Hello, Loves…

I turned 40 since we last chatted.
I gotta say, It feels like 39.

My favorite swear word. So versatile. You can change the emphasis on any syllable to cater to any given situation.

My friends are so talented.

The guts of my pinata… Not the guacamole.

My mom’s birthday is the day before mine. We sent her a little birthday wish…

CAKE!

Off to bowling…

This picture makes me laugh…

This is Kory, the newest addition to our motley crew. He fits in well.

The points from the pinata just happen to turn into princess hats.

Morning after birthday cake is just as good as day of birthday cake. Although this picture was taken on my actual birthday. Day after birthday party, birthday cake…

You can’t read this, but I am officially out of student loan debt. I made my first payment on Christmas day 2007 and 10 years later on my fortieth birthday, I made the final payment.

Birthday lunch…

A lot converging all at once…

Baja tacos with this wildcat… She is no longer my work neighbor, so we now schedule our chats. She is still as good for my soul as ever…

Take control of your own wishes…

Elon got me a gc to Costco. The story of her getting it was my real present. I’ll spare you the details since I can not tell the story the way she did.

Every time I feel bad about myself, I remember the people I get to share my life with, and think, “Well, you wouldn’t get these  people around you if you were a total shit-bag.”

Why yes, that is a shirtless man with a flute strung over his shoulder… The moustache is epecially fitting.
I have a record store near my house, I often stop by the outside bins to take a gander, I’m never disappointed.

Road trip to Tahoe… Five girls and two dogs. That’s a lot of bitches in one car.

This is where our bad food decisions started… It went down hill from there.

Good peeps.

I feel like I should say something profound since I’m now old and wise…

In France it is legal to marry a dead person.

Donkeys kill more people annually than plane crashes.

For most people, no matter how hard you pinch the skin on your elbow with your fingers, it doesn’t hurt. (Including myself. My husband would say that has more to do with my weak fingers.)

Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated.

 

Happy Monday, Loves. Tomorrow is No-Brainer Day. Thank God!

 

Yes, I’m still alive…

I’m inspired right now, just not with this.

The thought of writing about the last three months feels like a thousand pounds.
It’s painfully time consuming getting the cat dribble in my head to transfer to paper.
Instead, I will write very little.

In seven days I turn 40. I’m really kinda excited…
I’ve come to appreciate my birth-date.  I get a month right after the crazy of the holidays to take a breather, and plan my  “new year”.
I’m full of hope.

My husband wanted to start acupuncture school when he was 40, and he did.

My purple tomatillos were the most beautiful things ever, I will grow them always.

The Mr. and I scored a seat at my friend Ruth’s Thanksgiving table.
I relinquished control, it was a rare event.

I’m eternally grateful for family: new, old, borrowed, invented… and food.

It was a delightful day, with delightful people.

J and I went neighborhood shop shopping the day after Thanksgiving. We figured we were safe on foot.

I do so enjoy hanging with him. He makes the simple shine.

Co-workers and Christmas lights…

First day of the advent calendar, we lost interest after that. I blame the chocolate quality.

I still cook with my mom’s thermometer.

I made chai concentrate for part of my co-workers gifts.
It was Christmas in a bottle, plus it made my house smell perfect.

I’m so much better of a friend when you live close. Handmade or baked presents are my jam. That rarely translates well with shipping.

Holiday (work) Christmas Party…

My sister and her minis spoil me.

I’ll photograph my other treasures later…

East Coast trip…

We left for New Jersey Christmas Day.

We got winter…

I sat in this spot next to the wood burning stove for five days.

We watched a lot of DIY tv (became instant fans of Chip & Joanna).
And, Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.
I read all five Percy Jackson books, (thank you MIL)…

She is one of my favorite parts of J.

My Sisters in Law are remarkable.

The perks package is what sold me on him.

He was/is a bit of a spiderman fan…

My first train ride: Philly to Boston.

NYE with very good friends.
We miss this crew.

Snow Days a plenty…

Mexican Train: Highly recommended for all.

Goodbye cold Boston, thank you for teaching me what a bomb cyclone is.

J’s eighth first day.
Eight hours after getting home from the East coast. He’s impressive.

Tomorrow is Belly Laugh Day.
Please find a reason to have one.

Happy New Beginnings, Loves!

Apple cider donuts. I haven’t been able to find anywhere out here that makes them. They are an essential part of fall on the north-east coast.

They taste nothing like apple cider.

I asked my friend who moved here from CT if she’d run across any yet… no go.

Her last trip home she brought me back a couple… That is a good friend.

I still keep my eye out…

Co-worker weekend holiday… Like I don’t get enough of these circus freaks during the week.

