A Refreshingly Delicious Equation

"Coffee smells like freshly ground heaven."

~Jessi Lane Adams

LC= Leftover Coffee

(My morning was a bit hurried.)

I= Ice

LC + I = Yum!

For The Outdoor Adventurer

"It is in the compelling zest of high adventure and of victory, and in creative action, that man finds his supreme joys."
~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Knitting orders have consumed my life-- and I mean that in the most wonderful way. I love making something and thinking about how the little babe will look in one of my creations. It's beyond fun to shop for new yarns and notions and dream up creative ways to make something crafty and unique.

As I was making these for baby Ripkin-- how awesome is that name?-- I pictured them being on a stylish and adventurous little tot. You know, the kind of baby whose family would sling him into one of those ultra-hip backpacks and go for a nice long hike and picnic in the woods.

I really get way too caught up in my thoughts. Geez...

Baked Green Tomatoes

"Tell me what you eat, I'll tell you who you are."

~Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

Last night I made these baked green tomoatoes for dinner. Delicious they were.

I like sticking to simple, natural foods. Since I've changed my ways of eating, I've noticed how much flavor foods like carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes actually have. It makes me sad to see others heavily salt their dinner or pour katchup over their potatoes. Taste the flavor, I say!

Yesterday, as I was organizing some drawers, I listened to a report about how today's children are the first generation to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. I thought about that, and as much as it pained me to agree with the reporters, I found myself in their corner.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not perfect and I love the occasional chocolate chip cookie or strawberry sunday or slurpee, but I also understand the value of being active and making my heart pump and my sweat glands produce. I'm sad that I very rarely see children outside riding bikes or playing hopscotch. I have yet to spot one game of freeze-tag or hide and seek this summer. Darn video game systems.

Alas, I'll do the best I can with the special people in my little corner of the world. We'll keep eating healthy, locally grown produce. We'll enjoy the random sweet treat. And, we'll keep after that whole active and exercise thing.

The body is amazing- it deserves to be taken care of. Think of how badly we treat it, yet how it continually recovers and fights for us to live. Wow.

Six = 42

"Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring- it was peace."

~ Milan Kundera

Our little fur-face turned six yesterday. Six or 42. I suppose it depends on how one looks at it.

I often think about how the cards in life lined up so that I was chosen as Charlie's mama. It makes me sad to think of what her life might had been like had she not landed a spot with Chad-0 and I.

Who would have raised her?

Where would she have spent her afternoons?

Would she constantly have hugs and nuzzles?

Would she have a soft golden pillow and a Stevie Santa Bear toy?

I'll admit that there isn't a single time I'm on the couch or at the computer or cooking dinner when Little Peep isn't right there, too. It's a very gratifying feeling-- to be so loved and wanted by a furry little critter.

In honor of her birthday, I made her the sweater in the above photo.

She kinda likes it. Wink.

Grammy also brought her some treats and chewies and got her the coolest card.

We sure ruff our Charlie T.

Happy Makers

"If you want to be happy, be."

~Leo Tolstoy

Tomorrow my baby fur-face turns six years old. Yes, I'm knitting her a sweater. The nurturer in me simply couldn't resist the wonderfully fun pattern and extra chunky yarn. She's bound to earn the fashionista of the neighborhood award. Two paws up for her.

Reading...mmmm...happy sigh

This summer I've found three amazing books, all of which you must read.

The summer reading list consists of:

The Cather in the Rye by John Steinbeck

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson

I'm addicted. We won't discuss how much delicious java I've consumed on this lovely, relaxing morning, ok?

Have yourself a joyous little day, full of all kinds of happy makers.

Toodle do.

Snuggie Wuggie

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."

~Leonardo DaVinci

Growing up, my sweet mama always had a way of keeping us warm. She'd put our clothes in the dryer on chilly mornings, tuck our toes under fluffy blankets, and buy us loads of super soft socks.

As I grow up, I can see where I've inherited a bit of her "keep people warm and cozy" gene. Perhaps that's why I found myself so drawn to this snugly knitting pattern.

