IdyDi Inklings

Down By a Third

2012-01-26T14:49:00.000-08:00

Chessie, down to 62 pounds

If you've been keeping up with the Chessie weight-loss saga (and if you read my blog regularly, you couldn't help BUT; if not, see July 25/Rest in Peace and forward), I'm proud to announce that she has now lost a total of 28 pounds since I got her in July.

Watching a doggie fat farm piece on Good Morning America this am prompted me to take her for a weigh-in—her first in quite a while. Although I've upped her daily ration a bit and we occasionally skip our runs on bad-weather days, she continues to drop weight—albeit more slowly than when we were in full-fledged workout mode. So to the dogs whose owners pay the big buck to trim down their overweight pets, really—there's no need. Simple exercise and laying off the overfeeding will do it for free. Congrats, girl! :-)

Warmish + Sunny = Playground

2011-12-31T14:29:00.000-08:00

Even after his first haircut, Lincoln still has those curls!

After Lincoln patiently sat in his car seat while I shot photos this morning, we stopped at the playground for some stretching, climbing & running. Then we had some lunch at McD's and came home to wind down for a while. Fun times for Grandma Diane!

Christmas Greetings!

2011-12-16T18:31:00.000-08:00

Kristin (32) with Keilyn (7) and Chano (15)—Livin' in Texas

Melanie (31) with Greg and Jeffrey (5 on Christmas Day) and Grace (3)—Camas WA

Lauren (28) and Mike—St Louis MO

Lyanne (22) with Lincoln (21 months) & Loren—Moscow ID

Annette (21)—St Louis MO

Me with Grace & Jeffrey on the family tree chopping field trip

The 2011 Rice Family Christmas Letter:

Wishing God’s choicest blessings for you and yours as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and look forward to a new year with hope and anticipation. It’s been a whirlwind year—lots

of travel, lots of fun, some sorrows, but mostly joy and thankfulness for all the blessings received.

Kristin (32), sadly, lost ectopic triplets this year. But happily, she graduated from cosmetology school in Fort Worth and despite the economy, quickly found a job as a stylist near her new home

in Kyle, Texas. Perhaps especially when times are hard, women always want to look good! Keilyn LOVES her new school, and Chano is growing up so fast I can hardly keep up. Thank goodness for Facebook and a grandson who’s not embarrassed to “friend’ his Grandma Diane!

Melanie (31) & Greg’s big accomplishment this fall was painting their house in Camas, Washington. It looks great—even more so now that it’s decked out with blankets of white Christmas lights! I’ve been fortunate to be able to visit them several times this year, & they came here in August to camp with me at Dworshak Dam nearby. Jeffrey loves dinosaurs, Cars, Thomas the Train, superheroes and Wild Kratts. Grace loves Super Why, Rapunzel & my Brittney Spaniel, Chessie. Both love preschool.

Lauren (28) is perpetually overwhelmed, working full time for Brown Shoe Co near her home in University City, Missouri, while earning her MBA from University of Florida. She has about 16 months to go in school. She also enjoys spending time with her Little Sister. Mike’s painting business is booked solid, & he enjoys watching & talking sports while Lauren’s busy with school.

Lyanne (22) is still in Moscow. She’s head of security—all 5 feet 4 inches of her—at a gaming spot nearby, where Loren also works. Lincoln just (Nov 30) got all his baby curls cut off. He’s a happy little guy, and now he can even see! Hahaha.

Annette (21) moved east from Portland this year. She stopped at Kristin’s in Fort Worth, then moved on to stay w/Lauren & Mike ‘til she gets established. She works for Famous Footwear (maintaining the family shoe biz tradition!) and also as a waitress, & plans to go back to school in the fall.

I was able to travel to Vero Beach, Florida, to visit my brother Al and his wife Jody, and my older brother Harry joined us from Wisconsin. We had a great time seeing the sights—Kennedy Space Center, Jensen Beach Farmers Market, Elliott Museum & House of Refuge in Stuart, McKee Botanical Garden in Vero Beach, Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse (and Jupiter Island where all the celebrities live), Blowing Rocks Preserve and Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, And all that—plus shopping and a movie—in one week! Maybe we aren’t as old as we sometimes think. :-)

In the sadness department, I lost my beloved collie/Aussie, Finley, to lymphoma in June. But about

a month later, I adopted a grossly overweight spaniel, who has patiently suffered a restricted-calorie diet and progressively longer walks as my “project.” In the process, she’s lost more than 20 pounds and has gone from couch potato to quail flusher extraordinaire. It’s a joy to see her loving life.

I finished my dental hygiene prereqs but didn’t make the cut for the program’s limited spaces, so am doing some freelance writing, editing and photography. (See www.DianeRicePhotos.com and YourWordNerd.blogspot.com, and my Facebook pages.) Life is good.

So there you have it: The year on one page. Hope your year has been as memorable. Have a wonderful Christmas and a joyous and prosperous New Year!

Frolic in the Fog

2011-12-16T18:05:00.000-08:00

These geese don't usually picnic here; the fog must have fooled them into thinking they were safe. The photo is deceiving—the flock was HUGE.

Enter Chessie the Wonderdog, stage right.

Civil unrest

Hahaha—Got ’em!

THAT was fun!

You're probably getting sick of my Chessie posts. Sorry! It seems Facebook has become my blog of sorts; I don't usually think to re-post photos here. But now that Chessie's down to less than 70 pounds, I can't help but be ecstatic that she's able to run for MILES! Just a few months ago she could barely walk ONE mile. :-)

Gettin' in the mood—for fall

2011-10-09T13:48:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but I had a REALLY hard time getting in the swing of fall this year. Maybe it's because summer hung on until just this past week. And who can complain about that?! (NOT me!)

So I devised a recipe to use my garden bounty and also to bring some of that fall color into the house to put me in an autumn state of mind. Here it is. Tasty and good for you, too. Use it as an accompaniment, or use it as an entree. Either works. A good hunk of buttered garlic bread goes really well with it, and add a sliced or quartered tomato or a green salad for those extra vitamins your body needs.

Now, bring on those fall leaves!

Diane’s Butternut Squash Mélange

1 whole butternut squash

1 large yellow onion

1 cup rice, uncooked

1 15-oz can black beans

1 sprig fresh rosemary

EVOO

Salt and pepper

Butter

· Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Add 1 Tbsp butter to each depression and roast face down in the oven on small foil-lined baking sheet at 350 degrees for 1 hr. or ’til firm-tender.

· Peel and chop the onion, place in pyrex pie pan, drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper, and roast in the oven, along with the squash, for about ½ hr.

· Cook the rice in 2 c water and 1 Tbsp butter, with rosemary laid on top, for 20 min.

· Open and drain the black beans.

· Peel the squash, discard skin, and cut the “meat” into bite-size pieces. Combine in large pan with roasted onions. Cook briefly to caramelize ’til the mixture gets a little brown.

· Add the rice (discard rosemary stem) and beans, turn whole mixture into a casserole dish. Bake about 20 min.

From couch potato to quail flusher

2011-09-24T16:30:00.000-07:00


Chessie, 76 pounds

What a joy it is to see Chessie go from a 90-pound blob on the floor to an energetic—if a bit arthritic—bouncy dog who's eager to chase squirrels and flush quail from the weed patch along our walk route. I'm sure she enjoyed life at the food bowl, but I'd venture to say she enjoys her active life tons more. It sure does MY heart good.

The Amazing Shrinking Dog

2011-09-06T11:08:00.000-07:00


"What is it with you and that annoying camera??" says Chessie

As you can see from the photo above and those in earlier posts, Chessie—although still overweight—has dropped an impressive 10 pounds since I got her about 2 months ago. She's actually starting to show a real "waistline"! (Wish I could say the same for myself!) Ten of her original 90 pounds have dropped off, and she's joyfully romping on walks (which are now squirrel- and bird-chasing RUNS!). It's so heartwarming to see her enjoying life as a pseudo-athlete rather than playing doorstop!

The Dog Formerly Known As Fat Girl

2011-08-19T20:07:00.000-07:00

My workout buddy, Chessie

Chessie at 90 lbs (Yes, her former owners really called her Fat Girl.)

For your formal introduction to Chessie, my new "woman's best friend," please see my July 25 post.

