snowshoeing = fun!!

Oh. my. goodness. I had no idea that snowshoeing would be so much fun! After the opening of presents, feasting and talking with family, we headed out the door to enjoy the warm spell - about 25 degrees and gently snowing - trying out our gift to each other, MSR Denali Snowshoes (purchased on a heck of a sale about a month ago). Rob snapped several pictures to commemorate the event.

Tiika was getting a little bit antsy as we prepared to don the shoes. She hasn't been out much lately due to the extreme cold so was rarin' to go, more than usual if you can imagine that!

I was a little bit more anxious but mostly attempting to not have any expectations. Cross country skiing has turned out to not be my cup of tea so I was looking for something that would help me get outside in the winter.















Ballet anyone? I was amazed at how short the learning curve was for these things. After I got my boots buckled in, it was a breeze to just GO. Love, love, love it!


And thus we began our trek through the woods...







We went this way up the hill.
While skiers would have to take this less adventurous looking trail.













I haven't had so much pure fun out of doors in winter for a long time. By the time we made it back to the truck an hour and a half later, the only thing that hurt was my face from smiling. I can't wait to get back out there. We're making a plan for a trek down south on Saturday, weather willing.

opening a present entertainment

Yesterday was a great day. We slept in (for us, 7 am is sleeping in!) and had a lovely breakfast of eggs and bacon, coffee with eggnog, all started with a couple of Mom's fabulous Christmas cookies. Then we opened some presents and made the first round of holiday phone calls.

We did very well in the gift giving department for each other, no question. The most extravagant purchase was decided on in advance - snowshoes! (More on those later.) We also received well-chosen gifts from my mom, a generous check from Rob's mom, a family history from Grandma O., breakfast foods from Jane, dinner via Omaha steaks from my dad and Virginia, and a passel of family photo Christmas cards.

I have to say the most entertaining portion of the morning was giving Tiika her gifts. She pretty much inhaled the twisty, meaty, chew-thing that was her first gift. The second gift, a tug-a-jug, gave her a few more challenges. This product was recommended by the owner of Go Fetch!, Tiika's favorite store in the whole world. Witness her opening skills:


She really gets into it doesn't she?
And then her investigation of "just how does this thing work?"


















Due to the strategically placed holes at the "bottom", she is still convinced that there is some way in at the wrong end. She has had some success at getting treats out, enough so that she keeps coming back but not enough that she can gorge on the whole thing at once.

Though I missed seeing and hugging family throughout the day, it was good to connect on the phone. All in all, I think staying in Missoula was the right thing for us this year especially since the weather and roads were pretty yucky. There will be more Christmas Days.

I'll post more later on how we spent the rest of our day.

Evening music

Over the last few weeks we have talked of wanting to do something to mark the Winter Solstice. We didn't really know what and then this morning we saw an advertisement for a concert that intrigued us, A Musical Dreamtime Journey. It was put on by The Drum Brothers.

The Drum Brothers is a pair of brothers from the area who make music together for a living. It is mostly percussion but also world type instruments such as the didgeridoo. They also teach music and the creation of drums.

Tonight's event was with one brother and another person. They played an assortment of instruments from the Native American flute to drums to the harp to Tibetan bowls in surprising combinations. They also recited some poetry from Rumi and Wendell Berry about dark and light.

I wish I had brought the camera so you could see the elaborate set-up. You can kind of see it in the link to the concert above. The concert took place at the Downtown Dance Cooperative. (I thought they had a website but I can't find it right now.) The room was rectangular with one long wall almost all mirrors. The only lighting during the performance was probably two dozen candles. They reflected nicely off the mirrors, easily doubling their glow. Most people were sitting on the floor with blankets and pillows.

It was a great evening. We were both so glad we decided to make a night of it for ourselves on this Solstice which also happens to be the first night of Hanukkah. We hope you did something to commemorate this, the longest of nights. Time to plant some seeds in preparation for the light.

decorated tree!

Ho! Ho! Ho! The tree is all decked out and twinkling. We think it turned out pretty well. I wish the picture did it better justice. It's way brighter than I'd like it to be and you can't see the multi-colored lights. We just couldn't figure out how to get the camera to give us what we wanted. Oh well.

