Farewell to Summer

Yes, I do realize that Summer's been over for a while now. But while I missed the reasonable time frame for such a post, it's been such a lovely summer that I can't bear to let it go without one last hurrah. I honestly can't remember when I've enjoyed a summer more -- usually it's my least favorite season because of the unforgiving, relentless HEAT. This summer, though, seemed milder. Or perhaps I was more tolerant? Either way, it was really perfect. And while I'm typically wordy, I'll let a few end-of-summer snapshots do the talking:

The Blueberry Bush

How long have we lived in this house? Four, going on five years? Surely by now we'd know our house and grounds pretty well, right? Well, we were in for a surprise this summer when one of the nondescript bushes in our yard started producing blueberries!

I vaguely recall suspecting such a thing last summer, but the berries were so tiny and decidedly not blue that I decided I must be mistaken. If I'm correct, blueberries require two bushes of different varieties in order to produce. We must have an anomaly, then, because we just have one bush. One enormous, overgrown, formerly-unidentified bush. Seriously, it's about eight feet tall. 

The Littles have been loving our new find, and Little Man is on a constant hunt for "dark ones." That snapshot of berries in Rosa's hand above? I had about a second to capture that before they all went in her mouth. They're tiny little berries, and not particularly sweet -- but that hasn't stopped us from munching up every berry we can find, as soon as they're ripe. I'm rather surprised it's bearing so late, as I believe late June is more typical for our area.

 It's been such a treat to enjoy some homegrown food -- especially since it cost no effort on our part! After some of the "discoveries" this house has dished up, it's nice to have a surprise of the pleasant variety. Now just to save up enough berries at one time to make some muffins...

Summer Staples

With Summer in full swing, I knew it was time to pull out some fabric and get to work. A few pieces from last summer's wardrobe are still in rotation, but many of the tops have bitten the dust (as they were worn throughout Fall, Winter and Spring). 

My coral top and my black-and-white striped maxi skirt were the pieces I was most eager to replace. And here are their replacements!

The top was made from a coral cotton spandex and the skirt is a black stripe cotton spandex, both from Girl Charlee.

The maxi is a simple matter of two self-drafted identical pieces connected to a wide knit waistband. I've learned that I shouldn't serge that waistband seam because I have a tendency to alter my maxi skirts. Sure enough, after taking the above photograph, I decided that the skirt was too "wide," so I detached the waistband and made a few adjustments. Though to be quite honest, I don't serge any of my knit seams any more. It just seems to stretch them out, and it's extra work for fabrics that aren't going to fray anyway.

I drafted the pattern for the top from an existing Old Navy shirt I bought for $1 at my local charity shop. I love the drawstring neckline, and the shirt is surprisingly flattering! It also works really well under cardigans, making this a perfect layering pieces that serves as both a shirt and a "camisole." Oh, and the drawstring neckline provides adjustable modesty! 

This top is so easy to finish, because the neckline binding requires no fancy stretching. I hemmed the armholes and waist with a single row of slightly zig-zagged stitching, so there's no need for fancy equipment (beyond a stretch/ballpoint needle).

Oh, and I did realize while wearing the original shirt today that there should be a line of stitching about 1/4" from the neck edge of the drawstring casing -- I'll have to add that to my existing shirt, as I prefer the look.

From the one yard of coral fabric that I bought, I made this top, the straps for these sandals, and a pair of leggings for Rosa. Not bad for $6.50!

Minimally Shod

My attitude toward footwear has been slowly evolving over the past few years. I am a shoe lover at heart -- after all, what's not to love about an item of clothing that doesn't care if you gained five (or twenty-five) pounds? I used to have at least three dozen pairswhen I was a teenager. They were just so cheap at the thrift store! But my perspective on "stuff" has changed, and that includes footwear. Much as I may admire different styles and designs, I really don't want dozens of pairs any more. In fact, now I prefer the minimum necessary to coordinate with my wardrobe, and one pair (maybe two) for "fun."

Oh, and my perspective on footwear has changed in one other significant way -- we've become more and more convinced that minimalist footwear is the way we want to go for our family. Turns out, people in "shoeless" cultures don't experience the same joint problems that plague first world runners, because you run differently barefoot than you do in a cushy, "supported" shoe with a thick heel. Weight lifters have known this for a long time, which is why they wear flat shoes (it pays to have a husband who knows these things!). I own a pair of Merrell Barefoot Vapor Gloves for running and exercise, and they really are amazing (as in, you will never want to wear another pair of shoes once you put them on). As a disclaimer, I do have one pair of black heels for fancy occasions, and my winter boots aren't exactly minimalist. But my everyday shoes are as flat and "minimal" as I can manage -- though ballet flats, which are typically flexible and have little to no heel) are the closest I've come without spending a fortune. 'Cause let me tell you, there are not many minimalist shoes available -- especially if you're on a budget.   I guess it's a good thing I was downsizing already...

