Over the weekend, we planted a couple new trees in our yard… Newport Flowering Plum and an Autumn Blaze Maple.  They were $8 each from a local nursery (Amos Rich Nurseries) that sells their bare root trees at this price every April.  They are probably nine feet tall, so I think it was a great deal!  I’m excited to have a flowering tree to photograph (see upper right and middle photos).  The other photos are just some colors and textures I found around the yard.  Spring is here (despite my fall-ish blog header)!

Looking back at Junes of the past…

– 2009 –

– 2008 –

– 2007 –

– 2006 –

(a peek into my home…we’d lived here for 3 months)

– 2005 –

(June ’05…my first month to own a digital camera)

(nothing was beyond the scope of my new found “art”)

– 2004 –

(I actually don’t know what month these scanned photos were taken…)

– 2003 –

(month??)

– 2002 –

June 2001…I was 7 months pregnant.  Sometimes it’s hard to remember what life was like back then, pre-kid.

O the green things growing, the green things growing,
The faint sweet smell of the green things growing!
I should like to live, whether I smile or grieve,
Just to watch the happy life of my green things growing.

~ from Green Things Growing, by Dinah Maria Mulock Craik

Some color from the backyard today…

I’ve even heard a couple lawn mowers lately.  Our grass is definitely growing, but I figure once I start mowing, I’ll be mowing for months, so I’ll hold off for a bit.

The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month. ~ Henry Van Dyke

It’s been a long while since I did any sewing, and I’ve been missing it.  So this weekend I dug into a Christmas-gift, sewing project, and I liked it so much I just had to share!

A few weeks ago, I decided to order personalized chef hats for a niece (almost 2 yrs) and nephew (4 yrs).  They enjoy cooking with their mama (who is a fantastic cook, by the way).  I found some at Growing Cooks.  They even had a camo one, and since my nephew had recently had a camo-themed birthday party, I knew I had to get him that one.  They arrived last week and I think they’re great!  They are very adjustable with long velcro pieces in the back, so they should last a long time.

Along with the chef hats, I figured they needed aprons.  In search of a pattern, I somehow came across Sew Liberated where she had posted a free pattern for a Montessori Child’s Apron.  I had nearly everything I needed to make my niece’s, so I got started.  Since she is just turning 2, I made it a bit smaller.  Isn’t it darling??

What I love about this pattern is the fact that a child can put it on by herself!  There are no long apron strings to be tangled and tied.  The neck strap has elastic and just slips over the head.

Around the waist is a strap that velcros on one side.

Chef hat and apron…

Since my nephew’s hat was in camo, I wasn’t sure what fabric I’d end up using to coordinate with it.  I figured if I couldn’t find a camo that matched reasonably well, I’d just get a solid color.  But I was pleasantly surprised to find some fabric that was pretty close to the hat’s fabric, so I went with it.  Not bad, huh?

The hat’s colors are slightly brighter, but I think that’s OK.

These came together quite quickly as the pattern is super simple and well done.  If you like to sew and your child could use an apron, I’d highly recommend this pattern.  Next time, I might consider adding a pocket, but I was very pleased with how these turned out.  Now to just get them in the mail!  I can’t wait to see pics of Sam and Esther in their cooking duds!

August is blackberry season, and we have loads of them right behind our house!

Here’s a really fast and simple cobbler-type, dessert recipe we made with fresh-picked berries and fresh-picked peaches…Yuuuumm-O!

• 1/2 cup butter (next time I’ll try 1/3 cup)
• 1 cup flour (we used whole wheat pastry flour)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 2/3 cup milk (we used soy milk, so any type of milk would work)
• generous 4 cups fruit (we used blackberries and one sliced peach)

1. Melt butter in 2-quart, round casserole.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, milk in small mixing bowl.  Combine well.
3. Pour batter mixture over melted butter.  Do not stir.
4. Spoon fruit over batter.  Do not stir.
5. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.

We’ve also made blackberry freezer jam and this weekend we’ll be having blackberry sorbet.  I love summer in Oregon!