Cake

It's been an amazing morning. I don't have to go anywhere for a few hours, and the house is empty and quiet. I'm sitting by the window breathing in the fresh breeze as it flows in and picks up the curtains, creating a calm and soothing affect. I've always loved the look of billowy curtains!

This morning my friend and I decided to have breakfast before going to her church. We've both done hair for the pastry chef that is now working at Cake and were interested in checking it out. (Really, because we, or at least I, love sweet things!) It was the most cutest, perfect place ever.

My kind of place.

I didn't even mind standing in the winding line, (and oh, what a Sunday morning crowd!) absorbing the setting and decorations while waiting. Such a charming feel.

I love to just sit and talk. Not rushing anywhere. And today, enjoying a latte and blueberry pancakes. We sat outside and took a moment to laugh with the old man that stopped by to tell us that they make big pancakes. He was right.

***
We sit down in one of the rows in back of church. And I can't help it but the first thing I see is a perfect white head of hair with an unmistakenly familiar face. The pastor of the first church we ever went to when we first moved to Spokane. 'I have to come up and say hi!' I loved that guy! Apparently, his son is going to be one the the men who's going to work at one of the new church plants. And then I see another man and tell my friend, "That looks like my science teacher from high school!" And of course, he is her small group leader. After church I laughed and told him I remember him for giving me a B for a grade. All my other grades were A's. But it doesn't matter because I am a hairdresser now. (I hope that wasn't a mean thing to remark on). I also see the guy that works at the coffee shop I frequent, and a few other faces I know. People that I've gotten to know through other people...I'm pretty sure they don't know who I am. I find it very interesting to see so many familiar faces in a place I've only come to once before...

***


"One man's junk is another man's treasure"
We were talking about colors and decorations for a bathroom with my client as I shampooed her hair, and she told me she has something in her trunk that didn't fit in her bathroom that I should check out. I did and we threw it into my car before she left. Nice! Another great perk to my job. Clean it, change it's nobs later, and it's perfect for the empty spot in the bathroom.

Friday Night Tea

It's a perfect ending to the last friday of August. Rolling hills as far as the eye can see in the dark. Crickets chirping. A huge moon rising in the starlit sky. Miniture Chinese lanterns and lights. An occasional startle by the sheep's loud Baaaaaa! Hot herbal tea. And the warmth of a bonfire.

Thank you to my friend for inviting me over for 'tea'. It was quite a charming setting for a very pleasant evening.

Talking and laughing, sitting wrapped in a blanket, around this fire.

Crisp and Fresh

I went for a final visit to the lake for this summer. It was all of a sudden, very different. The air is now cool. The sun no longer burns. It takes longer to warm up and dry after a swim. And the stretch of sandy beach is no longer packed. It's actually deserted. All I could see was a packed college campus and an empty beach. I've enjoyed the drives over to the lake. To soak in the sun, read books, watch people, and listen to kids playing at the edge of the lake. To float on the amazing, undeflatable mattress, and go out for swims. It is just one of those incredible feelings, being in the water!

The change in air is very exciting! I can sense it in the atmosphere, can smell the difference. It is crisp and fresh. I've already turned on the heat in my car late at night. Put on my amazing wool, handmade socks, early in the morning. This means Fall is near, September's around the corner. And oh, how I love September! Leaves slowly turn color and days become shorter so fast. Seems like everything changes, a lot happens, and the beginning of a new year starts for me! It's been a laid back summer and I am so ready for Fall!

Жариная Картошка

A few nights ago, I lay in bed trying to fall asleep. My window is usually open and quite often in the middle of the night I can hear a car pass by at a frightful speed through the quiet neighborhood streets. Police chases, speeders, roaring motors -pretty much anything. So this night was no different and I didn't even think twice as I heard a swoosh and noise of yet another speeder. The only difference tonight was that a few moments later, I heard the doorbell ring and at this hour it would have to be a stranger to be ringing the doorbell, so I looked out one of the windows where I could hear the voices. My brother was standing at my car looking into it. I figured my car got vandalized. The driver's window smashed or shot into tiny glass fragments.

A little of what was left of my car window.

***

What I love about the warmer days of the year is that in circumstances like these, I can take out my bike and living in proximity to downtown, I can ride to work. It's a very peaceful and happy ride. I can easily go through the park, pass the beautiful waterfalls and head right up to my salon.

Right outside my corner station of where I work.

***

But really, what I was thinking of was, how much I love жариная картошка, or fried potatoes, on the skillet. With onions, dill or parsley, and made with real butter. It is certainly not the healthiest way of eating potatoes but I could pass on a gourmet meal at a fancy restaurant, to a simple meal of fried potatoes with sauerkraut or garlic pickles, any day.

It is just one of my favorites!

The Work Within

As a christian who fears the Lord, I am constantly aware that I am not in control. It is a kind of knowledge that is always somewhere in the back of my mind. Just something I believe.
Yet knowing does me no good, when over time I realize that the I in me has risen once again and is trying to produce results, overturn things, solve things, and make something happen, pushing it to the limit. All on it's own. And when the Realization strikes and I stand helpless, as my futile attempts seem pathetic and desperate in my very own eyes, I look up and say, "I know, I'm trying to do it myself." I have to humble myself and let go, and give way to God to do the work that he has planned for me, within me, around me. I have given way to the fact that I am very much stubborn sometimes and think I can somehow know more or know what's best, when really, He is the one that sees the unseen to me, knows why and what, and has the time for everything. I have to remind myself of the trust in Him, that everything will show itself in it's good time and just ask for strength and patience.
It is not a pleasant thing to stand feeling almost foolish in seeing the truth about myself, (which I've been pushing aside or making possible excuses), knowing exactly what I am actually to do, what I'm called to do, and even sometimes wanting to pout and stamp my foot like a child and say, "But why not?!" in protest...And when I know, I have no choice but to give it up to God for I cannot pretend to not know...The nice thing about it is that the results later down the road are always gratifying.

It's actually a big relief to let go -very freeing. Makes me feel carefree and puts a smile on my face, knowing I don't really have to do anything except 'the good'. Everything else will be taken care of...

I have a massive headache, so now I will go find relief for that!

A Long Time Ago

There is a modern way of doing this -scan the old 35mm photo slides and create new digital prints -but I figured I'll do it my way.At one point in time, my dad used to make a living traveling and taking photos of people. Put a child on a swing and make her happy

My two older siblings and myself

True vintage bike
My younger brother and I

Reading my alphabet book
Visits to Ukraine

Said goodbye to grandma 20 years ago and never saw her again.
Dad's friend. He could play a character in a Jane Austen story.

Fancy Ride

Mom
Wild ones
Train travel

The roads they traveled

Somewhere In Russia

You Mean Something

I wonder how it happens that those around me, that I once thought were so unapproachable, those I thought I could never talk to or even dare to look in their direction, become friends? Now people, who I've shared my life with, talked and laughed, carefree, as if we we've been friends forever.

And how I just find it awesome, that some of those people I am still in contact with and I love to talk to, were those that once teased me, laughed at me for some reason or another, and didn't think much of me. Funny that I once cared.

Maybe that is why I am always drawn to that one single person that sticks out, just looks out of place. Looks in need, helpless, lonely, lost...The one that gets overlooked. It makes me want to give a big smile that says, 'I notice you and you mean something.'