It's Nearing the End

Of July.

It may seem, if you follow my online life, that I've been doing nothing this month. I mean, take this blog--the last post was at the beginning of July. Obviously, some time has passed in the online world, and this blog, for one thing, has nothing to show that I've even been here. It's because I haven't been.

I'm not much of a sun-person. Don't get me wrong, I love the sun. I literally worship it. But its effects, like all good things, hurt me in big doses. While I've been known to be less affected by things like pain-killers and cocaine, the sun affects me more than it does most other people. It burns the crap out of me. Quickly.

So I do my best to take it in in small doses. I tend to like to live where there are short summers. Moving to the Pacific Northwest was actually very obvious a choice for me to make. It just took me a long time to get here.

I like overcast. I like it a lot.

However, I'm learning that I like to be outside for the times when it's not. I'm digging the sunburn while it's hot enough to do it. And so, when Zane says, "Daddy, let's go play outside." I rarely say no.

That's where I've been. Outside. Lovin' it. And play is productive.

I thought I'd show you what we've been up to out there:


We make symbolistic chalk drawings and lie under them for strange photos.


We look at lavender and pink interlopers.


I build this wall here. It's getting taller. It's taken a year. It's actually a foot taller than in this pic now, and that bench over there is done. Looks rad, too. And it's comfy.


Today we went to the beach to look for cool stones. We'll put them in the secret pathway after nap-time.




I spent a couple minutes teaching Zane the basics of golf. I call this photo: Keep Your Left Arm Straight.


I take pictures of spider webs.


Terri hangs out on the porch.


Luke lies around.


I break unbreakable tools. Yeah, I don't know what's up with that. Terri hates it. It gets expensive.

So that's what I've been up to. I've been editing a little story I love more and more about a girl and her zombies. Everyone loves zombies, right? Junie does. And I love Junie. I just don't get to spend a lot of time with her while the sun is shining. But who does, really?

Sunlight hurts me. It's so true I made up a t-shirt that says so.

But I like it in these small doses.