Saturday, March 10, 2012

Saturday Morning


This is a beautiful day.
Blue sky beautiful.
Warm sun beautiful.
Getting stuff done beautiful.
Time with family beautiful.

About the only downside to this day... parting with my Mommy.
Delia is on her way to Pasadena, with Becky and Grandma.

Sigh.

We had a good visit, played a lot, talked. The hardest part, after she has left, is missing the normal moments, the regular, relaxed exchanges families can share when they live close by. Do you know what I mean? During a visit, we try to squeeze in our quality time and make the most of everything, and I like to think it will last me until our next visit. But what would be really great are just consistent, regular opportunities to hang-out, catch-up, be together. It was a good visit, generous in time, satisfying... but I just know, later this week, unexpectedly, I will really miss her, and wish we could meet for soup, or visit the park, again.


So... back to the beautiful day. We've already filled the morning up with good stuff, and it makes me kind of excited for the potential of the rest of this beautiful day.

Alex, Maria, and I met Eunice and Becky, and handed over Delia, in San Juan Capistrano, and this is the sight that met us when we returned home; Geoff, William, and Max mixing concrete and setting the posts for our little barn. Notice: I am trying to minimize my use of exclamation points... but why? Geoff, William, Max, Maria, and I have begun work on our little barn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Lots of surveying, measuring, staking, re-staking, plotting and planning have already taken place. Geoff and William made a huge progress push yesterday, when they worked by flashlight, and under mosquito attack, to pour concrete into the holes Geoff, Max, William and Maria spent the afternoon digging. The barn will have nest boxes and roosts for the chickens, with an attached chicken run. And there will be room for other things.

Other things (noun)
1.
a: straw bales, feed, buckets, tools

b: vegetarian dogs, also known as miniature goats... for example.


For the record: I am not getting goats. Yet. I am not shopping for goats. Yet. We do not have goats. Yet. But. If, maybe, perhaps, there were suddenly an urgent, or even necessary, compulsion to adopt two adorable little milk goats, wouldn't it make sense to be prepared? Just saying.


So. Anyways... it's a really beautiful day, and we've been busy.
Digging, measuring, leveling, mixing. Some of us visited with the Grandmas and Aunt Becky. The cats have been loved, and the chickens fed. I collected eggs, downloaded photographs, cleaned a mess under the dining table, and started thinking about lunch. What to prepare and eat on a beautiful day?

What to do with the rest of our Saturday?

What are you doing with your day?

Friday, March 09, 2012

{this moment}


A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
:: Inspired by Soule Mama ::

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Wednesday, March 07, 2012

The Fanciful Little Tale of The Birthday Girl


Art by Suki, our real-imaginary Albanian exchange student

It was the very end of spring, and the very beginning of summer break, our hearts and heads were looking to the horizon, ready to embrace the delights of freedom and frivolity, eager to satisfy our curiosity with makeful abandon. Out of the Juneful mist, some call it gloom, we saw the giraffe that carried our Albanian exchange student, and we squealed with delight, gleefully aware of our great fortune at the arrival of this lovely apparition. This was no gloomful air, this was a dazzling precipitation revealing the girl who would bring her music, laughter, wit, companionship, inspiration, aqua-blue, and a Crumpet fish to our Big Blue House.

Unpack your bags, make yourself at home, we called, as she climbed off her stead. And she has been here, making our year, a merrier-sillier-cheerier one, indeed.

Today is Suki's birthday, and we are eager to celebrate this fact, and also the life of this wondrous child-turning-adult. She is dear. She is bright. She is diligent, and industrious. She is imaginative... in ways both fanciful and fortifying. She endures, she perseveres, and she flourishes. Aren't we lucky, us who know her? Aren't we thankful for these days of playing together, the daily celebration of curiosity, makefulness, music, sharing life's journey? Yes, very much, yes, thank you.

Happy Birthday Suki Berry. This tale has no ending, just good wishes, fanciful contemplations, and everlasting gratitude for the sweet gift of time in the company of our Albanian exchange student.

Tuesday, March 06, 2012

Eggs and Day Dreams


Our eggs are small to medium, and pale, like coffee swirling with cream.
The eggs we brought home from Coral Tree Farm were jumbo, and the colors of the sea, milk chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg. All of them were delicious.


Some days we have as many as seven eggs, and some days we only find one or two. Zelda is still broody and sits on all, a few, or none... but in the nest she remains. And sometimes, walking around the yard we find their secret nest... a place in the high grass, or beneath a shady shrub, where the chicas have made a stash of eggs. It is a strange, funny egg hunt.

We are moving beyond the planning stages, and into groundbreaking, for our barn and chicken yard. Hmmmm... do you suppose there is a party in store, for the completion of our venture? A barn raising party? A barn dance?

Monday, March 05, 2012

Celebrating William


Birthday cake, topped by William and Maria

William is twenty-one, and we had a really lovely time together, celebrating his birthday. On his actual birthday, William and I made sixty chile rellenos... a delicious, new record for us. The next day friends and family gathered for dinner and a movie. We got to watch Hugo on our big screen. If you have seen this movie, then you know what a fitting and magical way this was to share one of our new favorite movies.


Real bow ties, from Michal and Kelly. You can imagine how much William loves these!


There wasn't a lot of advance planning for this fun evening, and we were really delighted to have the guests that were able to join us.


Great Grandma rode over with Grandma Delia and Aunt Becky, and Holly brought Tutu Ruth... plus cousins, and friends, and new friends... and well, a pretty great group, spending a happy evening together.


William and his Grandma BooBoo.
Can I just ask: How? How does time move this swiftly? How does a baby boy so suddenly become a bright and kind young man?
And I would like to add: Thank you. I am blessed.
Amen.



The candles were not in their original package, and it took me awhile to figure out they were the kind that relight... it made them harder to light, initially...


Suki came to my aid. Gosh, look at the feast! We had rice, beans, the rellenos, deviled eggs, guacamole, a home-baked berry pie, and that enormous cake!


With thoughtful reflection, William made his wish. I hope it comes true.
I have a wish of my own: William, I wish you a long, healthful life, surrounded by friends and love, and plenty of laughter.

This celebration was certainly one wish come true, for me.

FIRST Regional Competition San Diego


Do the math, save the world!

FRC San Diego.
FIRST 2102 Team Paradox.
Mark LeĆ³n.
The Spirit.
The Robots.
The Rookies.
The Midnight Mechanics and Linda Lam!

I suppose being hoarse, from all that cheering, is no excuse from writing a long, detailed post... let me catch my breath, and if anyone cares to see some pictures, read some deep thoughts and other musings, I may upload some FIRST Robotics Passion, later this week.