A Walk in the Woods

After a week of gorgeous weather, I was a bit melancholy to see the clouds move back in. I know, I know, it's still officially winter in Montana but a girl can dream, can't she? So, in an effort to cheer ourselves up, E & I decided to take the pups for a much-needed run up in Pattee Canyon.

There was still quite a bit of snow on the ground though it was pretty icy. I, who is never dressed approriately, was wearing my old running shoes with practically no tread. I managed to slip and slide and contort myself into positions that should have given me high scores had I been competing in any sort of gymnastic competition. And, of course, they were all completed with the utmost of grace....not! Thank god no one was around to see my contortion act. The dogs actually thought it was some sort of game and kept running up to me to see what I was doing.

I did manage to save my camera from sure death and snap a couple of pictures and in the end fun was had by all. Not to mention the scenery is great no matter what season!

Peace

It was such a beautiful day today! And, of course, all I could think about was getting my hands in the dirt. I decided to put up a picture to give us all something to look forward to (in more ways than one)...

This picture was actually taken on a trip to New Zealand but the utter glory of this rose sent me right out to plant one of my own as soon as my feet hit Montana soil.

Will You Be Mine?

For Valentines Day, my hubby and I decided to fly in the face of convention and actually stay home and cook. Not very romantic you might say but, really, what a great way to reconnect! You're trapped together for a good couple of hours and, unless you want to leave hungry, it's going to take some teamwork and perseverance to see it through to the end.

We chose an Indian menu as it's a type of cuisine we've only dabbled in and we both love. Plus, it has the added benefit of utilizing exotic spices and unique ingredients that were a taste sensation in themselves. Cardamom, cumin, tumeric...a dash of this and a dash of that, accompanied by a glass of a 2005 Bordeaux for each of us, and the next thing you know we had ourselves a wonderfully delicious meal comprised of Onion Samosas, Malai Kofta and seasoned Basmati rice.

While we chopped, cooked and stirred we talked about how the day went, how I really can't wait to learn to play the piano (yea, yea, I know. I'll shut up about it soon), laughed over a funny pet anecdote and even delved into what we both want out of life. We sipped wine, offered tastes to each other and were excited as our colorful ingredients melded into mouth-watering dishes.

And, as we sat down to eat, I realized what makes life together so great; a shared sense of adventure, alot of laughter and good appetites!

Thanks, E, for being my Valentine!

Yessir, That's My Baby!

Have I ever told you that I want to learn to play the piano? Ok, not just play it but actually own one AND learn how to play it? Well, if you're one of my long-suffering friends or relatives, you probably know that about me. BUT, having had absolutely no musical instruction...EVER, I couldn't justify plunking down a large sum of money on an instrument that could, quite possibly, turn into just another piece of furniture in our tiny Victorian home. To avoid such a dilemna, I've therefore been on a quest for the perfect free, or almost free, piano for quite awhile now. I've even recruited friends to help search the give-away section of the classifieds (by the way, Thanks, Tim!). Well, I am so happy to report that I have returned triumphant! Thanks to a local Craigslist ad, I am the proud, new owner of an old, but still quite regal, piano. Yes, it might have a few bumps and bruises, and, yes, a few of its keys might sound out like a goose calling its young but it's mine and I love it.

So, as I happily plonk out my Ode to Joy and my Mary Had a Little Lamb, I dream of my days as a pianist and I know that soon, very soon (ok, once I finally find a piano teacher willing to take me on), I will be soaring to the dulcet notes of Beethoven and Bach.

Until then, I would like to offer a sincere apology to my spouse, who is gamely trying to smile and support through the torturous learning phase, and to my dogs, who run for the hills whenever they hear the goose call out....this one's for you!

It's Coming!

So, I was wandering through my still-sleeping garden today to see how everyone was doing and, as I was trimming my espalier, a fleck of green caught my eye. I crept a little closer and what did I discover? Beautiful, tiny green buds on my white lilacs! Can Spring be just around the corner?

And Now Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Winter Weather...

Who needs warm sun when you've got all this beautiful snow?
Here are Chloe, Riley and Daisy showing exactly how wonderful winter can be!

We Interrupt This Snowy Winter....

... to bring you a shot from the warm and dry Southwest. Taken in Sedona, AZ while visiting my dad, I can almost feel the sun on my skin warming me right up.

Yellowstone Natives

As I mentioned in my previous post, I had the great fortune to take a winter stroll through Yellowstone last weekend and happened upon some of the natives. I thought you all might like to see a few of the characters that were kind enough to pose for me.

Birthday Surprises

Ah, birthdays.... You either love 'em or hate 'em. Well, I am happy to say that I just had one of my best birthdays ever! Thanks to a hubby who went way beyond the call of duty (you had me with the flowers!) and a brother who took one for the team and spent his weekend babysitting our 3 (yes, three!) bored dogs, and friends who took the time to let me know they cared, I got to enjoy a birthday that will long be remembered as one of the best times of my life. Erik, my hero of a husband, planned and plotted and the next thing I knew I was receiving multiple bouquets of flowers at work, eating dinner at one of my favorite restaurants and then was whisked away on a long weekend to one of the most beautiful corners of Montana (more on that with my next entry).

So, I guess, if you're going to turn another year older, it really does help to have people in your life that let you know that you matter to them and they're happy to have you around. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and much love to you all (especially....Erik).