Bliss

Oh, where to start...? I was uploading pictures this evening and there are so many from the past week. All with so much to say. I suppose you could say my life is very full and sweet, indeed.
Well, I'll not get ahead of myself. I should start with our Summer Solstice celebration.

This past Saturday we had an early celebration with friends. Nothing fancy, super simple. Veggie dogs and marshmallows toasted over a fire Tait built.

I made jars of lemonade and syrups to put in them from strawberries, blackberries and raspberries.

More Rosemary-Lemon cookies and blackberry cobbler.

We ate picnic style on blankets spread over the lawn. It was such a beautiful and mild day. It actually got down right chilly as the sun began to set. It was way past the girls' 6:30 bedtime but Summer Solstice comes but once a year.













We waited til it got dark and then we chased fireflies. They were being quite elusive this night so we sat back on the hill behind the house and watched them flicker in the distance. Pure magic.

I've always resisted summer. I hate the heat. I'm a rather imbalanced pitta type and am very agitated by the heat. It has taken me most of my life to realize that and I'm working to get in balance. But, I'm being very moved by the summer season this year. Every bit of it. The heat, the long days and cold kiddie pools. Standing knee deep in a blackberry patch with my little ones. I made jam for the first time yesterday. It was so good! I love my girls' sun kissed faces and new freckles. I loving watching weeds grow in the 'garden' that I have absolutely not planted a thing in this year. The heady scent of honeysuckles, the way warm sun feels as it pours into the window and over my bed in the morning. Summer feels just about like bliss right now. Bliss.

Solstice Part 2

Sun gnome from Painting Pixie. Wooden mocking bird from Mama Roots.

So it's officially summer! Yay for that, let the fun begin! Now I seriously can't wait to go swimming.

Also, River is finally feeling better, after four very long days of a high fever and some serious crankiness. As soon as her fever broke her whole torso was covered in this pink rash, which doesn't seem to itch a bit. Seems to be roseola. Just glad to see her back to her sweet, mischievous self. Thank you all so much for the well wishes!

PS Don't forget to enter to win a sun gnome of your own!

Solstice

Suns were made to adorn the house. Good things were cooked and eaten, despite the storm preventing us from firing up the grill. Marshmallows were roasted and smeared onto hands and faces. Fireflies were caught and bats were spied. And a favorite summertime story was read before bed.

It was a beautiful solstice. I hope yours was, as well.

A Solstice Sun

As you must know, Summer Solstice is almost upon us (at least, for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, that is)! As I was digging through the blogosphere this morning, looking for some inspiration for our solstice festivities I stumbled upon a couple of posts here, sharing some really great ideas. I particularly dug the little crocheted sun necklace she had made. As she didn't know how to write up a pattern for it I just kind of fooled around with the shape, giving it some pretty groovy rays. I so love how it turned out! I've made two already and plan to make a few more for me and River and some to give away. Let's all get sunny!

I've written out the pattern if you'd like to make a few, too, just to look festive. Please note, I've never written a crochet pattern, only knit, so if anything seems wonky, sorry.

Any worsted weight, sunny yellow yarn. I used Cascade 220.
Size E/4 (3.50mm) crochet hook

Ch 3 st. and join them together with a sl st. Ch 1 and sc 6x into circle. (6 st)
Rnd 1: *sc 1, sc 2x in next st.* repeat ** to end (9st)
Rnd 2: *sc 2st, sc 2x in next st.* repeat ** to end (12 st)
Rnd 3: *sc 3 st, sc 2x in next st.* repeat ** to end (15 st)
sl st into next st

Now we're going to make the sun's rays and the neck cord.

*Ch 3, sl st into 2nd st and chain 2. Skip a st and sl st into the next st.* repeat ** all the way around making 8 rays.
For a child's necklace chain between 110-120 st, for an adult's I used 130-140. Reattached with a sl st down by the other end. Weave in all ends. To get it to lay nice and flat I spritzed it lightly with water and weighted it with a heavy book. However you decide to do it, I do recommend blocking.

Oh, and I do have a winner for the Monday Meltdown giveaway and it is...
Colle!

Colle, I will be emailing you shortly.
If anyone is interested in participating in a Monday Meltdown giveaway, here on my blog, contact me here. Whether an item from your Etsy shop or just a little something you would like to give away to brighten someone's Monday, it's all good!