hump day nuggets: little bits of the season in photos and words about the last week
Missoula is in the not-quite-spring place that makes me itchy for runs where, block after block, I peel layers off, first bites into meaty, just-harvested arugula and new freckles.
It was over 60 degrees on Monday and Tuesday morning we woke to snow. I like this all-over-the-place weather. Every day is shocking and the only thing predictable about the weather is that it is the subject of every Missoulian’s passing conversation in the grocery store. The welcoming surprise at the heat and total betrayal when Winter says, I’m baaaaaaaaack.
We don’t have Montana winters like we did when I was a kid, feet of snow on the valley floor for months. My dad used to hike and ski down Mount Sentinel before the Hellgate High School’s first period bell. Since Andy and I moved here 12 years ago, I’ve seen enough snow to ski Sentinel once and it was a memory in just a few short days.
This year’s snow pack is small and a strong fire season threatens. So when it’s blech and gray and brown and soggy, I take a good, deep breath of that smoke-free air.
And there are all these little hopeful 2010 tulips peeking from behind 2009 leaves. They whisper spring spring spring spring.
Oh I love the seasons of Montana.
nuggets.
:: We eat a lot of peanut butter around here. I’m not talking about the sugary stuff but real, organic, pureed peanuts. The best protein-on-the-go snack for this breastfeeding mama is a giant spoonful. And, like mother, like daughter.
:: Ruby! Little love that she is. She’s been kicking and gabbing and not sleeping much at all after 3am. At that time, she wants to laugh and eat and eat and eat. I am mostly in denial about this new routine as I am a stayer-upper. When my house is asleep is when I have my prized alone time. I have never needed much sleep so a midnight-6am stint works great for me but midnight-3am? Not so much. I’m tired.
Can’t even articulate how happy these images make me. Ruby is confident when put down. After we got home from the hospital, for about six weeks, she needed to be held by me all the time. There would be only brief periods of like two minutes when I could put her down or hand her to another. I needed it too, to hold her…we had missed out on some valuable bonding time. But it was hard. I am being literal when I say all the time. And now. Now she is regular happy baby who enjoys kicking and stretching and sitting on her dad’s lap. Diaper changes and car rides aren’t scary for her. She knows we will always pick her back up. We’re moving on.
:: Do you never get tired of these photos of Margot perched on Alice? Me neither. Notice the one title…wonder if Alice will be talking soon.
:: Wild Lupine Design is a dig sponsor this month. I have two of the sweetest pairs of the artist’s earrings and my lobes look just adorable when decked with the gems. She makes necklaces and bracelets too and her designs are the perfect combo of elegance and moxie. She lives just one state away, in Idaho, where the trees always seem taller and pointier than in Montana (and whoever gets Lucky You, well lucky you!).
***Wild Lupine Design is offering a 10% discount to all readers; Please mention ‘dig this chick’ with order and 10% of your purchase will be refunded to you the same day.***
Thanks, Wild Lupine Design!
:: And, really, how stinkin’ cute is my bug outside the museum on the day of her first ever art class? VERY.
:: We had our supper club last weekend. We usually pick a country or even a specific region of a country, but this month’s hosts wanted broad options and chose Latin. And this time of year, our preserved food from last summer is dwindling and we are oh so ready for some new flavors. So taking a trip south of the border was a pleasant and exotic thing to do for my taste buds.
And little Rubes just slept on the couch while we all sipped margaritas and ate amazing food.
Andy and I contributed this Chilean sparkling wine we are in love with, Tecate (of course!), a salad and rice. The rice was eh but the salad was great.
Lemony Avocado Salad, adapted from Food & Wine
serves 6
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
fresh lemon juice from 2 lemons
4 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 heads of Butter lettuce, leaves separated
3 celery ribs, peeled and thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 avocados, cut into 1/4-inch wedges
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into thin sticks
In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil with the lemon juice and garlic and season with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, toss the lettuce with half of the dressing and mound the leaves on a platter. Add the celery, avocados, bell peppers and the remaining vinaigrette to the large bowl and toss to coat. Mound the vegetables on the lettuce and serve.
:: I adore having a chalkboard in our home. We draw on it daily and there’s no paper waste. Just a quick flick of the wrist with a good ole fashioned chalk board eraser.