They make me tolerate California…

Year number seven with this guy. (Who, when I write, “this guy” still brings a smile to my face.)

Of course oysters.

Seven is a lucky number.

Thanks for coming over for dinner, Leon…

Why did you go with the Audi…?

It looks like all I ever do is eat out…

CA fire sunset.

My parents came for a visit… It was a perfect visit.

Watching Ethan (my nephew) play football in Montana… I even got a glimpse of the rest of my family.

I can’t help but love technology sometimes.

Mostly I just want to live in the woods…

Rosie the Riveter Museum.

I tend to migrate to garden stuff…

Last picture dry…

Lots of walks…

And cards…

And garden time…

I miss having them around…

Happy Halloween, Loves.

I’m going to go find a twix.

 

Montana…

Bob’s garden…

I want to put a tiny, old camper right in the middle and live forever. (Well maybe not forever, I don’t think I’ll want to live in a camper when I’m 90.) (Or January thru April.)

I’m thankful for every minute I get to spend with these two… One more week and they’ll be at my house!

This girl and I met on a Sunday morning in church. We were 13.

In four months we will be in Washington celebrating our 40th year around the sun. (We are seven days apart.) We’ve been talking birthday trip for as long as we’ve been friends…

Oh how I love these girls… I’m lucky to have so many best friends.

My newest niece, Pika.

 

The first born Girard child. I wish I got to see him more…. For now, lunch, and an hour of photography talk. (Sorry, J and Dad.)

We spent two days at my eldest sister’s house. Her new house… in the middle of nowhere. It was glorious.

 

Creepy baby.

I do love my brothers-in-law. They have both been in my life since I was in grade school. We have all mellowed nicely…  I enjoy our visits.

One day was spent baking pies.

I love pie.

Rummy is the official card game of our family.

I look forward to a good thunder/lightning storm. I’m usually rewarded at some point while I’m out there.

This was the closest we got…

It was hot and dry and smoky the whole trip.

So. Many. Dogs.

Up north to my other sister’s house….

I love this family with every fiber of my being.

I haven’t been to Scobey  in years (my birthplace – fourth grade ). So many of my strongest memories take place in this town. And my grandparent’s house. My dad was the youngest of five who grew up in the house my middle sister now lives with her family. I spent so much of my childhood at that house.

 

Located on 20 acres just west of Scobey, Montana, is the Daniels County Museum and Pioneer Town. Thirty-five historic buildings have been restored to depict a town in the early 1900’s. The museum has a collection of antique cars, tractors and machinery.

The annual Pioneer Days celebration is always held the last weekend in June. During Pioneer Days, you can start your day with a Threshman’s breakfast of pancakes and sausage in the old cook cars that served workers during the harvest. Spend the rest of your day touring the many restored buildings including a blacksmith shop, general store, churches, one-room country school, to name just a few. The afternoon features a parade with antique cars, trucks and tractors.

The Rex Theatre is home to the Dirty Shame Show where the Dirty Shame Belles perform their high-energy dance routines to musical numbers performed by the Dirty Shame Dixieland Band, in between the dancing and music is a variety show, featuring comedy skits and sing-alongs.

(If you are curious about Pioneer town, this is a great post…)

My sister was thoughtful enough to schedule a tour while we were in town. I’d never taken the official tour.

Once a year this was my weekend… often dressed like this.

My grandma had an impressive rock collection, which is now at the museum.

The library donated some old books to be on display in the schoolhouse. I found a book both my sister and I had checked out. It must have been the school library because the name on the middle line is in my mom’s handwriting, and she was the librarian.

I used to hang out here with my grandpa…

Ahhh, my grandpa…

Myself, my dad, and him are all the babies of the family. (We all have crooked tops of our pinkies. I think about them every time I get a shooting pain through my hand while wringing out a washcloth.)

He was a blacksmith, I believe only as a hobby. I used to love watching him bend metal, and the smell of that shop…

Right now is a much better time to be doing hair…

My sister found the car she learned to drive in. It was my auntie Mary’s…

This may be the creepiest and coolest thing I’ve ever seen.

My longest running friend drove six and a half hours to come see me in Scobey. She is one of the best people I know. I don’t get to see her near enough.

And she made me this… My life is kept warm with quilts made by her.

One less thing he hasn’t done…

My sister was hand feeding two orphan barn kittens. Entertaining to say the least.

My other Brother-in-law.

He is singing, I can tell by his posture.

It  doesn’t usually look like a used car dealership there…

This dining room has hosted countless family meals, and birthdays, and card games…

My three sisters: Mary Kay (with me on her lap) Jeanne (beautiful poncho)  Anne (leaning in the table). And two cousins: Char (yellow tank) Kathy  (standing in the white shirt).

