LAKESIDE LAVENDER.

One day, waaay back in July, I was on my way out to the Ranch when I spotted the sign for Lakeside Lavender and their upcoming Lavender Festival. I have been driving past this lavender farm for YEARS and somehow never noticed it! I was simply delighted! Realizing that I was, unfortunately, scheduled to shoot a wedding the weekend of the festival, I quickly formed a plan! The next day I called the farm and explained to them that I wanted to shoot some photographs and asked if they would allow me access to their fields. Much to my surprise, they eagerly agreed! The next day I snuck out of work a bit early and met the Clarks of Lakeside Lavender. They were busy preparing the grounds for the upcoming festival but allowed me free reign of the farm! I quickly found myself waist deep in PURPLE BLISS! Before I photographed anything, I stopped to enjoy (and memorize) the sights, the sounds, the smells! If only I could have bottled them for a dreary winter day! When I went home that night, lavender simply oozed from me! My skin had readily absorbed the familiar fragrance of lavender as I moved about the fields. But more than that, a love of lavender had crept into my heart. One thing I know for certain--there are surely lavender fields in HEAVEN!

THE FARM

THE BARN

which i obviously thought was super cool!

THE LAVENDER :)

THE BEES!

which had the field positively humming!

THE HAPPY LADY!

and future lavender farmer! first crop already in the ground!

WILDFLOWER EXPEDITIONS.

At the beginning of JUNE (yeah, I am waaaay behind on my blogs) I spent the weekend in Cascade. The weather was absolutely crappy! It rained the entire weekend! However, that certainly didn't stop me from hunting wildflowers! Mom and Dad were such good sports (as always)! They helped spot flowers and were so patient with me! We really did spend the majority of the weekend driving around in the woods! I feel so blessed to have parents who are not only willing to indulge my passion but who are an absolute blast to spend hours upon hours with in the cab of a truck! I took hundreds and hundreds of pictures of flowers over the course of three days. In fact, I'm pretty sure I could write a wildflower identification book myself now! Although I pretty much photographed every flower I found, there was one particular flower I was in search of--the wild peony. We indeed found the peony, and a few others I was absolutely thrilled to find! However, those super cool flowers will have posts of their own! In the mean time, enjoy these beauties!

PINK

PURPLE/BLUE

RED

WHITE

YELLOW

A BIRTHDAY ADVENTURE.

YIKES!  I AM SO FAR BEHIND ON MY BLOGS!  I SKIPPED AHEAD TO THIS ONE BECAUSE IT IS STILL FRESH IN MY MIND!  HOWEVER, I'LL BE RETURNING TO POST OLDER ADVENTURES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!

Last Friday was my BIRTHDAY and after a very frustrating and stressful week, I decided it was time for a solo adventure (before someone got hurt)!  Although I did have to work in the morning, I headed for the mountains as soon as I possibly could!  Some fresh mountain air definitely proved to be just the attitude adjustment I needed!  Before I left for my solo, my parents met me in Boise and treated me to some delicious egg burritos from my absolute favorite breakfast place.  Yummy!  And then I was quickly off in search of a WATERFALL my Uncle Ben had told me about last fall BUT not before being receiving some traditional birthday serenades (via phone).  Mr. Isaac sang my favorite version . . . "Happy Birthday to you.  Haaaa . . . MOM!  I can't sing when the dog is licking my toes!  Haaaappyy . . . STOP IT! That tickles!"  And then Claire's version, "Haaaappy Birthdaaaay.  See you in a second!"  That song was quickly explained by my sister who explained they were surprising me for dinner after my adventure!  So I hurried to the hills feeling VERY LOVED!

  

AS I TRAVELED ALONG BLACK'S CREEK ROAD, I FOUND MYSELF (OF COURSE) STOPPING FOR WILDFLOWER PHOTOS.  HOWEVER, I QUICKLY DECIDED THAT UNLESS I SAW SOMETHING REALLY SPECTACULAR OR NEW, I WOULD DRIVE ON BY!  (ONCE YOU SEE ALL THE WILDFLOWER PHOTOS I HAVE YET TO POST, YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHY)!  FURTHERMORE, I WAS DETERMINED TO MAKE IT TO MY DESTINATION AND BE BACK IN TIME FOR DINNER!

