dinner last night

from our garden.

so much going on. working from home. and now trying to balance a girl on summer vacation with all the work i need to get done. (thankfully my mom arrives in two weeks!)

so many june bdays i let slide without word here. you know who you are. face-to-face is so much better anyway.

i do love working from home. i love hearing the girls wake up extra early (5:20 am!) to see if another silkwork egg has hatched (it had) and then watch them dose back to sleep for another 3 hours. then haul them both on the back of the bike to get k to pre-school by 10. return home with one to set-up some pet rock painting, while i attend to the stuff i am supposed to be attending to!



will try to pop back here when i can...

happy summer!


p.s. having a dilemma with newly acquired bedroom suite for the girls (was d's and his big bro's growing up) - should i paint it? it isn't exactly mcm, but was purchased circa 1963!

fruits & vegetable

{first carrot from our garden - destined for the soup pot}

have a great weekend!

one car family

as of june 12 we will be a one car family. with me working from home now, this shouldn't be too bad. it is a question of economy - gas prices, and the costs of a new car. (we have been borrowing a car from our neice away at college, who is now returning for the summer - thanks sammy!) as well as a choice for more conscious living. we will see how it goes.

while i save up my pennies for this, k and i will be travelling to preschool (7 miles return), the market, etc. with the above set-up. d found the used lady schwinn (schweeet! thanks babe.) through a friend at work, and our neighbours were cleaning out the garage and offered us their bike trailer. perfect. (the only downside being i can't haul more with it.)

******

even more perfect is my k. who is 4 today. which i cannot believe. she is the kindest most thoughtful kid i know. with a crazy sense of humour. she informed me today, that she will always be my baby, or at least until she is bigger than me. and that i won't be growing anymore, but she will. she then gave me a big thumbs up. such is life. (you help me grow in more ways than you can imagine my little bug. i love you. happy birthday!!)

a few more

train and portland shots.

because it was just that good!





have a great weekend!

lost and found

yes i am still around - for all those who have called and asked

life is just full. last week i would have said overwhelming, but things are shaking down, as they do, and i sense my groove returning.



we had a wonderful trainride to portland and back. amazing really. to have a straight 29 hours with one's family is more of a gift than i had imagined. (have you read this article?) i am not claiming any spiritual revelation, but there was certainly a lot of joy in just kicking back and looking out the window. together. the wedding wasn't. a long story short: my niece is a smart girl and made a wise choice. we love her so much. we still had a wonderful weekend (oh how we love portland) traipsing the streets with d's family from the east, and of course checking in on our fave portland babe and his family. (thanks melissa as always!) we were sorry that time and weather did not permit all the visiting we had hoped for. but we will be back in august for more!

i have moved into my shed. or shack. or studio. we still haven't settled on what to call it. it feels very good.

the weather is already turning hot. the garden still seems to be happy. the pool is leaking - but d thinks he can fix it before the triple digits arrive. life is good. full. but good. i even find myself looking forward to that long hot lazy socal summer ahead.



if i disappear again. don't worry. i am just outside playing with the bugs.

building blocks

d cut some blocks at work - scale to shipping containers. he is dreaming of building a house with them here. (mom is there now - wish we were with you!)

also trying to develop personal building blocks. better use of time and space. our modernshed is almost complete and i should be moved out of my old space by 1 june. this week is full of movers and inspectors and museum aquisition committees. but friday a train will take us north to portland. for our niece's wedding, and hopefully some time with friends. can. not. wait!

have a great week!

happy mothers' day

counting my blessings and playing in the sunshine...

