Sunday, May 31, 2009

Homage to Nature - Part 2

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Part 2 of my "Homage to Nature"....a captivation with water. I love that a photograph will freeze the movement of water instantly, giving us a split second view...one that our eyes just can't seem to capture on their own.
Here are some pictures that I took over the weekend...I love how the light seems to dance on the water...making it look almost magical. Mother Nature can certainly put on a show.

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Friday, May 29, 2009

Homage to Nature - Part 1

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Any photographer will tell you that looking through the lens of a camera gives you a whole new respect and admiration for Mother Nature. Even an amatuer photographer like me can see trees and rain and even blades of grass in a whole new light. Over the last week I was really reminded about just how awesome nature is. This is part one of my "Homage to Nature"....the beautiful American Bald Eagle.

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While we were up at our cabin over the Memorial Day weekend we were lucky enough to have this guy perch on a tree right in front of us on and off all weekend. Apparently he is still a baby...his feathers are all mottled and they haven't turned their distinctive white and brown yet. Although you can start to see his beak changing from a brown color to the distinctive bright yellow. But I have to tell you even for a baby he sure has a massive wing span....at least 6 foot from wing tip to wing tip.

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It was such a pleasure to see him knowing that they are breeding and thriving again in the wild after so many years teetering on the edge of extinction. I'm hoping he will hang around the lake for a season or two at least so we can see him mature and change into an adult. Mother Nature really is pretty cool isn't she!

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Memorial Day

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As anyone with children knows a vacation...even a weekend away...is like organizing a military maneuver. Over the Memorial day weekend we headed up to the cabin...we only stayed for 2 days but we looked as if we were going for 6 months. Here are some photos from our weekend....I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful spring weekend with your family and friends.

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Sunday, May 24, 2009

The Birthday Boy

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Here are a few pictures of the birthday boy...( mostly for the benefit of family and friends overseas). Please excuse the remains of the pepperoni pizza that is smeared all over his face. On his birthday Jack reserved the right to not wash any part of his body all day.(yikes)

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Matt made a special birthday pancake for him...in the shape of the letter J. It wasn't until after the picture was taken that we realized the J was back to front, but luckily the birthday boy was blissfully unaware.

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And the only thing he wanted for his birthday was the "Rocket Fishing Rod"...advertised on TV by Billy Mays or some equally respectable TV sales person. Here is the rod in action....he didn't catch a fish with it but that didn't seem to matter

Thursday, May 21, 2009

3 Boys.

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3 boys....
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1 hose...

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Oh...yeah....summer's here.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Soccer Wall Tattoo

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This is a custom order I just got done with this week. My customer wanted something to brighten up the walls of her soccer crazy daughter's bedroom. This is what we came up with. We have also added lots of green and blue dots of varying sizes to make it a little more whimsical. Kinda cute I think.

Monday, May 11, 2009

GRATEFUL

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I'm sometimes reminded how tenuous life can be. How easy it is to take for granted our health, our lifestyle and well being. Certainly the current state of the economy and friends who have lost their jobs are a poignant reminder that life can change on a dime. But I'm not one to live in fear of what tomorrow might bring and in a funny kind of way the unknown is exhilarating and full of possibilities. This week has given me a glimpse into "the dark side of the force" as my Star Wars obsessed son would say. And although it can sometimes seem gloomy...it tends to bring a healthy dose of GRATEFUL to my life.

On Friday I took a group of school kids to deliver Meals on Wheels. We are given a prescribed route and deliver meals to the elderly or disabled on that route. Most of the people we deliver to live well below the poverty line and I am always shocked to see how some people in our own community live. The conditions one lady in particular lived in left me completely speechless. The children were shocked into silence all the way back to school. But as shocking as her circumstances were there is something comforting in the thought that someone is checking on her and delivering a meal to her every day. In comparison my life is luxurious even extravagant. I admit I felt a little guilty...but mostly I felt GRATEFUL.

This last weekend my husband and some buddies headed off for a long weekend of camping. On Friday night around 10:00pm I get a phone call from him...there's been an accident...you know that awful knot that forms in the pit of your stomach. Apparently they were out on their ATVs and one of his buddies had tumbled off a hillside, his ATV rolling over him and he ended up in a thicket of bushes. The medi-vac helicopter was called in and the poor guy was ferried off to Sacred Heart hospital with 6 broken ribs, a punctured lung and suspected neck injuries. It could just have easily been my husband instead of someone else's. The accident could have been much worse. GRATEFUL.

Another reminder. Today after feeling unwell for the last few days I called my doctor to make an appointment. I described my weird, funky symptoms over the phone.....heartburn, tingling in my left hand, tightness in my chest. He sent me straight to the ER suspecting I was having some kind of cardiac problem. On a positive note...all my tests came back fine, but after sitting half naked in one of those awful backless gowns and listening and watching all the craziness that is part of every ER across the country I found myself feeling so thankful for my wonderful life....the good, the bad and the ugly of it...it's all a good life. GRATEFUL.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Field Trips


Thought it would be helpful for me to start a list of places that I think it would be fun ( and educational) to go for field trips next year.

Here is my list...( which no doubt will be added to over time.)

1 - The OMSI in Portland. It is the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry and has a number of wonderful Science exhibits that will tie in with our Earth Science studies as well as one on Leonardo Da Vinci and his inventions which will complement our study of Renaissance figures.
2 - Mount St Helens. Again because we will be studying earth science having Mt St Helens in our "backyard" gives us an excellent opportunity for hands on learning.
3 - The Boeing factory in Everett. They offer guided tours of the factory.
4 - Garnet digging at the Emerald Creek Garnet Area...for the kids to try out being junior rock hounds

Friday, May 8, 2009

Happy Mothers Day

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Mother's Day is a good reminder to me about just how lucky I am. I have three wonderful healthy children and mothering them has been the most joyful, (and challenging) experience of my life. My own Mum set the bar high and despite the fact we lost her 4 years ago I still strive to live up to her wonderful example of motherhood. She is my hero....( or should that be heroine?)

And in the spirit on Mother's Day...a friend sent this to me today and I just had to share it on behalf of all cheerio wearing, unshowered, harried mothers everywhere. Happy Mothers Day all...(you might have to cut and paste this into your browser to get it to work).

http://news.cnnbcvideo.com/?nid=.hsvneYvR7JxUHQInX68tjYwODcxOTk-&referred_by=15938643-6v69gEx&p=moveon

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

My Sweet Addiction

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Oh Coffee...how do I love thee?
Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach.
{- apologies to Elizabeth Barrett Browning; Sonnets from the Portuguese, 1850}

If I am going to have an addiction well for it to be coffee and not something more sinister.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

God Made them Cute for a Reason

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Some friends got a new puppy yesterday. A black lab tentatively called Hunter....he is just gorgeous...a bundle a huggable puppyness.

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We were lucky enough to be asked to look after him today for a few hours. It's amazing how thoroughly entertaining such a little wiggly thing can be. The kids of course were completely in love with him and there was much debate about whose turn it was to look after him and play him.

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During the course of our puppysitting I was reminded just why it is God made these little guys so darn cute. A big puddle left on the floor and a trail of little wet paw prints!