7-19-10

 

Three and a half months in the compost bin... that's about 14 weeks and if I washed it, I could probably put more chips back in.
Today I worked on my syllabus for fall, my Save the Sea Birds curriculum, and made eggplant hummus and coleslaw. That's about it. I'll be going for a run later on when it cools off.

7-18-10

 

 

Sunday. Went to church- walking a mile each way in the heat and heels. Worked in the afternoon on a literature review on children's alternative conceptions of energy, force, and motion. Late in the afternoon I went for a run so that I could justify dessert as we planned to meet a couple for dinner at Bella Notte. And I love their chocolate souffle. So I ran about 3/4 mile without stopping in the mid-afternoon heat then came home and lay on the floor with my head on the AC vent. The top photo was of my view lying there. The bottom photo is of the P. Buckley Moss print my mom gave my sister who gave it to me. Dan hung it today and I love it there. The AC vent is right underneath it.

7-15-10

 

Thursday... I am in the middle of a painting project. The foyer, the stairs, and the upstairs hallway. I hate getting on the ladder on the stairs so Dan helped me paint the tough places. It's going to look good.

7-14-10

 

Wednesday. I summon the energy to start a painting project. Washing walls, taping, sanding and patching rough areas, re-plastering others... Who would think a non-room would be so much work.

7-11-10

 

 

I am at my sister's this weekend helping her move it. I helped her paint a bed, figure out where to put things, where to hang pictures, and after just two days it's looking great. She painted walls and did a great job. I'm glad she's only 3 hours away now and I can visit her like this.

7-12-10

 

Today I ran. Today I started running. Today I have become a runner again.
This is my bathroom floor. I love it and I hate it. It's old and dirty but for me, it has a sort of charm. I wish it would be clean and shiny and re-grouted and new looking again but I think I have to learn to live with it and accept it for what it is. And no, I'm not talking about my floor anymore. Which is one reason I'm a runner again. Confused? That's ok.

7-9-10

 

My Nana's buffet hurricane lamps. In all my years I'd never seen them lit because someone sometime cut the wires. Dan re-wired them today and put little thumb switches on the wires. I cleaned them and attached loose crystals. Beautiful. My Nana would be proud. It's good to have them in their rightful place again after all these years.

7-8-10

 

This evening we went to a reception at the Faculty Club for the artist Andre Pater. The president of the university and his wife were there, and we got to talk to them plus meet some other people. After the reception we had a private tour of the artist's exhibition at the art museum and he told great stories about his work. I snuck a photo of these two rooster pictures because of my "thing" for chickens.

7-7-10

 

 

The mystery flower is a Tiger Lily- not too exciting- but very unusual looking. I thought it was a Turk's Cap but the leaves are not the same as those on a Turk's Cap. First fig harvested! We have a tree just FULL of unripe figs. Should be a great fig fall.

7-6-10

 

 

Clematis blooming in the back yard, climbing up the grape arbor... and the mystery plant is fixin to bloom!

7-5-10

Happy 24th birthday Jes! I know you're in the far reaches of Montana right now without means of communication but maybe you'll "get the message" and know we are thinking about you.

Today Dan unpacked my Nana's dishes that my mom had saved for me. Pretty far out! 1950s Franciscan Starburst pattern.

7-4-10

Headed home to the hills of Kentucky. Difficult tears shed this morning saying goodbye.

7-3-10

Party day for Buddy! House full of family. My camera battery needs recharging so I didn't take enough pictures. Sta left this morning with G and Kel to go get S in Oklahoma. My bro in law lost the keys to his rental car and it was quite traumatic arranging a solution with Alamo. Food was great at the party- must get recipes. Especially corn and avocado salad with lime. Mmm! I'm gonna miss my two little nephews when they leave tomorrow :(

7-2-10

And today the wall was finished. Quick! Today I went to the park with my sister Sakura and her two little boys. Took lots of great pictures today which I will add later. It was a family day. Tomorrow is Buddy's birthday party and the house will be full.

 Mom doing some gardening.

