Summer Is Here!

How do I know that summer is officially here? A neighbor has brought me mangoes! And the smell... oh the smell! I'll admit, I've never been a person that loves to eat mangoes like my mother, but it honestly doesn't matter. They are a symbol of the warm weather, beautiful colors, and the sweetness of what this season brings here in the Temperate Zone. When you are from Miami and a neighbor brings you these delicious smelling, sunset colored, sappy tropical fruits, you go right into summer mode Which got me to thinking... what are my favorite summer things? Here's the list I came up with:

(1)  Sleeping In!

Not too late, as to miss the good sun, but definitely no alarm clock and a

little extra snuggle time with the pups! 

(2) Mosquito Repellant

Sure I'd give anything to not have mosquitoes biting every part of my body during these couple of months. But I've got to admit, I LOVE mosquitoe repellants! I love love love the smell of  OFF! spray and citronella candles. Call me crazy! Maybe it's the nostalgia of being doused with the stuff  by my mother during Sanibel vacation's or the many dusks spent fishing in the canal at my grandparents' home. Apparently, she was more concerned with West Nile Virus than Deet. :)
Whatever it is, I love it!

 (3) My sister

Her being back in Miami signifies all things good and is one of my truest reason for LOVING summer. She was my summer pal before anyone else. She's the one that shares some of my best memories of Hialeah swimming lessons, painting ceramics, playing Candy Land in the rec room, and listening to Ray Stevens on the way back home. She was the one that transformed my pool into a class 4 rafting expedition. She was the one that protected us from the giant green snake -or hose, depending on how you see things - either way, i think very heroic. She was the one that was there when we were playing the "colors game" in my neighbor's pool and cops busted through, guns drawn, because my neighbor was involved in a major Miami gambling ring. It wasn't all rosy, folks. We did grow up in Miami after all. We earned our "street cred." Point is, summer isn't complete without a good dose of Meghan.
Get home soon please! :)

(4) Hammocks

The perfect hammock is in my parents backyard hanging from a large Oak. Need I say more?

(5) Dad's Churrasco

It is world famous!! (world might be very slight exaggeration) It is beyond perfect. It is the perfect mojo marinade. The perfect cooking technique. The perfect main course. I love that he always burns a piece for my mom, because she likes it close to charcoal consistency. I love that he makes enough to feed an army when it's gonna be just the 4 of us.

I love when it's just the 4 of us.

I also love it when it's not just the 4 of us and friends are spilling through the door asking "Did your dad make his world famous churrasco??" "Why, yes he did!" "OMG. I can't wait!!!" (Ok, ok did they use the phrase "World Famous" verbatim, maybe not. But that's what they were thinking.)
Cheers to Churrasco! I can almost taste it!

(6) Our Summer Soundtrack

Fruitcakes became popular in our house when I was only 7 years old and we went to Marathon Key with our best family friends, the Modronos. As my parents, and by default my sister and I, had always been Jimmy Buffett fans, my father got his newest CD right in time for our sunny vacation figuring it'd be the perfect soundtrack for the week. When I say that it played on a continuous loop in the house we stayed in, I really mean continuous.  As in no other music the entire time. As in, before the time of iPods and it was the ONLY cd that we had with us. I'll admit that I needed a little Fruitcake detox time after the trip, but it ended up being one of my all-time favorite summer albums.

Though 90 Millas is one of my personal favorites and really is some of her best work, I have to say that this CD is really only a symbol for all the Gloria music that was played in our house, especially during summer time.

So, En Concert is a newer addition to our summer mix, but fantastic nonetheless. I gave it to my mother about 2 years ago and she fell in love with Jack Johnson, and really, how can you not? His voice, the ukelele, and Banana Pancakes are pretty irresistible and just right for summer.

(7) My Mom

My mom was made for temperatures over 95 degrees. Everyone else will be complaining about how hot they are and she can't soak up the sun quick enough. Most people get in their car on a hot summer day and immediately turn the A/C on full blast...not my mother! Nope, she gets into a car that could kill a small child, hugs her steering wheel, closes her eyes, and says "Oh it feels so good in here!" She is the embodiment of summer. She also shares my love of fun nail colors during summer, especially one of our favorite orangey hues named "Clam Bake" by Essie. I wonder if it's actually the color or the clever name that make me want to wear it more.

(8)Beach/Pool

Sure I prefer the saltiness and sand of the beach to the pool, but I'll take water in whatever form I can get, or even better, both! And though chances are you're hot from the summer sun,  no one can help but to become a giddy 5 year old again at the thought of running/jumping into a cold bath that you know will be refreshing, but unbearable for the first 45 seconds. There is nothing like being completely enveloped by water on all sides. The coolness that soon becomes a warm blanket. The outer-space-like weightlessness that inspires you to do a somersault under the surface. The school of fish that swims by that causes momentary panic trying to figure out what exactly that school is swimming away from? 

