HAPPY BIRTHDAY RACHEL !!

Rachel is 27 years old today! When she was little we called her our little "pumpkin" because she was born on Halloween.  While most people dislike having a holiday birthday, our family has had the most fun celebrating Rachel's. Having a holiday birthday makes it seem like the whole world is celebrating with you.

Rachel has been such a blessing in our family.  As a child (and even now) she was never competitive, so there was never any sibling rivalry between her and Becca or Jared.  She was always loving and sweet to her sibs.  She gave them compliments freely.  She was good about sharing toys.  She was determined to be the peacemaker in the family- and she succeeded. What a great home environment that created!

Rachel has grown into such an amazing woman! I am very proud of her and all of her accomplishments. She is just the sweetest spirit, and a delight to be around.  I am frequently surprised how capable she is in any situation she finds herself in.  She is willing to take on any challenge and venture out of her comfort zone.

She really seems to enjoy her role as a full time homemaker, and she is truly a great mother with tons of patience and a great sense of humor.

I am not just proud of Rachel- I am in awe of her!

THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

I came to this gospel as many people do, because I was looking for something more. Whether you are born into a believing family, or come to it later in life as I did, at some point there is a conversion process that takes place because of a desire to draw closer to Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father.

"Man is a spiritual being, a soul, and at some period of his life everyone is possessed with an irresistible desire to know his relationship to the Infinite....there is something within him which urges him to rise above himself, to control his environment, to master the body and all things physical and live in a higher and more beautiful world."  - David O. McKay

From the time I was a child, I had a strong desire to live in a Christ-centered home.  Even at a young age I knew the home I was raised in was spiritually lacking. Something was missing- some better world, I wanted with all my heart to live in.

Starting in junior high school and then through high school, I attached myself to friends with church-going families. I began to attend church with them.  Through the years I was exposed to many different Protestant denominations.  This seeking continued into my 20's.  I was being exposed to a lot of different doctrine and nuggets of truth were being gleaned along the way.

The first truth I got from my mother- even though she was at best a sporadic church goer, she believed in life after death.  In fact, she believed that if the spirit was strong enough to survive the death of a physical body, it must also be strong enough to exist independently prior to being inserted into a physical body at birth.

From attending a Baptist church I gained a testimony of full-immersion baptism and the importance of following Christ's example as he showed us the ordinance necessary to join his church.  After all, it's His church, he can (and did) set the rules.

While attending a 7th Day Adventist church I learned the importance of not putting harmful substances in my body through their health code. As a result I made a commitment to abstain from drugs, alcohol, tobacco, coffee and tea.

In retrospect, the Lord was preparing me through the years, step by step, for the day when I would meet Chuck and be introduced to the gospel in its fullness.  Everything came together seamlessly for me and made sense. That spiritual void I had felt in my life was finally filled.

Maybe, you too, have felt that tug to be someone better, or live something better.  That tug is beyond what I would call self-improvement.  I knew I was being urged to live in a way I could not accomplish on my own.

"Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in Him, and deny yourself of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourself of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then His grace is sufficient for you, that by His grace ye may be made perfect in Christ...."  Moroni 10:32

Thus Christ, through His atonement has helped me to reach for a better way, a better life. I realized that there is better way and that it would be in the family that I would someday have.  In that then-distant future, I would be able to live with people in some better, kinder way, beyond even the best and kindest world I had known as a child.

The best part is that better way extends into the future eternally. Through the ordinances of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I can be sealed to my loved ones now dead (parents, brother and ancestors) as well as my husband and children/grandchildren (all my progeny) so that I can enjoy their company when this life is over.  It comforts me that all the effort and love that I put into creating and sustaining loving relationships with those around me doesn't have an expiration date , that it continues into the eternities.

I have a sure knowledge of the truthfulness that families can be sealed together forever. This knowledge gives me profound joy and enriches my life every day.

