SuperDalgas

Remodel in Salem

2012-01-16T08:00:00.001-08:00

It's been a team effort at the little house in Salem! Pa, Geoffrey and Ben have given a fresh new look to the kitchen at the little home that has taken good care of the younguns. Soon Neli will be up washing dishes in a new sink and counter top. There is even a place for a new mosaic design to be installed.

Happy Birthday Cam!

2012-01-11T07:17:00.000-08:00

May the world treat you to a day of cheer and beauty! You bring so much happiness to our lives. We love you.

Happy Birthday Grammy!

2012-01-05T09:06:00.000-08:00

Thank you for all the wonderful times we share together Grammy - you make little things so much fun! Have fun using the new techie toys (with a little help from Caleb ) and stay young at heart, like you already do!

Guess what - there is a new airline in Wenatchee that flies to Portland and Coos Bay!! Maybe we can get you up to The Pines this year! Here's a link
Click Here

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T08:43:00.000-08:00

Best Wishes for happiness in 2012!
We are going up to The Pines today to tear down the old ceiling and put in the new windows - in honor of new beginnings. A wall between the kitchen and the front room was demolished yesterday.
I have many more wonderful photos of our Christmas holiday, and will post some on the photo album very soon! Thanks for being so good.

PS - I put a facebook badge here and I would love for any of you who aren't on facebook already to check it out. It's a fun way to share. Just click on my badge and you can follow the steps to sign up.

11 years of pure bliss!!

2011-12-30T19:27:00.001-08:00

Cam and I had a beautiful anniversary here in Seattle, with sunshine, rain, hail, a rainbow, a beautiful sunset at a new beach, and then snow!! How magical is that?! I am so grateful that I get to spend this beautiful day with my best friend!

Christmas Auction Blessings

2011-12-27T15:06:00.000-08:00

The Dalgas Christmas Auction was another great success this year. After all the funds were counted, the total amount donated was 500 dollars. The proceeds will be donated to the Mixteco Christian Fellowship Summer School fund and the Entiat Valley Community Services fund.

Follow the links above for more information about each of the foundations.

Additionally, I just discovered a short documentary video featuring Mixteco Christian Fellowship, Colonia Mixteca, and the yearly summer school was recently posted on Vimeo. The video was being filmed while Amy and I were teaching there in 2008. There have been so many lives touched through the work and ministry of the fellowship in Colonia Mixteca and hopefully the video is a blessing to you all as well.

Mixteco Christian Fellowship Video: (You can see my testimonial at about 9:48).

Auction Closes at 12pm Today!

2011-12-23T09:38:00.001-08:00

I will be finalizing the bidding today at 12 pm right before we set out on our journey to the Christmas cabin!

Getting really excited!!!

2011-12-21T11:33:00.000-08:00

Window on the Pines

2011-12-19T11:27:00.001-08:00

The milder than normal weather, and an out-of-work Pa, have combined to make a perfect pattern for more than average progress up at The Pines. The side entry is going through a re-design, and the kitchen itself is taking shape. Windows are one by one opening the view of the trees and hills.

Here We Go!

2011-12-16T22:13:00.000-08:00

Here is a link to the Google Doc of our Menu plan. Sorry it took so long! I just put all of your input into a spreadsheet, so whatever you suggested should be on there- please feel free to change/rearrange/add to whatever you want.
Let me know if you can't see the spreadsheet and I can email it to you.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AklFgx2gtnWvdFlaemZ2UWFxTG1XNnhzdWpwRWZCbGc

Shopping today and tomorrow!

2011-12-15T08:24:00.000-08:00

Hi kids,
I'm starting my shopping for food for Christmas today - how are we doing on all of our meal plans?

Christmastime

2011-12-08T16:18:00.000-08:00

Getting Cozier at the Pines

2011-12-06T07:32:00.000-08:00

That's right, I am here in Entiat, soaking up Winter Eastern Washington sunshine, eating yummy snacks and drinking tea with Ma and Pa. This is the best getaway possible, ahhhh! The cabin now has a wood stove, framed in bedroom and bathroom, sinks and windows galore. Snow has fallen on Cedars and Pines, but the weather is fine and dry for a few days of working and frolicking before the next blizzard. This time of year is a top favorite of mine for a visit. Today a bonfire and a Christmas tree hunt. Merry merry!!

Super Caleb!!!

2011-11-29T08:50:00.000-08:00

Happy 3rd Birthday Caleb!!! You are such a super cool and fun guy!
You are taking all of us for a fun and marvelous ride, thank you for being you, and enjoy your birthday!!! We love you SO much!!!

