Saturday Photo Hunt

Today's theme is "comfy."

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This is my darling little brother getting comfy in his jammies (and hamming for the camera!)

Next week's theme is "sleeping."

Fridays are the Best Days

School is over for the week(end), and even if I have some studying to do, it is much more comfortable to do that studying on our very comfy couch, rather than in some squished chair of questionable cleanliness over on campus!

This afternoon we took a drive down south of Fort Wayne. We stopped at an apple orchard in Ossian and picked up a bushel or so of apples. Half of them were from the seconds heap and are destined to become applesauce. The other half are for eating, and I can't wait to try them.

From Ossian, we took off through the country toward Decatur. It was beautiful day, and the soybean fields are at their most lovely- all golden and glowing. Since we weren't really in a hurry, I had my mother stop so that I could get out and take some pictures. I loved getting to walk around out there, even if it was only for 50 ft or so. The grass was full of grasshoppers, so that every time I took a step they would hop all over my feet. There were also lots of great wooly caterpillars along the sides of the road, and their "fur" was looking pretty thick....Cold winter coming? I hope not.

This spot in particular caught my attention. The fields were such a bright gold, and the grass is still so green. And the clouds! I love clouds.

We stopped to visit with my great-grandma for a little bit before we came home. She was very happy to have visitors, and chatted a great deal. Grandpa even woke up for the entirely of our visit, and was able to recognize us. My mother is planning another visit, after we get Patrick back from our grandparents, who kidnapped him Wednesday.

Photo Hunt

So, I'm a little late getting my picture up today, but I've been out of the house all morning.

Today's theme is "Eyes"

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This is, of course, the Mighty Huntress Callie-Cat. She doesn't like this picture very much- she thinks it makes her nose look big.

Indolence in Blogging

I really really haven't felt like writing anything recently, even though there were a multitude of topics I could have covered. Perhaps it is because writing has once again become something I do for school- something I try to get through as quickly as possible. If so, that phase shouldn't last long. Within a few weeks I should feel like writing again, if only to complain. :o)

Ok: my current excuse for not writing anything of substance is that I am dead tired. I woke up at 6:00 this morning, and spent the entire day on campus. I held my eyes open through 6 straight hours of class, and tried desperately not to fall asleep while studying for a couple hours. I thenNow

Now I have four days to relax, write a history paper, study for a few tests.....

Photo Scavenger Hunt

Today's theme... "Looking Up"

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One of my personal favorites (of which I seem to have quite a few), I took this one in April. The bulbs were all blooming at Foster Park, which always makes for good pictures. This one I took from the middle of a tulip bed, looking up.

Pride and Prejudice Humor

Teeheehee.

It's really painfully stupid, but sometimes stupid is just funny.

Miss Bingley: "You write uncommonly fast Mr. Darcy."
Mr. Darcy: "Of course I do, I have a light saber! Get out of my way.

Saturday Photo

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These giraffes, at Taronga Zoo in Sydney, are enjoying a late-morning snack. And everyone else is enjoying watching them!

And I thought I was unique...

While poking around and spying on everyone who visits my blog, I discovered that my blog had come up on a Google search for "bethany beppy." That in itself wasn't surprising.... What WAS surprising was that I came up 6th. Apparently, I am not the only Bethany nicknamed "Beppy."

Bummer.

Photo Scavenger Hunt

The photo theme for this Saturday is "On the Road."

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This is my favorite "road" picture. I took it at the top of a mountain, just outside Akaroa, NZ. To the right and left are sheep pastures, and that stretch of blue out there is the Pacific. This photo brings back memories of total silence and a very peaceful stillness. It was the first time I can remember where there were no man-made noises to be heard, just the wind and the rustling grass.

Next Saturday: Food (hahaha!)

Book Tag

Apparently I have been tagged by my mother, and also by Not Worthy. I like this one...anything that requires talking about books sounds good to me!

1. One book that changed your life: I'm going to be like my mother and not give the obvious answer (The Bible.) I think I'll have to say Anne of Green Gables. It is largely responsible for making me a goofy, overly-romantic, poetry-reading, girly girl, prone to fits of nostalgia. ;o)

2. One book you've read more than once: Ha! One book.... I'll say Pride and Prjudice, since I've read it more than any other (probably 15-16 times)

3. One book you'd want on a desert island: The Bible

4. One book that made you laugh: Most books make me laugh, at some point. I'll agree with my mother and say Life with Jeeves

5. One book that made you cry: The first book that made me cry was Little Women. I also cry when I read depressing books like The House of Mirth

6. One book that you wish had been written: Time Travel for Dummies

7. One book that you wish had never been written: The Koran

8. One book you're currently reading: In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson

9. One book you've been meaning to read: War and Peace (if I ever find time!!!)

10. Scariest book you've ever read: Oooooooooooooooooooooooh.... Thunderhead, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. That book was terrifying. Anything that involves witchcraft-ish activities scares me. A close runner-up would be Relic, by the same authors.



