Zona's Place

The Reason our Destination is Bandon

2010-05-30T22:02:00.000-07:00

It really was hard to drive away. But it will be there for the next time!

The Getaway Gang, part Deux

2010-05-30T21:53:00.000-07:00

Shirley, who despises zigsaw puzzles but couldn't stop working on ours!

She was our very best sewer.
Marian, who bravely attended, sure it would be stressful,
but who relaxed and had a wonderful time.

Our dear Miss Millie, always the first to lead us in prayer,

always feisty and so much fun!

And Juanita, my puzzle comrade and the group story teller.

How I love these ladies.

The Gang, Part 1

2010-05-30T21:39:00.000-07:00

Without Michelle, there wouldn't even be getaways! My dear friend.

Deanna, who made an amazing taco salad for dinner Friday night (along with doing so much more), and a co-planner with Michelle and me.
The Getaway Gang, before getting into the two cars and heading inland.
We had such a wonderful time.

The Boxes and the Notebooks

2010-05-30T21:11:00.001-07:00

This is what we placed inside our boxes to help us remember the lessons.

Our other project was making a quilt square, open on three sides, for our box. It helps us remember the parts of the quilt and what they represent.
We each had a half-sized notebook in which to keep our studies. Jen from SFC's office helped make the covers with these awesome quilt patterns.
We each had a different quilt on our cover.

Arriving at the Getaway

2010-05-30T20:39:00.000-07:00

After settling in and choosing beds, I sent the ladies off to the beach to find their favorite thing that God had created while I made final preparations for the first study.
These pictures were taken from the balcony of the beach house. The ocean was right there and so beautiful in the sunshine!

After their airing, I gave them each a box and they chose a paper quilt pattern to glue to the top. Then they painted the box to match, whatever colors made them happy. Millie chose light green!

Here are all seven boxes at the end of the weekend. Aren't they beautiful? And so creatively completed. These became our momento boxes to keep the items I gave out to remind us of our lessons.

Michael's Prom look, and a shot of M & T

2010-05-06T11:04:00.000-07:00

Who else could make a white tux look this good?!

All three guys looked so great in their handsome tuxes. These are two of Michael's best friends, another Michael (on his right) and Adam. (It is hard to get Michael Wilson to show teeth in a picture!)
They had a wonderful time at prom. Lots of kids attended without dates, just going with friends.

I found this picture of the guys - love it!

Hummingbirds

2010-05-06T10:52:00.000-07:00

I got several pictures of hummingbirds at the feeder outside the back door, our main entrance, where we frequently startle the birds and vice versa. This is the station we set up because of the territorial nature of these little guys. We figure if they can't feed at the front door, they can come to the back! Anyway, this is a Caliope hummingbird, less usual than the Rufous or Anna's, distinguishable by his small(er) size, dark emerald back, and amazing purple striped throat.

Here you can clearly see the purple feathers at his throat.
A rare peaceful coexistence shot. This was just before the Caliope chased the other one away!
I'm sorry that I can't tell you which type this fellow is - he (or she) looks positively pudgy compared to the Caliope!

I do not get used to hummingbirds.

Baby Plants

2010-05-06T10:38:00.001-07:00

What fun it was last Saturday to transplant babies! They were pretty stuffed into these seeding 9-packs. I still haven't figured out why some of the cells don't germinate at all and some have several plants, or why some of the babies are teensy and some are big. I just go with what I get.

Here's the way I separate out the babies
and give them each their own new and spacious quarters in the greenhouse-within-the-greenhouse, specially adapted for tender babies. I'll try to post followup pics as they take off.

Now, the tomato seeds almost all germinate,

and look so happy in their larger homes. These should be sturdy happy healthy plants just in time for planting outside!

Office Roof Blows Off!

2010-04-27T14:22:00.000-07:00

Blogspot always puts pictures in opposite order, so this is an after shot that shows a professionally installed tarp on this entire side of the building. (Plug for Serv-Pro here.) It's so wonderful that they came out so quickly, because a torrential downpour began as they completed the job, and the rain lasted for about 15 hours. Today they returned and removed all evidence that there was ever a roof on the ground - as follows.

It was a "torch-down" roof, common on older manufactured homes, which is what our office building is.
The young man who headed up the tarping/cleanup crew said we definitely got hit much harder than anyone else in our area - the wind must have been pointed just right to funnel up our little valley.

Todd was inside at the time it tore off, and he said the noise was amazing.

Thank the Lord, we have insurance that will pay for all the cleanup, tarping and replacing the roofing. I detest paying for so much insurance every month, but it sure comes in handy at times like this.

Wild Iris

2010-04-25T18:50:00.000-07:00

Our first year here, I was amazed and delighted to find my driveway edge (which is more than 1/4 mile long) dotted with clumps of these beautiful small irises, no taller than 10 or 12 inches. Here are some that have yet to open and share their beauty.

Do you see the black blob sort of thing there? It's so cool that I got that in a shot - it's a huge shiny black bee that was specifically targeting the iris clumps, and traveling between them so very fast.

The Goldfinches Are Back!

2010-04-25T18:24:00.000-07:00

In order to grow lilacs in my front beds, these wire cylinders are required protection from the local population of marauding deer. One very cool and not expected perk is that the local hummingbirds and finches are using the wire cage as a resting place close to their feeders.

Look at this little fluff ball resting and looking out for his mate while she's feeding.
Here is a finch "sock" feeder and the hummingbird feeder for this side of the house. I think there are two finches on their feeder and I also think that's a hummingbird tail on its feeder. We have to have hummingbird feeders on both sides of the house because they are so territorial. We watched one little guy chase away bird after bird for a couple of days, then noticed that while he was away for a few minutes a couple birds slipped in and were soooo hungry! That was when I got out the second feeder and put in on the other side of the house. They both are used all day.

The birds are thirsty too, and appreciate the waterfalls. Even though the algae makes me cringe, the birds don't seem to mind at all. I love it when the creeping phlox blooms in the spring.

Sigh...

2010-04-23T20:32:00.000-07:00

I'm afraid I've been thinking. (A dangerous pasttime - I know.) This afternoon wasn't fun. Not to say too much, but Tyler was removed from the golf team, and it was both his fault and Michael's fault, and more slackness than badness. Still, taking the boys over to the golf course to sort things out and seeing people who were upset because of them was extremely sobering and discouraging for both Todd and me.

These situations are opportunities for growth, both for the kids and adults. I am certain that it's a good thing these character flaws have showed up now when we can work through them with the guys than later. And the yucky feelings are slowly working their way out of the house.

When I'm upset, I work. As I was planting and weeding, I was thinking. There are times I stand inside looking at weeds growing lush in the beds and just let them go because I don't have time to really deal with them until later, or the weather is bad, or other duties seem more important at the moment. And as I was thinking this, I wondered if I do the same thing with the boys. (And my office. But today's subject is the boys.)

So - much prayer. Tighter oversight of the boys. More talking with them, facilitated by Tyler not spending every afternoon and early evening at golf practice. Maybe less stress and over-extension on him. Watching their grades more closely, getting "all up in their business"! Boy, I don't enjoy this part of parenting. But I really care about how they turn out. Really really.

We'll just have to weed the minute the weeds appear for a while and hope to get a handle on them.

I Love my new Camera (all pictures taken this afternoon)

2010-03-05T15:43:00.000-08:00

Meet brown boy bunny! His temporary quarters are in the greenhouse, since nights are chilly these days and he was in a more sheltered place at his last home than I have available for him outside. Isn't he CUTE?