Happy Birthday Princess Ruthie!

2011-11-27T07:02:00.001-08:00

You make everything around you turn to gold. We wish you a day of love and surprises, Ruthie!

And Happy 7th Anniversary to our dear Amy and Ben! We love you!!! As Neli would say when you kiss, "MARRIED!"

Voila!

2011-11-23T07:09:00.001-08:00

The pies are baked! I made pumpkin pie with pecan topping, and pumpkin cheesecake that will have pecan praline topping later. The little cheesecake is for my library assistant who will be working for me at noon today, so that we can get a head start on our trip to Portland.

Have a happy Thanksgiving everyone!

how to make a pumpkin pie

2011-11-20T07:41:00.000-08:00

The French Rouge Vif d'Etampe (bright red stamp ) variety of pumpkin is the prettiest I have seen. I grew several from seeds. After I picked my beauty, I stored it in the garage, thinking that I would make a soup. someday, and serve it in the shell. But just recently I decided it was do or die, and that pumpkin needed to be cooked or not!

So, I have started the process of making a pie (or two or three). You can follow my progress here. Everything is mostly self-explanatory, except for the last step I have taken. After the luscious orange flesh had been baked and scooped out, I returned it to the oven for a final roasting - to reduce the volume and intensify the flavor. Now, I need to decide whether to make pumpkin pie (Pa thinks it needs to have caramel sugar lacing - I agree and would add a little crystalized ginger ) or whether to make pumpkin cheesecake - a la Ruthie! your thoughts?

Entiat Valley Community Services

2011-11-16T13:27:00.001-08:00

There was a recent Wenatchee World article about May Segle and the Entiat Valley Community Services and Food Bank Group. Would you like to donate half of the proceeds from a Christmas Auction to this group? They also sponsor the Entiat Food Bank. Here's a link to the article
"If you want to see an example of a community that is caring for those in need on a miniscule budget, look no further than Entiat."

Time for Input!

2011-11-13T21:21:00.000-08:00

Ok everyone, as we approach our Christmas gathering, I was wondering if anyone would like to sign up for meals. We would like to know what day/time you anticipate arriving at the coast, and what meal, if any, you would like to be responsible for. You don't have to know exactly what you want to prepare just yet, but if you do know, go ahead and include it. I think it worked well last year to have a small group of people in the kitchen preparing meals at a time and then we can all contribute the extra holiday snacks and goodies. Start thinking about it and I will send out an email soon to start organizing everyone's ideas. We are looking forward to this year's celebration!

Digital Dalgas Digest

2011-11-12T09:30:00.001-08:00

SuperDalgas: A new look with a little less clutter. Also, there is a link at the top of the site now to directly to the Christmas Auction Site.

SuperScrumptious: Don't forget to share all of the newest holiday eats and treats that you are trying out in the kitchen. Ruthie just submitted a delicious recipe for Swiss Chard Rolls and Chard Tahini Sauce.

Flora Jane: She is feeling so much better. We are home and feeling blessed and grateful for all the prayers, thoughts and support from family and friends.

home for the holidays

2011-11-12T07:28:00.000-08:00

Look who's back in the house again! Little piano! Over the weekend, we transported her from her home away from home, Auth Ruth's very musical little place. (Ruth now has a lovely older upright piano in the lower level of her home.) There couldn't have been a better place for our little one to be during all these years when Geoffrey's fingers were busy making a career, and raising a family than with Ruth. She has played and entertained and made so many people happy with her music. Thank you, Ruth for bringing so much joy into our lives. The night before we moved the piano, we attended a recital for the students at the conservatory where Ruth takes lessons. These young people made me yearn to hear my own children and grandchildren singing and playing along with the others. No doubt, you will be.

I would bid highly on the offer to organize and lead a family sing-a-long (that included piano) this coming summer.

Christmas Auction

2011-11-10T20:28:00.000-08:00

The Dalgas' Christmas Auction is back! This year we have decided to go local and connected with the charities that the auction will benefit. We have decided to share the auction proceeds between an Entiat based charity and Colonia Mixteca Summer School-- a summer school and migrant indigenous agricultural community several Dalgas friends and family have supported and been blessed by in the past.

The auction will be set up in the same way it was last year. Follow the link below to the website:

Superdalgas Christmas Auction

Fill out the form to get a number to begin bidding and donate goods as your heart or "need to get rid of stuff" feeling leads.

