Brush Strokes

Living in the desert makes me see why so many Southwest artists don’t focus on details. Their art is about color applied in broad brush strokes. We admired these warm colors today as we took our drive. Some other drivers got angry at me for driving so slowly. Silly people. Didn’t they know there was a view?

Let me tell you about Thursdays. The Ross kids think everything is more difficult on Thursdays. A few years ago I started a tradition of taking the kids out to lunch and on a drive on those dreaded days.

Today we went out to lunch (McDonalds) and drove behind the mines by our house because we had never been there before. Somehow it made all the difference.

Questions of the day

I’m pretty sure we are missing a good time up north in the mountains where there’s a river, some tubes, and a cabin. It’s family reunion week at the Weber and we’re not there.

I wonder who won the candy game?

How was the group birthday party?

Who “got” to sleep in the bedroom right next to the bathroom?

What is everyone reading?

Have any of the kids fallen into the river (yet)?

I wonder if Mom is ready to take a therapy drive… say, to Wyoming?

How many gallons of weed spray have been dispersed by Dad?

Who is sleeping on the porch bed?

How many fish have been caught?

I’m pretty sure they were waiting for the Sanchez family to rebuild the rock dam. How did that go?

From which pines is the swing hanging this year?

Is there water in the little stream by the road?

Have the kids painted rocks with water?

Have there been any moose? …deer?…bears?

How many repairs have been made to the screen door this week?

Have there been any visits from Sterling or other family?

Have we had *the talk* about what to flush and what not to flush into the septic system?

When did the Finches come up?

Who brought the best junk food?

Are there any poppies left in bloom?

Have the creepy wire mattress skeleton swings been taken down?

Are the horses hungry? Have they nibbled any little hands?

Don’t bother answering any of my questions. Knowing details just makes it harder.

The Week in Review

This week brought the first piano lesson for Timothy. His delightful expressions, if bottled, would be alcoholic.

Sardines, when played in the house, is best accomplished if you wear a Batman mask and Mom’s dark bathrobe.

“R-duo D-duo”

The ladybugs

Beowulf with duct tape over some passages

My dentist played 1940’s music while I had my teeth cleaned. All right!

We have a high school, middle school, elementary school, and preschool student in this house.

Looking for Work

Daniel took this picture at the Desert Museum.

This boy, I tell you, can do some amazing things. He’s currently looking for work. He’s discovered that *expensive* Bionicle sets are the way to go. After building his enormous creation the other day, he said, “This was the most satisfying Lego set I have ever built.”

Back to the money thing. We live away from all our people. What can be done? Well, there is mail order.

Does anybody need a pamphlet on Pearl Harbor? He wrote a good one.

How about some photos of lego creations? He has several hundred he could share.

Are you interested in a good book reviewer? He reads at least 3 books a week, sometimes 5.

And then there are his piano compositions. There is Weber River and Carousel Ride. Each has its charms. You know.

I’d pay good money if I had any (darn school books!) for a good photo of his amazing eyes.

Wow, I think I just remembered where I stashed some cash. Never mind on the sale. I want to keep all of those things for myself.

Serendipity beetles

After a little school work, we decided to go to the mountains. We went hiking and exploring.

I was hoping it would be an inspirational moment where we would talk about educational goals. We just played in the stream instead. And THEN we saw…

some ladybugs.

There were many ladybugs.

We saw ladybugs in the trees,

ladybugs on the ground…

and they were irresistible.

So, today we climbed rocks and found serendipity beetles.

It was a good day.

What’s that line?

One of my favorite movies is You’ve Got Mail. I am thinking of the scene where Meg Ryan tells her “surrogate mother” and female employee that she is closing her store. Her s.m. tells her “Closing the store is the Brave Thing to Do,” and then she says stepping off into the unknown “armed with nothing” means Meg is Daring to believe she can do something different. Or something like that.

Tonight I say, “Beginning school is the Brave Thing to Do.”

Here we go.

Sorting

We went rock hunting yesterday. After 10 minutes in the sun, we decided to count and sort our collections. We could only take two. It was hard to choose.

Sorting and prioritizing are good life lessons. If only excess commitments were as easy to fling back as little rocks! Just like those little rocks with their sparkling crystals and mineral deposits, each commitment is enticing in some way even after it’s been cast aside.

School starts on Tuesday. We are in full-sorting mode. Who will drive to seminary? And home from seminary?  Are you sure it’s not too far out of your way? Which children can I watch during German classes? Will Medieval (I *just* learned how to spell that correctly. Shameful.) History be too much on top of U.S. Government classes? You have room in your schedule to teach Timothy piano lessons? You want us to move our piano lessons so someone can take Latin? No problem. But I’ll need to shuffle park days once a month.

More than ever, life requires some cooperation among friends to make it all happen and some brave culling of activities.

I’m excited for the school year to begin. The books are arriving daily.