Under De-Construction

Howdy Folks!  I'm beginning to think it's about time to change things up, in many ways.  Brad and I are looking at refurbishing our living room (great room) just in time for the holidays.  We spent a good part of Friday's afternoon looking at sectionals.  Yes, I've caved in.  After 10 years I'm letting the man have his way, on this item anyway, ha!  In addition, after staring at a perfectly lovely piano (Charles R. Walter) that wasn't being played we decided to find it a new home.  In its place I will be putting book shelves, something I've wanted to do for a long time.  As some of you may know, I have little piles of books stashed here and there, just itching for a place to call their own.

It just feels like the right time to change things up a bit.  It's that in between time.  Kids are in school, but it's still summer.  Fall is approaching, with the crickets and sunflowers, but non too swiftly.  I'm preparing a Knitting As A Spiritual Practice class that I will be teaching at the church, but it doesn't get started until October.  So, it is a good time to feather the nest and make it cozier for the approaching winter (shh - can't believe I just wrote that!).

So when I don't feel like moving furniture around and dusting up what was hiding there, I will be playing with the look of this blog, hence the new banner picture.  It is rather large, but a pretty reminder of my garden.  Perhaps I will delve into the HTML code and see if I can't reduce its size a bit?  Perhaps the teenager will help me with that?

With that I wish you all a lovely Sunday.  It holds such a special place in the week doesn't it?  Even if it will be spent doing a bit more sofa shopping!

Yup, it's definitely getting to be the end of the season.  You can see it in the early morning light, can't you?  You certainly couldn't tell by the afternoon 90 degree weather we've been experiencing, but the season is winding down.  It feels just like when the sprinkler reaches it's full arc and you want to make a run for it. 

We had an incredible bean harvest, but even they are slowing down in production.  The hens are slowing down as well.  Instead of gathering 6-8 eggs a day, I'm gathering 4-5.  The weeds however still have a good head of steam.

I literally threw in the trowel (pun intended!) on the weeding when the mosquitoes got too thick and vicious.  But amidst all those bugs and jungle there is food to be enjoyed.  It does take a certain amount of courage and clothing to bring it in!

So now my dilemma is what to do with all the bounty?  I have made copious amounts of ratatouille and cucumber salad, but part of me wants to squirrel it away for a taste of summer in the winter.  I would love to find a canning recipe to use up the zucchini, squash, beans, and peppers.

Any ideas?

Do A Good Turn Daily

Hiking was the "activity du jour" yesterday, albeit the girls and boys did it seperately and in their own respective ways.  Rachel and I enjoyed a beautiful morning hiking at Chatauqua, and dining afterwards.

Meanwhile, our trusty scouts were in the high country "sky walking" (Brad's words!). 

They hiked an impressive 7 hours and 7 miles to summit 4 14ers.  For you non-Colorado folks 14ers are mountains that have an elevation of 14,000 feet.  Trust me, it's hard! 

And the excitement didn't end.  This morning on my dog walk at the Boulder Resevoir a young CU student's Lab was bitten by a rattlesnake.  Poor gal, she didn't know what to do.  Well, Mommy Chicken to the rescue.  I grabbed the girls things and made them "hustle" (is there such a thing with a LARGE dog? ~ It had to weigh more than 100 lbs.) the dog to the car, and drove them to the nearest vet.  When we got there we found out we were the second snake bite victims to show up!

I'm so glad I could be there, really be there, in a calm and present manner to help these young ladies out.  Perhaps all this scouting business is rubbing off on me as well?

Remember the Boy Scout Slogan "Do A Good Turn Daily."

Hats Off To You!

I have a day off from work today, so I thought I'd get this hat off in the mail for a friend's Mom who is undergoing Chemo.  Cancer is a bitch.  We all have our stories of loved ones and friend's loved ones who have battled, some surviving and some not.

