LifeWays - Birgit's Blog

2011-08-11T14:03:00.006-07:00

Pattern/Repetition Challenge

Great job on the rule-of-thirds photos! Our next composition challenge is repetition and pattern. While repetition or pattern can be really boring (if you take a picture of a brick wall, you technically have repetition and pattern - but who would really want to look at it?) it can actually add a lot of interest to a photo. Here, we aren't talking about things like the varying pattern on a butterfly wing, but a motif/shape that repeats several times within the same photo. There are two ways to make pattern or repetition especially interesting:

1) Focus on it. Make the repetition the main focus of the piece. The most important thing here is to make sure the pattern fills the entire frame – the pattern should continue all the way across the composition (top to bottom, or side to side) to make the most impact.

2) Break it. It can be really interesting to have a pattern that is interrupted by one thing that is different.

Here are some examples (by, in order, Sheila, Sarah, Birgit, Sheila, Julie, Birgit, Birgit, Lisa):

Your challenge:

Look for interesting patterns or repeating motifs around you! Make sure to fill your whole frame. New photos only - don't go looking through your archives. Happy shooting!

2011-07-15T16:37:00.000-07:00

My daughter as Tonks, getting ready for the midnight showing.

2011-06-24T17:43:00.002-07:00

Rule of Thirds:

For our first challenge, we'll go with a rule that most of us will be familiar with: the rule of thirds.
You mentally divide your photo up into thirds by imagining two lines that cut it into thirds horizontally, and another two lines that cut it into thirds vertically. Like this:

The rule of thirds says that placing the focal point of the picture on one of the points where the lines intersect (instead of centering it) makes for a more interesting, dynamic, inviting picture. Yes, there are many great pictures that break this rule, but in general, your photo will look better if you keep that rule in mind when you compose it. So for objects, place them near the intersections of the lines or on the lines. If you have a horizon in a landscape, place it either near the bottom or top horizontal line - don't put it right in the center!

Here are some examples of pictures that follow the rule, taken by women from our group:

So for the first challenge, try to take pictures conscious of this rule, and then post them in the "Rule of Thirds" album on the facebook page!

If you are interested in more info or would like to look at some more examples, go to one of these web pages:

http://www.betterphoto.com/exploring/tips/thirds.asp
http://www.hippasus.com/resources/viscomp/RuleThirds.html

2011-06-18T14:48:00.001-07:00

Chocolate Butterscotch Bacon cupcake.
Different. :0)

2011-02-23T11:33:00.000-07:00

Wise Hen eggs - I love these!

2010-11-17T13:45:00.001-07:00

In Alice Wisler's novel "Hatteras Girl", the protagonist, Jackie Donovan, feels her life is falling short of her dreams. Her eccentric, loving, but quite clueless relatives have set her up on a string of horrible blind dates. She likes her job as a writer for a magazine all right, but dreams of owning a bed and breakfast - specifically the Bailey House. The Bailey House has been standing empty for years, and with its astronomical price tag, Jackie sees no way her dream will ever become a reality. Enter Davis Erickson, a blindingly handsome real estate agent who also is the heir to the Bailey House. All of a sudden Jackie is full of hope that both her heart's desires will come true in one fell swoop. But all isn't as it seems.

The story takes place on the Outer Banks, a setting that holds special significance to me. So that added to my enjoyment of the story. What struck me most about the book were the well-developed side characters: Jackie's roommate Molly, who lost her husband a year ago. Jackie's relationship with Molly's young son rang very true to me, and helped establish Jackie as a real person who reacts in human ways. The cast at Jackie's office. Her colorful family. To me, those relationships were what made the book.

This is not so much a 'Christian novel' as a novel about people who happen to be Christian. Her faith is just a natural part of Jackie's life and flows into the story from there. There is only one conversation that seems shoehorned in to make a theological point, but that is a minor distraction.

All in all, this was a story I enjoyed immensely.

2010-11-13T10:02:00.000-07:00

Public service announcements - if you have Conserv-Energy brand bulbs (they are compact fluorescents that are sold cheaply by Costco and IKEA, for example) you might want to get rid of them. I smelled this horrible burning wire smell the other day, and after running around the house found that there was smoke pouring from the base of the light bulb. A minute more, and I think our house would have been on fire. Looking on the internet, there are many reports of these bulbs catching on fire!

2010-10-31T18:02:00.000-07:00

Kira decked out for the Halloween Dance

2010-10-15T22:30:00.001-07:00

Kira, in the head piece that Kateri Morton gave her!

2010-10-09T19:28:00.000-07:00

First one married!

2010-09-24T22:14:00.000-07:00

Seen in the Boise rose garden.

2010-08-27T21:14:00.000-07:00

For Chad...

2010-08-03T17:17:00.000-07:00

We really enjoyed having an exchange student these last three weeks. Sharon is a sweet girl, and was a pleasure to have in our home! We got to learn about China and its customs and traditions, and she tried her best to like our foods. I think her favorite part was going to the ocean for the first time!

She helped me do music and puppets on Sunday and took this picture of me making like one of the Wiggles or something:

2010-04-20T15:30:00.003-07:00

Spring is in the air!

2010-03-07T13:52:00.004-07:00

Fun with Photoshop.

2010-03-05T13:19:00.000-07:00

Kira and her friend Molly at the Alice in Wonderland midnight showing.

2010-02-01T17:25:00.001-07:00

Letter to the editor in the paper today (regarding Pat Robertson's "Haiti's pact with the devil is the cause of the earthquake" statement):

"The liberal media should know that Robertson has a history of getting accurate messages from God. For example, in 2007, Robertson said God told him there would be a nuclear attack that year. Thanks to the fervent prayers of Robertson's followers the attack was averted."

Right! If you prophesy a nuclear attack and it doesn't happen, then that doesn't mean that your prophecy was off target, it just means that the prayers of your followers are extra speshul powerful and it is actually proof of how accurate your messages from God are. Uh-huh.

2010-01-31T23:28:00.000-07:00

I enjoy all of Jane Austen's books, and Sense and Sensibility is one of my favorites. When I received Pride and Prejudice (Insight Edition) as a review copy from Bethany House, I was worried that the text would actually have been changed or modernized, but the words of Austen remain the same, to my great relief. Instead, this version intersperses editorial observations, movie trivia, historical background, spiritual insights, and other tidbits throughout the text in side boxes.

I would also recommend this for younger readers or any other readers who are not familiar with Austen's time period, since it explains some terms and customs of the era that they might not otherwise understand. Any Austen trivia fan will also enjoy it.

Some of the comments were rather too obvious and didn't add too much, others were really quite funny. The added info/commentary was really a good mix of just plain good fun and informational. The conversation questions at the end would make this very suitable for book club use, as well.

I prefer the side box format to the usual footnote or margin format for "amplified" versions. It added the information without taking over the book.

This is my third version of Sense and Sensibility, and I have to say it might be my favorite. This would make a great addition to the book collection of any Austen fan.

2010-01-03T14:43:00.007-07:00

Hoarfrost

2010-01-02T17:13:00.000-07:00

Winter camping in Idaho in a nice, cushy camping dome!

2009-12-23T20:39:00.003-07:00

Rudolph cookies have been a tradition at our house for at least ten years, ever since my oldest participated in a writing contest sponsored by a maraschino cherry company and won the cookie cutter (plus the recipe.) Very self-serving of them, because we've had to buy maraschino cherries every Christmas since.

Kira had a little too much fun with some of them this year.

2009-12-23T10:38:00.002-07:00

Paintings I did for a friend for a gift exchange.

2009-12-21T14:50:00.004-07:00

This was the gift I got from my "Secret Sister" Lidi on TeachingMom. I love it!

Our Christmas tree all lit up. The tree is probably 10 ft tall.

