From our garden....

Now that the summer is coming to an end, BOOOO, it also means that it's beginning to be harvest time for a lot of our vegetables from the garden.
So I thought I'd post a few pics of the things we just pulled out of the garden.

First up:
Cucumbers of various sizes. Mirinda is making pickles out of these babies!

Next:
These are red, white and blue potatoes! They'll make for some yummy "patriotic fries" which are far more delicious than those "other fries". ;-)


As you may know Mirinda and I love color so it should come as no surprise to see such lovely crook neck squash and Anaheim peppers...


We've also had some yummy corn, some red onions, tomatoes(most of which are still ripening), some carrots, green beans, a few radishes and three types of lettuces. Our mint plant is doing well too, it has provided us with some yummy for mint for some yummy mojotos!
We also have a huge crop of tomatillos that are still growing as well as a small crop of pimentos.
We've had a few items that didn't do so well, a couple of squares of onions were over taken in a big way by out squash, and tomatillos, as well as the beets we planted. We also planted some bell peppers that were also overtaken by our tomatoes.
Even though this has been our second year doing this, it has been a far more productive year than last. I think we've learned a lot this year, like what to plant and not to plant as far as space goes. The crook neck squash takes up A LOT of space as well as the tomatillos and potatoes.
Tomatoes do too, but they are fairly easy to control by pruning them to grow up.

That's all for now!
Brian

Like Father Like Son, the opening....

Friday was the opening receptions for the two exhibitions that I mentioned in our last post.
We were out and ended up at Sam Wellers bookstore first, where my stuff was showing from high school.


It's hard to believe I did these 20 years ago! My high school reunion is next week!

After seeing my two photographs and all of the other art there, there were mostly paintings a lot of which were from this decade, but there were a few from other from the nineties and one or two going back to the 70's.

Ian had two paintings he did during the workshop he was in.

Close up, Ian's is the one with the Marlboro body and the brown one below and to the right of it.


I hope Ian can get into more of the workshops next year, I guess we heard about it rather late and were only able to get him into the one..
Brian

Like Father, Like Son.....

As most of you know, I have been doing photography for many years now, which extends well past high school.
And interestingly enough a local book store, Sam Wellers is having an art exhibit where they are looking for art from that period. It's just a fun exhibit, they are calling it "CRINGE:PURGE", the best of our high school art careers. I guess it runs just one night, as part of the August "Gallery Stroll". It takes place 15 August, from 6 to 9 PM. Sam Wellers, is located at 254 South Main Street
Salt Lake City, UT.
I am attaching the announcement card for your viewing pleasure and possible laughter. They wanted a pic of me, from that period. I am in the bottom center.Furthermore....
On that same night, Ian will ALSO being exhibiting two paintings he did when he was here last month. We were able to find an art workshop to send him to when he was here, and as part of that, the gallery is now going to show they works from the budding your artists the same time, but for a lot longer, until 12 September. What's the gallery you ask? Well it's at the same gallery I exhibited my photographs in back in October, as part of the group exhibit I was a part of.
It's the, 11th Annual Teen Workshops Exhibition, at Art Access, 230 S, 500 W, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101. it also runs from 6-9PM.
When I first told Ian about the workshop, he was reluctant to go as you can imagine, but once he got there he got there he had fun and I am sure he learned a thing or two.
His works will be available for purchase, I might add.
If I remember correctly, he'll even get the proceeds for the purchase, 70% or it anyway!
So come down and buy his two paintings!
Brian

Freedom is not Free

I was at lunch with Brian last week when a woman came up and hugged us both, thanking us for our sacrifice. This is not the first time this has happened. It makes Brian uncomfortable and me proud.

I am proud of his patriotism, his love of his fellow soldier, and yes, he looks hot in the uniform.

As sacrifices go I have been very lucky. (Knock on wood.) I have never had to wait and pray while he gets shot at. When he packs his army duffle bag, he is not gone for a year or longer. I have never had to mow the lawn or fix the sink because he was gone. Although this week, I came close, to mowing the lawn I mean.

This week Brian will be staying at Camp Williams as a councilor for Freedom Academy. He is safe, having fun, and will come home Friday exhausted and full of inspiring stories. If you don’t know what Freedom Academy is, ask him. This will be his last Freedom Academy and it is bitter sweet for him. For me, it’s a week to not worry about fixing dinner but I have to take the trash out. I guess you could say its bitter sweet for me too.

Six months from now, God and Uncle Sam willing, for the first time in his adult life he will be a civilian. For the first time in our married life I will not have to wonder if Brian will be coming home or going to Baghdad. We will no longer have daily reminders of what war can do to a body and a family. He will be able to grow a beard if he wants.

As he looks forward to that day he keeps saying that he is grateful for the experiences he has had, and even more for those experiences he has not had. I am grateful for the daily reminder that freedom isn’t free, and that Team Schiele didn’t pay more than we could afford.


From Brian:
Here are a couple of news stories I found that will give you a little insight to what the Freedom Academy is about and what we did this year...

Utah Army and Air Guard host 47th annual Freedom Academy

From the Provo Daily Herald

2011 will be the 50th edition of the Freedom Academy, I won't be a part of it as a counselor, but I will be a part of the celebration some how. Ian will be able to attend that year, I hope he considers going...