Since then, we've walked once or twice a day, anywhere from 1–3 miles each jaunt. Weigh-in #1 at adoption-day-plus-2-weeks revealed a 4-lb loss for Chessie: from 90 to 86 pounds. Chessie's weigh-in today, 2 weeks later: down to 84 lbs! (Note: a "normal" female Brittney spaniel should weigh 30–40 lbs!)

As I feared (because my brother had a Springer Spaniel named Murphy who'd run for what seemed like an hour, come back to the house, plop down and pant for 5 minutes, then be off again at full steam for another hour), regular exercise has turned this portly girl from a lagger-behinder/panter to a gung-ho puller who can take a 2 1/2-mile walk and still be out in front. Seriously, the first day I got her, she was panting so hard and walking so slow after 1 mile that I was afraid she'd have a heart attack; I thought I might have to tie her to a tree and go get the car to take her home!

So now I've felt the need to invest in a Gentle Leader (head harness) to keep her from charging on ahead at the end of her leash. Anyone have experience with them? I'm excited to teach the old girl the meaning of moderation. And I'm excited to chart my own fitness progress too. Chessie and I still have a long way to go 'til we reach goal, but we're enjoying the journey.

Ade's wedding

2011-08-09T21:35:00.000-07:00

Bridesmaids and flower girls, groom Brad at the right

Ade and Mel

My daughter Melanie's group of high school friends has stayed close even though they've migrated to different parts of the country. So Adrienne's wedding this past weekend was almost like a class reunion. Fun times for them, and fun times for Grandma Diane! The wedding was beautiful, as were the bride and her attendants. And the venue, Red Barn Farms in Colton WA, was the perfect setting for the country theme.

Family campout

2011-08-09T21:20:00.000-07:00

Grandma Diane with Jeffrey (4 1/2) & Gracelyn (almost 3)

Melanie, Grace, Greg & Jeffrey

Mmmmmmmarshmallows

Melanie & Greg were nice enough to include me in their annual family campout this year. Dworshak State Park is only about an hour from home (for me, that is) yet is like another world. Its typical North Idaho scenic beauty—pine-covered mountains, clear blue skies and sparkling water—starkly contrasts with Lewiston's desert-y tan terrain.

The kids caught enough fish for more than one meal, and we swam, played and just plain relaxed. Ahhhh! Thanks for the vacation!

Can I just say, I LOVE SUMMER!?

2011-07-25T15:27:00.000-07:00

Homegrown breakfast: eggs by Reba, one of my Rhode Island Reds;

veggies by my garden.

(OK, bread by the store. No one's perfect!)

The missing link

2011-07-25T15:17:00.000-07:00

The week of July 4, I drove out to Melanie's again. With all the travels of this summer, it was looking like Lauren would be the one daughter I wouldn't get to spend time with. But thanks to her employer, Brown Shoe Co., she was able to schedule a work trip to Olympia WA. I drove out to Mel's on the 3rd with Lyanne and Lincoln. On the 4th, we celebrated Independence Day with Mel's in-laws: tons of food and the traditional July 4 Blue Lake Boat Parade.

The Johnsons' annual boat parade theme: Snoopy

We all met in Centralia WA, on the 9th, and spent the day picnicking and sitting by the river with the kids. Again, the 3 Fs—food and fun with family.

Grace, soon to be 3

Jeffrey—a rare smiling and looking at the camera shot

Lincoln (16 mo) & Lyanne

Lyanne, me, Lauren and Melanie
Photo by Greg

Rest in peace

2011-07-25T14:57:00.000-07:00

Finley McDougall O'Rice

Yesterday marked one month since Finley left for that Great Dog House in the Sky. He was one of the great ones, and I miss him terribly. I loved how he'd trot alongside me, sticking his muzzle into my hand to be rubbed. I loved how he'd step so gently onto my lap with his front paws when I was sitting on the couch. And he was an unparalleled hand-shaker.

It was hard to think about a new dog, but a week ago, fate led me to Chessie (who, sadly, was called Fat Girl—for obvious reasons—a mature female Brittney Spaniel should weigh 30-40 lbs. The vet's scale read NINETY on Thursday).

Chessie (The Dog Formerly Known as Fat Girl)

We've been walking at least 2 miles twice a day and her cardio capacity is steadily increasing. Hopefully we can both shed some pounds.

One busy week

2011-07-25T14:37:00.000-07:00

Dateline—Portland (really, Camas WA)

June 7— Greg's birthday: Happy 34th, you old man!

And BTW, that was one yummy strawberry cheesecake!

June 11—Although the cake says 5, Jeffrey's really 4 1/2.

He shares a birthday with Jesus, so parties in the summer.

Jeffrey aka superhero Iron Man, and his superhero birthday cake,

made by Mom.

Can I just say his mom, Melanie, is her own kind of superhero? One party for hubby Greg and 2 parties for Jeffrey (one friends; one family) all in the same week? And she wasn't even done. Read on:

June 12—Melanie ran/biked/swam her first Olympic triathlon.
OMGosh, it makes me tired just thinking about it!

Truly a great week.

Feelin' Dizzy

2011-07-25T14:12:00.000-07:00

Wilson Arch, Utah—Me n Annette

Dove Creek, Colorado area

Self-explanatory :-)

Finally—yet still quite a way to go

This summer has been a whirlwind of visits and fun, and I've been able to see all five of my girls and all five of my grandkids. I call that success!

I started out picking Annette up in Portland OR and driving with her out to Kristin's in Fort Worth TX. Long trip? Yes, but I love a road trip and we had a great time.

We stayed with our friends Jodi and Trevor in Burley ID the first night—thanks for awesome hospitality—and were able to visit with Jodi's mom Gail and sister/family too.

The second day we played tourist in Moab UT. That night we made it to Dove Creek CO, and to Fort Worth on the third night. After a great visit—pool time, awesome Silvio BBQ, meeting my new "grandpup" Tobey Keith, etc.—I flew back to Melanie's (Portland) and stayed for Greg's birthday and Jeffrey's half-birthday (see my next post). Talk about some miles! And talk about some smiles. :-)

Grandpup Tobey Keith—what a cutie!

Speaking of a cutie, Keilyn, age 7

Keilyn (7), Kristin aka Chipper, Chano (15)

My youngest, Annette—soon to be 21!

Family reunions

2010-08-11T13:00:00.000-07:00

Lyanne and Lincoln, Melanie and Grace, Annette, Lauren and Jeffrey, Kristin

It seems with my involvement in Facebook and email, I've let my blogging slip. So for those of you who don't do FB, here are the pics from my recent trip to the Oregon coast with all five of my lovely and wonderful daughters (no prejudice here), and three of my five grandkids.

We had an awesome time! Did a 5K race on the beach, went out for burgers, ate, and and ate some more (duh!), and just plain enjoyed each other for nearly a week. I can't think of a better way to make this mom / grandma happy!

Little Lincoln Jay

2010-03-15T18:08:00.000-07:00

He's two weeks early but he's here and healthy! He went home from the hospital today--happy news for Lyanne, who went home yesterday. As you can see, Grandma Diane is tickled with grandchild #5!

Mid-January catchup

2010-01-16T11:25:00.000-08:00

Gracie in her Christmas tutu

Jeffrey shares a birthday with Jesus. ;-)

Jeffrey (no further description needed!)

Melanie with her traditional Swarovsky ornament

Annette and her squeeze, Dylan

Greg, post-toy-assembly LOL

Gracelyn Diane with her new Christmas kitty

At Greg's parents' house: Aunt Perp, Mike, Lynne and Serena

My road warrior Finley

Wow! Here it is January 16 already, and I'm just now posting my Christmas photos! I had a great time with Melanie and family and Annette in Camas, WA. Fun times and great memories!

Visit this link to see the whole album! http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=35444&id=1614109749&page=6

Havin' a (bowling) ball

2009-11-17T15:23:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, I forgot to include one of Layla, and Blogger is "Last in/first out"—I really don't love the Chi-weenie more than I love my kids and grandkids! LOL (But it's close—she's a cutie!)

