This is the Life

Last week I mentioned in passing, something about one of my favorite traditions here at the little green cottage...and now that I have decided to leave last week behind completely, I finally have a chance to fill you in.

Summer arrived at last, shining it's brilliant shine upon us and we smiled. It heralded a beginning of growth, spontaneity, sunburn, bare feet, holidays and good times. It also means that it is time to raise The Summer Tent!

Oh, I know it's nothing fancy, just your average utilitarian "EZ-UP" with some dodgy sheets hung to. Each year I imagine that I will sew up some "granny chic" goodness to cover the whole lot...you know, something fit to grace the pages of Country Living say. And perhaps someday I shall.
For now though, dodgy or not, The Summer Tent in all it's humble glory, has become a symbol of what summer should feel like (busy, lazy and vaguely exotic).

It's a welcoming spot to sit, to find shade and rest in a fort in your back yard. When the tent goes up, it also means that the garden is in fairly fit condition, so that one can rest looking out and not feel too compelled to pull at weeds or shovel something. It is a fine place to bring a quilt and have a picnic of blueberries and iced tangerine tea.

Raising The Summer Tent is cause for celebration. A party was in the making and the garden was dressed for company.

Including a new glider/rocker that came as a gift via my mom. Now, this is the place to soothe the savage beast. Buddha cats and 5 year olds can not resist the lull of the swinging bench, nor can mamas, house guests and the odd passer by. It has been voted "the best place to read a story book before bed time ever". It is also good for star gazing once the savage beasts have gone to bed.

For the 3rd annual raising of the summer tent, I went for an Emergency First Aid - Self Service theme. I was told later that several guests enjoyed it's restorative powers.

Oh how I would love if you all could come by, sit for a spell and watch the evening come on. Telling stories of the adventure of everyday living and listening to our favorite songs. Of course there will be cake...and tangerine tea.

So, have a seat.

I will be out there tonight, stargazing - trying to imagine what the sky looks like where you are.

We're having tea in the tent

(This was supposed to post yesterday but, there was a computer glitch)


So come on over. Just come on to the back yard and join me in the summer tent. Sit back and sigh as a perfect Summer Sunday evening winds it's way down to night. We can watch the ladies strutting and scratching in their little red house; I've picked them a fresh batch of dandelion greens (their favorite). The small one is snug in her bed after stories of flying horses in forests of dappled sunlight. It's time to relax.
I am comfortably tired after a good day. Our family spent the morning on bicycle; first to the farmers market and then to be part of Sunday Parkways, thousands of our neighbors on closed streets riding bikes, walking, running, rolling down the lanes on a bluebird day. Check out this video.

Tell me, how was your weekend? Sit here and share with me. That chair is open and draped with a cheerful quilt. We have two types of tea, a fruity herbal with a hint of cinnamon and a black tea Irish/Assam blend; both are iced. The Marionberry cobbler is cooling in the kitchen and there is homemade vanilla ice cream in the freezer.


The Marionberries were left over from the jam we made on Saturday. A nice drive to the country farm for sweet summer fruit; apricots, Bing cherries, peaches and of course the Marionberries. I love the taste of summer!


Here is the low down on Marionberries just in case you are not familiar with this gorgeous fruit.
From Wikipedia:"The marionberry was developed by the USDA Agricultural Research Service at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon. It was bred by George F. Waldo, as a mix between the small, flavorful 'Chehalem' berry and the larger, better-producing 'Olallie' berry. Both the 'Chehalem' and 'Olallie' berries are caneberry hybrids as well. The marionberry's growing conditions are perfectly adapted to the mild, maritime Oregon climate, with its mild rains and warm summers." Basically, it's like a blackberry but, larger with a more tart and complex flavor. YUM!

You are all invited to rest a spell and soak up a little tranquility. Be sure and pet the Buddha cat and be on the look out for dragon flies.

Big Doings

There were big doings going on over at the cottage and in the city this weekend. Seeing as the sun was shining and not knowing how long it would last, we decided to throw a little welcome to fall BBQ on Saturday. The 'Summer Tent' was all dressed up in bunting and quilts, the tables laid with cloths and candles, and folks were wearing their cozy vests in the crisp October afternoon.

As evening fell and the temperature dropped, a fire was laid in the pit and we all gathered 'round to swap stories while our skin chapped in the cold.



On Sunday morning we made our way down to The Convention Center for Wordstock, an annual event of writers reading their works, workshops, book signings and other literary goings on.


