Mommy Day

After a beautiful morning walk, Joel and I spent the day working in the yard (after he finished with the last bit of mudding -- yay).

The Rose Menorah

Here's a picture of a rose bush in our back yard. Joel commented that it looks like a rose menorah.

Pay It Forward...With Hugs

I was blessed with the opportunity to visit with my dear friend, Chris, this past weekend. She had driven from Scottsbluff (1,000 miles) and was visiting her mother in Coeur d'Alene (30 minutes from here). The remarkable thing about Chris and me is how our lives are inexplicably criss-crossed. She and Bob moved to Scottsbluff about a month before we did. We met when Jesse and Tyson were in 4th grade and kindergarten, respectively. Her sons, David and Jamie, were the same age and were great friends with Jesse and Tyson throughout their school years and after. That is just the start of our cross-crossing paths.

#1 -- Chris lived in the same Montana town as my sister in law at one time
#2 -- Two of her children were born in Spokane where we now live
#3 -- They left Scottsbluff and moved back a few years later, only to become our next door neighbors for many years
#4 -- Chris' brother in law lives in Post Falls (close by) not to mention her mother living 30 minutes away

While hugging Chris goodbye last Sunday, it occurred to me that she will be going back to Scottsbluff and walking among people that Joel and I knew there. By my hugging her, it was like getting to hug people we love and miss in Scottsbluff. David, her oldest son, is graduating from college this weekend. Such a proud moment. She invited Jesse and Tyson to attend the barbecue. If they are able to make it, my hug to Chris will pass on to Jesse and Tyson in a vicarious manner -- thereby, Paying It Forward...With Hugs.

Little House On The Prairie

Sitting on our back patio and looking into the canyon, I somehow envision Laura Ingalls Wilder running down the hillside, reminiscent of the Little House On The Prairie show.














Here are a few more April pictures of our canyon view. Right now there is a carpet of yellow Balsamroot (an Idaho native plant) nestled among the base of the pine trees on the canyon floor.












Soon, the hillside will be a mix of white and green from blooming serviceberry trees mixed throughout the pines.

Another Before and After

These are chairs Dad Rex made for us several years ago. They looked great when we first got them. However, after years of sitting in the sun, being thrown into the moving van and bumping over 1000 miles of hills and dales, sitting in a dusty storage unit for over a year and several lame attempts at painting them, they just got sadder and sadder looking. So, with renewed zest, I scraped them, primed them and repainted them this fun, spring green, threw on a couple cushions from Pottery Barn and viola! Instant happiness. Sounds like a Chinese dish.

They are accompanied by my cute, new, farmer bunnies, courtesy of Dad Alan.

We're Movin' On Up

We get a kick out of watching the quail in our back yard. We're hoping these guys are actually looking for a new neighborhood to hang at and pick ours. Maybe our new bushes with their berries will entice these cuties to come back more often.

Sentimental Journey

Joel's and my first date was Easter Sunday in Nashville, Tennessee. His mom and dad and two sisters came from Kansas to visit him and Joel invited me to go with them to church and lunch. Easter has always been a special day for us because of that. This is a picture Jeanette snapped of us that day.

For my birthday last fall, Joel bought me five trees...two of which were flowering cherry trees. Yesterday, Joel said seeing the trees blooming reminded him of our first date and the flowering trees where we had our picture taken.

Springtime in Spokane

At times this winter, it seemed like spring was never going to arrive. Joel and I have remarked to each other on several occasions that this seems to have been the longest winter we've ever known. Spring is still not quite here yet, except if you look closely, you can spot small signs...a daffodil here and there, that fuzzy green look a tree gets before you actually start to see leaves...and these beautiful flowering cherry tree blossoms...a birthday gift from Joel to me this past October. We planted two of these trees. These are flowers from the one in the front yard. The other is on the side of the house and can be seen from the kitchen window.

I Blame Stacy and Clinton

I promised Tyson I wouldn't go there ~~ that is, to the dark side of pointy shoe world but it happened. Not only did I go there, I ran there with arms wide open, ready to chuck out my heavy, clunky, sturdy standby shoes that TLC's What Not To Wear hosts Stacy and Clinton assure us are the most unflattering thing to wear since the polyester leisure suit.

With the goal of becoming more trendy, I set out to find the pointiest, most pinky toe squashingist, Wicked Witch of the West shoes I could find. It wasn't hard. Not only was it not hard, it came in multiples of colors. Ever the practical type, I stuck with black.

However, to make the transition less traumatic for Tyson (I say it was for Tyson but I suspect my underlying motives are suspect), I balanced the pointy pair with a pair that would be less lethal should I decide someone needed a good kick in the rear.

I'm not sure what my excuse is for buying these nose bleed height wedges. It probably has something to do with reliving the past and my wedges from the 1970's now that this trend is back. I'm pretty sure these cost three times as much as my wedges from high school and they'll probably last one third as long.














So, the proverbial monster has been made. I've never had a shoe fetish...happily subsisting on my tennis shoes, a pair of summer sandals and/or flip flops and a pair of black and a pair of brown "goes with everything" shoe. This has also been my trend with purses. I carry the same one for numerous years. Thanks to Stacy and Clinton, I find I can't stay off Zappos.com and the mall keeps calling my name. Thanks a lot Stacy and Clinton and...sorry Tyson.

Dr. Rootlittle

It's true, Joel says the plants talk to him just like the animals did to Dr. Doolittle. I don't know if they tell him where they want to be planted or if they scream at him as he's tearing at their roots and thrusting them into the cold soil. Whatever it is, it seems to keep him happy and occupied. I won't call for the straightjacket yet.

The White Ghost

You never know what trouble men and dogs will get into when left on their own. This is Joel after sanding in the basement. Fortunately, I was able to convince him to wash his face before heading to the hardware store for primer.

Living Room -- View Four 

Living Room -- View Three 

Living Room -- View One 

Living Room -- View Two 

Winter Wonderland 

Backyard Winterwonderland 

After The Snow Storm 

Decked Out 

Close-Up Of Front Porch