saturday afternoon

ok.. its saturday afternoon.. so sunny outside that it seems to be a sin to sit in. i've spent the morning in a class with my daughter. :| she decided she really wanted to get fit and start an eating plan (inspired by her mom :P) and the class for teens has the orientation on saturday mornings...

she will meet with the nutritionist on her own.. and then also have her own exercise program. i'm so proud of her for making this choice.. but i know how hard its going to be. the peer pressure at school will be hard. its the end of the year.. there are pizza parties, receptions full of cookies, bbqs with hamburgers and chips... so many things to have to plan for. i know she can do it.. she needs to plan ahead. anyway... thats where we spent the morning.. inside on this glorious gorgeous day!

now.. hannah has a concert to go to this afternoon.. in downtown detroit ..... she is just too young to go to a rock concert on her own (even with friends) but... i really really really don't wanna see this particular band. i've seen several of her bands with her and her friends... i can't do it today :|

this concert has 3 bands... and its in a theater that will be very well secured.. soooooo i'm dropping her and a friend off at the theater, and then we'll hang out in downtown detroit for a few hours before picking them back up. i mean.. she is nearly 17 :| i shouldn't hover so much.

here' the problem.. there really isn't a lot to do in downtown detroit.. its a dying city. very industrial, and not many places to hang out (unless you want to sit in a bar)

i'm gonna take my cameras... see if there is anything to shoot.. but its not even safe enough to walk around with my cameras, so i'll have to drive and shoot out of the window... or stop for a short bit and then right back in the car.

there are some casinos in detroit.... i've never even once been in one.. that probably wont change today. if i had money to throw away.. i'd be throwing it away in someplace other than the casino.

ok... time to go....

tomorrow is mother's day ;)

b

lazy day

i'm supposed to be working.... i have a picture order that needs to be at the lab.. yesterday. its wasn't a great job.. i was just hired to shoot this even for a local music event (a convention).. so the shots are candids, and less than exciting.

the sun is shining and i'd rather be outside getting dirty in my garden..

i was just asked to play at least 2 more times this summer at Christ Church Cranbrook. yay! its a very prestigious venue... one of the oldest cathedrals in our area.

i agreed to play.. (of course) but also suggested that instead of just hearing me as a soloist.. that they might enjoy a chamber group.. duet or trio.. or maybe even a quartet.

the music director was excited by that idea.. even offered to pay us each separately instead of my usual fee being split among a group.

i called my friend Jill (another flute player/teacher) and she suggested doing a trio using 2 flutes, and a bass flute. (jill plays bass flute as well) we'll have to get together a few mornings in the next couple of weeks to work out some repertoire.

just when i thought my performing schedule was coming to an end for the summer.. i got this :) and this is really cool. i mean i'm ready for a break from my normal rehearsal schedule.. but this is totally different. 3 of us (who really enjoy each other's company) actually making a little money together... i could get used to this :P

ok.. back to my picture order, then out to the garden to play in the dirt :D

beautiful tuesday

it was a glorious day... the weather was ideal.

i got up early, drove the two older kids to school and then had to take sam to the dentist. we arrived at the dentist office a little early (8:10 for a 8:30 appt.) and sat in the car with the windows down for a few minutes to wait for the office to open. it was already warm.. probably 70ish.. and there was a slight breeze... the breeze brought with it the aroma of lilacs. its the first time i've smelled it this year.. and the scent filled the car.

i did buy 2 lilac bushes for my new garden, but they are only saplings... i don't know how many years it will take before they flower enough to fill the backdeck with that sweet smell.

i dropped sam at school and headed for the gym. it was kinda annoying at the gym today. i just wanted to swim my laps and get on with my day. it started out just fine... only a few little kids in the lesson pool and the lap pool was completely empty :D

i started swimming and it didn't take long before a VERY annoying man showed up. he chose the lane directly next to me. when i swim laps.. i don't go fast, just a steady pace, and my goal is to swim between 30-50 minutes.. depending on how much time i have. Mr. annoying showed up after i had already been swimming for 15 minutes and my pace was already set. the first annoying thing he did was stop me when i got to the end of my lane to turn around.. :| so there went my pace.. and then he asked me "how long is one lap in this pool?" clearly annoyed i said "i don't know... i swim according to time, not how many laps i go..."

