Photo Hunt: Colorful

for other photo hunts using colorful go here

Sunday Scribblings: Observations

It is hard to get much by these two dogs. They are good observers!





For other Sunday Scribblings on observations go here.

My mother gives me her recipe: a poem from my collection

getty image by Lorry Eason

this is a poem i found this summer to add to my growing collection. does getting the recipe sound familiar to any of you?

My mother gives me her recipe

Take some flour. Oh, I don't know,
like two-three cups, and you cut
in the butter. Now some women
they make it with shortening,
but I say butter, even though
that means you had to have fish, see?

You cut up some apples. Not those
stupid sweet ones. Apples for the cake,
they have to have some bite, you know?
A little sour in the sweet, like love.
You slice them into little moons.
No, no! Like half or crescent
moons. You aren't listening.

You mix sugar and cinnamon and cloves,
some women use allspice, till it's dark
and you stir in the apples. You coat
every little moon. Did I say you add
milk? Oh, just till it feels right.
Use your hands. Milk in the cake part!

Then you pat it into a pan, I like
round ones, but who cares?
I forgot to say you add baking powder.
Did I forget a little lemon on the apples?
Then you just bake it. Well, till it's done
of course. Did I remember you place
the apples in rows? You can make
a pattern, like a weave. It's pretty
that way. I like things pretty.

It's just a simple cake.
Any fool can make it
except your aunt. I
gave her the recipe
but she never
got it right.

-Marge Piercy

Lakes and More Lakes

(click to make larger)
When we went on our driving tour of Stevens County last week we also visited small lakes off the Tiger Highway. We always saw the sign that said Black Lake, but never drove in to see it. That day after a few wrong turns we found it and loved the view from the end of the lake. Starvation Lake is another small lake good for fishing right before the wildlife refuge. We loved the sign that showed private property just feed away from this public dock and lake. The lily pads, cattails, and surrounding wildlife all added to the beauty of the day.

Then and Now: Tons of Good Times

Z2, the Princess, and Kiki Aru

Seven years ago JEJ and I took our nieces The Princess, Z2 and Kiki Aru on a trip to Grand Coulee Dam in eastern Washington state. At a viewing area near the dam is a statue of a worker sitting on a bench playing the guitar with his two children listening. It was a perfect place to take a picture of my nieces. Above is a picture from seven years ago.

The last two days they took another trip with their parents to Grand Coulee Dam. I asked them to find that statue and pose again so I could have a then and now picture. My nieces are well -versed at posing for pictures on demand. Here they are today.

In a few weeks Z2 will start high school,
Kiki Aru seventh grade, and the Princess will begin college.

You can see our three cute traveling companions have developed into three beautiful young women and look like they are having a great time again today.

We loved being able to spend this evening with the whole family. We heard about their horseback ride today, enjoyed looking at their pictures, and dug out old photos of trips through the years and remembered and laughed over tons of good times.

Photography 101: Simple Beauty at the Refuge

dragonfly visitor

Oregon grape hues small wonders

glowing in the grass

after the rain

shiny red birch bark