Sunday, June 30, 2013

A banner to celebrate my first year of my blog

My new banner is one we nick named Pork Chop, for the eagle swooping down is going after our crab bait that was adrift, and yes, it was a freezer burner pork chop.  This eagle flew it back up to the trees there on the right for further examination and possibly lunch.  That is our favorite Mt Baker peeking in on the left.

We launched our full boat, me and my husband, both our daughters, our dog and our cat for a day of exploring, crabbing and fishing, out of Cornet Bay. I believe the first time I had been to Cornet Bay was when  I got to go camping with my favorite childhood friend Cathie and her family when we were about 11.



Memories flooded back, good times, and it was with Cathie's family and friends that I went camping for the first time. Cathie and her family have always made me feel like family and I just love them for that. We camped across from the state park, not at Camp Cornet, which is where my husband and even my mom went to Broadview's 6th grade camp. Cathie and I just got the day trip to Fort Casey in 6th grade.  Nowadays Parkwood sends their 6th graders to Camp Islandwood, over on Bainbridge Island.  I think that both our girls had fun over there.

I also remember boating this way with my brother and  grandparent's on the Moby Dick II, my Grampa Don's 1959, 35' Chris Craft.  What a beautiful wooden boat and did we have great times on that too!  My love for boating  started young, along with my husband, who actually went through Deception Pass on his grandparents boat!  Wild ride! We are so so lucky to be able to explore our beautiful Pacific Northwest, where should we go next?

Eric and I, Swinomish Slough 1984

Friday, June 28, 2013

Teenagers, Sisters, Daughters

Our oldest daughter graduated from high school this spring with awards at the top of her class, which is great, but it is really the little things she does that makes me the proudest. Writing sincere thank you notes, helping friends with homework, staying behind to clean the stadium stands after events, sharing, no cooking a receipe she learned at school for our dinner, are a few.  I also admire her self worth and dislike of self destructive behaviors in others, heaven forbid I drink a beer on a hot summer night.  Her thoughtful homemade gifts can be cooler than things bought and often surprise the recipients.  Not to just people, but to the animals and our Earth,  I think of her as a kind of guardian who will lead others to be their best too.

Our younger daughter who will graduate from high school next year, is just too smart and can whip off a comment that can go over my head, but yet she can be so reserved, only few get to enjoy her real side.  I enjoy hearing her views on the world and her own world too. If it can be said in a few words, great, she is not a rambler like me.  Private with most of her thoughts, I just enjoy the person she is and I feel lucky she is in my life.  As she grows up I get to have a friend who, understands me and stands by me too.  It is a real treat to receive gifts made by her.  The latest was a ring from a set of matching rings made by her in her jewelry and metals class at school. Not only did I get a ring but she gave one to her sister also.  I love that we 3 have that symbolic link, and I think it means more than words can say.

Sisters.  I observe them.  My daughters.  My husbands sisters. My Mom and my aunt.  My husbands mother with her sister.  My nieces.  My cousins. My childhood friends with their sisters. I remember other sets of sisters too, my Gramma with hers.  My Great Grandmother's and theirs. All around me.  I always wondered what it would be like to have one of my very own.  And sometimes even just a little relieved to know I never messed up such an important relationship, which may just be my ignorance coming out.

I watch my daughters, who as far as sisters go, I think, get along great.  Sure they snap and bark at times.  By being so close in age tho, I think it has created an even closer bond.  They are very different people, yet they talk to each other in a language that I think only sisters get.  Their comedic bantering impromptu performances can be quite entertaining or baffling, to their poor little mother.  Having each other, they have not made as many friends, or should I say, made friendship commitments as I would have liked for them.  I do enjoy seeing them laugh and get the kind of satisfaction only you can get from the friends that are important enough to be allowed into their world.

Inspiring. Creative. Magical. Family. The sum is greater than the parts.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

plaster french macaron ornaments | paper, plate, and plane

plaster french macaron ornaments | paper, plate, and plane

This is the super cool site for learning how to make real looking macaron ornaments, I can only hope when I try this they can look almost as real as hers.

Many of my favorite illustrators have a last name that starts with the letter B.

I just found a new one, Emma Block, http://emmablock.co.uk/   I am including links so you can check out their wonderful creations.  The following artists I put into my "B" category many years ago, back when my daughters were young. Maybe I noticed the connection because our younger daughter went by the nick name B for many years.  We don't get to call her that anymore, but we haven't forgotten.



Cicely Mary Barker (1895 - 1973)
http://www.flowerfairies.com/US_version/home.html


and Molly Brett(1902 - 1990)
 http://www.blytonbooks.co.uk/articles/molly_brett.php 
who illustrated for Enid Blyton even. How cute is this bath time print?
janwillemsen / Animals Photos / CC BY-NC-SA















Now I could start a new list
 for the ones whose first names start with the letter B couldn't I?
Beatrix Potter (1866 - 1943)

Becky Kelly http://beckykelly.com/shop/  A favorite of my sister-n-law Kristi, who also found

Fritz Baumgarten (1883 - 1966)  here is an example of his work
summer fun, afb the party  p 18

Photo credit: janwillemsen / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA






Saturday, June 22, 2013

Prom 2013

How great they look in shades of blue.

After what goes into Prom, what a relief they had a great time and good weather.  As a mom, I was happy to hear about it at 3 in the morning. To leave high school with good memories of having fun with friends is better than the 4.0 GPA, which also cool btw, I am not complaining.   Hanging out with friends, beach volleyball, trips to Menchies and to get Pho,  even better a sandwich from Jersey Mikes, what a lucky kid!

Thank you for letting your mother take snapshots before heading out for Prom.

A huge thank  you to Stephanie for putting Alaina's hair together for her.  It made the day even more fun and it turned out beautiful.