Tiika doesn't seem to mind a bit having the tree over her head. We're not sure she even notices it. We've been calling her Queen of the Christmas Cave much to her bewilderment. =)

It's looking an awful lot like Christmas here...

Christmas tree finding

Whew! We're home from finding our Christmas tree. It was just cold enough, a little bit snowy for Tiika and a nice, gentle hike to boot. We walked along a forest road for a stretch until we saw a tree that caught our eye.

From there we wandered up the slope toward another group of trees that might hold our delight and then...Rob spotted the one we were looking for.

After asking the tree if it would like to come home with us, we silently waited for it's answer. We didn't detect any negative feelings and interpreted that as a yes.

It is the perfect size and shape for the spot we intend to perch it in. The branches are long and it smells divine. Now, to wait for it to be dry so we can decorate it!

This was only the second time we've gone out and gotten a tree, we're usually not home enough to put out the effort of it all. The only other time was the first year we were married. Gretchen came home and the four of us went out in the white Subaru to find a tree.

Hmmm, this year we didn't have Teal or Gretchen with us...and we missed them. =( Another year we'll have to make the expedition together.

hearts in my path

I was thinking the other day that I neglected to say anything about the things I'm thankful or grateful for in my Thanksgiving post. It was all about food! Well now, food is important, I grant you that. I enjoy me some good eating, especially when it's been prepared with love.

There are a few other things that I'd like to give thanks for. Actually, it many ways, it boils down to one thing: the hearts in my path.

I have had the great good fortune to have gathered around me, near and far, a number of wonderful people to love and be loved by. This circle includes friends and family.

Recently I have been reminded of these connections on my hikes with Tiika. I've been noticing in my path, literally, a multitude of hearts. Mostly they are rocks embedded in the dirt but sometimes moss, sticks, or plants have created a heart for me to notice. I've begun to make it my habit when I see a heart in my path to bring one of the real heart connections I have to mind and give thanks for that person.

Today we are going out to get a Christmas tree. We haven't had one at our place in several years since we are usually traveling at this time. We're planning to bring it home, dress it up while a Christmas movie plays (Scrooge anyone?) and then wrap the presents that have been piling up. I'm even planning to indulge in a little eggnog.

In the meantime, Rob is making another foray into hollandaise sauce and poached eggs. Yum! Definitely important ingredients in the making of a good day.

T Day breakfast YUM!

Yesterday was a lovely, relaxing day spent with just the three of us, mostly at home. It began with this scrumptious meal: farm fresh eggs benedict with uncured ham and homemade hollandaise sauce (no bread though it wasn't missed) and fresh brewed coffee with real half and half. Oh my! Rob truly outdid himself with this one. (side note: you can't really see it in these pictures, but the eggs were heart-shaped! We finally used the heart egg poacher we received as a wedding gift!)

As you can tell from the photo, it was a bright and sunny day here. We took full advantage of it and went for a hike with Tiika. It was great to see how many other people were soaking up some rays and stretching their legs pre-Thanksgiving Dinner.

We came home and feasted on an anti-pasta plate then played our own version of Scrabble. It was cooperative in nature and more fun than I thought it might be. =) Then it was time to get dinner going.

We had a pork roast with homemade mustard rub, roasted carrots, onions and beets and parmesan-garlic green beans. This was followed by a unique pumpkin pie (made with an almond meal and coconut oil crust and coconut milk instead of sweetened condensed milk) and real whipped cream. I felt full and satisfied but not overly stuffed.

It was a good day. Many thanks were shared and received. Though we missed seeing family, it was kind of nice to just laze around and not have to be anywhere at any particular time. As for next year...who knows what it will be like...we're looking forward to finding out!

art day

Today has been a good day. I've spent most of it in creative endeavors from cooking my first leg of lamb (for Rob, I don't care for the stuff) to puttering in my art space the rest of the day. I'd show you the piece I created as well as the journal but it will simply have to wait. I'm too tired to take pictures. Suffice it to say, I'm happy with both.

