meet pandora

Today we adopted a new puppy and named her Pandora. We have always talked about having 2 dogs to live on and protect the farm. Pandora is half Great Pyrenees and half Anatolian Shepherd, both are very large breeds, some as big as Saint Bernard's. Zeus now has a playmate and I have puppy duty...not a small task. Tonight will be her first night away from her 8 brothers and sisters, I will be feeling her sorrow and probably loosing a little sleep. yay.

I have been skyping all day with my sister. Showing her, Cedar and Boho boy a very fat & fuzzy puppy. She looks like a stuffed animal, unreal, but then Cedar thinks stuffed animals are all real anyway ; )

moments with cedar

sidewalk yummies

Visiting the boho family in San Diego. I arrived on Saturday and will be here until Thursday. My sister is glowing with motherhood, Cedar is so much bigger and boho boy looks adorable in his scruffy beard and wavy long hair. Ours days have been filled with toddler play (like sidewalk chalk) and non stop conversations. Regardless of where we take Cedar, or what he wears...people refer to him as "she." Yes, he is just that beautiful!

New stuff about Cedar:

~Anything "Stinky" is hilarious
~Tractors are really really really cool (thank you uncle jj)
~Chasing and hiding games rule
~Running is faster and falling is harder
~Everyone in the room must have a turn too
~Affection flows freely (the best hugs and kisses ever!)
~Berenstain Bears rock
~Stuffed animals are alive (just what my sister thought too)
~"I can do it myself" ; )
~Wakes up from his naps a little taller
~"Yucky" is pretty funny too

He is all boy...pretty...but all boy. I always cherish these visits and my hubby? He counts the hours until I am home again ; ) love you babe

lightning bug

Very strange weather here in Northern California. High humidity, random thunder/rain and a lot of late night lightning. Specifically 2:00 am. I can be such a shutter bug : )

happy happy

happy birthday to you

happy birthday to you

happy birthday little sister

happy birthday to you

how old are you now

I'll never tell ; )

rattle shake roll...(GF tip)

We took this rickety(eek!) old(scary) and very cool(adventurous) elevator to the 4th floor of our daughter Angela's new apartment. We were here to bring the finished project of wrapping the Thailand Silk around four canvases, visit and go to dinner. Their place was clean, cozy and quite typical of downtown S.F. row houses. You enter a long wood floor hallway with all the rooms straight down in a row and off to the left; Bathroom, Kitchen, Living Room and a Bedroom. What more does anyone need?Well, here they are...the colors are so serene and I think they'll look lovely on any wall.


This last week was spent with all the surrounding orchards lining up for their turn to have the shakers do their thing. Wednesday bright and early it was our turn. I thought the shaker looked like a great big black spider maneuvering in and out of our rows. A big front claw gently grabbed each trunk and then (Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr!) the quick vibration made the ground tickle beneath your feet and all the light fixtures rattled on the walls.I turned away, I can't watch and I found myself wincing deep inside with each and every tree. After many hours there was an abrupt silence and the regular hush informed me that the process was over. I ventured outside with apprehension, in my mind, the trees would all be broken and torn to shreds. But this was not so, THEY are much stronger than one thinks.My reaction came swift. My mouth dropped open and tears filled my eyes. I felt a sense of deep pride swell in my chest and covered all over the ground was the gift that comes when they are nursed from Winter to Harvest. Gifts, each and every one of them. Crazy me felt compelled to say out loud, "Good Job All of You! Thank You So Much!"Late afternoon Hubby arrived home from his main job, changed his clothes and drug out the poles. He poles the top of the branches to get the nuts that didn't make it to the ground...seriously, more? Hey, these pennies add up!


***Here is the skinny on the Best Gluten Free Pizza Dough Ever! Tried and tested by yours truly and "YUM" is all I can say!Go here(Schar) for more information about their products...and go crazy with the toppings ; )

Thailand Silk

This is the silk that Ang & Jon brought back with them from Thailand. My camera doesn't do them justice. Each one is iridescent and casts different colors, depending on the angle in which you are standing. Now home, they purchased 4 large rectangle shape canvases for me to stretch the material around. Great idea and they turned out beautiful. Tomorrow I will be bringing them to San Fran to see their new apartment and then go out to dinner. The restaurant is Gluten Free, so I will have to take some pics and let you know how it is. In the meantime, while I stare at each gorgeous canvas, it is very tempting to put them up on my own wall and when I see them tomorrow say, "What Silk?" I guess I'll have to settle for the scraps...which are also very beautiful ; )

nearly harvest time...

this may seem like just another ordinary day here
just another walk in the same orchard
one more day of many
but it isn't

how is it possible
that every time i come here
this place astounds me


each row offers a different view
a new perspective
some sense of calm

a moment of warm dappled sun
an offering of cool shade
and the conversations of rustling leaves...