Therefore, I feel compelled to help in anyway I can with another's journey.  This is a great little crochet project.  I enjoyed it so much last winter, especially with this yarn.  I think it will feel just right as a "chemo cap," warm, but not too much so, and SOFT.  I know my girlfriend had a hard time with itching, so hopefully this yarn will do the trick.

Here's the pattern:

Materials
Worsted Weight Yarn
Crochet Hook - G/6 4.255 mm hook

Ch 4 Join in round with sl st.
Rnd 1: Ch 3, 15 dc in ring (16 dc)
Rnd 2: Ch 3, dc in same st, 2 dc in each dc around (32 dc)
Rnd 3: Ch 3, dc in same st, * (dc in 3 dc, 2dc in next dc) repeat from * around ending dc in 3 dc, sl st to beginning (40 dc)
Rnd 4: Ch 3, dc in same st, * (dc in 4 dc, 2dc in next dc) repeat from * around ending dc in 4 dc, sl st to beginning (48 dc)
Rnd 5: Ch 3, dc in same st, * (dc in 5 dc, 2dc in next dc) repeat from * around ending dc in 5 dc, sl st to beginning (56 dc)
Rnd 6: Ch 3, dc in same st, * (dc in 6 dc, 2dc in next dc) repeat from * around ending dc in 6 dc, sl st to beginning (64 dc)
Rnd 7-11: ch 2, skip one dc *(2 dc in next dc twice, skip 2 dc) repeat from * ending with sl st in top of first dc.
Rnd 12-16: ch 1, sc in each dc(sc) around.

Here's the pattern for the Festive Flower (same materials as used in hat):

Ch 5, sl st into a ring
sc 15 into the ring
*Ch 4 work 2 tr into next 2 sc, Ch 4 sl st into next sc
Repeat from * until complete

Counting my blessings as I count my stitches!

And They're Off

First day of school.  So much to look forward to, so much to watch out for.  It's a tricky time in our family's life.  Teenagers.  Need I say more?  I love them to pieces, yes, they make me crazy at times, and me them.  But I know one thing, I wouldn't want to live without them.  They are my pride and joy, even when they screw up.  Hey, perfect is for angels!  My parting words, "make me proud"  and "text me."  Welcome to the 21st century.

Rachel First Day of 10th Grade

Max First Day of 7th Grade

And now I'm off.  Before I think too hard on how great it was to have my kids' ears for a bit.  Before I think how much I will miss feeding them from my kitchen (even though it gets tiresome).  Before I think about how fast the time is passing.

Weren't they just learning to tie their shoelaces?

Best of luck to all you students and parents of students this school year.

I Spy With My Little Eye

Like many of you this week, I found myself at the Mall doing some back to school shopping with my teenager.  All good fun!  Rachel and I had a good laugh because we found ourselves spending most of our time at the food court enjoying some fish tacos.  Typical!  I was surprised when rounding one familiar corner to find that Restoration Hardware was gone.  Sadness.  But seeing that my house has been furnished for many years now, not a huge loss for me.  Especially when I weigh in its replacement.  It was a store called "Cozy Cottage" and here is what greeted passing shoppers:

Oh Joy!  What incredible festiveness!

I love the spider web tablecloth on the white table and all the hanging placards, "I'd Turn Back If I Were You!"

Dear little owls with yellow eyes!

I know most of you are still relishing summer and all it's bounty.  I should be too.  But I must confess, Back to School has filled me with a certain degree of anxiety.  And looking forward to one of my favorite holidays helps with that a lot.  Is it too early to plan costumes?

You've Got To Know When to Hold Them, Know When to Fold Them

This weekend we had the pleasure (?!) of sitting down with our teen daughter and creating a "social contract."  Oy!  Painful but necessary.  Thank goodness my husband is a very seasoned contract negotiator.  As he says, "everybody has to get something of what they want, otherwise why come to the table?"

The teen years are hard to negotiate, especially in Boulder, CO where you have a LARGE University walking distance to the High School.  Everything and more is available to our teens, and its a big job to help them navigate their way.  As some of you may remember, we had a crash course in this at the beginning of the summer.  We're hoping this "social contract" will provide just the sort of guidelines and incentives to help our gal.

