Friday night grateful moment

Hmmm. I may have brought it on myself by referencing the occasional non-sunshiney day last Friday night. These things happen… So there was a midweek bump of grumpiness that has since been rectified by a spontaneous road trip and the arrival of the lad Seth. Oh joy.

This week I am especially grateful for the space and time to recover from a sleepless night. A day of sifting through holiday recipes and magazines (and not much else) is a gift that I don’t take for granted.

I’m grateful for my Seattle sister-in-law and our check-ins on all things exercise and nutrition oriented… and even a little adult conversation every now and again… (no, not THAT kind of adult conversation, really, just grown up topics, you know).

Grateful that Seth has so many people who love him. He played in a jazz recital this week and there were lots of people there clapping just for him. Well, they clapped when other kids played too, just to be polite, of course.

This week I was reminded, as I am every week, that I am blessed in the husband department.

I have not stopped being grateful that the growing season is over, but I am already missing REAL tomatoes and REAL basil and REAL fresh fruit. I was putting together a fruit platter for a small catering this week and it was quite obvious that we’re already back to melons and grapes and… more melons and grapes. You can throw in a pale strawberry from California if you want, but I didn’t want… Be that as it may, I am still grateful to not be out harvesting daily in the garden. Sort of.

I am grateful for the time change. The mornings have been particularly lovely this week with sunshine peeking through the clouds, and it’s nice to see that all an hour earlier! On the flip side I am not so down with the darkness descending an hour earlier… but as with most things, it seems, you gotta take the flip side too. Shucks.

Grateful for sunshine. I sat with my back in the sun and positively baked as I was looking at holiday menus, refining my lists of "must makes." It was fantastic! I felt like a cat! (No licking, though. Are you relived?)

Grateful for good reads. I finished The Lovely Bones this week and was sad that it ended, I enjoyed it so thoroughly. I will probably read (listen) to it again before too long, and I will now definitely see the movie. I know it will be sad and I will have a hard time with pieces of it, but if they can capture the tone of the book and the beautiful writing, I’ll be good. I’ll be the one sobbing in the back of the theater. Just look away and ignore me. I also finished Columbine within the last week or so, and it’s a whole 'nother read… intense and sad, but not in a fantastic-imaginary way at all. So real, so hard, but very compelling to me. So now on to new reads… maybe a bit lighter? We’ll see. The stack is high… we’ll see what leaps off next.

Grateful for good friends, for support, encouragement, ideas, green gloves and coffee.

Grateful for boots. I love boots! It is SO boot weather. One caveat: I do NOT like those ankle boots with heels that people are wearing with dresses. I just don’t. Sorry, can’t help it. Carry on, and I’ll try not to stare.

Grateful for sweaters. I am such a sweater gal. No, not in that va-va-va-voom 50s kind of way, just in the “let’s wrap up and be cozy since it’s cold outside” kind of way... I’m a fine candidate for a Slanket, don’t you think. Or a Snuggie? Hard to say, so many options...

Grateful for the creative spark, in whatever form it comes. For me, it's downstairs in the (messy) basement in a just-finished embroidery project, a couple of in-the-works calligraphy projects, some half-baked applique jobs, two oh-so-close-to-done patchwork projects and a myraid of other snips and clips and threads. For my dear friend Corinne it's her weekly (sometimes thrice-weekly!) wedding flowers that thrill brides. Check out this great photographer I found this week; not only is his wedding photography great, but check out the food shots too! Holy cow, he's something.

So my friend Megan got me hooked on the new Michael Buble album this week… with the following video.(I had downloaded the songs but not even listened to the album yet!) And then I kind of clued in that he’s doing press for the album right now and he’s EVERYwhere… on Letterman singing the Top 10 list, sticking his foot in his mouth on Rachael Ray, singing on Oprah (which made his mom very happy), you name it, he’s been doing the dog and pony show. And I’ve always been a fan, but watching him this week I became not just a fan of his music, but of him—his style, his cheekiness, his Argentinian girlfriend (she’s the girl in the video), his real-ness. He IS Canadian, after all. He MUST be real. Well, believe it or not, naive me thinks he really is really real. So there.



