Chautauqua
As I prepare to serve a mission for my church (I leave in 27 days!), I've been spending lots of time with some of my very favorite people in my very favorite place. No matter how many places I live or visit, Colorado will always be the tops! It's wonderful in the winter, but it's just as charming in the summer. Copious quantities of wildflowers, outdoor festivals, good food, good dogs, and loads of good places to hike make it really hard to want to be anywhere else. A few weeks ago, Tom's brother and sister-in-law were in town so we all took a day trip to Boulder. We started with lunch here (so beautiful and so delicious!), and then roamed Pearl Street for a while. We had a little time to kill, so I suggested we drive over to the Chautauqua. I hadn't been for a looong time, but I remembered liking it.
It was gorgeous - much more spectacular than I had remembered. The perfect place for an afternoon jaunt. Really just dreamy.
Oh, Colorado! Every time I come home, I fall in love all over again.
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| ^^^^^Wild Irises^^^^^ |
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| ^^^^Sadly we didn't see anything bigger than a rabbit^^^^^ |
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| ^^^^Bluebells & Dandelions^^^^ |
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| ^^^^Bliss^^^^ |
Where great men live
I'm writing this post from a -- surprisingly pleasant -- random roadside hotel in West Virginia drowning my tears in prosecco (and Premal's sweet, soothing company). CLEARLY, I am in no position to write about my departure from my beloved capitol city just yet. So instead I offer pictures from our recent jaunt to Charlottesville, Va, and Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. One of the items on my farewell bucket list was the home of our nation's third president. I'd heard tales of the idyllic mansion Jefferson designed. Tucked away in the Virginia hills with glorious gardens, quirky details, and peacocks roam free on the grounds. Jefferson's home seemed like a fitting place to spend my fatherless father's day (/anniversary). In many ways this tinkering statesman is a perfect blend of my inventor father and my politician grandfather. And as we meandered through another man's life I took special notice of the details they would have loved, and the conversations we might have had (hyper-efficient use of space, and life/philosophy contradictions come to mind). These days, I am frankly shocked by how often I long for conversations with the first great men in my life. I wish I could ask them about Syria and Snowden, and my new car and big move, and the modern folk music movement. Mostly, I wish they knew Premal. But we will never have those conversations, and I will never get to see my joy reflected in their eyes. So instead I will be content to wander one great man's house, with another great man on my arm, and two more tucked safely away in my mind. 
^^^Thomas Jefferson knew a thing or two about classy gardening^^^
^^^patriotic flower beds may just be the key to my heart^^^
^^^the biggest, most beautifulest, lettuce head I have ever laid eyes on^^^
^^^down the rabbit hole^^^
^^^an older couple asked if we were on our honeymoon, I think that means we're doing this right^^^ 
What a Wonderful World
Perfection is an ongoing process, but I think that Sunday was one of those passing instances of loveliness that couldn't have been much lovelier. It started at church where my 83 year old grandmother taught a Sunday school lesson on chastity. That woman transformed into a variable Jewish Mormon Dr. Ruth. Nothing was off limits: from her cousins - the Gabor Sisters - to her 57 year marriage and everything in between. It was kind of awesome. Once we returned home, we finished preparations for Liberty's goodbye party. It was a welcome distraction from the sadness I feel that she's leaving. Liberty and I have had our ups and downs, but I feel this year we've had the opportunity to spend time together as our best selves. There wasn't sickness or necessity that forced us together -- just a deep bond of friendship and love. Our husbands go together like falafel and naan -- they weren't make for each other, but they might as well have been (naan's better than pita anyway)... Once Kimber and David got back from Denver, it's been like a long, wonderful party. Liberty's departure is one of the saddest things that has happened this year, which reminds me of how very good this year has been. So Yoni and I transported everything to our amazing friend Mary's house -- the site of the celebration -- and it was beautiful! The flowers were gorgeous, the food was so good and the company? Exquisite.The nieces and nephews put on an impromptu talent show. When Kip sang one of Louis Armstrong's famous tunes, it seemed so right. These beautiful people, young and old, who I've known since the earliest moments of their being are growing up. We're moving on and getting better. As Yoni and I wrapped up our evening, we drove home and went into the park to sleep under the perigree moon. Nothing particularly glamorous or dramatic. Just one of those simple, perfect days when you think to yourself, what a wonderful world.
Life is just a bowl of (sour) cherries
What's that, you ask? Just some insanely delicious, super authentic, chilled Hungarian fruit soup made with sour cherries I grew on my very own tree in northeast Washington, D.C. No big deal. Oh? you'd like to try some yourself? That is a most excellent idea. Because it might just be the Best Thing Ever. And, if you can track down tart cherries (either on your own tree, or elsewhere), it's really quite easy to make.
Recipe after the jump!
Under the Soltice Moon...
Apparently, the ancients believed that the Solstice brings with it an
extra dose of magic. So, I thought I'd share this little video of Phinny
trying to hypnotize me with his googly-eyes. He actually does this
pretty regularly, regardless of astrologically-informed chances of success.