2009-12-13T19:23:00.002-07:00

These are my favorite Christmas cookies:

Chewy Chocolate Ginger Cookies

1 bag semisweet chocolate chips
3 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 T fresh grated ginger
2 T cocoa powder
1/2 tsp each ground cloves and nutmeg
2 t ground cinnamon
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses (or honey - I like molasses)

1 T boiling water
2 t baking soda

granulated sugar for rolling cookies

Mix flour, spices, cocoa. Add butter (softened), fresh ginger, sugar, molasses; beat together. Dissolve baking soda in water, beat in dough. Mix in chocolate chips.

Chill for two hours.

Make 1 inch balls, roll in granulated sugar. Place on cookie sheet, about twelve per sheet.

Bake at 325 for 13 - 15 minutes.

Cool on rack.

2009-12-08T18:41:00.003-07:00

Review: Take Your Best Shot, by Austin Gutwein and Todd Hillard.

In "Take your best shot" Austin Gutwein (writing with Todd Hillard) shows us how one person can make a difference.

Most of us see a video of yet another group of suffering people in the world, and go "that's so sad," and maybe donate a few bucks to the cause. Austin (at the age of 9) was so stirred by a video about Maggie, an African AIDS orphan, that he became the founder of "Hoops of Hope." Now 15, Austin has seen his organization raise over a million dollars in AIDS relief, and build a school and a medical clinic.

In this book, we don't just find out about Austin's journey, but we are challenged to probe how we can "take our best shot" - the text is meant to be interactive, with space for personal notes. I can see this working well as a text for youth group (or adult group, for that matter) discussion. The writing is simple and straight forward. Todd Hillard, the co-author, does a great job at keeping Austin's voice authentic.

Austin's faith in a life-changing God takes center stage. He challenges us to not jump on somebody else's bandwagon, but to see what God's call for us personally is. How can I do something bigger than myself? How can I make a difference?

I would recommend this book especially for the teens in your life. In what has often been seen as a "me" generation, Austin is an inspiration.

2009-12-07T13:27:00.006-07:00

Snow! We got a couple inches of snow overnight.
It's beautiful!!

2009-11-06T22:03:00.002-07:00

I took a colored pencil drawing workshop last month. Here's an example of putting my newly learned skills to work.

2009-10-28T16:44:00.001-07:00

Green Tomato and Corn Piccalilly

1 Tbsp salt
2 c white vinegar
2 c sugar
1/2 tsp whole cloves
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Mix these ingredients in a non-reactive pot, and bring to a rolling boil.

Then take the pot off the heat and add:

5 green tomatoes the size of baseballs, thinly sliced (I used five cups of green cherry tomatoes, sliced)

2 cans of corn, drained (or the equivalent of freshly cooked corn)
1 red bell pepper diced
1 red onion, diced (I didn't have red, so I used yellow)

Ladle into jars.

Let sit for a couple of days before eating. This made a little over two quart jars full for me.

This is great as a condiment. We had it with our curry the other night.

2009-10-03T16:34:00.001-07:00

I made this for dinner last night, and it was really good!

* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth (I ended up adding slightly more broth (it came in a 15 oz can anyway)since the sauce was getting too thick)
* 2 tablespoons white sugar
* 2 tablespoons soy sauce
* 1 pound boneless round steak, cut into thin, bite-size slices
* 1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger root
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 4 cups chopped fresh broccoli

1. In a small bowl, combine flour, broth, sugar, and soy sauce. Stir until sugar and flour are dissolved.
2. In a large skillet or wok over high heat, cook and stir beef 2 to 4 minutes, or until browned. Stir in broth mixture, ginger, garlic, and broccoli. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes, or until sauce thickens and broccoli is tender.

Serve over rice.

Kitchen hint: I keep a ginger root in a baggy my freezer - frozen solid, it grates beautifully, and I don't have to worry about it drying out.

This is from allrecipes.com. I'll be making this again.

2009-09-25T11:26:00.001-07:00

At the store yesterday:

DD: "I hate mayonnaise. It's gross."

Today in the kitchen:

DD: "Where is the mayonnaise? I can't find it."

Me: "Second shelf in fridge, on the right. What do you want with it?"

DD:"I'm making a sandwich."

Me: "I thought you hated mayonnaise."

DD: "I like it on salami sandwiches."

Me:"So you hate it except at times when you like it?"

DD:"Yeah."

DS (chimes in from the living room.): "ME TOO!"

Me: "---"

Life with teenagers.

2009-09-05T16:02:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite resources for affording more frequent date nights is restaurant.com

The regular price for a $25 gift certificate is $ 10.
But there are codes throughout the month (sign up for email to get the codes, or simply run a Google search for restaurant.com codes) that give you 50 - 80% off that.

This is the way it works:

You buy the gift certificate at 80% off near the end of the month (some popular restaurants are sold out at that point, so if you have a restaurant you like, you may want to get it for the 50% off early in the month.) So, that is $ 2 for a $ 25 gift certificate.

Now you go out to eat.

The rules stipulate that you have to spend at least $ 35 in food to use the $ 25 gift certificate. Alcoholic drinks usually don't count toward the total. (Do read the fine print/rules on the certificate.)

So, let's say my bills comes to $ 38.

- minus the certificate, I pay $ 13 (plus tip on the pre-certificate amount. Some restaurants add it automatically when you use the certificate -- so that the servers don't get stiffed -- and some don't.)

So, including the $ 2 I paid for the certificate, I get $ 38 of food for $15 (plus tip.)

It's a way to get a really nice date night out for the price of a burger joint. In our area, restaurant.com has quite a large choice of restaurants (I know some other areas are more sparse.) But it is worth checking out!

Once you purchase the certificates, they are good for a year. I usually buy five different ones when there is a good code, and then when we want to go out, I just pull one out from the binder. There are also $ 10 certificates (which require a $ 20 purchase.)

I've never had a problem using them, and we've been doing this for close to two years.

(Current 50% code is MENU!)

(No, I am in no way affiliated with the site, LOL -- it's just been great for our family!)

2009-08-09T22:03:00.002-07:00

Review: Notes from the Tilt-A-Whirl

I don't usually read a lot of books that don't tell a straight-forward story. This is the rare exception. "Notes from a Tilt-A-Whirl" is a book that stretched my idea of God and his creation. God is *bigger* after reading this book.

N.D. Wilson plays with words, stories, philosophy,
pictures, and ideas; seemingly random thoughts stringing together to form a cohesive whole, the way a pointillist picture does.

The author makes a case for the sheer, overwhelming greatness (and otherness) of God, and how truly amazing this world that He has made is. A world of darkness and light. That ache-in-your-chest feeling of yearning for what is outside of our frame of reference, for something bigger, that thing C.S. Lewis termed "Joy" - I found that again and again while reading this book.

There is language that might be offensive to some, but as the author says in the preface, it never rises to the shock value of the words of such writers as the prophet Ezekiel.

A truly beautiful book - a funny, poetic, thought-provoking look at the Artist's work. This is a book that doesn't take itself too serious, but might just rock your world view. It is a wild ride - you never know from one page to the next where you are going to end up. But it is a ride well worth it.

2009-06-21T23:40:00.003-07:00

"How Do I Love Thee" by Nancy Moser

We meet Barrett when she is already in her thirties and a well respected poet in her own rights. She has been sick with ill-defined physical problems since she was in her teens, and has spent the last two decades mostly confined to her room.

Some of these illnesses seem to be self-perpetuating and to a certain extend self-serving - Elizabeth is not always a likable protagonist. Yet while there were times I wanted to slap "Ba" (as Elizabeth Barrett Browning is called by her nearest and dearest) upside the head, I enjoyed this book.

The family patriarch (her mother died after the birth of her 12th child) keeps Elizabeth and her many siblings under an iron rule. Her only escape is in her words. It isn't until she enters into a forbidden love with a younger man (the poet Robert Browning) that she finds the strength to escape her cage. Their romance eventually gives rise to Barrett Browning's beautiful sonnets.

