Climbing to the Peak

Wayne and friends recently decided to get a climb in before the snow began and the hiking season was over. Well, they cut it close! After planning for a few weeks, the date was set and the plans were made. The night before the hike, the weather changed and there was a question as to if there would be a climb the next morning. They awoke before the sun, packed and headed out to see which hike they would be able to do. There was of course a calmer hike not so high if the snow proved to be a challenge. Thankfully the snow did not seem to be a huge issue and the three were happy to get a great hike in that day. They were able to make it to the peak and as you can see in one of the shots, once they arrived, the snow was falling so hard they could not see far. But as we all know the destination is not always the only reason we make a trek like this and they were filled with stories for days of the entire hike up as well as what awaited them at the top. The journey was amazing for many reasons and to have time to explore and play as "big" boys love to do, made for a great day. Yes, it was the final hike of the season as the rainy season has begun for us and the mountains are beginning to be blanketed slowly with snow. Now the plans begin for next season and the stories continue of the fun they had that day. The bear they shared their trail with was just one of the many stories we heard about when they finally arrived back down in the valley. What fun to have these beautiful escapes in our backyard! To leave the city and drive to complete beauty within moments, may we never take for granted what gifts we have all about us.

Fall has Arrived!

Fall is all around us and I have begun my evening ritual which starts about this time every year. Fall evenings for me are a cozy time to sit and relax. Dinner is over and the children have begun their homework. Wayno and I then turn to books or the tv, depending on the mood. Last night, Brit had arrived home with many stories and we both sat snuggled in our blankets as she shared her adventures from this week's trip. Fall and then winter have always brought me back inside the house to snuggle and reflect. Boardgames come out more frequently as winter arrives and the smells of the house all change. The smells of fall and winter are one of my favorite parts of these two seasons. We went with friends to the park recently and enjoyed the beginning of Fall. The light was bright on the many colors of the trees. The sun was warm and the scent of the soil and fallen leaves was all about. I have always loved the fallen leaves and the smell it brings. Years ago when the children were quite young and Wayne was traveling in Germany, he phoned to check in on us and asked what we were all doing. I told him the children and I were playing in the leaves and having wonderful fun. He questioned why I would have the children out on such a cold day as he had recently checked the weather for back home and had noticed how cold it was. The children were very young and it would not be healthy for them to be out for long in such cold air. I told him not to worry, it was horribly cold and not the right weather for them to be outside for long and that is what had given us the wonderful idea of having Mommy go out and bag up the leaves and bring them all inside! We had cleared the dining room of furniture and were lucky to have wood floors that were easy to clean and so we spent hours that day building large piles of leaves and playing in them just as we would if it had been warm and we had been able to go outside and play. Not an idea my husband ever would have imagined but it filled our need for the day and we still talk about it years later and laugh as we remember the fun and the shock it gave Daddy when he called. The crisp air comes with the falling of the leaves and this brings me in quickly as the sun sets and the cold fills the night air. I love the excuse to pull out the blankies and the quilts along with the slippers and the candles. Fall and winter would not be the same without the smell of spices, candles, cider, and wood burning. What warming scents to fill the home and create the perfect coziness to snuggle in and read, play games, and sip cider or hot chocolate. For me, memories are often connected to smells! To walk into a room and smell the scent of coffee can often times take me back to my maternal grandparents home in Ohio. The Christmas tree with the train circling the base and grandpa leaving for work with his lunchpail in hand. Grandma and her pies and the backyard with their neighbor who always took the time to stand and talk over the fence to me when I was just a tiny thing. Then there is the smell of flour and the fresh noodles laying out to dry as my paternal grandmother would work to make her noodles to add later to chicken and broth and fill the house with the sweet scent of dinner. I will always remember spending a whole day with grandma as she worked hard to show me how to make these love filled noodles. One of the many recipes she took the time not to just write down on a card but to have me by her side and show me step by step just how to make. Memories that come with Fall and winter and bring us back into the house to a slower and calmer time of the year. A time when memories are made and dinners are shared more often around the table. A time when the nights are long and the candles glow brightly. My daughter and I are planning to slice the apples and prep some dough yet today in order to fill the house with the smells of fresh pie. Along with this will come the mug of hot chocolate and the scent of pumpkin spiced candles burning. An activity I am excited to be able to share with her and one we will do again and again through this season. We are anxious for Bry to be home next week and are already talking about the foods we will make and the traditions we will keep with friends and family as we enter this holiday season. May we all be blessed this coming Thanksgiving by our families and friends. May our hearts and love go out to all those who have had losses this last year and may we find ways to wrap them with warmth and love to help ease them through this season. Blessed Be-

The Bells Rang...