And of course, if we're talking Michael, I had to go back to his previous albums... and this video, which I also love:



So yes, I'm grateful for Michael Buble. He makes me happy. I imagine he makes a lot of people happy... happy music!

Happy weekend, everyone. I plan to enjoy mine to the fullest. Many hugs all around.

In need of perspective? Me too.

I had forgotten how much I like to hear Carl Sagan's voice. This video was just the shot of perspective I have been in need of this week. Carl and I may not agree on everything, but I appreciate his thoughtful way of stating his case and allowing others their beliefs as well.

Sunday matinee recommend: Bright Star

Warning: This review is much more entertaining if read in a British accent. Just saying.

It was a lovely sunny Sunday here, one of those last perfect days that nudges you toward denial that winter will ever arrive. It will not come. It will not come. (Then, wham, snow flies next week. Stranger things have happened...)

Befitting such a day, I took to the theater with a girlfriend for a matinee. We saw "Bright Star," Jane Campion's take on the love affair of John Keats and Fanny Brawn. It was an extraordinarily beautiful movie, shot with all the right angles and light to make even the muddiest and muckiest scenes of England circa 1819 look romantic. And the summer scenes--picnicking and flower sniffing, catching butterflies, cavorting in the meadows... yup, romantic as can be. Quite swoonable. Also quite slow, however. I kept waiting for something to happen. But as there really wasn't much of a plot outside some drama about the couple not being an appropriate match (he's broke, she'll need to marry someone with money) until he falls ill, I had to be satisfied with the beauty of the surroundings, and some recitations of Keats' poetry. And I was satisfied, mostly.

Abbie Cornish was convincing as the lovestruck Fanny and Ben Whishaw as Keats was suitably anemic enough as to plausibly be fallen by TB. The uber-annoying and persistently plaid-clad Mr. Brown (Keats' best friend and sometime benefactor, played by Charles Schneider) provides a bit of acid to this otherwise sweet froth. However, it is never explained what on earth is compelling enough about Brown that Keats' would chose to spend any time whatsoever with him; he's really quite the pill--it's obvious that Brown wishes he had an ounce of Keats' talent, and mightily resents any attention Keats shows toward Fanny. Tiresome.

Some of the details I enjoyed were of the Brawn family's life together--Christmas dinner by the fire; the men of Hamstead Heath singing a classical composition all together, voices taking on the parts of strings; sweet little sister Toots (she stole a lot of scenes) showing off her sewing to big sister Fanny... really, just about any scene with Toots in it was fine with me. She's a delightful little actress, Edie Martin. The attention to detail throughout the film was evident, and did a lot to carry it past the somewhat superficial character development and set the picture apart from other similar Austenesque movies.

Being old and crotchety as I am (!), the rather rapturous romance was at times worthy of a chuckle. It was all a bit overwrought... I can't breathe if I'm away from you for too long... Really? I want to commit suicide when a short love letter arrives, rather than a long one... Seriously? I guess if you're aiming to be known as one of the greatest romantic poets of all time, it's best to shoot for the flowery and angst-filled end of the spectrum. And even though a few of the reviews I read claimed the movie would do nothing to pull people toward Keats' poetry, I beg to differ. There was plenty in the movie to compel toward his work, I thought.

So I have no number to assign... I'll need to think about that whole numbers and stars thing if I ever review another movie (was this even a review? Maybe, sort of.), but for now I'd say it's a lovely little Sunday afternoon film. For girls. And maybe, just maybe, the men who love them, if they're needing a few woo points...

Friday night grateful moment

So this is my 52nd Friday night grateful moment. I am amazed at how fast this past year has flown by. It has been a good year in many ways, an interesting year from a national and global perspective, of course, but mostly, it's truly been a blessed year, my 40th. Family and friends mostly well, mostly content, mostly employed, mostly happy... Mostly. A good word that covers a multitude of moods.

