A Saturday To Savor

Having worked every weekend for the past ... year (!), I forgot what it is people do on weekends. Not days off, mind you, WEEKENDS. Those days when you can zip through the city and get all green lights, when the neighborhood actually comes alive with the sound of bikes, children laughing, neighbors haggling over vintage lamp shades and dog-eared books at garage sales; when you friends and family can actually be together at the same time in the same place. Agh, the wonder of a WEEKEND.
We started off ours with a trip to the Farmers' Market.



We wandered through the aisles of vendors sampling cheeses, and jams, and all sorts of veg and fruit, picking out the sweetest peas (for daddy), loading up on some goat milk yogurt, munching on some freshly baked pastries and sipping ice-cold apple cider, and just generally enjoying this early morning Saturday bliss.





I came to realize long time ago that every season brings its peculiar flavor as it steps into our lives: early fall smells of burned leaves, middle of winter smells of Christmas trees and clementines, and on Saturday, I discovered that early summer is flavored with a hint of young garlic.
No, not the kind of garlic fragrance that finds its way up your nasal passages the morning after someone in your immediate environment overdosed on garlic bread or garlic mashed potatoes. The young garlic is pleasantly earthy and edgy, in a way even refreshing after the stale smell of prolonged winter.



Of course, heaps over heaps of it were piled up on the farmers' stands at the market, and we just couldn't help but buy some. It is still resting on my kitchen counter for now, but I can tell it is itching to make its way into a delicious dish of some sort or another this coming week.



After the market was over and done with, we (zipping through the city and getting all green lights, of course) headed for El Rancho Las Golondrinas, a living history museum, just South of Santa Fe to enjoy their new event Dances With Wools (no that's not a typo) - a new and exciting event that included fiber arts exhibitions, demonstrations and vendors.





Joseph did his best to blend in with the period attire traditionally worn by volunteers and employees of the museum, and dressed up in his brand new peasant outfit lovingly made by HotLavaClothing just for him.
It sure made for some very wonderful pictures.

This Moment

Inspired by SouleMama

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see!

A Boy And His Stick

There are no rules of architecture for a castle in the clouds.
author lost somewhere in my head

It was lying in the pile of leaves leftover from the fall, washed out by the snows of winter, rained on by the spring showers. It was gray, it was ordinary, until HE found it.



And with this great find, he acquired a lifetime companion, a mighty sword, and a sophisticated exploration device, all in one - beat that Fisher Price! Of course, a stick doesn't possess magical powers, but to Joseph it might as well. As we hiked the trail, it seemed like he was hunting for bears and poking in the rich foliage in search of mysterious villains.



Joseph felt it was his duty and responsibility to protect us from whatever may be hiding in the leafy green bushes, and he did so without putting down his Sword even for a minute, snack time or no snack time.



He was the king of his magical forest, and he lead us fearlessly through it warding off any beasties that could possibly head our way as moved in the direction of the castle (otherwise known as the parking lot).



What a wonderful adventure, what a great gift to look at the world through the eyes of a little boy, to be invited into the world where imagination writes the book of life.
Have a great weekend everyone!

This Moment

Inspired by SouleMama

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see!



Hope you have a great weekend!!

Summer Is Here

Summer is here. Real Summer. Stop-signs-sweating, I-wish-clothing-was-optional, what-else-can-we-make-into-ice-cream kind of summer. And to be honest, summer is not my favorite season. Of course, by April I find myself wishing for the warmer days, but just several cases of 100 F, and I'm over it.
This summer, however, is different. Somehow unintentionally in between hunting for lizards and staying up till your eyes just won't stay open anymore, little boys make summers extra special. So, I'm looking forward to all the special things that little boys bring into one's life in summer. I'm looking forward to running around for no apparent reason and with no apparent aim (usually in circles);


to that tickling feeling of crisp summer grass on your bare feet;



to sprinkler fun;





to dressing up to go to every possible summer event and party;



to going for long summer walks holding hands with your loved ones;





to finding little gifts of summer in unexpected places;



and just having this general outlook on life.





I hope you enjoy your summer this year!

Made With Love And Recycled Lumber

We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors,
we borrow it from our children.
native american proverb

Everywhere I look these days things seem to be getting greener. Not just because it's spring, and even here in high desert fresh leaves are emerging all around; it is mostly because everything and everyone from the old lady down the street to our mechanic, to our printer paper claims to be more environmentally friendly, organic, fuel efficient, with a lesser carbon footprint, and thus greener.
On one hand, this change in encouraging. Good planets are hard to find, and we better take goof care of this one. On the other hand, a troublesome trend is emerging - we are starting to believe that to save our planet, we have to buy the right kind of product. In reality of course, it boils down to using less, and reusing more.
On our quest to do so, we have been trying to use less of everything - water, electricity, gas, etc, etc. Some days are more successful than others, and more than once I've returned home from work to find a light leftover from the morning rush burning peacefully in the closet. But we try.
I've been wanting a learning tower for Joseph for a while. I've been dreaming of the day when I can make dinner without him attached to my ankles, screaming, or burying his head into my knees, and pulling down my pants. The above mentioned tower, however, has a 200.00 price tag attached to it; and somehow it occurred to us that maybe, just perhaps, we could build it on our own.
Joe scavenged some wood leftover from an exhibit at the museum where he works (well, worked). I simple sketch, a bunch of leftover nails from one of his other building projects and voila - we've got our own fabulous learning tower!



The most expensive part of the entire project was the paint, and even that was a little over 10.00. The entire project? just under 40.00. It feels so good to have saved 160.00, plus, some materials that would have ended up in trash.





And just think of all the love that went into putting it together!
What a beautiful addition to the interior of our kitchen, and to the peaceful existence of all members of our house.

The Art of Enjoying Your Food

I cannot remember last time I actually enjoyed my food. I forgot what it's like to let your taste buds interpret the subtle textures, and slowly peel layers of flavor with your tongue.
Of course, inhaling a sandwich during lunch at work whilst simultaneously pumping food for your baby doesn't exactly spell out fine dining, and neither does dinner of day-old cold pizza leftovers.
Yesterday, however, I was gently reminded that eating like everything else you do in your life must be mindful, almost meditative experience, it should be a pleasure, not just a daily necessity.









and yes, ladies and gentlemen, that IS yogurt and his eyelashes




The culmination for this yogurt extravaganza was a slightly less pleasant experience of pulling a toddler out of yogurt-smothered and water-soaked clothes. Followed by a bath. And a good night's sleep. Fruit on the bottom, happiness on top, and that, of course, is what a perfect food experience is made of.