Evolution of a Sunset

First it looked like this:

and then it looked like this:

The only thing that would have made it better was the gorgeous Pacific on the horizon.  Beautiful.

Tulips and Blankets

In a bit of a frenzy I grabbed my camera the other morning to snap a few shots of my rapidly fading tulips. They were just too gorgeous and all those good intentions I've had of photographing them finally materialized into actual action.

It seems like we've had a rather strange spring - lots of warm and lots of cold all jumbled up together. Snow one week and seventy degree weather the next. Strange indeed; but the flowers have been shown to best advantage with all the sunshine between all the pouring rain (and hail and snow).

On Monday I was feeling so very springy that I coerced the family into eating dinner on the patio. Before the prayer was even said most of us were swaddled in blankets. Needless to say our foray outside did not last long, maybe twenty minutes. I was the chicken that packed it in first (I hate being cold - the older I get the more I think I really am a California girl at heart - the beach, the water, the sun, swimming pools, flowers year-round). Oh, well, at least we made a memory. ;>

Outside

A couple of weeks ago we finally got the trampoline set up, and the kids' area of the yard is taking shape. Last night marked the first major injury attributable to this lovely piece of equipment. Erik sprained (possibly fractured - they said treatment is the same regardless) his ankle. And so yet another trip to the doctor's office was made. I would tell you all the medical stuff we have been dealing with over the past four weeks, but it's all just too annoying. Chalk it up to life experience.

In other outdoor happenings, Djeryd has been studying the Oregon Trail in school. He has become obsessed with all things Trail. One day last week he came home from school on a very wet day and decided to make a tent like a pioneer. Since it was raining, I assumed he was speaking hypothetically or simply planning some fun things to do this summer. The next thing I know he had constructed what you see above and was actually lying down in it. Please keep in mind that is only a bed sheet over the top of him - hardly waterproof, and the blaket underneath him rapidly absorbed all the moisture from the very wet ground. Sean took the picture through a rain-soaked window pane, that's why it's so blurry. Djeryd does the funniest things. He is so creative and I love how he pursues things that interest him. P.S. He didn't stay in the tent more than five or ten minutes before coming inside - it was really wet and cold. Another thing I love about him is that when he came inside he was all full of ideas on how to make his tent work better next time.

Soccer

There was a song on an old Pizza Hut commercial when I was a kid about a little boy who played right field on the baseball team. It talked about how you needed to know lots of skills like catching and throwing, but really when it came down to it the little boy just picked dandelions in right field waiting for the inning to be over. That song kept running through my head as we watched Erik play soccer on Saturday. I have about 15 more pictures just like the one above taken throughout a one hour game. I am certain that he will eventually get the hang of it.

In fact, the last ten minutes or so he actually started playing soccer, and he did a really good job. Erik can be quite aggressive and rambunctious in his day-to-day life. Sean and I are very confused as to why it has not carried over into his soccer career. On a higher note Erik is a good defender and he is really strong throwing the ball in-bounds. When he's engaged in the game it is really fun to watch.

We have loved soccer practice. He has been in practice since August so we had many warm summer days to drag out a blanket and relax on the grass while Erik ran drills and scrimmaged. Now the weather is unpredictable and not quite so fun to sit out in. So far we have been pretty lucky, though. I love seeing how content he is after practice or a game - he loves to run and kick. All boy.

Fruits and Flowers

Please double click on this image so that you can see it in all of its mouth-watering glory. These are all goodies in my garden right this very second. Baby grapes are growing on a vine which is threatening to overtake my patio. We are eating blueberries like crazy around here, and under-ripe apples (the kids - not me). I am not sure what the fascination is with bitter, hard apples, but the kids can't seem to get enough of them. My father-in-law was very concerned about me thinning the apple tree this year so that the remaining fruit will mature to a large size. Needless to say I did not bother thinning the tree, since I knew (after having three apple trees at our old house) that the kids would gladly do the work for me.

The flowers are a particular joy to me, since I planted them all (excluding the purple hydrangea). The ranunculus were planted this spring from a bag of corms (though, I do not care for the color selection). The roses and echinacea were all planted several years ago in a small rose border at the back of the house. "What?", I hear you say, "I thought you said you planted all the flowers in this picture." I did. Several years ago, Sean and I house-sat while my in-laws went out of town for a week. We decided to put in a small flower border while we were there as a surprise. Now, I get to enjoy beautiful blossoms I planted long ago, never expecting to call them my own.

How can one not be satisfied by all that good, gorgeous stuff?

Silver Creek Falls

We spent Memorial Day at South Silver Creek Falls with family. We started with a lovely hike in the cool of the day. This is such a nice time of year to spend in the woods, as far as bugs go. After our hike we ate lunch on the big grassy lawn along the creek, and the kids played in the water. It has been a long time since we have had such a beautiful Memorial Day. What a blessing! Enjoy the pics!

Let it Snow!

For those of us in the Willamette Valley of the Pacific Northwest, snow is a big deal. And snow in December is almost unheard of - at least the kind that sticks. We have been hunkering down for a couple of days waiting for a "big winter storm." The initial hit was at about 7:30 this morning. Glorious snow! It snowed for a couple of hours and at landed us a whopping 2-3 inches (don't laugh - like I said, it's a big deal here). I couldn't resist donning Sean's snow boots and grabbing the camera to capture the winter wonderland outside.

To while away the hours indoors we read stories, wrapped presents, ate yummy snacks and baked sugar cookies.

What a lovely way to spend a snow day. I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Happy, sparkly snow to you,

MyLiege