I enjoyed the research that went into the book, and especially liked the "fact and fiction" section at the end, where the author (Nancy Moser) goes into which bits of each chapter are historical fact, and which were fudged or invented for storytelling purposes.

The author also includes the "Sonnets from the Portuguese" at the end of the book, which I feel I enjoyed and understood much better after reading this story.

My main complaint would be that the story moves slowly at first (you start wondering if Robert was ever going to actually show up!!) and might be a little rough to get into, but I recommend this to anyone who likes historical chick lit and/or romantic biographies.

I'd give it a 4 out of 5 starts.

2009-06-13T19:59:00.003-07:00

I got on with Bethany House as a reviewer, and in exchange for a free copy of a book I get to post a review - so here is my first one:

How Sweet It Is

"How Sweet It IS" by Alice J. Wisler tells the story of Deena, a chef who moves from the a big city to the hills of North Carolina to start life over after a tragedy. She needs to come to terms with a betrayal, and to learn to trust again - both God and man.

I enjoyed this book. Some of the culinary references seem too forced, and some of the lines too cliche. It seemed a while for the story to get going - at first I was not sure I really wanted to continue reading. Some of the characters appear to be only underdeveloped stereotypes.

But much of the story rings true. It feels like the author knows what she is writing what she knows - that these are issues she has dealt with herself. I especially enjoyed the fact that this was less about romance than about Deena growing and changing, and finding joy in unexpected places.

I recommend this for a light, enjoyable summer read! (Plus you get some good recipes thrown into the bargain!) I sort of ordered this by accident, since this "Christian romance" isn't something I normally read, but this book had its moments.

I'd give it a 3.2 out of 5.

2008-12-13T11:36:00.001-07:00

http://snowflakes.barkleyus.com/

One of my favorite sites. This is the most recent snowflake I made:

Post

2008-10-18T20:48:00.001-07:00

I just looked over my current to-read/reading pile on my night stand. Here is what's in there:

Guy Gavriel Kay - The Last Light of the Sun
Benjamin Hoff - The Tao of Pooh
Joshua C. Taylor - Learning to Look
David Bayles and Ted Orland - Art and Fear
Winifred Watson - Miss Pettigrew lives for a Day
500 Handmade Books
Rory Noland- Heart of the Artist
Mark Bittman - How to Cook Everything

2008-10-05T19:00:00.001-07:00

Personally, I think that the person we decided that Andy Serkis was a good choice to cast as *Capricorn* in the Inkheart movie needs to receive a lifetime ban. Basta, maybe. Capricorn, so not. **Sniffs**

2008-09-19T08:30:00.000-07:00

It's "Talk Like a Pirate" day! Aaarrrh, maties!

2008-09-17T17:17:00.002-07:00

It's been an interesting couple of weeks. I found a lump in my breast, and since my sister had breast cancer, that was scary. The doctors here were great and got me in right away - I had a mammogram (I just had one in May that was fine, so I was pretty sure this wasn't going to be anything terribly awful, but you never know...), followed by an ultrasound. At that point they told me it was only a cyst (yay!) and referred me to a breast surgeon. I had the final appointment today, and the doc said to just leave well enough alone - it looks fine, and unless it changes, they don't need to do anything. So, all is well.

While waiting for my mammogram (this was a place that only did diagnostic mammograms - no screening ones), I got to talk with another woman there though - her husband got laid off in the last round of HP lay-offs, and she had a mammogram done as one of her "take care of all we can before we lose insurance" activities - and that is when they found a problem. So she was looking at the possibility of breast cancer AND losing her insurance. I was able to tell her about COBRA (which she didn't know about.)

It just got me thinking again about how much I want our health insurance system to change - I've seen too many people get buried under medical bills. It's hard enough to be scared of what's going on with your body *without* having to also worry about how you're going to pay for all this.

2008-09-12T20:53:00.003-07:00

Full house today - Josh and Toby are playing videogames in the living room, Randall and his dad, who is visiting, are downstairs watching movies (as is Kira), and I am trying to catch up on bill paying and emails.

Kira is taking riding lessons this month at a friend's house. She has a beautiful place with an awesome view. It's so nice to just sit there for an hour and have to do nothing - watching the Appaloosas in the next meadow over play with each other, throwing balls for Sharlie, the dog, and watching Kira getting the hang of saddle and rein. And gabbing German with my friend Simone, whose daughter is signed up as well.

We also hung the new gallery exhibit at church today - some awesome stuff. It just so blesses me to see the outpouring of creativity from members of the church (from 5 year olds to professional artists.)

2008-09-07T20:34:00.003-07:00

So I decided to resurrect this blog. Some things that happened since my last post:

- Josh moved out. He's living with a roommate, and is still in the Air National Guard, working at a call center, and trying to get his CDC's done.

- I am starting my second year teaching Biology to highschoolers at the Homeschool Co-op. Kira goes there, too. It's a two-full-days-in-a-classroom, three days homeschooling set up. I miss the kids I taught last year, but I seem to have a really great group of students this year, as well.

- Randall is now teaching motorcycle safety classes as well as working at HP. He really likes his Tiger. :-)

- Toby is a Junior this year, and is doing a distance charter school program.(So it is a public school, but he is doing all his work at home.) He is playing bass in the youth band, and even occasionally on Sundays, and does some pretty cool things on Photoshop.

- I am still heading up preschool worship, which is a whole lot of fun (we just need more people!)

- Kira has been doing voice and piano, but this year is switching over to electric guitar. (Everyone start singing Wynona's "Girls with guitars...")

- I've been taking some art classes here and there. Dean Estes is an awesome artist and human being! Especially the Plein Aire class was so much fun. Except for the one where it started *snowing* on our sketch pads.

- And that's about it for now! I wonder if anyone still even has this on feed...

2007-04-28T01:11:00.000-07:00

I received these paintings from Ann-C today - I love the colors!

2007-04-25T17:38:00.000-07:00

Another ATC I did for an exchange. Loosely based on a still-life by Cezanne.
Colored pencil and origami paper. :-)

2007-04-07T15:21:00.000-07:00

Art Meme:

Here are the art pieces I made for Katherine, Helen, and Noel for the art meme:

pencil and colored pencil

pen-and-ink, colored pencil

linocut, pen, colored pencil.

2007-03-23T16:07:00.000-07:00

We just got back from a week in Texas where we watched our oldest graduating from basic training in the Air Force.
Going to chapel with him was quite an experience - incredible energy in the room (there must have been several hundred young men and women in uniform there...)

Here is a pic of us and our Airman First Class:

We also went to the beach one day. This Portuguese Man-O'-War was washed up on the beach (and there were plenty more scattered along the coast line!) So we decided swimming probably wasn't a good idea... :-)

2006-10-11T15:52:00.000-07:00

The first three people to respond to this post will get some form of art, by me, that is in some fashion about them. I make no guarantees about quality or type, but I will assure that I will give it my best and try to get them all out before three months have passed.

The only catch: as with most memes, if you sign up, you have to put this in your own journal/blog as well. Unless you don't want to. Since I am a meme-killer, I'm not going to make you! You can just put in dibs on the art... ;-)

2006-10-09T21:33:00.000-07:00

I am perpetually amused by the spam that comes into my Gmail account. Apparently, the sender name is generated using some random dictionary words. How can you take the sales pitch seriously if it comes from Blight B. Blackmail?

I can get my Viagra or Vicodin from Anchorwomen D. Pushcart, Beagle C. Stencil, or Aura H. Metabolism.

I can get a Real!Replicated!Rolex! watch from Teakettle M. Penniless. Or buy pirated Photoshop from Racketeers R. Reallocate or Creeper S. Blithers.

Snigger.

(BTW, as Dave Barry says, I am not making this up. These are real examples from my spam intake over the last days. I picked the funniest ones, though...) ;-)

2006-09-04T22:35:00.000-07:00

Shopping today, I just had to shake my head at what an odd place America is. Our supermarket, in the dairy area, now sports a "Sandwich Area." In which you can buy a package of approximately five lettuce leaves, which have been separated from the head, washed and patted dry, and sealed in an appealing celpack. The price for the five leaves of lettuce: $ 2.99.

