small feathers under wings

I want to go to Paris for free

2011-06-18T23:42:00.001-07:00

http://ohhappyday.com/2011/06/goes-to-paris

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the times, they are a changin'

2011-04-25T18:53:00.002-07:00

folks. lets face it. this blog has been blah for quite some time. i've lost my zest for it. and i've slowly been lured by the ease, simplicity and no nonsense of tumblr. so i'm defecting. not entirely. i may still post here, but for now, check here to see more from me. love to all.

all i want in this life

2011-04-22T11:42:00.002-07:00

is a baby penguin who i can tickle. that's all.

I just adore ranunculus

2011-04-19T22:17:00.001-07:00

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in india there are cows everywhere

2011-04-05T15:26:00.004-07:00

EVERYWHERE. they just roam the streets. i had heard this, but was shocked when i saw how pervasive it is. cows in the hindu religion are sacred and are not to be harmed. they may be used for work, and in the village we saw cow that were in pen areas and lots of villagers headed out each morning to take their cows to pasture. we also saw a lot of cow hauling carts and being used for labor. however, i asked one of my indian friends where all the wandering cows came from and she told me often if a cow has stopped being useful for milk or labor the owner will just let them loose. it was actually quite sad to see so many homeless cows that while holy, were mangy, malnourished and dying. my friend told me many cows just eat garbage and as a result many die from up to 2 kilos of plastic in their guts. the cows in the street are also pretty pesky, in rishikesh one came up to me and seemed to be demanding food like a stray dog or monkey, and it got quite aggressive and started coming at me with it's horns! since coming home i've found myself saying to the cows i see in green spring pastures 'you don't know how lucky you have it, you may not be considered holy here, but you have someone providing you with non-plastic feed and meeting your basic needs'.

reuben

2011-04-03T21:50:00.001-07:00

grew back hair while I was gone. I think he was stressed. Poor baby.

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i don't really know how to talk about india

2011-04-01T10:59:00.002-07:00

it was an amazing trip. unlike any place i've ever been before. maybe as i process stories will come out . . . but for now, HERE are all my pictures.

tigers in india

2011-03-02T13:28:00.003-07:00

here's a link to the blog i'll be keeping whilst in india. going for 2 weeks with students . . . going to ride some elephants, work in a village, raft a river, and best of all . . . celebrate holi fest in india! can't wait! oh and the picture of reuben is just to remind you all how cute he is. :)

as of late

2011-02-27T14:45:00.001-07:00

sorry never blogging. life has been busy busy. I got an iPhone which is making life simpler. I'm addicted to angry birds. I'm going to India in 11 days with 11 students for 2 weeks. I'm ready fir spring.

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mexico was great

2011-01-18T10:51:00.006-07:00

but felt more like california than a foreign country. puerto vallarta is a serious resort town, which while very nice and relaxing, is not my preferred type of travel. the 80 degree weather, beach time, sailing, zip lining, whale watching, and street taco eating was right up my alley though.

tragedy!!!!

2010-12-17T09:24:00.003-07:00

this BREAKS my heart. i love the provo tabernacle, it is what makes downtown provo special. just wednesday i was up in provo and as caleb and i drove past the tabernacle we talked about how much we love it and all the cool things we've seen there. i remember going to stake conference there for a saturday evening session, i remember one year when i lived in provo and had season tickets to the utah valley symphony there, i remember seeing gospel groups perform there, folk group, the messiah, and i remember how i always love looking at the gorgeous minerva teichart painting that graced the back wall. this is such a huge loss and i'm so sad about it. :(
on a happier note, my aunt lucy, who makes the most awesome homemade soap, has a bunch of new soap and is offering a super deal on some free soap if you order 10 bars!!! seriously, this stuff is the bomb. smells good, lathers great, looks pretty and is good for you. buy it.

another thing i want for christmas is . . .

2010-12-16T13:50:00.000-07:00

a somali wild ass foal!!!!

love this (thanks sam and chas!)

2010-12-16T10:19:00.000-07:00

in two and a half weeks . . .

2010-12-14T11:07:00.000-07:00

i'll be here. CAN'T WAIT!!!!

all i want for christmas is . . .

2010-12-13T14:19:00.001-07:00

AN ORPHANED BABY WOMBAT!!!!

still proud it's my alma mater

2010-12-13T13:27:00.002-07:00

every year sarah lawrence sends out a pretty rad holiday card. they always warm my heart and help me remember my undergrad days and the eternal push from slc to take your own path. i'm still glad i chose to go there, and where that path has led me.
enjoy! http://www.slc.edu/holiday2010/

don't mess with three girls in texas

2010-12-02T11:10:00.005-07:00

hi folks. hope you all had a swell turkey day. i sure did! my good friend lindsey and i went to visit our other good friend kate who lives in austin, tx (where she has a super awesome life as a writer at utaustin!!!) and had loads of fun. austin is really such a nice city. i'd heard that. and it proved true. it had tons of cool things to do (like eat fresh doughnuts topped with maple glaze and bacon, or go to a movie theater where you could order food at any point during the movie and they'd bring it to you, a FABULOUS bookstore, lots of great food stores, the best knitting store i've ever been too, lots of great vintage shops, and good friends) but it felt like a small town at the same time. real nice. so here are some pics from the adventure. thanks to pack and kate for a most excellent holiday!!! remember the alamo bathrooms!!!

lest you begin to think that my blog is only for posting the strange and bizarre of the animal world

2010-11-18T09:02:00.004-07:00

i'll post some non-rat like items.
this fall has been busy. B-U-S-Y. crazy busy. boarding school life is intense, and i always seem to make it more so with taking on lots of extra stuff (knowingly or not).
but there is a bit more to my life than just that. here are some things that i've enjoyed/loved/learned from lately:
1. i have been really loving listening (gotta love the itunes conference podcast!) to and reading lds general conference. stand outs so far are pres. uchtdorf, elder scott, elder christopherson . . . pretty much all of it. it is such a blessing to have modern day oracles of truth and guidance, i gain so much instruction, peace, and inspiration from conference.
2. i read 'home' recently by marylin robinson- which is a companion volume to her 'gilead' which i loved. 'home' was also a home run filled with slow, beautiful and so poignant details of a prodigal son story. the end made me cry and feel deeply the mercy and redemption that happens in unexpected ways in each of our lives.
3. the other night i watch the loveliest french film 'the girl from paris' about this computer science girl who quits her job when she is 30 and goes to agricultural school and buys a goat farm in the rhone alpes. its such a sweet film about relationships and doing what you love. pretty much i really just want to live on a farm.
4. some new music i've been listening to is the passion of st. matthew by bach. i just love the resonant choral pieces and find it good meditative background music.
5. i've been making a quilt! i don't have pictures yet, but promise i'll post some soon. i've knit a bit too, but quilting has had the main stage.
6. i've been making this bread recipe again and again. it's so easy you could do it in your sleep. seriously if i have time to make fresh bread once a week anyone does. do it. you will love it.
7. photo of my mom's dog ernie on a recent trip to little wildhorse canyon in the swell- the amazing perks of my job make the busyness totally worth it. :)

reuben really is cute when you compare him to this little guy . . .

2010-11-17T14:04:00.001-07:00

The Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) is a lemur, a strepsirrhine primate native to Madagascar that combines rodent-like teeth a special thin middle finger to fill the same ecological niche as a woodpecker. It is the world's largest nocturnal primate, and is characterized by its unusual method of finding food; it taps on trees to find grubs, then gnaws holes in the wood and inserts its narrow middle finger to pull the grubs out. The only other animal species known to find food in this way is the Striped Possum.^[4] From an ecological point of view the Aye-aye fills the niche of a woodpecker as it is capable of penetrating wood to extract the invertebrates within.^[5]^[6]

if andy and reuben had a baby . . .

