nature prevails

I've been spending my days in the garden since I've been home and I've found some interesting things. There are surprises a plenty out there. But one thing that is no surprise, the plants just keep growing. They pay no mind to our vacations and abandonments.

These beautiful cactus were pulled from the ground and then left with bare roots for weeks in buckets and crates. And here they are, blooming. It's more proof that nature will prevail.

happy birthday to you, Lynn

This year, saying happy birthday was much more complicated. So we got creative...

7 Red Balloons

Nicole, Sarah, Annie, Isaac, Noah, Kendal, Nickolas, Ian and I all sent our messages to you on the fog and wind. I would not normally condone the release of balloons, but there are some moments, when you are invited into the closest circle, not to say what or where, just to be there.

2 Trees

Ian and I climbed a small mountain to silently say... everything.

at home with hydrangeas

Our first day back home is coming to a close and the sound it makes is ahhhhhhhhhhh

These are our backyard hydrangeas as they looked before we began our summer travels—glowing and glorious. I would show you what they looked like at the end of our escapades, but the adventure continues...

one year ago today...

... I married the man of me dreams. And there were fireworks.

Happy anniversary Ian.

*The lovely photos above are by Thomas William Levinson

Ready, Set, Go Again!

We arrived home Saturday after midnight (so technically Sunday) and were on the road again by Thursday. Now we find ourselves looking out our hotel window at that gates of San Francisco's China Town. I'm so glad we took our friend Tanya's advice and decided to take a breath of the fresh sea air some where in our own downtown before we left again. It was even her idea to wear the giant sunnies.

Tomorrow will be our one year anniversary. Any ideas of what we should do in the city? We're up for (almost) any kind of adventure.

animated poems and French crabs

I love visiting my brother. Besides being just plain awesome, he always has amazing new things to share with me from books he's read to movies he's seen and so on and on. He showed me this beautiful animation based on the Bukowski poem "The Man With the Beautiful Eyes."

Then I showed him an animation that I have long loved about sad little crabs. I first saw it at a Spike & Mike's Sick and Twisted Animation Festival.

there's no place like home, but Olympia is quite nice

They're not ruby red and I didn't exactly click the heels together, but my shoes did help me get home. It's nice to be here even though I miss my Olympians terribly.

kickin' it old school

It's our last night in Olympia and I'm so glad I got some Old School pizza in me before I left. Tonight it's out on the town. We've all got crossed fingers that the evening will be warm like this glorious sunshine day.

it's the longest day of the year Dad

I love this old photo of my father from back in the day. He looks so happy.

Here his is doing what he loves on Father's day. It also happened to be the longest day of the year today, and here in Washington the sun is only just beginning to set at 9 pm. It's amazing.