Okay, so here's the thing. For years I have wished to own a camera that would take stunning closeups of my plants - and got a Lumix with a 12x zoom for Christmas! It takes fabulous close-ups of early catmint blossoms,
and honey bees on rosemary,
and grape hyacinths,

and even the dust on a lady bug's back!

I am so blessed to have such a camera!

Please pray for my injured friend

2010-02-10T07:23:00.000-08:00

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/genehorst

Cloudy Day at Shore Acres

2010-01-13T23:34:00.000-08:00

It's official - Shore Acres at Charleston is magnificent. It was cloudy when I went there with Todd and the boys on the day these pictures were taken. It was sunny when Todd and I went there today, but I haven't downloaded pictures yet. So enjoy the cloudy stormy view!

Pure Ocean

2010-01-13T23:07:00.000-08:00

(If you want my recommendation, just click on a picture and look at it for awhile. Stress will start slip-sliding away...)

Aren't these colors stunning?
There is a rainbow out there! So cool!

Early in the morning, birds were moving in large flocks, maybe to feeding areas? And way out there, the sunrise is pink on the horizon.

It did take 2 trips to the beach that week before I began getting my spunk and energy back! What a blessing to be able to get away with my friend and my family.

A Getaway to Lincoln City with my Friend

2010-01-13T22:51:00.000-08:00

Don't get me wrong - I love my guys. But when my friend Michelle asked if I wanted to get outta town for a couple of days the week after Christmas, I was IN!!! We considered going to Portland, as neither of us have shopped at Ikea, and we want to. But the forecast was for freezing temps and strong winds howling down the Gorge, and with that news, Ikea quickly lost its appeal. We'll explore there another day.

Sometimes it feels like the coast is an old idea and there must be something else to do. But for me, maybe because life is so very demanding most every day, going to watch the ocean is just bliss. And when we found that the forecast for the coast was 55 degrees and sunny - hello Lincoln City!

Sun on the ocean is magic, isn't it?

Sunrise was amazing - something I rarely see when I'm at the beach! I think I'll make an effort to get up for it more often.

My Sons at the Beach - Christmas 2009

2010-01-13T22:42:00.000-08:00

The trip to the north coast with my friend was wonderful. Then I came home for two days then went to Bandon for two days with Todd and the boys. (Wait - Michael is 18. Can I still call him one of the boys? For that matter, Tyler is 6'3". Does he still qualify?) Anyway, the extra beach time proved to be exactly what I needed to really rest. And rest is what I needed.

I'm glad my guys still love to go to the beach. And I'm glad they enjoy hanging out together - sometimes!

Winter Here

2009-12-17T08:06:00.001-08:00

Quiet rest

Taken last week - this is the most ice we have ever seen on the pond.
This morning the world below was shrouded in cloud or fog, but the sun shone through up here.

Christmas Decorations

2009-12-08T19:58:00.000-08:00

It is so much fun to unwrap all my Christmas decorations! It's like being at my favorite store ever - because I chose all the goods! And they are all so cute/ meaningful/ beautiful.

I love Christmas.

I'll have to take some pictures and post some.

The Yummiest Most Requested Brunch Dish

2009-12-07T19:11:00.000-08:00

I have no recipe but I will try to tell you what I do -

I use a greased 10x15 pan, but two smaller pans would work just fine. This needs to be made the night before and refrigerated overnight.

Meat Layer:

You can use any breakfast meat for this, sausage, ham or bacon. I use a pound of bacon because I like to use the bacon fat to cook the potatoes and the eggs. And I just love bacon! After cooking I dice it, not too small but so it will still serve easily, and set it aside.

Hash Brown Layer:

I bake several potatoes, usually Yukon Golds because I have them on hand. Then I peel and grate them, or dice in a 1/2" dice. I usually use two cast iron skillets to brown the potatoes in butter and bacon fat in fairly small batches, turning them often until they are crispy and browned throughout. These go into the bottom of the baking pans until a good inch has accumulated.

Egg Layer:

I crack 18 eggs into a large bowl and sprinkle salt and nutmeg onto the top before lightly beating the eggs. These I cook over medium heat in butter and bacon grease, stirring often so the bottoms don't brown and the eggs cook evenly to the soft but not runny stage. The eggs are spread evenly on top of the potatoes.

Assembling the Dish:

On top of the eggs, I spread a cup or more of sour cream. Make sure you use enough to cover the whole dish. Sprinkle the diced bacon on top of the sour cream. Then sprinkle about four thinly sliced green onions over this, and about ten fresh mushrooms, sliced or diced. Finally, spread grated cheddar cheese over the top to cover well.

Cover and refrigerate overnight. Take out in the morning and let sit out for at least 1/2 hour. Bake covered at 350 degrees for an hour, then uncover and bake until bubbling and browned throughout.

Warning - Once you bring this to a brunch, you will never be allowed to arrive without it!

Yummy Sweet Taters

2009-12-03T14:41:00.000-08:00

Here's my favorite way to prepare sweet taters -

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel and cube 2 large sweet potatos, cut into a 2 inch dice. Meanwhile, pick some fresh rosemary needles, and place into about a third cup of olive oil. Microwave the rosemary needles in the oil until they pop and give up their essence to the oil (about 30 - 45 seconds). Place the sweet taters in a large bowl, pour the oil over, sprinkle generously with kosher salt, stir well to coat. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper so they don't stick terribly, spread taters on the paper and roast for 20 minutes or until the bottoms are browned. Turn each piece and bake again for about 10 minutes to let another side get all crunchy and fabulous.

The insides are melty tender, the outsides are crunchy deliciousness. These don't last long at our house and whole batches have been known to mysteriously disappear when Priscilla and I get together. I hope you try them and enjoy!

Better!

2009-11-18T18:06:00.000-08:00

Time to let you know I am much perki-er, even here on the really real net place. Todd went to the eye doctor today for himself, and my replacement glasses arrived early! What an amazing relief. And yes, I will be buying a backup pair. And a computer pair too.

A couple of visits to the chiro and a massage have reduced the pain in my head significantly. Again, the relief is amazing. So this is what energy feels like!

Must get to small group - maybe a couple or three new ladies tonight. Interesting how the Lord works.

Small Whines

2009-11-10T22:07:00.000-08:00

Over on my Facebook page I am very perky and thankful right now, so I can't whine there. However, here I make my own rules and suspect that few people will ever know I blog-whined, and there is a certain freedom in that.

My neck hurts. On the left side of my neck, behind my left ear it is swollen a bit and very tender to the touch. Now the tenderness/throbbing has grown to include the left side of my scalp and the front of my ear as well. I think it is a seriously subluxated top vertebra because the intensity can be affected by my sitting/standing position.

I have two tiny finger cuts, one of which hurts.

I have a low-grade fever.

For two days my tummy has hurt, like I have gas but the pain and bloating won't go away no matter how organic my yogurt or apple cidar vinegar, both of which usually keep my irritable innards behaving reasonably well. Blech. I think it's stress. This is a packed week. So is next week, and - well, until Christmas the pressure is on.

Sprained my ankle a bit yesterday while doing inspections.

(Are you catching the barely sentient vibe here?)

