28 June 2008
26 June 2008
a wedding!
we are especially excited for the wedding because it is going to be a long-weekend event with pretty much only their immediate families, probably at some type of resort. they have decided to spend their wedding budget on this instead of going the traditional route. and, i'm sure the dresses will be fabulous, as amanda is my #1 fashion advisor. :)
25 June 2008
neighborhood patrol
22 June 2008
social graces
one month
we've run into loads of people, it seems, who have either been to or have lived in the seattle area, so we have been trying to rack their brains as far as where to go and what to see. if there are any more ideas out there, please let us know!
so far on the agenda: matt's aunt & uncle's house and a tour with them through the city, pike place market, mt. rainier, san juan islands, and possibly olympic national park or mt. st. helens... we will have 8 days and 0 kids... :)
20 June 2008
i am in love
i think it was my friend joni who introduced me to the square foot gardening method last year, and i instantly knew i wanted to give it a try. it is perfect for small spaces, and its neat appearance was also a factor for us since it would be in our front yard for all to see. besides that, it is a cinch to water and weed!
it feels good to have finally plowed through my intimidations with the whole thing (my perfectionistic tendencies sometimes slow me down because i am so afraid it won’t turn out just right). it’s a big step forward from last year’s gardening attempts. now here’s hoping the bugs and bunnies don’t snag our harvest before we do! so far, things are looking pretty good, and we have already been enjoying the lettuce. i can’t wait to make it twice as big next year!
here are some photos to document our progress so far:
though i did remove the sod from underneath, we added our own (purchased) soil inside the frame so that we know it's good stuff. matt built the frame (8' x 2' --we are not starting out overly ambitious, people), and the kids and i have had a good time this spring visiting our local seed store and putting it all together.
started a few peas, lettuce, and spinach plants in egg cartons before transferring them to the garden...
and here they are in their new home... (viewing from the side)
and here's what they look like now. (viewing from the front)
what fun to watch the little seedlings pop up! these are the bean beginnings...
and here they are today, with a tomato in the background.
and here are the zucchini, then...
and now.
one other new thing i am trying this year is a potato pot that i found instructions on how to do here.
14 June 2008
13 June 2008
lovin' the lens
this year's window boxes!
12 June 2008
first beach day of the summer
11 June 2008
slippery slope
(p.s.--this being the second time this month that i have returned home from the grocery store inspired to write about it, i was thinking maybe i will start documenting my food shopping experiences with a new blog series entitled "val's grocery store chronicles" or something like that. we'll see. i'm sure you are on the edge of your seats.)
05 June 2008
what day is it?
03 June 2008
finally, a water lily!
and why not a shameless plug while i'm at it: don't forget--my card sets make great gifts! :)