And the fun begins....

First salmon of the summer.....
MMMMM MMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!
I think my love for my husband just grew exponnentially.....
(just kidding honey....though those omega 3's do carry a very delicious addition to our great life here....)

Early June 2010...

June 6th, to be exact, at the ranch....
looks like this...
A happy boy sporting his "mosquito" hat , (the only way his poor vulnerable head doesn't get eaten alive...)
And our flowering broccoli immediately follows...(yes, despite the absolute deluge of rain, our broccoli decided to flower on us...before we got to indulge in the beautiful green crowns...uggh...)
And further down, notice our ginormous heads of cabbage and endless supply of oak leaf lettuce...yum!
And, still further down we have our row of potatoes, (still early yet,), our early cauliflower, and our endless spinach, artichokes, and strawberries...

It's still looking a lot like spring here despite the calenday moving into mid JUNE!!! YES you heard me, June...
We had 2 inches of rain last week and I feel like we're living in a rainforest of sorts. But, variety is the spice of life is it not? Despite some moldy strawberries, and some late summer veggies, (namely the tomatoes, eggplants, summer squash, etc that have yet to see our dirt...)and the super high and blown river flows, we are tolerating the rainy early summer quite well.
But, the rain dance CAN stop...
Please...
I think even our frogs have had enough...:-)

A lost mind...

It has been one of those months...the one where you seemingly loose all your important valuables, one after another!
It's actually been humanity helping me do the "loosing". 3 weeks ago my car keys were lifted from the cream and sugar table at a cafe where my bestie Myra and I were filling our need for caffeine. Yes, I mistakenly left them at the cream and sugar table, and then preceeded to sit down at a table 5 feet away. Realizing my mistake 5 minutes later, was too late. Someone had lifted my keys!
REALLY?
According to the locksmith this is actually common. Those of us with key "remotes" are constantly being ripped off, with the "remotes" then being sold on ebay for $100 a pop. $220 later I got a new key and was on my way...only to have my wallet stolen from my car in my work parking lot...
YES
my work parking lot.
BOLD....
yes.
Stupid of me to leave my car door unlocked.
Yes.
Still, my car is in my sights and someone had emptied my glove box, center console, and the backseats in search of their treasure, only to find my wallet.
Uggh.
About 1/2 dozen, (at least) calls to credit card companies later, all is well.
But shit, damn, hell.
Is this done yet?
I guess, all is well, no $ was stolen, and other than the cost of my new car key, I've only learned lessions from this string of robbery.
1) Can you say SPARE key....as in one you can actually find that is at least SOMEWHAT nearby where your car may be?
2) Those keys are used for a reason, as in LOCKS are a good thing....
3) I am a FIRM believer that things do NOT have to happen in three's

*cross your fingers with me people....*

SUN!!!

And strawberries,
and artichokes,
and spinach and swiss chard,
and a DAY OFF!!!
a HEALTHY Forrest!
a day of bike riding and relaxation,
and good beer and great neighbors
and an Aunt Megan....

Enough said...:-)

Fat Lip Fulton

Poor Forrest's first blood and guts story. A hyper, hurried, and VERY happy baby mind you meets his match with our stone kitchen floor....OUCH!
Forrest has taken to finding and LOVING trinkets from the outside. Sticks, stones, acorns, you name it, he's got it in his fist. And.....he loves to run with these treasures in his fists, which obviously limits his "catching" capabilities, (the little skills a one year old has...)
And, poor little Forrest tripped, face planted, and had his front tooth pierce his lip....DOUBLE OUCH!
But, a mouth full of blood later, some ooos and ahhhhs from the parents later, and all was good, as his mama has learned that lacerations inside the mouth heal dramatically fast, no stitches needed.