BOGS

Bogs: both kinds.  Here in the Northwest as we get into cooler damp weather the ground gets soggy and stays that way until May. Although the constant rain hasn't quite started yet, it will. Already the trails are muddy and will progress to muck that will literally suck the boots right off your feet. Footwear becomes a major concern. I need waterproof coverage that comes up high on the calf to wade through ankle deep puddles, but also a deep non-slip traction that allows both climbing and descending in thick mud. The boots have to be sturdy enough for daily use with ankle support so I am not constantly rolling my ankles on the uneven path where roots, rocks and sticks are hidden from sight first by fallen leaves, then by water and mud. Finally, they have to be comfortable and warm.

For years I have worn the knee-high rubberized boots made by Hunter, commonly called "Wellies".  The kind you see worn by workers on dairy farms.  They are waterproof, good tread, and easily cleaned by just turning on the hose. The best part of the boot is that it is totally made of rubber. It is impermeable to water and has the tall shaft on the calf that once your get your foot into it almost suctions to your leg so the mud won't pull it off.  The worst part of the boot is that it is totally made of rubber. Rubber conducts the cold so you have to have special "Wellie" liners for your boots, or wear at least 2 pairs of wool socks. Rubber is impermeable to water, which means that when your feet sweat it can't escape and by the end of the day your socks are wringing wet.  Rubber cracks where it is constantly being bent.  While the boots are made for standing and walking, they are not made for driving a car, and I do all of the above on my dog route as I drive from house to house picking up and then delivering dogs home after our walk.  In fact, I usually spend twice as much time driving in my boots as I do walking in them.  Which results in them creasing and eventually cracking right where my foot bends to press the accelerator. I go through a pair of Hunter boots every year.  That is about how long it takes for the crease to turn into a crack and start letting in water. At $80 a pop.

Which is why I LOVE Bogs!!

I got these last year. The foot is totally rubber which comes to the ankle- but it is INSULATED!  These are warm. And very comfy to walk in with good support.  But the best part is the shaft is made from neoprene- the stuff wet suits are made from.  Which allows it to bend without creasing or cracking. They are more breathable, my feet don't sweat (I know TMI).  The added bonus is that they have these great handles on each side that make putting on and taking them off so much easier.

This is my second year in my Bogs and they show NO sign of wear! Yes, they are pricey as well- the same $80 as the Wellies, but it looks like one pair will last me several seasons. Oh, yeah, and because the neoprene is insulating as well, I have worn them repeatedly in the snow and they have kept my feet toasty.

The only drawback to the boot in comparison to Wellies is that the tread is not as deeply etched, but so far I haven't slipped, so maybe it is sufficient for my needs.

As much time as I spend walking, my feet have got to be happy.  When my feet are happy, I'm happy.  Enough said.

A WALK IN THE PARK part 2

Details, details, details. When I am out walking, as much as I love the big picture- hence the pictures yesterday of the gorgeous fall colors at Chism Park, I pay close attention to the small and mundane things around me. Some very interesting things caught my attention yesterday.

If you hear a HOOT, SCOOT.

Dive bombing owls???? Yikes! 

From "yikes" to "spikes"

I have no idea what kind of plant this is, I tried to identify it online without success.  The leaves are HUGE, much like Elephant Ears, but it is the spikes (either the fruit or the seed?) that caught my eye, they were 2 feet tall!! Then there are the pods these spikes grow out of- they look alien.

 

 

These pods were 8" across, making it kinda scary what might erupt out of it.  Reminds me of a movie.

 

And speaking of alien.......

 

What in the heck are these????

 

 Furbys???  Alien Hedgehogs???  There are hundreds of them !!!!

 

 

Each one was the size of my fist, and everywhere  I looked there were more...

 

 

The freaky part was because they were situated among leaves that were rustling in the breeze, it seemed like they, too, were moving.

 

On closer inspection, I noticed some were broken open and I realized they were only seed pods fallen off of a tree. But it certainly was a tree I had never seen before.  Which makes sense.  Who wants tree that fills their yard with spiky hand grenades every fall?

Here is a picture of one of the pods still in the tree showing it cracked open revealing a slimy nut inside the size of my thumb.  Something finds them delicious, because all of the ones on the ground were empty.  I took another picture showing the leaves of the tree.