And to top things off, the frame on my frameless glasses broke. Yep. My expensive really hip glasses are super-glued together. Uh-huh. So Todd's wonderful solution may get me through until new glasses are available, but the lenses are slightly tipped, the prescription is changed, and my eyes hurt. Ache. Poor me.

And then I remember how small are my woes. Compared with so many, my selfish whine is pathetic. Still, I'm posting this because it is making me feel better just WHINING. And I think my fever may be gone. Hooray for large doses of Extra Strength Tylenol.

2009-11-06T07:48:00.000-08:00

My camera is in Anchorage, but I have thoughts, so I'll share. Michael's last regular season football game is tonight, but it's in Florence and weather is supposed to be torrential rains coming sideways, so Todd and I are staying home. Date night! We are thawing venison backstrap and thinking Redbox. Any movie suggestions? Last Saturday we rewatched The Proposal - I liked it better the first time.

I have been thankful this week for the Harvest Moon. Wow - huge and varied in color. When I first saw it, Todd and I were coming home from inspections and the moon was full and huge and glowed like an irridescent pearl. The next night it was amber colored and hung over the football game.

What a dreadful thing to have happened at Fort Hood. I keep remembering and praying for those involved. I heard from Ryan and he said everyone over there is pretty shook up too.

Nancy Doner stopped by yesterday morning and we met at My Coffee in Roseburg, my absolute fave spot for the good drink. She filled me in on many of my old friends from Sand Lake Baptist, and that was great. She is quite a gal.

When will I have time to paint the apartment? I know the colors already, but need a dedicated three or four days, and those are pretty scarce. I also need a dedicated week for collections in the office. Sigh - I don't like collections. Did you ever just want to duck out of regular life for a while? Yeah. And I still haven't planted my winter planters for the porches.

But in general things are fine with so much to be thankful for! The rain, the blue sky peeking through occasionally, my family, our business, the Lord's great love and mercy, opportunity to serve Him meaningfully. These are treasures.

Or - Maybe Not!

2009-10-18T22:41:00.000-07:00

It looks like Priscilla will have other company on her trip north!

Heading for the North Land

2009-10-17T10:02:00.000-07:00

After almost five years that she has lived with us, Priscilla is moving back to Alaska. There have been many great things about her living here, and we will miss her often and thoroughly. But she isn't done with Alaska and her family calls from there.

Monday morning we plan to begin the trip. We'll start with a loaded U-Haul and drive it and her car to Tacoma. There the hired day-labor guys will unload the U-Haul onto pallets before the pallets are loaded into a container which will then be loaded onto a barge which will take her things up to Anchorage.

Tuesday morning early, the plan is to drive north as far as we can get - hopefully to Prince George. We want to drive very far per day in warmer, lighter B.C.. Who knows what weather and roads will bring in the Yukon and Alaska? Actually, snow and cold are anticipated for much of the trip.

I expect great beauty. I expect long cold days. I pray for the Lord's covering. Would you pray for us on our trip?

After a couple of recuperation/visiting days in Anchorage, I will board a large jet plane and fly direct to Portland. It will be good to get back home.

Annual Breakfast with Jim

2009-10-12T08:21:00.000-07:00

For anyone's information, our brother Jim works as a spiritual mentor (I think that's the politically correct term) with the athletes from a prestigious university located in Palo Alto, CA. Anyway, he travels with the football team and they were up to play the Beav's in Corvallis, but they stayed in Eugene. We usually drive north to share breakfast with him on game day. Since this is Priscilla's last opportunity (as she is moving back to Alaska), off we went.

The sunrise down the valley was worth a photo before we took off.

This is the properly posed version...
...this is the - "Wait! I wasn't ready and was talking" version!

Mr. Camera-shy actually agreed to pose with Jim and me! We had a great time chatting over a nice breakfast before Jim had to move on with his duties.

Big Buck on Hunting Season's First Day!

2009-10-03T22:32:00.001-07:00

Todd had just told me that he had never gotten a buck on the first day of hunting season. A few minutes later he said, "There's a huge buck! Everyone stay back from the windows!" (In case you don't know, we live on 14 acres on top of a mountain - our own hunting grounds!) Of course, we all gathered at the windows to see what was going on! It was amazing - this large buck had about four does with him and he was just casually browsing right beside the driveway.

Todd harvested him in exactly the same spot as last year's buck, and Tyler helped skin and clean him out. Freezer meat!
Good eating this winter - way to go, Todd!!!

"Duct Tape" Days for Homecoming

2009-10-03T22:28:00.001-07:00

Todd and Michael created this amazing Viking helmet for Michael's senior year homecoming duct tape day.

All that weight training and football practice is paying off!
The Nacho Libre mask even got a duct-tape covering!

Bandon Pier

2009-09-22T11:16:00.001-07:00

Life jackets are available for children to wear while walking on the pier - use and return. Great idea. Not sure if that bird is a juvenile seagull or another species.

Crab pot watchers.
These folks were tending crab pots farther out.

So here is the first of a pair of seals, just hanging out! They hit the jackpot with salmon bits and bones washed from a fish cleaning sink out on the pier. The seagulls were pretty happy too!

This seal has a healed gash on its back. It certainly hasn't impaired its ability to eat - this dude or dudette was chubby! And amazingly maneuverable in the water. Really fun to watch!

Beach at Bandon Yesterday

2009-09-22T11:09:00.001-07:00

Annie had a blast at the beach! She is still sleeping after a few hours yesterday chasing seagulls and running amok.

The huge outcroppings of rocks out on the Bandon beaches may be left over from a very old lava flow. All I know is, they are really cool to look at.

What a nice beach to walk on and a perfect day - 75 degrees, light breeze. Aaah.

Blue- Belly Lizard

2009-09-22T11:06:00.000-07:00

Nice one. I wonder what else we miss by only looking at the obvious outward appearance of things and people...

Speed Scrabble (yes, we're still playing it!)

2009-09-22T11:01:00.001-07:00

Maybe you can tell who isn't focused on winning the game?

Ah, now the expectant mother smells sustenance!
Don't let Michelle's sweet look fool you. She's killer at Speed Scrabble!

Feeds the birds, a LOT more than tuppence a bag!

2009-09-22T10:51:00.001-07:00

Can you see how many gold finches are on the sock feeder? We started with about 6 pairs and wound up with more than 40 birds. They brought their kids!

If you enlarge the picture you will be able to see finches bathing in and drinking from the basin there. We haven't counted the kinds of birds that have used it, but off hand they include the finches, spotted towhees, robins, a screech owl, blue jays, chickadees and hummingbirds. That's all I can think of right now. My brain is fuzzy...
Four types of feeders are busy a lot. It makes us happy!

Boys Will be Boys

2009-09-22T10:38:00.000-07:00

Cheeesy!

Comedy and Tragedy
They're so much fun!

2009-08-19T17:26:00.000-07:00

It's hard to blog again, and i believe that this time the issue is busy-ness. At all times, I am aware of several duties/errands/demands that I could/should tend to, and since blogging is for my benefit and pleasure, it tends to be pushed aside for "later". Besides, the days are eaten up with multiple activities, nothing very interesting or blog-worthy.

Or they are very blog-worthy but I forget to take pictures, such as our very nice visit from Laura and Nik this week. Nik taught us speed-Scrabble, which rapidly ratcheted up the list of very fun and fast games we enjoy, even competing for top position with penny dominoes. No pictures. Maybe Laura will have pity and share some on her blog soon.

Now I need to stop this fun activity to be responsible yet again.

