviral and an expectorant and has a long and rich tradition as an illness-fighting herb. And we all know that garlic is a powerful antibacterial, antifungal, antimocrobial immune-booster. With their powers combined, this is one of my favorite remedies. A single drop in each ear at the first sign of sickness, and in most cases it never progresses past the first stage. I swear by it!


4) Oil Of Oregano
More recently I’ve been experimenting with oil of oregano, an old hippie favorite for all sorts of ailments. This stuff is strong so be careful when using it with children. It’s powerful (which is why I like it!) and definitely worth adding to your sickness-stopping toolbox. You can read more about why I love oil of oregano, and the science behind its powerful healing properties, here.

You can buy high-quality oil of oregano online, or you can try making your own at home!


5) Neti Pot
Ahh, my dear sweet neti pot. I never thought I could love a piece of porcelain so much – especially a piece of porcelain that I fill with salt water, shove up my nose, and allow to flow through my entire sinus cavity and out the other nostril while I try not to sputter and snort and fall into a flailing mess on the shower floor.

But seriously, it’s sort of fun.

Much like dry brushing, neti can be used prophylactically as an ilness preventative. Keeping the ol’ sinuses all clean and flushed out will go a long way in upping your overall chances against some bastard bug this winter. But, if you’re a busy busy bee and you can’t make neti a regular part of your routine (like for reals, who has time for that?) it can still be used to speed along and soften up the symptoms of an already-existing cold, should one actually take hold of you. I use this popular model and I love it.

And yes, there’s will always be some immature part of me that will have to laugh when I see a stream of water pouring out of my nostril. ALWAYS.

And finally, make sure you’re getting enough sleep and drinking enough water. Probiotic rich foods, like store-bought or homemade ferments, are also a great immune-boosting addition to your diet. And remember – stress is death to your immune system! So take care of your mental health with the same love and attention that you give to your physical well being.

Ya hear me? Take care of you! ♥ ♥

Oh I kid, I kid. Even here in SoCal we get to experience four distinct seasons. But our variation is much less variable, I guess you could say, and there’s never a time when the garden completely shuts down. So, I thought it might be fun to do a little guided tour of what’s going on, right now, during the “dead of winter” . . . and keeping in mind that it was 65 degrees yesterday. Brrrrr icy.

Right now California is in the middle of a horrible, multi-year drought. Last winter was abysmally dry, but this year has been a bit better. Better as in wetter. And this past weekend, we even had a little rain storm pass through (thank goodness!)

So on Sunday, during a break in the downpour, I scurried outside to capture a few photos from around my yard and garden. Here’s what it looks like, right now: a happy mix of fruit, flowers, fresh veggies, and in-progress preparation for the coming spring.

And that’s about it for me and my winter garden. So what about you? What’s growing right now, where you live? Anything at all? Under cloche or in greenhouse? Indoors only?

I’d love to hear from everyone out there – it’s so fun to compare the experiences of people across the country, as well as around the world. Icy cold in the northern hemisphere, sunny bright in the southern. Let’s share our gardens!

I’ll leave you with some of the absolutely beautiful bougainvillea, which basically blankets all of Santa Barbara (seriously, it’s everywhere). I remember growing up here and taking it all for granted, thinking that bougainvillea was so boring, so common. Like a magenta weed.

Of course, I was crazy! It’s an incredible plant, sprawling and vining with parchment paper buds perched in clusters like origami on the branches. And I love this stuff, now.



I’ll never take it for granted again.

♥ ♥ ♥

This past weekend we went wildcrafting with a small group of friends, in a nearby woodland. And despite the drought, and despite the fact that’s it’s December, we were able to find some wild edibles. Treasures . . .







California Bay Laurels produce leaves which are larger, and much more pungent, than the Mediterranean Bay that’s usually sold dried in stores.







Fuzzy giant wild sage.







And epazote, growing right up out of the creek. Epazote! That’s when I knew we had to make beans . . .




So, once we were back home, we turned our small but precious winter wildcrafting haul into a delicious meal: stewed white beans with epizote, California bay, and wild sage.

Just a quick note: I know I’ve been super MIA around here lately, and I apologize for that. This quarter will probably go down as the busiest, most maddening quarter of my Master’s career (oh gawd I hope!). And I’ll be back here soon – hopefully next week – to share a little bit more of what we’ve been up to over the past few months. In the meantime, I hope you all are enjoying the end of 2014!

♥ ♥ ♥

So. This post, which I intend to write every. single. year. but never actually get out in time, may actually be able to do some good this year. Yay! (or, well, boo! Sick is no fun!)

As an all-natural pharma-phobic healthy-living hippie, facing cold and flu season can be pretty confusing. The “natural remedies” aisle at your local health food store is most likely rivaling CVS in sheer size and volume of products, with each one promising it’s own miraculous one-ingredient wonder-cure.

But personally, I’m not so into the newfangled, specially-formulated power-powders. I like my remedies tried and true, and those are the ones I’m choosing to share today. My own small-but-fearsome arsenal of all-natural bug-busters. Trusted and standing the test of time, most of them are old – ancient even – because, well, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, right?

