the taste of summer

Freshly picked tomatoes, basil and arugula - what could be better?

There's nothing like home grown tomatoes! And when combined with the sweetness of basil and the peppery bite of arugula, it's the perfect taste of summer.



music for a monday morning: herman dune's "tell me something i don't know"

Here's another tune by the quirky French Duo, Herman Dune, accompanied with a video that always makes me smile. It's full of whimsy. Enjoy!

scenes from a farmers' market, part 2

Yesterday morning, my husband and I rode our bikes down to the capitol square for breakfast and to take in the Dane County Farmers' Market. The market was bustling - full of people, produce, and plants and flowers. What a treasure we have here in Madison with our many farmers' markets, though the Dane County Farmers' Market, to me, always takes the prize. Even back in my college days I remember heading up to the square for a little produce and flower shopping. It's great to see people of all ages enjoy the market. Here's some of the photos I snapped while out and about.

the vegetable and herb garden on the square

a cute reusable bag

brother and sister playing tag on the grass around the capitol

one of the many farmers' stalls

patty-pan squash, one of my favorites!

kids taking in a bee colony

a flower vendor, staying cool in the shade

our beautiful capitol dome, reflected in a nearby building

gardening: belief in tomorrow

I woke up early this Saturday morning and headed directly to my garden to pull weeds, dead head, and tidy things up. Everything is coming along nicely, especially since here in Madison we've had a good amount of rain in the past week. I don't think it will be as bountiful of a summer as years past simply because of the incredibly high temperatures and drought conditions we have been experiencing. I came across this quote (from none other than Audrey Hepburn) that I adore because it rings so very true. Planting a garden isn't about instant gratification, it's about the days, weeks, months and years to come. 

image credit unknown

flowerful friday

Over 3 years ago my husband gave me a potted hydrangea plant for my birthday. Once the weather warmed up, we planted it outside and then when we moved, we brought it with us. This year the blooms are particularly stunning - deep pinkish magenta with emerald leaves. I'm so glad we kept the plant and that we moved it with us to our then new home. It was a lovely gift and it makes a beautiful addition to our garden. Everytime I pass its bountiful blooms, I think of my husband.

Happy Friday!

look: a girl without freckles is like a night without stars

As a woman with freckles, I happen to feel like this saying rings true. I've always been told that my freckles are beautiful, so I never grew up wishing them away. To me, they add character, and tell all those who look upon them that I love to be outdoors enjoying lots of fresh air. I came across these stunning black and white photos of beautiful "freckled faced" women on Pinterest, photo credits unknown. 

Stars, the skies version of freckles...what a happy thought! I remember when I moved back to Madison some 3 1/2 years ago and the stars were visible on a nightly basis. After living in Chicago for several years I had grown accustomed to starless nights. I'm so happy to have star-filled nights back in my life!

photo credit: Ben Canales
(click onto the photo for a larger view)

shout out: Lumiè

I recently found an iPhone app that I think it so much fun. It's called Lumiè, and it allows you to add some nice effects to your photos. Here's a photo I snapped of a rose from my garden, then I added a Lumiè effect to give the photo some nice light flares. I think it gives the photo a little bit of a magical feel.

smiles: in black and white

Often it's said that smiles are contagious, and I happen to agree. Just looking at these photos of their smiling subjects makes me smile and feel instantly happy. I found all of these on Pinterest, photo credits unknown.

childhood smiles

who says animals can't smile?

no caption needed!  :-)

music for a monday morning: the head and the heart's cats and dogs

Here's another great little tune by The Head in the Heart called "Cats and Dogs". Can't wait to see them in Madison this September! Hope you enjoy.

boys in a pasture by winslow homer

Art is incredibly subjective and personal. Yesterday's post featured a 2007 painting, "Rare Sky", which to me, with its colors is the perfect illustration of a sky in the summertime. Today we turn to Winslow Homer's "Boys in a Pasture" - a more traditional take a a summertime scene. 

