August

She ventured out on a few bike rides and hoped for more of them but her freebie bike rack and full car got in the way.

She hosted her parents for their annual summer weekend in Boston. Highlights included weeding the garden and the JFK museum.

She made it to the beach twice and decided that late afternoon is the perfect time to be there.

She finally, three summers later, got all the way to Provincetown. It was worth the wait to arrive as carnival weekend in the jungle was getting underway.

She baked Papa's chocolate cake, froze three different Pesto recipes from Sybil's cookbook, and successfully baked a loaf of bread and ate it the same day.

She tried to drink her morning coffee without sugar most days. She started using natural sweeteners like the maple syrup from home in very creative ways.

She sewed and crafted and read and wrote and dreamt up lots of plans and ideas for the new school year.

She feels sad that the darkness is arriving earlier and the air is feeling cooler, but she is savoring the slow mornings and afternoon naps while she can.

A Day at the Beach

My Secret Garden

Today was my first day in the community garden. Actually I have stopped by a few times, but just to look. And my dad did weed most of it when he was here last weekend, but today I finished the job, planted some lettuce (buttercrunch and romaine), and watered the beets and cosmos that were already growing in my plot. My garden is a pretty good size and I just love the branch wall that was left for me. I bought some sunflower seeds and can just imagine them growing tall against it this fall. I feel so lucky to have this space to grow.

Send a little hope

Monday was my friend's birthday. We found this project and hope it will start a tradition of giving to others in some small way each year around our birthdays. Since my birthday has passed, I am thinking of running a race this fall for this cause.

I did it, I bought a bike. The ride home was a little shaky and my stomach a little queasy. I need some practice and some confidence when it comes to riding and for some reason I feel some pressure to figure out bike etiquette and culture, but I am going to let that go, embrace the learning process and enjoy the (bike) ride.

July

She loved the empty days to catch up on sleep. It took a few weeks and lots of naps at first but she finally considers herself well rested.

She always had at least three books going at a time.

She gave the balcony a makeover and planted flowers and herbs and just found out she is getting a community garden plot down the street which means even more planting soon.

She went to farmers markets and challenged herself to make at least one purchase each week to use in a new recipe.

She wore sunscreen every single day but probably sweated it off on most.

She drank more water and likes it best ice cold with fresh mint (from the balcony).

She used the A/C a lot and was thankful, oh so thankful for ceiling fans.

She explored Providence and thanks to her new friends Rich and Tom she did not get lost.

She took pictures. She wrote. She went to yoga and walked and even managed a few runs. She is learning to take care of herself and thinks a lot about how to keep this promise to herself when the days aren’t as empty.

She bought a new bathing suit and jumped off her brother’s boat into the lake. It was cold and refreshing and she bruised her shin getting back in, but it just might have been the highlight of her trip home.Inspired by the projects of Tara and Elise.

Going Green

I have spent my first week of summer resting and rejuvenating. I figure it is going to take a while to recover from past ten months of intensity and stress and I am accepting that. I can't remember the last time I have slept until 9 o'clock on consecutive days. It is becoming my routine. I often don't get out of the house until after noon these days. I've been reading a lot of nourishing words and words on nourishment. Nourishment for the body and soul. In regard to literal nourishment I have come across the green smoothie over and over. There is a movement going on. Apparently it is life changing. It gets you over the 3 o'clock slump. If that is the case I am willing to go green.

Today's smoothie included:

Approximately 1 cup of spinach (I read to start with less to ease yourself into the green taste)

1 frozen sliced banana

1 sliced apple

A few splashes of orange juice

A squirt of honey

I feel so healthy drinking it out of my Mason jar like all of the healthy people do. It is actually really yummy. Mine is super sweet and did not need the extra honey. I can't wait to try another tomorrow!

Color Makes Me Happy

I love this blog. I think in my past life I was or in my future life will be some kind of designer who gets to dream up color combinations and make places pretty. Browsing through the choices make it hard to commit to just one for my balcony project. Today I think I need a little yellow in the mix.

