Making friends with summer again

Many of you know that I am not friends with summer. I hate the hot, sticky weather and the loud fans, and the hairs blowing into your face from all the fans. I hate how my plants suffer, how brown the landscape is, and ugly summer air. But I am re-learning to appreciate summer by remembering the joy of summer fruit! If you've only ever bought nectarines at the grocery store, you've never really had one. Get to a farmer's market and ask the farmers about the fruit. (Did you hear me, go!) Sample the fruit. Ask them how long to let it ripen. You may soon be in fruit heaven like me.

I'm a bit spoiled, though. Every summer, my dad picks up a box of the Honey Blaze nectarines, which is one variety we grow at our little farm in Reedley, and puts it on the Greyhound bus down to Norwalk, where I pick up the ruby goodness to take home. I will not comment on the Norwalk Greyhound station except to say that I try to block it out the rest of the year.

Look at these beauties!

Then comes the task of completely rearranging and stuffing my fridge with summer fruit. These are peaches from a tree in our orchard that came to me via my road-tripping brother, who stopped in at my folks' house. The entire bottom crisper drawer is full of the nectarines.

And piled up in the window. They're lucky they're so pretty!
And some other summer-loving things I've been up to: This beauty came from Joy the Baker via Crafty Crow. Go look at Joy's pictures of these, because they're so much prettier. I just snapped this for posterity, before they completely disappeared.


And Vacation Bible School! Or Adventure Week, as it is called at our church. Seems like almost no one still calls it VBS anymore. At any rate, our theme this year is "Set Sail," and I am on the costume committee. I thrift-stored the shirts and pants, then found these little anchors for the sleeves and made the sailor collars out of pillow cases. Like my little stars in the corners? That was my military sister-in-law's idea.

More to come about the fantastic summer dinners I've found!

Finished and Work in Progress

Well, hello there Pleated Beauty! This is from Amy Karol's Bend the Rules Sewing, which is, of course, the best book ever.

I'd purchased the linen fabric awhile ago to make a cover for this gigantic body pillow, but then found a pre-made one and didn't use the fabric. It's been calling to me in my closet. Sew me! Sew me!
I can't seem to get a cute picture which really tells you how much fun it is to walk around with this bag!
I broke 3 needles while edge stitching the top. Learning lessons on fabric thicknesses! Some of my favorite things about it are the straps with their little peek-through linings, and then I added two extra inside pockets for wallet, keys and cell-phone. I actually stuck my old purse inside this monster bag and then put the "essentials" in their pockets. I'm not much good at purse changing because I hate moving everything back and forth. But Hark! I have a plan! I am going to make little zipper pouches with things categorized so that I can move 3 things instead of 32.

And the work in progress. This is Lucy's paint smock, again from Bend the Rules. I ran out of blue bias tape, so I will have to finish it later, but since it looks mostly done here, thought I would share it. I lined it with thin plastic so that it could be wiped clean. Still deciding if that was a good idea. I've been thinking about making one for each of the kids in Lucy's upcoming pre-school play group. I think once I get the hang of it, it shouldn't be too bad. One here, one there... There are only 5 kids total, so I think I could do it.

Tell me the truth, though, you know you totally want to have one that's grown-up sized, don't you. =) Okay, maybe not you, Wry-bear. You're always the foil to this blog.

For sale!

In my efforts to clean a few things out, I thought I'm posting a few of the sweaters I have for sale. Still deciding whether or not to go with an etsy shop, so for now, enjoy browsing. I'm eager to get these to cute babies and girls, so I am marking my prices down! These are perfect baby shower gifts... just make sure that the baby will be that size in the winter!

*Cue Muzak version of "The Girl from Ipenema.* Doo..... dah dooo doo, doo dooo dah dooo doo.

Girl's Navy Round Neck Sweater
Size: 12-24 months
Adapted from from "Crochet for Babies & Toddlers" by Barnden
Originally $35, Selling for $25

Sweet Ruffly Sweater
Size: 3-6 months
Originally $25, selling for $18!


Wee Green Sweater
Size: Brand Spankin' Newborn
Adapted from http://www.sandiangels.com/pattern-page.html
Price: Everyday low price of $25!