  

BUTTERFLIES WERE NEW!

  

THESE WERE NEW TOO! :)

  

ENGLEMAN SPRING

  

AND SINCE I WAS ALREADY STOPPED, I FIGURED IT WAS OKAY TO SHOOT A FEW OF THE FLOWERS I FOUND AT THE SPRINGS!

IN SEARCH OF THE WATERFALL . . .

MY UNCLE BEN TOLD ME ABOUT A WATERFALL OFF BLACK'S CREEK ROAD, THAT, WITH A BIT OF EFFORT, YOU CAN HIKE RIGHT UP TO AND ACTUALLY GET BEHIND!  I HAVE BEEN SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS ADVENTURE SINCE HE TOLD ME OF IT!  HOWEVER, THE DIRECTIONS HE GAVE ME WERE PRETTY CRAZY!  HOWEVER, IT WAS SURPRISING THAT AS I TRAVELED ALONG, I BEGAN TO REALIZE HOW ACCURATE THOSE ODD BALL DIRECTIONS MIGHT BE!   EXCEPT THAT THERE WAS ONE PIECE OF CRUCIAL INFORMATION MISSING!

THIS TIME OF YEAR, THE FALLS ARE DRY!

NEARLY ALL THE WATER IS DIVERTED FOR IRRIGATION! :(

I DIDN'T EVEN FIND WHERE THE FALLS SHOULD HAVE BEEN UNTIL MY RETURN TRIP!

  

THE "FALLS" DO GO THROUGH A RATHER SPECTACULAR CREVICE!

HOWEVER, IT APPEARS THAT THE TINY AMOUNT OF WATER RUNNING THROUGH THAT CREVICE RIGHT NOW, EVAPORATES BEFORE IT ACTUALLY MAKES IT TO THE CANYON FLOOR!  SOOOO, IT LOOKS I'LL HAVE TO ADVENTURE HERE EARLIER IN THE YEAR NEXT YEAR.

YOU KNOW I'LL GET BEHIND THAT WATERFALL YET!

AFTER STRIKING OUT WITH THE WATERFALL ADVENTURE, I WASN'T SURE WHAT I WAS GOING TO TO DO!  I WAS CRUISING AROUND PRAIRE, IDAHO WHEN I SUDDENLY SAW A SIGN FOR HOUSE MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT!  A LOOKOUT???

I LOVE LOOKOUTS!

SO THAT IS WHERE I ENDED UP!

HOUSE MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT.

  

  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

JUST BEFORE I HEADED BACK DOWNT HE MOUNTAIN, A COUPLE ON FOUR-WHEELERS PULLED UP.  THE MAN SAID TO ME, 

"YOU ARE CERTAINLY BRAVER THAN I AM!"

THINKING HE IS REFERRING TO THE FACT THAT I AM COMPLETELY ALONE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, I FRANTICALLY TRY TO REMEMBER WHERE EXACTLY IN THE TRUCK I HAVE STORED MY TASER.  THEN HE SAYS,

"I WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN BRAVE ENOUGH TO DRIVE A VEHICLE UP THAT ROAD."

I HAVE TO ADMIT THE LAST STRETCH OF THE ROAD WAS PRETTY RUGGED BUT . . . THERE WAS NO WAY I WAS GETTING THAT CLOSE TO THE LOOKOUT WITHOUT MAKING IT ALL THE WAY!  WHAT AN UNEXPECTED GIFT THOUGH--FOR A RANDOM STRANGER TO TELL ME I AM BRAVE!!!

  

I COULDN'T RESIST THE LIGHTING ON THESE! ;)

LAST WINTER I READ THIS AMAZING BOOK ON BASQUE TREE CARVINGS.

I HAD TO STOP IN ALL THE ASPEN GROVES AND SEE WHAT I COULD FIND!