I have big dreams for my balcony this summer.

Pinks and greens and greys.

Flowers & herbs, lanterns & lights.

Coffee or wine & a book or a journal.

Summer will be perfect.

vertical herb garden

lantern jars

I don't know where spring went, but I couldn't be happier that summer is here! I am ever so ready for summer 2010. I came across this blog this morning called summer goals. It inspired me to share some of mine.

relax & rejuvenate

buy a bike & ride it lots

give the balcony a makeover

eat lots of fruits and veggies

go to farmers markets

try yummy recipes

check out a zumba class

wear sunscreen

learn to make mojitos

replace old spices

get a pepper grinder

make bread

plan picnics

drink less caffeine and more water

buy a new bathing suit

wear it to the beach

walk & run & do yoga

read & write

make stuff

go new places

take pictures

enjoy my favorite season

Irish Eyes are Smiling

St. Patrick's Day always reminds me of my grandpa, Jack McMann, a proud Irishman. When he died, my mom and I both took one of his shamrock plants that I imagine he picked up during his daily trip to the grocery store the March before he died. I love this little part of Papa that I keep alive in my home. Every year I make sure to wear a little green in his honor. I smile to think his eyes are smiling down on me today.

I took some days off of work this week to help me get through this long month of March. The plan was to go to NYC for a few nights and although I've been wanting to go here and here, I think I just need to stay home. I want to rest and rejuvinate and take care of me. I love NY, but I love myself more.

So instead I think I will be starting a new blog, running, taking a class at the new Be Yoga in Union Square, trying a breakfast sandwich at City Girl Cafe and dinner at Kitchen on Common , cooking a new recipe, enjoying a massage and the first pedicure of the season, sleeping a lot, shopping for rain boots, spring flats, and a bag that looks like this. And if after a few days I feel the urge to get out of town, I would rather go here and maybe take in a little nature somewhere in the Berkshires.

I feel better already.

Even this cold, rainy, grey one.

{Dear Colleen on Etsy}

Signs

The sun is shining

The air is warm(er)

&

I am lighter because of it.

Spring is the most invigorating season change of the year & I am oh so happy to welcome it back.

Listening to...

I went to see Meg Hutchinson at Club Passim this weekend. I love when a whole album speaks to where I am in my life. This one comes pretty close. The peaceful, calm sound and messages of rebirth are what I need on these rainy mornings to remind me that spring is coming.

Oh February

When walking through this yesterday

I was tickled to see this

P.S. I have been waiting for a reason to use the word tickled.

The Search

If the amount of tears I've shed the past few days is any indication of my happiness level lately, I would say it is pretty low. This week I went to see Gretchen Rubin speak about her Happiness Project. She reminded me that simple things can make us happier. So I am going to start making the bed and emptying out the sink. Happiness is in the little, everyday things that make life a little more pleasant.

Two days later, I went to listen to Elizabeth Gilbert read from her new memoir. Her first memoir Eat Pray Love is the story of her personal journey toward happiness. It is one of the only books I have ever read twice. Happiness journeys are filled with hope that there is something better out there and the determination to find out where it lives.

Both of these women seem happy. Both of them talked about being and accepting yourself. The not so secret, secrets to happiness. They make it sound so simple yet they both embarked on a serious search to discover this. Is happiness a conscious decision? Can we decide to be happy? Have all happy people had to search for it or are some people just born happy? Is it only those of us with a certain nature that must work at happiness?

Art by Cathy Nichols makes me happy.

Today was a meatless day because this weekend I ate a lot of steak. Friday night I had the grilled steak and cherry tomatoes, gorgonzola, arugula pizza at Cambridge 1 and yesterday I had the steak & blue sandwich with grilled flank steak, great hill blue, caramelized onions, baby arugula, extra virgin olive oil at Dave's Fresh Pasta. Other weekend happenings include hitting the january sales, blasting the heat, watching the pbs series This Emotional Life and trying a new mushroom tortellini soup recipe. It was a weekend full of cozy and yummy.