I know, I know. I haven't posted in months. It's not that I don't want to share what's going on ... it's that I can't find the time to post. With classes, life, and now volunteering at the library here in Yelm, my plate is full. And after doing so much of my schoolwork online, spending more time on the computer to blog doesn't excite me either. Besides, the blog is for fun, it isn't a job.
I post because I want to...as I expect you read because you want to. Neither of us is required to do so and that's how it should be.
It's a free world.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Friday, December 18, 2009
More Christmas magic
I finally got a good photo of our "Candy Cane Tree" we created in our front yard.
We've had these large plastic candy canes for several years and tried different ways of using them in our Christmas displays. We like to decorate the yard for Christmas, but we're not the over-the-top types.
This year I was inspired to create a different sort of tree. We have rope lights in white, red, and candy-cane stripes, so I wrapped them around the trunk of a tree. This is a birch tree that had just the perfect limb structure to adorn with red and white lights for the best effect. Then we hung the candy canes along the limbs and we have a real crowd-pleaser. Not that we have too many neighbors, but those who live nearby or drive by have given us lots of praise.
We just have fun with it.
(The lights in the background are draped on the rhododendrons along the house.)
Christmas with the Crists is shaping up nicely, don't you think?
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Apple Blossoms in December
This year I chose an amaryllis of a different color. This is my gorgeous Apple Blossom Amaryllis, which ended up having SIX blossoms. It's brilliant white with pink streaks and a rosy glow on the edges of the petals. I think it has a lovely scent too. I would definitely grow this type again.
For those who don't know, growing an amaryllis is a tradition that I started only in the past 5 or 10 years. I think I was inspired by my Dad, if memory serves me correctly.
Does anyone have experience with saving an amaryllis from one year to the next and getting it to bloom again?
Meanwhile, enjoy.
:)
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Did I say COLD!?
Yesterday I posted about turning off the waterfall and how lovely the ice was. Last night it got down to 6 degrees. For here, that's what one weather person on TV called "brutal cold."
It's really good we turned off the waterfall when we did, because it is not expected to get above freezing until the weekend.
Well, I have to go stoke the woodstove again. Cheerio!
It's really good we turned off the waterfall when we did, because it is not expected to get above freezing until the weekend.
Well, I have to go stoke the woodstove again. Cheerio!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Cold Snap continues
As you can see from this picture, we're having quite a bit of COLD weather. Now my Colorado relatives might not think that a week of temperatures right around freezing during the day and low 20s at night isn't cold, but for Western Washington, IT IS COLD!
The waterfall this morning had a lovely coating of ice, so I decided to snap some photos before we turn it off for the winter.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Stepping away from the swirling vortex of life for a minute ...
Yikes, this blog dates my entries, so I know just how long it's been since I posted, sorry.
Life here has been a never-ending stream of things that HAVE to get done. Moving in is mostly done, except for the stacks of boxes that can wait for more time to really focus on what's in them and where that stuff should go. Moving out is also nearly done. Things got left at the Oly house that either we weren't sure if we wanted them there to stage it for sale or if we wanted to store them at the Yelm house or what. The Yelm house garage -- even though it's big enough for 3 cars -- was so full of Mom's old stored stuff that we've had to work at winnowing that down, getting it over to her garage, and making room for all the stuff we had stored in the shed in Oly. That process is nearly done, too.
The thing that has been a big focus has been fixing up the Oly house to put it on the market. There were unfinished projects (ceiling texture, painting the trim in the main room) and there were projects we had planned but chose to wait on until we were out of the house (a complete revamp of the main bathroom, painting the Master BR). I'm happy to report that most of that is done. As Dad has said: "Why is it that we don't do these things when we live in a house, but then have to do it for someone else to buy it?" It has me scratching my head sometimes, the thought of making the house really nice so that someone else can have it. But we're close to putting it on the market -- YAY.
On top of all that activity, I have been continuing my studies. I took 4 classes this quarter: Practical Accounting, Circulation Services, Serving Diverse Communities, and Library Administration and Management. Whew, has that been a load! I've really enjoyed Circulation and Diversity. The information in Management has been good, but the structure of the class doesn't suit my style. Accounting has made me tear a few hairs out, but I resolved to learn some good skills by taking it, so persevere I must! Since we moved to Yelm, I've also had the opportunity to get ot know a new library. (My school work often requires either talking to library staff and administration or examining the library for a report.) I'm due to start volunteer work there in a few weeks, when I'm on Winter Break and I have more time. I recently took what you might call a self-guided field trip to Seattle to tour the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library for my Diversity class. Mel went with me and we had a great time and learned so much about services for visually impaired and blind people.
The only other news I have to report is that two weeks ago, CJ had a close call when he ran his truck off the road (sharp curve + wet road + teenage driver unfamiliar with the area = wrecked truck) but he's OK since he missed a telephone pole by a foot -- thank goodness! But now I drive him to school and about 50% of the time I pick him up too. All part of the fun, right? He's worth all the effort.