2010-11-11T10:39:00.003-07:00

my little sister adah has this baby:
i have this baby:
if they had a baby . . . this would happen
weirdzies.

too cuuuuuute

2010-11-03T11:58:00.002-07:00

how has this website eluded me till now?

i really like taking these jumping pictures

2010-10-27T12:30:00.001-07:00

just a little peek into what i've been up to lately. teens. trips. nature. the good life.

the bar has been raised

2010-10-21T13:21:00.002-07:00

i'm taking students to best friends animal sanctuary in kanab this weekend. it's a wonderful place filled with lots of darling animals . . . and i'm worried about coming home with some new furry friends. however, having just watched this little dude, the bar has been raised. i'm not bringing home a dog unless he can do ALL this. that should keep me safe right?

this man changed my life

2010-10-07T09:15:00.001-07:00

ilja wachs was my beloved don at sarah lawrence. he is the most amazing teacher i have ever had and he changed the way i learn, write, teach and approach literature forever. if only i could sit in on his class from time to time . . . this is as close as it gets.
Literature Discussion: Ilja Wachs on the 19th Century Novel

one of them

2010-09-15T16:20:00.000-07:00

cheerer upper

2010-09-13T10:36:00.005-07:00

last night i had a lot of really scary bad nightmares. i've been having a lot more of those lately then ever before. :( i called a friend this morning to try and get the bad taste out of my brain. he sent me this link to the cutest otter pics in the world to cheer me up. it totally worked. how could anyone not be cheered up by these little dudes? zina trivia factoid: when i was five years old i got lost in the monteray bay aquarium because i was transfixed by the baby sea otters playing and totally lost track of my family. now i'm going to spend the rest of the day figuring out how to get a baby otter and wondering if reubs will get along with it.

77 days and counting

2010-09-07T22:53:00.002-07:00

school started today! and while i'm excited for this new year and LOVE my job . . . i'm pretty dang excited that i purchased tickets to fly here for the first week of 2011. part of having a job where you work so hard all the time, is the great vacations. and i have learned that one really needs to relax and rejuvenate. i think by the time jan. hits i will be ready to take on the beaches in puerto vallarta (remember how last feb. i bought a time share condo on a whim at a live auction? that spur of the moment decision will be paying off in the bleak midwinter). happy start of the school year to you all!

acquisitions

2010-08-11T18:00:00.007-07:00

i've been a really crappy blogger this summer. and i only check email about once every two weeks. and i never listen to voicemail. i just love being on vacation!
i realized that i haven't updated my acquisitions in a long time. and frankly i've not been as precise it what i've aquired- it's been more organic over the summer. but here is a list of some of the movies and books i've gotten and what i think of them:
this book is really fantastic. i'm only half way through and it is so wonderful. fromm speaks my language relating everything back to the story of adam and eve. my favorite. the principles he teach make so much sense to me and align so perfectly with my beliefs and understanding of truth, love and relationships. highly recommended. thanks dana for turning me on to it!
next up is the criterion collection box set of three of the amazing danish film maker carl dreyer's films. i recently watched his 'passion of joan of arc' and was blown away by it. his film 'ordet' is one of my all time favorite films, and i've been wanting to own it for some time. however, you can only buy it on dvd in this box set, so i went for it (especially since i found a super good deal on a slightly used set). his films are very intense, sparse, and magnificent.
at one point this summer i wound up with six hours to myself in the albuquerque airport (coming home from visiting some friends and my flight was overbooked so i opted to take the next flight which earned me a free ticket!) and i quickly ran out of reading material. so i bought this in an airport bookshop as i've always wanted to read it and it was the perfect summer read filled with mystery, literary allusions, complex ideas and plot and lots of nerdy medieval history details that i loved. such a great read.another trip this summer was out to missouri to see my grandma and aunts and uncles. my grandma bennion and aunts are all amazing quilters and fabric magic workers and i have finally decided to try my hand at sewing. my aunt lucy and i went to one of her favorite quilt shops where i fell head over heels in love with kaffe fassett's designs and fabrics and bought this book to guide me in my first quilt.

probably i should get this

2010-08-06T11:58:00.007-07:00

thanks hailey for finding it, reubs would be the cutest little halloween shark. i went and saw 'how to train your dragon' yesterday at the dollar theater. so great. and toothless the main dragon, so reubs.

summer is . . .

2010-07-26T18:46:00.003-07:00

teen land

2010-06-15T21:43:00.003-07:00

well i am settled in a birch creek service ranch for the 8th year (i think? losing track . . . ) sleeping in a bunk bed, playing ninja destruction, constantly filthy, making hemp bracelets, having a ball. you get the picture. the kids are as great as ever, but i find as i get older that i am in a continual burn out phase. my energy just does not match that of these bouncy 12-15 year old girls. sigh.
oh well. i saw this photo on my friend rosie's blog and it made me cry i laughed so hard, so i had to share it. that dog, that kid. amazing. peace out teens.

summer finally

2010-06-07T12:16:00.002-07:00

photos by jonathon ong

sweet glorious summer is finally here and i am relishing in sleeping in till the sunlight is so bright and the birds are so loud i have to get up. then i read and eat breakfast on my porch swing. and then i garden planting lots of flowers and veggies. then i putter- lots of work to do around the house, office, etc. and i make food. and i read. and i am getting ready for the rest of summer. this photo is lovely, i think i'll have to try this in my backyard, i'm envisioning some pretty sweet garden parties there. mmmmmm. . . .summer. popsicles, drive in, evening walks. so good.

dear winter,

2010-05-24T10:18:00.003-07:00

i sure love you . . . in months like nov. dec. jan. or feb. however, in may (almost june) you make me feel like this. right now my lilacs are waiting to bloom, my garden is trying to grow, my trees are breaking from the weight of their leaves + you, so pretty please, pack your snowy bags and start moving south, they are waiting for you down there.
love,
zina
NOTE: ALL PHOTOS TAKEN THIS MORNING ON MY WALK TO WORK

thank you notes

2010-05-21T10:27:00.002-07:00

my udall grandparents and my sister and i circa 1985

one thing my grama ALWAYS taught me was to write thank you notes. i try to. i'm not always the best at it, but i was always good at writing them to her. so when i was asked to speak at her funeral, i decided one last thank you note was in order. if you would like, i'm sharing it with you to help you understand the wonderful wonderful woman my grama was, and just a little bit of the many things she taught me.

Dear Grama,

How are you? I imagine you are very happy right now, reunited with your loving Addison, Noel, dear parents, brothers and other family. I am so happy for you. But I will miss you, and I wanted to take this time to write you a thank you letter. There are so many things I am so grateful to you for, so in no particular order, here are just a few that I think all of us grandchildren are grateful to you for.

First of all, thank you Grama for being such a wonderful mother to my mother. Thank you for raising her in kindness and love and supporting her in whatever she wanted to do. You taught her well because she raised my sisters and I the same way.

Thank you Grama for being so present in my life, even when you lived far away. You did so many thoughtful things to show us how much you loved us. I remember when I was little Louisa and I always kept an eye out for ‘the package man’ in his big brown truck who often came bearing boxes addressed specifically to us that contained all sorts of treasures like cassette tapes with recordings of you reading us stories like “Blueberries for Sal”- I can still hear your voice saying “Kerplink, kurplank, kurplunk!”, you always sent something special like a new stuffed animal, or a pretty bow for my hair, holiday decorations, and of course, no package was complete without some See’s candy sticks. No holiday or special day came without a card from you, and as I got older you wrote me individual letters with details about your life and wanting to know about mine. In college you always sent newspaper clippings you thought I’d like. I always knew you were thinking of me, and I always felt your presence in my life.

Thank you Grama for so many wonderful visits to your house. My childhood is filled with memories of summers in Merced with other Udall cousins. The cookie jar was always stocked with iced oatmeal cookies, the pool was ready and waiting, and you always had a host of fun activities planned and you were never too busy for a game of Gin Rummy, Hearts, or a spontaneous Matinee movie. Being at Grama’s house was always so wonderful and I enjoyed so many happy times there. Some of my favorite memories are of getting up early and taking walks along Bear Creek with you and Grampa while it was still foggy, I loved getting to be a part of that special time of day with you and Grampa. I also have a lot of memories watching Mystery Theater or Masterpiece Theater on your waterbed, playing games around the dining room table, or going along on shopping trips to Long’s with you. I loved helping you in the kitchen and getting things out of the back pantry for you. Wherever you lived, your home was a wonderful place for all of us grandkids where we felt welcome and loved.

Thank you Grama for teaching me that homemaking is not just keeping your house clean, but is an expression of your love for your family and friends, and a calling as a steward over a home- a space that is as holy as the temple. I remember going to your house and each day you would give us grandkids four quarters. Each time you found something of ours lying around, or if we left our bed unmade you would take a quarter from us. I learned to keep my stuff neat, and came home with pockets sagging with quarters. I never make my bed or change my sheets without thinking of you Grama and the loving instruction you gave me of tucking in corners, folding fitted sheets, and arranging the pillows just so. You taught me tips on loading the dishwasher, getting out stains, and still today I cannot set a table and not put the silverware in their proper places- in fact it bothers me to sit down at a table with the fork in the wrong spot! But beyond the ‘how to’ of homemaking, you also made things special with little garnishes, snacks by the poolside, and a feeling of love that accompanied all your household duties. I never sensed resentment or a feeling of obligation, but rather delight and love in taking care of your home and family.

