Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Around here


I finally pulled pictures off my camera for the first time in months. Here's a little bit of what we've been up to lately.

blueberry scones
{blueberry scones}

sunday brunch
{sunday brunch}

mother's day 2015
{mother's day 2015}

organizing
{organizing}

garden roses
{garden roses}

projecting
{projecting}

drinks
{drinks}


new chairs
{new chair}


picnic aftermath
{picnic aftermath}

:: We had a few people over for brunch on Mother's Day and I made blueberry scones using Deb's recipe. Delicious, but I had to add extra cream because the dough was still very, very dry after I stirred in the amount the recipe called for. It doesn't seem like other people had issues with this, so I think it was just me but I'll probably go back to my old recipe next time. I used the dried wild blueberries from Trader Joe's for the first time and they were amazing. Perfect for pastry because they don't bleed all over the place as they bake.

:: We've been spending a lot of our free time around the house these days. We have three beautiful rose bushes that have been producing like crazy so I cut flowers every few days. D is usually building furniture (so far he's made two nightstands, a liquor cabinet, under the bed storage boxes and a picnic table - his productivity puts me to shame) and I'm usually sorting through my dad's paperwork and making to do lists for myself and then taking a nap to try to avoid the lists. There is so much to take care of when someone passes away and I'm being really slow so it's taking me forever. I should probably make a master list and then assign myself a couple tasks each week instead of fumbling through it as things come up.

:: We had our first dinner party in the new place last weekend! We're gradually getting the yard set up as an entertaining area, since we don't have a dining table in the house. On Saturday D built the picnic table and we splurged on a couple of butterfly chairs. Having the outdoor space set up makes our space feel so much bigger and I love it. I foresee a lot of evenings on the patio in our future.

19 comments:

  1. not sure if this is something you'd be up for but would you be able to provide a list of things that need to be done after someone passes. I have no idea what even goes into that and it would be good to know for my own parents. I understand if you'd not be comfortable with it but I always love your lists and organization posts.

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    1. I totally would except I'm such a mess about this that I don't think I'd be any help to anyone! I have googled several similar lists and it's been helpful, but since every situation is slightly different it's hard to find something that works for exactly the set up my dad had. I wish I was being more organized, but I'm kind of just fumbling through!

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  2. Both my grandparents passed away recently and the paperwork is unbelievable. Certainly doesn't help to keep your mind off things, plus paperwork sucks in general! Your home looks beautiful and I'm very very jealous of those rose bushes!

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  3. That paperwork lasts forever...my grandfather passed two years ago, and only this year did we finally wrap all of it up.

    I know it's a very sudden change of subject, but is that a skull next to the white chair in your yard? If so, I totally need to know where you got it because I need it in my life. Please?

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    1. It's a ceramic day of the dead skull that you can put a candle in! It was a gift, so I'm not sure where it came from, but I'm guessing a garden store?

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  4. Love your place! Perfection!

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  5. I love how nonchalant your sentence about him building the picnic table. Like, no biggie, just like hanging a picture.

    The outdoor space looks so cozy. And I'm jealous you have rose bushes.

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    1. Ha! I know - I was so impressed and he was annoyed with himself because he thought it would only take half a day and it was more like a full day.

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  6. hi. a good friend of mine wrote a guide book for what/when/how to take care of practical things after a death. i wish i would have had this available when my parents and grandma's died:
    http://helpingsurvivorsmanage.com/
    good luck and sending lots of love, strength and positive energy. x amy

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  7. wonderful. I love that chair work. beautiful flowers too. you have really wonderful site

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  8. I love your stackable glasses! Where are they from?

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  9. He built the picnic table? It looks amazing. I just started reading your blog but I'd like to say that I'm sorry for your loss.

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  10. Hi Rachel,
    I feel moved to write to you. I enjoy your blog so much, it's like you are sharing your good life with us, strangers to you. I am imagining that you might be having a hard time now, because you haven't been updating. Maybe you are hitting the really hard parts of life. Of course, I don't know. I just felt moved to write, because your blog given me a gift of lightness and happiness, when I have been faced with pretty hard things. I send you hopes for strength and happiness.

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  11. Hi Rachel, Similar to Jennifer above I wanted to let you know that we are thinking about you and you are missed. I hope that you and your family are doing OK. Take care, and come back to the blog when you are ready. :)

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  12. Just want to echo the two ladies above. You're missed and hope all is well.

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  13. I was just wondering how you were doing, and it's a little uncanny that a bunch of us are thinking the same thing at the same time. Hope that you are coping as best as you can -

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  14. Thanks for the good thoughts, ladies! It's been a rough few months and I'm still finding my bearings. Some days are fine and some days are really hard. The blog just hasn't been a priority, and photos haven't been happening at ALL, but I miss checking in here because you readers are so awesome. I'll at least have a book post up soon!

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  15. This is the precise weblog for anybody who needs to seek out out about this topic. You notice so much its almost arduous to argue with you. You positively put a brand new spin on a subject that's been written about for years. Nice stuff, simply nice!

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