those crafting vices

In an earlier post I mentioned I was busy with "crafting vices". Well...much of that energy was directed toward knitting. See evidence below:

I also knitted one for Will. Unfortunately, the timing of his opening it wasn't terribly conducive to getting a picture. If I had one, I'd post it. (hint, hint) We sent out other handmade gifts this year, too. I'd love to see pictures of them being modeled. (hint, hint)

Happy Christmas!

We just got back from our Christmas Day hike, the most strenuous thing we are attempting today. Rob is in the kitchen putting together a couple of Spanish coffees for us to sip while we open the cards and presents that arrived while we were out of town last week. It's been a lovely day. We hope you have had a joyful Christmas Day. Our love to all.

Speaking of last week...we were delighted to be the houseguests of my brother, sister-in-law and nephew. Unfortunately, BJ was away at a training for work so we didn't see him until the morning we left. It was nice to spend some down time with Cassie and Will though. Will has got to be the happiest baby I have ever experienced. Right from the moment he wakes up, his grin is ready to spill across his face. I hope he keeps this sunny attitude for his whole life.

I'm going to leave you with this picture of Will standing with his dad behind him. He's eager to walk. I'm certain he will be moving on his own by his birthday.

good grief!

Thanksgiving? That was my last post? Yikes.

No, I didn't fall off the edge of the Earth but I have been avoiding the computer in favor of other activities...various crafting vices, a bit of reading, and getting out as much as the weather will allow. It's been pretty darn cold and windy here.

We leave on Friday after work for Portland and then a swing through Seattle for the 2007 Solstice/Christmas/Holiday of Good Cheer trip. In preparation, this is my project for the night:


Thankfully we had it together enough last week to send out the east coast packages so this is only booty for the west coast gig. Tonight it's me and happy paper and transparent tape with holiday tunes merrily chirping along in the background. (Yes, my train of thought is a bit tweaked right now. I'd say it was the latte but then what's my excuse every other time??)

Toodle loo and ho ho ho.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

It's pretty darn cold and white here this morning. When I took Tiika out for her morning constitutional, it was snowing lightly. It's too cold for it to be much more than that.

Rob is in the kitchen making us a hearty breakfast. We intend to head out into the cold and hike the morning away. This afternoon we are heading to the Furey's house for feasting, fun and extended-family celebration of the richness and wealth of our lives.

We hope all of you are surrounded by your dear ones, enjoying each other today.

Much love.

.Jenn, Rob & Tiika.

snowy world

We're still alive and kicking here. It's truly winter now, too. We got hit with a lot of heavy, wet snow overnight on Sunday/Monday morning. This article in the Missoulian sums it up pretty well along with a nice picture. We weren't without electricity for too long though we didn't have water when we got home from work. It was restored in a reasonable time.

I am posting this from work since our computer at home is in flux right now. This should be resolved in the next day or so.

I'm looking forward to a nice, four-day weekend...

home, home, home

Yippee! I'm home. Rolled in kind of late last night. Completely wired by the triple latte I picked up in Coeur d'Alene. That much caffeine made it difficult to sleep. Regardless, it was great to get home to Rob and Tiika. They had flowers, chocolate and a card waiting for me in addition to hugs and kisses and leaps. In service to my health, I slept in this morning and am just now getting ready to head in to work. Back to the routine.

still out of town

I'm still out of town but wanted to pop in here for a second.

This weekend was amazing for me. I was surrounded by great people, doing something that matters to me. Truly, there is nothing else quite like it. I think I must have said that a dozen times yesterday alone.

For more information about what I was up to, see the Excellence Seminars International website. The specific course I was there to support is called The Wall.

I first took these courses back in the 90's in Portland and got a lot of value out of them. I have volunteered a fair amount of time over the intervening years because I love going back and revisiting the content and being a part of other people's discovery process. Due to being in Montana, it's been a while. I am glad I took advantage of the opportunity when it presented itself.

And tomorrow I get to see Teal, Gretchen and Mike. A nice bonus of being in the area. =)

you should see this

I just came across this story in my morning perusing of the New West headlines. It is about a grizzly bear that got hit and killed near Lincoln, MT. The pictures are jaw dropping though a little bloody. It is a HUGE animal, notice how much room he takes up on the bed of the truck. Wow...poor bear. He makes the one we saw on our bike ride look like a mini.

out of town

I am heading out of town this afternoon. Going to Seattle to volunteer with a program that has been important to me over the last 15+ years. I have missed being involved since moving here. I am really looking forward to the experiences of the weekend. As a bonus I get to hang out with (at least a bit) with some friends and visit with Teal, Mike and Gretchen before coming home on Wednesday. I might even get in a hike in the Cascades. The last item will depend on the weather.

There's a chance I'll be writing between now and then but no guarantees. Have a great week!

amazing cellist

Last night we were privileged to hear an amazing cellist from Israel, Amit Peled, as part of a festival concert at UM. He is the most expressive cellist I have ever seen. Not that I've seen that many, mind you. However, it's not often that symphony music stirs me. And at this performance, I was stirred. I could feel the resonance in my chest.

The piece I liked best was a Jewish prayer that comes early in the celebration of Yom Kippur called Kol Nidrei, Op. 47. The symphony plays the part of the congregation and the lead cello is the cantor. I really enjoyed the interplay of the two.

The second piece Mr. Peled contributed was a Tchaikovsky one with lively variations. It was a lighter piece. It was a demonstration of just how high a cello can go. (Much higher than you might think.)

We left at the intermission because he wasn't going to be playing any further and we were tired. Apparently he is going to be recording a cd with the String Orchestra of the Rockies called "The Jewish Soul". We are both very curious about it and may have to search it out.

(Oh, by the way, this concert was free.)

how could I forget?

I don't know how I forgot to mention this...

On our way to the main course we encountered wildlife in the form of a black bear. Someone in the group saw him (?) ambling through a yard and stopped to watch, giving him a wide berth. As the rest of us caught up and waited him out he gathered some speed and dashed across the path in front of us to the safety of the trees at the creek. He was eager to be out of our presence and get back to being a bear in the woods.

It was great to see him. I have been hearing about the bears in Greenough Park for weeks but hadn't actually seen any. A best guess at age and weight is about 4 years old and 350lbs. He looked as though we'd interrupted him from rolling around on the ground as his fur was covered in dusty dirt.

progressive bicycle dinner

The day after the James Taylor concert we had a date with the bicycle club. We have never done a ride with the club before but were invited to join them for their semi-annual progressive dinner.