As you all know, since you're living life on this crazy planet too, some weeks the list can practically write itself. Some weeks I struggle for the right words to convey that between the lines of "sunshine," there can be a few gray clouds. But the practice of gratitude has been transformative for me this past decade or so, and come blue skies or not, I do plan to continue it. The blog may morph and evolve over the coming months, if the number of books I got on quilting and crafting have anything to do with it; and of course there's always my renewed (weekly!) dedication to actually getting my recipes down on "paper." I think I can. I think I can. Or as dear Yoda would say, "Do or do not. There is no try." I've always liked that one...

But this week, the list could write itself:

Who is that boy with his hand on the cream puff pile? This week I'm grateful for Seth and his kind heart and thoughtfulness. He's in the grip of middle school with all its pressures and frustrations, but most days his resilience and courage are right there with him. (That sentence sounds like it's from a Lifetime movie of the week, don't you think? Drama! But that's 7th grade for you.)

I'm grateful to have the time and space in my life to go on field trips. I always am SO eager to sign up, then there's that middle ground of, "Uh oh, what did I sign up for? HOW many middle schoolers? On WHAT bus? Wah." And then it's all fine and I have flashbacks to my own middle school experience, and thoroughly enjoy talking with his teachers and intereacting with the kids (trying my best not to be THAT mother who embarrasses my child!) and before you know it we're home and it's over. Sigh.
I'm grateful to have a thoughtful husband who makes every day feel like my birthday, really. So when my birthday rolls around? It feels like Christmas.
And apples don't fall far from trees, do they? With husband comes lovely in-laws of the sister and mother type, for whom I am most grateful. All year, not just on birthdays! I am sad that my parents weren't able to come down to surprise me for my birthday as was the plan (was that Plan B or Plan C, Dad?), but I'm grateful they are both well and Mom's flu was a short one. And my lovely birthday song on the answering machine from the Goerlitz Jr.s? Priceless. And all the good wishes from near and far... very thoughtful and appreciated.
Grateful that the fall continues, and winter is at bay (however temporarily). Remember the picture of the red tree I posted last weekend? Tonight the sunset made it look like it was on FIRE. So cool. Of course, I missed getting a snap of it with my camera...
Grateful for good friends, good conversation. I feel entirely blessed to have friends I connect with, to discuss both the important and the mundane with. Afterlife? Check. The Four Agreements? Check. Our aging parents? Check. (No, not you, Mom and Dad. Other parents.) Our growing children? Check. Forgiveness? Check. Great new shoes? Check. Should I get more layers cut into my hair? Check. What are the relative nutritional virtues of sprouts? Check. Should I stop using shampoo with sulfites? Check. I could go on... Whether it's on the phone, skype, facebook or in person, I am lucky to have such friends. Check!
I am grateful, so much, for creativity in all areas of life, from music to written word, from art in all forms to the creativity of problem solving. I love that creativity has no limits except the parameters we put on it, so it's only our pea brains that hold us back. Two new forms of creativity I found this week:
Web site: Let them sing it for you
Magazine: Poetry of food magazine

Here are a couple of guitar geniuses I saw posted on Facebook just this morning: Rodrigo y Gabriela on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Threw the Craig in there just for you, Shelby! They are simply amazing. Had to share.


A blessed weekend to everyone! Wherever it takes you, I hope it is to a place of peace.

Thursday 13: 13 Things I enjoy about getting older

Today is my birthday and even though it's not one of those "0" ones, it's still another number in the upward direction... As I was standing there having my mammogram this week (which I call my "Happy Birthday to ME moment") it occured to me that there are some really great things about getting older, mixed in with all the not-so-great things. And you know me, I'd rather think about the good stuff.

In no particular order, things I enjoy about getting older:
1. Empathy. That whole "walk a mile" thing? I think it gets better with age.