The Best Birthday Present!

2011-11-07T06:28:00.000-08:00

There's nothing better
than November weather
When the sun shines down
on Bellingham town.

I like the way
our two birthdays
seem like one,
honey bun.

Sparky!

2011-11-02T14:16:00.000-07:00

We have a "new" hot mama for The Pines! Sparky will do the job for winter soups, summer fish fries, or any menu for other seasons of cooking. We'll put her to work for a while inside while we get some work done on the cabin, and eventually retire her to an outdoor kitchen where she can enjoy the scenery. She's been cooped up in an old barn in Winthrop for years, but will now get on with more productive endeavors.

Dolly and the Bear

2011-10-26T14:58:00.000-07:00

Airlie Hills Farm Fall Festival!

2011-10-22T16:59:00.000-07:00

Waves

2011-10-18T08:34:00.000-07:00

October in Oregon

2011-10-17T06:24:00.000-07:00

Coast to Cactus Tricycle Ride!

2011-09-28T06:37:00.000-07:00

Steve made it the whole way from Florence, OR to southern California. Here's a great video of the trip and all the sights along the way. Enjoy!!

job completed!

2011-09-25T08:58:00.000-07:00

out on a limb

2011-09-20T18:38:00.000-07:00

always looking for something fun to do

So long, Summer

2011-09-16T07:30:00.000-07:00

Tiny Homes

2011-09-11T00:07:00.001-07:00

Have you heard about "tiny homes"? They seem to scream Dalgas, so I figured I should share this link. Check them out.

http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/

(this link has a video tour of one of the houses)
http://tinyhouseblog.com/stick-built/tumbleweed-tour/

Garage Makeover

2011-09-10T16:52:00.000-07:00

As if we didn't have enough projects - Pa started on a new one - perfecting the garage! It will be the nicest garage I've ever imagined, and the cabinets are all (naturally) salvaged! I will show some finished photos soon - Maybe tomorrow! As you can see we always finish our projects - well almost always.

Happy Birthday Beautiful Chris!

2011-09-07T18:27:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday to the cutest lady ever! Everyone always knew how adorable you were, even when you were just a tiny little baby. We hope you have a fun time with the best mom ever. And you are the best daughter, sister, aunt, and friend anyone could ask for.
We love you!!

2011-09-03T21:50:00.000-07:00

We had the opportunity to share a lovely summer afternoon with Ben, Amy, Nelida, and Flora.
Geoffrey and the kids picked blackberries on their walk this morning, so Amy and Flora were put to work baking a Blackberry pie. They are such good little bakers!

The rest of the kids got ready to play in the sprinkler. Such a warm afternoon it was!

Jeliya had to be right in the middle of all the fun and she loved every minute of it!

Such a boy!

Geoffrey and Ben whipped up a delicious dinner for us all.
Tilapia tacos with fresh-from-the-garden toppings, homemade salsa, garden salad, grilled corn on the cob and shrimp cocktail!

Then came dessert! Homemade blackberry pie topped with vanilla ice cream-nothing better!

Geoffrey always asks Jeliya where her ears are at the most inopportune times.

We eneded the day with some music and dancing, stories, and giggles between cousins, aunts, and uncles. These four little people sure keep us on our toes, but they are pure joy and it is so fun to watch them experience life together. Thanks Ben and Amy for sharing your family and talents with us and for spending the afternoon at our house.
We can't wait to all be together again soon for more delicious food, laughter, and love!

34 Years

2011-08-28T13:02:00.000-07:00

After thinking over all of the possible nearby get-aways that we know of, it seemed like the easiest and simplest thing to do was to take the Papoose upriver and enjoy The Pines.Pa found the perfect beverage to christen our home away from home with - a beer from Issaquah labeled "Menage a Frog"! It was delicious. By the way, Mr. and Mrs. Frog are now hopping their way to a more natural swimming hole. (I, unknowingly, and to Pa's amusement, thought I was using the facilities in private the first morning, only to gently close the lid of our new commode and find the Missus waiting her turn on the rim! and the Mister was hiding right behind the tank!! horrors!! what if they had jumped on me!!! That kind of menage a frog, I can do without!)

- On to more civilized subjects -

We have now spent two nights and feel initiated as true upriver people. I hope that after taking the weekend to swim, eat delicious food, bike and hike in this beautiful Entiat Valley, we can still make ourselves go back to work. Pa treated me so good this weekend and has for all of these years. Thanks to each of you for making our married life a miracle, because without every one of you, it would be so much less. We love you and hope to see you soon.

