Joyous New Year

I wish all my family a joyous and healthy new year! May 2011 bring you peace and happiness!

Love to each of you!

Peace. Love. Joy.

Give it. Get it.

Jim

Asher at 4 months!

Leo

August, 1994 - December 2010

A cat like no other.

Fruitcake - The Tradition Continues

I am in the process of making fruitcake today. It was a tradition in our household. In the last few years I always made the fruitcake under the direction of my mom. Last year was my first year on my own. This year I'm a bit late, but decided it was important to continue the tradition. Never a big fan of fruitcake myself as a kid, I have acquired a taste for it, and look forward to both giving fruitcake to others that enjoy it, and indulging in some myself.

Here is a picture of the fruit before being added to the cake.

Happy Thanksgiving

The heart will find the pathway home.


~Wilbur D. Nesbit

November Freeze

It's cold here...borderline International Falls cold! I think the low tonight is 14 degrees. Anyway, we are wusses when it comes to that cold of temperatures. Here is a picture of the girls out in the snow...I was trying to get them to sit on Jim's lion but Piper wasn't having it. Not sure what she has against lions...

From NovFreeze10

Tatum knocking on Uncle Jim's window...he wasn't up yet.

From NovFreeze10

From NovFreeze10

Grilled Cheese

Farmers cheese, 12-grain bread, raspberry jam.

Grilled Cheese Competition

Who's in?


Side A - Nov 17, 2010


Side B - Nov 17, 2010

Weekend Outing

My friend Matt invited four of his Canadian friends and a few of us locals to a weekend on the Olympic Peninsula and Lake Cushman. The highlight of the weekend was a boat ride from Shelton to Olympia and back. I had never been on the water in the southern part of the sound so it was a treat. It was gray and wet, but the rain held off. Here are a couple photos.

Awesome

What's Going On?

Kind of quiet out there.

Happy Birthday, Tatum

TT is three

Choice

Yesterday was my last evening of canvassing. The weather and people were surly. Maybe it was due to the fact that I was canvassing during the Husky game. They got spanked by Standford (41 - 0). Ouch. Anyway, on the drive back to the office one of my fellow canvassers told me that he encountered a 25 year old that didn't know if he was going to vote. When asked why, he said it was because the choice was either

Pithy Socialistic Atheists

or

Autocratic Oligarchical Crusaders


Now, that's an astute young observer of today's political landscape. He probably graduated from Standford!

Happy Halloween and VOTE ANYWAY

Jim

Leo

Borrowed Thoughts for the Day

I came across this in today's searching-for-a-job-on-the-internet activity.

From Seth Godin's blog

Demonstrating strength
Apologize
Defer to others
Avoid shortcuts
Tell the truth
Offer kindness
Seek alliances
Volunteer to take the short straw
Choose the long-term, sacrificing the short
Demonstrate respect to all, not just the obviously strong
Share credit and be public in your gratitude
Risking the appearance of weakness takes strength. And the market knows it.

Now, a random picture from me.

Omdahl's Back Yard Phase One

The fire pit and sitting wall are the first phase of our backyard.

Next year we'll add more patio area and a water feature.

Signs 2.0

So it seems many of us are recieving messages. As some of you know it has been a hard week for me. Apparently someone else is aware as well. I'm still disecting the meaning of the messages and what they are intended to convey - but I know exactly who they are coming from.

Friday afternoon walking back to the office I had a black cat walk past me. Technically we passed eachother on the sidewalk so he didnt cross my path.

Today, I left the house to go to starbucks and get some work done. The picture in this post was taken on my walk. I stopped, snapped the photo and carfully walked around the ladder.

Love to all. Thanks for being such important parts of my life.

Hans

Signs

I am continuing my GOTV (get out the vote) canvassing job. I am getting paid, but it also feels good to be participating in the political process. The political ads are particularly nasty this year. The main goal seems to be to create fear and confusion. It's nice to just deliver the message that every vote is important.