We heard my friend Stacey read from her book, wonderful as ever! We caught one other poet and would have liked to see more but, the wee lass had been very patient for well over an hour and thought it best to head out while everyone was still in good spirits.

Later that afternoon, it was with wistful industry that we took down the 'The Summer Tent'. With a real change in the weather upon us, we cleaned up the yard and settled into the change of season with a fire in the fireplace, hot cocoa with cream and me with a hook in hand practicing and hoping for even stitches.

Hello Monday - We're Jammin'

Yes, it's more jam. This time, Marionberry. Marionberries are similar to Blackberries or Boysenberries and they make the most delicious jam, really! Deep purpley goodness. Yesterday we processed the berries, leaving our fingers stained and the kitchen steamy.

Any berries that were remaining after the jam fest, were put to work as a mash over vanilla ice cream. Pure summer taste!

While we have been spending most of our time out of doors, enjoying the summer tent and the garden, I have managed a wee bit of sewing craftyness. Most of it I can't show you (oh yes, quite the tease aren't I?). However, I have been working on a new pattern for a shopping bag.

And once I get a few kinks worked out, I'm hoping to provide the pattern and a tutorial in the next couple of weeks!

Here is a little extra Monday goodness for you - Sherri of Little House in Paradise is having a contest! It's all about cookbooks and you have until August 12 to enter. Here are the details. Please pop on over to her lovely blog and tell her Lola sent you, she is just as nice as can be!

Happy Monday!

Summer's Cauldron

Summer is really bubbling now and I am frequently reminded of how blessed I am to live in this beautiful place. This time of year finds us full of activity; running, jumping, splashing
and shouting out into the blue sky. I think I am appreciating this particular season of sun more than ever - having just come through a typical Northwest winter with a full-speed ahead 3 year old. There are so many brilliant things to enjoy. Summer concerts in the park, putting up "Arabian" tent castles in the back yard, bowls of sweet Summer fruit to make our smiles sticky and the lovely color of my favorite Hibiscus iced tea.

Hibiscus Iced Tea:
2 parts dried Hibiscus flowers
2 parts dried Orange Rind
1 part dried Rose Hips
1 Cinnamon Stick

Place ingredients in tea strainer. Place tea strainer in a heat safe container (I use a large canning jar). Heat water as you would for tea and pour into container. Let steep for 10 min. and remove tea strainer. Let cool and store covered in refrigerator for up to one week. You can add sweetener if you like.

With the great pull of the outdoors it is tough to spend time in my basement studio designing or sewing. I am hoping to at least make some headway on Lola's new design logo with the help of the very talented Kylie. Of course we both have crazy schedules so, it could be a little while yet. I should also look into filling out this weblog with links, my profile and image organization but hark, the kiddie pool is calling!

Simple Sewing with Lola Nova Book Giveaway!

Today is a day for celebrating! There is so much to celebrate; the UK release of my book Simple Sewing with Lola Nova, the bluebird sky outside my window, and a very special celebration today that marks the 9 year wedding anniversary with my sweetheart Andrew - aka The Engineer! I love you darlin'!

Since I am in a celebratory mood I thought, what better than to hold a Giveaway here on my shiny happy place?! Today I am giving away one copy of my book to one of my readers! Hip Hip Hooray!

How's about a little sneaky peek inside?

In the Vintage chapter, I show you how to create this "Little Joy Dress".

These multi-use "Pockets Full of Posies" are found in the Natural chapter.

And one of my personal favorites, The "Summer Tent" is in the Boho chapter!

The book is broken into the following sections:
Boho
Natural
Vintage
Eclectic
Whimsy

So you see, there is surely a little something for everyone!

All you have to do to enter the giveaway is to leave a comment here on this post! Easy Peasy no?

But wait! Don't answer yet, there's more!

If you "Tweet", Blog, or Facebook Share about this giveaway; you will also be entered to win a Mystery Gift! Ooh, doesn't that sound exciting and yes, muy mysterioso! If I told you what it was then it wouldn't be a Mystery Gift now would it, but it could be something from the book, just maybe.

Let's break it down one last time:
1. Leave a comment for a chance to win my book. Please make sure to leave a way for me to contact you should you be the lucky winner.

2. Let me know if you have "tweeted", blogged, or shared the giveaway on facebook for a chance to win a Mystery Gift! When reading the words Mystery gift one should imagine an echo for full effect.

3. The Giveaway will be open until Friday, September 14th and the winner will be announced Monday, September 17th!

Celebrate Good Times C'mon!

Have a wonderful weekend!