Thursday 13: When all else fails, daybook musings!

he week has just slipped away from me, in a plan-ahead-and-blog-thoughtfully kind of way... I had great plans of doing a Thursday 13 of smoothie recipes, initiated by my Aunt Bobbi asking about good combinations with yogurt... and sadly, I did a little initial research but did not get it together in the end.

So, you're stuck with musings. (The smoothies WILL happen, hopefully next week. I am in the mood for smoothies since I started looking around this week.)

FOR TODAY (pared down from the original Simple Woman's Daybook)

1. Outside my window... Gray skies with a rim of blue. Makes me think a little breeze might just blow the whole gray thing away. However, I did just see some snowflakes fall from the gray... we'll see who wins, blue or gray!

2. I am thankful... for my family. Near and far, I am loved and supported. Such a blessing.

3. In the kitchen... I made more breakfast cookies last night. This time I put in dried blueberries rather than dried cranberries, and I really like it. I am eating one as I type...

4. I am wearing... a skirt with leggings. I'm pretending that spring is coming, wearing flats and footless leggings... we'll see if my feet freeze off? I think not... heat on in the car, heat on at work! But I did get dressed before I saw the snowflakes...

5. I am creating... mental space? Maybe, but not even that, some days. Sadly, nothing much going on in the creative realm at the moment. I was thinking about getting a little crochet group going at work over the lunch hour one day a week, just to have that nudge toward working on something. We'll see.

6. I am going... slightly mad? OK, that's not even true, but in a stream-of-consciousness way, it was the first thing I thought of. Isn't that from a Queen song? On a slightly different tangent, I have been craving a little ELO lately, maybe with a side of Supertramp, and a condiment of Alan Parson's Project. ELO always brings me a great deal of nostalgic happiness.

Appropriate for my wishes of late...



7. I am reading... I am plugging away at the books I posted as aiming to read this quarter, and making a little headway. The thing I didn't factor in, but of course should have--given my short attention span--are the books that have since crossed my path and have bumped a few of the current books off the "must read now" list. So, we'll see what I have to report at the end of the first quarter. Will I have read all 13 of the original books? No. Will I have read 13 books, period. Um, no. Did I try? In a manner of speaking... But! There's March to go, so wish me luck.

8. I am learning... A lot. Every day. This project at work takes my brain to new places, and takes me back to places I've been before. It's all good, and I do usually feel completely mentally used up by the end of the day, which I really enjoy.

9. I am pondering... how to best approach an email I need to send. I will noodle on it for a bit, and see what I come up with. It's certainly not as difficult as I sometimes make it out to be in my head, and it's certainly become well-traveled road for me. I just need to get off my butt and do it.

10. A favorite quote for today... I'm sure it's from a larger poem, which I will find. But I ran across this yesterday and just loved it:

Never mind. The self is the least of it. Let our scars fall in love. 
-Galway Kinnell

11. One of my favorite things... has got to be my morning coffee. Really, my whole morning routine. Such a routine girl...

12. A few plans for the rest of the week... Work. Lunches out--two of them! Carpooling Seth to and from tennis practice. The usual...

13. A peek into my day... 

This amaryllis came via post from my oldest and dearest friend Corinne. I love it. I can't show you all four flowers at the head, but it is gorgeous, and the color! Wow. (Sorry about the white blowout there behind--that's where snowflakes are falling. But I decided this is better than turning around and you seeing my whole cluttered kitchen as a backdrop!)

I hope your Thursday is off to a great start. If you want to play along with Thursday 13, go here.

How has your week has been? I hope the fact that it's Friday tomorrow brings you great joy. It certainly does for me!

Thursday 13: Daybook musings

t's been a while since I've done a Simple Woman's Daybook for Thursday 13, so I thought I'd trot it out... imagine my surprise that they have mixed it up a bit, and there are more than 13 items to fill out. Oh dear. Not to be deterred, I've edited it down to the 13 that I want to answer, with a bonus picture. Welcome to MY version of the daybook, I guess...

FOR TODAY

1. Outside my window... I am ready for earlier sunrises. It's 6:42 a.m. and still dark. Not a fan.

2. I am thinking... that some weeks fly by, and some weeks don't. This is one of the fly weeks.

3. I am thankful... for so much. Health and happiness, the ability to see the glass half full. Having a glass that actually IS half full most days.

4. In the kitchen... I made a rockin' s'mores recipe this week--will post soon-ish--and my sourdough starter is on its last day of bubbling. Excited to see what develops there! Other than that, and some hummus I made earlier this week, we are very much on a tacos-homemade pizza-pasta-lentil soup rhythm around here... The weekend is a good time to bust out of that!

5. I am wearing... work clothes! A dress! Boots! How's that for a different take on the usual "fuzzy robe and slippers?" Ah well, I do enjoy the productive feeling of work-work.

6. I am creating... some Valentine-y things... for here with my men, and for a couple of packages too. Oh, and there's the languishing crochet. Need to finish one thing, and continue on with another...

7. I am going... to lunch at a new local restaurant today. It's breakfast food all day, apparently. I am looking forward to checking it out. Called Bacon and Eggs. Sounds good, anyway, right?! We have had a couple new local joints open lately, makes me feel like there's some hope for the economy, right?

8. I am wondering... when I will be back into the rhythm of the work day enough that I'm not completely tuckered at the end of each day. And I'm not even working full days. But the interactions with people are way more than I'm used to, usually, and I have found my energy drained by the end of the day. End of the week too... While I don't think I've become an introvert in the classic sense, I have certainly gotten used to my quiet home rhythms. But I know I'll get used to these other rhythms too, it will just take a bit of time. (At least I haven't picked up some nasty bug yet, knock on wood!)

9. I am reading... Floor Sample and My Year of Wishful Thinking. It may be just a touch too memoir-y... may need to mix it up a bit. Seth and I just finished The Reason for God (highly recommend! Timothy Keller again. Big fan.) started Mere Christianity and Searching for God at Harvard... read the intros to both, now we'll decide which to read first, then maybe follow up with the other.

10. I am looking forward to... the weekend. Kind of an obvious answer (especially after #8 above), but it really works for me right now. Peace, quiet, napping, crafts, husband time. What more could a girl wish for? Also, before the weekend, coffee with a girlfriend Friday morning before work. Definitely looking forward to that.

