Golden

Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons.

~Jim Bishop

 

 

Got my boys, my rod and the car packed up, brought a late lunch and we enjoyed the afternoon by Quarter bridge in Glacier. Floaters with a Saint Bernard and a Lab floated by- fly fishing- no luck.
Me neither- hard to figure out the right flies, still new, practice.....
Living on the east coast in New York I thought the fall was always the best, now here in the west the crisp fresh mountain air, the blue skies and the golden cotton woods and aspen sure make for a beautiful autumn.
My heart is full... I found my gold in Montana.




 

Seasonal victories

Spinning on the porch when the weather permits. I have been spinning up a storm I now have five skeins for my sweater I think I will need six, a victory of sorts for me- since I am finally spinning again.

The days are growing shorter less day light to enjoy here on the 48th parallel but with the aspen leaves ablaze it gives such a beautiful golden light even to a grey day in the valley. No victory here- just had to throw in a beautiful fall pictures.

I attended a really special event Rocky Mountain Frisian Horse chapter and FHANA hosted the 2015 Keurig of Frisians in the North West, we are a small group that are lucky enough to own a Frisian Horse(s)  approx 80 in Montana. 3 judges from Netherlands flew in for the event very exciting and educational to see how and what they look for in a Frisian they judge them as jewelers would do with Diamonds. Victory- so glad that Kalispell host such international events!

Lazy weekend afternoons by the river soaking up that Indian Summer sun and the lovely turning of the leaves, victory that I can get my youngest with us exploring the riverside and floating drift wood boats down the river.

The last of my flower garden-  my fall harvest brightens the kitchen- victory I can grow flowers!

Baking up a storm- it's that season...adding more recipes to my baking repertoire- victory.

My beloved Auggie doing so well with his team- finding that life isn't just victories, but when they happen oh, does it feel good. He's played so hard this season sometimes 3 games a week Coach has them icing in the Middle Fork river these late fall afternoons- they have to sit in the icy river for 20 min- in their shorts, some wearing their thick jackets and hats. Love that - mother nature healing their sore legs- that's Montana for you. 

...and Lilly are own skunk patrol pooch, only been sprayed in the face once this year... I guess you could call that a victory for her too.

Any little or big victories in your life lately?

Sift = Shift

 

Sift = Shift

 

 Let me tell you what I mean,

- do you ever go thru your life and start sifting thru what's important in your life

and what's not

 work, dreams, experiences, travel, creativity, family

 

Lately I've had time

 to sift

  mostly when I should be sleeping.

 I am feeling there is a shift coming in my life- I can either

A. ignore this

B. Go with the flow

 I am choosing the latter

 

Mountain Girl Yarns will be put on a shelf

 as a beautiful, colorful and wonderful chapter of my life

as I knew it was time to move away from Magnolia Handspun

the same feeling is here now

 

 a shift 

 

I guess it really became clear as I was experiencing the joy and reality

 of one of biggest dreams come true

(I wrote  about that here)

 I was wasn't feeling that joy any longer with the yarns

 

 Other plans are on the horizon that involve a lot of "sifting"

 (I will explain as I move further on my journey)

 

My mom who is 80 years old decided this spring while visiting us

it was "high time" that she got a divorce.

Excuse me, whaaaat?!!!

 Oh yeah there's more...

 She flew back to Norway got the divorce papers signed

and promptly informed me

she's selling her

apartment and moving to Montana

 

I guess for some time she had been doing some nightly "sifting" too.

 

***

I think that we have to do what we have to do

when we see a need to change I think that is what needs to be done

in order to do what we are meant to do.

 

Change can be a beautiful thing and I am ready for it.

 

When one door closes

another one open;

but we often look so long

 and so regretfully

upon that closed door that we don't see

the other one that opened

Pinterest

 

Joining Ginny

Octobers Party

 

 

Well all I can say is we started the month of October with a bang

Chef turned 50 on Friday- he closed the café early and we went on a little lunch date in Whitefish. He picked up his "new" wedding ring that I had inscribed- 

 lets see if he can keep this one on- you might remember he lost his other while swimming in Hawaii.