 It's all grand.

(9) Rain

So picture this. You've gone to the beach/pool. You've soaked up the sun. You've laid out and read your favorite book. You've played water games with friends and floated around on noodles. You're nearing your sun limit. Here enters the glorious afternoon showers that Miami, and really all of South Florida, are known for. They come quick and leave quick (usually.) You can practically set your clock by them. They are the perfect background noise for an afternoon nap or a board game, if you are so lucky. They were the perfect backdrop for my arts & crafts sessions as a kid. I can see me at the kitchen counter with my water colors while the storm is raging and my mom would always say 

"Oh, the plants just love this!"

And so do I.

Ahh.... summer. Glad to see you again.

Cheers,

Mal

Bungalow Garden Plans

I am so excited about this "Pallet Garden" and it is definitely on my "Bungalow Garden Summer" list to do very soon! I have to make up plans for what, where, when, I'll plant everything. I am thinking some produce and some flowers. No matter what though, the "Pallet Garden" will most definitely be making an appearance! They recommend you leave the pallet laying down for the  first 3 weeks with everything planted in it, then nail it to whichever wall it's going on. This  will definitely be a test of my patience.  Oh! And my father just told me that they have about 50 pallets at his business, so I will have my pick! For free! Yippee!!! They are affordable, practical, and aesthetically pleasing! Love it!

So about this garden that I'm going to create... did I mention I've never gardened a day in my life? I scoured the bookstore, a place that always makes me feel better, and found the following books that have been both encouraging and educational:

 Sugarsnaps and Strawberries has been such a great help

and I especially love that it is specific to small space 

gardening. Oh! And the pics are gorg!

I actually got the newer edition of this book, but I'm guessing

not much has changed in the world of flowers. No personality like 

Sugarsnaps and Strawberries , but so informative!

I'm still having problems understanding the zones and if they are written in stone or a little more flexible. I have to find an expert and ask them a million questions. I just can't wait to get out and create. Create new life from tiny seeds. Create a place that beautiful birds and butterflies will hopefully call home. Create a space I'll love to be in and maybe drink coffee in (on the mornings that the temperature outside isn't higher than the coffee itself.) Create a space that I will really enjoy watching my dogs run around; Bella chasing her usual lizards and Bear sunbathing while occasionally raising his nose to the sky as if to take in the fresh air.  CREATE! CREATE! CREATE! I can't wait!

Cheers,

Mal

Welcome to the Bungalow

Welcome to "Bear & Bella's Bungalow"! It's where I live with my two favorite pups in this whole wide world, named, you guessed it, Bear & Bella. We make a very happy (and with the 2 of them) hairy family of 3. Their wagging tails, licking tongues, and smushed in faces (they are half Pug, half Shar Pei) light up this little bungalow. Every time I pull my car in and "Bear the Protector", as he's known in the super-dog-hero world, sees my headlights and hears the engine, he will alert his trusty sidekick  and start barking. They are giddy with glee at the thought of me walking through that door. They jump, squirm, and wiggle their little bums. Bella will begin making dinosaur-like noises if I'm giving too much attention to Bear upon my arrival. All this after only a couple hours of not seeing me, take that back, just a 5 minute trip outside to sweep off the front walkway elicits the royal treatment by my brood.  Best part is, I feel exactly the same way about my little pumpkins. I mean look at these faces and tell me you're not in love...

I love the light peaking through the window in this one.

A little halo over Angel Bear.

 This little face is just too irresistible for words. While sleeping 

she MUST be touching my person. What a snuggler. Oh, Bella!

If Bear's not by my side, chances are he 

has decided it's time for bed and is snuggled in

between the softest pillows.

Don't get me wrong, this blog isn't just about my dogs, in fact, when I started it I wasn't even thinking about discussing my pups. I thought they'd make their grand appearance in the blog name 'cause it was sorta cute, and I have an irrefutable weakness for alliteration, but that'd be it. I was thinking of all of the domestic makeovers I wanted to do in my house and backyard, the garden I'm going to start this summer, the reorganizing of my closet and how much fun the "before & after" photos would be, the DIY projects I've been putting off for so long, and all the beautiful meals I've been dying to make. I wanted to catalog all my fails and successes and all the, hopefully, pretty things that will abound from my adventures. That is what I thought I'd be writing about all the time. But, alas you can't help but to speak of the people (or dogs) you love, and I'm guessing this post won't be the last time you hear the names Bear & Bella mentioned.

So a "thank you" to you for putting up with my doggy ramblings and a "thank you" to God, for blessing me with these two munchkins, and letting me come through the door to so much love everyday.

Cheers,

Mal