(Okay, I'll get back on the tractor now)

Happy Anniversary to the most wonderful friends!!

2011-08-27T08:55:00.001-07:00

Mom and Dad!
Happy Anniversary!!! We hope that you are out having a fun adventure.
You two are so good at making any kind of work or play a wild, beautiful, and restful time. You bless us all with your love for life and the love and friendship you have with each other. Cheers and congratulations to another glorious year. May the next one be filled with even more love and joy than the last!!

Hops at the Pines!

2011-08-23T07:21:00.000-07:00

Guests are already enjoying the new features of the 'Dalgas' Pines Resort.
Newlyweds, Mr. and Mrs. Froggie, say that the swimming pond is just a dream!!

Granny and Pa Dalgas, our hospitable visionaries, continue to make things cozy up in the woods. We Nicklaus's were the weekend hire, working for gourmet garden fresh meals!! Other guests of the Pines this weekend were a family of four deer who say that they can't get fresher beverages anywhere else! Don't tell, but a rumor is brewing about deep well water and barley ale, that is sure to tickle the tastebuds!

Movie for Jeliya's 1st Birthday

2011-08-18T19:45:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Jeliya Ruth!!!!!

2011-08-18T08:32:00.001-07:00

You are such a beautiful and spunky little Jelly Bean!! We love you to pieces little darling! Please check back here later for a special surprise that Granny is working on for you. What a blessing it is to know you are our sweet little angel baby Jeliya Ruth!

Different Ways to View superdalgas

2011-08-14T20:51:00.000-07:00

Not sure if others have discovered this, but there are a few other ways you can view superdalgas.com that are kinda fun and interesting. Check them out below:

2011-08-14T07:08:00.000-07:00

Dolly and Steve also had a little visit with Ben, Amy, Neli and Flora! Here is a quote from her email to me. Sure looks like a nice time!

"It was really fun to see Ben, Amy, Neli, and Flora Jane here in Florence. The outdoor photos were taken at Honeyman State Park at Cleawox Lake where Neli went in the water with her little friend. It was so cute to watch her play.

The little doll carriage in the photo is the one that belonged to Mama. Jennie made a black and white photo of the one with Caleb in the carriage and Neli pushing it. Now we have one of Flora Jane in the carriage with Neli pushing it. Flora Jane looks so cute in the carriage."

A Fun Filled Visit with Grammy and Aunt Chris

2011-08-13T09:37:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun visiting Grammy and Aunt Chris this weekend. Nélida said her favorite part was playing with Grammy's toys and seeing the animals at the game park.

We saw goats, peacocks, two big bears, a camel, a baby jaguar, a chimpanzee that made funny noises with his mouth, and many other little critters.

But the cutest animals of all were the ones in Grammy's backyard-- two little fauns and their mother visited us every day.

Thank you Grammy and Aunt Chris for such a fun weekend.

Rockin' Chair Song

2011-08-08T13:18:00.000-07:00

I like this song. And the singer, Mildred Bailey was from Washingon State, back in the old days.

Boone Family Rockin' Chairs

2011-08-08T07:02:00.000-07:00

The cabin up at the Pines has two new (reused) windows now. Things are happening little by little up there. We're saving the paneling off of the walls for later. Pa is the master of salvaged materials.

It'll be so much fun to sit in our new/old rockin' chairs and take life easy! We had to try out our new found craigslist treasures in the garage, and celebrate the weekend. The fellow I bought these from is a descendant of Daniel Boone, and the chairs were his great-grandfather's - so who knows, Daniel Boone probably rocked out on these very same sturdy seats.

Bach Fest 2011

2011-08-06T07:44:00.000-07:00

On the 20th anniversary of one of the years that Geoffrey played piano for the Young Musician's Concert of the Lake Chelan Bach Fest, Aunt Ruth sang for three different events. It was so nice to share this with the family that could make it, and I want to share one of the songs with you too.

Update from Granny and Pa

2011-08-04T08:33:00.000-07:00

We had a productive and very nice couple of days with Jen, Andrew and Isaac. While up at The Pines, Pa knocked out the existing wall facing the river in preparation for the new french doors and windows. Andrew pulled most of the interior paneling off, and I am pulling nails to save it for future use. We're closer to bare bones all the time. Hoping that we can make even more progress this weekend, although Pa's new job is starting up and we don't know yet how his schedule is going to work out. Soon, we will. He says while there is work, he is going to take it on, and stick with it. If it slows way down, maybe he'll get to retire.

