Weekending...

Tofu kebabs, outdoor movies, bonfires, and our pretty, little garden (where we've been hanging suits and towels after our daily trip to the pool)!  Summer is definitely here.  Hurrah for summer weekends!

Pool bag makeover...

It is pool season again!  Which is exciting, but when I pulled out our old, faithful pool bag... it was in a bit of a state!  Moldy stains... such a bummer!!  It's a really nice, functional bag so I didn't want to throw it out (even when the stubborn stains remained after a few attempts at cleaning it up!).  So... I figured I'd see what I could do with some fabric markers to mask/distract!  Here is the result (I think I can live with this for one more season... we'll see how it holds up!):

Snap peas...

I finally got smart and planted way more snap peas this year!  They are cranking out some beautiful pods right now... and I'm harvesting them for snacking and lunches.  My little guy loves to sneak off into the garden to eat as many has he can... before I catch him and shoo him out again ;)  I'm hoping the weather will stay a bit on the cooler side so we can keep on enjoying them for a wee bit longer...

Moral Monday (5.19.14)...

A few shots from the Raleigh Moral Monday protest.  It was very inspiring to be surrounded by such an amazing coalition of people standing up for teachers, workers rights, the environment, immigrants, and social justice across the board.  This was our first time participating in this demonstration... and we'll definitely be going back next week!  "Forward together... not one step back!"

Success!

Turns out, the third time is the charm!  My second try at rose petal jam was just runny syrup (which is actually a very nice rose petal flavored simple syrup... so all was not lost!).  But I really wanted jam so I gave it one last chance and got the timing right this last time (the key is to reduce it to just the right consistency... without boiling it too hot/too long).  After many cups of petals, I ultimately ended up with one, little jar of jam.  I will savor it in the coming weeks... and then give it another try next year with these lessons under my belt!  The recipe I used can be found here.  

Rose petal... fail!

I've made a few lovely liquors with my rose petals in the past (see here and here), but this year, I wanted to try something new!  I found a few recipes for rose petal jam and decided to give it a go!  I gathered the petals, and mixed them with sugar and lemon juice.  Then, I added them to some water and sugar and reduced the mixture down to a jam/syrup consistency.  I think this is where I went wrong... either I didn't have the right measurements or I boiled it down way too long/too hot?  Either way, what I got once the mixture cooled was a delicious, sweet, subtle rose flavored... rock.  Oops!  If I had poured it into candy molds, it would have been divine!  Back to the drawing board.  Luckily, we have plenty of petals to harvest so I'll give it another go this weekend... stay tuned!

Red clay...

A short while after we arrived for our camp-out and were setting up, the kids wandered down to the lake.  When I went to check on them, they were busy making pinch pots out of clay they'd discovered on the bank of the lake.  I couldn't believe it... red clay being formed into the most adorable pots and vases!  Then, my son (never to be outdone by his sister), began creating little "guys" out of clay and sticks and rocks. It was just so cool. When they weren't riding their bikes or scooters or going for little rides in the boat or exploring the woods, they were busy making pots and beautiful little treasures out of clay.  What I love most about this whole discovery, is that the kids figured it all out on their own.  They were so very proud... and rightly so!  

Camping out...

We had ourselves an epic Mother's Day weekend camp-out at the local lake!  Three families pitched tents... but at the peak of the Saturday night cookout, we counted 8 adults and 11 kids!!  You can only imagine the quantity of s'mores!  Strawberry shortcakes and simple tequila with grapefruit juice cocktails were my personal favorites.  The kids were beside themselves because one of the daddies got himself the prettiest little boat... and he was more than happy to take little people on a zillion boat rides over the course of three days.  They also enjoyed the heck out of riding scooters and bikes around the culdesac from sunup til sundown.  And we had a couple of great big blankets set out strategically with toys and books for them to enjoy.  Mostly, they just found lots of cool stuff to do and make.  I know the grown ups had a great time, but the absolute best part was watching the Littles do their thing!  We arrived home dirty, exhausted, and happy.

The happy garden...

Right now, everything is bright green and things are shaping up nicely!  I'm experimenting with a few things this year... and I think the lessons from the past two years are giving me a confidence to think creatively about how to use the beds for multiple purposes (and to grow the foods I know we will eat).  The lettuces and kale are so happy... and the snap peas are flowering!  Tomato plants, peppers, beans, carrots, and potatoes are coming in as well.  I even transplanted a couple of raspberry plants from a friend's garden... and they seem to be quite happy in their new home.  It really is a very happy place out there in our little garden...

Happy May Day!

This little tradition was passed onto me from my own Mama (she still makes the most beautiful May Day baskets... always filled with lilacs)!  It is simple... on May 1st, you make baskets (this year we made them from old calendars and some garden twine), fill them with flowers and yummy treats, and then deliver them to friends!  It is just the very best way to spread some springtime cheer!  Happy May Day!!