bears, blackberries and bubble photos

weekend recap:

i saw my first bear at my in-laws. 5 years of visiting before i see a bear.

got to spend some campfire/ bubble blowing time with this little man. he's the best bubble blower i know.

which got my attention when i saw the sunset and landscape reflecting in the bubble. that would be an awesome picture, if only i could capture it. many bubbles later, it worked

we finished our weekend out with some homemade blackberry lemon ice cream. we are on a mission to think of amazing ice cream combinations. let me know if you have any?

and cake

the cake did indeed turn out very well. lemon pound cake with raspberry filling and butter cream icing! the oven worked well. the butter cream icing recipe is a new favorite. pictures to come of the real cake in a few weeks. we are soaking up our leisurely time. have a lovely weekend, all.

june staycation day 2

in no particular order at all. chips seeks out all the sunny spots. he's a sun chaser, really.

made homemade naan for the first time. it turned out just perfect. recipe can be found here. it was pretty easy. didn't change a thing.

mulch makes everything look so much nicer!

look, we have steps. many thanks to my landscaper husband.

welcome to our breakfast picnic. did i mention we like to take picnics. really just eating outside is the most marvelous thing.

june staycation day 1

we are currently on a mini vacation. a couple of weeks ago i called my husband from work, rather frazzled and told him we really needed a vacation... so we came up with the idea to stay in town. to relax, do things we've been meaning to and just throw any agenda out the window for one week. sure there are plenty of things we could be fixing or tidying. we are focusing on some of those, but mostly we are catching up with each other, and renewing our weary spirits a bit.


here we are, almost at the end of our first day. a little recap... sleeping in. breakfast out. thrifting around town. found my bridesmaids dress for $10! took our bikes to the reservoir for a picnic. baking lemon pound cake for a cake order in a few weeks. a little trial run, if you will. never baked a cake in the new oven! some tequila and a movie. be back tomorrow evening with more tales of the days adventures.

strawberry pie

who put miracle grow on this little flower patch? yes, that picture up there is queen ann's lace. the biggest stuff i've ever seen. ever. we must live in an enchanted wood after all.

june is for strawberries!

blossoms

i've been planting flowers. hoping to see this fill out in a month or two.

its been a treat to see all the different flowers and greens that have been popping their heads up around here, with each season.

i am eagerly awaiting the raspberries and peaches. they are starting to bud with fruit.

craft bazaars, donut dates and more

so my sister and i went to art star again this year! possibly the best craft fair in pa! its held at penn's landing in philly! we go mostly to get inspiration and enjoy what our local folk are making. a few purchases were made. hard to resist those homemade candles, endless colors of felt and reusable snack pouches.


a new donut/ coffee shop opened up a few months back. donuts on main, which is only a couple minutes away from our house. so one morning last week jason took an early break from work, and we met for donuts and coffee. they make cake donuts and sell my favorite local coffee. we were surprised to find we knew one of the employees, a young girl from our church. it was a lovely overall. so glad to squeeze little moments like this into our day!
there has been a lot of hard work going on around the house. lots of generous people, helping us work on our project home. scraping paint, digging holes, smashing plaster, wiring electric.... the list goes on. in all of that mess, i like to go out doors. i've planted herbs, and hope to plant some flowers shortly. a garden will have to wait for another year i'm afraid. when we have more time to dig it up and plan it out.

homemade day

yesterday was 100% mine. i say that not in a greedy manner, but one of a girl who has had very little free time lately. obligations, work, and socializing have been taking over my life, leaving no good chunks of time to make things. so yesterday i woke when i was good and ready. spent most of the day in the kitchen making... making bread, pita chips, hummus, potato soup and rhubarb upside down cake. it was indescribable how relaxing it was to go from one thing to the next, not feeling the least bit rushed. i need more of these day in my life. there were also moments to step outside, plant some flowers and be with our kitty.chips has been having a hay day, since we've started taking him outside. he adored the onion patch.
rhubarb upside down cake. pretty darn tasty. especially with the crumb bottom. recipe from the may issue of martha stewart

weekend away

we spent a lovely weekend in washington d.c. with two dear friends. we hit all the must sees, being that jason has never been to d.c. before. we hope to go back soon and hit up some museums.

we saw a traditional english may day dance, in tacoma park. afterwards they proceeded to picket with the most hilarious picket signs i've seen in awhile . that one being my favorite. happy may!

tortilla soup

Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

Serves 4

• FOR THE SOUP
• 4 (about 1 1/2 pounds) skinless chicken thighs
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1 jalapeno chile, diced (with seeds for more heat)
• 6 corn tortillas, (6 inches)
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• salt
• FOR GARNISH
• 1 cup shredded (5 ounces) Monterey Jack cheese
• 4 large scallions, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
• 1/4 cup cilantro sprigs
• lime, cut in wedges

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large pot, bring chicken, broth, jalapeno, and 8 cups of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate; let cool.
2. Brush both sides of tortillas with oil, stacking them as you go. Cut stack in half, and then slice crosswise into 1/2-inch strips. Place strips on a rimmed baking sheet; bake, tossing strips occasionally, until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Using a large spoon, skim fat from surface of broth in pot, and strain liquid through a sieve into a clean pot (you should have about 8 cups). Shred chicken with a fork or with your fingers, and return it to the pot. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt. Divide soup among serving bowls, and add tortilla strips. Garnish as desired.

made this soup the other day for lunch. its very fresh tasting. very summery. recipe is from martha stewart food