The idea is this, you ride from house to house eating your way through the courses of the meal beginning with appetizers and ending with dessert. Everyone brings something to contribute so it's also a potluck. We got tagged for dessert, hence the pumpkin pie mentioned in an earlier post. (My red pouring bowl was perfect for the task of mixing the filling. Not a drop was spilled in the transfer! Thanks, Mom!)

We began with layered dip and chips as our appetizer at the first house, then we pedaled the long way to the next course: soup. One of the goals of this ride appears to be, never go the direct way if there's a more fun and invigorating option. Enroute to the soup course we had a pause so a member could announce that she had reached her 1000th mile for the year. Oh, by the way, this member is in her late 70's. She's pretty amazing in my book.

After soup, we headed to the University district for salad. There was a pile of luscious greens and a salad with chunks of chicken and pea pods. Both were delicious. The next course was the main dish. We were getting a bit nervous about arriving at this next stop. It was up the Rattlesnake which could mean a good bit of climbing. Luckily, they weren't located where it initially sounded like they were, though it was still a bit of a climb.

Main dishes included a quiche, two versions of a Mexican casserole and meatloaf. I'm not ordinarily a fan of meatloaf but decided to try this one. I'm glad I did, it was moist and delicious. We're supposed to be getting the recipe.

And now it was time to head back down the hill, returning to almost the starting point, for the dessert course. Besides our pumpkin pie there was chocolate cake and cheesecake served with a yummy punch. There was a small fire out in the front yard in one of those pit things and lots of lounging around as folks relaxed. We had ridden about 33 miles and taken six hours to cover it. Eating every 8-10 miles really slows things down!

As this was my first ride of the year, my butt was very sore for the next few days. I think Rob's was a bit sore, too. He hadn't ridden since the fires crept in this summer. We were pooped and satisfied when we got home.

about that concert

Last Saturday we went to the event I have been waiting a long time for: the James Taylor concert. First, a little backstory. The last time I had a chance to go, I was getting MARRIED! When I found out about this concert, I was very excited until I realized it was going to happen while Rob was out of town. I was initially stymied about what to do. He suggested asking our friends Tim and Sue if they wanted to go. I did and they did so I bought three tickets and the wait began.

In the meantime, Rob's plans changed and he was now going to be in town for the concert and really wanted to go. Unfortunately, the concert was sold out by then and the only tickets I came across were on sale by people looking to make some money. I told Tim and Sue about the situation. Since they move in much larger circles than us, we figured they'd come across a fourth ticket before the concert. They never did and neither did we. Tim said he would give up his seat for Rob. (What a great friend!)

It was decided that all four of us would go out before the concert for beers and wings and Tim would be our chauffeur. The restaurant we went to was within walking distance, so about an hour before the concert was to begin, he went over to see if there were any affordable options on a ticket for him. He was gone about 15 minutes. When he returned, he sadly said, "They are all sold out at the ticket office." Then the grin appeared. He had approached a couple of people on the sidewalk selling their tickets. They wanted too much, so he wandered inside to see what the situation might be. He ran into a woman who had a friend who was sick and wouldn't be attending with her. She gave him the friend's ticket. For FREE! Yes, you read that right, Tim got a free ticket to the concert.

We were all thrilled. Though we wouldn't be sitting together, at least he'd be able to go. His seat was way up in the "nose bleed" section. He sat there for about 5 minutes before he went to go get a beer. He ended up not sitting for the entire concert but enjoyed it immensely anyway. He even got to wander the main floor where we were because as soon as we got seated, Sue gave him her ticket in case anyone asked what he was doing.

Rob, Sue and I had the primo seats. We were near the center in Row 6. I could see everything about James Taylor I wanted to. He's a great performer. He seems so humble and yet connected to the crowd. He really seemed to be looking at the crowd, making eye contact. Most of the playlist was made up of his enormous run of hits: Sweet Baby James, Fire and Rain, Steamroller, Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight. He also did some of his 80's & 90's hits: Copperline, Line 'Em Up. Honestly, I was so focused on being present and just enjoying I don't remember the exact playlist. It was simply great and fun and romantic with Rob by my side.

In spite of having had such a nice time, I'm not sure I will do it again. Rob and I were talking over the next couple of days and while we thoroughly enjoyed the experience, it is just crazy what it costs to get there. For what we paid in tickets, we could have had every single one of his cds to enjoy anytime we wanted AND have some beers to go with them. It is simply an extravagance for us that we don't intend to repeat. I love live music but in this case, the equation just doesn't add up. I'm glad we went because this particular experience has been on my list for a long time. Now I can cross it off and be satisfied.

Wild Me

You simply have to check out this interactive website: Build Your Wild Self. It is great fun for kids and adults. This was my result from the first time around:


Cool, huh? And there was also a bit about the parts I chose. I don't want to show them here so you can try it without bias. Go for it! I want to do another, more wild child one.

bonus

For as grumpy as I've been about work lately, I have to admit I had a nice time at the celebration dinner on Monday night. Especially the next morning when I opened the envelope I was given that evening. It was a bonus, something I had a hunch (and a hope!) was coming. The delightful surprise was the amount. After taxes, it is just short of what I owe for ArtFest (before taxes it was more than enough, dang taxes!).

As soon as I deposit my bonus, I will be sending off a check for the final payment so I won't even have to think about it anymore. I can then focus more on putting together my supplies. This year ought not be quite so daunting since I have most of the basics and my classes mostly require basics with a few frills throw in for spice. Honestly, I still have a few things I bought last year that haven't even been touched!

happy pumpkin day!

Isn't that the cutest pumpkin you've ever seen? And here I thought babies came from under a cabbage leaf. Who knew?

I have a lot I'd like to say about last weekend but just haven't had the time and energy to sit down and write it all out. The short version: it was jam-packed and a ton of fun.

Whatever you all are doing tonight, have fun and be safe. Love ya!

reply to comment

From the Crusto Heart comments:

Let me know when the Big Lug gets back and I'll come over and share it with you!! I'll bring the beer!

So...who would we have been greeting at the door? And what kind of beer did you bring?

crusto heart

I have a pumpkin pie in the oven baking. There was a little bit of crust left over so I shaped it into a sweet heart to share with Rob when he and Tiika get back from their romp about town.

All together now...Awww...

This plate was a gift from Rob. It's a favorite, made by a
local potter. The heart is hiding a swirl in the middle.

bright moon

Tonight's moon is a full one and is supposed to be the brightest one of the year. If this morning's glow is any indication, it ought to be awesome. When Tiika and I took our morning stroll I couldn't even see the beam of my headlamp it was so bright out. I say, if you have a chance to view the moon tonight, do it!

Here we even had a ring around the moon. It was a huge ring. Rob and I both remember that a ring is supposed to signify a change in the weather but we don't recall if it's an improvement or a deterioration. Anyone else know?