11. I am learning... a lot, in regards to the project I'm working on at work. Lots to learn, but so far it's been the good kind. (Not sure what the bad kind is... maybe when it's slow going on actually processing the information?) I am also learning bits and pieces (I'm a little slower here, I'm convinced) about parenting a teenager. It's a whole new (brave) world. I had a couple of years of being lulled into thinking "attitude" wouldn't happen around here. Ha. I'm learning.

12. A favorite quote for today... This one came across my desk just yesterday, and it resonated. Pema knows how to get to the heart of things:
Don’t worry about achieving. Don’t worry about perfection. Just be there each moment as best you can. When you realize you’ve wandered off again, simply very lightly acknowledge that. This light touch is the golden key to reuniting with our openness. -Pema Chodron

13. One of my favorite things... right now, this very moment? It's Downton Abbey. I'm just plain hooked. I know, I know, so is the rest of America, we poor Anglophile fools. Nonsense! I say. Just like rainbows and owls and cupcakes (and how ridiculously popular they've become), I liked BBC productions long before this particular one. And this one? Crazy good. Entirely soapy. Fabulous drama. Angst and happiness and unrequited love. Yep. Be still my heart.

Bonus: A peek into my day... 

What is there NOT to love about this picture? A little fig tree that, until recently, had appeared to be gonzo, now in full leaf... in the SUNSHINE. Such is the bliss around here. OK, so that heat register... not so much love that I didn't move the fig to get THAT out of the picture. But it is what it is--that heat is a big reason the fig is doing so well. On the other side of the heat register is my plumeria... still in its winter hibernation mode, but I trust leaves will sprout there soon as well.

Hope your Thursday is going well. Thanks for taking a peek at my somewhat random, but a wee bit ordered, life!

To see other Thursday 13 participants, go here.

To play along with the Simple Woman's Daybook, go here.

Thursday 13: Daybook musings...

have this fantasy about actually participating again in Thursday 13, you know, a real post with 13 things I found here or there, or 13 videos... where have my video posts gone?! Those kinds of posts take a little planning and effort, things that are in rather short supply in my blog world, as I'm using them up in my "other" life. You know, the life that involves actually getting something done!

But for today... I'm sticking with the tried and true 13 questions of the daybook, a little window into my life. (I know, you're thinking, really? More about the yard? Really, Sher? Sorry...)

Outside my window... (writing this Wednesday night) there is a massive lightening storm in the mountains. A while ago there were a few moments of wild wind that caused me to run around like a crazy woman and make sure I didn't have any garden implements lying about the yard. We have not had any big storms in ages, so I am very much enjoying watching this. Wish there was a little thunder and rain to go with it--it's very still and hot out there... I'm sure a few pasture fires will pop up tonight; I bet the fire guys are on high alert!

I am thinking... that I love life. Such a sap, I know. But I do. With all of it's ups and downs and sideways turns, it is so good to feel this appreciation for my life and the people in it. Bo-nus.

I am thankful... that our rototiller is working really well. I caused mild consternation when I reported some fits and starts (and little puffs of oil smoke) to husband a couple of weeks back and he asked if I'd added oil recently. "Um, I need to do that?" was my sweet little response. Well, NOW I know. (Actually I'm pretty sure I've been told that before, but my memory... sigh.) Anyway, he added oil last weekend and it's working like a dream. Whew.

In the kitchen... the countertops are overflowing with zucchini, summer squash, red onions, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers and one beautiful eggplant. I made a really cheesy batch of pesto at lunchtime and thoroughly enjoyed it with some orzo and tomatoes. Summer heaven!

I am wearing... running gear. (It's now Thursday morning. Keep up, would you?) Had a pretty so-so little run this morning, one of those one-foot-in-front-of-the-other trots... but at least I did it, so there's something to that!

I am creating... plans for next-ups on the crochet list. And the embroidery list. And the calligraphy list. And most of all, creating some structure to my daily schedule to get some things accomplished! Chop chop!

I am going... nowhere? That sounds kinda lame... there's no real plan for a trip coming up (until October, then November). I would really like to go and see my Grandma in Canada, but Seth is tied up sixteen ways (so to speak) with band stuff in the foreseeable future, so it may have to wait until closer to Christmas.

I am wondering... why people include their photo with a resume (I'm helping with hiring at one of my volunteer gigs). Well, actually, I know (they're pretty people). I just wonder where they got the idea that that is a good thing? It's kind of odd, I think. Most people can be Googled, anyway, especially if they are on Linkedin or Facebook. But sending a picture along says, to me, "Look at me! Aren't I attractive?" Oh, and the other thing I really find odd--when people refer to themselves (either in person or on their resume) in the third person. I can't tell you how much that just makes my eyes roll.

I am reading... Born to Run. Finally. My parents gave it to me at least two years ago. I'm cracking it, guys, finally! And getting the old 5-fingers out again too... still can't run in them (for more than a minute or two), but I'm working toward it... I also just finished Women, Food and God--listening in audio--and I'm actually going to go through it again. My attention span with the nonfiction and listening... not the best. And the content is good enough that I know hearing it again will be helpful. I really appreciated that book much more than I thought I would. Lots of things applicable to life, not just our relationships with food and God. I wish, though, that it didn't have the "Women" in the title; I think everyone should read it, not just women... but, she probably thought guys wouldn't pick the book up anyway, so why target them?

I am hoping... that this fall is everything I want it to be. I have high expectations for what I want to get done, and in general I look forward to this season more than any other, though I suppose spring is a close second...

I am looking forward to... doing my own Shellac nails today. I have done a couple of experiments with this system, but used other nail polish (Gellish) and wasn't wild about the results (probably user error, mostly). Tomorrow it will be the real deal, with a friend. A very girly thing, I know... 

I am hearing... tractors in a field somewhere nearby. The sliding doors are open for the morning breeze, and it's a lovely morning out there.

Around the house... I keep tromping in dirt from the garden. Go figure.

I am pondering... how this question is different from wondering? Feels similar to me. But in terms of pondering, I'm pondering an approach I want to take with a new fabric project, and how to get it to look like I want... It will take a bit of fiddling around, but I think I'll get it eventually... hence, the pondering.

One of my favorite things... is sleep. When I am shy on sleep I am not a happy camper.