Chano, Keilyn and Kristin, my fave of our recent visit. Ain't they all just so cute?? ;-)

Chano's an ace skater—as you can see, he can skateboard, text and chew on a toothpick—plus talk to Grandma Diane, all at the same time! ;-)

This sequence was taken on Keilyn's first-ever stab at bowling. She did an awesome job, and came out with a pretty decent score! She's such a cutie, and I had a great time getting to know her better! Here's to more-frequent visits in the future!

Fair weekend

2009-09-20T08:16:00.001-07:00

I learned that this is a Phoenix, and his official color is silver.

Do you think Bossy is listening to her pen-mates down the row—kind of like playing telephone with cups and a string?

Muscle, muscle, muscle. Youth ag groups exercise the brain and the brawn.

Showmanship requires skill and gumption—the object is to keep your animal in front of the judge and show off its best qualities.

The third weekend in September marks the onset of Latah County's fair. Kids and their families set up camp at the fairgrounds a week ahead of time to care for the animals they've raised "from a pup," as the saying goes. I love what 4-H and FFA do for kids. No matter where a child's interests lie, there's a class for them to learn specifics for that subject, and life skills as a whole.

My second oldest daughter, Melanie, was into sewing and made the cutest hot pink and lime green skirt for her project when she was about 10. A few years later she crafted a fabric-covered photo album. Lyanne, second youngest, was (and still is!) a dog lover, so she showed two dogs in obedience and showmanship, and served as teen leader.

Kudos to all those kids, leaders, parents and support people involved with the fair! It's a ton of work but your efforts truly do pay off. The learning experience is incredible—for everyone.

Peas in my pod

2009-09-13T06:50:00.000-07:00

Kristin with Keilyn in leadline class

Kristin in saddle seat

Kristin posted these yesterday from the NWPAHA Summer Classic Show. She just started competing in saddle seat this summer, and looks like she's lovin' it. Keilyn, of course, just eats up anything horsey--just like her grandma. They both definitely share my DNA!

The report is that the (farm) team is doing great! More classes today...

Jeffrey's first day of preschool

2009-09-09T09:21:00.000-07:00

J-Man

Yesterday Melanie posted a note on her Facebook page about Jeffrey's first day of preschool. I thought it was so cute and touching that I wanted to share. So here it is in her words:

"Today was Jeffrey's first day of Preschool. He woke up asking about it. We made his favorite breakfast of fried eggs and toast with jam, then spent some time watching a new favorite movie.

We had to switch his car seat to the driver's side so he can be easily retrieved from the car by the teachers as we pull up to the 'Kiddie Drive Thru.' It is so convenient to just drive up and the teachers get him out and put him back in. They also check for his name badge to match the parent badge in the car. Very safe.

We parked in the lot today so I could walk him in and take pics. He was excited to see Karina, one of his good buddies and they discussed their backpacks—hers has pink hearts and his has blue designs. They held hands and walked to the doors and inside...I said 'bye and he was off to a new world.

I returned at pick-up time and the teachers brought him to the door. It was great to see him happy with a big smile. I was nervous because he does not spend a lot of time away from me. I asked him what he learned and said "A song, Hokey Pokey." He also said he cried but "That's okay because I am 2." [insert Big Grandma Grin here] On the way home he wanted to sit with his backpack in sight and had to get it out of the car when we got home too; so independent."

First catch

2009-09-07T17:51:00.001-07:00

Jeffrey's first-ever fish!

Gracie can't wait for her turn with the fishin' pole ;-)

Lauren, Diane, Annette & Finley at Melanie's

Jeffrey was thrilled to catch his first fish last weekend at Spirit Lake, where we spent the weekend at Melanie and Greg's friend Kelly's cabin. It was gorgeous, and a fun weekend for me after also spending a couple days with Lauren and Annette in the Portland area at Melanie's (Lauren had a work trip there, but Melanie had already made plans to be gone for the week!) So we made the most of less-than-optimal timing.

What's a Chi-weenie?

2009-09-07T17:47:00.001-07:00

Meet Layla, Kristin's new puppy. She's a Chihuahua-Dachshund cross -- isn't she cute?!? She traveled all the way from Florida to her new home in Pennsylvania; her sister lives down the street with Kristin's friend.

School days

2009-09-07T17:42:00.001-07:00

I can't believe Chano is 13!

Keilyn's first day of kindergarten

Here are my Pennsylvania grandkids. Luciano is a big 8th grader this year, and Keilyn's just getting started. This photo cracked me up -- her backpack is about as big as she is! But she loves it, so what else matters??

Birthday fun in June

2009-09-07T17:20:00.000-07:00

Granddaughter Gracie at Jeffrey's half-birthday in June

Jeffrey couldn't resist a preliminary taste!

I can't believe I've let so much time pass since my last post! Here are some pics of the grandkids to keep you up to date! Jeffrey's 2 1/2; Gracelyn Diane will be 1 in October.

Enlarging the family

2009-04-27T08:48:00.000-07:00

The Elves Manor carriage house where we stayed. Charm, convenience and comfort. Thanks, innkeepers Harold and Karen Karabell, for a wonderful week! Visit http://elvesmanor.wordpress.com/

The St. Louis Zoo is THE most awesome zoo I've ever been to.
Very little concrete, and you can get SO close-up to the animals.
Plus, my grandson Jeffrey absolutely flipped for the little train we all got to ride
(he's a total Thomas fan!). Handing the tickets to the conductor was magical for him!

Michelle doing Mike's sister Kelsey's hair.

And, the happy couple. Congratulations, Lauren & Mike! We love you!

I got back from a wonderful week in St. Louis yesterday. I arrived last Monday evening, and spent the week in this great carriage house with most of the family (highly recommended if you're traveling and want an extra-special place to kick back and relax!).
Tuesday we went to the Gateway Arch, of course
(see more pics at my biz blog, DianeRicePhotos.blogspot.com).
Wednesday we took the kids to the zoo. It's an absolute must-do if you visit St. Louis with kids—totally FREE (well, not totally—there IS that zoo food...), and it took us about 4 hours to navigate completely. A perfect day trip.
Thursday we did the wedding flowers and then went for manicures and pedicures. Fun stuff!
Friday was the wedding, so it started out with wedding hair (10 heads by my fabulous niece, Michelle, who has her own shop in Stevens Point WI, and who worked 'til 8pm the night before, then drove the 8 hours with her husband Brody (who designed and made Lauren and Mike's rings—visit www.BrodyDesigns.com) and their two kids, Mark & Alaena, and was amazingly bright and cheerful for the marathon hair-a-thon!
The wedding was incredible, held outdoors at the Larimore House plantation. Perfect weather (low 80s) and an all-around perfect day.
Saturday morning we attended a brunch hosted by Mike's mom Judy and step-dad Larry, then went to a local park for a picnic with all the remaining guests. Again, great weather and great people. We're so happy to have enlarged our family with so many nice folks!
Sunday it was off to the airport early, and home about 2:30 pm.
Today I took off to relax and do some "homework" (mow the grass...)
A fabulous week. Thanks, Lauren & Mike!

Easter fun

2009-04-13T22:55:00.000-07:00

What fun! Gracelyn's first Easter, and Melanie & Greg's first Easter in their new home. Gracie's wearing her bunny ears, and Jeffrey's trying to keep the golden eggs from falling out of basket #1. He soon moved on to filling Gracie's as well.

It was a fun weekend and a great party. The house looks awesome! The before and after photos—OMHeck! An amazing difference. I wish I had a log of the hours of work they've put into the house. Total facelift. Total success!

Finley McDougal O'Rice

2009-02-21T19:16:00.000-08:00

Did you ever set out with specific goals and completely change horses midstream? Finley, above, is a prime example. I set out for the Humane Society last week to find a short-haired female dog, and came home with this long-haired lover boy. The connection was just there, simple as that. It was meant to be. He's the embodiment of Lassie: gentle, calm and perfectly mannered. I couldn't have asked for more if I'd put in an order with that great friend-finder in the sky. Maybe, deep down in my heart, I did.

It's final—at last!

2009-02-04T18:47:00.000-08:00

My brother's Golden Doodle, "Taffy" - what a sweetheart.

I admit it took longer than I anticipated, but it's been a fun and worthwhile learning experience creating and launching my new web site and business, Diane Rice Photography, which you can find at www.DianeRicePhotos.com.

