Grace, Me, Aunt & Mom

A birthday is just the first day of another 365-day journey around the sun. Enjoy the trip.
~ Author Unknown

Today's Joy: Birthday Celebration.
We've had an incomparable day, Reader. Today is my 34th birthday and it has been the loveliest one I've had in a while. I decided to be proactive this year and plan something that all the girls would enjoy. Viola! Enter this summer's grand-opening of Charming Charlie at Yorktown Center in Lombard, IL.

We set off to have a splendid adventure. First we met to peruse all the accessory fabulousness at Charming Charlie. Hours later, we emerged laden with handbags, scarves, boots and, of course, myriad pieces of gorgeous (and inexpensive!) jewelry: rings, bracelets, earrings and necklaces galore!

The Mothership Has Called Us Home

Then, as we were ravenous from all that mega-shopping, it was off to find a place for lunch. Aunt Chef spotted something promising down the square and so we discovered the culinary joy that is the Flat Top Grill. It's a rather swanky place when you walk in the door, but don't let that fool you--the food is as affordable as it is delicious.

Once seated, you write your name on a little paddle and head to the buffet, where you design your own gourmet stir-fry from a large spread of veggies, tender, marinated meats and over a dozen sauces. Once you've made your selection, you stick your paddle in the top of your bowl like a flag on Mt. Everest, hand it over to the grill chef and return to your table. In 10-15 minutes, your personal culinary creation arrives, piping hot, to your table where all conversation stops as everyone dives into taste nirvana.


The Fabulous Miss Elle

After lunch, we dispersed with full tummies. On the way home, Mom, Aunt & I stopped at Planter's Palette, a beautiful & creatively-inspired garden center on Rt. 38 in Winfield, IL. Walking among rows and rows of sale plants and lush tropicals was the perfect finish to a wonderful day. Thank you to everyone who came along to share the joy!


Aunt (An English Teacher in Her Natural Habitat)

The Girls' 1st Trip to Charming Charlie

Aunt Chef Having a Ball

Because time itself is like a spiral, something special happens on your birthday each year: The same energy that God invested in you at birth is present once again.

~Menachem Mendel Schneerson

Quotes courtesy of The Quote Garden.

Summer Sky, The Farm 2008.

Today's Joy: A Little Environmental Gratitude.

Can't help thinkin', Reader, as I'm driving past fragrant corn and soybean fields on my way home from work, how blessed we are to live in such a place. My commute to & from work is literally 25 minutes of meandering country back roads, surrounded by a few rolling hills, lots of picturesque farms and a smattering of woods here and there. Driving it never fails to improve my mood.

When my friend S-- was in town recently for a visit, I took her joy-riding to see some of my favorite wide open spaces. What she said about our northern Illinois countryside still sticks with me: "It's like living in a storybook."

Secretly, I've always thought so too. Life should imitate literature, playing out amidst proper woods filled with long-lived, scraggly oak trees--the sort that you'd find in a Washington Irving story. It should have a backdrop of orderly corn fields stretching away over low hills to meet the sunset. Life should also be full of gorgeous farmhouses, well-kept and cheerful--the pride of ancestral family properties--dotting the roadside. I suppose it's an overly-romantic viewpoint, but in my heart, it's true.

We may not have the hit-you-over-the-head sort of beauty you find at vacation spots, but there's something about daily life here in the countryside that becomes more and more pleasing to the soul the longer you're immersed in it. Winter, of course, is another matter. But for all the pleasantness of spring and fall and the thick humidity of summer, we are prepared to weather the windchill in January. It's the price you pay for residing in a setting fit for literature the rest of the year.

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. ~ Thornton Wilder

Quote courtesy of The Quote Garden.

Dusk, Bahr Rd.

Silently, one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven, Blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels. ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Evangeline

Today's Joy: A Cool Summer Night.

After several weeks of 90-degree weather with nearly 100% humidity, tonight's cool 70-something breeze blowing in through the screens feels like heaven! The air conditioner and ceiling fans are getting a much needed break. The windows are all cranked open, bringing in fresh air full of the scent of late summer flowers. While much less humid, I will not miss the lifeless, canned air manufactured by our AC unit (well, at least not until it gets hot again).

I'd forgotten how lovely it is to fall asleep in the cool night air, listening to the crickets and peepers strumming away outside. I'm sure there is no better sleep than the log-like slumber one enjoys on a slightly-chilly evening. Ah, to need a blanket again....and to wake up with the cat pressed against you like a soft, rumbly throw pillow.

Good night, dear Reader. Sleep deep.

O bed! O bed! delicious bed!That heaven upon earth to the weary head.

~ Thomas Hood, Miss Kilmansegg - Her Dream

Aunt & Poodle, Driving Portrait

Today's Joy: Photo Editing.

