Thursday, June 30, 2011

Got Some New Wheels...

This old relic, she just stands in the yard and looks purty. The basket filled with frilly flowers. She is loved, but not one ounce of rideable!  (you've seen her before)



Then... along comes... (Mary?).. ha! that's a song. And I've become smitten with a new toy....
sorry old Relic - my heart belongs to someone new and usable!!  hahhhaaa

Mary?
Together we've seen the neighborhood sights. Even ventured further down the community trail and into the "nice side of the tracks"... known as Willow Glen. Got really brave and chose to muss the hair and don an ugly bike helmet. Boy - we need some Fashion Police onto this topic. Can't something be done to help girls look pretty AND ride a bike?? Once safety was addressed I took the new ride over to the shop! I'm sorta liking these new wheels!

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

PURPLE RAIN

Didn't I just mention that the plums would be a' comin'???  Well, they've arrived in abundance and more so!
Clusters of these fleshy delicacies are absorbing all of the sun they can... hoping to muster just the right tinge of purple.



all tones of purple...

Many unripe fruits yet.....


Our friends - The Plums

Can't blame the fellas for lagging in their season. We actually had rain today. Our two plum trees would've been picked clean in a regular year.

After Interstate travel brought me home, I combed the yard for any new edibles. Unfortunately I came upon numerous broken limbs in our fruit trees. I can hardly explain how this saddens me. In my mind it's no different that these living, giving creatures have arms that bear loads, than it is that we peoples have the same. I wouldn't like to have a broken arm. I'm sorry that the Plums' have broken arms. They're just hanging there - flesh ripped, not torn completely through. I asked Hubby to please go out and bolster the branches; a task that should've done awhile ago. Now I feel guilty that the peoples didn't come to the aid of the trees in time. We'll surely lose these branches - they're big ones! Hopefully the Plums' will survive.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Hiking and Heels Don't Mix

Dusty trails and sunshine while traipsing for 4 hours...



We still weren't to the top when we spotted this marker. Eleven miles was the final count. Shortness of      
breath was a steady companion of mine on this trek. I hadn't joined my hiking group in many weeks.  It   
felt good to accomplish this journey.       
                                                                                               
.                                                                                                                           

And just where does the hiking and heels come in??? Later in the day, of course.... 
The perfect attire was                                                                                                                                
set out, waiting for me to get off the mountain and shower-up for the evening event. We  were meeting        friends and family to toast a 21 year old and congratulate a graduate.  A just right t-shirt dress and high      heeled sandals for an outdoor party. Somehow I'd forgot to consider the years old bunion and peds that     ached from a morning of strenuous exercise. Switcheroo on the shoe choice and I was good to go! Never mattered an inkling about the aches or the shoes... smiles, reminiscing and happiness filled each minute....  



     
                                                       
                                                                                                                     
Thought of the day : Just remember -

HIKES AND SPIKES DON'T MIX!

     

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Over The River... and Through Sacramento

To Mother's house I drove.....

One of the hottest days since last September, and I'm cruisin' down I-5 with no air conditioning!! YIKES!
Gotta get to the parents so that I can take over Florence Nightingale duties! Didn't mean that I couldn't sight see on the way though ~


grain silos as I breeze by....

The valley through Northern California is hot, hot, hot in the summertime! I took random shots - without looking through the viewfinder - through my wide open window!

big rigs own the road on I-5


open window photography
Miles of orchards along Highways 99 and 70. We've got olives, cherries, almonds, walnuts......
Sandwich boards line the sides of the mini thoroughfares. I decided to stop after seeing this one ~

they didn't spellcheck!
Tony's ran their signs for a quarter mile or so.... all painted an eye catching pink... all the better to get your attention!








fresh, local produce


The farm stand was a lovely pit stop. What would a summer journey along rural roads, sweltering and singing to oldies be without a soft serve cone??? Had to do it to make this trip complete!



Feels like summer to me!

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Caregivers, We....


St. Francis of Assisi

Three brothers, a sister-in-law, a brother-in-law, and myself..... it takes a village! We're not raising a child. We've rallied the troops to care for Mom post-surgery. My scheduled time begins tomorrow, but in reality each of us have been involved since the day Mom was wheeled into the operating room. Worry, phone calls, speaking to medical personnel, checking in with Dad, sending cards and flowers, emails to and fro.....

