now I'm here...

It's been a crazy few weeks, and there is much upcoming crazyness!  I have been traveling for work - to New Jersey.  It was quite fun!  I didn't manage to take any photos, but some of my friends did, and I'll see if I can find any good ones to post for you.  This is just a short blog to say hello, I'm alive, and will be gone again for a spell. I will be traveling out west for a week, so look forward to photos and tales from that journey!

of stuff and things.

September is upon us (and nearly gone).  Holy Crap!  I don't think I like this fact.  But, there is nothing I can do to slow time, so I guess I'll just have to deal.  I had a GREAT summer at the ranch - awesome staff, awesome campers, awesome horses.  :)  It's summers like this that make me want to work here forever!  

Anyway,  as I walked to the mailbox today, I saw several squirrels scampering about, searching for food (generally acorns around here), and it reminded me of several things, but mostly that I love food.  :)  I've had some fun lately in my tiny kitchen:

First, we had a German counselor this summer, and she LOVES potatoes.  She made us some Bratkartoffeln one day, and they were soooooo good!  I decided to try to make some, so, not having internet at my house, I made up a recipe.  They turned out awesome, and when I looked them up online later, I was actually very close!

I added a dollop of sour cream, and ate WAY too much!  If you're going to make them, I suggest slightly smaller chunks of potato...

Mom & Dad have started growing heirloom tomatoes, and gave me a few.

I decided that I needed to make something, and settled on Marinara sauce.  I have no recipe for it, so I made it up.

The green tomatoes (yes, they're ripe.  I don't know the variety, but they're the ones that are green with yellow stripes) made the sauce look a bit sickly, but it was tasty!  I also baked some Italian Herb Bread that day.

I decided that the two must meet, so I whipped out the George Foreman Grill for some nummy grilled cheese sandwiches - with sharp cheddar cheese.

 When all of the ingredients were compiled, it was exquisite!

(See what I mean about the way it looked?  But trust me, it was heaven!)

sad, sad day.

I just learned that Jack Horkheimer has died.  I used to watch Stargazer all the time on PBS.  

I will miss it. 

"Keep Looking Up!"

Dalmatians

We had a crew of about 70 1st-5th grade students here on Saturday.  Talk about busy!  They got here around 11 and left at 4.  We had a meal, played games, did a Bible study, sang songs, and had a craft project.  I was in charge of the craft - we made ShrinkyDink bookmarks.  I learned many things: 

1. Young children CAN use permanent markers without making a HUGE mess (I only had to clean a few spots off the tables).
2. Convection ovens are awesome, but will cause the ShrinkyDink to fly around because of the fan.
3. ShrinkyDinks curl alarmingly, but will mostly flatten out again
4. Stacking another layer of parchment paper and then another cookie sheet on top of the ShrinkyDinks will work and does keep them from ending up horribly mauled by the convection oven fan

Needless to say, I have now perfected the method of ShrinkyDink production in the camp kitchen.  Things I never knew I needed to know.  :)

When all was said and done, we went out to eat with the summer staff who had come up to volunteer.  One of my favorite parts of my job is the people I meet and get to work with.  Most of them are funny, smart, goofy nerds.  Much like my friends (you all know you are!).  I like them.  I can't wait for summer!

Lately, I've been falling asleep to NPR.  It's usually during 'World Cafe.'  I heard a song the other night that I vaguely remember thinking that I should look up, and then someone posted this link on Facebook today.  The song I had listened to was Josh Ritter's Change of Time.  I've been listening to the whole album, and have decided that yes, indeed, I should buy it.  Someday.  When I have money.  

There have been may things added to that list (the I should buy it. Someday. When I have money. list).  I've started trying to keep track of these things with a list in the small notebook I try to carry around with me.  I actually title the list (cuz I'm a nerd).  It's called 'If wishes were horses...'  Yup.  :)

Planning

I had a lot more to add to the last post, but it seemed to be getting fairly long.  Anyway, I'm just glad that it no longer looks like this on the Lake:

All of the ice is now off, and hopefully it will be warming up quite a bit so I can get some good kayaking in before I move to the Ranch for the summer.  :D

It's been crazy the last month here - we have all of the staff hired for the Ranch, and the Lake is almost done hiring (but we could really use a few more male counselors), so there's a million paperwork things to get done, not to mention program planning for the summer and even setting up the schedule for next summer.  I'm working on getting all of the resource people I need together for staff training as well.  

On top of that, I will also be studying for a CDL so I can drive the camp bus.  

So much to do, so little time...

Summer Dawning

:)  There was a glorious thunderstorm last night!  I stood outside on my back stoop (after I gave up watching Castle as it pixelated every time the wind blew or lightening struck) and watched the storm blow through.  There wasn't much rain, and the wind was just right so I could stand outside and not get wet.  The frogs were croaking all around.  It was awesome!  I love thunderstorm season!  I can't wait to get out to the Ranch and watch them roll in over the miles.  

Anywho, *pause to check last few posts* here are the photos I promised a while back.  I don't have any photos of it before I started painting, but you'll see...

You can see the lovely 'wood' grain of the original color in these first photos:

The next photos are 'in process' and the old pulls (top) and the new ones (bottom).

And finally: the finished product!  :)

I am very happy with this little project, maybe it will even inspire me to work on the pile of other projects.

hey there fruity lips...

Apricot.  *mwah*   That is the shade of my new tinted lip balm.  In an attempt to 'be more professional,' I have started wearing makeup.  This is not something I am used to.  At all.  For those of you who've known me since high school and prior, you can probably count on one hand the number of times you have seen me wearing makeup.  Anyway, it's happened:  I'm growing up. (ish)  When I go out into the community and recruit staff and talk to potential campers, I will now look like an adult.  Scary.  Please tell me if I look funny when you see me, though, as I really don't know what I'm doing with makeup, and am therefore highly self-conscious about it.  Thank You. That is all.