Whew! Went thru all the photos I took using both cameras yesterday, Reader. There are approximately 1,000 images in all. Of course, most are bunk. But around 230 are worth editing and about 15-20 of those I'm actually quite pleased with. Lately, have been trying to upload my photos on an almost daily basis to reduce the amount of large-scale uploads that I normally post to my flickr site. It works wonders, except when I cover fun family adventures like yesterday's driving show.

I really enjoy snapping shots of my family as they whoop it up in all their technicolor fabulousness. They are such original characters, I couldn't have made them up! Much better to just follow along and catch their antics on film. So, once in a while, several hours of sitting in a chair, squinting at the computer screen to make sure each shot is cropped right and the colors reflect things just as I remember them is worth the stiff back and flat bottom I inevitably get.

Few things are better than hitting play on a photo slideshow and watching everyone smile & laugh as they see themselves the way I see them. They are so colorful and vital. I suspect it will be my life's work to capture that essence in photos. Good thing I have a good camera and they always have a new adventure on the horizon. Wonder what they'll come up with next...

KB & Rosie

Today's Joy: The ADS (American Driving Society) Show.
I am posting this quite late, dear Reader, only because our grueling show schedule caused a major back-up in my photo editing. And I refuse to present unfit images for your perusal. But, at last, they are done! I'm quite pleased and hope you enjoy this little peek at an amazing driving show. As you will see, we had a ball. Dressing in period attire and showing off your reinsmanship in front of a judge can be serious stuff. Fortunately, with this crowd, it's just seriously fun.


Uncle is the Ralph Lauren of our Set


Aunt & Aunt Chef show off their millinery creations

Aunt Chef's Fabulous Hat

Aunt & Poodle Await the Carriage Dog Class

Mr. Superintendent's first show!

Uncle & Julia going into the Carriage Dog Class

Mr. Superintendent & Ginger

Dreamer, Aunt Chef & Weiner await the Carriage Dog Class

Aunt & Super Charge strut their stuff!

Uncle & Fred

The Incomparable Grace driving Sarah

Aunt finishes the cross-country course.

Aunt Chef & Uncle doing what they love best.

Mr. Superintendent & Ginger finish cross-country.

Aunt Chef & Dreamer race through the last gate!

Uncle tries out a new look.

Today's Joy: A New Puppy On The Horizon.
Well, Reader, after nearly a year of being dog-less (my beloved cocker spaniel, Maia, passed away last October), a new companion may soon be entering the picture. After considering what kind of dog I would like to have next and deciding on the Wirehaired Fox Terrier, I applied to a local breeder of good standing and just received word that my puppy application has been approved! Yay! They are expecting a litter around the end of October, so I could have a new puppy to love come Christmas.

I loooove puppies at Christmas! I love puppies anyway. However, I suspect Chunk (the cat) does not love puppies. Told him this morning that he better live it up while he can. His days as a single cat are numbered. He thinks I'm bluffing.

Now comes that most daunting of challenges: picking out a name. So far I have a running list for boys and one for girls. They all seem to sound either British or French or are somehow affiliated with music, art or English literature. Oh, and a few are food-related. Here is what I am considering thus far:

Boys
Klaus
Emmett
Claude
Thomas
Rupert
Stilton

Girls
Gretel
Sylvie
Etta
Souffle

As always, your input is welcome, Reader. What do you think? Any other suggestions? Please, nothing crass or childish. The countdown begins!

Penny in my Palm.

Today's Joy: Benefitting from Benefits.

Well, Reader, tonight I write to you from a comfy armchair where I'm surrounded by myriad insurance brochures scattered about. As I'm now a full-time employee, my employer has graciously extended a variety of affordable healthcare options. Vision and Dental and PPO's, Oh My! The best part? Even the "pricier" plan with all the trimmings can be had for less than $100 a month. What a blessing!

Tomorrow I will fax in my enrollment paperwork and come Sept. 1st, I will have health insurance for the first time in....well, quite a while. Today, my two favorite phrases in the English language are: $0 co-pay and would you like to see my insurance card? I'll probably flash mine just for fun. That's right, who's got insurance now??

Can't wait to see the eye doctor and the dentist and my general practitioner. Oooo, my new insurance will cover a chiropractor too. Up to 20 visits per year! That'll work wonders for my alignment.

God Bless benefits! When you don't have them, they can seem like Willie Wonka's golden ticket. Makes me mindful of all the folks out there who will likely never be able to afford them.

Dear Lord, please work on the hearts of the lawmakers and those who run the insurance companies. Help them find a solution for our nation's healthcare crisis--one that will allow people access to this much-needed care without bankrupting families or the system. Please Lord, work in the hearts and minds of those who have the power to make a difference. Help them to lead with compassion and intelligent planning. And help us, the masses of everyday folk in this country, to recognize good ideas and strong policies and throw our support behind them. We know, Lord, that all things are possible through you, and that you have blessed us with more resources than we will ever need. Help us to utilize those resources wisely in caring for each other. Remind us that the quality of life experienced by the least of us is as revealing about our society as a list of its achievements. We seek your guidance and council. In Jesus' name, Amen.