STORAGE by MARY OLIVER

 

STORAGE by MARY OLIVER 

When I moved from one house to another

there were many things I had no room for.

What does one do? I rented a storage

space. And filled it. Years passed.

Occasionally I went there and looked in,

but nothing happened, not a single

twinge of the heart.

As I grew older the things I cared

about grew fewer, but were more

important. So one day I undid the lock

and called the trash man. He took

everything.

I felt like the little donkey when

his burden is finally lifted. Things!

Burn them, burn them! Make a beautiful

fire! More room in your heart for love,

for the trees! For the birds who own

nothing– the reason they can fly.

 

Three Things for Thursday, 1

This photo has nothing to do with this post but it was my latest weekend adventure with the boys and an old roommate that was in town. Yay for paddling in mountain lakes even when it's super smoky!

We somehow made it to Thursday? If your summer is going like my summer you're probably wondering what has happened! Already mid-August and the kiddo is in his last few weeks of freedom before 6th grade! While I look forward to the fall, I know that snow season is a mere few weeks away, and I'll be trading in my CA winter coat (the coat that I wore for CA winter) for my calf length heavy duty down number (otherwise known as my wearable sleeping bag).  So, lets savor the blazing sun and hot temperatures while we can!

Here's what I've been intrigued, delighted by, interested in this week (plus I've been sick which is why there's been a lot of reading/watching and not hiking):

Pasta Grannies: Do you like pasta? Do you like grannies? I love that someone out there saw that traditional pasta making skills were not being passed down and thought to record Italian grandmothers making their specialty pastas. From a historic preservation standpoint, as well as someone who really likes to make food from scratch in traditional ways...this is amazing. Please let me know if you've tried to make any of the pasta! I'm thinking that I need a new rolling pin for these adventures!

Why I Hope I Die at 75: Mr. Emanuel has hit the nail on the head. We don't accept the end of our life in this country. Is a long life better? A big reason why I quit my medical career was seeing what we put 85 year old plus people through (family pressure, doctor pressure?) in order for them to live another few years and totally discounting their quality of life. Can we change this cultural mindset? My grandfather unfortunately went through this and I so wish I would have been there to advocate for him. Anyhow, a thoughtful read.

Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman's show Making It: This is set up like all the other competition shows, but I'm really liking the creativity that I'm seeing from these super talented people. It makes me want to learn, and get better at some kind of craft. I did just get a sewing machine for my birthday which I figured I would use for fabric repairs only, but you never know!

GBBS Challenge #1

If you're like me, then you're DONE with the snow. Seriously, WY. DONE.

To try to get through the gray, cloudy, snowstorm-y days, I've gravitated to Netflix. Something that I'm digging right now (along with the awkward love story in "Love") is the Great British Baking Show. British accents and baking? What could be better!?

In watching this show and adoring it, I thought that I could make a fun challenge to try some of the baked things that they make on the show, but far, far less elaborate.

Episode one featured Swiss rolls. The way that Mary Berry described what a good Swiss roll consisted of (a light, tasty sponge with a delicate creamy filling), I was intent on giving this one a go! I even used a UK recipe and kept having to google the conversions of ounces to cups and teaspoons. Don't forget to throw in high altitude and me never being able to figure out to compensate for that, and we have a recipe for a semi-tasty, failed challenge.

The photo from the recipe listed above: it's so easy and beautiful! From http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/rachel-allen/swiss-roll

Real life. The whipped cream and jam filling squished out of the roll as I was rolling it. Booo.

The filling squished out when I tried to roll it, and the cake was tough and slightly chewy but had good flavor. Not horrible, but not great either. I'm not quitting my day job, but I'm still not giving up on baking! More to come!

via GIPHY

Loved this book and the way that everything was tied together at the end. Plus there is a chapter called Bars. Why would you not read this book?

From TBA... to Being Here

I missed this space. I stopped by to grab a photo for my parent's anniversary project, and read over some of my old posts. I like it! If only for me, so be it! Lots of things for me to put down in this space, even though blogging is not the way to go these days. I'm okay with it. A new chapter in my life, instead of waiting for the next adventure, I want to embrace being here now; something that I have always struggled with. Time has taught me that this is it...my one big, messy, complicated, beautiful, adventure. I can't wait to move on to the next thing, I need to embrace the now, the right here, the current circumstances and situations, and make it happy, and fun and light. I feel like that past few years, I lost myself. A big reason for this was waiting for something to come along. Well, no longer. I'm going to be here now.

And what a place to be! We moved to the Tetons! We have a crazy, sweet, loving dog that we rescued, I'm seeing my friends from 7 years ago...and they're still as awesome as ever! I'm making new friends and goals, and dreaming up new dreams. I'm excited for being here.

9 reasons to go home for Christmas

The 9 reasons are the people (sappy, but so true), 9 people that I dearly love and miss on a daily basis.

If you have a fancy camera, you may as well take a photo of your 10 year old nephew, and make sure to capture the peas. That's important.

Man-friend captured the heart of my nephew and niece. He built them a blanket fort, and the password that the kiddos made up was "Daniel is awesome" with no prompting from the fort-builder himself. I think he wins this Christmas!

Everyone and the cranberry salad! Minus Cheryl, who was unfortunately ill.

Mom: "Okay, get it out of your system so you can smile nice."

Merry Christmas everyone!

Across the map!

We went to PDX...this is the new bridge

Then to Alabama to see my Jean P (from Glacier) get married!

This is an amazing house that was built in 1836. I want to live here.

Ramble: the best wedding dog there ever was.

Montgomery downtown

Civil Rights Museum