Anyway, as I was canvassing yesterday, I came across this sign at one of the houses which I canvassed. Later, it occurred to me that it meant that I am exactly where I am supposed to be. I think it's always the little things that give me the most information.

Happy Birthday Piper

Piper's First Birthday Party

Piper's birthday party was last night. She'll be one on the 19th. Here are a couple photos. It was a great party and a great day. The Huskies won!

Two Subjects

Monna's store, Chic Essentials, is up and running in the expanded space. She and I are now working on her marketing plan. Here's an iphone photo of the new space.



This is not a view from my window, but it is a view from the neighborhood that I was canvassing in tonight. It's my GOTV (get out the vote) job. A view of Seattle is in the middle of the road. Iphone didn't capture it very well.

A view from my Window

Piper

While Chopping Potatoes for a Farmer's Omelette This Morning

I thought of Theone--a woman who

was also known as The One

never failed to speak her mind

was a temperamental card player

thought deeply about her loved ones

remembered poverty

made a mean pan of sweet rolls

became a social advocate

could make a meal when the cupboards looked bare

loved the waters of Rainy Lake

said "I love you" with food

didn't worry about being politically correct

started the day with a cigarette, aspirin and a glass of water

valued order and cleanliness

was always a bit of a kid herself

understood the importance of forgiveness

sent Mary Engelbreit calendar pages

noticed nature's gifts

passed gas and laughed

had systems for recycling before it was fashionable

was proud of her family

was soothed by the daily routines of life

had a saying for everything

knew loneliness and depression

had beautiful handwriting

always carried her loved ones in her heart

relished small town life

had a deep faith

cherished the meals with her family at her table

had a love hate relationship with cigarettes

could always make better food than any restaurant

saw all her grandchildren graduate from college

loved "being home"

made an impression on everyone who knew her

and

was deeply loved.

Barbara A. Bernard

Fortunate daughter-in-law

10/9/10

Remembering

July, 2002

A Day on Vashon - Dog Trials

My friends, Shafel and Shelley, and I went to the Vashon Sheepdog Classic last weekend. It was pretty fascinating. It became more interesting the longer we watched it. I, of course, thought it might be harmful to the sheep, but it didn't appear so.

The object is for a sheepdog to herd four sheep through a course laid out on about a 1/4 mile long pasture. The dog must get the sheep through three fence gates. It ends when the dog gets the sheep in the pen or 10 minutes elapses. The dogs absolutely love it.


The object is to get the sheep into the pen. We did see a few dogs actually get the sheep in the pen.


The "crowd". There was probably a couple hundred people there.

October 3rd, 1993

Mom, Ramona Christian Wilson, died 17 years ago today. I'll never forget how beautiful their yard and garden look that day. She's always on my mind. More today than most days. Please do one of your favorite things today in honor of her.

A Job -

I have a part time job thanks to my friend Matt's suggestion to look on Craigslist. Partnership Studio has hit some obstacles. It's kind of back to square one for me. Anyway, here is where I am working. And, I was going to stay from politics.

I am calling for Initiative 1098

In my spare time, I am trying to learn about microblogging, hence plurk in the right column.

Chic Essentials Expansion

Monna is expending her store. She is more than doubling her space. It's nice to see a business growing today. A couple of months ago she bought some carpet tiles from the old Washington Mutual building in Seattle. 150,000 square feet of carpet tiles were removed by and given to Re Store. It's a non-profit recycler. Monna bought enough tiles to cover the extra space she now has. Today we worked form 9 to 5 on laying carpet tiles. We still have a few hours of work left. Here's the raw space.






I'll post the results.

Buddha In The Woods

This picture doesn't do it justice, but this moss covered stump on the Mr. Rose trail looked just like Buddha.

Vashon

Vashon is my quick escape from the city. I went there again last night. Here are a couple of photos.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday, Steffen. Hopefully, our newest poster.

Jim

Revisiting Mr. Waits

Awesome. Just Awesome.

Mt. Rose

This week's hike was near the entrance to Olympic National Park. Mt. Rose Trail

I went with my friend, Matt, who lives at Lake Cushman. We didn't make it to the top as we ran into a time crunch. Also, this was Matt's first hike of the season. Mt. Rose is not the right choice for one's first hike!