Excellent Quote

2009-08-10T12:24:00.000-07:00

"You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it." ~~~~ Dr. Adrian Rogers, 1931

Fantastic Animal Pictures from NatGeo

2009-08-09T14:07:00.001-07:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39556485@N07/sets/72157621875909890/show/

Proof

2009-07-28T23:14:00.001-07:00

What's that? You don't believe me?

There you go.

Lunch with James and Karyn

2009-07-28T22:59:00.001-07:00

The cousins enjoyed each other's company. I thought about making a short joke here, James, but decided against it, not having much room to comment.

We had such a great time with James and Karyn today. Like I said on Facebook, it was really hard to let them go.

It's seriously hard to get a picture of James when he's not commenting on the situation - hmmm, reminds me of my dad! There are so many pictures of Dad with his mouth open or pursed, taken as he was cracking wise. Funny guys, both of them.

We talked and laughed and talked some more. Well, we also ate. I hope they come again soon. We love having guests stop by - please do so if you're in the area!

Random Shots From the Last Week

2009-07-28T22:50:00.001-07:00

These really were just in the camera from this past week so I thought I would share.

I love this view down the valley.

Todd and I did inspections at the coast last week and stopped for a few minutes to look at the lighthouse in Bandon.
Just when we thought we couldn't find a smaller frog, along came this one. (Todd found it and displays it for you here.) Many frogs live in our window boxes, as does this one.

How fun to cut flowers from the yard for today's lunch centerpiece! Aren't they lovely?

As if that weren't enough family...!

2009-07-22T22:36:00.001-07:00

On our way home we stopped at John and Ann's house a couple of times. Jim and Linda were in town - it just was that kind of weekend! It was great to see Dan and Angela - I keep up with them through her wonderful blog at http://dastump.blogspot.com/ . It will make you laugh!

They are wonderful parents to Jake and Tyler, who I have watched online for years, so it was really nice to meet them. There's a whole lotta somebody home here! What fun guys.
What a treat to be with Jim and Linda. They are treasures.

We had a wonderful time with John and Ann et al. They serve a mean warm chocolate chip cookie, and a delicious breakfast the next morning.

I'm really sorry I didn't get a picture of Ann! Missed somehow. But it was pretty cool to have the four of us sibs together. After being with Dave the day before it was like - Hey, Don and Mary Lou! Where you at?! We wished you were with us. We seriously should all get together.

Well, that's it for posts about our trip to further north in the Northwest last weekend. It was a great family fix, that's for sure!

Dinner in Kirkland

2009-07-22T22:24:00.001-07:00

So Saturday night we decided to combine dinner with the ferry ride Pris and I were craving. You see, I absolutely love riding the Washington State ferries. It's a thing from my childhood, and it makes me feel all happy inside. Whenever I go to Washington I try to ride the ferry at least once. It's really inexpensive to walk on and it's a round-trip fare. Here is another ferry on the water at the same time.

We parked by the ferry terminal in Edmonds and walked on to the grande boat. It's only a fifteen or twenty minute ride across to Kirkland. This was taken through the window - hence the reflection.
Isn't the water pretty? It reminds me of shiny blue, very active, jello.

On the Kirkland side we saw this charming community, complete with lots of sailboats. We walked up a small hill from the dock, chose from several nice restaurants, ate a great dinner, walked back down the hill and completed the trip back. Now that's what I call the complete dinner experience!

Sunday Lunch With Dave's Fam

2009-07-22T22:12:00.001-07:00

(Sorry I cut off Nika's head) The younger kids were quite tired of posing, and very cute!

David with Annaliese, his youngest. (I hope I spelled her name right)
Miles and Nika - I was SO bummed it turned out blurry! Nika is a lovely young woman. It was great to catch up with Miles after many years.

Leslie is so much fun to be with. We laughed a lot!

Grandma and Grandpa with six beautiful grandchildren at the waterfront in Kirkland.

Seattle Relatives

2009-07-22T21:59:00.000-07:00

These next blogs may not interest anyone who doesn't know my family, but for anyone who does, you will probably really enjoy them! We'll start with Dave and Shirley on their balcony overlooking Lake Washington. What a beautiful view they have! It was so nice to see them again.

You can sort of see the lake behind us. It is so beautiful in person.
Couldn't believe we ran into Tim and Mary at the street fair in Edmonds!
We stayed with Cynthia and Robert, and Tom hung out with us for a while. We got to meet his lovely new wife, Janeene! It's very nice to see him so happy.

We enjoy these people SO much!

Beating the Heat at the River

2009-07-20T21:44:00.000-07:00

Tyler's "Alfalfa" imitation - can you see his little cowlick, compliments of Michael?

The way this non-swimmer enjoyed the river was in Todd's float tube from his lake fishing days.
Poised to take the jump together...
(I missed the action shot... )
and just popped up!

I love my guys!

Evening Garden Shots

2009-07-09T08:22:00.001-07:00

I don't get many blooms in the pond and this one is worth celebrating. It's a water hyacinth. The blooms only last for a day but they are lovely.

I couldn't resist the setting sun shining through this nicotiana.
Two different lavenders and a mock orange. Oh, and a dusty miller.
The window boxes are looking good. (No brag, just fact - that's an old tv western line - can't think which one - for any youngsters out there!) We haven't had too much extreme heat yet.

Sunset Last Night

2009-07-02T11:00:00.001-07:00

The sky last night was magic!

I couldn't stop marveling at the delicate beauty of these clouds.

(See the moon?)
Like froth from ocean waves. But better.
Then the color became more intense...

...then was gone!

Millie's Wedding

2009-07-02T10:56:00.001-07:00

Our dear friend Millie has remarried. She is in her 70's, her husband in his 80's. She honored me with the request that I decorate for her reception. It was fun!

A closeup of the centerpieces
The greeting table.

I Guess It's Time to Blog!

2009-06-22T21:40:00.001-07:00

I have no certain reason why it has been a month since I blogged, but I certainly have pictures and drama to share now.

About a month ago, we had strong winds that broke the top out of our big leaf maple, but the huge branch stayed up there, hung up and ominous. Today the wind began again and early this evening we heard a huge cracking sound and ran out to see this:

Oh, my swing! I love summer afternoons and evenings swinging in the shade and the breeze, enjoying the view of mountains and farms below me. But my swing - it's toast! Really really toast! It's sure a good thing we weren't swinging.
Very sad.
Todd and Tyler got right to work and now all that tree top is neatly stacked in the back of the truck. Extraordinary! I never dreamed they would finish so quickly, but I should have known - Todd accomplishes amazing things when he sets his mind to it, and Tyler is a really good helper.

Poor swing. Maybe that 20% off coupon on lawn furniture at Fred Meyer is still good!

Home!

2009-05-23T19:34:00.001-07:00

It's great to read blogs again! It feels wonderful to be home, in the most beautiful place I have seen in 10 days. And I've seen a lot of places! I certainly didn't do very well taking pictures of people I love, but took many of the country through which I passed. We'll see how they turned out, as many were taken through the car window at 80 miles per hour! I haven't even seen them yet, but I'm pretty sure several will appear here soon!

Off I Go!

2009-05-14T08:38:00.000-07:00

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.

ROAD TRIP!

Mom's Day

2009-05-10T14:01:00.000-07:00

I wish I had a digital picture of my mom. I would post it here today. I miss her often, but especially on Mother's Day. My husband bought Star Gazer Lilies for her - her favorites and therefore mine. They are sitting beside her picture in the living room.