I also watched A Beautiful Mind with Russell Crowe. What a great movie and what an amazing wife! It was better than I expected. If you haven't seen it, I'd recommend it.

Now it's about time to wind down and hit the sheets. Tomorrow will pretty much be all chores, all day.

love the English language

Over the last week I have been corresponding with a couple of people from a British cycling organization similar to ours. And I have to say, I love the English language and how when it travels over the broad expanse of the Atlantic Ocean, it changes.

My favorite example followed a detailed explanation of the topic at hand.

"Have a mull over this and then we can converse again."

Have a mull? Love it. I've never heard that word used quite that way before. The meaning was clear, think it over. I just wouldn't have put the words in that order myself.

It's the small things that put a smile on my face these days. It's really all about the little things anyway, isn't it? Have a mull over that thought and get back to me. =)

a new cousin!

There's a new member of our family! Beautiful babe, Grace Annabelle showed up on Sunday, a full day ahead of her scheduled arrival. (I wonder if this will be a trend? An early bird in our family??) She weighed in at 9lbs 2.5 ozs and measured 21 inches. And look at all that hair!! I hear it's sort of a dark burnt sienna color, not red but something like a well worn penny.

Many congrats to Kirsten, Jer and Kellen. We can't wait to meet her...

some dinner

This was a meal I prepared for myself recently: bison sirloin steak (thanks sweetie for letting me have the best cut!), mashed purple cauliflower and a little organic red wine. What you don't see is the luscious hunk of dark chocolate I had for dessert a bit later.

The other treat I indulged in that particular evening was a some reliable tv viewing. I popped in the dvd and watched a couple of episodes from the seventh season of West Wing. Since we don't get tv reception and even the radio is "in and out scratchy" at best, it seemed easiest to take in some election coverage where I knew how it would turn out. (On the night of the election I did keep an eye on the real deal via internet news stories, too.)

just one word for you

VOTE!

monkey goodness!

Now isn't this the cutest monkey you've ever seen??

And the sound effects were pretty great, too! What a doll, my nephew is...thanks for sharing the picture (and video clip), Cassie.

Peace Park

Since Saturday, the weather has been glorious here. Freezing cold mornings give way to lovely, sunny, warm (50's) afternoons. It's supposed to hold until this Saturday and then the rain will move in.

Though I was knee deep in chores all day Saturday and wanted to get more done on Sunday, Tiika needed to get out. (Honestly, so did I.) I got going early Sunday morning and we headed into town for a hike over Waterworks Hill and through the Peace Park set up by the Jeanette Rankin Peace Center. I even remembered the camera to document our hike. Enjoy!

This is the best pic I could get of the peace sign that dominates the area. It replaces the peace sign that used to live up there on an sign owned by Qwest that no longer stands. It was a great town landmark and I'm very glad the Peace Center put together a new one in a similar location.


This is a close up of how the sign is made. It is a collection of mostly white fabrics. I saw everything from t-shirts to sheets and towels. They are all anchored by rocks. Some of the rocks are painted white, some are not. Others have messages painted on them. All were placed in hope for peace.


Of course, some people will walk right through the symbol of peace! She didn't disturb anything though, just pranced through without a care in the world.























And this one is just plain goofy! I look like I'm enjoying myself though, don't I? I've got my shades and my tunes, the sun is shining and the wind blowing through my hair. All was good.

Sunday, Sunday

Today is opening day for hunting so Rob is out in the woods, looking for an elk or deer to bring home. I've got hunting of other sorts to do today. Actually, I'm planning on tackling my long list of things that have been bugging me. One of which was checking to see if a generous gift was going to work.

The gift? A Brother laser printer!! When they were packing up after the conference earlier this month, it was decided they didn't want this baby. I happened to be the only one from my organization around at that time so the business manager asked if I wanted it.

"For me?!"

She said, "sure".

I was on it even though we weren't sure it was still in working order after being stored for the last year. It has been sitting on the porch ever since. I finally brought it in this morning, cleared a space for it and set 'er up. Woo hoo! It works. Now I just need to remember how to do laser printer transfers for my art projects...