    

   

BASQUE ARBORGLYPHS

AFTER RETURNING FROM THE MOUNTAINS, THE PIERCES TOOK ME TO DINNER AT JAKER'S (WHERE CLAIRE INSISTED ON FEEDING ME)!

US GIRLS!

GARRETT AND I

GABE AND I

AND THEN WE WENT TO YOGEE'S FOR . . . 

BIRTHDAY CAKE FLAVORED YOGERT OF COURSE!

(LOOOVE IT!)

A FEW OF THE FANTASTICALLY ORIGINAL GIFTS I RECEIVED . . .

DANIELLE BROUGHT ME MY FAVORITE GUAVA ROCKSTAR AT WORK!

ALEJA FROM MY OTHER WORK, FOUND OUT I HAD NEVER TRIED CHOCOLATE-COVERED GUMMY BEARS!  SO SHE GAVE ME SOME OF THOSE AND . . .

BECAUSE SHE KNOWS I LOVE THE "HOUSEWIVES", THIS MAGAZINE!

  

MOM AND DAD GAVE ME A SUPER CUTE PATIO HEATER!

I CAN'T WAIT TO GRAB MY BOTTLE OF PATRON AND HEAD OUT BACK!

AND LAURA (AFTER LEARNING OF MY "BAD" WEEK) GAVE ME THESE!

AND THE PIERCES ALSO GAVE ME A NIGHT STAY AT . . .

THE DOG BARK PARK INN!

JACKSON, SADIE AND I GET TO DRIVE TO COTTONWOOD AND STAY IN THE WORLD'S LARGEST BEAGLE FOR A NIGHT!  WE ARE OBVIOUSLY SUPER EXCITED FOR THIS ADVENTURE!

I HAVE THIS REMINDER ON MY DESK AT WORK SO I'LL REMEMBER TO SCHEDULE IN A TIME TO GET THIS ADVENTURE DONE SOON!

THANKS EVERYONE FOR MAKING MY BIRTHDAY SPECTACULAR!

YOU GAVE ME GREAT CARDS, GREAT SINGING, GREAT FOOD, SUPER-GREAT GIFTS AND I EVEN MANAGED TO FIND A GREAT ADVENTURE TOO!  YOU ARE ALL SO WONDERFUL TO ME!

I LOVE YOU!

SNAGGLETOOTH AND ONE EYE.

Early last week my best friends, the McNamaras, expanded their family yet again!  They adopted BELLA, a German Shorthair Pointer!  I am so excited they finally got a dog!  I've only been nagging them to do so for a few YEARS now!  :)  As expected, Bella is absolutely wonderful!  She has beautiful green eyes and such a sweet, mellow personality.  She is going to be a PERFECT McNamara!  I think dogs are an ESSENTIAL part of every family!  She will be a great and faithful friend, a devoted protector, an endless source of entertainment, and willing provider of comfort and kisses!  Welcome home Bella!  I can't wait to doggie sit!

Dear Mike and Amber,

     This is where you should stop reading.  The rest of this story is totally silly and you shouldn't even waste your time by continuing to read.  Just turn off the computer and go pet your new, beautiful baby girl.  Seriously.  YOUR dog is going to be perfect and wonderful!  Love you, Tess

  

SUCH PRETTY EYES!

AS ALWAYS, A PROUD AUNT!

(mike and amber--you better not have gotten this far!)

Now that they proud new puppy parents AREN'T listening, I'll tell you the stories of

SNAGGLETOOTH AND ONE EYE

both of which occurred THIS week!

Some of you may recall that my beloved old man, Jackson, is TERRIFIED of chirping smoke alarms.  They literally make him CRAZY!  Apparently while I was at work on Tuesday, a battery ran low at some point during the day.  UH OH!  I have no idea how long Jackson endured the insane chirping noise.  I only know he had plenty of time . . . 

TO DO THIS!

He, among other things, managed to completely destroy my laundry room!

He knocked down, pulled out--chewed on EVERYTHING!

YES, THAT IS THE DRYER HOSE!

