Today’s iPhone photo. Taken while going through the Jack-in-the-Box drive-thru. Sometimes you just need a big, icy, diet coke. This also goes to show that you can find little pockets of beauty anywhere, if you look for it.

Today Winston and I went to Summers Past Farms for Pumpkin Patch Day. The pumpkin field is small, but there were still lots of pumpkins to choose from. I picked this pretty Cinderella pumpkin right off the vine.

 
I have been using my iPhone camera more than my Nikon lately, and I've got a couple favorite camera apps that really make a difference. For taking pictures I like Darkroom Premium. It waits until you're holding your phone steady to snap the shutter, so pictures come out nice and crisp. The photo above has no other effects, it's straight out of the camera. All the editing programs are fun too. Tiltshift Generator is a current favorite. Look, mini pumpkins!

And the Best Camera app is pretty great too. It has all sorts of fun filters you can apply and stack and re-order for different effects. It would be nice if they added the ability to adjust the intensity of the features, but maybe they'll add that eventually. After the pumpkin patch we went to a beekeeper meetup in Balboa Park, and I took a picture of this tree:

I used the Jewel, Candy, Vignette, and Frame filters. Not bad for a 3 megapixel camera and a $2.99 app, right? There are lots of good, free apps too. I wrote about a few just the other day, if you're interested. 

Now that I see my pictures big on my computer screen, I feel like I had a pretty productive and successful photography day, if I do say so myself.

Hey, hi! Remember me? I know, I know, it's been awhile. So. I mentioned this in passing on twitter, but in case you missed it, someone climbed over our fence last weekend and stole eleven of my chickens. Why would someone do something so terrible? I've been completely heartbroken over the whole thing, and not sleeping too much, worried that they'll be back for the remaining six. Those six, by the way, seem pretty traumatized by the whole thing themselves. They stopped laying completely for a few days. In fact I've only found four eggs the last couple days. Of my six newer chicks, they took four. One of the two has lost all her friends and wanders around the yard alone most of the time. I hope the thieves just fell on hard times and really wanted some laying hens so they could have eggs to eat, but I know the chances are slim that any of them are still alive. I feel sick just typing that. In the meantime, I've put a padlock on the chicken coop, and they get locked up tight every night now. The dogs were unusually agitated for several nights in a row, and I think the robbers may have come one night to case the joint, and then dogs may have chased them away before they could get all the chickens. We reported it to the sheriff, but I don't expect much will come from that.

Anyway, I haven't felt too creative lately, as you might imagine. I did have to make a couple quilt blocks for a co-worker who is having a baby. Several other co-workers organized a friendship quilt-a-long, which is so great! I got a square of blue gingham, which I cut up to piece together this little house block.

It's not too exciting, but cute enough I think.

I've also been writing app reviews for an iPhone blog called Appmodo. So far, mostly just games, but I hope to get to try out all sorts of different apps eventually. I want to work on building a portfolio of my writing, so this will be a good addition. Plus, free apps for me! Of course, I've been using all my writing mojo up, and haven't had any leftover for my own little blog. I'm starting to get more into the swing of it, though, so I should be back here regularly now.

There hasn’t been any Winston here for awhile, so I thought I’d just add this picture from last weekend when he insisted on coming along while I ran errands. He makes me laugh the way he sits in the front seat and is such a good little passenger.

I was a lucky winner last week! Lara of Piewacket, with a little help from Kiehl's had a giveaway earlier this summer, and I won quite the box full of treats. I've loved all the Kiehl's products I've ever tried, but they are a bit of a splurge. I regularly use their Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub, which, when used as a mask, makes your face so soft and smooth, just like a baby's bottom. I've hoarded a tube of it for longer than I care to admit. Thanks so much Lara! I feel so spoiled with all these great products. I think I will be using the tinted moisturizer as my daily foundation from now on, and I thought I was happy with my L'Oreal mascara, but this stuff is so great. And two lip balms! They make the best lip products. Lucky lucky me!
If you've never been to Lara's blog, I suggest a visit. She's a professional photographer and amatuer billiards player. I am always inspired by her photos, and she shares some really lovely vintage finds and delicious foods.

Every morning I have to do my chores before leaving for work (except for the days Mr.HeyLucy does them for me). I throw scratch down for the chickens and fill their feed bowl. I make sure the water dish is full, since it is uses by dogs, chickens, and bees. The dogs get food and my vegetable garden gets watered too. All while looking Farmgirl chic. This is my version of fashion week.

Today I covered my camera strap with cute fabric.

It was a vintage wool Liberty of London tie I had squirreled away, waiting for just the right project. I really love it.

I was feeling like I haven't been very productive lately, but I actually have been working on some things. I'm just a little scattered right now.

Two little softies will be on their way to Australia this week for a new book, and I've finally figured out a pattern for the pink and brown quilt I need to make.

My new little layer, on the other hand, has been very productive. One of her very first eggs was a double yolker

And two last words: Greek Nachos. Yum. Okay, that was three words.