Joyful Purpose

Daily Report from Cabin 25 - Day 2

  My boys driving the boat

tubing in the lake

S'mores

on the boat

Okay, Okay, I know I have a real problem - but a person in my humble opinion can never have enough books and I do read them and do pass them on for others to read.  So  I went to this little dinky general store at the lake and in the back they have a two bookshelves - literally, and the person who does the buying for this simple book selection has really great taster - ahem - not to mention that we share the same liking in books as I have read probably 75% of what is on the shelf - so when I see some new ones I figure it is worth the taking - so here we go ...

through the glass darkly karleen koen
the gilded chamber rebecca kohn
rosie anne lamott
the blue flower penelope fitzgerald
the bookshop penelope fitzgerald

Daily Report from Cabin 25 - Day 1

Well, after a crazy airport morning - uh, day -
in short -
arrived at airport -
flight canceled -
rebooked on earlier flight -
ran with 2 boys and 8 huge pieces of luggage through security and to gate that was waiting for us-
flew into Seattle - (supposed to be a straight through)
changed plans
got to Spokane
lost luggage
guess which one?
all my art supplies
found sent to Seattle
will fedx hopefully by Tues
went grocery shopping - exhausting endeavor as store is hour away from cabin so tried to get everything for  two weeks
arrived at the lake
AHHHHH - deep breath

rearranged cabin to make myself a little "room of my own"

view from the cabin
boys first thing need chips and a sunny d and drug chairs down to the lakeside for a little chat - "cocktail hour" for them

The IMP searching for skipping stones

The big boy skipping stones on the lake

mind you it was 9:30 pm and still light out - ah yes the Northwest at twilight  - such a magical word and time of day
fell into bed after reading a great new book The Painter from Shanghai because of course I only brought 7 of them and found 2 new ones at the airport that I had to buy ... shameless about books!

HELP!

I am really not good at this - at all - PACKING that is.  Tomorrow morning 6:45 am to be exact we fly off to Idaho to Priest Lake for our annual 2 week vacation there.

Love the vacation but hate to pack - yes, I said hate and I know it is a strong word.  I wait to the last minute and throw it all in - the clothes aren't the important thing for me - books - yes, art supplies - yes and we will revisit that later, cameras - yes, legos - yes, board games - yes, t-shirts for the boys - ah not so much - forgot those last year (never lived it down btw).  So here is the BIG question what art supplies do I bring?????  I look at my stuff and think what what what do I bring with me and I need to keep it simple - ha ha ha.  And don't just say a journal I need specifics! and remember this is where I stay -

A Beachy Weekend

This weekend we pent at the beach and had a little cookout there on friday evening.  It was so beautiful out  and we roasted hotdogs and made s'mores.  We left the beach around 8:30 - reluctantly and head up the hill to home.  My favorite time bar none to take photos is at dusk with that warm light and a flash - it makes everyone look lovely - here are the results of such an evening.  Hope your weekend was filled with some joy as well.

* Note the candy necklaces - I am a sucker for nostalgia

Bentley

This is BENTLEY - our soon to be new pup.  We have been waiting patiently for the past few months for his arrival.  He was born on May 27th and we will be flying to Seattle on July 23 to pick him up and bring him home.  He is a miniature schnauzer to see more click here Ludwig's Miniature Schnauzers

This is his dad "CRUZ"

Dad at 8 weeks

Mom "XENA"

Look in my window

I have to say this is a really cool book and not just because I am in it - Hee Hee Hee

No really I love seeing all the different journal pages - you could do a serious art therapy study here!

Very cool insight into someone sort of like peeking in through the window of a house a night that has the lights on ...

Ah Books, Books, and more Books

   

A trip to B&N ( Barnes and Noble that is) resulted as always in too much money being spent but alas in my opinion you can never have too many books!  So the results were these

a schmultz book - for fun and laughs Little Pink Slips ,

The Billionaire's Vinegar  -a book of intrigue and wine - for richness,

A Photographer's Life - Annie Leibovitz (one of my favorite photographers of all time(
 a photo book -  for art's sake

and some books for the boys ....

The Boy's Doodle Book - for creative imagination and fine motor skills

The Candy Shop War - for reading's sake - Gosh darn those Stinky Boys I want them to love reading gosh dangit!   - I guess I will bribe them with some Legos if I have to.

*** Pet peeve - you read a review of summer reads in a magazine and go to get them - BUT THEY aren't released until AUGUST! What's up with that!

Father's Day

 

Here is the Daddy with his new "gear" on  - the boys picked him out new clothes and new music for the ipod.

Have to say that the bulk of my day was pretty sweet as I spent it here ... book, glass of wine and hat in hand or on head for most of the day as "daddy" went to the gym and surfed and the boys played with Legos and watched a movie in their fort. Reading "An Unaccustomed Earth" by Jhumpa Lahiri one of my favorite authors so that made it even sweeter.

And then my part of the day was dinner ...

Artichokes

my secret ...  place chokes in 3 inches of water with half a cut lemon and a tbs or two of Old Bay - steam for about an hour until done

serve with this to dip in  ...

butter,
old bay,
lemon juice
and  chopped garlic heated in the micro

corn on the cob with parmesan butter

Rib Eyes on the grill

Yummo Salad

baby spinach
peas
blue cheese crumbled
dried cherries
balsamic
olive oil
s&p

and ...

Crashed Hot Potatoes from the Pioneer Woman

It was a great day, a good meal, and now gear up for the last 3 days of school which means class parties, swimming, and rise and crash little boy emotions ;)  Ah summer is almost here.

Painter"s Progress

                                                       Ebony 36"x72" acrylic

This is my painting of Ebony almost finished. The hardest part is getting the scale right when working on such a close image on this big of a scale - but I feel it is almost there - almost .....

And here is the start of something new.

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul

                                                          "Grey Mare" 24"x48" acrylic

The eyes tell you the story don't they?  I have finished my latest painting of "The Grey Mare" - funny everyone who sees it says it looks like Ebony (even though she was black and looked nothing like this)  I get it though - it's in the eye and her spirit is coming through my work I believe - whatever the case I am feeling good and purposeful about this new direction.