A few plans for the rest of the week... more yard stuff, more house stuff, some volunteer stuff, a very happy pick up of the boy from school on Friday, and then family stuff. You know, the usual stuff. The stuff that makes me smile so big.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Can you believe that color? I just adore that floor. Shocked, aren't you?!

I hope your Thursday is off to a great start, or middle, or finish... well, wherever you are in your day, make it a great one, OK? And if you have some great plans for the rest of the week, I'd love to hear about them in the comments--somebody out there certainly MUST have more going on than I do, right?! Tell me!

To see other Thursday 13 participants, go here!

To participate in the daybook concept, go here.

Thursday 13: Daybook musings...

FOR TODAY

Outside my window... the sun is shining and that makes me so happy. I got a little too much sun yesterday, I was so eager to get the garden back into shape. What a nut. But I'm feeling fine this morning and ready for round 2.

I am thinking... that I can't quite believe our summer time with Seth is drawing to a close. One more week before school starts, he's with his dad for that, and poof, there you have it, summer gonzo. We are eeking out the last of our walks and talks, for which I am so grateful.

I am thankful... well, besides the walks and talks, I'm especially grateful for people this week. I learn so much from watching and listening to people. And I appreciate so much having real connections with people too. The lesser connections... well, those I am happy to do without.

In the kitchen... the tomatoes are starting to come on gangbusters! So far just the orange cherry toms and the yellow pears. But I've had two big bowls of tomato-basil-parmesan-pine nut goodness, and boy is it goooooood.

I am wearing... clothes for going walking... exercise gear, if you will.

I am creating... some crafty gifty things. Don't you like how I add a "y" on to something and it just "makes it." Ha. I have a deadline, so I need to get cracking on a couple of them that need to hit the post next week. Thank goodness there's a weekend between now and then!

I am going... to go for a walk-n-talk with Seth this morning, then coffee with a friend and making lunch--I'm thinking homemade pizza sounds about right today. My men will cheer!

I am wondering... what to do with my plethora of cabbage from the garden. I had some thoughts of making sauerkraut, and still may, but am also looking for other options. I'm open--if you have one, send it my way, please! We will make soups and stews and coleslaw and salsa, so maybe that's enough? I just seem to want something new, different...

I am reading... another Donald Miller book. This one is A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. Very DM, quite meander-y, but I know there will be a number of a-ha moments along the way. The book is about his life and how film makers wanted to make a movie about it, and when they came to "work on the story," they ended up essentially telling him his life was boring and the story needed to be juiced up. Ha. Seth and I were talking about that last night when we were done reading; he asked me whether I would allow my life to be represented differently than I believed it to have taken place. It's a pretty easy answer for me (now, with no movie crew banging down my door) to say "No," but I can see how intoxicating it might be for someone to tell you: "We like your story, we think you  have something to say, so let's just tweak this and this and this," until it's unrecognizable as YOU. I mean, how much do we all do that every day any way, tweak ourselves for various reasons... See! Donald does have a point!

I am hoping... that we have a glorious fall. Long and warm. Is that too much to hope for?

I am looking forward to... the weekend, with husband. Planting some of our fall garden--kale, greens, etc. (See, already planning on the long and warm fall!)

I am hearing... the dogs barking. They are quite the pack. I think the wheat is going to be harvested today, which will throw them into quite the tizzy, I'm sure. Machines! In the fields! Quick! Run this way! No, that way! Bunnies!

Around the house... we're in the unpack-from-vacation mode. It's getting some semblance of order, but it takes a minute or two... laundry fairies would be helpful, don't you think? They come along and do your laundry while you sleep--kind of like those cobbler's fairies in the old story where the shoes would be all fixed in the morning. Brilliant. Now to find some fairies...

I am pondering... how very much I admire a friend of mine who has stepped up to a monumental task of caring for a loved one for the long haul. Not one of those assumed, "well of course you would" kinds of things--as in, not a parent or a child--and something that I know countless people would back away from with very well rationalized excuses. I'm just very impressed and heartened by her conduct, and inspired too.

One of my favorite things... basil. Can't help it. Just love it to the moon and back. I'm thinking I should do a 30-day basil challenge, but then I worry that maybe I'd get sick of it?

A few plans for the rest of the week... not much of the week left to go, but there's coffee with a friend this morning, then more yard-ness, a bit of chill time with the boy, maybe watch a movie (and nap)? A few errands tomorrow and then the blissful, happy, weekend!

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Isn't that the truth? This is from one of my newer Etsy finds, love this shop!


Thanks for reading, hope you have a fabulous Thursday!

For more Thursday 13s, go here.

To play with the daybook concept, go here.

Thursday 13: Daybook musings

Outside my window... well, the sun was shining a bit ago, but now it seems to have clouded up and it's quite breezy. Great for yard work, not so great for other planned afternoon activities (see below). Clouds, begone! (OK, 15 minutes later, it appears the sun may be back. What nutty weather.)

I am thinking... that the week has gone by awfully quickly, which is fine in one way, but a bummer in others. Still working on my "pause time" machine...

I am thankful... that it's been such a great week for working outside, as Seth and Jake have been so helpful. It wasn't unbearably hot, and in fact a couple of the days were rather cool, which makes for much more energetic workers!

In the kitchen... I made baked zucchini sticks last night, and have decided I don't like them (right now, anyway). I don't know, they just didn't do it for me. So that leaves me with the ever-present "What do I do with all this zucchini?" question...

I am wearing... yard work clothes; nothing too snazzy, for sure.

I am creating... a couple of presents that cannot be spoken of... yet. Birthdays are coming for a couple of near-and-dear-to-me folk. Well, more than a couple. Yikes. Better get hustlin'.

I am going... to take Seth and Jake to the pool this afternoon. Well... hopefully. There has been rumor of a "murky pool" that had to be drained... I hope it's up and going again, as I'm supposed to meet a friend for lunch while the children romp and splash. Anyway, I don't get to see this friend very often, so I'd really rather not reschedule! Come on, kids, don't pee in the pool. Nobody actually says anything about WHY the pool is murky, but I have my theories.

