eating out

As much as possible, we've been eating dinner outside each night. I came home from the thrift store with this old Coleman last week, and it's been working double-duty as my oversized picnic basket. Dinner each night feels like packing for a camping trip. But with each meal, it gets a little easier. I've got my routine down. 

I'm a big fan of eating outside, even though it means hauling dinner across the yard. I'm not sure if it's the open air, the lack of crumbs on my kitchen floor, the carefree feeling when a glass of milk gets spilled, the ease of scraping of table scraps to the entourage of barn cats and chickens that hover while we eat. 

It's not always glamourous. We're often swatting an over-anxious barn cat with no self-control from the dinner table. And there was the night that the baby starlings fell from the nest above our heads on to the ground around us. I try to forget that night. 

Even so, I'm happy to welcome this season back again. My mother, who loves a well-set table and ambiance would be proud.

Meanwhile, a few little things worth telling:

*Birdy has begun to clearly call me Mama. I no longer have any power to fight her. I am putty.

*The IOU project sounds fantastic. 

*Kami from NoBiggie recently went to the Creative Estates Conference. She wrote a post about what she learned. I learned a lot from her post.

*Meg shares some kid room inspiration. I really love that last house book shelf. 

*On that same thrift store trip last week, I found myself perusing the shelf of records. Hello!? There was so much goodness for just $1. Flashbacks to my youth (Best of the Statler Brothers, anyone?) collections of classical composers, dramatic readings of fairy tales, Patsy Cline, John Denver....I didn't even have a record player but I bought twelve dollars worth of records. (I was holding back) And now, this week, I have a record player to go with it. I am in love.

*I'd like this in my downstairs bathroom. I'm pretty sure it's from IKEA (it is), but I'm not sure they still have the yellow.

*Over on facebook, they're helping me decide on a new banner. One is pulling in to the lead, it appears. I'll be doing some spring cleaning and shuffling on here later today, I hope.

Happy Wednesday, friends!