I invite you to visit. I offer portraits by appointment-- engagement, bridal, family, baby, pet, passport and senior/yearbook. I also offer a wide selection of local-flavor photos that you can buy for yourself or a loved one as a memento of a particular place or event (think -- Where did I get engaged? Where did we have our first date? You get the picture!).

My focus, since I live here, is the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest: Moscow Idaho, Pullman Washington and the surrounding area.

But as I travel I love to shoot images that inspire me. So you'll find Albuquerque New Mexico and Saratoga Springs New York photos on the site, and I'll add to those as time passes.

Visit my biz blog at http://dianericephotos.blogspot.com/ to get a feel for the places I've shot. There you'll find articles that describe some of the locations, and low-rez versions of some of the images I offer at my web site, in my shopping cart.

Take care -- and remember to keep it snappy!
;-)

preparing to launch

2008-12-20T16:14:00.000-08:00

Holy pixel Batman! I've been loving photography all my life, and enjoying it as part of my duties at work for the past 11 years. So I figure I should be developing my own business!

Right now you can visit my blog at http://dianericephotos.blogspot.com/, and soon you'll be able to visit my new web site at www.dianericephotos.com!

I've replaced my film SLR with a great Nikon digital (my Christmas present to myself!) and am having a blast experimenting with it and documenting Moscow and University of Idaho sights and attractions.

Check out my location and portrait samples at http://dianericephotos.blogspot.com/ ! And if you have any photo needs, call me!

Namesake

2008-11-06T18:16:00.000-08:00

Here she is: Gracelyn Diane, my new granddaughter, born Oct. 26, 2008 (3:37 pm, 7 lb 9 oz, 19 1/2 inches), exactly one month after my mother passed away. I know they had a great time together in that short time!

You can see that Gracie's big brother Jeffrey isn't too sure about little sis. Melanie says when she's holding Gracie, Jeffrey will say, "Baby--Daddy" so Daddy will take her and he can have mom all to himself. Yes, he IS going through that clingy, crying time that all kids experience at around 18-24 months of age. Separation anxiety. Yikes, I remember it drove me nuts! I couldn't even go to the bathroom without being the subject of a major meltdown. Glad those days are over for me -- I'm just Grandma now -- fun city!

So tomorrow I leave for Vancouver WA to visit for the first time since Gracie arrived. It'll be a week of pure enjoyment!

Labor Day grandma time

2008-09-04T20:29:00.000-07:00

Aunt 'Net & Jeffrey

Jeffrey and Annette's legs on the play structure at Friendship Square

Annette, Melanie & (Soon to be introduced)

Grandma time is great! Melanie and Jeffrey arrived Friday about 4:30 and we started the weekend by introducing the little man to the horses at the Appaloosa Horse Club. (They weren't too cooperative, refused to come to the fence to be petted.) Greg followed later in the (now Annette's) Alero.

Now she's a one-car, one-scooter woman. Annette's two-wheeled transport arrived August 22, and it's cuter than cute! Plus it gets like 80 miles to the gallon. Awesome!

Il Bella!

Saturday morning Mel and I went yard saling. Bargains! We found a white plastic patio table and two chairs for Jeffrey, which I'll happily store until they find a house. Along with their dog. :-) Also found a big toy castle with "guys," as Jeffrey calls them. What a cutie! And Mel bought some pans and utensils for camping, and I bought some blue cloth shopping bags so I can be a little more "green."

After we exhausted the yard sale list (carefully cut from the newspaper and taped in route order!), we picked up Greg and Jeffrey and hit the Farmers Market. It was super crowded but Jeffrey still managed to get in a few slide runs and throw some coins into the fountain before we went home to grill steaks. YUM.

Sunday I went to church while everyone else got showered, and then we went back to the play structure and fountain for some play time. Melanie and Greg went out for dinner later, and I got some alone time with Jeffrey. We had a blast reading and playing and doing puzzles! Greg and Mel brought a video back and we watched that and ate ice cream. We're nothing if not food lovers!

As all good things, Monday brought an end to the visit. I spent most of the day in Diane Down Time, knowing that the two weeks to come will be filled with four freelance writing projects and a grueling work schedule. It's gone well so far, but the next three issues are huge and so we're frantically working ahead to be sure we don't get left behind!

Anyhow, the weekend was great but all too short. And the next time I see the Jeff Man, he'll be a big brother! :-) Can't wait!

Grown (but not gone)

2008-08-17T18:12:00.001-07:00

Here's Miss Annette -- known since babyhood as NetterGoGetter -- on her 18th birthday. (Yes, that's really her, dark hair and all!) I'd like to say it's a load off to know that now she's responsible for herself, but really, do parents EVER accept that reality??!

She's excited that soon she'll start college here at U of I. Me too! She's still deciding if she wants to stay in her upstairs room or move downstairs, but regardless, it looks like she'll be staying at home for at least the first semester.

She's still working at Winger's as a hostess. She's ordered a scooter, which should be ready to pick up later this week, and will be buying Melanie's car for the harsh weather. So it looks like she's on her way!

My least leisurely jog EVER

2008-08-14T05:21:00.000-07:00

"So here I am..." -- yesterday morning, doing the daily jog, almost home, 6 am-ish. I have my headphones on, listening to a church conference talk on my MP3, so I can't really hear what's going on. I approach a corner and there's a silver SUV parked in front of a house, motor running, street-side rear door open. Coming out of the house are three young people -- two girls and a guy, from what I can tell. Only it's hard to tell, 'cause two of them have masks over their faces and one -- who's being led from the house and put into the back seat of the SUV by the masked guy -- has a hood over her head. Needless to say, I'm alarmed! By the time I turn the corner and get up even to the SUV -- terrified, by the way, to get that close! -- I take off my headphones and actually stop walking to try to hear if it's a prank and they're laughing, or it's not and back-seat-girl is protesting. But they're on the street side of the vehicle, I'm on the curb side, and she's inside the car, so I can't hear anything. And the third person has gone back into the house.

My thoughts: Is this a prank? (Kids from my church frequently "kidnap" other kids and take them out for breakfast. But they never do it in costume.) Is it really happening? (I really can't continue on without doing something -- I couldn't go through the day waiting to hear on the news that someone had been abducted, and knowing I could perhaps have prevented tragedy.) And in the back of my mind was the thought that this was all taking place just a few blocks up the street from last May's shooting spree at the courthouse.
So I got the license plate and when I got to the corner, I called 911. (Note: I am SO glad I always take my cell phone with me!) I walked a little further, and by that time the SUV caught up to me at the corner, did a U turn and took off north on Van Buren St., back past the house they'd just come out of. Just seconds later the officer came tearing up, lights flashing, but continued on in the direction the SUV was going. I could hear other engines racing on nearby streets, so I knew that other police cars were in pursuit as well. I was still on the phone with the dispatch center, and the police car returned right away when he didn't see the suspect vehicle going down the hill in front of him.

So after I gave the dispatcher and then him the details they wanted (as best I could -- it was all so surreal, and my mind was so occupied with the Is this really happening that I really didn't pay enough attention to what actually WAS happening in terms of descriptions of the people), he went to the house and knocked on the door. A man came to the door and assured the officer (thank goodness!) that it was a high school soccer initiation. The whole drama took perhaps 5 minutes, tops.

I went on home, but the relief that nothing awful was happening was surprisingly overwhelming. After being married to an abusive man for 17 years, I learned really well how to control my emotions during a situation. But now, the control completely melted away and I had a total meltdown. By the time I got home I was an emotional mess and took a few minutes to just cry it out. I never cry, BTW. Almost never.

So a note to anyone who's planning a prank: In these days of craziness, crime and perversion, it's better to have fun in a not-so-realistic way (which the nice officer pointed out the the parents who answered the door at the house in question). Reality shows are one thing. But witnessed in person, Reality Bites, as the saying goes. Lots of people got all kinds of shook up! Mostly me.

And a note to myself: I'm thankful to have faced a test that affirmed deep within me that I have the strength to act in a situation, and I'm not the person who would walk on by and do nothing.

Whew! What a way to start a day. Where's the chocolate????

