Archive for ‘August, 2010’

Birthday breakfast with my best boys

It’s double nickels for me today! I was born in 19-double nickels and am double nickels in twenty-ten…might go get a lottery ticket :)!

Thanks to all who sent cards, emails, comments and a special thank you to Regis from Belgium who surprised me mightily with a box of Belgian chocolate (Godiva!).

I had no idea when I started this blog to keep friends and family apprised of my life and as a venue for some writing that people from all over, not only the U.S., but the world, would be interested in seeing what goes on in my corner of it. The friendships, connections and sharing of thoughts and memories make the differences less and the sense of community greater.

Cheers to all!

Sunday walk by the lake and mimosa(s!) on the front porch

The early morning temperature was 48F. A cool breeze ruffled the water of Flathead Lake as Karl and I enjoyed a walk on the rocky outcroppings in Wayfarer’s Park near Bigfork.

The cloudless sky does not provide a dramatic background for a photo so you will have to use your imagination to picture a gorgeous, cool morning…

No one else on our path so we dawdled and enjoyed this continued respite from Summer.

And then…and THEN!!! – in honor of almost birthday…a blueberry-lemon “mimosa” – on the Front Porch. A big shout out and hurrah for Yellow Tail winery in Australia (HEY, Wendy!) – the YT sparkling wine is wonderful!


***Blueberry-lemon mimosa… I combined fresh blueberries, fresh lemon juice and a bit of lemon pulp with water (in my Vita-Mix super blender) to make a blueberry-lemon juice which I spiked with the Yellow Tail sparkling white wine. The “bits” you see in the glass are bits of blueberries.

Prelude to Fall

We are having our mid-August cool down. While it is not quite cool enough for a fire in the woodstove, it is sweatshirt and long pants cool. And we had several wonderful, soaking, rain showers over the last 2 days and nights.

Turkeys…with chicks in 3 different sizes :)!

Baby day…the fawn and doe are regular visitors – they appeared shortly after the turkeys left.

Still wary of me which is as it should be.

The light in the house has subtly changed as the angle of the sun moves towards Fall.

I love the light in this house but the Fall light is my favorite.

All says warm and peace to me.

Outside the shadows are just a bit longer, just a little earlier.

This mid-August cool down – prelude to Fall.

Butter and Eggs

Just to the left and out of this photo a patch of “Butter and Eggs” aka “Toadflax” is blooming. I called them wild snapdragons for a long time, but I don’t think they are even related.

Butter and Eggs with a few raindrops leftover from last night’s rain shower.

The pond in Whitefish

When I moved to Montana in early 1994, I lived in Whitefish.

This pond wasn’t there at that time. The entire view you see in this photo was open, grassy land that was subject to marshiness some springtimes during the runoff. The pond – actually ponds – were made to wrangle that marshiness into submission and allow for a soccer complex, a new hospital, a church and a LOT of houses. Like all change, there are both positive and negative perspectives.

Karl and I, Zack and I before Karl – walked here when it was grassy or snow covered before the pond and other development. Karl and I walk there now when we go to Whitefish. Karl and I were there yesterday for a vet appointment – he is fine! ….but there was a question and it held the possibility of being not so fine.

The question has been “on the table” for a little over a week. Even as things pointed toward a good outcome and I, along with a small, but mighty army of prayer warriors prayed for healing, strength, wisdom and grace…still, for us humans, it is challenging to keep fear and worry completely at bay.

My dear friend, Jeannine, wrote: “I have been holding my breath and praying God’s presence, as I felt you skirting the edge of the unknown, or whatever you call that place where everything changes all at once. Changing a little at a time, we can handle with some grace.” That, so succintly put, is the rub…

But, yesterday, from sunrise to sunset, everything in Karl’s and my world flowed smoothly, gurgling happily like mountain snowmelt making its way to a valley pond. The Hand of God showed itself in the morning beauty of the pond in Whitefish and gave us calm and peace.