Design Elements :: Stone and Brick

As things slowly start to heat up here in the South, I am reminded of shade and the respite one can find from the heat in finding cool rocks and flat stones to walk upon. Maybe with some trickling water, bubbling over more and ever more stones. I have been swooning over photos of spiral rock gardens, too (more on that soon).

I have also found myself taking lots of photos this year of bricks and herbs. I mean, they were meant to be together, yes? My day job involves organizing numbers and data - so something about the grid work and star designs get right to me.

I am going to summon the image of the Egyptians building the pyramids and start collecting rocks from around our land. Building small structures and accent points one at a time. I may consider this my resistance training component of my exercise routine, as well. The rustic-ness of the stones will work with our present landscape - bricks may be a-ways away.

Also ::

Speaking of summer fun and water and rocks - I must get back to Goshen Pass this year with Willa and Corey.

I am a late-comer to The Black Keys party, but am glad I arrived. Attack and Release is where I am starting and I already bought a ticket to their September Charlottesville show.

This is the veranda I want for our house. Corey and I have been talking about a screened-in porch and this is what I envision, complete with a pale blue ceiling. I'm pretty sure this is no-where close to what Corey envisions.

I made rhubarb turnovers this weekend with the rhubarb left over from making syrup. I got the idea here and they are, I mean were, super yummy. Even Willa was all, like, "Gimme!"

Life Outside of the Garden

Every-once-in-a-while I take a break from gardening. I do!

Lately, while the rain has been pattering away outside - making light of my garden chores, I have retreated to my sewing room/studio. My favorite thing right now is gathering up vintage pieces that I have collected and altering them in some way. I am also doing alterations to items from my closet that weren't being worn - and I adjusted them to increase their time in the rotation. Like taking long sleeved tunics and making them into gathered, cap sleeve tunics.

So these designs from YMC of England caught my eye - as I would love to add the details onto simple A-line skirt patterns for my next nighttime 1980's movie/sewing project. Buttons, pockets and pockets with trim. Not too much to tackle, right?

Not allowed to completely forget about the garden, last night I ended up having vivid dreams of our vegetable gardens being ransacked by pests that ate everything. Everything! Some people have nightmares about all of their teeth falling out or arriving to class naked. Me? I dream about garden disappointments and disasters. It could be worse.

Hodge Podge

I know it has been quiet as far as news from the garden goes. There is a reason. Our serene garden space has been (somewhat) torn up to deal with burying power and Internet lines and other house-related underground madness (a nice way of saying septic system). The earth-ripping machinery has stayed away from anything I established, but working in the muddy space is not fun. Willa and I have been trespassing on the land next to ours (photo above) and making the best of what we can. Spring promises peace and order in the garden (so says Corey). Good Lord, I hope so. 'Cause when my garden is out of control, my brain mirrors the chaos and gets somewhat unhappy.

Some distractions from the mud and the muck:

This gorgeous, sustainable, permaculture-driven hobbit house.

I like very strong Irish Breakfast tea to jolt me out of my morning fog and found Bewley's of Ireland in Charlottesville. Make that a double-jolt.

I made this for dinner last week. You should, too. Even baby ate kale and squash.

I so want to make this. The author's blog, make grow gather, is wonderful and crafty. I also tend to linger over her posts about the family's cottage in Ireland.

Speaking of cottages, amid the fog and the downpours, an email hit my inbox from a friend who is renting out his family's Ontario cottage during the summers. This is especially fantasy-provoking because during my time in Manhattan, I had this photo cut out and up on the fridge about 'Cottaging in Ontario.' I would stare and stare and stare at it. Mind-melding the wish with reality, I imagine.

I'm so curious about airplants and think a few might like taking up residence next to our shower.

This is on its way to our house from Modcloth.com and I think bundling up for winter will become that much more fun.

I'm excited about shredding leaves for our compost bins and our raised beds. File that under 'nerdy gardener' thought processes.

Where Was I?

Oh, the neglect. The neglect in my garden, the neglect of my blog. I just seemed to have two switches over the past two weeks :: on (work, Willa, wifey-duties/housework) and off (DVD-watching and sleep, lots of sleep).

But there have been some lovely, ever-so-appreciated moments.

Apple butter from my sweet friend, Kris. I regret not bringing it into work with me - as I crave it day and night, yet panic when I see how much has been eaten. It is a *huge* hit with Willa. That's a fruit serving. That's a victory.

Making applesauce with apples from our (very) local orchard - Henley's. When you visit them, there is a kind, older gentleman who carefully peels the apples and gives out tastes. He is their best marketing ploy, ever. We fell in love with Cameos and Grimes Goldens.

Planting garlic. I just ordered the beginner, small garden packet from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange and have a patch ready for planting this weekend.

Dinner out with girlfriends at The Local. Pots of tea and autumn patio dining. Most of the menu features ingredients from area farms.

Listening to this and watching this. The Smiths' Johnny Marr and bearded ladies. What's not to like?

Here and There

I'm knitting this vintage baby hat for Willa. So she can look like even more of a pixie.

Fresh figs. From our CSA. Not sure is there is anything better on the planet.

I've had my nose deep in The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters. It spooked me so completely the other night that I thought I kept hearing things go bump in the Sugar Hollow night and was desperate for Corey to finish up work in his shop and return to the house to protect me. From myself.

Bulb planning - flowers and maybe garlic this year. I drool here.

I've been stamping the hell out of fabric these days. Once I got my textile paint and stamper rigged up correctly it was off to the races. A curtain for Willa and (finally) a clean bedspread for us. Amy Karol showed me how.

Speaking of races - we'll be here this morning. I'm most looking forward to to the terrier races and the beagle parade. I mean, really, a parade of beagles? I will be squealing louder than Willa, I'm sure.

Caprese Salad. Like three or four nights of the week. Corey calls it a pot of gold. Two minutes of chopping tops - tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and olive oil. My mouth is watering at the thought of it. And it is 9 a.m.

We had a short visit to the North Carolina shore earlier in the week. The beach in September really is the stuff. The drive was just as relaxing. We visited the big red tractor on our way down.