Letters From the Loony Bin

2012-01-16T18:52:00.003-06:00

Dazed and Confused!

Meet season is in full swing and already I don't know if we're coming or going! We've had two meets in the last two weeks. First we went to Minneapolis for the U of M Gopher Invite. It was very exciting to be on the campus of my beloved Minnesota Gophers.

This year Miss J is the sole level 7 and isn't accustom to competing alone. We didn't really know how this would effect her, but Miss J did beautifully! We couldn't have asked for more. I was so nervous for her I did a poor job of taking photos!

The past weekend we were off to Valley City for the first ND Qualifier. Again Miss J did great! She placed first on beam, second on bars, third on floor and second all around. She tallied a great all around score to qualify for the State Championships in late March.

2011-11-20T20:05:00.005-06:00

Yes.....I'm still alive!!

WOW! I wonder if I could get any worse at posting in a timely manner? With work being beyond busy this fall and Sister K and I exploring a new business venture, there hasn't been much time for anything extra. But, it's that time again. The gymnastics season has officially begun. RRVG kicked off the season with a preliminary meet this weekend.

Miss J worked her tail off during summer training and was able to make the leap to level 7. Level 7 is the first level of optional gymnastics. Unlike levels 4, 5, and 6 where the routines are compulsory, meaning every gymnast competes the same routines, with the same music, gymnasts in level 7 and up have their routines individually choreographed to suit their strengths and skills. It was very exciting to see Miss J's new routines in their entirety. She looked great, particularly since it is very early in the season. I can't wait to see how she progresses over the next six weeks in preparation of for the first official meet of the season.

2011-03-29T14:56:00.003-05:00

2011 State Meet

Last weekend we journeyed to the Magic City for the North Dakota USAG State Meet. The drive is quite boring...errr I mean long, but thankfully the roads were clear and the weather was great. Not that I'm counting, but this trip brings our mileage to a grand total of 2700 miles....roughly equal to a drive to Acapulco, Mexico.

Even with the challenges of this season, Miss J once again brought her "A" game. She took silver on vault, gold on bars, silver on beam and silver all around.

To top off the excitement, the Level 6 team also brought home a 2nd place trophy. This in itself was no small feat. In order to qualify for a team score the team must consist of three participating team members. The three top scores from each event from each team are added together to make up the team score. You still following me? Having only three teammates is a great disadvantage because every score must be counted. One mishap on bars or fall on beam could have taken them out of the running.

Congratulations to all of the RRVG girls for a terrific state meet!!

2011-03-15T13:28:00.006-05:00

Winding Down......

The gymnastics season is winding down. Two meets in two weeks and now we have only one meet left....our state competition. A few weeks ago we made our last trek to the Cities for Twin City Twister's Northern Lights meet. Miss J had a really good meet placing in the middle of the pack of girls from all over the nation; Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and even Texas. She even threw her first giant on bars by accident incurring a .8 deduction for the "added" skill. We are very proud of her tenacity and her "added" skill made us giggle!

When we returned home from the Cities, Miss J immediately began running a 104 degree fever which continued for 3 days. Needless to say she was still weak and a bit off her game for our home meet this past weekend. She still placed in nearly every event and we're proud of her for gutting it out.

So...it's off to state we go.........

2011-02-23T10:04:00.003-06:00

Jurassic Classic

This past weekend we attended the Jurassic Classic. It was a return to the gym where Miss J won her all around title last year. Maybe it was because of her fondness for this gym, good memories, or what have you, but Miss J did awesome! She finished 2nd on vault, 3rd on bars, 1st on beam and 2nd on floor. This earned her the silver medal all around in the junior age group. She posted the second highest all around score in both junior and senior age groups. I am so proud of her for overcoming the adversity that has been thrust in her way this season. I hope we have turned the corner to a strong finish!

2011-02-14T13:45:00.010-06:00

Gymnastics, Changes & Life Lessons......

We've been busy. So busy in fact that the last thing I've felt like doing is updating this blog. We have put on 1500 miles, give or take, traveling for gymnastics meets so far this season. It does not sound like an extreme amount of windshield time....unless I add that we have only been to three meets. Three meets down, four more to go.

This season has been a little off, for lack of a better term, for many reasons, most of which I won't bore you with. However, we were slapped with the announcement from our team director/girls' head coach that he would be resigning to take a new position at one of Minnesota's biggest gyms. After 18 years, he was making the most difficult decision he has faced to leave our girls....in the middle of the season.

We

were (maybe still are)

DEVASTATED!

Miss J cried for a week. I cried for a week. This is a person, a coach and mentor, in my daughter's life that, in effect, spends more time with her during the week than Gym Dad or I do. He is the only coach she has known since she was 3. Not to mention that I consider him a personal friend. Devastated!

I hate change. Some people crave it. I avoid it like the plague and opt for the comfort and security of a set structure. I like structure...it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling. Being her mother's daughter, Miss J is terrified of the changes that are certain to come. I have had to learn to step outside my norm and rely completely on my faith. Faith that we will hire a new coach...the right coach. Faith that our gym will continue to grow. Faith that there has to be an opportunity in this garbage dump of a situation.

I've had to rely on my faith...believe in my faith....in order to make my daughter believe that it will be ok. Life lesson learned!

We will miss James greatly and wish him nothing but the best. This was the job opportunity of a lifetime, he couldn't turn it down.

2010-12-22T11:44:00.004-06:00

And the race is on...........gymnastics season has begun.....

Last weekend we kicked off the competition season with a trip to the Cities for a mock meet. It wasn't like any meet we've ever attended. The girls were judged by certified judges, however in lieu of actual scores, they received valuable feedback on where and why they are receiving deductions in their routines, and what they need to do to improve their scores.

The beam lived up to it's nickname, the BBB (big, bad beam), for most of our girls, but all rallied on the their floor and vault routines. Miss J looked awesome on vault and floor, and although bars are her favorite apparatus, she now knows there is room for improvement. We have little over a month before the next meet, so the coaches, armed with the valuable information that was collected last weekend, will use this time to make improvements in the aforementioned areas.

2010-12-21T12:57:00.002-06:00

A Blast From the Past Christmas.....

Updating lately has been challenge to say the least. Fall is quickly becoming my least favorite season as it is my busy time at work. (I use the term "busy" rather loosely! It's more overwhelming than anything!) The fall semester thankfully came to an end and things have all but ground to a halt. With the gymnastics season upon us, I figured I better get on the ball and update my blog.

Recently Miss J had her Christmas program at school. They did a rendition of Christmas throughout the decades. She wisely chose the 50s era as she already had the costume from Halloween. Mom was thankful!

2010-07-29T11:01:00.004-05:00

The Wizard of Odd......

