Staring at the Sun

We didn't actually stare. But we did catch a glimpse of today's solar eclipse. The afternoon light was so strange. Like a dream.

boy, are my arms tired

Well, I just flew in from Portland and boy...

I had the window seat this time. Oooh I just love the window seat. Everything looks so dreamy when you see it from high above.

I am missing my loved ones in the Pacific Northwest like crazy today. But the sun is shining and Ventura is absolutely glorious. And it's hard to beat spending the day in the garden, getting dirty with my honey.

What did you all do this weekend? I'd love to hear of your adventures.

Sundays are for Lovers

Last Sunday, Ian and I lived it up at the Bacara—this intensely fancy hotel just north of Santa Barbara.

We sipped cocktails on the veranda and walked the hotel's private beach path. It was pretty epic.

Some little part of me wishes we could spend every Sunday at over the top resorts. But the bigger part of me knows that Mr. C and I could have fun anywhere. And we do.

Happy Sunday to you. Hope you spend it with some one you love.

Elsie's & Ian

Ahhhhh. That's a sigh of contentment as I sip a Boddingtons with my honey. We're spending this Sunday late afternon moment at Elsie's--one of Santa Barbara's downtown gems.

I'm so excited to tell you about all that's going on and why I've been M.I.A. from 'The Board' for so long. Stay tuned.

Independence Day

Happy 4th of July to my American friends and neighbors. Hope your weekend is full of fun and fireworks. And for those of you in other countries, happy Sunday.

I once spent a Sunday 4th of July in Salt Lake City, Utah. Nothing happened. Everyone pretended like it wasn't Independence Day at all. We celebrated on Monday instead. By then it was the 5th of July.

{images from the Library of Congress}

planning for picnics

If this 80˚ sunshine weather holds, I think I'll plan a Sunday picnic. What about you? Any plans for the weekend?

{Oops! Almost forgot to tell you that the photo is from here.}

Easter Sunday

Here's to tulips and chocolate eggs, pastels baskets and tall green grass. Here's to life, renewal, Springtime & new beginnings. Happy Easter.

{image from leafy tenement's photostream}

Glorious Sunday

The rain clouds have parted and the sun is shining. The stage is set for a glorious Sunday. What fantastic adventures do you all have planned?

Sunday Treasures

Today seems relatively quiet without a flea market across the street from our house. Last Sunday we strolled through sunny aisles of treasure. I found these old brass buttons and fabulous pink gloves. Even though it was sweltering, I couldn't help but put on my new gloves immediately and wear them as I walked down Main St.

Have you found any good treasure lately?

Fashionably Late Summer Pie

Oh dear blog readers, it feels like a million years since my last post. The changing weather and the dwindling days have got me pretty busy. My pie baking is mostly restricted to the weekends now.

Nectarines are some of the last summer fruits at our farmer's market.




Before a few days ago, I'd never had nectarines in a pie. It turns out they make a deliciously lovely desert. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Besides the mid September fruit filling, this pie gets it name from the fashionable activities of our Sunday. We found fantastic flea market treasure, were serenaded by a Spanish guitarist while we ate fresh tortillas AND saw The September Issue at Santa Barbara's beautiful Riviera Theater.

Barefoot Blackberry Pie

Sunday's pie was named for the beautiful summer berries we found at the farmers' market and for the afternoon spent barefoot in the kitchen.

This pie required a partially pre-baked cream cheese crust. I was very proud of it since it was the first succesful pre-baked pastry crust I've ever made.

Ian took this photo of me placing the berries into the shell. I think this was my second favorite part of the process.

Here it is ready to assemble—berry filled shell, sour cream filling and streusel topping. The photo on the right is what the pie looked like just before it went into the oven. In case the whole thing fell apart while baking, I thought I should have a picture of all it's raw glory.

Ian was a champ and kept up with the dishes as I made a mess.

Out of the oven, baked and beautiful (it didn't fall apart after all) we set it on the cooling rack and began the hardest part of pie making—

waiting to eat it.

And here it is, my favorite part of baking a Barefoot Blackberry pie... watching Ian eat 4 pieces of it.

in the blue

To celebrate a sunshine Sunday... 

...we whistled while we watched the clouds.

What did you do?