swimming in the luxuries of home

ahhh... vacation. Ive grown lazy and been sleeping in until 10. With the rain, we have spent our weekend indoors watching movies and lounging. The Yule tide lads have begun making thier appearances and have aided us in these idle pursuits with gifts of blankets and a board game called CAMP. Its all about forest and animal facts. Did you know a group of unicorn is called.. a blessing? I think that was a joke but maybe not. Did you know a group of owls is called a parliament (wha?) That one I know is true. The lads also delivered an air pistol. They have not broken anything this year (We have kept them well fed) though they have made quite a bit of noise every night.

These last few days, I have also made it a point of getting to the beach every day. If for nothing but taking a look see. I can't begin to say how much I miss my daily sojourns to the seaside. My toes in the sand, the roar of crashing waves rumbling up through shoeless feet, body trembles, heart lifts,  mind drifts. mmmmmm.. I need to do this more often.

One one of these trips to the ocean I had Splash along. We were walking down this back road. off to the side, a yard full of dogs yapping wildly as they are prone to do. Another couple walking a dog. Tiny white teacup of a thing. Splash, reminded of flounder, wanted to play and in attempting to greet the other dog slipped out of his collar. The woman was panicked and did nothing but stand there and scream.  I apologized and leashed Splash with no problem but the woman was mortified despite the fact that her pup was in no way harmed just startled. She glared at me as if to say "You and your dog are monsters! The cops should lock you up for scaring fefe so!"  I wish I could have explained why splash acted as he did and why she needed to calm down but they had turned and were walking quickly away stabbing glares shot over shoulder to try and shame/blame me. My big dog was in no way going to devour her little dog despite her thoughts to the contrary. Her response is funny but human. We have no way of understanding why things happen that are outside of our control yet we make assumptions as to the cause and we lay blame when the reality is there is none to lay. As horrified as her face/stance and demeanor indicated, this woman will be pissed way into next week. And for what? One friendly dog became a little too friendly. Hardly anything to ruin your vacation over.

Recently sticky pistons left for a week for work during which time he ran out of some important meds. His prescription was also up so he was off of them for a few days. This is not a pleasant experience however when he went in for a check up he indicated that he wished to see if he could get off of them. Who wants to be a slave to a bottle? The dr. cut back his dose in half. This has been interesting. Because of his previous withdraw his body took to the 1/2 dose quickly. His discomfort abated. This has allowed him to have a good view of how the medication works. On the lower dosage his mind is racing. His senses are hyperactive. He is overloaded with stimulation. Overloading to the point of almost going haywire. And this is at half a dose. Without the meds at all the overactive data sensory imputs stimulation is just to much for the boy to handle. Overestimation equals angst and irritation.. gives him an itchy trigger finger. His current dose is just enough to stave off  most of the annoyance but he still fills completely overwhelmed with information. So much so he is going to go back to his regular dosage. Fascinating how our brain chemistry functions.

What else? Not to much. Christmas is upon us. As my mom came here for Thanksgiving, she was headed to my brothers for this holiday and so this is our first Christmas at home in I don't know how long. Makes the season feel a little incomplete.. but a lot more peaceful! I wish her and my family in Washington the best.

New foods! My CSA has been bringing beets and chard and leeks and bok choy. Ive been getting to make all sorts of new dishes... most of them pretty good!!

All My Love... Mom!

Here Comes the Sun!.. or.. Yule, what is it?

Many modern scholars, anthropologists, and historians indicate that mid winter or Winter Solstice celebrations date back to at least 2400 BCE and have been an important part in indigenous European traditions and cultures since that at least that time. (They speculate such traditions reach far deeper in time based on root word linguistics and such) These traditions differed slightly from location to location but had common characteristics. The reconstruction of the native ancestral faith the celebration known as Yule  (it is unlikely that such celebrations were called by this name in earlier times) is really a culmination of traditions and practices from many different branches of the same ancient tree.

I consider Yule Tide  the most important Holiday within our faith. It is a time of reflection and connection. Many of the customs that I grew up with celebrating Christmas actually began as winter solstice rites (Yule trees, caroling, Yule logs, mistletoe, and others). Perhaps most the most important aspect of this seasonal celebration has to do with the importance of bonding with family. During this 12 day period, we honor many Gods and Goddesses. In our faith we believe that they, as well as the spirits of the earth and of our ancestors all join us for these celebrations.   Together we form the spirit of our future generations and so they too are also with us.

The first night of Yule and the last night are the most important ones to me and the ones I will talk about specifically although each night has its own significance and activities.

The first  celebration of Yule is Mothers Night. This is a night that is sacred to the Ancestral Mothers. The line of women that stretch from the first woman to the last and includes Mother Earth. We recognize women of strength and courage. We recognize those who bear life. Mothers Night happens the night before the solstice. This is the time a new year is born. The sun is renewed and long winter nights begin to grow longer. Celebrations this night center around the lady of the house symbolically cleaning  and seasonally decorating the home. She invites both the living and the dead to join the party and bestows blessings and gifts upon family and friends. Earlier tonight I opened the house to neighbors provided hot drinks and gave out homemade cold remedies. Later the  family through the yule log on the fire and I will tend the flame until the sun comes up. A nightlong vigil. A time to connect to the spirit of the mothers and offer  joint blessings for our future.

During the night we will be visited by the Yule Tide Lads. These little guys are an adopted Icelandic custom. They are mischievous elves that bring gifts in exchange for food and shelter. They tear through the house, throw food out of the cupboards and make a racket while they are here. We never know what they are going to break. They are a little chaotic but we welcome them anyway. So over twelve days each night they bring a gift. Like a board game or clothes or something needed.

Anyway, that is a quick sum up. Ill tell about new years when we get to it.

Hail the Mothers! Much love to you mom!!

Summertime rolls...

... through my mind like a hot trade wind caught up in my sails.. like long tubular swells cresting off white hot sandy beaches. Daydreams that I have been crowding out now find their way behind my brow. School comes to  a break just as I turn my eye to the horizon and welcome the sun and all the possibilities of the new year.

Its Yule.

