hump day nuggets: Margot’s lens

hump day nuggets: little bits of the season in photos and words about the last week

My camera is broken. I feel a little sheepish admitting the heartache I feel over it. The thing is, sure, I use it for my work both here and on etsy. I need it for my upcoming art exhibit. I want it because I love to document. But, more than any of that, my camera is daily creative outlet that is really important to me. You know.

she was a present from my parents for my 30th birthday

I have been talking about, thinking about, dreaming about cameras a lot this last week. I can’t afford a new one and I just keep waiting for the perfect answer to emerge. It’ll come.

In the mean time, Margot is now the member of our family with a camera.* And, at the suggestion of a reader (Whitney!), this week’s nuggets come from her unique, hilarious perspective.

The photos in this post are taken by or directed by Margot Bea. And she helped me with the commentary which was one of the funniest experiences I have had as of late. She’s a great kid, that one.

nuggets.

:: Margot and Ruby play with three pals two mornings a week. She took her camera on Monday and when I asked how it went she just shrugged her shoulders and said, “Well, fine I guess. The memory card is, like, full.” Getting nuggets together is tough work I tell you.

:: We go through an unreal amount of bread in our home and, no matter how much I make and buy, at least once a week we find one lonely heel where we thought the loaf should be. Consequently, I have been searching, tweaking, hoping for a perfect, quick, healthy, quick, very quick biscuit recipe. And, beloveds, I am there. And it is good.

Supa Quick Whole Wheat Honey Biscuits The Whole Family Loves

2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons ground flax (optional)

2 tablespoons honey

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter
1/2 cup milk

Mix the flour, salt, baking powder and ground flax in a bowl. Cut in butter. In a separate bowl, whisk honey into the milk. Add honey milk and stir until just mixed. It’s pretty dry so, at this point, I just get my hands in there to form a dough ball. Divide dough into 12 biscuits and bake at 450 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Easy. Delish.

:: “Margot, tell me about this photo.” A little annoyed, with an exhale, “That’s Ruby, mama.”

:: We took Margot skiing last weekend, her first time on real skis with hard boots and oh my. I found myself teary more than once at the total happiness and beauty of the day.

When seeing this photo, bug said, “That’s me skiing, mama. Skiing is fun and that’s the ski hill, mama. I love skiing!”

She skied on our backs when she was one, on strap-on skis when she was two and, now, at three, she’s skiing.

It was awesome and completely exhausting in the most wonderful way. I was a ski instructor in college and worked a lot with three year-olds. It is quite cool to teach my kid to ski. And, holy holy, what a proud mama I was. She was spirited and fearless. And, after two bunny hill runs, she was skiing begging me to “just move please mama because I want to go really fast.”

These photos by Andy and Gramma Joan, assisted by Ruby.

:: I transcribed Margot’s birthday card message to her bff, Owen, on his third birthday:

Happy Dear Owen,

Happy Birthday. That stick really did hurt. I love you.

Love, Margot

“That’s Owen! Owen Bruno. Come here big sweet potato! Owen is my best pal.”

:: “That’s Gramma Joan. That’s my grandma. I miss my grandma all day long night.”

:: I love her interest in photographing her everyday favorites and activites. She will often aim her camera at Ruby and me and I’ll grab Rubes close and hold still anticipating her sweet delayed button press. Instead, her camera migrates away from her family subjects and toward a bowl of salt.

“Margot, how about this photo?”

“That’s my kitchen. I play in there of course.”

“And this one?”

“Awe! That’s my favorite headband! It’s just adorable!”

“That’s just you and Juicy. You are changing Ruby’s diaper at Owen’s birthday party. Or something.”

:: Our Valentine dinner reminded me of those machines that blow the numbered balls in the air for the lottery. I spilled one glass of champagne and one glass of wine. Anyone who knows me is nodding like yeah, so? because I tend to spill a lot of beverages. I just get excited and can’t pay attention to objects in the way of my expressive hands. When I knocked over the second glass Margot said, “Daddy, what is happening?” Andy smiled and replied, “Oh, it’s just your mama.”

Margot said of the evening, “Dinner. Family dinner. I can have a fruit leather

after dinner. And that’s the end of the story.”