Sweet Mama. So glad you're with Jesus. So glad I'll be there with you for ever and ever. Still, I guess no matter how old I get, Mother's Day may always bring along a few tears.

Sun!

2009-05-07T09:48:00.000-07:00

For the next three or four days, the sun is scheduled to shine on Wilson's mountain. The thought boggles the mind - what to do? What to do? The possibilities are endless...

More Bandon pics...

2009-04-30T15:19:00.001-07:00

This is Deanna and Joanne walking around the huge rock upon which Linda found the "alive" tidepool. Yes, the tidepools have special significance!

I'm afraid you won't be able to enlarge these two pictures, as they were taken with Deanna's camera and I guess I don't know how to import them properly. I couldn't enlarge them anyway.

This one, however, is taken with my camera so you can look at most of us!

The beach in front of our beach house, where we searched for items to attach to our keepsake boxes. It was so beautiful and peaceful there. I truly did not want to leave.

Misc Pics from the Beach

2009-04-30T15:05:00.001-07:00

Decorating boxes on Friday before dinner. Can you see what a beautiful house we were in? And what beautiful ladies went on the getaway?

Other side of the table.
Sunset out our sliding glass door. We were RIGHT on the beach.

A barren tidepool! Nothing alive that we could see!

Would you believe that Linda found a tidepool on the top of this enormous rock she climbed?! I guess bravery is rewarded. But amazing that the only tidepool we found with lots of living critters was in the most unlikely place!

Thanks, Meg, For the Encouragement to BLOG Already!

2009-04-30T14:39:00.000-07:00

Okay, when we arrived at the beach house in Bandon, I gave an assignment right off the bat. Each lady was to go walk on the beach for an hour and pick up items with which she could decorate the small paper boxes I handed out. What a fantastic assortment and variety of decor we had at the end of the decorating time!

Our study was from Pamela Reeve's little Book Parables by the Sea. As we completed each lesson, each lady received a keepsake to place within her box to remind her of the lesson we had just learned. The first was The Parable of the Shell - God's infinite skill and creativity as He made individual patterns for each shell in the ocean and as He created each one of us, and the keepsake I handed out was...
...a baby sand dollar, no larger than a quarter.

The next morning's lesson was The Parable of the Tidepool, God's life filling us with life! No barren tidepool this, but filled with star fish, sea urchins, tiny fish and so much more. This lesson's keepsake for our little boxes was...

...a baby star fish, again smaller than a quarter.

Saturday evening's lesson was The Parable of the Waves, God's power moving in us to effect change in the lives of those around us. It isn't the water that erodes so much as the strength of the tides and currents moving the water. This was a bit more of a puzzler to figure a keepsake for but eventually Priscilla and I arrived at...

...the ocean in a glass vial. The water cannot move on its own, but is moved by an external force.

This is the inside of my own box. Obviously there is much more snuggled in here than the three keepsake reminders. But they are also here, and will always remind me that God has an individual pattern for my life, that the important thing is that His life lives in me, and that I can effect other's lives as I allow Him to move in me.

Going to the Coast!

2009-04-23T09:13:00.000-07:00

If anyone isn't aware, I lead a couple of ladies small group/Bible studies. This year someone hung onto the idea of a group getaway long enough for it to stick! Long story short, we are taking off on Friday afternoon for a weekend at a rental house in Bandon. These are some pictures of a random trip to Bandon sometime within the past year or two. It was cloudy that day, and we're hoping for sun breaks this weekend!

The web page for our rental house is http://www.seascape-cottages.com/ if you want to see!
I plan to take plenty of pictures to share upon our return.
Please pray that it will be a meaningful time of quiet to listen to God individually
and learn together from His Word,

and really a hoot too!

Finally - A Picture of Both Boys, Having Fun!

2009-04-20T21:05:00.001-07:00

Never a dull moment with these two around!

My Nice Son Tyler...

2009-04-20T19:26:00.001-07:00

...holding gray bunny.

Our Rental House we're Trying to Sell

2009-04-20T19:18:00.001-07:00

We sure worked our tails off on this house, but we're willing to cut our (large) losses just to sell.

Most of the kitchen is brand new, but we left the charming glass-fronted cabinets and built-ins.
One bedroom has a huge built in armoire and desk. I used to say you could sleep a Great Dane in those drawers!
There's a nice sunny living room.

The is one of the two bathrooms - the other one new and this one remodeled.

I like the house and really hope someone wants to buy it!

We're taking a big loss and only asking $150K!

Had to Catch a Hummingbird

2009-04-20T19:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Priscilla discovered a hummingbird caught in the rafters of the greenhouse. The boys tried to catch it, but it took Todd's ingenuity to acomplish the task. He finally used two bamboo poles and a garbage bag to corner/pin the bird and Michael was able to gently capture it for release outside.

Before releasing it we wanted to capture on film (memory card?) the amazing head - it glowed like neon or fluorescence in bright fuchsia. It only really glows in the sunshine. As you can see in the top picture, where I got to hold and release it, pictured with the sun behind it, the head hardly looks colored.

A very cool experience. He took off in a few seconds, straight up about 25 feet, then off to the south and a tree perch. I hope there was nectar available somewhere close. I really should put up a feeder...

The Greenhouse (and peas) in April

2009-04-20T18:51:00.001-07:00

These peas were planted last fall - I wanted to see how they would winter over. As you can see, even several snowfalls couldn't daunt these peas - they are verrry happy and covered with blooms. Peas will happen soon!

This is what the greenhouse was built for! Happy plants.
We collected seeds from two different wave petunias last year, planted them a couple of months ago. They are healthy and will be ready to plant out within a month.

The five kinds of tomatos are also thriving - aren't they beautiful?! And the leaves smell wonderful, Meg! Wish you could smell them for yourself!

The Sun is Here

2009-04-16T08:48:00.000-07:00

Too bad I haven't the time to photograph it, much less bask in it. I feel like - who was it, the Rabbit? in Alice in Wonderland - I'm late for way too many things to accomplish! Listing them would be boring. I miss blogging and sharing pictures and cleaning my house, if you can believe that! Well, those who are self-employed had better make hay the whole time the - SUN SHINES! I get it! (Pausing to appreciate the totally unplanned pun.) Meanwhile I must not be the only one who is busy. Lots of blogs are pretty slow right now.

Wendell Berry - Found on My Own

2009-04-14T06:30:00.000-07:00

S'true! I haven't seen what the fuss was about Mr. Berry (though I'm rather a fan of DAVE Barry!), but reading a very nice article in the Reader's Digest about a Viet Nam adoption, I followed down to the poem underneath and liked it. Then I read the author's name and chuckled. Okay. I officially get it. Here is the poem - see what you think!

The Peace of Wild Things

When despair for the world grows in me

and I wake in the night at the least sound

in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,

I go and lie down where the wood drake

rests his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.

I come into the peace of wild things

who do not tax their lives with forethought

of grief. I come into the presence of still water.

And I feel above me the day-blind stars

waiting with their light. For a time

I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

I am reminded of Scriptures that might speak to Mr Berry's soul if he were of a mind to listen. There is Matthew 10:29-31 - "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."

