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she came and went so quickly.

i really can’t recall when i felt summer arrive this year.  i’m someone who is cold most of the time, so what i call a hot summer day could be very different from what you call a hot summer day.  if you haven’t yet, i suggest that you reflect on your summer as i have below.  the stories and the remember when’s that you’ll want to share with others or hide away in your journal to be reminded of and laugh at later – those are worth remembering.  how small they may be.

i splashed my feet in any wadding pool i saw and then walked around barefoot until my feet were dry.

family-stratford

time spent with my family.  walking down the road, adventuring to stratford or just sitting and chatting around the dinner table, i love it’d all and i love them.  it’s this special love you grow to appreciate once you’ve been gone for so long.  the memories that fill that house hold a very special place in my heart.  i need to get my father around for long enough to get a new family photo.  he’s currently in Taiwan.

went car camping for my birthday – it’s not the remote outdoors that i love so much, but it sure gets close to it and gets me out of the city.  a fire on the beach with friends, listening to the waves crash in – it doesn’t get much better than that.  well, it does, if you add in the golden roasted marshmallows – delicious!

chilling and chatting at bars and coffeehouses.  with friends or with folks i’d never met before.  two bachelorettes under my belt this summer and three weddings whose dance floors i busted many a move on.  these feet can’t stop, won’t stop!

jillchris-bridalparty

in fact, i photographed a wedding!  my beloved friend Jill married her man, Chris and the silly fabulous fools that they are entrusted me to photograph their special day.  i was and still am completely honoured.  i’ll be sharing more photos from their big day a little later on.

oh goodness did i laugh.  i laughed – a lot.  i’ve been blessed with some of the greatest friends anyone could ever hope for.  friends that love me for me.  friends that allow me to love them with all of myself.  old friends who will always be there, and new friends that feel old – it’s simply the best.  surround yourself with folks who challenge you, who inspire you, who push your buttons and can make you fold over in a giggling fit of laughter.  your life will be better because of it.

cntower-moon

and of course – take a little time to relax.  to just, be still.
while a thunderstorm rolled in and came down over the city, i sat on the balcony in candlelight and painted.
another evening, in my rocking chair, i stared at the supermoon.  for a long time.
sure, i could hear cars driving by, people hollering and airplanes flying over head – but i could also hear crickets and the cool wind blowing in my hair.  it was peaceful.
while in new brunswick when the sky had gone dark, i looked up at the millions and trillions of stars above.  it’s something you don’t get to see when you live in a light polluted city like toronto.  i have no idea how long i stood there but my neck definitely hurt after.

so – what little things did you get up to this summer?
happy sunday – wherever you are!

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and the clouds roll in.

toronto-storm

i do love weather.  i think i get it from my aunt heather.
remember when i shared with you the fog over the ozarks and the rooftop before and after the storm.
don’t expect this to be the last city and cloud shot you see.  this new apartment is top notch in terms of the view and mother nature sure likes to put on a good show.
my camera and i are not complaining.

Becky Gean and littlesiddallstudios – September 4th, 2014.

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goofing around in stratford.

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mannequins

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me-field

on a lovely sunday morning, my mother, brother and i took a short trip into stratford, ontario.  my brother chad is a fabulous photographer, i definitely consider him to be apart of the little siddall studios team, and not just because we share the same last name (maiden name that is for me now, HA!), but most recently having helped me out the first weekend in august for a wedding.  he’s a blast to work with, and just as much fun to goof around with when “not on the clock” as we did this one morning in stratford together.

he has a style that is all his own – i urge you to check it out.

cargo collective

flickr

also, if you’ve never visited stratford before – you simply must go!  go see a play – or two!  take a walk around the gorgeous avon river, view the stunning houses, window shop at the cutest little places and eat your hearts out because the food is devine!

happy sunday – wherever you are!

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oh hey there! becky’s birthday’s.

becky-portrait-tongue

one thing about getting my bangs back, i forgot that they grow SO FAST!
also, i just celebrated my birthday 2 weeks ago today.  i turned 27 on the 27th!  hurrah!  i love that number.  a lot.
but haircut and birthday aside…

hey there blog readers! : )
how’s it going?  enjoying your summer i hope!
i sure am!  i can’t wait to share with you another baby shoot i recently did, as well as… my first wedding!  yippee!

there hasn’t been too much photo taking of food lately, with the summer hiatus of the travelling crockpot, but i’m hoping to change that very soon.  i’m constantly being beckoned to the great outdoors – whether to a park, camping, or just a long evening stroll, these months – i can’t get enough!

i encourage you to soak up the last few weeks we have of this fabulous summer – wherever you are.

Becky Gean and littlesiddallstudios – August 9th, 2014.