Isaac loves to play catch, and seems to have a great future in baseball. His lion suit is the cutest thing ever (his last name is Lyons ). It even has a tail on the back!

By the way, the final cost of buying a Nissan Leaf turned out to be higher than he wanted to spend, so that idea is out for now. I think we should just count on more bus cruising when we are older, he thinks we should get a Harley.

Thank You to all of our visitors - you make every season fun and give us reason to keep working hard.

Glacier National Park

2011-08-02T07:03:00.000-07:00

As the summer is so quickly rushing by, the morning is gone before I have taken time to write about the recent adventures, good times and family stories along the way. No doubt the same is true for all of you. The few days that Johnny, Ruth, Dolly, Steve and I were in Glacier National Park went by in a flash, but the images of mountains, wildlife, alpenglow, and laughter are here for keeps. No matter where we went on trails or boats, there were stories of bears, both black and grizzly, to spice up the day. Dolly and Steve saw the three young bears romping together not too far from where they were hiking. We saw one munching along on a trail across the Josephine Lake, as we approached the landing dock on a boat. The moose in the above picture was swimming across another lake very near Many Glacier Lodge. We were fortunate to see the glaciers as it is predicted that in less than 25 years, they may no longer be at Glacier National Park. It has been 27 years since Grandpa Fred took Johnny and I on a hike up Siyeh Pass at Glacier. We stayed in the same cabins that Dolly was lucky to get for us this year.

Notes from Nélida

2011-07-23T13:58:00.000-07:00

Néli has been taking her musical note making real serious lately. When a giant package arrived in the mail, Néli knew she was in for a surprise. She said, "It's not a birthday cake Mama."

Upon opening she yelped, "It's a piano!" She went right to plunking away notes. This morning she got up and went right to playing a morning song. Our house has been full of beautiful notes.

So we wanted to send this lil' note to all of you superdalgas aunties and uncles.....

Néli says "Thank you!"

Happy Birthday Nélida Day!

2011-07-20T05:22:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Day.

Our strawberry sunshine girl is now the most happy age of 3.

Run! Dance! Laugh! Fly!

Eggcentric

2011-07-14T07:39:00.001-07:00

Snatching Moments

2011-06-27T05:51:00.000-07:00

It's early early in the morning. There are sleeping angels upstairs, and I am trying hard to be quiet. Pa has left for work and I am finishing my tea, snatching a moment here to write you a note, and show you some pictures. Soon I'll be walking to the library for a quick trip to fix the place up for later. This afternoon, Megan is going to teach the kids how to do a little Chinese Calligraphy. I have an idea that Neli is going to love it! Soon the house will be overflowing with all of you! We think about this happening all year long!

Our Day out with Thomas

2011-06-26T07:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we traveled up to Hood River to spend "A Day out with Thomas". We didn't tell Caleb what we were doing, so when he saw Thomas pull into the station, he was in total awe.

There were lots of activities to do at the station, so we passed the time playing in the "Imagination Station". There were visits with Sir Topham Hat, magic shows, temporary tattoos, bounce houses, etc., but this is where he wanted to be.

When we finally boarded our train, Caleb climbed right up in his seat and watched out the window. He waved to all the people and talked all about what he saw out the window. He even got a Junior Engineer Certificate and gave a high five to the conductor.

We were joined by Ms. Jenni and her family. Caleb and Kylan are like brothers and it is so fun to watch them grow. This picture is of the two of them sitting on the dining car deck right behind Thomas. It was the closest we could get.

The real Thomas the Train!

Caleb and Kylan enjoyed the little train too!

We finished out the day with lunch at Pietro's Pizza, and a walk down to the Columbia to watch the Kite Boarders and Wind Surfers. Caleb even crawled through a giant inflatable caterpillar all by himself and went down the big slide at the other end.

We had a nice drive home, stopping by some waterfalls, and playing in a rest area park where we had a picnic snack and found a geocache. All in all it was a great day and so much fun!

The day of the parade!

2011-06-25T07:11:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Darling

2011-06-21T18:34:00.000-07:00

I wish I could work at your job today, just to be close to you. I would do all the sweeping, scrubbing, lifting and carrying and make you a delicious lunch too. Hope you have a good day and we'll celebrate tonight!

King of the Mountain!