Next to it is a tomato, sliced up, with the stem end removed, and packed in a cute spherical plastic case - $ 1.99. Holy smokes - are people actually buying that? When did we become so busy that we can't slice a tomato?? Or pull a leaf of lettuce off the head to make a sandwich??

Another pricing anomaly in the drug area - Benadryl (generically known as diphenhydramine hydrochloride (which shall for the rest of this post be referred to as DH, since I have no intention of repeatedly typing diphenhydram...whatever.) Which is an anti-allergy medication that also makes you sleepy. In the anti-allergy section, you can buy 24 tablets of DH for $ 4.99 regular price. In the sleep aid section, you can buy 24 tablets of DH (same exact manufacturer, number of pills, dosage, down to the color of the pills, except that instead of "anti-allergy" they are labeled "sleep aid") for $ 2.39 regular price.

Is there a reason, I wonder, why the store or manufacturer or whoever prices these things hates allergy sufferers?

2006-09-02T10:20:00.000-07:00

One thing Randall does that makes me feel very much loved is that he brings me a cup of coffee up before he leaves for work (at which point I am usually still asleep in bed.) It's just so nice.

The last few days I've been feeling even more loved, because not just did I get coffee, he brought it to me in his brand new "KBHR - Chris in the morning - coffee, commentary, Kafka" cup he bought for himself.

What a guy.

(Anyone who knowns in what "town" KBHR is located and recognizes how the pictures fit in with the post must be a fellow fan ;-)

2006-08-31T02:37:00.000-07:00

Small town baseball is a hoot.

The Boise Hawks are doing quite well - only a few games to go before the end of the season, so Randall decides to get us tickets. Off we head to the stadium. We first stand in line for our hotdogs and sodas (have to have those for the ballgame!) and then move up to our seats. First up: three honorary first-pitch pitchers, one of whom (the Attorney General) barely manages to throw the ball far enough - it bounces a couple of times. A children's choir sings "My God, My Country" with enthusiasm but little audible effect, since they seem to have one handheld mic to go around the forty or so of them. The national anthem (big surprise - the gal can actually sing!!) Then the game starts.

Between every inning, assorted silliness - the great potato race (Spud won, because French Fry fell over.) Bouncing the Pepsi ball. Three skinny young women in a hotdog eating contest. Fourth inning: The Beer Batter! Sadly, he strikes out. Randall is disappointed.

Very appropriately, two hawks (real ones!) have built a nest right on top of the light tower. One keeps circling overhead while the other sits on the nest. Must be a bit warm up there with all those flood lights.

A five year old girl and the mascot race. People throw Frisbees into the audience (we get one.) The players are popping balls out of the stadium at an alarming rate - just not in the right direction. Each ball is accompanied by the appropriate sound effect - breaking glass for those flying into the parking lot, squealing brakes for those heading towards Glenwood St, an irate duck for those flying off into the park. Finally, something happens - Boise scores. And scores again. An infield grand-slam. I am impressed.

More enthusiastic little children sing "Take me out to the ball game."

By the time the sixth inning rolls around, Boise is ahead by 7, the hapless Spokane Indians have yet to score. We decide to call it a day and go home. On the way out we get a parting present. Sara Lee Bread. Two loaves. White and Wheat. Why? I don't know. But we are set for sandwiches for a while.

Is there anything more American??

2006-08-28T20:56:00.000-07:00

We got back from vacation yesterday - first we went camping in Mt. Rainier National Park for a couple of nights, and then went on to Forks, WA, to visit with Randall's sister and her husband (Shelly and Pete). We hadn't been to their place since they moved up to the Olympic Peninsula about a year and a half ago. They certainly picked a pretty place to live - green, close to beaches and mountains, big trees all around, lots of birds. Very nice.

We have been to most NPs in the West, but we had been missing Olympic National Park and Mt. Rainier. Both were beautiful.

Highlights: Nosey marmots while hiking. Glacier vistas. Wildflower filled meadows. Seeing whales off in the distance while beach combing. Fresh-picked berries and ice cream.

Apropos berries - Shelly and Pete's place is surrounded with blackberry bushes, and I came home with a big container full of berries we picked the day before. Today, I turned them into nine jars of blackberry jam, a blackberry pie, and a quart of blackberry syrup for pancakes. There is something very satisfying about making something with your hands - those jars full of jam look beautiful, and they'll taste good on toast in the months to come! (And I'll send a couple jars back to the berry givers ;-)

2006-08-09T17:18:00.000-07:00

What I did today...

Made the whole house smell good. And it tasted good, too! :-)

2006-07-07T23:28:00.000-07:00

Berry Season

A couple of years ago, I ripped out the spiky bushes in our front yard and planted some berry bushes (pink currants, black currants (the real kind, not the little raisin they call a 'currant' in baking), and gooseberries, plus some raspberries in the back yard.

They sort of vegetated the first year, but this year started growing well, and all had enough berries on there to make it fun - and it will only getter better each year from now on!

Today I picked all the black currants and made currant sauce - it will be nice as a substitute for cranberry sauce. Kira had some over ice cream tonight.

The gooseberries aren't quite there yet, and there aren't enough for any big projects, but the first few were ripe for eating out of hand, and Kira pronounced them her favorite berry so far.

Pink currants are really tart, so I like to stick them in cakes. I've been making this recipe - the cake is really sweet, so it needs a very tart fruit or berry to taste good. It's been a hit every time we've made it.

Rhubarb Cake

1/2 cup soft butter
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour (I use one cup whole wheat, one cup regular unbleached)
1 tsp baking soda
1 c buttermilk (or substitute 1 cup milk and 1 tblsp lemon juice)
2 cups coarsely chopped fresh rhubarb (or other tart fruit like pink, black or red currants, gooseberries, huckleberries, or tart apples)

Mix wet ingredient, then add dry ingredients, mix until well blended, then gently fold in fruit. Spoon into greased 9 x 13 pan

In a separate bowl, mix:
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Sprinkle evenly over batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until toothpick stuck in center comes out clean. This is great with real whipped cream.

It's amazing how quick this cake disappears...

2006-07-03T22:06:00.000-07:00

Virtual Friendship

I have a lot of 'virtual' friends. Some of those have turned into 'real' friendships - I met my friend Gina while looking for someone to point me in the direction of German dairy products in an AOL chat room. I met Beth via blogging.

Last week I had a gal (who I've known for the better part of a decade via a homeschooling board) spend the night with her family. She was just like I imagined her. After the first few awkward minutes, talk took off and we stayed up until 1:30 am (and probably only went to bed then because the poor people had to get up fairly early because of another long day driving the next day!)

Then there are the friends I've never met. Penny, who probably by now knows more about me than most people other than Randall. Noel, who is just a perfect dear and who I enjoy immensely. Cee, who has taught me a ton and is really quite a bit like me.

I love these people (and I don't use that term lightly.) I hurt when they are hurting; I am happy when good things happen to them. These friendships are real, even if conducted by a virtual medium.

And yet I do miss the local component. There are so many times I just want to take Noel out for tea, bring Penny dinner or go to a movie with her, and help Cee unload moving boxes, but of course none of those things can happen, seeing as they are in states and countries far removed from my physical location. But of course that is no different than those friends I met in 'real' life and then got separated from because either they or we moved.

I really have no clue where I am going with this, except to say I am grateful for my computer and the wonderful people I wouldn't have met without it (and the wonderful people I met in person and with whom I can now stay in touch via blog or email.)

Y'all are, well, wonderful!! :-)

2006-07-02T02:29:00.000-07:00

Wanna see something really scary?

2006-06-26T17:43:00.001-07:00

Meme gacked from Jon:

1. Put your music player on shuffle.
2. Press next track for each question.
3. Use the song titles to answer the questions, even if it doesn't make sense.
NO CHEATING!