:: Margot sang the caption for the following photo like a poem in a shrill high squeak.

I am in the swing
Mama
and Margot
are outside
playing
but there are no toys out there
and we’re siiiiiii i i i i i ngiiiiing

:: Not sure if I’ve mentioned this here before but Andy is sweet nut. Me, I’m more savory. So, he makes dessert a lot more than I do. We often (usually) have a container of cookie dough in our fridge so he can make a small batch in the evenings after dinner. Dude knows his cookies. And while Margot and I made these heart-shaped lovelies on Valentine’s Day, he was directing from the couch.

Andy’s favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe (1/2 cup fewer chocolate chips)

:: You’ll have to wait for next week’s mama digs to learn why we are dancing in these photos. It’s a good, crazy story that caused Margot to exclaim, “Let’s dance! Turn on 123!”

:: Margot (post chocolate chip cookie): “Watch this you guys. You just do down dog and then you put one leg up like this and then you do like this,” as she gyrated her hips up and down and in circles while cawing like a wild animal. “And then you just keep doing down dog and then you stand up and take a bow.”

Alice wasn’t into the performance.

:: Girlfriend painting her papa’s funky winter feet.

:: Still life with half-eaten apples, mama’s boot and dog ear.

:: Customized cookie for dad. Message by Margot. I love this happy dear thing she has going. It’s so jolly.

And, that is this week’s nuggets, brought to you by Margot Bea Cline.

Happy hump day out there.

* edited to add: Margot’s camera is a Kodak Easy Share CD22. It appears they aren’t made anymore.

dig makes food {recipe} / hump day nuggets

58 Comments

clove's corner

February 16, 2011 at 8:02 AM

Wow. First comment = staying up way too late.

Margot’s nuggets! Love it. Especially the photo of Ruby with marker all over her face.

Brandi

February 16, 2011 at 8:10 AM

Loved looking at life through Margo’s eyes.

Melina

February 16, 2011 at 8:40 AM

So flippin awesome!

melina
http://www.thewildercoast.com

My Love is.....

February 16, 2011 at 10:33 AM

oh my I love this post…. it is so happy and yup! margots right it is so dear 🙂 sending camera mending thoughts your way 🙂

Maria

February 16, 2011 at 11:10 AM

Love that you give Margot the camera. I’ve handed over my camera
to my nephew since he was 18 months old. He’s 3 now & we are in the process of making a book of his photographs. Love, love, love seeing the world through his eyes.
He’s an amazing little photographer. Even the most camera shy among us beam when he aims the camera at us & he has captured the most amazing portraits of our family. Pure love.

Claire @ Scissors Paper Rock

February 16, 2011 at 11:11 AM

Oh Margot, you clever little chicken.
I love seeing the world through your eyes {or your lens} and your way with words…makes me smile!
You ROCK Margot Bea.

Jessie

February 16, 2011 at 1:18 PM

This was so precious I nearly passed out from the cuteness. 🙂

rebecca

February 16, 2011 at 1:33 PM

,,,i love viewing the world from margot’s lens,,,it’s short, it’s sweet, it’s simple,,,i think margot bea has a lil somethin’ somethin’ going on,,,daddy’s toes rock the blue lacquer,,,ruby is so sweet, sweet like that heart-shaped chocolate chip cookies,,,the fact that margot is on her own skis at 3 is no surprise to me, next year it will be, let’s head to the black diamond runs mama,,,i’m feeling sad too about your camera, i’ll admit in a very selfish way because i so enjoy viewing your world through your lens,,,move over mama, margot bea to the rescue with her click-click,,,i’m guessing alice was thinking i’m already down-dogging it babe, ain’t going to get more down than this,,,thanks for the sweet and a little sour (broken camera) “nuggs”,,,oh happy day!,,,

6512 and growing

February 16, 2011 at 1:35 PM

Margot totally and completely rocked Nuggets.

sarah

February 16, 2011 at 1:38 PM

when you said andy is a “sweet nut,” i thought this was another one of your expressions of endearment, like margot is a sweet potato. i was like, huh, i can’t really imagine myself calling jake a sweet nut, but maybe i can. then i realized you meant he likes sweets a lot. also how long can cookie dough keep in the fridge? I have this dilemma, as i want cookies every night but i don’t feel like making them every night. esp. given my dough is vegan and has no eggs, what do you think? this could revolutionize my sweets eating. what i do now is make the entire batch, and then since it’s there, i eat it in approximately two days. BAD.

