this moment

one photo ...no words
one i want to savor   to remember always
one that makes me smile

from the kitchen:

::honey oat loaves slathered with loquat jelly
::fresh, sweet strawberries...some dipped in dark chocolate
::lots of handmade pizzas...mushroom and asparagus for me please
::tons of clementines...we can not get enough of them
::greek yogurt drizzled with honey topped with walnuts
::strawberry banana protein shakes every morning
::and eggs from my girls...they are laying again hooray!
::banana cake for my bookish peeps

monday
grilled pork chops
baked sweet potatoes  spring peas w/ mushrooms

tuesday
rosemary lemon & garlic roasted chicken
brussel sprouts   broccoli & brown rice
green salad

wednesday
pinto beans
cornbread  cole slaw

thursday
frittatas
*one with asparagus & chevre
*one with bacon & cheddar
heirloom tomato salad   crostini

friday
handmade pizzas
roasted cob corn  green salad

saturday
dinner out @ The Pickett House...yum chicken & dumplings here i come!

sunday
grilled burgers & boudain
oven roasted sweet potato fries
avocado & tomato salad
?what's for dessert??

there is also puzzles being put together, dictation being taken, secret wishes being revealed, paintings being creating, and much love being shared.

what is happening in your kitchen this week?

a walk in the woods

i may not have traveled down the Appalachian Trail with Bill Bryson and his hilarious friend, but i did some hiking today. Though that is on my bucket list. loved, LOVED that book. but i digress.

this morning, Kevin and I hiked a couple of trails in the Big Thicket. it was the most peaceful, serene morning. walking and talking. planning and pondering to the soundtrack of squirrels scurrying, birds calling and woodpeckers knocking away.
it was a perfect monday.
how was yours?

weekending

ET
the great horned owl

this fab lady is 86 years old
travels the country educating us about and saving the raptors.
she was too precious!

if you look close you will see he is checking himself out in the mirror.

 screech owl

crested caracara

okonomiyaki 

this weekend was super full. everything seemed to be happening all at once. oh my did we have some good times.

friday started with Save Our Raptors at the Ice House Museum was fantastic. the cute lady in the picture not only travels the country with her birds and saving others along the way, she sleeps in her van with them...even when she is home. she was a hoot!

saturday morning we picked up trees from our local Arbor Day foundation.

maybe a little antiquing/thrifting along the way.

lots of puzzles were put together. Sawyer and Cameron are masters.

saturday night my sister in law made us the most fab Japanese dinner. can you say yum?! our most favorite couple, Robert & Laura, joined us. the highlight of the night was Kevin showing us his dance skills on their Xbox Kinect. too funny that mister of mine.

sunday was the best kind of sunday. started with a wonderful church service...best music ever! a matinee ballet date with my Sawyer. our local civic ballet company had their spring performance...featuring Snow White. LOVED it. ended the weekend in true bonin fashion. with food of course! we came home to Kevin and the peeps grilling steaks. 

perfect ending to a perfect weekend.

i am linking up with the fabulous Amanda.

what was your weekend like?

this moment

one photo no words
one i want to savor   to remember always
one that makes me smile

bonin farm daybook

Outside my window... ~the front yard is covered in Robins. 70 degree weather with a little sun. we are finally thawing out a bit.

I am thinking... ~about making a change. home schooling seems like the right path for us.

I am thankful for... ~simply put: my life. my relationships, my spirit, and the blessings that have been bestowed upon me.

I am wearing... ~blue shirt, black cardigan, GAP jeans, and zebra flats.

I am remembering... ~a terrific trip to Houston with my sweet sister-in-law Erin last year to Japan Fest. so looking forward to this year!

I am going... ~to have a fantastic weekend with my peeps...SOAR:Save Our Raptors (yay!), hiking the Big Thicket, a trip to the art museum, okonomiyaki at my brother & sis-in-law's home (yum!),     and lots of reading. maybe even the ballet...Snow White.