 Buddy cooling off after playing in Nana's van with his cousin G

 Fozzie Bear is learning how to sit up in Nana's back yard!

 Cute Fozzie Bear!

7-1-10

My nephew Buddy arrived today and he is such a sweet boy. Here he is vacuuming his Nana's lawn. Such a good helper.

Coming home to Mama's house is like living in a restaurant and I have come to accept that over the years. But this newest thing is putting me over the top- sidewalk and retaining wall construction out front. Construction workers in and out the house. Phone calls off the hook. Busy kitchen. Headache.

6-30-10

We made it to Auburn last night. Today should be a relaxing day before my sisters arrive. Photo of Mom's back yard.

6-29-10

Headed south. Alabama bound.

6-26-10

 

Last week I cut my hair. The next day I cut it even shorter and tried to add layers. Today I decided it was not all that precise and went to a salon to have it seriously cut. It's seriously shorter! But I like it.

6-25-10

 

Robin's nest in the dogwood outside our den. The babies are getting big! I'm recovering today from a terrible cold that has had me in bed for three days. Oh how I hate being sick. I get so depressed and CRABBY!!!

6-22-10

 

 

Presented my award-winning paper this morning (It got the Best Paper award in the division) then decided to take the afternoon off. Dan and I went to Louisville Stoneware to find a replacement lid for one I broke many many years ago, then went to Joe Ley Antiques
on the recommendation of a friend. What a place! Three acres of antiques!

6-21-10

I presented a paper today which went well. Really well. I hope
tomorrow's presentation goes well too. Dan and I had dinner at a
really great restaurant called Hillbilly Tea. If you're ever in
Louisville near 1st Street check it out. Beautiful sunset. Not as hot
today as yesterday.

6-20-10

We are in Louisville for the ASEE conference. Spent the evening
walking around downtown. Beautiful sunset on the Ohio River.

6-19-10

 

Today was a strange day. I worked all morning on my presentations for the ASEE conference next week. After lunch I messed around with my laptop, getting it ready with the files I need. Then I started building up energy. Made a grilled sausage etouffee for dinner then got tired. This is a photo of the light coming in the sunroom at dusk. I just love the way the light looks on the floor.

 

After sufficient iced tea (I'm giving up coffee again) I went into the garden to photograph the latest. Phlox...

 

Hosta...

 

Grapevine on the arbor...
It wasn't too hot so I did some weeding. Then I got the strangest idea to go running. Yes, running. I actually made it .72miles without stopping, all the way around our little neighborhood. Wow.

6-18-10

 

 

My camp ended today and I had to cart all the supplies to my office afterward. I was exhausted all afternoon but Dan convinced me to go with him to the Gallery Hop held about six times a year. We went to some interesting galleries, the most interesting the Ann Tower Gallery which has paintings by the artist who used to live in our house, who built our studio. These pictures were taken of the backyard of the Bodley-Bullock House, which is owned by the Junior League.

6-17-10

 

Today was a good one at camp. The kids built wind turbines and we started the penguins unit. They also did a second trial with the solar cars and one could pull all the rocks so I have to bring in more tomorrow. I think they've really enjoyed this week and learned a lot. I'm giving them a post-test tomorrow.

 

I love the way the light comes in the house at dusk, and thought it was interesting when Frisbee walked through this patch of light on the slate floor.

 

The mystery plant is budding and I'm excited to see what it is.

Getting off coffee is not fun. Yes, I'm trying again. I'm really really really tired.

6-15-10

 

 

 

My summer camp students got solar cars working today. Tomorrow we start designing wind turbines! It's been so much fun teaching kids again, and these are great kids to work with. This afternoon I put together one of the presentations for a conference next week where I'm giving two papers. BLTs and three kinds of zucchini for dinner. They all tasted alike.

6-14-10

Experimented with greens tonight for supper. Collards and Kale beat out Turnips and Mustard.
OK, so I started my summer camp today and it's fun teaching kids again. I'm a bit rusty and expect these little kids to read my mind a bit too much, but it's coming back. Good experience.