Reservations at historic Belton Chalet at 6 pm had been made for dinner- only for 5 pers.

Jules is away at college. 

Getting ready for dinner-

my daughter loves to do make-up, she wanted to do mine, of course I let her. 

 Closing my eyes as the eye shadow was being carefully painted on-  I felt hands over my eyes ...

I turned and looked it was Julian- he drove home and surprised chef and I for the weekend- my heart was full we would be together to celebrate

 what a wonderful surprise!

When you step into Belton Chalet it's as if you step back into time- everything is old and beautifully restored and kept- Fog Horn says it smells Like Norway ;)

Fresh trout on bed of greens for dinner and for dessert,Tiramisu that was devoured- i

f I wasn't in a fine restaurant

I would have probably licked my plate clean!

 

Saturday, Auggie our younger son had an away game in Libby.

 Libby Loggers got creamed by the Wild Cats 2-0 us. I think we all were levitating- the toughest team to beat in the valley!

 With three boys soccer season is in full swing at our house.

 Chef and I stayed back and watched our Fog Horn play soccer- got some knitting in on my Norwegian Luse kofte .

Later on that day we went shopping which I hate, unless it's for the house

A new tomato red rug for the living room and pillows to go with it,

warm colors for the winter-  a little seasonal lift.

 

 

Sunday we all had breakfast the boys invited their girl friends over

and had a lazy day at the house 

Fog Horn stayed back with his older brothers - he really misses his oldest.

Chef and I drove to Big Fork and went for a walk by the Swan River.

 What a glorious day it was- enjoying what nature had to offer 

a party of fall colors

 we ended up in short sleeves it was so nice and warm.

 Later on the last of the sunflowers were picked from my garden for the table,

 candles lit and  pasta with my secret pasta sauce served.

 For dessert, warm apple pie and brownies with vanilla ice cream.

 Watching our kids that are growing up into beautiful adults with their girl friends

eating dinner, talking, laughing....

 

This is the stuff money can't buy.

 

 Feeling wealthy seeing my family sitting all around the table like this-

I whisper a little prayer, wishing this moment will never fade

...I am so grateful.

 

  a beautiful Octobers Party!

 

 

 

October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came,—
The Ashes, Oaks, and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The sunshine spread a carpet,
And every thing was grand;
Miss Weather led the dancing;
Professor Wind, the band....
The sight was like a rainbow
New-fallen from the sky.... ~George Cooper, "October’s Party"

Dream big!

A horse is poetry in motion. 

 ~Author Unknown

 

 

 

I have experienced a series of unusual magical events these past couple of years. 

Purchasing Fiona, falling in love with her, starting her, riding her- my life changed.

It became full

... it couldn't get any better, right?

Well it did, a few months later I acquired Bella.

The love I have for my two dark horses is indescribable.

Ninne, my Swedish grandfather who had past down his love of horses to me

now, become my reality

a dream.

 

I moved to Montana because of a movie, yes that's right because of a movie. " The horse whisperer". Living in New York at the time I wanted something else, inspired by the surrounding -  in a round about way 3 years later I moved to Montana-

also

 a dream.

 

 Well the movie was based on Buck Brannaman-

I read everything I could about him, watched every you tube video and then....

finally moving to Montana  I saw him in person 2 winters ago

- a three day clinic I watched him -

 showing up hours early just to get a good seat I would sit in that cold arena and soak up everything

a dream.

 

 Last week my trainer forwarded a post on Facebook

 Buck was coming to Kalispell for a week in summer 2016 

there were possibly spots open for his clinic.

 I don't know what came over me- I have never felt such energy. 

Immediately I emailed the sponsors and

inquired if there were still spots available-

too scared to think if there was not a spot open- too scared to think if there was a spot open

what would I do?

Few minutes later the response was-

Shayne says you're in, send us a deposit and we'll see you next summer!

Frozen, I stood and looked at my puter screen- this can't be true???

 This simply can not be true?

It is SO hard to get into his clinics, I felt as if I won the lottery.

