(My second set of nesting dolls.)
This week was busy and our summer is turning into a lot of small projects all bundled together. We’ve got home improvement jobs to tackle and old appliances to replace, and everything seems to be happening at once. I’m trying to take things day by day and not stress too much, which is hard for me. But this weekend should be fun, with brew night, a birthday party, and our anniversary on Sunday. Ryan and I will be married 12 years this weekend, and in the midst of our busy schedule, we both almost forgot! Almost, but not quite.
In the meantime, here are a few things that caught my eye this week.
Sherlock Holmes is in the public domain.
The Duchess of Cambridge visits Bletchley Park, where her own grandmother worked during World War II. A really interesting story.
HBO has plans for a new Texas-based political show, “God Save Texas.” We need all the help we can get.
A Planned Parenthood speechwriter talks about Texas. (Cecile Richards, the daughter of former Texas governor, Ann Richards, is the president of the organization.)
Thousands of unaccompanied children are crossing the Texas border, and border agents are being told not to talk about the issue. When people are ordered to stay quiet, we have to talk about it.
Picasso’s painting within a painting.
Pantene wants women to stop apologizing.
The Mormon Mommy Blogger controversy.
And the Presbyterian Church (USA) voted to allow their pastors to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies. This is great news, and Ryan and I were married in the Presbyterian Church 12 years ago this weekend.
Have a wonderful weekend!
(Our neighbor’s pool.)
Last weekend, our neighbor was away and he asked us to keep an eye on his house. Actually, he told us to pick his garden so the vegetables didn’t rot in the sun while he was gone, and while we were at it, we could swim in his pool. When someone tells you to pick their delicious, home-grown vegetables and swim in their private pool, you do it.
(The boys enjoying the water.)
So we did, and we had a blast. I’m always saying that we aren’t what I’d consider “pool people.” We don’t have a membership to the city pool or make weekly trips to the local splash pad. I bought a new bathing suit last summer and wore it exactly never, so I dug it out last weekend for the very first time. The boys have a small plastic pool that we fill on really hot days, but they mostly take turns soaking each other with the hose. We’re just not pool people.
(The pretty porch and attached deck.)
But we had a blast borrowing our neighbor’s pool, and it was really fun to have it all to ourselves. The boys wore water wings and did a great job floating and kicking, and we enjoyed the pleasant weather and our neighbor’s lovely backyard. He is a talented gardener, and I enjoyed being surrounded by so many beautiful plants. His porch and deck are also lovely, and they gave us some inspiration for the backyard renovation we are planning to begin very soon.
(His backyard garden. We picked a ton of tomatoes and a bunch of peppers.)
We also had to feed our neighbor’s overly eager and rather large dog, which meant entering and exiting through the house. It’s the same model as ours, though decorated differently, and it was kind of bizarre to walk through an unfamiliar house with the very same floor plan I know so well. I often have a dream that I’m in my house, but it looks and feels different, and last weekend made me think of that for some reason.
(Pretty plants.)
Still, we were happy to do the neighborly thing and we had such a wonderful time following his directions.
I’m planning to continue my Style USA series each Monday for a while, and Hackwith Design House is a lovely brand I discovered recently. I was first struck by the lovely, minimal designs, and also by the company’s mission statement. Hackwith Design House believes in originality and sustainability, and because their clothing is seasonless and timeless, they release one new design each Monday, in small batches of less than 25 pieces each.
I haven’t bought anything from Hackwith Design House yet, but the Kala Tunic is one of my favorites currently available. I would definitely consider Hackwith Design House pieces to be an investment, and I love the idea of wearing unique and artistic clothing over and over again on a regular basis.
Hackwith’s blog is very helpful and gives a little preview of upcoming releases, as well as suggestions for how to style each piece. I really love this post showing women of different heights and builds wearing some of the tunics available.
I find Hackwith Design House’s purpose so refreshing and their aesthetic is simple and elegant, too. I hope you’ll check out the new designs released each week.
