Stingray Photo Bomb

I've been looking for something to make me smile today, and remembered this picture I found on people.com last week.

(source)

And this, my friends, is one more reason for me to fear nature.  These ladies do not look like they're loving nature...

Just An Ordinary Day

Have you ever heard Ordinary Day by Vanessa Carlton?  I got the CD in high school, and this was probably one of my favorite songs.  Maybe it's the piano.  Maybe it's because I always wish I knew how to play the piano.  Maybe it's her soothing voice.  Anyway, I feel like every day is ordinary, but it's what you make of it that makes it special...or not. 

Today was a pretty nice day.  I started the day remembering an admired professor after a sudden death.  Maybe that's what made today special...appreciating today for what it is and not dreading it.  Today was what I would consider to be an ordinary office day, if there is such a thing.  I had nearly three straight hours of meetings this afternoon, and during them, I couldn't help taking a picture of how we made it through the meeting:  Laffy Taffy. 

This week, I spent the whole week in the office.  I think this is a summer record.  I don't think I've been at my desk for this long in about three months....maybe four.  It was a nice change of pace.  Anyway, earlier this week, I went to a meeting, and came back to find my co-worker's office looking like this.  It's pretty typical to do little projects at our desks.  I've polyurathaned projects, stained wood, and used a hand saw at my desk.  It's just what we do, but I couldn't help but capture the moment.

While I was at work today, my mom called and asked if she could go over to my house and make me an apple pie.  Um, yes?  I actually forgot about it during my marathon meetings this afternoon, so walking in my door and being greeted by the aroma of fresh apple pie was quite a treat.  I ate two pieces for dinner.  It was amazing.  Honestly, I'll probably eat a piece of it for every meal until it's gone.  It's that good.

The crust she used was one I had on hand from Gluten Free Pantry.  It was delicious - flaky and buttery - unlike any other gluten-free pie crust I've tried.

Then, I took Sophie on a walk.  I love my neighborhood.  I love walking around the little lake.  Sophie loves it, too.  There are lots of smells for her to explore.  I hope to live in our neighborhood forever.  Once they build the HyVee a couple of blocks from the house, it'll be even more amazing.

Tasty Garden

Tonight I made my first caprese salad using a tomato from my garden.  It was fabulous.  Sophie also enjoyed it.  I used fresh basil and my first tomato...and a little oil and balsamic from Allspice.

My first tomato ripening on the vine for one last day.

Caprese salad with basil and tomato from my garden.

Manzanillo Olive Oil

18 Year Traditional Balsamic Vinegar

A few weeks back, I was sure all my tomatoes were going to be a flop when I discovered the bottom of ALL of my tomatoes were brown...and looked rotten.  It was heartbreaking.  I picked them and was sure my garden was ruined.  However, it obviously wasn't, and I'm so glad it all worked out.

My rotten tomatoes.  Bummer.

Pretty Pictures

My co-worker, Aaron (pronounced A-ron), takes the coolest pictures.  Last week, I went to Adventureland for a work function, and we took pictures of a lot of similar things, however, his photos looked about 1,000 cooler than mine (I'll write more on that later).  Below are some examples of some of his mad photography skills.  I asked if he could take pictures of old lawn mowers and grills and make them look old and crappy.  He made them look cool.  I don't even know how that's possible.  I guess it's nice to have an eye for that kind of thing.  It's a true talent.

They're Growing!

Last Thursday, I was more than pleased to see my tomato plant bursting with tomatoes.  I can't believe they're already so big!

Styling Decisions

When I style a photo shoot, I always hope my shoots don't end up on Catalog Living's site.  Today, I was working on a Christmas story (politically correct version: Holiday story).  It is a front porch scene.  We used fake snow to make it feel like Christmas.  It was also inside the photo studio (even though the photo will look like it's outside).  Here's a picture of the box of fake snow I used.  It smelled like a mix of dirt and laundry detergent.  Not every day is glamorous.  For instance, today I had to make an emergency visit to the nurse's office.  Turns out I'm allergic to dwarf pine trees.  This, I'm convinced, is proof I shouldn't go outside and cements the fact in my head that I'm NOT a tree lover. 

I'm pretty sure this box is from 1989.  It smells about that old.

