June Log

Mike checked out some running blogs and took a rolling pin to my leg.  He said, "It'll hurt like #@!* (He actually said pound sign, at sign, exclaimation point, astrick), but it's supposed to work."  And he was totally right.  The next day I went and bought new running shoes and a foam roller, which doesn't hurt as much as the rolling pin. I am rubbing out the band and the muscles ~ it's close to all better, but not quite there yet.  I am being a baby about the pain because I'm so afraid I won't be able to walk again.  I've hurt worse while running, but this is totally different than anything I've ever experieced.  It hurts from my hip, down my quad, to my knee.  It hurts when I twist.  It hurts when I lift my leg.  It hurts when I run.  It is getting better, but when it hurts worse after running, I wonder if I'm doing more harm than good ~ or if it's just normal running hurt because I'm so out of shape? 
I did start running this month and have run 3 miles twice this week.  I 'm going to stick to 3 miles 3 to 4 times a week until that become easy. 
We are signed up for the 5-person relay for the Akron Marathon ~ September 24 is my goal to run the 7.9 mile leg.  My goal:  to be running 6 miles easy by August.  It is very doable.  I just need my leg to be all better!
Miles Walked:  11
Miles Run:  14.75       2011 total: 225.5
Miles Biked: 167.5      2011 total: 215

Book reading:  The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (due tomorrow and only on page 210) 

Today in the Garden

The weather is cool and comfortable ~ not a good beach day, but the garden is alive.  I'm, of course, busy wishing I'd moved some things earlier this spring ~ and doing it anyway, resulting in droopy plants that probably won't bloom ~ I will never have patience ~  But the daisies are blooming bright and cheery.  I love how the garden changes every day...more flowers and more weeds!  A little poison ivy but mostly joyful blooms.  A great metaphor for life.

UP Girls Trip

Chicago "Bean"

Our annual girls trip to Union Pier just happened to be the same weekend Mom was in Chicago!  What Serendipity!  On Friday (oddly thankful for the 60 degree and gray weather) we boarded the South Shore Line in Michigan City and got off two hours later at Millennium Park.  We met the Colorado crowd at the Walnut Room in Marshall Fields (don't call it Macy's) and enjoyed a fantabulous lunch.  I had the CRAB CAKE BLT ~ seriously (seriously, Bean) a CRAB CAKE on a BLT samage...doesn't get any better than that.  Mary Grace was fascinated by Kirsten's cosmetic bag (I think they are friends for life).  And Maggie drew me a picture of Kit.  After lunch we went to Grant Park/Millennium Park and played in the fountain.  Then, as we were waiting for the train back to Mich. City, Kirsten made friends with a police officer and shared about her time in the slammer ~ I think we should have stayed in Chicago...but we had beaching to do.
And Saturday cooperated.  We awoke to sunny skies and warm temperatues.  The greatest beach day EVER (seriously).  So I wore LOTS of sunscreen (lesson learned ~ for now) and we hung at the beach. 
As always it was a weekend of food, wine, laughter, cards (YES, we played POUNCE!), sleeping in, and a little bit of shopping.  So relaxing and fun to be with my college girls.  Blessed is an understatement.

Summer Solstice

Happy Summer Solstice

We, once again, celebrated with poetry.

My original creation:

Sunbun

Under

My shirt

Makes

Everything

Red

Sunscren

Use

Must be a part of

Making

Every summer

Remarkable

Gracie's Creation (much better than mine)

Summer

Summer, Summer

It's capital H.O.T. fire outside

What about the s'mores?

