stripes & plaids

who says stripes and plaids can't mix?

they do around here! these are a pair of her new shoes, and they are a tad bit too big. but she insists.

good finds on ETSY

FABRIC COASTERS

what a great way to spruce up your garden patio or to add some color to your kitchen table.

these fabric coasters are washable, and keep your drinks steady while protecting your table from water marks.

these and more can be found in my ETSY shop at
http://www.lifeinsewmotion.etsy.com/

plus a lot of other goodies you might like.

hope you all find something to spruce up your day today.

a fall friend

we had a beautiful butterfly friend visit our garden this morning. we have had several the past few weeks actually. and they are very welcome here. well, adored would be the more appropriate word. adored by little ones who have recently learned the sign for butterfly.

i think this spring we will have to grow flowers that attract butterflies, just to ensure they stick around! although the zinnias do a fine job for now.

we hope you find some fall friend to have around this fall!

wind in my hair

late summer evenings are perfect for summer dresses and flip flops. which are perfect for running thru the yard.

we have found tons of things to do in the yard so we can stay outside. but i think we might have over done it! now there is nothing to do but run around and play. and wait for the squash to grow so we can make pickled squash!

numm! nuuummm!

a fresh idea

abigail and i enjoyed a fresh from the garden salad for dinner tonight. fresh broccoli and tomatoes. the peas were bought frozen, but the rest was fresh.

together we shared a large bowl on the kitchen floor. our favorite place to sit and eat. i enjoyed my half of the bowl with a dipping bowl of spicy ranch mixed with raspberry chipotle sauce. scrumptious!

it was such a fast and easy meal. i didn't feel like cooking, so fresh was the way to go. some may call this "bird food", but i say the birds in our garden dine like kings!

our first winter shoes

it is getting to be that time of year. time to get out the long sleeve shirts and something to put on our feed besides flip flops. time to get winter shoes.

and it is a good idea to have some good trompin in the dirt shoes. so that is just what we did. i packed abigail and myself in the car and drove to one of our favorite second hand stores. and what a find.

a pair of pretty girl shoes, an every day boat shoe, and a good trompin in the dirt shoe. we also picked but some fabric for new fall pajama pants. those are yet to come.

i hope you all get to trom in the dirt a bit!

candied jalapenos

from beginning to end. NUM NUUMMM!

zinnias & asparagus berries

zinnias are my current favorite flower. i have found that they give a far greater return for my labor than any of the other flowers in my garden. they actually multiply nearly as fast as they bloom. i planted some zinnias in mid summer and i already have more than triple the number of zinnia plants i started with.

the other flowers i have planted are growing along, bit by bit. no blooms yet. not even buds. but i think they will have a long summer and fall this year. plenty of warm weather for late bloomers. i won't be such a late planter next year either!

another curiosity in my garden is the asparagus berries. well, seed pods actually. i first noticed the light green balls on the asparagus that we have completely let go. i mostly use it for floral arrangemts. i figured it was time for it to go to seed. but while i was strolling around one morning i noticed red mixed in with the green ferny over growth. asparagus berries? or just seeds? either way, it is nice to have more color in the garden.

October in the Ward Garden

it is days like these that i wish would last forever.

there is a hint of cool in the air. a gentle breeze. and the faint smell of jalapenos. well, not so faint after we have picked three pounds of jalapenos. it is so nice to be outside. it is hard to go in until the sun goes down.

even after dark there is plenty to do outside. the frogs need chasing off the pourch. the lizards on the windows need to be greeted. but while the sun is out we will make the most of it.

after we have rested on our new duck blanket and sipped soda from our Mason Jar, we will be making our new favorite snack: Candied Jalapenos

i just hope they last long enough to feed us thru the winter. althought we have a short winter compared so some, we do have to preserve our fruits, veggies, and long summer hours of work to stock the cupboard.

pickled squash will be coming soon. that recipe still needs perfecting. and with six squash plants still growing to full size, i think i will have plenty of chances to get it right.

but in the mean time, we will put on some tunes and get to the jalapenos.

happy fall days to you all!