hanging on

We spent some time up-valley this weekend.

It's always nice to get out into some wide open spaces.

There is a pear orchard right alongside Carl's aunt and uncle's property. The trees are all propped and heavy. Wouldn't that be a dreamy spot for a picnic or some afternoon reading? 

Also quite lovely was the wood pile. There's just something beautiful about neatly stacked things. 

I ducked inside the bean house while no one was looking and sampled. Tasty. The whole garden was in its prime. 

We played hard too. 

There is still some discrepancy about who "won" our game of pepper. I'm pretty sure it was me.

Ian was dunking it in the hoop.

Labor Day is a little bittersweet. I'm not ready to say goodbye to summer-- or white linen skirts, Popsicles, fresh tomatoes, afternoons at the pool, tan lines, and temperatures above 90.

Summer isn't officially over until September 22nd- which is 18 days away. I'm going to be hanging on...

Sunday by the river

welcome distractions

I've been struggling a little bit this week. Relationships, parenting, circumstances, even sleeping... they've all seemed to lose their ease. I've been disappointed, confused, unsure, and fairly sad. It's been a little harder to smile.

Just ask these girls who were less-than-thrilled to be waiting on the paper-covered table this morning for the nurse to come back in the room and give them their vaccines before school starts in 2 weeks. Check-ups for all three girls (took 1.5 hours) + an impatient toddler brother who disliked being stuck in a small/confined exam room (for 1.5 hours) = AHHHH!

We needed a serious pick-me-up. And fast.

So we splurged on cupcakes, cereal with marshmallows in it (unheard of in this house!), donuts, ice cream, and waffle cones. I know, it's not the best example of healthy emotional coping... but we were desperate. Occasionally sugar can be the answer. 

Besides, we happily shared the sweetness with our friends on a blanket in the back yard.

It was good timing for one last hurrah before they have to return home to NYC next week. 

Sometimes skype just doesn't give you what you need-- some real touch. We definitely worked it in today.

Cheers to some good memories made with them here on our coast this summer!

Also the tomatoes are ripe. Yay. I've been picking them by the bowl-full every day! (Sungolds are my favorite.)

I redeemed our cupcake binge with a salmon dinner. You should definitely make it. 

And for dessert (since I had technically already eaten it at least twice before earlier in the day) I ate the best peach that I've ever tasted in my whole life. Fuzzy. Ripe. Juicy.

It made me smile- and for the first time all week, it came easy.