...Robin...

Oh my little sister.  Robin T. Bate - that's how she signed her artwork.  Thirteen years ago today she flew to heaven.

I am so thankful for Robin.  So thankful for her life and death.  Getting to have a sister like her.  Her death has freed, molded and taught me so much of what life is about.  I trust so much that I know God took her for divine reason.  One we can't understand.  The agony, depression, fear and acute sadness seemed bottomless.  But I am so thankful for the choice to be able to move with it, through it by subscribing to Grace and seeking joy in suffering - the blessings that can come from such heartache and tragedy.  The Calling to be happy and think of good things and draw nearer to the One who never changes and is a haven and the ultimate comforter.

Robin, despite the difficulties in her life, had a light, kind, accepting, peace-invoking, fun-loving free-spiritedness that inspires me even more today than ever.

I'm overwhelmed with gratitude and humility that we have so many choices everyday about how we think, act, react.  That we can always be forgiven and are renewed every day.  To have the choice to carry on, learn from our experiences and not let earthly grief, stereotypes and expectations rule us is incredible!

Here's to Robin, my amazing sis, to you, to all those you've touched and have touched you.  To peace and love and acceptance and humility.  ( :

Lotso Foodo

I

YOU

Is Jason getting getting better and better every meal he prepares?  Seems like it.  He has no shortage of ideas, experiments or radar for new things and recipes to try.  It inspires and puzzles me..and spoils us!  Everybody has their unique gifts and talents - cooking is definitely one of Jason's (...many).

Love using leftover/extra stuff - the baguette from previous night with eggs, avocado and almost-too-ripe tomato for breakfast - SO GOOD.

Fish Taco Fridays

Frittata with asparagus and goat cheese

Ravioli lasagna with tomatoes and herbs from our garden with homemade sauce

Tilapia with a wild and brown rice and roasted cauliflower and broccoli - so good and nice and healthy

This is Posole soup - Jason crock potted a pork roast from the pig from Aunt Dar and they pulled it.  Such a nice, nice flavor and the hominy (soft white corn - garbanzo bean-esque but smoother) is so good.

Individual blueberry cobblers in ramekins

This pizza dough is from Glorioso's/Sciortino's that Jason doctored with fresh herbs from the garden and the classic corn meal - a many step process - even more when he makes the dough from scratch.  Jason's patience and labors astound me.  Nothing is ever never done to the fullest.

Roasted pepper, asparagus, turkey italian sausage and goat cheese with penne - fantastic flavor  fiesta

Our favorite salad - grilled chicken, craisins, goat cheese, a nut item (almonds, pecans, walnuts, etc.) over arugula with the wonderfully biting balsamic and garlic dressing Jason makes

Based loosely on a recipe - a Thai inspired dish with basmati rice, peapods, cilantro, cashews, roasted red pepps - fantastic

This is more summery but still sensational - fresh herbs and a sweet tart dressing over a medley of grapes, apples, celery, raisins, almonds and on...

This is from a chick pea, raisin and marinara pasta recipe Jason found

A tomato app replica from a Greek restaurant Jason went to out east on a biz trip - lemon juice and feta make it great

Fresh lime pie - bags of organic limes were on sale and we had quite a few left over and so genius just whipped this number up - so fresh and bursting with fresh lime flavor

Frost has arrived so Jason harvested the rest of the herbs and is hang-drying  them to use over the winter

Whole chicken with those herbs stuffed under the skin and into the cavity - yummmm

This is a minestrone soup that I actually made, surprise, surprise - it's from a book on Parkinson's disease and highlights marjoram and turmeric along with fava and canellini beans - Jason approved it and even the kids really liked it!  Patting myself on the back a little, too.  The three components of health (from another book I'm reading on hormones - lovin' the self help books apparently) are diet, lifestyle and stress management.

Did I already post this verse?  Maybe, but it's so good, a calming favorite - Isaiah 30:15
In rest and repentance is your salvation
In quietness and trust is your strength
Quite the opposite of what the world pushes and such a refuge for when I feel lost or alone or on the wrong track.  God is sooooooooooooooooooo good.

A visit to Holy Hill

After a somewhat brief visit with my dear friend Clare at the Holy Hill Art Farm, I stopped at Holy Hill itself and walked around a bit as I'd never been there and when I do get that way, we're visiting family and friends.  Very beautiful and peaceful grounds.  The grottos of the stations of the cross are stunning.  There is an air of peace and calm and solemnity there.  So very beautiful.

While walking through the extensive gift shop, I read a framed piece called the Desiderata by Max Ehrmann who passed in 1945.  It's new and fresh to me and just wanted to share with you...

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery.

But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.  Especially, do not feign affection.  Neither be critical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings.

Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. 

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. 

Be careful. 

Strive to be happy.

© Max Ehrmann 1927

...Continued

We haven't had any family or friends get married in a little while but in late August my cousin Andrea married Philip!  We'd been excitedly anticipating and looking so forward to it and they really delivered on a spectacular weekend in late August.