I say that.. announce that we are celebrating Yule..  to me it is enough. I understand what I mean by it but most people look at me puzzled and some downright quizzical.. A very rare few, the young or teachers mostly, ask me,  "What does that mean?"  I usually can't answer it. Not because I don't understand enough to explain but this explanation requires more of a lecture than any quick pat answer. It requires thought and heart. And so this year when asked .. what is Yule?.. I simply said Ill explain on my blog. And I will. Tonight is Mothers Night. The first night of our 12 night long celebration. Ill be up all night and will put my my efforts to explanations  later on. For now I have kids to baby sit, a Yule Log to make, cookies to make, a fire to get crackin, and a door to throw open to  neighbors and friends to help us invite the spirit of the season in this evening.

Ive been buried under a lot of work but have managed to get it all done, as such I have not posted about the Surfrider Party. Whew. It was a lot of work. But it was a success. Not overwhelmingly but all told. I found some great volunteers. We turned a small profit. We gained 27 members. There were maybe 75 people there. Honored Alison as Volunteer of the Year. A step up from last year. Here are some pics:

The Blurry Beer Crew .. kept everyone well lubricated.

The DJ.. Rocked the House!

The Spread

Volunteer of the Year!!

X. One of our Happy Hostesses!

Our Opening Act!

kitchen and beach crew

Ending the Night on a great note!

There are tons of party pics
but that gives you a quick behind the scenes. Link to the lot
to come. Once I post up. Now back to work!

How the motor hums..

As we quickly approach the Fundraiser Event, I begin to ease back. Still at high speed but no longer needing to gain momentum. Ill be coasting down the other side of this mountain in no time. Like a bullet. To do list fall off the list one by one. Almost all that remains to be done is the execution. And I play hostess well.

Speaking of playing hostess, Monday night some Kindred came through from Grande Rapids. The Howards share our faith and were some of the first people we raised a horn with when we lived in that hot awful valley. Those days are long gone but despite our various and distant lives we have kept in loose contact. Enough to know our values and world views remain generally in sync as well as generally knowing they are healthy and well. As luck would have it the Howards returned to the valley and decided to visit the aquarium and took us up on our open door policy. The father is a leather worker who produces pieces which show significant amounts of artistry. The mother is a midwife and is expecting her fourth in April or so. Their three children range in age from 2 to 8 and played together with ours as well as distant cousins being brought together for a family reunion. The Howard's children do not have the ability to play in their front yard at their home as the children have been approached for drug deals while out front before. The enjoyed the freedom. Mom enjoyed the use of a real bed and found herself drifting off heavily and quickly. All told there was ax throwing, Dr. Who watching and conversation ranging from all levels of homesteading to the failings of sex education and our culture in the empowerment of women and other vaginal based topics. And there was feasting! From what I had lying around, I whipped up butternut squash soup, spaghetti, krispy kale, and apple crisp for dinner. It was a pleasure to open out house to such good folk.

Prior to company, the weekend was super active. Greg returned Friday from a week in Seattle. We slid into Saturday with me disappearing for a great many hours to flyer the entire length of coast from Zumbdowski beach in Moss to Marina Dunes with news of the upcoming party. Then the family split up 2x2 to attend various birthday parties. Little Tree Climber and I found ourselves taking off for Watsonville for a online school mate who moved to the US when she was almost two from Russia. Her parents are both Scientists. The mom is involved in studying holistic methods of curing cancer. We discussed how she is running into opposition from the pharmaceutical juggernauts. The father is involved in research at MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquatic Research Institute) It was pleasant discussing their work as well as finding commonalities which we could relate on the same footing. It turns out that they are Zena fans. So much so that they go to the conventions in LA yearly.

After that Little Tree Climber and I ran off to Salinas to watch a youth filled production of "The best Christmas Pagent Ever" put on by a childrens theater. The only one I know of in our area. The play was supurb! I am aiming to put the kids into some acting around the beginning of next school year.

P.S. Mom... In your mendery .. contact theater groups for costume work.

Whereas Saturday brought fevered and flavored activity, Sunday brought nothing but trouble. Sticky pistons applied a little to much elbow grease to some work he was doing on the  car and .. well.. basically tore part of the engine off with his bare hands. How bad the damage is and what needs to happen to correct it is as yet unknown but it doesn't look good. Maybe he should not be called sticky pistons but rather "Ratchet the Hatchet"

As if that wasn't enough, the  kitty knocked the kids laptop off a ledge and did a number to it... 2 weeks after the warranty expired. This is a bit of a bother with regard to school as one might imagine. We are working our way through finding a solution but even if I replace the laptop I am running into another challenge. Our Internet connection has begun locking out the number of devices we can connect to it at any one time thus limiting our ability to function. That issue too will have to wait until Winter break to be addressed. 5 more days of school!! Then we are celebrating Yule. School is out on the first day of our celebrations. Once school is done I will be prepping for all that.

Speaking of technology, my son just got his first email account. He has taken to it far more aggressively than his sister. Hes pursued addresses for everyone he knows and utilizes the chat function often.. Im not complaining.

10:25 AM Son: i love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:} <3 span="span">

10:26 AM me: And I love you!! <3 span="span">

10:28 AM Son: :>}

This is rainbow war paint! And with that I return to the work at hand! 

seeing the light..

Last night I was feeling rather down, the flu playing havoc on my body and a lack of sleep and energy not to mention the weight of duty bearing down.  All of this leading me to the great existential question “ do all the things I do in an attempt to make the world better really amount to anything? “  Ultimately I came to the final conclusion that maybe not (On the whole, Humanity is Fu$#ed  up) but I home school and I volunteer and I do what I do for others and the world because I must follow my heart.  Always.  Otherwise apathy wins and we all lose.  

This morning when I got up and began my usual wake up routine.  I'm a wordy sort.. well on paper anyway..  and so part of my routine it to check my word of the day ap.  as well as comb through the new words listed in a slang dictionary for fun words to spice up my vocabulary. Not that I usually find any, most are not words Id use in polite company.  Anyway, in my perusal I found the following definition which, oddly enough, was almost perfectly suited to my nocturnal reflections and warmed up my mood considerably.

