7 Quick Takes Friday, #68

1.  We went 'earthing' this week, as suggested by Emily at The Keeping Time.  It was sticky and meltingly hot here this week, but we spent as much time as we possibly could outside one day.  For purely scientific reasons, mind you.

The theory is that by spending more time outside, touching the earth, seeing nature, feeling the air, your well being will be affected positively.  Or something like that.

The day was perfect for earthing.  Blue, blue sky, light breeze, and a bit less humidity than we've been used to.  So 85% instead of 90%, maybe.  We picked 'berries' off the shrub in our front yard, spied ants on the paving stones, and picked dandelions (for the millionth time this year).  The morning was brilliant. 

2.  Around noon, the heat became too oppressive in the sunny yard, so we retreated to the porch.  If we'd been 'earthing' before, we started 'porching' then.  I stepped inside to make lunch while the girls played with a tub of water filled with measuring cups, bowls, and rubber duckies.  They watered all the plants on the porch, as well as their dresses. 

Mia swore to yell for me if Lauren stepped even one tiny foot off the porch.  (Yes, I'm overprotective.  This is one of the first times I've allowed them to be outside unsupervised for any length of time.  And by 'unsupervised' I mean, with the kitchen window wide open, and me taking forever to make lunch because I couldn't stop peeking at them.)  Only minutes after I'd come inside, having given Lauren stern instructions to stay on the porch, I heard Mia's yells. 

"Mother," she fairly sang with joy at being able to tattle.  "Mother-dear!  Lauren's running away!  Mother, come quick!" 

I just can't figure out where she picked up this proper English.  But it does make me laugh.  It also makes me want to wear calf-length, swirly dresses, pearls, and lipstick every day, so I can swoop through the house in a cloud of powdery exuberance.  

3. For our snack, we traipsed through full sunshine to our back fence to harvest the few blackberries growing there.  (As a result of that traipse, I think, we are each covered in a smattering of lovely, itchy chigger bites.)

Mia was beyond excited to pick them, and could barely contain her excitement at being able to eat fresh blackberries right from her back yard.  Her enthusiasm faded quickly, however, upon her first-tasted berry.

I think she got a sour one, because...



4.  Lauren LOVED them.  She was nervous after seeing her big sister's berry being spit out into the garden, but she's a brave little soul.  She must've gotten a sweet one, because she was popping berries left and right.  She was a juicy little mess that day.
 

5.  Here (for any of your little girls out there who may be reading this) is:

How to train your dad in one easy step.

At dinnertime, when you're supposed to be eating your meal from your own perfectly acceptable chair, coyly crawl into your daddy's lap and wrap your arms around his neck so that when he tries to dislodge you back into your seat, you can say, "But I just CAN'T stop LOVING on you, daddy!  I love you sososososo very much!"  You are then guaranteed a giant hug and permission to eat the rest of your meal from your new perch, right on his lap. 



6.  My friends and I from Bigger Picture Blogs have a few things we're rolling out soon, and we hope you'll be as excited about them as we are!

First, is The Little Black BlogBook.  We've all been thinking that there needs to be some kind of blogger's directory -- a place you can go to see a list of states or cities certain bloggers are from.  For instance, I'm in Missouri.  I have searched and searched, trying to find other bloggers in my own state, just to make friends with them for solidarity if nothing else, but haven't found anything helpful.

So, on the Bigger Picture Blogs site, there's now a tab at the top for our Little Black BlogBook.  If you'd like to be listed in the directory (and we hope you will!), just email us with whatever information you'd like to add.  You can be as specific or private as you like, and the hope is that with this new tool, we can start to feel even more connected to other bloggers around us.  The format may have to change as the directory grows, but for now, we're hoping the simple list will be easy to navigate.

What do you think?!



7.  Second, this coming Thursday will be our very first Bigger Picture Moments weekly link-up!  Hyacynth will be hosting it at her place this week, so head over there with your post about how or why you slowed down, stepped back, and found the bigger picture in the midst of your busy life.  I'd love to hear about the big things that you took note of within your everyday moments, so keep those creative-eyes open until next Thursday!

Feel free to stop by the Bigger Picture Blogs site and nose around for more information about Bigger Picture Moments.  We're so excited to start this party with you!



Thanks so much for stopping by today!  Have a gorgeous Father's Day weekend, and be sure to visit Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes!