Friday, August 10, 2012

Sewing Camp

Here is the star sewing machine of camp.  Has the feel of an electric machine yet the control of a sewing needle. 
Sometimes they work together to make it run smoothly.  One leads while the other cranks. 
This sewer has it down.  Making a fabric picture. 
Such finesse is needed for the doll skirt. 
We also had other sewing machines.  We could often be heard saying, "A little slower or lift your foot up."
Eli tried needle felting. 
The needles all broke so he needs to keep working on these. 
I even got to try my hand at it.  How fun was that!
We just finished our second week of camp.  We had a great group and were very productive.  The hit was the hand crank and the bunny.  Every one loves the hand crank and bunny got lots of attention. We sewed lots of things including doll shorts and matching pajama shorts for themselves.  One afternoon I had a few of them stay which gave me a chance to try my hand at needle felting.  It's like painting with wool.  When you don't like your design you can just rip it out and re-do it.  We used old, felted sweaters to work on then sewed them together with a zipper to make a small pouch.     

Thursday, August 9, 2012

More Ocean

Run, swim, run.  Summer on the beach.  Getting strong and learning the ways of the ocean.  I got to go down and see some of the competition.  I'm always amazed that that little dot out there is my girl.  That little dot among many.  The first time I saw the competition it was on another beach and I arrived when it was just a sea of swimmers.  You might have your eye on one of them but then they just turn into a mass.  It isn't until they arrive towards land that they start to become individuals again.  Emerging from the ocean. 

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Local Bounty

We eat better when Nate's around.  Well, at least more locally.  I went to the local farmers market to purchase some local eggs and milk.  Delicious and fresh, but I must say the price of those eggs inspires me even more to get chickens.  They eat your scraps and give you food.  Can't beat that.   Our trees are laden with bounty.  When out in the back you often hear thud, thud.......the sound of fruit falling on the ground.  We're going to have to get to canning and baking.  And quick......as my mom says a pear is only ripe for 10 minutes.    

Monday, August 6, 2012

Pacific Seaside

Nate's home on the west coast.  By the Pacific Ocean.  We greeted it layered in fog the first morning he was here.    Brothers rocking the same style.  Those are newly cut cut-offs that Eli made himself.    The heat has sizzled around here lately and it's wonderful. On Sunday, after spending the afternoon at a performance by the local symphony, we headed down to the shore again with a cousin who loves the beach.  All the cousins built sand castles and ran in the surf.  Some didn't have all the right attire but that didn't stop them from getting in the water.

Friday, July 27, 2012

Summer Smattering

Every summer I want to go to far away places, see exotic lands, learn new languages, conquer new vistas.  Then I get real and look into my pocket book and realize what we can do.  Stop and savor the season.  A little of this and a bit of that.  I could spend all day planting flowers but I wanted to mix it up.  Buy new earrings that are bigger than ever worn.  Navy blue earrings to go with a crisp navy blue skirt.  A pedicure.  A stop on a busy day of errands when Emily's plans had fallen through and I thought she needed a little cheering up.   I got blue and she pink.  A cheery pink with small rhinestones.  Yummy, fresh watermelon topped with a flower.     

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Pirate Paint

After patching up his favorite pirate type pants Eli went out to the garden to do  a little painting.  I bought him some new paints and canvases.  He sketched out the guy he wanted to paint then drew it on canvas with a pencil.  Broke out the new paints and painted him.  He might redo the background or keep it the way it is.  I think it looks cool in that dappled light. 
We are reading a really funny book called The Pirate's Mixed-Up Voyage by Margaret Mahy.  I just pulled it off the shelf at the library and we are finding it quite hilarious.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Peach Pie

Many hands make pie!  We just made our first summer fruit pie.  Yum, yum!!!!!!  We had to wait a few days since we first had the idea to let the fruit ripen.  Then we mixed it up a little.  Emily cut up the fruit and Eli made the crust.

Emily has been in charge of the crust since she was about five but for this pie she wanted to try something new.  That is really a nice way of saying she refused to do it in that way that only thirteen year olds can do.  Or at least I'm hoping that that style is unique to thirteen.

So, Eli jumped right in in his true ninja style.  Faster than a ninja he rolled out that crust then slowed down a bit to get it just right.  We added a few bleberries to it.  No sugar.  We've gotten used to making fruit pies sans the sugar.  Usually that works with fruit and is fine with whipped cream or ice cream.  I think this pie could have used a spot of some kind of sweetner.  We brought to Grandma and Grandpa's house and they would have preferred it a bit sweeter. 

The thing about not too much sugar is then you can feel okay when you say, "Pie for breakfast!"