Dillon Beach

My sister and her girls arrived on the evening of the first day of school. It was the only time we could make it happen all summer long and we decided to make the best of it, even though summer was officially over for our household. We packed in a lot of fun with Madison's 8th birthday party, a trip to Dillon Beach for family photos and lots of time in the big inflatable pool where you could cool off and eat ice cream. The kids had so many options for fun.

Madison requested ice cream sundaes for her birthday "non-cake" and they piled on the accouterments-a-la-Grandma: i.e., chocolate, chocolate chips, whipped cream puffed up oh so high. Yes indeed. Definitely a birthday party.

I love this picture of the girls. It reminds me of me and my sister when we were their age...over 31 years ago.

Back to Reality

Today is the first day of first grade at Tomales Elementary School. We thoroughly enjoyed our Summer. We set out with the attitude "let's have an adventure every day". I started out my Summer postings with the idea that I would post a picture-a-day from said adventures. At first I didn't write anything and only posted photos, but I think I may go back and add a few tidbits as time allows. I started getting wordy at the end of the Summer and wanted to share more from our lives, so that's where the wordiness resumed.

I actually couldn't sleep the night before school started. I was thinking of all that we had done, all that was to come this year as Grady joined the ranks of first graders and my new position as PTA President, and just savoring the last few hours before reality set in and the responsibility of schedules and early alarm clocks rocked my world!

G laid out his outfit (as pictured above) and it made me smile. He said he wanted his new teacher to really know that he loved dogs and he felt this outfit would best get that point across. Isn't that great? Kind of like a little heads-up to who my kid is: Dog and Animal Lover; Giggler; Happy Boy; Ice Cream Aficionado; Lover of Fashionable Socks and Eager Student.

We took a picture to mark this lovely occasion and he sauntered onto the playground for mixed play with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade class before school started. He is SO ready for 1st Grade and I was finally on the same page. Summer exceeded my expectations and it was my first Summer off since I was 15 years old. I'll help you with the math: almost 24 years of working during the lazy days of Summer. I am so grateful for the opportunity to stop, soak it up, document it, live it, roam the Pacific Northwest, socialize with friends and family and live to tell about it! Until next Summer...

Summer: Day #74 (the last day of Summer vacation)

:: Sunflowers bloomed from seed for the first time in our garden

:: The first ripe tomato showed itself on the very last day of Summer

:: It was a little cold and windy on the beach, so we said goodbye to our Summer at the driving range

:: G shed his golden locks and sported this new "spiky" do courtesy of Ocean Waves Salon in Bodega Bay

Summer: Day #73

We spent the second to last day of Summer at the Charles Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa. I was hesitant to go, but finally acquiesced. I just didn't think G would get the comic strip overtone, but was happily surprised - as he had received a wonderful book during the holidays called Moomin and Steve read it to him nightly over the course of a month or two. It was in comic strip form, Finnish in design and humor and somehow, it translated into Charles Schulz = Snoopy for Grady. We were all on the same page...kind of.

He had the opportunity to draw, color and see a small film about the cartoonist and his method/art. I particularly enjoyed that there wasn't a huge "merchandising store" for the museum. There were a few items for sale, but nothing like Disneyland or the Disney Store. I have such a visceral response to logos and peddling of corporate America to kids. He ended up walking away with a small comic strip, a sticker & a small button for his shirt that cost a whopping $1.50. I, on the other hand, ended up walking away feeling really great about our family day trip and supporting a local icon.

We ended the day with a trip to the local library checking out documentaries for the upcoming first weeks of the school year and several books on dinosaurs. Ice cream was also in order, of course.

Summer is ending. Finally, I'm okay with that.

Summer: Day #72

Sunday was spent on the front porch eating wonderful food, drinking lots of chilled sparkling wine and catching up with friends. My friend's daughter is going off to college and we wanted to carve out some special girl time before she starts this new chapter in her life.

Four hours flew by and the day went from overcast to sunny & hot.

When G arrived home he got a few whipped cream shots in his mouth that quickly spilled onto his face and hands. Jill helped him clean up after said whipped-cream-palooza. Now THAT looks like fun!

Summer: Day #71

We had the wonderful honor of being the talent for a Sunset Magazine photo shoot in front of our good friends' new business venture in Valley Ford, Picnic & the Sonoma Coast Fish Bank. We ate a beautiful crawfish lunch and chatted casually while the photographer snapped away. It should be in an upcoming issue about new businesses in West Sonoma County. Grady hammed it up for the camera and loved making a mound of crawfish heads. We wish our friends the very best and hope for another successful venture in Valley Ford, as they currently own the Valley Ford Hotel, Rocker Oysterfeller's and Firefly Catering! Whew.

