Without carefully laid plans to do so... I stopped by the park, laid down on the earth, and read a few chapters from my book. It was perfection.

Thank goodness for unplanned moments.

It's impossible to wrap my mind around the swift passing of time. Surely it was a moment ago when Emily and her best friend stood giggling on the front steps with a doll in one hand and a key to our new home in the other. (Our friend lived, and still lives, directly across the street. It is why we bought this house!) They were so little then, first and second graders. Now, they are both soon to be teenagers.

Certain milestones, or stepping stones, in life provide moments of reflection. Something that I do treasure, indeed. So easily we get swept up in the hustle of the day to day, but pausing and marking the passing of time, ushering in a new season of life... these are the sort of big, life picture experiences that encourage me to stay present to the now, knowing this moment is what matters the most. This is where truth lies.

This past weekend marked our friend's Bat Mitzvah. Oh my the preparation involved! Adding to what is already a remarkable event in the life of a young Jew, her father is the Rabbi! Needless to say, it was a pretty significant weekend for her family and congregation. We are happy for them all, and so proud of her.

As a gift I painted her this image of a hamsa, using watercolor. I wanted it to be sunny and cheerful - yellow, happy colors are her favorite. It was the first time I've given someone a painting as a gift (of course, it's only been a couple of months since I started painting!), but I knew she would be the one to welcome such a gift, she is an artist herself.

The passing of one momentous life experience represents the culmination of so many tiny, truth filled moments. Thankfully, there will be many more to come.

We borrowed our neighbor's wrap around Victorian porch for pictures.

:: A dress for her graduation ceremony last Wednesday. The only school we've ever known lies behind us now. Nothing but new adventures are on the horizon, and we will meet them together, as we always do.

I can hardly believe the next time we slice into her birthday cake, it will hold thirteen candles. We are so proud of her, she is a remarkable young lady and a best friend to both of us.

It'll take a few days to settle into our rhythm, but I felt like a quick hello.

Early last week I was out in the garden and noticed the lavender was in full bloom - it seems so early! I love baking with lavender and plan on a bit of that this week. I'd also like to make some lavender jam/jelly. Years ago I worked on an herb farm where we made the most delicious rose geranium jelly (scented geraniums are tasty to bake with too). I'm thinking lavender jelly would be wonderful. A simple syrup infused with lavender sounds nice as well. I could keep it in the fridge and add to iced tea made with white tea or chamomile tea.

A Monday morning spent daydreaming about lavender feels like a good start.

I should probably run now... it's 9:30 and my girl is still in bed. Not sleeping, not vertical either. It seems my seventh grader has found her summer groove just fine. Up until midnight watching the season premier of Design Star, then reading. Slow to greet the day in the morning. Ah, to be twelve.

Look at all that gorgeous green! Saturday, we picked up our first bundle of goods from a friendly farmer couple, Bruce and Abbie of Birdsong Farm in Hampton, CT (for you locals, email or call them if you would like more information!).  I've written before about the lack of CSA's in my area (though this year there seems to finally be a small explosion of them according to Local Harvest - yay!). In the past, it wasn't much of a concern for us considering I set up shop so often at the Coventry Farmers Market. We also have an amazing neighborhood natural foods co-op that is always filled to the brim with local fruits, veggies and cheese.

This year I will not be vending at the market (I've been meaning to tell you, many have been asking), and while we will of course still visit as much as we can, it is more of an outing (albeit a wonderful one) and I think on a regular, weekly basis, a quick one stop in and out approach might be more realistic. So I sent an email to my former market 'neighbor' asking what they were up to this year. I remember him telling me last year that they had their own version of a CSA, not even calling it a true CSA actually, but a type of service that worked (and still works!) for them.

Here's how it goes: on Tuesday of each week Bruce and Abbie send an email to everyone who would like to be on their mailing list, they include a list of what's being harvested that week on the farm with  prices/sizes/weights of each item. Customers email them back by midnight on Thursday with their order, listing what they would like and how much of each. Beautiful! Pick-up is on Saturday at the farm, and all of the veggies are harvested just a few hours before you arrive. I cannot tell you how awesome this is. Their prices are incredible and nothing beats the chance we will now have each Saturday morning to head out of our little city... just fifteen minutes away, to visit our farmers, and to thank them in person.

We are so happy to finally be part of the CSA club... sort of.