Love

The meaning of life and reason for everything because there can be no benefit (no significant purpose) where there is nothing to exist for. Often confused for the feelings that arouse it, love only exists when it actually does something, and can only be as deep as the sacrifice it makes. It is better than the feelings and commitment because those things can die, but actually loving a person means choosing them anyway, which will always leave a base for the feelings and commitment to return. Love is not to be confused with: loneliness - a need to be validated by someone else, lust - a strong passion for sexual release, pride - a self prioritizing and self justifying ego, jealousy - wanting to control another person or thing, or, feeling good, because warm, fuzzy feelings can come from drinking alcohol and broken families know alcohol is definitely not love. Love wants what is best, and so, it does what is best for someone, which often keeps it left out of most marriages because most people will only marry a person who gives them what they want rather than someone who does what is best for them. There is a fine line between love and hate because the only difference between love and hate are the sides on which they stand; "To love good is to hate evil." In the end, love never fails; it is the basis for everything we do and all of our reasons. Love wins.

"I did not scold him for his mistake because I love my son more than the things he breaks."

"Greater love has none than this, that he lay down his life for his friend."

"Why do I spend time with my kids? I love them, that is why."

Thanks for calling the Food Network Hotline. Billing is nine-ninety-five for each sixty-second period. To accept, say "crème fraîche."

I've never had Creme Fraiche before. Come to think of it I have never had a 7 course meal  before (have I? nothing comes directly to mind)... let alone one that was entirely vegetarian... at least not before this past weekend that is. Check the menu.

All ingredients fresh and local. The chef arriving from Big Sur to "pop in" and create a dinner at Happy Girl Kitchen... a local lunch diner which provides local organic and fresh vegan, gluten free, and vegetarian soups sandwiches and baked goods as well as canned and pickled items for retail sale. Bread and pickeled veggies didn't make the menu but were served as well ..hence the 7 courses.  The food, which just kept rolling right out, was not overly seasoned. The natural flavors of the veg's were paired well with each other and allowed to mingle in ways on my tongue that were subtle and balanced. I will admit that it did not cater to my spicy curry loving palate but it did not offend it either. And I was pleasantly surprised with each and every bite. 

Sticky Pistons and I did not dine alone. Making the evening even more enjoyable was the company of three brand new friends and one newish but already dear friend.. the lovely and darling d. who I have worked with at Surfrider for almost a year but whom Sticky Pistons has only crossed paths with on rare occasion.  It was a seasonal celebration of the winter harvest and a moment of community and thanksgiving. Good times!

In other news...

It has been raining and pouring but we have not let that get us down. We have been singing in the rain and making retractable headed turtles out of legos. 

As I was going through my pics I stumbled on this one which didn't make the thanksgiving day upload... Had to share.

Other events and going on.. Earlier last week the kids and I joined Sticky Pistons and Mark, an old business aquaintence  of his for dinner at Roys on 17 mile drive. This is one of the most upscale resorts on the peninsula and the kids were dressed in their best the minute they rolled out of bed in anticipation of the fine dining experience. Of course the service was wonderful and the food superb.  Marks company however could make even the modest meal be well enjoyed. Mark has known Sticky  from the time he worked at Kraft. He is a sales rep/service tech for some of the industrial equipment that is standard in many manufacturing plants and he has watched Greg rise through the ranks and come into his own. They have maintained a friendly, mutually respectful and yet professional working relationship through it all  Mark has taken the family to dinner on a number of occasions when he passes through and so has become a friend of the family's as well. 

And yet in other arenas.. I miss Hockey! But what can you do?! Perhaps its time to get my little dude back in the game. Yesterday he mentioned to me (on his own) that he wants to go back. None of the other sports we have tried have really spoken to him although he does like our times at the pool. Anyway,  Ill need to get him new gear as he sure has grown since he first started out on blades. He is going to be a big man. 

The week ahead looks to be chalk full of work and the fighting off of sniffles. And so it begins! 

Love you Mom!

Gratefulness and Merriment!

There are aspects of the third Thursday of November that I don't really wish to celebrate. The ever perpetuated lie that the pilgrims were friends to the natives being the better part of it. Also I realize that everyday should be about giving thanks. Not just one day a year. It is sort of like how Im opposed to Valentines day as being "The Day" to celebrate love. Shouldn't we celebrate these things every day? And I do.  I take time to count my blessings with each sunrise and each sunset and sometime for no other reason then seeing a smile on a child's face or conversely catching news of some tragedy. In gratitude and love, I find joy and I cling to it through every precious moment and every strife that unfolds in before me. Such practice should belong to each person every day and not be left solely to one day of the year.  However, despite these small issues I have with the holiday, I do stop and join with all my family and friends in national celebration of Thanks. 

This year Little tree Climbers birthday fell on Thanksgiving as well. After some serious consideration and discussion we decided to open our doors for a "stop in when you can and as long as you can" casual sort of birthday party in the morning followed by a more traditional feast in the afternoon. Given the day, we didn't know exactly what sort of turn out we would get but it worked out fabulously. The people who were sticking around town had the opportunity to send the kids over to play while they did their cooking and preparing and so Willow had the chance to celebrate her birthday with 9 other kids including her dearest local friend who she sees very rarely now that she is not attending public school. While snacking on cupcakes, each child made her a collage for a memory book and then the girls played tennis while some of the boys made themselves content playing legos and the others tossed the ax out back. We had cashed in Sticky Pistons frequent flyer miles and flew mom down for the festivities. It was quite a success.

Dinner brought us together with another family who was also celebrating the birthday of one of their own. There was much to be thankful for. The food was delicious and easy as it was catered and only required re-heating. Wine flowed and so did conversation. We played games, sang songs and had a joyous time. 

Friday we went shopping. What?! You got a problem with that?! I do. Im avidly against mass consumerism. "Oh its on sale.. I need to get it!" Our personal identities being so wrapped up in what we have rather than who we are. Its disgusting to me on the whole.  BUT Little Tree Climbers birthday present request was a shopping spree with Grandma and so we ventured out after the mad morning rush (with our canvas bags no doubt) to take in what remaining deals lined the shelves. She ended up stocking up on enough lotions and scents to last her the next 5 years. Which is not much of an exaggeration. Despite my opposition, we had a fun day and mom got to take in the current styles and fabrics of youth. She plans to open a clothing mendery to supplement her upcoming retirement income and so it was also a recon mission.  Afterwards, sticky pistons took mom on a tour of the plant. She was fascinated and intrigued by the process and machinery and now she has a whole new appreciation of what the hubby does. This took up the majority of the day and we spent the rest of the evening casually watching movies. I introduced mom to Dr. Horrible. *Big Grin* She thought it bizarre and likened it to Rocky Horror. I guess it could keep worse company in her mind.

