Beautiful--Spring has sprung

Addie planted the tomato plants right off my back porch and also a pepper plant and an oregano plant and until just the last few days they have been stymied somewhat, but seem to be taking off now. So I have been noticing many other wild and not so wild plants enjoying the limited sunshine, but are also now doing well. Adrienne also somehow started (last year I think)some orange/red poppies out at the front of my place along with the already yellow poppies that came up. She also planted a little artichoke plant last year and it is flourishing over in the Depello property. Anyway these are pictures of some of those plants and I tossed in a picture of Eddy sleeping as I load stuff on top of him as he carries on with his nap (I tease him relentlessly). Oh and I picked up a decent Kelty backpack yesterday on sale. I guess I just was loving the beauty of spring (never have paid much attention in the past) and all of the miracle of life all around (even Edd---in the last few days he has brought in 2 baby snakes, 2 lizards, and a bat--only the bat didn't survive; the rest I snuck away from him and put back outside).

Poppies and Iriss are beautiful (poppies close up tightly at night and then open up when the sun shines)

Addie planted this artichoke plant at the Depello's last year
(6" high then) 8 artichokes
on this one now

I'll wake up one morning with hops taking over

Hops working up back window

Eddy sleeping anyhow

Hops vines starting to cover the window

And My new Kelty backpac

Birthday gal with pink feather and all.

The kids are having so much fun RIGHT NOW!!! Bella came home from school and asked when she is going to have a real party? I said - I don't know? She came up with a brilliant plan. WE should have the party today, with the slip and slide and invite everyone I know!!!!! I said, OK. Go across the street and get Briannie. So EVERYONE is here. I have heard Bella say- this is the best party ever.

Little miss is a little afraid of all the fun to be had

Oey has made his claim on the little spiderman pool at the end

Jumping over how cool it is

Getting brave

Jarom has been the leader of course. Our hose doesn't fit the slip in slide so jarom has been master of the flow. Likes to surprise them - high water, low water, oey does not like this. It has been good though. They have had to use team work to have fun and hold the hose in for each other.

This is for Adie. Jarom has been over the moon for his little plants. He was so worried about them the whole time we were gone. Who's going to water them? The very first thing he does when he gets home from school is go straight to his plants. He is so in love with them. It's really cute.

Thanks again for the awesome gifts. I can tell this is what we are going to be doing all summer. I can hear them now. They have made up several games already. Jumping off tables to slip and slide. Rolling a huge ball down the slip and slide- like bowling. Jarom has got grand prizes for the winners. A nice glimpse of my summer to come. One week and counting!

la face

She had already started to wash it off, jarom told her it was too crazy.

Jumping for JOY

Perfect timing ladies. Bella had been pouting that she didn't get a birthday party. I have to remind her SHE WANTED Disneyland and she got it.

Look Mom, a pink feather for my hair!! I like how she thinks!!

Wait, studddyyyyyyy it.

YES!!! SPIDERMAN!!!

Just jumping some more while Bella opens the rest of her gifts.

Wish I could have gotten a picture of her face when she first saw it. So cute. She doesn't understand why it's called a ugly doll. The whole thing is just weird to her, why make an ugly doll?

Mom????? Can I paint my face now??? She is in the bathroom doing just that. Hopefully not too much she does have t-ball tonight. But- it would be cute. She is the only girl on the team.

Oey still as pleased as pleased can be. He had to run and jump on my lap to give me some happy hugs. Tried to get a picture of the moment but it was just that and he is off again.


Love you Nana and Heather xoxo Thank you for the thoughtful gifts.

Moving that pic DOWN

Hi guys. Some random photos....so that Dollycakes one of me can be pushed down. Not the best pic of me pops. I know you think it's cute, but I think you might be the only one in the world.

SO......

Some pics from last November when Arth and I stayed at the Carson Valley Inn and Casino! There was a rich, classic country theme there, with old french posters and antique signs and dark wood. Unfortunately, they are remodeling to make it just like all the other cheesy casinos. Oh well. And the one furthest down was taken after our classy Thanksgiving dinner at Del Taco.

Addie the dollycakes

Little guessing game. Where was this picture taken. Exactly where and when. See who guesses the exact where and when. (It's blown up as you probably can tell) It'll probably be easy. Dad

WILDFLOWER WINDS AND WORDS OF JOY

Just a quick few happy thoughts for us all!

