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For the past few weeks I’ve been enjoying sunny walks outside.  Despite a flash of snow in October, we’ve been lucky enough to have pretty mild (for November) weather.  I can’t get over it.  Every day feels like a glorious autumn gift.  It seems unreal.  And it’s doing strange things to me.

Just the other Saturday I woke up and something about the way the light was streaming through the windows evoked a strong desire to do, um, housework (brace yourselves) AND yardwork.  Crazy, right?  So off I went happily pruning rose bushes.  But I didn’t stop there.  I started washing the windows.  ALL of them, inside and out.  The strangest part?  I felt a sense of quiet satisfaction and maybe even pleasure at my unexplainable domestic productivity.

The best part?  I felt like I was living in a brand new house.  Everything seemed brighter, shinier and new.  I started feeling happier about life.  I befriended some small woodland creatures.  I composed a song about sunshine and daffodils and then had the entire neighborhood join me singing and dancing outside while wearing brightly colored costumes.

And that was that.

For the first time in my life, I have had roses blooming outside my window.  This summer has witnessed loads of roses in the front yard.  As such, I took it upon myself to try being a florist for a while.  All summer I have been forcing my creations on unassuming neighbors who humor me because I seem like a nice person (little do they know).

But alas, summer is ending and it seems my thorny beauties won’t thrive much longer.  I’ve enjoyed filling our home with fresh roses.  I’ve decided that I should always have fresh flowers in the house.  They turned my so-so living room into a work of art.  No wonder all those fancy interior design magazine photo shoots always have them on hand.

Regardless, it seems flowers might be hard to have year round in a place like Utah.  I suppose that as winter descends I’ll have to be content with my green houseplants and the occasional poinsettia.  Then again, a break from weeding, pruning and other yard-related tasks is definitely a happy occasion in my book.

One can’t travel without making new discoveries.  Listed below are some discoveries and observations that I made on my most recent adventure to Yellowstone and Glacier:

- Good thing about Montana #1: A casino is attached to every gas station, which is super convenient because you can also buy hunting supplies while you’re filling up your car.  Talk about one-stop shopping!

- Good thing about Montana #2: Their advertising budget must be entirely comprised of license plate designs.  I counted at least 7.  All of them different, all pretty nice.  (It helps when you are known for “big sky country” rather than, say, potatoes, dairy, or some other non-Atkins-approved edible.)

- You have to wonder about just what goes on in Idaho Falls gas stations when the bathroom includes a vending machine for “delightfully delicious,  tastefully yours” flavored condoms.   Makes me glad they had seat covers.

- Overalls are never a good option for adults, particularly for senior women who have lived  long enough to know better.  Listen, we all like to let loose a little bit when we travel.  And being in the great outdoors, maybe we feel like letting our hair down a bit.  But let’s have some personal pride, huh?  Leave the overall shorts at home.

- And speaking of fashionistas… Ladies, the older you are the more important your undergarments become — even on vacation.  Remember, there’s a reason the store department is sometimes called “foundations” — because without a sure one, the rest of the outfit crumbles.  Even the Bible backs me up on this.

- And lastly, no matter where you go, it’s crucial to read the signs, especially at Yellowstone:

Over 1675.6 miles later (it felt like longer), my husband and I are still talking to each other.  In fact, we still like each other — maybe even love each other.

We just returned from a great trip to Yellowstone National Park and Glacier National Park.  Although I had been to Yellowstone several times before, we saw things I had never seen before, including Lower Falls, pictured below.

Nice, huh?  Glacier, too, was glorious.   See below.

I have been wanting to visit Glacier for a long while now (noticing a theme?), so I was thrilled to finally see it in person.  Surprisingly, it was actually warmer camping in Glacier than in Yellowstone.  And as you can probably gather from the picture, the water in Glacier is as clear and beautiful as any I’ve seen.

Were it not for the cold temperature, there’s no way I would have been so content on the shore.  All the butterflies flying about were an added bonus.  In other words, wow.

You all know I’ve been skydiving before.  And now I’ve been again.  Indoors.  And maybe that doesn’t sound as cool as regular skydiving, but trust me, it has its perks.

First, no parachutes.  You still have to wear the conehead helmet, eyeglasses, and onesie, but that’s a small price to pay.

Second, quick, painless thrills.  No adjusting to altitude or worries about landing or strapping into anything.

But most of all, you get to do tricks (with the help of an instructor who stands by your side the whole time – see above).

Before our session a military group was practicing different maneuvers, which was really cool.  And our instructor, Devin, also put on a little demonstration for us.

In other words, it was loads of fun.  One word of advice: if you happen to be grinning wildly while flying, you might want to keep your mouth closed, otherwise you might find that, in addition to looking super nerdy, you’re also drooling.

As many of you know, this year I was asked to lead a girls’ camp for my local church.  As many of you also know, I laughed when they asked me to do it a few months ago; I hated girls camp as a teenager.  So you can imagine my surprise in actually enjoying last week.  In the wilderness.  With teenagers.  And no cell phone reception.

