ok it's october...

...so I think I need to finish up posting about our summer trip in the next few days.  Although where we were in northern California it's still summer there now, a time known as "Indian summer."

Looking back, what a sweet time we had.   We spent the first few weeks in our old hometown staying a few minutes from our old house, in a place across the street from an old friend of mine.  Her teen son spent a lot of time with our kids, as teens do.  We had them over for dinner a few times.  We settled in to this tree lined sidewalked street and I pruned the rose bushes in their yard.  All of our kids had their own rooms which worked out well, especially after being in a hotel room for a straight week.  We stocked up on summer fruit and made fruit salads every morning.  The kids walked to the local high school and skateboarded there almost daily. Our girls took some private hip hop lessons with Miss Christina.  My friend Kate took us for a hike on top of a mountain. All of our kids made new friends. Annabel met a new friend who plays guitar. They have stayed in touch all of these months via Skype, and just tonight at dinner Annabel was saying how supportive they are of one another's music.          

time

A couple more of Sky's original songs are here, (written in 2009) and here (written in 2010).  The first one is called 'Survival," and the best line from that song is, "How can you love with an unhappy mind?"

The second song is titled "Flying Through Time," appropriately illustrated above.

I am catching myself flying through time these days.  And it seems like all of our kids are ready to take off.  

corner view~what to do in your country

In our country it's nice to take a drive on a cool sunny day along eucalyptus lined roads and see what the world has to offer.  There are many beautiful cities as well, some have old architecture, some very new and modern.  While I love exploring places, and I have been to most of our states, I prefer the natural world best.

And what about your country?

one fall

This is another one of my girl's songs from her new album.  The title, "One Fall."  I remember when this one was first being created.  We hear her on the piano, working something out, until suddenly there is a new song.  I have no idea how this happens, but all four of the people I live with over here have this gift.  I just listen.

corner view~evening

This is a shot from our summer travels.  Fisherman's Wharf, in San Francisco, California.  After a Giants night game, which they won.  It was great.  More on that later, but for now will leave you with this photograph.
Happy week to my CV friends all over the globe!

more yosemite

It was awesome.  Wish I could go back today.

another song

Skylar at 11

Title track of Sky's new album, "Searchlight."  She sure has a way of telling a story.  She has always been fascinated by orphans.

this moment

Years ago I read Amanda's blog Soulemama.  It was the first blog I read that inspired me to start blogging.  That and my friend Robyn's.  So today I am joining Amanda's weekly group...a single photo, no words, to capture a moment from the week.  We have been having some nice cloudy weather, which I love.  And even a little rain!  Hope that means we'll get lots of rain this winter!

since we've been home

We have finished a bathroom remodel, put in new carpets, hosted Shawn's class guinea pig, broken in all of the instruments, jumped in the ocean, and I have worked in the garden, plus helped a friend start a tulsi garden.  On our property we have papaya and tangerines coming.  Also bananas at some point this year I expect, I have five trees planted.  Oh and a guava tree too.  I am going to redo my herb/veggie garden soon I hope.

We are so busy right now.  The kids are all back in school, they started at the end of July.  So far so good. Annabel, our rocker girl started high school.  Sky is taking her first college course, at her high school (sociology).  She loves her professor.  The kids school schedule is wonky.  The girls go to a charter school, and attend classes part time, so they are home a lot.  Lots of driving back and forth.  The girls are in a hip hop class. Shawn is playing legos, drumming, running around, and Skyping with a girl from his class.

Yes, it's one round of enjoyment after another over here.      

yosemite

I have always wanted to see Yosemite.  Despite the heatwave, it was incredible. Of course we did lots of hiking.  We stayed at the Ahwahnee Hotel.  It was very special. The kids loved the falls.  I am so grateful for our national parks.  We ate at their restaurant where men and boys were required to dress in collared shirts.  That evening we sat in their large lobby in front of a fireplace, not burning, and made funny faces with fake smiles, laughing til our sides hurt. Sometimes you need to be a fool.     

back to earth

I think I have a favorite Sky song.  It's called Back to Earth.  This girl amazes me.  I can't wait to see what she does with her life.  She is already on her way, that's for sure.

mountain home inn, muir woods

What do you do when for the past few days there has been a stifling heat wave with no end in sight, and you have plans in two days to meet friends and stay on their houseboat where temperatures are expected to rise to 108? You get smart.  You change plans.  You get lucky on July 3rd and 4th to find any place to rent -- but you find one place in town that has space.  And so you book it. And then you throw in a few loads of laundry, pack up your belongings and tidy up the house you have been staying in for two and a half weeks.  You don't have to deep clean it because you arranged ahead of time for that to be done by professionals.  You smile at them as you walk out of the door, flipping on the air conditioning for them.

Then you get in a car and drive, sweating it out as the car temperature gauge reads 100 degrees.  You drive up the mountain, winding through Mill Valley to a beautiful inn.  By the time you arrive the temperature has dropped into the 70's.  The air is magic, oxygen like no other, and you can smell the eucalyptus trees and the pine trees.  You take a deep breath and realize that now, yes, you are on vacation.

seventeen

Seventeen years ago Gary and I welcomed this girl into our lives.  She has been gracing us ever since. Still, I can't believe Skylar is seventeen.

Today on Sky's birthday, she chose to feed the homeless.  It was our scheduled day to cook and she didn't want to miss it.  So we picked all of the kids up from school and headed to our local shelter, where we prepare a meal once a month with some friends.

We made a Mexican polenta casserole, two veggie sides (including twenty pounds of Swiss chard donated by a local organic farmer), rice, bread, carrot cake, and fruit salad.

We also made a surprise apple pie that we gave to Sky later, after serving the meal to the residents, and eating our meal.  Sky was happy.  Apple pies are her favorite to make and eat, her trademark Skypie, which is also her my nickname for her.