Sweet Navy Shrug
Size: 24 months
Originally $30, selling for $25
(Dress for display only)White Cotton Shrug
Size: 4T
Originally $30 - Selling for $25
(Dress for display only)

Fuzzy Shrug
Size 2T to 3T
Everyday low price: $20
(Dress for display only)

Little White Outing Coat
Adapted from http://www.sandiangels.com/pattern-page.html
Originally $35, Selling for $25


All sales done friend-to-friend. I do not own a business, as presently I don't have the capacity for any sort of volume to justify it. Details arranged through email when interest is expressed via the comments section. Domestic postage included, international postage assumed by buyer.

The Prom

Seems I'm having trouble sleeping these days... buzzing mind, I suppose. The other night while I couldn't sleep, I listened to a podcast of This American Life, which I totally love. This particular show was about The Prom, and Ira Glass did his typical hat trick, turning a topic that sounds like, "Huh?" into a totally engrossing story.

People who didn't go to Christian high school always ask me, "What? You didn't have a prom? What did you do?" Well, we had "banquets." We sat and ate, and there was usually nearly tolerable entertainment. Then the big thing was that you did something after, like go to a movie (because what else was there to do in Fresno in 1993?). So I've been thinking about our version of prom, and had to share a few of the dresses, which are the whole point of any formal anyway. Enjoy the dismal hilarity of it, because it makes me laugh out loud to watch this retro-fashion show.

Success with my winter formal that year should not have made me so confident in my Spring senior formal. Yes, guys, I MADE this dress. I hated it before I was done with it, so why didn't I just chuck the whole thing and buy, beg, borrow or steal another? So that you could enjoy this dress in all its grandmaness. Tell me you don't totally love the dyed-to-match shoes!
Not a bad dress for the time, eh? I felt awfully fancy with bare shoulders. Heh heh! You can't quite see the "diamondoid" necklace that I wore to about 6 different formals.
This one takes the cake. Or maybe this one IS the cake... Don't I look like a polka-dotted cake? Here's what scares the crap out of me... I HAVE SEEN BUBBLE DRESSES COMING BACK IN! It should scare you, too!

And for good measure, my first bridesmaid dress. It is a two piece deal with leg-of-mutton sleeves (I'm not kidding, that's what it's called), and an open back in the shape of a heart and a big fat ruffle right on my keister. I do believe the shoes were also dyed-to-match.

The day of perfect meals

Let's assume that money, calorie count, and full stomachs are no object here. Let's also assume everything here is served in small portions, too, just to protect your sense of feeling over-full at reading this. Keep in mind, another day might look completely different.

Breakfast:
Kona coffee first. One degree below scalding. Then a pineapple/passionfruit mimosa to go with breakfast. the perfect Italian cappuccino. A helping of a really, really good egg casserole with some kind of fancy pork product like prosciutto; excellent cheese with it. Roadside stand strawberries. Mandi's potato casserole. Cinnamon bread french toast. Hash browns like they make them in really good short-order-cook restaurants. Finish off with the perfect Italian cappuccino.

Lunch:
Clam chowder from Legal Seafood in Boston. Some kind of seriously yummy salad like a waldorf or cobb or chef salad, definitely with good feta cheese in it. Hot and melty sourdough bread. A bit of really amazing fetuccini alfredo. And then dark, dark bread ala Campus by the Sea. Thick, rich oatmeal chocolate chip bars for dessert. To drink? The iced tea whose teabags come in that yellow box. I think it's passion fruit iced tea, but it's a black tea and just a HINT of fruit.

Dinner: Steamed clams bordelaise from Stagnaro's. Stuffed lobster tail from legal seafood. Perfect sauteéd spaghetti squash and roasted asparagus for veggies. A couple of bacon-wrapped scallops. Maybe some sauteéd orzo or roasted fingerling potatoes. THE ravioli from Sorrento. A glass of savignon blanc. For dessert? Some kind of dense, chewy brownie concoction with chocolate chips and fudgy frosting. Or maybe a Claim Jumper's deep dish peach crisp. And maybe gelato with a half-shot of espresso poured over it.

The possibilities are endless, but that right there would be a pretty darn good day.

Summer begins with...

The End-of-Year Sunday School program. Doesn't my child look so good and compliant there? Don't be fooled. Actually, her efforts at bucking the system were furtive, done with a very nonchalant air. Tiny step by tiny step she moved out in front of the huddled pack to where she really wanted to be, which was sitting next to the teacher, watching the other kids. I nearly cried my eyes out laughing. It was way too cute.
And of course, at her best friend's birthday party. After about 90 min. of asking for cake, here it is. Satisfaction at last.