Rachel has Purple Nails, I have Pink!

One thing I discovered this summer was how nice it was to get our nails done together.  We've done this in the past, but ordinarily I'm in the chair (I like pedicures) while she sits across the way.  Nice nails, but not a whole lot of connecting.  This past week we both went for manicures.  Holy Moly!  This was better than any family counseling.  I heard more about her and her friends than I ever have.  At last!  I think I'm onto something.  Therefore, as an incentive for good behaviour and following house rules, she and I will be getting monthly manicures. 

And that is about all for now.  It was a big part of our weekend, which is not over yet.  There is a Little League Barbecue to look forward to (and prepare for - Lemon Bunt Cake, Green Bean Salad), but I'm just glad to have tackled that difficult task.

BTW - I did finish painting the kids' bath and it looks amazing!  For those interested, the paint I used was Behr Celtic Gray 490E.

I wish you all a wonderful week!

Loop Da Loop

Early this morning I was lucky enough to meet a girlfriend for one of my favorite bike rides, I call it the "Farm Loop."  And here's why:

We are lucky enough to have working, organic farms all around us.  Another girlfriend referred to this area of Boulder County as "The Golden Triangle," for it is zoned for agricultrual use.  What a joy to be surrounded by nature and the results of those hardworking farmers.

Thank you Anna for a great start to my day!

Almost There

Seems like at this point in the summer there is an "almost there" feeling living in our house.  The ball games have been played and watched, swim practices and meets completed, trips taken, visits and visitors enjoyed, barbeque's, fireworks, hikes, bike rides, hammock time.  Whew, need I say more?  And yet there are all these summer projects started that are oh-so-close to completion.

Exhibit #1 - Crocheted Rag Rug

 Exhibit #2 - Refresh/Repaint Kid's Bathroom

Rachel has made me promise the bathroom will be done before school starts in 2 weeks.  It's hard enough getting ready for school at 6 am without mother's work all over!

Exhibit #3 - Mending Pile/Creative Space Sadly Neglected

I've had the best intentions, but, good Lord, need I say more?  Oy!

Exhibit #4 - Almost Full Grown Baby Chick

Yup, there she is hiding in the upper right side portion of the photo.  She has all her mature feathers, except the last little bit around the face.  Makes me think about how the frontal lobe is the last part of the brain to develop in humans (that's where all our reasoning comes from), but that's another subject for another day.  That being said, can't help but draw the correlation between that chick and our own developing teens.  Thank goodness Mother Nature is all over this particular project. I thankfully can just sit back and watch this one out!!

And there we are.  Two weeks and counting before I ship the kids back to school.  It's always such a bittersweet time for me.  For as much as I look forward to having some uninterrupted time during the day (huh - what's that?) at this point I can't quite remember what that felt like and if it felt as good as RIGHT NOW.

I have loved this summer with my children.  They are the ultimate craft project.  I love watching them grow, and it doesn't come without some prodding and support along the way.  So even though time is of the essence, I am going to enjoy all those conversations over the more leisurely breakfasts of summer.  I am going to sit down and watch a little more the shows, movies, and music videos they enjoy.  And conversely, I am going to highly encourage a few more family hikes, bike rides, swims, fireside chats, and dinners on the back porch.

For me, life is sweet.  And time with family is sweetest of all.  It doesn't come without its messes and share of spills, but the end product is oh so fine.

Exhibit #5 - Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream

A big shout out to Nanny and a bigger THANK YOU for our new ice cream maker.  This first batch was a winner!  I can't wait to mix up some Candy Cane Ice Cream over the Christmas holidays with her.

I'm hoping you all make the most of the time that's left in your summers.  Savor it, life is sweet!