In the summer county fairs pop up all over the landscape. The kick-off to the Marshall County fair is the annual parade. Businesses and organizations from all over the region line up to cruise down the small town streets. My godfather's company is no exception. I am certain that they must plan their float theme at least six months in advance. This year's theme was the Wizard of Oz....or rather the Wizard of Odd! (Yep, that's him, in the dress, with the little dog in the basket!) Following the parade we took Miss J to the midway to ride some rides, have some dinner, and of course enjoy some fair treats!

2010-07-27T09:21:00.003-05:00

Chicago...........the band......not the city.....

Since I was a small child music was prevalent in our house. My parents were products of the 60s and rock was the genre of choice. I attribute my love of classic rock to the many hours the turn table cranked out The Doobie Brothers, The Moody Blues, The Guess Who, Bread, and the like. One band in particular was everyone's favorite....Chicago. Currently I think I own every Chicago album and song ever written.

Recently my mom, dad, Miss J, Sister K, and myself packed into the car and headed south to Stillwater where Chicago was to perform at Lumberjack Days. It was hotter than Hades in the park and we waited for what seemed like an eternity, but the show was one of the best I've seen. They did not disappoint performing for over two hours. After over four decades on the music scene they have not lost their spark and it is evident why old fans stay loyal and the band has gained a new generation of followers.

2010-06-29T09:22:00.002-05:00

The Haymarket in Huskerville....

During our recent road trip to Lincoln, I had an entire afternoon to explore the city's Historic Haymarket district. One of Lincoln's oldest neighborhoods, the Haymarket is a historic warehouse and industrial district. In recent decades, it has become a dining, specialty shopping, and urban living district, with a variety of visual and performing arts and nightlife.

2010-06-23T08:08:00.003-05:00

Dorm Rooms, Dances, and an Old Friend...

Camp at the University of Nebraska was a big hit. Miss J had a great time staying in the dorms, eating in the cafeteria, meeting new gymnasts, and hanging out with current teammates. We attended skit night and the wrap-up session the last day of camp where her group performed a dance routine they had been working on all week.

Miss J also was reunited with her former teammate and pre-competitive coach, Laura, who attends UNL and competes for the Husker gymnastics team. Laura was named NCAA All American this year on floor and vault and it was a thrill for Miss J to spend time with her.

We were glad to be home after a long 8+ hour drive. Gym dad was especially excited to see his girls home just in time for Father's Day.

2010-06-15T22:23:00.003-05:00

Waking up in Huskerville....

Yesterday four girls, two women and a mountain of luggage set out on a drive that included everything from long stretches of construction and pouring rain to back seat karaoke. After eight and a half hours we arrived at our hotel next to the University of Nebraska campus. Today I woke up in Lincoln, Nebraska.

This afternoon we dropped off our gymnasts at a five day camp at UNL. The dorm rooms were small, but the girls were excited.

2010-05-03T13:19:00.002-05:00

Chillin'

I suppose it is about time for an update. After the gymnastics meet season ended we basically went into hibernation. It has been wonderful to take some time off from the weekly grind of traveling and have been chillin' at home. My house is actually clean and once the ground dries up, the garden should be ready for planting. We soon will be able to spend weekends at the lake enjoying the nice summer weather--provided that summer temperatures return to the area soon!

Our gymnastics club recently held a Mini Meet. A Mini Meet is an opportunity for gymnasts in the pre-competitive program to show off to mom and dad, grandma and grandpa, and the rest of the family what they've been learning throughout the season. Our current competitive gymnasts also get a chance to level up and perform new skill sets and routines. It is always entertaining to watch the three year olds perform!

2010-03-29T11:19:00.003-05:00

Introducing.......

The North Dakota Level 5 All Around Gold Medalist! Gym Dad and I couldn't be more proud!

225 girls competed this weekend in the North Dakota State Gymnastics Championships. It was a weekend full of excitement and celebration. After watching Miss J compete nearly every weekend this season you would think that I would have nerves of steel. That is certainly not the case, I wish it was, for my own sanity if for nothing else. I was a wreck. My mom was a wreck. Sister K was a wreck. Miss J, on the other hand, continually amazes me with her calm demeanor.

In her age bracket there were 17 gymnasts. The competition was very tight. Miss J scored her season's best on vault, bars and floor. On vault she scored at 8.925, her floor performance earned her a 9.2, on bars she scored a 8.9, and on beam she turned in a 8.6. This resulted in an all around score of 35.625. Enough to earn the gold medal and the State All Around Title. To top off the excitement, the Red River Valley Level 5 girls won the State Team Title. This was in credit to their hard work and dedication throughout the season! Way to go ladies!!

2010-03-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

Home Sweet Home...

This past weekend we were at home...at home for our club's Lucky Chance gymnastics meet. I realize from time to time, I've complained a little about the driving. I even recall making a comparison of our gymnastics travel to that of a road trip to Alaska. After all of that, I have to say that driving all over the state doesn't compare to having to host a home meet. Working topped with losing a hour of sleep to the time change, equals total exhaustion! I am still exhausted!

Miss J had another great meet. Even though she had quite the crowd to cheer her on, she was able to focus and do her best. She placed third all around out of 57 gymnasts and the team placed 2nd. They had a great time competing on their home turf!

2010-03-16T08:00:00.007-05:00

Welcome to Minnesota.....

The North Star State, The Gopher State and Land of 10,000 Lakes!

Minnesota was once part of the Minnesota Territory which was formed in 1849. It was admitted into the union on May 11, 1858 as it's 32nd state. The word Minnesota originated from the Dakota Sioux, it's meaning is "sky-tinted water."

Commonly known as the Land of 10,000 lakes, Minnesota boasts more the 90,000 miles of shoreline; more than California, Florida and Hawaii combined. Lakes are widely used by residents as summer recreational areas. One such recreation area is Itasca State Park, located in northern Minnesota. It is the headwaters of the mighty Mississippi River.

The official state bird is the common loon, a bird that is graceful and whose call is hauntingly enchanting.

Minnesota is the birthplace of the snowmobile. Northern Minnesota is home to two of the major snowmobile manufacturers in the Nation. Roseau, Minnesota is home to Polaris Industries and Arctic Cat resides in Thief River Falls, Minnesota. Both companies manufacture snowmobiles (or snowcats as us northerners say), ATVs and other recreational vehicles.

My Grandpa still rides one of Arctic Cat's first snowcats while my Uncle Rick rides beside him on a much more modern machine. This antique is still in running condition with it's original engine!

Minnesota's climate is one of extremes. Winter temperatures often dip below freezing with a record low of -60 °. Alternatively, summer temperatures can be rather sauna like at 90° with humidity nearing 100%.

Winter snowfall can total upwards of 150 inches. Over Christmas this winter, we were pummeled with 27.5 inches of snow in a two day period.