TRB Holt

February 16, 2011 at 2:00 PM

A STAR IS BORN! I Love You A Bushel And A Peck Happy Dear Margot, a.k.a~Shutter BUG!

xoxo, Gram

Tisha

February 16, 2011 at 2:01 PM

this is great, i love her perspective. what kind of camera does she have, is it a kids camera?

Eva Marie

February 16, 2011 at 2:04 PM

I think this is officially the most “awesomeness” blog post I have ever read!! Fantastic how can you not just fall absolutely madly in love with your two girls (and family for the matter)

Love this 🙂

currer bell

February 16, 2011 at 2:22 PM

Such a wonderful way to see the world. Thanks, Margot, for reminding me to look at things differently every once in a while.

Dana

February 16, 2011 at 2:27 PM

This is the best! You both are so funny! It will be a lot of fun seeing Ruby join in! I found out about some new amazing natural paints you should check out! Amazing! http://www.my3littleducks.blogspot.com
Have a great week!

Daniele ♥

February 16, 2011 at 2:31 PM

omg this IS the best!!
She is so funny!
A couple of days ago I transcribed a Valentine to my husband from my 3 yr old and it started off, “Dear Daddy, You’re the best friend a puppy could have”.
3 yr olds are the best!

Abby

February 16, 2011 at 2:44 PM

totally loved this post as my boys would say…to the moon and back 🙂

Rachael

February 16, 2011 at 2:45 PM

‎”daddy, what is happening?” had me in stitches. your kid is hilarious, these are my favourite nuggets ever haha

Baby By The Sea

February 16, 2011 at 3:07 PM

This is perfect. How great it comes after your Mama Digs about childhood memories. I just love the world through her lens. Nice job, Margot.

Whitney

February 16, 2011 at 3:15 PM

I was unnaturally excited to see this post. 🙂 Nuggets from Margot’s perspective are just as I imagined them – adorable. AND I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who frequently knocks over beverages with my overactive hand gestures!

Mary A-J :)

February 16, 2011 at 3:37 PM

It was so fantastic to see the world through Margot’s eyes! She has some good ones. 🙂

jen

February 16, 2011 at 3:43 PM

oh i love these.
and my word verification word is
clics
which just makes this ohsomuchmore awesome.
and dude. if i lived any closer i would share my back up camera with you … but it’s a nikon … so you’d probably never let me read your nuggets again.

Abilew-who

February 16, 2011 at 4:16 PM

She is a cute piece of work. Is she ever naughty? I ask because she just seems so sassy sweet that I can’t imagine it. William, my own little sassy sweet number, told me this morning that he was so angry that he could “pick my nose.” It’s an improvement over what he used to shout while furrowing his little brow, which was “hit.” I’ll take “pick my nose” any day of the week over that…

Marti

February 16, 2011 at 4:27 PM

Oh my! Aren’t 3 year old girls the best?!?!?!!? I’ve recently started doing yoga (I know, apparently I live under a rock) and I included Ivy with me and it was freakin’ hilarious! So I was in tears lookin’ at Margot doing “downward dog” I was laughing so hard thinking about Ivy.

Ariel

February 16, 2011 at 4:38 PM

LOVE IT! You should def have Margot help out more often! I just love the things she says and I can’t wait for my daughter to start talking more. Thanks for brightening my day!

Britta

February 16, 2011 at 4:39 PM

The song poem is my favorite!

Lindsay

February 16, 2011 at 4:39 PM

best nuggets ever! I love the captions from her that you so lovingly transcribed.

Erika

February 16, 2011 at 4:53 PM

Definitely at the top of the list for best nuggets of all time. Yeah Margot!

Elisabeth

February 16, 2011 at 5:44 PM

Happy Hump Day Margo! We are also quite fond of the down dog, one leg up dance move in out house too!

Young and Fabulous

February 16, 2011 at 5:46 PM

haha what an amazing post! kids sure do say the darndest things!