Moonshine Junkyard

i have a story to tell.  at the river the other day we had a glimpse of the sublime. something so frightening it shifts faultlines of the soul; to come face to face with death is also to come face to face with life. some of darin's strange photographs of that day capture the mysterious vast power of nature, life and death. reminding me of the relentless haunting of Picnic at Hanging Rock, or Twin Peaks... a strange and unknowable force hovering through the rocks and water.  hanging on the branches and riding the currents. so invincible and bewildering that we feel the need to protect our children from it, to hide away from it in the dark. to never be lost in it. to never let it find us. but truth be told, the day was beautiful. the children were fine and free, the water felt perfect, it was clear and green and flowing strong but swimworthy.   Siri, rebecca and zack's chocolate lab pup, bounded right into the water and swam s...

although one never quite knows what to expect with our quite unruly family, one thing you know for certain is that celebrations will be crazy. that someone(s) will dance. that there will be cats, and mikie will be goofy and loud. that i will wear a festive apron. that there will be way too many good homemade treats, and that mikie will point at them. and that darin will bury his nose in a book and read for a while in the midst of the madness. that someone will get in a big rollicking argument (addie and mikie this year, and look how innocent she looks) but luckily it will be short-lived. that conversation will be lively, and everyone will be trying to get a word in edgewise... that i will make people dressed in cute vintage clothes pose for photos, like the ever-willing em. that pops will stumble over his words quite endearingly (this year while reading an abridged version of the nativity story ((on his iphone no less,))...

i have posted about the mystery and magic of the southern utah desert before here and i was lucky to get to head back out to moab again with the fam, kids n all. i think i am a mountain river girl at heart, but the ocean and the desert hold equal sway. climbing the old indian staircase the sibs with sweet bella glorious, sunlit amy  hiking up to delicate arch tiny orion running along these steep cliffs made my heart race. wish i wasn't such a baby about heights. and even pops made it! my new dream house (moab) addie is drawn to moab and the dez with some mysterious and magnetic pull. here she is in the landscape she loves best. two peas in a pod. addie loves a good skort/matching visor combo. jarom connecting with the Old Ones and bella and i harnassing our girl power at birthing rock in front of ancient petroglyphs of women giving birth the real old way. my handsome bro mattie in his beloved desert....