Thank you Grandma for teaching me to turn the other cheek and to love my enemies. I remember one summer I was staying with you for a month while Louisa was in Japan. I had made friends with the girls my age in the ward, but there were two who were being mean to me, and had spread some unkind rumors about me. Rather than allowing me to get angry or hurt, or being angry yourself, you sat me down and explained that those girls probably just wanted to be my friend but didn’t know how to. And then you did just the right thing Grama, you threw a party! You invited all those girls over for a big sleepover and pool party and made it so special with a big ice cream sundae bar and a fun games to play. We had such a good time, and spent the rest of my visit in Merced all best friends. You were so good at making people feel comfortable and helping build friendships instead of enemies.

Thank you Grama for always loving me even when we didn’t agree. Once I grew out of my pink ruffly stage in childhood, we stopped seeing eye to eye in regards to fashion and personal grooming. I remember you took me shopping before I left for college and you thought the long black pleated skirt from the ‘Mrs. Traditional’ section of JC Penny was just right . . .. and I did not. You didn’t fight or insist, and bought me the skirt that I liked (and you did not) but never made me feel bad or loved me any less. You have always supported me in whatever I’ve done and I know you always love me.

Thank you Grama for teaching me to love and adopt more family. In Merced Algae and her family were like our family, and the Hmongs were our other cousins. You always adopted those who needed a home and taught me to love everyone the same. Even during the last few years when I lived with you, you had adopted a Sister Missionary you’d met volunteering at the MTC and you wrote her on her mission and sent her cards and gifts. Her family was not supportive of her mission, and your love for her was such a blessing to her. You were also willing to share your family with those who had none. You graciously shared us grandkids with your neighbors Jackie and Chuck who were not able to have children. You were never jealous of the love we had for our second Grandparents, but were happy to share.

Grama, thank you for telling me the story of how you and Grandpa met so many times. I loved hearing it, because each and every time you told it (which was a lot in the end there) your eyes lit up and I could feel how much love you had for your Addison. Your unending devotion to him in all times, good and bad, sickness and health, taught me what true love is. You always told me to wait for that special someone who makes me feel the way you felt about Grandpa . . . I’m still waiting, and I’m hoping now your on the other side you can speed things up for me and the other single grandkids!

Thank you Grama for teaching me to be childlike. You were always delighting in small and simple things. You laughed easily, and always expressed wonder at the world around you. I remember one late summer night you loaded all of us grandkids in your car and drove far enough out of town to see a lunar eclipse that was happening. You were so excited! During the last two years my favorite times we shared were the drives I would take you on to see the fall leaves, or spring flowers, or frozen Utah Lake. I loved hearing your exclamations of delight at the beauty of the earth.

And last, but certainly not least Grandma, thank you for being a woman of faith. Your constant faith and dedication to the Gospel and church have had a lasting impact on my life. I cherish the conversations we had in which you expressed your faith, and your assurance that you would be reunited with Grampa. I remember when I received my endowment, sitting in the Celestial room for the first time with you and my parents, and there was an empty chair near us. You and my dad remarked that Grandpa was there. I’m grateful you were there to share that special day with me, and that you always valued your covenants. I am so happy your faith has been rewarded and you are back with Grampa. I’ll miss you, but I know I will see you again.

Thank you Grandma for everything, you will live on in all of our hearts and actions as we love others how you did, as we set our tables with love, and as we embrace the world around us with delight and wonder.

Love,

Zina

farewell to my sweet grandmother ada

2010-05-10T08:26:00.002-07:00

my sweet, lovely grandma udall left this life with grace and peace on friday night. a true lady to the very end. i love my gramdma so much, and am very close to her. while i'm sad, and will miss her very much, i am so happy for her to be reunited with her dear addison and out of the confused state that her body was in. i'm so grateful for the peace and assurance that she is reunited with loved ones, and that i will see her again through the divine power of the atonement. my feelings are tender, but i mostly feel a profound gratitude for the wonderful life she lived, all that she taught me, and the faith that sustains us in these difficult times. here is the obituary that my mom wrote with her siblings.

Ada Vera Webster Udall, born March 13, 1927 in NYC died peacefully May 7, 2010 in Provo, UT. Ada was the eldest of 5 children born to of LeRoy Kingsley Webster and Mary Olive Mason. Ada married the love of her life, Addison Richard Udall on August 22, 1946 in The SLC Temple. They had 54 wonderful years together here on earth.
Ada and Addison lived 40 years in Merced, CA where they raised their 5 children. Addison practiced medicine and Ada became a consummate homemaker, mother, wife and devoted member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She was a generous hostess and often shared her home and resources with those in need. She loved her husband, children, grand children, nieces and nephews, and all of her extended family of Websters and Udalls. The Udalls had many dear friends in Merced. Ada and Addison moved to Provo, UT in 1992 to be closer to their children.
She will be remembered for her concern for others, a life of spreading joy and of service, her warm laugh and smile, her gift for making friends and putting people at ease. She also had a great love for animals, and many a dog and cat found heaven on earth in her home. She was intelligent, well read and a willing traveler of the world when she had the chance.

She was preceded in death by Addison (2001) a son Noel (1968) and her parents, and brothers Wayne Webster (Mary) and Scott Webster.

She is survived by 4 children, Marc Richard (Ruth), Sara Henderson (Robert), Lee Bennion (Joe), and Matthew (Geri), 13 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren, sisters Gayle Sims (Bob) and Sharon Harvey (Ray) and numerous nieces and nephews.

A viewing will be held at Berg Mortuary, 185 E. Center in Provo, Utah from 6-8 pm on May 14. Funeral services will be held at the Lindon 19th Ward Meeting House, 44 S. 400 E. Lindon, Utah on May 15th , viewing from 10 am to 10:45 and services beginning at 11 am.

if i ever get hitched . . .

2010-05-04T19:55:00.003-07:00

i want my wedding to look/feel/be like this . . . .

filled with lots of little treasures i've been collecting along the way . . . i've already got a pretty good start.

flower power and prom

2010-04-29T13:58:00.005-07:00

green spider chrysanthemum left over from last weekends prom, keeping me company by my kitchen sink

sometimes i really think there is power in flowers. just having them near, to contemplate their glorious existence, the subtleties of their creation, their life cycle, what they represent. and right now, they are pretty much just saving me from the despair of waking up to 8 inches of white fluffy stuff. gorgeous tulips from my backyard, bless whomever planted them, and foliage from the prom and laura

winter is back, like a desperate ex-lover trying to sink their claws in one last time in an attempt to remind us of what we'll miss when she's gone, but really only making us more grateful she's going. don't get me wrong, i love winter, but in her proper season and time. right now i just want to plant my garden and watch my flowers grow. good thing i have all these beauties in my house right now.these darling tea roses were a gift from my friend laura, and the funky vase is a recent acquisition from my local thrift store

oh, p.s. last weekend was the jr prom and since i'm a jr class sponsor, and was the admin on call, i got to go chaperone. my friend christopher came as my date (and totally outshone me in his dapper 1930's vintage tux) and we had a great time cutting the rug and wondering at how the teens only know one dance move . . . and it ain't pretty.

april acquisitions

2010-04-20T15:45:00.004-07:00

this month i bought a book and movie that i've wanted for a long time. in the film department i got 'the sound of music'. a classic. a must have. watching this is one of my earliest memories. i love it. i love the goat song, and the curtain dresses, and that babe julie andrews.the book i got is 'material world' and is a photographic essay of families and their homes and all their belongings all over the world. i used images from this a lot when i taught at byu, and will love sharing this book with students and friends alike as i feel it is a powerful message about belongings.
ps i may or may not have also bought a first edition hard back copy of 'pilgrim at tinker creek' by annie dillard at a used book shop in lander, wy . . . and maybe a few more hardback editions of some of my favorite reads.

amen brother roosevelt

2010-04-20T13:19:00.002-07:00

"In the Grand Canyon, Arizona has a natural wonder which is in kind absolutely unparalleled throughout the rest of the world. I want to ask you to keep this great wonder of nature as it now is. I hope you will not have a building of any kind, not a summer cottage, a hotel or anything else, to mar the wonderful grandeur, the sublimity, the great loneliness and beauty of the canyon. Leave it as it is. You cannot improve on it. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it."