 

I went completely ballistic dancing, crying, laughing,screaming ( I actually lost my voice)

jumping around,

 my daughter and dogs thought I had completely lost it.

 I had come FULL CIRCLE

 I am actually going to ride in a 5 day clinic with Buck Brannaman next summer!

 a dream.

 a dream that came true 15 years later

 

My kids see that my BIGGEST dream did come true

 and realize it can happen anytime if you work hard if you work towards it

it's inspiring not only to me, but to them.

 

 

If you told me 15 years ago I would be living in Montana with two horse and ride in a clinic with Buck I would have chortled.

 

Dream BIG!

 Dreams come true.

 Believe in yourself- you can do it-  no matter what it is- if you want it, go get it!

 

 

 My heart is full.

 It feels incredible.

 

 Horses are incredibly forgiving. They fill in places we're not capable of filling ourselves.

-Buck Brannaman

September Yarn Along

A Norwegian sweater in progress, using yarn I bought in Geilo at the supermarket 2 years ago and yarn I naturally dyed with rhubarb, walnut hulls and Saxon Blue, it's a perfect soccer knitting, TV watching sweater- it will take it's its time- I'm in no rush.
I have just started reading Trust the Process by Shaun McNiff, I am hoping to get some creative juices flowing again.

 Joining Ginny today

Garden

Gardening requires lots of water — most of it in the form of perspiration.

~Lou Erickson

 

 A garden is always a series of losses set against a few triumphs, like life itself.

~May Sarton
 

....and that sums up my garden experience this year.
I have decided that vegetable gardening is not for me. My life is simply too busy with more interesting things than weeding. I refuse to use chemicals and so...the weeds win again. My flowers did awesome but my veggies became overtaken by weeds. I was just too busy enjoying my family and what Montana has to offer in the summer time that the weeds moved right in. That's ok. Next year I will be supporting the local farmers market, maybe even do a CSA again.

 

Fall Knittering

 

 

I had all this sock yarn odds and ends so I thought I would do something clever and knit it all up into one big scarf. I love it because it is so random and very easy to knit. It will take me some more time and I have from here to the pacific in loose ends to weave in- but that's o.k. Hopefully it will be done by the time the snow flies.

I am also rekindling a past love of spinning. I have a beautiful spinning wheel from NZ an " Aurora"  Majacraft- a megathon of roving has been dyed and a lofty goal has been made... spinning enough yarn for a sweater this year- if this works and I can complete this goal I might do it every year as a tradition?
I was asked if single ply would hold up well as a sweater.
I have always loved the rustic look of singles- it will not hold up as well as a plied yarn but I am too dang impatient to spin extra yards for this. Besides I like to knit, so knitting a yearly "new" sweater because the this one bit the dust is just fine with me.

Cookie anyone?




 

La Cucina

Well that's it folks

 as promised here are a few pictures from this spring kitchen remodel.

 

It was tough felt like camping with six people-

 would I do it again?

 in a heartbeat.

 Amazing the first time in our lives to have a kitchen that functions and works with the way we live. Knocking down the wall between the kitchen and dining room making it one big space

priceless

 all the natural light streaming in is so wonderful.

 What you're not seeing is that we added ceiling solar tube over the kitchen counter-

another cool thing-

 I just started turning on the light as Montana goes into winter dark mode- the tubes let in so much light even on a dark day it feels good.

 I have SAD syndrome so any extra light is much appreciated-

the tubes were also at a relative low cost.

 

 Our kids love the breakfast bar and all the room around the counters and the island counter space- great to gather around with friends.

  the book shelf holds an assortment of cooking books.

 

I came home from New Mexico when the renno started

so I asked for a few beams to be added to our living room ceiling

 HUGE

difference- so cozy

 well worth it and I feel like a brought a little of Santa Fe to my home

 

I designed the kitchen with input from chef 
kept it simple and ergonomic so there was no need for a designer to get involved- money saved

Pierre picked the granite, reminds me of Norway-
 just love the simple grey with little specks of red garnet

 we are 100 % satisfied.

 If you are planning a kitchen remodel

 do it

 you won't regret it.