2011-06-19T07:14:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day, Dad!!! There is nothing you can't do, and nothing you won't do for us (as I have so clearly learned). Thank you so much for being the best father possible. You make life fun and wonderful, and you inspire us and bless us every day. Now have a fun and relaxing day today, and we can't wait to come see you and play with you!!

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T05:34:00.001-07:00

Ben and Geoffrey, I especially want to wish you a day filled with fun with your darling families. You are both such awesome Dads and those little girls and boy are so lucky! Wishing you a day filled with hugs and thank you's from those sweet little arms that surround you today.

Ruthie's Garden and the Frye Art Museum

2011-06-13T05:37:00.000-07:00

It has been a little over a week since we took a trip to Seattle to see not just one, but two events that Ruthie designed costumes for. Her designs for the Gossamer music and dance performance were beautifully organic, and made the dancers look like sprites emerging from the forest. I don't have any pictures of that event. I do have some of the amazing exhibit on display just till the end of this week at the Frye Art Museum in Seattle. We are so proud to see her work have such wonderful exposure. The Degenerate Art Ensemble exhibit will now be on tour around the world. Meanwhile, Ruthie, Cam and Lando are safe and sound in their little house and garden.

A.C. Gilbert House Field Trip

2011-06-10T20:51:00.000-07:00

We had such a fun day at the A.C. Gilbert House in Salem with all the kiddos. Amy, Neli, and Flora joined our little daycare and it was such a huge help having one more set of hands- Thanks Amy!

Caleb and Neli doing a little gardening in the valley.

The lock box is still the favorite.

Caleb and Kylan having a little tea and soup in the China Room.

Everyone had such a great time in Discovery Village- indoors and out!

Neli, Flora, Caleb, Jeliya, Tessa, Kylan and Ninkasi all had a great time, and thanks to Jenni and Amy for helping make it happen for them! Next week-The Fountains!
(hopefully the weather is better!)

Photo Shoot

2011-05-31T19:05:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad that Amy salvaged a photo shoot coupon from the stack of ads in our mailbox. What a sweet surprise to see these heart warming pics when I got home. I hope your day will be sweetened by them as well.

Gossamer's latest project

2011-05-30T08:45:00.000-07:00

New story?

2011-05-28T07:56:00.000-07:00

I request a new Superdalgas story, with pictures of you, your garden, and/or your babies and/or pets. Please!!!
Love, Auntie Ru.

(gifts of appreciation will be delivered sometime between July 1 and 4).

Sequoia

2011-05-16T07:07:00.000-07:00

Happy May Days!

2011-05-14T17:28:00.000-07:00

This year we celebrated May Day (May 1st) with Granny here. It was one of the most beautiful days that we've had this spring. Amy remembers this holiday as a favorite during her childhood. She and her brothers would celebrate May Day by collecting baskets full of wild flowers and surprising their neighbors with them.

We have had so much fun keeping this tradition with Nélida. I hope you enjoy this May Day video and may the remainder of the month of May be filled with flowery days for all!

Dogwood in the park

2011-05-10T09:17:00.001-07:00

It wass a great morning to run in the park. I am so looking forward to the 70 plus degrees we are going to get! It will be a day for gardening, and taking laundry outside to dry. I hope you each find a ray of sunshine and warmth this lovely May day.

The Orchid Sonnet, by Ruth Louise Parsons

2011-05-08T20:15:00.000-07:00

Daddy bought us each an orchid on Mother's Day in 2005. Since that time the orchid I received has bloomed many times throughout the years. I currently have two baby orchids potted from the original plant, which has yet two more orchid babies to be potted. So I have 4 offspring from the original plant. None of the babies has bloomed yet, but they are still young. I hope to pass these orchid plants on to others in the family who would like one of "Fred's Flowers", as Grandpa Fred called them.

The original parent plant is now in the biggest bloom of its life, with 19 blossoms on 3 different stems, plus 2 baby plants still attached. It started opening its blooms in the middle of March and became fully open by the end of April. I expect the flowers to last months.

Happy Mother's Day!

Love,

Ruth L.

A chance encounter with a plant in May,

Tho t'was my father's plan to buy me one.

An orchid at the nursery Mother's Day

The phaleanopsis stood in filtered sun.

My father bade me choose my flower gift,

A living symbol of his love for me.

A widower with aging heart bereft,

He often missed my mother desperately.

But on that day we stood among the flowers

The beauty of the orchid made him smile.

I felt the blessing of the precious hours

To have my father still with me awhile.

My father's gift of love returns each May

The phaleanopsis blooms on Mother's Day.

Happy Mothers Day!

