i don't mind

* this has nothing to do with anything. except that i took it on an 80 degree day this month, and now its snowing. *

I'll tell you a secret. I really don't mind vacuuming, or sweeping, or even doing the laundry. Really. ( Don't tell my kids.) But I do mind having to do it because no one else will.

The Sun

Behold! The Sun, she has returned( after a three day hiatus.) Gladly, it was only raining outside, and not inside, as I have finally fixed the leak in my bedroom. And in other, unrelated happenings, just some images from my summer, of kayaking with children and friends, and of hiking with sisters and nephews. The latter was especially good, as my sister lives in Florida, and does not get a chance to come up and spend more than a few hours at a time with us. That she spent three days this time was a treat, even though we also spent a week together when the boys and I drove down to Florida in June! I will certainly take all the time I can get with her and her boys, as mine own family lives some distance from me( all of them). So although I have been very busy this summer( classes, vacations, and general life), there was also a good deal of out-of-the-ordinary happenings as well.

In June we went to Florida for a week. Wonderful. Today, some gardening, homework, and a trip to the dentist. I think this is the slowest day I've had since coming home. I could do with a few more, I think.

16....

This morning I remembered what it felt like to be 9+ months pregnant. The heavy, heavy belly. The way I had to walk, with my poor feet so swollen I couldn't bend my ankles or toes. The funny thing is, its been 16 years since I was like that. How can he be that old already? I was so young, only 21. Of course now, I think of things I would have done differently. That's always the way. It was still good though. Sometimes I can remember being 16 myself like it was only a couple years ago. So many things I would have told my 16 year old self, but I wouldn't have listened. Sometimes I don't feel qualified to be the parent of teenagers. My teens were so different than theirs are, their father's teen years too. But we seem to be doing a pretty good job so far, I hope.

happy mother's day

Happy Mother's Day. I love you both so much.

luck.

people always call it luck when you've acted more sensibly
than they have.

peace.

peace.
it does not mean to be in a place where there is no
noise, trouble or hard work. it means to be in the midst of
all those things and still be calm in your heart.

transition

50 degree days. a fire in the stove this morning. even though this life is not perfect, its good enough.

Sometimes I forget...

Sometimes I get so wrapped up in things that are less important I forget the ones that are more so. This weekend, I forgot to linger, and instead got to rushing. I lost sleep over it. Every time that I think I've got things figured out( including myself), I fall again. Often, I wonder what I have done to deserve my sister.

I just can't stay away

I so rarely post anything anymore I sometimes wonder why I bother. I guess it's like Facebook, once it's there, you feel slightly compelled to check on it every now and then. I had grand plans of using this space for things like talking about books I've read( I do loooove to read), but so far , nope. Of course I don't read much but school books these days, but still. So many people have such brilliant things to say( Soulemama, bluebirdbaby, anyone?)that I feel like it is a better use of my time to just do things, and let others do the writing, for now. But I do love sharing pictures, so here a a couple from out my door this morning.

here comes the rain

pileated woodpecker

Night~blooming Cirrus

Oh, the weather has finally changed. Gone are the oppresive 90 degree days, with their wretched humidity. In their place today, we have cool breezes, and a wonderful mix of sunshine( for the soccer game), and rain,( for immediatley after). I reaaly do love summer, but cannot tolerate the humidity that makes me feel like I'm wearing a blanket on my chest.

These woodpeckers were hanging out at our house for a couple days last week. As I was pulling in the driveway, they flew up in front of me, so I grabbed the camera that I luckily happened to have in the car, and managed to get a couple of shots before they got too far away.

The flower is one of about eight or so from my night-blooming Cirrus, which is truly the world's ugliest plant. Being as it's actually a climbing, vining type of tropical plant, its really not suprising that its so sprawly. It just grows all over the place, no symmetry or anything, but once a year, usually late August, early September, the flowers show up. They are fabulous. They really do bloom at night, and each one only opens once, and then that's it. But, they smell amazing. If you are lucky, and get out of bed early enough, you can see them in the morning, before they wilt, but by then the scent has gone. The funny thing is, I've had this plant for about 20 years, and it never did much of anything. It's not a typical houseplant that one sees in New England, but one year I decided to put it outside for the summer. That did it, so now every May, out it goes...

I'm back at school these days, actually taking Nursing now, instead of hoping I get in. A bit different than last year, certainly more work. ( which is funny, considering its only 6 credits, last year I was doing 10) Our first exam is in 2 weeks(!), I'm determined to get an "A".As my Anatomy proffessor said last year, " Study what you don't know". Makes sense to me. But first its a nap, as this awful cold I have found somewhere along the way kept me up all of last night. Me no likey. Even the dog is sneezing, maybe its in the air. Cheers!