The livin' is easy

2008-07-28T18:53:00.000-07:00

Aaahh ... summertime. My absolute favorite season. I love early-morning daylight and late-night sunsets; open doors and windows; garden-fresh flowers, fruits and veggies from my yard and the farmer's market; Saturday-morning yard-sale adventures. And visits to and from friends and family.

Two weekends ago I drove my "new" Subaru to Portland for my 1 1/2-year-old grandson's first haircut and his half-birthday (his real birthday is on Christmas).

The haircut on Friday July 18 was a minute-by-minute emotional roller coaster. Happy. Sad. Happy. Sad. Mad. Happy. And miraculously, his stylist was able to accomplish the task! Jeffrey was a little confused the next day when he tried to stroke his hair at nap time. But he's quite the little man with his new "do." The fire engine haircut chair definitely made the occasion worthwhile from his perspective!

His Toy Story-themed birthday party on Sunday July 20 drew about 40 people counting all the kids. We nabbed the park pavilion at 9 am -- barely beat out the next comers! whew! It was a fun day, but came to a close all too quickly. Jeffrey zonked out within minutes (see final pic), and then Grandma Diane had to start for home.

This past week Lyanne and her boyfriend, Loren, bused up from Boise to pick up her new car, my old car "Bonnie." I'm so happy she'll finally have her own set of wheels! It was great to see them both. We did the traditions: dinner at her former workplace, Winger's, and every Robarge kid's must-do breakfast at the Breakfast Club. Yum on both. And again, all too soon time's up and it's time to head for home.

Can't wait for the next visit! Jeffrey and his parents plan to come here over Labor Day to visit their dog (I'd like to say hahaha, but ... ! :-) ), which we've been babysitting while they're between homes. By that time Melanie will be two months shy of delivering my next grandchild -- exciting!! And then summer will say, So long.

The end of an era

2008-06-14T19:49:00.000-07:00

My two 2008 grads

One week ago my youngest daughter graduated from high school. Two weeks before that, my middle daughter graduated from college in Wisconsin and moved to St. Louis to start a new career and new life -- and became engaged! It seems so cliche to say it seems like just yesterday that all five of them were giggly little girls. And now they're all lovely young women. I'm so proud of all of them. They've worked so hard to attain their goals, and I can hardly wait to see where their roads take them. Life is truly a wondrous journey!

BTW, 50 years ago this week, the hula hoop was all the rage. Aaahhh...memories! And look where my road has taken me. :-)

And BTW-II -- even though it's June, it actually SNOWED on Tuesday! Not just a little flurry, but full-out, stick-to-the-ground, three-hour-long huge-flakes-of-white-stuff snow! Thank goodness the weather changed drastically and it's been in the 70s now for a couple days. But I can count those 70-degree days for 2008 on one hand so far this year. Amazingly late spring/summer.

Stop the In-SNOW-ity!

2008-02-06T18:25:00.000-08:00

Good gracious, I can't believe the amount of snow we've gotten this year! My garden tripods made of 10-foot poles are barely visible above the snow piles from shoveling/snowblowing the driveway. We have above-freezing temperatures coming the rest of the week and into next, so hopefully whatever snow is on its way will melt quickly along with some of what we've already piled up. I have to admit it's beautiful -- but I LOVE warm -- OK, even HOT -- weather. Come on, spring!

Attempts at perfection

2007-12-17T22:26:00.000-08:00

Would you believe this picture is the 9th of 9 attempts? Well, granted, we were using a new camera for the first time with its new-fangled timer setting. Still! After several "failed" attempts, Annette insisted on fixing my hair and makeup, dressing me and posing us. I now know how my nearly-97-yo mother feels!

Seriously, I know the girls love to help their ol' maw out. After all, I'm a direct reflection of them, right?? hahaha -- I can't wait until THEY have kids! What goes around comes around!

The Christmas Letter -- 2007

2007-12-16T07:58:00.000-08:00

Blast, I can't get this text to bump down below the photos -- there must be a trick I haven't discovered yet.
Top: Jeffrey gnawing on his Thanksgiving turkey leg. We celebrated his first birthday that weekend (why? see below).
Next:Yeah, that's me.
Third: Lyanne, Thanksgiving.
Bottom: Annette & Melanie, Thanksgiving.

Greetings from the Rice & Robarge family!

Well, we’ve managed to kill off Double-O-7. The year 007, that is. Where does the time go? It seems like each year it goes faster and faster!

As you may have read in my previous (but long-ago) posts, I gained a grandson – Jeffrey – on Christmas Day 2006. What a cutie! He visited with Melanie and Greg over Thanksgiving, as they’ll be going overseas for Christmas to visit Greg’s brother’s family in the Azores, where they’re stationed (off the coast of Portugal!).

Oldest grandchild,Luciano’s, dad Sam was deployed to Iraq so "Chano" is with Kristin, Rob and Keilyn. He’s 11 years old and in 6^th grade already, and Keilyn turned 3 in August. We wish we could see them all more often!

Lauren will graduate from the University of Wisconsin’s business school in May, so we’re looking forward to going to Madison to see her accept her diploma. She’s been interviewing for several months now and will soon decide where she’ll start her career.

Lyanne graduated from high school in June and is now working and saving for college. She’ll be spending Christmas in Boise with her boyfriend’s family, so it’ll be just me and Annette here at home. That’ll be different!

Speaking of Annette, she’ll finish high school coursework in January and walk in June. She’s still debating where she’d like to go to college in the fall, and just took her ACTs.

I’m still working on Appaloosa Journal and love creating the magazine each month. I’m working on an Internet business, which Greg’s helping me launch. Hopefully by my next letter, it’ll be up and running and occupying more of my time. Retirement is getting closer and closer!

Life is good! Every time I get to feeling like I don’t have enough of one thing or another, I'm prompted to think of all those less fortunate people and those who’ve seen tragedy and upheaval during the past year. I feel richly blessed. I often wonder why I was born in this time and land of abundance, both material and intellectual; I feel incredibly fortunate. And fortunate, also, to know that my Savior loves me, knows my every desire, and works and acts in my behalf each and every day. I'm so grateful to know that He lives and that one day, I'll meet Him. What more could anyone ask for?

Have a blessed Christmas, and happiness and abundance in the New Year!
Diane, Lyanne & Annette

The bling thing

2007-01-29T17:21:00.000-08:00

One of the jobs of an editor is to make written materials more concise, more succinct, more colorful and more attention grabbing. So when I began editing former board member Robert Lapp’s piece onfew-spot leopards for this month’s issue, I noticed that he referred to how white horses with a few dark spots used to be thought of as “boring.” He used the phrase, “There’s gold in them thar hills” to say that in fact, those boring white horses were just storehouses for colorful offspring. I thought, ** There’s gold in them thar hills — Now that’s an old-fashioned term. ** And the first replacement that popped into my mind was “hidden bling.”

You’d have to know Bob to understand what transpired. Bob’s a lovable but reserved, staid, old-fashioned kind of guy who sticks to business.There’s not much room for flash in his pan.

So when I suggested “hidden bling” as an alternative, I wasn’t at all surprised that he really wasn’t interested in sounding more hip and up-to-date. Neither he nor board member and co-author Gene Carr had ever heard the term “bling.”

A few minutes later though, Bob called, laughing. It seems his wife wanted e-mail evidence from me that he’d called and that thanks to her, he did, in fact, now know that “bling” means sparkly, glittery ornamentation — as in the flashy jeweled-and-studded “bling belts” that are so in fashion among horse show people now.

“Maybe that’s why Mr. Carr and I get along so well,” Bob said. “We’re a coupleof Neanderthals who, when we hear the word ‘hip,’ think of someone who might be having hip-replacement surgery!”

Maybe if I didn’t have teenagers at home and a hip, young Journal staff to keep my mind sharp and my dictionary up to date, I wouldn’t know what bling was either.

Regardless, the whole situation provided comic relief at the end of a grueling week. Maybe you could use some too, so I thought I'd share. Here's to comedy -- and to bling!

Jeffrey, going on 3 weeks

2007-01-14T18:10:00.000-08:00

Melanie and Greg are still trying to catch up on their sleep, but they have a happy reason to be sleep deprived. Here's the latest update on our new little bundle of joy!

