Ava Gardner museum!

The girls and I drove up to Norfolk today to visit Auntie Erin and Uncle Collin. On the way, we passed a billboard for The Ava Gardner Museum. I didn't know it existed. Took the exit and checked it out. Great old little town with impressive architecture and lovely Main Street.

My father tells us how much my mother looked like her. Though we didn't pay admission to go in, we took the opportunity to take a few pics ( and here's one of my mom, too).

Sweet pea love

This morning, Mabel and I picked sweet peas at Charpia Farms. After shelling them, I blanched them in boiling water for 90 seconds, then dropped them into an ice bath. BEST peas I've EvER had. I will never eat them from a can again! 

Froze 2 pounds for later. Yum yum.

berrylicious

We had a great time picking fresh berries at Charpia Farms yesterday... 3 buckets full! We ate some, froze some and made homemade preserves with the rest! Soooo good! :-)

No words...

beachcombers

Mabel and Lucy smiled the entire afternoon...

Lucy hunting for hidden shell treasures in the rocks...

The view below my rock perch...

I could have sat there for hours watching them splash, seek, play...

Daddy taking it all in... and - yes - that is a Clone Wars shirt. ;-)

"I love this place"

handpie testing

I volunteered to make fruit handpies for the AIGA back sale in a few weeks. Since my baking skills are minimal (even a bit scary), I thought I'd better practice. I'm using a gallette crust recipe (really simple) and pre-made filling (apple and cherry). Next time I'll roll the dough more thinly, use an egg wash on the tops (forgot to do it... see? told you my baking was scary), and create the filling from scratch.

Mabel was ready to eat them before they went in the oven ;-)

All-in-all, they came out pretty good! Heya Art Instituties, get ready for a fistful of Amy's fruity handpie.

first day bento

The girls are excited about starting the new school year tomorrow. They picked out non-traditional lunchbox options this year: bento boxes!

Tomorrow's boxes are packed (Lucy's tiers on the left, Mabel's on right): Japanese Korokke (potato croquettes with curry), fun-shaped hard boiled eggs, onigiri (sticky rice balls), and muffins. Lucy opted for extra rice wrapped in Nori (dried seaweed) while Mabel went with a pb&j shaped like a ducky. There are little animal soy sauce bottle tucked in among the steamed brocolli. They'll have juice boxes and cookies, too.

And look - there's a bento for mommy!

(Will post first day pics tomorrow.)

I LOVE YOU camp

Lucy spent this past week at Camp Thrills and Skills at the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind. The kids got to ride horses, swim, and experience lots of adventures while learning new ASL skills. The teachers and counselors are fab and Lucy looks forward to seeing them next year.

This year, the students worked together on a painting centered around the sign for I LOVE YOU.

Big thanks to everyone at the school and to all of the counselors!

are you happy?

Art Love :: Robin McCoy opens tonight!

Looking forward to tonight's opening. I've long been a fan of Robin's talent with pigment. Hope you can come along! Opening is from 6-9 at Rick Rhodes Studio. [map]

Hangs through February...

Robin McCoy:
A native of South Carolina, I attended the Savannah College of Art and Design. I have been painting since 1992 and have had some kind of drawing tool in my hand since I can remember. I come from an illustration background but have found that painting is the real draw for me. I've tried regularly to expand my understanding of painting in addition to my commercial work. [robinmccoy.com]