It’s only the second week of school, so I am still getting the swing of things, we’re in the process of moving to a new house, and we’ve both been sick with a nasty cold.

But tonight, alongside my exhaustion and box-filled house, I feel amazing. It is raining! After months and months of literally no precipitation, I hear thunder. I see flashes of lighting outside my window. I know the storm will probably only last a short while, but while it is here I feel excited by the change of seasons, and happily anticipate the green hillsides that will soon fill the landscape!

This was definitely my high for the day. What was yours?

cherry and grape tomatoes ready to be made into salsa

Today I finally used up the last of my tomatoes from my garden. The gophers destroyed a lot of my plants, biting them off right at the root.  Time and time again this Summer and Fall I felt like the frustrated Rabbit from Winnie the Pooh. Darn Tigger, I mean gophers… Anyway, this left me with quite the assortment of very green cherry tomatoes that were unable to finish maturing. I didn’t want them to go to waste, so I found a canning recipe for salsa that allowed me to mix green and red tomatoes. SCORE!

Ingredients in the pot!

I ended up using a mixture of  green and red grape and cherry tomatoes from my garden, and some large meaty heirlooms from the school’s garden. My favorite part of cooking is definitely chopping everything up, so this project was a lot of fun for me… but I did tire of chopping and called in Roddy for backup knife skills.

Salsa Family Photoshoot

After tasting today’s concoction I decided it was too mild for my liking; I like my salsa to be spicy. However, it does taste really fresh, and I’ll definitely use it once tomatoes go out of season.  I would love to find a salsa that has the kick I was looking for, though. Are there any canners out that know a good recipe?

Roddy's Present

Luckily, while browsing pinterest, I came upon this really fun book made by Kelly from Trans-craft-inental  out of a deck of cards. It contains 52 things that she loves about her husband. I thought the idea was genius and decided to do a spin-off! Mine is different though; I did not use a deck of cards and instead I made a miniature leather bound book. Luckily, I was able to acquire some scrap leather for free from a saddle maker in town for this project. Oh, and mine has 55 things I love (It was going to be 50, but I miscounted the pages and already had it assembled before I figured it out! The more the merrier!). This project was so much fun, and I really enjoyed coming up with my list of “loves”!

Roddy and I both really like Celtic designs, so after searching online I found the symbol for eternal or undying love (appropriate for such an occasion, don’t you think?) and decided to give it a go. I am no expert in leather crafts, but with a little imagination and experimentation I was able to come up with something that actually resembles a book! Yay!

My leather bound book- "55 Things I Love About You- A Subset of a Much Larger List"

Anyway, on to what I did:

1. First I prepped my lighter colored leather by wetting it down with a sponge until the color turned a shade darker.

2.Then I put it aside to dry for a bit. During this time  I traced the Celtic design to a sheet of tracing paper.

3. As soon as the light colored leather started to dry up I transferred an indentation of the traced image to the leather by using a stylus ( I made my own stylus by taking the ink out of a ball point pen). Tandy Leather Factory has a demonstration of this process that I found really helpful.

4. After tracing I cut out the design with an Exacto knife and secured it to the other piece of leather using rubber cement.

5. I perforated the edges around the cover prior to sewing the leather cord around the outside.

6. As far as the actual assembling of the book pages, I primarily used Squidoo’s Leather Book Binding tutorial as a guide.

One of the many things I love about my husband...

I did not have any proper leather tools, so I did a lot of ad-libbing. I suggest getting a simple leather working kit if you choose to experiment in such crafts. You will be able to do a lot more and not be burdened by the frustration of having inadequate tools. Next time I’ll make the investment.

By: Will Oaks Campground via: Pinterest- http://www.willoakscampground.com/Vintage_rally.html

 *To Read How to Survive a Road Trip- Part One: Traveling on a Budget, Click HERE.*

Road trips can be a lot of fun, but they also have a tendency to be exhausting. So exhausting that you might feel irritated with your travel partner(s) and quite possibly need a vacation after returning home from your… vacation.