Now, it's time to take Tiika out for a morning hike. She didn't get any exercise yesterday and is missing her Pop for the second day in a row. She's a bit on the antsy side so off we go.

afternoon snack

I'm back for the second time this week! And with another food picture. This one seems a bit better. Can you tell what it is? Maybe not. It's a new-old favorite, Curried Egg Salad.

I discovered this recipe at our natural food store, The Good Food Store, a couple of years ago. I haven't made it for a while now but recently we started eating a lot of eggs and I was looking for some variety. It provides a nice change of pace from tuna salad and seems more appropriate to cooler winter weather. It is a little bit tangy with bits of sweet.

The best part is the fabulous eggs. These are not just any eggs, these eggs are from free ranging chickens who live just down the valley from us. The yolks are a beautiful orange-y bright color. I had a regular egg from the nearby deli the other day and was shocked by it's color. The yolk was almost as white as the white! And nearly tasteless. Ew!

Here's the recipe, in case you want to try it yourself.

Curried Egg Salad
12 hardboiled eggs, peeled and diced
1/4 cup raisins
1 green onion, finely chopped
2 Tbl fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbl curry powder
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients and serve on bread or over lettuce.

what's for dinner?

I just tasted tonight's dinner, Curried Bison Stew. Yum! It's basically left overs cleverly disguised in masman curry paste and coconut milk. There wasn't quite enough stew left for both of us to eat and I was bored with the flavor so this is a good way to extend it and spice it up. Oh my. This is going in the repertoire for future reference! (Sorry for the crappy picture. I was in a hurry since we were on a schedule to get out the door to go hear a climber talk about his experiences.)

Oh, and I'm also steaming some cauliflower to put in my stew. I know, many of you are going, "ew, cooked cauliflower!" I used to think so, too. Until I realized how good it is in curry dishes. Our favorite asian restaurant opened my eyes to this taste sensation. And then, in keeping with the low carb craze and trying to satisfy my mashed potato craving, I saw a recipe for mashed cauliflower, another dish I'm loving these days. You steam the cauliflower then mash it up with milk, butter, salt and pepper. So delicious (though honestly not really like mashed potatoes). Rob bought me some purple cauliflower the other day. I'll snap a picture of it when I mash it up.

Hello?? Anyone out there? I know it's been near forever since I last posted. That is subject to change...again. Who knows?

spiral floor cloth

This is the picture I've been promising of the floorcloth I made at ArtFest this year. Cool, huh? I really like it and can't wait to have a space to put it where I can admire it on a regular basis.

In case you can't read the quote, it says: "Moment to moment, surrender is the choice to open up to what is actually going on inside us and around us. It is the most profound form of alignment with reality -- and it opens us to love."

I got a chance to do some art this afternoon. It is to be a gift for one of my AOE teammates. I'm 90% done with it. I think she's going to like it. I'm liking it at this point. I wanted to get started on it right away so that I could put it in the mail to my team coach before next Saturday's meeting. I'll try to remember to scan it before I mail it off.

Rob's making a quick chili for dinner tonight. It smells divine. I think I'll go offer him a beer for his troubles and keep him company in the kitchen.

the weekend

Whew, home from the weekend in Issaquah. Even though we got home Monday evening, I still feel like I am playing catch up. Good thing it's a three day weekend in a few days.

It was a good weekend. Challenging at times, good support and much laughter, too. Tiika seemed to enjoy her stay at the spa. It sure makes it easier to leave her knowing she likes it there with Lora. Not that we like leaving her, it just makes it less worrisome.

The rivers around here are at, or near, flood stage due to the hot weather over the weekend and the rain yesterday. All that lovely snow melted mighty fast over a 48 hour period. It will put a little "sog" in the Memorial Day weekend for some people.

We haven't made any grand plans. I have a team call on Saturday morning but then we are "free to move about the cabin." Actually, we'll probably run in to the Farmer's Market first thing and I'll make my call from the cell phone. Rob's call isn't until Tuesday.