Saturday was far more relaxing. Her last full day here spent on Carmel beach. Soaking up our zest for the waves. People and pooch watching. It was a day without hurry or worry. We followed the day up by introducing mom to Pho. Mmmm. She had never experienced its like and will be taking time to explore its availability at home. 

Sunday morning she departed early. I don't think the weekend could have gone much better. It was the first time in over a decade that mom actually got to see us from inside, meet our friends and be our guest. Although with such intamcy there were moments of TMI... Stories of my conception on a lamb farms to start.. actually I think it actually explains some things, like my warm and woolly nature.. I countered with my own kinky duck stories! ;) 

It was a gift to have her here. 

I guess I look like the drowning type?! To wrap up our weekend we took a trip to the pool during which we swam and played. Nothing out of the ordinary. Eventually Sticky Pistons set out to determine how long he could hold his breath. Taking a big inhale he ducked under and curled into a ball. After several attempts he managed 2.5 minutes and duplicated the results a number of times. In all he had been under the water a good 15 minutes. Finally I said it way my turn to test my capabilities, My style was more of a face first float .. After 25 seconds Sticky pistons taps me on the head with some urgency.  I popped up to find him and the life guard actively discussing whether or not I was conscious.

Anyway, The weekend is over and we now have to get back to work. ACK!!! Too much to do!!! But rather than complain I best get to it. 

For all the pics of the weekend click this link..

Growing older means...

Braces! Her face says Yay! But her mouth really says Ouch.

The night after their installation, Little Tree Climber tapped me on the shoulder early in the morning to let me know she was in pain and that her meds had worn off. We got her taken care of and back to sleep. The interruption to sleep, however, provided a rare glimpse into my dreams.  It was like a sitcom. I got the impression I was in my 20s and in College. My room mate was the secretary from the surfrider chapter here. In real life a cute college student. Our room was at the top of a tower in a casino (although I didn't realize this until after I left the suite). Its not a casino I have been in in real life. Though elements of those that I have been in exist within it and I can recall a familiarity of it as if I have been there in other dreams. Anyway.. There is a security guard who hangs out with us... His appearance is a surprise to me as he is not someone I have seen in in real life in almost two years.. a brother to once dear friends.  Time and space all jumbled up. Icons of all sorts of ages and stages of my life swirling and coalescing in this dream vortex. Anyway, My roommate and I were having a drink in the room with the guard. This was prohibited as it was a dorm room. I laughed about it to the security guard and said with a smile and assurance.. "You'd never turn us in" He laughed and said "No. Not about this." Then his expression changed and he picked up the phone and started to talk to the  authorities in police code requesting back up all the while looking at me like I was a criminal. I didn't get the impression he was kidding. I panicked and fled fearing the heat on my heels. It was a very long panic filled escape dream. Not wanting to be detected I wound my way down long and never ending corridors.. the kind you run down and run down but never get anywhere. I avoided elevators and went down stairwells, got to the ground floor and got lost amid machines. It never once looked like anyone spotted me or was even looking for me. Finally I made it out into the light. That is when little tree climber tapped my shoulder. It was strange to see my dreams in such avid detail as well as seeing what thoughts are mixing around in my subconscious.

Growing older also means skin biopsies (likely its benign). A strange but not uncommon discoloration began on my cheek a little over 12 years ago during pregnancy which has changed some over the years and become more pronounced. Better to check it now then have something to worry about later.

And that brings me back to my little tree climber. This Thanksgiving she turns 12. Its sort of an right of passage age. No longer a child by any means but still far from adulthood. Time for ever expanding responsibility. Time to start letting out more (invisible) leash. I've known people who literally leash their children around the waist or wrist. I was never one of those. But I have held her close. I have coddled her. I have kept her fairly innocent. I have kept her safe. But in order to be in the world later and on her own, she needs to start seeing some of the bitter reality of the world now. Its time to wake her from the sweet dreams of childhood. Time to grow her into womanhood. How this is done? I have no idea... but then when I bore her.. I had no idea how to raise  her a day let alone raise her this far. At the time, the panic and fear of how and what and when weighed heavily. Now I realize that we aim far but take it day by day... checking gauges, adjusting sails. With the last 12 years under our belts, I have faith that we are up to the challenge of this new stage. Steady as she goes. How exciting it is too.  Now I get to watch her blossom. And I know she will do so spectacularly.

Now on to the celebrating and the stopping and taking count of all of my many blessings!!!

Feel the Rainbow

rainbows and waves..
rainbows and waves..
All day long..
Im dreaming of nothing
but rainbows and waves!!!




Especially while laid up for over a time with a massive sinus infection. Anything to escape the pain which rings my head in a halo of fire and seems to sear my very soul. Perhaps I exaggerate but it certainly can feel that way. The hollow ache... Wanting to sob.. wanting to weep.. but knowing that doing so would only make it worse so I escape into dreams amid fitful sleep. Its the best I can do.

Anyway.. its finally clearing up. For which I am grateful. And just in time for Thanksgiving and warm company. Let the Attitude of Gratitude begin!

Which reminds me of how much I have left to accomplish before Mom gets here. Dinner might just be catered this year. Who am I kidding? Dinner will be catered from a local deli.. Wild Thyme. It should be delicious! However I still have to make cupcakes for the open door Thanksgiving Day Birthday well wishers who may stop by. And I plan to make up some butternut squash soup as well.

Today we have an very important appointment. Id mention what is being done but Little Tree Climber wants to surprise her grandma. Regardless we will be at the orthodontist most of the day. Tomorrow I have a years worth of Dr. appt.s crammed in as we are on school break. And Wed. its a trip into the City and the airport. Not to mention a house that needs a thorough cleaning..Ack!

