I think our president is

I think our president is an incredibly brave and moral man. … “Now is the season for action. Now is when we must bring the best ideas of both parties together, and show the American people that we can still do what we were sent here to do. Now is the time to deliver on health care.” … I listened to the president speak last night. And now today I’ve read it again word for word. So I don’t understand. It’s not like we are asking for the moon here. If you have a problem with the bill, what are your ideas to fix it? But fix it and fix it now. What is wrong with trying to eliminate waste, abuse, and fraud and trying to eliminate the practice of padding profits? No, it might not fund the entire health care plan, but isn’t it a step in the right direction? And that’s the problem. It’s time to take a step forward. I would like to send a message to congress. Be brave and lead. You ran for the office. You took the job. Now do it.

Photo credit: last week I saw this moon through the living room window and my camera wouldn't do it justice so Paul shot it for me. He literally gave me the moon.

The un-official end of summer

I love this time of year when all of the festivals begin. Friday night was First Fridays where we saw a giant dress of rope. Saturday we went to the Renaissance Festival.

Sunday we went on a bike ride and the catfish were drifting on the surface of the river.

I had time to make a collage.

And time for a lemon pie.

And I bought this bird whistle from a booth at the Ren Fest. We tried it out on Sunday. Paul had one little guy answering him. But all the rest of the birds seemed to shut up. Hmmm. Maybe this has the opposite effect. Or maybe we better learn what we're saying. It sounded pretty all the same.

And finally, I made this list not too long ago of things I wanted to accomplish this summer now that it's over ..... maybe I can finish up with Indian Summer.

summer list

√ garden, (our best one ever)
√ run, (but not up to my goal)
√ tennis, (only twice, need more)
√ swim outdoors
√ bike
archery
√ pick strawberries and make jam
√ cherries, (pick, freeze, and bake into pies)
√ eat and cook seafood
√ eat peaches and cream
√ make peach pie, (made a grilled pie and a cobbler)
√ badminton
√ sewing, (could be farther along on this one)
√ hammock
√ clean and organize, (yikes)
√ start a quilt
√ tomato spaghetti
√ vacation, (San Antonio, Florida, and Maryland)
√ go to a county fair, (2)
draw
√ meteor/star gazing
√ bon fire, (only one)
roasting marshmallows
√ read lots of books

I saw this on CNN

I saw this on CNN last night. I know I'm being played. I can't help it. I love it!

Summer's Last Hoorah

The sunflowers are here. Fields and fields of them.

So now the kitchen has some
and some zinnias from the garden.

I have always had a

I have always had a crush on the Kennedys. I admired Jackie especially, but I have a crush on the whole Camelot era, and Kit, Bobby and Ethel too. Truly, they were larger than life. But I never really cared for Teddy. I knew about the Chappaquiddick incident and I knew he was suspended from Harvard his freshman year for cheating. So I never paid attention to him.
And truthfully, before the last four years I was never really socially or politically minded. My crush was more because of life styles rather than issues. (And for this I feel shame.)
But last night I watched all the biographies and news shows documenting his life. I listened to his speeches and the issues he campaigned for. And throughout his career he believed in the same things I believe in. I wish I would have taken the time to get to know his issues better when he was alive. I learned about the personal tragedies he suffered, beyond losing his siblings. And yet a friend described him as wickedly funny. I admire that.
We’ve lost someone who used his voice to fight against the gluttonous view, “I’m only doing well if I’m doing better than you”, rather than we do better as a whole if we all are doing better. I can only hope and pray another person will have the bravery to take up the fight in his place.

This was my first two

This was my first two day weekend since May. Man I hate it when I have to work Fridays again. We made the most of my two days!

Paul and I rode the trail west on Friday night, about seven miles. This bridge crosses the river that direction too but it has no rails.

On Saturday we had a girls' day in the city, Farmers' market, movie and shopping. I pulled up next to the girls at the stop light and it was good to see that Hali is always safe and wearing her helmet, whether she's riding a bike or riding in a car.

When we came out of the movies, (Julie and Julia), we went to Anthropologies where this group of men were lined up outside, apparently waiting on their wives/girlfriends. Anthro just isn't for guys I guess.

And below is the flat tire that I got Sunday morning, 5 miles into the trail and no access roads near by. Paul and Ryane had to ride all the way back to get the van and I started walking my bike out. Luckily I didn't have to walk the whole 5 miles back.

And finally: peaches again. This time we grilled them and baked them into a pie on the grill. We over did the bottom crust so in the end it still turned out to be a cobbler.

And now....five more days of work.....

Natural phenomenon

After 4.5 inches of rain, a rainbow yesterday on my way to work. This spurred the discussion, is it possible to actually see the end of a rainbow? And then mushrooms sprouting in the afternoon. But the most peculiar item....crop circles. Two perfect intersecting circles of darker grass growing in our back yard. Hmmm......