That about does it for now. Time for a cup of hot tea!

ttfn

mother's day

Yesterday was a lovely day. I was acknowledged by all three of my girls and my husband. E-cards, phone message, a Go Fetch! baseball cap and the promise of a massage and pedicure in my near future. Many thanks to all. To start the day, Rob made me breakfast. Then we went out and spent a gift card I've had since Christmas (thanks Aunt Pat and Uncle Scott!). We were dog sitting Tiika's boyfriend, Fella, for the weekend so we also took them for a nice hike in Pattee Canyon.

Before day's end I got to chat with my mom and hear about the fine day she had at the beach with my brother and his family. Rob's mom had homemade spaghetti dinner at her house with his sister and brother-in-law. It sounds like there was much love being shared yesterday. Good stuff.

This is going to be a busy week as we prepare to head back to Seattle/Issaquah on Friday after work. I'm looking forward to reconnecting with my team in person. This phone conference thing works as far as it goes but I am discovering how much physical presence means to me.

Again, thanks to Gretchen, Teal, Tiika and Rob for making yesterday such a pleasure. Love you all.

hey, I still have a reader!

Well what do you know? At least one someone not related to me is still reading this here blog. Thanks for the comment Bob! Glad to know I'm not writing into a total void. =) (Yes, Mom, I know you're still reading!!)

Anyway, to reply to Bob's comment, about my back pain, I think the answer is two-fold. One, I have a predisposition to back issues due to my scoliosis so it's not entirely surprising that I would experience this situation at some point in my life.

And two, this is something Jean (acupuncturist) and I talked about a bit. The pain is very low in my back, extending into my bottom, sometimes radiating into my hips. If you believe in chakras, this would be an area associated with home, foundation, survival, connection to others and the ability to deal with change. This would correlate conveniently with the issues I'm currently working out. Also, I seem to see the color coral everywhere right now which is, to my mind's eye, a lovely combination of the red and orange associated with the two lowest chakras. Interesting, no?

Now, for the practical bits, I will check out Bob's book suggestion, Healing Back Pain, and I have phoned the chiropractor for a referral to a physical therapist. It can't hurt to look at this from multiple perspectives for healing.

ttfn

gonna miss her & other stuff

Yesterday I went for my first acupuncture treatment in months. I felt in need of a tune up. It was really great to see my acupuncturist, Jean. She's like a friend, easy to talk to and a good listener. I will definitely miss her when we move. I always smile, usually laugh and sometimes cry, all in the span of 15 minutes, during our check-in before she begins placing the needles. In looking to see if they had a website, I discovered an article about the clinic she and her husband own, click here to read it.

The session left me feeling very tired. Apparently, I had a lot of things going on that she was able to touch. She also strongly recommended I see a physical therapist for my back. I've been having a fair amount of pain in my low, low back and haven't been able to attribute it to anything. She thinks a PT will be able to look at it and give me a routine to strengthen it. I tried a chiropractor for a few sessions but just wasn't convinced it was the right path for me. I guess we'll see what the PT has to say.

Work has been busy. We've hired someone to replace Tom. He won't start until June 2. I think this is a good thing. I'm still adjusting to the first new guy in our department. And, I've been working on the resume. I think it's just about finished. Whew! It's been a challenge though I've had lots of support to get it in shape.

This morning I went for my second run this week. It had more moments of feeling good than Monday did, but it still isn't anywhere near the length I'd like it to be. I'll get there. I have to. My clothes aren't fitting the way I'd like them to and I refuse to buy anything new right now.

I guess that's it for now.

monthly report

Um, yeah, I can't even honestly say I am posting monthly right now. I think about it often and then just don't put the energy into do it. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. I'm thinking about it.

In the meantime, I want to share a couple of pictures from ArtFest. I am still so completely happy with the pieces I created this year. In many ways, it was an even better experience than last year. I had an art buddy/friend in each of my classes which definitely enhanced my experience. I also had way less angst about our upcoming move so my mood in general was more upbeat. What a difference a year makes.