Who to tag, who to tag.... Rachael, Katie, and Lynea, and anyone else who wants to do it.

Here it is...the finished project, under construction for just about a month and now FINISHED.

This was my first real knitting project, since I don't count misshapen doll-scarves as anything real. :o)

Now that I am done with the blanket, I can get on to my next, slightly less challenging project- making scarves for allllll my little girl cousins!

Photo Scavenger Hunt

I decided to join the photo scavenger-hunt blog, just like my mother. :o) The theme for today is "Blue."

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This was the tent at Katie and Nathan's wedding reception. I liked the blue and white-ness, which reminded me of the Greek flag. Not that that has anything to do with anything....

Sigh.

School is starting in the morning for me. I've been looking forward to the start of school for weeks, but now that it is actually here, I'm wishing that todday could drag on and on! It doesn't help that the weather has been completely gorgeous for the last few days, and I spent the entire afternoon sitting outside and reading. After a nice relaxing day like this, 4 months of papers, german homework, and actually doing (gasp) math just doesn't sound appealing.

I know that by tomorrow evening, once I have my syllabi in hand and have seen some of my school friends I'll be happier about the whole thing.

Now, I'm going to go watch a movie with Andrew and enjoy my last day of complete freedom for the summer.

I am officially a wimp...

...I suspected as much before, but it has been proven.

One of the problems with having all my boys out of the country for more than a week, is that the grass does not stop growing in their absence. The lawn needed to be mowed the day before the guys left, and Patrick "forgot" to do it. It's been several days now, and our lawn is decidedly scraggley.

My mother and I decided that it would make sense for me to just buck up and do some physical labor, rather than paying someone else to come do the lawn. We knew that the job would be difficult. Our mower used to be self-propelled, but at some point that function disappeared, leaving us with an extra-heavy push-mower. I, however, didn't grow up with three brothers for nothing, so I headed outside this morning, thinking to myself, "If they can do it, I can do it."

I have been disillusioned.

I made it through about 1/5 of our yard before giving up, my wrists aching and my head about to pop. I came stumbling into the house, and my mother decided that it was time to give up and call someone else. Now, I am sitting in a comfy chair, freshly showered and wearing my girly-girliest skirt, with a new appreciation of Patrick, who has to wrestle with that mower on a regular basis.

Oh. Canada.

For the next 9 days, our house will be guy-free. (With the exception of the he-cat, Ben.) My father and brothers left at 6:30 this morning for their annual fishing trip in Canada.

My littlest brother Andrew is going for the first time this year, and he was thrilled to be going. He gets to be one of "the men" for a week, and the fact that there will be no bathing all week is just gravy. (Smelly gravy, if you ask me.) What I don't think he realized is that this week also entails hours and hours in a dirty boat, waiting for the silly little fishies to bite. He also doesn't comprehend the idea of "no running water" or "spider-infested outhouse." The darling little arachnophobe may have a nervous breakdown. Or, he might just find that he enjoys being a filthy little hooligan.

Patrick, who has gone every year since he was 7, is completely aware of what a week at the cabin entails. He spent the last week detailing for me so that, even though I have never gone and never will go, I have a rough idea of what he was facing. I don't think he was looking forward to his week in the wild. He's the sort of civilized person who thinks that fish is best when served as part of sushi, and that his sister is better company than giant mosquitos.

The person who this trip really suits is Jonathan. Not bathing, sitting around doing nothing, and being generally uncivilized fit him better. He's more the typical young ruffian. He likes spitting and urinating out of doors.

They all, however, were looking forward to spending a full week of uninterrupted time with our father, away from his usual concerns.

And, as for my mother and I, we are enjoying our girl time. Today was spent shopping, eating out, and seeing Pirates of the Caribbean once again. I know she misses the boys already, and I'm sure that, by next Sunday, I'll be ready to see them too. Just as soon as they have showered.

This is what happens when I have too much time on my hands and a nice camera.

Those of you who were at The Wedding (;o)) might recognize the picture on the left. I guess I just couldn't leave it alone.

Dr. Pepper gets a makeover.

So I'm a shoe freak...

...but if you've ever met me you probably already knew that.

Here are my two new favorite pairs, purchased on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.