It usually works.
I might be a bad influence. . .
Zen and I smoked weed this weekend.
Mom was out running errands when we we found some outside (not rare as you might think -- in Denver, everybody and their grandmother has the stuff practically growing in decorative planters in the front yard), and I just figured -- 'when else are we going to do this?' You know?
Mom was out running errands when we we found some outside (not rare as you might think -- in Denver, everybody and their grandmother has the stuff practically growing in decorative planters in the front yard), and I just figured -- 'when else are we going to do this?' You know?
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| Smoked weed, lit up a bowl. . . call it what you may -- |
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| We got pretty high. |
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| Our stash. We have a lot of extra if you want any. |
In All Likelihood the Most Supremely Delightful and Delectable Banana Sundae Puffs You Will Ever Consume
Preparation-time: 10
minutes Bake-time: 20 minutes Servings: 6
If you have any desire to concoct these extraordinary dainties, know first
that they are exquisitely scrumptious and hence, dangerous. These delights are DANGEROUS
to any calorically conscious diet, so calorie counters: Beware! Also, you
should be conscious that there are certain ingredients which you will definitely
need to have on hand (or resting in your cupboards, or in your refrigerator or
freezer) in order to produce The Most
Supremely Delightful and Delectable Banana Sundae Puffs You Will Ever Consume.
I would deeply appreciate if you would be absolutely certain that you are in
possession of all of the following ingredients before endeavoring to make this
dessert. THE FOLLOWING INGREDIENTS ARE POSITIVELY ESSENTIAL FOR THE
CONSTRUCTION OF THIS SWEET TREAT. If you do not have every single one of the
following items, you will not be able to produce the intended result. I would
advise you to organize and prepare your pantry accordingly.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Life, Love, Death and Family...
This weekend, our family saw the passing of two dear friends at very different points in their lives.
One was a beautiful, gregarious, young mother. She was wed to one of the most impressive and handsome young men we grew up with. They looked the part of a perfect couple. They married, had three kids. Then a few years ago, she was diagnosed with incurable stage 4 cancer and given months to live.
The other was at the logical end of his life's story. Despite tremendous challenges of war, health and loss, he became wildly successful. He was married for well over 50 years. He was 87 and had escaped death many times. But advanced Parkinson's made it difficult for him to walk and use his hands and arms effectively. Nonetheless, his mind remained sharp. While his disease slowed his speech, his insights were always of tremendous value.
Both friends carried themselves with poise and fineness, so unless you knew of their challenges, you might envy their blessings. Both had incredible attitudes towards life and shared their love and kindness until the end. Both of them beat the odds, over and over again. Both of these dear people have incredible families who have loved them, cared for them, supported them in sickness and health, poverty and wealth, in life and in death. Yoni and I know that if nothing else, our future is uncertain. But I am so deeply grateful for the example of these beautiful families because it reminds me that when everything else is stripped away, when you have love, you have the only thing that really matters.
One was a beautiful, gregarious, young mother. She was wed to one of the most impressive and handsome young men we grew up with. They looked the part of a perfect couple. They married, had three kids. Then a few years ago, she was diagnosed with incurable stage 4 cancer and given months to live.
The other was at the logical end of his life's story. Despite tremendous challenges of war, health and loss, he became wildly successful. He was married for well over 50 years. He was 87 and had escaped death many times. But advanced Parkinson's made it difficult for him to walk and use his hands and arms effectively. Nonetheless, his mind remained sharp. While his disease slowed his speech, his insights were always of tremendous value.
Both friends carried themselves with poise and fineness, so unless you knew of their challenges, you might envy their blessings. Both had incredible attitudes towards life and shared their love and kindness until the end. Both of them beat the odds, over and over again. Both of these dear people have incredible families who have loved them, cared for them, supported them in sickness and health, poverty and wealth, in life and in death. Yoni and I know that if nothing else, our future is uncertain. But I am so deeply grateful for the example of these beautiful families because it reminds me that when everything else is stripped away, when you have love, you have the only thing that really matters.
Little bites of the Big Apple
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| This handsome guy is working for a client in New York right now, and when we heard he was going to be stuck in the office over Father's Day, the babes and I piled in the car and popped up to join him. You can't really tell, but our second favorite Lady Liberty is in the background of this shot... |
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| We snuck out for a few hours on Saturday and took the kids on the Staten Island Ferry. |
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| Oh, hi! |
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| Hettie did a bit of photo bombing on Wall Street. |
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| We paid our respects to David's favorite Founding Father. Can you guess who? |
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| Naturally. I'm frankly more excited for an eventual pilgrimage to his birthplace on the island of Nevis... |
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| They sell honey roasted coconut on the street corners, and it's kind of crazy delicious. |
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| Hettie likes to work it for the camera. |
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| Phinny, not so much. |
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| Of all the things we've seen and done, I think the random Brooklyn splash pad was the biggest hit. |
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| Proof that we do, in fact, have three children. |