Pictures to Inspire Kristen to Have a Garden

This blog post is to show off our new patio set up and to motivate my sister to have a garden next year! We'll start with the patio....

This is our new table. We looked far and wide before finally finding it at TJ Maxx of all places. I know it's the most wonderful place in the world but did not know this extended to patio furniture.


This is not patio furniture, but is Drina with her favorite toy these days. She's looking dashing, isn't she?


Here we have a comfy little chair Joe brought back from Belize.


And we also found this bench at TJ Maxximum for the Minimum to put under this nice little shelter. D likes the shade.


Joe's old fire boots are now home to some morning glories.


And now onto the good stuff! I am pretty sure this is a baby cucumber! Isn't it the cutest little thing?!?!


My tomatoes are getting big but still no red.


Some blackberries. I have just enough ripe ones each day for a good snack.


Today's harvest.


Grapes!

Backpacking Adventure!

Joe and I decided to go backpacking this weekend. A friend at his work told him about a lake you could hike into (about a mile) and fly fish for Idaho native Cutthroat Trout.

So here we are starting off. My pack was about 60 lbs and Joe's was at least 80. After all, we were only planning to hike about a mile. Piece of cake, right?




And here I am several hours into being lost...let's just say I was not amused.


But here I am after catching my first-ever fish in a float tube! It was all worth it!


And another one! I had 5 in my net. We decided to turn them back mainly because I refused to carry out any of the food I carried in!


Here I am modeling my new waders. Fashion AND comfort.


Joe hiking out through the snow...Mother Nature thinks snow in July is hilarious.


And last but not least...my first mature veggies!


It was a fantastic weekend!

New Place on Good Street #1

Life on Good Street is great so far. Home ownership is rather surreal and I haven't quite wrapped my brain around the concept. Also, I might be in slight denial of the extreme responsibility! Our neighbors are kind, the area quiet, and the location ideal. We are very happy here. Drina loves the yard and has single-handedly taken it upon herself to rid the neighborhood of squirrels. It is a full time job but she has taken it on with a lot of energy and glee.

Now for some pictures!

First of all, our kitchen:

I love the way the light shines in the windows in the morning. The blue walls were already that color, which happens to be one of my favorites. As my mom noticed, they are the color of a summer blue-sky day.

Here are some flowers I picked from the yard:

Just like my Grandma Dee, I can't resist pictures of flowers.

Another kitchen view:


Joe is working hard to train the Morning Glories up our new trellis...thanks to Mom and Dad Carter for the housewarming gift!


One of my first tomatoes! I am new to this gardening thing so am very much in awe of this phenomenon! Tom and Mandy already have red ones at their house down the street but I am trying not to be too jealous!


Morning glory:


My garden gate:


The front of the house. That's a dwarf lemon tree under the mailbox. I really hope it produces some lemons!


Backyard through the trellis:


My herb garden of basil, dill, lavendar, and oregano:


The living room. Our furniture should be coming anytime, so in the meantime it's camp chairs and an entertainment center!


Well that's enough for today. I have a few ripe blackberries to pick!

Housing Market Adventures

Well. We were scheduled to close on our house today. Lo and behold, I get a call informing me that because the sellers are in foreclosure, there is a 30-45 day setback! The bank has to figure out their case, so on and so forth.

Needless to say, we are disappointed but haven't given up hope just yet. We are still really excited and I am just trying to make the most of my summer. We are staying with Tom and Mandy for now, though they will be moving soon into their own new house. We'll just have to figure things out as we go.

Boise, Idaho

A year has passed since my last blog. And a lot has happened! I'll do my best to summarize. Joe and I were living in Pullman, WA. This area, known as the Palouse, is the Pea and Lentil Capital of the World! I'll make you my favorite lentil dish. Just ask me. Joe finished his graduate work at WSU and I worked in Troy, ID as a school counselor. I am in my final days at the school and feel so very grateful for my time there. I learned so much about myself, but more importantly, was able to do the work that I love while being accepted by wonderful kids and a very gracious community. I am sad to leave them behind. However, this is how it's meant to be.

Joe was hired on by the Forest Service in Boise so we are moving to southern Idaho! I am very excited about this and know we will be happy there. We bought a house and I will post pictures as soon as I get back down there. We close on the 6th of June. We will be the owners of a magical little bungalow. It's old and rather small but perfect for us. We can't wait to make it our own. We even have a few friends in Boise already and have started a campaign to draft more of our friends to the area.

In the meantime, I am looking for a job. I have had a few interviews and know I'll get something eventually. I am being patient, rather, as patient as I can be. I have applied for some amazing positions and can't wait to see where will be a good fit.

Winter in the Palouse was very, very long. Apparently, there hadn't been this much snow in 14 years. It snowed a couple of weeks ago so the saying "a snowy day in May" doesn't have the same connotation it does in Indiana. A "snowy day in May" in Eastern Washington/North Idaho is just...a regular day in May. My worst experience with the snow, cutting my visibility to nearly nothing, occurred on March 28th. I have been guaranteed that Boise will be more my style, climate wise. People say "Ooooh. Boise is so hot!" And I reply: "It better be!"

Wanderlust and Spring Fever

These things give me major wanderlust and do not at all help my spring fever.

Endings and Beginnings...Stuff on the Horizon

I haven't been writing lately because I am not sure if anyone reads this and if they do, I don't want to be boring.

Things here have been good. Joe and I both found jobs in the same week; he as a Peace Corps campus representative and I as a school counselor at a 7-12 grade school. This was a big weight off of our shoulders. I visited my new school and loved it. I believe I will be happy there. I also had the chance to visit Pullman and see where we are going to live and hang out with my soon-to-be brother-in-law. It was awesome all around.



I will be happy in Pullman. I can be happy anywhere, though.

Other than that, I finished school. I had some bridal showers. I threw a baby shower. I spent a day with my 4th and 5th graders at Camp Crosley, doing all kinds of fun things. I am doing a little bit of work with Habitat for Humanity with some high school kids. I went to Kings Island.



Kings Island was great though I felt like I'd been hit by a truck by the end of the day.

I leave on the 25th for Tucson and then down to Honduras the 28th. I'll be there through July 8th.