On the Ranch

On the day of our semi-annual family yard sale, I was incredibly distracted by the antics of Nathan and his "Poppy" so I strayed from the various odds and ends among the tables and racks strewn about in the front yard and followed the ranch boys to the backyard.



Nathan has added "mule" (mee-yule) and "tractor" (tra-tor) to his vocabulary, words that come from the mouth of very few 19-month olds. But given his experiences and interests, one can easily see how that happened.

First, a ride on the dolly. I loved those rides when I was little!

Then the intrigue with the Belle, the mule.

And the harness chains for Belle were like a swing for Nathan.

Then, for his favorite: the John Deere tractor.

Already shifting gears.

(He started out in one of his sister's yard sale shirts because he had creme on his arm where a cactus got him, but once we saw all the picture opportunities, we quickly changed him into the most appropriate John Deere green shirt!)

Grandfather and grandson maneuvered circles on the John Deere around the yard.

As I snapped away, Gayle says to me, "This is making him so happy, and by 'him,' I mean both of them."

My dad said with twinkly eyes, "This is what dreams are made of."

Yee-haw,

Dawn

It's Another Boy!

Inside Gayle's womb grows a baby boy with a steady heartbeat. We all wait eagerly to meet this new being who has already captured the hearts of those who call him son, brother, grandson, nephew, and blessing. But there's no pressure with these roles, little one. Just be.

With much love,
Auntie Dawn

Liam at One

And all at once, my little brown-eyed nephew was one year.

But once, he was only one day.

His first birthday party was wonderful.

There was cake,

presents,

friends,

family,

and it wouldn't be like Liam without a good wondering walk.

Happy Birthday, amazing little wonder! I love you!

In Wonderment,

Auntie Dawn

Behind the Fence

Birds gather ornamentally at the tippy top of a bare-limbed tree. Perfectly spaced gaps separate them on their high perch as they sing and chatter loudly at twilight, interrupting each other with both important and frivolous mentionings of the day.

Ignoring the chain link fence below, they suddenly rise together as one entity and swoop through the swirly sky, proving the fence can not confine them like some sort of giant birdcage. I marvel at their cohesiveness and wonder if all that chirping was an orchestrated plan to fly in a great synchronized circle from tree top to invigorating rush and back again, or if their stunt was just a game of follow the leader.

They are free to explore the sky above, but they seem to respect the imaginary boundary line of the fence hugging their tree... all but one, that is. One daring bird brakes away from the flock and crosses that boundary line, maybe to bravely see what I'm all about.

He quickly finds his way back, however, and all the birdies continue their multiple conversations, now oblivious to me on the other side of the boundary line.

They seem to take comfort in numbers and familiarity back behind the fence again. They're within safe boundaries even though they have great capacity for more and the necessary tools to fly away. Even though they're free, they confine themselves to the lure of the tree's best qualities, behind the fence.

It's nice to have a safe, familiar, comforting branch of my own lined with people who are there to push with encouragement or pull with open arms for whenever I beat my wings and venture beyond the comfort of my fence.

From Behind a Fence,

Dawn

Sunny

A dose of sunflowers is a good frown remedy. I happened upon the happiest of flowers as it danced in the sunlight. It waved me over to capture its joy and it easily made me grin. If the corners of your mouth need a lift, may a sunflower find you.

Smiling,

Dawn

A House of a Different Color

We have a new house! Well, no, not really. It just looks like a new house because we've had it painted.

Before:


After:

The new an improved little house is beaming, and so are we.

Dwelling,
Dawn

Fireworks & Frogs from Left Field

Our evening of the fourth started out with a hot hike from our wayward parking spot to the gates of Hi Corbett Field to see a Toro's baseball game. How American of us to partake of one of our country's great past times.

Well, apparently, it was a grand idea of thousands of other proud Americans! The park was stuffed and our plans of hot dogs and fireworks bursting over the field were about to change. It was just too much--too crowded, too tight, too much.

So we turned around and hiked back to our car and our new plans were impromptu. First we headed to El Guero Canelos where we enjoyed some authentic Mexican-style, taco-stand cuisine. I got my hot dog after all: a Sonoran style version complete with a bacon-wrapped hot dog, pinto beans, tomatoes, jalapenos, mayonnaise, mustard and grilled onions. Muy bueno!

Then, we were headed home when Gayle, Mike and the kids told us they were at a nearby, tucked-away park to watch the fireworks just west of the freeway, so we did a u-turn to watch the sky with them. "We're in left field," they told us. We swam through the humidity and flying ants to reach them on their beach towels and lawn chairs, little "ohs" and "uh ohs," laughs and worries coming from Nathan as he narrated the evening's display as only he can.

For as crowded and popular as the main road by our neighborhood was with firework watchers on hoods of cars and in the beds of trucks, the park was like a private little haven! We were fixated on the crowd-pleasing bursts of light.

Nathan has just begun to say my name and Kurt's name and it is just the most wonderful thing ever. I'm "Awn" and Kurtis is "Urt." He would say our names as he flip-flopped from lap to lap.

After the light show, we applauded and packed up. On the hike back to the car (for the second time that night), everyone stopped in their tracks when Gayle, Megan and Sarah all three squealed, "Frog!"

I whipped out the camera again. Gayle said, "I hate bugs." And she slapped her leg.

The evening began outside of the gates of left field with dreams of hot dogs and fireworks and what do you know? The evening concluded with tummies nice and full with hot dogs, and in the very grass of left field itself as we watched fireworks in the dark with family, among the frogs.

Happy Independence Day,

Dawn