I hope you all had a great weekend!  We had a chance to escape the heat a bit as we headed into the mountains by Steamboat Lake.  I say a bit because it was plenty sunny and hot where we were.  Steamboat received record snowfall this year as evidenced by the incredible wild flower display.  The hills were awash with so much color.  I couldn't stop "oohing and aahing." 



Steamboat Lake, Colorado



Arnica and Blue Bonnet

Unfortunately, our hidden gem of a campsite was quite altered due to Pine Beetle Kill.  So instead of hanging out in the forest, we made the most of nearby Steamboat lake with some water fun.




No camping trip would be complete without a mountain bike ride.  It had been three years since we rode this particular trail, and Brad and I were surprised at how technical it was. 

Nor could we believe we rode this trail when Rachel and Max were 12 and 10.

All in all, we had fun, even with the bugs and sun.  Roughing it was worth the time away from the household distractions, and the campfire chats were priceless.  I'm just not sure Pepper would agree.  Any time the car door was opened he would pop in for some relief.

One of the biggest gems on this trip were our friends, Cecil and Bobbie, the campground hosts.  We met them years ago when we pulled in without a reservation.  Cecil was so friendly and accomodating.  He has shared many things with us over the years, and this year was no different.

Cecil teaches Max some Chess moves

I think I'll be in for it the next time Max and I play chess.

Now there is the unloading and washing up to do after every excursion, but I have visiting family to look forward to!  We'll hopefully be getting up to Rocky Mountain National Park for some touring, so more photos to follow.

I hope you're all looking forward to a great week.

Harry Potter, You Wonderful Boy, You Brave Man

Rachel, Max and Mom at Midnight Showing of Deathly Hallows, Part 2!

Well, what can I say.  It seems like yesterday we were just sitting down to read "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" aloud together, and now, well, it's just too hard to think about.  It feels like the passing of an era, and that makes me feel old.  Worse yet, it makes me realize just how fleeting childhood is.

And yet, there is a beginning after the end.  For me, this  light comes in the form of a not yet 16 year old who was reluctant to dive into the land of witches and wizards at the ages of 10 and 12.  The size of the books alone were enough to stop her in her tracks.  While her mother and brother gobbled them up, she obstinately refused to find them worth her while.

Until now.

Now I find her reading and sharing all the wonderful insights that J.K. has inspired in so many.  I find her making connections between Harry's experiences and her own life and sharing them with me.  And I am grateful. 

Thank you J.K. for being true to yourself.  For being the kind of mother who believed in storytelling, and for being brave enough to write your stories down. 

We were discussing Harry Potter at work again (Hey, I'm lucky enough to work with a gal who chose to write her sermon series this month on the "gospel according to Harry Potter") and Pastor Pam shared that she can't remember a time when she and her family weren't looking forward to the next book/movie release.  Think about it.  That's a lot to look forward to, and how will we ever fill that place again?

The only thing I'm sure of is that I don't really know.  But I do believe that J.K. touched on some elemental truths on what it means to be human, and those are the kind of stories that get shared over and over again.

“Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.” – J.K. Rowling

14,000 Things To Be Grateful For

Well, I have to admit.  Sometimes I suffer from Blog Anxiety.  Do you know what I mean?  It usually strikes when I find myself caught up in the comparison game.  You know how it goes, "Gee, her muffins are so much cuter than mine," or "Wow, she seems to have so much family togetherness time."  It's a horrible place to be, so as my friend says, "If you're going to take that kind of a trip, make it as fast as possible."

Nothing pulls me out of that place faster than practising gratitude.  Was it Gandhi who wrote, "Gratitude is the surest path back to the soul?"  Therefore, here is something I am grateful for:

We've been having pretty consistent afternoon and evening rain showers, so much so that I'm not sure Little League will ever finish (many, many rain delays).  Something that I am oh so grateful for is that first step out the back porch in the morning as I go to let out the chickens.  The smell of garden sage, lavender, tomato and cilantro is overwhelming.  Something about that hard rain releases the essence of these plants and it just lingers in the air.

One little thing that means a lot to me.