Armed with this picture I went home to go online to the University of Washington's Arboretum website to do some research.  I identified this tree as a " Golden Chinkapin". I had never even heard of it before, and I had certainly never seen one before, and yet it was right next to a path I have probably walked 50 times oblivious to its existence.

I think that is what they mean when they say to stop and smell the roses. Take the time to really see the beauty you are surrounded with, it will delight and perhaps surprise you.

A WALK IN THE PARK (literally)

This is Chism Park, a hidden gem in Bellevue right on Lake Washington.  9 months of the year it is totally empty, except for the occasional dog walker- which is usually me.  The park itself is gorgeous, no matter the season.  In spring it has a huge Golden Chain tree which is breathtaking in full bloom. In fall, as you can see it is filled with color.

 It has a great beach so it gets busy in summer and I usually avoid it because of the crowds.  But I absolutely love having it to myself the rest of the year.  Not only is the park lovely, but its view from the waterfront is outstanding.  From the beach you have views of Mercer Island, Leschi and Laurelhurst.  You can see Husky stadium and UW.

While I am busy admiring the surroundings, Dunn is busy enjoying the clean sandy beach.  A lot of parks have pebble beaches, so the sand is a treat.

 

You know that poem about leaving footprints in the sand?  Well, we did..........

AUTUMNOLOGY

 

AUTUMNOLOGY: the study of autumn

 

 

Fall is by far my favorite season.  Not that the other three don't have their merits. But the colors, smells and weather of autumn just sing to my soul.

 

 

Of course, I never felt this way when I lived in Southern California. But then So Cal really doesn't have any seasons- just temperature variations.

 

 

 

But in the Northwest autumn is glorious. When Dunn and I walk every day the scenery is breathtaking, and best of all it changes every day as each tree cycles through its fall changes on its own schedule and in its own way.

 

 

 

Every tree seems to have its own habits. On some trees all the leaves change at the same time to the same color.  Other trees will change from bottom to top, or top to bottom. Then again, some trees will change one branch at a time.  My favorite variation is when the tree changes from the outside in. The center of the tree will still be bright green, while a little further out it will soften to yellow, then orange and finally the tips of the branches will be fiery red. The over all effect reminds me of a flame.

 

 

Some trees get positively florescent!

 

 

 

One of the nicest things about our home is that it backs up to a greenbelt (a small forest where no one can build).  Which allows us to enjoy the glory of autumn right out our windows.  It is such a blessing to live in a place where I am in love with my surroundings!



PORTLAND #2

Becca and I are drawn to the same kinds of stores when we are out exploring.

Any store that has anything to do with chocolate.  My preference is for hot chocolate and hers is for dark chocolate truffles with a touch of heat. We have sampled chocolate truffles with chipotle, habanero or chili peppers and all are yummy.

Any store that has anything to do with hats, bags or shoes. Becca is adorable in any kind of hat. I on the other hand have a very small head (child-sized really) and am completely swallowed up by a hat unless I find it in the children's department. Currently we are both on the hunt for a new pair of boots.

Here is Becca trying on hats at Macy's:

We also LOVE book stores and can get lost in them for hours.  I don't have to buy anything, I just find something that looks interesting and sit down somewhere and start reading.  Becca likes to browse. Portland has a famous bookstore called Powell's.  Famous because it is so huge and has been in business forever. It is multiple stories tall with a basement and has outgrown that and now has expanded into an additional building across the street.

Another of our favorite haunts are stores featuring herbal teas or spices. It is a great place to find inexpensive souvenirs as you buy either one by the ounce.

 

But our favorite stores of all are vintage clothing stores and thrift shops.  We visited quite a few in Portland and Becca even scored some nice finds. The most exciting discovery, however, was a store called "Betty Page" and apparently there is one here in Seattle up on Capitol hill we didn't know about.  What makes this shop different is that they sell new clothing made in 1940's designs.

As you entered the store you expected to see Lucy Ricardo and Ethel Mertz tending the counter.  They had all new period style shoes and handbags as well. They get the designs from the original 1940's patterns: 

 

Then make them up in period fabrics.  The dresses are a little pricey, but so gorgeous.

 

 

 

 

We were thrilled to learn that by going away we were able to discover a treasure in our own backyard!

