This Day...

Today I take my boy to college...

and that's all I have to say....


Frychik

He's back....

Yesterday at around 2:30 pm Josh arrived home...

Despite needing a tow and then a new battery, no air conditioning, bad traffic...

He was home safe and sound after 8 weeks of working as a summer camp counselor...

He was hungry, stinky and tired and very glad to be home!

He wanted  PB&J and a long shower...

This morning was the first morning all summer he could sleep in.
I was busy and when I came home I saw signs that my son was home again....

But now instead of yelling at him to clean up after himself...

I felt comforted by the signs that told me that he was here...
Plus its easier when you know it will only be for a few more days...
We take him to college on Friday... :(

Frychik

Snakes and coffee?

On Saturday Jeff and I and our friend Don decided to hike up Dog Mountain....
It's a 7.6 mile hike - which sounds like a piece of cake to someone who rides 40 miles on a bike...
I have heard of Dog Mountain from photography friends...
I have even heard that its a "strenuous" hike...
Some have even referred to it as "very steep"....
In the spring the flowers are AMAZING up there and I have always intended to go...
So knowing I had missed the flowers I thought it would still be a good chance to scout things out for my spring trip...
Now all I can think is UGH I HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!

Before we had even left the parking lot we were warned that there was a rattle snake on the trail at the 5th switchback...
FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE SNAKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Needless to say for those of you who know my intense fear of those nasty creatures I was a bit concerned -
However I was also determined to have my camera out and ready... because if I have to see one I'm gonna have a picture of one!
As we headed up the trail three other people warned us of the rattle snake on the trail just ahead...
I'm freaking out - my heart is pounding because of the steepness of the trail and then double time because of my fear - I fear my heart will just burst apart...
But my camera is out and ready - I will be brave!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do you see a picture of a snake?
Its not what you think its not that I freaked out dropped my camera and ran for my life...
Its not that I froze and couldn't push the shutter...
Its that the darn snake hid from us...
And it would seem only us...
Because EVERYONE else saw it!
Oh well...
I wasn't too upset :)

I would much rather take pictures like these!
My dear husband helped me lug up all my camera equipment...
So I made sure I used each and every piece to justify carrying the 10+ lbs of lenses, tripod etc....

There are three reasons I am smiling in this picture

1. I made it to the top (it is very steep!) and the misery is over (sadly I was wrong)

2. I did not see the rattlesnake on the side of the trail that EVERYONE else saw - apparently it even had a coffee cup!

3. I had no idea how painful it would be going down....

The views are very impressive from the top of Dog Mountain. I was wishing for blue skies or the light to at least break through but no luck...
It is gorgeous and if I were taking the above shot in the spring this hill would be covered in yellow and red flowers...
But I'm not I'm taking it in August...

I did notice that in some areas the mountains looked just as the Smokey Mountains do.
On the way down the trail we saw warning signs about the rattle snake...
Signs that were not there on our way up...
Meaning other people had seen said rattler since we had passed by...
I was so worried about not seeing the nasty creature until it was crawling over my boot that I missed the opportunity to take a picture of the sign...
It read "Beware rattle snake near tree with coffee cup"...
Unbelievably not only could we not spot the snake we couldn't spot the coffee cup...
Leading me to conclude there is a rattle snake up there who is as scared of me as I am of him - with a caffeine addiction....

 The end...

Frychik

Transition

Josh is in his last week of camp.  I actually was able to speak to him on the phone yesterday.  Its amazing how someone who was a part of my daily life is now so inaccessible to me...

Its also weird that he will be home in a week but only for a few days.  We will be taking him to WWU on Friday.  His soccer workouts begin Sunday morning the 18th.  So he's not coming home, he's just transitioning from summer camp counselor to college student...

I love this pic of him...not sure why...

So a week from Friday we will be moving him into his dorm room...

on with the next phase of life I guess...

Frychik

I feel FALL Fever coming on...

I can't help it...
It's not that I don't LOVE summer...
Because I absolutely do!

But I am glad I don't live in a place where its always summer...
That would be just too dull for me...
And I'm really not wishing summer away...

Because that would just be silly...
And this summer weather wise, has been simply AMAZING!
Nonstop sunshine for days on end...

However.....

My pumpkins are turning orange....
And my sunflowers are blooming...
And there are school supplies for sale on the shelves...

and there is a little tiny budding in my soul...
which is the beginning of Fall Fever...
I realize its simply my restlessness and my never ending need of change...
But crisp fall days are starting to whisper to me...

Frychik

If your friends told you to jump off a bridge....

Would you do it?
 

Sometimes we encourage peer pressure :)

When I was a teenager this would have been me...standing up there but unlike these guys I would have been the one that really, really, didn't want to be up there...but there was no way I was gonna be THAT girl!

In my teenage mind I never ever wanted to be seen as prissy, wimpy or any other form of weakness...

I wanted to be just as tough and brave as the boys...so I often found myself in these sorts of situations...

And I enjoyed bragging about them afterwards....

But now I am entirely content cheering from the boat and being the photographer!


However, there is a tiny part of me that wishes I was that supper cool grown up that was up there with the kids....never mind.... :)

Frychik

iphone pics

I absolutely LOVE my iphone camera...

I'm amazed and dismayed how great these cameras are and how anybody anywhere can look like an amazing photographer just by clicking their phone camera and then adding a filter or two from instagram and wala you look like a pro...

But beside that it is an awesome way to document your life - and let me tell you my life is EXCITING these days! ;p

PUMPKINS!!!!!!!!!!! I have the biggest most gorgeous pumpkins I have ever grown this year!  I am mildly concerned that they are already turning orange in August...is that a problem?  I don't know it just seems too soon...I should look it up.

My tomatoes are coming on! And they are delicious! I only get a few a day and we usually gobble them up immediately and I mean immediately often I don't even get them into the kitchen before I have devoured them.  I LOVE THEM!

I went shopping with my mom the other day and we went to the coolest furniture store! The had a huge range of items including an obstetric table and confession booth! Of course if you needed a dining room table or couch they had that as well :)

Probably about 8 years ago we planted our grapes...
And for those years it has grown and has the most gorgeous shinny leafy vines that grow and grow...
However, noticeably absent have been grapes...
Until this year!
We have about 3 cluster!
I'm still doubtful as to their quality but it is exciting!

As a result of being home and outside in the yard so much I have found a deepening friendship developing with my sweet Teddy Rose...She faithfully helps me water as long as I promise to water her on the hot days :)

Two of my nieces stopped by the other evening and we began playing imaginary beauty salon and then of course we had to take pictures :) handing my camera to my sweet 4 year old niece would have been scary no matter how much I adore her! Handing her my iphone was less scary :)  About 400 pictures and these are the best two :)
Love them so much!

Photo Credit: Paige Ritz

 Photo credit:  Payton Ritz

Another super cool thing about the iphone camera is the availability! On a bike ride no problem you just whip it out and tada you have documented your sweaty red face forever more :)

Frychik