Wood Rose Linens

My sisters and brother gave me this beautiful set of  wood rose colored Magic Linen table linens for my birthday and I am so pleased with them!  They are so very lovely in person and it was a joy to wash and iron them with my littlest boy yesterday evening. 

A Few Hours with Friends

 

We just spent a magical day with Lila and her lovely daughters seeing The Tomb of Christ at the National Geographic Museum and enjoying an urban picnic on Faragut Square.  It seems like it was a dream, now that we are home.

Ramona Sweater

A Dozen Cakes in 2018: March

Our little boy's namesday is today!  Saint Nikolaj of Zicha, Pray Unto God for Us!

I made a Lenten chocolate cake today for Button's special dessert.  I used canned vanilla icing between the two layers and Cool Whip for the top of the cake.  Our boy loves strawberries, so arranges some on top of the cake and dusted the whole thing with some powered sugar. 

Use What You Have

I'm so happy!  I bought this cabinet many moons ago at a garage sale and it has always held our dvds.  Since beginning to collect my pretty blue dishes, I have wanted a china cabinet, but they were always too big or too expensive.  Recently, I spotted a similar cabinet at an antique store chock full of dishes and I realized that the solution to my wish was right under my nose all along.  The dinner plates are a bit too wide for this narrow cabinet, so I bought two bamboo dish racks on Amazon to help with the space.  I love this arrangement!

Pemberton

Picnicking on an island and wandering though the forest felt a little like we belonged in the pages of Swallows and Amazons.

Golden Afternoon Light, Part II

Daffy-Down-Dilly

Dipping my amateur toe back into sketching + using watercolors... I was inspired by the newish nature journaling feature in Country Living UK magazine.

Obsessed

Me: Washington's Spies: The Story of America's First Spy Ring and the television series Turn

Them: George Washington, Spy Master: How the American's Outspied the British and Won The Revolutionary War and the television series Liberty's Kids

Golden Afternoon Light

Sunday of the Cross

O Lord, save Your people, 

and bless Your inheritance. 

Grant victories to the Orthodox Christians, 

over their adversaries. 

And by virtue of Your Cross 

preserve Your habitation!

Hair Cut

I got my hair cut for the first time in three years and emerged smiling (despite the plethora of grey hair comments)! I've already added another cut to my calendar for September so that I won't be tempted to neglect treating myself to this little luxury.

Succulent

I spotted this tiny potted succulent at Target this afternoon and decided to bring him home with me.  I have noticed these types of little plants popping up more and more lately.  When I see them, I am reminded of the few days in July that I spent with my sister Juliana and her family.  She has several succulents in her home and they fit her taste and decor perfectly.

Quiet Moments

Thursday is a busy, busy day for us with lots of chauffeuring of children and waiting around for me.  It's lovely to have a bit of knitting with me and a vase of bedside daffs to cheer me upon my return.

First Blossoms of Spring

A Lovely Birthday

What a lovely birthday I had!  My dear family spoiled me so much!

We didn't have time to enjoy a birthday cake yesterday, so my beloved daughter made apple crisp this morning and surprised me with a beautifully set table!  We also enjoyed the maiden voyage of my new birthday tea pot!

Daffodowndilly

Daffodowndilly

She wore her yellow sun-bonnet,
She wore her greenest gown;
She turned to the south wind
And curtsied up and down.
She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbor:
"Winter is dead." 

- A.A. Milne

Not a Particle of Life

There is not a particle of life which does not bear poetry within it."

Gustave Flaubert

Irises in the Garden

While I'm waiting with baited breath for the snowdrops and daffodils to emerge, the irises shock me with their presence every single time.

Sticking it Out

 

After going on a bit of a Juniper Bonnet bender, I've returned to my Ramona Light Cardigan, determined to stick it out until this thing is finished.  I cast on to the second sleeve while waiting for the Trio during their violin lessons and was so happy to get that accomplished.  It has been a bit of a challenge to knit with this black yarn by lamp light, so I really needed the natural light in the car.  I really don't know how much longer this cardigan will take to knit, but I am hopeful that I will be able to finish it before the end of March!

A Few New Recipes

I am trying to make at least two new recipes each week during Great Lent.  Here are four from the past two weeks.  All have been winners and will be in regular rotation!

Minestrone

Broccoli and Garlic Sauce

Stewed Lentils with Tomatoes

Black Bean Soup - Minus the Toasted Cumin Seed Crema

Eliseea's Juniper

One of our parishioners gave birth to a lovely little girl earlier in the month and I was asked to be her godmother!  Though I got to see beautiful Eliseea in the hospital, I was very excited to get a chance to hold her and give her a little Juniper bonnet that I made for her today.  I've arranged to make her another bonnet for her baptism...  this time in white!

A Coral Juniper

Our sweet little girl started this wee bonnet for her violin teacher's new babe on Sunday during our family walk.  She did such a lovely job after taking such a long knitting hiatus.  I think that it has been nearly a year since she's picked up her knitting needles.  She's been focusing exclusively on embroidery, cross stitch, and sewing during that time.

Quiet Monday

Hazel's Juniper Bonnet

I have two baby goddaughters that need to be kept in bonnets, so I cast onto a Juniper Bonnet by Fox and Folk yesterday afternoon.  It was a little knit and I learned a few new techniques:  icord, seaming knits, and following a simple chart.  This first one went onto sweet Hazel's little noggin' after Liturgy and I will be casting on a second for Eliseea!

Again

We went back to my new favorite wander.  My excuse for this third visit in less than a week is that we had to take Papa to see everything! 

Snowdrops

 These snowdrop photographs were taken by our seven-year-old...  I wish that I had had a second camera to take a photo of him stretched out on someone's lawn taking direction from his siblings while I was stopped in the car on the side of the road praying the homeowners wouldn't mind.