church bells. jvari church. 10 o'clock.

coleslaw.

At this time of year, when the sun is high in the sky and the heat rises, coleslaw is a welcome relief. Cool, crunchy and requiring no heat to prepare, I enjoy a big helping of this classic salad. Here's a Georgian version I've made, and also been served, in Tbilisi.

Finely slice any crunchy vegetables that are easily accessible-- carrots, cabbage, red and green peppers, raw beets. Finely dice some dill and parsley. Toss all of the vegetables and herbs together and mix with the juice of two lemons and a dash of olive oil. Generously season with salt and pepper.

pom. wonderful.

Remember when I said this kept my baby busy when I needed just a couple of extra minutes to get a few things done? Well, this works wonders too! The kid is CRAZY for pomegranates.

a wonder of azerbaijan.

This stuff is delicious. Really delicious.

On a recent trip to Azerbaijan, my husband returned home bearing gifts. In a little wooden box, with a matching wooden lid nailed down on top, stood a sticky sweet dessert wrapped in layers of plastic wrap. Inside lay a solid mass of finely chopped nuts, covered with crunchy vermicelli noodles and soaked in honey. I'm not positive, but I think the whole thing had to have been pressed somehow. Anyway, the result is a surprisingly crunchy, not to sweet mouthfull of deliciousness!

I love the little tasty surprises that one discovers when traveling and living overseas.

mad science.

A mad science lab in the middle of the summer heat. How much more fun can a summer afternoon get?! I filled several plastic bottles with food coloring tinted water, provided a table full of eyedroppers, spray bottles, cups and pitchers, measuring cups and spoons. The kids mixed and mixed and mixed for hours creating lots of serious mad scientist moments.

what i'm listening to right now.

I'm packing for a summer holiday and grooving along to:

• The Mariner's Revenge Song (live), The Decemberists
• Hoya Hoye, seleshe damassae
• Still, The Great Lake Swimmers
• Hard Sun, Eddie Vedder
• Black Horse and the Cherry Tree, KT Tunstall
• Do you Love Me, Guster
• Jimmy vs. James, Visqueen
• Bring the Funk, Ben Harper

(Listen along with me by clicking here or on the cassette tape above.)

flying: felt activity books.

Soon, I'll be on an airplane with three kids for a lengthy set of flights. I'm pretty sure the task should be considered an Olympic sport and if it was, I'd be going for the gold. I have planned the hell out of these flights. I have a huge list of in-flight, kid friendly activities I've thought through and another list of items to purchase, download, prepare.

I'm fortunate that my kids have always been great flyers, but a bit nervous to see how a very active baby deals with 'sitting still' for hours (days?!) on end. And, every flight is unique in the sense that you are at the mercy of hoping for easy gate connections and helpful flight crews. So, it must be said that the project you are about to read about was born out of fear. My strategy is to pack a billion interesting things for my two oldest kids so that when the baby needs my full attention, I'll be available.

My kids love it when I give them a handmade gift. So, these books (which they've seen me making and thrown fits of excitement about already) will be packed into their individual carry-ons for playing with on the plane. I've created one personalized book for each child, made out of felt. My focus was to create activities that would require a bit of imagination or focused time. In other words, I didn't want them to just flip through the book in a few minutes. Lots of pictures follow....

My eight-year-old daughter's book looks like this:

The first page features a mailbox-- the flag raises with a snap system and the box is hollow so that she can write and 'mail' real miniature letters. The second page provides a pen and three envelopes with individual instructions to 1. create a postcard by drawing on one side and writing a letter on the opposite, 2. write a letter and place it in an envelope, 3. add a postage stamp. The envelopes contain all of the miniature supplies needed for the activities.

Tic-tac-toe! The board is on the left, the markers are held in the 'envelope' at the right.

Dress a doll on the left (and braid, bun, twist her hair!). A full wardrobe of clothing on the right.

