Wasn't that a dainty dish to set before the king?

Poor Gianna. The other morning I woke up to the sound of her sweet little voice sobbing. This NEVER happens, so I rushed in her room to comfort her - for what, I didn't know. I asked her why she was crying and, poor thing, she'd had a bad dream. A river streaming down each cheek I thought for sure it was something really bad - a stranger trying to take her, spiders all around her, running from a bad wolf - but no.

"Birds (sob, sob).....birds (breath, breath).....put into a PIE!"

Guess we'll be more careful about our choice of nursery rhymes. Must be nice to be so young and innocent, don't you think? :)

Menu Planning

This week I'm trying something new each day for dinner using a weekly meal planner I found online. Wow, does this make life much simpler. It even comes with a printable grocery list for the week, reducing both the time it takes to write a list from recipes and the number of trips to the grocery store. And trying recipes that would normally not appeal to me for the sake of simplicity and ease has been fun. I've enjoyed each one of them. But I'm looking for more, so perhaps you can help me.

Have you tried a meal planner and can recommend a good one? My only criteria are that it include a printable grocery list, is nutritious, and free (many plans out there charge a fee).

It's hot here...

....very, very hot. The temps are expected to approach 100 degrees today. We were scheduled to drive up to Pasadena to visit friends, but as the valley is always about ten to fifteen degrees hotter than where we are, and there's a warning about the air being unhealthy up there, we're staying put. I'll probably take three showers today. Do you take more showers in the summer? I feel a bit guilty for doing so, but in addition to my morning shower I have to take one in the evening, otherwise I don't sleep well. There's something about being clean and fresh before bed that helps me get a good night's rest.

So, that's what we're up to today. Just trying to stay cool.

Bring 'em Inside

It's certainly nice to have a garden full of flowers in the spring and summer, but don't forget to bring some blooms in the house to brighten up a whole room, or, in the case of those of us with teeny-tiny gardens, even a little corner. Here's where a little bit can go a long way, so get out your clippers, everyone (and if you feel so inclined, post a photo so we can all enjoy your indoor blooms)!

Summer Picnics.....

~
.....and Self-Portraits

.....Vol. I

(Yes, that means there will be more!)

A Salad for All Seasons

This is my favorite salad to throw together at any time of year.


It's a simple combination of spring greens, diced apples, halved walnuts and crumbled Gorgonzola tossed in a yummy lemon dressing. For the dressing, combine until completely emulsified:

extra-virgin olive oil (2 Tbsps)
dijon mustard (1 tsp)
juice from half to one lemon
sugar (1/2 to 1 tsp)
salt and pepper

For one bag of spring greens, the quantities above are approximate. I just add the ingredients until I get a good balance between tart and sweet. I hope you enjoy it!

You had to be there

Okay, this won't sound as funny written down as it was in reality, but I want it down for the record anyway.

Out to dinner last night, an Hispanic family sat down at the table next to us. The sweet eight-or-so little girl begins talking to Gianna, asking her name, her age and whether she'd like to play a game of rock-paper-scissors. Gianna turns to their table and shouts out, "Hola!"

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Gianna knows just a few words in Spanish - hello, goodbye, thank you, you're welcome - but it was hilarious to see her use the language with this perfectly English-speaking, American-born family. Patrick and I got a kick out of it.

Alas, no time for words....

....but so I don't entirely neglect this blog, here's a picture for you. It's a little more pleasant than the photos in my previous post, and a lot more abundant in bloom!


(You may recall my Penny Macs (the pink hydrangeas on the left) were blue last year when I created this garden. The blue never really fit in to the overall coloring of my back yard, so before bloom this year I made the soil more alkaline to produce pink flowers. I love that about hydrangeas - should I decide next year to have blue flowers again, I can just add acid to the soil. Fun!)

Garden Attack, Part II

I'm at it again, only this time, I'm defending my hydrangeas. Do you see this hole in the leaf of my Penny Mac?


Do you see my little contraption behind Mary's feet? Do you know what it is?


That's right, it's a beer trap. Hee hee! Sorry, little slugs. Sorry, beetles. But you don't stand a chance in my Marian garden. Not a chance.

If you have a hydrangea bush in your garden and notice large holes in her leaves, beer traps are an easy, inexpensive and eco-friendly protection against predators. Set traps out especially during spring and early summer when flowers are blooming.

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And if you're concerned the little buggers might suffer, just remember what they're drowning in. A pretty nice way to go, wouldn't you say? :)
~

Happy Birthday, Madeleine!

Dear Madeleine,

On Saturday you turned three. You've grown so fast, and though I'd like you to slow down and stay small I wouldn't change what a lovely little girl you've become.

At one, you were just learning to walk.....

At three, you sing, you dance,

and you tell stories.

But that's not all you do, little Madeleine.

~You make me look forward to each and every new day with you.

~You make me love grace before meals (because it comes from your cute little voice).

~You help me want to be a better woman, a better wife, and a better mother.

~You teach me to love more.

~You make me laugh and smile every day, nearly all day long.

~You make me love the bedtime routine, with your demands of a kiss and a hug from everyone in the house, a guardian angel prayer and a song.

~You help me to stop and appreciate the little things.

~You make me delight in humiliation. :)

~You teach me to serve with joy.

I think you do far more for me than I do for you, but that's the joy of mothering, isn't it? To only count the laughter and the hugs and kisses. I am living one very blessed life because of you and your big sister. Thank you, Madeleine. Happy Birthday!