I'm thinking every little baby should have a cozy cocoon. Who wouldn't want to have something so warm and snug?

Greetings

"I would I could stand on a busy corner, hat in hand, and beg people to throw me all their wasted hours."

~Bernard Berenson

Sigh. I've missed you, blog friends.

I've been so caught up in life that I've hardly had time to complete my most necessary tasks and chores, hence they have not gotten done-- gulp. I'm in full summer vacation mode and it's just so darn wonderful. I keep pushing away the computer in favor of a new knitting pattern, a few more pages of my novel, a walk with the pupparoo, coffee with my mama, a trip to the amusement park with my friend and her daughters, a midnight bike ride, an impromptu shopping event....the list goes on. The blue skies beckon me outdoors and I simply can't resist their lure.


I have so much to tell you, but it will have to wait, because I'm off yet again to an amazing restaurant with an amazing friend.

Till next time, adios! And before I forget, I've also decided to lift my "private" setting on the blog. It just didn't feel right. How's that for being indecisive?

Colorful Weekend Happiness

"May your walls know joy; May every room hold laughter and every window open to great possibility."

~Maryanne Radmacher-Hershey

I hope your weekend brought happiness and sunshine and all the things that provide contentment to your spirit. My weekend? Fabulous. It was the absolute best.

I enjoyed numerous bike trips to and from a quaint little town that may just become my new summer retreat. Biking is quickly becoming my new favorite form of physical activity. Between the beautiful scenery and the quality workout, I'm finding myself very fulfilled. Plus, I get to spend tons of time laughing, racing, and joking around with my favorite people.

Blue skies abound!

I fell in love with this most interesting modification to a typical school bus. Genius. I propose we do this to the local buses. I guarantee more children would attend school.

Orange cone flowers- one of my new favorites.

The Firefly Grill had an amazing hummus plate. I could have had seconds, thirds and fourths.

Eating under these umbrellas provided the refreshing, shady break we needed after an intense biking adventure.

And, I filled up Gertie's basket with locally grown fruits, peach-rhubarb jelly and jalapeno mustard. Um, Yum.

I'm also proud to report that I polished off one of these pints of blueberries all by myself. It took me a grand total of 0.35642 minutes. My mouth is permanently stained. toothy blue grin.

I did spot an entire shelf of homemade puppy treats for Charlie, but due to the inflated price I resisted. Instead I gave her an extra-large portion of Cheerios when I returned home. She loved me.

How neat are these river ships? I'll be traversing the Yough in one soon. Promise.

Great Weekend...
...Good Times
Pretty Places...
...Delicious Food
Wonderful People...
...Fields of Fireflies
Laughs...
...Fireworks
Love...

It's Time

To being with, thank you. Thank you for two years of reading my ramblings, following my adventures, and spending a little bit of your precious time with me. I truly appreciate your kindness and sweet comments and the lovely feedback I've received from many thoughtful individuals.

But, the world is an interesting place, isn't it? It's full of wonderfullness and goodness and people with gracious hearts. I love all of you. Really. I do.

However something has been on my mind recently and I figured I should probably fill you in.

Here it goes:

I kinda like my space and I sincerely enjoying spending time alone. On the other hand, I do enjoy a good shin-dig and I love nothing more than talking and sharing stories and chatting it up with random strangers.

I'm a private person. I'm a people person.

Simply put, I'm a person of contradiction.

But something I keep thinking about is this here little blog. I continually think more and more about the stuff I post on here and how I have no control over who could be reading my thoughts and looking at my pictures and having a glimpse into my rather safe and charming little life. To be honest, it freaks me out-- like heebie geebies.

That being said, the time has come for me to make this little on-line journal a place for me-- a place for my friends and family-- a place for those who knock before entering, if you will.

If you would like to keep up with the adventures of moi, I'd love to have you (even if I don't know you). Weird, right? You see, I'm more than fine with letting strangers read, it's just that I want to be in control of who's stopping by And So It Goes. I do like control. I like to be in charge. It's a bit of a character flaw. ha.