A week in now. This time just a scheduled, yet very needed surgery. I'm thankful it wasn't an emergency, or yet another accident. This time in our adult lives leaves me feeling uneasy and unsure. I still see my parents in their youthfulness. At times I am surprised when I see them. I forget that they don't walk as quickly, take a bit more time getting straightened after exiting the car. I'm not used to their smaller appetites.  Find their forgetfulness puzzling. Look at their faces and see my Grandparents.... skin that has such a papery fineness, bruising that comes so easily.  None of these features changes my love for them - yet, maybe it should! My admiration and love should probably increase tenfold knowing all of the challenges and experiences that got them to this place they're at.

How lucky I am to have both parents still here with me! I will go tomorrow and gladly give anything that I'm able.


Summer Solstice


It is officially summer today. We can tell by the heat!

SUMMER

SWELTERING

SWIMMING

SUNNING

SOLSTICE

SINGING....

Wait... back up there.... Singing??? yep, I said singing! Ya know I've mentioned those random acts called flash mobs. Sure want to experience one.....  guess I missed another. This was a local event on one of our popular and famous beaches. Perfect spot for some summer fun!



WOOO HOOO - It's SUMMER !!!

Friday, June 17, 2011

Beatles To Walk By

Summer eve walking.....

Solo and contemplative

Ssshhh ... I hear melodic whispers

At the open field I see them

Gathered to celebrate one of life's big moments

The whispers are now clear, sweet, joyful singing

Of this song ~


Sung with childlike abandon, and so beautifully

Each step sent me further from their stage

I heard the ending in my mind

There was much applause by the girl who walked away....

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

I nearly wept. I could do so again now. Think of the lyrics to this song. They were Middle School kids on their way to a very big world ...

{here's another link to see the words to this song}


Such a lovely way to end my day!

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Cherries and Nicknames

Fond as can be of cherries, their season, the pretty red color and a couple of sweet little stories....





When your Grandpa comes up with the cutest nickname this side of the Rio Grande.... well then your heart melts at the memory and each sighting of anything "cherry" makes you smile.  Grandpa was Mexican. He spoke English... to some degree. There was always a visible accent. I don't have the background on my nickname -  only what I believe to be true.  Instead of calling me S H A R I, it instead came out sounding like C H E R R Y. And when I was young and he showered his love, it was then he called me his CHERRY PIE.

In the beginning of my foray into blogging, a friend named Coco was a subject numerous times. This crazy-silly girl had a lingo all her own. I was a member of her club. In our speak we would call certain people CHERRIES. It was a term of endearment. It meant that someone was acting silly, a bit childish maybe. Funny too that Coco and I grew up in an area filled with orchards (then anyway). Cherries were a big part of Sunnyvale. There is still an Olsen family farm stand and shop; that Martha Stewart has regaled!

Again, in my life a CHERRY evokes happy, loving thoughts.




Baskets of tiny, round red fruit are ABUNDANT in our area. Summer is nearby! Next on the agenda will be plums! Boy will we have abundance of them at our cottage! Plum stories to come.....

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Stubbing Toe Time

Some movement of objects has taken place in our cottage. It took months for the motivation to hit. I've now switched into spring/summer mode. Hubby claims he stubs his toes every time I rearrange. shhhhh don't tell him but I don't think I'm done yet....

Here's a glimpse. And I have to say that I really need to edit! These pictures look jam packed and as if a riot is in full force right in my living room....... not the look I'm going for!


Go look wayyyyyy down the page - sorry 'bout that ~


Go a bit further down...






fireplace area
  

full view - Living room

Liv Rm near entry

I created a completely different work area using pieces I already had. In fact nothing new was purchased for any of the spring arranging. I swap out furniture from other rooms, storage and whatnot.

I love this bamboo desk. Numerous bamboo items made their way in for summer....


The bedroom had a little redo too. I'll share another time though. Had a late evening hike and with the heat we're experiencing I'm plum tuckered out!

Good Night....

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Say NO MORE.....

Positive thoughts, positive thoughts, positive thoughts, positive thoughts...........

