Something for the Weekend

Hi! Happy Summer! Years ago I followed a Yahoo writing group and for awhile, in its heyday, every weekend the  organizers of the group would have a post called Something for the Weekend. It always included book ideas, wine, maybe food or an activity. I loved those posts, usually written by my faraway friend Cat who lived in Scotland. We'd hear about pear cider and village fetes, it was very fun.

So in honor of those earlier days of internet friendships I thought I might sometimes do a weekend post here. This is the official start of summer at the beach, and I suppose everywhere. Rain or shine, summer is here. The weather gods are laughing hysterically, they have sent us endless drizzle, dense fog and cold temps.

I got out a summery cashmere turtle neck.

Mo wore his raincoat.

I love when the shops stock up their crappy summer toys and patio stuff and sunscreen. So happy and hopeful. When my kids were small it was so exciting, shopping for new beach pails and shovels, a new boogie board, maybe a wiffle bat and ball. And oooh, bubbles! And a kite!

And the market had peonies, gasp/ sigh. Too $$$ at 7.99 for three stems.

I stopped in the el cheapo wine shop with my coupon [all the shops issue summer coupons for Memorial Day].  Isn't this the cutest packaging ever---I wish they sold t-shirts!

I got a bottle for a friend's birthday. It's not a brand I ever drink, but if it's not good she can always do mimosas or bellinis, right? I know she's having a houseful of guests this weekend, and can use it.

Food: This comes from Kelley ~

Roasted veggies tossed with pasta for a weekend dinner, because it's supposed to rain, rain, rain. I'll long-roast the pretty heirloom tomatoes, single layer on an olive oil drizzled cooky sheet. Roast the halved tomatoes at lowest temp [my oven it's 200*] until caramelized. Maybe 6 hours, but keep checking! Store in olive oil with garlic cloves til needed. Then I'll short / hot roast the squash and asparagus separately. About 35 minutes at 400*. Toss with some cubed Brie and parm, a splash of white wine, maybe some herb sprigs? Yummy.

Books:       The Dry  by Jane Harper  Australian murder mystery. Very well written and engrossing. Drawback: I immediately knew who the murderer[s] were. First novel by Harper, I'll look forward to more from her.
                The Kind Worth Killing  by Peter Swanson   Oddly gripping despite the fact that none of the protagonists is very appealing.  Plot is reminiscent of Hitchcock's film Strangers on a Train.

[and again a rec from Kel] : Razor Girl  by Carl Hiaasen I haven't started it yet, but it looks like another crazy romp from Hiassen. Kelley can update us?

Projects for rainy weekend days: I don't have anything quilt-y to show you this week because I've been working on a duvet cover and pillowcases for friends. My friends have a relentlessly grey decor in their lovely home and it took us ages to find a good grey batik for their bedroom.

This has taken me all week! I'm losing my touch, and finding it hard to wrestle the equivalent of 12 yards of fabric [king size] and a 72" zipper. Took me three tries and two zippers to get the zipper set just right! I want the pieces to be ''perfect'' for these special friends.

On the hopefully easier side of projects, I plan to make these shower steamers: here
Since I cannot have a bath anymore, just showers, due to hip pain/ limited mobility, I so miss my bubble baths and array of bath salts and bubbles and scented gels. These are supposed to be set on the floor of the shower, to at least create a relaxing scent. Made with cornstarch and essential oils. I ordered bergamot, eucalyptus and lemon verbena.[more on this project later!]

And look! Gluten free, hahaha.

Saturday morning I'll hang out my wooden Stars and Stripes, as I have for all these years since my dad made it for me. If it's an okay day I'll put all my little flags along the deck rail too. The Thunderbirds [ the Air Force fighter jet team] are supposed to perform at the airshow this year, so exciting, but the fog has kept them grounded. No amazing practice runs along the beach , too bad.

beach entry pots of flowers

Mo is ready for fun, rain or shine!

So there you have it, something for the weekend. What are your plans?

love

lizzy

gone to the beach.....

same weekend a few years ago.....

Inspiration? Zoe buys this for You Know Who!

