summer rain

A sudden crack of thunder caught my attention.
Literally out of the blue.
Then the rain, big fat drops plopping on the dry ground with careless ferocity.

I ran outside, suddenly worried that I'd left the car windows open; that there were perhaps blankets or books left outside, careless in the knowledge that it's summer time - nothing could possibly happen.

And then it hit me. That smell.
Indescribably fresh.
The thirsty ground soaking up water as if it can never get enough.
From the back yard came a waft of mint and basil; a scent offering of thanks.


Then it was gone again. Gone as fast as it had come.

And I was grateful.

blog-reading break day 2

Well, this has been an interesting couple of days. I don't think I realized quite how much pressure I was putting on myself... and how much like a failure I was feeling. Huh. I'll have to ponder this some more. Maybe make some changes.

Enough about that, though.

Today we made playdough!

(I hate playdough. I hate the smell of it, the texture, the way it dries into little balls that get ground into the carpet, the way it smears itself onto the table and for some reason is impossible to remove.)

But yet, because Ellie loves it, I made some.

Cherry-scented playdough.

I found a recipe that uses Kool-aid for the colourant/scent.

And it kept Ellie busy and happy for almost an hour.

Hmmm.


And in other news... my grocery budget is going to heck in a hand-basket. You see, my husband and son love peanut butter. Not just any old peanut butter, though... the natural kind of peanut butter. You know, the stuff that if you let it sit out too long, the oil rises to the top and you have to stir it back in. And they don't just love peanut butter... no, they adore it. Eat it by the spoonful every time they walk through the kitchen. And since the only way to get to the basement stairs (where the computers are located) is through the kitchen, you just know that they eat a heck of a lot of peanut butter.

Well, anyhow, I used to be able to buy their special PB in big huge jars at my grocery store. Note: used to be able to. Used to. As in, past tense. They don't seem to stock it any more. That space on the shelves is now filled with other goods.

So where do I have to go now to find the PB?  Costco. The place where you can't walk in the door without spending $100.

Yeah. Like I said, my grocery budget is sunk.

blog-reading break day 1

So, ironically, one of the first things that arrived in my inbox this morning was a link to an article at {in}courage...  titled What Finding Yourself Really Means.

So, time to sit down, relax, stop beating myself over the head with what other people are doing and I am not. I'll be fine. I am fine.

Meantime, though... it's lavender harvesting time. The buds are fat and dark purple, and just about to open. I feel bad for the bees who aren't going to get a shot at these flowers, but this year they're mine. All mine.

tap-tap... hello?

Is anyone still out there?

I've neglected this space shamefully, I know.

I have been trying to figure out what I'm actually doing here. This isn't a mommy blog... it's not a crafty blog... I don't blog any deep thoughts... I'm not into fashion and style... and my 365 project seems to be filling some of my personal blogging needs.

The truth, I think, is that I've been reading too many other blogs, and I'm feeling inadequate.

Maybe it's time to take a blog-reading break.

another year begins

It seems like time just keeps on racing faster and faster. A year used to seem like eternity. Summers stretched out forever; winters (once they arrived) never wanted to loose their hold and make way for spring. Now it feels like I just turn around and suddenly it's a new season. I can't think what it will feel like when I'm old - something akin to a whirlwind, I imagine.

I'm not one for making big plans or resolutions at the new year. It feels artificial. If there's something that needs to be changed, why should I wait til a certain day and hype it up. Just do it, right?

That being said, I am starting a new thing today. Partly in an effort to get to know my new camera, partly to improve my photography skills, partly to be more intentional about documenting my day-to-day life, I am beginning a 365 photo project. A photo a day, posted here. Hopefully I can stick to it... I know that there will be days... weeks?... when it'll feel like a chore. There will be days that I just can't post for whatever reason. I won't feel guilty about back-dating if necessary, just so you know! I'm excited to find out what it will look like - to see what it will be that catches my eye on a regular basis.

Also, I've been pondering a new "word" for the year. Last year, though I don't think I ever really put it out there in public, my word was believe. It came from a random thought that popped into my head one night, and has remained in the background of mostly everything that I've done throughout the year. Often it became a conscious choice in the face of my own self-doubt. And as a result, I see myself a lot differently now than I did a year ago. I don't limit myself as much as I did. I allow myself to look for possibilities rather than telling myself that other people can do it better than me, so why should I even bother. I like it.

And this year, I think that it's time to put some feet to those hard-won beliefs. Time for action. Time to do the things that I know I can do.

So, here goes!

looking back

I just spent a large chunk of the morning looking through my files of photos for this year. How utterly satisfying!

2010 has definitely been a good year.

Not that there haven't been hard times... but overall, the memories are happy.

Several overnight trips away, just Ray and me... a return to acting after several years... my in-laws' 50th anniversary celebration... my mom's wedding... happy family together-times...

I'm happy. Joyful, even.

morning

mystery and promise.

there's no telling where a day will end up.

will the mist clear to reveal a shiny day, or will it grow and spread and obscure everything?