I usually walk with these two as my companions. They don't complain about my slow pace, or if something random catches my attention. We three are very consistent together.

Ellie has a tendency to wander off in her own world

and Baxter stays by my side.

I can reach right up and taste the fruit of our labor

well, not actually fruit : )

16 memories

I've really missed not going on our annual beach vacation this year. We just couldn't afford it and like many other families today the idea of spending any large sums of money right now is kind of scary. When my desires slip into my dreams at night I always ponder what they may be telling me. This has been happening a lot lately and I think my subconscious is saying, "We miss the Ocean!" I think the 'We' represents Body Soul & Spirit. So, I took a walk through beach vacation pictures memory lane and am sharing it here with you. This is the cement boat view from the house we used to rent in Aptos California...pure bliss.


The house wasn't fancy, but it was roomy and had plenty of extra bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. Extremely necessary because we invite a variety of friends and family. Oh, and the Ocean was a clear stones throw from those 3 huge windows. n.i.c.e.


I missed getting absorbed in a great summer read. Wrapped up cosy and warm with the sound of the ocean drowning out people noise and creating an atmosphere of escape *sigh*


I loved the way the trampled sand looked at the end of a day full of planned activities. Everyone ate extra dinner, felt really tired and slept a little more deeply. This made me joyously happy.


And then there was the girls...that's our daughter Angela on the right with her best friend Tiffiny. The kids were allowed to bring a friend along and Tiffy joined us most every year. They were all about new bikini's, sun bathing and a lot of giggling. Oh and let's not forget about the munchies. They packed more in then the boys and were proud of it!


Every once in awhile they braved actually going into the ocean...sort of.


One summer our son Mark grew his hair long. Oh the ladies gave him plenty of double takes, which didn't make the now (ex)girlfriend very happy. (sorry about the tacky white out (ex)girlfriend glare) It's just that he looks so yummy here...I couldn't resist!


When it came to Ocean activities, Mark was no wimp. So many times I had to wince at the big waves he braved and once he was in, it was hard to get him out of the water. When he was little I called him "My Little Fishy Boy" ...but not anymore...well, sometimes *wink*


And don't you love burying someone in the sand! On this day, we drew sticks and our (long ago past student, who stayed in touch with us) Sopon pulled the shortest! He didn't look like he enjoyed this...who does? t.r.a.d.i.t.i.o.n.s die hard!


You can often find me in this position. Ahhh...the best naps ever!


Or, I go on shell finding journeys. I refuse to get up early to partake in this ritual, which means I end up with the shells that everyone else chose to leave behind. I don't mind, sleeping in is worth foregoing a few jewels to me.


After a brisk walk, I feel refreshed and ready for some dinner but I need a few hugs first. "Who wants a hug?!"


Most meals were eaten outside and cooking/cleaning duties were split up fairly. If this was my cooking night, We're probably having my famous spaghetti sauce and salad with a side of garlic bread. Desserts were plentiful to an extreme. (hello extra 5 pounds: )


We always tried to squeeze in a group photo. It's fun to look back and see the kids get older, who came that year and how content we all look.


Another cherished moment was walking down the almost deserted beach with someone you love. Holding hands and hubby always trying to slyly lure me closer to the tide. I squealed to his delight and he always finds me sand dollars on these walks. "symbols of love" he calls them *gush*


And lastly, the sunsets were always a miraculous painting in the sky. Oh the reds, purples, blues, orange and yellows. A little pink here and there and when it got really dark, we could see Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk all lit up, with the Ferris Wheel going round and round.Sleepy time...Goodnight...Angels on your pillow : )

Maybe you have a treasured vacation to share, I'd love to hear it : )

~favorites~

I chose some favorite pictures from my visit with my sister Denise. We both carry around our cameras, so there were plenty to choose from. Here are a few...


~arrival trip from the airport~

~peeking in on nap time~

~slowly waking up~

~mommy puts on shoes for outside~

~too many exciting things to find~

~uncle jj drawing with a stick~

~cedar finds the biggest stick ever!~

~stopping for a pose~

~contemplating a tractor ride~

~brave decision~

~farmer uncle jj and cedar~

~vrrrmmm~

~turning the wheels~

~marmie picking fruit & veggies~

~always, always...running~