I have been inspired by my husband who is spending his year improving his online presence in the computer security world. I am hoping to do the same in my knitting/crafting world. I feel like I have something to offer others and so I have spent the day cleaning up my ravelry account-deleting things from the cue, adding current projects, editing tags. If you’re there you can find me as bunnifer.
Simple Summer Dinner
Two round steaks, cut up into chunks and marinated in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic and sugar. Put onto kabobs and grilled by Hubby with assistance from six-year-old Sam.
Farmer’s Market zucchini, sliced (by 9 year old Alex), seasoned with butter and salt and pepper, wrapped in foil and cooked on the grill.
Served with simple brown rice on the side.
And not so simple but terrible yummy brownies for dessert to celebrate Sunday.
Oh, Joy! Summer.
The Big Blue Bowl
Hubby says he’s learned to look in the big blue bowl when he’s packing his lunch. He’s learned that there are often good things in there. This was his find today:
I expect that since the boys know what’s in the big blue bowl tomorrow’s contents will be different.
Father’s Day
I guess I was slacking because my dad called me today. They were on their way out so he wanted to be sure he caught me. We had a nice talk. And I told him I loved him and I was glad he was my dad. And he said he couldn’t be prouder of me or my husband or my kids or my family as a whole. We far exceeded expectations.
I thought I was supposed to say nice things about him on Father’s Day. On the other hand, there’s probably nothing better a Dad can get from his kid than their success.
Summer Blogging
Let’s try this again, shall we? I have been neglecting the blog because homeschooling and puppyraising is a lot to do. We are done with formal school for the summer so I think I’m going to try for a bit of blogging again.
We finished classes last Tuesday and went on a day of field trips on Wednesday. Thursday my Mother in law arrived for a long weekend visit. Friday we went strawberry picking. That resulted in 5 quart bags of strawberries in the freezer, three batches of strawberry jam and two strawberry pies (one Saturday and one today) and lots cut up to eat.
Also produced in the kitchen today were two loaves of Tonia’s Honey Whole Wheat Bread.
If you’re moving from white bread to wheat this is a good in-between bread. And it’s a pretty easy loaf to make.
One last thing to come from the kitchen this evening-homeade pizza. (That’s the dough rising behind the wheat bread). It’s nice to have some energy to cook!
Spring Break
Over Christmas week, we took a break. In February, we took another week off for Winter Break. We just needed one. Next week, we are taking Spring Break. We only have 6 more weeks of school to finish after that, and we could use some time to enjoy the nice weather. We’re going to the park. We’ll paint. We’ll have picnics. We’ll read outside. We’ll plant our vegetable garden and our new butterfly garden. I’m looking forward to it. I will just to have to make myself rest and not just use the whole week to make headway on the never-shrinking to-do list.
Spring!!
Everyone seems to be complaining about spring’s delayed arrival. Maybe it’s because we’ve had so many rainy, gray days. This weekend, though, Miss Spring arrived in all her glory sending every plant in my garden into a panicked growth spurt. Brian and I took the time to clean all of the flower beds of last year’s detritus and lay a beautiful layer of cypress mulch. It all looks clean and fresh. We still have much work to do in the yard (replanting grass from grub damage, staking a peach tree, planting the vegie garden and so on), but we got a large chunk of work done this weekend and it feels so good.
Now, if I only had time to tackle the spring cleaning of the inside of my house. At least it’s getting a good airing.
These are my tiny irises that bloom around the same time as crocuses. They are one of my favorite flowers.
A Growing Family
Remember Chocolate, Sam’s guinea pig? We got her in January. She was little at the time, but recently I had noticed how much plumper she had gotten. Turns out it was more than baby fat. Chocolate is now Momma Chocolate to two babies who have (at least for the moment) been named Vanilla and Mint. They just were there in her cage this morning after breakfast. And Chocolate, by the way, is a lot skinnier.This kids are thrilled. It’s kind of fun. We’ll figure out what to do with the unexpected arrivals after they’re older. Here they are: 
They really are only a day old. GPs are born furry with eyes and ears open and teeth. They do nurse from mom, but they have already been sampling the hay and carrots.
An Addition to the Family
I am pleased to introduce you to “Chocolate”
She’s a baby guinea pig that belongs to our son Sam who is nearing his fifth birthday. Our tradition has been that as a fifth birthday present our children get their first pet of their own. Brian’s sister recommended guinea pigs, and it was good advice.
Sam’s birthday is a few weeks away, but we found this sweet little girl and so we brought her home early. He loves her. He is so very happy and excited which is good as he’s been a little sad and grumpy lately with the attention that older brother gets in school (and lots of other places.) Alex still has Brown–White and we still have dogs, Louie and Britta, so we are currently even on the people/animal ratio. We’re planning getting a second Canine Companion in the next couple of months. If so, we will be outnumbered by the animals. I’m wondering if I should be concerned about that.
Sam was particularly funny about her this morning. He urgently wanted me to call our house-sitter so that she could come meet “Chocolate” so she’s familiar with her. We don’t have any need of her services anytime soon, but Sam wanted to be proactive!
January Comes
I like January. January is a month of new beginnings, fresh starts, clean slates. Something about clearing away all the Christmas clutter offers a chance to look anew at my house and get ideas for how to make things warmer, cozier, homier. (The mantel needs new blue taper candles in the sconces and something green…so I have started ivy cuttings to plant.)
It’s time to relax after the Christmas hullabaloo. I have had time nightly to stitch while sitting on the couch, surrounded by dogs, near to my husband. It feels like a luxury after a month of a mindful of to-dos. Our calendar is fresh and uncluttered allowing us time to spend a whole day with friends. A chance to make a double batch of bread to share. A chance to take the home-grown frozen raspberries and turn them into a precious single-batch of jam. My heart finds such joy in simple things.
Simple things…like eggs. Farm fresh from our friends chickens. They are a small breed and therefore lay smallish eggs, but they are little and clean and delicious. Perfect.
Simple things like spending the night on the floor of my son’s room. No snuggling. No chitchat. Just the simplicity of being near each other.
Simple things like a comforting meal, a few minutes talking with friends, making a dog’s tail wag with a treat and a scratch and kind word.
Simple things…that I choose to fill my January with. Simple things that make my heart burst and sing to Him who made all things.
Jennifer's Nest 