newport back bay

...for old hangouts.  newport back bay is an amazing nature area/ preserve within walking distance of our old house that we never quite took enough advantage of while we could.  now that we're on the other side of town, it's a little bit more of a production getting over there.  picture a precarious looking bike rack tied to the car and two bikes hanging on for dear life.

once we get out there, though, man.  it is beautiful.  walkers, runners, bikers, horse riders and dog walkers all around.  trails for everyone, and a pleasant downhill stretch where you feel like you're flying.

it's the uphill stretch getting back to the car that i could do without.  it gets steeper every. single. time.  and my old lady lungs just can't take it.     

fruit and vegetable fun

...for funny signs at the farmers market.  i did not try said very sweet peach, but if that comparison helps this vendor move product, good for him. 

dear lisa,
you're as cool as a cucumber, and if friends were flowers, i'd pick you.

i probably shouldn't quit my day job to start writing garden copy anytime soon.  my own mother in law is pretty cool, though. 

and at least this guy wasn't selling garlic. 

aggressive baby watchers

...for wilbur and babe and all their friends.  i may not be an animal person, but these newborn piglets made me swoon.  apparently, others find them swoonworthy as well.  the husband took this photo at the oc fair this past weekend, and we literally had to throw elbows to get up close enough to take a picture.  people are sort of aggressive about viewing cute babies {i totally get that}.  these little guys had been born only the day before, and mama looked spent.

my favorite part of this picture is not the several piglets nursing, but actually the rogue piggy in the upper left corner probably doing something he's not supposed to be doing.  what a rebel.   

although upon second look, maybe he's just shy.  i'd hide from aggressive baby watchers, too, if i was him.   

built to amaze

...for lions, tigers and bears, even if we only actually saw one out of three.  every summer we see the circus, and each time i try and shake off the fact that we are 30- something childless adults enjoying the saturday matinee.  there is just so much good stuff.  acrobats, elephants, dogs, basketball playing unicyclists {they were a.maz.ing.}, and that was only the first act.  we dutifully buy peanuts and cotton candy and wear the souvenir circus hat around the house once we get home, and we always have a great time.

previous circus blog post here.  we really like our hats, apparently.   

sunday afternoon on the island...

...for nature's own abstract art.  to me, this one looks very much like an overhead of  monet's water lillies series.  or squinting slightly, it might be a drippy pollock.  or even a pointellist seurat {with ladies holding umbrellas and picnic baskets waiting just outside the frame}.

but actually, it's just a pretty scene from an outdoor garden.  tall grasses and purple white flowers all mixed up.

and its slight confusion is lovely to me. 

cycle of musings

...for weekend biking.  now that the husband's bike is all ship shape thanks to his dad, we can finally cycle around the wilds of orange county.  or our own neighborhood.  some of those teenagers look pretty unruly to me.

here are some observations from our most recent ride:

this is great!  we are totally doing this every weekend.
i wish my helmet had a visor.  at least it's pink. 
padded bike shorts would be awesome right now.
our neighbor girl has cute shoes.
that park has a tunnel?  cool.
my booty hurts and my forehead is pretty sweaty.
ian, slow down.
i should have brought snacks.  
back home?  woot!

tour de france, it's only a matter of time.

smooth moves

...for three beverage mornings.  green tea has been in my life {and on my blog} for many years now, but this summer i am embracing the smoothie breakfast.  now that i've learned how to clean our blender* without accidentally cutting myself**, smoothies and i are besties.

my current favorite mix:
several ice cubes, 1 cup halved strawberries, big handful spinach, 1 scoop vegan protein powder, 1 tablespoon flax seed, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 cup non dairy milk, 1/4 cup water, optional stevia to taste

smush everything into blender: ice on the bottom, then dry ingredients, then liquids poured over top.  mix until smooth.  pour into large cups and enjoy, preferably through a fun straw.

sometimes, i get too excited and overdo my liquids.  a two smoothie morning is a happy morning.

*  after pouring out your smoothie, fill the blender a little under halfway with water and dishsoap.  let it run for a bit, then rinse.  easy peasy.
** true story.  those blades on the bottom are not a joke, kids.     

ay, ay, ay, ay!

...for summertime.  our annual summer fair tour kicked off around memorial day, and one of the highlights is the huntington beach street chili cookoff and salsa tasting.  we go, we eat, we eat some more, you get the idea.  unlimited chili and salsa tasting is only for professionals, kids.  don't try at home, or on anything but an empty stomach.

this year there was a mariache band playing in the street.  ay, ay, ay, ay!*  these guys were awesome, and almost made me wish for a sombrero of my very own.**

* i googled the appropriate lyric here to double check, and it is ay, ay, ay, ay! canta y no llores.  unfortunately, yo llore.  some of the chili was super spicy.  tears of tastiness, but still.

**i'm sure my husband will make a mental note for christmas.

meltbob heatpants

heat.  yuck.

...that this self portrait is so spot on.  the thermostat in our living room read 90* last night at 6pm.  it's currently 103* outside.  we've taken to wearing frozen towels as hats.  i'm just lucky i found this gem in our collection.  i have tickets to the la fair this month, but i think we'll die out there i'm not sure this is the best petting zoo weather. 

gnomio 'o gnomio

...that gnomie seems to be the only casualty from our move this weekend.  there might be some other surprises lurking in several as-yet-unpacked boxes, but we survived in spite of the ridiculous heat wave that has been happening since what feels like forever.  we're renting this new house until we die, mostly because the idea of moving again in the near future sounds as appealing as jamming a fork in my eye.

ho hey it's friday!

..for this song that i am absolutely obsessed with lately.  i took the long way home from errands today just so i could 'ho hey' with extra enthusiasm.

bee-utiful read

...for books on cd.  i was skeptical when the jacket for this one said it was even better heard than read.  i stand corrected.  the secret life of bees is so great (and so not really about bees) that i find myself in the driveway taking an excessively long time getting out of the car.  i suppose i should be thankful for jury duty the last two weeks and the built in listening time each day.  but then, no one should be thankful for jury duty.

oh my!

...that the circus is coming to town.  break out the lions, tigers and bears.  and by break out, i mean keep them safely away from me while still showcasing their amazing talents.  my all time favorite circus memory has to be when the husband was heckled by two circus clowns in the audience during our inaugural summer fair tour '08.  i laughed so hard i cried. 

black socks, they never get dirty

...for summer vacation and the opportunity to procrastinate doing laundry for weeks a little bit.  not really any different from procrastinating during the school year, but that's neither here nor there.  someone told me that when you have a baby, you start doing laundry every day.  every day?  that seems excessive.  someone needs to invent disposable onesies :).

mustaches of a feather

...for a busy weekend that included beautiful weather, copious amounts of chili and salsa, sparkling water, a bff turning 30, sunday morning yoga and father's-in-law day.  i wonder what they say about couples who wear silly mustaches together.  ridiculous forever?  something like that.