Julia Rachel Barrett's Blog, page 9

The #WCWS – Women’s College World Series.

That time of year again. Softball.

Yeah.

There is nothing like women’s softball. The most fun sport ever. I pitched in high school. My daughter played an outstanding catcher and third base. She still plays in a competitive rec league.

She sent me this photo – she’s on the East Coast at the beach with her boyfriend, his brother and another of their relatives:

My daughter says, “I’m in a roomful of guys watching the College World Series. Great.”

It’s an obsession with me. The television is on from d...

Remember our fallen warriors.

I know it’s a fun holiday weekend. But while we’re off having a good old time, let’s remember why we can have a good old time.

Thanks for your sacrifice.

In gratitude.

You want to hear a sad story? (Probably not.) When I was in middle school – 7th grade – a dear friend’s older brother, 18 years old, was killed in Vietnam, killed by a sniper. It was a devastating blow toour small, close-knit communitywhere everybody knows everybody else. Right after our high school graduation, my friend married a...

I watched three killer whales eat some sea lions.

Rodeo Beach.

Jake and I went to the beach last Monday. We were the only two people there. Yes, I say people because Jake is people in a dog suit.

The weather was a perfect 59′. The tide was out… farout, so we could hike a long ways.

Jake loved running down to the surf line and then running away from the incoming waves. He also found two excellent sticks to add to the other excellent stick we found on our previous visit so now we have an excellent stick collection. He refused toleave the beach wi...

The Ever-Expanding Comfort Zone.

When my kids were little, if they fell I let them pick themselves up. I helped if they required help.But I let them work things out for themselves as much as possible.

I believe this – it is my job as a parent to raise thoughtful independent adults. I want their love, their respect, but ultimately I judge my work by my results– Are these three amazing children prepared to live in this world without me? Yes. My children willbe fine without me.

I remember when I first heard the termhelicopter par...

These things delight.

A robin’s egg. Life is both tenuous and tenacious.

Found beneath my Japanese Maple.

Violets. Hidden. Humble.

Many such patches in my backyard.

Tiny Treasures.

Can you find the dinosaur bone in this collection? Hint- click on the photo to enlarge.

A crystal I found above the Arctic Circle when I was ten years old.

Memories.

My Baubi’s old cigarette box.

Which contains baby teeth, puppyteeth, corn kernels given to me by a Hopi Medicine Man, a half-finished arrowhead I found in the Loess Hills behind our...

Jake’s World.

Pure Evil.

We hate foxtails. Hates ‘em. With all our hearts.

That time of year again, foxtail season. Risking death every time we take a hike.

This horrible heatwave dried out the grasses in a hurry and hastened foxtail formation. In like three days.

So Jake pulled a Louie. Once our German shepherd, Louie, was playing with a puppy and he went off romping into the foxtails. Within a minute he became paralyzed. He was so covered with foxtails he couldn’t move. We had to carry him out of the chest h...

Hotter than Blazes!

We don’t have air conditioning. We have ceiling fans, double pane windows anda few sunshades. Makes me miss Israel where my room came complete withwater-cooled sunshades.Just about saved my life.

It’s been hot as the devil! Sometimes it’s like that out here. We get these ungodly heat waves that last three to seven days. Yikes!

All the windows are open, so…

Jake hears the wildlife coming into the yard to quench their thirst atour fountain so he barks all night.

He gives his obligatory loud howleve...

So Oscar says…

“Excellent. Made me cry.”

Winnerland, by J.R. Barrett

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Only Emma Stone.

Sometimes I dream silly dreams, like… What would happen if one of my books was made into a movie?

Why, Emma Stone would play the heroine.

Emma Stone

Captured- Mari Damon=Emma Stone

Beauty and the Feast- Eva Raines=Emma Stone

Anytime Darlin’- (Eleanor) Devlin Barre=Emma Stone

Pushing Her Boundaries- (Margaret) Maggie Anderson=Emma Stone

Come Back to Me- Cara Franklin=Emma Stone

Incorporeal- Sara Wise=Emma Stone

In the Flesh and Stay- Dr. Sydney Blake=Emma Stone

My Everything- Grace Rafael Adams=Emma Sto...

I could get used to this!

Oscar is away for two weeks. It’s amazing how much free time I have. What an incredible discovery!

I’ve only done laundry once. Dishes twice- in the dishwasher and that was just because there were some specific dishes I needed and I didn’t feel like washing them by hand.

I’ve barely cooked a meal.I’m eating salads and grilled cheese to my heart’s content. Working my way through a couple bottles of wine. Yeah, savoring the Pinot.

Baked a chocolate cake for Mother’s Day, ate one piece and froze th...