- Theodore Roosevelt (and quoted by President Barack Obama in remarks at the White House Conference on the Great Outdoors)

weekend wanderings

2010-04-12T12:53:00.002-07:00

my job is pretty sweet. this weekend was a good reminder of that. i love being outdoors. and i love taking these kids. we had a great trip to the san rafael swell, buckhorn was and the wedge overlook. mellow. star watching. campfire. lots of laughing. sleeping out. pancake breakfast. sun soaking. hiking. perfect.

in my sister's kitchen

2010-04-02T13:54:00.002-07:00

i know i'm forever starting new blogs that never really get off the ground, but i'm making yet another attempt. this time the idea is this, a food blog by my sisters and i, just to share with each other what we are eating, trying to stay in touch while thousands of miles apart. because lets me honest, food dominates our conversations when we are together . .. might as well have it now! so HERE it is. bon appetit!

sometimes you just have to

2010-04-02T13:44:00.005-07:00

buy yourself flowers. especially since no one else does. and especially when they are half off sale. normally i don't go for roses. but i saw these roses one day in franceand so i bought these beauties to brighten my home, especially with all this snow. siiiiiighhhhhh.

today its light

2010-04-01T11:41:00.007-07:00

i woke up this morning to about 5 inches on the ground and just groaned and rolled over to snooze for a half an hour. ugh. so today i will share with you something i loved in france, and love everywhere LIGHT! we need it in all shades and intensities. i was transfixed in the old buildings the way the hand poured glass let it light, the patterns it made on the cold floors, the way it shown on the sea. . . i hope this brightens the gray outside!

au natural

2010-03-30T15:35:00.006-07:00

mimosas, one of my favorites, were in bloom all over the south!

so i've been trying to decide how to blog about france, the day by day is on the other blog, so i just want to highlight things that i observed, enjoyed, etc. so i think i'll do it by themes. todays theme: nature.
i've realized in my travels that pretty consistently from tropical to tundra i gravitate towards nature, wild places, open expanses, growing things, clouds, etc. i suppose this should come as no surprise, but it is interesting that while history, art, cities, food, etc. all have a dear spot in my heart, nature takes the grand prize. and this trip was no exception. france is abundant in natural beauty, and nature that has been cultivated for a LONG time. i loved getting to drive all over provence through endless vineyards and olive groves, seeing the long standing relationship between man and nature.but my two favorite places were les calanques and chasteiul.
les calanques are a series of inlets and cliffs along the cote d'azure from marsailles heading east. the cliffs and rocks are primarily white, dotted with the perfect amount of trees and shrubs, and make a stunning contrast to that gorgeous mediterranean. ahhh the mediterranean. i can never get over the incredible deep blue it is with green tones at the edge. it makes sense they had to name it mediterranean blue because there is nothing else to compare it to. we went hiking along some of les calanques near st-cyr, and then drove along la rue des cretes (the road of the cliffs) just east of cassis. i couldn't get enough of it and know i will have to come back to spend weeks just hiking along them (there is a trail that runs all along the southern coast of france . . . any takers?)
then chasteuil and les gorges du verdon (the grand canyon of france) where my sister is living. she's been telling me about chasteiul for so long it was so wonderful to finally see it. i was expecting quite honestly to be underwhelmed because the photos i've seen of it just do not do it any justice. i was totally won over. the gorge is dramatic and stunning and towering white cliffs dropping into a narrow gorge with a turquoise river at the bottom. driving along it was breathtaking (and super dangerous). and then chasteiul nestled in the maritime alps is so lovely and rugged. it really is the sanpete county of france. again, this is a place i will revisit and spend more time. i just want to hike all over france. i have been bitten by the bug. p.s. if you want to see the full collection of france photos just go to my facebook page, i'm too lazy to post more.

home from france, still jet lagged

2010-03-29T16:08:00.003-07:00

usually i bounce back, but man! it's rough this time! oh well. france was great. the kids were so good. the food was so good. being with my sister for 8 days straight was super great. i will write more and post more pics soon, but for now, this one is for lize, this was eaten in your honor. it was thoroughly enjoyed, but would have been better if you'd been there to share it with me (or just have one of your own!)

les tigres en france

2010-03-10T11:11:00.004-07:00

photo via flickr * Little_Miss_Sunshi ne *'s photostream

i created a new blog, mostly for the parents of the kids i'm taking, that i will update everyday from france, so if you want the blow by blow, go here for the next two weeks. on y va!

gratitude list

2010-03-08T20:47:00.003-07:00

1. my dad called on saturday from phantom ranch. they are having an amazing trip. speaking with him left my heart warm and my eyes wet. i am so inspired by my parents.
2. this talk by elder scott. i keep re-reading it and getting more and more from it. i'm so grateful for such powerful oracles of truth in a chaotic world.
3. dinner made by a dear friend, watching the sunset out her kitchen window as we ate.
4. taking a walk with ernie the happiest dog in the world.
5. seeing this photo by lovely cousin ann-marie: perfection.

guest woman

2010-03-05T09:46:00.002-07:00

my dear cousin ann-marie (one of the loveliest human beings around) is doing this great series on her blog about why women love being women. she featured me today (and made me blush profusely!) stop and check out her glorious blog-o-blog and her photos that are beyond lovely. i'm sure she'd love you all to participate in her woman project too (sara!) so send your list to lady.of.lorien9@gmail.com xoxo

oh march, you fickle thing

2010-03-04T15:00:00.002-07:00

this morning was sunny and gorgeous. i donned a cotton cardigan and light silk scarf. i rode my bike to work and sang under my breath. and right now? oh, you know. it's a blizzard outside. SIIIIIIIGHHH. march is so mercurial. such a tease. so hot and cold. she drives you crazy like a teen angst love affair. but do not fear. i am keeping it real by remembering that in a weeks time i will be leaving for this gorgeous seaside town on the french riviera where it is currently 57 degrees. focus. keep it real. grit teeth. endure. (but please know that really i am grateful for the snow. we need the water).

lds church in haiti

2010-03-03T20:21:00.002-07:00

this article is wonderful. may God continually bless the good people of haiti as they rebuild.

march acquisitions

2010-03-03T19:48:00.002-07:00

good news! my accountant called me last night and said he'd been wrong and i DON'T have to pay anything for taxes, in fact i'll be getting a little somethin' somethin' back. phew. i was taking the news that i had to pay as some sort of universal adult growing pain, but was really stressed about having to come up with that chunk of change- essentially it would mean buying nada in france. but now i don't have to worry. phew.
this month's acquisitions to my library are appropriately frenchy. the book is 'paris made by hand' by stylist and blogger pia jane bijkerk who's blog i've been reading for quite some time. it's lovely. and this book is her lovely little guide to 50 parisian speciality shops all featuring handmade and crafted goods. it's gorgeous and i'm positively drooling as i plan my visits to some of these gems (again, SO glad about the taxes so i might come away with some little treasures).the film(s) (two for the price of one!) i bought have been some of my favorites since about, oh, third grade: 'jean de florette' & 'manon of the spring'. i remember seeing them at the byu international cinema with my parents and then watching them at home with my third grade french teacher as the guest of honor. they are heart-breakingly devastating and gorgeous and so french. i love them and am so excited to watch them again.speaking of french films, i've been trying to watch as many as i can to get my french ears on and the other night watched this really darling one 'avenue montaigne'. it is a sweet story about the intersection of several people's lives revolving around a little cafe in paris' theater district. tres charmant.

every kids dream

2010-03-02T13:52:00.001-07:00

this video is a kid's booby trap dream come true. a bright spot after finding out from my accountant that i have to pay taxes because one of my employers only filed an i-9 rather than a w-4 and taking taxes out. ugh. the amount i have to pay is almost the full amount i made working for them. stinks. oh well. c'est la vie.

le GRAND voyage

2010-02-23T14:44:00.003-07:00

my parents are amazing. today they left on a month long, solo (yup, just the two of 'em) voyage through the grand canyon on the colorado river. they won't be back till march 27th. that's one day AFTER i get back from my two week trip to france, and i don't leave for that for 2 1/2 weeks! crazy right! i'm so so so excited for them (and jealous, and i'll admit a tad worried). they did their first trip down there back in '92, and it's been a torrid love affair every since. this trip will mark my dad's 40th time rowing the canyon. and did i mention A MONTH!!??? they are going to get to do SO many new hikes with the cooler weather and extended time, and camp at all those tiny secluded beaches that are too small for a big commercial or private trip. it's going to be amazing. it's going to be magical. it is a gateway into a new phase for them. an old family friend wrote this to my parents the other day, and i think it beautifully conveys what this trip is about for them:

I am so excited about your and Joe's rafting trip. What I like the most about your trip is that you chose to do it with just the two of you. As I evaluate my life, what I have experienced, what I yearn for, where I am looking to go to, this choice of yours to share this adventure exclusively with each other restores my faith in the concept of true and real love. Love deep enough to weather through both the sunny days and the stormy days of life, love deep enough to work through both pain and joy, love deep enough to overcome personal and couple weaknesses and become stronger and more bonded. Thank you for your example as a couple.

amen to that. i admire my parents and love them so much. they are my heroes, and i'm so proud of them for continuing to dream big and do what they love. please keep them in your prayers so they return home safe!

le printemps

2010-02-16T16:34:00.004-07:00

today feels a little like spring. there is a thaw in the air. one of my students came to class in flip flops. there are new smells in the air, smells that give a glimmer of sunshine to come, of flowers that are just now starting to stir in the tips of trees and bushes all around. i can't wait. today i bought tickets to france for spring break. still crossing my fingers this trip works out between visas and herding teens, etc. and then there is this poem, the first one in the second volume of collected works by mary oliver that someone just gave me. i love it.