And there's the one Todd is fond of reminding me about when I fret, in Matthew 6:34 - "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

I won't be all proud and say I always trust God and never fret - I don't, and I do! There are things in my life's circle and the greater world that are troubling, even distressing - sometimes very much so. If I can affect them I try to. But sometimes all I can do is pray and trust them to God, who truly can do that which should be done. The praying is the good stuff. The praying makes a difference.

It's been a while since I felt the despair described elequently above. It's better not to get to that point. But I still find peace where the wild things are.

Baby Smells

2009-04-06T14:30:00.000-07:00

It is a point of fact that baby basil plants may equal baby tomato plants for smelling heavenly.

Sunny Day, Sweeping the Clouds Away...

2009-04-06T09:33:00.000-07:00

Anybody else remember the old Sesame Street opening song?

What a beautiful day! The sun is shining, plants are bustin' out all over, the choir sang over the weekend and I am movin' on! (BTW, our Easter choir experience was WONDERFUL - our church does a community outreach service at the local HS on Easter Sunday, so Palm Sunday is our church family Easter service, and that's when we sang.)

The renters have moved out of Fairmount house, so we are trying, yet again, to sell. Boy, are we ever taking a financial beating on this place. Now we want to just sell really cheap and start over. As Dave Ramsey says, we are paying the stupid tax and learning from it! ANYhow, that means it needs to be staged again. Now, ordinarily that would sound like fun, right? Not this time, because all I want to do this week is garden! There's lots to do in the office, too, and a couple of ministry items that are clamoring for their piece of my attention. So, as wonderful and complete as my plan is for staging, the reality may be much more modest. Anybody want to have a staging party? Hmmm?

But the sun is shining, and it is Easter week, and I just can't stay under the load for very long - it keeps slipping off my shoulders! Four beautiful does meandered through the meadow this morning - so peaceful. As long as they're not eating my (newly-heightened and fortified-fenced) dogwood.

He is Risen!

2009-04-04T12:28:00.000-07:00

Hi guys.

Once again we are celebrating the resurrection season

because Christ Jesus died on the cross to substitute His death for ours,

then He rose again from death and the grave to give us new life in Him!

Oh, how thankful I am, not only to anticipate eternity in Heaven,

but also for the peaceful, abundant life (not easy or perfect!)

that He offers to all who accept it.

He is Risen!

He is Risen Indeed!

The Buzzards are Back!

2009-04-04T11:26:00.000-07:00

That is a pretty tiny picture, but it's "all I got"! (Which movie?)

I don't know if there's any way for you to tell, but this is a picture from yesterday morning of two buzzards sunning themselves in our old growth Douglas fir tree. It was a damp and chilly morning and they chose the highest perch available to spread their wings to catch some heat and Vitamin D. Wait - do animals require Vitamin D too? Hmmm... Anyway, Todd called us in to see them, and it was really fun to watch. (He took the picture and emailed it to me.) Since one of my favorite things about summer here is watching the buzzards ride the hot air currents, I am glad to see them return.

(And since my blogging literacy is limited at best, I can only refer you to a previous blog from Sunday, September 28, 2008, for my post about the buzzards migrating south.)

The Neighbor's Two Day Old Goat

2009-03-26T18:32:00.001-07:00

Isn't she adorable?! Her mama wouldn't accept her, so Annie is feeding her by hand. She can't weight 5 pounds.

She doesn't like to stand on grass, so here she's sprinting onto the sidewalk!
She won't eat from the bottle unless Annie puts it between her legs like this.

(I do not have permission from Annie to put her picture on the blog. In fact, she said "No", but if anyone wants me to, I can email a couple pictures of her and the baby goat to you.)

Not Blogging

2009-03-23T20:56:00.000-07:00

It feels so boring that I haven't blogged in forever, but honestly, there's so much going on that I don't know what to talk about! Random thoughts - *** the bunnies have been set free from their cages within the confines of the greenhouse, and seem to be very happy. There are all sorts of attempts at tunneling out, but thus far the landscapers fabric under the gravel seems to have them stopped. I almost bought a tiny new bunny the other day - the sweetest velvety-black thing - and in the nick of time found out that it was a male. No can do with the two females we already have! *** The Easter choir is coming together really well. It's a pretty small group, around twenty or so?, but really good sounds. *** Tomatoes have been transplanted into four inch pots, and for their (and our) sake it really needs to be warmer at night now so they can go live in the greenhouse! Our little planting room is becoming much too small. Side note - will have plenty of tomato plants to give away! *** The Lord is still blessing us with plenty of work. *** Planning a getaway for our Bible study at the coast. I really can't wait for a bit of a break at a beach house in Bandon. ***Still following the Lord step by step towards a widow's ministry. *** It would be fun to be a private chef. *** I think those are quite enough random thoughts for now. I hope I can get to bed early tonight.

Zona's Teriyaki Sauce

2009-03-07T21:04:00.000-08:00

The assembled ingredients:

Okay, so here is Zona's Teriyaki Recipe:

1 Cup soy sauce

1/2 Cup oil (1 Tbsp of it toasted sesame oil if you have it)

1/2 Cup - well, you have a choice here. I started out making this with Peach Margarita mix (since I never got around to making the actual deal and it needed to be used up), but ran out, so today substituted homemade plum jam. I think the issue is fruitiness.

1 clove grated fresh garlic

1 Tbsp garlic powder

1/4 Cup brown sugar, preferably organic

1 Cup honey

1/2 tsp dried ginger

1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

I mixed this in my food processor, but a whisk works too.

Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to - who decides how long food lasts in the refrigerator? Do they keep it in the door or at the back? 'Cause that makes a difference! I have used one batch for up to a month, although it doesn't usually last that long. And yes, that is my original Tupperware Bug's Life juice pitcher in play here. Works great.

Tonight I chopped and sauteed in batches: celery, asparagus, zucchini, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms and sweet onion, then quickly browned cubed chicken breast, deglazed the pan with a little water, added and brought to a boil about 1/2 Cup of the teriyaki sauuce and thickened with a little water mixed with corn starch. Added the chicken back to the pan stirred in with the sauce; served chicken and veggies over white rice with another drizzle of the teriyaki sauce for good measure. Of course, wild and/or brown rice would have been even better.

There was a serious amount of food (a family pack of chicken breast, for example) prepared for three teens and three adults. All that remains is a small amount of rice and a few pieces of chicken. Consumed.

I hope you make and enjoy this easy and very tasty sauce!

Good Feelings

2009-03-05T16:59:00.000-08:00

The sun just came and peeked at me from under the edge of the gray blanket I've been beneath all day. And a ladybug has suddenly alit on the log's register page where I am industriously working. And at teacher conferences today, I heard such very nice things about my boys. Good things. I'm thankful.

Poetry Wednesday

2009-03-04T08:59:00.000-08:00

The Love of God
by Frederick M. Lehman

The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.

O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.

When years of time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men, who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.

Great Post on Giving

2009-03-03T20:51:00.000-08:00

What a great post about four non-Christians and their entirely godly position on giving. Randy's comments are so good!

http://randyalcorn.blogspot.com/

Prayer, Please

2009-03-03T08:35:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Irene Tansy, a wonderful Christian native sister from Copper Center, was accidently run over and killed by her elderly husband. (See story at http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/707928.html) Please cover the village and surrounding community in prayer as they try to deal with this huge loss. Comfort, strength, trust.

Random Pictures

2009-02-28T20:02:00.000-08:00

Pulled these beauties out of the oven about 15 minutes ago - Pecan Sticky Buns - YUM!!!

