Write My Life

Kudos to Orion parent Julie Brodie, a professional photographer, who for the second year in a row agreed to photograph Orion children and donate the proceeds to Orion. Thank you, Julie.

For a couple days Julie needed someone to watch her children while she photographed. I volunteered.

Meanwhile, I desperately needed some good photographs of myself for my CKU class I would be attending in a few weeks. Julie came to the aide. Here are a few of her creations. These are the best photographs I’ve had of me in ages. I am so pleased. You did an awesome job, Julie!

After graduation we enjoyed at potluck dinner at Stafford Park. The new graduates ate then played games of all kinds in the park. The parents ate and gathered together to discuss a wide variety of topics. It was a nice evening and many families did not leave until 9 p.m.

Driving home Mike shared a thought with us.

“Tonight I figured out why Jackie has had such good friends at school, ” Mike said. “Because they all have such good parents.”

Here’s another reminder to me not to underestimate my influence as a mother.

Jennifer looked into my hands. I was holding a box. It was the latest Scholastic book order I had received from school. Knowing there were books inside for her she wanted to look inside the box. I flipped the lid and let her take a peek. She exclaimed with glee as she picked up each book. Then she turned to me and yelled, “You rock Mom!” I smiled. Thanks, dear. I love you, too.

Variety is the spice of life. In the butterfly house at Marine World, we saw a wide array of butterflies. It was fun and amazing.

Praise God for creating the beauty and variety all around us!

Editing photographs can be fun and sometimes I notice things I had not seen beforehand.

As I looked at the photographs of the dolphin show at Marine World I was instantly struck by the amount of water splash the dolphins make. Even on a normal jump, the splash is incredible. Here are some photographs that show water splash:

Dating Layouts…it’s the bane of my scrapbooking life. After a month of doing just a few projects and no layouts, I finished a layout. Gazing at it afterwards I noticed something wrong. ACKKK!!!!!

Notice the date? August 9, 2006

I moaned and showed Jackie.

“How much of a perfectionist are you?” she asked. “You’ll have to redo it.”

Yes, I’ll have to redo the white part of the layout.

Admission: If you notice any of my layouts with dates and the year just doesn’t seem right, it may not be right after all. As much as I try, I am not perfect.

“the greatest meeting of land and water in the world”

Landscape artist Francis McComas’s brief but extravagant comparison remains unchallenged. All who come here agree that the beauty of this tree-clad headland is unequaled.

– Pt. Lobos website

And I agree. I always love this little slice of the California coast, where the rocky shores meet the ocean. From the many coves to the beautiful water, the view remains unparalleled.

Where else can you view southern sea otters, California sea lions, and harbor seals all within less than 1/2 mile of each other? Where else can you stand on the ocean’s edge shielding yourself from the cold, then in the next minute be standing in the warmth and tranquility of a Cypress grove? Where else can the waters be crashing on the shores in one cove but in an adjacent cove be calm blue waters?

It’s been an 18-year love affair. Since I first heard about sea otters they have fascinated me.  From their cute faces, to their incessant grooming, these animals are fun to watch. We are fortunate enough to live in an area where we can see them close-up at an aquarium but also at places like Elkhorn Slough, Monterey Bay and Pt. Lobos.

I’ve always enjoyed getting flowers. All colors. All sizes. All kinds. It never really mattered. I just love flowers. Surprised? Ha! Look at my scrapbook pages!

Recently, though, I am realizing that there is one kind of flower I really love more than the others. I’ve developed a bias for wildflowers. Put me in a field of wildflowers and my sense of sight will just zing.

Imagine my delight when we walked into Elkhorn Slough and fields of wildflowers bombarded us. Ah. It doesn’t get much better.

Wildflower at Elkhorn Slough

“Oh, look!” Jennifer exclaimed. “It’s a Roly Poly.” She bent down and watched the little isopod crustacean. He could curl up into a ball, but he didn’t. He just walked on and on.

What is it about small creatures she loves? I’ve been watching and noticing her fascination with small creatures like worms, ants, spiders and butterflies. On our vacation to Elkhorn Slough, Jennifer picked up a Roly Poly and let it climb up her arm. Just today, she came racing through the house to release a spider back outside.

I’m too busy and too focused to notice these little things anymore. They are important, though, and maybe that’s why I smile when I see Jennifer so excited about them. I’m glad she notices. I hope she continues to notice and continues to care.