I am wondering... why certain crazes just take off at certain times... I'm sure there's a Crafting Tipping Point in there somewhere, but I doubt that Malcolm Gladwell wants to take that on any time soon. Ha. Here's my biggest wonder at the moment: chevron. What's with that pattern and why would I want it on EVERYTHING? Makes me think of Charlie Brown's T-shirt, which is cute enough, but on repeat? No thanks. Oh and the other thing I'm not so fond of: when crafters do embroidery in a hoop, and then just hang the piece IN. THE. HOOP. Don't they know that the hoop is a tool used to help make the embroidery smooth and easy? Not a frame? Why didn't anyone ask me about this? That one simply drives me nuts.

I am reading... Zip. Zero. Zilch. (Well, besides ye olde internet feeds...) Finished my latest audiobook last week and as I've had company in the yard this week, I haven't jumped into anything else. I did read the People magazine with the pretty Duchess on the cover while I was at the hair stylist yesterday, but I don't suppose that actually counts as reading...

I am hoping... next week goes as quickly as this one did.

I am looking forward to... a little getaway time with my men in a couple of weeks. That will be swell.

I am hearing... the sounds of my old dying computer coming back to life? Oh that it would be so. I am cleaning it off (again) and reloading Windows. We'll see. I like blank books, so blank computers rank pretty highly up there as well (as long as my precious pictures and documents are stored properly on an external hard drive...).

Around the house... we do track in a fair bit of dirt while working in the yard. And shutting the doors behind us when we go back out to the yard? Yeah, working on that. Sigh.

I am pondering... if I'll ever really make the leap to Google+. Maybe. Right now it just seems like a lot of work. I need to get that dang tutorial Seth promised me...

One of my favorite things... continues to be cheese. And figs. And black Aussie licorice. Did I mention that I found the closest thing to authentic Aussie black licorice at Walgreens of all places? Totally by accident while with Jen in Portland, and thankfully these generic-ish stores pretty much stock the same stuff, so voila! It's here in Walla Walla too. Oh happy day.

A few plans for the rest of the week... yard work with the boys today... then pool... then weekend. Whoosh.


Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

My yard cherubs--that cheeky one hiding behind the trailer is mine.

They have loved driving that little mower around, very much. (But safely, always safely.)

I hope your week has been lovely too.

To see other Thursday 13 participants, go here.

To play along with the daybook concept, go here.

Thursday 13: Daybook musings, or would that be fumings?

Is fumings a word? Fuming is, so what's the plural of that? Hmmm.

Breathe.

For today:

Outside my window... Let's see, spin the dial... what will the weather be today... apparently it will be sunny-ish. Last night we had a brief rainstorm, with some wind, capping off a mixed, cool day... but when I checked the forecast for the next five days it is supposed to be all sunny and 70s. I'll take it, if that really happens. Lately the weather forecast seems more guesswork than actual prediction based on anything, but maybe that's just my fuming, cynical self! (Made me laugh just to type that, so...)

As for out my window specifically, the cherries are starting to ripen. I am really looking forward to the cherry crop this year, as there is not a single apricot or plum to be found on their respective trees. The cherries seem to be dropping a lot, don't know why other than maybe the cold? I don't know if that even makes sense, but I do like to blame things on the cold!

I am thinking... that I am not going to get cranked about a sporting event for a long time. (Fume. Fume.) It's just not worth it. I got all worked up about the Stanley Cup (NHL, just in case you're not a hockey fan...) the past couple of weeks, and really was somehow invested in the Vancouver Canucks having a glory moment (Canadian childhood memory moment). And... they were a depressing team, for sure. Even though they got to seven games, which they didn't deserve... I still wanted them to WIN. Sigh.

I am also thinking that I have a lot swirling around my brain about humans and choices and how we treat each other. I'm going to let it marinate for a bit rather than spew forth my opinions, but I did somehow feel the need to mention, since that's definitely what I'm thinking. Which then leads me to...

I am thankful for... second chances, opportunities to grow and learn and make better choices. I am thankful that people I know going through personal difficulties have good support. Good support is something I have been thankful for during my rough patches, and I know it will make the difference for them, as well.
From the kitchen... I am still in asparagus mode, so there's lots of that. And I'm making lunch for a couple of girlfriends tomorrow, so I'm dreaming of things that I know they'll like... Strawberries too, those are proliferating... yum.

In the immediate sense, I have two boys who woke up early and are already working away at designing a logo for their new spy business... is this real or is this still a dream?... hard to say until I get a bit more of my coffee in me. Regardless, they'll be hungry soon and needing pancakes and eggs and such... so THAT will be going on in my kitchen too, aside from the regular oatmeal grown-up breakfast...

I am wearing... clothes for the yard--shorts and a T-shirt, ratty cardigan and flip flops. Later I'll dress like a real person when we go to town--Seth and I both have appointments so we'll act like town people. That takes work in the summer!

I am creating... Finally, I'm putting together the super-colorful granny squares into a hexagonal lap blanket. I like it, and though it's a little slow going getting them all joined, it's fun to see it all come together.

I am going... to enjoy a peaceful weekend with my husband. He was supposed to be gone for work and stuck over the weekend, so this is an unexpected treat, definitely.

I am reading... Seth and I went to the library today, and I was the one who walked away with a small stack of books... It was lovely to renew our cards and look around to see what's new at the library--quite a bit! I got a cookbook: Earth to Table, which looks like a lot of fun and one that I might actually add to my collection; 20 under 40, a collection of New Yorker stories by youngish authors; The Rational Optimist, which looks interesting (if you've ever been called an optimist, and not in a positive tone, you can relate to my interest); and Everything I Know About Marketing I Learned From Google... I'm a big Google fan, so thinking this might be a goodie (I have a feeling if I looked on husband's bookshelf I would see this one already... just a hunch). We'll see. I have too many books on my shelf already, I can't believe I really picked up any more... and I'm listening to By Nightfall by Michael Cunningham on my iPod, so I've got a little fiction going on too, really. By Nightfall is a little melencholy (this is the same author as The Hours, need I say more?), so I'll probably need to do a little palate-cleansing humor (David Sedaris, naturally) afterward before diving into another new audio read. Our library now has audio downloads available on loan, and I'm looking forward to figuring that out. Anything to bring down the monthly Audible bills, eh?

I am hoping... that we have nice weather for some work-related events next week. Nothing like trying to hold a company-wide picnic and everyone stands around with teeth chattering!
I am hearing... the really super-terrific great news that my friend Jen's six-month cancer check found her free free free of cancer! That was especially lovely to hear yesterday.