Here are some things that Roddy and I do to stay upbeat, rested, and positive throughout our trips.

1. Bring along books on CD/tape/ or Ipod- Music is great, but sometimes I find that listening to a story helps to pass the time more quickly. It is also nice when you need a conversation break from your traveling companion(s). Remember, you can rent these for free from libraries instead of purchasing them.

2. Rotate Drivers Every 2 Hours- Yes, you might be able to drive longer than a two hour shift, but if you drive until you are exhausted you’ll end up dreading your next shift. Having a chance to step out of the car and stretch your legs every two hours will make your body happy too.

3. Get out and Play- Allow yourself time everyday to take a walk, hike, kick around a soccer ball, whatever makes you happy.  Doing this tends to improve my demeanor and helps me get to sleep at night in unfamiliar places.

4. Pace yourself- Downtime is key. Don’t get so caught up in seeing the sights that you forget to relax… you’re on vacation, remember? There have been many times where Roddy and I have just stopped driving in a random town and watched a movie at a local theater just because we needed a break. Making stops like this can make a huge difference on energy levels.

5. Hygiene-  If you are anything like us you enjoy camping, hiking, or simply spending time in the great outdoors; resulting in getting  sweaty and dirty at some point when you travel. Driving around while you feel dirty is uncomfortable, so come prepared with easy clean up solutions. We usually keep extra water and a spare towel, or even just wet wipes to clean up.

6. Healthy Snacks- Avoid packaged products, and stick to light snacks for the car ride ( like fruits, veggies, and sandwiches). You’ll stay more alert and your stomach will thank you. If you need any proof, ask Roddy about his drive from central Florida to Texas with only Little Debbie Pecan Spinwheels and Cheez-Its to sustain him … Gross.

7. Get Your Car Checked Out- Make sure to get your car checked for possible problems BEFORE you leave for any big trip. It will give you peace of mind, and allow you to get any problems fixed while you are still in the comfort of your home town.

8. Create an Overnight Bag- This is different from your main piece of luggage. It is a small bag that has the essentials for one to two nights (toiletries, and clothes). Keep it separate from your main luggage, and rotate a new set of clothes into it each day. It keeps things simple when staying overnight in campgrounds, hotels, or people’s homes, and it will help to keep your luggage more tidy.

9. A Helpful Cooler Tip - Soggy coolers are the worst. We’ve had our fair share of ruined, wet food in coolers.  A great idea is to have a smaller container like a bucket inside your cooler to hold the ice. This way when the ice melts, it only goes into the bucket, not the rest of the cooler, leaving your food cold and dry. Keep the cooler closed as much as possible, and change ice regularly.

10. Bring a Journal and Write In It-  Seriously, take time to reflect about your trip experiences. Normally I am not a big journaler (is that a word?), but I always bring a journal when I travel because it helps me to decompress, and I also really enjoy looking back on what I wrote later.

What are some of your road traveling tips?

Sustainable Alternatives:

• The Diva Cup-An interesting alternative to Feminine Hygiene products that is good for the environment and good for your wallet. Also check out this related review from someone who spent time using one.
• An article on people who live TV Free by choice
• How to prepare your garden space for planting vegetables
• Midwife Activist Ina May Gaskin talks on the Diane Rehm Show

Related to Parenting:

• Reflections on Cloth Diapering- a moms perspective on a year of cloth diapering
• Thinking about Homeschooling? Check out these State Homeschooling Laws
• 10 Famous Homeschooled people

Good to Know:

• How to cut your own bangs – an incredibly helpful resource from my sister in law’s blog
• Kidsave is a program where you can host an orphan from another country for the summer that is unlikely to be adopted
• Interested in getting some chickens for your backyard? I hear this is a great online resource of knowledge.
• Love to read classics but have a hard time finding time to do so? Free downloadable Classic Audio books, so you can listen while you do other things.
• Clean your cloudy drinking glasses with vinegar
• I made my own laundry detergent a few weeks ago and love it! Some links to recipes can be found here, here, and here.

