It is great to be back after taking a short break from my blog. I hope you've been enjoying the summer and would love to know what you have been up to. Hopefully it includes some relaxation!
You may be wondering what have I been up to?
Gardening
I have been planning a kitchen garden for the back yard which should be finished soon; in the meantime, I am swooning over the vegetable garden at Robinson Gardens. What an inspiration!
Travelling
We celebrated our wedding anniversary in beautiful Napa, where we saw fields of glorious sunflowers.
Cooking
In the summer I like to keep it simple and often make Bruschettas with chopped tomatoes and basil. I serve them with grilled fish and a big salad. Pour a glass of chilled chardonnay and you have the perfect summer meal. It's even better eaten outside! Here is my Bruschetta recipe.
Reading
I can't stay away from my favorite Barbara Pym and just finished rereading this classic. What an interesting character the heroine is, polished and confident and yet unhappy and searching for something more. As with most of Barbara Pym's novels, happiness is never far from home.
Research
Photo via here
Yoga
Photo via here
And, finally, I have been having back problems and searching for ways to get some relief. This is one of the reasons I took a little time off from my blog. I have discovered yoga and love it. I feel that my back is healing and I am getting stronger.
You may be wondering what have I been up to?
I have been planning a kitchen garden for the back yard which should be finished soon; in the meantime, I am swooning over the vegetable garden at Robinson Gardens. What an inspiration!
We celebrated our wedding anniversary in beautiful Napa, where we saw fields of glorious sunflowers.
In the summer I like to keep it simple and often make Bruschettas with chopped tomatoes and basil. I serve them with grilled fish and a big salad. Pour a glass of chilled chardonnay and you have the perfect summer meal. It's even better eaten outside! Here is my Bruschetta recipe.
I can't stay away from my favorite Barbara Pym and just finished rereading this classic. What an interesting character the heroine is, polished and confident and yet unhappy and searching for something more. As with most of Barbara Pym's novels, happiness is never far from home.
Photo via here
I have been working on a fundraiser dinner dance with a French theme, specifically Paris in the 1920's. It's been so much fun reading up on this era and searching for quotes about Paris by Hemingway and Fitzgerald. This photo shows Hemingway with his wife Hadley (on the right) sitting at a Parisian cafe with Gerald and Sara Murphy (on the left). So many stories there!
Planning
Photo via here
I am planning a trip to Florence in the fall. Naturally, I am rereading E.M. Forster's Room with a View. Any view of this magnificent city is gorgeous!
Photo via here
I am planning a trip to Florence in the fall. Naturally, I am rereading E.M. Forster's Room with a View. Any view of this magnificent city is gorgeous!
Photo via here
And, finally, I have been having back problems and searching for ways to get some relief. This is one of the reasons I took a little time off from my blog. I have discovered yoga and love it. I feel that my back is healing and I am getting stronger.
As my yoga teacher told me,
"Every time you have pain, stop what you are doing and take fifteen deep breaths and picture that happy place. And don't forget to meditate for five minutes before going to sleep." In my opinion, there is wisdom in this prescription that could be applied to many things in life.
Summer can be a great time for inspiration. What have you been up to?
Summer can be a great time for inspiration. What have you been up to?
Sunday,
ReplyDeleteWelcome back!!!! I have missed you! My goodness are you sure that you were taking time off to rest? You have been so very busy!
I cannot wait to see your kitchen garden! I wish that I had one, but I will settle for all of my containers.
Congratulations on your anniversary, Napa is a wonderful and special place to celebrate.
Your bruschetta looks scrumptious!
Yoga is a wonderful things to take up. Sadly life is keeping me busy and I am not able to do it as much as I was but at least some is better than none. It is so very relaxing.
Florence! Have you been before? I have been several times and find it a beautiful and very easy to manage city with more to see than one usually has time for. While you are visiting be sure to find time to visit the nearby town of Sienna, a short drive away and a beautiful pedestrian town.
I hope that your back feels better and that you relax and enjoy your Summer!
Happy to see you back!
xx Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth! I have missed writing my blog and reading others, especially yours! But now I am happily back and just being careful not to spend too much time sitting at my computer, since that is one of the things that brings on back pain. However, I was able to do other things during my hiatus, as long as it didn't involved prolonged sitting. Yes, I have been to Florence once before and really looking forward to spending some concentrated time there. And I will be going to Siena, one of my favorite places!
DeleteI will be popping over to your blog momentarily to see what you have been up to!
xx Sunday
Oh I do hope that your back mends swiftly...
ReplyDeletebe careful how you move in the garden. I hurt my back digging many years ago and now I have a helper in the garden for those heavy jobs.
Happy Anniversary! We recently celebrated our 39th.
Happy to see that you are back on the blog.
Thank you, Leslie! We celebrated our 39th also. Isn't it hard to believe? Hope you are enjoying your summer and I looking forward to checking out what you have been up to!
Deletexx Sunday
How fun to catch up with you! I'm sure your kitchen garden will be wonderful; I can't wait to see pictures. Enjoy the yoga; I think its wonderfully healing on many many levels. Happy Happy Monday!
ReplyDeleteSunday, It is so nice to find you have returned. It does sound like you have kept quite busy with so many fun activities. I do hope you back is healing. I am going to remember your yoga teacher's advice. Have a wonderful week. Bonnie
ReplyDeleteMissing you dear friend. xx
ReplyDeleteGreat to see you back! I just read Excellent Women at your suggestion and enjoyed it thoroughly. Did you read The Paris Wife? Florence in the fall should be lovely.
ReplyDeleteHappy belated wishes for your anniversary dear Sunday!Thanks for the link about the garden kitchen.I make the same plan,I want to have a kitchen on my roof garden so I'll "steal" some ideas from you!
ReplyDeleteAre you going to visit Florence? What a place!It's an enchanting and magic land!
Wish you are going fine... enjoy summer days!
Hi Sunday, while looking for some country kitchen inspiration I've found your blog; well I think I can feel at home here!
ReplyDeleteWe were in England and Wales earlier this month; we love to go to Britain, it is such a beautiful country with nice people. We have a.o. visited (again) some nice gardens, my favourite is: Barnsdale (http://www.barnsdalegardens.co.uk/ of late Geoff Hamilton - BBC's Gardeners World, maybe you have heard of him?) and especially the cottage garden.
Last week it was realy warm in our country (The Netherlands) and I haven't been doing very much haha, that's quite rare, you know :-)
Like you, I have back problems too; I was advised to do Nordic Walking, three times a week, and that is realy good for the spine, keeps it flexible.
well, enjoy your day (and feel welcome to visit my blog as well).
Anita
So happy you're back and it sounds like you had a wonderful blogging break. You've done some wonderful things, and it sounds like lots to look forward to also, which is always nice. I've never read a Barbara Pym novel, but will have I finish my current book "Maya's Notebook" by Isabel Allende which I highly recommend.
ReplyDeleteA very English garden,brick paths especially are a favourite of mine.Delightful cherub with the roses as background.Looking forward to seeing more of your garden.
ReplyDeleteAgree sitting is bad for one's back,I was told to keep moving around which works for me but can still be painful! Hope you are feeling more comfortable now..