Murray Trail

Yesterday we packed his Jack Bauer bag with roasted almonds, fruit and water and drove out toward Indian Canyon. After some miles of nothing to see, we arrived at the entrance to several different trails we could choose from.

And there was much to see! This native home to the Cahuilla Indians is a breathtaking contrast of rocky gorges, abundant water, hundreds of plants and barren desert.

We decided to take the less visited Murray Canyon. It's an easy trail that promises some lush scenery and waterfalls at the end of the 2.5 mile hike.

We walked through a grove of California Fan Palm trees in their dishevelled state.

How did he get the camera?

The trail led through a desert hillside filled with yellow flowering brittle bushes. We passed hikers who talked about seeing snakes, and one even offered advice on how to get them to come out. We made sure we didn't give them any reason to.

Always in the distance you could see unusual rock formations, scattered about.

It was the rocks that he liked to point out . . .

and the flowers that I kept stopping for. These are desert bells ...

and some desert mallows.

Many times we crossed the shallow stream that wound back and forth for quite a distance. I was grateful for the well placed rocks that usually made it easy to step.

At times we walked through deer grass threatening to hide the path.

and other times we scrambled over rocks.

Reaching the end, even though the waterfalls were small, was worth every step . . . even the wet ones. The scenery was like nothing we had ever seen! Simply beautiful!

Shopping Spree

Monday after lunch we headed to the Dessert Hills Premium Outlet Stores, about half an hour's drive from the Condo we are staying at. We chose a good day. In all of my memories of going there in the past, it has been very windy and cold. I do not like wind.

Rather than dashing in and out of shops because of the cold, this time we could enjoy a calm and comfortable walk and window shop, if that is all we cared to do. The mall houses 130 designer stores boasting savings of 25% - 65% every day!

This photo were taken early evening as we were leaving.

As vain a post as this may be, I cannot think of too many girls who don't like to talk about shopping and deals they have found. So I'll take you into the bedroom (that we moved into after Ben and Kari left) and show you some finds. Because we all want to know, right?

I found these white knee length shorts at the Gap and the sleeveless top, with a pretty button detail in front, at Banana Republic. Together they cost $45.

Charlotte Russe had tank tops - two for $10! Soft and comfortable. Sandals were everywhere. These I got at Forever 21, a few days earlier, and I like how they happen to match everything else I got later.

This is why I got them. Not only are they comfortable, I had to take a second and a third look when I saw the price!

These jeans were 60% off at Banana Republic ($24 ) and the camp shirt a similar sale at Charlotte Russe ($16)

Last and least, this fun bracelet set cost $4.

I also had fun telling him what I thought looked good on him. He even had to go to the car in between to unload some bags. And so we both walked away with some temporary treasures. After all . . . I heard tell once that you will never like something more than when you try it on, so make sure you really, really like it. I always hope that I will like it more once I find out what it wears like, and sometimes that happens. But not always.

Thanks for your visit.

Palm Springs

We are enjoying a quick vacation at our favorite spot . . . a spot that seems to be getting closer to home all the time. This has become real to us this time especially, as now we have a direct flight from a little airport close to home, landing us in the desert only five hours after backing out of our driveway. It used to be that in this time we would only be driving into Portland for our first meal on the road. The second thing that has brought everything closer is our love for technology and the ability to still be in touch with what happens at home. Sometimes this is not so good... but that is all I will say about that.

We overlapped our vacation with Ben and Kari for a few days. The guys spent a couple of afternoons on the golf course, while we got our eighteen-dollar pedicures and enjoyed some shopping.

Lacey did great on this, her first, vacation . . . taking in all the changes like a trooper . . . sleeping on a big bed, bathing in the sink, long hours at the mall and getting used to Papa and Grammy being in her face.

When the camera wasn't pointed in her direction, she even smiled at us across the table.

We met up with a brother and sister-in-law for one dinner and on another night we met a mutual friend at a California Bistro. This restaurant is situated right by the water in a shopping plaza called The River.

The setting was beautiful, the food delicious and the visit with Marie, as always, enjoyable!

After dinner we watched the hockey game and celebrated the win with something special from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Kari's favorite.

In the meantime, our shared time with our youngest little family has quickly come to an end and they have gone home to hold down the fort there. But we are looking forward to the week ahead . . . he with his blackberry and me with my netbook close at hand, if necessary.

Where to Begin

In my devotional reading, Let Your Life Count, by Donna Parton, I’ve been learning that I don’t necessarily have to see the whole picture in regard to finding out what God’s will for my life is. In fact, she points out that often times we may only get to see the “you are here” arrow. I’ve been thinking about what that could mean in my life. It seems to tie together with the way God has uniquely created us and given us each a set of skills, interests and life experiences to use for His glory. God is not asking me to be anyone else but who I am.