'Flashcards' (just rectangles of felt, written on with a paint pen) for the 7 and 8's multiplication tables are stored in the pockets on the right. The denim pockets on the left provide a happy slot to place a card when the right answer is given. A fun, interactive way for her to 'test' herself or to initiate a game of multiplication snap. 

On the left, there's an envelope containing a puzzle (an interesting picture from a magazine, cut out and mounted on felt) and a marble maze that velcros on and off the page. On the right, a lock and key securing a heart with a picture of our family inside.

The back cover contains a felt envelope. Inside, my daughter will find a personalized story I've written for her.

My now six-year-old son is getting a Star Wars themed felt activity book. Here's what his looks like...

On the left, C3PO needs to be built. His body parts are all connected with velcro. On the right, a Star Wars puzzle (Again created by mounting a picture on felt and cutting up the pieces. I used a Star Wars greeting card for the artwork.). The page also has a place for a pen and a notebook. I've filled these with an invisible ink pen and a color coordinated notebook so that he can write sci-fi notes in invisible ink.

On the left side of the page, unbutton the forest to find Yoda in his hiding place. On the right side of the book, select your light saber and do some target practice. The light sabers each hook via a snap and the target is a baby food jar lid covered in felt. When the target is pressed on, it makes a cracking noise.

Fly the jedi ships to the mother ship. Each air ship is mounted on a bead and it slides and snaps along a piece of elastic. One goes into the ship, another flies out of the ship. The glossy black spots are black beads in the shape of stars. The blue patch is mounted via velcro and is removable. It's a marble race pouch just like the one featured in my daughter's book.

On the left page is a 'death star' maze. R2D2 is held in place with velcro and allows the player to move him via the maze to the center of the death star. On the right is a Darth Vadar robot hand-- place your hand inside and see what it feels like. Flip the switches and imagine what it would be like to have a robotic hand.

On the left page, the death star houses three finger puppets (all are functioning finger puppets, but also have a small strip of velcro on them so they could be played with 'felt board' style throughout the book. On the right page, finger puppets Luke and Leia fly through space.

The back of the book is the same as my daughter's book with a envelope built in. Inside my son will find a personalized story I've written for him, at his reading level.

The baby's book looks like this...

The left page features a race track with two tiny cars held in place with elastic. The stop and go signs are held on with velcro so that they can be reversed. The right side of the page is a lion's head, with all sorts of different ribbons making up his mane. A baby food jar lid is hidden beneath his face-- which makes a fun clicking sound when pressed.

On the left, a house with windows that open to reveal pictures of handmade toys (I clipped them out of a art magazine). On the right, a frog ready to catch flies with his long floppy tongue.

A vegetable and fruit garden is on the left. The carrots can be picked. The apples can be plucked off of the tree. And, they can all be placed in the big bushel basket on the right side's truck. The truck's door also opens and it's wheels can be unbuttoned and spun around.

The left side of the page features a working abacus. The right side is a crocodile with big teeth. In his mouth, there are removable felt fish and the red pocket (at the far right) is now filled with a baby-sized toothbrush so that the crocodile's teeth can be brushed.

The pocket on the left side holds a little crazy guy. The owl on the right is hiding a surprise under her wing.

The back of the baby's book is no different. His book also provides a felt envelope for a personalized story that I've written.

Many pages of these books started with inspiration from others. I searched the internet for ideas and located lots of inspiration for similar books on pinterest here. And, this post is linked at Skip to My Lou!

aloocha.

The glorious, prized aloocha. That's the round, golf-ball sized, green fruit you're looking at. Here, in the Republic of Georgia, people devour the local delicacy in all sorts of ways-- fresh off the tree, chopped into salads and chunky relishes, cooked and pureed into a savory sauce to accompany barbequed meats.