Rushing the Season

Hello! It's hot and summery here but in the stores it is definitely Fall and Halloween. I've had fun the past week or two getting out a bit more, able to walk a little and have fun.

Of course the first place my friend L and I headed to was Home Goods! If you don't have HG you can find similar fun things at Marshall's and J Maxx, HG's sister stores.

I adore these Shiny Brite Halloween ornies and garlands!

If you're looking for mercury glass pumpkins, now is the time!

I bought this turquoise cutie and put her away till mid-October.

Lovely wreaths. I especially love the velvet pumpkins here.

Michael's, the craft store is another Must-Do stop. They have wonderful, though expensive faux pumpkins.

I did buy just the one creamy white pumpkin, because it's so hard to find nice ones here. But as my mom always pointed out with faux anything, now I have to find a place to store my pumpkin finds. Fresh decorations, fresh flowers...after they're used, out they go! No clutter.

I also got a bit of sock yarn for my snow day stash.

We had hoped our adult ed here the high school would offer Learn to Crochet. I so want to learn this craft. But no. So I'll knit socks this winter, maybe. [Hard to wrap my head around snow today ,lol.]

From Bath and Body Works, some autumn and winter scented candles for my stash. Just in case that someday-storm brings us a power faliure, I stock up on jar candles. Somehow those solar emergency lanterns just never work . You can depend on candles. [put them in safe places during storms, like in the bathtub or shower, or kitchen sink!] And of course they always smell delicious. I order online, and just hope for the best. "Amber" and ''bergamot'' are key words for online scent buying, for me.

Oh and Mo got another  Donut bed. He just loves his Donut!

How about you guys? Still in shorts and flip flops, even for the weekend tailgate party? Or you're rushing the season and getting out your woolies and pumpkins, too?

love

lizzy

gone to the beach....

Sadly I get no reward or remuneration from the shops and products mentioned, lol.

Lavender, Lemon Verbena and Bergamot

Hi guys! Another Monday, huh. Yesterday the flea market was a bit of flop. I got there EARLY! But I had no money, or just a little. There were many dealers, 200?---but their wares were junk. At the very first booth I found a little old box of treasures---thimbles, tiny tin boxes, a carved bone handle, a brass filigree cuff bracelet, cut-steel beaded purses with no frames, miscellaneous old buttons, tarnished tattered junk. But you know...first booth! I didn't want to carry it around all day. And can you imagine, someone bought it before I went back. Who but me wants an old grubby box of junk? How odd. I also missed out on a polychrome transferware tea bowl / slop bowl, unusual because it was French not English [same dealer] and a teeny tiny hand smocked silk infant dress, palest eggshell peach color. The dress was snatched out right from under my eyes. A woman just wanted it so bad and I really didn't need it, so, okay. Fine. (Old silk is so hard to wash, I thought, as she scurried away with my find.)

Mo had an all day playdate, so I used the quiet afternoon time to work on my spring selection of lavender hearts for my etsy shop.

The box of new lavender came last week. You may notice I use two types of lavender. One is floral, one is almost pine-y or crisp. Both are French lavender, from Cape Cod.

I use my giant white bread bowl. It's English ironstone, not American yellow ware.

I add essential oils. This time I used bergamot and lemon verbena as well was lavender oil.

Mix it good with my new big silver spoon,

then cover it for a day or so with its wooden cover [beachcombed find, isn't it great?]

I also ordered two kinds of sea salt, or rock salt, and made bath salts for myself. I mix the sea salt with epsom salts and again I add a drop or two of essential oils. I don't use lavender for bath salts, it's too floral for everyday use; I prefer the more citrus-y verbena and the bergamot.

Bergamot smells like Earl Grey tea, so you can imagine the scent.] Very calming and subtle.

Meanwhile I sort through my collection of tattered but beautiful linens and lace, some quilt fragments too, and the hearts and squares and tubes are sewed and turned.

I like to stuff the sachets and pillows outside so it doesn't make a mess or smell too strong.

 I love when the completed hearts are all gathered in a big bowl or tray

Something pretty for spring-cleaned closets or to tuck in stacks of line-dryed sheets and bath towels. Or---for Mothers Day? I am always so hopeful that they please..

love 

lizzy

gone to the beach