animal love

Busybusy here today, so just a short video that brought a smile to my face and thought worth sharing. Hope you're having a great day!!!

what to do...

When the Mother Nature decides to ignore the forecast and turn a gloriously late summer weekend day into an overcast, rain-sprinkling one? Pull out a book from the project shelf and get to work, of course. :-)

I realized recently I needed a new pin cushion, so I decided to make this pin cushion/sewing caddy from Anna Maria Horner's Seams to Me. I followed the instructions pretty much to the letter, except I used old (but clean!) shredded tee shirts for the stuffing rather than polyfill. Great way to use up some fabric scraps too!

plage de temps

Plage de temps, or literally "beach of time," also is an expression for "a space of time for oneself to which one repairs on a daily or periodic basis" according to Mireille Guiliano---a concept that I thought about a great deal during the two weeks I combed the shoreline for green, brown, and bluey bits of sea glass to add to my collection (they represent to me the equivalent of Anne Morrow Lindbergh's shells in Gift from the Sea).

I am proud of myself for not only suggesting this vacation, this much-needed plage de temps, but also actually taking the time off as well. We didn't travel far---just the 10 miles from our home to the sea and back every day---and kept expenses low by packing picnics, with the occasional treat of a simple restaurant meal of grilled fish (done beachside here) and salad. OK, there also were regular stops at the ice cream kiosk as well, but it WAS a holiday. :-)

It would have been easy, though, to forgo the vacation entirely in the name of austerity, especially as my husband's job search and this era of economic uncertainty continue to drag on. But we both had worked so hard in the past year---everyone well deserved this break. As does everyone out there who has been affected by the stresses of the Great Recession.

Staycations and nearcations are great ways to promote plage de temps. You may not be fortunate as we are to live so close to a popular vacation spot, but there must be a park or recreational area within a similar distance to your house as well, perhaps even your own backyard, where you could enjoy a brief escape. After work today, I plan to start the weekend off right by soaking my feet in a washbasin while relaxing under the beach umbrella on our terrace. For as the waves lapped at my ankles last week, I learned that with a little effort and imagination, I can always have the sea with me.

Have a great weekend, everyone!!!

critters

Our perfect companions never have fewer than four feet. --- Colette

I come from a family that always has shared our homes with four-footed creatures. When I was just a few months' old, my parents presented me with my first puppy, a beautiful spaniel we called Pepper, and my friendship with the fur bundles has never wavered.

Our four-footed friends have always been rescue animals, with early-life stories of abandonment and neglect that we try to erase with a superabundance of love. Such was the case of Sammy Cat, my brother's semiferal diva kitty who died yesterday of kidney failure. You do the best for them, but they always wind up giving back so much more. RIP, Sammy.

The recession has hit animal rescue groups especially hard. Visit a local shelter, and if you can't add a four-footed companion to your family, please donate a bag of food or whatever you can afford. For Sammy.

last week's view

Work is not always required . . . there is such a thing as sacred idleness, the cultivation of which is now fearfully neglected.
---George MacDonald

Yes, I'm back and have no intention of leaving again for awhile. After a couple months of intensive work, we corrected the imbalance by spending two weeks at the sea, during which time my major accomplishment was perfecting the beach nap. :-) I also had a lot of time to think, and one of the many realizations I had was that I missed writing for this blog. So expect regular postings here again---and often! :-D

As I am catching up with my e-mails and reading, I have a bunch of good links for you today. First, a link on 5 Ways to Preserve the Summer Harvest, including other methods beyond the traditional canning. Also, a few seasonal recipes from Kripalu. I am a huge fan of hot chai tea during colder months, but I am curious to try Kripalu's suggestion of having it cold on hot days, too. Next, a free knitted dishtowel pattern from Lion Brand Yarn. Man, do I love this pattern---all the yummy colors! Great way to use up random bits of yarn as well. Finally, a reminder for me as much as you that for real productivity, less is truly more.

Keep enjoying these last weeks of summer, and if you find yourself frazzled, take it from me---get outside and do nothing! Until tomorrow....

tomatoes, tomatoes

Finally the tomatoes have ripened, and we are absolutely inundated! While I am finishing off the final chapters I need to edit before vacation (4 days!), the husband is spending his days making and jarring tomato sauce (as well as his favorite plum jam).

Here's a favorite---not to mention easy and quick---summer pasta recipe from Vegetarian Times, featuring seasonal vegetables, like the abundant tomato and corn. (I also really just like to say farfalle :-)


Photo is from Vegetarian Times.