North Country

by Mary Oliver

In the north country now it is spring and there

is a certain celebration. The thrush

has come home. He is shy and likes the

evening best, also the hour just before

morning; in that blue and gritty light he

climbs to his branch, or smoothly

sails there. It is okay to know only

one song if it is this one. Hear it

rise and fall; the very elements of your soul

shiver nicely. What would spring be

without it? Mostly frogs. But don't worry, he

arrives, year after year, humble and obedient

and gorgeous. You listen and you know

you could live a better life than you do, be

softer, kinder. And maybe this year you will

be able to do it. Hear how his voice

rises and falls. There is no way to be

sufficiently grateful for the gifts we are

given, no way to speak the Lord's name

often enough, though we do try, and

especially now, as that dappled breast

breathes in the pines and heaven's

windows in the north country, now spring has come,

are opened wide.

february acquistions to my library

2010-02-09T17:07:00.003-07:00

this month i decided to purchase for my book "this is for you" a book of papercuts by rob ryan. i blogged about this a long time ago, and have been lusting after this book ever since and never felt justified in buying it. this resolution to build my library is the perfect justification. and i think it's the perfect book for february because is seems so sweet and filled with love. just look at this one! doesn't it just melt your heart?
the film for this month is one that i consider to be so romantic and wonderful "howl's moving castle" by miyazaki. i love the magic, tenderness, and poetic nature of this film. i watched it again over christmas with my family and fell in love all over again. can't wait to call it mine.

heart attack

2010-02-09T13:50:00.002-07:00

today i found my office white board looking like this. a heart attack from some of my students. it's moments like this that make it all worth while. it's the little simple things that let you know someone cares that really make a difference. thank you my senior girls.

my mom is on etsy.

2010-02-08T14:48:00.002-07:00

check it.

belief

2010-02-08T13:49:00.002-07:00

i just read this little essay by my great-uncle george about his faith. he just turned 90 and is such a gentle, persistent, keenly intelligent, good person. i love and admire him and feel lucky to know him. yesterday i came across these verses in psalms 37:3-10 that really spoke to my heart:

Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him:
fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.

For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.

But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

i love the counsel to trust, delight, commit, and wait patiently on the Lord. i feel like i am learning and relearning this continually, each time going a little deeper, like george says, learning it in the way you know goodness is better then being rough.

roses in december

2010-02-05T14:52:00.003-07:00

remember how pres. monson is always saying that God gave us memories so we have roses in december? today i am remember what it was like to sit on the gorgeous deck at finca maresia in drake bay costa rica last year. the view of the gorgeous sky (i took this photo there), the scarlet macaws flying by, the warm air, the jungle noises slowly drifting up, the cats asleep at my feet, the half read book in my lap, the lack of any responsibility, the promise of a delicious spanish meal made by darling juan, siiiighhh. i would give everything in my bank account to be back there now. but for now i will remember, and smile as i listen to some student struggle through 'girl from ipanema' on the trumpet that is drifting down the hall to my office.

what kids want

2010-02-03T13:59:00.003-07:00

i found this list on my friend jenny's blog (she is an awesome mom) and she got it from this site. i'm not a mom yet, but i have a mom, a really great mom. a mom who did all these things with me all the time (well, except watch t.v. together, we didn't have one, but nowdays she watches 'project runway' with me sometimes and loves it, that's pretty great). and this list just gave me a little lift, faith in humanity. corporations are always trying to tell us what kids want- xboxes and fancy robots and candy- well maybe they want those things but what they REALLY want, and what really matters at the end of the day are these things. this reminds me of some research i read in grad school that showed that parents thought the most meaningful things they did with their kids were the big family vacations or trips, where the kids said the most meaningful things were the day to day stuff, like reading in bed, or shooting hoops together, or talking in the kitchen. it's the simple stuff that matters most, and makes the lasting impression. so all you moms and dads out there, keep rocking the simple life. don't worry about that disney princess cruise, that stuff doesn't last in the long run.

Come into my bedroom at night, tuck me in and sing me a song. Also tell me stories about when you were little.
Give me hugs and kisses and sit and talk with me privately.
Spend quality time just with me, not with my brothers and sisters around.
Give me nutritious food so I can grow up healthy.
At dinner talk about what we could do together on the weekend.
At night talk to me about anything: love, school, family etc.
Let me play outside a lot.
Cuddle under a blanket and watch our favorite TV show together.
Discipline me. It makes me feel like you care.
Leave special messages in my desk or lunch bag. (i still remember some of the notes my mom wrote on my napkins in my lunch)

house on fire

2010-02-02T20:37:00.003-07:00

today i was driving home from the grocery store and saw a huge billowing black column of smoke rising from what i knew could only be a house on fire. since i hadn't heard sirens, and since the fire hadn't been there ten minutes before when i drove by, and since all the firefighters were sort of standing around watching, not fighting, and since the house on fire was an abandoned house, i figured it was a controlled burn. still, it made me sad. it wasn't this house (i didn't have my camera on me), it was this darling little old red brick small pioneer style house. a house that everytime i passed it i envisioned myself someday buying and fixing up. it was a sweet little place, and it make me get a bit teary eyed to see it engulfed in flames, orange flaring out the windows and smoke racing out the roof. it made me sad too to think of the memories it held in its physicality. i thought of all the lives, loves, heartaches, joys, births, deaths, changes, tender moments, things learned, meals eaten, stories read, hearts shared, reunions, etc. it's walls may have seen. and now it's gone. for what. who knows. i hope not for some new ugly pile of house to crop up overnight like a pernicious fungus. sigh. i remember when i was a little girl they burned down a similarly adorable old pioneer home on my block. just for practice. i wish we were more keen on restoring, and less keen on practicing destruction.

remember the 80's when perms were really big?

2010-02-01T12:40:00.006-07:00

well, three decades later, i got one. yup. first treatment type thing i've ever done to my hair. and let's just say my hair didn't do so hot. it was too healthy really. now let me just clarify i was not going for the poodle perm here, the rods my hairdresser used were really big. this was a body wave. and it worked sort of. just didn't hold as well as hoped. it looks great wet, but then as it dries (i only air dry my hair) it looks sort of stringy and funky. dirty hippy hair. but i kind of like it. eh. it was an experiment. and my hair still feels pretty healthy.

forks and knives (la fete)

2010-01-26T18:14:00.002-07:00

so those who have been to my humble little cottage know that my sink sucks, well actually, it does not suck . . . which is the problem. it is constantly draining SO SLOW and creating unpleasant murky water that involves me and a plunger for several minutes every time i do dishes. i hate it. i've tried drain-o, voodoo, begging, pleading, you name it. then this weekend things took a turn for the worse when as i did dishes water started leaking out of the cupboards below the sink in a steady stream. upon investigation i found a most unfortunate hole in one of the main pipes, rusted right through. so i emailed the fabulous maintenance dudes here at the w-a and today when i came home to get changed for winter sports gary was just finishing installing a new pipe. i told him i hoped now my sink would drain better, and he said 'oh, i know why it wasn't draining right' and proceeded to pull out the old pipe which had two forks and a knives in it!! i examined them only to deduce that they certainly were not mine, so who knows how long they'd been down there! ridiculous. and hilarious. and now WONDERFUL that my sink drains like a dream. it's the little things that matter a lot.