Have a great weekend all!

4 or 28?

Our girl Tiika had a birthday yesterday. She turned 4 or 28 depending on your perspective (human or dog).

When we first brought her home, after she got up to date on her shots, we took her everywhere with us to get her socialized. One of her favorite places (oh, ok and one of ours, too) was the Bayern Brewery tasting room. She tried her darndest to get served...








So we thought it only appropriate that for her birthday this year she ought to be able to pop one open and enjoy a little Bayern at home. A seasonal favorite around here, the Oktoberfest brew.


It might have been a bit much for her however...


She seemed to recover just fine when we brought out her birthday cookie, frosting and all.

Now you see it...

Now you don't!

Happy Birthday Tiika-girl!!! Love, Pop and Mama

new old music and movie

Over the weekend we went to our local music store/gift shop/cards and doo-dads place, Rockin' Rudy's because they were having their semi-annual sale. I didn't have anything in mind as we cruised through. We actually stopped to get new headphones for Rob (which they didn't have in the style he wanted, bummer). As I passed by the soundtracks I suddenly had a craving for the music of "Dirty Dancing". Lo and behold, they had a 20th (!) anniversary edition with 27 pieces from the movie.

I can't believe it has been 20 years since I sat in our living room in Forest Grove with Deana, Sally and my mom watching Patrick Swayze work his magic. Such a crush...and I can relive it anytime I want to either with the movie or now on my iPod with the soundtrack...ahhh...

"Nobody puts Baby in a corner."

Good memories of girlhood days and daydreams.

new 'do

Today was the day I meant to have about 8 weeks ago. That day I chickened out, today I went for it. Or rather, Mario went for it. I got my hair cut, really cut. Check it out:




Didn't he do a great job? I am so happy with it.














Of course, we'll see how it looks after I've washed it and applied my overpriced, luscious smelling product to it.













Oh, and Tiika likes it too:


(So does Rob, but he wanted to take the pictures. For some reason he doesn't trust Tiika with the camera...)

do you podcast?

Actually, what I mean is do you listen to podcasts? (Podcasts being news stories or "radio" shows of a sort.) One of the fabulous benefits I have through my iPod is listening to podcasts while at work. I am subscribed to a variety of them from NPR to Bill Maher, techy info and news to grammar tidbits. Some are short, averaging five minutes in length and others can come in at over an hour.

When I am working on a particularly rote task or something that simply doesn't require a lot of concentration, I flip into podcast mode. I love having most of my cd library at my fingertips but singing out loud as I work is kind of frowned upon so I try to limit exposing my co-workers to this treat too often. Since I don't read the newspaper much and never see the evening news, this is my way of keeping up on things that I find interesting.

One podcast in particular can be an eye-opening listen though I've always found them to be worthwhile, the This American Life podcast with Ira Glass. Sometimes they are things specifically produced for them and other times they are repeats of other people's reporting.

Today's podcast touched me. It was about prisoners in jail doing a scene from Hamlet. These prisoners were some pretty hard cases. All were men that society in general wants to write off. By the end, I was moved to tears. I want to have hope that every person in the prison population can be changed for the positive like these men seemed to be. It takes work and time for them and those that are willing to help them. The woman running the theater program for prisoners is a real hero to me.

To check out This American Life (and other numerous podcasts) you can go to iTunes here:





Or their website, This American Life.

one last bit on Blue Mountain Run

This will be the last time I mention the Blue Mountain Run, I promise!

On the Monday after the race I received the email below regarding my results from that day. Although I wasn't in it to win anything, it was interesting to see how I stacked up with the rest of the participants. (Can anyone explain percentiles to me? I know I probably learned something about them in math class oh-so-many years ago but can't recall any longer.)

Congratulations on finishing the Blue Mountain All Women's Run on October 06, 2007. For your records, the weather that day was overcast and cool.

There were 37 finishers in the Women 30 to 39 age group and 186 finishers in your distance. A total of 505 particpants signed up.

Your overall finish place was 87 and your age group finish place was 19. Your overall finish percentile was 47 while your age group percentile was 51. Your time of 34:27.7 gave you a 11:07 pace per mile.

And the Sunday following the race I created this journal page:


I like the picture in the upper right hand corner but I'm going to have to reprint it. I was fighting with the printer to even get that much to successfully output. I may have to mess with it in Photoshop a bit though because I really like the effect of the screwy printer.

Rob thinks I should do this event next. We'll see...

a poem I like

This poem from a book I am currently reading. I'm not much into poetry so was surprised when this one struck a chord with me. What do you think?

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
Some momentary awareness
comes as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all! ...

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
-Rumi

9_29_07 journal page

This is the first page in a new art journal I started. Last year at work, one of the printers we do business with sent us a bunch of calendars. After everyone had what they wanted or could use, there were still some monthly ones laying around. I grabbed one with the thought that maybe I could use it in my art.

It had been sitting in a stack with other possible materials until I got the bug to start an altered book-art journal while Rob was out of town. The idea of taking a whole book (novel-size) was a bit overwhelming. When I saw this in my pile I was struck with how perfect it was for my mood. It measures approximately 8" x 9.5" and has probably less than 20 pages. I haven't actually counted them but there is a spread for each month and some extra information pages so it's in that ballpark. A nice number to complete over a reasonable amount of time. The spiral binding ought to allow me to add things to my pages without worrying about whether it will still close or not.

I spent an afternoon putting gesso on each of the pages, letting them dry and then putting down some color in the form of acrylic paint. It really helps the process of creating a page if I have some color to get me started. As the afternoon wore on, I got a little bit impatient waiting for the pages to dry so put waxed paper between damp pages. I ended up getting some cool effects that way.

I really like how this turned out as a booklet. The different colored tabs are fun and draw me in. I can imagine doing a little doodle or number or something on them. I will certainly be watching for extra calendars like this as the new year approaches. You can see them on the right-hand edge of the scan.

For this first page, I was pretty excited about my findings of the day and was drawn to a red page. The style of the page is similar to lots of pages I have seen. I began by gluing down some scraps of my good news and a little tree I had drawn. From there, I had the phrase "crazy good" in my mind so I lettered it on boldly. After that, I knew I wanted to write some narrative about the day so put in lines for writing on. I wrote my piece using a couple of different colored pens. The last step was embellishing the gaps. I'm really into swirls and have started adding length to them, connecting them in various ways, just playing with them. I also used my little bee stamp and some other doodles to fill the space as well as further emphasizing the bold letters. I really like how the white dots turned out on CRAZY.

There you have it!

blue mountain run

This year was the last year the Blue Mountain Clinic will be running their all women only run. Next year, men will be invited to participate.