Refreshing!

Don't you love the incredible endorphine rush you get when you've spent the entire morning cleaning?

And then you remember you live with a 2-year-old. =)

HUH???

I CAN'T HEAR YOU OVER THE LOUDNESS OF THE BAG!

Actually this picture softens it quite a bit. But believe me, it's loud. Some church friends are the new official parents of a sweet 8-year-old girl from Taiwan, and I couldn't stand it--I ha to make something for her! She likes Dora, but I thought making an all Dora bag would be too obnoxious, so I came up with my own brand of obnoxious. Inspired a bit my two of my nieces in one way or another. That and Fruit Stripes gum, I suppose.

Hooray for Sprint, Verizon, and Time Warner!

Can you believe I just said that? Check out this NPR story here--they're taking active steps to block child p0 rn sites. We pay bills to all three companies, and I am going to write a note of thanks to all of them.

Not quite

Oh, it is so good to be home! I love being home. I loved our travels, but as you all know, it is always great to be home.

This inspiration came from Wendy... so much fun! I somehow screwed up the last two pictures, but wanted to post this anyway because it's so pretty... at least 10/12 of it is! =)

Here are the questions that inspired it:

1. What is your first name? Jenny (picture is of Jenny Lake)
2. What is your favorite food? Steamed Clams
3. What high school did you go to? Immanuel High School (picture is of Reedley)
4. What is your favorite color? Red
5. Who is your celebrity crush? I changed this to "one of your favorite musicians" Dave Matthews...
6. Favorite drink? Piña Colada... but then I realized I should've put "Coffee."
7. Dream vacation? Austria
8. Favorite dessert? Cookie dough
9. What you want to be when you grow up? I tried to put a picture in of my mom. =)
10. What do you love most in life? This is a picture of the wardrobe... representing my journey with God
11. One Word to describe you. Encourager
12. Your flickr name. ferferfly... again, my picture didn't show up for some reason. I'm new to flickr. =)

The PNW

I love that the weather here in Seattle is sunny and gorgeous while it is rainy and cold in L.A. =) What, you say? You're traveling again? No, I can't believe it either. Sort of just worked out this way. This has been the Spring of crazy for us, but thankfully it's generally all been pleasant crazy. All things pre-planned some time ago that ended up converging within a 70 day period. Steve has a conference in Vancouver next week, so we took advantage of Steve's part of the trip getting covered, as well as having relatives in the PNW. We are with my sister and her family until Tuesday, then Vancouver through Friday, then back to Seattle until Monday the 1st.

Out my sister's back window is, you know, a real live forest!
My sister's home is so amazing... she has this unbelievable way of making it both artistic and homey. It's such a beautiful place to just be.

Okay, priceless.
Outside the Experience Music Project (museum) by Paul Allen.

Does that make you sad or what?

No more monkeys jumping on the bed!

The Darwin Award for Wednesday

This was too good not to share. Other post titles considered were:
* When my brain left my body...
* It's only been 16 years since high school chemistry and physics...
* Ka-boom!
* Sacrifices for the Culinary Arts
* How to reverse a good hair day in five minutes flat.
* How to make your house feel like Fresno in the summer.

Okay, so right after Lucy went down, I started working on the bread that I've been raving about (Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day). Had the oven all pre-heated, ready to toss the first decent looking loaf into the oven. Did okay putting the loaf on the baking stone--it folded over on itself at first, but I managed to re-shape it quickly. Next step: create steam inside the oven. I had accidentally left my (nice) baking pan in the oven while pre-heating, so it was already in the oven. Here is where my brain left my body. I poured the hot water into the baking pan--did I mention the pan was glass??? CRACK! SPLOOOOOSH! Tinkle-tinkle... (Not sure how to re-create that lovely glass-shattering noise.)

The rest, I will sum up with this: Thank goodness for shop vacs and band-aids, and the ability to laugh at myself!

Happy Birthday, Dad! Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Of my nuclear family, today only Bud doesn't get honored. =) He was a gracious honorer... he bought me a mother's day big fat cookie. Yum Yum!!! And Steve did a fantastic job of giving me a restful day where I felt loved and appreciated. That is all I could want or ask for. Love you, babe!