This massive amount of snow has caused severe flooding in recent years. In 1997 our fair city of East Grand Forks was completely inundated by the Red River of the North. It was the most severe flood since 1826.

After the river crested at 54 feet, 26 feet above flood stage, and the water receded, a wake of $3.5 billion in damages was left behind. 1000s lost homes, but thankfully not one life was lost. Through all of this, our community has rebuilt and been reborn.

Our community of East Grand Forks, Minnesota sits on the border of Minnesota and North Dakota in northern Minnesota. EGF's population is only 8,355, but with our sister city across the border, the entire metro area hosts a population of 97,478.

Thanks for taking my tour of Minnesota and my community! We love it here! Also, thank you to Carabee from Blogtrotting for choosing my as your tour guide for today!

2010-03-10T11:18:00.002-06:00

Dakota Star Gymnastics Club

Once again we trekked across the state of North Dakota for the Dakota Star Gymnastics meet. Joel, Rhonda and company hosted Miss J, Gym Dad, Sister K and myself for yet another weekend. Thanks again!!!

Miss J had a meet of highs and lows. She had a rare fall on bars, but scored a personal best 8.55 on vault. She fell off of the beam, however the remainder of her routine was beautiful and she still scored a 8.6. Last but not least, she had a 9.0 on floor which seems to be her score on that apparatus this season. Miss J finished 5th All Around and the team won 2nd place.

2010-02-23T11:11:00.002-06:00

Julie Ziegler Memorial Gymnastics Meet

We traveled across the state of North Dakota to attend the Julie Ziegler Memorial Gymnastics Meet at Bismarck Gymnastics Academy. We don't mind the travel, however. When we travel to Bismarck, or Mandan, we get a bonus, we get to visit my twin uncles and their families. We had a very nice time, and a big thank you goes out to Joel and Rhonda for hosting us for the weekend. Hopefully we didn't wear out our welcome because we will be attending a meet in Mandan next weekend!

Miss J had her best meet yet. She scored a 9.0 on floor, a 9.1 on beam, a 8.8 on bars and maintained her vault score of 8.2. This resulted in an all around score of 35.1, good enough for 5th place all around out of 50+ gymnasts. The RRVG team placed 2nd out of 10 teams. My apologies for the photo overload! Because of the configuration of the gym, I was able to use my favorite lens and got some great shots....I couldn't choose.

2010-02-19T10:50:00.006-06:00

A Valentine

I received these lovely flowers from my Valentine on Valentine's Day. Thanks, Gym Dad!

2010-02-18T08:34:00.002-06:00

Mad Baking Skills.....

.......or NOT! In fact, I am known for just the opposite....my BAD baking skills. Don't get me wrong. I can cook. I can cook circles around most people; I make up recipes on the fly, run the outdoor grill better than any guy, and am known to throw together a big Thanksgiving type feast for Sunday dinner.

Baking, however, is not my forte! There is something about all the measuring that throws me off. I'm more of a "that's close to a cup", or "that's about a tablespoon" type of cook. I like to eyeball my measurements and modify ingredients to suit my family's tastes. This style is not conducive to baking.

After many trials and much error, I've all but given up on baking. That was until I saw the recipe for Rainbow Cake on MckMama's blog. It seemed so simple I had to try it. Gym Dad laughed at me, Sister K laughed at me, but boy did I surprise them (well, ok, I surprised myself a little too!). If I don't say so myself, it turned out great!

2010-02-14T08:00:00.000-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

You've Touched My Heart

You've given me a reason
For smiling once again,
You've filled my life with peaceful dreams
and you've become my closest friend.

You've shared your heartfelt secrets
And your trust you've given me,
You showed me how to feel again
To laugh, and love, and see.

If life should end tomorrow
And from this world I should part,
I shall be forever young
For you have touched my heart

~author unknown

2010-02-13T08:00:00.001-06:00

This one goes out to the one I love...

...to Gym Dad, Happy Birthday!! To my hard working, gymnastics car pool driving, tool collecting, golfing, curling husband I love you! Hope you have a wonderful day!

2010-02-12T09:53:00.004-06:00

Be my Valentine...

I remember the excitement of Valentine's Day as a child. Sitting down at the table to address my greetings to my classmates I'd anticipate the upcoming party at school. I remember the thrill of getting valentines that came with treats attached. I also remember the embarrassment of getting a valentine from the cute boy in class. (or was that really excitement?)

Miss J addressed her valentines the other night. She meticulously filled out each name tag with her best handwriting, sorted out the candy, and lined up the finished product. I silently observed this behavior and was quite amused. This fact I know is true........she is her mother's daughter!

Each year I have tried to create something unique for Miss J to hand out on Valentine's Day. This year her valentines were inspired by a concert ticket.

2010-02-09T10:21:00.002-06:00

Kim Lupo Memorial Gymnastics Meet

We traveled over 200+ miles of snowy, icy, wet, slushy, and greasy roads to get to Miss J's 4th meet of the season. I spent around eight hours stiffly hunched over steering wheel with tense shoulders and arms. I am thankful that the visibility was perfect and that didn't add to the driving stress.

The adventure was certainly worth the extra effort as we were present to watch Miss J's team take home 1st place and Miss J finish 6th place all around out of 47 gymnasts.

2010-02-05T15:17:00.012-06:00

Little Man

This past weekend we stayed with our dear friends while traveling to Miss J's TNT gymnastics meet. It was a great opportunity to spend time with our new favorite man, Carter Jay, on his three month birthday. I blogged about his arrival in early November and the news that Gym Dad and I were bestowed with the honor of being his godparents. He is growing so fast. He is now full of smiles, coos and giggles. True to form, I couldn't resist the opportunity to take a few photos. Not wanting to be left out, Miss J and Carter's Sister, Maddie, joined in on the action.

2010-02-04T10:29:00.004-06:00

Photo Editing

Do I do it? Heck ya! The art of photo editing, and it is an art, enables the artist to put his/her personal stamp on the medium. It allows you not only fix red eye, lighting, color, or contrast, but affords the opportunity put an artistic spin on the image such as; boosting color vibrance to make bright colors pop, reducing vibrance to give a washed out antique look, adding textures to backgrounds, and transforming color images into black and whites.

I enjoy taking photographs. Miss J will be the first to tell you that and Gym Dad has given me the moniker Mamaratzi. As much as I love taking photographs, I enjoy editing them even more. I love to take the raw imagine SOOC (straight out of camera) and wave the magic Photoshop wand to take the photo to a whole new level.

Check out this image SOOC, taken last summer of Miss J

This image's color was enhanced

This is another color enhancement...I love the faded jeans look!

I added a texture to the background of this final image

Check out Pixel Perfect for more before and after photos!