In fact, between my two "minimal" philosophies (fewer pairs and less between me and the ground), I rarely even bother looking at shoes when I'm shopping.

Then I saw Sseko sandals -- a single amazing sandal that can be tied in umpteen different ways with any color of ribbon? Don't pinch me, or I might wake up! Oh, they're also made fair trade by women in Uganda. Like they needed to be any better. There was only one teensy, weensy problem: Ssekos are not minimalist. I would have gladly shelled out the cash if it weren't for that subtle rise between the toe and the heel.

But I wasn't about to give up. Ideas have been simmering in my mind for months (no joke), and I finally summoned up my courage and got started. Turns out, the solution was simple:

You know you have minimalist shoes when the wear pattern on the sole shows your heel,
the ball of the foot, and all of your toes! 

I like simple. Two scraps of free leather (brown upper and black lower, because that's what I had), a utility knife, Contact cement, and a pair of knit "straps" did the trick. I wouldn't feel right doing a full tutorial for these because they are total knock-offs of the Sseko sandal -- but it's a simple design to simulate, based off of this image. I traced my foot and smoothed out the shape, adding a bit so that my foot wouldn't fall off the edge. My leather pieces were relatively thick, but they're still quite flexible. I scientifically "eyed" the location of the leather loops after perusing images on the Sseko website, and fortunately they seem to be placed properly.

They were practically free, unless you count the bottle of contact cement (which is still mostly full). The leather came in a bag of scraps from a local saddle shop, for those of you who might be looking to make some of your own.

I can't wait to try out more of the different tying options, and to also make a whole rainbow of straps. The straps, by the by, were sewn with two strips of excess knit fabric, leftover from a shirt I made (more on that project soon!). I just made them the width of the fabric, which, being a knit, was characteristically wide. 60", perhaps? I'd used grosgrain ribbon at first, but it was not nearly as comfortable. With the knit straps, it feels like I have absolutely nothing on my foot! In fact, once I put them on I have absolutely no inclination to take them off. I think Sseko ribbons are made from woven fabrics, so I'll probably try that to see how it goes.

My toes look a bit wonky in this one, because it's harder than you might think to get pictures of your own foot...

I've noticed some areas of separation between the two sole pieces, so I'll probably try to re-glue them or even try a different glue (I've heard Barge cement is great for leather shoes). Oh, and I think a bit of stitching around the edge would also work splendidly (and solve the glue issue), but I didn't have the proper type of "thread" for such an application and I was too impatient to wait. But since these were free, they're a perfect experimental pair. I can work out any kinks at no cost to myself. Though quite honestly, I'm perfectly happy with them and will continue to wear them as long as they'll last!

I'm so thrilled that I have a new option for footwear; I'd like to experiment even more once I have a little more experience under my belt. Making shoes -- however simple -- was never something I'd thought possible. Now I have an option that fits both of my "minimalist" shoe requirements, with the added bonus of cheap materials, a customized fit, and virtually endless style possibilities.

A Trip to the Zoo

Now that Little Man is approaching his third birthday, we thought it was time to take him to the zoo. Photos and YouTube videos just don't do justic to the wondrous array of animals that God has designed!

Thus, we undertook the rather lengthy drive to the closest zoo, and began our explorations.

Curious 

It was a blistering day, but at least it was sunny -- one of the few dry days we've had this summer! 

See the baby in tow?

I'm a huge fan of ring-tailed lemurs, so I was delighted to see some at the zoo!

The highlight of my day was definitely feeding the giraffes. They're one of my favorite animals (those eyelashes!), and having such a huge animal lick your hand with its giant purple tongue is quite remarkable. Twenty-five cents for giraffe "chow" was some of the best money I've ever spent!

Notice that the giraffe's head is about three times the size of mine? Amazing!

Check out those fingers!

Well, hello there!

Love those horns

I wonder what the silverback is musing about...

It's just not a zoo without a llama

There were little peachicks (baby peacocks) wandering all over the place

Peek-a-boo

Everyone was looking for some shade!

Overall, our little trek was quite a success! I had been anticipating that most of my enjoyment would come from watching Little Man see the animals for the first time. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed the trip on my own account! 

And while Little Man has pretty much sworn off naps, apparently the fatigues of the day were irresistable...

Guilt-Free Summertime

When the summer heat gets intense (and in Florida, when is it ever not intense?), I find myself craving something cold. And something sweet -- but that's not really limited to summer! However, I don't want to indulge in refined sugars too often.