Will you get far in life?
"You must have fallen" by Ben Taylor

How do your friends see you?
"Beautiful Scandalous Night" by Bebo Norman and Sixpence None the Richer

Will you get married?
"You and Me" by Lifehouse

What is your best friend's theme song?
"Good People" by Jack Johnson

What is the story of your life?
"Everybody's a Victim" by The Proclaimers

What was high school like?
"Have you met Miss Jones?" by Bing Crosby

How can you get ahead in life?
"Best I ever had" by Gary Allan

What is the best thing about your friends?
"All At Sea" by Jamie Cullum

What is today going to be like?
"White Flag" by Dido

What is in store for this weekend?
"A Fine Romance" by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong
What song describes you?

"Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac (Gosh, I hope not, LOL!)

To describe your grandparents?
"Upside Down" by Jack Johnson

How is your life going?
"Mercy of the Fallen" by Dar Williams

What song will they play at your funeral?
"Don't Give Up" by Peter Gabriel

How does the world see you?
"Carolina in My Mind" by James Taylor

What do your friends really think of you?
"You'll be there" by George Strait

How can I make myself happy?
"Right in Time" by Lucinda Williams

What should you do with your life?
"King of the Road" by the Proclaimers

Will you ever have children?
"Sweet Baby James" by James Taylor

2006-06-25T17:28:00.000-07:00

We are back from a fossil hunting excursion in Oregon, near the John Day Fossil Beds. The group we went with was too large (over 100 people), but otherwise, it was a lot of fun. We visited Indian pictographs, learned a lot about the geology of the area (the trip was led by a geologist), saw a ghost town, spotted assorted wildlife, and, last but not least, found some nice leaf and petrified wood fossils. Here are some pictures from the trip:

Colored hills on the way to our campground

A nice leaf fossil that Randall found

Volcanic formations

Sheep Rock, on the John Day River.

2006-06-19T22:59:00.000-07:00

I recently read a book that is quite popular among Christian homeschoolers - "To Train Up a Child" by Michael and Debi Pearl. Some quotes from the material:

"One particularly painful experience of nursing mothers is the biting baby. My wife did not waste time finding a cure. When the baby bit, she pulled hair (an alternative has to be sought for baldheaded babies)"

"At four months, she was too unknowing to be punished for disobedience. But for her own good, we attempted to train her...by coordinating the voice command of "No" with little spats on the bare legs. The switch was a twelve-inch long, one-eighth-inch diameter sprig from a willow tree."

"Select your instrument according to the child's size. For the under one year old, a little, ten- to twelve-inch long, willowy branch (striped of any knots that might break the skin) about one-eighth inch diameter is sufficient. Sometimes alternatives have to be sought. A one-foot ruler, or its equivalent in a paddle, is a sufficient alternative. For the larger child, a belt or larger tree branch is effective."

Lord have mercy. Whipping a four month old with a switch? Belts and tree branches? Pulling hair? What are these people thinking? There is plenty more in there that just sounds appalling (and illegal!) to me. This reads like plain child abuse. And all in the name of God.

I am sorry - well, not really -- but I don't for a minute believe that God wants me to whip my four months old with willow switches. Shudder.

2006-06-16T18:08:00.000-07:00

You Passed 8th Grade Geography

Congratulations, you got 9/10 correct!

Could You Pass 8th Grade Geography?

2006-06-13T21:29:00.000-07:00

I've heard about large hail, but I'd never seen it...until today. A thunderstorm came through, and suddenly there were these cherry-sized hailstones thumping all over the roof and against the windows - it made an incredible noise!
The worst thing was that I knew that Josh and Kira were out driving in it! He did great though and arrived home about five minutes later, so I didn't have to worry too long.
Randall took a picture - and those weren't some of the largest hailstones!

2006-06-01T21:14:00.000-07:00

Beth Keck's post from today reminded me of one of my favorite Anne Lamott quotes -

"...You can safely assume you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do."

In general, that whole passage (from "Bird to Bird") just made me smile... Another excerpt:

"I know some very great writers, writers you love who write beautifully and have made a great deal of money, and not one of them sits down routinely feeling wildly enthusiastic and confident. Not one of them writes elegant first drafts. All right, one of them does, but we do not like her very much."

SFDs -- yes, I know all about those... ;-)

2006-05-31T23:39:00.000-07:00

I got a fennel bulb in my farm pickup this week. Last year, I just tried to sautee it in butter, and thought it was really pretty horrid. So this year I tried something different. I boiled the whole thing until tender, then peeled off the individual 'leaves'. Then I melted some roquefort, butter, grated cheddar, and a bit of milk in the microwave for a dip. Yum! The fennel and the blue cheese flavor got along really, really well... I guess I can strike fennel off my very short 'veggies I don't like' list.

On the way home, Kira and Meredith (our neighbor's daughter, who likes going out to the farm with us) got involved in a very earnest discussion on who was cuter - the baby goat, or Daisy, the Erskines' daughter. I think Daisy won by a hair.

2006-05-26T14:28:00.000-07:00

Some pictures from Germany...

2006-05-25T08:17:00.000-07:00

Joshua graduated last Saturday. It seems odd that after almost nine years of schooling him, that part of my life with him is over. And he got his driver's license the Tuesday before. All of a sudden, it seems he is growing up in giant steps. I am not sure I am ready. On one hand, every step into independence is celebrated, on the other, I am having a hard time letting go...but I suppose that is as it should be.

2006-05-24T15:41:00.000-07:00

Enthusiasm

Yesterday, Kira and I had some time to kill between piano lessons and the farm pick-up, so we stopped by a smallish thriftstore on the way. This particular thriftstore is manned by little old ladies who volunteer their time.

We walked around, looking over racks, and in the children's section found something neat: a Harry Potter denim jacket, in great shape, complete with embroidered Hogwarts crest and motto ("Never tickle a sleeping dragon" - in Latin, of course), $4. Cool. Kira was quite pleased, and we walked up to the cash register to pay.

What happened next positively made Kira's day.

The lady at the cash register broke out into a huge smile. "Wow! What a find! That is wonderful!" Then she turned around to the lady working behind her. "Did you see what this young lady found?"

"No - oh, look at that! That must be the find of the day!" Within seconds we had three of the ladies gathered around, all oohing and aahing over Kira's jacket, while Kira's smile grew progressively wider.

By the time we left, she was glowing. The jacket hadn't changed - but her perception of it had. I think she'll remember their words and faces whenever she puts on the jacket. It was a nice find, but the ladies made it a treasure.

2006-05-23T17:03:00.000-07:00

Must be spring...

Phone call overheard this afternoon after getting back from our first farm pickup:

"Hi Meredith, wanna come over? I got turnips from Peaceful Belly..."

2006-05-08T15:40:00.000-07:00

A couple of pictures from our trip into the hills this Saturday...

2006-04-20T11:42:00.000-07:00

Guest post by Randall
Birgit and Kira are both off to Germany today for a week and a half's visit. Please pray for their trip; both that they would have a lot of fun and return home safely!

2006-04-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

"What a lovely thing a rose is...There is nothing in which deduction is so necessary as in religion. It can be built up as exact science by the reasoner. Our highest assurance of the goodness of Providence seems to me to rest in the flowers. All other things, our powers, our desires, our food, are really necessary for our existence in the first instance. But this rose is an extra. It's smell and it's colour are an embellishment of life, not a condition of it. It is only goodness that gives extras, and so I say again that we have much to hope from the flowers."
~ Sherlock Holmes, The Adventure of the Naval Treaty.

2006-04-13T20:45:00.000-07:00

Link found via Dave Barry's website...

Liven up your Passover Seder:

FAMILY FUN WITH THE TEN PLAGUES!