The bells rang all about us as we gazed out from the tower and learned about many of the buildings on campus. Bry was anxious to share with us all kinds of fun spots he had found since moving to school. We traveled to see him last month for Homecoming and had fun exploring the campus. Brit was able to roll down 4.0 Hill and is crossing her fingers she will now pull straight A's this year. We also had a chance at good luck and got to see just how crazy the students get during a game. The weather was gorgeous and we spent the weekend hiking all over campus and the surrounding town. How long ago it was that I was able to share my campus with my parents...Years have passed and now I am the proud parent walking, talking, laughing and sharing every moment with my child before the weekend comes to an end and we head back home. We grabbed coffee from his favorite spot before heading off to walk the streets. He proudly shared the architect building with us as well as the library. We walked and walked that weekend trying to absorb all that he shared. It has been quite an adjustment in our home this fall to have him off at school. We are fortunate to be living during a time when technology helps us feel not so seperated by miles. Bry calls often, sometimes before checking the time as we rise in the middle of the night to yet another call. "Mom, will you walk down to the computer and check the pictures I am sending you of my house model? My presentation is due tomorrow and I would like you to go over it with me." This before he realized it was 1AM and I had been asleep for quite some time. The nights used to seem so cold when you would crawl out from under the blankets but not so when it is at the request of a child off at school who is anxious to go over a project with you one last time before it is due. I sat on the phone staring at the computer and sharing my thoughts and ideas with him as he shared why he chose what and how he had accomplished certain textures, etc. I finally suggested we end the call at 2AM since my alarm would be going off in three hours and work would be waiting. I went to work a little tired that next day but filled with the conversation of the night before and was happy to haved received a call in the middle of the night. A memory I will always keep close to me no matter how far he may wander over the years. So, as the bells rang and he pointed out yet another building, I tried to breath it all in so that the memories would always be with me. Blessed Be-

A Rainy Day in October!

We spent the day yesterday traveling to Oakland to see the Raiders vs. the Browns. A fun filled day, spent watching people! The air was charged and the fans were ecstatic as the Raiders scored! As the second half rolled in and the game changed, so did the energy around us. And as we left the stadium and walked the stretch of pavement crossing over streets through a covered bridge with fans, it was as though we were marching in a funeral procession with the quiet all around us and the long drawn faces. So quickly can things change! As we looked up to the skies we noticed they had changed as well and what looked like rain was in the eastern skies. As we left the subway station later, we could smell rain in the air. Driving home through rain last night, it was easy to realize that our summer was coming to an end and Fall was heading in. I woke this morning to clouds. In October!!! Not something we see much of until November or December. Our rainy season does not begin until then and we live in warmth and summer filled days until that time. To smell and see rain and clouds has placed me in a day of calm memories. I have sat with my coffee at the computer this morning going through the pictures and memories of this summer and cherishing each moment one last time. No, the rainy season is not here and will not arrive for another month but this has been a reminder that it really is just around the corner. We will need to call to have the wood delivered and we will begin to watch to see just what days we can build a fire to stay cozy. Something we will see change over the next several years as we all switch to other means of staying warm as our air quality is not seeming to change for the better as we had hoped it would. But life continues on as we find ways to hopefully better our world after all the pollution we have covered her with. And the sun is slowly peeking out from behind the clouds as I sit typing. The rainy season will hold off and the almonds will have time to dry but as I head out to my gardens this morning, I will take with me all the memories of this summer and as I dig in the soil and cut back plants, I know I will find myself smiling as I think back and remember all the fun summer brought our family! May these memories keep me warm and cozy this rainy season until the smell of the blossoms return and spring peaks out to greet us! Thank you all for the fun and memories you have helped us create.
Blessed Be-

Goodtime Memories

Summertime Memories with Friends

Memories with Family

AHHH...Beach Time Memories

Water Memories