Photography By: Deborah Munyan

Yesterday Roddy and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary.  We have been together as a couple for 7 and a half years now, and wowsers, the time has certainly flown by! Marriage has been the hardest, yet most rewarding thing I have ever been a part of. As time has gone on I’ve found that both of us are beginning to embrace each others annoying tendencies, and make things work as a well oiled unit (well maybe not embrace, but definitely accept).  Roddy, thanks for tolerating my overbearing need to clean like a mad woman before we go on trips… among other things.

Our wedding was rather small, with just under 30 of our close friends and immediate family present. It was simple and community oriented, and everything that I had hoped for in our wedding. So many people pitched in and used their talents to make the day deeply memorable and absolutely beautiful.  The support that we received from our friends and family meant so much to me, and was a wonderful way to start our new journey together. The love and guidance that others shared with us was so powerful, deeply emotional, and has truly helped us to frame our life as a married couple.

Our immediate family and best friends. Photography By: Deborah Munyan

The following video was made by our good friends Paul “Benny” and Cindy Benson. All of the photography is taken by Cindy and the collection of pictures were assembled by Benny. The song playing in the background is titled “Find Your Wings” by Mark Harris.  Cindy played this song on acoustic guitar for us on our wedding as a request from my mom.

All of our photography was taken by our friends Cindy Benson and Deborah Munyan. You can view more of Deborah’s work here. Here are a few more of my favorites from our special day:

Oh those shoes... Photography By: Deborah Munyan

Photography By: Deborah Munyan

Photography By Deborah Munyan

Roddy's sister Hallie made the most delicious cake with fresh berries. Photography By: Cindy Benson

Yesterday we celebrated the day by exchanging traditional anniversary gifts of leather (more on that in another post), and went to see a really fun new musical that was showing in town about Hans Christian Anderson called My Fairytale.  It was also the first day of meetings here on campus, so it was nice to spend a special night together before the hustle bustle of the school year begins.

Roddy, thank you for for the wonderful life that we share! Looking forward to the years to come!

Peaches waiting their turn to be prepped for freezing!

How to freeze your fruit for best results:

For Berries- Wash fruit if needed, then lay out on a towel to dry off excess water. Once dry, place berries on a cookie sheet, in a single layer, doing your best not to have them overlapping. Freeze. Once frozen, use a spatula to scoop up berries, and transfer into a freezer safe container (ziploc bags or glass jars work well).

For other fruit- Cut up fruit into workable sized pieces that will blend easily or will be a good size for a pie/pancakes/whatever you plan to use them in. From this point on use the cookie sheet method that I mentioned above, and then transfer once frozen as well.

* Placing fruit on a cookie sheet prevents all the fruit from sticking together in a big frozen brick that is impossible to use.

Also- here is a much more detailed site with tips for freezing fruit

Strawberries and mangos just taken out of the freezer

My favorite way to get fresh fruit is picking it myself, but when that is not an option I look for what’s on sale and in season. Also, we like to buy fruit in bulk at warehouse stores like Costco or Sams Club because we can get a lot at a time for a really good price, and since we are freezing them, we know they won’t go bad.

Looking forward to lots of yummy smoothies in the coming days…

Yum

I love light, fluffy, and slightly crispy waffles, but don’t always want to wait forever for my batter to rise using a yeast based recipe. However, after some searching, some trial and error, and substitutions based on things I actually had in my kitchen, Roddy and I have come up with a no yeast waffle recipe that we absolutely love! Here’s the recipe below:

Ingredients:

1  3/4 Cup Flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

3 eggs separated

1 cup rice milk

1 cup buttermilk

4 Tablespoons Melted butter

Directions:

1. Combine dry ingredients

2. In a separate bowl beat egg yolks. Stir in both milks.  Blend in flour mixture until smooth. Stir in melted butter.

3. Beat egg whites in another bowl until stiff peaks form, then fold into batter.

4. Bake in waffle iron until golden brown

For the whipped topping I used a recipe that I originally saw on Pinterest, and can be found from its original source at Nutty Kitchen.The whipped cream topping is SO easy, and 100% dairy free. It is made from the cream that separates in a can of coconut milk.