The first class I took was from Anahata Katkin called Mixed Media Mandalas. We worked on 24" x 24" canvases. This is the largest I have ever worked and was nervous about it. I didn't need to be. Anahata is a great teacher and the class was fast paced with no time to worry about how to fill the space. (She is also behind the fabulous company, Papaya! that she runs with her mom from Ashland, OR. You've probably seen her work at your favorite independent card store.)

What do you think of my finished piece? We are still trying to decide where to hang it. I'm still lovin' it.

My second class was with Lynne Perrella, a perennial favorite at ArtFest. She offers the same class all three days and they are always full. My first book purchase when I began doing collage art was Alphabetica so I was thrilled to get into her class this year.

This was another large canvas day, more along the lines of 40" x 30". Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of that piece. It is kind of dark and chaotic but colorful with lots of movement and texture. It it's easier to show in person and travels fairly easily so I can bring it on our next road trip.

My third and final class was a floor covering class with Judy Wise, an artist out of Canby, OR. Honestly, that was part of my draw when I started reading her blog, the fact that she lives in Oregon. I continue reading because I enjoy her art, her art journaling and her story telling.

And again, I found myself working large in this class. The canvases she prepared for us were, I believe, 28" x 34". I amazed myself with how I filled the space without too much worrying. The hardest part for me was the placement of the words. I wish I had done it slightly different than the final result but I love it anyway. It all worked out just fine. (That was my mantra, btw, for the whole time I was at ArtFest. You can ask Joanne and Elisabeth, I muttered it quite a bit.)

There is a great photo of my floorcovering on Judy's blog (ArtFest 4, I think) but it seems to have gotten corrupted or something and I can't get it right now. If I can get it, I'll come back and post it later, like, probably next week. To build the suspense, enjoy the shot of Elisabeth (sitting, in pink) and I working away, side by side.

So there, now you know something about ArtFest this year. You feel all caught up, don't you? Ok, I don't either but I'm done being in front of the computer for now.

ttfn

busy but not much to report

Things are pretty busy here right not but there isn't much real movement yet to report.

I leave for ArtFest in just a smidge over two weeks. It's one of those things that takes forever to get here and then all of a sudden I have a lot to do to get ready. Kind of like Christmas.

This year is different from last year in that I am flying one-way to Seattle, attending the festivities and then driving back with Rob since he'll be in Seattle for a different event. I'm glad the dates worked out that way even though it's a bit of a pain for me in the prepping stages. I don't want to chance anything getting pulled from my luggage supply-wise so am shipping most of them in advance to a friend's house (thanks Elisabeth!).

Also, I don't have the "first time, what's it going to be like?" jitters. I can see two big differences from last year: a new roomie and where Rob and I are in our move process.

First, I am going to miss Robyn terribly. She's one of my favorite people to spend time with and was a great person to share space with. On the other hand, I'm really looking forward to meeting Sue. I'm glad to extend my circle. From the pictures I've seen, she's an amazing artist and from our emails, she's a kind person.

And second, since we are in a much better place in regards to our move, I feel a bit lighter in general. We have plans and are about to jump into one of the best support mechanisms I know. Things are looking and feeling brighter.

In addition to all this ArtFest activity, things at work have been thrown into flux. Our new GIS person starts on the 24th. This is exciting but will also be a demand on the whole department's time over the next several months as he gets settled and begins planning our transition. I took an intro to GIS course last week so hopefully I can be helpful to him and my boss in translating things. (Also, it left me feeling pretty good about future possibilities in the work realm.)

The other bit of news is that my co-worker has decided to leave the organization and pursue his dreams. I am excited and happy for him. At least I am now that I got over being mad at him for leaving. He is so easy to work with, I just don't know how anyone else will measure up. My boss and I are in the process of figuring out how to accomplish this and we know it is going to be an even bigger disruption to our timeline of tasks. Big picture, it's going to be a crazy busy time for us over the next several months.

As usual, I had more to write than I thought when I first sat down...

Have a lovely Sunday.

a birthday

Yesterday was Will's 1st birthday!! Woo hoo! Toot!
It's hard to believe a year ago I received this picture:










And then this year for my birthday I received this picture:

He is growing so fast...Both Rob and I are looking forward to seeing him on Saturday to celebrate his birth.