Last year, we plucked them from the tree a bit too early for our taste-- resulting in a very tart, hard fruit. This year, we waited a few weeks longer (truthfully, a few locals told me we waited far too long). But, with a few more weeks being kissed by sunlight, the sour aloocha became a sweet golden plum. My husband and I sat outside with juices dripping down our arms, bite after glorious bite. The baby reveled in the giant bowls being harvested, taking single bites of several fruits in a row and feeding the leftovers to our turtles. And, our two older kids ate their fair share fresh off of the tree.

With more aloocha than we could eat, I tried my hand at making a batch of the local pureed sauce. My husband grilled and we paired our barbeque with several local salads, freshly cooked o-shaped bread and the aloocha sauce. Verdict: it's too bad the aloocha isn't available year round.

I Hear America Singing

BY WALT WHITMAN

I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,

Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong,

The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,

The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,

The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck,

The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands,

The wood-cutter’s song, the ploughboy’s on his way in the morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown,

The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing,

Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,

The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,

Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.

What's in my (summer) bag?

The bag: a great big oversized straw number featuring metallic stripes (I love a good stripe!) and dark leather handles. Sylvie Moroccan Bag, Club Monaco

Hat: I live in hats during summer. This is one of my favorite styles because it can be worn equally well while indoors having a cup of coffee or outdoors at the pool (or running to and from the grocery store, a play date, through the airport dashing for a connection). Glimmer Fedora, Loft


Sunglasses: Those who know me well understand that they must tell me when the sun has set (because I'll still be wearing my sunglasses). Bombshell Cat Eye Sunglasses, Urban Outfitters


Silly String: Because a moment of humor is always appreciated when you're toting three young kids around!


Water Bottle: I was sold on this one when I read the style name: Zombie Love, zazzie.com


Scarf: When I was living in Bangkok, I learned quickly how horrid going from the outdoor humidity and into the intense air conditioning can be. I made the transition easier by wrapping a scarf around my neck upon entering any shop that felt like an ice chest. East Vertical Ombre Scarf, John Lewis


Eyeliner: This looks like a felt tip pen and draws on a beautiful shade that's just a tiny bit softer than black... and it's waterproof, budge proof and my favorite year round. Eyeliner Pen in midnight, e.l.f cosmetics


Lip and cheek tint: This highly concentrated color is intended to be a lip tint and was a gift from my mom. She bought it as a perfect red lipstick to add to my collection. It's a strong, clean shade of cherry and I love to dab it on my cheeks as a cream blush. Lip tint in a million kisses, Lush cosmetics


Bracelet: This bracelet is my definition of a great summer piece. You could get it wet, sandy and then wash it clean. I'm wearing one similar around the clock this season. Wild natural turquoise and leather, seasonsonline.co.uk


Kindle Cover: A PERFECT cover that holds my kindle tight and allows a specially designed, slim fitting reading light to be inserted into the case. Hot Pink with orange elastic, M-Edge


e-books: I've loaded my kindle with two new reads: Divergent by Veronica Roth and Paris, I love you but you're bringing me down by Rosecrans Baldwin. Plus, I'm revisiting one of my favorite classic tales-- Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald.


Sunscreen: I love mineral sunscreens and here's one where I can pronounce (and recognize) every item on the ingredients list! I love that. Kid's SPF 30, Elemental Herbs


Snacks: Reusable fabric snack bags are on heavy rotation in our house. I like the preppy print on this one. Whales on pink, Itzy Ritzy


Camera: I'm looking for a new one right now since mine is just about dead. I've loved my Sony, but this retro looking Nikon has caught my eye.


iPod: These two albums are still on heavy rotation-- The Lumineers and the Into the Wild soundtrack. Plus, I've added The Decemberists We All Raise Our Voices Into the Air, a new album featuring all live tracks.

Plus, at any given moment, I probably have a few lip glosses, a random receipt, a Star Wars squinky figurine, a couple of mismatched hair clips, wet wipes and/or a few loose o-shaped cereal pieces rolling around. This post is linked at Chasing Davies. Take a visit to see what other bloggers are carrying around this season!

And, if you want to revisit my other 2012 bags, here is a peek inside my winter and spring.