2010-02-02T15:41:00.002-06:00

TNT's Winter Challenge

Our third meet of the season brought us to the last weekend in January and to TNT Gymnastic's Winter Challenge. TNT is a spacious facility which creates a number of issues for those of us attempting to take pictures. The dim lighting only compounded the problem. I gave it my best shot and this are the few that were salvageable.

The photography might be substandard, but the performances were great. Our girls finished 3rd overall, ahead of all other North Dakota clubs, and was only edged out of 2nd place by Bemidji by .4 of a point. It is great to see the girls do so well. Miss J placed 5th all around out of 57 gymnasts. Moreover, she improved her vault and beam scores which is proof that practice is the key.

P.S. Check out the tongue hanging out! I wonder if she gets bonus points for that???

2010-02-01T08:56:00.006-06:00

Birthday Girl

It is hard for me to fathom, impossible even, that my baby girl is nine years old today! Where has the time gone? It's the last year in single digits. She will soon be a teenager....choke cough cough!

Where has the time gone?? I mean, how did we get from here.................

to here???

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl!

2010-01-30T12:00:00.006-06:00

American Girl

Last Christmas Miss J received her first American Girl doll last Christmas from grandma and grandpa. That's when the trouble started! She was hooked. This Christmas she received her second doll. She now pours over the AG catalogs that stealthily arrive in mail box every month. She circles items, dog ears pages, and counts her money to see if she has enough to order a new piece of the collection.

Last weekend we kept our promise to take her to the AG store at the Mall of America. She was in awe! The items were beautifully displayed and the choices seemed endless.

2010-01-29T12:49:00.004-06:00

Kitty's Day Off....

I almost fell off my chair when I saw this video! This feline bears a striking resemblance to our very own Crazy Canadian Kramer. Not only does this kitty look like CCK, his behavior is right in line with CCK's.

Now here is our Crazy Canadian Kramer.

What do you think? Siblings separated at birth??

2010-01-27T13:20:00.004-06:00

Crowley's Winter Challenge

Meet numeral two down. 900+ miles traveled so far. Approximately 1660 miles left to travel this season for a grand total of 2575 miles. WOW! Just for the record, it is 2700 miles to Fairbanks, AK! (Yes, I looked it up. Yes, I'm a nerd like that!)

Miss J did well. Quite well considering that 2/3 of the 92 girls in her session were 11+ years old. Judging in this district is tough as well and Miss J scored higher than average. Bars in particular has become one of her strongest events as well as one of her favorites. We're always proud of her as long as she works hard and does her best.

2010-01-26T10:31:00.007-06:00

Snow Day and Taco Soup

Driving clear across the state for a gymnastics meet, we narrowly avoided a blizzard that blew through most of Minnesota on Sunday night. The winds continued to howl most of yesterday, and as a result schools, including the university, highways and interstates were closed. Which meant no work and no school.

I was grateful for the extended weekend. My house was cleaned, clothes were washed, and I threw together a soup for dinner. Because we've been on the road two weekends in a row, my pantry was a bit bare. I had to get creative with my ingredients for this soup and I must say, it turned out super (pardon the pun!). I have agreed to share the recipe as long as no one pokes fun at my use of ingredients!

1 lb ground beef (I used ground venison)

1 medium onion

1 15 oz can Hormel No Bean Chili

1 15 oz can black beans

1 14.75 oz can cream style corn

1 C frozen corn

1 10 oz can Rotel tomatoes and green chilis

1 6 oz can tomato sauce

2 14.5 oz cans of tomatoes (whole, crushed, or diced)

1 9 oz package of taco seasoning mix

1 teas. ground cumin

1/2 teas. crushed red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

Brown the beef with onion, salt and pepper to taste. Drain beef mixture. Add Hormel Chili, taco seasoning mix, cumin, and red pepper flakes, mix well. Transfer meat and seasoning mixture to crock pot (I used my 5 qt pot). Add remaining ingredients along with additional salt and pepper to taste. Cook on low for 8 hours. Serve with choice of condiments; cheese, sour cream, corn chips, etc.

Cream style corn and Hormel Chili???? Really??? I know it sounds strange, but I found that the cream style corn and hormel chili helped to provide some body to the soup and kept it from becoming too running as it cooked. In addition any type of bean could be substituted for the black beans. I just happen to be partial to black beans. Try it! I promise you'll like it!

2010-01-21T08:00:00.003-06:00

Photoshop 411

Layers and Other Basic Operations

Arizona Mom recently asked in her BlogFrog Community whether someone would be willing to put together a Photoshop tutorial, and I was happy and excited to oblige. This tutorial should be helpful across the board; no matter if you are using Photoshop Elements, Photoshop CS3 or CS4. Just for the record I am using Photoshop CS3.

Layers are without a doubt the single most important feature of Photoshop, so important that they have their own layers palette in the lower right hand corner of the screen. Layers also have their own menu at the top of the screen. You can add layers, delete layers, duplicate layers, add effects to layers, and other infinite possibilities that I can’t even wrap my mind around. To put it simply, layers are objects (photos, shapes, text, brushstrokes) stacked one on top of another.

Let’s get started by opening a new document. Under the file menu select New.

A box will pop up for you to choose the dimensions of your document. For our purposes here today I have chosen a standard 8.5x11 size. Note: My resolution is set to a very high 600. It is not necessary to create all documents with this high of a resolution, 200 to 300 in adequate in most situations, but that is just how I roll!

After choosing your document size and clicking OK, your screen should look like this.

To the right is layers palette, which you will begin to see is indispensable. At the top is the layers menu. I will admit that I don’t use the layers menu too often. I am more likely to use keyboard shortcuts and the commands on the layers palette to accomplish the same tasks that are available under the layers menu. The background layer is automatically added upon creation of your document.

Now let’s add a photo to the document. Under the file menu select Place and select the photo you wish to use in the document.

As you can see in the layers palette a new layer, your photo, has been added and is highlighted because it is the active layer. Use the handlebars to resize you photo as desired.

How about some text? Why not?! Click on the T button on the left hand tool bar to create a text box. Drag box to desired size and type in text. Again a layer has been added to the layer palette.

The document now has a background layer and two other layers. I am a slave to layer effects, so let’s add a drop shadow to our text layer. Make sure your text layer is highlighted and click on the fx button on the bottom of the layers palette, choose drop shadow and click OK.

The order that your layers are listed on your layers palette is important. Whatever layer listed first, is the top layer and so on. Look what happens when I switch around my text layer and photo layer.

Which I’ll now switch back because it wouldn’t make any sense to keep it that way!

A layer also is not active if it is not highlighted, meaning it can’t be moved or modified. To activate a layer simply click on it in the layers palette.

There you have it, the 411 on Photoshop layers. I am from the school that believes every element in your design should have it’s own layer. It makes for much easier modification down the road. Too many layers? Never! Once you learn to use them, you’ll see that layers are your friends!

