"Aslan," said Lucy, "You're bigger."

"That is because you are, little one," answered He.

"Not because you are?"

"I am not.

But every year you grow, you will find Me bigger."

-Prince Caspian

***********

I love that reading aloud to each other has been a part of Ben's and my relationship since our very first date, the one neither of us was sure was a date. We're working our way through The Chronicles of Narnia, which to my shame I had never read past The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. I can't get enough- I love every one more than the one before.

***********

I have no idea why I haven't written much in months. It's been a rich season, for sure (see above), but I don't think that's why I haven't. I miss it, and the deeper reflecting writing can lead me to. I hope to do more this fall.

***********

This is a way late update, but: Matt and Mitch got married. It was the best.

...loving Smitten Kitchen's pumpkin muffins (three times this fall so far);
I double the pumpkin pie spice and put in a full 15 oz can of pumpkin instead of just one cup. Especially amazing with a simple maple-cream cheese frosting.



my quote wall makes me happy.

what happens when you leave your car door unlocked in a small town:
you get back to find someone left you $20.





Saturday morning six-year-old soccer games.

She had a surprise for us. It was... her pink toothbrush!!

 

 

***********

He is looking bigger to me, this year.

.oh come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel.

Dear Lord, I have swept and I have washed but

still nothing is as shining as it should be

for you. Under the sink, for example, is an

uproar of mice- it is the season of their

many children. What shall I do? And under the eaves

and through the walls the squirrels

have gnawed their ragged entrances- but it is the season

when they need shelter, so what shall I do? And

the raccoon limps into the kitchen and opens the cupboard

while the dog snores, the cat hugs the pillow;

what shall I do? Beautiful is the new snow falling

in the yard and the fox who is staring boldly

up the path, to the door. And still I believe you will

come, Lord: you will, when I speak to the fox,

the sparrow, the lost dog, the shivering sea-goose, know

that really I am speaking to you whenever I say,
as I do all morning and afternoon: Come in, Come in.

-Mary Oliver

local hot buttered rum recipe: my new favorite drink.

brown paper packages; love written and sent.

seven-years-running inside jokes.

new and life-giving friendship with sweet neighbors across the street.

Know that in all these things,

really I am speaking to You.

Olive Herb Bread.

This bread is freaking amazing
and so addictive.

Since first beginning to tweak it a month or so ago,
I've baked it at least twice every week.

It is super easy to make into one or two loaves- great to bring over for dinner or drop off at a friend's. Brighten someone's day... and/or make yourself popular.

Loosely based off of this mediterranean bread.

4 cups flour
1 cup olive juice (drained from the can of olives) + 1/4 cup water, warmed
3 T olive oil
2 T sugar
1 t salt
3 heaping t yeast
1 can black olives
handfuls of fresh basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg
sea salt

Herbs I grew!!!

Make dough in bread machine, using all ingredients but the egg and sea salt and leaving olives whole*. If making dough by hand: chop olives in half, mix all ingredients but the egg and sea salt, knead five-10 minutes, rest 45 min, repeat kneading and resting.

After dough is out of bread machine, punch it down, then allow to rise until about double in size, 30-45 min.


Isn't it gorgeous? Don't you just want to hang out in my kitchen baking bread to Mumford & Sons every afternoon? Welcome to my life.

Lightly grease cookie sheet with olive oil.
Heat oven to 425 and place on bottom shelf a pan filled with water**.
Form dough into one or two round loaves and place on cookie sheet.

Whisk the egg with a little bit of water and brush over loaf/loaves.
Sprinkle sea salt liberally over loaf/loaves.

Place dough on a shelf above the water and bake at 425 for 15 minutes.
Lower oven temperature to 375 and bake 25-30 more minutes (if only making one large loaf, 30-35).

Bring the beautiful, golden, fragrant loaf to family, friends, and neighbors and enjoy as they all profess their undying love and devotion to you.

Faith, Sam and I, excited to try it at community dinner a couple weeks ago.

I brought some to my next-door neighbors the day before we signed my lease for next year (they are also my landlords), and I heard later that after taking a bite Mark turned to Kara
and said "Okay... she can stay."


*I like having larger chunks of of olives in the bread. In my bread machine, even if I leave them completely whole they were chopped finely by the time the dough was made. If making the dough by hand, they still get broken up but into bigger pieces.

**Leaving the pan of water in the bottom of the oven is a trick to make steam create the crunchy crust while leaving the inside soft; making it extra hot the first 15 minutes and then lowering the heat also helps with this.

.strawberry basil lemonade.

ingredients:

4-5 cups water

1-2 cups sugar to taste

1 pint strawberries

5-6 lemons

a couple handfuls of fresh basil

step one:

send sweet friends outside to pick basil.

step two:

squeeze lemons.

chop strawberries.

step three:

bring water and sugar to boil.

stir.

add most of the strawberries and most of the basil to the pot (tear basil leaves in half before adding).

lower heat to low-medium and simmer for about half an hour,

stirring occasionally.

step four:

strain out solids and discard.

(i hate throwing out fruit, but at this point the strawberries and basil have no flavor left in them! it's all in the water!)

stir in lemon juice.

stir.

taste.

add sugar or lemon juice as necessary for desired sweet-tartness

(but we found it just right!).

step five:

pour into jars!

fills about five pint-size mason jars.

add a few of the remaining strawberries and basil leaves

to each jar for a lovely look.
seal tightly... this juice is VERY pink.
i also recommend not spilling...
especially not immediately after asking people half your age to be very careful.
(conveniently, strawberry basil lemonade is an excellent compliment to humble pie!)

step six:

unleash just-released-for-the-summer-bursting-with-creativity middle-schoolers

on a basket full of paper, glue, scissors, glitter and yarn

and watch magic happen.

step seven:

admire your jars of beautiful and delicious summer refreshment!

drink yourself and enjoy the taste

and distribute to friends and family and enjoy giving a lovely and fun gift.

happy taste of summer!

(love these girls + love cooking and crafting with them!)