a little tlc

2010-01-22T10:08:00.004-07:00

yesterday i was tired and feeling a little tattered. it's been a long week. i needed some tlc. so where did i go? mom and dad's of course. where i was met with lots of love, listening ears, sound advice, delicious elk roast, mashed potatoes, carrots, apple cider, and to top it off . . . mom's lemon sour cream pie. only the best pie in the world. it was just what i needed. i felt calm and peaceful as i left, and when i got home i followed it up with a nice bath using my new FAVORITE bath milk, it's so lovely and leaves my skin so soft and smells so nice, and goat's milk lotion afterwards. then i made myself a cup of some new tea i got, and my goodness! i am in LOVE. last night i had the harmonise, which is rosebud, vanilla and chamomile, and then this morning i tried the three mint blend. DELICIOUS. very flavorful, subtle, and so aromatic. i topped the evening off by reading in bed for an hour, and then taking a dreamboost which give me really vivid dreams. last night i dreamt that my familiy went backpacking with our friends the larsens to coyote gulch, except at the bottom of the canyon was this huge complex of roman style baths and fountains filled with the most pure, beautiful water and we just swam and swam and it was so lovely. i woke up feeling much less tattered and much more peaceful.

acquiring

2010-01-20T13:07:00.003-07:00

i've decided that this year i am going to allow myself to purchase one book and one film per month. i have many books, and love getting and reading new ones. but my film collection is quite scant and only includes films i REALLY love and someday want my children to watch (like 'room with a view', 'the danish poet', animation of yuri norstein, 'persuasion'). here's what i just bought for january:i've been meaning to read some rilke for quite some time, and that quote from my last post pushed me over the edge. i did a little research and like the looks of this book. if for nothing but the title alone!
'la strada' is one of my all-time favorite films. i love it's haunting beauty, the sad circus feel, the portrait of true unconditional love that breaks your heart, the hope and magic that can exist in all places . . . definitely one i want in my library.
others on the film list are:
'spirited away' or 'howl's moving castle' (or both), 'the sound of music', 'true stories', 'you can't take it with you', 'jean de florette' and 'manon de la source' . . . and lots of other i can't think of. classics. building a library. what suggestions do you have? essentials in your film library?

just what i needed

2010-01-18T10:24:00.005-07:00

yesterday i only had one thing in my mail box. but it was the perfect thing. the thing i absolutely needed right in that moment. a letter from a friend. and in that letter were the exact words i needed to hear, along with this wonderful little collage she made of me as warrior woman (she's been reading 'don quixote' and there is this part she read me on the phone about the warrior women). and then there was this quote that spoke right to my heart, my heart that is trying so hard to listen, and be still, and also my brain that has been maybe working a little too hard to 'figure things out' and get answers. thank you laurel dear. thank you rilke.
"i beg you to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. don't search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to LIVE them. and the point is to LIVE EVERYTHING. live the questions now. perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will (gradually), without even noticing it, live your way into the answer" -rilke
p.s. i'm really loving this gray nail polish adah gave me for chirstmas. thank you adah.

holiday catch up

2010-01-16T12:32:00.005-07:00

hi friends. sorry for the hiatus. this thing called christmas break happened. it was awesome. it was glorious to have three weeks off from work. i needed it. lots of good things happened. i'll show you:

first off seth (my neighbor and co-chicken owner) and i put to rest our rooster foghorn leghorn and one of my moms. we haven't cooked him up yet, but some coq-au-vin in on the docket.
i made owlie ornaments for my advisees and family!
i made lots of cookies.
the very very best part of the break was my sister friend adah and i pulled off the best and most super secret surprise ever by flying her home for christmas without telling our parents. they had NO idea. they thought she was in florida until two days before christmas when they dropped by to see me and found two girls instead of one snuggled in my bed. it was so great. they both cried like babies. then we just laid around in my bed for an hour or so laughing and talking, and proceeded to have a great time together for the next week. we only wish my big sis wese could have been a part of the surprise too! but she didn't have it too bad in latvia, which you can read about here.
christmas eve we always go to the candlelight service at the presbyterian church that includes readings from the bible, lighting the advent candles and the christ candle, lots of great music- including a gorgeous handbell choir, and ends with all the lights off and everyone holding a lit candle singing 'silent night' and taking their candles outside to place in the snow. i love it. it's one of my most favorite traditions.
christmas morning was so great! davey baby spent christmas with us (since he's part of the family and all) and it was so fun to have him here. i got up and made my (new) traditional christmas coffee cake out of this great christmas tree pan ash and dlass gave me a few years ago. we ate slowly, talked and eventually (around 1pm got around to presents). i knit a lot of presents this year, adah loved the mittens i made her!
a few days after christmas i was off for my annual trek to nyc to see sisters and friends. i took my friend mark along as he'd never been to the city before. we had a great trip and it was so so great to see my dear friends. some highlight were snow in the city one morning (which made for a great walk in central park), new years at courtney's in brooklyn, seeing fela! an awesome afrobeat show on broadway, watching some of laurel's rehearsals with the trisha brown dance company, seeing jesse, LOTS of good food, spending time with adah and her darling man luke, and an awesome church service at the cathedral of st. john the divine. i only took this photo of this neat fountain in the detroit airport, but mark took lots of awesome shots that you can see here.
now i'm back and just finished the first week of school. phew! it's still snowy and pretty here and i'm going to go cross country skiing in a few hours and can't wait. i bought myself some tulips the other day to remember that spring will come. plus i love flowers. i hope you all are starting your new year off right! xoxo

the most magical winter place

2009-12-19T11:24:00.002-07:00

i just stumbled across this most amazing icehotel in lapland sweden! (via this blog via this blog) isn't it a dream come true??? i have always longed to see the northern lights, and have fantasized about spending a winter up in the arctic circle where i could enjoy the combination of crystal winter nights and what little sun there is being the late evening variety all the time. SIIIIIGHHHH. someday. or maybe i'll just build my own icehotel.

one more favorite thing

2009-12-17T10:12:00.003-07:00

my very most favorite christmas story is 'the gift of the magi' by o. henry. i have loved it since my childhood and read it every year. as a child, my grandmother gave me this copy of the book with these gorgeous illustrations by lisbeth zwerger. this morning in my inbox was this lovely reading of it from my friend d. i think i responded to this story as a child for the same reason i also loved 'the little mermaid' (the hans christian anderson version NOT disney), because they are stories of real love, love that sacrifices, that puts others happiness above you own, love that echoes the love our Savior gives to us. i think i also respond to the bittersweet irony of the lovers sacrifices for each other that only serves to illustrate more the true gift they have, the gift of deep and true love, the gift of the heart. so gather your loved ones near and enjoy this holiday classic, preferably while sitting and watching your tree.

mormon christmas song!

2009-12-16T13:29:00.000-07:00

winter love

2009-12-15T14:37:00.007-07:00

i love winter. i love snow. i love the sun on the snow. i love watching snow falling. i love moonless snowy nights where the stars and snow glitter. i love full moons in winter where it's as bright as day and the world is blue. so you can imagine how upset i was when yesterday i HAD to go (as part of my job) up fairview canyon to help monitor the ski and snowboard team as they road the hill that we maintain at the cabin wasatch owns. it's so gorgeous up there. and such a sweet set up with a snocat that grooms the run and jumps, and then tows the kids up the hill every 5 minutes. all i had to do was traipse about on my snow shoes watching, and enjoying a lovely afternoon on the mountain. sigh. such tough duty. i hope wherever you are, you are getting out and enjoying the beauty of this gorgeous season!

it's the most wonderful time of the year

2009-12-11T13:08:00.009-07:00

i love christmas. and it is so great this year to have my very own little home to decorate. i went and got my tree last weekend with a group of students and have been busy making things cheery and bright. my sweet grandma lenore has made me (and all her 100+) grandchildren a homemade ornament every year for my entire life. most of the ornaments shown here are made with love by her. i treasure them. most of my glass ornaments belonged to my great grandpa webster and are such fun vintage patterns and designs.

cooking

2009-12-10T11:46:00.005-07:00

i love to cook. it's creative, thoughtful, delicious, and my time to unwind and sort of meditate as i prepare something to nourish body and mind. i love to cook for other people. i love putting thought and energy into something that literally does those i love some good. but this year i've cooked very little. part of my payment is getting to eat for free at the cafeteria here at WA. the food here is good, and there is variety, and i'm usually bone tired by the end of the day and the thought of hot food with no dishes usually wins out. i've held to breakfast as my meal home and usually make some sort of egg something beings how i've got 5 laying hens. but sometime before thanksgiving break i hit a wall. a 'i don't want to eat my dinners in the cafeteria anymore' wall. and since the break i've made all my own food at home every night minus mandatory dress up dinner. it's been great. it's making me so happy. mostly i eat alone, quietly by my pretty christmas tree. some nights i invite someone to share with me. here are some recent meals gracing my table:
this is my made up mushroom and brown rice soup. i just sauteed a chopped onion, and cuisen arted a pound of two of small brown mushrooms, and then added them to the sautee as well as a cup and a half (or so, just what was left in the bag) of brown basmati rice. i sauteed all that till the mushrooms had let off a lot of juice, then i threw in a quart of my homemade chicken stock from last winter (still have bags and bags of it frozen), some bay leaves, rubbed sage, cracked pepper, sea salt and let it cook awhile till the rice started to soften. it got so thick it was almost like risotto, so i added some water .. . and some chardonnay (a couple of good sloshes) and let it cook till the rice was done. then i took one of those hand held blender thingies and blended it a bit. the result? deliciouso. very hearty and warming soup.
next up is my classic caramalized onion, gorgonzola, pine nut and rosemary pizza (on crust from the chez pannise cookbook) but this time i added some chopped up butternut squash i had lightly blanched. MMMMMMMM. so good. and i love the color the squash adds!
and last but not least, some dolces. ehsweeties. it was one of my advisee's birthday, so i took all those eggs that are over running my fridge and made a chiffon cake that was oh so light and fluffy with this amazing glaze that made it look, and sort of taste like a giant doughnut. the recipe was from my ever favorite cook's illustrated baking book. now it's time to gear up for all the holiday baking and making . . . gingerbread, marshmallows, and maybe some mexican pickled carrots.

