Four Babies!

Wow Mom that's a full house! Lots of little squeeky peeps today coming from the nest, and I finally got to see the babies stretching those wide open mouths up waiting for Mom to bring dinner. Soooo sweet!

OUCH!!

A boy and his bike meet the dirt. He was a tough patient sitting through the scrubbing and peroxiding of his newest future conversation scar. We decided that in order to pick up chicks with this new wound he needed to have a more exciting story than, " I wiped out on my bike", so we thought up rock climbing, sky diving, being in a fight... and settled on the rock climbing version of, "Well I was climbing to the top of El Capitan when I lost my foot hold and slid down the face 10 feet before catching myself." That should pull em in we agreed... and we were all done cleaning and bandaging. I'm sure fellow bikers out there in the world display some similar scar versions on your legs...  they are nasty scrapes.

Does anybody know...

what kind of bird this little guy is? It is the one in the nest on the patio, but I can't identify it. There are two of them and they have been flitting around, back and forth to the nest... we think feeding babies, and being very watchful of the nest, not straying too far from it. 

They are so cute and tiny... I'd really like to know what they are. 

Mike is closing in the patio soon to make a wood shop which will cut off part of the access for these two little parents. I'm hoping it will all be okay and not too disruptive. I know it's just a little bird, but I feel very protective of them... they've worked so hard it seems to make this nest and have these little babies, I just want them to be successful. They didn't choose the best of places to nest, but if we can just get them grown and out of home with no damage I will be happy. Good luck little mama.

Our summer yard...

is so beautiful and green right now with flowers and veggie's growing. I've been playing with veggies more this year and having so much fun learning... and eating. Last night we had a whole dinner from the garden... minus the chicken, but it was seasoned with fresh cilantro and walla walla sweet onions grown from our dirt. What a great feeling to eat your own home grown food. I'm addicted... it feels like magic really. I've been reading and planning for next years space already, and have added more garden space with a late start on more potatoes and carrots. I think they will still have time to grow before the cold... everything is already up so fast. The empowered feeling of being self reliant is kind of addicting too... hmmm seems a lot of people have lost that feeling or maybe never even felt it... I think it is greatly on the rise however from what I've been reading... and I think I've been slow to get on the wagon, but wow it's great! 

Putting away my tools lately I glanced up and saw this mess of debris piled on top of  the old alarm system sensor on our back patio. I couldn't imagine how it got there it was such a mess, stringing all down the front of the sensor like someone had just thrown a wad of gunk up there. Upon closer inspection I realized it was a bird nest though it seemed empty, or so I thought. Climbing up on a ladder to see better confirmed that it was in fact not empty as this little beige head with black shiny eyes peered out at me... holding perfectly still as if trying not to be noticed. Oh a little mom on my back patio and I didn't even notice. She is so sweet sitting there. She sneaks away and sneaks back so carefully  watching before she flies back to the nest keeping it safe from predators. I'm a little concerned when the juniors try out there wings for the first time... between dogs and hard concrete below.... hmmm...well I might have to try and remedy that somehow. 

Simple joys.  

Aaahhhh Summer Vacations...

another week here and gone... so fast, in a blink we were there and gone it seems. But it finally felt like summer... hot days and cool drinks... strolling in the water feeling the waves come in and wash the sand out from under your toes. Heaven. Priest Lake is a most beautiful place and has an old charm about it... an air of family traditions. People are friendly and happy and not in a hurry... content.

Everyone had fun this year, with friends to play and be silly with, and compete with... and dunk, how could you not have fun. Lots of time to read and bask in the sun... taking afternoon naps on the beach and relishing the lack of needing to get something done. No deadlines or phone calls... well maybe a few... but in general a much needed reprieve of responsibility for the bill payer of this vacation.

It was a beautiful week with one wind storm in the middle of it that blew in big clouds and blew down a smattering of trees. It's kind of nice to have a small break in perfect weather, it makes all the other days feel so welcomed... though I heard of the awful fire in Spokane due to the winds, I felt bad for those families affected and wished for them to find there way through such devastation with peace and strength.

Until next year thanks Priest Lake for another year of vacation memories.

We celebrated our 7th anniversary while there with a wonderful savory dinner at Hills Restaurant. Praise worthy. Our taste buds were in heaven. For the supposed seven year itch we still seem to be pretty happy. Love continues to grow in new and different ways all the time... changing and morphing us into something far different than those first few months of intoxicating romance. So much deeper the acceptance and respect for one another... the allowing of the other person to be who they need to be and supporting that growth with attempted understanding... not always found or expressed but certainly sought after in our hearts. It is a continual weave that we dance and separate, dance and separate with each re-acquaintance a new stitch in the design. I hope for a beautiful blanket when we are all done, one of many colors and textures of years of joy and trial... of respect and appreciation... with the hope that a little glint in each others eye of  that first love that brought us together will still sparkle somewhere... and that we will never grow too old or too grouchy to hold hands. I love you sweet man, Happy Anniversary.
This was one of the first cabins ever built in Priest Lake, though you cannot see it well it is a log structure. While out shooting I saw this on the main road and spoke with a couple that was working to take it apart, lovingly piece by piece. The front porch and windows had already been taken out, and the tongue and groove old floor was being worked on next... piece by piece disassembling the whole cabin. What a labor of love. They purchased this cabin and the structure next to it (no photo of it) which was an old gas station, and are moving them both to Ione by the end of the month... good luck to you!
The Golden Poet- my favorite shot from this trip. A little artistic freedom used here ... just a little though... but I love it so much I think I'm going to print it for above our fireplace. It held such magic... and peace... and beauty... I'd like to revisit it often.