Since I started running, I have wanted to participate in this event. Two years ago would have been the best year for me as far as being physically fit. I think I could have even trained for the 10K. It didn't work out that way. Oh well. Happily, I was able to get myself in shape enough over the last month or so that I could do the 5K today without dying.



Below is a Google map of the course. Most of it was in the equestrian park so was quite nice (no cars and soft but firm ground). If you click on the "Hyb" tab in the upper right corner you can actually see the ground we ran.


View Larger Map

Rob and Tiika came with me and lent their full-on support.

Tiika was very helpful and gave me her tips for running the distance: "Like this Mama!"













Here I'm anxiously listening to the directions, waiting for the signal to start.















Can you find me in the crowd? "Where's Jenn?"
Whew! The finish line. I made it in 34:38. Not bad. It's actually a little bit better than my time earlier this week so I'm ok with it.
And radiating joy from completion!! Woohoo!!


Thank you Rob for the support to train for this and for being the photographer recording the images of the morning.

not much new

There's not much new here right now. Just a lot of unpacking and picking up it seems. Oh, and some laundry and grocery shopping thrown in for good measure. Ordinary life stuff.

On the running front, I've run the 5K distance twice this week. This is good news. The first time I had to walk a piece but yesterday I pushed through and ran the whole distance. Felt pretty good, too. I've started compiling a playlist to use on my Shuffle for Saturday's event. According to my co-worker, Tom, tomorrow I should go short but intense in preparation. Now that I know I can do the distance, I am looking forward to participating. It will be on a course I've never run before and rarely drive to, either. If I get a chance, I'll make a map and post it.

My heathen husband has returned...

a heathen. There will be no buddhists in this family. =)

Rob surprised me and arrived home early. He rolled in last night about 6PM. It was great to see him. Of course, I thought I had more time to finish cleaning up and putting things away so he walked into a bit of a mess. Surprise! Ah well.

Not much to write this morning, too tired. We were up late catching up. More in a few days or maybe not for another week. It sounds like there is a lot of ground to cover.

100 calories

I had an excellent run on Friday. I increased the distance by a half mile and still felt great when I got back to the office. The last little bit was a mental challenge to keep running and not slow to a walk but I did it. Yahoo!

I did something different on both of these runs than my norm. You see, I'm not a great first-thing-in-the-morning breakfast person. On weekdays I usually have a cup of English Breakfast tea with smidge of half 'n half and honey. Then I'll add a newton (fig or raspberry) so I can take my vitamins. This is all between 4:30 and 5:00 AM. I am then good to go until about 8 AM when I have my Food for Life muffin smeared with peanut butter and apple butter.

I read something in my Health Magazine (thanks Mom!) recently that got me to thinking maybe I should have something more to eat before heading out. On Wednesday I tested the theory by eating half of a "power" bar (about 100 calories) 20-30 minutes before I left to run. What a difference. I had energy for the whole thing and felt super when I was finished. I think I've stumbled onto something here. It seems to help physically and mentally.

The other thing is good music. The better my selection of tunes as I move, the better my motivation to keep going. I love my Shuffle for this purpose. It's been a great investment for my running attire. I wonder how I'll do next weekend without it...

from my spam box

At work I usually scan my SPAM box at least once a day to make sure I'm not missing any real email. I'm always surprised that there is at least one or two a day that end up there. No idea why especially when they are from a source I've received email from in the past. This is one of those cases where it's not for me to figure out.

Occasionally, a spammer will introduce something lyrical sounding in their randomly generated subject lines. I've heard of people producing poetry using these subject lines as their jumping off point. I saw one the other day that I liked. I'm pretty sure I'm not interpreting it the way they intended. I read an invitation to step up and live my life larger.

Without further ado, my day's inspiration:

"life is too short to be small"

(What did you think of when you read it?)

running check-in

I had a great run yesterday. It was the first time I was able to run my chosen course without pausing to walk. When I go out tomorrow, I will add some distance to my course. I am building up to 5 k (3 mi.) because I have signed up to do the final Blue Mountain All Women's Run on October 6. This is an event I have wanted to do for a few years now. A couple of years ago, I even thought I'd be in shape to run the 10 k. Alas, my training went by the wayside and now I'll be happy to finish the 5 k without falling over in a heap at the end.

I wanted to post a really cool map of my course that I created in Google Maps but now I'm feeling kind of squicky about it. If friends or family want to see it, email me and I'll send you the link.

men in camo

Yesterday Tiika and I went to Crazy Canyon for a hike in the forest. When we arrived I heard a lot of whooping and hollering from the woods above the parking lot. At first I thought, "Those folfers are having one heck of a time today!" but then realized the noise wasn't coming from the direction of the folf course. I remembered the last time we were up there we ran into some cross country runners training so I thought perhaps they were psyching up for a meet. Either way, I shrugged my shoulders and we were off.

I was huffing and puffing up the hill and not really noticing anything too far off the trail until all of a sudden I realized Tiika had stopped and was watching some movement in the woods to the right of us. I looked more closely and listened, it was a crew of men in camo running a training exercise, complete with guns. Aha, we'd found our whooping and hollering friends. It freaked me out a just a bit to see them wandering about with those rifles. Some of them noticed us passing by but didn't say anything. I had to call Tiika away because she looked about ready to launch at them or at least let loose with one of her hound dog howls.

We continued on the trail until Tiika paused again to sniff at something on the ground. It was a camo man lying on the ground behind some bushes. I jumped. He said something to me about hiding or a secret. I'm not really sure and I wasn't going to ask him to repeat himself. I whistled for Tiika and kept on walking without looking at her, hoping she hadn't just given him and his location away to his buddies walking the forest above looking for him. She trotted toward me and he commented, "Good looking dog." I said thanks and we kept on moving.

After about 40 minutes, we were on the last stretch of our hike and heading down to the parking lot. I heard the same whooping and hollering coming from below as when we arrived. It was the camo men gathering to head out. As we arrived at the end of the trail, I saw the last guy get in a truck and then a government van pull away. I'm not sure if it was ROTC or National Guard or Army but it was official, whatever they were doing up there.

So, what did you do last night?

how did he do it?

Oh dear husband of mine.

On Thursday, I received a sweet card in the mail from Rob. While I didn't expect it, it fit in the timeline of events. It was mailed from Wenatchee, WA on Tuesday, the day before he crossed the border. It reminded me, in the very best way, of when we were long distance dating and I found a card in my mailbox nearly every day.

Imagine my surprise when I got the mail yesterday and found another card! This one also postmarked Wenatchee, WA but the date was Thursday, a full day after he started his class. How the heck did he make that happen? Who does he know in Wenatchee?