2010-01-18T15:52:00.002-06:00

Shivers at Three Rivers...

was the first gymnastics meet of the season. The Three River's gym is a cozy one, but a great place for the spectator. All of the action is close at hand.

My grandma joined us. It was the first time she had ever seen Miss J compete. Grandma herself has always been a very competitive lady. She was a competitive curler, bowler and a card shark. Although she has been out of the sport of curling for quite some years, at 83 she still bowls league and plays cards any chance she gets.

Like my grandmother, I too have a competitive spirit. Like mother, like daughter (and apparently like grandmother, like granddaughter) Miss J embodies that spirit as well. She becomes a different person while competing; strong, focused, and graceful. I love watching her, even though it elicits more stress than I have ever experienced before!

Miss J came into the season with a bang winning 1st place all around in her age group and surprising all of us with her performance. In fact, all of the RRVG girls did a great job. They took 2nd place in the team portion of the competition.

2010-01-15T13:05:00.004-06:00

Longing for Summer

Maybe it is just because of the warm weather gracing our fair city these past few days. Or, maybe it's because I have been posting too many photos of snow and snow storms! It could also quite possibly be that we didn't really have a summer in 2009, rather a cool and rainy lake season. But, recently I have been longing for a warm summer day at the lake. We're about to plunge head first into another gymnastics season on the road which should fly us through March. Lake season may be here sooner than we think!

2010-01-14T11:21:00.011-06:00

Stream of Consciousness....

Taking a few other's leads, I have decided to write a stream of consciousness post. Just writing my thoughts with no editing, no research....just my simple thoughts. Or should that be simply my thoughts? Whichever....many of my thoughts are just that...simple.

I love the Beatles! Listining to them always changes my mood. Which, by the way, has been at a bit of a lul. I've been shocked by the images flowing out of Haiti...no words can describe.

I'm getting nervous for Miss J's first gymnastics meet this weekend. Is that normal? I hate feeling the fluttering sickness in my stomach. I recently asked an older gymnast's mother if I will ever stop feeling sick in the pit of my stomach....she assured me that I won't. AWESOME! Gymnastics is a sport of hurry up and wait. Hurry through your warm-ups on one aparatis to hurry to another, only to wait for your turn. Hurry from rotation to rotation, but wait and wait for your turn to go, and then wait some more while the rest of your group competes. During all of those waiting periods I am fine...cool as a cucumber (well maybe not that cool, but close), but for those 30 seconds to 3.5 minutes that Miss J is competing, I...am...in...hell! Having my eye behind the lens of my camera helps the nerves to some extent. Which reminds me...I need not forget my new monopod I recently purchased.

The weather has been unseasonably warm. Nice for being outdoors, but making a mess all over the sidewalks and streets. I'm wondering if the street department will ever swing by to attempt to clean the slushy mess that is being created before it refreezes and forever is ice. The answer to that is probably no.....they won't be by until the next storm dumps 2 or 3 more feet of snow on top of that slush that will surely then be ice.

My Grandmother is going to join us for Miss J's meet this weekend. I was pleasantly surprised when she accepted our invitation. After all she wouldn't get home until after dark. What is it about after dark that makes being away from home unacceptable? My Grandmother is 83, still drives, still bowls in a league, and is an all around fab lady. I guess she's earned the right to live life as she sees fit. She's always done it that way anyway!

Ok, I know I said that I love the Beatles, but a hour later, Paul McCartney's voice is getting on my nerves. Time to switch tunes....Bread seems just about right. I love their mellow tunes. And just because I like to be rebellious, maybe Nickelback should be next! HA! How about that for variety!?

I'm out..........

2010-01-12T09:22:00.010-06:00

Blog Hop

I have entered my photos I posted yesterday in a blog hop, for winter themed photographs. I shot my photos with my Nikon D50 SLR camera with a 50 mm prime lens, ISO: 200, aperture: f 1.8, exposure: 1/4000, shot in A (aperture) priority.

2010-01-11T11:51:00.003-06:00

Ahhh...the quiet...

We had one blissful weekend at home before we begin a long stretch of traveling to gymnastics meets. Thankfully the temperatures climbed from the negative digits we were experiencing last week. Miss J used her free time to climb the snow drifts in the yard. I, shamefully, finally took down the Christmas decorations and the house is almost back to it's pre-holiday self. I must admit, it looks a little bare.

2010-01-07T08:34:00.004-06:00

Seriously people????

Am I going to have to post this every time it snows? Really? Get a grip.....it's winter, it snows, it is not, however, the apocalypse!!

2010-01-06T09:36:00.006-06:00

Dear Old Man Winter,

Enough already! Our fair city already has the appearance of the North Pole and my yard looks like a virtual sea of snow and drifts. Now, we are in a winter weather advisory and are expecting more snow and blowing snow!? Goodie! Can't wait!

2010-01-04T09:39:00.003-06:00

Attitude...

this girl's got it!

2009-12-30T15:18:00.008-06:00

Year in Review

Happy New Year! As we say goodbye to 2009 and prepare to welcome a new decade, I thought I'd reminisce the best way I know how....through photos.

1. January: Miss J competes in and wins first gymnastics meet.

2. February: Miss J turns 8 and competes on her birthday at TNT Gymnastics. Gym Dad celebrates a birthday. Miss J competes in Kim Lupo Memorial Gymnastics Meet in Minot and places first.

3. March: Miss J competes at American Gold Gymnastics and at home meet at Red River Valley Gymnastics.

4. April: Miss J competes in ND Gymnastics Association State Meet and wins the all around gold.

5. May: Lake season officially begins with unseasonably cold temperatures.

6. June: Summer's arrival fails to spur warmer weather, however any weekend is a good weekend at the lake.

7. July: Miss J learns to drive four wheeler and time is spent in the woods on the family hunting grounds.

8. August: Sister K and I process endless pints of salsa, tomatoes and green beans. Two dear friends, Chad and Val, marry in Devils Lake and we enjoy a weekend of camping and fishing. Miss J begins third grade.

9. September: Sister K, Brother J, Gym Dad and I vacation in Las Vegas.

10. October: I have reconstructive knee surgery. Our new godson, Carter Jay Yonke, is born to best friends Kari and Jason.

11. November: Hunting season opens and despite being at a disadvantage with a bum knee, I bag a 11 point buck. I celebrate another birthday. Thanksgiving is celebrated at our house.

12. December: Many hours are spent shopping, decorating and cooking, readying for Christmas. Despite the first blizzard of the winter dumping over 25 inches of snow on our city, our Christmas celebration goes on as planned.

It is a little surreal that we are about to put 2009 to rest. Without warning it has come to an end. I wish you and yours health and happiness in the new year! Welcome 2010!