AT SOME POINT DURING ALL OF HIS DESTRUCTION, JACKSON MANAGED TO CUT HIS GUM AND SEVERELY LOOSEN A FRONT TOOTH!  ON TOP OF ALL THE MESS, THERE WAS BLOOD EVERYWHERE!  WALLS, DOORS, FLOORS--EVERYWHERE!  HE WAS PRETTY SORE THAT NIGHT AND VERY DETERMINED TO NOT LET ME HAVE A GOOD LOOK AT THE DAMAGE HE HAD DONE TO HIMSELF!  SINCE THEN HIS GUM HAS HEALED AND THE TOOTH HAS STIFFENED BACK UP SOME.  IT DOES STILL STICK OUT ALL GOOFY THOUGH!  HE HAS A SNAGGLETOOTH FOR SURE!

  

AND THEN, ON SATURDAY, SADIE GOT STUNG BY A WASP . . . ON THE EYE!

HER EYE VERY QUICKLY SWELLED SHUT!

SHE WAS MORE THAN WILLING TO LET ME APPLY A COLD COMPRESS TO IT THOUGH AND BY THE END OF THE DAY, THE SWELLING WAS MINIMAL!

AFTER ALL THAT DRAMA, WE'RE ALL BACK TO NORMAL NOW--WELL, AS NORMAL AS WE CORMELLS CAN POSSIBLY BE!  I HAVE FOUND AND SPRAYED THE WASP NEST SADIE GOT INTO AND REPLACED ALL THE SMOKE ALARM BATTERIES.  SNAGGLETOOTH AND ONE EYE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND A NEW KIND OF TROUBLE TO GET INTO THIS WEEK!

SNOWBANK 2009.

Driving to the top of Snowbank Mountain every spring is a long-standing family tradition!  Every year, the road (which is plowed year-round for access to the radar dome) is re-opened to the public on May 31st.  If you drive to the top of Snowbank shortly after the road opens, you will find a HUGE remaining wall of snow cut by the snowplow!  As sort of a mighty celebration for the arrival of SUMMER, we, as a family, drive up the mountain for a final look at winter's dreary snow.  Every year we arrive to a different size of snowbank and certainly to different weather conditions!  Some years we have snowball fights in the sunshine and pack up some of the snow to be used to make a batch of homemade ice cream back at home!  Other years we have arrived to find snow still falling from the sky!  We faithfully drive to the top of our mountain though, regardless of the weather!  This year was certainly no exception.  With a giant THUNDERSTORM looming over the mountain, Mom, Dad and I made our annual trek to the top!

THE SNOWPLOW CUT MARKS INTO THE TREE AS IT PASSED!

LOOK AT HOW DEEP THE SNOW GETS!

HAD I NOT STOPPED FOR A THOUSAND WILDFLOWER PHOTOS,

WE MIGHT HAVE MADE IT TO THE TOP BEFORE THE STORM HIT!

ALAS, WE DID NOT!!!

SNOWBANK 2009

AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE TRADITION . . . 

CARVING YOUR NAME IN THE SNOWBANK!

TESS

  

MOM AND DAD WORKING ON THEIR TRADITIONAL MARKINGS

ON A BETTER DAY, THERE WOULD BE A GORGEOUS VIEW OF THE VALLEY!

BUT IT WAS PRETTY MISERABLE UP THERE IN THE CLOUDS THAT DAY!

A STILL FROSTY BLUE LAKE

AND THE VALLEY OF WHICH I AM SO FOND!

A PIZZA OVEN HIJACKING.

Last week Dad learned he was awarded the contract on a job he bid for this summer that will require the removal of some lead paint.  This means (for reasons I still don't entirely understand) he needs an OLD PIZZA OVEN!  Basically he'll be using the oven to create a safe and effective paint removal machine.  Conveniently enough, the local pizza parlor in town had recently replaced their pizza ovens--and still had the old ovens stored out at the concrete plant.  They were more than willing to donate an oven to Dad's endeavor IF he was willing to dig it out of the giant recycling dumpster!  It sounded like an awesome adventure to me so I was definitely in on his PIZZA-VENTURE!  Fortunately Mom went with us too because she got some pictures I am pretty tickled with!  I never would have guessed I would get to participate so much!  In fact, I hung around and took a few pictures when we first arrived but was quickly distracted by a field of wildflowers!  Fortunately, I wandered back (and handed my camera off to Mom) before all the fun began!  I am so glad I didn't miss out on this!