Right! So here they are:


1) Dry Skin Brushing
A few months back I was chatting with an old scientist friend of mine, and she remarked that thanks to me, she’s been using a dry skin brush and loving the results (namely, a much stronger immune system – essential for her with 2 young boys). She said something to the effect of, “You know, lots of times when you blog about something it sounds pretty kooky and I have to admit, I’m a bit skeptical. But then I go do the research and it always turns out to be totally scientifically legit!” I had to laugh at that because I think it’s a great description of me: Kooky, but scientifically legit. Ha!

Anyway, dry skin brushing (I use this brush) stimulates the lymphatic system to activate blood flow and eliminate cellular waste. The increased circulation can also help to energize you, and as an added beauty bonus, it’s a great exfoliator! Use your skin brush before your daily shower, and keep your immune system going strong.


2) Green Juice // Wellness Shots
Like the dry skin brushing, green juice is great preventative medicine. Jeremy and I have been under so much stress lately, and I’ve been trying to keep the green juice flowing – pumping us full of precious antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to combat any germs that we might come across. I especially love parsley and cilantro in my green juice, since both of these are potent chelators which help to release and remove heavy metals and other bioaccumulative toxins.

I also love to make “wellness shots” (featured in the photo up top) – usually some combination of citrus like lemon, blood orange, mandarin, lime, etc, plus lots of ginger and some sort of pepper (either a juiced jalapeño or a liberal sprinkling of powdered cayenne or chili). Sometimes I add powdered turmeric, apple cider vinegar, or crushed garlic (yuck!). But the real key is citrus, ginger, and chili. Plug and chug!


3) Mulein Garlic Oil
I use this brand and I love the stuff. It’s cheap and it’s potent and it’s my number one go-to at the first sign of a sniffle.

Mullein garlic oil is actually intended for ear infections – which is how I discovered it and why I love it, because it’s safe for wee babies – but I use it for all the bad little bugs. Mullein (an herb) is an antiviral and an expectorant and has a long and rich tradition as an illness-fighting herb. And we all know that garlic is a powerful antibacterial, antifungal, antimocrobial immune-booster. With their powers combined, this is one of my favorite remedies. A single drop in each ear at the first sign of sickness, and in most cases it never progresses past the first stage. I swear by it!


4) Oil Of Oregano
More recently I’ve been experimenting with oil of oregano, an old hippie favorite for all sorts of ailments. This stuff is strong so be careful when using it with children. It’s powerful (which is why I like it!) and definitely worth adding to your sickness-stopping toolbox. You can read more about why I love oil of oregano, and the science behind its powerful healing properties, here.

You can buy high-quality oil of oregano online, or you can try making your own at home!


5) Neti Pot
Ahh, my dear sweet neti pot. I never thought I could love a piece of porcelain so much – especially a piece of porcelain that I fill with salt water, shove up my nose, and allow to flow through my entire sinus cavity and out the other nostril while I try not to sputter and snort and fall into a flailing mess on the shower floor.

But seriously, it’s sort of fun.

Much like dry brushing, neti can be used prophylactically as an ilness preventative. Keeping the ol’ sinuses all clean and flushed out will go a long way in upping your overall chances against some bastard bug this winter. But, if you’re a busy busy bee and you can’t make neti a regular part of your routine (like for reals, who has time for that?) it can still be used to speed along and soften up the symptoms of an already-existing cold, should one actually take hold of you. I use this popular model and I love it.

And yes, there’s will always be some immature part of me that will have to laugh when I see a stream of water pouring out of my nostril. ALWAYS.

And finally, make sure you’re getting enough sleep and drinking enough water. Probiotic rich foods, like store-bought or homemade ferments, are also a great immune-boosting addition to your diet. And remember – stress is death to your immune system! So take care of your mental health with the same love and attention that you give to your physical well being.

Ya hear me? Take care of you! ♥ ♥

It was awesome. It’s the way I want to live.

However.

Going back to grad school added a lot of extra work to my life (obviously), but it also added routine. And a sense of direction. In many ways it’s quieted the anxiety I’d felt for so many years. And because of that, it’s actually opened up a lot of space in my life.

Blueberries!




We picked for about an hour, and we ended up with 8 pounds of blueberries. For reals! These California berry bushes are not messing around – they were literally dripping with giant, plump, perfectly ripe berries.

I was so excited, I went straight home and got to work . . .

When Jeremy got home from work, we all had a picnic dinner outside. And then for dessert . . .




. . . a quick homemade blueberry compote over vanilla bean coconut milk ice cream. Holy moly.

This summer I’m planning to do a whole lot more gardening and preserving. So my question to you guys is – What do you want to see?

Which fruits and veggies do you want to see preserved?

What sorts of projects and preservation techniques are interesting you?

I’ll be starting a summer gardening series, just sharing what I’m up to around my own yard, hopefully beginning next week. I’m so excited to bring this component – which was really a formative part of this blog – back into these pages.

So please! Thoughts, ideas, suggestions. What do you want?

And my dears – have a great weekend!

♥ ♥ ♥