THANK GOODNESS!!!! Enjoy my fat lipped snotty faced but thankfully beautifully healing baby...:-)

Freezing spring and other thoughts

Rain, rain, and more rain. This spring is WET! And COLD! This household is ready for the hot and steamy summer temps...and yes, I know, before I can send this into cyber space the 90+ degree heat will be around the corner. But, when your HIGH is 49 and Memorial Day is next weekend, the OFFICIAL kick off to summer, it just doesn't feel right. I think our garden broccoli is the only happy camper...it is "broccolling" up a storm, getting ready for our bellys!
Mr. Forrest is lamenting in the crappy weather as well. He's got his 4th cold in as many months, and I do believe he has been a sick kiddo more days than well. I guess I can thank daycare for that. This most recent bug brought us the croupy barking seal cough and all the snot along with it. His little immune system I'm sure is on over drive, as he also recently had his 1 year vaccinations...but other than that, he is wonderful, starting to imitate and perhaps even talk, and is as active as ever. He's pushing through his molars and grinds his teeth on occasion, drives us up the wall! And he has got an arm on him! The kid can throw just about anything more accurately and farther than most...just remember to duck!

Hi favorite foods, garden fresh STRAWBERRIES!!!!! (we've got tons!) and farm fresh eggs, (we've also got tons!) Makes feeding him easy...or at least easier...
His most recent stats, at 14 mos...22 lbs, 30 inches tall. And still has a huge head.
Here he is playing on the front steps in our showery weather with my trusty stead...a future rider?

Lupin Land....

Mother's Day on the ranch, what more can you ask for?

Mother's Day...

Today I hurt. My back, my butt, my neck is crinked, my right ankle is sore for some reason, and of course the legs, oh the legs...and it is a great day, a great weekend! Yesterday I had a blast...waking up at 5:00 a.m., loading my bike and gear, and driving down to Ferndale to ride in the Tour Of the Unknown Coast. I succeeded in riding farther than I thought I would be able to, climb more vertical feet than I normally would have cared to, and achieved the bliss a rider does while riding through redwood trees with a fast paceline topping speeds you wouldn't top while alone.
The ride ended with me hurting, a lot. And also grinning ear to ear with accomplishment. This is most likely my last long ride of my 20's, my longest ride ever as a mama, and well, it was just a kick ass kind of day.
I drove home to arrive to a quiet house, a napping baby, and a husband who was stoked at the wonderful day HE had with his son.
I don't think it can get much better than this, do you?
So, on this mother's day, yes I hurt, but I also had the pleasure of eating smoked salmon on bagels with Larrupin sauce, drinking some great coffee, and having my little boy climb into my lap, and give me a huge hug.
That last part is really what it's all about...

Bok Choi anyone?

Dinning with Forrest has been a pleasure lately, a full blown food flying, temper tantrum, chewed food spitting pleasure. Our little angel eater that would literally gobble down anything you put in front of him has left the building and in his place is a VERY stubborn, testy, toddler. We used to be able to feed him loads or home grown, organic, loved, fruits and veggies, and now we're lucky if he doesn't chuck it back at us.
So, bring on the bok choi.
A vegetable that is currently plentiful here in our spring Fultmeyer garden.
Known well in asian stirfrys, soups, perhaps lightly steamed with a bit of seasame oil???
Yeah, not exactly baby food.
So, in the full mama effort to be sure her baby is eating SOMETHING green,
SOMETHING without processed whatchamacallits,
SOMETHING with good, brain growing vitamins,
SOMETHING that isn't baby puffs, baby cereal bars, applesauce, or milk/juice,
she has created the PERFECT toddler food, (and I'm absolutely certain this is my idea SOLELY...:-)

 Introduce, Annie's Organic Mac and Cheese, found conveniently at Costco, (yeah, I know, not exactly local, small box store...) and tons of bok choi. Add in a little left over pureed baby peas Forrest won't touch on their own, plus or minus some cottage cheese or chicken pureed up for extra protein and you've got yourself a well rounded baby meal.
The KEY is to puree all ingredients EXCEPT the mac and cheese.
As Forrest will tell you he LOVES to feed himself those tasty noodles, (with the hidden nutrient rich sauce/veggies that he will never know about...hehe....)

So, that's my one baby meal secret. Now it's your turn to share....I'm all ears as I'm sure the mac and cheese idea will get old quick, everything seems too.....

The Mom-ster!!!

Thanks Sis-Aunt for the box of goodies! Nat is the BOMB... diddley! Forrest thinks so too...