Season of perpetual motion

This summer seems to be going by at a breakneck pace. GoatFest was a success - we have a freezer full of vacuum sealed goat steaks and roasts, waiting for us to get the hankering to eat meat once again. I may post pictures (nothing gory) once we're back. Yes, back. We are embarking on yet another roadtrip.

This summer seems to be our season of perpetual motion. Sunday we were at the City of Rocks all day. Yesterday we recovered (somewhat). Today we scramble to get last-minute things done around the house because tomorrow we hit the road again, this time for WA.

This trip will be full of family and family events. Not too much bouncing around, but we will have a full 4th of July weekend with wedding festivities galore. I'm looking forward to seeing family, maybe getting in some climbing near Spokane, and finally making the trek back to our wedding location to see if we can find the tree we planted. Good stuff. Photos will be posted sometime...eventually...after things calm down. Say, September?

Never a dull moment

I seem to have a knack for getting myself into big projects. Stuff that I may not necessarily have the time or energy for, but which I'd really like to try - often with the excuse of "if I don't do it now, when will I get the chance again?"

Such is the case with the next impending project: The Great Backyard Goat Butchering of '09.

Yes, you read that right. Sometime soon, possibly this evening, a pair of dead goats will be delivered to our house. I will then butcher them, reducing them to pretty little piles to go in our freezer.

Why is this a big deal? Because I've never really butchered anything before. Neither has J. The closest I've come is either A) cutting up whole chickens, or B) my human anatomy/human dissection teaching experience. I think my prior experiences will be useful, but this will definitely be new for me. So I've been reading books, online articles, blog tutorials... anything I can find to figure out how to do this. I think I know by now, but I guess we'll see once the time comes. Wish me luck!

Waterplay

It began so innocently, just wanting to touch the water.

Sleeves got wet, so the jacket came off. Splashing continued.

Then the sandals came off.

Before we knew it, she was in.

She seemed to be enjoying herself, so we let her play.

One soggy kid and a change of clothes later, no one would know how much fun a toddler had just had in the CalTech Gene Pool.

Nympheaceae (water lilies)

Some photos of water lilies from a pond at CalTech.

Same photo stylized with Photoshop.

Same photo stylized with Photoshop.

Tuckered out

The after-effects of a day spent at the beach playing in sand, listening to music, and eating one messy ice cream cone.


Sometimes it's tough to be a kid.

Cali pics, part 1

In lieu of a post of substance, I present photos from our recent whirlwind trip to California.


Doodle with her Great-Grandma May. Me, 22 weeks pregnant (please ignore the blurriness and double-chin. Those really only happen in photos. Really.).


Doodle, J, and Great-Grandpa playing.


Doodle being cute, with strawberries on her face. Luring in the turtles at CalTech.


Giggling uncontrollably at Auntie H and bubbles. Group photo at the turtle pond.