Summer: Day #70

Shouldn't Summer include climbing a tree? One of G's favorite things to do. I happen to love catching him jumping in mid-air. However, my camera isn't really built for this kind of photograph. Oh well, it captured the moment and Steve just got a new fancy camera that I will have to learn how to use. I see more jumping photos in my future.

Summer: Day #69

I'm trying to soak up the last days of Summer with my family and friends. This has been the best Summer of my life (to date). It's the first Summer that I've had the opportunity not to work since I was 15. We packed in a lot of fun and we still have a few days left. We're going to make the most of it!

Summer: Day #68

We have two new Speckled Sussex pullets to add to our flock. We, uh, "relocated" the two roosters we had and the demeanor of the hens changed dramatically. To replace the two roosters, I decided we needed two more girls. Wednesday we went to my friend's house in Marshall and picked two from her flock.

G named them "Purdy" and "Pretty" and they don't peck at us and like to be held. The other hens are in a bit of a huff over it all and really trying hard to establish the pecking order in the henhouse. It's funny to see the segregation among the flock, but I hope by the weekend the new girls will feel at home.

Summer: Day #67

This is what dessert looks like when you don't really have anything in the house for dessert. No complaints.

Summer: Day #66

This is a pile of clothes that my little man has grown out of. We cleaned closets and drawers today and decided he needed a few new things for school. I've been compiling a stack of thrift store finds for the last six months, so he already had a leather bomber jacket, new cowboy boots, button-down shirts and some fun t-shirts. However, this boy can blow out the knees in a pair of jeans in no time flat. We went to Sears to buy him a few pairs of "Toughskins" (remember those?). They are guaranteed tough or they will replace them. We also picked up long-sleeve shirts and the requisite socks, as my guy is a big fan of playful designs on his cute little feet. I did shy away from encouraging his fascination with pink, but only because I don't want him to get teased. Besides, you don't find many pink offerings in the boys sock department.

He loved shopping for his new school clothes and told anyone that would listen that he was going into first grade. He also asked what the date was and if we could go school shopping every August 17th. Of course we can.

One of the house projects this Summer was to re-enforce G's bed and give it a new paint job. G wanted his bed painted pink and, gee, we didn't have that color on hand - so Fire Engine Red it was. It took many, many coats and my husband has vowed never again to use red - but it looks so great! My mom found my old bed sheets and the above pillow case shows the design. I can't believe she still had them. His room looks great and now he wants the walls painted....you guessed it - PINK!

Summer: Day #65

Sunday was the Bodega Big Event and it's one of my absolute favorite days of the year (next to Halloween & our family birthdays). There is a sweet little parade and G's been in this parade for the last five years! It lasts about 180 seconds and he dresses up every year (one year a cowboy, one year a dragon, one year just plain fancy, etc.) and this year was no exception: Grady became a horse! He wanted to lead the parade, but ended up jumping in the back of the preschool truck and sitting on a bale of hay. Awwwwww, to be six again.

He was doing a little toe-tapping here to the band and just having a great time. It is such a wonderful, small-town event and we feel so grateful to participate in it every year. It is a fundraiser for the Bodega Volunteer Fire Department and the entire community comes together to help with the BBQ, wine/beer booth, quilting raffle, games for the kids, homemade dessert table, dunk tank & the shortest parade in the County. I leave with such a high from all of the goodness that resonates from this event. Another testament to why we live here and surround ourselves with nature, good people & volunteer for all of the different organizations that we do.

G visited the new bounce house this year w/ attached slide, oh, about six or seven times. He also won the requisite "fishing for a dog" game (after three attempts and multiple tickets). Seeing him mingle with all of the locals who know and love him so much just filled me up. Okay, I'm gushing now. But seriously, this day felt like Christmas morning without all of the stress. Can't wait until next year!

Summer: Day #64

Thrift Gods shined upon me last week and I scored this heavy-duty, functional outdoor dining table (round to boot!) for a grand total of $20. I do love a good bargain. It started out on the back patio, but has since relocated to the front porch. It's already come in handy for morning coffee and afternoon art projects.

Summer: Day #63

Tonight was the preschool graduation from Pastures Preschool in Bodega. Always a memorable event and filled with community spirit. Parent contributions for the potluck were a gigantic pan of paella that fed the entire crowd, Stag's Leap Wines, homemade lemonade, desserts, etc. The children were showered with flower petals as they received their "buckets" from Stacy (a rite of passage at the school - the bucket is filled with their school supplies they used during the 4-year old program). So sweet and special. Lanterns hung from tree branches, as did children. Madonna & Prince thumped from the sound system.

As we were leaving the event, I asked Grady what his favorite part of the afternoon was and he said "All of it". That's how I felt too.

Summer: Day #62

I love where I live. I know I say it a lot, but I do. I walk into the post office, check our box and see an offering of gigantic zucchini on the counter. Of course, it's the honor system and I take just one - but it was another reminder of why I LOVE small town living.