Boys in a Pasture by American painter
Winslow Homer - from 1874

Despite the incredible differences in style, I enjoy both of these paintings and propose that these painting convey a similar mood. I can imagine these young boys looking out to the horizon where the sun is beginning to work its magic and create a colorful scene similar to what we see in "Rare Sky." 

rare sky by h. wesley wheeler

Aren't the colors used by American painter, H. Wesley Wheeler in his 2007 piece, Rare Sky absolutely beautiful? 

flowerful friday

The cheerful colors of summertime flowers are in full bloom. I snapped these photos yesterday morning after another rainfall. Don't the flowers look like they're smiling from the rain? 

morning glory - a childhood favorite

echinacea - aren't the colors nice?

snapdragons - love these

a transplant gifted to us from a neighbor!

more echinanea...the birds love this one!

Happy Friday

fresh air: enjoying madison's bike paths

Yesterday's rain brought slightly cooler temperatures making it ideal to get outside for a dose of much needed fresh air. I headed up to one of Madison's many bike paths. These paths make Madison one of the easiest places to get to and fro on one's bike. It's a bike commuter's dream, not to mention it's ideal for recreational cyclists like myself as well as runners and walkers. This particular path is one of my favorites because of the trees that form a lovely green canopy of shade. And to top it all off, there are copious amounts of wildflowers to enjoy.

one of our many bike paths here in Madison

I had to stop to make time to smell the
roses a.k.a. enjoy the flora

isn't this one beautiful?

a cheery little wildflower

these are slender and cute as a button!

rain, rain, don't go away!

As is much of the country, here in Madison, we are in the midst of one serious drought of a summer. It's without a doubt the driest, hottest summer in my memory. We've had about 10 minutes of gentle rain in the past month...until now! 

I've been up for awhile this morning, unable to sleep, and my cat Nino was first to alarm me to the approaching thunderstorm. Cats never seem to outgrow the fear of thunderstorms. Before I knew it, I saw a bright flash of light from the corner of my eye confirming Nino's odd behavior. And the downpour began. Saying this rain is like manna from heaven is not an exaggeration. We desperately needed this.

As I write this, I'm sitting on our screened-in porch surrounded by the heavy rain, the downpour is like a beloved melody that my ears haven't heard in so long. What a beautiful song! May we hear it often.

Rain in the Summer

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

How beautiful is the rain!

After the dust and heat, 

In the broad and fiery street, 

In the narrow lane, 

How beautiful is the rain!

How it clatters along the roofs, 

Like the tramp of hoofs 

How it gushes and struggles out 

From the throat of the overflowing spout!

Across the window-pane 

It pours and pours; 

And swift and wide, 

With a muddy tide, 

Like a river down the gutter roars 

The rain, the welcome rain!

scenes from a farmers' market, part 1

One of the most beloved Saturday morning rituals here in Madison is the Dane County Farmers' Market, located right around the capitol square. It offers a huge selection of produce, plants and flowers, baked goods, cheeses and more! It's part of what makes Madison a great place to call home. 

the best way to get to a farmers' market?
by bike!

families enjoying a gorgeous Saturday morning 

a garden of herbal delights...heavenly scents

Thai basil, now ours!

the view - Lake Mendota in the distance

our beautiful capitol building

music for a monday morning: the cave by mumford and sons

Everyone's favorite Indie Folk group, Mumford and Sons, knows how to make you want to sing and dance along to their tunes. I think this video for "The Cave" is beautifully shot. I hope you enjoy!

inspired by winnie the pooh

I think Pooh Bear and Piglet are the cutest of friends, and the ideas laid out on the pages of A.A. Milne's timeless stories are full of wisdom. I like this quote so much - it's how I feel about those I love.

inspired by vonnegut

One of my favorite authors is Kurt Vonnegut, and I know I'm not alone in that sentiment. His perennial classics always can teach us and give us a new perspective on life. I came across this quote, which I find to be beautiful. 

Image credit, unknown.

inspired by mary oliver

This image can be found at the very lovely Etsy Shop, The Wheat Field. Check it out here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/thewheatfield?ref=seller_info

inspired by candles

Isn't this a beautiful idea? I love the image too.