Lauren's Big News

2007-01-14T17:56:00.000-08:00

Got an e-mail from Lauren yesterday informing me (and everyone else on her list!) that she'd been accepted to the Unversity of Wisconsin's School of Business! This is an accomplishment similar to being accepted into medical school or vet schoool -- a very small percentage of applicants makes it in, especially on the first try. So we're all very proud of her and happy that she finally has an end in sight -- 1 1/2 years to go!

Lauren is indeed a self-made woman. She moved back to Wisconsin midway through her junior year of high school, just a couple years after our family moved out here to Idaho. She has totally supported herself from Day One, working her way up from sales associate to store manager for Nedrebo's Formal Wear in the Madison area while in high school and community college.

She's always been an independent gal -- on her first day of kindergarten, she let me know I'd overstayed my classroom support time. "Mom, when are you going to go home?" she asked. I knew I'd never have to worry about her!

So congratulations, Lauren! You soar!

Two days later...

2006-12-27T22:23:00.000-08:00

Jeffrey is 2 days old already, and tomorrow it's time for us to head home. We haven't had nearly enough time to spoil him rotten—we'll have to arrange a visit soon!

He has changed tons in his short little life so far—his extreme conehead has rounded to a beautiful rounded shape. He lost about 5 ounces since birth (but I'm sure he'll make that up in no time, he's inherited the Rice appetite gene!)

Here are a couple photo updates to enjoy! Isn't he just the cutest?? :-D

The ultimate Christmas present

2006-12-26T00:50:00.000-08:00

Welcome Jeffery (Jeffrey? spell-check in progress, update coming soon!) Harold Johnson!
Our newest member of the family arrived December 25, 2006, at 9:14 pm. He weighed 7 lbs 15 oz and measured 20 inches long. Melanie was a week late, so went into the hospital last night -- yes, Christmas Eve -- at midnight to be induced. They started the pitocin around 10:15 this morning (well, technically yesterday morning, as it's now after midnight on December 26). She made steady progress all day, and the nurses called the doctor in a little after 7 pm. He arrived about 8:15 and had Melanie start pushing immediately. It didn't take long and we had a new little grandson/nephew/cousin/son/just plain cute little boy! Greg coached throughout and actually caught the little guy -- a great team effort by both! Jeff has quite a bit of dark hair and a cute, pouty little lower lip. He seems pretty quiet so far -- he nursed right away, and happily drifted off to sleep.
And on top of that, my older brother's son had a baby today too -- a girl! What a great Christmas!

Highs and lows: the wedding and the week after

2006-03-25T20:11:00.000-08:00

(Originally published Dec 6, 2005)

For us, the highlight of 2005 was my daughter Melanie’s wedding on Saturday, November 26, to Greg Johnson in Portland, Oregon.

All five girls were able to attend and participate in the wedding: Kristin (now 26) helping her and Rob’s 16-month-old daughter, Keilyn, perform flower girl duties; Kristin’s 9-year-old son, Luciano, as ring bearer (and, I might add, the reception’s dance star); and Lauren (22), Lyanne (16) and Annette (15) as bridesmaids.

The wedding took place in a charming, white, high-steepled historical chapel, Oaks Pioneer Church, and the reception on the 30th floor of one of Portland’s downtown buildings. Spectacular view! We totally enjoyed visiting with friends and relatives we seldom see, and we enjoyed all the pre-wedding pampering that Melanie and Greg arranged. It was wonderful to spend time together and share in the beginning of Mel and Greg’s new life together.

If I hadn’t lived through the week following the wedding, I wouldn’t believe all that happened. I could write the sequel to National Lampoon’s Vacation. In fact, I will:
A few hours before the wedding, I took my car through the local car wash, which ripped off half my rear windshield’s rubber gasket and a foot-wide decorative door panel. No time to get it fixed that day, so I’m temporarily driving a “ghetto car.” Especially embarrassing for the teen-agers!

As we left Portland for home late Sunday afternoon after the wedding, we got an hour down the road before Annette realized she’d left a school book behind. The newlyweds were leaving at midnight for Jamaica so couldn’t mail it, so we had to backtrack.

After starting out the second time, we missed our turn while I caught a nap, and ended up another half hour down the Interstate toward California. Chalk three hours.

Just after passing The Dalles, Oregon, a couple hours into the right route, I woke up to Lyanne (who got her driver’s license this summer) in panic mode. Something had hit the firewall by her foot, and the car no longer had power steering. The alternator gauge was dropping, and the temperature rising. We limped into a motel in Rufus, Oregon (ours was the only car there – and they still use REAL, metal door keys! And have ants.). Monday morning we hailed a wrecker. Turns out the serpentine belt, its pulley and the water pump had to be replaced. We weren’t able to resume our journey until Tuesday afternoon.
By the time we reached Colfax, Washington, about an hour from home, it had started snowing huge flakes. When we reached Moscow, the snow was piling up, but Lyanne had school assignments to pick up from her friend, so took off in her little Miata sports car. She realized right away that a Miata can’t handle snow without studded tires or chains, so called to ask if she could exchange cars. I agreed. But before she reached home, she was rear-ended. She’ll need a new tail light and a couple more pieces, but no human damage.

Two days later, snow was still falling but Lyanne’s kind heart overtook her teen-age brain. She agreed to drive an outside-town friend home, and slid off the road in MY car. Luckily some nice men stopped to help push them out of the ditch. Unluckily, the nice men hooked up to the wrong thing and pulled off my front bumper and cracked the fender. At least it was the right fender. I’d just had the left fender and the now-parted bumper replaced a month earlier after being backed into in the Wal-Mart parking lot.

Oh – let’s backtrack a few days for the REAL kicker. The night before the wedding, Annette got a text message on her cell phone from a Moscow friend who was in California visiting for Thanksgiving. “Hear you’re having a party,” the message said. Annette replied in the negative, adding that we were out of town. After a series of back-and-forth messages, Annette urged me to call the Moscow PD, who sent officers to our house and arrested six teen-agers having a beer-and-pot party. When we got home we discovered that in addition to their BYO fare, they’d drank our pop, eaten all our cookies and chips, and made chili. They’d even created a new account on our computer so they could access the Internet. So I hope Lyanne forgives me for my emotional outburst when she called about accident #1 while I was busily unpacking and trying to remove the mud and leaves that the “party foul” kids tracked in onto the floors.

Obviously, Heavenly Father thinks I have some lessons to learn. Patience? Unconditional love? Forgiveness? Budgeting? Probably lots more that I haven’t realized quite yet. But that’s ok. As long as no bodily harm was done, I can live with whatever comes along. And I can still count our many blessings and be thankful!

Circular mills

2006-03-25T20:03:00.000-08:00

Circular mills is a biology term used to describe a formation of army ants that are separated from their main group, and it refers to the isolated, disoriented ants’ tendency to run in a densely packed circle until they all die from exhaustion.

Sometimes we, like the army ants, get stirred to a frenzy about some issue or another and allow the group mentality to take us on that circular mill until we realize, some time later––days, weeks, months or even years––that through a lack of focus, planning or direction, we’ve allowed ourselves to spin our wheels and accomplish nothing but noise. What we need to do is craft a plan.

Productivity consultant Denis Waitley said, “There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or to accept responsibility for changing them.” And we can most effectively create change when we work by design and actively plan our goals.How do we do that?

1. Create a vision. How are things now? What will they be like five years from now if you do nothing?

2. Identify your goals. Be realistic, and relate your goals to your vision. It might help to complete this statement: “My desire is to __________ so that I can __________. For example, “My desire is [ to become fit by exercising 5 x per wk for 30 min per day] so that I can [compete in a 5K run on July 21].” Be specific!

3. Enumerate your successes. What have you done or what have you experienced in the past that can help you accomplish your goals?

4. Identify your barriers. What do you need to overcome to reach your goals?

5. Evaluate your personality. Which personal qualities will help you achieve your vision, and which might hinder you? How can you turn your negatives into positives that work for you?

6. Decide what you’re willing to do. And give yourself permission to adjust your criteria to fit what you discover along the way.

7. Enlist support. Find someone with similar goals with whom you can work, track progress, and give and provide feedback. It’s easier to strive when you’re not striving alone.

8. Design your program. Specify measurable steps toward your goal. And build in a system to evaluate and redirect when needed.

