we finally took a break from the backcountry and headed to the resort

a couple weeks ago ceej and i took a day off to head up into the mountains for some skiing.
usually we head out to the backcountry, but this year we bought passes at a resort so
that i could improve my skills by going down multiple runs--over and over all day long.

my legs felt it. all that lunging (we telemark ski) left my legs wobbling.
worth it?
of course.

in the afternoon we met up with friends and skied much longer than we had planned.
always a good sign of good snow and good company.

and it all started at the waffle truck.

harvest gathering film : made by lumineux

thanks to jenner's magical lens, we can all re-live this pretty little dinner.

enjoy.

announcing...the next Voyage magazine is on its way {food edition}

oh my, oh my, oh my! i'm working on the final layout touches for our next
voyage magazine edition...and it's oh so more glorious than the last one--
mostly because there's so much food to look at and talk about.
truly a norwegian and italian feast to behold.

you're gonna love it. britt and marte have some knock-your-socks off images
and stories that will make you go "mm-hmmmm."

it's been snowing here, and my heart is at home

i was starting to worry that fall wouldn't be as crisp and cool as normal,

but this week's two snowfalls have my heart rejoicing. it just wouldn't

be the same if it didn't snow sometime before halloween. 

the down coats and chunky scarves are out, and i've been coming in

with the smell of cold on my clothes. love it.

happy fall weekend everyone!

project grand teton : the last post...why i wanted to climb the mountain

i gave up rock climbing years ago. i loved being outside, but, honestly, i didn't like the ego

that seeps into many as they "conquer," "punish," "mount," or any "pick-your-empirialistic-verb" when they set out on their projects in the wilderness. i just couldn't handle it any more.

so i put my climbing shoes away in a box somewhere, forgot what my harness looked like, and started walking, strolling, and picnicking with ceej and a handful of friends. 

i really enjoyed just being outside and watching wildness. there were never any hard-and-fast goals.

just go outside.

i was convinced, and ceej was convinced, that i'd never put on a harness again or tie a figure-8 knot.

this was enough. and it still is. 

however, last fall as i went walking through the grand tetons up cascade canyon

ceej and james climbed the entire grand teton in one day.

they were exhausted by the time we met up again. i was relieved that i had not joined them.

long ago i gave up on seeking exhaustion, limits, and the edge (they seem to come naturally enough).

i was happy with my little stroll. and i was content to end the day reading about trees while i awaited

their safe return.

i looked at their pictures, and was happy for ceej that he did something he had always wanted to do.

no further thought on my part. hooray for ceej.

but the thought of doing something outside of my comfort zone slowly started to fill my hesitant veins. 

maybe i wanted to climb the grand teton? 

maybe i wanted to start climbing and skiing the volcanoes of the northwest?

maybe i wanted to really explore the west, and learn to find comfort in my discomfort...

even if it meant dealing with the ego: mine and everyone else's.

so we started planning. casually. i started running more, and running up mountains (which is usually more like fast walking). but i decided i was probably stronger than i thought. i decided that i needed to understand my mind and my body better. i decided that beautiful mountains, fantastic views, and difficult climbs were worth it. or, at least i hoped they were.

for most of my life i felt weak in many ways. so vulnerable.

i still feel weak and vulnerable...

but now i know that feeling weak and vulnerable and inadequate have nothing to do with my ability to accomplish challenging tasks. if i wasn't sacred, what's the big deal? 

so here i am, once again, learning to embrace vulnerability in a new way. 

climbing the grand teton started out relatively easy. it was challenging, but in that "i feel strong" sort of way. but as the storm came closer, and the hours slipped away, and my mind started to worry the vulnerability came back. and i'm glad it did. i learned that when i'm scared i can keep my cool and keep moving. i learned that when i'm scared i can also lose it, and start crying when my body won't respond like i want it to. i learned that both moving and crying now and then are incredible ways our body and mind get us through tough situations. 

thanks to ceej and matt for being the best guides i could have ever had. they were funny, encouraging, thoughtful, strong, and humble. these are my favorite kind of mountain people. 

immediately after our trip, and for the following two weeks i never thought i'd want to do that again...

but, now, of course, i'm thinking about another adventure up the grand someday...maybe after we climb and ski down mt. rainier, of course

this film about "insect genealogy" from "tiger in a jar" has my heart today

you must take a moment to watch this film of roy reading some of his poetry...

julie and her huz, matt, have quite the gift for story telling.

visit her blog here. see more of their films here.

insect genealogy from tiger in a jar on Vimeo.

oh my! we have babies!!!

yes, we have babies! three of them...and two more on the way.

we are proud hosts to this little family: our door wreath seems

to be the perfect hide-out for a little nest.

the only reason we found them quietly nesting here is

because every person who would come to our front door

would inform us that as soon as they knocked a little

bird came flying out of the wreath at them...so we investigated.

two nights ago there were five little spotted blue eggs...

today, when i went to take pictures, i was surprised by

three little pinkish/feathery babes.

i whistled and they opened their precious little beaks,

their eyes not yet open.

we have become quite the protective hosts:

no one is allowed to use the front door for fear

of disturbing their little sanctuary.

we check on them to make sure the mother has

not fallen to some ill fate and that they are being

fed and kept warm.

can't wait to see them all grow up!

and i can't stop watching this little video...

until i check on them again tomorrow.

{p.s. they're little finches ...blue spotted eggs, red daddy, brown and streaked mama}

happy weekend!

hope you all have lovely plans for the weekend that include beautiful places and lots of relaxing!

{video of wedding rock, ca}

we passed the fields of gazing grain...

tonight i leave for school in north carolina.

so thankful to all of you for your support and kind words. i'll try to keep up this blog as much as possible while i am in asheville. i'm sure at first i'll be able to keep up, but as the studying and writing takes over i might not be as consistent, and i might not be able to keep up with all of your wonderful blogs...after six weeks things will hopefully be back to normal here.

very excited, taking deep breaths. ready to break open my voice.

'tis the season: music {part one}

do you remember the scene when beth comes down the stairs

on christmas day, fragile from scarlett fever, and she is surprised

with a new piano from mr. lawrence?

ever since that scene, christmas has not been the same without

a piano quietly playing carols at night in the warmth of a candle or small light.

i hope you enjoy this carol as much as i do.

and i hope you don't mind my out of tune piano

or the little creaks it makes.