Moments to Remember (*P*S*C #19)

Though we have been back for about a week now, there are still moments I am trying to savor back at home...trying to hold on to our little vacation as long as possible I suppose. The memory of a lake that looks like a surface of glass, with a dock inviting one to sit in this chair and think deep reflective thoughts...or not think at all.

To freeze time as I watch my three family guys at play on the raft...moments before Jed topples into the cool, clear water and is followed soon by a large splash as John is thrown into the water and dear 'ol Dad is the king of the raft once more.

To be able to still see the glimmer in my son's eyes as he shows off his catch of the day...and remembering the first little fish he caught in the lake some twenty years ago on a short, lime green pole.

To see Anne and Kari sitting side by side as they eat cake, comparing notes on their teaching experiences, and becoming more than casual friends...soon to be sisters by marriage.

And finally, to see that the Glastron - - - about thirty years old - - -is giving us yet one more year of boating excitement on this wonderful lake in the North Woods.

Party of Five (*P*S*C #19)

Hard to believe but between John's birthday and Wes' birthday we celebrate five birthdays in our little family of (almost) six! So, we have started a little tradition of dinner out at the White Stag restaurant near Eagle River followed by an activity of go-karting.

Because we celebrated on the 4th of July, their cake was supposed to be a Liberty Bell. And I made them wear their patriotic leis.

They somehow seemed to match those we saw in the parade earlier in Iron River:

See those "spots" on the pony? They are star stickers...a first to see stickers on an animal!

We were happy that Elder and Muriel could join us this year for the celebrating. And that Elder rode the tracks with us at the Kartway.

I tell you, we are a family who knows how to party!!

Pink Suitcase Chronicles #19: The Whole KITT 'n Caboodle!

We have just returned from a lovely 4th of July weekend at our cabin in the North Woods and this time, along with our kids, the Grandkitty Oliver joined us!!

He kept us all quite entertained with his antics. He "sat" on the couch with John.

He "guarded" the door for us. We weren't fooled...we knew he wanted O-U-T!

He kept us entertained with his climbing up the ladder to the loft. And even more amusing was his descent: LOOK OUT BELOW!!

He had his times of resting as well. Right next to his little fox friend.

Probably the most "help" from Oliver came to me as the others were out and about and I was working on the Rehearsal Dinner invitations.

Now that was help! Ah, life with a cat...

Look for more 4th of July weekend fun to come as this PSC is to be continued.

A Relative for PINK

Well, we have to decide...is it a she or a he? Is it a cousin or sibling? All I know is that this green suitcase on wheels is sure to make our life in the city easier as we tote it back and forth to the local grocery store, farmer's market or outdoor concert!

Any suggestions you might have would be much appreciated! Tell me what you think it should be called and if you think it is a cousin to my Pink. Or a sibling. This one is stumping me.

(As is this problem of huge letters where I want them to be smaller. Just one of those days. I guess.)

Looking for a Gift Suggestion? Part Two.

A friend and I were recently shopping in downtown L'ville at The Present Moment when we came upon a fun item on display: The Buddha Board. A bluegray board is propped up easel style and a paintbrush and dipping well are attached. All you do is dip the paintbrush in water, paint away, and in minutes the water evaporates and you are left with a clean slate to paint afresh. For my usuallly practical, cerebral husband I thought this might be the perfect gift for Father's Day. Yep...it's not the usual tie, shirt or pen kind of gift!

Looks were directed my way, once the gift was opened, which asked the question, "Are you crazy? This is reaaaaaallly weird for EVEN you!" Until, one at a time, they created their very own evaporating masterpieces and listened raptly while the painter explained his/her "work" of art.

And Wes? He's painting daily now, illustrating parts of a book he is reading about the parables.

As well as surprising me with random sweet, fleeting notes of affection and humor...this is but ONE of them.

Funny how this little simple board draws our visitors in to create or write. This weekend Kass and Don tried it out (these are Kari's parents in for a city visit).

Seems like a no-brainer to get one of these for your home, too. Far better than text messages, I'd say.

Looking for a Gift Suggestion? Part One.

Charles Harper (Charley) created amazing silk screens for Ford Motor in the late 1950's. Then, in clever prose, he wrote a paragraph about each bird such as:

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Hummers can fly backward, vertically and pause in midair. This is handy when you do your housebuilding in a tree. Mr. Ruby-throat checks out after the honeymoon and something tells Mrs. to start building the tiny attached-saddled nest, glued by salivary secretion to a down-sloping branch. It's made of plant down, lichens and silk borrowed from a neighborhood spider, whom she later has over for dinner -- hers.

Why did it take me until the summer of 2008 to discover this artist and his unique artwork?

It all started with this library book: I was hooked!

Zip forward to a recent issue of Country Living where a memory game featuring cards of animals (mostly birds, but a turtle, fish, and others are included) by Harper was highlighted as a gift idea. Right then and there I knew this game was meant to be had by the reader and I ripped the page out of the magazine, handed it to John and said, "This is what I want you to get me for Mother's Day!" And, bless his heart - that's just what he and Kari got for me - and I love the game! Perfect for adults and kids alike...and as we age, we should be playing games to increase our memories, right? Even the box the game comes in is a treat!

Here's a sneak peak of some of the playing card squares.

The "kids" seemed to enjoy playing the game with us...and I know we will play this when friends come over, too. So fun! Artistic cards and boosting memory capacity? A win-win opportunity!

(And, I didn't even mind being the loser each time we played.)

Thanks, Kari and John!

The Pink Suitcase Chronicles #18: Memory Lane

It's been some time since Pink took a trip~and we're freshly back from a long weekend with her in the North Woods /Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Once again, we found ourselves conducting family business and working hard on a project. Near to our work site, Wes spent much boyhood time at his Grandparent's cabin. During a break, we took a little walk and Wes told stories about his summers there as a boy. I invite you to come along with me via this blog to go back in time...down Memory Lane if you will, to catch a glimpse of this passed past.

Between the broken tree on the left and the middle tree is now a tight, thick growth of pines. This used to be where the Granparents had their cabin. Time shows how nature returns to nature given moisture, winters with heavy snowfall, and vacancy of owners. However, in the background still remains a building from the past: the playhouse! Word has it that the Grandparents paid nearly the same for this playhouse to be built as what they spent on the cabin. Maybe playtime puts happy vibes into the wood? The playhouse has been repainted by the present owners of this property. And, by peeking inside, it looks like the building is still a special place for short people who like to garden. At this point, please allow me to digress a bit from the Memory Lane story. I wanted to show you our recently handed-down dining room table with a fresh coat of white paint. Wes' Dad crafted this table from the wood of his parent's cabin and it was used by the young Lindahl family in the late 60's, 70's and 80's. Wes spent many hours climbing this huge willow tree. Now it is but a huge stump. Near this tree, the lake goes on to form the start of a river. Now that the kids are grown up and gone, the beavers have had time - and peace - to build quite an impressive dam. Around the lake there was a path for the young boys to ride their treasured mini bike. Ahh, those were the carefree days. Now the path has been taken over by trees, plants and flowers. What a reminder that life passes quickly, and before you know it you are an adult. With a blink of an eye, it seems you have your children turning into adults themselves. And all you can do is pass along the stories and memories and hope that you will be remembered long afterwards by future generations.