Monday, July 26, 2010

June and July

We went to the cabin in Idaho during June. It was two days worth of driving through South Dakota and Colorado and Idaho. We saw an eagle chasing an osprey who had a fish in its talons. Eventually the osprey dropped the fish and the eagle picked it up. The eagle was eating the fish in a tree across from the river and the osprey kept diving at the eagle, but to no avail. No fish for the osprey. They both flew over Dara and I about 10 feet above our heads. It was very nature show-ish. We also had snow!!!







We then drove the long 4 hours to Salt Lake and spent the weekend with Grandma Amott. We visited with a few people. Being in SL for really only two days is hard when you want to see so many people.

Julie, Spencer and the Kids came to visit us the first week in July. It was great having a full house. It is a really good thing we still have our swingset. Sam loves to "wing wing peese." We went to the Lake Waconia Swim Beach, the MN Arboretum, and they also went to the Mall of America. Who can resist a HUGE mall that has an amusement park in it?

Spencer took Kelly, Julie and I to a Crossfit Training class. It was amazing! I did not hurt at all after the class and running that mile first...so invigorating. (I am lying and being very sarcastic). Actually, Julie and I ran down two blocks, walked a bit to the third block, turned around, walked until we saw our husbands running and then we started running back to the class. I AM NOT A RUNNER!!! I really thought the class would be full of weirdos, but they all looked and seemed pretty normal...just like Spencer. But what is Spencer-normal? That should be a new word in the dictionary.



















When the Petersens left, the house was too quiet and lonely. Doug, our new kitten, also missed the Kids. They kept him running all week. Wore him right out. After they left, Doug wandered the house looking for them. I think he still misses them.

We got Doug from a friend of mine. I told Dara we couldn't get him until she learned to hold him. She has been scared to hold cats since she was little and Victor scratched her. But she learned and he purred and fell asleep in her arms. Then we had Kelly meet him and brought him home. His personality is a lot like Big's. He likes to be with people and he is a snuggler. Anytime a door is shut, he has to come see why.







He is also a dare devil like Big. Every once in a while I would catch Big walking the banister...and this is how we caught Doug.







A town a couple of miles away from us had a tornado and the storm was coming our way. But, alas, we only got really cool clouds and some rain. When the tornado alarms go off in town, we are SUPPOSED to go in the basement. But NO. We all go out on our porches and decks to watch the storms come in. We are a curious people.







This is Dara taking a picture of the storm with her new cell phone. She was so excited when it came that she was shaking. It is nice to be able to have her call when she is at a friend's house and on her way home.







This is our house during the coming of the storm. That bright green squatty-body is me, taking care of my plants - just in case there is hail.



Each year the Swallows come back. It is great. They built their nests under our eaves and lay their eggs. The babies are so ugly they are cute and they grow very fast. These are just above our deck door and I would talk to the mother and to the babies.







This is the mother feeding the babies. Not a great picture, but they are fast little creatures.

We got some monarch caterpillars from a friend of mine. They turned into the chrysalis' in front of our eyes!! Nature is AMAZING!!



This is a chrysalis that is attached to one of my flower boxes. I don't know what kind of butterfly it will be. But the chrysalis has silver, blue and gold on it.



4 comments:

April said...

What a cute kitty! I like him on the banister and terrorizing those hampsters. I like the pictures of the birds, it's funny how they're sitting there with those stupid looks on their faces when their mouths are closed, and then when their mom comes around they hold open their mouths and look more stupid. I like your house, I think that's the first time I've seen a picture of the whole thing. We miss you out here in SL.

Jamie said...

Dear Lisa,

I love reading your blog! It sounds just like you. I can totally hear your voice when I read.

Dara looks too grown-up. I shudder to think about Brannen (he is probaby a full grown man by now!)

I planted a whole bunch of flowers today and I thought of you. If I can someday have a garden 1/2 as beautiful as yours...

Jewels said...

Lisa, we miss you already. We had an absolute wonderful time there. It was hard coming back home to reality. Thanks again for having us for an entire week.

Kathryn McFall said...

How fun that you guys made it to the Cabin! I haven't been up there in ages, but I sure love it! Dang I miss seeing you guys!