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get outside.

explore-rocks-discover

i find it difficult to sit in front of a computer all day to then come home and want to do the same thing.  forgive me for being on and off with my blogging lately, but really, can you blame me?  it’s gorgeous out there!  are you taking advantage of it?  i hope you are.

sharing stories
picnics
ice cream dates
market strolling
puddle jumping
hidden treasures
balcony brunches
afternoon naps
singing on swings in the park
beers on a patio
flying kites and
candlelit nights

are a few things i suggest you do.

but if you only remember one thing – get outside, go explore, forever discover.

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garlic scapes – but what the heck do you do with them?

garlic-scapes-tut-loves

it comes and goes oh so quickly.  if you are lucky enough, you will be able to take advantage of garlic scape season.  prepared in advance, you can enjoy garlic scapes well into the winter too.

garlic scape pesto & garlic scape butter.  yes please!

sautéing garlic scapes in butter is my favourite!  it’s honestly a joy just to chop them up and they smell fantastic!  i throw them in with eggs for my breakfast.  or i’ll chop them into 2 inch sticks and roast them with potatoes, tomatoes, onions, whatever kind of veggies i have in the house.

black sheep farms said – the season can start as early as the beginning of june and only lasts for a couple of weeks.  last year their scape season ran from mid to end of June – it all depends on how early/warm/wet spring is each year.

i haven’t seen them pop up at my local farmers’ market yet, but when i do, you better believe i’ll be snatching them right up!  check out this super cute article from the messy baker, making soup out of a scapes.  a lot of scapes.  mmm.

Becky Gean and littlesiddallstudios – June 11th, 2014.

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hustle baby, hustle.

hands-in

it’s when we dig deep down do we find the scariest and best parts of ourselves.

throw caution to the wind.
go adventuring.
scare yourself.
do something wild.

hustle baby, hustle.

why stop here, why stop now.
you have the power
to be, to do
whatever the fuck you want.
own it.
embrace the unknown.

and these are just words – from inside my notebook.

Becky Gean and littlesiddallstudios – June 8th, 2014.

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the travelling crockpot – becky’s dinner no.4

hey everyone!  it’s friday!  of a looooonng weekend!  at least here in ontario it is.  why not get in that kitchen of yours and cook up a feast!  just because!  maybe my latest travelling crockpot dinner will inspire to cook up a meal you haven’t before, or perfect a tried and true recipe.  enjoy your weekend regardless of – wherever you are.

for some stupid reason i decided to do my dinner only 3 days before josh and i moved to our new apartment.  talk about hectic!  the real reason though, adrienne left toronto for the summer so it was imperative we get in one more dinner before she departed.

i’d never made gnocchi before.  or biscotti’s.  or browned butter.  or poached a pear before.  or made chocolate mousse.
so why not try all of it out  at once right!!??!

TC-bec-4a

only recently have i realized that i love mushrooms.  i had a craving, and so, mushrooms on toast.  i toasted rye bread with olive oil and salt and pepper.  cremini, oyster, and hedgehog mushrooms were chopped up and fried with one shallot and a liquid mix of apple juice, vegetable oil, apple cider vinegar, and a splash of amber maple syrup.  cooked down for a solid 25 minutes until the liquid is no longer or has become a delicious glaze.  topped on the toasted rye bread and topped with chives.

TC-bec-4b

the pears were poached in sugar water with cinnamon, cloves, allspice, lemon… i really can’t remember what else.  my reason for poaching them?  they weren’t ripe yet!  pop them in simmering hot liquid for a bit and soft as can be.  arugula was tossed with a dressing of olive oil, balsamic, hot mustard, maple syrup and salt and pepper.  my favourite additions were the blue silton cheese and roasted pecans which had been baked in maple syrup, rosemary, thyme and cayenne.  hmmm… i just might be addicted to maple syrup.

TC-bec-4c

sweet potato gnocchi in a sage browned butter sauce.  delicious.  i wish i had some right now in fact.  the crispy sage was really tasty too.  it’s this light, but decadent earthy taste.  hand making gnocchi wasn’t as bad as i thought.  although, i didn’t make them look super pretty by adding ridges and such.  maybe next time.

TC-Bec-4d

and finally, chocolate mouse with an almond biscotti.  oh, and two squares of cadbury coconut cashew chocolate because why not right!?  the biscotti’s, i should have shaped flatter and pancake like rather than a nice hilly bump.  they were super fat and didn’t cook as evenly as i would have liked.  one side was darker than the other too.  and so – because panic set in about the mediocre biscotti’s i quickly decided chocolate mousse would redeem me.  having never made it before either, i could use the practice, but all in all i’d say it all worked out.