I really wanted chalk board paint the same color as our walls.
And, Martha, in her cape, had the answer. From www.marthastewart.com:
Start with flat-finish latex paint in any shade. For small areas, such as a door panel, mix 1 cup at a time.
- Pour 1 cup of paint into a container. Add 2 tablespoons of unsanded tile grout. Mix with a paint stirrer, carefully breaking up clumps.
- Apply paint with a roller or a sponge paintbrush to a primed or painted surface. Work in small sections, going over the same spot several times to ensure full, even coverage. Let dry.
- Smooth area with 150-grit sandpaper, and wipe off dust.
- To condition: Rub the side of a piece of chalk over entire surface. Wipe away residue with a barely damp sponge.
:: Muddy chicken feet and chicken footprints in the melty snow of my backyard make me happy.
:: Rubes post-bath bliss.
:: Margot Bea at 3 1/2 months old. Obama rally and helping in the garden.
:: Spring always follows winter.
24 Comments
YES! HDN hot off the presses…photo fix…I shall return! š
There is nothing better than naked baby! I just want to chew on Edie’s legs like a dog chews on a rawhide. Is that strange?
I just did another chalkboard wall with Martha’s recipe (this time in my 17 year old’s room).
And I have one bit of advice because the clumps are really hard to mix up… Add the grout to the container first, then add just a smidge of water and mix until there are no lumps, then add the paint and mix very well. Also, you won’t want to clean off the roller inside because the grout may plug your pipes. I’ve been meaning to post about this, but haven’t gotten around to it. Thought I’d give you the advice just in case you’re planning this project any time soon.
Margot sitting on Alice is the cutest thing ever! I had to pull out my computer and show my husband when you posted pictures of it last time (2 blogs before this one).
Ruby is such doll! She has beautiful eyes and I love her rainbow-trimmed diapers.
I agree that Missoula needs the moisture, because we all know how many fires we’ve had these past few years. At the same time though, I’m REALLY wanting the sun to come out and stay. I’m ready to run around barefoot!
Everything here in MA is damp, damp, damp – but I have spring dreams and a pile of seeds waiting to be started.
I love the pic of Margot in front of the museum. And Ruby…thriving!
xoxo
Thanks for these pics. They will keep me happy till I see everyone in person. SOON. So I wonder what Alice’s first words will be, “Margot I can’t breath”
no joke. i was just liking peanut butter off of a spoon as a i read this.
mmmm.
adorable pics. yes. spring IS just around the corner. i’m listening to rain falling on my rooftop as i write. and it’s melting the snow. ah. thank goodness. i’m ready for some green grass.
I read this on a website recently, hope it’s true!
Water content of the snowpack in the Poudre and Big Thompson canyons, with a couple of exceptions, is below the long-term and last year averages, and a lot of snow will be needed this month, traditionally the snowiest month of the winter season. āIāve been talking to some folks who say weāre in the same kind of weather pattern we were had in ā03 when we got that huge spring storm that dumped about 5 feet of snow.
hooray, it’s wednesday!
naked babies really are the best– i said the same thing as one of your readers when i saw the ruby photos. of course i said it aloud but no one here at work minds–in fact, these mamas love looking at your photos, too! espec my friend who has a ruby and is about to have another girl . . .
anyway, margot on alice is so darling. i love how sweet alice is about the whole experience.
can’t wait to make your salad. but even more, can’t wait to drink margaritas. okay, maybe i had *one* after i passed my first licensing exam . . . but still.
and the sleep thing totally sucks. i remember avi at that age did the same. so not looking forward to that! i am enjoying like 9 hour nights right now and my days are numbered!
but i love hearing about your journey back to “normal” after the hospital. it’s really lovely. xoxo
60 degrees and then snow the next day? ARGH!
That would kill me.
Same thing happens to my MiL in Kansas.
I guess it might make you live in the moment a bit more though. None of that, “Oh, we’ll go down to the river for a swim *tomorrow*” crap. Because, well, tomorrow it might be ice storming.
And I’ll neverNEVER get tired of the Hop on Alice photos. Never.
Yummy recipe and yummy pictures of your little cuties! I love how Margot’s book is upside down but she is sooo serious about the whole thing….so funny how her and Alice are all crammed in the chair with 50 books too. š XO M.