PORTLAND BOUND

Chuck needed to work a convention in Portland this weekend, so Becca and I tagged along.  I was excited to sleep in the "Heavenly Bed" at the Westin Hotel. I love the beds at Westin Hotels! The beds are soft and the down pillows are divine.  Even Chuck (who rarely sleeps well) has a great night's sleep when he stays at a Westin.

 

Becca and I had lots of fun together entertaining ourselves as always. We got into town about 4pm and we started off with a stroll through a city park and listened to a band.

 

 

Our foot propelled sight-seeing trip uncovered some other treaures.  A very interesting and confusing directional sign when seen at a distance-

made a little more sense close up.

 Another sight we found interesting was building that had been built to house an armory.

Such a cool building!

I will post more of our adventures tomorrow....

FROST ON THE PUMPKIN

It got below freezing for the first time last night, leaving a fine layer of frost on my garden this morning. As of now, my garden is hanging in there with the last ambitious plants still producing a bloom or two.

Like my Black Eyed Susans

Dahlias

and this plant, whose name I have forgotten.

After a cold start to the morning it warmed up nicely and the sun shone all day, so Dunn and I had a pleasant walk.  I noticed that a lot of my neighbors Dahlias are still in full bloom and lovely to look at.

I would like to have the official title of "Landscape Police", so as Dunn and I cruise the neighborhood I could write tickets and leave them on the front doors of houses with yards that need some serious work.  I can hardly restrain myself from sitting down in their yards and pulling weeds (not that they would complain).  Being a gardener, I just have the need to plant and tidy all things green.  I am hopeless!

SILENT PARTNERS

 Dunn is my sole mate - yes I know that is not the spelling you expected. But we do a lot of walking together. Dunn is the only one who will walk with me since Becca's hours have changed to 9-6 every day.  It is getting dark too early in the evening to walk after she gets home from work.

 But Dunn and I enjoy one another's company. We spend most of our time in the woods where he concentrates on the scents and I concentrate on the sights and sounds.

I am somewhat of an amateur bird enthusiast.  I keep my feeder outside my kitchen window full year round and have identified every single visitor in my bird book. But when you are out in the woods there is a greater variety of birds to enjoy. I love to try to identify the birds by their song, because I can't always see them when I can hear them.

Because Dunn loves to swim, we spend a fair amount of time near lakes and rivers where we frequently see bald eagles perched in trees or soaring overhead. It is great to see the comeback the Bald Eagle has made since we have lived in the Northwest.  When we moved here in 1985 sightings were rare where we live and they were on the protected list, if not endangered. Now they are everywhere and sightings are common, but it still is a thrill every time I see one.

Dunn and I are silent partners when we are in the woods, with not a lot of interaction.  He is usually a few yards ahead of me intent on his own agenda, and I am intent on mine which is to breathe deep and be open to my surroundings.  Sometimes I find a cool place to sit down for a moment and just be. I love to pause there and say my prayers in nature, as that is where I am most grateful for my surroundings.

I have a designated "prayer" spot on a lot of my walks like the one above.  There is a nice little mossy seat to make it inviting.  Sometimes it is on a log with a beautiful view. Most often it is just a spot on the trail that is so overwhelmingly beautiful I just have to stop dead in my tracks and say "thanks".

SPOOKY!!

It seems as though mother nature is decorating our neighborhood for Halloween. 

 A couple of days ago I was out about 10am walking Dunn in the neighborhood when I noticed a tree that someone had decorated with ghosts.

 

I thought it odd because this tree was not in some one's yard, it was in the median in the middle of Highland Drive.  How thoughtful of someone to decorate public property for all to enjoy.

 

As I got nearer to the tree, I understood that these designs were not, in fact, airy ghosts hung in the tree but spider webs.  Dew was caught on the web filament and sparkling with the morning sun.  I caught it at the perfect time when the web was being back lit by a low autumn sunrise, but before the sun could evaporate the dew.

 

 

In the northwest fall is a time when we are inundated with spiders.  You can hardly walk any where outside without feeling that creepy cloying feeling that tells you have just come through a spider web face first. Half the time you end up with a spider on your head from walking through her home.