For some reason, that just tickled my funny bone!I am just glad they stopped at number nine! ;-)

2006-03-26T18:36:00.000-07:00

Well, Randall made it through surgery (gall bladder out and hernia repair) ok - a couple of the less fun days in our lives, but I think the worst is over. He's up and about and generally feeling better (though still quite a ways from 'fine'.) Whew.

2006-03-21T16:05:00.000-07:00

The Despot

The garden mould was damp and chill,
Winter had had his brutal will
Since over all the year's content
His devastating legions went.

Then Spring's bright banners came: there woke
Millions of little growing folk
Who thrilled to know the winter done,
Gave thanks, and strove towards the sun.

Not so the elect; reserved, and slow
To trust a stranger-sun and grow,
They hesitated, cowered and hid
Waiting to see what others did.

Yet even they, a little, grew,
Put out prim leaves to day and dew,
And lifted level formal heads
In their appointed garden beds.

The gardener came: he coldly loved
The flowers that lived as he approved,
That duly, decorously grew
As he, the despot, meant them to.

He saw the wildlings flower more brave
And bright than any cultured slave;
Yet, since he had not set them there,
He hated them for being fair.

So he uprooted, one by one
The free things that had loved the sun,
The happy, eager, fruitful seeds
That had not known that they were weeds.

E. Nesbit

2006-03-13T22:49:00.000-07:00

Please pray for Palmer. And for Amy and Micah.

2006-03-13T12:53:00.000-07:00

When editing fanfiction stories, I sometimes run across some real doozies as far as the ability to spell and to use homophones is concerned. If you can't spell, then Spellcheck very often is not your friend, LOL! The results are often unintentionally hilarious. Here, for your entertainment, is a list of quotes gleaned from a Harry Potter/Lord-of-the-Rings crossover story. (Why even write that? I don't know. Don't ask me.) But it's definitely good for a laugh!

"It is time to someone the hair of Ellendale."

After this came the war of the rings, where the Dark Lord Sauron was defatted on the slopes of Mount. Doom. (Liposuction is such a terrible way to die.)

After lunch Isildur went with his Astronomy professor up to the Astronomy tower to learn about astronomy. (No. Really? You think?)

This boy was of course Harry Potter who had survived the killing cure at the age of 1 year old.

In there first class they learned how to read the end trials of a chicken, not the most present class they ever had. (I can only imagine...)

The Black speech is the language of the Land of Mordor and is a fowl form of elvish. (The Chicken of Doom speaks it, too...)

"So in some ways I was right for dining it and in some ways I was wrong for it and Harry I apologise to you for living you with them for 16 years but I wanted to make sure that everyone knew that your parents were gone before having them return. Does that make any since to you?" (Nope, not in the least!)

Suddenly the eye of Sauron papered in the water and it evaporated, the visions vanished.

Then he dismissed them, called forth his servant Wormtail, pulled back the sleeve of his robe, and put his figure to the Dark Mark on it.

It was wired because he had never had a dream like that before unless you cont the one he had in 'Things that where, Things that are, and Things that yet may be', but he really didn't think of it as a nightmare as it was darning the day. (??? Don't ask me.)

Then he turned to Dumbledore and said "You know how you gave me three of Fawkes fathers for wands." (Yikes. Fawkes' mother was busy!)

Isildur looked at Navel. (That, believe it or not, is supposed to be 'Neville'...)

After having breakfast Isildur had a shower and got dreaded.

Elrond Halfelleven

Once Harry was full he started work on his essay on "The Effect of the Salem Witch Trials had on American Winches". (My guess? Not much...)

They were Advanced Transfiguration by Minerva McGonagall and the Slandered Book of Spells Grade Number 7 by Miranda Goshawk.

He then handed an envelope to Sirius, who opened it immodestly.

He then sat down and the second elves stood up and said "I am Logrolls of mirkwood."

Then King Elessar stood up and walked over to Isildur and said "The Army of Gondor is at your disposable should you need them." The king of Rohan walked over to him and said "The riders of the Mark are also at your disposable, young hair of Ellendale."

They walked to Mooing Myrtles bathroom. (Being fed up with moaning, Myrtle turns to mooing.)

And for a closing statement:

Finally, Gandalf's face diapered from the fire.

2006-03-12T00:37:00.000-07:00

I went to an art workshop today. Kira and I had a lot of fun slinging paint across canvas paper in Lisa Marten's abstract painting workshop. There is something quite liberating about not having to worry about detail and precision.

The other workshop was fun, too - I learned a new technique that promises to be quite usable. I'll have lots of fun experimenting with it later.

I have to confess though that I absolutely don't like it when the instructor comes over, simply takes whatever I am working with out of my hand, and starts making corrections on my paper. If you want to show me how to do the shading, use a separate piece of paper, or just tell me; I can usually figure it out. But somehow, it feels like it isn't mine any more once someone else starts messing with it.

When I was teaching art class for our homeschool co-op, I tried my darnedest to not correct the kids' art work -- give them tips, demonstrate, but not touch their art. I want them to feel ownership over what they created, even if it isn't up to perfectionist standards. It's still creation. It's still good.

But no matter, the end result turned out nice, and I'll just try a different piece some time next week -- it definitely is a cool technique! :-)

2006-03-09T19:00:00.000-07:00

Not that it is something I lose sleep over, you understand -- but what on God's green earth does "stoned me just like jelly roll" mean??

I mean, the only image I get is of someone throwing donuts at me. I don't think that's it...

2006-02-27T10:29:00.000-07:00

Got to meet Palmer and Amy today. I actually wandered into Rembrandt's this morning on the off chance they would be there, since I had read on Palmer's blog that they would be in town -- figured it would be a perfect God thing if they were.

Walked in, and there was Amy standing at the book display. Bingo.

So with shaking knees I walked over to introduce myself. Now, this is about the hardest thing for me; if I have a phobia, this (and fear of heights, LOL) would be it. Add to that the odd nature of the bloggosphere in that they wouldn't know me from a piece of string cheese and I have been following the in and outs of their lives for years.

Anyway, I am sure I came across as totally awkward, but that's alright. It was just so great to finally meet them, because I love these guys. After praying for someone for -- what, about three years now? -- I think that comes with the territory.

Kingdom come.

2006-02-21T12:31:00.000-07:00

This is pretty funny...especially for all of us bilingual folks... :-)

2006-02-15T18:38:00.000-07:00

Good man, that Joey Cheek...

The reporter last night talked about an interview he had had with Joey, and that he had said something along the lines of, "Look, I can either go on and on about how great I feel, or I can use my fifteen minutes for something that will make a difference."

Maybe he's been taking lessons from Bono...

2006-02-09T20:21:00.000-07:00

Now, I know that the Mohammed cartoon wasn't a good idea - but the quote from Saudi ambassador to Washington, Prince Turki al-Faisal, to The Associated Press that "the violence is unhelpful and in many cases unnecessary" leaves me baffled.
How could there possibly be a case where killing or hurting someone else over a cartoon would ever be necessary?

2006-01-17T08:38:00.000-07:00

The Milkman Cometh...

In what feels like a flashback to the fifties, I now have in-home milk delivery! On Tuesdays, the milkman comes, and leaves two gallons on my doorstep, in a nice dairy cooler. Along with any other dairy products I might require.

The milk cost about 50 cents a gallon more, but it is fresh from that day, hasn't been exposed to light, and best of all, it saves me the usual milk run to the store. Since four gallons sort of clutter up the fridge, I would always have to make another run to the store to restock up on milk later, which means extra gas,extra time, and a lot of impulse buys. So I am convinced this will actually work out much cheaper.

And it's fun.

2006-01-11T09:33:00.000-07:00

Long time no blog!

- Went away for two weeks over Christmas and New Year to California. First a few days in a cabin in Kyburz, courtesy of my former host family, Bob and Wanda, who are still Mom and Dad to me. They built the cabin (which is really a two bedroom house with all amenities) completely by themselves.