::

hi there. still having trouble getting to this spot. there is so much other stuff going on. my laptop seems to have fizzled out on me - though i am promised it is "fixable".

our neighborhood school is in the throes of many battles, while at the same time, played host to an amazing community weekend of mural painting and gardening with 175 volunteers in attendance. {it just seems like "the system" doesn't want us to succeed. sigh.} the main issue at hand is an offer of co-location to a charter school. while at first glance this may not seem like anything too terrible, our community really feels that it goes against all that we have been working for. i have nothing against charter schools, but this one serves a demographic much different than the one attending our school. the differences will be notable, compounded by the fact that they are in uniform, and we are not. i really worry about the message of community we have been working so hard to foster being divided. we will continue to fight to keep our "home" ours. and we will see.

the shed is still moving along. almost there. that and our little garden are my therapy. must find time to sew...

bolstered

tr.v. bol·stered, bol·ster·ing, bol·sters

To support or prop up with or as if with a long narrow pillow or cushion.
To buoy up or hearten



State of public education is really getting me down... I am taking a little break. Need to "buoy up". Be back soon...

::

{was turn-off your tv week.}

more info here.

see you next week...

getting there

back to the work that needs to be done here.

the ceiling is in. and windows up. still roof and siding and then to the interior i believe. (right hon?)

we had a "ceiling raising" party of 4 today. thanks guys. (we are so blessed to have the world's best neighbors!)

here is the view i will have from the deck there will be.



ahhhh! can't wait! (more on our progress here.)

another day in ny

breakfast with my amazing and talented friend jillian.(who i just realized i have known for 20 yrs come this september.)

lunch with a couple of french guys




and then across the street to an amazing show. if in ny and have the chance - do go see "pricked: extreme embroidery" at the museum of arts & design. i was actually too blown away to take any pictures, but you can see a few of the pieces here. and here.

tonight was the opening. and dinner. and a little too much wine. successful and lovely. and a little bit sad.

tomorrow back to la la land.

things i never get to do at home

read the nyt in bed while eating scrambled eggs and toast.*

have a car take me up the hudson to visit a very dear friend.

spend an hour talking about vignelli's contribution to sans serif fonts and the beauty of helvetica with same friend. (jan, have you seen this film?)

sit in front of one painting at the museum of modern art for 1/2 an hour.

walk down the street with a crowd of 100s.

*ok, d i know you are thinking - she gets breakfast in bed from the girls all the time - but this was different! oh but i do miss you! xo

up,up,up,up and away

i am off to ny. back at week's end...

tea for three

unseasonably cool here yesterday. we spent a lot of it working in the yard, tending the veggie patch and prepping for the shed, then broke for a tea party complete with freshly baked cranberry scones and a hot cup of tea (panda berry for the girls, and genmaicha for me).

happy monday.

natural pest control

with a nasty infestation on my native sunflower bush, we turned to the ladies for help...



thanks ladies!

for my laptop

which i won't be hauling around as much when i have a home office ;)



perhaps it will get more use filled with mail as i ride my bike to our local mbe! (can you tell i am excited about this home office deal?)

i love this bag from moop::handmade bags. it is just the right size. (largish). and has pockets and rings on the interior. the strap feels good on my shoulder and the craftsmanship is fantastic. (living up to their credo.)

i have a lot of thick (thick - about 1/2 inch!) felt around and hope to fashion some kind of cozy for the laptop as well. hmmm...

thanks for the support as always. have a great weekend!

daydreaming

we have gone ahead and put a down payment on a home office. we found a deal we couldn't turn down (a gently used model from a design-show). and in the end it will be better than renting a space off-site, which looked like my only other option. i could feel the weight lift off my shoulders as i entered our incredibly over-crowded home office this a.m., filled to the gills with crafting, homeowners accumulations and my recently moved files and books from work. the new office will be primarily a space for me to work-work. that is at my "job". it arrives next week (!). lots of prep to begin - i shall share as we progress!

(oh and melissa - the little vase is what the bunny brought me, and cup one of my heath purchases. you can see the larger bowl here. more blue and orange... xo)

misty bay area coloured memories...

heath(en)

did i mention we visited heath ceramics while up north? i have wanted to for some time, but hadn't had the opportunity. it was fantastic. their vintage tiles are so beautiful. (and have inspired a summer project.) and so much orange and blue and brown - love.



we had a picnic outside in their courtyard, then naturally one of the little had to use the bathroom, so we got an up close and personal look at the kilns and some molds too. (the staff was so lovely and welcoming.) and came home with a few pieces as well.

then received a little extra on easter morning.

thanks bunny. xo

hope your week is going well...

happy easter :: happy spring

invited the neighborhood kids (and adults) to colour eggs on the driveway on a perfect socal day...

hope yours is the same!

break

just back from a much needed get-away up to the bay area.

back now to the grind. tempered with generous doses of tea and berries to help along the way.