9. Dive in. You’ve now got the tools you need to set out toward your goal.

If, unlike the army ants, we use our energy toward a positive goal, there’s nothing we can’t accomplish.

Tag -- You're it.

2006-03-11T15:49:00.000-08:00

(Originally published April 2003)
Remember when you were a kid, driving with your family to some distant vacation spot? I do (she said, shuddering).

Most summers my parents, two brothers and I piled into our dead-body pink ’57 Chevy for the annual Chicago-to-Nebraska pilgrimage to visit my dad’s relatives.

The upside was that when we got there, I’d be able to ride my cousins’ horses. But three kids in the back seat for 600 miles needs no explanation to anyone who’s been either a parent or a kid. How do you spell n-i-g-h-t-m-a-r-e?

One of my favorite back-seat diversions along the way was being the first one to spy a license plate from another state or province. The person who spotted the most different plates won the game. Sightings were gleeful; wins, heady.

With the advent of personalized plates, my childhood passion shifted. The challenge changed from simply spotting to decoding the messages hidden — subtly or not so subtly — in the vanity plate vernacular.

In10se? Intense. 1IT? Won it (the hint: The car toting the plate was Mary Kay Cosmetics pink.)

Although some people think personalized plates are braggy, I’ve always wanted a clever set. Blame it on my works-with-words career bent.

So when Appaloosa plates were approved here in Idaho, I knew my time had come. I trotted down to the DMV to request my made-to-order tags. My choice is definitely not clever, but it is the editor’s dream: succinct.

Regardless of what state you live in, give in. Revel in the rush. Order that special plate. If you’re as old as I am, you’ll even get a bonus benefit: You’ll be able to find your car in a crowded parking lot.

The role of heroes

2006-03-11T15:43:00.000-08:00

(Originally published March 2003)
It seems that when times are most perilous, our coping mechanisms kick in to help us recognize that on the street of life, beauty resides right next door to bleak.

Consciously or subconsciously, we look for ways to fill our minds with wonder and inspiration to hide the hideous from our mind’s eye. Our favorite escapes involve the fantasy of movies and athletes’ Herculean efforts. The human, animal and creature heroes whose adventures we immerse ourselves in provide the hope we all need that in the end, good will triumph over evil.

Horseracing has long been a top inductee in the heroes’ hall of fame.

For thousands of years, humans have watched white-knuckled as horses jolted from a standstill into overdrive. As horses strained every muscle and drew from their deepest reserves of strength and heart, spectators’ adrenalin rushed in response. That exhilaration helped those spectators forget the malevolent and the mundane.

Time has no bounds. What worked ages ago still works. And as they have since the Nez Perce Native Americans’ time and for heaven only knows how long before that, Appaloosa horses have been the source of those white-knuckled sweats that allow us to transcend everyday fears and rise to the plane of optimism.

The prospect of war with Iraq is heavy on our minds and in our hearts. But Appaloosa racing is alive and well, and can be one of those diversions that helps our hearts heal.

Reflections

2006-03-11T15:35:00.000-08:00

(Originally published October 2002)
Following the 2002 World Championship Appaloosa Horse Show, I flew home to Idaho from Oklahoma City with my 5-year-old grandson Luciano, who lives a few hours from there in Texas.

In his few short years, Luciano has done a lot of flying, so he wasn’t so much entertained by the airport and the actual flight as he was by things that were going on around him. In particular, he was fascinated by the way the sun shining on his safety belt buckle reflected onto the seat in front of him.

He flipped and rotated the buckle to dart and spin the reflection around his area. Then, when he closed the window shade, he noticed that the reflection disappeared. He asked where the shiny light had gone, and I answered that the sun was what made it shine. When the sun was blocked, the shiny light was gone.

He opened and shut the shade over and over, checking for the shiny light to test my theory for himself.

We can all consider ourselves as suns in our realms. The degree to which we shine on events and people around us contributes immensely to how brightly those events and people shine in response.

At times when we don’t feel quite so “stellar,” we absorb others’ light until we’re replenished and ready to shine again. It’s a continual process that proliferates light ad infinitum — as long as we choose to let it.

Picture perfect

2006-03-11T14:59:00.000-08:00

(Originally published April 2002)
One of my fondest memories is of my first horse, bought when I was 20.

Before that I was a city kid. I pestered my parents unceasingly to buy me a steed. Or to take me to ride at the closest livery stable. Or just to take me to the stable to see the horses. Anything. Mostly I settled for collecting horse figurines and pretending I was a horse.

I lived for summers when we’d visit relatives in Nebraska; my country cousins were glad to share their horses with me.

My very first horseback photograph is of me as a frizzy-haired tot, gleefully gripping the reins atop my cousins’ black-and-white Shetland “Pat.”
As I grew, so did my cousin-contributed mounts. A larger pony was followed by “real horses” — “Goldie,” a palomino, and “Gold Coin,” a stocky, good-looking dun.

By the time I married and moved west, my horse hunger was at its peak. I wasted no time locating my dream steed. I spent hours each week grooming, riding and just hanging out with “Brandy.” We rode every hill and avocado orchard near Poway, California.

One of the first things I wanted to do was send pictures of my chestnut beauty home to Illinois. A novice at horse photography, I knew nothing about stance, angles, lenses or lighting. When I got my first roll back, I was hugely disappointed. Most of them were awful. OK, all of them were awful. Vehicles and buildings littered the background. Utility poles stuck out of horse heads. Handler hands floated, bodiless, near horse muzzles. Shadows? They made canyons out of barely-perceptible horse-flesh dimples.

It’s taken more than a few years and some professional education for me to develop camera competence. There’s so much to consider. Likewise, there’s everything to gain.

Extreme Makeover - Home Edition

2006-03-09T21:48:00.000-08:00

(Originally published November 18, 2005)

Extreme Makeover-Home Edition

I've wrestled all week with the fact that I have TWO TONS of work to do at the office, but Extreme Makeover-Home Edition is up in Sandpoint, a mere 2-hour drive from here. I may be a middle-aged lady, but Ty Pennington is STILL at hottie!

I must say, as many TV shows that degrade, debase and generally tear down humankind, this is one of a handful that actually uplifts and makes real differences in people's lives. So I decided this was a worthwhile field trip, and last night, I decided that 10 years from now, I wouldn't miss one day at work, but I would definitely regret not taking Lyanne and Annette on a fantastic road trip. So I called us all in sick (I know, repentance is in order!) and off we went with a car full of snacks, singing to Shania Twain, our fave road trip CD -- well, Annette was in the back seat sleeping under a cozy fleece blanket, but Lyanne and I were singing with ST.

We met up with my dear friend Marianne Love, who freelances for us at Appaloosa Journal and for other publications. She's also published two hilarious books -- "Pocket Girdles" and "Postcards from Potato Land" -- and another's in the works. Anyhow, Marianne lives in Sandpoint and so was the ideal tour guide. It seems no matter where Marianne goes, from Montana to Seattle, she finds someone she knows, or whose near-and-dear she knows. She introduced us to many nice people (and her adorable border collie, Kiwi; her "stink dog" [bless her heart]; and numerous cats).

Schweitzer Ski Resort buses were shuttling spectators out to the home site from town, so we boarded and before we knew it, we were on the approach to a huge new house in the middle of a field. I've always thought that the whole surprise was a staged deal and that the project couldn't possibly take place in just one week, but I was definitely wrong. The arrangements (contractors, suppliers, workers, materials, etc) were all made ahead of time, but the family was totally in the dark. The show's crew arrived Saturday, and by Monday the family had been whisked off to the Bahamas on vacation, their stuff packed and stored, and the house demolished. Monday night the foundation was poured, and Tuesday the walls and the roof were on. Amazing. We watched it all on the news. The entire production is quite the marketing/PR and organizing feat!

The home was fenced off with what I'd call portable pipe horse panels. I was amazed how close to the workers we spectators were allowed. (See my pictures!) We saw Ty Pennington (sigh), Ed (the bald guy), Michael (the gay guy) and Paige (the gal in pink), plus the tall guy whose name I can't remember.