So, starting with “you are here” will reflect who I am and the sphere of my influence. It could begin with asking God what I should do, asking Him for divine appointments and then, to be on the lookout.

I’m trying to learn how to do this, because it really works and does not have to be difficult. I tried this recently when I prayed that God would direct my words and actions and for some reason I quickly added that He would show me if someone needed a meal. It would make sense that God would give me an opportunity in something He has enabled me to do. The next day there was an email in my inbox, written just after I had prayed, asking if I could bring a meal to a family that had been in an accident. Obviously there is nothing to think about in this instance. I know what God wants me to do. If I had not prayed . . . maybe I would not think about it in the same way.

Somehow this example shows what it means to pray according to God’s will. The author of this book writes that effective prayer consists not in telling God what to do, but in listening as He tells us what He wants us to do. When I listen, I may discover what is on His prayer list. I come away from these thoughts being encouraged that being faithful in small things will work itself into the big picture after all.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God has prepared in advance for us to do.”

Ephesians 2:8-10

Another Visit to the Home

My relationship with my mom-by-love has been an interesting journey. Because of the age difference, I have often thought of her more like a grandma . From the get-go she has spoken low German to me - which luckily I understood because my parents spoke it to each other when they did not want us kids to understand. I know that when I was first married, she had some concerns about her son's shirts being ironed and what he would eat . . . she wore her feelings on her sleeve and it related to a guarded but wanting-to-please relationship.

Mom's health has not been so good these past few years, but I think I have learned more about her during these years than I did in the first few decades. I'm still trying to process the change . . . a change that happened, possibly, when I began to ask her questions about her life and recorded her stories for the family. Slowly I began to see what she missed because of her lack of education and how the things she went through made her who she is. In the process she began to appreciate me for having other interests besides cooking and cleaning.

This brings me to an interesting visit we had with her recently. On Sunday after church, we went through Wendy's drive-thru and, with burgers and fries in hand, went to see her. I could not believe her excitement at seeing our fries! Everyone has been bringing her perishky and Zwieback . . . and here she was overjoyed at the prospect of enjoying some -"chips" as she called them. "Oba dit schmaekt gout." (oh, does this taste good!) is what she said as she dipped her fries. We just laughed! It was so unexpected.

Suddenly she looked right at me and
said, "Nu shtoh mole opp!" (Now will
you stand up!) this kind of gets lost in
translation ... but it insinuates that
she wanted to check me out. When I
stood up, she confirmed my thoughts,
saying she wanted to see how
"modern" I looked. I found out again,
that nothing goes past this feisty
little woman, even at ninety two years
of age!

It was an enjoyable visit! For some reason I realized that she is not as stuck in her ways as I thought she was. Maybe the end of life really does make one consider life from a different angle.

Milestones On Robson Street

This is the view from the table we sat down at after a gorgeous walk on the seawall at Stanley Park.

With our spinach and artichoke dip appetizer we also shared a spring salad that was still large even though it was split.

Then we shared a chicken penne asiago . . .

and as the lights came on the trees lining the street, we savored small teaspoons of an apple caramel crisp and sipped coffee.

I couldn't help but think of how unexpectedly pleasant this stage in our lives is. I still remember thinking it would never be "just the two of us" again. And now, it is here . . . with so many shared memories. Memories that make up a life that is ours - with all it's joy and pain, in the process bringing meaning to becoming one - yet stronger.

We still do what couples do when they get a babysitter, (they go out and end up talking about the kids) it's just that now there are even more to talk about. . . more smiles . . . more prayers . . . more dreams . . . more love to pass around.

I actually quite like this stage. Maybe someone needed to hear that today.

Where the Red Maple Grows

Did you know that maple trees bloom before leaves come out? There are many different varieties of maples, but our tree starts out each spring with the most delicate looking clusters of light green flowers. Going down each flower stem, you will find a cluster of winged seeds, bright red in color. On a sunny day, the color combination looks absolutely beautiful.

I’ve been observing this tree more this year than usual and noticed that bright red leaves are beginning to open up right under each flower. The flowers will fall off and the leaves will grow and change color through-out the season.
In the summer the leaves turn to a dark, silvery green. I think its late summer, when they tend to turn burgundy and in the Fall we will find an assortment of colors, ending with a lot of yellow and brown.
Sometimes, when I look at this massive 25 year old tree now, I remember how I asked the tree planter to move it further from my wash line - a spindly little nine foot sapling. I remember the funny look he gave me, but he moved it.

It’s funny how a tree can become so much a part of home. A shaded place for our summer barbeques, a father/son or husband/wife leaf raking exercise in the Fall and a place where we hang the grandkids swings from, no matter what the season.

Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation:

seed-bearing plants and trees

on the land that bear fruit with seed in it,

according to their various kinds."

And it was so . . .

And God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1: 11,12

More on the Brown Hassock

I came across this random shot in our Fall 1983 cube of slides. Just another practical use for the brown vinyl hassock. One could begin to wonder how we would have managed without it.

Shirtless in the Eighties

I know what you're thinking.

Yes . . . exactly what I was thinking

when I came across this slide.

I'd seen lots of skin

on shots taken at home, but . . .

On the golf course?

It seems like it was the thing to do . . .

since I noticed that his golfing buddies did the same.
Somehow it was normal and the right thing to do in order to unwind.

I'll be nice, but you get the drift . . .

at home in our family room. Daddy was home to romp on!

This photo just tells me a lot about the happiness

shared in a simple room.

Allow me to digress.

A small TV that sat on a night table. Obviously, no remote and I remember the cable was easily accessible. Benji found great delight in unplugging it to listen to his sisters screams. No such thing as renting movies, since we had not bought the latest in technology - a VHS player. Family night meant playing hide and seek or maybe snakes and ladders.

And who displays trophies on a fireplace mantle today? Would they not ruin the home decor? But at that time we proudly displayed family achievements.

The round brown vinyl hassock in the background, in front of the fireplace. Oh what fun the kids had with it, setting it on its side to lean against it with their tummy and rock back and forth with. Other times it became a stage to perform on, or maybe just to wheel or race someone around on. After many years it got tossed, looking rather like a worn out trampoline.

Okay. . . so much for the shirtless eighties . . . and blogging while scanning.

From Tulips to Hockey

For everything a season . . . while the tulips are standing at attention in the fields, the hockey season is almost over. I came home from our girls outing on Tuesday just in time to brush my teeth, put on some lipstick and hop into the truck with my H. We do this about twice a year, not because I’m a huge hockey fan, but because I love this kind of time together.

I enjoy the drive into Vancouver, the city that holds memorable childhood and sweet dating memories for us.

As soon as we got to GM Place, we picked up our usual Whitespot Burger with fries and headed to our seats. We finished them up just as the lights turned down and 18000 (minus one or two) fans went crazy while the teams skated onto the ice. Vancouver versus Colorado. I found it particularly interesting on this night, as Kristal and Shaun were in a moving truck to Colorado this week.

The starting line-up stood while both national anthems were sung.

Roberto Luongo, team captain for the Canucks and Gold winning medalist with the 2010 Olympic Team Canada, is ready in position. I read that he was inspired to become a goalie after he was cut from his peewee hockey team.

It was a game that kept us guessing to the very end, as Daniel Sedin tied up the game (3-3) during third period, forcing the game to go into overtime and finally a shoot-out.

Vancouver Canucks players Wellwood, Demitra and Kesler all missed on the shootout. Colorado's Duchane ended up scoring the wining goal.

I didn't get a winning shot either, but I had to take it, because I’m always intrigued with this huge lit up globe against the night skyline. Oh, and I think the most exciting part of hockey is just beginning, seeing the Canucks have earned themselves a favorable spot in the playoffs with the Northwest Division title.

We will be enjoying those games in the comfort of our family room.

MGCC Field Trip

Yesterday . . . those of us who could . . . left our kitchens and posting . . . to do some field work. . . or rather . . . find some other interesting things to report on. We met first thing in the morning and headed to La Conner, where we had arranged to meet with Ellen.

Ellen is the one sitting between Kathy and Lovella, here at the Seeds Bistro. Marg and Judy are across the table. This was the first time we met Ellen in person, after sharing a blog for 22 months, and it wasn't strange at all. She had driven about an hour north for this meeting and even came with a little gift for each of us. We had a great time chatting it up during a little walk in town and having lunch. After lunch she left us, since she had already been to the tulip fields last week.

We parked at Tulip Town, watching the grey skies and shivering in the cold breeze.

Lovella, in her cute wind and water resistant attire, set out as our tour guide.

I soon forgot about the cold, while Marg wondered why, on her farm, they are growing corn!

I watched the professionals to see how it's done . . .

and proceeded to take my own pictures . . .

It really wasn't hard.

Actually it was hard to stop.

The variety and the colors were breathtaking!

On our walk back, another friendly customer offered to take our picture. Poor guy, he didn't realize that meant five cameras! We made it back to safe cover just before the rainstorm hit.

The food, the flowers, the stop at the mall . . . I enjoyed it all so much . . . but I realized that what I really enjoyed the most was the sharing we could do as we walked and during our drive. It's all about relationships . . . without them the things we do would not have much meaning. Thank you my friends . . . and to those of you who could not be there, you were not forgotten. One day it will be all of us.