Well, however he made this happen, I'm delighted. It was a lovely find in the mailbox. Totally unexpected and put a smile on my face for the rest of the day. I hope he is getting everything he desired from his retreat. I am missing him and yet, he is right beside me every day. Maybe that's why Tiika is still looking for him now and again.

hmm, the brain is ticking

I'm surprised I can't be heard from even 600 miles away. I just had an invigorating conversation with a cartographic colleague. He is strongly urging me to attend a particular conference mid-October to do some networking in person. Not that he doesn't think I can't sell myself (my skills, that is) via a clever package and phone conversation, it's just that nothing works like face-to-face. His pitch was strong enough that I am seriously considering it. It wouldn't be cheap between airfare and conference fees. (I think something can be worked out in the accommodations area.) St. Louis is a little far to drive by myself. It would be better if I had some frequent flier miles to use...anyone got some they'd be willing to part with? ;-)

one concert or two?

I've had a minor dilemma to mull over this weekend. I am currently holding a ticket to two major concerts coming here: Elton John and James Taylor. When it was just Elton John, I could sort of justify the cost. It was just one ticket (it happens this Friday while Rob is still in Canada). It would be a lot of fun, great social event, yada yada. And it's only once in a while these opportunities work out.

And then I discovered James Taylor was also coming to town. I have been wanting to see him in concert for over 10 years. It just hasn't ever worked out for one reason or another. This time isn't quite perfect either. As luck would have it, Rob is out of town again* when JT is here. And yet, I still really wanted to go so I made arrangements to go with some friends of ours and picked up tickets last week.

Now my dilemma. It simply seems too extravagant to go to both concerts. Especially since I just got signed up for ArtFest. I could probably buy most, if not all, of my ArtFest supplies for the cost of the EJ ticket.

I bought an EJ cd on Saturday that came with a dvd of some concert footage to help me decide if it was worth it. I found that while the concert looked good, I wasn't all that drawn in. On the other hand, when I put in my JT concert dvd, I am moved as much as the first time I watched it five years ago.

I'm bummed at the idea of missing a great friend event on Friday night but I think my decision has been made.

*Yes, unbelievable as it sounds, Rob will be out of town that weekend, too. He *never* goes on solo trips and leaves me at home. Amazing coincidence these two events should occur while he's gone. I did get to talk to him about the JT concert. He was disappointed he would miss it but encouraged me to go anyway.

Where's my Pop?

Rob left yesterday morning for his 10-day meditation retreat. He's been looking forward to it for months. I'm really glad he's doing it for himself.

Prior to his leaving, I mused about how Miss Tiika would take his absence. Last night as I watched a movie (Thelma & Louise) she lay curled at my feet on the couch. Every time she heard a car door slam outside she raised her head, perked her ears and listened for his steps on the porch. Alas, the pup was disappointed every time. She went to bed as normal.

When she got up this morning she dashed to our bedroom to give her good morning wishes to Pop as is her habit. She quickly returned. Then it was potty time followed by another check in the bedroom. After we came in from our jaunt down the street, she cruised down the hall once again.

This evening she doesn't seem to be listening as intently and is more focused on what I'm having for dinner. A very good sign that she's not concerned. I'm sure she'll be delighted when he returns (as will I) but seems to have quickly adjusted to it being all Mama, all the time.

six years ago

Aww, aren't they cute?? Six years ago on Saturday (9.15), Rob and I were married in a ceremony of our creation. A friend of mom's captured this image while we were sitting at the head table. It remains one of my favorites. It was a beautiful day (who knew after the less-than-pleasant rehearsal the day before?). We still have conversations that begin, "Remember at the wedding when..."

This is us in a self portrait taken on Monday night at our new favorite pizza joint in town, Biga Pizza. (We had the Sicilian with the salad special in case you're wondering...with beer we brought in since they don't currently have a liquor license.)

I think we had the camera with us on our "day about town" for our anniversary but never remembered to take a picture. This year's celebration was pretty low key. We mostly focused on having the day together, doing what we wanted in the moment. No splashy gifts (except one sweet token from Rob to me) just heartfelt letters and cards exchanged. Quite nice, actually.

a little bit crafty

I've not been too productive in my arts and crafts making projects lately. I've got a few ideas perking and probably a half a dozen pages languishing. Next week. I think I'll work on them next week.

In the meantime, I finished my Moleskine journal that I was using so needed to find a new one. I discovered a stash of journals I bought quite some time ago so there was no need to buy new one. Only problem was that I had become addicted to a couple of the features on my Moleskine: the pocket in the back and the elastic to keep it closed.

Never fear. I have the skill. I modified one of the journals that has been collecting dust on my shelves from earlier bargain hunting episodes.


I attached the button onto the front cover so I would have a place to run the elastic through. On the Moleskin, the elastic ends were glued under the pocket and I didn't trust my gluing skills to make that happen. I think it works well with the button. It is also set up so that when the elastic is loosened, the button slides away from the cover so I can open the journal all the way and write on the left-hand page without a button bump. However, for the first half of the journal I will have to navigate around a small hole I punched through the pages while making holes to sew the button on. No biggie. Maybe it will become a mark of interest on some pages.

The pocket is fabric attached to some wrapping paper (recognize it Mandy A.?) with gel medium to give it body and strength. The journal itself doesn't have too many pages so it doesn't have to be bulletproof. Oh, I also put little pleats of fabric on the sides so I can put more stuff in the pocket.

Not too bad, huh? I am pretty impressed with myself. I took a $2.50 journal and spiffed it up nicely to suit my needs.

gondola in idaho

Did you know there was a gondola in Idaho? Not only that but it is the longest one in the world. On our last "escape the smoke" weekend we ended up spending the day in Kellogg, ID at the top of Silver Mountain Ski Resort, home to the longest gondola ride in the world. Imagine that.

It took about 20 minutes to reach the top. I got a bit nauseous along the way. The really awesome part? They let us bring Tiika with us. (We wouldn't have gone if she wasn't allowed. It was too hot to leave her behind.) She was a little bothered by the ride but overall was her usual traveler trooper self.

In spite of our intention of getting out of the smoke, we still had to deal with a bit of smoky haze as you can see here.

We spent time on top chillin' (an hour, maybe two? I don't remember). Rob went on to ride a chairlift farther up. I declined going since I was still feeling woozy. It wasn't Tiika friendly anyway so only one of us could go at a time. I snacked on some french fries and doodled in my journal. I should have brought my iPod. There is a playground at the top and it was being well-used by what felt like a huge crowd of kids.

Just before we went back down into town so we could head home, Rob and Tiika shared an apple. I love how delicate she can be with her mouth.