I breath in deeply...through my nose no less!.. shake off the last remaining tendrils of achy dullness.. and get to work.

A peek of sun

Speaking of Rain

Hummingbird and I must have made some impression on someone this morning during our stroll to the beach. The day started out typically enough but the mood quickly changed when I received a message from one of her teachers expressing concern over her current failing grade in math. This led to a firm yet quiet discussion about expectations and efforts. After which, invariably racked with emotion, she sobbed long and hard. I comforted. Not much later the police showed up. They didn't interfere, but they sat there and watched.. stared really.. and when we began our journey home ( I made sure to smile and say hello as we passed by and hummingbird offered a nod)... they too moved on. It was strange being sized up by the authorities especially when there was no conflict/situation to be corrected or monitored.


This was not the first firm discussion about expectations and efforts that I had to indulge in this week. Although yesterday it was directed at my little tree climber. This one took place within our four walls and no police were present. But lessons were addressed and tear were shed.  Ultimately my talk with her boiled down to .. "don't quit before you even try."  How important is that to learn? Its a major life lesson! Id rather her learn it now then find her giving up on challenges when she is older and they are of more consequence. As any adult can attest to, our challenges become harder as we age. Our responsibilities intensify and... if you give up.. you have lost before you even start. Dig in and at least try! If you don't succeed . well that is ok. As long as you gave it your best go.


I  don't like playing the heavy. I don't like laying down lines. I don't like confrontation. And I don't like being put in a position to have to do those things. My nature is more of the huggy/lovey/nurturing type.  But as a mom and caring about the future of these children, I sometimes have to. It pains me enough to make me weep. But it would hurt me far worse to see them fail in their futures because I didn't take the time to make some corrections now.

P.S. The sierras are in for some major snow this weekend! (It is pouring!)

Love you Mom! Looking forward to the next time I see you!

Laughter Love and Luck

thats what I feasted on this weekend. It was juicy ...  greasy... even... It was awesome saucing at its best. 

Late Friday night I found my way to Northern Nevada without the family to spend a weekend floating around with old friends. Because of my loose planning, my adventures didn't really begin until Saturday Morning with a trip to the Great Basin Food Coop  for a 2 hour visit with a mynx of a friend, Auntie M. while she made spring rolls, brewed coffee, made sandwiches and attended to other coop cooking duties. It was obvious from the start that she was in her element, James Brown playing in the background and adding zest to her every movement.  During our conversation I mentioned that I was going to attempt to cross paths with another mutual friend and I was asked to pass on a message "I am the ant." Of course this peeked my curiosity. She said she didn't really understand the analogy but they had been arguing over who is the ant and who is the grasshopper. I do understand the analogy and find it a little fascinating and plan to ponder it here at length a bit more soon...hopefully..  Regrettably  I was unable to deliver that message in person but will catch up with them soon enough. 

From there I drifted to my unsuspecting grandparents house and, after some tea with my uncle while waiting for their return, surprised them with an uninterrupted 4 hour visit. It was utterly relaxing and my yawning, which they took as an indication of fatigue, was really a result of being  I was so at ease that I wasn't breathing deep enough to draw in enough oxygen at the higher elevation. Long conversation, a late lunch, and a couple fingers of scotch highlighted the afternoon. 

After I left, I picked up Doc Martin Dave, Double D (Said in a French Accent) for short, from his moms apartment complex. It has been 16 years since I have seen DD. But that hasn't changed much about him.. He is still my brother from another mother. We laughed heartily for hours on end while we talked everything from landing strips, smurfs and everything in between...    DD is taking a brief stateside visit from France to attend to some affairs before returning home to his family.. Needless to say our conversation spanned years and Continents. Eventually, after stopping in and getting a beer where our reunion was held and hitting the cigar bar, we made our way to the "Home of a million legos and spicy curry" to visit with  some old friends..  who ,obviously, love legos and curry! I have not had any real solid face time with them since I moved away and it was goo to see how well T and A were doing. 

From there we hit Reno and our old college haunt. What was once known as the Blue Lamp...everything changes it all stays the same..  A quick Guinness and some more reminiscing then it was off for an Icky with that spicy Meditranian meatball known simply and always as D ... except.. At 11 pm on a Saturday night the brewery was already shutting down which lead to an adjustment of plans... a drink at strata then one at St. James Infirmary (where I swear I saw some of my cousins doodles come to life) and then off to dancing for hours until the wee hours of the morning (though with the time change it was not quite as wee as it felt) at a rather uninhibited place known as the 5 star club. I left D and DD to continue their dancing (Cue the song "time of my life" from that one patrick swazey movie.. what was it called?) and  I stumbled into bed at a relative 3 or 4 am. It was a reunion for the ages and left me feeling young at heart once again.

In the morning, I tossed and turned and after hours of weighing..  hunger finally won out over sleep and I decided to rouse myself for a hearty breakfast. But the line at the cafe appeared long and so room service begged its appeal. However while venturing back to my tower I literally crossed paths with the McNallans. This lovely couple are spiritual leaders in my religious committee who live near Colfax and whom I was going to call and try to arrange coffee with as I passed by on the freeway going home. But low and behold, a twist of Wyrd delivered us all to the Nugget on a random Sunday morning  in November at precisely the same time. Such meetings I find fortuitous and brimming with fate. They had stayed the night to watch Dana Carvey perform and were on their way to breakfast and I gladly joined them. We played a bit of catch up and filled in our various news. It will be interesting to see where this chance meeting will happen to take us.  Time will tell. 

After breakfast I made the trip home, content and exhausted but safe and sound. Highlights of the upcoming weeks.. Little Tree Climber gets a orthodontic consultation for braces. My cousins are coming for a visit. A weekend of scouts then Mom comes for Little Tree Climbers birthday as well as Surfriders party planning. Not to mention the making of holiday gifts. Ack! I need to make some lists!  November is a busy month! 

el Dia de los Muertos

Autumn Hike with Young Vikings

A reflective walk though the Cemetery while honoring the forgotten dead.

A loooong tabling job that lined me up party volunteers!! 

Three young adults in tow. 

Good time ... long day!