A very, very happy Mother's Day to my mom, who continues to be my best friend. How could God have known that we would love each other so much??

Today, however, is also my Dad's 60th birthday! I'm sure he's glad that I'm broadcasting that... =) My big project for the last few months has been putting together a book for him to be printed via Kodak. I asked many people from his childhood and from his work to contribute. I am bummed that I missed a few people, and I'm not sure how, but I think it still did what I'd hoped to do, which is honor my father. I see his life as such a story of grace. My dad's mother died when he was five months old, and he was raised until he was 8 by a very special aunt and uncle. That time of his life gave him an incredible foundation of godliness that I see in his life today. To hear people that he respects talk about how they respect him was a gift to me. I learned of people I've known forever who came to know the Lord, not because my dad preached at them, but because he lived his life in a godly way. I've attended two funerals recently, and it drove it home to me that I want these things to be said to the people who are special to me during the fullness of their lives, and not after they are gone. I am so proud of my Dad, and so grateful that we are such incredibly close friends!

Anyway, I'm babbling a bit, but I just wanted you good folks to know how appreciative I am of both my parents. I don't know why God chose to bless me with them, but I am grateful every day that he did.

This was when my mom was pregnant with my older sister. How is it possible her legs look that good while pregnant?? =)

Scrubs, eat your heart out. This is the real deal. My mom says my dad came out of his first day of surgery rotation as a student, and they really made him work. He came home and told my mom, "This is absolutely what I want to do." My dad has touched so many people through his work as a doctor. Not only is he consistently the best doctor in the large group in which he practices, but he is the most caring doctor I've ever met. He does it because he loves people and cares about their health and lives.
Don't you totally love the 'stache?
Mom, you are just too cute!!
Not my best picture ever, but I will sacrifice because everyone else looks so cute. We have really been a close and happy family. I always hear people say they don't want their kids to be far apart in years because they won't be close, but my brother is five years younger, and my sister is three years older and we are all close. I think that is because my parents were so deliberate about creating an environment where we could be close. I'm so thankful for that.

Pieces of Flair

Story hour was AWESOME. I never thought I would say something like that. The lady at the other story hour I've been to, well, I get the feeling that she likes the idea of kids more than she actually likes kids. I never feel like we really belong there. The Fullerton Library was just awesome, awesome, awesome. Lucy loved the stories, songs and nursery rhymes, and was intensely focused on it with this sweet little smile--the kind where she didn't know she was smiling, but couldn't help it. She's shy in that kind of environment, but I knew she liked it when I'd hear at the end of a song in this little voice, "Ah do da-gain!"

I love that Lucy loves books. She quotes books all day long, and she's started to inject herself into the stories. "'Oh!' said Lucy, 'It's a hat! Hooray! Now I will not be cold!'" (Adapted from Little Bear.)

So I'm all face-booky these days, and I'm totally acting like a teen-ager with it, rather than adult-like and networky. =) Here is my "pieces of flair" board. This kind of thing reminds me of when I used to write on my binder in school, but looks way cooler. =) Please let me know immediately if you know what the monster in the bottom right corner means... you and I will need to have more frenzied discussion about something else!

Go to bread

See, bread is everywhere in blog-land! Angry Chicken just posted about an oat loaf that I MUST make. It just looks all chewy and aeromatic and oooooh, just yummy. Her comments were, "It's the kind of bread that would hurt someone if you threw it at them."

Which reminds me of high school.

I dated a guy in high school that got arrested for breaking a school bus mirror with a sandwich. Apparently, that was my "bad boy" phase. If anyone knows where to find Andrew Prieb, I swear I will send him two slices of the oat bread for responsible sandwich making.

Other musings... I was so proud of the craft blog world backing up a friend recently. Someone posted some nasty accusations that were clearly false, and then the beautiful world of encouraging crafters came to her aid with so many kind words. I'm so proud to be a teensy part of it. It is an odd feeling to be involved in such an encouraging community that does not have Christ at the center of it specifically. But then as I pick up more about individuals, I see that an enormous part of this community really does have Christ at the center of it. It causes interesting ponderings for me. Wish I could have a cup of coffee with Jamie Pipher and Amanda Witt (would love to meet you someday!) to chat about it.

