Pieces of Me

things...to do

A couple of weeks ago I downloaded a trial version of Things. I'm always looking for a better way to keep track of my to-do list but also all those little ideas, grand plans and miscellaneous thoughts. I used to keep everything written down somewhere but keeping track of random pieces of paper didn't work. Plus, there was no way to track projects that needed to get done now as opposed to those that could wait indefinitely (like organizing the garage.) And I still wanted to remember that website that showed how to epoxy your garage floor. Things is great. I can track, organize and plan any number of things to do and projects. And I can sync with my iPhone.

I love being organized.

fruit of the month club

 
Another month, another fruit is ripening in the field. This month it's the white peaches and the plums, both the red and green. And in my mom's garden, it's tomato season. Finally. I will rarely buy a tomato in the grocery store, which means I rarely eat tomatoes except in the summer. But, really, is there anything better than plucking the fruit off the vine and eating it warm, right there, and letting the juice run down your hand? Once you've had a homegrown tomato you can never eat a store-bought one again. It's just too depressing. You know what a tomato is supposed to taste like.

In this month's issue of Sunset, there is an article on canning. I also picked up Home Preserving to diversify my jam production. I probably won't make any peach jam only because I can eat fresh, ripe peaches by the bucket. Plums, not so much. But with several peach and plum trees, I am going to have to come up with a plan. I will try canning the tomatoes or making tomato sauce. And I can only hope that the week I have twenty pounds of tomatoes is not the same week when the temperatures soar above 100 degrees.

Anyway, right now I have just enough tomatoes, onions and jalapenos to make a batch of salsa. Bring on the tortilla chips.

don't let the size fool you

Apparently, I have gotten my scrapbooking mojo back. Or rather, I've gotten my "let's-actually-finish-that-layout-we-started" mojo back. Whatever.

So my part of the challenge was to scrap on 6 x 12. Do you know how narrow that is? I could, I suppose, do a double page layout that would equal a 12 x 12. Or do a 12 x 12 and simply cut it in half, literally.

Anyway, the great thing about a long holiday weekend with no plans is that you can really get a lot of whatever done. In my case, I scrapped. And it feels good.

independence day

Today is the 4th of July, Independence Day.

At our home, we're just hanging out. Last night, Manteca had their fireworks display at the ballpark across the highway from us. In past years, we could just watch from the upstairs loft area but with new houses being built behind us, it blocked some of the view.

I did, however, convince hubs that he should help me with my firework/nighttime photography skills. You see, four years ago my daughter was married on July 2nd and one of the wedding favors were sparklers. The industrial strength kind. I ended up with a case of these sparklers in my hall closet. Fast forward to last night....I figured I had at least five hundred opportunities to perfect my firework/nighttime photog skills. That's how many sparklers are in my closet.

I didn't get through all the sparklers and didn't get any of the aerial fireworks (bad planning on my part) but I have enough sparklers and one more night to practice, practice, practice.

If you're looking for some great tips on shooting fireworks displays, check out this.

Have a safe and sane holiday weekend.

iMusic

Another layout for the BPS class. This one is about my music. Even though I have a first generation iPod, a iPod Mini, a Shuffle, and and iPhone, I mostly listen to music in my car. During my morning drive. After work, I'm on noise overload and only crave the silence of my car; when the girlies are in the car with me, they're the music--they love to sing and make up stories or read aloud from a book. Or we're just talking together.

My music tastes run from the Monkees to Sheryl Crow to the Fray. I'm loving the trial subscription to XM radio I got when I purchased my new SUV. I can just dial in the 70's, 80's or whatever I want to listen to.

fulfillment

I haven't posted a scrapbook layout in a very long time. Here's a recent one from a BPS class. The journaling is a quote:

Occasionally in life there are those moments of unutterable fulfillment which cannot be completely explained by those symbols called words. Their meaning can only be articulated by the inaudible language of the heart. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Have a beautiful Sunday morning.

for today

Outside my window...  the swallows are chirping away

I am thinking...  we have the whole summer ahead of us still

I am thankful for...  the Delta breezes to cool things down

From the kitchen... apricot jam, zucchini, the last of the cherries

I am wearing...  black cropped yoga pants and a new "Woodstock" t-shirt fromTarget

I am reading...  Shanghai Girls, Vogue magazine

I am hoping...  to leave work early tomorrow

I am creating... some photobooks to document our summer

I am praying...  for the continued blessing that is my life

Around the house...  all the ceiling fans are on, the windows are wide open

One of my favorite things...  spending the day with my girlies, doing whatever

A few plans for the rest of the week...  take more photos, girlie's baseball game, lunch with the family,      going shopping in SF

Here is a picture I am sharing with you...

A great way to document the day. Inspired by The Simple Woman's Daybook via Ali.

We went to a nearby park today that has those water jets that shoot up for the kids to run through. The girlies love to go there. I knew that we needed to get there early if we wanted to get a picnic table (there are only six, all in the shade) because there was no way I was sitting out in the sun at high noon. We got there at eleven and there was one table remaining. I told Bella, "Run, baby, and get that table for us." We spread out the tablecloth, stacked up our pool towels, set out the cooler and tote. The girls ran back and  forth between the water play area, the playground and our table.

Fun time today.

jam session, part two

Sometime around two this afternoon, when it was already 96 degrees, I decided to make apricot jam.

My friend, Josie,  brought over another lug of apricots yesterday and even though I had given some to the neighbors and put some in the refrig (not my thing--for the most part, I don't like cold fruit and it kills the flavor), the scent of ripening apricots was filling the kitchen.

I hauled out the canner, pitted and sliced some apricots and set them cooking with some lemon juice and sugar. Two hours later---

I made four jars with a small amount leftover--just enough to spread on pound cake for a snack.

father's day

Happy Father's Day....

Spending the day with my dad and the rest of the family. A BBQ, cherry picking, and getting a better photo of my dad are on my list for today. As I was searching (and searching) for a photo of my dad, I realized I have very few---like next to none. Today, I will take a photo of him.