Pop! goes my heart

I woke up with a song in my head. It is the lead-in song for the movie, Music & Lyrics, with Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore, "Pop! Goes my Heart". The movie is a very sweet (though quite predictable) romantic comedy. As a dancer, Hugh Grant has a way with his hips. If you've seen Love Actually you've gotten a preview of his swiveling hip action.

I watched M&L while waiting for Rob to come home on Monday night. It was just right for that kind of waiting. I am so glad to have him home. My heart is full. Full of love and gratitude and hope. I could go on but I just noticed the time. Yikes! I am soooo late.

Have a good one y'all.

weekend slipping away

I can't believe how this weekend is slipping right by me! I made some progress on an ArtFest project yesterday but it took a long time. I think everything is dry now so I can at least stack 'em up and move on to something else. I also finished a gift that now needs to be wrapped and packaged for shipping.

I still have a couple of gifts to make in preparation for next weekend's trip to Oregon. Neither of them are started except in my mind. However, I have cleared out some correspondence that has been bugging me so this is a good thing. Lots to do including laundry. Oh, joy!

I recently heard a couple of songs that I really like and wanted to share with you. I tried to buy the cd but found out it won't be available* in the US until mid-March. Dang! I'll have to make do with these two pieces for now. The artist is an Israeli woman named Yael Naim.

The first one you may have heard on a tv ad. Apple is using it for one of their new products. I like it anyway. It is called New Soul.




The lyrics of the second one really resonate with me. Especially these two:

"How can you stay outside?
There's a beautiful mess inside."

The song is called Far Far.




Listen to the clips and let me know what you think.

*It appears to be available now on iTunes but sometimes I just want the physical cd. I like iTunes more for when I just want one or two songs from a cd.

I'm off to tackle my list of "to do's". It will be good to keep myself busy, too. I am looking forward to hearing from Rob tonight. He's been away in Seattle for the follow up course to the one he took last month. I'm eager to hear how it's gone for him...

ArtFest trades

These are the inchies I've made to trade* at ArtFest this year. As the name implies, each of them measure 1" square. They have been fun to make though more time consuming than I originally thought they would be. I have 19 of them finished, and another 64 in process. Of those in process, 20ish are half done and the rest a third done.

Last year I made way too many charms (or perhaps I didn't trade enough!). I still have a bunch of them left. I just don't know what to do with them. If I have these inchies left over I feel much more confident that I will use them after ArtFest in my journals or something.

* So what is this "trade" thing? It's an informal activity at ArtFest as a way to share our art, communicate our loves and meet people. At least that's the way I interpret it. There seems to be a vast movement among this type of artist to make things and share/exchange/swap them with each other. I was nervous about it last year and I probably will be again at first this year. However, after approaching a few people and being warmly greeted, I started to get the buzz and enjoyed myself quite a bit.

we're tired

As you can see, we are kind of tuckered out here. Tiika is tired from playing with her Valentine's Day toy from Grandma. She always sends the best ones. Thanks!

Rob is still dealing with being sick. He went to the doctor on Friday though and got some super cough medicine that is making it easier for him to get some rest.

I am going to spend the day doing housekeeping chores. Tomorrow is all about playing. I have a gift certificate I need to spend and I intend to bring out the inchies I am making for ArtFest trades. If I have enough finished, I'll scan them in and share here.

This morning I finished reading a really good book, Free Food for Millionaires. It is about a Korean family in New York. At times I didn't want to put it down, I was pulled along wanting to know more. My favorite kind of read.

The weather here has been warmer. It is actually more of a problem when taking hikes. You never know when you step if it is going to be slippery or if your foot is going to fall through a drift disguised as the path. It is almost more tiring to go out now.

Not much else to report for now. It's been slow and quiet here. Spring is just around the corner and with it, a flurry of activity: a trip to Portland and the coast, a class for work and ArtFest just to name the biggies.