I also have had some really sad thoughts recently. Found out about an old friend choosing a very sad life for himself. Just learned of some friends who may be going through a miscarriage. Just aching for some people. Wish I could go "sit shiva" with the latter, and wish I could know just the right thing to say or do for the former.

But on we go with our days, and off to Story Hour for us.

What I asked for for Mother's Day

Because I think I'm the only one remotely crafty who doesn't have these two books... and because the my libraries carry neither of them.

Serenity Now!

So where are those kitchen photos, you ask? I would say soon, but I've stopped saying that word to myself. Rather, I have adopted a new attitude toward the kitchen: "Hey, Nonny, Nonny." The countertop is being installed as we speak, but I daren't hope for a working sink by tonight.

Back up about 20 hours. We had a very, very smooth trip home. Got great seats on the plane, all together. We've adopted a new attitude toward security check-in. NO more scrambling, no more apologizing. We have a kid, we're going to take a little longer to get through the line. Sigh and look impatient all you want. The 20 extra seconds you may gain by intimidating us is not worth it. Instead, we will smile and be gracious and enjoy the fact that we too have paid for the privilege of laying bare our possessions under a microscope for scrutiny, and we will take all the time we need to have it baptized by the TSA.

Lucy closed her eyes within minutes of getting buckled in on the plane, and slept for THREE hours. For the first time EVER, I did not get out a movie on the plane for Lucy. She was a little angel through everything. The bus ride back to the long-term parking lot, the car ride home. Then, 10 feet from the door, she fell to pieces over not being able to pick flowers outside at midnight. Finally got her calmed down (decided to let her go back out and pick the flowers...wasn't worth the battle.), in her jammies, and snacked-up. Thought she was ready to go down. She finally was at 2 a.m. And up at 6:30. Very considerate... she decided to switch back to CA time immediately. What a gal!

So we are running on fumes a bit today--and I do mean that literally, in the sense that countertop is being sawed, so we are inhaling some yummy fumes from that. But while I know I've come off as complaining, All these things are a privilege. They are because we are getting a new kitchen, and because we had a vacation--gifts from God and others in one way or another, and I am very, very grateful for them all.

Looking forward to more sensible posting soon. No more kitchen/displacement whining from me!

Lucy really became a Daddy's girl this trip. So sweet! However, Daddy didn't seem to hear her calling for him in the middle of the night... Hmmm....

Can you believe it? We got all the cousins together!!
The Sugar Cane Train
The aquarium. We were really impressed with this aquarium. Packed a lot of punch for its size.

Yes, that is a CLEAN fly swatter. Lucy's toy of choice.
Our last evening with the family all together.

Don't the clouds look like little fish following each other? I'm really impressed with my little point-and-shoot camera. The nice camera didn't even get as good a picture as this!

Uh-cation photos

Lucy has been calling our car the "uh-cation car." I'm so grateful, she has just done so fabulously on this trip. I think I am still a bit scarred from last year's plane ride of horror. It has been a joy to hang out together with the family, and to move at a nice, slow pace. I wish we could get in some more hiking, but we have been doing more inclusive activities, which are great, too.

Kitchen is moving along well, we are told. I will be glad to have it done for sure. Pictures when we get home.

I was reflecting the other day as I lay on the beach listening to the waves crash, the many mornings of dragging into work so that this trip could be possible. I am so grateful for them, as it is refreshing and wonderful. To spend all this wonderful time with my husband is an incredible treat as well! It's a joy to watch Lucy beginning to interact with her cousins, and to see her learning a little bit from them.

Okay, okay. Pictures.


Hey, what do you know, Steve and I still do get a picture of just the two of us every now and then. Self-portrait double-chin not withstanding, I don't mind this picture too much. =) It's from the road to Haleakala.
From the summit... the big Island is in the distance.
My sweet little hiker! I think she has found her first sport! She looooved hiking. She is a go-go-go girl, and having the trail to show her where to go seemed to be just the ticket for her.


On my favorite day... the drive to Haleakala, overlooking the valley between Kihei and Kahului (West and East Maui, respectively... we're looking north-ish here).
We came at the perfect time! The clouds rolled in about 90 min. after we got there.
The sunrise from our room, coming up over the mountain.

A very, very happy Mimi!
Getting near 10,000 feet...