2009-12-30T08:41:00.008-06:00

"Monsters"...

was what a three year old Miss J affectionately called her favorite movie. In those days we watched the movie almost on a daily basis. Maybe it was because the movie was repetitively played, or because Crazy Canadian Kramer is a simple soul, but he loves this movie. As soon as he hears the opening theme song he comes running to the TV. He also has been known to jump at the screen and attack the subwoofer.

For old times sake, Miss J wanted to watch Monster's Inc. over Christmas. True to form, Crazy Canadian Kramer jumped from his perch on the chair and stationed himself in front of the TV.

2009-12-29T13:07:00.006-06:00

Let it Snow, Let it Snow....

Let it NOT snow any more this winter!! In my previous entry I mentioned that our city got hammered with over 25 inches of snow! TWENTY-FIVE inches of snow! It was one for the record books. Gym Dad spent a total of eight hours snow blowing and shoveling and the city streets still are a mess. It looks more like mid February rather than December with walls of snow making it difficult to see around corners and at crossings. That being said, this would be a great time to review my earlier post about winter driving!

2009-12-29T12:56:00.004-06:00

Christmas 2009

Christmas 2009 turned out to be an interesting one indeed. Over 25 inches of snow fell from December 24th through December 26th in our fair city. My parents, grandmother and Sister K were all stranded at our house for the duration. This did not prevent us from carrying on with our celebration. Miss J was delighted to receive the gift she had been most hoping for from grandma and grandpa.

2009-12-17T14:03:00.007-06:00

"Oh Come All Ye Faithful...."

was among the songs sung at Emma's annual Christmas Program on Tuesday night. The auditorium was stuffed from wall to wall with parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and everyone in between.

The packed house was wonderful to witness. It has been obvious to me that there has been a migration away from the Christ centered Christmas. Secularizing Christmas into a, plain ol' vanilla sort of holiday. I truly feel that it makes little sense to completely ignore all religious connections to Christmas, but hey, I'm an open minded person (insert laugh and snort), so I think it would also be wrong to assume that those religious connections are all that matter or that everyone shares the same religious beliefs about the season. I am, however, very grateful that Miss J belongs to a school that focuses on the reason we celebrate Christmas; the birth of Jesus.

Every year when we gather together for this event, I am reminded why we made the decision to enroll Miss J in Sacred Heart Catholic School. We certainly didn't take this decision lightly, or make it in haste. Both Gym Dad and I were brought up Protestant. Would this/should this be a deal breaker? Thankfully the answer was no. SH offered small classrooms, a small student body and a sense of community that the public school lacked. SH students are taught to exercise good manners, self discipline and to respect others. All are essential values we hope to instill in Miss J.

2009-12-03T08:51:00.008-06:00

Attention drivers...

Winter is upon us, so it seems. We will most likely have snow on the ground until April. I must admit, I was a bit excited to see the snow finally fall and remain on the ground. Then reality hit. Winter driving!

I will confess that I am an aggressive driver by nature. I anticipate every move I make on the road, the flow of the traffic, and the change of the stoplights. I'm impatient...leisurely Sunday driving is not for me! I may be aggressive, but I am very conscience of everything I'm doing, and for that matter, what you're doing next to me, behind me, and in front of me on the road.

Every driver expects the snow to fall in the winter. The roads change from snow to slush to ice. It is a known fact that this will occur, there's no debate, it happens every year. That being said, why is it that most drivers completely forget how to drive once the snow falls? They completely disregard all of their past experience on snow and ice and become morons on the road. Over the last few days I've been witnessing some exceptionally bad driving taking place. Take heed, bad drivers, here are some tips to help you avoid the horn honking and one fingered salutes you've been experiencing.

1. Get OFF your phone

2. Don't pull out right in front of me and proceed to drive 15 miles per hour.

3. Don't tailgate me; I am leaving safe stopping distance between me and the car in front of me and I don't want you in your stupidity to slam into my back end if I need to suddenly stop.

4. Don't drive in the middle both lanes; there are two lanes for a reason, to aid in the flow of traffic.

5. Just drive already! Hesitating, slamming on your brakes every block, and driving half of the posted speed limit only impedes on traffic and makes you dangerous.

Happy driving everyone!

2009-11-05T10:36:00.005-06:00

New man in town.....

Carter Jay Yonke was born on Friday, October 30, 2009 to beaming parents Jason and Kari Yonke.

Kari and I go way back....way back to the "good old days" of Franklin Middle School. I remember meeting her the first day of 6th grade, the very first day of middle school. Her last name started with a K, mine with a L. Our lockers were close to each other as were our seats in many classes. We have been partners in crime ever since. Our daughters have grown up together, gotten in trouble together, and are certain to be in need of close supervision as teenagers when they're together.

We traveled to Fargo on Tuesday to meet the newest addition to the Yonke family. He couldn't have been cuter. Gym Dad and I were taken by surprise when we were asked to be the Godparents to this special little man. We couldn't be more honored. I cannot think of a greater gift than to be given the opportunity to create a special relationship with this child. It is a true testament to our remarkable friendship. My cup runneth over.......

2009-10-27T09:59:00.007-05:00

Valley of Fire State Park

I finally have found time to edit the photos taken during our trip to Las Vegas. Not sure exactly what happened those two weeks I was sitting in the recliner at home........but I digress.

Unfortunately, I didn't seem to take very many photos in Las Vegas. I must have been too busy carrying my drink.....errrr....I mean enjoying the sites to take out my camera and snap some shots.

I did, however, get some fantastic photos of the Valley of Fire State Park. The Valley of Fire State Park is located in the Mojave Desert, a little under an hour north of fabulous Las Vegas. It's name was acquired from the red sandstone rock formations and mountains that grace this amazing land. Being from the "great plains" it was some of the most stunning beauty I have ever seen. It was also unbelievably hot....very, very hot....like 115 degrees hot! And, no, the "dry heat" doesn't make one bit of difference!

Gym Dad

Brother J

Sister K

Gym Dad was attempting to stand on a very unstable sign....not too sure what he was trying to prove, but I got some hilarious expressions!

2009-10-19T23:37:00.003-05:00

Update.....

Well, this is it! The end my confinement is closely at hand. I have been giving the a-okay to go back to work on Wednesday. I am about at the end of my rope with this room, this chair, and daytime TV.

The doctor confirmed that my knee and leg are healing well. He took a portion of my stitches out (the rest will dissolve) and showed me a lovely x-ray photo of his handiwork. I was astonished by the size of the screws. They resemble the ones used by Gym Dad to hang drywall. No dainty hardware for me! I can now bear 10% of my weight on my leg which isn't much of a change from what I was already doing, but can progressively add more as I can handle it. Only two more months and I should be rid of my brace and walking unassisted......Lord give me strength!

2009-10-13T23:54:00.006-05:00

New & Improved Views from the Recliner.....