~George Santayana

Sunflower and Bumblebees in the school's garden

The changing of the seasons evoke a sense of renewal and excitement in me. I love being able to see physical examples of change in my surroundings; how a plant produces a delicate bloom before the scrumptious fruit appears, or how the cold comes before the trees’ leaves change colors and eventually drop to the ground, enriching the soil with vital nutrients. Small changes, and sometimes even a complete metamorphosis are normal, natural, and beautiful. And so for now, I’d like to reflect, and take a moment to cherish the coming end to this summer of bliss.

Golden summer grass up the hill from our house

The seasons that represent my life right now:

• Back to School Season- It’s getting so close!
• House Project Season-Painting, stone wall building, and fixing the wood stove while the weather is still warm
• Pinterest Season- My new online addiction, that is spurring lots of creative ideas and yummy recipes
• Gardening Season- I’ve been enjoying tomatoes and oregano these days :)
• Birthday Season- I turned 26 at the beginning of the month… more than a quarter of a century now!
• Farmers Market Season- Oh the bounty! Stone fruits how I love you!
• Anniversary Season- Roddy and I will celebrate our 3rd wedding anniversary at the end of this month! It is hard to believe, the time has passed by so quickly
• Dry and Dusty Season- I’m pretty sure we haven’t had rain since April
• Goal Making Season- I make “resolutions” at the beginning of school year rather than at the calendar New Year

Roddy hanging out with Scarecrow in the garden

Roddy and I have been blessed with a summer filled with relaxation and free time. It was wonderfully strange to have SO MUCH free time. Living at a boarding school often makes it difficult to have a life outside of work while school is in session. So at the beginning of summer, the idea of having 3 months off, with no obligations and complete privacy, was very welcomed, but a little hard to get used to. But with time, this slow and quiet pace of life has become the norm.

Late summer bounty of sun gold tomatoes from the garden

Amaryllis- also called Pink Ladies or Naked Ladies. It amazes me how these beautiful flowers thrive and grow out of the dry August soil

And now, as August is coming to a close I am embarking on a new season of change. The school’s morning wake up bell is going to start ringing again at 6:45 am… I’ve gotten so used to leisurely mornings that do not include loud repetitive noises. I’ll also begin a new job here at the school. Alongside the nerves and hesitation, I am eagerly looking forward to this new opportunity that life has presented. I am excited to find my niche here, and get back into a schedule. Structure is a good thing; I definitely am a lot more productive when it is a part of my life. So here’s to the wonders of summer and the coming of fall!

Enjoying a summer sunset on the on top of the mountains behind our home

Here is a tiny little benitoite crystal I found on the specimen that I posted further pictures of below. The benitoite is the in-focus light blue crystal (also the blue crystals in the background). The small black things are all neptunite crystals, another rare mineral found at the mine. The neat thing about this crystal is it shows the triangular crystal habit of benitoite far better than anything else I found. This was a difficult picture to take because the crystal is less than a millimeter along each edge.

Benitoite forms along with neptunite and joaquinite (and some other minerals) in natrolite veins within blue schist. The mineral assemblage, as you will see, creates very striking mineral specimens. Benitoite itself is a valuable gem mineral.  Though relatively soft for a gem mineral (not good for wearing on a ring, but great for pendants or earrings) benitoite ranges from colorless to a beautiful violet-blue. Very rarely benitoite can be a pink color and if anyone came here searching for photos, here is the only real reference I can find regarding pink benitoite: http://www.gia.edu/research-resources/gems-gemology/back-issue-archive/spring-1968.pdf.

Here is a picture of my largest gem quality benitoite chunk. I found it inside another specimen that I had to manual break to expose the natrolite. the crystal this came from was not a very nice presentation crystal, so I removed it and got this out of it. The crystal is about 0.4 grams, or 2 carats. Benitoite, when cut, can go for $3000-$6000 per carat.

