Wouldn't it be wonderful to walk right into that Manet painting? Right into Summerland.

I'll settle for other summery things, though, like:

tabletop flowers,
sewing project flowers,
quickly emptied berry baskets, &
Lemony Zucchini Pizza
(made with my windowsill-grown basil)

What are your favorite things about summer right now?
(just please don't say warm weather--it's still relatively chilly in Seattle and it's killing me)

Three things I've discovered lately:

1. Getting a foot of hair cut off your head makes you feel light and ready for hot summer weather. Really, the simple, much-needed change kind of does that too.

2. Roasted summer squash, fresh basil, and goat cheese come together to make a sandwich that (I have a hunch) I might be chomping on all summer long.

3. Until I heard this song by Josh Ritter when we saw him perform on Sunday I had never realized how adorably romantic the lyrics were. Wouldn't it be perfect at a wedding?

Happy Summer.

Recipe for a sweet afternoon:

+2 cups of latest craft project experimentation
+1 cup of early summer sunshine
+several teaspoons of shouting along to Sam Cooke
+sprinkling of sun-drunk cat

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Serve, and enjoy!

For some reason, I listen to a lot of Cat Power in the summer.
This song is perfect.
Even the music video is golden.

What are you listening to right now?

The sun came out today, so I seized the moment and staged a little photoshoot.

The product? Better photos for the items in my shop--fresh for summer. I'd been meaning to do it for a long while.


It was fun--accessorizing the prints depicting the bits and pieces of nature I've picked up and collected with...more bits and pieces I've picked up.

Pinecones & branches, shells & stones, some of my beloved plants: they all make appearances.


I think this one is my favorite, but I'm fond of this one too since it includes a very old painting of mine.


It feels good to refresh things.

My "outside" plants, on the landing next to my apartment door: two kinds of tomatoes and my favorite red geranium.

I tried to take advantage of every space I could. It's a city girl's garden.

Every time I look at them I worry that they don't get enough light, but they seem to be doing alright.


I've actually really been enjoying this album.
And this book has been a lot of fun.


Happy plants & music & books: some of the best things in the world?

This weekend was grey and rainy again. Again.

We managed to make it feel cozy, though, instead of bizarrely unseasonal.

French press coffee from our latest thrift store find, Ginger-Rhubarb Buckle from this book, and glowing candles all over the place helped.


I finally saw this exhibit and, as I expected, I loved the prints by Hiroshige the best.

#99 of his 100 Views of Edo series was my favorite.


For me, art museums are like churches, holy places, sacred sites--repositories of beauty and knowledge and power that never fail to take away my breath.

I got this peony at the farmers market. It was in a huge bucket full of flowers, $2 for a stem, and when the stall vendor asked me which one I'd like, I pointed to this main bloom.

In the sea of blossoms, it was all I could see of the stem.

When he pulled it out and I saw that there were two other tight buds attached, I felt so pleased. Immensely lucky, like I'd won a prize, or chosen wisely.


They were so tightly curled, for a few days I feared they'd been plucked too soon and wouldn't open.

It turns out I was wrong. They are unfurling now (so luxuriously that I feel I can see them drooping and growing heavier before my eyes) and filling the room with their scent.


I love peonies.

Painting, for the first time in a while.

It comes back easily. It's muscle memory--the palette knife swirl, the jab and swipe of brushes, reaching for my bottle of medium.

The movements are almost too ingrained. It's hard to make them feel fresh, which I think is why I stopped for a time.

It felt nice to do it again.

I think this might be my new theme song for this summer.

Or perhaps a few of the songs on Johnny' Flynn's new album?

Luckily, I don't really have to decide.


Can you see the vineing shadow in the last photograph?

That's my lavender.

I think the weather gods might have heard my wishes and taken note of my offerings; Seattle was rewarded with glorious golden sunshine this weekend that felt (and looked) sweeter than honey.

So I spent the past few days doing every summery thing I could think of. We got ice cream at Molly Moon's (Carrot Cake for me, Strawberry-Rhubarb for him), thrifting cloches to support my cupcake obsession, hunting sunlight and shadows on all of my plants and flowers like someone on safari, making bright, warm-weather necklaces, and drinking mojitos supplied by a friend who came over to enjoy burgers, potato salad, and farmers market fruit with us as we tested out our new grill (!!).

If there's something all people who live in the Pacific Northwest know it's that you need to take advantage of nice weather when it comes.

This weekend? I think we were successful with that.