right now it's hooping...

I've found that I can only go in so many directions at once.  I might be on a sewing kick, or (once upon a time) a knitting kick, or a house project kick, or this or that...right now it's hooping.  In a big way.  I'm making hoops too, for a fall festival where Cachet Hoops will be a vendor!  Lots of exciting hoop stuff going on, more to come...

harvest.

We went out this morning and picked and dug in the earth.  We came up with tomatoes, almost all are heirloom and of course organic, potatoes, carrots, and beets.  There are four beautiful pumpkins on the vine turning orange.  Today I'm going to be freezing some of these tomatoes, and next year I want to have it together enough to can.  Nothing better than eating homegrown produce in the wintertime.

And now I need to eat a toasted tomato sandwich.

helping fellow humans in need

I’m a huge champion of local foods, supporting small, local farmers, and of community and helping each other out. If you are too, here’s a chance to make a difference in the lives of some local farmers who are in need of help.
Slow Food Indy is the central Indiana chapter of Slow Food International (an organization that counteracts our fast food nation) and is raising funds to help local farmers Kelly Funk and John Ferree of Seldom Seen Farms, a vegetable, herb and flower farm located east of Danville. Kelly was working in the fields on July 8 and was tragically struck by lightening. She survived, and is now in a long term acute care facility in Indianapolis. Her recovery will be long and slow, and so much isn’t known yet about the extent of her injuries. She and her husband have a one year old daughter, Laila.

Now the community is coming together to raise funds for the long and expensive road ahead, as well as to volunteer to work on their farm. Slow Food Indy is hosting a benefit dinner for the family on August 22nd at Apple Farm in McCordsville. To find out more information on the dinner and how to purchase tickets, as well as how to donate online to Kelly Funk’s recovery fund, visit http://www.slowfoodindy.com/ or http://www.seldomseenfarm.com/. There you can also find links to the blog with updates on her recovery, as well a link to their facebook page. While you’re at it, http://www.goinglocal-info.com/ is another resource to be connected with local food producers and artisans to find fresh, local and in-season foods, as well as information on CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture). There’s a whole world of community revolving around food, and it’s worth seeking out. Many prayers for Kelly’s recovery.

i sew capri suns, and, in the garden, verbena bonariensis

I ventured out into the world of sewing capri suns this week--easy and fun!  We've been hanging on to these and cut the tops off just enough to open and rinse them.  Then I got 9 in. zippers and we made pencil pouches. 

First I sewed 2 capri suns together with the tops facing each other, repeated, and then sewed the zipper in the middle.  Perfect!

Then I folded in half and sewed the 3 sides closed.  This all took maybe 5 minutes.

Voila!

I made 2--one for Grace and one for Eric.  They LOVE them.  I'm sure I'll make more.  They're nice and crinkly too. I plan to sew some larger bags at some point, and am working on a lunch bag for Grace.  Grace wove a pop can tab belt and it's a hit.  Her friends and classmates think it's pretty cool.  Love recycling, especially making something funky and fun.

So this is not a great pic, but I have this awesome verbena bonariensis growing in my front flower beds.  I love it so much.  I must have planted one at some point (I can hardly remember year to year) and now it's reseeding.  It's so light and airy.  My flower beds are going crazy, and it's been so hot I don't like working out there.  But I need to suck it up, because the weeds are taking over.

a sweet couple

Last evening I took the kids for a walk downtown--it was First Friday/Jazz on the Square, and we hit Alexander's for ice cream cones, then walked down to Seminary Park for Shakespeare in the Park.  While we were there, who else but Mr. Arbuckle of Arbuckle's Railroad Place, and his wife ride up on their bikes.  I discovered Arbuckle's RR Place shortly after we moved to this town when my (then) neighbor Sarah told me about it.  It's billed as 'the greatest fabric show on earth'.  Mr. Arbuckle fixes sewing machines (and vacuums).  I've taken my girl in there to be fixed, and wondered what I will do when Mr. Arbuckle isn't there anymore.  And what will happen to the place?  It's a very cool old RR station, I hope something wonderful is done with it in the future.

Anyway, when they rode up, I asked to take their picture.  I only had my camera phone (SO bizarre, a 'camera phone') so the quality isn't great, but I'm glad I had it.  So here is the couple, watching Shakespeare in the park.

wednesday rewind

It's fun to occassionally re-read posts I made last year in the month we're in.  I just happened to blog exactly one year ago today about dining al fresco.  We ate outside twice yesterday--it's one of the best things about summer.  I have visions, when the kids are a little older, of walking downtown to Matteo's with Rob and dining outside there, they have wonderful seating on the sidewalk.  Rob is going to Matteo's today actually for a lunch meeting.  Mmmm.

Here's to more al fresco dining this summer!