From the garden to the kitchen!

I have always known how important access to plants/gardens are to me, but sometimes I forget. Yesterday I was reminded in a huge way!

I woke up early and biked to the Saturday Market and worked the Mountain Meadow Farm booth (Dick's garden that I've been working at this summer) with Josh, Jess, and Kalen. Loads of fun to see people come buy and take home all of the beautiful veg! And after market, I ended up back at the garden with Jess, Josh, and Kalen. Jess entertained Madelyn while Josh, Kalen and I got sucked into the raspberry patch (Josh introduced me to the beauty of the sun-dried raspberry!). We also harvested a bunch of potatoes, carrots, beets, cucumbers, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, and sunflowers. We finished off the day with burgers and a salad from the garden. I was GLOWING, it was so good to spend a full day focused on harvesting, fresh food, and friends!

And, as a result of overzealous picking of cucumbers and raspberries, today I spent the afternoon making pickles and freezer jam! Yes, we are now the proud owners of 12 large jars of garlic dill pickles (we're experimenting with spice levels), and 8 tubs of huckleberry and raspberry jam! Also carrot and zucchini baby food, cilantro chutney, pesto, and bags of beet greens, spinach, and swiss chard stacked up in the freezer. Anyone read/reading "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver? I'm a believer! Hard to do in the Rocky Mountains, but excited to make our food choices as local as possible - we'll be eating this veg all winter!

A Few Videos

A quiet moment in the geraniums (sorry Dad, pelargoniums!)...


And a not-so-quiet moment in the jump-up!

Sunday in the Park

This weekend it struck me that the season is almost over and we hadn't been huckleberry picking yet! So this morning we headed up to Signal Mountain Lodge with Bryan and Emily, had some breakfast, and then hit the slopes of Signal Mt. - what a score! We brought back a quart+ of hucks, which is pretty good, considering we were only out for 2 hours and one of us was always one-hand-picking with Maddie in tow. If you've nrver picked hucks, they're a bit smaller than blueberries, and every bit as tasty!

Here's a picture of us posing as tourists in front of the arches on the town square yesterday - we were out on the town for the Saturday Market, which is always good fun. It's really more of a chance for us to get out and see all of our friends than it is a chance to shop. Photo taken on Rongey's new i-phone (yes, i-phones have FINALLY made it to JH!). Maddie's doing something goofy, but so it is...

First Day of Daycare

Today was Lisa's first official day back at school, and Maddie's first day of daycare. This lucky little gal is spending Mondays with Papa, Tuesdays-Thursdays with 2 other similarly aged little ones and a great family in town, and Fridays in Kelly with one of Lisa's wonderful classroom families. That said, today was not easy for either MK or LL. Michael had the toughest job - the drop off, while Lisa got to do the pick-up. Maddie seemed to have no trouble and spent the day hanging out with baby Sita and Wyatt today, took a great stroll, a long nap, lots of rolling, bouncing and chewing.

Lots of big landmarks for Maddie cropping up. She took a pacifier last night and this morning! Is this a good thing? We're not sure, but it makes bed time a heck of a lot easier! Maddie is also getting her legs up underneath her in the crawling position and now and then makes small rocking motions. Her legs are becoming much stronger (maybe all of that johnny-jump-up!?) and she is putting more and more weight on them each day.

And - I feel silly for not having any pictures, but Sarah and Eric were with us for the last few days. They just got married, and are up and moving to Vancouver where Sarah has a post-doc and Eric is returning to school. A great visit - lots of fun to see Sarah and to meet Eric!

This is a picture of Maddie hanging out with us in the kitchen tonight as we made dinner. This new chew toy was a big hit -a silicone kitchen brush. And, a picture of L. and M. getting in lots of snuggle yesterday in prep for going back to work (yes Woolfy, I'm wearing your shirt again! I promise it will one day make it's way back to you!).

Another fun day in S.C!

Today we did it all! We woke up and drove to Florence to meet up with Sue, Will, Hanna, and Chris - so good to see them all and to introduce Madelyn! Everyone is doing well and looks great! We met in a funky pancake house (see background wall paper)... tasty waffels, AND, the meal apparently included Pam-the-server toting Maddie around while we ate. I'm having a hard time with Sue and Will's new "Great Aunt and Uncle" title - they hardly seem old enough. Afterall, Sue is forever only 26 in my mind:)






We drove back to Eric and Becky's, did a bit more lounging around the pool, playing with the cousins, and then hit the beach in the evening. Maddie's first sand and ocean experience. I explained to her all about the ocean and then we dipped her feet in the Atlantic.

Fun in South Carolina

We're in South Carolina with the Krasula clan! Having lots of fun hanging out, watching Maddie fall in love with all of her cousins and Aunt Becky and Uncle Eric!

What are we up to...

Hm... its been another busy week. Lots of friend time, garden time, and last night we went to our friends Josh and Kalen's wedding. Below are a few quick picts of us, Meg meeting Madelyn, Maddie hanging out in her leg warmers, playing with her turtle, etc. Off to South Carolina to visit Eric, Becky and Fam tomorrow!

Yummy toes

Madelyn had a busy day at the knit shop today - she chatted up a storm with Margot and her mom Nancy who stopped in, and continued on for most of the afternoon. It must have been the power-breakfast she had before work: see video.

A Sunday in Kelly

Today was a day well spent with friends! We went up to Kevin and Laura's for a little lunch out on the porch. Kev and Mike went fishing while the ladies (all 4 of us) went on a walk around the Beaver Loop.


Maddie and Hazel had a little play date on the floor - I am still amazed that Maddie looks so big compared to Hazel (H. is growing QUICKLY and seems poised to overtake Maddie's size/weight within a month or so I bet!)


We had a brief dance party (go Kev!), and then hit the Jumping Rock for a quick dip in the Gros Ventre.


Bill joined us and was kind enough to escort the Papa's with shade as we made it to the river. The GV is still running really high, fast, and cold for being August 3rd!

Leg-warmers make a comeback!

Check out Maddie's great new leg warmers! Our friends Cindy and Matt passed them along to us - they are the perfect thing for our cool mornings and hot days! Not only can you still change a diaper without taking off clothing, but Maddie has also discovered that unlike tights or footy-pants, she can still suck her toes and look fashionable! I'm on the look-out for an adult pair!

Another busy week!

I feel like it's been another busy week! We started the week out with the annual CORN HOLE tournament in Kelly - Kev and Mike were the champs last year (home team advantage!) so this year there was a mixed couple team rule. We teamed up this year and made it a few rounds before Bill had to swap Lisa out so that she could hang out with Maddie (see Lis, Woolfy, and babes on couch). Mike and Bill made it to second place - such skill!

Yes, Bill is back, visiting from Vermont (see picture)! He came over to dinner the other night and played a bit of mandolin for us - Lisa is inspired to get back on that horse and practice the fiddle a bit more regularly. Hmm... finding a regular practice time with a little one....?? We shall see.



Madelyn had her first "solid food" today - just a tad of rice cereal mixed with milk (see video). She did a great job eating from a spoon! She has also been busy sucking her feet, fingers, and basically anything that passes in front of her mouth. And Maddie is getting all sorts of new muscles in prep for crawling and sitting up on her own - she's well on her way to both! Man does all of this unfold quickly!