Our timing was perfect -- while we were there, Ty played a joke on Ed by having a huge black bear on site. Everyone but Ed knew it was a tame bear, and after the "introduction," Ed asked the spectators if anyone had brought a diaper along -- he obviously was scared @#$^-less! All had a good laugh.

A little later Lyanne and Annette were taking pictures by the fence while Ed was driving a little tractor, and he actually spoke right to them -- "Don't get too close, girls -- I'm an Englishman!" (Does that mean he doesn't drive well, or what??) Anyhow, they were thrilled. :-)

A couple hours and forty frozen toes later, we had lunch with Marianne and headed right to Wal Mart's 1-hr developing counter as soon as we got back to Moscow.

I'm happy to have had a teeny, tiny part of this production. It was not only a home makerover, it was a makeover of a new family's life. (A man who took in the twin kids of his sister, who died of a heart attack about a year ago while still in her 30s) It was the experience of a lifetime, and Sandpoint won't be the same for a long time! Nor will we. :-)

Jobs vs. careers

2006-03-09T21:45:00.000-08:00

(Originally published November 17, 2005)

Jobs vs. careers

I’ve worked a lot of places. My first two jobs in high school were at bakeries. (A dead giveaway to my life’s love, aside from horses and my kids: food.)

A favorite memory is going to Purwin’s little neighborhood shop to work early Saturday mornings. My best friend, Pam, worked there too. The donuts and sweet rolls weren’t long out of the oven (think Krispy Kreme, but better). Our favorites were the raspberry Danish, oozing with tart-sweet fruity filling and creamy, translucent white icing, and sprinkled with sugary streusel topping. We’d smother one with butter and wait for it to melt, then dig in. Absolute heaven.

I later sold teen clothing at Marshall Field’s department store, then broke into office work at an insurance company headquarters. Over the years I’ve waitressed, managed restaurants, counseled troubled boys at residential treatment facilities, worked concrete on petrochemical construction sites, tracked truckers’ miles, clerked for an electrical supply house and bagged groceries.

Then, after a mid-life return to college, I came to the Appaloosa Horse Club as assistant editor.It wasn’t until then that I really knew the difference between a job and a career: The job you go to because you have to. The career you go to because you love to.

Lots of things contribute to the affection I have for my career. One is that in the course of writing articles, I get to learn about every aspect of the horse industry from breeding to training; from managing to marketing; English; dressage; cutting; reining; racing — "To infinity and beyond," as Buzz Lightyear would say.

My career also allows me to meet and talk with a huge spectrum of people from all over the world. I’m always amazed at how different they all are. And at the World and National shows, I get to put faces with names and match phone personas to real personalities. I never get tired of it. And I never get tired of my career.

Kristin, Lyanne, Lauren, Me, Annette, Melanie - Mel & Greg's rehearsal dinner, Nov 2005

2006-03-09T21:36:00.000-08:00

(Originally posted September 11, 2005)
The cream filling

OK, you've met me and the grandkids -- the cookie crust of the Oreo. Now it's time to meet the cream filling -- the kids.

KRISTIN
DOB 1979
Kristin and her husband, Rob, live in Sewickley, PA. Kristin is the mom of my 2 (ADORABLE!) grandkids. She's her father-in-law's personal assistant and lives my dream: her in-laws own/breed horses, and she takes riding lessons every week. (sigh) She and Rob have two cats: China and Beans (I have no idea!)

MELANIE
DOB 1980
Melanie lives in Battle Ground, WA, and is about to marry Portlandian Greg Johnson over Thanksgiving weekend. Mel graduated from the University of Idaho in 2003 and works for a laser eye surgeon. Greg works on computers. I have yet to meet their new "baby" -- Libby, a Labrador Retriever/Border Collie mix. :-)

LAUREN
DOB 1983
Lauren lives in Madison, WI, from where we moved to Idaho (Univ of Wisc). She attends college and works for an apartment mogul :-) , and has a steady guy, Mike Duff. Lauren has a cat named Beaner, whom she trained to use the toilet -- the actual human porcelain variety -- when he was a kitten. Word of advice: Interfering with nature results in a cat without an identity. It's not advised. Ask Lauren to tell you about the land mines she now picks up regularly from the floor.

LYANNE
DOB 1989
Lyanne is a junior in high school. She absolutely LOVES dogs and is a highly successful showman in 4-H obedience and fitting & showing. Her dog, Jack, is a goofy but protective motion-motivated German Shepherd cross: he attacks swivel chairs, lawn mowers and vacuum cleaners -- oh, and running people.

ANNETTE
DOB 1990
Annette is a sophomore and presently keeps score and stats for the varsity girls' VB team. She's at the "don't touch me" teenage stage, yet she gives her mom a mean head massage! Ahhhh.... :-) For her Frosh dance this past spring, she glued sequins to her toes -- they looked like fish scales (in a good way!).

2006-03-09T21:25:00.000-08:00

Granddaughter Keilyn
Flower girl at Aunt Melanie's wedding

2006-03-09T20:58:00.000-08:00

Grandson Luciano
Ring bearer (and Dance King)
at Aunt Melanie's & Uncle Greg's wedding,
Nov 2005

The Grandkids

2006-03-08T21:34:00.000-08:00

Originally published August 2005

Grandkids. I see mine so seldom, it's a MAJOR treat when I do. I'm out here in Idaho. One is in Texas, the other in Pennsylvania.

Keilyn just turned 1. She loves to shriek at 9,000 decibels while I'm on the phone with her mother, Kristin. She's adorable.

Luciano is 9. He and his cousin, Will (see photo), are the best of pals.

My most memorable moment with Chano was a few summers back. We'd just moved into this house and I'd planted some fruit trees in anticipation of a mini-orchard a few years down the road. The trees (simple stalks at that time) came with a friend by car all the way from Montana -- 2 varieties of pear, 3 of cherry. I could taste them in my mind: pies; cobblers; snacks. (Fried shrimp; shrimp gumbo; butterfly shrimp...)

Anyway, out comes Chano and before I could utter a word, he yanks the black cherry sapling out by its tender, hairlike roots. "Look Grandma, I pulled out a twig for you!"

I figure it was Heavenly Father's way of telling me that I'd planted those trees in the wrong place. Our dog Jack snapped the second cherry tree off this spring with his leash (he's lucky to be alive -- I LOVE cherry pie!) The third one never did thrive -- but its apple root-stock sure did. I dug it out this spring and replaced it with an almond tree. Hmm. I see fruitcake in my future. Maybe yours, too. Just wait 'til Christmas 2008!

IdyDi

2006-03-08T21:29:00.000-08:00

OK-I'm in for a blogging

2006-03-08T20:49:00.000-08:00

(Originally written 8/17/2005 on my slow-as-sap-in-winter, now-abandoned msn blog spot, )

I've officially joined the blogger roster. I'm waiting with a softened stick of honest-to-goodness, melt-in-your-mouth butter for my neighborly loaf of welcome-to-the-block (scratch that -- welcome-to-the-BLOG) bread. You know -- the kind that we're supposed to welcome all our newcomers to the neighborhood with. I'm W-A-I-T-I-N-G --- :-)

I've been on "vacation" for the past week, with nearly one week left of do-whatever-I-want-whenever-I-want-to-including-sleep! I've been slowly working my way through the Honey-do list that most women make for their husbands. Mine is for me. One of the list's jobs is to paint the porch railing (see photo) I created months ago (an earlier honey-do crossoff). For me, the list is a soul-satisfying way to track the progress I've made. But it's funny (really?) that for all the items I've crossed off my list, it never gets shorter. It gets rewritten for the sake of neatness, but new items seem to always take the place of those scratched-off done-ers.

I'm thankful for my dad, who instilled in me a solid work ethic -- not by talking about it, but by just DOING IT (no, this is NOT a Nike commercial!). We used to kid him about always working on a project. In fact, when he was refinishing our basement in preparation for my wedding reception XX(!) long years ago, part of the job consisted of hours and hours of what he called spackling. It seemed like he'd never finish. In fact, in honor of his dedication to the task, my brothers and I "bronzed" his putty knife with spray paint.

Now I know that just like I do today, he enjoyed looking at the finished product and being able to call it a good job, then move on to make another corner of his life more efficient, attractive or functional. Dad's been gone now for more than 14 years, but he's still with us in so many ways.