That wraps it up for tonight. I still have pictures from our August trip I'd like to post. I need to sort them and prepare them for the web before that can happen. Things are a bit intense at work right now so I don't have a lot of desire to sit in front of the computer when I get home. Who knows when they'll appear. Not I.

.ttfn.

ticket karma

I am pretty psyched, in spite of the lousy ticket sales set-up, I ended up with a ticket for the Elton John concert at the end of the month. Yes, that's right, the Rocket Man is coming to Missoula!!! My co-worker was able to score a group of us tickets on the floor, in the 19th row. And it's on a Friday night. Woohoo!

Tonight we are going to our favorite brewery, Bayern, for their Oktoberfest braut, German potato salad and accordion music. It's cheap eats and we usually run into folks we know including my college adviser and her husband.

Ciao for now.

nearly balanced

First, the smoke status. It seems to be mostly gone at this point. Yesterday was a nearly perfect end of summer day. Warm and breezy with only just a slight haze of smoke. This morning feels crisp and clear. Ahhh...

Second, I tangled with the checkbook last night. It is finally balanced, well, within $3.00. There was a time I would have chased down the $3.00. Not last night. It is good enough. Yippee!!

And third, I am starting a two week free membership at a women's only gym similar to Curves this morning. It seems like a good idea but I the place feels kind of creepy to me. I'm going for my first work out this morning at 7:00. We'll see how it goes.

Ciao for now.

smoky again

Rob just poked his head outside. Apparently it's smoky out there again. The relief from the other day's rain has come to an end. We'll evaluate again in just a bit but it looks like we might be heading for the hills to camp for the night and just lay around breathing clean air. Maybe I'll bring my running shoes and go for a jog since I haven't been out since last Monday.

new music

I recently was having a bummer of a day. In perusing a couple of art blogs in an attempt to cheer myself up, I came across some music recommendations. I listened to clips on iTunes and took the plunge. I'm glad I did, it has been a nice addition to my music library. In addition, I think it fits in well with my art-making playlist.

The first is a duo called The Weepies. Here is the iTunes* link to give their album a listen:





The female half of the duo is Deb Talan. I really, really like her voice. I hear shades of Shawn Colvin, Natalie Merchant and sometimes Sarah McLachlan. This is the solo album of hers I chose:





I couldn't tell you which songs on either of the albums are my favorites yet. I haven't listened to them enough. I just know I liked how soothing they felt to me. I hope you might enjoy them a bit, too. If you listen, tell me what you think.


*From what I understand about this link, if you don't have iTunes installed on your computer, it will lead you to the page where you can download it. If you have it installed, it will ask to open iTunes.

book: eating heaven

I recently finished reading this book, eating heaven, by Jennie Shortridge. I really enjoyed it. It was another one of those bargain books at Barnes & Noble. The story is about a woman and her relationship with food, her family and loving. I highly recommend it and would love to talk with anyone who's read it.

pouring bummer

At yesterday's festival we worked our shift then wandered around. This is different than how it's been for us the last four years of volunteer pouring. We are usually having so much fun that we stay for as long as they'll have us. It seems the pool of volunteers has changed. It has gotten younger and more, I want to say arrogant, but maybe they are just different. Anyway, we poured and then walked away with our free beers to check out the other activities. It was pleasant. I had cramps and my back hurt so didn't feel like participating too much. We ran into our friends Tim and Sue and Sue's mom, had a quick chat with them. After that we went to Sean Kelly's for dinner and home to Tiika.

The coolest part of the day was that a co-worker of mine won their contest that had him signing away the title of his car in exchange for a cool commuting bike and trailer. He has agreed to go car-free for the next year. A big deal even for a crazy biker like him. Way to go! If they post a story on the site, I'll put a link here.

ttfn

it rained!

Woohoo, it rained last night! I think we both slept through it but noticed the difference it made right off when we let Tiika out for her morning rituals. Feels great to have the smoke down. Especially since we are signed up to pour beer at the Tour de Fat this afternoon put on by the makers of Fat Tire ale, New Belgium Brewing. We've done it for four years now. It's always been a good time.

I've got more to write but I hear Rob rustling about in the kitchen preparing to make us breakfast. I promised to make him a french press of coffee so I better get on it.

Catch y'all later.

too short of a night

Well, last night I intended to put together a couple of little posts. One about a book I just finished reading and wanted to recommend. The other about some music I'm groovin' to these days. However, I ended up wrestling with our check book most of the evening. The unfortunate part? I still didn't find where my error is...argh!

On the other hand, I did have a respite of a movie with Rob and Tiika (big surprise, eh?). We watched "Harvey", a Jimmy Stewart movie from 1950. A very sweet, zany movie. It was adapted from a play and in some parts it was almost like watching a play. Something about how the actors presented themselves. Especially the women. One of the women won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for her role. I recommend it.

Time to dash off to the showers. Happy Friday! It's a three day weekend. Yippee! What are you doing with your Labor Day weekend?

awesome

I wish I had pictures to post. Tiika and I walked out on an amazing site this morning: a lunar eclipse. I vaguely recall seeing a headline about the upcoming event last week some time but didn't put two and two together to realize that we would have the opportunity to witness it.

And witness, wow. It was so cool to watch the last sliver of the full moon become a crescent of brightness then a smoldering circle in the sky. I wonder what the ancient people thought when they saw such a sight. I was awestruck just thinking about how the glow I saw was the sun reflecting off the surface of the moon but from an unusual angle. An angle that was giving me this unique experience. So wonderful.

it was a hit

It appears the cole slaw was a hit. There were only a few bites left at the bottom of the bowl by the end of the luncheon. A few people directly told me they thought it was good. Even more important in my book is that Rob liked it. He's big into coleslaw and will usually order it when it appears as a "side" at a restaurant. This recipe seemed to pair well with the ribs and corn on the cob yesterday, too. Sweet success.

tonight's project: cole slaw

I'm not a real big cole slaw fan but when I saw that our upcoming (tomorrow) all staff potluck luncheon was being supplied with corn on the cob and ribs, it seemed a fitting dish. At the time I signed up it was 90+ degrees out and the thought of cooking even potatoes or pasta for a salad seemed too much. I opted to try something new.

Since I've barely eaten cole slaw let alone made it, I turned to the internet for a recipe. The fewer ingredients, the better. I came up with this recipe that swears it's a fool proof classic.

Cole Slaw
1 large cabbage, shredded or chopped as you like
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 1/2 cups mayo
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp ground black pepper
salt to taste

Mix everything together and let sit for 2 hours to overnight, chilling. Taste for salt and pepper before serving. Keeps 2 days in the fridge then it goes watery and isn't as nice.