2011-05-08T06:57:00.000-07:00

There's so many moms now that make our lives better! Thanks and a very happy mothers day to all of you!

Happy Mother's Day to Everyone!

2011-05-08T05:35:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to all of the sweet mamas who read this. May you have a day with many blessings! I think I got the best deal of all!!!

So Many Babies!

2011-05-07T07:01:00.001-07:00

...So little time....

I so wish that I could be in two, three, four places at once - or that time could be stretched so that days, weeks and months were twice as long as they are. My only choice left is to fill as much loving into every moment of each day. Thank you sweethearts for sharing your kindness and and your struggles with me, and for letting me be fully a part of your lives.

Granny Cuddles Her Baby Chicks

2011-04-30T21:55:00.000-07:00

Granny is back at it, taking care of her lil' chicks. She has been stepping up to the roost to help relieve a sick mama hen. But the mama's been eating 7 cloves of chopped garlic a day and horse pill sized lecithin tablets along with some of that good ole' bacteria fighting mold and she's regaining strength by the hour.

Neli is helping out quite a bit too. Here she is teaching Granny about Flora's favorite way to be held.

Flora is a sweet daffodil and has been discovering a lot about her new world in between her peaceful dreams.

The Wooden Shoe!

2011-04-27T13:17:00.000-07:00

Granny took us out to the wooden shoe tulip festival yesterday. The flowers were gorgeous and the clouds were majestic.

We caught the peak of sunshine and rejoiced to be out in the spring air. Flora was right at home amongst the beautiful blossoms.

Nelida has been practicing her ballet, but this shot turned out to look more like karate.

Nelida, Granny and Tulips!

Granny has arrived!

2011-04-24T17:14:00.000-07:00

new garden in Seattle!

2011-04-18T06:27:00.000-07:00

Life in the spring is full of promise for a young gardener, some old hands, and a reliable rototiller. Pa first bought and used this tiller when we lived in Seattle back in 1983-4. It has served our family so faithfully for many years. Now, like the little engine that could - it just keeps saying, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can" and it does!

The prettiest bloom in the city is called Ruth Marie Nicklaus.

This is one dedicated farming family.

Meeting Flora Jane

2011-04-15T19:27:00.001-07:00

Today we had the pleasure of meeting little Flora Jane and spending some time with her big sister and wonderful parents. She is such a sweet angel!

Thanks for letting us visit and we can't wait to watch her grow! She is so beautiful and we are always available for anything you may need as you make this transition in your family. We love you all!

Baby Flora Jane is in Our Arms and Hearts!

2011-04-13T06:19:00.000-07:00

Hillbilly Rock!

2011-04-11T19:11:00.000-07:00

We stole away to Entiat one last time before I went back to work, and it was a blast!! We brought our friends, the Holstroms, and there was yummy food making and eating, adventuring, rock collecting, music playing, swallow festing, garden chatting, hot tubbing and many, many more good times with Mom and Dad! We are so lucky! Thanks for the fun, friends!!!

2011-04-10T21:22:00.000-07:00

After only three months of training, My friend Jenni and I completed our first Half Marathon. Thanks to my wonderful children for helping me train, to my wonderful husband and family for supporting me and to my special friend for sharing the journey.

My two little training partners!

Just being cheesy, but I couldn't have done it without her!

The sea of people- 1750 participants in this inaugural year.

Jenni- my partner in crime!

We finished 13.1 miles with an official chip time of 3:40:43. We walked at an average pace of 17 minutes per mile. Our goal was to finish in under 4 hours and we made it! Hopes are high to do it even faster next year! Thanks for the thoughts, prayers, and cheers today!

small house with lots of love

2011-04-05T09:50:00.000-07:00

Do you think they can squeeze one more little person in this space!? oh yeah!!

Neli is all ready to go with her boppy!

I won!

2011-04-01T17:19:00.000-07:00

I am in the 99th percentile of the NCAA tournament overall brackets!!!!

The Long Awaited Molasses Cookie Recipe

2011-03-31T20:34:00.000-07:00

Check out the new molasses cookie recipe on Super Scrumptious!

P.S. While your at it, post a dessert recipe of your own. The dessert section is struggling!

Happy Birthday Ben!

2011-03-29T06:06:00.001-07:00

Dear Ben,
We wish for you to have a very happy day with all the people who love you so much - and that you will soon get to meet that new little person who will look up to you and know that he/she is so blessed to have you for a Daddy. We love you!! Hope you enjoy this little memory!