Around the house... We have had a nice mixture of play and work this week. Seth upgraded his phone, so he is super-incentivized to work for some coin to pay for the data plan. We've worked together on filling in some doggy-digging holes in the yard and reseeding the lawn, some edging of beds, some weeding, a little recycling. And on the play side, a bit of hanging with friends, watching a little Battlestar Galactica, a little strawberry picking (well, Seth probably considers that work, but I think of that as play...), chilling and computing... the usual. Very peaceful. I'm a lucky mom.

One of my favorite things... is sunshine. Have I mentioned that lately? Ha. Longest. Spring. Ever.

A few plans for the rest of the week... well, given that it's Thursday, I'm living for the weekend at this point. Some good stuff on tap for next week, more yard work, a couple of work events and maybe a bit of extended girl time too... good stuff, all around.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

This image has been floating around Pinterest quite a bit and I thought it sounded like a good idea to try... so I did. Yikes. You should have seen me coming down the stairs yesterday... I guess it's a good thing I could actually walk... but it does remind me that maybe I shouldn't go so long between workouts? Maybe try to stay a little more active ALL the time? Hmmm. Wonder when I'll really learn *that* lesson...

Hope you have a lovely Thursday all lined up... what's on tap for YOUR weekend?

To participate in Thursday 13, go here.

To play along with The Simple Woman's Daybook, go here.

Thursday 13: Daybook musings...

or today...

Outside my window... it is raining. That's a big shock! (Sorry for the sarcasm. I'm bitter about the rain, can you tell?)

I am thinking... that at least I'll work on some office clean up and such, with this weather. I am also thinking, longer-term, of getting some of my more write-y friends to do guests posts on my blog... those who don't already blog, maybe even a couple that do. What think you? I kinda like it... not to get me off the hook, of course, but to get a bit of diversity and maybe have everyone write on a particular topic or something fun like that.

I am thankful... for so many things, but mostly today I'm thankful for time. Time to grow. Time to heal. Time to accomplish things. Just time to breathe. I really really feel for those who feel like time has run out, or time is short, or that they are pushed for time. That sucks.

From the kitchen... I have been making a lot of soup, lately, still... I keep meaning to post the recipe... maybe I will later today. It's a cabbagey kind of vegetable soup, with a little heat, so I've named it Mexican Cabbage Soup in my mind. I should probably look up and see if there is already such a thing...

I am wearing... khakis and a little sweater that my mom gave me over the weekend. She actually gave me FOUR little sweaters. All the same cut, just different colors... tan, white, brown and raspberry. I am wearing the raspberry one today. I know, that's stepping out, for me. Lately it's felt pretty black and tan.

I am creating... a little receipt keeper for my purse, to help me track little miscellaneous spending... yeah, I know, I could just buy one of those little file folder things at WalMart or something, but this will definitely be cuter! And I'll have one fewer receipt to file away!

I am going... to Scarborough Fair. See, now, I'm not, but that's the first thing I think of. Every. Time. I see that phrase... I need to take it seriously, don't I? OK, so the real answer is I'm hoping we go to Joseph this weekend. (That will depend on weather...) And next week I am supposed to meet up with a couple of girlfriends from high school for lunch in TriCities... one of them I haven't seen in probably 20 years. 20. That's a bit staggering to consider.

I am reading... just finished Blue Like Jazz with Seth last night. That took us awhile, eh? It rambled a bit sometimes, but he ended on a lovely note that was exactly what we both needed to hear: God wants to know you and is already taking care of you, and falling in love with Him will be the most significant thing that will happen in your life. I have a bunch of samples of "next books" in my Kindle app, so I will explore some of those today and see where we land next. I am just about done listening to that darn Oprah biography on my iPod, but I don't want to squander the juicy gossip on something non-yardwork related, so I'm waiting for more pleasant weather to finish it off while I weed. Weeding and Oprah gossip, yeah, that's about right. (Don't you like how I can go from God's love to scandalous Oprah conjecture in the same paragraph? I know, it's a gift.)

I am hoping... for pleasant weather this weekend. I would really really like it to be sunny and nice. Hope schmope. We'll see what we get. (How very Eeyore of me...)

I am hearing... rain on my window. I just remarked to husband this morning that I've never lived in a house that had rain on the windows so much, at least to my memory. Makes me glad, every time it rains, that I haven't washed the windows recently! It's from the rather shallow overhang, according to him, and I am sure that's part of it... I also think the angle that the rain seems to come at, out here in the "country," (sideways from the wind at times!) has something to do with it. All that is to say, I'm a very reluctant window washer, to be sure. I let nature do her thing!

Around the house... I'm working on my lists... I did do one of those "I'm not going to walk by that thing one more time without fixing it" items already this morning, so I'm feeling rather pleased with myself. Yes, little Miss Smug. I'm pretty sure that's it for the day, but you've gotta start small, right?!

One of my favorite things... is cheese. (That one's for you, Kim.) My sister-in-law pointed out to me this weekend that it's a rare Friday Night Grateful Moment that doesn't include cheese. And the problem with that is...? I had the best asparagus and tomato and blue cheese salad (with pinenuts) last night. So yummy. And it was definitely the blue cheese that put it into a whole 'nother category, salad-wise.

A few plans for the rest of the week... this week feels short, for sure. What with arriving back from our long weekend on Tuesday night... so Friday will come oh-to-quickly, and yet, right on time. As for plans, I'm afraid mine are awfully weather-related right now. If it's nice, I want to be out in the yard doing my thang. If it's not, I will do other, more inside, things. I pinned a bunch of fun crafty-sewing projects on Pinterest last weekend, and I think I promised to make Kim and I each at least a dozen skirts for summer, so someone had better get crackin'.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing... from my mom's blog, And the Livin' is Easy. Last weekend I gave her the applique pillow I made in that class in March--a late late Mother's Day gift... I think it looks like it belongs at her house, don't you think?

To play along with The Simple Woman's Daybook, go here.

To see other Thursday 13 participants, go here.

What do you have going on the rest of the week? Ready for the weekend already? Tell me!

And have a great Thursday.

Thursday 13: Daybook musings...

For today...

Outside my window... we've had almost nightly visits from a big barn owl, lately... we named him Owen. I love his hoots so much, I hope he sticks around for a long time. I like owl hoots so much more than dogs barking...