2. Don't care as much what other people think. Most days. Oh you don't agree. Well, I can live with that.

3. Know more what I think/believe. Of course, maybe my midlife crisis is still waiting to happen (but I think I've had enough blowback from others', thank you very much), but between now and then, it does feel good to have lived enough, made enough mistakes, had enough successes, forgiven and been forgiven... all those things that have helped refine me. It's ongoing, of course, so no one's "arrived" anywhere; just happy in the "journey."

4. Peaking for some of us happens later. I'm convinced I'm better looking than I was in my 20s. (Please don't tell me differently!) Granted, there are more wrinkles and such, but on balance, I'm much happier looking in the mirror post-35. Go figure. Attitude baby, it's all attitude.

5. Appreciate family more. In my younger growing up years, it was so important to differentiate myself from the crowd and be "my own person." As I've gotten older, where I came from and the people who helped me become that "own person" have come to hold a great deal of significance.

6. More interested in my place in the world, history, universe, etc. This relates to the family love, but is a bit bigger in scope.

7. Okay with one more cream puff. Does that need any more explanation? I think not.

8. Actually appreciate health care screenings. I'm the kind of person who likes to know what's what, if at all possible, so things like mammograms and colonoscopies (no, it's not quite time for that yet, but believe me, I'll be signed up when that date rolls around) are right up my alley, so to speak. So glad they exist!

9. "It" really does seem to get better. I know this concept has a cap on it and at some point that won't be true, but I am not in the slightest interested in going backward in time... no revisiting high school or college dreams for me, no way. More like nightmares!

10. Little things mean more. I feel like my ability to slow down has increased over the years, just to stop and smell the flowers, as it were. And I still don't do as much of it as I should...

11. More relaxed. Mostly. I still get cranked about things on occasion, but in general I feel more able to take things one day at a time, hand things over to the universe for safekeeping, trust in God more. All that.

12. Reminiscing. You can't do that when you're young, can you? Every generation has their things to look back on and remember, fondly or not. But it's something that kind of creeps up on you and then once you've sat around after dinner swapping stories, you realize that you're there, you're... old!

13. I ran out. I could only think of 12. If you have something you appreciate about getting older, let me know in the comments!

Meanwhile, I'm off to make those cream puffs! And I'll be fine with more than just another one, or two or three...

Happy Thursday 13! To find more TTs, go here.

Happy birthday to my mom!

Today is my mother's birthday. There were brief and spontaneous thoughts earlier in the week that we might all spend it together, but alas, it was not to be. She is on her island (Mayne) and our family is headed for a day trip to Joseph. But, as ever, she is in our hearts and we wish her a wonderful birthday, knowing she is loved by many.

My mom is the wonderful combination of teacher, supporter, cheerleader and friend. I have learned so very much from her in my life, I have been loved like crazy and encouraged to circle the moon, and supported through good times and not so good times. Lucky lucky me.

One thing I remember learning from her very early on is that moms always take the ugliest piece of pie, or the piece of cake that has fallen over, or, worse case scenario, does without if we run out of cake or pie. It baffled me as a child, but I totally get it now. My mom was and is a wonderful hostess, making people feel comfortable in her home and caring for them. From her I got my love of nesting and homemaking, my love of cooking, my love of fabric and color and crafting, my love of reading and words, and my love of... life.

Happy birthday, Mama. Since you're a quote gal too, here are few about mothers that I especially enjoy:

I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.
- Abraham Lincoln

My mother is a poem
I'll never be able to write,
though everything I write
is a poem to my mother.
-Sharon Doubiago

My mother is my root, my foundation. She planted the seed that I base my life on, and that is the belief that the ability to achieve starts in your mind.
-Michael Jordan

Friday night grateful moment

So I put a plea out on Facebook this week to anyone with the ability to work on the concept of slowing down time... all I got back were people in the same boat, wanting more time too... so at least I know I'm not alone. Where does time go? And does it (time) feel as rushed as I do? Time as it's own entity. Feeling pulled in many directions... Ponder.

The house is quiet, my heart is full. The men are here, both of them, and that is very very good.

