Utter bliss♥

The first of June has come and gone. What a completely magical little thought that June has arrived. June officially, in my eyes, starts Summer. 

The landscapes are lush and full of beautiful green, the sunshine drenches warmth, the skies are as blue as a robin's egg, and the wind tousles my windblown hair.
Summer is utter bliss♥

Next Wednesday is Erika's first official day of Summer holiday and mine was last week. It has been simply heavenly. The freedom that Summer brings is perfect.
We are planning a grand two night sleepover from Wednesday to Friday filled with lots of wonderful picture taking, merry picnics in the bright sunshine, perhaps a little watercolouring, evenings on the porches chatting, stargazing late at night, and watching Pride and Prejudice which just happens to be one of our favourite movies-how perfect it is!
And a grand surprise for all of you:

Come July we may be having a grand holiday in

California

San Diego to be precise. We get chills just thinking about it. The thought of  landing in L.A., riding with the windows down through the grand boulevards in Hollywood, whole days spent on the magnificent beach, and the tall palm trees everywhere just makes us fairly giddy. But, it might not happen, but one can hope! 

The days are long and I enjoy my freedom in blissful joy. In the morning I leisurely water the vegetable garden and flowers my mum so beautifully planted, I watercolour in the bright afternoon sunshine attempting to capture my beautiful surroundings, I take lovely walks in my breathtakingly beautiful woods, I read of Hogwarts, Mitford, Paris, and Martha Stewart and Ina Garten's elegant entertaining until the sun sinks low over the horizon.

My mum has transformed our screened porch into a beautiful haven, as always, tucked between the green yard and lush woods. Last night we talked out there until half past ten in the evening of all things lovely, and it was perfectly wonderful! Summer has definitely arrived and I am ecstatic♥

Memorial Day was divine. We spent it at our Grandma's wonderfully beautiful, bright and airy, cosy and warm lake house with siding the colour of the water on a sunny day and bright white gingerbread trimming the many porches. Sunday night we sat in Grandma's cosy bedroom perusing the pages of a California atlas and reading the Hollywood issue of J. Crew. We later made popcorn and put it in the old bowls we used when we made popcorn even as kids before we watched old Disney movies. With the smell of it in the air, Erika and I watched the Devil Wears Prada in her warm, welcoming, and comfy living room and stayed up talking, like we always do, with the twinkling night lights on until half past two in the morning. 

Monday we lingered in our pyjamas and talked of the past and things to come with our Grandma on the gazebo. Late in the afternoon all of the family came and we grilled a delicious feast, swam for the first time this year (which was delightful!) floating along with the rafts, and sat in the grass as our hair dried in the breeze chatting and munching on red, white, and blue Whale crackers.

And, of course, Chicago was absolutely thrilling! I just adore the city. This collage is a tiny little sneak peek but I have more pictures to come and little stories of my time there to share with you. It was lovely to be among the bustle of the city, the tall skyscrapers, the classy people, shopping in fantastic shops, and seeing Monet and Renoir's work in front of your eyes is spine-tingling. 

And now, with just 41 days until it all ends, we want to share with you this perfect video that we keep watching over and over again. It is just so lovely and gives us chills♥ We love this cast so very much! They, and the films, and the books, and Jo Rowling, hold such a special place in our hearts. 

It feels surreal that the final installment will be coming in just 41 little days...but it will be a wonderful ending and we look forward to enjoying Harry Potter all the more so with its coming and going. 

Happy weekend to you, my lovelies! We may be off to the lake at some point which will be lovely. How have you been enjoying your Summer thus far?

xoxoxoxoxo,

-Erika&Rachel

{written by Rachel}