Banana ice cream to the rescue! It has the consistency of soft serve, it's sweet and creamy, and it has only two ingredients -- neither of which are sugar. Yes, I realize that bananas are sugary fruits, but I really don't mind that.

I've been raving about it to friends and family, but they've all seemed unimpressed -- until they try it! Little Man asks for it frequently, and I love having a nutritious "treat" to serve him. Even Rosa has seemed pleased with the little nibbles she's gotten (when I'm feeling generous enough to share with her!). 

Fresh banana ice cream topped with cream and sprinkles --

You can find various versions of this on the web, but here's how I do it:

Ingredients:

• Bananas
• Milk

Insructions:

1. Cut a ripe banana into slices and lay on a baking sheet (I line mine with wax paper for easy cleanup).
2. Pop into the freezer for a few hours -- they store well for several weeks, so there's no need to use them right away (though I'd recommend transferring them to a closed container if you plan to store them)
3. Place banana "coins" into a food processor (or blender) and add a dash of milk -- we use whole raw milk, but any milk should do. You might even be able to use water if you need it to be dairy free, but I'm not sure what that would do to the consistency and taste.
4. Pulse your food processor until the banana starts to break up. Add more milk as needed until the consistency is smooth and creamy. Adding too much milk will make it soupy, though, so be conservative!
5. Serve with desired toppings. I usually add just a dash of Reddi Whip and a few jimmies (yes, I realize that both of those contain sugar! *wink*), but I've also tried chocolate chips, pecans, shredded coconut -- the sky's the limit!

Notes:

• The texture is quite thick, so I use my food processor -- I've done it in a blender, but it involved lots of stopping to smash banana chunks down into the blade area.  
• You could combine other fruits with the banana if you want to add other flavors -- strawberries and raspberries are both good candidates, but I wouldn't recommend watery fruits like watermelon or citrus.

The Ups and Downs and Outs

Life lately has been interesting, to say the least.

The Downs? I spent several days on the couch fighting a stomach bug, wondering if I would ever recover. Have I ever mentioned that I am pitifully short-sighted when I'm sick? I usually succumb to the "I-will-never-feel-better-because-I-feel-terrible-at-this-moment" mindset, whether I have a head cold or the 'flu. As I tried to keep liquids down (to no avail), our little one on-the-way decided it was time to up the activity level, and pummeled my digestive tract with gleeful abandon. Which was comforting, though uncomfortable. It was reassuring to know that at least one part of my body was functioning properly! Little Man had way too many graham crackers (or "cookoos," as he calls them -- aka, "cookies") while I was recuperating, but I think he'll still grow up to be a successful adult.

Delights of the Season

The Ups? By the end of the week I was able to eat again (not taking that for granted in the near future), and ready to catch up on the plethora of tasks that fall by the wayside when you can't get off the couch. Can I admit that I felt a bit affirmed when I saw just how bad the house looked when I did nothing? So nice to know that even on my less productive days, apparently I do something!

The Outs? Well, a hefty amount of stuff is on its way out our door. Just as I was feeling some strong decluttering/nesting vibes, I stumbled upon Rachel's Minimalist Mom Blog, which I'm absolutely loving. (if you visit, please be aware that she occasionally use language I would not approve of -- so please use discretion). I've been skimming my way through the archives and trying not to pester Pablo with too much "The Minimalist Mom blog had this post..." I think I've only been partly successful with that, but he's listened patiently nonetheless. I really like that Rachel's version of minimalism is not extreme, and that she is very honest about her experiences. She also has many posts that put the accumulation of stuff into perspective by exploring the reason we accumulate -- in other words, she addresses the root of the problem,  rather than just the problem itself.

Sweet baby footprints

I don't think I'll ever be a minimalist, but I certainly embrace the idea of purging objects that require time, energy, and money to maintain, while they offer little advantage or pleasure in return. By the way, did you know that minimalism is the new trend? I didn't. As someone who is wary of my own attraction to trendiness, that's a bit off-putting. But I'll try to take the good and leave the bad. Less unneeded stuff and more money saved? That sounds good to me. That also sounds like the plain old Biblical concept of good stewardship. I may muse on decluttering more in another post. We'll see.

The past month has been a whirl of baby showers, graduations, doctor's appointments, and sewing. My maternity wardrobe is still mysteriously... well, minimal! Apparently my mama body is different this pregnancy (I think mostly in the rib cage), and for some reason styles that were super comfortable the first time around are now unbearable. I'm so grateful now that I invested so little in my maternity wardrobe. It's easy to part with something when you only paid $1 for it, or used stash fabric to make it.