They're actually much less painful than they look, although they do make really good weapons.

I am a bad blogger. I haven't felt like writing anything for quite a while, so I...haven't.

We got home yesterday from our trip to Turkey Run state park in the west-central part of Indiana. We went with a group from our church and met up with Pastor Fickel's group from Chesterton and Pastor Foy from Valparaiso (and his children.)

We sang Matins and Vespers daily, as well as some great bible study time with Pastors Petersen, Fickel, and Foy. My mother was in charge of cooking, and armed with a cast iron skillet and dutch oven, an aluminum camp pot, and a charcoal grill, she was able to concoct yummy and filling meals for 30+ people with very little left over afterwards.

The park is lovely, and we were able to enjoy the scenery on our first day. We went on a hike through the woods, along Sugar Creek, and through ravines and gorges. Being the nervous older-sister type that I am, I was very watchful of the younger children we had hiking with us. I know they wouldn't have been allowed to come were the trail not safe enough for them, but I still worried and held little hands whenever I could.

On Thursday we took a short canoe trip down Sugar Creek. It was easy going, and the scenery was beautiful, so it was a very relaxing way to spend a few hours. We stopped halfway for a picnic lunch on the beach. The food went quickly, so we spent the rest of our onshore time skipping rocks across the creek. I found a couple of interesting rocks that I kept, and also a piece of beach glass that I strongly suspect was once part of a beer bottle.

I finally got a tan, after a whole summer of being a glowing, brilliant, shining white. I look much healthier now, and not so much like something that just climbed out of a cave.

Thursday evening we played games in the common room of the inn. Mrs. Fickel, Mrs. Petersen, my mother, Thomas, and I played dominos for the longest time, although it might have gone more quickly if we hadn't been laughing so hard. It was Pastor Fickel's fault. (Incidently, I don't think I'll be able to read anything about Mr. Darcy for a few weeks now. It will conjure all the wrong pictures.)

On Friday we went horseback riding, something I had been looking forward to for months.
My horse was a large brown mare named Grace, although I'm not certain how deserved that name really was. The trail we took was about four miles long, and snaked through the woods. I enjoyed my ride, but found myself very envious of our guides who continuously cantered their horses back and forth next to us. A walking horse is well and good, but I was dying to let loose and run with Grace.

Force-fed Football?

Second post in a matter of minutes, but oh well. I thought of something to write/rant about.

I am so tired of hearing people complain about the World Cup being "shoved down their throat." When last I checked, I don't think that FIFA, ESPN, or ABC were forcing people to watch games at gun-point. If there has been a big deal made about it, it's because the World Cup is a big deal. It is an international event, with a far greater audience and wider fan base than any American sport or even the Olympics. Yet one never hears anyone accusing the networks of "force-feeding" us golfing tournaments.

One of my favorite radio personalities, Mark Belling, filled in on Rush's show this afternoon. He was driving me a little nuts. He kept saying that he "got" soccer and still found it boring and lacking any sort of strategy. It seemed to me that he was mistaking a knowledge of the rules of the game for an understanding of the game. I know the rules of golf, American football, baseball, NASCAR, and hockey, but I don't "get" any of them. I know how one would score in a game of American football, but the strategies and intricacies of the game are completely lost on me, and so I find the game incredibly dull. Having played and watched soccer for most of my life, however, I can see all of the finer points which are, apparently, lost on most of the American public.

I miss having World Cup games to watch already. I'm glad our satellite provider carries Fox Soccer Network and Telemundo so I can still get my FOOTBALL fix. ;o)

Incidently, Italy stinks, even if they are good-looking. Frace totally should have won....

Where I've been

We had the pleasure of seeing Uncle Sean and Aunt Anne-Nicole last week; a pleasure that was far too short-lived.

Our family drove over to Plymouth (IN) on the 4th, where we visited with my grandparents; aunt, uncle, and adorable cousins from South Bend; bummy Uncle Scott the Golf Pro; and, of course, "the foreigners." We hung out, had a go at just about everything, and played a few rousing games of bocce ball.

My mom drove us over again on Friday for another visit, and they came over to Fort Wayne the next day. My mother and I fixed a splendid brunch for our visitors (omlettes, lox, several different baked goods, homemade granola & yogurt....mmmmmmmmmm.) After we had finished eating, we all sat down and watched the World Cup semifinal- France v. Portugal game- cheering on France.

Uncle Sean and Aunt Anne had to leave far too soon (to me, at least) and go visit other family members. I know the time will go quickly between now and when we see them next, but as of right now, it seems like an eternity.