  

DUMPSTER DIVING DAD!

HE QUICKLY REALIZED HE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO LIFT THE OVEN OUT OF THE DUMPSTER BY HIMSELF.  WE HAD TO CALL IN SOME MUSCLE . . . 

WHICH I GOT TO DRIVE!

  

THE OWNER OF THE CONCRETE PLANT DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO HELP US WITH THE OVEN HIMSELF BUT HE WAS MORE THAN WILLING TO OFFER UP THE USE OF HIS MINI-EXCAVATOR!  

DAD ASKED IF I WANTED TO DRIVE IT . . . AND YOU KNOW I DID!

BUT I DIDN'T REALIZE . . .

HE WANTED ME TO RUN IT!

HOOKING THE OVEN UP . . .

LIFTING IT UP AND OUT . . .

AND LOADING IT IN DAD'S TRUCK!

I THINK I AM A PRETTY DARN GOOD MINI-EX OPERATOR!

IF I EVER NEED TO, I THINK I COULD EASILY GET A JOB IN EXCAVATION! ;)

WHAT AN ADVENTURE!  AND WHAT A WOMAN!

MOUNTAIN SAMBA.

Last week I was able to go to Cascade for several days.  As I was there during the middle of the week, Laura, Makayla and I were able to take a Wednesday night SAMBA LESSON!  Last year, after watching the dancers perform in the Winter Carnival Parade in McCall, Laura and I both fell in love with the Samba!  In fact, I have had SAMBA LESSONS on my infamous to-do list ever since!  I was simply thrilled to be able to attend the lessons with my sister!  What a special treat for the two of us!  We quickly learned that the lessons were being held in preparation for Mountain Samba's performance in Cascade's Fourth of July parade!  Although both of us were pretty adamant about NOT wanting to be in the parade, we were eager to learn anyway!  Unfortunately most of the students were already lessons ahead of us and already deep into learning the routines.  The instructor moved so fast, I was quickly in way over my head!  Laura managed to hang in there way longer than I did!  However, I am now INSPIRED!  I have ordered a Samba DVD and fully intend to cross this feat off my to-do list!  Maybe, just maybe, Laura and I can join the Mountain Samba dancers in the 2010 Fourth of July parade!  Actually, probably not!  But we should definitely know how to samba by then (just not down Main Street)!  Laura is going to keep attending lessons with Mountain Samba, I however, am hoping to find an instructor here in Boise.  Driving to Cascade every Wednesday just isn't feasible!

THE MOUNTAIN SAMBA LADIES

  

OUR DELIGHTFUL INSTRUCTOR, JAN

  

  

LOVELY LAURA!

A FEW OF MY FAVORITE SAMBA MOVES . . .

THE THRILLER.

THE DIP-POINT SHIMMY!

AND OF COURSE . . . THE FLIRTY WALK!

MAKAYALA AND I

WHAT A FUN NIGHT FOR US GIRLS!

SPECIAL HELPER.

  

Last week my godson, Daimon, spent the evening at work with me!

He was so well behaved and, for the most part, sat and watched his cartoons.

However, he was more than willing to help me when it was time to work outside!

I absolutely LOVED that as Daimon "worked" he HUMMED!

He hummed this little unrecognizable tune the entire time!  It was absolutely adorable!

It was a wonderful reminder to me, as I was working on a 13 hour day that day, to

WHISTLE WHILE I WORK.

Even though things are quickly getting crazy-busy for me as I try to juggle THREE jobs, I am super grateful to be working!  And radiating joy as I work . . . well, it just might make the world a better place!  Thank you Daimon!  Watch out world!

HONEYMOON TRAIL.

