OR

...or I could take 6 8 weeks to post photos of our trip to Oregon (May 18-24).

Paso Robles

Highlights include (in no particular order!) writing numerous songs in my head while driving, bright sun shining during rainstorms and feeling silly for wearing sunglasses with windshield wipers going, hanging out with family, feeding cows, Robbins' eggs, snow (in May!) over the pass, and sweet time with my friend Dan.

Friendly Cows... I don't remember seeing cows run so fast!

Maureen and Richard's Abode

Funny how Shasta looks like it's floating up there...

ninety-five

Earlier this summer we celebrated my grandfather's (Baba's) 95th birthday.

He was born John Baptist Pedroni on June 24, 1915 - St. Jean Baptiste Day in Canada.

95's a pretty big deal!  

 And he's still crackin' the jokes. 

Grandkids: L to R, Alyson, Kyle, Rachel, Dan, & yours truly (we missed you, Jared, Graham and Rach!)

2 of his 3 girls, my mom on the right

Don't worry, even without the nametag we knew who you were!

Bounteous

I am giddy with excitement when I get to bring edible items into the house from the backyard.  I love the basket, the garden shears, the herb smells that linger on my hands all evening, the unloading and planning of what to make with them.

Today the plums practically fell off the tree if I looked at them cross-eyed, so I brought a FEW in.  Pesto tomorrow night!!  and Cilantro diced and stashed in the freezer.

some nights are just like this...

Adaptation

I've been thinking recently about how quickly sometimes it seems we learn and how quickly we forget.  This is perhaps one of the gifts we are least appreciative of - even the forgetting part.  Our extravagantly designed neurons and synapses desire "new" even at the expense of archiving the "old."

We recently replaced a vehicle and instead of a metal key that jangles in my bag, I fumble around for a plastic device with buttons.  This is my personal journey enjoying the luxury of my vehicle blinking happily at me as I approach, as if to say, "I'm waiting for you!"

Memory case in point: after getting home this evening I clicked the button to lock the car, then clicked the unlock button and surprised myself when the front door of our house was still locked.

Jangly key to the rescue!

Do it...

There is something irresistibly bubbly about disco music.  What, it's just me??

The Hustle just came on my shuffle mix while doing dishes and I suddenly felt lighter, brighter, springier.  Like each dish I washed was syncronized and wearing bell bottoms.  (Picture me in the kitchen with the elbow move.... hope our neighbors don't mind that I may have lost it.)

...and then it was back to Matt Kearny and Sara Groves.  But my heart is undeniably lighter.

Offside

I was dismayed by today's call against Mexico. Until a friend pointed me to the official rules.

How have I missed that all this time?