Souvenirs:
in the kitchen

the heat makes us pick super early in the morning and late at night
as soon as they come in, they get washed and kept in the cellar, while we wash and prepare the jars and lids

the next morning, it's time to dice/slice and start the brine

we went a bit "overboard" with planting cucumbers we enjoyed them so much while gazing out at the frozen tundra during the harsh winter

since we went overboard, we are able to share so much with friends and family... and I'm so glad
the garden is doing quite well considering the heat and due to planting so close together in most places, I am able to not weed so much (imagine that)
so I did some more sewing using a striped sheet and appliqued a sailboat on it for our daughter

I didn't perfectly line the stripes up... without a care I made this skirt...
she doesn't mind and neither do I
we had lost power from a terribly windy storm... the weather up here is quite peculiar lately and I almost caved and got an air conditioner almost
but once again, we chose not to it's almost a game now... letting it cool off inside the house and run around and closing the windows at just the right time... funny really... but with heavy drapes and quick feet, we are able to keep this old farmhouse cool enough... but we aren't using the oven, instead the grill and the side burner outdoors which I am hysterically calling my 'outdoor kitchen'... someday... someday!
I am however, taking a break from pickles, and am blending and juicing them galore quite versatile
anyone know of uses for cucumbers? I would love to hear how you use them in and out of the kitchen

xo+pickled blessings,

When baby Daniel sees our dog Bella, she doesn't know that Bella won't talk back to him
this struck me (as does every single thing I encounter in my life) and it really made me think
He was sitting on my lap, tummy down on my chubby thighs (yes, I did say MY chubby thighs) and was talking to the dog... cooing away... inflections here and there
trying to get her attention!
she was looking at him, which he giggles at, and their communication was complete
he doesn't know the dog doesn't talk
it doesn't matter to him
Baby Daniel accepts the dog the way she is... non talking and all

random picture of what I did Saturday morning... came up with 2 new yummy cupcakes!! = lemon cupcake with fresh blueberry butter cream frosting = chocolate and lavender cupcake with blueberry butter cream frosting
both will be available at the farm this October with the blueberries the family picked so graciously for me and for you... as well as the lavender from my garden... organically grown
The Homesteading Series here at NA.DA.FARM will be up and running soon! Jason and I can't wait to share some more NA.DA.FARM with you

trying to avoid bananas is hard for this mother of six... it's so easy to keep a few on hand in the cooler in the car for a quick snack for baby Daniel or the other kids (or me)... but it is not a local fruit

if I was to eat local fruits that are available at my farmer's market it would be mostly berries in the late spring — summer and then apples, peaches, and the possible plum

not complaining, but pretty much just whining that I wouldn't be able to eat bananas again if I go with that idea of only eating seasonal and local with no waste

with all that being said, I did recently have a few bananas on hand, and some ripe strawberries

for this food styling, I brought it into one of my favorite pieces of furniture that rests off of our living room... it's an old cabinet, and Jason replaced the back boards with a wide tongue and groove... a recently favorite place for me to take photographs of my last food styling job for Jo Packham's new book which I had the honor and priviledge to work on
(more on that later)

even makes a great dessert if served with ice cream or freshly whipped cream

in blueberry season, add whole blueberries as a substitute for strawberries

xo+kitchen blessings,

me preparing a dynamic new pesto: sage blossom pesto (recipe shared later this week)
herbs are hanging from my antique spice rack above the stove now... it is a great space to do this at, because the direct sunlight doesn't hit the herbs, and they dry so nicely (besides me liking them hanging there)
now is your time to harvest any blooms on your herbs, in order to make a prolific herb harvest soon

peonies dry beautifully, as does chamomile (for my organic chamomile teas i make)

Jason bought me this enormous antique wire whisk from Josie's antiques for mother's day... i cannot wait to use it

i do have to say, the kitchen has been stripped, minimal crept back in... and i now have a very different looking kitchen since i snapped these photos
whenever i give a completely thorough cleaning, things get rearranged (hence why my house is always turning around... i like love to clean)

see the extraordinary in your ordinary day
see the beauty in utilitarian objects
see the beauty in work
see the beauty in bloom
xo+blessings,

spring has finally come... and how absolutely beautiful on a Sunday!

in my little kitchen nook too...

this baby of mine... now 11 days overdue... but that's okay... he or she was just waiting for spring!!
have a beautiful day everyone...
xo+blessings,

when we first bought this old farmhouse, one of the features we loved, and love now, are two "nooks" as we like to call them...
this one in the kitchen is by far my favorite

I have quite a bit of wire holders for spices and such in the kitchen, and while organizing the basement last week (there seriously is not a place untouched by organizing lately... the "nesting instinct") this wire hat rack with hooks was snatched and put up in our kitchen nook...
this 1950 chef's hat sits on top, as well as a few of my red & white French kitchen towels I have collected over the years... and of course, my favorite rolling pin that I use almost every day

In case you are interested in the details of the room... *here's what we did to this nook when we moved in* — removed the vinyl flooring, and refinished the original douglas fir floorboards -removed the butlers pantry that was in major disrepair — which we repurposed as our large vanity in our bathroom downstairs -new Marvin casement windows — new trim and beadboard (in lemon chiffon — but you can't see a hint of yellow) -new douglas fir tongue and groove ceiling ceiling -installed chandelier (it's been with us ever since we have been married) -I refinished this table top, painted the legs and did the same to the chairs -chair pads were purchased via Country Living

it's a place I sit with friends over coffee or tea and always a piece of pie or a homemade cookie...
it's an area for silence... views... and morning cheer!!
xo+blessings,

After Jason was well enough after back surgery, and the February issue of Country Living Magazine came in the mail we decided to put up some shelves made from reclaimed barn wood in the kitchen for our every day dishes -

as you can see, I only have a few plates left... they are getting used and abused since we switched to hand washing our dishes... and I would love to find some ironstone ones now... (though I would really like to become a potter and make them myself...)

they are so much more functional than what was there — and a cinch to put away! (and display)

we left the barnwood on the sides all beautifully raw and rustic...

I like keeping some of the items on there corralled — especially my silver pieces — I use those everyday (those forks I just got at my local antiques store... and baby Daniel thinks they are pretty great!)



Jason made this cutting board... by hand... I believe it is black walnut

we sealed the 'counter top' area with our bees' beeswax — it is made from Douglas Fir (like our flooring) thank you CLiving for such a great feature... you can see where my inspiration came from here
peace + blessings,

do you remember this table? fond memories with the globes on it before in the living room... but it has temporarily found a home in the kitchen...

so fun moving stuff around!

an unexpected "like"
peace + blessings,