Honestly, I have nothing to say.  Life's been so busy this past week now that school's started back up.  It almost feels like there was no break at all.

These pictures are just some little plants around my house.

Have a good Sunday!

Sun Rays

The past week has been so busy.  School starts on Monday and as the summer comes to a close, we are trying to organize the entire house as well as our school books, our schedules, and our alarm clocks.

Knowing that I'll have to start getting up three or four hours earlier than I have been every day, has not been a great comfort, but I'm looking forward to having a normal schedule.

These pictures were taken from my car while I was waiting for my parents to finish talking and take us all home.  Pictures of sunbeams are somewhat magical to me.  The possiblity that in some sort of way, I captured a bit of the sun.  If I could, I'm sure I'd take hundreds of jars outside, open them up and fill them with sunlight.  Then I'd put on the lids and hide them away in my room so that during the dark winter months, I could pull them out and remember the sun.

In my science book last year, I'm sorry to say that it said in Alaska there were six months of complete darkness and six months of complete light.  I would like to tell you right away that this is a lie.  The earth does not somehow turn around and stay still for six months and then turn back around and stay still again.  The earth turns up here, just like it does closer to the center, and though our days in the winter are shorter and the days in the summer are longer, there is still a little bit of sun shine and darkness in both seasons. 

If I could capture the sun in a jar, I would pull it out in Febrary, when spring is just around the corner, but you can't quite smell it yet.  When the world is dark and my brain gets foggy.  When my heart starts to yearn for summer more than it ever did before.  There is, of course, sun in these months, but it somehow seems clouded over, and a strange shade of gray.

Why am I talking about this?  Summer isn't over yet!  The sunbeams are still here!

Some more sunbeams I've captured on a card.  Have a great Sunday. :)

An Attempt at Finding Blueberries

Well, as you see, I didn't make two posts like I'd planned.  But here I am now, still recovering from a wet and much disappointing quest to find blueberries.  Unlike other years, my family just hasn't been able to find lots of berries this year.  Usually we go out searching with our extended family and find lots of nice patches bursting with large, luscious drops of blue.  But today, as we were driving out of town to our usual spot, the rain clouds started to roll in.  We thought we'd give it a try though.  For all we knew, the rain, merely a drizzle, could last a few minutes and then blow off.

On the drive there, we came across two ptarmigans!  They were so pretty, but they were fast and I didn't manage to snap a picture of them.  When we got there, there were no berries.  Lots of bushes, but none with berries worth picking.  They were either shriveled up, or just not there.

So we left and drove to a different spot.  There were a few berries there, but it started to drizzle again. And then a little bit harder.  It was really cold out, so I went back to the car.  Two minutes later, it began pouring and I watched as my soaked parents and sister came trudging up the hill.

Then, we went home.  So our blueberry search was a failure, and we managed to get no more than a cup or two.  But it wasn't entirely in vain.  On the way back, a row of ducklings crossed the road in front of us.  Though I didn't get a picture, they, too were too fast, seeing them made the entire outing, worth it.

Cream Puffs

The Puff

The Cream

The Result

Mmmm!  These took me four hours to make.  But they were worth it.  I'll probably do two posts today.

Feeling Better

It's August, and I'm feeling good.  Now that all my fair entries are off being judged, I can relax a little.  I'm still anxious that they do good, but I don't have to worry about finishing them all in time. 

Since I'm almost better, I have been able to do a bit more cooking for school!  I said before that I would be posting pictures of what I make, but between the chopping of vegetables and the mixing of sauces, I have completely forgotten.  I'm sorry! 

I still have piles of things to do to get ready for next school year.  Two weeks until I'm officially a freshman.  Eeeps!  I've decided to stick with homeschooling and not do public school.  That way I can stay more focused and maybe get done a little early.  The earlier I get done, the more time I'll have for crafts and writing and reading. :)

Being so caught up in the fair, I haven't taken any pictures lately, but I still have loads from several weeks ago.  The following are from a wedding that I went to.  Behind the pavilion was a big field of tall grass with the sun streaming down on it.  Little kids were running and laughing and even the older kids and teenagers.  Big fields are such bliss.  Of course, I took pictures. :)  These were from my old camera.  I'm yet to have an opportunity like this with my new one.

In these pictures:  Kiana, myself, and Kiana's sister, Angel.