Crocheting By The Pool

I hope you all enjoyed a great weekend.  I know we did!  We got to enjoy the kids' swim meet with beautiful (albeit HOT) weather and smiling faces.

 

Max and Rachel - Go Cuddas!


I love watching them move from the nervousness before their heats, to great relief and surprise at how well they swam.  And, there is plenty of time between heats to get up to some crafty business.  This day presented the perfect opportunity to launch a project I've had in mind for some time: Crocheted Rag Rug.  I've been holding onto our sheets from when Brad and I first got married because I loved them so much and I couldn't bear to part with them.  Luckily, with this project I don't have to!

Instead, I'll rip them into 1 1/2" strips, wind them into balls, and with my size P crochet hook get going!

Other poolside goodies in my basket: sunblock and lipgloss, of course!

There are lots of alternatives out there on the Web, but I wanted an Oval shaped rug.  So I started by Ch 10.  Then I SC into the front of each loop going down one side.  When I got to the end I crocheted 3 SC.  SC back up the other side, and 3 SC at the opposite end.  Then you simply continue in this manner until you notice the rug starting to curl in.  Whenever you notice this all you have to do is throw in some extra SC at the ends.  Just make sure whatever you do at one end you repeat at the other.  Soon you may end up with something like this:

Pepper modeling the Crocheted Rag Rug

A fellow swim parent asked a very good question, "How many sheets will you need?"  And to that I had to reply, "I'm not sure, I guess I'll just crochet along until I'm satisfied."  I'm thinking it will only take the 2 or 3 sheets that I have on hand (funny that), but who knows?  Perhaps I'll be so inspired I'll be scrounging around for some more!

When all is said and done, there is the question of what to do with the tails sticking out the back.  I'm inclined to weave them in a bit and call it good.  Another poolside suggestion was to Scotchguard the rug upon completion.

One thing I do know, I love taking something whose purpose no longer fits and changing things up enough to give it new life.

What about you?

Get Her to the Greek Quinoa Salad

What can I say?  Like so many of you out there I've fallen in love with Quinoa.  It's cheap, easy to prepare and digest, and oh so good for you.  Did you know that Quinoa is a complete protein with all eight essential amino acids?  In some circles it is known as "the gold of the Incas."  Legend says that it was fed to their warriors to increase their stamina and sharpen their reasoning.

One of my favorite reasons to get familiar with this grain is that there is one simple way to cook it, but so many different ways to flavor it.  When cooking Quinoa just keep in mind the 2:1 ratio, water to grain.  So, if you want to cook 1 cup Quinoa, simply add 2 cups water, bring to boil and turn off.  Let sit for 20 or so minutes (enough time to do your other prep like chopping herbs, veggies, nuts etc. . .)

We've had some sticky days here in Colorado (ok you DC people are snickering) so it felt like a good time to fix this salad for a light supper.

Here's How:

Start with  1 1/2 - 2 cups cooked Quinoa
Add as many of the following as you like:

Crumbled Feta Cheese
Artichoke Hearts, chopped
Kalamata Olives, chopped
Red Pepper, chopped (ok you get it, I'll refrain from adding chopped from here on out)
Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
Cucumber
Toasted Nuts, like Pine Nuts, Walnuts, etc. . .
Fresh Herbs like Parsley or Mint or combination thereof
2 Teaspoons of Greek Seasoning (recipe follows) or more to taste

Greek Blend Seasoning: (makes ~ 1/2 cup)

1 T Basil
1 T Thyme
1 T + 1 t Garlic Powder
1 t Mustard Powder
Salt & Pepper to taste.

I found my salad to be plenty wet, but if you needed to moisten yours, you could add a squeeze of Lemon and a drizzle of Olive Oil.  This salad can stand on its own, or you may choose to serve on a bed of Baby Spinach.

I hope you all enjoy a fun, restful and tasty weekend!