Hope all is well with you. Off to get something done today...

the picture I alluded to

I am finally getting a minute where everything comes together so I can post this picture:

I think this is his "come hither with more crackers" look. So perfect with his new hat. (Thanks, Cassie for sending this to me.)

Today is only Day 2 of our three day weekend...the weather is cold and windy though so it looks like it will be a mostly indoor kind of day. Tomorrow is supposed to be even colder, down to single digits if I recall correctly. Brrrr!!

My moment on the computer is already coming to an end. I hear the stirrings of breakfast in the kitchen. Yum!

blustery morning

My oh my, is it ever blustery this morning. It snowed a bit last night and now the wind is blowing it all about. Brrrr...it was a quick trip outside for Tiika and I. There were too many noisy things in the air like plastic bags. We were both a bit spooked.

Yesterday at work we began interviewing to fill our GIS position. This is the first time I have ever been on the hiring side of the table. The whole situation is providing me a good opportunity to prep for my near future. It is also freaking me out a bit. Probably a good thing, I need a little bit more of a kick in the pants to get the ball moving.

Next time I'll have a picture to post...can anyone guess the subject??

mish mash, catch up

I've been meaning to post this link for over a week now and keep running out of time. I am putting it first so no more excuses! It's a short piece on a place of great interest to us these days. Safety counts, ya know. Thanks, Cassie! (The only thing I can't figure is why it's under weird news...)

Yesterday I took my first run with another person (other than the two "races" I've entered and one training run with Rob when I was in better shape than I am today). It was interesting and hard. She seemed challenged to go at my slow pace. Regardless, I had a hard time conversing with her and kept shooting questions her way so she had to talk and not me. The frustrating part was that she would toss questions my way that I really wanted to answer so I had to wheeze out my words.

I mentioned my slow pace, right? I don't think I could go any slower without walking. As long as I'm not talking, which I'm usually not since I go alone or with Tiika who doesn't converse with me that way, I feel fine about my pace. I think it's simply a matter of getting in better shape. I'm planning to ask my friend if she'd be willing to run with me every couple of weeks or so because I think this might be a good way for me to measure my fitness progress.

Last weekend I got a good start on my ArtFest trades, both the ones I'm doing only for my housemates and also the inchies I'm doing for general trading. I'd like to spend some time this weekend puttering on them. When I have some inchies finished, I intend to post pictures. The other ones are going to be a surprise so no pictures. I like doing things for people that will be even slightly unexpected.

I'd say that wrap things up for now. Have a great weekend!

ironic

On Monday I took my first run of the New Year. I was surprised at how great I felt! Runners high, endorphins firing, cheesy grin. I had to slow to a stop a couple of times but it was almost more a mental need than a physical one.

Then yesterday morning I woke up with a headache and a general, not-feeling-so-good body. I went back to sleep for a little bit while Rob took care of Tiika in the hopes that it would help. No go. I ended up staying home from work. It just seemed like the best idea with everything that goes around this time of year.

I spent the entire day on the couch, snuggled with Tiika, reading. I still feel sort of woozy this morning. Hopefully being vertical for a while will be enough to overcome that sensation.

It was kind of a strange, low-grade sickness. I wonder if running on Monday somehow protected me from getting hit harder. I like to think so.

Here's greater health and more regular exercise in the New Year!

resolutions?

I've never been a big New Year's Resolutions kind of gal. As a pre-teen/teenager it was more about making predictions. I'd write them out on a piece of notebook paper, seal them in an envelope and stash it in a desk drawer to be opened at the beginning of the following year. I wasn't ever very accurate in my guesses. Mostly they were hopes for the future rather than goals I was going to achieve though I suppose I did my best to attract that hunky boyfriend of my dreams.

I guess I like to believe I notice things that need to be handled through out the year and start working on them. Sometimes the steps I'm taking are obvious, sometimes not-so-much. This year I'm thinking there might be something to making resolutions at the same time as everyone else. Peer pressure and the pure energy factor being the driving factors. Everyone is focused on bringing their best selves forward. The potential is awesome. I wonder if there have been studies on productivity in January. Probably.

How do you feel about New Year's Resolutions?