smitten

Cows are amongst the gentlest of breathing creatures; none show more passionate tenderness to their young when deprived of them; and, in short, I am not ashamed to profess a deep love for these quiet creatures. ~Thomas de Quincey



i suppose i have always loved cows...i mean, really, most teenagers don't go into antique stores and purchase this ceramic cow's head for their mother, do they? {circa 1979}


or buy a spice based on its container?



or go to the lake and buy this antique cow print as a souvenir?




as i looked around my house, camera in hand, i noticed that i have acquired a small herd.  i think i should be living on a farm.


which is why i love kristin over at faded prairie.  she finally diagnosed me with the same sickness as hers...BOD {bovine obsessed disorder}


some women love roses, but me?


i'm smitten with cows

{water}

one of the amazing things about water is how it can transform itself instantly


one minute "all is calm" and the next white caps and waves dominate


the water often changes on its own, but sometimes is changed by man


{kind of like life}


on the left is our son's hand is filled with sea glass treasures


{sea glass: glass found on beaches along oceans, bays, rivers or large lakes that has been tumbled and smoothed by the waves, water and sand, creating smooth, frosted shards of glass.}

our son could look for sea glass all day...last week he found illusive colors like purple and cobalt blue...


we like to imagine some of his pieces came from shipwrecks lying on the bottom of the lake (a likely scenario in this lake actually)


sea glass hunting is calm and peaceful


on the other hand, Patty's photo illustrates the lively aspect of water


kids making waves and splashes


funny to think that the water in both our pictures is probably connected somehow...


that on one shore a young man with head bowed patiently and quietly looks for something on water's edge


while a little ways out from another shore, young men (and sisters?) spin water with motors to create crashing waves


calm and wild...both fun in their own unique ways


connected but separate


water...magic

domestic armor

there is just something about wearing an apron that makes feeding the chicken troops fun {if i had chickens i just know an apron would help}


i know for certain though that an apron makes me a better cook...


{or a cook at all}



so wasn't i surprised when Pansy Cottage & Garden emailed to tell me the great news...i had won one of her handmade aprons!


not only that, but i could pick out the apron of my choice AND the blogging friend i mentioned in my comment won a beautiful apron, too! {that Sharon sure is generous...i didn't even realize there was a giveaway!}


i alerted my family! there will be meals on our table soon! and they will be for us! (on occasion, my meals go to friends in need and my poor family gets grool)


my lovely package was waiting for me when we returned from the lake and Sharon even slipped in a little lovely heart with the apron, too! {that Sharon sure is generous}


so far i've battled my way through 3 dinners (in a row) for my family 

who knew domestic armor could be so sweet and pretty?


thank you, sweet Pansy Cottage & Garden!

a thousand words

yep


a picture is worth a thousand words


i will miss the waves' lullaby tonight


back in my little house in the city.


to go away to "wonderful, beautiful, special..."


and return to "wonderful, beautiful, special..."


grateful. i. am.

all is calm

bering sea, alaska


And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Hush, be still." And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. Mark 4:39


flurry of activity


house full of shipping materials


heading soon to the land of the midnight sun


"HUSH, daughter, BE STILL."


peace.is.a.beautiful.thing

portrait

we went to get her senior yearbook photo taken yesterday afternoon and when we got home i said "let's go out in the back yard with my rebel and play!"



does this camera rock or what?!

these photos are straight from the camera...

yes, her eyes are that blue

and children and strangers always want to touch her hair!

{we grinned at each other today when the photographer commented on her "amazing hair"}



i forget what we were laughing at here...

but this is how she usually looks...joyful!

man, i adore this daughter of mine

beautiful face

beautiful soul

thank you, God 


I am linking up with patty today over at Finding Serendipity because this is
the way i see it...my favorite photo(s) of the week!

{vertical}

it's team-up time again with patty!


my hosta are on the left, patty's green leaves & empty cacoon (i think) are on the right


i love how the camera picks up life's details...


i never noticed the teeny holes in my hosta leaves


and look at that little spider web in stick's gentle circle


and the beautiful wooden tendril, like a lock of blonde curly hair!


i love them-up thursdays with patty {even though thursdays come around way too fast!}...


one theme + two interpretations = delightful


To me, photography is an art of observation. It's about finding something interesting in an ordinary place... I've found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.
-elliott erwitt

batter up

the first pitch of summer has been thrown our way!


all the balls will be heading our way soon...


family time at the lake...vacation Bible school at our church (for a thousand kids!)...summer gym for the high schooler and baseball for the boys (oh wait! in two more days we'll have TWO high schoolers!)


...football and volleyball will be taking their balls out of the buckets soon, too



lotsa balls in that summer ball bag!


{and we can't forget Alaska...that's a BIG ball...sometimes thrown with lots of curves!}


summer has arrived...


and we're ready to take good swings at all those balls coming our way!

dog's life

sometimes life just makes you stop and giggle

i have never known a dog to cross his legs

now if only i could catch him {with my camera} sitting with his bum on one step and his front legs on the step below...

a lemon or eccentric dog?

the jury's still out on that one



i'm linking up with patty today...cuz this morning, this is the way i see it

{breeze}

i snapped my photo (left) before we had to seek shelter in our basement last night


tornado warning!


{breezes can be strong}


i am on the prowl for an antique (looking) screen door which will pair beautifully with our wind-blown porch curtains


sigh.  i really need a farm house...and a big pond...and a barn...and some chicks and hens!


but for now, my breezy curtains satisfy


as for patty's bird?


look at her...just floating magically on the breeze!


the breeze is such a blessing to birds...


as if God sees their little (or big) wings flapping hard and wants to give them a much needed REST...and so He turns His head their way and exhales!


{the breath of God always provides rest}


soft breezes cause beauty... no matter how the wind blows

20

june 2, 1990


how is it possible to love a man more every day for 20 years?




i love him as "dad"




i love the way he just goes with the flow


{even if he hates the flow of shopping}







i love how he protects and cares for us...


and he models what a real man is for our boys



from their earliest years...




to now




i love how our daughter knows what a real husband looks like...because of him




i love how we're both homebodies at heart


but surprise our friends and family with daring adventures every now and then




20 years of walking together through life


and all its messes and beauty, joys and sorrows...and laughter


oh, i am so grateful for a laughing soul mate!


seems to me like we've just started walking


but, oh! the ground we've covered together


if the stars were mine


i would give them all to my husband