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