june '25 favorites
Small things that made my June just a little bit better.
creating
We all have a revolving list of favorites. Favorite food. Favorite shows. Favorite jeans. Every artist or maker has their list of favorites, too. It is the paint, paper, fabric, pen, or tool you reach for most often. In most cases, our preferences evolve rarely remaining stagnant as a better substitute comes along. In this video, I’m sharing a few current favorites of my own.
eating
A new-to-us addition to our garden this year was watercress. Rick and I had a delicious watercress salad last summer at a restaurant and knew immediately we wanted to try and replicate it. Discovering that watercress is a rare find at your common grocery store, we made plans to grow it ourselves. Or rather, Farmer Rick put it on his list of seeds to order in February. This Watercress Salad recipe is not an exact replica, but it definitely hits the mark. We are excitedly awaiting our next batch of watercress as soon as my farmer reseeds.
Pay attention to the things you are naturally drawn to. They are often connected to your path, passion, and purpose in life. Have the courage to follow them.
—Ruben Chavez
reading
One of my favorite artists is Jeanne Oliver. I love her style and aesthetic in the art she makes and the life she lives. Her book, The Painted Art Journal, shows many projects to get your creative juices flowing. This book is a visual treat, inspirational and one I would highly recommend. And here is the class that the book is based on, if you are interested.
inspiring (artist)
I recently stumbled upon avant-garde English painter Vanessa Bell (sister of Virginia Woolf). During her life, she was chosen to exhibit in both London and Paris in part due to embracing a more modern art style. Untraditional is an apt description of not only her art but the way she lived her life as well.
This is my loose version of a portrait she painted in 1915.
I am excited and thrilled and taken into another world as one only is by a great work of art.
—Vanessa Bell
following
YouTube: Doreen Dilger has plenty for you to check out on her channel, everything from art to sketchbook flip-throughs to interviews.
Pinterest: B&K Swan have pins that are beautifully curated. Gardening, baking, DIY, and more. You won’t be disappointed.
Instagram: Blake Hellman shares her abstract art, which is full of expressive freedom and inspiration.
crafting
Recently, I have been scouring the internet for all manner of crafts to do with my grandkids. At their current age, I need to keep it short and sweet with a strong emphasis on simple. Filling a bucket with rocks. Yes. Standing still for a photo. Maybe. You get my point. In the distance, I envision many messy ideas, crazy dreams, and spirited experiments. I can’t wait.
So many ideas here.
The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things.
—Harriet Ward Beecher
traveling
In 1987, my husband, Rick (back row, right side) began his travel adventures. In those bygone days, airlines like Pan Am and TWA were still in operation. Since then, he has flown on many unfamiliar airlines (Shandong or Bimam, anyone?) and more commonly known ones (such as United, earning over a million miles). Delta is now his airline of choice, and he recently passed 2 million miles. In case you’re wondering there is a lot of hoopla for this sort of thing. The captain leaves the cockpit to congratulate you in person, and each flight thereafter, the crew will mention your name and status over the intercom to the consternation of the other passengers who couldn't care less.
How, you might ask, does this make my life better? These miles he’s accumulated through the years have enabled us to travel with and without all our kids, domestically and internationally. My life would have been much smaller without those miles. I’m thankful for every one of them.
PS…that blurry image perched on the sheik’s arm. Why, that is a falcon, of course. Yes, yes indeed, Air Emirates allowed these companions in ye olden days of air travel.
blooming
In November or January, or maybe it’s even March of every year, I look at the ugly, dormant stumps of my lavender shrubs and consider pulling them out. Ambivalence saves the day since I can’t muster the courage to do it. Then June unfolds with a stunning profusion of blooms and my favorite scent. Purple-tinted splendor makes the unsightly worthwhile. At least for now.
Read tips for growing lavender here.
I am not the same having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world.
—Mary Anne Radmacher
welcoming
Look at this bundle of joy, our sweet girl, Charlotte Dae, born earlier this month to my son, Blake and his wife Melanie. She is a wonder in all her preciousness. Blessing upon blessing. I’m sure you would agree that this is the face of the future.
sharing
Gazing out at the Puget Sound sunset with my friend Sherie, we had our server snap a quick photo. Unofficially celebrating thirty years of friendship, we move full throttle into catching up. As you might expect, with a history this old, we run the gamut, sharing everything from abundance to adversity, the tug of war of real life. It’s a good reminder that we all need each other. Turns out that connecting is not only good for the soul but for our health too.
Pay attention to the people God puts in your path if you want to discern what God is up to in your life.
—Henri Nouwen
I’m curious, what’s on your list of favorites?
Please note that products may contain affiliate links.
When you buy using one of the links, I may earn a commission from qualifying purchases which adds no extra cost to you.