favorite things

2009-12-07T10:54:00.009-07:00

i'm not oprah. nor do i want to be. but i have favorite things, more a la maria von trapp/julie andrews favorite things. things that make it all better. things that warm my heart. so maybe this month i'll share a few with you:
1. SNOW. lots of it. it sure made my morning to wake up to 7 fresh inches with more on the way. i also LOVE making paper snowflakes. and i make LOTS of them.
2. i love love love this tea. you should try it. it's warm and sweet and delicious. perfect for a wintry day. even more perfect with some cream in it. try is in a thermos on a snowshoeing outing.
3. i love flannel sheets and more especially flannel nightgowns. anyone whose lived with me knows it's true. and yes i have the same one i had as a girl in grown up size and wear it most nights.
4. i really love this shade of nars nail polish. i used to hate nail polish on my fingers. and then i lived with kate. end of story.
5. i love gaiters. they keep the snow out and are ever so handy whether in the mountains or city. best winter accessory by far.
6. i love love love reading good books curled by the fire. LOVE it. i just bought a copy of one of my favorite winter time reads; 'winter's tale' by mark helprin (however, please note while i love this book i HATE the ending, it's still worth it though). it's got some of the most magical, beautiful story telling i've ever read and is such a treat to read.
7. i la la love good christmas music (by which i mean old classics, choral music, non-schmultzy covers, and not the stuff you hear in a mall). lately this is the one i've got on repeat (plus i love 'efl').

r.i.p. maynard dixon bennion

2009-12-03T16:46:00.004-07:00

yesterday a tragedy struck our family when our sweet sweet dixon the dog was taken prematurely by a hunter in the hills south of spring city. rather then dwell on the inhumanity of the hunters actions, i want to say a few things about this dearest dog. dixon, or as i always called him dixal pixal was the soul of Christ-like kindness in doggie form. he NEVER ever growled. not once in his life. he was always sweet, tender, unassuming, humble, completely obedient, tolerant of others (he endlessly submitted to being ernie's chew toy), happy, self sufficient, gentle, mellow, and always ready to go on a long walk or hike in the hills. he was the sort of friend everyone dreams of, one who always makes you feel like you are most special and beloved, one who gives and takes in equanimity, one who will defend and protect you against any aggressor, one who loves snuggling and taking naps by the fire, and one who is always ready to go on an adventure. he was never obnoxious either, some dogs want love so much they are always pestering you for it, but dixon (while he LOVED being loved and petted) would ask gently and not beg incessantly. he always made the funniest high pitched squealing whines when he knew you were getting ready to take him for a walk, and loved to hike right behind me. i will greatly miss our sweet dear dixon and hope that he is reunited with old kane and all our other doggies up in dog heaven. thank you dixon for being such a good example on how to be kind and true.

i totally stole this from davey because it made my heart explode

2009-12-01T15:04:00.001-07:00

old friends are like quilts

2009-11-30T11:00:00.004-07:00

comfortable, beautiful, made with love and care over a long period of time, something you keep forever. one of my dearest old friends is ashley thayer. we met at a pony club meeting when i was 12 and she was 13. my mom invited her to sleep over and that was the start of inseparability during our young teen years. we would ride horses (usually bareback) all over spring city, hide out in the soccer field late at night, make mix tapes (crazy edna files), make waffles (and dream of the breakfast restaurant we would one day open that would have a big outdoor garden, horses, and a rule that everyone be wearing flannel pjs) and share our secrets and dreams. then in college we would visit each other in our respective providence and broxville, and then there was the year i lived in florence and she in rome and we had christmas in switzerland together. as we've grown older our lives have made it impossible to ride bikes between our houses, but when we talk (usually once a year or so) and even better see each other, its just like old times. we talked last week and it was so great. i love ash. and i LOVE the new project she's been working on, quilt making! out of hand died fabrics! (i hope my efforts to run my own tie dye business back in the day maybe influenced her?) aren't they GORGEOUS!!!??? not to mention her stunning paintings and photography, check her out here. buy some.

i've been meaning to post this for a few weeks

2009-11-21T22:21:00.004-07:00

and haven't. the moonrise this last full moon, south of fountain green. it was so lovely i pulled off the road and just watched it and sighed and felt grateful to live in such a beautiful world, and inspired by how effortlessly nature is magnificent even when no one is noticing. (of course this photo does no justice to just how subtle and refined the gradation of blues and pinks and purples was, or how the sky looked almost matte while the moon was so slick and shiny and the creamiest butteriest light).

preparedness

2009-11-20T12:57:00.003-07:00

i've always associated oil lamps with preparedness. maybe its the story of the ten virgins, or more likely all the night when we ate dinner by lamp light when the power went out and i always felt safe knowing we had sources of light if the world came crashing down. my friend just shared these most beautiful oil lamps with me . . . can i rationalize 'needing' one so that my home is sufficiently prepared?

babe town

2009-11-19T14:34:00.003-07:00

look at my super cute mom! she got her hair all chopped off and it looks great. she's been thinking about it for awhile, and i convinced her to go see my lady melanie who is a hair cutting genius. way to go mom! you look fabulous!

both favorites, or this post is dedicated to kate and the night i played this song for you and told you it reminded me of you and your soul mate

2009-11-18T14:17:00.004-07:00

i just discovered that this song that i really love by feist

was originally recorded by another one of my favorites vashti bunyan

makes sense.

paris je t'aime

2009-11-17T13:23:00.003-07:00

bonjour mes amis! today pat and i made an announcement about the trip we are taking to france for spring break, and we figured we'd get more kids to sign up if we looked legit. so here is how i look as a french man. and this morning i was making eggs (all i eat for breakfast since my hens are still laying so much!) and seasoned them with my all time favorite seasoning . . . sunny paris! from penzey's spices. if you've never hear of either, you are living a sad and flavorless life. sunny paris is the most delicious blend of french purple shallots, chives, green peppercorns, dill weed, basil, tarragon, chervil and bay leaf. it is lovely in anything savory- eggs, meat, pasta . . . just a little bit of french sunshine to brighten your day.

lov-er-ly

2009-11-12T12:55:00.001-07:00

my friend put this song on a mix for me recently, and it's been on a pretty much non-stop loop in my head since then. i love it. i can't listen to it enough. so i thought i'd share the love. it's the perfect sound track for this brooding pre-snow day. xoxo

a capitol time in the reef

2009-11-08T16:01:00.004-07:00

another camping weekend, this time to capitol reef. i love capitol reef. it's one of the parks that gets less traffic then arches or zions, and it's so simple and lovely and quaint. i love the dreamy big cotton woods (that were ablaze in gold!) the fruit orchards, pioneer vestiges, and great hiking. we spent the night under the crisp cold stars (after reveling around the fire with stories and songs), and the next morning hiked the kohab trail to the frying pan trail, to cassidy arch (yup ol' butch used to hang there) and then down to grand wash. it was a lot of fun, replete with more ipod karaoke (an unsuspecting couple hiked up upon my incredible rendition of bob marley's 'three little birds') and lots of laughing in the sunshine.

need my card?

2009-11-04T10:08:00.001-07:00

well you got it. i suppose i've 'arrived' now that i have my very own business card. weird.

ma seour en france

2009-11-02T12:02:00.003-07:00

my dear older sister louisa left last week to live in a tiny village nestled in the south of france for a year. sigh. good thing i'll be going to visit her . . . maybe twice. as per my request she started a blog to make the rest of us poor lab rats jealous. start drooling now.

in case you were wondering . . .

