Kaleidescope

I'm sprawled on my sofa wondering why I'm still awake. I'm completely wiped out! Old Faithful is curled up on the floor - a perfect picture of domesticity, except for the fact that he is a bag of bones and is starting to show his age!

It is hot. Living here this summer has been like bungee jumping on the thermometer. Monday night we had a frost advisory and had to cover up the sensitive plants. The next morning there was ice on the covers. Yesterday and today have been like an oven! I'm hoping the heat will plump up my corn. There are tons of ears on the stalks. Now they just need to fatten up.

I haven't blogged much this summer several reasons. I just have a lot of stuff on my mind. Our business is taking a ton of energy for me. Not that we have that many students. We're "reinventing" ourselves to stay afloat in the "new normal" of this economy. In order to do that, we've had to develop our own curriculum so that we can use it in an online setting. The Wood Artist and I are both working on it. It seems that it has consumed us! It is hard to find us in the middle of it all! Still, there are good things happening and we hope to start the testing phase in October. This date has been pushed back so many times in the last year-and-a-half that I'm afraid to give it voice. But, it looks feasible this time.

I'm truly struggling with life on so many levels. Maybe its that I'm in a fullblown, midlife, existential crises. Maybe its just that I'm tired. Its been so many year since we had a real vacation, I can't even comprehend what it would be like. Things have got to break through for us soon! O.k. I'm done whining.

Good things are happening, too. Like the fact that I just went camping by myself for three nights. I sat in awe of the silence of it all! Then there is the fact that my garden is actually doing very well, despite the crazy weather and grasshopper threat! I'm thankful that I decided to plant afterall!

Then there is the fact that I'm seeing a new doctor who is figuring out some of my issues. The fact that I passed the physical with good marks is alone something to give praise for!

I'm super excited about homeschool this year. We have so many fun things planned. I'm thankful that both of my kids have had some great friends to play with this summer. They also both made great progress in their swimming lessons. I'm so, so thankful for my husband. He is the best! I hope that someday he is rewarded for all of his hard work!

And, last, but not least, I'm thankful that the creative writing police can't see this rambling, maniacle, pathetic excuse of a blog post! TTFN - Nanette

More, More Garden Pictures

Here is the overall garden. It is hard to see the colors in this picture.

























Painted Mountain dry corn























Volunteer sunflowers

Long Thin Cayenne

Polar Bear Zinnia

More Garden Pictures

This is a climbing rose I just planted this spring.

Raddichio

The pole bean tipi is filling out!

The dry bean and string bean patch. Petunias and nasturtiums in the foreground. We canned 40 quarts of beans off of this patch two weeks ago. Now it has slowed some, maybe from the cold.

Flowering kale

One of Those Days

Today is one of those days. Yesterday was one of those days, too. I'm really crabby and I can't believe the amount of things that have gone wrong. Not everything, mind you. Some things have gone really well. I just need a serious attitude adjustment. So, I'm posting pictures of my garden. Maybe that will cheer me up. And maybe it will bring a smile to your day, too. I hope so. Enjoy!

Hiking Days

This summer is a good one for our family. Our kiddos have grown to the point that they can walk much further, so we've been stretching them a little. Thanks to Granny Flash, the kids have new hiking boots and waterpouches.

Mr. Blueberry Eyes has turned out to be a strong hiker and lead the way much of the time.

Here is a trout that we spotted on one of our recent hikes. He's being reeled in by a catch-and-release fisherman.

We had some spectacular weather two weekends ago. I love this shot. We were back in the car by this point.

This is at the beginning of the famous Highline/Loop trail, a delightful 11.6 mile trip we did on a Sunday a couple of weeks ago. This rock ledge is dizzily perched above the highway for a stretch. I've seen two grizzlies and numerous mountain goats on this ledge. Thankfully, this day, was free of the large creatures.

We had to seek shelter from some pretty cold rain that pelted us for a while. We took the opportunity to eat a lunch, willing away the lightning that cracked around the alpine hillside.

This buck simply did not wish to leave the trail! What a beautiful creature!

Taking a break among sweet-smelling bear grass is always a treat.

When our water got low, we simply stopped at an alpine stream and filtered some into our drinking bottles.

Coming down the trail was more of a challenge. It was painfully steep.

TTFN - Nanette

Some Creatures

We've done some spectacular hiking recently and I plan to write about it soon, but to whet your appetite, I thought I'd post a few photos of the creatures we've seen. Here is a hoary marmot. He is eating as much as he can so he can go into the long winter well nourished. Hmmm. That sounds like a great plan. Eat one's self into oblivion for six months and then sleep for six months! Where was I when that position was hiring?!

Here is a great looking goat - healthy, strong, a lush, clean coat growing. And you really can't beat the backdrop!

Awwww!!! Babies always get me!

And.....my favorite! "Ahahaha! Well, when ah was a kid...."

Nanette

Camping

We were excited to go on our first camping trip altogether as a family in about two years! I, for one, was pleasantly surprised to see how much the children had matured and how much they could to help set up and then put things away at the end! I could get used to this!

Here, The Wood Artist is putting up the clothesline for the weekend.

We took Buddy, our canoe and spent some time paddling about.

Here is a pan of spuds frying. Note the purple ones mixed in. They are some we grew last year.

Our culinary adventure for the weekend was making corn pone out of the Painted Mountain corn we grew and dried and ground into meal. It was really yummy and so simple. We just baked them in this cast iron pan over the fire. They were too salty as the recipe was just plain wrong, but we'll adjust for next time and it will be even better. We are definitely getting addicted to the fun of growing and using from our own labors! - Nanette