A Last Hurrah for Summer!

With the school year fast approaching we were so delighted when our "Vermont Cousins" called out of the blue, said they were headed to the beach and invited us to meet them there. We left dinner and bedtime routine behind and zoomed to the beach. I must say that early evening is my favorite time to visit the beach--no blazing sun, no obnoxious crowds, only warm water and the whole beach all to ourselves. Perfect. Isn't this a great shot The Mr. took of the kids on the lifeguard tower?

Finally, A Solution!

Why didn't I think of this sooner?! The perfect (if not only!) way to keep the Little Mr. absolutely still for more than two minutes! Too bad they don't allow beaches inside churches.

One of My Very Favorite Things

One of my very favorite things about the Boston area is the Lowell Folk Festival, usually held the last weekend in July. It's at the top of my list because it combines several of my loves: history (held in the midst of the historic Lowell Cotton Mills), food (the festival invites ethnic groups from all over the area to sell food) and folk music (we saw Irish, Brazilian and Greek groups). It's all outdoors, it's free, it's kid-friendly and it's totally awesome. Highlights from this year included a commuter train ride to Lowell, a boat ride down the main canal in the city (canals were used to power the cotton mills), a trolley ride from one end of the festival to the other, and the Brazilian Capoeira group (amazing and incredible is an understatement). Oh, and on our way to the festival we discovered Danas Fruit & Confectionery, an early 20th Century establishment complete with tin ceilings, an ancient cash register and an old-fashioned ice cream and candy counter. Have I sold you on it yet? I mean it-- you should really, really come from far and near to attend this fabulous event.

Drumroll, please. . .

Ladies and Gentlemen,

before your eyes is the first real quilt I've ever sewn. Yes, I've bound the edges of fabric before, but never pieced and machine quilted before. It was so much fun! I relied heavily on Denyse Schmidt Quilts book for tips on binding, machine quilting, etc. The back of the quilt was totally inspired by Denyse's use of off-center and slightly wonky lines. My favorite part of the whole process was definitely the binding. I love having a reason to just sit on the couch! Thank goodness the quilt was very small--a gift for our newest neighbor, Baby Benjamin.