I am thinking... that there are a lot of people in pain, and then I also think that a lot of people (myself included) don't always make the wisest choices. And the correlation between the two? Sadly quite strong.

I am thankful for... the fact that my cold cleared up so quickly. I keep hearing stories about people who are still fighting coughs and colds two and three weeks later.

From the kitchen... pizza plans tonight... and I'm going to make extra dough to make Seth a few calzones for his school lunches.

I am wearing... yoga pants and t-shirt... thinking about doing some yard-ish stuff this morning, so I will need to add a layer or two to stay warm out there...

I am creating... a hand-turned applique project for a class I'm taking. And also still continuing with the granny square crochet project, where I discovered that about half the squares I did with a 4.0 needle, and half with a 4.5 needle. So, now there will be TWO granny square projects. Sigh.

I am going... to take a good girlfriend over to TriCities for her birthday next week. Well, her birthday is the following week, but we'll do the celebrating early, as we're both headed out of town that following week--spring break!

I am reading... Blue Like Jazz with Seth. I'm enjoying it, quite a bit. Donald Miller's got a circuitous way of getting to the God stuff, but that's kind of his point, I guess. God is in the little stuff, and in everything.

On my mind... are all things related to spring. And, all the things I need to do to get ready for planting. It seems that every day I have time to be outside for a goodly chunk of time, it's raining. And on the days I'm full up with "stuff," it's sunny. Go figure. (Knock on wood, I'll get a little bit done today.)

Around the house... things are good. Back to normal (at least, as normal as we get...). Peaceful. Quiet. Ah.

One of my favorite things... is peace and quiet.

A few plans for the rest of the week... cleaning, cooking, maybe even mowing the lawn for the first time, getting ready for my sister-in-law's birthday, a bit more office-type work, and maybe, just maybe, a little attack on some of the longer-term projects. What, only two days left this week? Nuts.

And a window into my life...

This is a little piece of the applique project...

Hope your Thursday is marvelous. For other Thursday 13 participants, go here.

To connect with the daybook concept, go here.

Thursday 13: Daybook musings...

or this lovely Thursday...

Outside my window... it is really looking like spring this morning. Blue skies with a few clouds, and birds chirping. Seems like a quick switch this week, I hope it continues in the general direction of warmth.

I am thinking... that I have a list of things to do today, and I had better get crackin'.

I am thankful for... a safe, quick trip to Seattle yesterday, and for good meetings and a lovely dinner with a friend.

From the kitchen... we are currently living off leftovers... I might need to get a few groceries so we can eat something new (and tasty) this weekend!

I am wearing... black corduroys and a khaki top. Need to start thinking a bit more spring-like in the wardrobe department... I've been black and brown and gray for months... time to infuse a bit of color!

I am creating... still working on my granny squares. Loving the color... going to have a little crafty session with a friend this morning at her studio. Oh joy.

I am going... to take Seth and go see my Grandma! There are these three wildly unexpected days off school next week. Conferences. I know, I could check the school calendar occasionally. I'm pretty sure they aren't "wildly unexpected" to everyone. Just me! So, we'll take advantage of a couple of those days and make the trek north. Very happy to be able to do taht.

I am reading... Flickering Pixels: How Technology Shapes Your Faith, by Shane Hipps, just started... Seems like it's a bit of a let's-bash-technology kind of book, but maybe I'm jumping the gun... I'll keep you posted. It obviously spoke to me enough in concept that I downloaded it...

I am hoping... to be able to articulate myself later today. I have a meeting where I need to bring a fairly unformed idea forward and get some feedback. Wish me luck.

I am hearing... dogs barking.

Around the house... things are feeling good... other than the sunshine streaming through those dirty windows! I may need to do something about those this weekend...

One of my favorite things... is talking. Ha.

A few plans for the rest of the week... well, it's almost over, so I'll tell weekend plans. Nothing. Zippo. Zilch. And very much looking forward to all of that nothing, definitely. (Maybe a little window cleaning?)

Here is picture for thought I am sharing... of an amazing sandwich and polenta fries that I shared with a friend in Seattle yesterday. It was heavenly. The whole meal was lovely... we ate a lot and talked a lot; nice to catch up, Kari!

The daybook concept can be found here.

There are some fun blogs over at Thursday 13, check them out!

Daybook musings on a Monday

or today:

Outside my window... there is a bit of blue sky one way, and clouds towards the mountains. Lots of wind rode on through in the night, but not too noisy as to wake me, thankfully.

I am thinking... too much, lately. Well, not too much; maybe focused in the wrong direction? I need to DO more, contemplate my navel less.

I am thankful for... so many things, but right this very moment I am thankful for the mug of hot coffee sitting on my desk next to my laptop. (Sip.)

From the kitchen... well, yesterday was the Super Bowl, right? So that means certain indulgences... we went and watched the game with some neighbor friends and had a lovely time. I made stuffed jalapeno "poppers" and seven (or was it eight?) layer dip with chips, and they made yummy vegetarian chili and homemade bread. See, I told you it was indulgent. But wait, then I also made Nutella stuffed wontons and we had some banana cream pie that our neighbors won at a church auction--how cool is that? OK, so THAT was indulgent. I have no idea why I woke up hungry this morning!

I am wearing... the morning usual (fuzzy robe and slippers).

I am creating... dug out the crochet hooks and yarn yesterday afternoon during the football game and reminded myself how bad I am at reading and following crochet directions... also have my drawing table cleaned off and ready to return to the calligraphy practice, the pastel doodlings, etc. That feels really good, to have some space back for creativity.

I am going... to get my butt moving as soon as I'm done here... the to-do list is ready to roll for the week!

I am reading... still, Faith and Will. Apparently I need to find some will to finish it!

I am hoping... to be able to find the right words for a conversation or two I need to have this week. Hope hope hope.

I am hearing... husband getting ready for work.

Around the house... it may be cleaner than it's ever been, ever... for the next five minutes. If you want to witness this little feat of cleanliness, you better get over here, quickly.

One of my favorite things... is color. I know I say it time and again, but it's true. Color and music, my two big mood-lifters. Oh, and speaking of music, I have a handful of new tunes from my music gals to listen to this week as well. Nice!

A few plans for the rest of the week... Seth's home today after school (yipee!), there is a lot of stuff to do relative to the fundraiser next week, and maybe, just maybe, I'll actually venture out into the yard for some late-winter clean up... but only if this "warming trend" continues. If it cools down again, all bets are off. And, I am going to get going on some crafty projects, oh yeah!