A Friday ceremony at the Pabst Mansion followed by a stellar reception at the Palms then a grand reception at the Pritzlaff Building on Saturday night. Andi and Phil could quit their day jobs and be wedding and event planners.  They did so much themselves and put their touch and style on every detail.  It was hip, tasteful, stylin' and unique - plus a blast to boot!

Graham and Estelle danced and danced...and danced.  At one point, Graham yelled over the music "if there was a dance contest, I would win it!"

I was honored to do a reading for Andi & Phil at their ceremony

Joe, Kack and Dad post-ceremony

My uncle Tim and aunt Deb, our cousins Andi and Mike - I don't have any close-up good pix of PJ, the dapper groom!  Darn it.

My godparents and Estelle's godparents, sibs, Tim and Kathy, my aunt and uncle

Estelle was enamored by Andi, the stunning bride!

The assumed dance contest winner if there was one

Maybe a close 2nd place 

Father of the bride, my uncle Tim and mi papa

My bro Joe and Andi - Snoop Dog song maybe?

Joe, Andi and Jason

Andi with two pretty little ladies

I love, love weddings, love my cuz, Andi, love her new hubby PJ, love all my family, love it, love it, woooo!  Congratulations and big cheers and blessings on their marriage.  What a beautiful wedding weekend.

A few kitchen items...

Graham helped Jason make his namesake crackers from scratch - I think from a recipe from the paper

They turned out pretty well!

Interesting little mix of roasted kale, corn otc and a grilled chicken ceasar wrap - all scrumptious!

And a few pictures from the last month or so, including Graham's first day of 1st grade!  I can't forget my lucky duck tagalong on Jason's work trip to a little island called Aruba!

My Mom has this pool for my sister's dog Rocker that she's taking care of (he has cancer) for hot days and Graham jumped in and joined him!

Iguanas were relatively plentiful on Aruba.  Pretty cool.

Pretty fish below the pier at the water taxi stop

Flamingos on this teeny island owned by the  hotel where we stayed

Waiting (and sucking in) for the water taxi to go back to the "mainland"

1st grade, day one!

Graham made a little ship - two passenger max - with a cargo space

Graham helping out with some yard work at my Mom's house

Si, si

Cute crab

Iguana pow-wow

View of the protected beach area on the island off the island

A flamingo strolling past my chair!

Flamingo and Jason - they also had a ton of hermit crabs on the teeny island, too!  Neat wildlife there - not sure how native it all was but it was beautiful to see.

Still have some catching up to do

 but for now, too-da-loo!

Hiccup

All righty, here are some snippets from mid-summer up until now - fall next week!  Guess I had about a two month blogging hiatus.  I overwhelm myself with how many pictures I take and then as time goes by - and if I don't cherry pick some of them as I upload them onto the computer - it turns into a little mountain in my mind.  Time to start a climbin' - they're pretty severely out of order but here goes:

Fun and loads of equipment to play with at Nana and Papa's house

Always love a wagon ride around the driveway

Mr. Whiskers gets a bit terrorized when Estelle comes in to town

A farmer's market bounty - beautiful - a highlight of summer 

Shoot, can't remember what this was but I'm sure it was a real charmer as all of Jason's pastas are outrageously delicioso

Whoa, this was REAL good - breakfast burrito of sorts

Jason uses just a touch? of garlic in a lot of his creations - shheeeeesh

Oh, my favorite - any sort of ravioli with sautéed shredded carrots and yellow squash with a balsamic vinegar wine sauce and the beloved baguette…and probably a glass of tart white - heavenly

Stunning view towards the lake of my Dad's (and aunt Kathy and bro Joe's) new house on Lake Poygan

Joe and Estelle take a stroll down to the water

Incredible double rainbow over Lake Michigan in late August

Favorite picture of the summer maybe! 

Roasting marshmallows on Lac Vieux Desert near Eagle River

Stelly loved the squirt gun - her little tongue in and out flapping in tandem with trigger pulls

Pretty happy to be hanging out up north with family

Also looking pretty content, I'd say.

We all have such a great time up there.

Sunset over LVD

We had our roof done and I thought I had the final cleanup figured out when I offered Graham a dime for each scrap he could find around on the ground…$19 later.  Ouch, thought maybe half of that…and we're still finding shrapnel!

Sauteed veggies with roasted potato wedges and barbecue chicken but not just any sauce...

Barbecue sauce from scratch of course

Action shot of Graham's first Little League season

LOVED playing catcher - I do believe it was in large part due to the equipment and being able to do this stance

Graham drew some pictures from a nature book.  So exciting and neat when he comes up with and does stuff like that on his own.

This little beauty - the photo doesn't quite do it justice - was always solitarily illuminated so amazingly on a few summer mornings looking out at the window box while doing readings.  Really made me smile and feel peace.

Classic face a la Stelly #1

and #2

Graham went to day camp through the YMCA for the week

OK - I think there's some malfunctioning going on with too many photos…will pick up next time with some more food and my cousin's incredible wedding, first day of school, etc…

Peace and love you