Thursday, November 5, 2009

Halloween

Hello Family,

The end of October brought some pretty scary folks to our front door!!!



Lucky for me.....Amy (with all her kindergarden teaching experience) knew how to handle the situation... requiring each "little creature" to explain their costumes before getting their treat ;-)


Thankfully.....we survived the night....because the next day we hosted a "birthday girls" celebration for Polly (Nov 1st) and Julie (Oct 16th)!!!!

Birthday girls sharing the cake!


Polly and Julie examining
the hand made dish cloths from Estelle.



Julie's "birthday bowl" from Salida.

Love to everyone in our families!

Greg and Amy

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS

POLLY, KIRBY & NORMA , WE LOVE YOU!

Scorpios are the most intense, profound, powerful characters in the zodiac. Even when they appear self-controlled and calm there is a seething intensity of emotional energy under the placid exterior. In conventional social gatherings they are pleasant to be with, thoughtful in conversation, dignified, and reserved, yet affable and courteous; they sometimes possess penetrating eyes which make their shyer companions feel naked and defenseless before them.

Scorpios have an inner harmony, a facility to accept themselves as they are and especially to make others accept their personality. This structure makes of the Scorpio native a remarkably lucid being and a perceptive observer. Decoding mysteries and searching reality to extract its essence is an activity Scorpios like. But they also have a certain humor and a sense of derision behind which they can protect their natural sensitivity.

Being so gifted, they can find fulfillment in many employments. Their inner intensity can result in the ice-cold self-control and detachment of the surgeon, the concentration of the research scientist, and the heroism of the soldier. Any profession in which analysis, investigation, research, dealing with practicalities, and the solving of mysteries are relevant, can appeal to them. So police and detective work, espionage and counterespionage, the law, physics or psychology may attract them, and they can become masters of the written and spoken word. They may be most persuasive orators and find fulfillment as diplomats or preachers and, if they make the Church their profession, their inner intensity can express itself in the spiritual fervor of the mystic or the thaumaturgy.

POLLY, November 1st, with Amber


KIRBY, November 3rd


NORMA, November 9th, with Uncum Paul

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS

May We Celebrate, For Many Years To Come,
Our Beautiful October Babes: JULIE & JOSH,

WE LOVE YOU!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIE, aka: Jumie, Panchita, M'hijita, Jian
10/16

Libra Zodiac Sign
September 23 - October 22
Element: Air
Quality: Cardinal
Ruling Planet: Venus
Symbol: Scales
Keywords: Sociable, Pleasant, Fair, Refined

Libras need balance and harmony. The Libra person is extremely sensitive to his or her environment and does not function properly when surrounded by chaos and disorder. These people are charming and pleasant, possessing a strong disliking for confrontation. Libras often refrain from speaking their mind and have a tendency to say what people want to hear in order to avoid conflict. Libra needs a partner who has good manners, good tastes and a romantic nature.







HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSH, aka: Chimey, UA, Wake Up Crying
10/26

Scorpio Zodiac Sign
October 23 - November 21
Element: Water
Quality: Fixed
Ruling Planet: Pluto
Symbol: Scorpion
Keywords: Intense, Focused, Penetrating, Secretive, Possessive

The Scorpio person has a tendency to be reserved and focused. This person is an expert at getting others to reveal their secrets, although he or she rarely opens up to anyone. Scorpios devote 100% of their energy to everything they do and rarely give up. The Scorpio person expects complete loyalty and devotion from a partner. The Scorpio individual needs a partner who is as passionate and willful as he or she is and finds it difficult to respect a person who is weak-willed or passive




Saturday, October 10, 2009

The end of the summer....

Hello family,

Couldn't resist sharing a few pictures of the changing seasons....

Our summer flower pots bginning to fade with
the changing season.........

Changing of the "flower guard" in Amy's front
porch pots....

The first snow of the season decorating
our flower pots...

Our backyard neighbors wondering where
summer has gone....

The cold and snow covering the garden and
signaling the end of the growing season....

and finally....we drove Fritz, Estelle, and my
mom to Estes Park last week to hear the Elk
bugling which is my favorite "fall sound" in Colorado.


Love to everyone in our wonderful families!

Greg and Amy

PS----> for those of you who don't know what "polenta" is and would like to know more about polenta..... the following web-link provides some interesting facts. http://www.lifeinitaly.com/food/polenta.asp
The polenta maker machine at work!

Thursday, October 8, 2009

La Dolce Vita

Colder temperatures have descended upon Colorado and with their arrival, Fall has disguised herself under a veil of white. We don't claim to be caught unaware. She has teased us a few nights of late.

Because of an abundant supply of hungry and destructive deer, gardening has been somewhat frustrating in years' past. At the end of June, Greg solved our problem by making barriers that have proven to be deer proof! Despite a late start planting and a July hailstorm, we actually harvested some produce this year. Early Saturday, we gathered what remained. Deer do not like herbs, so they have always been a winner. In our memory, a few strawberry rhubarb crisps, in our freezer 20 quarts of sour cherries and still on our taste buds juicy and sweet grapes! I am already looking ahead to next year!

The aroma of Tuscan Stew, made with elk and parsley, rosemary, marjoram, thyme, sage, and mint from the garden filled our home today.
We served the stew with polenta made in my Uncle Amelio's automated copper polenta pot and a glass of chianti. La Dolce Vita

(PS) My nonna's task as a young girl was to make the daily polenta. Her duty was to stand and stir the mixture of cornmeal and water until done. Polenta has a tendency to bubble up in the initial phase of cooking. I think Nona's trademark spot, (my definition) just below the collar bone resulted from a burn that occurred while stirring this traditional Northern Italian staple.