Re: chalkboard paint. You can buy it now where they can tint it for you in the can. Like HomeDepot, etc. I bought some in a chocolate brown…way cool.
Oh, my nuggs!
And my blanket, my blanket!
As much as I still love spring down here, I miss that desperate need for spring and appreciation for its splendor after everything has been so dead and cold. LOVE the ready-for-art-class picture. I smell an art class post coming. Or perhaps the topic of your next Mamalode article? Hmmmm.
I’m so excited for spring, it’s been warm and sunny, but it’s not quite time yet for spring in NE Ohio. I know winter will come back for a while soon.
Your blog is like the freshness of the spring air. I truly enjoy it!!
The first words I’ll teach my pup are dig a hole and fill it up. I’ll teach him walk and run, catch a ball we’ll sure have fun.
Love those boots on Margot B!
xoxo,
savage
To me it looks like it is Alice on top of Margot! Nice to catch up on the blog. Will we see you at the end of the month?? Aunt Deb
Margot you inspired the subject this week. DOGS! I love how you love Alice and how Alice is such an important part of your family. I think just like every kid needs to eat and sleep, every kid NEEDS a dogā¦yup just as important as breathing!
I remember our first puppyā¦.I was about 8 years old, we lived at 3108 Park Street, Missoula, Montanaā¦your great grandpa came home from work and had the cutest little Cocker Spaniel in his overcoat pocket! We named her Penny, we helped her through having puppies of her own, I cried when we sold them! She was such a loyal dog and followed us EVERYWHERE, which is how we lost her. I think she was about 4 years old. We were sledding on the hill, I told you about this hill in an earlier post. It is along a busy street, we should not have had Penny with usā¦.she got hit by a car. I was so very sad. We went on to have many other dogs in my childhood, we got another Cockerā¦named her Penny :), then two German Shorthair brothers named Alex & Scooter, (they were named after my dad, Neil ALEXander & my brother Skip, my mom used to call him Scooter when he was little!), My dad gave them away to a family who lived on a farmā¦he said it was because they needed more space, I never quite understood this. Your great grandma wanted a French Poodle, so we got Beau, he was a sweetie too! Mom bred Beau and the mama dog had 3 pups, somehow the mama dog died. Her owner took care of two of the puppies and we took the 3rd. I remember getting up in the middle of the night to feed him out of a bottle, he grew up tough and was very stubborn. I named him Tuffie, as much as Beau was a true French gentleman, Tuffie was from The Bronx! Beau was always perfectly coiffed while Tuffie gave new meaning to a bad hair day! I loved both of these dogs and they were the last that I called mineā¦.then I got married and started a life of my own with Bacca! Your Baccaās dogās name was Pug, short for pugnaciousā¦and that he was! OH how we wanted a dog, but could have one because of where we rented. We moved to Bremerton, WA; rented a house and could FINALLY get a dog! I remember like it was yesterday, Bacca & I went to the local pound and in a room there was a free-standing pen & in it were two male puppies, they were brothers. One was cuter than the other, we called to both & the cutest one sat down and whimpered while the other ran over, jumped up on the wire, licked my hand & said, ātake me, take me, take me, oh PLEASSSE take meāā¦.and we did! He was 8 weeks old; a mix of Yellow Lab, German Shepard & Doberman Pincher we paid about $10 for him and they threw in a can of dog food as well! We named him Wooferā¦possibly THE BEST dog in the entire world to date! He loved us SO much and took really good care of your mama & uncle Travis. Woofer lived a wonderful life to age 13ā¦we were all so very sad when he diedā¦January 9, 1988. I still have his ashes & will bury them some day in Montana. Then came JD, (just dog), MacGee ā¦a true pain in the ass from day one! We āsavedā him from the dog pound, he was the same mix as Woofer and looked a lot like himā¦which had great bearing on why we choose him. He was already 3 months old & we were told he was ānot long for this worldā…we truly did save him. He chased, birds, rabbits, other dogs, cats, people running, kids on bikes and anything else that moved! We could never let him just walk around without a leash because he would run & I spent MANY hours chasing him, lesson learned: ALL dogs should be able to be with the family, AND not run wild!!! Uncle Trav set out to ācaptureā him one day and he ran in front of his bike; uncle Travis fell hard & broke his arm. AND he caused a huge wreck for Bacca on his bike as well. He lived to be 15 years old, he died in 2003 and is buried in North Georgia in Big Canoeā¦..just for the record, I did love him!