Clockwise: My brother Joey, Mary Kay, Char, Jeanne.

My grandparents on their 50th wedding anniversary.

See you in May!

We drove home through Helena and Missoula.

I love the ocean, but I love the mountains. I don’t want to live away from them ever again.

Helena was a very cool town. I have only been there once, and that was at least 15 years ago. It was nice to catch up.

The third Wilcott sister…

Because I can’t wait to get back to Montana, I forget there are people who can’t wait to get out of Montana…

This is Justin, one of those very people. I believe he is literally moving to L.A. as I type this. He was a bartender in Missoula. He was tired of living in smoke and cold. I don’t blame him…

It can also be magical.

The smoke was bad. You can see it in the light.

Because of this…

and this…

I was able to wander around this block for a good long time…

These two gems were a bright Missoula spot.  (We found a badass mirror that looks like an eclipse in this store.)

One of those was not the case.

It made for pretty sunsets though.

October is Pizza month…

And, overload on fall scented items month…. (That reminds me, I was looking around for something to light my candle.)

Happy Fall, Loves! Take a huge autumn sniff out there for me… I so miss it.

 

Hello, Loves…

I’m breaking up the next few posts. This one goes through the eclipse. Then on to Montana… Which I’m still missing.

My good friend/client, Ruth and I went to a Dorothea Lang exhibit last month, in Oakland. My heart sings when I see old photographs, it very rarely happens with anything that’s been taken in the last 20 years.

Ruth…

Amen, Sister…

A couple of us went out to celebrate my 20 year anniversary of slinging hair.

That’s me on August 13, 1997. Really tan, and really coiffed.

We went out really early for a hike, and all the moisture from the fog layer hadn’t burned off.. You’d think it was rain, that simply doesn’t happen here between the months of May and October…  

Finally!!! Off to Montana.

Quick stop in Utah for the night. 

Fuck campgrounds. 

Actually, it’s the people in campgrounds. I’ve never wanted to punch a 9 year old so bad in my life! How did I know she was nine? It was in her song that she made up and was singing at 10:30 at night. We avoid campgrounds for this very reason. We go to “get away from it all”, that is infinately harder with others around. However, the eclipse was a game changer. 

Good morning eclipse sun…

We got on the road early anticipating traffic, for the first time ever in Idaho.

Rexburg, Idaho is were we decided to stop for the show. And despite its aversion to coffee, it was a lovely little town. 

 

J made a “pinhole camera” out of a pringles container. We figured since we were going to be in the totality,  glasses weren’t needed.  We just didn’t look up until it was covered. There was plenty happening on the ground.

And just like that, we joined those who’ve seen a total solar eclipse. I feel beyond fortunate we were able to effortlessly breeze into a front row seat to this magical event.

There are times when the battle between photographer and human being turns epic. I wanted to just take a deep breath and let it all flow over me – one hundred percent present… That almost happened, after all I am a photographer, it’s part of me too. 

September is self improvement month… I’ll just leave it at that. 

I miss and love you,

See you in a bit…

 

I’m on my very first official sick day, ever… like in my life. According to the state of California, I get three paid sick days, and since I probably won’t use them for what they are intended.

So, on the rare occasion the stars align and I don’t have a client on my books, I’m going to take advantage.

Blog it is…

If the poor guy could have all the time back he spends waiting for me to take pictures…

Berry social at garden club…

I’ve been trying to pay attention to the signs the universe sends out. When I do something like spray myself in the face with the garden hose, I try to remember what I was thinking before. I can’t remember what I was thinking before I shattered this lid into a thousand pieces, but I took a picture for a reason…

Our 4th of July firework…

My one ear of corn that didn’t end up aphid food. It tasted like shit. Gardening in California is not what I’d hoped, but, I keep trying…

Taco cupcakes for my work husband…

And birthday dinner…

We’ve been exploring California as much as we can while we’re here. When we say, “we should do that” I go to work and figure out when I can get time off, and we make it happen…

You all should do the same, life is too short.

However, studying sometimes happens. But, it’s why we’re here…

Road food… We have the best luck finding random Taquerias with the most wonderful food. Screw traditional fast food.

I miss you…

Pismo Beach…

Pit stop study session on a Wynn friendly patio… and sangria.

One thing I actually managed to grow this year was tomatoes.

My one tiny tomatillo…

Tahoe with Peter…

We stayed at his “cabin”. It was a blast.

And hiked in his backyard…

Much needed time away.

Until next time, Loves…

 

Eating good food with good people is always the highlight of my day. Especially when it’s oysters. Rachelle, (co-worker, also going to acupuncture school (not the same one as J)) and I went to SF to get oysters at her favorite spot… The oysters were good. My clam chowder is better. I miss Boston a little.