Sister K helped me improve my views by arranging my fall decorations around the house. Fall is my favorite time of the year for a few of reasons. It means that the curling season is around the corner, and fall brings about the start of college hockey. Not to neglect to also mention the colors of the trees, the first snow, and deer hunting. Thanks to Sister K I have new views from the recliner.....new and improved views!

2009-10-13T18:36:00.007-05:00

pa⋅thet⋅ic [puh-thet-ik]

–adjective

1.	causing or evoking pity, sympathetic sadness, sorrow, etc.; pitiful; pitiable: a pathetic letter; a pathetic sight.

2.	affecting or moving the feelings.

3.	pertaining to or caused by the feelings.

4.	miserably or contemptibly inadequate: In return for our investment we get a pathetic three percent interest. As you can see it is very hard for me to get any work done as of late. Crazy Canadian Kramer seems to think that he should have my undivided attention at all times. He is pathetic!

2009-10-11T22:20:00.005-05:00

Sunday Update.....

I'm not feeling sleepy tonight, even though I have every reason to be sound asleep right now. I watched the weekend fly by from my recliner. Gym Dad helped winterize the lake cabin while Sister K took care of me. She made, from scratch, a fabulous lasagna, and decked out the house with my collection of fall decorations. Thanks again K! These decorations make me smile and I could use a few new reasons to smile!

It was an exciting sports day. It was hard to keep up! The President's Cup, the Vikings, Nascar Racing, and the Twins. The U.S. took the cup, the Vikings are 5 and 0, Jimmy Johnson can go fly a kite, and the Twins STUNK! By the way, isn't base running a skill these guys should have learned in little league? Geeze! Rent a clue! It could have been an exciting series. Just for the record, I will be cheering from here on out for whomever is playing against the Yankees.

Even with the exciting boob tube action, I am going stir crazy sitting here day after day. Which is unfortunate because as I found out today trying to help Sister K with decorating, I am in no shape to be returning to my regular daily routine. Why can't I accept that my body needs time to heal? If you watched the video of my surgery, you can see that it was quite a traumatic ordeal for a body to endure. Again, I think this goes back to my inability to admit weakness. I shouldn't be walking by now, I shouldn't be out cruising the town, I shouldn't be grocery shopping.....I know these things...it is common sense. However, for some reason I still long to return to the mundane activities of my life. I'm less that a week post surgery! I have got a long road ahead. If I get through this without asking to be shot (...ahem...Rob...) it will be a miracle! The sedentary lifestyle is NOT for me!

2009-10-10T17:48:00.005-05:00

My new love....

Since being at home I have discovered that television sucks! I mean really sucks! We have somewhere in the ball park of 200 channels at our disposal....surely there must be something worth watching on at all times of the day, right? WRONG! Between infomercials, The Golden Girls, and international soccer I can't even find an episode of The Andy Griffith show to occupy my time. Heck, at this point I'd settle for a rerun of Matlock. I find myself aimlessly flipping through the channels trying to score 30 minutes of entertainment.

While doing just this, I stumbled upon Curb Your Enthusiasm. The show was created by and stars Larry David who was co-creator of Seinfeld. I LOVE this show! It is hilarious! I found myself laughing out-loud possibly with a few snorts! The Seinfeld references in every episode are undeniable. As I huge Seinfeld fan, the references remind me of the show I never missed. Kudos, Mr. David! You have done it again!

2009-10-09T10:53:00.007-05:00

I finally was able to get a good night's sleep last night. I woke up only once to re-medicate myself, lest I get behind on my pain control again.

My first physical therapy appointment was this morning. I was convinced that my doctor was some kind of sadist scheduling therapy so soon after surgery. My therapist, L, assures me, however, that the pain endured during therapy has a purpose. Really?? If I wasn't able to trod though the session in a drug induced haze, I'm certain I would have a different opinion. Thankfully my legs are conditioned and in good shape so we did not have to begin therapy from square one and all went well. I will continue to see L biweekly for approximately two months. I have exercises which I am to perform at home. I will dutifully do so every day. Seriously, I know that therapy is imperative for recovery, and I am way to young to not make a full recovery.

Now I must rest. Crazy Canadian Kramer has just reminded me that it is time for our afternoon snooze. Ahhhh....the life of a cat!

2009-10-08T13:24:00.007-05:00

Views from a recliner........

I am feeling slightly better this afternoon. Doctor T. prescribed a new pain med to try and I am optimistic that I may soon be able to rest comfortably. I am ultimately concerned about the pain because I start physical therapy tomorrow morning. Therapy with zero pain relief is not an adventure I want to experience. In fact it sounds rather insane!

I have been sitting in the same recliner for what seems like an eternity and have been looking at the same areas of the living room. Leave it to me to see it as a photo opportunity.

Crazy Canadian Kramer has become my constant companion...

And last but not least.....a very lovely and gorgeous smelling flower arrangement sent by the best co-workers; Kathryn, Julie, Phyllis, Rob and Cheri. Love you guys!!

2009-10-07T20:39:00.008-05:00

Dear Crutches:

You are an evil spawn from hell....a medieval torture device invented by a sick individual. I mistakenly thought that our previous meeting three years ago would be our last. I again was mistaken when I thought that packing you away deep under the stairs, would make the memories of our relationship disappear. Alas, I was wrong....very wrong. The pain you once created has again become my reality. My arm pits and ribs are bruised, my hands are swollen. As if that wasn't enough you tipped over and smacked me in the head! The grand paradox is that you are the only one that can help me get from here to there, and there to here. You are my only source of support. What cruel irony!

All my best (errr.....drop dead),

2009-10-07T18:07:00.007-05:00

Oh the pain!!

Ok, ok!! I know they told me that the first few days following surgery would be the most difficult. Why is it that I always think I am the exception to the rule?? It is well known by friends and family that it is extremely hard for me to admit any form of weakness......but this is PAINFUL.....and EXHAUSTING! Being an independent creature, it is difficult to accept I need help....well, with everything.

For those of you waiting for an update, I'm happy to oblige. My surgery went very well and was considered a success. However, there were some unexpected factors. (Why wouldn't there be, right??!) My knee was in worse shape than originally conceived.

The first part of the surgery involved an arthroscopic procedure to examine and clean up the cartilage under my patella. What they found were 50+ floaters (cartilage that has sheared off, hardened and is floating around independently within the joint) wreaking havoc under my knee cap. They act like bits of gravel sanding away at the healthy cartilage. This was a good explanation for the grinding, snapping and swelling I was experiencing.