 A recent visitor at our door... Left me meditating  on the nature of snakes...speaking of snakes.. LittletreeClimber and Sticky Pistons went off on thier own Halloween journey this year. It included the tour of reptiles and insects and other creepy crawlies at the library while the other two of us joined up with a big group and trick or treated a part of town boasting big beautiful colonial style homes. I think I could manage living in a home like those. Anyway.. Halloween..

Ghoulies galor! 

Cat... or.. Mouse? You be the judge.

Things are heating up

along the San Andreas. A little quake here, a big one there.  Its a good reminder to take quick stock of emergency provisions and I think we are woefully ill prepared. I have it at the top of my to do. But beyond that we are good mom! Love you and good night!

Whats that Smell?

sniff, sniff.. "uck!"

Chicken Little edges ever more towards puberty. While we were out getting this and that for Halloween costumes I took a moment to swing through the male grooming section. He was not thrilled. He stomped around exclaiming how embarrassing it all was. He'd storm off from our exploration of different scents and my tutelage on the difference between antiperspirant (which has a metal in it which keeps the toxins in your body by not letting you sweat .. not a good thing) and deodorant (which simply covers up odors but does not stop your bodies natural process of toxin elimination)  He didn't want any of it.  I had hummingbird reassure him that smelling nice is a good thing. He still wasn't convinced. But we finally managed to pick out some axe spray coupled with axe shampoo and spiking gel. At the end of the night I sent him up to clean up and get ready for bed. Afterwards he strutted down the hall, a smile a mile wide, proud to show off his new scent and engulf me in a super scented hug. I assure you it was quite pleasant! 

A matter of faith..

Auntie S. read my last post and with some tweaking came up with the following changes to my editorial prayer. And while I don't necessarily see the divine as entirely interventionist... the changes are apropos for those that do .. however, with this and all things, I think that people will have better luck combating ills if their actions and choices back up their prayers!   

“Merciful Father in Heaven, we thank you for your bounty you bring to us and ask that any poison in this food for which we are about to partake would be made null and void. We ask that You give wisdom to those who make laws to protect us to keep a close eye on those crazy scientists who play with our food. As we partake of this food, we pray for health and strength to carry on and try to live as You would have us. We give thanks for life, the freedom to enjoy it all, roof over our heads, the companionship of dear friends and everything else wonderful and good in our lives. We ask for your continued strength and courage in the battle against cancer raging in Aunt Lucy, Uncle Floyd and Grandma Maria, Cousin John’s kidney failure and Baby Adisons allergies. We put our trust in You because we are having quite a bit of trouble finding any to trust down here.  Thank you, Dear Lord. Amen” 

This past weekend was swamped. Saturday I spent the entire day at REI at the volunteer fair. It was slow and these events tend to not really draw too many. However, I am super excited that I may have found a Beach Clean up Captain to compliment the individual who has stepped forward to be the Coordinator. This is a huge deal as I don't want to/nor have the time to do the extra job. Looks like I have job descriptions to sculpt!

 In other chapter news.. we now have a Graphic Designer on board who also has super strong web design abilities. :) This is fabulous. I have been our webmaster for about a year and a half and while I have no problem maintaining a page for personal use I don't have the skills or time to manage a professional website. He has not committed to working on our site yet but in time I am hoping to persuade him to take up the job or at least be able to turn to him to help me address back end issues and CID codes. The work he has done in the two days since coming on shows extreme talent. However much time he commits, I already know he will be a great asset to the chapter... and hes easy on the eyes... and ears.

Sunday we attended to the details of home management before hitting the beach with the Young Vikings. It was not our typical hiking outing. We were testing swim skills.. at least that was the excuse we used to make it an afternoon of more relaxing beach play. 

And yes there was an earthquake that rocked our world in the early morning hours. I slept through it. No signs of damage to report. But it reminds me to make sure our disaster supplies are in order. 

And with that, my day begins. Love you Mom!

Chock full of Opinion and Fact

A dear neighbor Mrs. Potts (nick named such after the Character in Beauty and the Beast....Mrs. Potts is very motherly in nature, which befits her as she is mother to the teacup Chip and his other brothers and sisters. As the castle's head housekeeper, she has a very strict sense of responsibility. Often she is kind and consoling, but can be stern when the situation calls for her to be; out of all of the Beast's servants, she is the one who will most likely confront him about his behavior when he is in a temper). Anyway, Mrs. Potts after seeing a bit of my writing and knowing my strong feelings about what I choose to feed my family asked if I would attempt to submit an editorial about Prop 37 CA's GMO labeling bill which is up for the vote in this years election.  I don't know if it will be printed but Ive put it out there.  Here it is:

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The holiday feasting season is soon upon us when we will be sitting down to a banquet of wonderful dishes all prepared lovingly by Grandmothers, Mothers and Aunts. You join hands in a solemn moment of thanks. Heads bow and eyes close as the head of house’s voice rings out in prayer.

“Merciful Father in Heaven, we thank you for the wisdom of the scientist, geneticists, and chemical manufacturers who have “improved” upon your bounty to bring to us this food for which we are about to partake. We ask You to fill each pre-processed morsel with goodness for our minds, bodies and souls. As we partake of this food, we pray for health and strength to carry on and try to live as You would have us. We give thanks for life, the freedom to enjoy it all, roof over our heads, the companionship of dear friends and everything else wonderful and good in our lives. We ask for your continued strength and courage in the battle against cancer raging in Aunt Lucy, Uncle Floyd and Grandma Maria, Cousin John’s kidney failure and Baby Adisons allergies. Thank you Dear Lord. Amen”

Doesn’t sound right does it?! Yet, perhaps it is the prayer we should be offering up. Approx. 70% of the food in your typical grocery store contains Genetically Modified Organisms or GMO’s. In other words, that 70% has contents which have been tampered with by science and who’s long lasting effects on health and wellbeing have yet to be fully appreciated. However, recent research in France has demonstrated that there is a clear link to eating GMO corn (and exposure to the pesticide that is used on these particular crops) and serious health effects such the development of tumors, organ damage and early death.

Do you know what foods you eat that contain GMO’s? 50 countries around the world already require the labeling of these altered foods, but the US is not among them. Join Californians in the voting booth in November and let it be known that you want to know what you are eating. Vote “Yes” on Prop. 37 the Mandatory Labeling of Genetically Altered Foods. This bill simply requires that manufactures make a note on their labels if they contain such contents. You have the right to choose what you ingest and to give proper praise where it belongs.

