hi friends.
i hope everyone's mondays are going well. i woke up early to a loud thunderstorm, tossed & turned for a bit, and reset my alarm to skip the gym. it's continued to be chilly and wet today, and i've been doing everything i can to keep warm. i switched into a long sleeved shirt when i went home, and made oatmeal for lunch. i brought hot cocoa back with me, and i still haven't taken my fleece off. i'll be honest- it's in the 50s. it's not freezing. but the shock of it has me chilled deeply!

it's come to my attention that my "happy list" may not be too prominent. under the header of the blog, there is a tab that says "home" and one that says "happy list." click on it for a treat. it's been up for about a month. had you noticed this before?

Solid Weekend

Friday:
half day at work. drive to Red Rocks. BBQ & tailgate in the parking lot. awesome Leftover Salmon & Yonder Mtn String Band show. all sorts of camp folk. a raucous good time!

Saturday:
lobster asparagus omelette in denver. drive back to the boat. rainy afternoon nap & reading.

Sunday:
reading. sunshine. coffee. hike to gondola. snowsport tent sale. library. shower. mango. margs & tacos with the crew.

"Breathing in, I calm my body,

Breathing out, I smile.

Dwelling in the present moment,

I know this is a wonderful moment."

-Thich Nhat Hanh

Hi Friends-
Just wanted to tell you all how much I like it when you comment. It reminds me that you really are out there reading an observing. That's why I added the "like it" & "love it" & "want it" buttons-- to hopefully bring in a little more interaction. They are easy- just click and --poof!-- I know someone's been on the site. The more of a trail you leave behind, the more posts you'll see.

:)

I called my mom after work today for a recipe and my neighbor, Thierry, answered. It was fun to chat with him for a moment, and to picture them standing out in the street chatting in the early evening sunshine.

I called her back about an hour later, and my dearest sister of a friend answered. Jenna has moved back to Montpelier and has started a new job at our old middle school this week.

I am jealous, and smiling, because of so many people I love being on the same street. Jenna being back in the neighborhood for now is surreal, and wonderful.

I grew up in the most idyllic, communal, beautiful neighborhood. When I was in middle school we had 24 kids on the street between the ages of 5 and 16. We played games, we ran barefoot, we had block parties, we had crushes on each other. I had multiple sets of parents, who I still adore and make sure to catch up with when I'm back visiting. I'm grateful.

It was 39 degrees and the condensation on my windshield turned icy on my drive to the gym at 6:30 this morning. Summer is coming to a rapid end, but I'll soak in each moment as I can.

Congrats to my wonderful parents on 36 years of Marriage.

Cheers to you on your wedding anniversary!

I love you!

Aren't they adorable?

Indiana

A couple weeks ago I went on a quick weekend trip to Indiana to see Brett. Although short, we had a good time riding bikes, spending time with his family, golfing, and beaching at Warren Dunes on Lake Michigan.

Monks River Ceremony

A Visit from the Monks

For a town with a year-round population of 12,000, Steamboat has a lot of pretty amazing events. In fact, there are so many wonderful things happening, that it is easy to take them for granted, or to have to choose between too many options! Last week we were blessed with a visit from the Drepung Loseling Monks of Tibet. Unfortunately I took the first few days for granted and didn't make it to the Opening Ceremony or the intricate process of building the sand mandala. But I did make it to the Closing Ceremony, which was well worth my time. They had opened the week by choosing to bless Steamboat with the gift of compassion through the mandala process. There were several people crammed into the community room at the library to see the mandala one more time, and then there was a ceremony as they swept it up. It was beautiful. One of the monks explained that in Western culture we get caught up in wanting things to stay forever, and we don't accept that many things are not meant to be permanent. He reminded us to appreciate the beauty while it lasts, and then accept that it will pass.  "If we reflect on life, it is so beautiful, like this mandala," he said. "Each moment of life is so beautiful, if you think about the small things and get so upset about them... it's a reminder. You live here, in America, in Steamboat, this is paradise. (The mandala) is to show us the impermanence of every conditional thing."
It was a powerful message and an amazing ceremony. They chanted, and systematically dismantled the sand art. Half of the sand was put into little baggies and dispersed to the crowd with the blessing of compassion, and the other half was released into the Yampa River through another ceremony. 
If you would like to know more, the library had a blog for the event. 
And here are several articles: One, Two. 
I'll also post a video I took of the river ceremony. 