This week I'm grateful for:
*Fall. Rain! Inside days. Mmmm. Won't be missing the yard work for a few months, I can tell you that!!

*Friends. Coffee. Lunches. Chatting while cheering the kids at xcountry. Great conversation! Even heard a good business idea this week. I hope that one takes off!!



*Color. See the tree? We love that tree. That's my view as I write. Lovely.

*Butternut squash. I feel virtuous just eating it. And happy. Just need it roasted with olive oil, a little salt, a little pepper and we're all good. Thinking of making a butternut squash lasagna with bechemel... that should take care of any virtuous feelings, don't you think?!

*Apples. I'll be singing the praises of this current crop for some time. Hallelujah for the crisp bite! With popcorn, if possible.

*Family. My sister-in-law and the coffees she makes me (note the plural... some mornings are like that). I so appreciate you, Kim. My brother and his wonderful fathering of my sweet neices (his movie reviews aren't bad, either). And the great great hugs from the neices too... Thanks for a wonderful visit last weekend.

*Husband and all he takes on for our family. Someone told me this week that my husband needed to "lighten up, man. Don't be so serious." Hmmm. Wonder how I responded to that? There's a head rolling down Main Street, Walla Walla. Well, not quite. Almost. I am very protective, doh. Walk a mile, dude. Walk a mile.

*Son. Don't the words "Love you more" just make your heart melt? Yup. Me too.

*Hot tub. This is the perfect weather for getting in and getting out. Later in the season I'll just be begging to have the lid put down over me and I'll stay in the tub for the night... but right now, ah, bliss.

*The fireplace. A great little gathering spot for our family worships and family chats, and family singing (you really DON'T want to hear that!). Cozy. I'm already looking forward to the tree being up and lit and relaxing by the fire and the tree... see, I'm rushing time. It's only October... but blink and November will be gone.

*Nuts. Sometimes I forget about nuts. But then I eat some and remember how very much I like them! And then I eat more. And more. And then they're all gone. Yes, moderation is hard with nuts...

*Sweaters! Jeans! Boots! All the good costumes of fall. Love it.
A friend sent me this in an email this week:

I'm not admitting anything, just saying it made me smile.
Happy weekend!

Joys of autumn: Apple cake!

I have been wanting a very apple-y cake for some time now--something with more fruit than cake. I've been on this fruity kick through the summer, and experimented with plums that way too... (one of those unposted recipes I tease with every once in awhile...)

As we were headed over to Seattle last weekend, I wanted to contribute something to a lunch that my brother and sister-in-law had invited some friends over for, and so offered to bring along an apple cake. Now, I had to get it together!

I have an old apple cake standby recipe in the legendary (in my childhood, anyway) Apple A Day cookbook, but it's more of a breakfast cake than a dessert proper. Since I wanted the fruit to be plentiful throughout the cake, I thought getting a visual on the recipe would be essential, so I went rummaging through tastespotting.com, which I haven't done in a while, and was able to quickly come up with a lovely looking option from a food blog, Kosher Cambembert.

I neglected to take a picture of it once it had been baked, so head on over to see how Kosher's turned out. Mine was a little "earthier" looking, as I used whole wheat flour, but you'll get the general idea. And it was yummy!

Apple Cake
For apples:
4 apples – I used a variety (1 each of Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith and Honeycrisp)
Lemon juice to prevent apples from browning as you cut
2 Tbsp butter
1-2 Tbsp sugar (or to taste)

For cake batter:
1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
2-3 Tbsp demerara sugar (optional--I didn't use...)

Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease and flour a 9-inch cake pan, springform or square pan. (If you want to plate this, use a springform; otherwise, just serve it out of the pan.)

Peel and core the apples, then cut into about 12 slices. Sprinkle with lemon juice (you don’t need much, maybe a tablespoon or so for 4 apples) while the others are being sliced to prevent browning. You can see my nifty method below. I don't get to use that handy dandy corer-peeler nearly enough during apple season, so I hauled it out!