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In other news for my Nevada based friends and family.. an Indoor Archery Range is coming your way! This is rockin!!. Check out the details and pass on the news! I know we will eventually be up with the Young Vikings to earn our archery points! 

http://wastingarrows.com/wastingarrows/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Indoor-Range-Flyer-1.pdf  

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Other than all that and a spur of the moment noon time beer shared under a shady tree reminiscing about high school with an old friend who happened to stop by yesterday, I have nothing really new to report on. Its business (or is that busy-ness?) as usual. And I must get back to it.

Love you!

Mamaskylark

A plate, A curtsy, and other bits

Auntie S asks...  "Sooo.. What is cookin?"
Mmmmm... let me tell you!! This weekend I didn't do any cooking at all actually. Instead, others cooked for me and it was fantastic! Saturday we made our way to the U.s where smiles, wonderful conversation and the smell of spices greeted us as we were introduced to Tanzanian food. The U.s often open their home to foreign guests (whether through church, rotatory or school programs) and had the opportunity host some ladies from Tanzania Africa some time back. Id name the dishes but I don't know them. All I can really tell you is that we experienced four separate authentic dishes. One was a spiced rice dish. Another was a relatively simple beef dish which ranked up there in terms of flavor with many Indian dishes I have experienced (my mouth waters at the thought!). The other two plates were composed of almost identical ingredients (Cabbage, carrots and the like) yet the method of preparation rendered each one uniquely flavorful and delicious. A better home cooked Saturday feast would be hard to come by and a great many thanks go out to your friends for having us over. Also, Im looking forward to gleaming all the cooking and canning lessons I can from Mama U!

Sunday was spent in the company of our Young Viking Club. We took a long laborious hike in Carmel Valley , discussed some plants and their uses, and then returned to the club house for some ax throwing and cooking. Having a number of relatively un-experienced hands in the kitchen meant careful consideration as to what would be attempted. Chicken Little baked bread from scratch. Little Tree Climber and Hummingbird whipped up meat loaf. (The disgusted looks on their faces when they put their hands in to mix was utterly hilarious) and Hallo (hummingbirds brother) who takes to the kitchen like he does video games (with rapt intent hence the name) was put on spicy green bean duty. It was a most satisfying meal. Part of earning their cooking point was in the cleaning up as well. Can't complain about that! It was a marvelous feast.

Fall is officially here? How do I know? My CSA (community supported Agriculture) delivered .. to my doorstep.. my weekly vegetables last week which included butternut squash. So Monday I whipped up my favorite spicy butternut squash soup with cayanne, cloves, ginger and nutmeg. Its creamy delight!

After such indulgence, I hit the gym with revived gusto! Let me tell you.. ow! ow! ow! The day after burn makes me super aware of every move I make. But in that ever so good way were the pain is a reminder of work well done and muscles being developed. No pain no gain. However, I don't want to pack on too much definition before I loose more of what I got and don't need. Its a process but damn it feels good.

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My brother, Bad Billy Goat, and I.. somewhere near the start of the year.. began discussing our favorite movies. He asked me what I thought of his top 10 but it has taken me quite some time to start to address them, not being the biggest thing on my priority list, however, it had taken me waaaayyy to long to get to it.  But finally I have begun the process of reviewing his top 10 and offering my reviews. Below is the first:

"Brothers don't shake hands.. Brothers Hug!"
Ok Bro.. What the heck is up with Tommy Boy making your top 10 favorite movies list?!?! To start. after a  quick look at the rest of your movie choices ... (See below)... or at least on the impression of the ones I know... I was truly expecting it to be a work of historical fiction .. you know something about the guy who created the tommy gun or some such. Instead I wind up watching a slapstick comedy starting David Spade and Chris Farley. These guys are not your typical dramatic actors to be sure. However, I must admit they made a comedy pairing very much in line with Jim Belushi and Dan Aykrod.  I must say, this is truly a movie worthy of the USA channel .. well it would be if there was Rutger Howard and some nudity thrown it. One thing I appreciate about your list is that the majority of your films are family friendly. The kids enjoyed the watch as well. But alas, it didn't impress me enough to come close to finding a place in my heart but it did give me a few good deep chuckles. Now Im off to check out number 9.. Dirty Harry. I know that one, but honestly don't know if I have ever watched the entire thing. Ill get back to you on it. :) Love you Bad BIlly Goat!

1. Braveheart

2. Last of the Mohiccans

3. The Natural

4. Saving Private Ryan

5. Fight Club

6. The Departed

7. The Outlaw Josie Whales

8. Field of Dreams

9. Dirty Harry

10. Tommy Boy

(P.S. Queenly enough for you, Bro?)

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I love to read. It however has been one of those things that I put aside as "not necessarily a priority". However, since we are going to the gym regularly, I find myself often trapped on a cardo machine for 45 minutes or so at a time.  And you know the last thing I want to think about is what Im doing.. "ow.. ow.. I don't want to do this. Id be so much happier off this damn thing. Im going to fall over. pant pant sweat sweat." How nice it is to escape into the worlds between the pages or drifting on the music I have mixing. I greatly appreciate these moments. So ... here is a book review!

