Of peonies, conversations, and creating...

I was looking through some photos that I took in my garden while I was home in Idaho for the summer and I came across these peony shots. Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE peonies? 

Hands down, my favorite flower.

Especially the light pink ones.

I miss peonies.

Which reminds me that I miss Senecca.

I especially miss our conversations.

The conversations that only come about because we've already spent a couple of hours together in comfortable silence.

These conversations start out with trivial tidbits that weave and bob and gain momentum as they course through a mountain of  shared experiences, places, friends, literature, thoughts, and feelings.

Conversations that eventually bring us back to where we started.

Comfortable silence.

Knowing silence.

Silence that says,

 "I love you and everything about you.

 You are safe with me. 

You are more precious than gold to me."

Senecca has been designing the most beautiful beach-inspired jewelry of late.

 The last time she was home in Maui we sat together and had one of those conversations while she worked on some of her designs. 

It was heavenly to be there together sifting and sorting and watching her beautiful hands at work.

I suppose that every mother and daughter has something that bonds them.

I have found that creating together has become the conduit for closeness for Sen and I.

We grab a few supplies, turn on the music, and begin our ritual.

Of course, not being one to let an opportunity pass without documentation, I grab my camera and start shooting.

"Mom," she says, "Stop it. Look at my nails. I soooo need a manicure before you take pictures."

And since I am such an accomodating soul, I ignore her and keep on shooting.

Because I don't want to waste a single minute of the time we have together.

I want to record it ALL.

While she renders works of art out of glass and shells and gold, I watch and wonder at this marvelous girl. 

And say a little prayer of gratitude for the memories we are creating together.

And marvel at her amazing, ethereal jewelry designs.

I have decided that I am the luckiest mother in the world.

Life is beautiful.

Our (Idaho) summer in pictures 2011

So much to do, so little time to record it all...

So here's just a little slice of our summer in Idaho.

Stocky sailing around the pond with grandpa:

Sweet little Ava:

Camping at Alturas Lake and Redfish Lake:

Fourth of July in Hailey:

Kelsey family reunion: 

My sweet mother:

Little critter on grandma's hill:

Breakfast with the cousins at our house:

Getting ready to raft the Salmon River:

Senecca and her honey, Danny:

(Yep, he's a cutie pie)

Out to dinner at Zou 75:

(Still sporting the eternal pink cast, sigh...)

Shopping with the girls in Boise for our birthday getaway:

(Yes, Christa, you're hot...love the look)

Fun-Tana!

The lamp is cute, but you're cuter.

Just sayin'.

Can you say Cheese.......cake Factory?

So much more  fun was indulged in, but alas, the camera could not accompany me everywhere.

More later...

Summer...are you out there???

We (well, Stockton & I, anyway) have been joyfully anticipating our summer in Idaho...

...lazy days in the pond, hours of bouncing on the trampoline, frog-hunting, fort-building, picnics, camping, barbeques...you get the picture.

But Mother Nature decided to play a little trick on us.

A little bit of bait and switch, if you will.

We came home expecting this:

What we got was this:

Okay, okay, it wasn't quite this bad, but pretty darn close.

That whole global warming thing?

A lie.

Whoever believes in that nonsense has clearly never been to Idaho in the "summer".

But, alas, we're adapting.

Our Maui-thinned blood is thickening and we are hoping to replace our fleece and Uggs with more typical summer attire before we have to leave.

Speaking of adapting, we're also adopting.

Pets, that is.

These are our latest:

Meet Bambi and his sister.

After having the tree farm to themselves all winter, they're not quite sure what to make of us.
After engaging in a staring contest with us for a few minutes, they decided we weren't much of a threat and edged a bit closer onto the lawn.

The doe even had the nerve to chomp on my flowering crabapple trees. She was shooed away only to return about 15 minutes later for another snack.
 I'm not a fan of hers anymore.

Same evening, looking south over the tree farm.
Loved the sky.
And check out this rainbow that showed up a few minutes later.

And this is what I am hoping to find at the end of the rainbow...

Soon.
...

Summer?
I know you're out there...
please come to Idaho.

Just another little care package...

Senecca has moved off campus into a house, so I thought she might enjoy a few

things to set up her kitchen.

I just love the great new glasses that have patterns and textures shaped right into the glass.

This dish towel has an embroidered octopus on it.

I wish I had taken a picture of it unfolded.

 It is really cute. 

But you'll just have to take my word for it.

 

A particularly great issue of Food Network Magazine.

Of course I previewed it for appropriate content like any self-respecting mother would.

And what's a care package from mom without a little taste of home?

Oh yeah, baby, Idaho spuds all the way...