dog days of summer - literally

Seeing as today is Tuesday, the least inspiring day of the week, I figured I'd just take the easy route and share some photos a dog-park friend of mine took and sent our way.


The other dog is Dude, Beulah's best bud. The feet are mine. Looking relatively clean for a trip to the park with the dog..


Annnndddd an action shot of mah poodle's mid-wrestling move with Dude. That's a face only a mother could love.

garter yoke cardigan

Remember when I said I wanted to knit a sweater in 2011? Well, not only have I done it, but I have surpassed my greatest expectations and done it twice! This weekend marked the completion of my Garter Yoke Cardigan. You know, that project I've been working on forever?


I would have finished it earlier, but I mean, it's 100 percent heavy-duty wool! And it's hot outside.


However, I'm pleased with the outcome. It fits nicely (a little snug, but I think that it will stretch out a bit as worn) and it will certainly be warm! (I promise to check and move the tp out of the way of the shot next time...)


Choosing the buttons turned out to be the best part of this project. These aren't the most fun ones ever, but I like that they look kind of Celtic-y.


Anyhow, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! And I'm already planning the next one! One thing is for sure, I'm not going to be cold this winter.

too hot to cook

It's too hot to do a lot of cooking these days. The minute the oven is turned on the air conditoner kicks into overdrive and I'm sweating in the living room.... So, last night's dinner looked like this:


Avocado, miniature red peppers, onions, and ~ drumroll please ~ tomatoes fresh from my garden!


Boy, was it good! Perfect dinner for a hot summer evening. I think this will be a trend for the next two or so months.

words of wisdom

As I continue to think about how to live life more simply, I've been re-reading several of the books I own and re-discovering some of the treasure trove of words sitting on my bookshelves. Last night I came across a book of quotes Mother sent me some time ago. Here's just a few that stood out to me. I though you might enjoy them too.


"May I be medicine for the sick and weary. May I be their doctor and their nurse until the sickness appears no more. May I quell the pains of hunger and thirst with rains of food and drink. May I be a torch for those in need of light, a bed for those in need of a bed, and a servant for those in need of service." ~ Shantideva (7th century), India


"The true secret of giving advice is: after you have given it, to be perfectly indifferent as to whether it is taken or not, and never persist in trying to set people right." ~ Hannah Whitall Smith (1832-1911, USA)


"Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you." ~ Nathanial Hawthorne (1804-1864), USA


"Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love." ~ St. Francis of Assisi (c.1181-1226), Italy

a good start

Despite the damp air that wrapped its arms around me when I stepped outdoors this morning, the day started off on the right foot.

Banana bread (one of my renewed attempts at reducing food waste) and coffee in the garden:


Where I noticed three ripe tomatoes!!


Aren't they beautiful?? Now, we know how I feel about tomatoes ~ I only really like them made into something ~ but, I may have to break my own personal rule with these babies and might just attempt fresh tomato, fresh mozzarella, olive oil, home grown basil, salt and pepper for dinner this evening. Doesn't that sound good?

Summer living at its best!

time to get moving

My holiday weekend can be summed up in one photo:


Not a whole lot of activity, one might say. It was nice, real nice, but after three days of lounging (interspersed with occasional jaunts to the park to wear the pup out) last night I decided it was high time to get myself back into gear.

And so I give you:


This. I like to call it, "A Glimpse of Dorian Gray, Post Destruction of Said Painting." Things aren't too pretty in Chez Emily at 0545.

But, it worked out well. Beulah and I went for a long walk (with coffee in hand) around the neighborhood. I went for a post-walk run, ate breakfast, packed lunch, chased the dog around the house and headed to work, a little muscle soreness paying me back for being lazy for over a week.


So, no more lounging around the house. No more pizza. No more beer. No more not paying attention to the money I spend on crap.

Time to get moving, accomplish some more of this year's goals, keep the momentum up. Even a 0545 wakeup is cool, as long as it gets me closer to where I want to be.

I'll be buying more coffee later today.

summer nights

I have to say, of all the seasons, summer is my favorite. As much as I love the change of seasons and the excitement that comes with it, it is summer that suits me best. The days are slower, the sun is out, the windows are open and there are a million opportunities to go outdoors and play. I love that I don't have to bundle up before heading outdoors, wear real shoes or worry about the weather. I love the hum of insects in the flowers and even the humidity we get just about everywhere in the South.

Most of all, though, I love summer evenings. It is so nice to leave work while the sun is still in the sky and have hours of soft light left in the day. There is something so relaxing about getting home and opening the windows, lighting the candles and cutting up an avocado for dinner. This summer I seem to be spending a lot of time on the patio, reading books and enjoying the warm air. Beulah moseys in and out the open door between the living room and garden, her little toenails clicking on the floor. I leave the lights in the living room off until I come in so as to not attract too many bugs. You can hear the traffic from the road nearby a bit and people going in and out of the doors of nearby condos, but those sounds are muffled by birds who seem to stay up awfully late and squirrels running up and down tree trunks, talking to each other in the branches. Once it is finally dark outside and I'm done for the evening, sleep is so much more peaceful because of the time spent relaxing without the television going or the stress I the long cold walks Beulah and I take in the winter.

If I had my way summer would never end.