The forest is beautiful there but also scarred by the Bear Gulch Fire. As one of the fire starters, "Well, we tried to pee on it to put it out"

New grandson

Baby Asher James Storm

born 1:45 p.m. 8/21/10

7 lbs. 1 oz

21 inches long

Theone's (Actually Aunt Sharon's) Ranch Dip - A very unhealthy but delicious habbit

Around our house I almost always have a tupperware of this in the fridge, or at least the ingredients on hand to whip up a batch.

Thanks to Gregg's oldest son Austen who forced me to actually recreate the recipe by measuring and writing it down. I thought I would pass it along.

I learned to make this dip with Grandma when I spent summers in International Falls. It was a great substitute for Top the Tater, and goes really well with carrots...but best with ruffles chips.

Theone's Ranch Dip
24 oz. light sour cream
1 Cup finally chopped onion
1 1/2 Cups mayonaise
2 tsp Dill
1 1/4 tsp Lowerys Seasoning Salt
1 1/4 tsp celery salt

Breaking Family News - Asher James Storm Has Arrived

Via Steffen...Via Facebook
Asher James Sorm arrived this afternoon at 1:45 pm

7lbs 1 Oz.
Mom, Dad and Little Asher are happy and healthy.

Congratulations to the Storms and the proud grandparents. Pictures Please!

An important sermon from Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta

AKA - Lady Gaga....

I'll be the first to admit this is an unusual post. Gregg and I went to the Lady Gaga concert here on Thursday night. He is not so mildly obsessed with the woman and I have to admit that some of her music is pretty catchy. Two hours and thirty minutes of music and thought provoking conversation with the crowd later I can easily say it was the best concert I have ever attended. This quote from the concert review really sums it up: "In a town where people rarely dress up, they dressed up for the nearly sold-out Rose Garden stop. They also dressed down. They dressed right. They dressed left. They dressed barely at all. They were young, wrapped in crime scene tape. They were old, carrying along oxygen. They painted their faces. They bathed in glitter. They came straight from work still dressed for the office."

To personalize it a bit, Gregg and I sat in front of a couple in their 60's and a few rows away from a guy in his 40's who was still in his suit and tie, there with his wife and kids. In addition to the amazing crowd - her message was one that I think gets lost in the hype about her wardrobe and music.

Gaga talked eloquently about loving her "little monsters" (what she calls her fans) and creating music for all people who feel left out, a little weird or not in the "main stream"... "Don't leave here loving me more," she said. "Leave here loving yourself more."

I will be the first to admit that her images and actions in some of her performances are provocative and some would say disrespectful of pretty major institutions in our society (namely the Catholic Church)... but setting that aside for a moment I think her message is one that resonates universally, and that if consistently applied would make the world a much better place. Food for thought from perhaps an unexpected messenger.

Methow Location of Partnership Studio

Some of you know that my business partner, Corin, and his girlfriend, Bridget, moved to Winthrop, Washington August 1st. I am going over there tomorrow to spend the day Thursday processing how we create a new way of doing business. This is where he lives.

The Money Shot

Rainier from Rampart Ridge. Today

This Saturday's Hike

Rampart Ridge I'll post pictures

Today's random picture.

One for the $, 2 for the show, 3 to get ready and four to GO!

Last weekend I had the chance to go waterskiing on the Columbia River. It was a beautiful day. I recently invested in a pair of end of season skis, so I am hoping to get out a few more times this year. My goal by the end of the summer is to be able to be more comfortable on one ski and eventually be able to get up on just one. Its hard to drop a ski in the river.

Thanks to Grandma for all the encouragment while I was learning and to Tonya for the hours of swim and ski lessons - only to be followed by years of "will you pull me?" over and over and over again.

Its been a while since ive been up on ski's but it felt GREAT! (the next day...not as much)

New Addition to our Auto Family

Used 2009 Honda Fit with 8600 miles.