- Then on to the North Bay - stayed with Randall's dad (Lonnie and Leah) and got to see lots of family. Randall's sister Shelly and her husband stopped by, as did his brother Mark with his family. We also went to see Bob and Wanda in Napa. Came away with a donation of a huge bag of lemon (such a thing costing 60 cents a piece in Idaho), which I squeezed, zested, and froze for future baking and lemonade usage once we got home. (Note to self: Next time one squeezes that many lemons, wear gloves. Skin on hands doesn't really appreciate being submerged in acid that long. For someone supposedly quite bright, I can really be stupid, LOL)

- Then a few days in San Jose visiting old friends; only wished for more days because there were more friends than hours in the day!

- Came home without mishap in spite of the storms (80 was closed, but we made it via the 50) only to find that our bathroom had sprung a leak and now had moldy carpet. Randall, still being very 'up' on carpet-ripping skills after his New Orleans trips, summarily disposed of the malodorous mess, and I put in a new tile floor. My first attempt at tile laying, and to my relief, it turned out alright. Whew. We had been planning to do that bathroom for a long time, because I think quite highly of the ability to actually mop around the loo. Carpet in the bathroom - shudder. I guess when the house was built, it hit that small window in the 70's where people actually thought carpet in the kitchen and in the bathrooms was a good idea. Go figure.

2005-12-17T11:56:00.000-07:00

When Christmas music goes bad. Sorry, I haven't been able to determine the name of the 'artist'.

2005-11-29T21:31:00.000-07:00

Meme!

Your task, should you choose to accept it: take a post or part of a post. Go here.

Copy the text, and translate it into any language. Then copy the translation into the 'translate' field, and translate it back into English.

Here is my original text, from the last post:

Back at the car, we have hot tea and cookies, and Kira and I build a punky-haired snowman. The boys amuse themselves with the sleds. The dog has decided long ago that snow is just too darn cold, and is hiding in her crate. Randall ties the tree to the car, we make it home, and set it up.

Here is what I got back after translating it into German and then back into English:

Back at the car, have we are called dte and Plaetzchen, and Kira and I establish one punky behaarten to Snowman. The boys converse with the carriages. The dog decided before long time that snow fair is to verflixte cold weather and in its crate hidden. Edge universe binds the tree to the car, forms we it for head and sets up it.

Snicker.

Let me know if you try it!

Oh, I tried another one - this time, I translated it into Greek and then back into English:

Behind in the car, we have the boiling hot tea and the biscuits, and Kira and build punky-malljaro' snowman. The boys are entertained with the sledges. The dog has decided a long time before that the snow is precisely also curses the cold, and hides in her cage. The Randall ties up the tree in the car, him makes the house, and him place above.

2005-11-26T23:17:00.000-07:00

So we got our Christmas tree today.

The day starts with trying to get everything ready - snow pants, sleds, hats, dog, dog crate, saw, hot tea and cookies, snow boots, kids, tie-downs for the tree, mother-in-law, husband, me, and gloves. Wait, gloves are a problem. Everyone seems to just have one glove. More gloves are found; everyone other than Kira is gloved. Finally find some one-size-fits-all-but-you-just-hope-they-don't-get-wet kind of gloves, stuff six people in a car that seats five, and we are off into the mountains.

On Kira's orders, it had snowed an inch the day before, so everything is nicely coated in white. Which isn't an problem and rather pretty, as long as you are not on a wet road on the shady side of the mountain. Within a few minutes, we pass an accident, where two cars have plowed into the side of the mountain and have strewn snow mobiles all over the road. I tell Randall to slow down.

Kira gets bored and wants to play 'I spy'. I point out that other than white and green, there aren't a lot of choices at the moment. Tic-tac-toe then? I tell her that if I look down at a paper while riding in the back seat, I will be barfing all over her lap within thirty seconds. She settles for drawing.

We make it to Banks and buy our Christmas tree cutting permit, milk duds, chex mix, two bottles of water, and a bottle of Pepsi for the boys. We then drive up to Garden Valley, and take the road up towards Silver Creek. I tell Randall to slow down.

After a few miles, the snow gets deeper, and the road is covered in slush. There is also a rather steep cliff down to the frozen Payette River. I tell Randall to slow down.

We arrive at our usual spot, and start hiking up looking for trees. Trees are covered with snow. The only way to see if they are even remotely even is to shake off the snow. Which makes the snow land on me. After a couple of trees, I am coated. The next tree, I smile nicely and ask Randall to shake the tree. Which he does. He looks so cute with snow down his neck.

We find two 'maybe' choices up a steep ridge. I decide to keep looking. My longsuffering husband sighs deeply, and lets me. I point to a likely looking spot up a steep ridge on the other side. He looks at me resignedly and tells me to have fun and shout loudly if I find something. I trudge of the hill, and, bingo, several likely looking candidates. Find one I like. Call Randall. A few minutes later, Randall and Josh arrive with the saw, we cut a 12 foot prime specimen that gained everyone approval, and then the menfolk drag the whole thing back to the car, far, far away down the hill.

They are not complaining. After dragging a 130 lb deer two miles out of the hills recently, this is a piece of cake.

Back at the car, we have hot tea and cookies, and Kira and I build a punky-haired snowman. The boys amuse themselves with the sleds. The dog has decided long ago that snow is just too darn cold, and is hiding in her crate. Randall ties the tree to the car, we make it home, and set it up.

Everyone disappears while I try to make the Christmas lights work. Bulbs are missing in massive amounts. I put on some Christmas music to get in the mood. My favorite - Emmylou Harris' Light of the Stable. It is not working - every single one of the %@#$ lights isn't working. I retrieve a bag of spare bulbs and work my way down the line. Finally, I get the lights working and on the tree. Then, mayhem: My daughter, a neighbor girl, and Toby decide to help hang ornaments. I think we have too many ornaments. The poor tree is literally groaning. By the end, they put one on and another falls off. As I am typing this (after everyone has gone to bed) the silence is periodically broken by the rhythmic plop of ornaments hitting the tree skirt. No matter. It was a fun day, and the tree is up.

Happy First of Advent to every last one of you!

***************************

Isaiah 11: 1-2:
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of power,
the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD -

2005-11-16T15:44:00.000-07:00

The joys of the phone tree hierarchy...

Cingular, due to the fact that they bought AT&T, and didn't inform us that our account number and payment address had switched, owed us about $140 in overpayments. (We made two payments to the old account, and then had to make them again to the new account to not get our phone turned off.)

So every month, we would get two bills - one that showed the current balance, one from the old account with the credit balance.

In August, Randall spent three hours on the phone getting the run around. We wanted them to transfer the money to our new account. Shouldn't be that tough, right? They can't do that. They can only cut us a check. Should take four to six weeks.

In September, Randall spent another three hours on the phone. We want them to cut us a check. They can't do that. They can only transfer it to the new account. Should take four to six weeks.

In November, I spent three hours on the phone. They can't cut us a check or transfer the money. We first have to prove that we actually paid the money. Never mind that they have an account showing the credit balance, and the two deposits with dates and amounts down to the last penny show on the account. They don't believe they actually owe us money until we prove that they do.

Well, we finally faxed them our bank records, and they graciously allowed that yes, indeed, it seems they owe us the money. The check came today. And it only took four months and 10 hours of our lives. Good grief. Small wonder Cingular gets an F from the Better Business Bureau.

2005-11-02T00:06:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday, Randall won tickets for a lunch-hour concert by Ben Taylor (son of Carly Simon and James Taylor) on our local radio station. So we trudged off to the studio, met the other twenty or so winners, all crammed into a conference room where they served us soda and pizza, and then Ben arrived. For about half an hour, we got to listen as he performed and got interviewed, and then, once the radio part was over, he stuck around for another half an hour or so, playing a few more songs and answering questions. At times, the guy sounds (and looks) so much like his dad that it is scary. The music was good; neo-folk; strong tunes that stood up well to being performed completely accousticly.