Heat butter in pan over low heat and add apples and 1-2 T white sugar. Stir for about 10-15 minutes until apples soften. Some of the liquid will soak into the apples, but if too much of it starts to evaporate, then turn the heat down.

While the apples are on the stove top, mix together the remaining ingredients (except for the demerara sugar)—flour, sugar (the 3/4 cup), eggs, oil, baking powder and vanilla. No mixer is required; you can just mix everything by hand even though the batter is quite thick.

Add half the warm apples (juices and all) to the batter and mix. Then pour into the prepared pan and spread the batter evenly with a spatula. Arrange the remaining apple slices on the top of the batter as decoratively as possible (though even a mishmash will look nice... which I did!).



Sprinkle the cake with demerara sugar if you’d like and bake for 1 hour.
This one is definitely a make-again. It was just the right amount of fruit, and not too sweet (though the ice cream was lovely alongside!). We had a wonderful risotto lunch with an autumn salad, topped off by cake! And made some new friends in the process... what could be better? I can't think of anything!

Monday random meme

Playing along with Jen's meme... I always do what I'm told!

Is there anybody you just wish would fall off the planet?
In my petty, dark moments, sure. But then I remember that everybody has someone who cares about them (well, most everyone...) and would feel pain at the loss, so I magnanimously allow those individuals to NOT fall off the planet. I know, how big of me.

How do you flush the toilet in public?
With my foot, if at all possible. So let that be a lesson to all of you still using your hands. My FOOT has just flushed the toilet...

Name one thing you worry about running out of.
Sense of humor. Can you imagine? How horrible.

What are your super powers?
Knowing when Seth hasn't done what I've asked of him, yet. Divine power, really.

Where are your car keys?
Try not to be too horrified: in the car itself (which is in the garage). I like to know where they are when I'll need them next.

Last song you listened to?
Currently listening to God Help the Girl's album that I ripped from Shelby and Kim yesterday (thanks!). Trying to decide if it's enough different from Belle and Sebastian... I think enough so...

What’s your most annoying habit?
Making up my mind quickly and not looking back. I believe it's called a short backhand. It doesn't annoy me, natch...

Where did you last go on vacation?
This last weekend we were in Seattle with family, does that count? If we're looking for actual away time, I think it would be our week in August at the Oregon coast...



What is your best physical feature?
Not an area I dwell on much... more comfortable in the "least" categorizing! But I have been complimented on my eyes a lot in my life... so we'll go for that.

What CD is closest to you right now?
No CD within 25 feet or so--my office, I'm in our bedroom--so let's just say all gobzillion of my songs on iTunes...

What three things can always be found in your refrigerator?
Apples, orange juice, cheese

What superstition do you believe/practice?
None come to mind.

What color are your bed sheets?
Dusky gray blue flannel. Cozy.

Would you rather be a fish or a bird?
A bird, so I could fly fly fly.

Last thing you broke?
This is SO my area, but nothing is coming immediately to mind. That scares me, cuz it means I'm due any moment... yikes.

Do security cameras make you nervous?
No, but they do make me want to either dance or pick my nose. Either. Or.

If you wrote a book about your life, what would the title be?
"She Does Like to Look on the Bright Side, Doesn't She?"

Last time you went to a cemetery?
Two summers ago, when we held a memorial for a great-aunt and great-uncle in Kelowna, B.C.

Last concert you went to?
Painful to remember we were SUPPOSED to be at the Owl City concert last Tuesday... before that it was SYTYCD '08 in Tacoma last September.



Favorite musician(s)/bands you’ve seen in concert?
Probably Norah Jones, even though it was in the rain. James Taylor on July 4 at the Gorge was pretty fun. Sting on the last night of his world tour in Sydney was also rather fun (it was my very first concert too).

Next concert you’re planning to attend?
Nov. 20 in Everett: SYTYCD '09. Will NOT miss.

Do you talk to yourself?
All the time. Some of my best conversations.

Have you ever adopted or purchased a pet?
Yes, both.

Have you ever been present when an animal is being born?
Oh yes. Cats, many times. Calves, a few times. A horse, once.

