View from the Hammock

I took this picture one morning last week as John and I hung out in the hammock. It reminded me of the following entry from my writer's notebook, dated April 18, 2002:

About a month ago I was walking on campus - hurrying toward the union for a meeting. I looked up and saw the kind of clear blue, bright blue sky that reminds so much of Sedona. Maybe it was the way the red brick buildings met the sky - much like the red rocks and sky converging in Sedona. A lady was walking by, hurrying with downcast eyes. I said, "Isn't the sky beautiful?" She stopped and said, "What?" I said, "Look at the beautiful sky." She paused, eyes towards the heavens for a full five seconds and said, "Thank you, thank you very much." I guess my sister Tori was right when she said you can see "Blue Sedona Skies" right here in North Dakota.

What to do with all this snow?

If you're not from North Dakota, you might not understand how much fun snow can actually be. Actually, this winter has been unusually mild for us too. But in the past few days we've gotten lots of snow and have had the opportunity to experience winter at its best. All that's missing are skating, sledding, snowman making, snowball fighting, and fort building. For those of you without the luck of having snow around, enjoy the pics and "think white."

Splitting Some Ash

"I'm going back out to split some ash." Those were Davey-baby's first words to me when he got home from work tonight. In my "no school, three fighting kids all day long" stupor, the words sounded more like "I'm going back out to kick some a--" But we all know Dave's not the fighting kind of guy. So here we are, the kids and I hanging out in the family room listening to the thunk, thunk, thunks as Dave chops us some wood. What a guy - gotta love him.

Crazy Daisies

Call us tacky, call us goofy… whatever you want. Still, the flower arrangement of choice here on Belmont Road is Crazy Daisies. It all started a few years ago when Dave decided to bring home some flowers from the grocery store and the kids were with him. Even though daffodils are my favorites, followed by lilies… the kids wanted the unnaturally colored daisies. They’ve been a hit ever since. Sophie was delighted with them on her ninth birthday and Lucy requested them for her seventh. If memory serves me correctly, even John wanted them for his birthday. From now on think of us and smile as you pass by the flower buckets in the grocery store and see the fluorescent-like daisies sticking out – because soon, I’m sure, they’ll be in a vase on our kitchen table.