I am currently reading... ~Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand 

I am hoping... ~that my love is received by others.

On my mind... ~education for my peeps. are making the right decisions.

Noticing that... ~God is everywhere if we just look for Him...and listen.

Pondering these words... We all have our own life to pursue, our own kind of dream to be weaving, and we all have the power to make wishes come true, as long as we keep believing. 

Louisa May Alcott 

In the kitchen... ~lots of strawberry/banana protein shakes...maybe green shakes this week, pita pizza margherita, clementines and more clementines.

Creating...~peace and harmony

Around the house... ~paints, pastels, dogs, snacks, mud, and mucho smiles.

One of my favorite things ~homemade pizza

From my picture journal...

the heart day

started early for me. 5:30 in the am to be exact. that is when my mister came home with the bag of Chanel. Chanel no. 5 parfum. my oh so favorite. tucked away in the bag was a sweet gift card to Barnes & Nobel of course. because the book he went to get for me wasn't on the shelf. what a dear, sweet man. well, until the "happy pills" were discovered. while at the health food store he spotted them this weekend. naturally he picked them up for me so i was sure to happy this day of love. that's my guy....sort of romantic, ALWAYS a good laugh. 
the day was perfection. thoughtful gifts and a sushi lunch. golf balls for my older peeps. a new camping lantern for Sawyer. chocolate dipped strawberries all around. and even a special heart bentoish lunch for mister 1st grade. 
i love this day of love, hearts, and chocolate. the day we celebrate loving each other. the day of roses and tulips, of hugs and kisses, and of cards with hearts. the day we remember that Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes...




**today was a doubly good day...a package arrived from one of my favorite blogging friends, Amanda. full of fab goodies. thank you Amanda!

this moment

one photo ...a blurry one this week
one i want to savor   to remember always
one that makes me smile

right now, i am

...jumping for joy. i oh so heart Matthew Meade. with the summer issue fast approaching, they did a give away. that's right. i am a winner winner chicken dinner! made this dreary cold day a ray of sunshine. it is the simple things that make me smile.

a well stocked pantry

once again the amazing Amanda has been an inspiration. she listed the foods she could not live without. and boy is she living my kind of life! naturally i began mentally listing what i must have. i mean it is a list and food = heaven to  me.

*avocados...how can you live without them? i don't know and i don't want to.

*grainy mustard

*horseradish

*tomatoes

*homemade bread

*chicken...esp. the perfect roast chicken

*homemade chicken stock...can't waste that chicken carcass from that perfect roasted chicken

*fish

*lemons

*rosemary...oh how i heart my rosemary bush. see photo above^

*basil

*garlic

*onions...yellow please

*shallots

*good olive oil

*eggs...my girls

*honey...with the comb if i am lucky

i need my own bees!

*bacon...ok ALL PORK.

*homemade pizza dough

*mushrooms!

*parmigiano-regiano 

*havarti

*pasta...mamma mia

*walnuts

*pears

*strawberries

*yogurt...greek with honey

*grits

*marinated artichoke hearts

*spring peas

*spinach

*figs...may my trees be abundant this year!

*hummus

*dark chocolate

Sawyer wanted to add his list....

+pizza...especially with roasted garlic & chicken

+donuts

+pancakes

what is on YOUR list?

10 things :: must reads for 2011

i have been considering 2011 for a month now. really? a month has passed? a list of accomplishments i seek, wishes, and so on was taken care of as i blew the candles out on my birthday cake last week. what sweet wishes and warmth i received on that day. thank you!

now it is time for the bookish list. my true love! as most of you know, a list is always in the making with me and usually growing. so here are the top 10 on my list....so far.

::Coop 

::The Dirty Life

::Tender at the Bone

and i haven't read this one yet and think i must!

::Franklin and Eleanor:An Extraordinary Marriage

::The Backyard Homestead

::The Autobiography of Mark Twain

::Sarah's Key

::Unbroken

::The Art of Photography

::A Grief Observed