Lost amongst the overgrown Himalayan blackberries somewhere along the Skagit River.

Yeah, I finally changed the template of this here blog. I got just plain bored of the previous one. I'm all about minimalism, but after awhile it turns out to be maximally plain.

Today we drove over an hour to the south and east to pick organic blueberries in this totally random place. But it was all good in the end. This implies not so good at first. Mostly that has to do with our children being fairly opposed to driving long distances (read, over 10 minutes). But the blueberries were divine and it was simply beautiful. The weather was quite cool, barely sixty, cloudy, a virtual mist/drizzle in the air. But the green simply overtakes you the air feels heavy with life somehow. So we came away with about 10 pounds of blueberries and a large canning jar full of fresh-pressed cider from early-crop sour apples. And everybody helped pick blueberries (yes, even Esmé, except all the ones she ate ended up in her tummy). Our children are in their element out in nature. Therefore we are quite thankful to be living in this beautiful environment.

Enough of that. I have a new site devoted to randomness and fun kitsch. Check it out.

No post is complete without a pic. Enjoy!

Doughgirl and cuzzin'.

Elise took this one while Esmé was obviously helping with making bread. This clearly proves that she is the female answer to the Pillsbury Doughboy.

And then the other is Es. with her cousin Finn(egan) and Finn's mom Sarah. Finn doesn't walk yet, so I guess Es. is helping or something.

Two in the park.

Just so you know, Elise took both of these pictures while I read a book in the shade (it was hot that day, which means like maybe 80 degrees here - Canadians think mid-20s). I try to take cool artistic shots, and then Elise goes and takes these gems. Anyway, as you can see they are having a ball.

Smatterings (Beware! I changed this post).

I'm back with more posts. And I added a snappy picture to grab your attention. There more pictures above. I also wanted to note the fact that I'm listening to internet radio which is streamed through iTunes. Nice. I was inspired to do so after listening to the Western Washington University radio, 89.3 KUGS. I listened to it all day while painting and it is already like a drug (thanks Byron). In a word, it is eclectic. Unfortunately, it is not on iTunes, but we live across the street from the radio tower. So the stereo picks it up despite lacking an antenna.

I really have no idea why I'm saying all this. But I guess this website is "an attempt to describe my thoughts, blah blah blah." Oh, by the way, my name according to the info to the right (above), is "5cent". This was in no way a reference to that rowdy hip-hopper 50 Cent, just my weirdness (and inspiration from a piece of Canadiana). I've also started a really random blog. More on that later. (You might find a link for it above. I encourage you to be daring.)

It could happen to U.

Sorry about this not being in the spirit of this blog as of late, but you absolutely MUST check out this site. It is just TOO funny. Thanks. Peace and cheers.

--> Do you suffer from "Bono Fatigue"?

You've just won a $1000! To claim your prize, click your heels together three times.

To all of you dying for the latest post on Isaiah's world-class blog, here they are. I think I just added like 13 or 14 posts or pictures or something. You should all see them and post a comment to let me know that you were here. Cool. Thanks.

A birthday party ain't a birthday party without cheesecake.

These are in reverse order, just to warn you. These are from Jude's b-day (and the day before).



Jude demonstrating his newly invented water sport: bark skipping. Look at that beautiful form!




It's hard to see Jude in this one (he is the one in the middle), but I wanted to show this late day scene on Kitsilano Beach in Vancouver with the backdrop of mountains and oceanliners. Jude adores swimming and here he is aided by a swim ring. This is his ideal b-day.




And it ain't ideal without cheesecake. Yes, a boy after my own heart: "What kind of cake do you want for your birthday? Cheesecake (with chocolate graham cracker crust and mini-chocolate chips in it)!"




This is the inseparable siblings hamming it up in Jude's bed. They are best buds, which means, yes, they can annoy each other with immaculate success.

Hamhocks.

Here's some cheeseball pictures of Ezzie hammin' it up for the camera. She is really saying "Cheese!" at the moment of the shutter click. She is quite proud of that brand new pink bathing suit.

Deliciousness in a pail.

More fotes (that's short for "photographs" and is a synonym of "pix") of our vacation.



Jude is clearly having a good time. He would literally fill the bottom of the pail with thumbnail-sized rock crabs which crawled around like ants among the stones after the tide receded. It was his virtual heaven.




This kid is also a very big fan of campfires, even in the absence of well-toasted marshmallow. There was a second fire across the field that night, and it was very big, a "bomb fire". Jude wasn't too impressed with our puny fire and declared that "It's not fair: they always have a bigger fire."




There you have it: proof that Esmé is bigger than Jude.

Gimme summa dat!

Hey y'all. More pictures here. Don't you love my blogs as of late? So verbose, I know. Just look at my beautiful wife and children. They are the words that need to be said.



This is where we spent a few days "vacationing". It's Birch Bay State Park. Lovely, eh? And just twenty minutes from where we live. Crabs galore, eh Jude?



The lovelies enjoying a strawberry cream smoothie made with love and devotion and the aide of our new kitchen-aid blender.