Brundage Mountain

Every summer for the last three years Dirk has wanted to mountain bike in McCall. The Brundage ski resort opens the lifts and, for a moderate fee, will haul you plus your bike to the top of the mountain. Every time Dirk plans a trip up there, something gets in the way: work, my family's reunion, too many kids with too many soccer games, garden responsibilities, but mostly work. Lo, on the very last weekend that Brudaage was open to bikers, Dirk got a service order through work: a server for the UPS center in McCall had crashed and needed physical tech support. Dang. Gas and food, check. Fellow employee that needs help with the server AND who is also a mountain bike enthusiast, check. Wife who would rather have her husband stay home and help with the canning but knows he really needs some guy time (and won't feel guilty for ordering pizza and asking for a girl's night out next week) double check. Glad he's home--with sunburn and scrapes and a big smile on his face.

Garden math

x

=

Now, where's the chips?

since I'm in the linking mood

My husband emailed this to me today

any Debussy fans out there?

I am all ears when classical music morphs outside its traditional execution form. Because Debussy's compositions were written for piano, it's a treat to witness his works in orchestral form: remember Clair de Lune in the closing fountain scene of the movie Ocean's Eleven? I heard Deux Arabesques performed on the harp--amazing! I was priveleged to play Children's Corner in a symhonic band. I can even (mildly) appreciate some cool ring tones that manage to capture his quirky harmonies.

Ryan, one of my cool brothers, told me about this sweet rendition of Golliwog's Cakewalk. Check it out!

Peaches, anyone?

Three years of being patient has finally paid off. Let the harvest begin!

So many peaches, not enough time. So far, these fuzzy guys have been canned, frozen for jam, savored in peach caramel crumble, and devoured raw. Oh--and don't forget the smoothies. Next stop on the harvest tour: more quart jar water baths and peach butter. Yum!

Island Park

Dirk's parents own a cabin in Island Park. We were there for a week. The weather was perfect, the mosquitos--not too bad. The food and fun--exceptional. My boys (all four of them) wasted no time being boys: hiking, fishing, boating, four-wheeling, motorcycling, shooting, eating and looking for any signs of bears. Dirk and I went for a few bike rides. Mountain trails are a lot different than subdivision asphalt. I managed to stay on the bike--and the trail.

Kamryn is now walking...all the better to find more dirt in the great outdoors

Emma couldn't put her shoe on--compliments of a huge bug bite on the top of her foot. I got some fun footage of her while she soaked her foot in some soda and salt. Ryan and Julianne--this just might be the picture that has eluded us over the last year.

Wrist rocket, BB gun, and most important--the hats.


Dad let me down! I want to play in the Buffalo River!