the first harvest of the summer

First harvest of 2011 is in!

Kale. Rhubarb. Chives (not pictured because they went straight into the pan).

And peonies. "Harvest" is quite literally the right word for these bushes - one day they're all green, and the next there are white and pink flowers the size of a baby's head just falling all over themselves in the yard.

The only possible solution is to cut them all off and fill every available vase in the house.

They're pretty, and they know it. Diva flowers.

But I love them anyway.

When I've recovered from being back from vacation (isn't the catching up the worst part of going away), I'll have more garden, kitchen and painting escapades to share...

summer blooms

mint and hydrangeas from the garden

daisies from a friend

bouquet from the farmer's market

moving day: in pictures

Thanks for the well-wishes, everyone. Moving day went great! In fact, it might have been the least stressful moving day I've ever experienced. Of course I'm chalking that up to the decision of hiring professional movers for the furniture. Completely, totally, utterly worth every penny.

I'll post more photos when I'm fully moved in and settled, but for now, here's a peek:

getting ready to move the couches out of the apartment

apartment bedroom

squeezing the couches through the front door

This Civil War-era bed has been mine since I was a little girl, and it was my mom's before that. Grandpa Sterling found it at a farm auction in Iowa back in the '60s. If you look closely at the bottom of the headboard, you can see the knobs that used to anchor the ropes that held the mattress. Mom used to have "rope-pulling parties" to tighten the ropes before Grandpa added slats and a mattress board.

obviously the best moving truck ever

it's amazing how little space your stuff actually takes up in one of those huge moving vans!

hello, let me take up the entire block

front porch (arguably a room of the house, and the place I'll probably spend most of my time)

dining room alcove

living room

basement

it was a beautiful day - 80 degrees and partly cloudy. perfect for moving.

and, the irises in the front yard finally graced us with their presence!

the most amazing bouquet of flowers I've ever seen (check out those orange ones!), from my colleagues at NCG

flowers from my garden

Cookbooks are ready to go! Dishes and food, not so much.