WE GOT TO GO CAMPING!!!!!

We didn’t see one person for two full days, it was glorious.

Yup, he reads to me. I am spoiled. And my dog is the cutest.

Our backyard…

Greek salad, in my grandmother’s pie pan.

On a blanket made by my best friend.

I do love my things…

My garden is taking off…

The lettuce is tasty. That squash plant has turned out to be a bit of a bitch, it may get yanked this weekend.

Concord grape… and more lettuce.

Peppers.

First day, term six/first day in the herb room. (I was there getting a treatment, I don’t follow my husband to school.)

First clinic shift. He is now sticking needles in people other than his classmates.

And he looks good doing it.

My beautiful client, Ruth, has turned me onto fava beans. She assured me that they were worth looking past that scene in Silence of the Lambs that inevitably pops into your head when hearing their name.

She was right. We had them in pasta and they were the perfect addition.

Ruth also gave me some seeds for scarlet runner beans. They are just starting to come in.

All the plants I started for the Garden Club plant sale. I was happy to get them out of my yard. Plants that spend too long in starter pots become needy.

June is Great Outdoors month. I strongly suggest you do. Great things happen outdoors…

Love and miss you all…

I should have had these up ages ago. I suck.

 

I still think of you all, and this day so often…

A magical California day one year ago…

Paige… (Fearless leader number one.)

I knew with every fiber of my being, that I had to sign up for this “retreat”. Then the day came and I almost had a nervous breakdown… Why did I choose to do this?? Hanging out in a group of women I don’t know, how horrifying!

In the end it was exactly what I needed.

I have few words to describe this day. Nothing seems adequate. I’ll just leave it in pictures.

Nici… (Fearless leader number two.) This is her lovely corner of the web.

Joe, our stellar chef who cooked for us all day…

On my way home the universe was sending me all sorts of little gifts: this sign, a man playing ragtime jazz on the street corner, beautiful light, laughing people everywhere … My path seemed to be smiling.

I miss all you ladies… I will forever remember our day.

I wouldn’t mind a reunion…?

You know that part in ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ where he gets the echo back “you’re an idiot”? Thats what I hear in my head every time I do something less than smart.

It’s always a good day when these two come to visit…

What do you see…?  Will you please put it in the comments? I’m curious.

I promise I won’t tell your shrink.

We meet again, Man with the jingly bracelets…  And cowboy boots.

No one human should be allowed to make that much noise when they move.

I have never seen a slug that big. It was mesmerizing. I needed the Mr.’s size 13’s for scale.

The roses are blooming all over this area. We can’t walk more than a couple houses before stopping again.

Makes me miss my mom.

I have volunteer potato plants that pop up every once in a while. I dig them up when I need the space for something else. Or, I move them. I usually get enough potatoes for a meal. Another vegetable that you can tell a huge difference when you eat it straight out of the garden…

Concord grape…

We went shopping (not a common practice in our household).

We didn’t find what we were looking for. But, we found Dunkies.

They are pretty hard to find out here… It made his day.

Incubating…

Peppers above, cucumbers below.

Some of my volunteer potatoes. And a round carrot.

King! Do you remember this shirt!? (Of course you do, you remember everything.) It dates back to my sophomore year of high school (1993). My second oldest kept article of clothing. Next to a sweet pair of pink and purple flowered shorts I made in jr. high home-ec. (That I also still wear.)

And a shit-ton of sage.

My peas seem pleased with their situation. I accidentally found that if you don’t crowd them, they are much happier. One plant per 18″ seemed the magic number (I know, crazy).

Happy Lost Sock Memorial Day, Loves.

And, Happy Teacher Appreciation Day… We have a lot of those in our circle. (And yet, we are not so smart.)

 

I’m not feeling chatty… If you would like to know more about my post, call me and I’ll give a more in depth tour.

My plot is all consuming right now, it sucks all my brain power…

You mainly come for the pictures anyway.

I’ll jump right in to the wildness going on at the Dejo household…

I love these flowers… white levcojum.

The fun had to end sometime…

Soggy hike.

Back when I looked ahead to when J was in school, this is the picture I saw. These are the times I’m certain we’re right where we wanted to be.

My last thirty-something  birthday happened at the end of January…

All I wanted was a trip to the nursery, a walk with my family, and to not have to do dishes. So thats what took place…

We have different tastes in dessert….

Jill’s birthday…

She wanted to go to a karaoke bar. It ended up being a huge amount of fun. (I know – so weird.)

White fluffy dogs in mud.

Second batch of limoncello, far superior to the first.

We miss you! And Little E…

Cutting class…

Today was potato chip day, so happy that…

I love and miss you all terrible…