lake escape

this past sunday was the first sunday i had free in ages now that my viticulture class is over! i took the opportunity to escape to a nearby lake. i drove around for 30 minutes trying to find the public beach, frustratingly ended up at the visitor's center, and they told me i couldn't find it b/c it was 20ft under water. (it's been quite rainy this year) there was another sort of beach i could go to, however, which is what these pics are from. it was perfect! super hot though. i think my car said 98.

hmm...yeah, i don't think those trees are supposed to be in the water.

mmm...snacks....

and of course, reading material! just started this one - good so far. also reading Henri Nouwen Life of the Beloved - about how we are God's beloved children but we don't really believe it (but he's trying to convince us we are).

i'm definitely going back to the lake every chance i get. yay for free time!!!!!!

weedy

so you are wondering what i'm doing out in that vineyard all day? one of my fun tasks is to get rid of the weeds. i enjoy it actually, when i'm not completely overwhelmed by it. here are some fun pics.

this is a ginormous buttonweed. i am 5'4"ish to give you a point of reference. this is my favorite weed: the stem, leaves, everything are soft and fuzzy. i wonder if you could make a buttonweed blanket?

this is one of my favorite jobs - trimming. i trim all the weeds under the vines - it takes forever. total area = 2 entire acres - i have not yet finished. i can only do it about 4 hours until my arms are like jello. that red thing i'm wearing is a homemade sling to help hold the trimmer. i just got this fancy schmancy backpack thing that is much nicer.

covered in grass from head to toe = successful day :)

swimming!

mom, me, lilly (7) and alexis (2) (my nieces) needed to escape the heat and made our way to a nearby pool for a few hours:

lilly said, "watch this!" and then did this for about 1 second (so glad i caught it on camera. next stop, the olympics!):

me and alexis. no, i wasn't about to pinch her. i was keeping my fingers dry to use the camera.

grandma and her kids

alexis was great for an upper body workout. she loved counting the reps. "one!" "two!" "three!" next we moved onto leg lifts. i should rent her out.