I
WILL
KEEP
BLOGGING....

Take a little of this, add a pinch of that, and a HUGE ABUNDANCE of everything.... and, well, you've got my life in the last month... errrrr  forever!

We've had fun!



We've held parties ~



We've toasted Grads, Moms and Dad's..... Birthdays, Newborns and Anniversaries too!



I'm officially tired just talking about it!!!  So, I'll SAY NO MORE!! 


Even though I'm under the impression that YES, I do have room on my computer to say MORE again!
(gotta get the last word in!!)

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Woods and Chaps

The IT team, known in these parts as the Geek Squad, may have one little laptop with this blog on it for an itty-bit of time. NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET!! damn.... still seeing "no space left" messages, so back to the fix-it I go!

Before I sign-off again for a brief (unwanted) respite.... I promised more details on the fun, frolic and creativity of Farm Chicks and the whole Spokane area!  So, giddy-up..... on the road again!

At some brilliant moment of "I Remember", we recollected that the Farm Chicks had them some friends in the restaurant business. After browsing the Internet we came upon our dinner salvation....

CHAPS!! a restaurant/bakery/decorator paradise/junking finds showcase that called out our names. With Doris Day the GPS in tow, we headed toward downtown Spokane. In the most mundane, unassuming, unfit for Chaps strip mall - there it sat! Every Farm Chick followers dream.






Our waiter was a dream. Dinner was served outdoors on the lawn. Simple. Country. Fresh. Wine. Friends.....  oh, and even a friend from high school met up with us. DELIGHTFUL!

Giddy.
Oh, how we loved the LOOK of Chaps!



Again, please excuse the quality of these photos...





that's a bathroom light fixture! soooo cool
 The sun had set, the air was cool, and we hadn't stopped laughing.... couldn't bear to leave yet. I do believe we were purt near the last to go!! Coffee, cupcakes and a bluegrass band kept us til late eve.
And once the sweet waiter agreed to help us commemorate the moment on film (uhm, digital).. well, it was so dark that the images are blurred. I've kept them nonetheless.... these make me smile ~



Monday, June 6, 2011

Junking on the Farm

Red arm band and bright yellow tennies, burlap satchel and cash for treasures - armed and ready for my first time at the Farm Chicks Show. HOLLER!!!  Women cued-up in cowgirl boots pulling fabric lined shopping carts behind them....  waiting for nine a.m.....



sorry the photos are not from my new camera... the quality is poor ~


Impressive displays, friendly junkers and an afternoon of laughter, ooohs & aaahhhs!!  






Farm Chicks did not disappoint. We traveled quite a distance......

No!! not in this jalopy....   


Not all of our time was strolling the aisles of the fairgrounds. Our traveling karma was beyond amazing. We happened upon many great establishments. How about I share those tomorrow?                                       

Will this become an annual adventure? Shall we venture out to new found shows? Just glad to experience the town of Spokane and this event of national renown. GO! Farm Chicks - far and wide! 
                  

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Unable To Talk

So much to see at Farm Chicks!

Loads to share!

Far too exhausted to talk!


FARM CHICKS ROCKED!!!

catch ya tomorrow

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Hello, Goodbye...

Trust me when I say that I'm mighty unsure of myself and this computer stuff.....  Boy has it been a tangled web of crud to get myself to this post! I am glad excited THRILLED OVER THE MOON..
that I'm able to journal again!!

HELLO!!! It's me! I've thought about you for a long, long time...


and that something wrong he's singing about in this video.... well, it was simply not my doing - the technology at my house was having many issues. I'm hoping they're fixed.

Now, I'm back... yet, I'm leaving again!  Flying North to Washington tomorrow. Visiting a place I've wished I could go. An antique show called Farm Chicks!!!  Very excited to pack a bag, hop on a plane, chat with new friends....  apparently my Mom was right -

BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER!!

My two travel mates will be getting token gift bags from me - just because! Wanna see them??



monkeys for our toes!
Hoping to make our travel hours more bearable with the stuff inside the bags. I'm fairly sure time will fly - ALWAYS DOES WHEN YOU'RE HAVING FUN!!!  I promise to be back soon!!