Today my niece Kiki Aru celebrates her twelfth birthday. One thing about Kiki Aru is she has always been creative. In the picture above we gave her crayons and paper at my wedding celebration when she was two to keep her entertained!Kiki Aru always loves to laugh. She loves funny jokes and stories that make her laugh. She has also shown me things online that make me laugh! We love to laugh together.
She also loves to learn. The picture above was when she was in kindergarten. Since she was very young she has always liked to be challenged to learn new things.Cards are a favorite game for Kiki Aru. When she was younger she loved to play FISH, but now we all love a rousing game of Spoons.
This is a picture a few years ago when we took her and her sisters camping. They loved climbing, building a fire, playing charades, and going swimming.She also loves to play on the computer and when she would come to visit my house when she was young I would always grab some favorite computer discs from school and off she would go! Now she loves the fact I have high speed internet.
Kiki Aru is musically talented. She learned to play the ukulele and serenaded me at my fiftieth birthday party. She also loves to sing at the Sixth Street Theater in Wallace, in family performances at holidays, and at her church.
A proud day for the whole family was when she was chosen to be one of the eighteen students from Idaho to ask the astronauts a question while they were at the international space station in August. Here she is practicing at the Discovery Center of Idaho in Boise. Her question she asked loud and clear was, "How long had you wanted to be an astronaut?"
Here is JEJ's favorite picture of Kiki Aru that my friend Elinor caught at our wedding celebration. She has always loved being adventurous, whether is was going through this gate at two, learning to ski, or riding her bike down a steep hill.Happy Birthday to You Kiki Aru! I wish I could be there to celebrate. To read more about the birthday girl go to her mother's blog here.
Here was the sign I created to welcome my excited middle school students today. It was a good start of the school year. Students were sharing their new school supplies with me since they know my love for them ranks up there with chocolate and coffee. I heard stories about summer adventures, shopping trips to the mall, and a student driving (underage), but she said it was an emergency!
As writers I am encouraging my students to look for "wondrous words" . As we build a wall of these words by the computers it will enable them to try strong words in their writing. "Hot" in teen terms was nixed from the list today. Also, "pimping" my car was another one that just wouldn't fly. That sent them off to dictionaries to find more wondrous words. I even learned a few new ones I can use in my writing.
The cafe is in the dining room of her home and she cooks from her open kitchen while you enjoy a gorgeous view, soft music, candlelight, and cozy surroundings. 
The entrance to Bridgecreek Farms has a bright red fence with flower beds bursting with blooms.
The gift shop is full of garden decor, antiques, baskets, local crafts, and much more.
The surroundings and the soothing sound of the water cascading over the rocks make you want to sit on the deck and take it all in. We sat in the dining room, but eating on the deck is an option.
As we walked out into the evening after enjoying perfect steak dinners complete with homemade desserts, a breathtaking sunset was beginning as we gazed west. It was a memorable way to say good-bye to another summer season. It was relaxing for JEJ and I to have a quiet road trip and dinner before the school schedule begins tomorrow. 
Mary and her dog headed back toward the house as we said good-bye. If you live in the Inland Empire of Washington and Idaho Bridgecreek Farms and Mary's Cafe are located west of Inchelium, Washington on Bridgecreek Road before you come to Twin Lakes. You cross the Gifford ferry at Lake Roosevelt to get to Inchelium from the east. Many people from out of the area visit Bridgecreek Farms for shopping and dining and are never disappointed. It is certainly worth the drive!
This is an example of the shadow and light difficulty. When you just point and shoot the balance is hard to work with. The light here stands out in the background while the shadows surround the plants along the garage. I like the dark look of the plants. It give them richer textures.
These geraniums are along a rock wall. The same pattern happened here. The dark shadows in front then widen out to much more light.
Here I wanted to capture the living and dying contrast. Part of the garden we are keeping alive, but the rest we let go to save water. Because I was facing the right way and the light worked, the shadows are only on the beans. The contrast is clearly noticeable with the dry dill in the middle.
I ended with the picture of the fall flag. My face was toward the warmth of the sun so I figured there would be enough light when I opened my eyes. The light makes the colors of the flag radiate while the background takes a less important role.
The prompt this week for Sunday Scribblings is 
The sun is winding down earlier also. I am amazed that darkness comes so much sooner in the evening. It seemed like yesterday we were sitting outside after nine o'clock. The sun has changed its location as it moves over our gardens creating new shadows and challenges for this novice photographer.
New routines are being established. When September begins it is a time to reorganize for many. I know people that are getting back into a healthy eating routine again. As it cools it is more appealing to begin walking after dinner again. Also, it is a time to dejunk and declutter. Getting on a set schedule will be good for me. I have been practicing with the alarm clock and I have found early morning again refreshing. 
When one season ends and another starts there are other rituals at our house. The flags that hang in the front are changed. The table coverings are switched to celebrate another season. Canning and perserving of food continues on a schedule as unpredictable as the weather. I am sure that the second day of school when I have Open House and a BBQ that the beans will be ready to be canned. That is an event that always seems to happen in September.