Freedom is not Free

Happy Fourth everyone!  Today seems like as good a day as any to express my gratitude to the servicemen and women who work so hard to ensure our everyday freedoms.  Thank you for serving our country so selflessly so that we might be able to live our lives according to our own choosing.

I've never considered myself an overly patriotic sort.  In fact, I've shyed away from most conventionality (hence I live in Boulder).  But, I was proven wrong this Summer during our family trip back East.  I was amazed to find myself overcome with emotion as we landed in DC and Reagan International Airport.  What a sight to be greeted by the National Mall and Memorials while descendeding along the Potomac River.  And that was just the start!

We were lucky enough to find Tim and his Walk of the Town at the corner of 15th and Pennsylvania.  If you ever find yourself in DC between a Wednesday and Saturday, do not miss this man!  He taught History in the Maryland school district for over 33 years and was very engaging and entertaining.  For over three hours he regaled us with story upon story of the area and the people who have inhabited it. 

Capitol Building

One of my favorite stories is about the Statue of Freedom on the top of the Capitol building.  She stands over 19 feet tall.  In fact, she is the tallest statue in town, the highest point in DC, and she faces East.  Best of all, there is a saying that "The Sun Never Sets on the Face of Freedom in Washington, DC."

Korean War Memorial

No trip to DC would be complete without a stop of a more personal nature.  On our way out of town, we visited my father's childhood residence just miles away.  I had no idea my dad grew up right next to this incredible place.  All I ever remembered was the nearby playground, my grandparents home, and the National Zoo.  After visiting as an adult I have such a better appreciation and understanding of my dad's passion for politics.  It's in his blood!

3510 Runnymeade Ct., DC

I am so grateful for this trip and for so many of the everyday belssings I enjoy.

June Beauty

It's been awhile since I last checked in, and in my last posting we were getting ready for our trip back East.  It was a lovely trip, and I will justify it by writing its own posting in a bit.  But for now, I wanted to slowly wade my way back into Blogsphere and share some June Beauty.

Well there is time left-fields everywhere invite you into them.~Mary Oliver

Parting Shots

Hi All!  We're in the throws of packing for a much anticipated trip to the East coast to visit my 99 year old Granny, woot!, family cabin, and do a little sight seeing around our Nation's capital.  These people and places have been a part of me for a  l-o-n-g  time and I'm super excited to share it with my family.  Brad has planned some new and exciting things to see and do along the way, yes, we are going to the see the Nationals play ball in their new ballpark, woot woot!

So I will wish you all a very beautiful and safe week during my absense from blogland.  I plan on taking lots of photos of the area and can't wait to share upon our safe arrival back home.  In the meantime, thought I would share a few photos of the babe who is sprouting some fine wing feathers.  I do wonder what she will look like?

The Only Way to Grab a Few Photos, Bribe Them With Food!

Could Be We Have Another 'Barred Rock' On the Way?

Enjoy!

Finding Our Rhythm

Is There Anything Prettier Than Pink Peonies?

Seems like every summer we go move through an adjustment to school being out and a new routine being established.  This time can feel awkward and more than a little uncomfy.  As the kids grow they need to assert themselves more and more as far as how they want to spend their vacation.  And yet, someone needs to be there to guide them, and at the very least DRIVE them.

After a bit of a bumpy start things are starting to settle.  As Max learned at Scout Camp, and obligingly shared with us, one of the most important components for survival in the wilderness is good moral.  And one essential element for good moral is establishing a rhythm.  Fantastic.  This hearkens back to Rachel and Max's preschool teacher's mantra "Rhythm, Routine, and Consistency."

So, after too much back and forth this week, my hero came to my rescue.  Thank you Brad for getting the kids to their early morning swim practice so I could enjoy a quiet house.  I revelled in the time to straighten, dust, vacuum, and fuss about the house without disrupting anyone.  Glorious.

To cap it off, I was able to bike to work.  What a treat!

My Commute

To think I may have missed this view if I hadn't slowed down long enough to leave the car at home.

Here's hoping you all are finding your own rhythm within your summers.