Dahlia Sculpture - Thank you Grammy!!

2011-03-27T11:14:00.000-07:00

We have a beautiful new kinetic metal sculpture in our yard! I have been wanting to post it, but lately it's been very rainy here, and not the best photo taking weather. Today we went for a walk and came home to the glimmering spinning Dahlia that Grammy sent to us. Thank you so much! Grammy has given us so many lovely pieces that have made our lives sparkle and shine. I hope we can take a little video when the wind blows to show you how it spins. It is really pretty.

Happy Birthday Jennie!!

2011-03-22T05:29:00.000-07:00

Spring Break Begins!

2011-03-20T14:16:00.000-07:00

Spring Break has arrived!

It's time to read, reflect, plant, sprout, sing, laugh and have fun.

Time to put on our giraffe suits and 'bug eye' glasses and revel in the glory of the sun.

This morning we planted walla walla and red onions, carrots, spinach, radishes, cilantro and three blueberry plants. (Spring break is when you have time to change the color on the text).

Néli is so proud of her potty chart, as she follows a proud tradition of potty charters.

She asks for a photo every time she earns a star.

Spring break is a time to journey, but we will be missing many this spring break, as we won't be journeying far from our home this year. Instead, it's a time for us to dream about a new arrival.

By the way, Lil' fella is still nice and cozy giving no signs of departure from the womb home.

All our love, Ben, Amy and Nélida

2011 NCAA Tournament Challenge

2011-03-13T16:49:00.000-07:00

Please join my Tournament Challenge group on yahoo and submit a bracket.

Superdalgas Tourney Challenge

The password for the group is: newbaby

Hopefully it is an exciting tournament, good luck on your picks, and may the best person win! I am hoping to repeat.

What has RU been doing?

2011-03-11T07:27:00.000-08:00

Check out the two new posts on the Ruthie's Uniform blog!

Come on a my house!

2011-03-07T07:50:00.000-08:00

A quick surprise visit happened up in Seattle with the expectant little family! We enjoyed doing our best to spoil Neli a little for a couple of days, but she remains as sweet as can be. I am very happy to tell you that we now have a baby registry for the new little one - and just in time! Check it out, and pass it on to those who want to know. Granny will be visiting down in Oregon a couple of weeks after the birth, and can't wait to see more of you then!

Amy and Ben Baby Registry!

Fun Seattle visit from a sweet fam!

2011-03-06T20:37:00.000-08:00

(Please post your pics guys, so fun to see Granny and Pa too!!!

mariposa song to Amy

2011-03-03T10:27:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday, Sweet Amy

2011-03-03T07:15:00.001-08:00

Amy, you are like a little flower or a butterfly. We adore you and think you are just wonderful. Have a sweet day, with hugs and kisses from all who are lucky to be sharing your birthday with you.

Nicklaus Kitchen Remodel, Phase 1, Part 2

2011-02-28T16:56:00.000-08:00

Nicklaus Kitchen Remodel, Phase 1

2011-02-26T21:36:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday Jessi!

2011-02-23T08:52:00.000-08:00

We all love you, lovely Jessi! Hope that someone makes you a deliciously spicy treat today!

I will try to post a later surprise when I get home from work - it needs a little work. Check your email and regular mail today too!

New mantle and book nook arrangements.

2011-02-20T16:26:00.000-08:00

Good things to distract me from the rest of the craziness happening in my house!

Who will make these for me?

2011-02-18T17:23:00.000-08:00

Cam found this!

2011-02-18T09:55:00.001-08:00

I love you sweet family!!!

2011-02-14T18:41:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's to all of you!

sprouts, smells and sounds!

2011-02-12T17:15:00.000-08:00

Its been a while since there's been much going on to tell about - so finally here we are with a little bit of green. We have flower bulbs and garlic popping up in the garden. We also have lettuce, broccoli, spinach, leeks germinating in the greenhouse and the hoophouse. The snow is almost gone, and the ground is thawing out. The good clean scent of earth is back. There's a hoarse little bird hiding in the limbs of the blue spruce. Do birds get sore throats?

Baby Donkeys!

2011-01-30T13:41:00.000-08:00

Have you ever seen anything as fuzzy, soft and cute as these baby donkeys?! Scarlette, Lucien, Pa and I stopped by the Icicle Outfitters to pet them and take their pictures just this morning. There are five little ones. I had heard about them and could hardly wait to see them. The mama donkeys were very kind to let us get up pretty close to them and pet their soft winter coats.