Beauty in the birches: June 2010

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Smartie pants

Dad just showed me a bunch of bear tracks leading up our driveway to the overturned garbage can beside the deck.

According to our calculations, the bear wandered into the yard around 10:30 p.m. yesterday, while I was inside, alone, watching Criminal Minds. Already scared shitless.

My thoughts, which I expressed out loud (probably much to my Pop's dismay): "My god! I feel so violated!"

Followed by: "Well, we definitely have to remember to lock the doors now!"

This last phrase I really wish I had kept to myself. To my credit, I was talking about the sliding doors in the basement. Those things don't seem too sturdy. And bears have nimble fingers. Or is that raccoons?

I looked up after my very worried statements, to see my Dad looking at me.

The look on his face said "How did I raise such an irrational, flighty, dimwitted daughter?"

Gene pool, Papa. It's all in the gene pool.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

A beautiful thing

Oh....hi. Yeah, we've met. I may or may not have forgotten your name. Don't take it personally though - it's been a while.

This month has been kicking my ass with work, bachelorette parties, weddings, and all of that wonderful stuff that comes along with weddings. You think I'm being sarcastic here, with the use of the word 'wonderful' and all, but I'm really not.

At the risk of outing myself as a hopeless, head-over-heels, romantic - I'll just come out and say it.

I. LOVE. WEDDINGS.

May not be that shocking to people who know me. Remember Titanic (the movie, not the actual ship)? I watched that movie about 40 times, and cried for days afterward. Every. Time.

For me, the most heartbreaking part of a wedding is when the daughter gets to the end of the aisle with her Dad and he has to hug her and hand her off to her new husband. This part gets me every time. I don't know, maybe it's because I'm still single, and currently living with my Dad, and haven't even begun to think about the day when he will hand me over to a new life, a new last name. He probably thinks about it now and then though, come to think of it. Especially on nights like tonight, when he has people over unexpectedly to look at his new house, and my purses, slippers, lunch bag, etc. are strewn all over, like a 20-something exploded. Oh, and also? My bed's not made. Oops. Sorry Pop. I was gonna get to it! But then I didn't!

All of this to say, last weekend I watched as two people I have known (it seems like) forever say some words that basically mean: this is it. It's you. I will love you forever. And, this isn't the leftover wedding cake talking, but I truly, deep down in my gut, believe they will. Here are a few shots of Tina and Louis' first night as Mr. and Mrs.