too many characters; had to post a few times…..:)
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In June 1996, we found our Gizzie Girl, or rather your mama did. We lived in Seven Oaks, in the Atlanta area; it was the last day of school her senior year. She drove in the neighborhood & saw a sign on the 4-way stop, āFREE PUPPY TO A GOOD HOMEā, (an arrow, indicating to turn right), This puppy was adopted from Home Depot, our neighbor took one of eleven puppies….the mama dog & her 12 puppies were found along side a road. The story goes…some kind family took them all home, weaned them & kept the mama & one of her pups….the other went in a box to Home Depot. Our neighbor picked a cute little girl, her hair was light golden brown down…..she named her Sandy. They took her to a vet, had her checked out and got her her vaccinations. Sandy’s new owner soon realized she was extremely allergic to her…..thus they had to find her a new home. That right turn your mama made, when she knocked on the neighbor’s door and took one look at this little fluff ball changed my life forever! Nici said to the neighbor, “Let me call my mom, when she sees her she is as good as gone!” Now this was June 1996, Uncle Travis was to turn 16 in August, & I already had a “lead” on a Husky puppy for his birthday….he always wanted a Husky. So when yoru mama called and said to come & look at this puppy…I reminded her of Travis’ birthday. Trav was right there and wanted to go see Sandy…so off we went! When I saw this pup it was LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT….I wanted her too but knew we could not have 3 dogs, (your Bacca did not even know about the Husky, let alone this one!). We already had Mac Gee & Travis’ new Husky would be on the horizon. So I told Trav of the ‘birthday surprise’, he thought for a brief second and said, “This dog needs a home now & the other one is not even born yet”…..she looked like a baby Grizzly Bear Cub….I said let’s name her Grizzle….Trav hated that idea and wanted to name her Grizwald…..so home we went, me, your mama, uncle Travis AND Grizwald! Over the years her name has evolved in to..Griz, Grizzie & Grizzie Girl. I LOVE HER, she is my sole mate. I truly do not think she is a dog, I know there is a person behind those sweet brown eyes; she adores me. The year is 2010 & Grizzie will be 14 years old in May.
Whew!
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In 2001, Bacca & I moved to a place called Big Canoe. In 2002 started I volunteering at BCAR, Big Canoe Animal Rescue. It was an amazing 8 compartment dog kennel, right within Big Canoe. A friend of mine & I found a darling little Beagle/Basset/Dauschund mix running along side a busy road, we guessed she was about 2 years old. She had been abused, was scared, sick, hungry, covered with fleas, ticks & lice AND had recently had puppies, but she came to me when I called her! I took her to BACR, all the kennels were full…I think she would have been so frightened there anyway. So I took her to the vet, there she got cleaned up, was spade & given medicine. I took her home to be her foster mom….we already had Mac Gee and Grizzie. After 3 days I knew she was home, I named her Little Orphan Annie. Annie is the most loving and grateful little girl dog I have ever known. Big Canoe is where Mac Gee is buried. In 2009 your uncle Travis got accepted into grad school in Tuscaloosa, AL. He tayed with us that summer, (Shorewood, MN). In the fall I drove him to U of A & helped him get settled in his new digs…a very small apartment. I tell you this because Travis has a dog named Clyde. Clyde is a cross between an American Bulldog & American Pit Bull, A Bullypit! 70 pounds of pure love! Clyde, my granddogger, is staying with us until Uncle Trav has the room and time for him. Other than ruining our hardwood floors with his “spinning out” when he greets us…he is the perfect guest!
I know there will be many dogs to come, but for now I love these three to the fullest every day. I know over the years I will get to know and love the ones that come into your lives as well.
You Are My Sunshine Ruby & Margot Bea…I Love You A Bushel & A Peck!
xoxo, Grammy~Gram
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What kind of diaps are those? They look so comfy cozy? My Margot has the same book… “The first words I will teach my dog are…”
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