OK, I feel like I've done my duty for the day. Off to get a few things accomplished, and talk to myself while I'm doing them! Happy Monday.

Friday night grateful moment

Hard to believe it's already the weekend... Even weeks filled with The Flu go by quickly, apparently.

Grateful tonight for:
*Family health. Glad that husband's fever was a quick one, and Seth's too, comparatively. It was so nice to hear Seth singing this morning, reciting old Steve Martin monologues, reminding me of Monty Python lines (I let him watch "And Now for Something Completely Different" while he was sick... I figured most of it wouldn't sink in to his fevered brain... I may have been wrong). Just so glad he's back to his cheerful self.

*That fall is back, at least for a minute or two. (As opposed to WINTER, which we felt the chill of last weekend.) This sunshine is so appreciated. Does wonders for the energy and spirit.

*The prospect of some road time with the husband this weekend. We're headed over to visit my brother and family in Seattle for a couple of days. Ah, for the road.



*Apples. Tis the season! Apple cakes are in the oven and I'm ready!
*Tomatoes. I took down the last of the bushes today, with mushy (from the freezes last weekend) unripe tomatoes still attached... and was grateful for the many wonderful tomatoes I've been able to eat this summer. I have just about polished off the last of my final picking, and with each bite I savor the flavor, knowing that store-bought will not even come close in the intervening months until the garden of 2010.

*Laughter. Husband is chatting to me while I type... he's as happy for the weekend as I am and giving me quite a few chuckles.

*The changing colors. It's taken a bit for the trees to start turning, but this morning I really noticed the reds and oranges peeking out from a number of trees along our route to school. So beautiful. I should have taken some pictures, but I read a news story this week about distracted driving, so I'm trying to keep my hands at 10 and 2. I swear.

*That the box elder season is short. If they attacked our house year round with the energy they've had this week I think I'd truly lose my mind. See, there is a reason to wish for the deep freeze to return, I suppose...

*A little extra time on my hands (hanging out with the sick Seth) to fiddle around with my arts and crafts... it's a bit of a mess downstairs, but I'm in heaven. Crazy with color and texture, yarn and text treatments... Oh joy. Soon, very soon, I'll have something to post, really. I know, you're waiting with bated breath.

*The return of energy. Boy, did Seth's flu wipe me out! Ha. I was actually amazed at how low-energy I felt... can we call it "sympathy flu?" We lazed around like a couple of sloths, seriously. We got caught up on our SYTYCD audition shows, kind of got into that new show "Flashforward," and yes, as I mentioned, I let him watch Monty Python... what can I say, we mellowed. By day three I was ready to return to the land of the living and even got myself dressed to drive into school and pick up a book from one of his teachers... and then today I had even more energy! Cleaned the house, got all my canning supplies put away, took down the garden completely and even went for a walk with a girlfriend in the afternoon fall sunshine! A lovely day.
*Seth's teachers. He has a great group of people who care about him and his learning. I'm happy for him, and me too. I get to go on a field trip in a couple of weeks (I know, "get to." Ha. Obviously it's been awhile since I've been on a field trip... what was I thinking?!) with his Explorer language arts group to see some plays... I need to work on my stamina for inane conversation by adolescents. Wish me luck!


*For good memories of a friend from many years ago. Tomorrow marks the passing of a dear childhood friend when I was just about 12 and she was almost 15. My memories of our time as friends are quite precious.

*For music music music. Found some new artists while exploring around this week... I need to do some more investigation before I share. And, too, there was sadness from missing the Owl City concert in Spokane on Tuesday night (I think I had more of an issue than Seth, but... I got over it. Sort of. Sigh.) But I wanted to share a happy song tonight and I love love this song by Jason Mraz. I looked high and low for a video to share, and found mostly "embedding disabled" versions and wild handheld live versions... I settled on this live version from a small show in Paris where he asked "Who wants to sing with me?" and a brave girl named Clara said, "Me!" She does a lovely job.



Happy weekend to all!