As you can probably tell from the picture, I couldn't resist messing with the recipe just a little bit. I grated a couple of carrots and some red cabbage to add for color. I'll let you know what the verdict is after the luncheon. Looks and smells pretty good to me.

movie: FairyTale A True Story

On Monday night we watched a sweet little movie, FairyTale: A True Story. We both enjoyed it. It's about two little girls in the English countryside toward the end of WWI. They lived on a beautiful property that was simply enchanting for them. In fact, it was so magical they were able to take pictures of themselves with fairies! Somehow Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ("Precisely, Holmes!") came across the photos and ... well, you'll have to watch the movie to find out the rest. There is a better description here if you're interested. It stars Harvey Keitel and Peter O'Toole and was made in 1997. We both thought the two little girls were outstanding in their roles.

Mandy M - I think your kids would like it. Caitlyn might be a little young but perhaps not with big brother or mommy by her side.

Bob & Valerie - Rob thinks you two would especially enjoy it.

Let us know if you check it out.

PS I ran as planned this morning. It went better than Monday even though about half way through it started to smell smoky. My lungs hurt for a bit this morning either from that or the cold air. Depending on the smoke levels, I'm shooting for a third run on Friday.

rain!

Yippee! I woke up this morning to a delicious downpour of rain bouncing off our metal roof. What a lovely sound. By the time Tiika finished her breakfast, it had abated enough that we ventured out into a lighter shower. Ahh, I like walking in rain like that...and to know that it must be helping all those firefighters out there to douse the flames, even better.

PS I did get in a short run yesterday. Man, oh, man is it hard after not running for a while. I walked more than I wished. At least I was out there. I intend to go at it again tomorrow.

home again, home again

We arrived home last night at the beginning of some rain showers that lasted for a couple of hours or so. What a relief.

We had escaped our smoky town by heading east on Friday afternoon and not returning until 7:30 last night. It was great to breathe clean air for a couple of days. It was an additional treat to arrive here and have the rain begin. It seems to have cleared the air, at least out at our place. Hopefully town is cleared, too, as I'd really like to get in a run. It would be the first in what feels like forever.

(I suppose I could have run over the weekend since we were camping in National Forest and the road was right there. Somehow, sleeping in seemed a higher priority.)

Regardless of the smoke status, the temperature is supposed to stay cool for a day or two. Very much a good thing in my book.

Time to hit the showers. Have a good week.

couple of brief rants

In my morning walk with Tiika this morning, we encountered a dead cat. Rob came across one in our yard on Tuesday evening. I'm not sure what is going on but if someone is poisoning them, I'm p*ssed. The one this morning might have been hit by a car, it was hard for me to tell.

We have had a growing population of feral cats in the neighborhood so it's not far fetched to think that poison has been put out. While I don't like the idea, if it is the management company's doing and they haven't warned anyone, I'm even more p*ssed. There are a lot of children who live and play here not to mention dogs. It's time for a call.

On another ranting note, the fire that is west of here, the Black Cat Fire, has burned "structures" and continues to threaten more. Many of those "structures" as far as I know are usually called homes. It bothers me that the media don't just say homes but what ticks me off even more are the gawkers who come to get their picture of history:

"Sheriff’s officials say people are stopping to look and take pictures and by doing so hampering the firefighting effort, while impeding those trying to evacuate. In additon, Giffin told KPAX that heavy air tankers and two helicopters were unable to refill for water drops because onlookers were parking too close to the dipping site." (from New West Missoula)

Don't people EVER think outside of themselves? How would they feel if it were their "structures" being threatened by this blaze? Grr. The situation is large enough they have even pulled city cops off the streets to help control the crowds and road closures.

Enough of the crankiness. It is Friday (yeah!) and we are planning to head out of town this afternoon to escape the smoke and ash that is currently the air we are breathing. I am thankful the fires aren't close enough to us to be a threat to our home, humble though it is.

Happy Weekend everyone.

couple of doodles

Just a couple of small pieces of art work. The first is from my journal that I carry with me pretty much all the time. You never know when a thought or idea will need immediate expressing. It's almost full so I have to take a look at my stash soon and pick a new one. It's done in pencil so not all of it came through in the scan.

The second is a piece I've been playing with for a while now, off and on. I haven't been very happy with it so decided I would just doodle on it and see if it got any better. I think it did. You can't tell in the scan, but a few layers back I used some of that really cool iridescent paint that is one color (green) until you angle it a little and then it becomes another (lavender). (Thanks Elisabeth!) My favorite part is the whirly-gig that I ended up sewing on because the medium wasn't holding it well enough.

It was a nice way to spend some time last night. It was dang hot again so I wasn't sure I was going to follow through on the ideas from my air conditioned office. I'm glad I made the effort.

This morning the wind seems to have shifted and the smoke it pretty thick. I think I saw ash in the air as I walked Tiika. Yuck!

a couple of images to whet your appetite

Yo, anyone want to party?
Both of those images were taken at Brad and Mandy's rehearsal dinner last Friday. Can you tell which one of us is sober? My oh my, did I have a good time. McMenamin's (sp?) makes an excellent porter. Thankfully I didn't pay too heavily the next day and I remembered MOST of what I did and said. It was a good party. =) [It's a lizard behind Rob's ear and a sea anemone on my head, both table decorations gone awry.]

I've got more pictures from that night and the wedding the next day but they will have to wait a bit. Firstly, I'm at home and it takes too dang long to upload a bunch of pictures and secondly, I accidentally brought home Mom's camera instead of ours. [We have the same model and same camera bag. Somehow the camera's got switched.] I want to put together a complete album before posting a link. (Also, the pictures from the pre-Oregon visit hike are on my camera and also deserve to be posted.)

Ok, I can't resist, I'll post one wedding picture. Not of the bride or groom but of my sweet, sleeping nephew, Will. In that moment, I was one contented auntie.

got some sleep

We got mostly unpacked last night and hit the hay early. Not early enough to completely offset the deficit but enough to function somewhere near normal today. Tonight is laundry and another goal of getting to bed early. I also intend to work on the photos from the week so I can post a few of them and tell a story or two. =)

I am very close to having my ArtFest classes chosen, too. Yipee!! I'm starting to feel anxious about getting back to creating and am looking forward to the cool hours of Saturday morning to play in my art space.

home

We're home. We're exhausted. Three hours of sleep simply isn't enough.

Tonight's agenda? Grocery shopping and to bed as soon as possible.

More tomorrow.

leavin' in a Honda

Doesn't quite work the same as "leavin' on a jet plane..." but it'll have to do. We're heading out after work this afternoon, should be arriving at Teals place in Seattle later tonight. I'm a little bit tired just thinking about it. It will be so lovely to drive out of the valley of smoke. I'm guessing it could be a couple of hours of driving before we're entirely out of it.