i then tried to regain my pace... get my heart rate to a steady 140 or so.. and continue... when all of a sudden Mr annoying decided to attempt somesort of butterfly stroke.... and with all of his flailing about he ended up spalshing me right in the face as i turned to take a breath..... ugh. i inhailed the water (that never feels good) and had to stop again to cough up the water

there was still several lanes free.. so i decided to move down and try to continue my workout. about 30 minutes into my swim... another guy jumped into the pool.. of course he chose a lane directly next to mine. when i got to the end of the lane... this guy would start swimming.. really fast.. like we were racing :| and then when he would get to the other end of the pool before me, he would just sit and wait until i got there.. and i would turn... and he would do it again. i've experienced this same thing in the pool before.. always with men... they like to feel like we are racing.. and they are always winning :| it usually lasts about 10 minutes then they get tired and leave. guys do the same thing on the freeway i've noticed.. if you pull up next to them.. they just can't stand it.. they have to go faster than you. ok.. i'm not bashing guys.. just making an observation ;)

i stopped at the garden shop and bought a few things for my yard... i still don't know what is already planted here, things are just starting to bud and pop up out of the ground. i'm fairly sure there isn't a single thing planted in the flower bed that borders my back fence, so i'm going to make that into a vegetable garden.

i also got 2 planters to put on the railing of my back deck.... i think i'll enjoy this house a lot more once i get some beatiful things growing in the back garden.

i called a pool company to come and do some minor repairs and open the swimming pool for the season but they can't get here until the last week in may. i don't think it will be warm enough to swim before then anyway.. but i'm having a party on june4 (end of the year party for one of my music groups) i hope the pool is ready by then.

bills traveling again.. new york city this time.. i swear he travels 2 or 3 days each week, and most of the time he is flying somewhere for a one hour meeting.. seems like a waste of money to me. with phone conferencing and video conferencing.. i would think flying across the country to have a one hour meeting would be a thing of the past.

although.. i have to say.. i wouldn't my flying to manhattan for a day ;)

tomorrow i have class... and then if the weather holds up.. i'll be in the garden again

bye for now!

home again

i'm home from my camping trip. it ended up being me, sam and hannah. hannah has only been camping a few times... even she had a good time. Sam and i often go by ourselves, so he is a pro ;)

we got a late start on thursday, so we ended up getting there after dark. as we headed north from here the temperature started dropped dramatically. by the time we were 20 miles from our destination it was about 40 degrees. Thats when sam informed me he only brought shorts :|

we took a detour and found a shop with sweatpants and sweat shirts... only $6 each (deep discount end of the season sale) i bought him a set.. shirt and pants, and decided the price was so great that i couldn't pass it up and i bought me a set and hannah a set too. then we were on our way again.


we got to the camp at about 10:30pm... pitch black. the camp ranger had gone home for the night and there was NOBODY in sight. only a sign telling us to leave our name and payment and slip the envelope in the door.

we then drove around the park road searching for a campsite in total darkness. we heard the lake, and hannah found a small clearing. it wasn't far from the bath house so we decided to set up there.

hannah was surprised at how fast we got the tent up.. especially with only the headlights from the car. we were all ffffrrrrreeezing. so we put on our new sweats..after we all got into our new sweats.. we realized they looked like prison issued clothing.. :| we then climbed into sleeping bags.. and went to sleep by the sound of the lake waves hitting the shore.

in the morning i woke up early.. the sky was turning pink and the sun was going to rise soon.. and the moon was setting .. it was a beautiful full moon.

i took a couple of shots.. i haven't looked thru them all, but here is one of the moon setting on our first morning.

it was so peaceful and quiet.. and cold.. i crawled back into my sleeping bag and we slept for several more hours. waking later to the sound of some canadian geese honking as they swam in the lake.

we cooked over the campfire.. biscuits, hamburgers, baked potatoes, baked apples, corn, hotdogs, roasted veggies, even cinnamon rolls ;)... i'm pretty creative when it comes to cooking over the campfire.

we hiked a little... the days warmed up nicely, but in the evenings it cooled to the lower 30s again. actually once i figured out that i actually could put every single item of clothing i brought with me.. on at the same time.. i was warm at night :)

on the second day we took a short drive to a light house, and on the third day we had to pack up and come home. i had a music thing this morning that i had to be back for.



this is a sunset from the 2nd day.... i know there is some glare, but just wanted you to see.

i love camping.

tomorrow i'll be in the recording studio all day, it might end up being a very long session. i just got an email telling me there are 3 more pieces that we haven't even seen yet.

i'm going to take pictures in the studio so you can see the inside of the recording booth.

now.. i have a mountain of laundry to do from camping..

camping...

well.. i'm finally packed up and we are heading out camping. alex isn't going, cuz he doesn't feel well... its ok, he can stay home and watch the dog. bill will travel tomorrow.. so alex wont have to stay home alone tonight.

i'll have pictures when i get back! be home saturday afternoon :)

backyard before

ok... most everyone knows i moved from michigan, to kansas and back to michigan all within the last year. each time selling a home, and buying a new one... what a huge hassle.

i should give a little history.. i've moved about 8 billion times since i've been born.. so moving itself isn't new to me. but some moves have definitely been better than others. i almost always find cool and interesting things about the new places i live.. but no matter how many times i move, michigan and south carolina seem like my two homes. i went to high school and college in michigan. i was born in south carolina, and for every summer i can remember i've visited there.. my parents have retired there.