Just leave a comment with your e-mail address. Other than that, you can pour yourself a cup of tea, enjoy the sunshine, and lounge around until Friday when the privacy factor will go into effect.

Thanks for understanding. Much Love.

The Answer to My Chilly Dilemas.

"May every stitch you knit bring you a little closer
to that calm, clear space in the center of your soul."

~ Earth Heart Designs

Charlie T. has managed to wedge herself between my lap and the keyboard. I'm pretty sure she's scared. Between cracks of lightening, rumbling thunder, and a pelting rain, she's reached her maximum stress level. Poor thing.

Me, however, I couldn't be more cozy if I tried. Fresh out of the shower and sporting a fresh do-it-myself pedicure, I'm pretty content. Nights like this are the cream in my coffee. Oh, and speaking of coffee, I'm also enjoying a delicious cup. Bliss? I think so.

I started out the morning with a new idea, and a rather crazy one at that. You see, the temperature today reached into the high 80s and the humidity level was something we'd probably be better off to forget. I had a picnic at the playground planned with my friend and her children and a houseful of construction workers hammering and sawing away. Things were a bit busy.

So, obviously, it was the perfect day to knit up a pair of gloves, right?

Exactly. I thought so, too.

But, these aren't just any pair of gloves. Allow me to introduce my first pair of fingerless gloves, or as I have so eloquently dubbed them, Robber Gloves.

I think everyone should have a pair. How many times have you donned your bulky winter attire only to chew off the finger of your glove as you dug through your purse for your keys? Ever been to a football game and tried to dip your nacho while wearing a cumbersome hand warmer, only to end up with lint stuck to your tongue? What about shopping at the autumn bazaars? Who likes to dig through a wallet with a heavy set of gloves or mittens?

Not me.

Hence, a perfect solution-- the answer we all need.

Robber gloves.

Functional. Fashionable. Warm.

Situation Resolved

"In Flanders Fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses row on row."
~John McCrae

I swear that I'm not starting an opium trade, or harvesting seeds, or becoming a drug addict. Actually, I'm quite the anti-drug person; however I'm madly in love with poppies. I really dislike myself for it, because, you see, I know they have a shady symbolism. But, ya know what? I don't really care. I like 'em and think they're super pretty. Plus, I'm totally loving the bright citrus colors.

Interestingly, every morning when I would eagerly check on my young poppy plants and their bursting buds, I would find them missing. I had an official mystery to solve. Oh goodie- I've always wanted to be Nancy Drew.

Perhaps it was the neighborhood druggie. Yes. That would make sense. It just figures that my innocent love of a flower would fuel a teenager's illegal activities. Then again, I've noticed some over-active squirrels. Perhaps the little critters are enjoying my poppies a bit too much. Oh, but I can't dismiss the family of rabbits who reside in a hole under the lush ground cover. They have been quite the hoppy little cotton tails as of late. Sigh.

Then, just the other day, my mama gave me some liquid fence. To say that it's rancid and foul smelling would be a bit of an understatement. It's totally gross. I find it a bit much, but whatever it's made of definitely seems to keep the sneaky, poppy snatching monsters at bay.

Oh, Sweet Summer

"That beautiful season . . . the Summer of All-Saints! Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood."

~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

My list of things to accomplish today grows by the millisecond. I find myself so motivated when it's pretty outside. I'll chalk it up to the sunshine and warmth and beautiful blossoms. Days like today make me feel like I should pay to live; like Mother Nature should charge me a fee for enjoying her amusement park.

Today I enjoyed a very productive walk with my pal and her kiddos. We chatted, walked errands, purchased fresh bread and veggies at the local fruit market, and capped off the adventure with a little playground time for the tiny-tots.

I also managed to find some time to relax and enjoy the blue skies. There's something beyond wonderful about a few hours perched under one's favorite tree. Who says I can't convert a beach towel into a lawn towel? Not me. I'd rather be in my backyard anyway. Give me my book and a free afternoon and I'll be the happiest thing on this green earth.

