Monday, May 26, 2014

Our Sweet Grandbaby

Can words capture the heart of a mama when she holds her grandbaby for the first time?  

I think not. 

No, there are no words. 

 Tears of joy and happiness for our son and daughter, 
gratitude for a safe and healthy  home birth, 
but no words to convey the emotion that courses through a body holding the tiny sweet bundle, 
made from my flesh and blood, yet not mine...entirely. 
 Part of me, yet not implicitly.

She, 
Shiloh Anne
is the sweetest, most precious little one...and here she is, all 7lbs and 12 oz.















I am speechless...
But if a picture can communicate a thousand words....



...You'll know that it was love at  first sight.



With a heart full,

GRANDMA Julianne

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Vacation Memories at the Lake Cabin


We just spent an entire week at a remote lake cabin completely unplugged.  
Had it been in Idaho, I might have stayed there. 
 I can easily identify with the hermit lifestyle; 
quiet, peaceful, lots of time for pondering and planning (some of my favorite pastimes)
 and did I say quiet? 

We were so blessed with beautiful weather  the whole week.  
And, we thoroughly enjoyed it while we were gazing at the lake, 
either from the porch or from a boat. 



Here at home, a large storm is brewing, with one of the blackest clouds we have ever seen here 
heading right our way.  
The trees are swaying..it will hit here soon.  
Therefore, the children have come inside from their afternoon excursions
 and are gathered at the table to color and listen to an audio book...
..the perfect rainy afternoon activity.

With a pot of soup simmering on the stove for dinner,
 I thought I would quickly add our vacation pictures while my bread is rising, 
so here goes....



Lake life is easy to get attached to.  
Water is so relaxing-- be it the beach, the lake, or a river, even a pond.  
There is just something about water that speaks tranquility to me.








The lake was brimming with trout, so this became the main occupation for our week there, 
at least for the boys.
  Although Brian and I like to fish, we spent the majority of our time just staring at the water,
 or watching the children play and fish.







I did play in the dirt with the littles,
 making tiny homes for tiny wee folks whom we imagined would come and live there.
My, I haven't done that for ages.  It was great fun!!





 

"EAGLE!!!!" 
 Ben loved watching the Eagles swoop and dive to catch fish, then fly up into the tall trees and roost.  
He never tired of it, although it happened all day- everyday.
One roosted right above me in the very tree I was leaning on. 
 We listened to their squirrel like chatter and tried to imitate them. 

We also heard a Barred owl right behind the cabin every evening, 
but never could spot it in the huge cedar trees, 
though we climbed over all sorts of dense underbrush and bracken looking.




Playing together and hanging out together all week  gave us old folks a nice relaxing get away. 
 The children had lots of fun, too, with all the new surroundings to investigate, 
new swings to play on, and the irresistible water.  
We had all the extravagances of  grid electricity:  like a dryer, a microwave, a toaster, 
and showers whenever we wanted,
 (you off grid people KNOW what I'm talking about!!) 
so we really felt quite spoiled and well rested.

Still, at the end of the week, everyone was excited to get home. 
 As we crossed the Idaho state line, there were loud
(and I mean LOUD!!)
cheers from all.


Vacation was wonderful-but,
There's just no pace like HOME.



Living Counter Cultural: Femininity

Popular culture has a decidedly feminist bent.  Recent movies, tv shows and prominent women  are displaying heroins as   to...