Archer's 3rd ...

 the birthday boy ♥

 who waited patiently while we sang happy birthday :-)

 i love this photo ... Archer giving my daughters hand a sweet kiss while we were singing ...

keeping his eye on his cake :-D

The average dog

has one request to all humankind.

Love me.

~Helen Exley~

And we DO!

xo

Thankful {things I love} Thursday...

~From our August Garden~

 The Hibiscus is in bloom ♥

Huge dinner plate sized blossoms.

 

 We have LOTS of Yarrow growing in our garden & cut a few bunches to keep near the doors

and by our outdoor table ~ we've found them to be a fantastic all natural mosquito repellent (and they look pretty too) :-) Next month, I'll make Yarrow/Grapevine wreaths for the garden gates.

 We've had more birds & butterflies in our garden this Summer than any other.

In my Garden Wish Journal I have photos from an old Country Living magazine of a  big, lovely birdhouse that hubby has promised to make :-D

pure joy & sweetness ♥

who celebrates his 3rd Birthday next week... but looks like such a puppy sometimes.

~Happy August~

Sunday Serenity...

The water is your friend.

You don't have to fight with the water,

just share the same spirit

as the water,

and it will help you move.

~Aleksandr Popov~

Thankful {things I love} Thursday...

To help deal with the hot, humid weather we've been experiencing this Summer,

we've kept our meals light.  Curried couscous salad , hummus on crisp bread with fresh sliced tomatoes and cucumber is quick and easy to prepare, delicious and good for you ♥

It's so versatile that you can throw in anything you like.

It makes a wonderful lunch, and for more of a  dinner I add a cup of chickpeas and hard boiled egg.

 1 cup of whole wheat couscous (cook according to package directions)

1/4 small head red cabbage, julienned

1/2 cup fresh spinach leaves

handful of dried cranberries (or raisins)

handful of cashews

*Fluff couscous with a fork.  Add cabbage, spinach, cranberries and cashews and toss.

Dressing

1 1/2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

1/2 TBSP curry powder

salt & pepper to taste

*Mix and pour dressing over salad.  Toss and serve warm.

Serves 2 dinner or 4 lunch.

The greatest delight

the fields and woods minister

is the suggestion of an occult relation

between man  and the vegetable.

I am not alone

and unacknowledged.

They nod to me

and I

to them.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson~

***

I am Thankful to live within walking distance to a wonderful Farmer's Market where we can pick up ingredients for dinner ♥

Texture Tuesdays ...

Smile

Breathe

and

go

slowly

~Thich Nhat Hanh~

***

I have been repeating this gentle mantra  today ...

another sweltering hot day   with tiny teases here and there of  (much needed) rain which  came  sporadically.

It's 102 degrees with the humidity at the moment (half past 6 in the evening)   "cooled down" from the 105 we had this afternoon!! 

***

Joining in with Texture Tuesdays today.

Kim Klassen Textures: Sunkissed & Music Lovin'

                     

52 Friday...

22/52

SIMPLICITY

***

Animals love us

with constant hearts.

They offer us

pure joy,

a place to love

with

simplicity & purity.

~Julia Cameron~

***

Happy June 1st!  It is much cooler today, windy & pouring with rain. Peony petals have covered our front courtyard.  The garden will be thankful for this lovely deep soaking, much better than the sprinkler :-)  

I can hardly believe it is the first of June & even harder to believe it has been almost 4 months since we adopted Archer.  It feels like we've been together always.  I love this Julia Cameron quote ~ speaking of constant hearts, pure joy, simplicity and purity. How lucky are we to be on the receiving end of this ♥

Have a wonderful weekend xo

Thankful {things I love} Thursday...

Finishing up some little things ...

 I wasn't sure what I wanted to bake yesterday afternoon, but one look in the pantry I noticed a little bit of coconut & a little bit of chopped pecans in a container, so I decided to make cupcakes with cream cheese icing and dipped half in coconut & the other half in chopped nuts.

 I also noticed a little bit of chocolate chips - just the right amount for ooey gooey chocolate chippers

 and a little bit of currants - and currant scones was what I really felt like :-)

so I made a few of those too! I've added the recipe in case you feel like making them ♥

 which made for the perfect little pick me up after all the baking (and washing up) was done.

With a sliced pear on the side and a cup of tea ~ delicious.

And now that I've finished the scarf I began last week, I have a little bit of wool left over...

just enough for a pair of gloves :-)

***

Little

by

Little

does

the

trick

~Aesop~

***

Currant Scones/Buns

3 cups all purpose flour

4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup cold butter cut into cubes

1 cup cold milk

2 tbsp heavy cream

2 tsp turbinado sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  In large mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.  Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.  Stir in milk to incorporate.  Add 1 1/2 cups of currants (I soak them a little in a small amount of orange juice).  Knead in the bowl a few times to incorporate the dough into a ball.  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll out into a circle approximately 1 inch thick.

You can either cut the dough into 8 wedges, or cut out with a circular cutter.  Place on parchment lined baking sheet and brush with cream and top with turbinado sugar.

Bake until golden about 25 minutes.

Enjoy ♥