In the winter I rarely check on the koi, so it was reassuring to count 13 fish the other day. They're all still healthy!

For anyone who has had to navigate our "driveway" the past several months, you will be glad to know that it now resembles a real driveway much more closely, thanks to three days work by two men on three large, noisy machines. Now the driveway feels like a highway! Quite a relief.

A recent sunrise down the valley.
My favorite - a crescent moon.

I think it may be time to post pictures of the very start of the year's baby plants - they are beginning to sprout! What fun!

Spring's A-Comin'!

2009-02-18T09:46:00.000-08:00

Yes, ladies and gents, the signs are everywhere. Lambs are already born, calving has begun. Daffodil buds grow fat along with camellia buds and leaf buds on the big leaf maple. And the real clincher? Seeds have been ordered! (Seeds amaze me. How does a 5 foot tall tomato plant come out of that little brown thing?) Anyway, tables, flats and potting trays, seed starting soil and the mat heater are being assembled in the new craft/sewing/seed starting room. We'll begin the step of faith probably this weekend, carefully placing seeds into special soil, watering just so, heating from the bottom. Life changes, centered around caring for baby plants for months to come. It's so exciting!!!

Sunrise Over the Hill

2009-02-13T09:01:00.001-08:00

Todd alerted me to this a little while ago. I braved the icy porch, again in my robe and tennies, 'cause these pictures needed to be taken. Sometimes looking at beauty makes a big difference to me. I hope you enjoy them.

This is the stairway Todd made to go up to the next level where the office is.

And the sky was blue today! After a few days of clouds, I so welcome blue sky. I love how the trees are all misty with fog and they're backlit with the sunrise.

And, while you didn't ask for them...

2009-02-08T15:17:00.000-08:00

...I thought you might enjoy these pictures of the blowing sand. Can you tell the lighter layer above the darker sand?

What, more?

2009-02-08T15:13:00.000-08:00

Well, I took a lot of sand pictures this time!

A baby jelly. Cool how the shadow has a clear place where the light shows right through.

Isn't this one amazing? It looks like ceiling tiles or something.

More Beach Pictures, as Requested

2009-02-08T15:08:00.001-08:00

What? I told you I wore my slippers!

I took this picture for Eric, as I remember his fondness for small pieces of driftwood, but sand patterns also show.
Sun reflection close to the water.

This pattern I had never seen before. It was totally dry, and looked like very heavy-weight sandpaper.

More Bandon Beach Pictures

2009-02-07T22:11:00.000-08:00

The wind was whipping on the beach, sand was flying by, and our friend who was raised in Hawaii was not amused by her first experience with the temperatures at the beach on this side of the Pacific Ocean. We found a spot out of the wind behind this huge rock, and set up our folding chairs. I donated a down jacket and fleece blanket to the cause of keeping her from hypothermia, to join her gloves, hat, two shirts and a sweatshirt. She still froze.

We settled into our protected spot, but you know - we just couldn't see the waves very well.
Priscilla was the first one to make a break for the ocean. She was soon far away and down by the waves and rocks. I think she is happiest right there. Michelle eventually unbent her frozen self out of her chair and joined us by the water for some rock-hounding.
I am endlessly fascinated by patterns in the sand created by water and wind. I took many more pictures than these ten, several of other interesting patterns, but those will only be posted by request. I don't want to bore you.

A friendly passer-by took this nice picture of us friends as we (reluctantly) left the beach and headed back home. What a nice break.

I didn't mention the shopping. It was a particularly profitable shopping day. Took my mind riiiight off my troubles. I mean responsibilities.

Pictures from Bandon Today

2009-02-07T22:00:00.000-08:00

It was fabulous and sunny at the coast today. Here are some photos to share the beauty as best I can. Of course, it would have been better, and a lot more fun, if you had been here with us!

Way down the beach you can see another huge rock in the hazy distance.

The sky, the water, the rocks. It was...magic. (What movie?)
With the reflection it was majesty and beauty times two. If you click on this picture to enlarge it, you will see that the crest of the wave is being blown back beautifully!

This little wave chased Priscilla and me about 50 feet in as the tide advanced! It was hard to run in my slippers, more like a fast shuffle - yes, I was wearing my bedroom slippers. Long story which you will not read here. Or anywhere. Priscilla was laughing so hard she started coughing and could hardly run!

Work and Play

2009-02-05T20:44:00.000-08:00

My hat is off to working women. I was a working woman for a long time, and I remember how exhausting it was to come home and face a home, a husband and children who all needed my energy and attention. Our business is pretty busy right now, and when it wasn't, several months ago, we had to lay off our oh-so-capable part-time employee. So now that it is again, I am spending several hours every day in the office.

I'm not complaining, mind you. I'm so thankful for the work and okay with this situation. I'm just tired. Now that I'm more used to keeping the house in some semblance of order, I really want to hang onto that and not go back to the stress of an unkept house. So I have been doing housework and cooking/baking in the mornings, then heading up to the office for several hours, then home to complete undone tasks.

And I have help! At least with cooking, and periodically cleaning the kitchen. Still tired.

Any-hoo...

A friend from church invited Priscilla and me to spend this Friday night at a nice hotel in Bandon with her, and Saturday puttering around the beach and shops. What a concept - rest, relax, stop thinking about the next task? I am sort of wondering what it will feel like, honestly!

I have a feeling photographs will be taken. I'll share when I get back, k?

Beautiful Morning

2009-02-03T21:26:00.001-08:00

It was pretty enough this morning to get me outside in my robe and old tennie runners to take some photos. Thank goodness for privacy on the mountain! It was pretty chilly (33 degrees) but well worth the brisk-ness to be under this perfect sky. Here I faced east and south, and if you click on it to enlarge the picture, four contrails are visible.

Here I was looking west and north. It was like a river of fog down there.

So much for the transport to outdoor bliss - it was time to get the boys up and ready for school!

A Please read

2009-01-28T17:49:00.000-08:00

There is a fascinating article posted, written by an atheist on why Africa needs Christianity. See the January 24 post at randyalcorn.blogspot.com

Easter

2009-01-28T10:08:00.001-08:00

I think I have found the choir's Easter music! I'm excited!

Poetry Monday

2009-01-26T13:10:00.000-08:00

Tenth Avenue North - By Your Side from the album Over And Underneath

Why are you striving these days?
Why are you trying to earn grace?
Why are you crying?
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away

Why are you looking for love?
Why are you still searching?
As if I'm not enough?
To where will you go child,
Tell me where will you run?
To where will you run?

Chorus:

Cause I'll be by your side
wherever you fall
In the dead of night
whenever you call
Please don't fight
these hands that are holding you

My hands are holding you
Look at these hands, at my side
They swallowed the grave,
on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life

Chorus:

Here at my side
wherever you fall
In the dead of night
whenever you call
Please don't fight
these hands that are holding you

My hands are holding you
And I, I love you
And I want you to know
That I, I'll love you

Chorus

We Have a Bobcat

2009-01-26T11:29:00.000-08:00

No, not the cute miniature bulldozer sort of bobcat that would help us control our property. This was the omnivore sort of bobcat, that populates a great deal of our country but is very rare to see outside of a zoo. Todd spotted it (literally, with his million-candle power flashlight) in the dark this morning, standing down by the garage. It was big, too, but definitely a bobcat, not a cougar.

