shopping at the coop

we went shopping at the coop today. it was an extra fun shop because korrina came with us. usually she's working or hanging out with friends or . . sleeping! but today she came and put in her two cents about what to buy and what to have for dinner, which was really nice. (now i just have to make sure the produce gets used up and eaten before it all goes bad. this evening we had salmon salad with beet salad on a bed of mixed flowers and romaine leaves, with IPM corn. do you remember what IPM corn is?! it was a good dinner.)
we got some sushi and bolthouse juices, coconut water and spinach pies before shopping since we left at lunch time with only having eaten breakfast . . and of course everyone was hungry. we sat outside in the 100 degree heat and ate lunch. luckily, the benches were still in the shade. the heat didn't feel too bad, since it wasn't too humid.

when we first got in the car to drive to brooklyn, i turned on the engine and gasped when i pressed the button to see the outside temperature . . 100 degrees! it was a first to see that on my car's thermometer . . but i don't think it was the first 100 degree day this summer for nyc.

dinner with friends

we had a wonderful dinner with good friends this evening . . and got to cool off in their pool! (we've all been finding the sudden hot days difficult to get used to, after the cooler days we had.) we had quinoa and kale salad and alden's butter brittle ice cream for dessert. my friend and i sat and talked and got all caught up on each other's news. it was a fun and relaxing night.

beach cravings

it's hot again and i'm now having beach cravings. i was very happy with the cool autumn air last week!!! ready to start classes and curl up in the evening with a good book . . now it's muggy and sticky and soporific . . i just want to collapse on a towel on the sand with the surf crashing in my ears.

all together again

morgana is back home and she and chanda enjoyed a game of herd your horses last night. (it's nice to have her back . . it's always too quiet with one of the girls away.) korrina and james went off this morning to the renaissance fair in tuxedo park, new york. it's supposed to go up to 95 degrees today. i know k wasn't too happy about that. all of us got used to the 65 degree grey days this past week . .

picking up morgana

we met kathy and warren in fairfield, connecticut today, at the audubon society. we met halfway so we could pick up morgana. we had a picnic and went for a walk along their nature trail.

we saw a monarch butterfly caterpillar (and a monarch butterfly!)

beautiful green ferns . .

and very tall tulip trees!

we took this group shot in their little butterfly garden. kathy daydreamed about meeting me there sometime in the future for a walk and then lunch. she has off on wednesdays this year . .

wildflower

a lone little wildflower managed to bloom today in the "children's garden" we have in our courtyard.

la bergamote

c and i decided to take a small summer excursion to la bergamote cafe this afternoon. we always pass it on ninth avenue at 20th street when going uptown to dance class, but we had never visited.

it's relaxed. we could just order at the counter and take our coffee and tea to an available table. and it wasn't too crowded . . just a nice mix of local neighborhood people.

there was lots of little pastries and cakes to choose from . . some of the full size cakes were quite fancy . . and i had no idea what kind they were! underneath their fancy icing covers could have been carrot or grand marnier . .

we chose a simple pear tart and linzertorte, earl grey tea, and a mochaccino. it was quite yummy!

another rainy day in new york city

it's been raining and raining and raining. and today even felt colder than yesterday. i told chanda to get dressed and she says that all her warm clothes are packed away. it's better to stay wrapped up in a blanket. m is still away in connecticut spending some time with her aunt. k is getting ready for the renaissance festival in tuxedo, new york. i think she and james are going as pirates.

soooooo . . c and i are reading ramona and beezus today. and ramona the pest . . and c is working on her potholders.

checking in on gwenda

we checked in on our friend's fish today. gwenda. her bowl was nice and clean. she seemed very spry and happy. she ate all the food we offered. she's such a sweet fish. i never thought i would like a fish so much. are all fish sweet?

summer flora . . and fauna . . sunday

summer flora . . saturday

we started for nyc today. we'll be staying the night at my sister's in connecticut to leave morgana for a visit. we made a few rest stops. this first one was at the vermont country store. we followed the same route that we took three years ago when korrina was along. we had gone from ferry beach, maine, to addison, vermont, to aunt kathy's in connecticut. i felt very nostalgic for the past ride with k, and missed having her along.

at the yankee candle company.

final stop: whole foods, glastonbury, connecticut. stocking up on some goodies for the morrow!

summer flora . . friday

we biked along the burlington bikeway today, and chanda met zora. we were concerned that she might have been lost . . but after going around the corner to knock on some doors, we found her owner who said that keeping an eye on the bikeway is one of zora's favorite pastimes.

we also discovered a few really lovely beaches along the bikeway. we hope to come swimming here one day with jason!

afterwards, we made a nice dinner and rolled into bed exhausted, but ready to get up the next day to start for home.

summer flora . . thursday

we went swimming in the cold stream water today, in bristol falls. it was wonderfully invigorating!

summer flora . . wednesday

the girls immediately set up camp (inspired by the swallows and amazons series of books by arthur ransome), cooked over an open fire,

and ate all meals outside under the sun and stars.

summer flora . . tuesday

we drove up to vermont today, to visit our friends who have a second home here. it was a long drive, but always worth it . . as they live in the midst of farm land and it's very beautiful and peaceful.

the sewing lesson

camille and morgana finshed the dress at the final sewing lesson today. m stitched the hem with an invisible seam. it took a long time, but was worth the effort.

the dress flows beautifully. i wish i had a pic of it in motion . .

a grey sunday

chanda worked on her writing today. she worked at her new space in her new room. she wrote three postcards and a short letter to her friend tessa (who is in salt lake city with an adorable new puppy . . a king charles cavalier spaniel . . we can't wait to meet him!)
she also listened to her swallows and amazons tape and colored in her new colonial coloring book that she got from sturbridge village. morgana was with her friend having a sewing lesson, and korrina was at her play performance.

outside, there was a grey sky all day . and all day it felt like it would rain . . but it only drizzled and chanda and i felt compelled to water anyway. our wildflowers aren't looking very good. i think we planted them too late in the season, and they don't get enough sunshine in the spot they are at. we walked over to the site one children's garden and watered there also. we picked quite a lot of lettuce leaves, some chive, oregano, thyme and basil. i would like to make pasta with the fresh herbs tomorrow and also have a nice salad with it. i washed all the greens this evening, but we had falafel sandwiches from taim for dinner instead.

delicious thai basil!!

picking grapes in the site one children's garden.

c made me eat one . . it was very sour!!

our delicious lettuce and chives.

morgana made this lovely doily. i'm supposed to be working on the dark blue one, but i'm not getting very far. the cotton is very stiff and i guess i crochet too tight? it's just coming along very slowly. below is a very pretty one morgana made me for my birthday in june. it's so summery and cool. i like seeing it on the table on hot, humid days.