The Fifth Sacred Thing
This book was recommended to me by a dear friend from Hawaii who thought I might find it quite inspiring. I don't recommend it for everyone as it does have some strong graphic violence and strong sexual content. In this provocative book, written by Starhawk, we are introduced to the world of California approx. 30 years in our future. A world which is dramatically different though not entirely improbable. Her vision of the world supposes that the ecosystem, as well the government, experience a complete collapse. Its not too far fetched in its portrait of what would result in a world whose oil reserves completely depleted. Without alternative energy sources in place to supplement our power needs not only would vehicles be a thing of the past but our ability for long distance communication would be thrust into the dark ages. In addition, the loss of electricity would effect our ability to divert water were we want and need it. Essentially she pictures much of Southern California drying up and the competition for resources creating a war zone where those who"have"are morally bankrupt and depraved. Nestled in the midst of this mass chaos, pain, hunger, thirst and struggle, San Francisco, which has managed to survive all these challenges with hard work,and with their spirit of cooperation with each other and nature.   This does not mean life is easy for them but when compared to southern end of the state (if not the world) .. they are far from impoverished. Its a rather Utopian environment but war is on its way. The desire for water is so great that those in power in the south seek it out with unrelenting veal with no consideration that their actions are actually detrimental to the long term sustainability of water resources everywhere they inhabit. The major question that is posed is how should a non aggressive, communal, free-lovin (did you note the caution at the beginning?), peaceful Earth nurturing people combat the threat that sit poised and ready to strike at their doorstep. Its a good read on all accounts. If anything, it offers a solid reminder that in these times we need to make it our personal duties to build our local relationships, to create our own gardens, develop methods of water collection and work to be prepared .. because eventually our way of life (whether from natural, man made or governmental forces or a combination of all) is going to change. A look at history confirms that change is the only thing we can count on and we need to be working to be far more self sufficient.

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Here is a bit more from/about the key note speaker from the Surfrider Conference I recently attended regarding his studies of the tsunami debris wish is currently beginning to wash ashore in Hawaii.

http://honoluluweekly.com/feature/2012/09/the-hidden-tsunami-of-debris/

Id take a moment to talk more about what is going on with the local chapter, however, I have more to do in that regard than I have the time to write about it. My plate is full. But its fullness is in working to develop others who will take a small share of the load and do those individual chores more thoroughly than I juggling the myriad of responsibilities that I do. And with that it back to the trenches where the kids and papa are completely dug in and building brick houses..

Night Mom!

p.s. I have now dubbed Papa "sticky pistons" Its not as bad as it sounds... I assure you! Love you!

Give 'er everything ya got!

"Although the world may beat you down, come back up swinging. Although you might not realize A dream, don't no stop dreaming. Although you may find rejection, do not give up love. Do not stop striving and do not give up on your vision." This was the underlying message give by one of the class speakers at a college graduation ceremony last night. Buttercup, Hummingbird's mom, received her associates in paralegal and is now on the road to greater personal success. This is a huge accomplishment especially considering everything she has had to deal with in the course of her education.

 It was a proud moment and a battalion of friends and family turned out to wish her well on her journey.

That success, however, may end up taking Hummingbird from my nest sooner than anticipated. Buttercup is on the job hunt and looking as far away as "The City."   Who knows what the next few months will bring but we will take it in stride.

Albert Einstein says, " Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school."

 In the meantime Hummingbird still has lessons to learn .. I suppose as I sit down to write this up, my biggest birthday wish  is for her to take her life and her job (which is School) seriously.  On top of academics she has a lot yet to learn and demonstrate before the job and marriage she yearns for and daydreams constantly about are reasonable for her to take on. But at 15 .. she has time.. but not a lot.   I want her to have a good start on leaning to interact with others.. teachers.. for are they not future bosses!? She needs to learn to relate to authority. She needs to learn how to manage conflicts of time. She needs to begin to learn the skills which will allow her to function independently and strongly. She needs to learn to be a lady as opposed to a child .  She needs to learn how to commit her energy to multiple tasks.. some she will never like... but still must do. I want her to take personal responsibility for her failures and mistakes rather then blame them on others. I want her to take ownership of her life and future... A lofty birthday wish but one that is achievable.

Anyway, I digress. My birthday.. cant have a birthday wish without one..  has come and gone. But not without out hitting up Taco Bell for my annual feast. WHA?!  NOT!! After a Friday in class/ field trips and once Papa arrived home from his return trip from Ontario we stepped it up and hit Spanish Bay. Swanky. And had drinks with friends around the fire pits on the patio overlooking the sea. Chief came with a friend, Olga. They were lovely company. Also in attendance was Mama Bear. Mama Bear was once Chicken Little's bear troop leader and she has a wonderfully diverse history and is a true superwoman and after our chat I now have Animal Farm on my need to read list.  It was a pleasure all around.

On Saturday, one of our neighborhood girls was celebrating her birthday and so the same crew from the graduation plus others gathered on Carmel beach for a BBQ and an evening bonfire. It was gorgeous and despite no "real" waves.. the water was fun. I think I want to try and work in some more of these evening events. Once the kids are done with their "classes" on the ranch, I intend to try and institute regular Friday beach/surf  times. Regardless of how that pans out.. it was a great weekend.

Buttercup and Papa

However, as birthdays tend to make me do, I have placed my life upon an imaginary scale and have being weighing it out.. taking measure. And as I suspected things are only a slightly off balance. I think back to that speaker from the graduation ceremony and ponder dreams I have lost, passions that have fallen to the way side. In all  that I have taken on, there is but one thing I have neglected or at least down sized tremendously..  my passion for cooking, baking and brewing.

And so to hell with those that have claimed I can't or shouldn't cook and who's negative thoughts or comments I may have taken to heart over the course of my domestic years.. to those that claimed I was a goody two shoes for whipping up a little something in HS.. to those that wrinkled their noses at some culinary attempt or outright dumped their uneaten food with a mutter of disdain  .....Screw Them!  (Little tree climber sits at her computer reading this, jaw drops and out comes a "MOM!!" Shocked to see such words pouring from her mothers fingertips. To her I say this... sometimes such language is necessary!) ..  and so I reclaim my spatula shaped scepter and dawn my finest which reads "Kiss the Cook"!!

Not that those people, their opinions or their distaste  have much to do with my current time away from the kitchen .. its really water off a ducks back (do I need to make another duck poem?)..  Truly my biggest constraints  to getting my ass in the kitchen have more to deal with time and energy than anything. To help rectify this deficiency, I intend to re-dedicate myself in due course to the stove. To the hearth. To the fire.

And Im going to start learning to can as I have made a wonderful friend who does not yet know that she will be teaching me!!

As to my cousins doodle... Its back to the drawing board for the surfrider party flyer. We are scraping the return of the waves theme and my attempt at a flyer. And with that there remains much work yet to be done. And so I am off to it and work in the classroom... but first I leave you with the funny yet disturbing card Hummingbird sent me on my Birthday.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuYND_k2UZs&feature=player_embedded