the last 3 moves went like this. we lived in michigan for a few years.. bought a house that was nice with a huge yard and garden. before living in that house, i had never really had a chance to work on a garden and get it the way i wanted it .. before we moved again. that garden was gorgeous. i had an apple tree, several lilac bushes and created a large shade perennial garden as well as a vegetable garden.

we moved to kansas..... flat.. desolate... empty. but.... i decided that since i got so much enjoyment from my garden in michigan that i would make that a priority in my new house in kansas. so after the home was finished being built.. i hired a landscape architect to help me design a nice garden and yard... and a lot of time and expense went into making the yard an oasis in the middle of the prairie. if i would have stayed in kansas like originally planned, i have no doubt that i would have enjoyed that garden.

now... jump to the present... down sized our home..., and our garden. also bought an older neglected home... with a sorely neglected garden. :( when we decided to buy this home the yard was already dormant for the winter.. so i had no idea what, if anything was alive out there.

now its spring... everyones grass in this neighborhood was turning green... not ours :| everyones spring flowers blooming... not ours. everyones sprinklers starting up... mine needs repair. even the shrubs and trees in this yard look like they have lived a hard life.

there is a swimming pool here... it is in need to total renovations.. but there just isn't money for that this year.. luckily i know it does work.. even if it isn't beautiful.... someone will come out and take the cover off and fill it in the next few weeks.


There is good news in all of this....... its like having a clean slate to start with. there is very little planted on our little plot of land. even the grass needs to be reseeded. so, its like i'm starting from square 1.

the pictures here show just what kind of shape out garden is in... these will be the before images... later in the summer after i've got some things planted and there is life back there.. i'll show the after images.

also.. there is a picture of my dinner from last night :P over the last 6 months.... i've totally changed the way i eat. i now eat mostly fruits and vegetables. last night was a typical meal for us. i grilled skinless chicken with fajita spices, peppers and onions.. and then also grilled a bunch of asparagus after putting a little lemon juice and some oil on them. the kids put all the veggies and meat into tortillas with a bit of cheese... i think just about everything tastes better when its cooked on a grill. :)
this picture is of all the seeds we planted about a month ago... these are summer annual flowers.. everything from sunflowers to morning glories. i also have some beautiful azalea bushes that i'll plant as soon as the danger of frost is over.

you can see.. even though the backyard is pretty sorry looking now.. i still love it :) i would rather cook out there than in a kitchen anyday.. and i'll make sure that my outside kitchen looks like paradise before this summer is over ;)

ducks

This morning after getting everyone out the door... i got a phone call. it was bill and the kids in the car telling me to go outside and see our new neighbors.... i didn't know someone had moved in, and i was still in my jammies.. so i just peeked outside and saw a family of ducks that has decided to set up camp at the edge of the road.

this isn't a quiet spot.. cars drive past here all day long.. 25mph and they are just inches from the road. i watched them for a few minutes.. and even as cars went by they didn't budge.. one even tucked his head behind his wing for a nap.

there are lots of quiet, cozy places near here where these ducks could enjoy a rest, or build a nest. there are several ponds, and lakes just blocks away.

my theory is... they are waiting for me to take the cover off my swimming pool :|

they are either extremely stubborn, or not very smart.

its wednesday... i have class today. i haven't had the best week... i was feeling yucky for most of it.. and didn't get to the gym on my usual schedule. it seems to be a cycle tho.. when i don't feel well, i don't exercise, and when i don't exercise, i don't feel well.

i'm not running a fever.. this bug just seems to be hanging on and sucking the life out of me.

i'm starting back on my regular schedule today.. so i'll swim my laps after my class and hopefully things will get back to normal.

bill got home from chicago late last night.. but will leave again tomorrow to travel somewhere (i'm not sure where) the kids don't have school on friday.. and i really wanted to take a few days to go camping.. now i'm not sure that i can do it. :(

i suppose i could just take the dog with me.. since it wont be hot.. he can stay in the car if we need to drive anywhere... i usually avoid taking kip with us when we camp because he thinks that its his job to chase every squirrel within a 10 mile radius. that gets really annoying.

the lakes are still too cold for swimming.. so we will just hike, and cook, and hang out... so maybe i wont cancel the trip after all :)

i do need to think about a destination tho.. and see if i can make a campsite reservation tonight. its about 3 hours to lake michigan..thats the west side of my state. maybe i'll stay a bit closer to home this time, and just take a drive up the eastern side of the state to the tip of the thumb area. my state, michigan, is shaped like a huge mitten. we tend to hold up our hands and point out places where we have been.. or intend to go... :P its like having a map all the time.

on the map below.. the closet city listed to where i live is Pontiac. the tip of the thumb area is really beautiful. there wont be many boats in the lakes yet.. i believe there are probably still chunks of ice in the northern lakes. but there will be light houses, and forests to explore.



ok... i'm off to get ready for my class. wish me luck, i'm not as prepared as i usually am.