Here is picture for thought I am sharing... (I am going to go check out this tutorial asap!)

source 

What do you have on tap for the week? Whatever it is, hope you have a great one!

Thursday 13: Daybook musings...

1. Outside my window... there is simply not enough snow for me. In fact, there is none. Grrr. I was really, really wanting a snow day this week. Sigh. I have a feeling that if you're reading this in a snow-bound part of the country right now, you might hate me a little bit. Sorry.

2. I am thinking... about things I had been able to put off for a bit, but now can't avoid. Ah, that's the way of it. You can stuff it down for a bit, but it always comes back. Nuts.

3. I am thankful for... so very, very much. Right now it's that our house is OURS again, no workmen banging away on this or that (they were actually an amazing and great crew, but they were just HERE. ALOT.). It's very quiet and peaceful and I love that.

4. From the kitchen... lots of legumes. Made a chili this week that the boys both liked, and a number of other soups and stews. Nice simple winter food!

5. I am wearing... (oh wow, for once it's not my fuzzy robe and slippers!) some track pants and a long-sleeved T-shirt. (And my slippers.)

6. I am creating... a lot of lists! I'm even getting a few things marked off of them, too... Progress, progress, progress.


7. I am going... to have sushi tomorrow with a dear friend. Yum.

8. I am reading... Faith and Will by Julia Cameron. Enjoying it, very much.

9. I am hoping... that maybe a snow storm really will still happen this week? Or maybe that's a pipedream... I know, you all think I'm insane. But I really really want to cross-country ski across our pasture and have coffee with my friend Laura. I really do. It's been my dream all winter.

10. I am hearing... not a blessed thing. Ah.

11. Around the house... it is one big cleaning frenzy. Now that I can put things back in their proper places, I am trying to do that intentionally, and with a few fun twists too... the furniture arrangements in the game-room area are better than ever, and I am loving the new seating in the kitchen too. Comfy.

12. One of my favorite things... are my after-school chats with Seth. And the snacks. Chats and snacks.

13. A few plans for the rest of the week... Tomorrow's a big day. I have a dentist appointment in the morning (happy crown day!) and a hair appointment right after. It's a "brand new me" kind of day. A lot of sitting in chairs... not my favorite...

Here is picture for thought I am sharing... I like this sentiment and feel lucky to live in such a home.

Hope you are having a lovely Thursday!

For more Thursday 13s, go here.

Daybook procrastination

really need to get going on my day, but it's a wee bit chilly outside for the yardwork I have planned, so I'm going to take a few minutes and fiddle with the daybook concept once again...

Outside my window... there is a great deal of sunshine. That is fabulous (sung in falsetto), from my perspective. The best part of fall in Walla Walla has arrived: sunshine, clear, cool, gorgeous. None of that silly heat from last week. (There is also, sadly, a dead bird that ran smack into our bedroom sliding doors, just outside my window... I must make time for a small bird funeral this morning.)

I am thinking... that I am in the mood for some new music. I've been trolling iTunes, discovering some new gems I will share soon. (See below for one fun addition to my playlist.)

I am thankful for... the turnout to a parent meeting we had last night. It was the biggest in years, and probably most positive as well. We have a new district superintendent who took the time to come meet with the parents, which to my memory has never happened before. I think he made a very good first impression and parents felt listened to. How great is that?

From the kitchen... I am going to pick a bunch of tomatoes this morning and make things... sauces and salsas and such. I've been roasting most the tomatoes I pick, and the flavor's been wonderful.

I am wearing... fuzzy yellow robe. I know, get up and get to it, Sher!

I am creating... peaceful happy places in my brain. It's giving me a headache.

I am going... to stay home ALL day today. I know that makes me sound like a hermit, but I'm really not. I just have a lot to do and it helps me to carve out a whole block of hours to get things done.

I am reading... don't ask. Same book as before. I need to crack it more than once a week. I have been reading too much online, and it wears out my eyes before I pick up a book...

I am hoping... Honestly, I'm kind of worn out from hoping at the moment. Shock, horror, I know. I'm just tired of hoping that sanity will prevail, that people will rise above their petty selves and find their inner grown up. It won't happen, I'm pretty sure of it. (Give me a minute or two and I'll put back on my optimistic underwear and be good to go. Just tired.)

I am hearing... Nick Hornby, Ben Folds and Pomplamoose. I dare you to listen to this, and NOT have "smoke your little smoke, drink your little drink, try to make sense of the things that you think" go through your head ALL day. I love this video, and this combination of people performing.



Around the house... there is plenty to do instead of going outside to do fall clean up, but it can wait... it must wait...

One of my favorite things... is that I can still get figs here locally; I know those days are numbered... Might cost me an arm and a leg, but I bought another batch yesterday, came home and made a fig and blue cheese sandwich on baguette. I know I shouldn't say that I ate it and forgot about life's worries for a minute, cuz then you'll just think I solve my problems with food. (Yeah, that hadn't crossed your mind for a minute, had it?!)

A few plans for the rest of the week... Lots and lots of work to do for one of the non-profits I volunteer with. We have interviewing to do for a new program manager, subcommittee meetings... good stuff, needs to be done...

Here is picture (or two...) for thought I am sharing... forgive the iPhone fuzziness... this bouquet is amazing! I want to grow dahlias like this... (thanks for letting me go all paparazzi on your flowers, G.)

If you would like to participate in the daybook joy as well, go here.

Daybook #2: It's only Tuesday?

 Outside my window... sunshine comes and goes. Since I'm inside with a sick boy today, I kind of wish it was less sunny, so I would be happy to stay inside.

I am thinking... that someone really should have come up with a cure for colds by now. Really. How hard can it be? Someday we'll be telling our grandchildren about colds as a distant memory, I'm sure of it. Well, I'm wishing for that, anyway.

I am thankful for... so many things, but that husband comes home tonight is top of the list. Work travel is fine, occasionally, but I am always glad when it's over!

I am wearing... my robe, still. It's kind of cushy and I'm a little lazy feeling, what with the lack of sleep from the sick boy waking me up at 3 a.m.

In the learning room... going to spend some time with my scanner and Photoshop today, hopefully. (Go away, sunshine, go away!)