2009-10-30T16:08:00.001-07:00

what i would look like with a fro and a grill . . .

it seems appropriate today

2009-10-28T13:48:00.001-07:00

little wild horsies on the loose!

2009-10-27T15:28:00.010-07:00

this last weekend i took a small group of students down to little wild horse canyon in the san rafael swell. it was a gorgeous day with high wispy clouds, that perfect pale southern sun, the cottonwoods were at their absolute peak of brilliant golden yellow, the canyon was twisty and sublime, and the company was excellent. the four kids that came are all wonderful and something about the day brought out the inner child in each of us- we laughed, played, made crazy noises, sang, and shared our thoughts about what matters most, what we most fear, the qualities we aspire to, and what our life theme song would be. all in all, a most excellent day at work.
we were hiking along and the kids just started making all sorts of animal, car, whatever noises, and i secretly took a video of it, they thought i was just taking pictures. so wonderful.

happy sabbath to you

2009-10-25T10:32:00.002-07:00

i came to check my email before heading to brunch and church, and found this sweet little clip sent from my dad. i love this message, and i love those who give it, and most of all, i love Who this message is about.

mile high

2009-10-23T13:37:00.007-07:00

guess which pretty city i got to visit last week? it was my first weekend off in almost two months so i was ready to get out of town and enjoy gorgeous weather, wonderful food, lovely sites and excellent company.

NOOOOOO!!! someone stole my idea!!!!

2009-10-22T16:24:00.002-07:00

my closest friends can vouch for this, i have had this idea of drive-by musicalings for a LONG time, we're talking i cooked up this idea in high school. the premise is this: a group of unassuming folks disperse at random around a grocery store, someone hijacks the speakers in the back and suddenly we are in full swing musical song and dance numbers with carts whirring up and down the aisles, fruit and boxes and bread flying through the air in perfect choreographic delight . . . you get the picture . . .magic! then as soon as the number is over all the performers run into a van waiting by the doors and drive off to hit another unsuspecting grocery store in another mid-sized town. but alas, i discovered today on my friend dainon's blog, that someone has already done it. not quite as choreographed or awesome as i would do it, but still they took my idea. :(

viva la france!

2009-10-22T11:02:00.003-07:00

so i spent the morning talking with pat, the other teacher that i am leading a group of students to france with this spring. we talked about all sorts of lovely things, and she showed me little villages and hidden gems we can visit (she is from france and therefore has all the scoops). our conversation left me feeling all giddy and breezy and dreaming of turquoise waters, medieval castles, creamy cheeses and all things french. and then i walked out into a perfect stormy fall day, which for some reason put me in an andrew bird sort of mood. and then i thought, perfect! la blogotheque! the wonderful little site where they film artists that come through paris in intimate, interesting, and unassuming settings, doing there thing. so here is the dashing andrew doing his thing in montmarte.

#45.2 - Andrew Bird - Weather Systems
Uploaded by lablogotheque. - Independent web videos.

and then, because i love this, and it's the first blogotheque i ever saw, arcade fire. my favorite is the elevator part.

too rich for these veins!

2009-10-20T13:56:00.005-07:00

holy spendy cow batman! i just found this report that shows my alma mater sarah lawrence to be the most expensive college in the u.s. $54,410 a year!!!! dang girl! i thought it was pricey when i went there, but it's almost $20,000 more than it was 10 years ago. i'm glad i'm not a freshman applying now! sheesh! how do people afford college? i mean is it really worth that much? don't get me wrong, i love the ol' slc and loved my classes and experiences there, but that much money just seems ludicrous. what am i going to do with my little ones (that i don't even have yet) grow up and want to follow their mama's footsteps? at that point it will probably be $200,000 a year. crap.

chez moi

2009-10-15T08:18:00.004-07:00

here are some pics of my little cottage house. it's snug and warm and oh so nice. missing are pics of the kitchen cupboards and sink, my weird-o vintage gas heater, the bathroom, and my closet/changing room. so more to come. as you can see, there is room to share, so come for a visit! xoxo

it's autumn time it's autumn time

2009-10-09T08:32:00.003-07:00

the leaves are (sort of) falling down! this last week my hiking/gardening class and i have helped my parents pick the apples in their orchard, and yesterday we made apple cider with my families ancient hand cranked press. this is quintessential fall for me, as i've done this every year for as long as i can remember. there is nothing better then fresh squeezed cider! so last night, to celebrate the fresh cider, i decided to try my hand at homemade doughnuts to go with it. i'd never made them before, but baker's illustrated (only the BEST baking book ever, from america's test kitchen dudes) came to the rescue and we made some delicious buttermilk doughnuts and enjoyed them and cider, by the second fire in my fireplace.
i've decided this year that fall really is, hands down, my favorite season. i love the crisp air, the brisk breezes, the golden sun, the gorgeous leaves, the dusting of snow on the mountain peaks, the first smell of woodsmoke wafting through a neighborhood at night, wearing sweaters and vests, rainy days, sunny days . . . all of it. so great.
i hope you all are enjoying fall wherever you may be- hopefully sipping a warm beverage, curled up by a warm fire with a lovely book and a howling wind outside!

this is really dorky.

2009-10-05T21:03:00.001-07:00

the tale of hitcher the brave

2009-10-05T18:22:00.003-07:00

so yesterday i accidentally (and unintentionally i might add) stole my friend's neighbor's cat. oops.

i had driven to provo with my parents and greatly enjoyed the first session of conference with them and my grandmother. i then ventured out in the gloomy rain to enjoy the second session with my friend and his family. i was parked outside their house for oh, about four hours. then i headed back to provo, picked up the 'rents and headed home. my parents dropped me off in mt. pleasant, and then on to spring city. they commented that when they got out of the car they thought they heard a cat meowing, but didn't see one and so went inside. this morning my mom went out and heard a cat meow again, and so investigated. she searched all over the car, under the seats, in the back . . . and then she lifted the hood and found THIS adorable black kitten lying on the engine!!! this little tenacious thing had crawled up in our car presumably whilst i was parked in salt lake, and stayed there ALL THE WAY TO SPRING CITY!!! and it was RAINING!!! poor little dear. he's such a little lover, and short haired too. i flirted with the idea of adopting him, i even named him 'hitcher', but i held strong. i don't need to be one cat closer to crazy cat lady-dom (though some might argue i'm already there . . . kate). so i generously gave him to the woman who runs the equestrian program here. she said she'd make him a barn kitty . . . until she saw him. they she said he might be a house cat. little hitcher, my halloween kitty good omen.hitcher and his new mama

i did a very brave thing today!

2009-10-01T16:17:00.003-07:00

and i'm posting twice in one day! woah! the brave thing was i rescued a snake. YEAH. i know ME, and a SNAKE. for those of you who have not had the pleasure of being around me and a snake at the same time let me explain: i hate them. yes, i realize admitting this is embarrassing. i like to think of myself as loving god's creation and being pretty savvy in the outdoors. but when it comes to those long, appendage-less critters i get pretty jumpy. maybe it stems from the numerous times my cousins and older sister chased me around the yard with snakes, or the time i ran out of our class field trip to the bean museum crying because of a big boa . . . i don't know what it is, but they give me the creepy crawleys. however, this spring in costa rica, one night an older gentleman named bob with an adorable lisp stopped by the place we were staying on his way back from snake hunting. not hunting to kill, just to look. and that night he had been looking for a bushman- only the second most poisonous snake IN THE WORLD!!! but bob inspired me. he told me a story of how he had hated snakes until he was 30, and one day he decided to try and like them, and started touching and holding them when given the chance, and then he started to realize how beautiful they are, and started looking for them, seeking them out. now, that's how he spends his evenings, searching for, catching, examining and appreciating snakes. and since i turned 30, i decided i should do the same. the next day in cr, tr and i came across this beauty in the jungle, tr almost stepped on it! but i tried to stay calm and just appreciate how pretty the pale blue skin was and how gracefully it meandered across the trail.
and then today, i took my hiking class up box canyon, in maple canyon, and i found the tiniest most helpless little snake, who at first appeared to be dead. turns out it was just so cold it was having trouble moving. so i carefully scooped it up, put it on my water bottle and promptly walked it ten minutes to a warm sunny rock. i'm nowhere near ready to go seeking out the bushman, but it was a big step in the right direction.

please make a little phone call

2009-10-01T10:15:00.002-07:00

hi guys. i love the utah wilderness. probably you do too. please call your congress person and tell them you support wilderness bill hr 1925. it will protect 9 million acres of gorgeous land. if you want to read more, go to my lovely friend ann's blog. she says it better than me. viva la terra!