Tuesday, July 31, 2012

fishing, fun, and family



We went to Homer for the weekend to go fishing and spend time with family.  Saturday morning we all woke up to a beautiful day; the sun was shining and the water was nearly as still as glass.  We made our way down to the harbor and loaded our stuff and ourselves onto the boat and set out for Little Tutka Bay and then for Jakaloff.  Mercedes had to work at the Library, so it was just Steve, me, Riggy, Ben and Morgan.




On the ride over we soaked in the sunlight and the views and each other, anticipating the rest of the day that lay out ahead of us.



We met up with Rick and his guests in kayaks and chatted for a few minutes before continuing onto the house to grab some extra supplies for fishing we had forgotten.  A few boats passed us but I felt by soul singing as we drew further and further away from town and people and real life.




In Jakaloff, we had a little visitor waiting to greet us, happily bobbing about in the entrance to the channel.  The water was so clear that when he went under I could see his lithe body swimming, so lithely, just under the surface.



Then came the serious part of the day, it was time to fish!  We buzzed around the cove, looking for just the right spot, and once we found it, Ben and Steve worked rhythmically, pulling in fish after fish, until our cooler was full and the tide was going out and it was time to get moving.



We went back to Little Tutka, and Morgan and Riggs had fun visiting with their Opa.  For me it was a magical day, in which I felt renewed and recharged and at peace.  And as we were heading back across the bay towards Homer, I wistfully thought that I would have stayed there forever if it was possible, suspended in time to relive those beautiful hours over and over.




KCCO



Handsewing the binding on a quilt always (the two times I've done it...) seems to take so long.  Yet I thoroughly enjoy the repetitive, somewhat monotonous work.  It's just nice to keep my hands busy, and since we purchased an antenna for our TV to watch the Olympics, it has been especially nice to have something to keep my hands busy while we watch the various events.

I can't wait to get this quilt done and pass it on to its intended owner, I think she will really like it!  At some point this week I also hope to finish piecing the blocks together for my Christmas Quilt.  I'd really like to have it done in time for Christmas (obviously, ha).

Monday, July 30, 2012

::growing gratitude::



Right now I am...


...sort of obsessed with taking pictures outside.  Each year I forget just how beautiful summer is in Alaska, and I just want to preserve it for when I need a little green during the winter months.


...really starting to settle into living in a new town.  Riggs and I have slowly started to explore Palmer, and we have been finding plenty of fun, baby friendly things to do around town.



...filled with gratitude that I get to watch my little Riggy explore the world, in awe of all the things we seem to take for granted, like how the petals of a flower feel between your fingers.



...a little sad that I didn't make building raised beds a priority this spring when we first moved in.  I would love to be out harvesting our first crops right about now.  But also determined to get them in by the end of summer to have them ready for next year.



...filled with ideas for making our outdoor space more livable but a little bit overwhelmed as well.  It is always so hard to get started on projects for me...



...thankful that I have gotten to spend some quality time with my little sister this summer, in the short couple of months that she is home from college.  We went to the Zoo on her day off from work last week and enjoyed observing the animals, made lazy by the heat from the sun.







...thrilled by how much Riggs seems to love being outside.  He really soaks it in wherever we may be, and can't get enough of all the sights that he can see.









Tuesday, July 24, 2012

::growing gratitude::


Right now I am...




...thinking about how blessed I am to be a wife and mother to such amazing guys, I love them both so much and was happy to have a weekend all together to decompress and reconnect as a family.


...surprised once again that my baby is growing so fast and learning and changing so much each day.



...thankful to live in such a beautiful place, and to have the chance to get out and just be.













............