While lounging under the shade of Terrance, it amazed me at the beauty of the landscape around me. It's something I see everyday, but sometimes when I take myself out of the experience and look at a scene with a new set of eyes, the vision proves especially delightful.

Watching the flowers reach to the sun and seeing the tiny bugs as they gently landed on the pages of my book, reminded me of what an amazing place I get to call home. How lucky I am to have today. How lucky I am to have peace. How luck I am to be.

Happy first day of summer. Cheers to the first of many!

Fine. Take That.

"Dogs laugh, but they laugh with their tails."

~Max Eastman

This morning brought gray skies and a cozy feeling. The breeze blew the tree branches and lush vegetation, creating a ballet of green dancers frolicking through the neighborhood. With tea in hand, I made my way to the workshop and settled in for some time with my favorite blogs and websites. Of course, just about the time I settled in, got comfy in my chair, and enjoyed my first sip of warm, sweet tea, the air-conditioner repair man came to the door.

Typical.

You should also know that I've been trying to teach my old dog a new trick. Yes, it's true. Unfortunately she feels the need to sit in the front window and bark and bark and bark and bark each and every time someone walks by. And, being that we live in a quaint neighborhood, people are always walking by...usually, with a dog or two.

Ugh.

So, I'm sure you can understand why I've had it, why I can no longer take it, and why the barking must stop. We've been making progress and I've only started working on this about a week ago. Combine my amazing teaching talents and her above average intelligence and we're quite the team. Thankfully, things are getting much better.

Little Peep, the master of all, knew that the repair man lurked outside the walls of the house. She pranced and pawed and huffed and puffed, but she didn't bark. Every time that she started a deep "gurring" sound, I firmly reminded her, "No. No barking."

She was made at me. I could tell. Finally, she turned to me, let out this huge sigh/snort, turned around, walked away, and hid under the bed.

Oh my goodness- it was too funny. I could practically hear her saying, "Agh! You make me so mad, Mama. I'm going to go pout."

Alas, she never did bark. Mission accomplished.

And, you'll be happy to know, she has emerged from her hiding place and found a warm sunbeam to bask in.

Good girl, Munchkin. Your mama is proud.

How Do You Measure Success?

"You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives."

~Clay P. Bedford

Today marked my first day of summer vacation. Whew. Double whew.

To say that this year challenged me; mentally, physically, and emotionally, would actually be a complete understatement. However, in some crazy, hard to understand way, I enjoyed it. I'd compare it to completing my half-marathon, except that this school year was like sprinting through a 500 million mile obstacle course.

If I survived this year, I can handle anything. Bring it on.

Together my students learned, created, broke personal bests, and pushed themselves to tackle new endeavors.

Yet, they also cried, lost tempers, hurt feelings, and made cruel remarks.

But, through it all, those sixth graders became better people, the type of people whom I hope will leave a positive mark on the world around them.

I'm a person who constantly reflects and I'll give full credit to my college professors for instilling in me this err-- shall we say-- over analytical thinking. However, when reflecting upon this school year and thinking about summer vacation I battle a few different mentalities.

We'll just put those PSSA scores aside for a second, ok? I don't care if 100% of my students are proficient. I'd rather judge reading success by how many of my students bury themselves in a novel this summer. After all, I should be igniting a fire, right? How can I be a true teacher, instilling in my students a love of learning and inspiring curiosity, if none of them touch a book for the next 3 months?

How many of my students will visit a library or a museum or use the computer to explore something that interests them? How many will write a letter to a far away relative or address an envelope? How many will question, explore, and wonder?

Sometimes success is gently tucked away; hidden on porch swings, tucked into cozy beds, or buried in backseats. I prefer to measure my teaching success that way.

Numbers and data sure don't lie, but neither do unsolicited actions.

Happy Summer, Happy Reading (I hope!)

Footloose and Fancy Free

"Age shouldn't affect you. It's just like the size of your shoes - they don't determine how you live your life! You're either marvellous or you're boring, regardless of your age."

~Steven Morrissey

I really need to start making these for grown-up girls, like me. I'd totally rock purple kicks.

Happy Weekending.