I am remembering... being sick as a kid, and having very little on TV to entertain me... but I do remember Phil Donahue. Remember him?

I am going... to do as little as possible today, it appears, but I am still going to go to a noon meeting I committed to. That's the nice thing about a 13-year-old at home sick... he will probably welcome a break from Mom's forced fluids for a little while!

I am currently reading... the second Girl book by Stieg Larsson... "The Girl who Played With Fire. I just finished the first one a couple of nights ago, and in the interest of momentum, I'm leaping right into the second... But Jen just recommended Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants on her daybook, so maybe that will be my next audio download. You know, for all that yard work I'm just dying to get out there and accomplish.

I am hoping... for silly things that are completely unreasonable, and anyone less optimistic would have the good sense to not hope for.

On my mind... I watched Oprah's first show of her "farewell" season last night while ironing (dvr, baby), and was struck by the self-congratulatory nonsense that show has become. I know, I probably won't get called up as one of her "ultimate viewers." Oh well. But the thing I really wondered is: Does she use that voice at home, the excited one where she's announcing things, like, "We're all going to Austraaaaaliaaa!" Does she come into the TV room and shout to Stedman, "Here's some popcoooorrrn!" I mean, she does that holler so naturally, for EVERYTHING, I can't imagine her actually dialing it down at home. OK, enough of being hard on her. She is every woman, after all...

Noticing that... my motivation to get anything done today has dissipated significantly since emailing all Seth's teachers, collecting homework assignments and dialing up Brian Regan on Netflix. Showering, what's that? Meetings, oh darn.

Pondering these words...

“But most days, if you’re aware enough to give yourself a choice, you can choose to look differently at this fat, dead-eyed, over-made-up lady who just screamed at her kid in the checkout line. Maybe she’s not usually like this.

Maybe she’s been up three straight nights holding the hand of a husband who is dying of bone cancer. Or maybe this very lady is the low-wage clerk at the motor vehicle department, who just yesterday helped your spouse resolve a horrific, infuriating, red-tape problem through some small act of bureaucratic kindness.

Of course, none of this is likely, but it’s also not impossible.

It just depends what you want to consider. If you’re automatically sure that you know what reality is, and you are operating on your default setting, then you, like me, probably won’t consider possibilities that aren’t annoying and miserable. But if you really learn how to pay attention, then you will know there are other options.

It will actually be within your power to experience a crowded, hot, slow, consumer-hell type situation as not only meaningful, but sacred, on fire with the same force that made the stars: love, fellowship, the mystical oneness of all things deep down.” - David Foster Wallace

From the kitchen... I'm hungry, but not sure what I want to eat for my late breakfast, early lunch... maybe something with tomatoes, as I picked a bunch of them yesterday. Love the yellow ones!

Around the house... there are quite a few things I could be doing right now. Could. Should. Later.

One of my favorite things... is laughing. Who doesn't love a good belly laugh?

From my camera... a little granola I made recently. I love peanuts in my granola, in case you were wondering. And I'm already missing the plentiful berries that made my morning breakfast so wonderful this summer.

If you'd like to play along with the daybook concept, go here.

Hope your day is fabulous!

Daybook: Aug. 24, 2010, first day of school

riend Jen has done the daybook practice a couple of times lately, and each time I think, "Oh, good one! I should do that one of these days..." Apparently, today is the day! What better day for taking stock than the first day of school?

Outside my window... it's very quiet except for the lawn sprinklers. And a few birds. Oh, and the dogs. But still, quite quiet. And cool. I'm amazed at how quickly it's turned from "too  warm all night, I wish it would cool off just a bit" to "wow, where are my fuzzy slippers?" That's first thing in the morning, of course; looking out at the cloudless sky, I'm thinking it will warm up to a nice sizzle by the time Seth takes his first cross-country run this afternoon.

I am thinking... that the world can be a sad and crazy place and almost everyone I know has a slice of the pain/disappointment pie, on some level. Thank goodness for love, that's what I'm thinking. Because loving each other through the pain is about the best we can hope for, most days. (And if you're feeling like the pain/disappointment pie has passed you by--roll with me here, I know that metaphor doesn't quite hold--just wait for a minute or two. Or, take up post in a public place and people watch. Really watch. There's joy, there's laughter, but there's also a lot of pain. Sorry for the downer paragraph here, it's just what it is, not always sweet tea and sunshine!)

I am thankful for... time. I realize more and more how quickly it's all going by, and the ability to pause and breathe in and out and be appreciative is a skill I'm still working on. It's going to be a lifelong thing, the learning to pause...

From the kitchen... I'm making a nectarine coffee cake for a mom's get-together later this morning, and it's spilling over in the oven, oh joy... yes, the kids go off to school and we celebrate. A fabulous thing, really. Also just made husband his breakfast shake and Seth an egg "mcmuffin." Smells good around here.

I am wearing... my favorite black skirt and a tan polo and my favorite Teva flip-flops too. Comfy.

I am creating... a physical space to create in. And mental space that is more focused than it's been lately. Trying to pare down the scattered thoughts. Wish me luck.

I am going... for a run later today. (If I say it out loud, it will happen. That's a theory, right?)

I am reading... How Did You Get This Number by Sloane Crosley. It's my palette cleanser after the heavier reading of the summer. Well, one heavy book. Give me a break. (Oh, and I just noticed there's no question mark in that title. That could well and truly drive me nuts. That title needs a question mark... I wonder how many editing meetings took place over that title? I hope the copy editor went down swinging, that's all I can say...)

I am hoping... to achieve some clarity and direction in a meeting later today. Love a little hope!

I am hearing... that bedbugs are back as an epidemic. This is dampening my travel "bug" a little, so to speak, but not a lot. I'll get past it. And buy some bug spray.

Around the house... Seth and I did some good work on Sunday, getting a few problem areas in the house under control--my office, for one, and then his game space in the basement, and my crafty space too... feeling much better about the clutter, but there's more to be done. Hello, fall energy, I am glad to see you!

One of my favorite things... about summer has been the absolute cornucopia of fresh fruit. I have loved it, as always. And already feeling nostalgic for berries...

A few plans for the rest of the week... Just getting into the groove of the school routines, making lists for fall plans and getting our schedules all on track...

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

 Mr. Eighth Grade, heading off into the world

If you'd like to try out this exercise, go to: The Simple Woman's Daybook.