A realistic photo shoot...

I've been wanting to take Caroline's 1 year photos for awhile now and this evening the sun was setting just perfect over our lawn. So I ran got my camera and few dresses for her.

I was thinking of dreamy photos with the sun just setting over the hill with Caroline perched happily on her wooden chair.

The realistic version is me sweaty from me picking her up, sitting her on her chair, running back to snap a photo before she gets up again. Josh had just mowed the lawn so we had wet grass clumps to add to the mixture.

So here are the realistic photos of a busy, one year old.

 Modern day Clifford and Emily

Blessings,

Hope

Cherry Pickin'

Sour cherries! I finally go to pick some sour cherries!

I had been wanting to pick sour cherries for five years now. Something always came up or I missed sour cherry season. To me there is nothing like a fresh, sour cherry pie... but let me tell you, a lot of work goes into a sour cherry pie.

We started picking them this afternoon and just finished canning the last of our cherry pie filling. Mom was the matriarch of the day... mom's always know best.

 Pitting sour cherries is what makes the process so long. 

Each seed is pushed out with a hairpin by hand.

 Then we made a thickening and mixed it with the cherries.

 Caroline likes cherry pie too!

We canned 14 quart of cherry pie filling to grace our cellar shelves this winter.

Cheers,

Hope

Low Country Boil

I threw a party for my good friend, Amy, last evening. Once in a great awhile you run across friends like her. Someone who appreciates what you appreciate. It makes doing things together twice the fun. Food is our common ground; creating it, critiquing it and realizing the importance of wholesome food. 

We made low country boil over the fire. A perfect summer meal. It's easy and it's good.

Happily,

Hope

 

Dressed Up Threads

My oldest sister, Faith, and her friend, Suetta, are starting a pop-up fabric shop. Needless to say I'm a tad bit excited.

It's always been work for me to find dress fabric I like. Most times I would drive to Winchester to JoAnn's Fabric and still wasn't guaranteed a fabric I loved. I enjoy the thrill of finding fabric and deciding how I'm going to make a dress. There really is an art to making your own clothes and I appreciate that my Mom taught me how to sew.

They are having their first pop-up shop next week! Stop by and check it out!

 

I had fun doing their marketing for them.

Here is a bit of their summer lookbook, 

designed to give their customers ideas. 

 The creators, Suetta and Faith

 My sister, Faith, is an amazing seamstress.

She made this dress without a pattern.

Check them out on facebook and instagram!

For you folks out of state- they plan to sell online this fall.

Happy Wednesday!

Hope

Warm days...

Warm days bring on inspiration to cook, no more of the mundane soups.. it's grilling, BBQ, burger and rhubarb pie time!

Thank you Lord for seasons, you always know what your doing.

  

I'm enjoying my peonies!

 

Cheers to warm weather!

Hope