 These octagonal webs are made by orb weavers which are prevalent around here. They are such fascinating spiders and very beneficial for the garden, so we protect them. Right this very minute I have 4 of them with their separate webs hanging from the eaves by my front door. 

 I have even been known to feed them if I see a bug that I don't like.  I'll pick up the bug and throw it into their web and watch as the spider wraps up its victim. I am entertained, the spider is fed and there is one less beetle to eat my plants. Win-win. Becca and I have been known to catch bugs to feed the spiders and then stand there and take pictures of the action. This spider got a bug bigger than she is.

By observation I have learned that the younger (smaller) spiders take longer to wrap up their victim and are much less efficient.  They tend to run around their victim dragging the web filament over them as they go round and round. The more mature (bigger) spiders stand still and spin the bug in front of them like a chicken on a rotisserie, covering them with more web on each turn.


 I know it is bizarre  that I find this so interesting, but I do.  Somehow I find great joy in details, especially in nature.  It is endlessly fascinating.

THE THRILL IS GONE

It has finally happened.  I no longer have any teenagers living in my house. I can't believe it, but it is true.  Friday Jared turned 20 years old ending an era in my life- life with teenagers.  I will miss it greatly.

The teenage years are so fascinating to witness. These emerging adults discovering who they are amid raging hormones, a changing world, horrified parents, an all-important peer group, and a school system that forces every square peg through a round hole. Their lives are changing daily and they are trying to find their equilibrium.

These kids are so enjoyable to be around because there is never a dull moment.  There is always way too much drama going on. Teenagers are simultaneously engaging, infuriating, puzzling and hilarious. Their idealism reminds me just how jaded and cynical the world (and myself) have become. But I so love being around that energy and enthusiasm.  It does start to ebb away as they move into their twenties and college and life start to mellow out the previously frenetic pace.

I am not saying that I don't adore the adults my children are morphing into, because I do. Wholeheartedly. They are loving, intelligent, compassionate individuals who are a joy to be around. They are definitely still a work in progress which leaves me breathless for the next installment. 

For that matter, I guess I am still a work in progress as well.  And, really, isn't that the whole point? I get to move out of the arena where my life sometimes felt like a pinball game frequently on "tilt".  I now get to enjoy my children as adults spending time together because we choose to, and make an effort to get together, rather than have to because our beds are all under they same roof ( although in this case some of them still are). 

I can enlarge my circle of nurturing with the inclusion of grandkids, in-laws and people of my own choosing.  I can develop talents either previously unexplored or long dormant and contribute to things I consider meaningful. I hope to expand my capacities for both love and service. Perhaps my ability to reinvent myself will leave others breathless.

ALL GROWED UP

 

Yesterday Jared turned 20 years old.  Amazing.  My baby is no longer a teenager, but a handsome young adult.

We celebrated by taking Jared and his girlfriend Ujay ( who is from Korea) out to dinner at a restaurant of his choosing.  He chose a Korean BBQ that he and Ujay frequent.  Which was fun for the rest of us because we had never been to that style of restaurant. You basically cook your own food over a flame grill set in the middle of your table with a gigantic hooded fan right above your head sucking up the smoke.

They bring you a sampler platter of about 8 different raw meats to try: chicken, beef brisket, beef short ribs, beef intestine, shrimp, baby octopus, beef tongue and spicy pork.  You are given tongs and chopsticks to cook your meat. 

Once you have tried all the different meats, you tell them your favorites and they bring you all-you-can-eat quantities of it.  They also give you soup, salad and lots of garnishes like sprouts, broccoli, potato salad, fish cakes, radish slaw and daikon radish, kimchee, etc.

I was really glad Yujay was there so she could explain everything to me and how to go about preparing our meal, in fact she did most of the cooking.  BTW, did you know Koreans don't use knives to eat with?  They cut their food up with scissors as they are cooking it and serve it in bite size pieces.

 

Yes, that is a baby octopus on Becca's plate (right before she ate the WHOLE thing).

 

 

It was definitely a new experience for some of us, but we really enjoyed the food and the company.

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JARED!!