weekend pics, at home

this long weekend was about spending time at home... while i was cleaning and clearing the exterior of our house, stefan was cooking up a storm in the kitchen, and kai was happy to play and be nearby.  we were each achy to be home with no agenda... going with the flow.
 
working on the patio - so many pots to be scrubbed clean! - had me dreaming a bit.  you see, our complex is going under construction soon and the exterior of our home (by the front door, on the balcony, in our garden) needs to be cleared of everything.  this was a time-consuming, strenuous, and satisfying task (my body aches!) and the end result?  a blank slate in which to daydream about what my garden will look like next year...



flatbread pizza topped with arugula, roasted tomatoes and garlic, and thinly sliced flank steak... beer can chicken with corn on the cob, arugula and strawberry salad... sangria... chocolate and coffee ice cream... french toast and raspberries in a bowl... everything made in house from scratch.  needless to say, kai and i were well nourished with the most delicious meals.  thank you, thank you, thank you stefan.



 

 

 
 



while we were loving our home days, we did get outdoors for a burst of sunshine and fresh air once daily.  on saturday, i met a friend for an early morning swim then lingered over a tea + most delicious scone at viva.  on sunday, my boys and i went to the farmer's market, our first this summer.  on monday, we had lots of fun trying to play tennis and lounging on the grass playing scrabble.

 

 

 

these were definitely the sweetest little things



 



 

 







flowers from the market to brighten our home



 

 

other scenes from the weekend...

 



soccer ball retrieval from a neighbours roof



 

 

 

 



carcassonne board game





video games!

i'm home with kai again this week and we are going to enjoy this summer sun before heading off to the mountains at the end of the week!

celebration of light

photo from pinterest

i have to admit something -- i find fireworks boring.  they are loud, sparkly, colourful and yet they do not light up my world.  but i am in the minority. vancouver hosts the celebration of light every mid-summer and this year marks it's 23rd year and it attracts hundreds of thousands of people to english bay. 

during the celebration of light, three countries compete to win. this year canada goes up against the united kingdom and thailand. when the uk put on their display i was on the sunshine coast with my boys.  during canada's spectacle, last night, i was in bed.  the finale is tomorrow night when thailand gets to show off but i will most likely be sprawled out and snoring away in bed again (well, i don't actually snore but you get the picture).  my boys, on the other hand, may hang out on our balcony to ohhh and ahhh. maybe i'm the one that's boring.  a saturday night + fireworks and i plan to be asleep. yawn.

have a lovely weekend, with or without fireworks.

black and white

can you believe this is a farmhouse in rural sweden?
 
i think magdalena, a photographer and the owner of said farmhouse, is onto something.  she describes herself as an emotional person and so finds the lack of colour calming and freeing.  her home is a monochromatic beauty.  do you agree?
 
i can relate to the former.  i think i am perimenopausal, my moods go up and down lately (actually, longer than lately).  it can be a little crazy making, you know?  maybe simplifying life with ridding my home of colour would be helpful.  but i'm not sure i have the discipline to do so -- to constrain my home purchases to black and white.  although, i love her collection of black and white family pictures that bring warmth to the space.

 

 

 

 

all photos via elle decoration magazine.