{thanks you guys for your love and hospitality - we miss you already!}

mellow yellow

friday already? feeling much better, though the time change thing seems harder this go round. luckily, it has been a gorgeous week. and taken up by digging in the dirt. the natives we planted last year are all starting to bloom. {i am so loving the yellow flowers on this california sunflower bush (encelia californica) we planted around the turtle pond. as is the turtle.(for her lunch)} we have our little starter plants going for the veggie beds, and there is nothing i would rather be doing than working in the yard. unfortunately, there is a lot of stuff i should be doing.

with that. we are off to the bay area for a few days of escape - to mellow out - and to spend some time with much missed friends.

{yay for spring break!}

enjoy

a little green

these are from a set of doll furniture made by my great-aunt jess - much played with when I was a child, and now by my girls.

i am feeling a little green myself. hence the lack of posts for this lovely green week. i have been enjoying the sightings of others! thanks so much emily for the inspiration.

have a great weekend

green

e calls it the green chair.
k, the birthday seat.



was acquired during a busy move of some dear friends. we are holdling onto it for them.

we will see you soon ramblers. can't wait. xo

for green week

more info here



these hills on my drive to work are only green for a couple of weeks each year. those few precious weeks after the rain and before the heat. my favorite time here.

i will be working from home in a few weeks. no longer commuting. will not miss the driving. but will somewhat miss the drive. i enjoy the solitude. traffic doesn't bother me. i listen to the radio, and take in the subtle clues to the los angeles seasons the hills provide.

it will be good to do this without the car.

better

a jumper for e that i cut out months ago. finally sewn up last week. i had lost the directions to the pattern and winged it (wung it?). i wasn't happy with it and returned to it to sew down the pleats and add some buttons. much better. of course yesterday while cleaning out my work-space-to-be, i found the directions and read all i had done wrong. no matter. i will reuse it in some of the cotton lawn perhaps as a spring dress for k. the "right" way.

i am feeling better too. spring feels like it is really here and the blue funk i have been riding all winter will lift. it has been a tough one. and i thank you again for all your kind comments, thoughts and messages. it is all really appreciated.

to spring!
happy monday

loss

i feel a need to write something down. not really a need, perhaps. but an obligation. though that word fails as well. to call out a memory that i carry with me each day. and a date that marks the time since he left me. 6 yrs. i still feel his hand on my shoulder. and see his twinkle in my girls' eyes.

and miss him.


my dad and grandma c. 1960

::♥::

happy valentine's day!


a lavender filled valentine from sam

inspiration

brought home



from liberty.

in the process of redoing my work-space as i make the move from the studio to working from home. storage is my biggest issue - mainly for my work files, but also for my burgeoning fabric collection! any ideas? i am thinking of some ikea cabinets with a custom work surface top. and d is trying to convince me to allow for a work surface in the center of the room. it is a small space. and i'm not sure about this idea. what do you think? what works for you? (links welcome!)

spring is in the air

daffodils in london. now 80 degree temps here in los angeles. finding it hard to get back into the groove of it all.

the trip was hugely successful. the auction beyond expectations. and a few very worthwhile meetings as well. while i didn't get in as much sightseeing as i wished for. (thank you so much for all your suggestsions!) i did do alot of walking. and being away from my family was tough. though we all came through with flying colours. those 'unused muscles' that someone mentioned needed to be used every once-in-a-while, were. in many ways.

now back to work. happy monday!

night night

from london



arrived this afternoon to a beautiful london day. spent it walking. and walking. 'til dark. {with a break to skype the girls while they got ready for school.}

a few pictures over here.

off to bed. {with a glass of red wine and coronation street on the tellie}