I could literally go on for hours about the details of this mineral and the other minerals found at the mine, but it would bore most readers, so I will refer you to a few sites that have the information. First is mindat.org, this site is one of my favorite mineral related websites because it lists localities, all the mineral information you could ever want (and then some), and has excellent photos posted by its users.  Here is the mindat data page on Benitoite.

Here is a tiny specimen of joaquinite. Joaquinite is closely related to benitoite but it only appears in small crystals, usually smaller than 1 or 2 mm. This is one of the nicer groupings I found on one of my specimens.

The second piece of information I want to link to is the website for the Gem Mine itself, http://calstategemmine.com. The owner of the mine, Dave, has set up an area on his property to sift and clean material from the mine for a fee. All the necessary information can be found at that website, for those interested. It is well worth the price, I found mineral specimens (scroll down to see them) whose value is well above the cost of going and time spent. As I mentioned, these minerals are highly sought after and very rare.  Usually I don’t like fee digs, I prefer to search on public land and dig directly from the source, but this is a special place.

Here is a collage Kyle made of me digging and sifting for benitoite! You can see the sifting and cleaning tables and the piles of material behind me.

The final website I want to link to before I get on to describing our adventure is a nice website with excellent photos of benitoite as well as the details for preparing benitoite specimens to show off their crystals. Benitoite (blue), neptunite(black), and joaquinite(orange) are all found under a layer of white natrolite so you can’t see the minerals unless you remove the natrolite partially. This is done with Hydrochloric Acid as per the instructions on the website: http://www.benitoite.com/benitoite/index.shtml

This is an image of miniature neptunite (I believe) crystals growing on a joaquinite crystal. This specimen had numerous needlelike crystals of neptunite.

Now, onto our adventure.  Kyle threatened to post pictures of our entire trip, so I’ll restrict this to just our time at the mine.  We arrived at the mine last Saturday, July 2nd at 9:00 am, after camping nearby.  As is usual with these activities I was relentless and Kyle relented regularly. Not that I fully blame her; digging, sifting, and screening in 100+ degree weather is not always considered entertainment.  Dave allows you to take home one quart sized ziploc bag full of your finds.  If you’re searching for free floating crystals, this would be very difficult to fill.  They are very small.  However, if you are looking for the potential mineral specimens, the bag could get full quickly of blue schist and natrolite veins, so picking the most likely ones is important.

This neat little specimen is a trianglular benitoite specimen that is heavily included with crossite(that is why it is hard to see the blue color). It is perched on a small piece of matrix. The crystal is about 3 mm on its side.

The rest of the pictures are of my best specimen.  I found this chunk of material with a nice coating of natrolite across the top and it looked like a good candidate for preparation and removal of natrolite with acid.  These pictures are a glimpse into the time spent making lump of rock into a beautiful mineral specimen.  It didn’t turn out to be the most spectacular specimen, but the natrolite was hiding 13 total benitoite crystals and numerous little black neptunite crystals.

This is the specimen with only light etching with acid, notice the two benitoite crystals that I labeled with arrows.

Here I have etched some of the natrolite away with hydrochloric acid. Notice the black neptunite crystals appearing and the blue benitoite.

Here you can see the continued etching, removing the white natrolite and exposing a large crystal of neptunite, the black.

Here is an image of the specimen sitting in acid. Notice the dark spots under the natrolite which are crystals of neptunite and benitoite underneath.

Another top view of the specimen with continued etching, I have applied paraffin wax around the edges to prevent it from removing all the natrolite. You can see numerous benitoite crystals are now appearing!

As I continued to etch away the natrolite, the large neptunite crysal began to show itself, which is in the blurred foreground. Unfortunately, the end of it broke when I was slowly heating the specimen to remove previous wax. That happens occasionally due to natural fractures in the minerals. Oh well! As you can see, many benitoite crystals are showing themselves, very exciting!

As I neared completion with my etching I decided to take some closeups of some of the crystal groups. You can see the broken end of the large neptunite crystal on the left.

Another angle after finishing the etching.

Thanks for reading!