Last weekend I had a RARE Saturday off and immediately made plans to head to the mountains for some riding!  I am so lucky to have parents who are ALWAYS willing and ready to ride!  Plus, I would literally be lost without them!  They know all the right turns to get to all the best places!  We rode the HONEYMOON TRAIL which is really one of my favorite trails!  We can ride right from their house.  I LOVE where my parents live!  We made a loop through Horsethief before coming back home.  I have to tell you, Mom and Dad are in way better riding shape than I am!  They have been on a few long rides already this year but this was my first ride of the year!  Boy was my butt sore!  I have discovered that when you go riding with Dad--you go RIDING.  Not STOPPING!  That is, unless he spots a mushroom!  I still haven't figured out how he can spot a morel growing on the hillside when he is flying by on his four-wheeler but he DOES!  It was certainly a beautiful day in the mountains.  Everything was so gorgeously green and smelled oh-so wonderful! 

THE HONEYMOON TRAIL

(on one of our rare stops!)

MY NEW STICKER ON MY OLD HELMET.

I AM REALLY WANTING THE SWEET LITTLE HELMET I SPOTTED AT THE YAMAHA

SHOP LAST WEEK THOUGH!  HOW LONG DO YOU THINK I CAN RESIST?  :)

THE HUCKLEBERRY BUSHES ARE LOADED WITH BLOSSOMS THIS YEAR!

CAN'T WAIT TO PICK THOSE Y-U-M-M-Y BERRIES!

ONE OF DAD'S MORELS!

HOW DOES HE SPOT THEM?

  

WHILE DAD WAS STOPPED TO PICK HIS MUSHROOM, I BEGGED FOR A LUNCH BREAK!  I WAS SO SORE!  I HAD BEEN RIDING CABOOSE ALL AFTERNOON SO I CERTAINLY HAD A DIRTY FACE!  MY LIPS EVEN LEFT A DIRTY PRINT ON MY SODA CAN!

DAD SWATTING AT . . .

EVIL MOSQUITOS!  THEY WERE SIMPLY FEROCIOUS!

DAISY WELCOMED THE BREAK TOO!

I LOVE OUR DOG BOXES!

DAISY'S PITIFUL ASPCA AD!

TWO OF MY FAVORITE GIRLS!

  

IT SURE DID FEEL GOOD TO BE RIDING!

UH-OH!  SNOW!

  

I LOVE RIDING IN THE SNOW!

IT IS ONE OF MY VERY FAVORITE THINGS TO DO!

EXCEPT WHEN I GET STUCK! :(

BUT MY DADDY IS AWESOME AND HELPS ME GET UNSTUCK SO . . .

I CAN GO AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN!

WET, DIRTY AND HAPPY!

LOOKING INTO HORSETHIEF

THE MIGHTY MOREL HUNTER

MR. MOREL FOUND THIS FROG--WHO WAS MIGHTY EAGER TO GET AWAY!

WHAT AN AWESOME DAY IN THE MOUNTAINS!

KIPPER'S GRADUATION.

Last month my cousin Jessie graduated from Skyview!  I have to admit, attending her graduation ceremony was definitely a different experience for me!  Jessie's graduation class had well over 200 Seniors in it.  My graduating class had somewhere around 20!  In fact, I'm pretty sure there were easily more people attending her graduation than comprise the entire population of Cascade!  However, in a twist of irony, Jessie's festivities were actually SHORTER!  What a treat for all of us in the stands!!!

JESSIE'S SENIOR CLASS @ THE IDAHO CENTER

  

HER MOM, DAD AND GRANDPA

HER AUNT CHERI AND CRAZY COUSIN TESS

AUNT PAT AND UNCLE MARK

TURNING TASSELS

BOUNCING BEACH BALLS!

SPEAKING OF WHICH . . .

MOM GOT BONKED ON THE HEAD BY THIS HUGE BEACH BALL!

THE BINGMANS

SUCH PROUD PARENTS!

AUNT DEE ASKED ME TO GET THIS SIGN MADE FOR JESSIE.

WE HELD IT UP (AND RANG COW BELLS) WHEN SHE GRADUATED!

EMBARRASSMENT--IT IS WHAT FAMILIES DO BEST!

CONGRATULATIONS JESSIE . . .

WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD!

I'M SUPER PROUD OF YOU KIPPER!

ADVENTURE ON!