The last portion of the surgery involved the Tibial Tubercle Osteotomy. It was originally thought that my tubercle (the upper portion of the tibia) was rotated out approximately 14 degrees. Zero degrees is considered normal and helps ensure that the femur, knee joint and tibia are in a straight line. However, my tubercle was found to be somewhere in the ballpark of 20 degrees, much more severe than anticipated. What does this all mean? It means that because of the severity, they were unable to place my tubercle back to the 0 degree position. However, I still should notice significant relief upon my recovery. And I am very thankful for this. Doctor T. assures me that we made the right decision performing this radical surgery opposed to another that would simply act as a band-aid. This procedure should help preserve my knee function and delay a knee replacement until I am at an appropriate age (or never!).

I am taking things hour by hour at this point, but know that with every day I should be feeling better. Thank you for all of the well wishes! They do a great deal for the morale!

2009-10-05T10:24:00.004-05:00

Going Under the Knife!

Tomorrow I will be having knee surgery. I have been dragging my heels over having this procedure done since it was first mentioned to me three years ago. I resisted my doctor's recommendations, thinking that surely my knee would get better on it's own, surely I wouldn't need that procedure! Alas..I concede! I can no longer ignore my ever aching, cracking, snapping, swelling and stiffening joint.

I will be having what is called at Tibial Tubercle Osteotomy . In laymen's terms it is basically a knee realignment surgery. Over the years, curling, injuries, and being blessed with hypermobility have all attributed to my left knee becoming severely unaligned.

I am looking forward to two weeks off of work, 6 weeks on crutches, 3 months in an immobilizer brace, and extensive physical therapy.....or maybe NOT! However, I am grateful that there is a treatment to improve my condition.

I will try to update as I can. On the bright side, during my convalesce I may actually have time to edit and post my Vegas photos!

2009-09-09T11:41:00.011-05:00

"Blood is blood and land is land..."

As a child that sentence alone could make me cringe, run away, or want to hide. I was frequently lectured on the importance of both by my godmother, J. She too was given this oration by her father and over the years it has been perfected by both. In the mind of a child of 8 or 9, I had reasoned that she was either trying to bore or punish us purely for her entertainment. As I have gotten older, I slowly began understand the truth behind that statement.

My family collectively owns a large chunk of land just north of my grandparent's farmstead. Some is rented out as farm acreage. The rest consists of woods and thickets. Over the years, the area has been the site of many hunting seasons, bonfires, and camping trips.

Last weekend we made the trek to visit my grandparents, cousins and the land from which my family comes. After the stress of the past month, I felt my soul renewed. For me it is somewhat of a religious experience...the smells, the sounds, the beauty. The scenery was perfect and the company divine.

So, my dear godmother, J, I must confess, I now understand perfectly the reasoning behind your now famous lecture. There is nothing more important than your family, your blood... and the soil, the land, from which it came.

2009-09-04T15:13:00.010-05:00

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish...

Our fishing stop in Devils Lake was not quite as exciting as the Dr. Seuss book, but it was a beautiful day, one of the nicest of the summer. The light was perfect and I couldn't resist firing off 200ish photos. Gym Dad, Sister K and Miss J were trying their best to catch dinner and I enjoyed myself photographing the moment.

"From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere."

One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish

by Dr. Seuss

2009-09-01T14:51:00.017-05:00

Victory Gardens...

As part of the WWII war effort, the government rationed foods like sugar, butter, milk, cheese, eggs, coffee, meat and canned goods. Labor and transportation shortages made it difficult to get fresh fruits and vegetables to market. The government turned to it's citizens and encouraged them to plant Victory Gardens. By growing their own fruits and vegetables, canning and preserving them, citizens were able to save commercial canned goods for the troops. Nearly 20 million Americans answered the call planting gardens in backyards, empty lots and city rooftops. Neighbors pooled their resources, planted different kinds of foods and formed cooperatives, all in the name of patriotism.

The results of victory gardening were astounding. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that more than 20 million victory gardens were planted. Fruit and vegetables harvested in these home and community gardens was estimated to 9-10 million tons, an amount equal to all commercial production of fresh vegetables.

The Victory Garden in the Dowling Community Garden in Minneapolis, Minnesota, remains active as one of the last surviving public examples from World War II and celebrated it's 65th Anniversary in 2008.

There was never a question in my mind that one day I would have a garden of my own. Why? My Mother was not a gardner, and certainly did not can, pickle, or preserve. I can only attribute it to spending summer days with my Great Aunt Gladys picking beans, peas and tomatoes, and "putting up pints" of these first class goods. I don't buy in to the whole organic movement, but I do value fresh, high quality produce. There is nothing like a garden tomato, or a handful of freshly picked raw peas. I don't grow my own produce in the name of patriotism per se, but for a personal sense of accomplishment. Sister K and I have been working feverishly at least one night a week to harvest and preserve this season's produce. Friends and family rejoyce.....the salsa is on the way!

2009-08-10T09:42:00.003-05:00

We Fest

The utter craziness of this event never ceases to amaze me! Although we did not attend, country western music makes my ears bleed, we made an event out of watching the festers as they enjoyed their weekend. My favorite time is Sunday morning when all the campers are purged from the numerous campgrounds and herded down Westlake drive, right in front of our cabin. It is bumper to bumper campers and vehicles of all shapes and forms, and festers of varying degrees of soberness.

2009-07-30T08:57:00.013-05:00

G's B......

I attempted to capture some photos of my cousin G's son B. He's not a shy boy, but when it comes to cameras he's, well...let's just say...resistant. I had a devil of a time getting him to look at me. This was new for me as Miss J is used to me sticking the camera in her face.....she knows the drill....stop...look at me...pose....smile. I did however, have some success. This little boy is such a hoot! What a personality....he's gonna break some hearts one day. If you want to see another example, check out his most recent video!!!

Mr. B with his Grammy

B really had a thing for Miss J's flip flops!

This photo just makes me smile!!!

2009-07-29T12:36:00.002-05:00

Vacation...........

I am officially back to work.....(collective groan).....Gym Dad is on vacation "at home" where I have him sufficiently busy for the rest of this week! For a summer that has been unseasonably cool, we lucked out and had very nice weather. We golfed three courses that I have not golfed since high school, had pitchers of margaritas at Compeneros in Dorset, and, well, just relaxed. For the first time in years we had a vacation that didn't involve any gymnastics schedules, travel plans, or company. It was wonderful!! I felt so relaxed that I forgot to take many pictures....shame on me! However, I did score some illusive photos of camera shy Mr. B, my cousin G's handsome little man. As soon as I finish editing them, I will post them as I've promised G.

2009-07-14T10:42:00.005-05:00

July 4th

I find it rather ridiculous that the lake water was still take-your-breath-away cold in July! Miss J didn't mind however.......

On the other hand......Gym Dad was less enthused.......

2009-07-14T10:17:00.001-05:00

Greetings, all! In an attempt to resurrect my blog, I've done a complete overhaul on my graphics....