More baby shower goodness

Food has also been on my mind lately, further highlighted by an unaccountably shocking grocery bill for May. Still no clue how that happened, as we could hardly be called extravagant in our food choices. At any rate, my long-time good intention of tracking specific grocery spending (beyond the monthly total that I record currently) is now firmly on my to-do list for July. I've also been finding recipes for freezer crockpot meals, which marry the convenience of the crock pot and the freezer meal into one delightful unit. Oh, how I love that! I think they'll be invaluable when the new baby arrives. I've pinned a few helpful recipes/websites to my Recipe board, if you (like me) hadn't heard of this idea before. Hopefully better menu planning (I should say, "starting a menu plan in the first place") and a breakdown of our exact grocery costs will help reign in any superfluous spending and make our budget more predictable.

Lensbaby + baby shower = Happy me!

And last, but not least, I've been taking advantage of sales and coupons to indulge in what may be Britain's greatest gift to America -- the Magnum Bar. I'm so happy that these delectable British confections have finally crossed the Pond! If you haven't tried one yet, I highly recommend them!

Yes, life is interesting these days. Sometimes busy, sometimes slow, but always interesting. And throughout it all, God is so very good.

And the Living is Easy

Over the weekend we made the rather long trek to the beach, since it's been about two years since we've enjoyed the gorgeous waters of the Gulf Coast. We're just not beach people. But I've been hankering to get my feet wet for a while, and Pablo was kind enough to oblige me!

It was also Little Man's first time in real water (since his baths in our bathroom sink don't really count).

He wasn't too sure about the whole water thing -- but he sure looked smashing in his shark swim trunks and sleek shades. They showed off his rolls of chub to perfection. Oh, the chub!

Summertime is in full swing here in Florida, and the living is easy (in the shade).

Although there's nothing easy about getting the sand out of baby rolls as deep as the Grand Canyon. Believe me.

Glamour on Wheels

When it comes to antique car shows, count me in! An hour or two spent admiring yesteryear's transportation is one of my favorite ways to spend an afternoon.



To my surprise, our little town hosted quite a car show a few months ago -- I was expecting a handful of antique cars, but instead there were several blocks of beautiful, gleaming vehicles to admire.

Like this Fairlane, which has one of the most humorous convertible tops I've ever seen (not to mention an incredible paint job and a turquoise steering wheel):



There was, of course, the occasional rustbucket, competing in the "Most Rusted" category:



And one rather *unique* vehicle:



Not only is this one of my favorite styles, but this car also reminds me strongly of Doc Hudson from Pixar's "Cars:"



It's amazing to me how much attention is put into the details of a vintage car!







Why is it that modern car manufacturers just don't build glamorous cars anymore? I know, glamour isn't exactly necessary when getting from Point A to Point B. But if our ancestors didn't have any trouble producing classic cars, why do we? *sigh* I'm thrifty when it comes to vehicles; I'll probably drive used all of my life, even if new fit into the budget. But one day -- one day -- you may just see me drive by in a 1937 Hudson Terraplane...

A Weekend in Atlanta

Last weekend found us in Atlanta for a conference. Long car trips make me ever-so-grateful for the luxury of a DVD player in our car -- "Radio" and "Amazing Grace" on the way up, "North & South" on the way back! While my dad and sister were tied up in meetings, my mother and I explored the Atlanta area. While I was looking for Atlanta area attractions, I discovered historic Roswell, a little town just north of where we stayed. Barrington Hall is a beautiful mansion, built in 1842 by Barrington King.

We were treated to a "private tour" (apparently Thursday mornings aren't busy for them!), led by a very knowledgeable and chatty tour guide.

And the gardens! Oh, the gardens!

There was also a massive pecan tree, growing on the site of the old kitchens (which burned down in 1902 -- apparently it was a good idea to have the kitchen separate from the house!).

Roswell is a delightful little place, full of antique stores, cafes, and charm. I highly recommend a visit, especially if you have a few hours to spend puttering about! The next day we drove through Druid Hills, the neighborhood filmed in the 1989 classic, "Driving Miss Daisy." Tree-lined streets, beautiful homes from the 20's and 30's, and lovely gardens...

 

For lunch we stopped by the Swan Coach House, which is just adjacent to the Atlanta History Center. We had visited the History Center a few years ago -- it includes the gorgeous Swan House mansion, located on the property.

And I have to post a photo of Swan House from our previous visit! It's just too lovely for words!

To finish up our visit, we headed to nearby Chamblee and loitered in antique shops for a few hours. What bliss! My favorite places are the "hidden treasure" shops, where everything is jumbled together. The shop pictured below was the sort of place TGIFridays would get their restaurant decor! I couldn't decide between the miniature giraffe and the giant spoon...

 

It's always amazing how good it is to return home after traveling, no matter how short a jaunt it may be. And even when "home" consists of boxes, handtrucks, and packing peanuts. Wouldn't it be much more glamorous to arrive home via ruby red slippers, rather than a Honda Odyssey!