Not much else to write since last night was spent packing and arranging some last minute details with the bride for the wedding programs. It is doubtful that I will be writing again until after we return but it might happen. Who knows?

Looking forward to seeing family and celebrating.

.ttfn.

colorful, smiling Will

This is the picture I was thinking of earlier this morning. Mom printed it out for me while I was in town so I have it on my desk, too. Since I saw him last (about 10 days ago) he has gotten in his first tooth and a second one seems to be on its way out. I can't wait to see him again next week!

super smoky

Dang, it's super smoky out there this morning. I can almost taste it. Yuck! Here's a recent article from the Missoulian newspaper: Mile Marker 124 Fire.

I checked out the ArtFest listings yesterday. Hoo boy, some days are going to be really hard to choose. I've printed out the descriptions for the classes that jumped out at me first so I can read them on the drive over to Seattle tomorrow. Yipes, we leave tomorrow! Guess I should get around to packing now then, eh?

I wanted to post a new favorite picture of Will but realized I don't have one here at home. They are on my computer at work. Time to get them home!

.ttfn.

cooler

I woke up this morning at 2 to the smell of smoke and feeling chilled. The first was a drag but the second was very welcome indeed. Apparently the winds have shifted overnight and the smoke from the Mile Marker 124 fire was coming in through the blower/fan we had running. The good news is that when I took Tiika out this morning it was a chilly 63 degrees F rather than the balmy 76 degrees F we've been having. Yippee!

Today is August 1st, the day the ArtFest 2008 class list is revealed. Oooo, I can't wait to check it out. I've already got a couple of teachers in mind that I'd like to take a class from and a new (better, I hope) strategy for getting the classes I want.

.ttfn.

harry potter and the almost skunking

I finally started Harry Potter 7 last night. It starts off with a bang, doesn't it? I'm not concerned if Harry lives or dies because I think he lives. What I'm curious about is the status of Dumbledore and Snape. I won't be more specific because some people reading this blog still haven't read a single page of the Potter saga. (*nudge nudge* dear husband)

This morning Tiika and I had a close call with a skunk. At least I think it was a skunk. I smelled it faintly in the air. As it scurried off the tail appeared fuzzy and erect as I've seen skunk tails in pictures. It was completely black though. Maybe it was an immature one. Regardless, I'm glad we didn't get sprayed. It wouldn't have been a good start to our day.

Off to get showered and ready to face another day.

.ttfn.

been very absent

I have been very absent on the blog. It has been nearly a month since I last posted. Yikes! I intended to be better about writing than that. The best of intentions sometimes are interfered with. In this instance it's been the weather. It has been way too hot! And since our place holds the heat so very well in the summer, it tends to be 10 degrees hotter inside than out. At least that's what it feels like to me. The net result is that we typically get home in the afternoon, grab some food and Tiika, then head to the river to swim and cool off. We stay until we are tired and it's close to bedtime. Hence, no time or desire to sit in front of the computer and write in the heat.

Fire season has been going on for a few weeks now but has kicked into high gear in our neighborhood. We have two fires pretty near us. One is practically in our backyard, the Golf Course Fire, and the other is down the road about 15 miles. The following article gives an update:

http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2007/07/30/news/top/news01.txt
(We are at approximately milepost 109 for reference.)

I had a great visit to Portland with a 24 hour art stop in Seattle last weekend. I feel like I am barely getting settled back into being home and now I have to get ready to leave again. We are heading out on Friday after work to celebrate Gretchen's birthday in Seattle, do a little more reconnaissance on the move and then hit Washington County for Brad and Mandy's wedding. Whew!

Hopefully by the time we get back from this trip the temperatures will have dropped to something more reasonable and I can get into a more frequent writing mode. We're looking forward to seeing everyone and taking part in the upcoming celebrations.

.ttfn.

just read

In preparation for my trip last weekend, Rob and I went and scoured the cheap book racks at Barnes & Noble. Although I knew the trip was going to be quick and jam-packed, I wanted some light reading to fill the gaps and let me unwind as needed. I also had two 2-hour ferry trips I thought I needed to fill with activity and reading is the perfect thing to do on a long ferry ride.

Alas, I ran into friends I hadn't seen in a dozen years so spent most of my time catching up with them. In spite of that, of the three books I bought before leaving, I've already finished two of them.

I think some of you might enjoy them also so decided to share 'em real quick. The lead character in both books grew up in roughly the same time frame as I so I quickly identified with them though their lives were dramatically different than mine.

wish, by Melina Gerosa Bellows is about a girl with a twin brother who is autistic. It tells the story of how she deals with him and his quirky habits and needs. Of course, it also chronicles her teenage years including best friends, boy friends vs boyfriends, going to college and a fledgling career in the world of celebrity magazines. I was particularly touched by her relationship with her brother which is a central theme. This was an easy, fast read.


The second book, I've recently finished is the Myth of You & Me by Leah Stewart. This one felt meatier than wish but I ran through it almost as fast. It's about two best friends, how they broke up and why, and the desires of an old man for them to reunite. There's also a love story thrown in there for good measure. I really enjoyed it and intend to look for Body of a Girl by the same author.


So that's it for now. We're hoping to go for a mountain bike ride today with Tiika. Maybe this time I'll remember the camera so I can post pictures from our favorite weekend riding spot.

We're also looking forward to the broken up week with the holiday in the middle. We don't have any plans since it's only one day and difficult to get away for such a short time but a change in the routine is nice all the same. Anyone else got great plans?

ttfn!

Father's Day

Yesterday we went on a great hike up at Lolo Pass to see the wild camas in bloom. It was gorgeous. After the camas bloom dies, the bulb is a tasty source of nutrition, at least it was seen as such by the Native Americans. Since I've never tasted them myself, I'll have to go on faith for that one. What I do know is they put on quite a display this year.

The pictures don't show it as well as I would have liked but in person, the blooms looked like lakes of blue across the meadow. Especially in the first two views below. You can kind of spy it along the right edge of green.


Two intrepid travelers loping across Packer's Meadow. I don't know the history of it other than the fact that Lewis & Clark passed by here both coming and going on their voyage.

Part of the reason the bloom is so spectacular this year is the amount and timing of the rain we've had this spring. It has created a lovely meandering stream and bog, too. Moose are frequent visitors to this meadow though we didn't see any yesterday.

If there's water, you know Tiika must swim!

And then shiver a bit because it was really too cold to be swimming in that water. Didn't really seem to phase her though.

TaDa! A closeup of the reason we were there...aren't they lovely?