And we all got a free album, signed. Ben Taylor doesn't know how to spell Randall. No-one I have ever met has tried to spell it "Randle". Randal, Randolph, Randell, but never Randle. I think the actual spelling flustered him so bad that he then wrote the N backwards. So he wrote "oops" next to it. :-)

Anyways, check out his website, with four free MP3's available for download.

Nice way to spend my lunch hour. I could do this again.

2005-10-22T19:30:00.000-07:00

Pied Beauty

Glory be to God for dappled things,
For skies of couple-color as a brinded cow,
For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim;
Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls, finches' wings;
Landscape plotted and pieced, fold, fallow and plough,
And all trades, their gear and tackle and trim.
All things counter, original, spare, strange,
Whatever is fickle, freckled (who knows how?)
With swift, slow; sweet, sour; adazzle, dim.
He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change;
Praise him.

Gerard Manley Hopkins

2005-10-22T16:27:00.000-07:00

A successful day hunting all around.
Joshua caught his first deer.
The dog actually managed to catch a squirrel.
All I caught is a nap.
Which is just fine with me.

2005-10-20T20:01:00.000-07:00

Kim tagged me. Here you go:

1.Go into your archives.
2. Find your 23rd post.
3. Post the fifth sentence (or closest to it).
4. Post the text of the sentence in your blog along with these instructions.
5. Tag five other people to do the same thing.

"I remember her explaining the difference between a rabbit and a hare to me when she wasn't quite two yet."

Ok, that means a lot to everyone, I am sure! :-)

I shall only tag a couple of people, namely Katherine and Randall. So there.

2005-10-04T12:52:00.000-07:00

Why is it that invariably every time I am in a grocery checkout line, someone in front of me will have a problem that takes forever to work out? Their card doesn't work, they have a price dispute, they have a broken item that requires someone to bring a replacement - it is always something, LOL! Think maybe I need to learn some patience or something? Hm?

2005-09-22T21:03:00.000-07:00

Maui Highlights

- Kira's first snorkeling trip. We kept hearing shouts of 'oo' and 'ow' out of the top of her snorkel, which is all that remains of 'cool' and 'wow' when you have a mouthpiece stuck in between your teeth. She kept talking into her snorkel - it was pretty funny!

- The fish are amazing. Drifting through this world populated with the most bizarre and colorful creatures just really makes you hold your breath in awe at God's imagination.

- Picking mangoes off the ground in the parking lot and eating them still warm from the sun.

- Wave jumping and body surfing and swimming every day in 80 degree water.

- Seeing a turtle while snorkeling, up close and personal.

- Sticking a Plumeria behind your ear and inhaling the fragrance for the next few hours (boy do those smell good.)

- Having local plate lunches, all of whom seem to involve a scoop of rice and a scoop of macaroni, no matter what you ordered. I ordered fried saimin with kimchee one time. It came with a scoop of macaroni salad. And they are heavy on the Spam. Almost every menu featured Spam. Even McDonalds has fried Spam on the breakfast menu. The funniest menu item involving Spam was a joke by a rather nice Japanese restaurant we went to. They had a Spam dish advertised with the caption that it required two days advanced notice and retailed for $ 500 - and they listed it in their vegetarian section.

2005-09-19T12:19:00.000-07:00

For those who were interested, here is my tatted doily - as you can see, all the awards stuff is actually bigger than the doily. Chortle.

2005-09-16T17:44:00.000-07:00

We are back from two weeks on Maui! Here are some pictures:

Toby playing Tarzan in the Banyan tree.

Kira at the arboretum with some leaves that were just about as big as she is.

A bouquet I purchased for a whopping $ 3 in Hana. It made our condo a much brighter place to be for almost the entire two weeks!

More to come later. :-)

2005-08-31T20:24:00.000-07:00

О том, что осталось «за кадром» третьей книги Канона…

Родители нерешительно топтались у Главных Ворот. Время от времени каждый бросал взгляд на великолепную громаду Замка...

How about that? Someone contacted me about translating "Little School of Horrors" for a Russian fanfiction site. So now I am an internationally published author. Snicker.

2005-08-31T13:28:00.000-07:00

I have loved Nickel Creek from the first time I heard their music. Produced by Alison Krauss they are "Newgrass" at its best. Their new album is not quite as far up the favorites list as their last one, but I loved this song:

Doubting Thomas

what will be left when i've drawn my last breath,
besides the folks i've met and the folks who know me,
will i discover a soul-saving love,
or just the dirt above and below me?

i'm a doubting thomas,
i took a promise,
but i do not feel safe,
oh me of little faith,

sometimes i pray for a slap in the face,
then i beg to be spared 'cause i'm a coward,
if there's a master of death
i bet he's holding his breath,
as i show the blind and tell the deaf about his power,

i'm a doubting thomas,
i can't keep my promises,
'cause i don't know what's safe,
oh me of little faith

can i be used to help others find truth,
when i'm scared i'll find proof that its a lie,
can i be lead down a trail dropping bread crumbs,
that prove i'm not ready to die,

please give me time to decipher the signs,
please forgive me for time that i've wasted,

i'm a doubting thomas,
i'll take your promise,
though i know nothin's safe,
oh me of little faith

I love it because it's honest, and because there have been times I have been exactly in the place...

You can listen to a short clip here

2005-08-30T11:22:00.000-07:00

Time for the annual fair-haul brag-'n-boast:

Kira: Blue ribbons (first place) in ceramics and wheel-thrown pottery, honorable mention in beadwork (for a bracelet)

Toby: Blue ribbon in drawing

Josh: Red ribbon (second place) in models (fighter jet model)

and

(tada) Yours Truly: Best of Show in the Lacework category (resulting in a huge ribbon rosette) and a blue ribbon for my tatted doily, and a third place in the Christmas ornament category.

Now my success may in part be due to the fact that there wasn't all that much competition in the lace category (since tatting is not that common a craft any more), but hey, I'll take it! ;-)

I'll try and post pictures later.

2005-08-26T19:32:00.000-07:00

Kira got her hair cut for Locks of Love today.

Before:

During:

After:

She looks cute. Really. But - sniff...

2005-08-24T08:16:00.000-07:00

BTW, yesterday we celebrated 20 years of wedded bliss - we went out for a nice dinner at the Cafe de Paris, and my honey surprised me with roses and some bee-you-tiful earrings. I felt very treasured!
(Here's to the next twenty!)

2005-08-24T07:05:00.000-07:00

I have met some of the most interesting people online, people that have turned into friends of sorts through common interests and email penpal-ship. An orthodox Jewish mother of six in Australia. The head draper of a theater in New England, who is sending me step by step pictures of the reconstruction of one of Queen Elizabeth the Firsts dresses (which takes about 200 manhours to complete). A seventeen year old in Utah who turns out some great graphic art. A former English professor turned homeschool mom in Iowa who in her likes and dislikes could be my twin. A twenty-something gal who is into swingdancing and the Rennaissance Fair, and is just an incredibly charming writer.

If variety is the spice of life, my life has been spiced up quite a bit!

Anyways, one of these friends, in response to my bemoaning the fact that good sushi is hard to find in Boise (big fat surprise there) sent the following statement, which I felt was important to share as a community service announcement:

"Me, I'm still reeling from "Tex Wasabi: Sushi-Q" (I kid you not) which we found in Santa Rosa. The best of Texas BBQ and California style sushi, according to their advertisement. As it turns out (and get ready for a shocker here), Texas BBQ and Sushi are not only NOT soulmates, but shouldn't be close friends, or even indifferent neighbors. They should not occupy adjoining lots in a strip-mall, and in fact, occupying the same side of town may be too close."

A menu example:

Kemosabe Roll $5-1/2
Tapioca rice paper roll with sushi rice, BBQ beef brisket, french fries, crispy onions & a garlic chili mayo sauce.

Yum.

So, all my California friends, if you are ever in Santa Rosa, you will know which place to avoid. Snicker.