What better way to end the month
than to go berry picking?
It was a gorgeous day;
sunny, but an unusually cool 78 degrees.
{Much cooler than picking
blueberries in Mississippi in July.}
I sure did miss my berry picking girls!
I knew this year the farmer had grown edamame,
fresh, green soybeans,
my sistah had introduced to me this summer.
I picked a plant, brought it home,
pulled the pods off the plant
and then washed them with the garden hose.
While Mr R and I were eating the freshly picked
bi color "Ambrosia" sweet corn,
please allow me to insert, "Mmmmmm"
{and again, how I missed sharing it!}
the edamame was boiling on the stove for four minutes.
I then plunged the vessels into an ice bath to stop the cooking,
drained them and added freshly ground sea salt.
Delicious, full pods--
it was a wonderful last day of August!

We remember your heartache and sorrow.
We remember your fortitude in returning, rebuilding,
reaching out and strengthening.
And that these attributes still continue each day.
We celebrate your future!

"Happiness is an inside job."
-William Ward
{flickr photo by MeLa Gypsie}

Overheard from the hallway as I was
passing a second grade classroom today:
"Self discipline is taking care of yourself
and not bothering those around you."

I embrace the teachers definition
as it applies to each one of us
in every facet of our lives.
Learning in a classroom, playing in our neighborhoods,
flying on an airplane with our children,
being part of a family...
every activity in which we participate.
{and snack time is always good!}
[google photo]

First day of school!
[photo by flickr Bald Monk]

Gobble, gobble.
I am happy, happy, happy
we have our plane tickets for Thanksgiving!
{flickr photo by Road Fun}

God is as great in minuteness
as He is in magnitude.

Every summer we spend in Europe this happens
and in returning home from my travels this summer it is the same...

shocking
to find the corn has grown so very, very tall.
When you drive down the road you cannot see across the fields at all;
you are really driving through corridors of corn stalks.
Amazing.
I will be going to one of our favorite farms tomorrow to pick sweet corn.
Fresh corn, melted butter, ground salt and pepper.
Yum!
{flickr photos}

Tonight.
Tonight, Season 6 of "Top Chef" begins!
{Yes, they are still on Bravo}
Padma, Tom, Gail and Toby.

Seventeen chefs in Las Vegas...
sharpen your knives and let the quick fire and elimination
challenges begin!

It is so fun to be in LOVE!
Mr R and I enjoy jotting our thoughts of amour

onto little pieces of paper
and tucking them into shoes, books, the car...
anywhere and everywhere.

{soooo much more fun than passing notes

in school and in that I did receive an A+}
As he is currently on a five day golfing vacation
with his good buddy, Jack,
I hope he has fun finding all his messages...
mainly that I am missing him something crazy!
{flickr photo}

Something new debuted in our town.
It is round.

Today, the new roundabout opened...
which means the main road is accessible!
{J, when you return home you will travel the road you know}
[photo one by flickr harthillsouth]

Guess who is hiking the trail up the mountain

to the "Y" this weekend?!!

If you read her blog you will recognize this photo to reflect her celebratory day--
Stephanie Nielsen, better known as NieNie.
Remember, she, her husband and their pilot (who sadly died) were in a private plane accident one year ago tomorrow? Stephanie was burned over 70% of her body. She has worked so hard, persevered and held hope for her new life. Today, she, her hubbie, family and friends are climbing to reach a milestone...symbolic in so many ways.
Hip hip to them making it to their destination--one step at a time...

today, tomorrow and every day.
Congratulations!!!!!!
{photo one from wikipedia;
photo two from nienie.dialogues.blogspot.com}

In SIX days,
Season 6
of Project Runway
will begin on its new station "Lifetime"
--yahoo!

I. am. home.
Home!
One happy aspect of going away
is returning.
This is part of a text from Mr. R
I received between flights:
"I have baked the chicken
if you want a snack when you arrive home,
and,
there are strawberries for your breakfast
(raspberries too).
Just putting freshly laundered sheets on the bed at this point.
Would you like a cherry tomato on your pillow
(notice I didn't say chocolate)?
I can't wait to pick you up from the gate.
Love, love, love"

I am the luckiest gal!
Forget calling him Mr R...
he is really Saint Steve!
**MWAH**
{flickr photo}

I have been gone eight weeks this summer.

E-i-g-h-t weeks.
Yes, we have been gone that long before
but we were
together.
So today, the very day I uttered the words,
"I am going to be staying home for a loooong while,"
guess who rolls out a fantastic flight-get-away plan?

They announced an "All-You-Can-Jet Pass!" where one can fly on their airline anywhere one desires to their 57 destination cities, as often as you wish and can, from September 8 to October 8, 2009, for $599.

I love this airline where each passenger has their own screen.
How fun to go on four consecutive weekend trips!
{I believe I read in the CNN article that price also

includes all taxes and fees for domestic flights

with no blackout dates or seat limitations.}
Go here to read any/all fine print.
Too bad they have pulled our city off their route.
sigh.
I hope you can sign up for the plan and as they say,
"Happy Jetting!"

A suitcase and one large box
will be coming with me when I return home...

wheeeee!
{flickr photo}

Mr R,
"Oh, that I could shrink the surface of the world,
so that suddenly I might find you standing by my side."
--wang churn