Bump, Set, Spike

Tonight's volleyball game was much better than last week's game.  Of the three games we played, we lost the first two and won the final.  I was so happy that we won, however I'm pretty laid back about the whole situation.  Sometimes, I get distracted by all the other courts playing their games.  Sometimes, I want to talk to my teammates.  Sometimes, I want to look at birds.  Whatever...I'm not in it to win it.  I'm in it to have a good time - and I am having a great time - so I'd say playing sand volleyball is everything I want it to be!

Tonight's team

I used to be really good at bumping...

Tomorrow, Josh and I are going over to Iowa City to look at apartments for him.  We're pretty much booked every half hour from 10:30 until 6:30.  Hopefully we'll find something.  Also, we're meeting another first year law student.  I hope he's cool.  He's not William Sherwin (I laugh every time I hear his name!), but I'm sure he'll be just as nice.  :)

Another Front Porch Makeover

After I get done with a photo shoot, I'm always inspired to do something to love my home even more.  After sprucing up my mom's front porch, I felt inclined to make my own front porch look better.  Every year, I plant flowers.  But this year, I decided to take it a little further.

In an effort to enjoy my outdoor space more, I bought some outdoor furniture.  Every year, Josh and I say we're going to buy furniture when it goes on sale.  And for the past five years, we've forgotten to buy the furniture when it goes on sale.  So, I convinced him to let me buy some reasonably priced furniture.  Tonight, I was working late at Lowe's, and stopped by the outdoor furniture department while on my way to the checkout counter when I spotted the perfect furniture set.  I was hoping Josh would also love it, so I set it up outside before I even walked in the house.  Josh agrees with me that it's pretty fabulous.

The flowers are beautiful.  The furniture is perfect.  Now, all I need is a footrest, a new rug for the front door, and maybe a keg full of Crispin.

Before

Before

After with flowers

I love a planter full of flowers!

Beautiful planters!

...And my first garden!

New outdoor furniture

Enjoying a cool beverage on a hot night.

Sophie also enjoys sitting on the front porch.

Also, I can now officially cross off one thing off my 30 Before 30 list!  I planted my first garden with some plants from the farmers market and a few from Lowe's.  It consists of two tomato plants, one basil, one strawberry, one cilantro, one mint, and four broccoli plants.  I also threw in two flower plants on the front corners for color.  I'll add the tomato cages in a couple of weeks.  I can't wait to watch them grow over the next few months and eat the fruits of my labor...as I sit in my chair and enjoy a little bit of nature.

Orange Blossom Tomato

Cilantro

Strawberry

Basil

Mint

Broccoli

Rose Tomato

Summer Vacations

Growing up, I didn't really have a summer vacation.  My parents were Ham Radio operators.  Dad's call sign is N0HAN; mom's is KB0MGV.  When I was homeschooled, my mom taught my sister and me Morse Code.  She was upgrading her Ham Radio license and learning Morse Code was required.  I don't remember much (more than SOS), but I'm glad I had the experience.  Anyway, back to family vacations.  Pretty much every summer, we ventured three hours from our house near Larimore, North Dakota, up to Dunseith, North Dakota for the annual Ham Radio Fest.

I loved every year when I saw the giant turtle.  It meant the gardens were just a few minutes away.

"World's largest man-made turtle" was "erected as a novelty" in 1982, welded together from over 2,000 steel wheel rims by, George Gottbreht.

Other vacation highlights included the clock, the sunken gardens, and the Peace Tower.  Every year, the garden is planted differently, so seeing the different flower patterns was truly exciting.  I was homeschooled and lived in North Dakota, folks.  Almost anything was exciting to me.

The Flower Clock plantings change every year.

A narrow channel flows through the center, the 49th parallel, of the formal garden.

Most years, I remember sleeping in our family car for the couple of days we were there.  I think we slept in tents a couple of years.  Once (that I remember), a bear was rumored to be in the campgrounds.  This is probably why I don't like camping now.  Who would want to die on their family vacation by being eaten by a bear?  Not this girl.  So, that's one of my childhood summer vacations.  The others were spent at Family Camp and Junior Camp, camping trips put on by our church.  They were about as fun as camping at the Peace Gardens.  Ok, they weren't.  They were worse.  Even as a little kid, I didn't want to be in nature for more than a couple of hours.  When, in fourth or fifth grade, I took three suitcases to Junior Camp, I should have come to grips with this.  I enjoy the comforts of home and being inside.