The sun is finally shining in Placerville today, and I have woken up with tears of joy in my throat. Everything I see is choking me up. We are all so lucky and so beautiful and so free and so healthy and so FULL, like the pink moon over our heads right now. Our lives revolve around the perfect things: love and compassion, wind and the world turning, flowers and tree bark, photographs and memories, secrets and honesty, fireplaces and big chunky ceramic mugs, kitties and their paws, renewal and inspiration, EACH OTHER!

Thank you for all of you and for all that we have together. Just look around you today. Isn't life perfect in its chaos and in its blooming? Spring is here. We are together at heart, always.

Summer Trip Okay?

hello everybody.
so i was thinking, we have not had anybody plan a trip of any kind yet for this summer. so i am just going to throw something out there. last year mikie suggested going to sequoia and kings canyon national parks. i think that would be a really good idea, considering their not-so-far distance from placerville and the fact that they seem totally amazing. also i (and a few others ive talked to) was thinking that instead of doing something for a week or two, we should revert to our old school 3 night family camping trip like we always used to do at places like green creek or twin lakes. what do you guys think of that? i figured it would really make things easier and more doable since everyone seems to really kind of have a lot on their plate these days. i know i sort of do.
maybe a sunday through wednesday in late july? there are lots of regions of the park so we are going to have to buckle down and pick one to spend a few days in. im sure they are all splendid. everyone check out their website: http://www.nps.gov/seki/index.htm
do some research and we will put something together.

here is a neat picture.

while I'm at it..

Check this out. From work last night. Look closely

365

Hey guys, here's a show I did recently that never really came on until now. If you haven't seen it already, here ya go. I don't know why it shows up only halfway, so maybe click the video to go the actual page for it.



Mikie

:)

Papa sees Delicate Arch

He had just come around the bend.
Now read Pop's blog below!

A Day at the Arches

Balanced Rock--I left the folks in picture to show size to object relationship

This was taken by Matt and shows me under the arch—mammoth, huh

Delicate Arch from another view as sun was about to set, giving the arch a more colorful look


We had a fabulous time with our visit with Matt and Amy and their fine family this last weekend. Thought before Heather or Addie post pictures etc, I would mention an incident that stands out to me emotionally....On our trip the first day, Saturday, we visited 2 particular rock formations that left me pondering how nature had formed them, as well as the beauty all around, and there was beauty everywhere. Well the first sight that was particularly special was called Balanced Rock. A huge rock or bolder that sat seemingly precariously on its mount and I had to see it from every angle. So I did. I took many pictures. It wasn't just beautiful, it was awe-inspiring as was our next visit that day, Delicate Arch. Getting to that point to was a little bit of a hike (one and half miles I think) It was a pretty easy hike. Anyway, the incident that I was referring to was when I was just coming up on the view. The hike itself was interesting with many cites to view along the way. As I recall, I wasn’t the last to get to the point of viewing and as we were nearing, which meant traversing a kind of narrow path around what I will call a mountain but is really another gigantic rock formation among the many is that area, I saw Adrienne up ahead looking at me intently as I was approaching. She had been there once before so she just wanted to see the look on my face as the view opened up. Well, her expression as I approached will stand out to me in my memory as much as the great Delicate Arch itself. She was excited to see me take in that enormous and amazing rock formation that was before me. Well that was a very memorable moment and day and I just wanted to comment on it, though there were many, many others that weekend.

Dark River - Snapshots

Hey guys, I made a music video called Snapshots to one of Joey's songs. I don't know the name of the song, but the video is a series of "slides" of my last month here in LA. Hope you enjoy it, it wouldn't exist without Joey's brilliant composing. Soon I'll be hiring him to write soundtracks!

Here it is:

Where to, kids?

Beloved Beats! I know we are pretty crazy busy- hence no further much discussion on our Annual Beatty Wildernessfest thus far. I want to help change that. Heather and Dad and I are gonna try to make some real life contact with our loved ones this upcoming week (when we go and see Mikie in LA!)...and in April (when we go and see the Rampant Beattys in their new house in Provo!)....but nevertheless, I miss the heck out of ALL OF US TOGETHER!!!!! Don't you remember my apology blog for being such a ROYAL BRAT at Glacier last summer....see "Planning in Advance" below. I really am starting to crave some togetherness. We can't forget about SOME kind of family camping extravaganza this year!!!? C'mon, someone get us excited! Give me a lead and I will!!! I realize perhaps it's an off-year as far as traveling far, far away :( (though you could convince me otherwise!)....but where to then?

I have heard rumours of:
Sequoia/ Kings Canyon
Twin Lakes
Lost Coast

and in my veins I myself long for
Moab
Havasu
Havasu



ANYONE?
Also, please don't forsake our family blog forever!!! It makes for selflessness and family connection.......

Some inspiration.