I went alone, and had a lovely reflective time, but I wished terribly that so many people could have been there. I sat out at the river and looked around and was shocked by how few people I knew or recognized. Where were all of my friends and acquaintances and why weren't they taking advantage of this amazing opportunity? Just as I started to feel a little down about it, I spied a couple familiar faces on the far side of the river. And so, everything was just as it should be. 

Gratitude.

lately i've been feeling short on words, but big on quiet, deep appreciation for so many things: family, friends, summer, fresh foods, live music, handwritten letters, bicycles, blue skies, thunderstorms. there's a lot of good stuff in my life.

Cousin Love. 

Favorites.

The Brie LT.

Aloha Love.

A rainy afternoon calls for a hoodie, hot cocoa, a slice of zucchini bread, and some tv. Thoroughly enjoying it.

I had all sorts of veggies I needed to use-- tomatoes from Indiana, greens from Steamboat, squash, kale and more. So I topped a pizza with all of the above, some sauce & goat cheese. Delicious. 

"In the summer, the song sings itself."

-William Carlos Williams

Robert Groves

it's been ten years today since he left us. 

i miss him always.

i remember gramp for his postum and marmalade in the morning.
for his love for boats- with sails, oars, and engines.
for his clever engineering and ability to solve any problem.
for the many games of uno he patiently played with me.
for afternoon naps on the beach, after filling up on sandy sandwiches.
for the many books he read.
for the dollhouse he built me.
for his lace-up swimming trunks.
for the beautiful round home he built for everyone to enjoy.
for his deep voice, hearty laugh, simple smile.
for the love with which he blessed us all.

today's storypeople story of the day is only appropriate:

"i know he's not really gone, she said,
but the world still feels smaller to me today."

A Good Day

A lovely Sunday:

• Solid night of sleep
• Coffee and reading in the sunshine
• Two loaves and six muffins of zucchini bread
• Laundry
• A two hour workout
• Iced chai and internet time at Amante
• A 2010-11 Season Ski Pass purchased
• Monte's 30th birthday celebration
• Bike-In Movie at Howelsen

Minty Goodness

Delicious new discovery, friends. Zucchini ribbons with ricotta and mint. It's like summer in your mouth! And very simple to make. I took a vegetable peeler to a zucchini and made long ribbons until I got to the seedy center (saved that to add to zuc bread this weekend!). Tossed the ribbons in a little olive oil, salt & pepper. Plopped them on a baking sheet in the oven for about 15 minutes, shaking them around a couple times throughout. Then you make a pile on your plate, and top it off with a dab of ricotta and fresh mint. I added a few pine nuts as well. I was a little skeptical of mint- I thought basil or something might be better, but the mint was amaaaazing! Easy, delicious and fresh!

On the side I had a little piece of almond-crusted flounder I picked up on sale. It was tasty, but definitely overshadowed by the zuc. So go try it! Make it! Eat it! Love it!

alaya & chol

To you, my beautiful friends:

i wish you many moons of happiness, infinite adventures,
and endless love.

congrats on your marriage.

we all love you so much!

"Love one another and you will be happy.
It's as simple and as difficult as that."

-Michael Leunig

nols semester in new zealand, 2005

Happy Birthday, Daddy-o! 

May your year ahead be full of smooth seas, full sails,
and the perfect breeze.  

I love you. 

Have yourselves a bunch of wonderful Augusts. Hold on to these days.

Soak them up. Eat as much corn as you can, and fresh berries, and great big slices of watermelon. Go to the beach and stay too long. Take walks in flip flops at dusk. Photograph the way summer light falls on your living room wall.

-Luisa Weiss