Summer: Day #61

My childhood friend and her sweet family were here for the day and it was so great to spend time with them. We ate, the kids got reacquainted, we reminisced and the next day we went to the Doran Beach in Bodega Bay. It was really windy, but the kids had fun searching for treasures, rolling in the sand and making a dam. I love how high G's hair looks in this picture! This was our first trip to the beach all Summer. Where has the time gone?

Summer: Day #60

I love reading Molly Wizenberg's blog, Orangette. When I went to her blog and saw that she was opening her new restaurant on August 12th, this was one of the recipes she was going to use for dessert. Firm, fresh peaches - coated in sugar and then slathered in dry white wine. I let them chill in the fridge for about four hours. I served them in wide coffee cups and poured the juice over the top of them. What a delightful Summer dessert. We ate and drank the dessert on our back deck, as we watched the sun set over the back hillside. A perfect end to a sweltering, Summer evening.

Summer: Day #59

Today I had flashback Monday and worked all day at our old business, Gourmet au Bay. We sold our business last August and it has been a full year of change for me and my family. I purchased the above light-weight, Summer scarf from the shop (it's hard to work around cute things all day long and NOT bring something home). I also found this delightful purse at the Hospice Thrift Store in Sebastopol for $3.

It was nice going back to my old life for a day and visiting with friends, customers and vendors. However, it was nice to lock up at the end of the day and drive home to my little funky house on the hill in Valley Ford and reflect on all that has changed during this past year with me, my family, my friends and my "new life". I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Summer: Day #58

Lots of food and fun planned for the day. I started off making this wonderful Honey Cake from Tessa Kiros' Apples for Jam: A Colorful Cookbook. It called for the tiny purple flowers from a rosemary plant, but ours isn't flowering this time of year. I grabbed a few calendula flowers (they are edible) and sprinkled the petals on top of the Lemon-White frosting. Sweet & delish.

We moseyed down the lane for a BBQ at our neighbor's house. Upon our arrival, we glimpsed the most inviting front porch set-up: Cocktail cart, Summer flowers, snacks & a big, comfy rattan chair - begging to be sat in.

We ended the night at this table. Is there anything better than sitting around with people you love, great food, yummy wine, candles, laughter, dessert, more wine, more laughter? I just don't think so.

Summer: Day #57

Today I woke up and felt like visiting with my mom, thrifting the day away and attending a local art show at West County Design in Valley Ford. Check, check and check. It's been really hot here and I ended the day with my good friend and neighbor, sharing a bottle of dry rose and catching up on each other's Summer fun.

Summer: Day #56

As always, the Pastures Preschool Art Show (G's former school) was amazingly creative, inspiring and just plain good fun. We purchased a necklace, flour sack hand towels & a custom wooden art piece w/ hat hook attached. All made by the children of this special, special preschool. It was held during the Occidental Farmer's Market, so we had great food, music & local fruit for dessert from the "Peach Man". What a way to start the weekend.

Summer: Day #55

Well, we busted out the "get ready for school" workbooks today. I can't believe how fast these days of Summer have flown by. Day #55 - what the heck? G is excited to go into first grade. He's learned so much this Summer.

• How to ride a bike without training wheels
• How to swim
• How to make toast by himself
• How to use an electric sander (with his Dad supervising)
• How to be a caretaker to his flock of hens
• How to be a pen pal

Summer: Day #54

House projects. We have a long list of things to perk up inside the house and sanding, painting and reinforcing Grady's bed was high on the list. G loves helping his dad and the use of power tools really made his day. I love seeing my guys working together. When asked what color he wanted his bed painted, Grady responded, "Pink". Of course he did.

Summer: Day #53

We went to the Sonoma County Landfill last week and visited the area known as "RecycleTown". Lots of used bikes, chairs, tables, doors, window frames and your basic junkyard goodies. However, I spotted in the back corner of the building a typewriter case that was slightly ajar. This former legal secretary knowns a Smith-Corona typewriter when she spots one and the pretty blue model peeked out from the case. It was in excellent condition and for $5...we just had to have it. However, I had zero cash on me and they didn't take checks. We were also leaving for our trip to Southern California and couldn't come back the next day. Well, my mom saved the day and gladly returned to RecycleTown and purchased this beautiful relic for Grady to practice his spelling and storytelling with. It takes so little to make my kid happy.

In the above pictured mumbo-jumbo is the sentence "Kevin George Salas Is A Girl". Grady's first insulting sentence aimed at his menacing Uncle Kevin. Too damned funny.

Summer: Day #52

Candy Onions from our garden. A little on the small side, so I think I need to plant deeper next year. I'm just happy they grew at all. After I harvest all of the onions, I'm going to plant a bunch of garlic in their place. Garlic has the most beautiful flowering top and then you get the added bonus of soft, moist garlic cloves. Can't wait!

Summer: Day #51