What I did on summer vacation

my cousin's wedding in August

at a (surprise) 60th birthday!

paddling

on the lake

at Niagara Falls(American side)

just after crossing the border

at Gramma's( yes I'm in a picture!)

Gramma, after scolding me not to take the picture


It's been sooo busy this summer, with surprise birthday parties, unexpected trips North of the border, weddings, summer basketball, soccer starting, getting ready for school( and trying to conquer the accompanying butterflies in my stomach!) I couldn't believe that it's been two months since I've written anything. My sister and I went to Canada this month to visit our Gramma, it was a wonderful, if too short, trip. We spent the night in Niagara Falls( Canadian side) on the way home, and went to the state park on the American side the next day. I'd only ever been there in the winter, so to see it now,its amazing. We celebrated Craig's mother's 60th birthday, with a sucessfully-pulled-off suprise party, and just this past weekend, celebrated the marriage of my cousin Brian to his fiancee Missie. It was such a beautiful time, I especially loved "Here comes the Bride" played on kazoos by the wedding party. Awesome.Not to mention sneaking off to the lake for an afternoon, getting away to my sister's for a weekend, and spending all my spare time reading, trying to get it in before school starts( in a week!), when I'll be reading nothing but my textbooks. So, on that note, I'm off to visit Forks( again. Yes I know), if I can hear myself think over the clamour of boys in the next room.

Happy Father's Day!!!

Happy Father's Day:: to my husband,Craig, who recently celebrated 15 years of being a great Dad, and to my dad, my grandpa Al, Craig's grandpa Bob, and my brother in laws, Tim, Sean and Jon.

is it....

finally summertime? Time for homemade popsicles, pomegranate lemonade, swimming, and things to finally be growing in the garden? Why, yes, I do believe it is.

this moment

{this moment}:: a single photo capturing a moment from my week, inspired by Amanda

Sometimes...

Sometimes, our children are our greatest teachers, about forgiveness, patience, and the kind of people we want to be when we grow up. Oftentimes, I think, we really don't deserve them.

this moment

this moment:: a Friday ritual( although my last was awhile back :)

summertime...

::clothes on the line

:: not a cloud in sight

:: typing this with garden~dirty hands

:: putting seeds in the ground

:: giving old plants new homes

:: eavesdropping on the birds conversations while I work

::getting ready for the first trip of the season to the beach

what makes your ordinary day special?

Sunday hiking

Going hiking with the kids these days is a rare experience. Between all the sports, school, and other " stuff", there dosen't seem to be as much time for a hike. But we'd gone to visit their Graet Grandpa, and afterwards, Hunter had some places he wanted to show us. So we went. It was fun. This is all behind their grandfather's house in Proctor, and the best part was it didn't rain till later. Speaking of rain, it's very dark in the sky at the moment, we're supposed to get thunderstorms later. I am a bit tired of rain, of course this morning was beautiful, while I was working. Figures.

in which I am doing everything but what I am supposed to be...

I've finally managed to get out there and get some pictures of the Spring that has seemed to happen overnite. Either it was too grey, or there was too much going on. I will be glad for the first week of May, school's out! I am so glad to be back in school, don't get me wrong. Having never thought I would/could do anything like this, I'm still kind of surprised at my self. But this week's got so much to do:: an exam in every class, plus a paper due in Anatomy& Physiology. Then, studying for finals two weeks after that. At least the boys are on vacation, no games this week for them. Of course, that's just in one sport, they still have soccer games( which of course I will miss:( ). But no baseball till next week. Hunter has signed up for his sophomore classes this past week, Driver's Ed this summer! I can't believe its that time already. I'm not sure I want to be old enough to have a driving teenager. At least Fischer's still got a couple years.

In other very exciting news, I've got a clothesline! No, really, that's very exciting. It's been 5 or so years since I've had one, and how I've missed hanging things on the line. Craig put it up for me last Tuesday. I can look out my bedroom window and see it, it makes me so happy. Of course, its not the cool, old aluminum vintage retractable one I got at the rummage sale last year, that one proved to be waaay to short to fit anywhere. So I shall give it to my friend Gretchen, who has a very small yard, it should be just right. She has chickens too, I'm a wee bit jealous, but really, what would I do with one more thing to look after!? Fischer now has a fish( named Tom), as well as a gerbil named Emma( poor Jack, our replacement for Luke the hamster, did a runner on Easter morning. Oh yes, he did. Instead of looking for eggs, we were looking for hamster. Never found him. Poor little thing. )I do rather like having a fish again, I must say.

It's off to get my work done, and try to unstuff my poor head, I've got the worst cold ever! I haven't been sick like this in years. sigh. It's really not fair, why couldn't I have gotten it in the winter, when I didn't want to go outside? Ah well, happy Spring to everyone!