In researching this newly recognised resident of our mountain, I discovered that he (too large to be a she) is likely the reason for the disappearance of three cats from our property in the last 4 years. I like snuggling with a cat, and they kept the outside mouse population in check. But we haven't replaced the last one, because I thought there was a cougar in our territory. Maybe there is - we have seen one a couple of times. But bobncats definitely eat small mammals. Well, we haven't had to deal with any skunks lately! But it's just not right to raise cougar/bobcat kibble.

And, no, before you suggest it, I detest having a catbox inside. And cats being nocturnal creatures, I can foresee being awakened in the middle of snooze. A friend of mine told me that she keeps her cats inside at night without a catbox and they are fine. But what if they didn't come in when we called? Large predator cat crunchies. On the other hand, I really like kitty snuggles and purrs, and the rodent population had exploded outside. I must give this a think.

Michael's Turn

2009-01-22T22:41:00.000-08:00

If you had been watching me at the wrestling match today waiting for Michael's turn, you might have thought, from the way I was concentrating on playing Bejeweled on Todd's cell phone, that I was bored. Au contraire, mon frere. I was frantically trying to withstand the barrage of screaming voices from the crowd, strong young men desperately straining to physically dominate each other, and an atmosphere of intolerable testosterone density.

And I have to say, his team didn't look so good! Lots of pins for and losses to the other two teams. All I wanted was for Michael to do his best. This is his first year wrestling since 4th grade, and we hadn't been able to see him wrestle all year. So here he was, at home, second to last match in the whole shindig. He stepped up to the middle of the mat, shook hands in feigned friendliness, then a second later had grabbed the unfortunate young opponent and turned him on his head. His legs were kicking up in the air! (Too bad I didn't get a picture of that.) After the referee explained to Michael and his coach why he wasn't allowed to do that (something about a full Nelson...) the match resumed.

Michael is in the blue uniform, which is called something I can't remember just now. The pictures tell the tale of the match. Michael won overwhelmingly on points, but he also pinned his opponent! Well done, young man!

Now, anyone who asks me will hear my opinion of wrestling. Okay, so you didn't ask but I'll share anyway. I think that wrestling is the hardest sport for a mother to watch and the best sport for young men to participate. In. It teaches the timid to be brave, the meek to understand physical contact, the weak to strengthen their muscles, the brainy to discover their brawn and loners to become part of a team while still competing individually.

Obviously, it's not going to be a sport in which everyone excels, but it's really worth a season's try. If the mother can stand it. (Shudder.) Keep a video game handy. Or a very good book. Earplugs would be good. Perfume.

Poetry Tuesday

2009-01-20T21:38:00.000-08:00

Your Laughter

Take bread away from me, if you wish,
take air away, but
do not take from me your laughter.

Do not take away the rose,
the lance flower that you pluck,
the water that suddenly
bursts forth in joy,
the sudden wave
of silver born in you.

My struggle is harsh and I come back
with eyes tired
at times from having seen
the unchanging earth,
but when your laughter enters
it rises to the sky seeking me
and it opens for me all
the doors of life.

My love, in the darkest
hour your laughter
opens, and if suddenly
you see my blood staining
the stones of the street,
laugh, because your laughter
will be for my hands
like a fresh sword.

Next to the sea in the autumn,
your laughter must raise
its foamy cascade,
and in the spring, love,
I want your laughter like
the flower I was waiting for,
the blue flower, the rose
of my echoing country.

Laugh at the night,
at the day, at the moon,
laugh at the twisted
streets of the island,
laugh at this clumsy
boy who loves you,
but when I open
my eyes and close them,
when my steps go,
when my steps return,
deny me bread, air,
light, spring,
but never your laughter
for I would die.

-Pablo Neruda

Tyler's Honor Choir

2009-01-19T10:03:00.000-08:00

Tyler had a wonderful and successful experience at State Honor Choir! Thank you to everyone who talked to the Lord on his behalf. I'm sure he grew tremendously as a person and performer as well as a vocalist. He had to: stand up for what was right (didn't let his roommates sneak a girl into the room), learn choreography for the first time (impressive!) and survive in an environment of hundreds of people, none of whom he knew, all doing different things.

There he is before the concert, sitting on the back riser with his hands folded, patiently and calmly waiting.

Ah, there he saw mom and gave me a very sweet smile. Sweet, but cool, of course.

The Choir Director was Elena Sharkova, a most impressive and vivacious woman. If you google her, you'll be impressed too. What a great thing that these kids were able to sit under her direction and learn from a real master. And she was funny!

Tyler is all ready to go again next year, but his choir teacher says he'll need a a taped audition for High School. Maybe it's time for voice lessons...

Tyler's Honor Choir and Prayer Request

2009-01-14T23:20:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I take Tyler north to Eugene for his experience at State Honor Choir! It's interesting parenting an Asperger's child. He has these amazing musical abilities, and I'm thrilled that he was chosen for this honor (sic). But - there will be no one there who knows him, who knows what to do if he gets frustrated or loud. Or gets lost in space (figuratively, most of the time). So the plan (after much prayer, thought and discussion with Todd) is for me to take him up early and try to speak with the folks who will be supervising this huge group of Middle Schoolers (a shudder actually just ran through me!) and try to explain Aspergers in words of one syllable about a young man who looks perfectly normal, and try not to come off as simply an over-protective mother.

If I am confident that someone responsible understands the situation, I will leave him in their care and trust them, Tyler and God with his safe-keeping. This is a 2-day event, by the way, and so he will have to maneuver sleeping in a hotel room and remember to take his pills (which, although naturopathic, really make a significant difference in his ability to relate successfully to the world around him). He will have Todd's cell phone for emergencies, and I can be up there in an hour. Pris and I plan to attend his performance Friday evening, and hopefully everything will go smoothly and he will have had an enriching and satisfying experience.

Still, if you think of him, would you please pray for him? And me. I'm a little anxious.

Poetry Friday

2009-01-09T09:38:00.000-08:00

Dream Variations

To fling my arms wide
In some place of the sun,
To whirl and to dance
Till the white day is done.
Then rest at cool evening
Beneath a tall tree
While night comes on gently,
Dark like me-
That is my dream!

To fling my arms wide
In the face of the sun,
Dance! Whirl! Whirl!
Till the quick day is done.
Rest at pale evening...
A tall, slim tree...
Night coming tenderly
Black like me.

Langston Hughes

The Christmas Choir on YouTube!

2009-01-04T17:20:00.000-08:00

I hope you can take 9 or 10 minutes to listen to our 3 songs from Christmas weekend. We just had a marvelous time!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxCaxFpJqyw

New Year's Eve

2009-01-01T18:05:00.000-08:00

How's that for a buffet table? Chowder and sandwich fixin's along with snacks and condiments.

You won't catch Todd letting me put his picture on the web often, so look quick! This picture may self-destruct in 5-4-3...

Snow/Green

2009-01-01T18:00:00.000-08:00

This was a while ago. The weather has been rainy rather than snowy for about a week.

But it was serious for awhile!
Annie wasn't too sure where to piddle!

This rainbow was just disappearing as Todd called me to look.

See, I really prefer green to black and white!

It's Beautiful After All

2008-12-18T10:09:00.000-08:00

For the enjoyment of any blog readers who are actual fans of snow, these pictures are for you! It doesn't look like this anymore, which is A-OK by me. But I guess it was kinda pretty after all.

And here's my current contribution to the Christmas spirit. It's much prettier in person, especially when it's the only light in the dark room first thing in the morning!