Motherhood and other creative adventures
My sewing machine broke a while back at the very worst possible time, and the guy at the repair shop just shook his head at me. There was no hope. So he gave me a total steal on the fanciest sewing machine I’ve ever even used. It’s incredible. So quiet and smooth, and it both sews and snips thread with the push of a button. It almost doesn’t need me. I love her.
Bear’s colleague in Placerville has a ranch with goats and chickens and sheep and cattle, and he has sent Bear home with coolers full of goodies. Including these gorgeous eggs. Can you believe the colors?? Can you believe this is what they look like in nature?? It’s like they’ve been dyed with the most luxurious PAZ pellets ever created.
Our friends Ray and Missy got their dog Lucky right about the same time we got Boo, so these cute little guys have basically grown up together. Whenever Boo gets anywhere near the car she dives in, because the only time we drive her anywhere is to go to Lucky’s house. They have slumber parties whenever one set or the other of puppy parents needs to go out of town, and they get so excited when they see each other that Lucky pees all over the place and Boo jumps up and down. But they’re also competitive. We can’t spend much time with them when they’re together because we’ll get trampled with love as each dog campaigns to show us they love us the most. They’re BFaoF’s – Best Friends and occasionally Frenemies.
When I miss having seasons, I’m going to look at this picture. California is wonderful.
This weekend was the semi-annual conference for my religion, and for the first time in the history of the church, a woman prayed over the entire congregation. Not only did a woman pray, but two women prayed. One as an opening prayer, and one as a closing.
On a local level women have been praying for always, but never on such a visible level and over the entire church body. And even locally, as in several of my own wards I’ve attended, there can be weird traditions of women never being allowed to say the opening prayer, or the closing prayer. Because in some cases those are viewed as requiring the priesthood. It’s ridiculous when you actually stop to examine it, but as with everything touched by human nature, it’s always easier to go with the status quo.
This might seem like no big deal to you. But it is huge. Without someone that looks like you doing something, no matter if it’s a matter of gender or race or disability or orientation, most people subtly get the message that whatever that is is not for you. There will always be some people who are trailblazers or surrounded by strong enough support to buck that message, but those people are the exception.
And when that ‘something’ that is not for us is approaching God on behalf of all His children? That is so far from OK that I’ve dedicated my life to changing it. And this weekend, we got somewhere.
One of the best things about living in Modesto is living where everything grows. Just up the street is a farm that specializes in tulips, and the other day Bear stopped to bring me a present. They walked out to the field, cut them from the ground, and wrapped them up to send them home. They came in with soil still clinging to their stems.
And as they opened they turned out to be the most gorgeous color! With stems so long they draped themselves all over my kitchen, like dancer legs.
As kids at church we sing a song called Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree. It’s a sweet little song talking about the glories of spring and how the flowers on blossoming trees look like popcorn.
This tree is apparently growing neon candy popcorn balls. But my gosh is that the most gorgeous shade of purple outside my window.
For all the times ice cream has shown up in these Year of Pleasures, you might have noticed that I have very strong feelings about it. I’m always searching for unique flavors that aren’t cloyingly sweet, and if it somehow manages to reflect my all time favorite sweet/salty combo, then I am game for it.
As soon as I saw this flavor with chocolate covered potato chips, I knew it was perfect for me. You might remember my recipe for Chocolate Potato Chip Toffee? This is the ice cream version of that. Yummy.
This year I’m really starting to notice the changes of getting older, and Daylight Savings Time is a big one. Holy Moley did it ever work me over. Luckily I wasn’t alone. Naptime and snuggle time in one is better than Oreo cookies.
This batch of broccoli came from the community garden I planted with my pal Dave. Since I haven’t been on top of my game lately, he did all the work and I still get to enjoy the harvest. Smothered in cheese. That’s a great friend.
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