And in case that leaves you wondering what Katie is up to: She's so busy with school, life, and work that we hardly see her except on the way in, on the way out, or asleep on the couch in front of the TV. I guess that means life is good for her; she seems to be enjoying herself.
I should mention Mel, who has been hard at work making the 5 acres here in Yelm secure for the dogs and arranging the garage, plus working on the aforementioned projects in the Oly house. He's itching to fish and hunt, but the priority has been getting the house up for sale, so he's practicing a little "delayed gratification." Whatta guy!
Since this blog post has mostly been a catch-all recap of the past few months, I'll make a BONUS post about marching band since it deserves to shine on its own. Stay tuned...
Life here has been a never-ending stream of things that HAVE to get done. Moving in is mostly done, except for the stacks of boxes that can wait for more time to really focus on what's in them and where that stuff should go. Moving out is also nearly done. Things got left at the Oly house that either we weren't sure if we wanted them there to stage it for sale or if we wanted to store them at the Yelm house or what. The Yelm house garage -- even though it's big enough for 3 cars -- was so full of Mom's old stored stuff that we've had to work at winnowing that down, getting it over to her garage, and making room for all the stuff we had stored in the shed in Oly. That process is nearly done, too.
The thing that has been a big focus has been fixing up the Oly house to put it on the market. There were unfinished projects (ceiling texture, painting the trim in the main room) and there were projects we had planned but chose to wait on until we were out of the house (a complete revamp of the main bathroom, painting the Master BR). I'm happy to report that most of that is done. As Dad has said: "Why is it that we don't do these things when we live in a house, but then have to do it for someone else to buy it?" It has me scratching my head sometimes, the thought of making the house really nice so that someone else can have it. But we're close to putting it on the market -- YAY.
On top of all that activity, I have been continuing my studies. I took 4 classes this quarter: Practical Accounting, Circulation Services, Serving Diverse Communities, and Library Administration and Management. Whew, has that been a load! I've really enjoyed Circulation and Diversity. The information in Management has been good, but the structure of the class doesn't suit my style. Accounting has made me tear a few hairs out, but I resolved to learn some good skills by taking it, so persevere I must! Since we moved to Yelm, I've also had the opportunity to get ot know a new library. (My school work often requires either talking to library staff and administration or examining the library for a report.) I'm due to start volunteer work there in a few weeks, when I'm on Winter Break and I have more time. I recently took what you might call a self-guided field trip to Seattle to tour the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library for my Diversity class. Mel went with me and we had a great time and learned so much about services for visually impaired and blind people.
The only other news I have to report is that two weeks ago, CJ had a close call when he ran his truck off the road (sharp curve + wet road + teenage driver unfamiliar with the area = wrecked truck) but he's OK since he missed a telephone pole by a foot -- thank goodness! But now I drive him to school and about 50% of the time I pick him up too. All part of the fun, right? He's worth all the effort.
And in case that leaves you wondering what Katie is up to: She's so busy with school, life, and work that we hardly see her except on the way in, on the way out, or asleep on the couch in front of the TV. I guess that means life is good for her; she seems to be enjoying herself.
I should mention Mel, who has been hard at work making the 5 acres here in Yelm secure for the dogs and arranging the garage, plus working on the aforementioned projects in the Oly house. He's itching to fish and hunt, but the priority has been getting the house up for sale, so he's practicing a little "delayed gratification." Whatta guy!
Since this blog post has mostly been a catch-all recap of the past few months, I'll make a BONUS post about marching band since it deserves to shine on its own. Stay tuned...
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Progress report
We're slowly moving things into the new house. There has been much painting done, some light demolition in the kitchen to make room for the larger refrigerator we have already, cleaning, arranging, etc.
We're taking our time since we don't want to live there full time until the cable is installed for phone, TV and Internet. However, we're enjoying spending our days there and taking the dogs down most days to get used to the new digs (um, let's hope they don't take that literally).
School has begun and there is much reading and adjusting to new computer systems, but so far so good.
Katie left today to go to Aussie Nationals with Stacie in Colorado. She hopes to meet up with family there on her quiet days. She really seems to be enjoying massage school so far. I seem to see CJ in passing since he has marching band two nights and Scouts one night every week. Things will calm down soon, right?
We're taking our time since we don't want to live there full time until the cable is installed for phone, TV and Internet. However, we're enjoying spending our days there and taking the dogs down most days to get used to the new digs (um, let's hope they don't take that literally).
School has begun and there is much reading and adjusting to new computer systems, but so far so good.
Katie left today to go to Aussie Nationals with Stacie in Colorado. She hopes to meet up with family there on her quiet days. She really seems to be enjoying massage school so far. I seem to see CJ in passing since he has marching band two nights and Scouts one night every week. Things will calm down soon, right?
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