Swimming is fun

No more vampire skin

Tan instead

Hair's up

and tank tops

and don't forget the flip flops

S to the U to the MM to the ER

life is stranger than fiction

I have been a witness to two strange event in a McDonalds drive thru.  Last night, on our way home from working on the parsonage, I said, "I want a cheeseburger."  So Mike pulled into McDonalds and ordered me a cheeseburger.  We pull around are are surprised that there are three cars in front of us, as no one ordered in front of us.  Finally the car in front of us gets to the pick-up window.  After a while, when she still hasn't gotten her little blue PT Cruiser going, we start to pay attention to what's going on.  The little McDonalds worker comes to the window and hands the woman a shake.  The woman hands the girl a different shake.  They converse.  The girl closes the window.  The girl opens the window and again, they exchange shakes.  They converse.  The girl closes the window.  The girl opens the window and tries to exchange shakes.  The girl closes the window.  When it opens again, she hands the woman money and takes the shake.  The woman RETURNED food to McDonalds in the drive thru.  By the time I got to the pick-up window, my fries were cold.  Guesss what?  I ate them anyway.

Another time we were in the drive thru and had just ordered.  We pull behind the car in front of us who was paying.  We watched her pay and as we were pulling forward, she veered out of line and drove away.  Pulled out onto route 20 and drove off.  She paid for her food and never took it.  Did she not understand she'd get it at the next window? 

Monday

A summer Monday

Different this year because Mike and Patrick leave for work every morning.  It's weird just having one kid at home.  The house seems lonely and I wonder what I'll do when Jacob is working everyday too.  I may have to get a job ~ or volunteer at the library ~ of continue "cleaning" my house and tending to my gardens.  I'll cross that bridge in three years...

Greeting me after my mile and a half run this morning (relatively pain free!) were some beautiful new blooms.


"Crazy Hair Day"

"Crazy Daisy"

Also greeting me after my run was an email from my mom.  She sent a picture of her deck with the note:  "Need I say anything!!!!!!!!"

I'm very thankful to be in the grand state of Ohio and not the usually beautiful state of Colorado.  I know I couldn't take SNOW on the last full day of spring. 

Hello World

Doesn't this little yellow flower just look like it's popped up to say hello?
This is what I love about my garden.  If you look beyond the weeds and lack of planning you see these beautiful blooms ~ whose only purpose is to bring joy to the world.  This particular flower is from a plant I bought years ago (when I was really poor) from a garden center's clearance greenhouse.  The worker didn't even know what it was, but it was really cheap and it was a perennial ~ so I bought it.  It didn't do well where I planted it so a few years later I moved it to a slightly shadier spot.  Then it went crazy and reseeded where I'd originally planted it ~ and it thrives. There's probably some really deep metaphor about life in that, but I'm just happy the flower keeps coming back and reseeding.

This is where this flower if shining from ~ the first of the blooms to open. 

Coffee Inspiration

My mom bought me the best coffee cup in the world.  It speaks the truth of the world.

I am fairly certain that

given a Cape and a nice tiara,

I could save the world.

Sign of Summer

Our local elementary school's salute to summer is the best sign I've ever seen.  It certainly says it all.  Get out there and enjoy!

Schools Out!

Two days later than originally planned (due to seven snow days) we are FREE for the summer.  Patrick was done early as he aced his OGTs and was able to count them as A's on his finals, and Jacob and I finished on the craziest weather last day ever.  As we were getting ready Tuesday morning the sky, which had just started to lighten, turned midnight black, the wind started ripping leaves off the trees and then huge hail started pounding the house.  The parking lot at school was flooded to car doors and the 8th grade picnic at Stanton Park was cancelled.  Crazy last day!

But on the first day of summer (over 90 degrees) we went hiking at Hog Back Ridge.  The boys had a blast using a waterfall as a water slide.  Tonka loved playing in the water and we all cooled off a little bit.  Grammy G had her iPhone and took some pictures to remember the fun.

Patrick started his job at Cottage Gardens today and Jacob and I were lazy!  After I took Mom to the airport I took my bike ride and then got my hair cut.  After that...not so much!  Ahhhh Summer!

Poppy

Bright Red

Popping out of the bud

Magnificant explosion

Spreading toward the sun

Papery pedals

Delicate yet strong

A morning gift

Poppy