three things

that made this a great Monday morning:

1. I woke up next to my warm, sleeping husband. This hasn't been happening with much regularity over the last two months, as harvest usually wakes him up long before me or keeps him away all night.

But yesterday, he had a day off. So he took the girls to the pumpkin patch and made a huge pot of his famous vegetable soup and got to sleep in this morning until eight! Mmmmmm. The vegetable soup leads me to the second thing...

2. Pink pee! The soup is always heavy on beets, at Mazzy's request. And there's nothing like a good surprise to get your day going.

and finally...

3. Coffee. Oh, coffee, I will never take you for granted again. Our coffee pot broke at the end of the summer and we endured two confusing months without caffeine. I finally got wise and bought a french press last week, and it's been pure joy ever since. Pure joy and lots of cleaning.

And a happy Monday to you.

Mazzy's Song of the Week

Mazzy had the pleasure of meeting Brett Dennen at High Sierra two years back. I'm pretty sure she has had a little crush on him ever since, or whatever the equivalent feeling is for a girl her age. I can see the appeal, what with the towering frame and flaming hair and that voice she's so familiar with (thank you, Mosaic Project).

Brett sort of saved the day with this one, since the new Old Crow Medicine Show album has been in heavy rotation in our house this past week, this video came along just in time to divert her attention before she memorized and started in with impromptu performances of a few of those tunes (Methamphetamiiiiiinnne!).

wheelin' and dealin'

We spent a good deal of last Saturday at our friends' house for Open Studios, which is an annual event here in the Napa Valley where artists invite visitors into their homes/studios to see and buy their work.

Our friends Will and Nikki participate every year, and they're the only studio we ever visit.

Will's art is very touchable and interactive and I like to encourage Mazzy to take part, but her fine motor skills are still being refined and caution is not her strong suit. That along with all manner of long-necked vases and breakable ceramics large and small that litter the yard makes for a good exercise in listening and self-control.

This year, though, the Callnans were prepared for kids and had lots of diversions for them. Mazzy had a good long session with the kick wheel and some clay.

Eden was happy snacking on sweet peas and kicking, stacking and knocking down all of the empty paint cans Will had out.

And no visit to Chez Callnan is complete without a little time spent on the deck on top of the van.

It was a tough act to follow, but Big Mama (never one to disappoint) showed off some of her own art on our way home:

A lovely day.