I didn’t really know any of the girls very well, so I wondered how they would receive me.  By the end of the week I had been told that I’m cool, I’m skinny, and I look like I’m 19.  So perhaps I wouldn’t mind going next year for a self-esteem boost.

I think I won them over the first night when we had to do a skit for all the other campers and I volunteered to play the part of a flasher.  (Don’t worry, I wore clothes underneath the towel.  What kind of gal do you think I am?)  I ran on stage yelling, “I’m naked! I’m naked! I’m naked!”  and for some reason that left everyone laughing.  I guess you could say I’m gifted.

I grew up being envious of my brothers who got to attend camps that included things like water skiing and archery.  Mine included hair braiding and eating Tootsie Rolls.  Which is why I wanted to actually let the girls try building a fire and cooking and hiking and things.  Midway through the week I realized that perhaps it’s not so much about outdoor skills as bonding with one another in an electronics-free forum.  I mean, how can you not bond after playing a game that involves spelling your name with your rear end?

In other words, despite my reluctance to go, girls’ camp was actually a really great time, hair braiding and all.

What’s that, you say?  Is that yours truly meeting the Jonas Brothers?  Why yes, it looks like it is.  Why?  Good question.  Am I fan?  Not really.  Up until a couple months ago I didn’t even know their names.  Now, thanks to several teen magazines, web sites and wikipedia I can confidently tell you several interesting tidbits about them.

But who cares about tidbits when you see a picture like this?

You see, I arranged for this little meeting.  I work for a non-profit organization for teenagers and, upon the recommendation of one of our volunteer ambassadors, approached the Jonas Brothers about doing something for our group.  And they said yes.  (I’m very convincing.)

They are very polite, well-spoken guys with great hair.  They strive to contribute and be good examples.  They even have their own charitable foundation.  Nick, the youngest (and biggest heartthrob, I have learned), has even talked about his experience with diabetes.

When it was our turn to meet with them  I was in charge of introducing our group.  I shook hands with each brother.  I had my photo taken with them.  We bonded.  And in a way, I feel guilty about it.  I mean, I’m not a big fan, it’s not a life-defining moment for me (cool, but not life defining), I’ve never dreamt of meeting or dating them, and I’m a good 6 inches taller than each one of them.

There is, however, one very nice perk: I am now the envy of every teenage girl.  As soon as we left the presence of the Jonas Brothers there were squeals and sighs and “oh my gosh!”es from every girl in the group.  I couldn’t have been more amused.

I don’t think there’s ever been a moment I was the envy of teenage girls, save for (perhaps) having good skin throughout my life.  If being on Oprah doesn’t get me major respect from teenage girls, then the Jonas Brothers definitely will.  Not that it matters.

I’ve just never understood idolizing pop stars.  Growing up I was barely aware of pop stars.  I liked lots of music, but never so much that I would just die if I met any of them.  I think I’d rather be my own favorite idol.  As Oscar Wilde wrote, “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.”

Knowing that teenagers envy me makes that somehow easier.

I have fainted a total of 3 times in my life.

The first time was when I had a cold and could barely make it out of bed and up the stairs.  I went to work anyway and fainted in the copy room.  I was told I passed out quite gracefully, as if sighing.

The second time I was feeling perfectly healthy.  I accompanied my colleague to the cafeteria at work and fainted waiting in line to pay for my bagel.  Lots of people came to my aid, including paramedics who loudly asked questions like, “Could you possibly be pregnant?  When was your last period?” for all my work associates to hear.

And the third time I fainted was today.  I was talking on the front porch with my neighbor.  Luckily I was working from home today, so it was pretty easy to take it easy.  Still, it was a little strange and a little embarrassing.

Over the years I’ve learned a few things about fainting.  The first is that if you’re going to faint you should definitely try to do it at work, that way no one will EVER question your work ethic.  The second thing I’ve noticed is that you have a split second or two before you faint in which to spare yourself passing out completely.  All of a sudden I’ll feel really hot, woozy and unsteady.  Here’s a video of a man who fainted on national television and could feel it coming.  Some people find the clip hilarious, but my guess is that if you’ve ever fainted before, you probably wouldn’t be so amused.

Still, I think it would be cool to be able to faint on command.  Imagine all the uncomfortable situations you could get out of (and into).  If your boss won’t give you a break at work, take your own.  Want special treatment at a major tourist attraction?  Tired of waiting in line at the airport?  Fainting could come in really handy.

You see, when it comes to fainting, everyone takes it seriously – and rightly so.  Depending on where you fall, you can seriously injure yourself (think corners and hard floors).  Other times fainting can be a sign of a deeper health issue.  In my case it’s just a random vacation here and there.  I’ve read some articles that say fainting can happen as a result of stress, anxiety or excitement.  I like to think I keep all those things in check, but perhaps not.  Maybe I just like to spice up my daily routine a bit…by leaving it unexpectedly.

Moral of the story?  I think I’ll opt for taking good care of myself and selecting my own means of excitement — the kind that doesn’t involve losing consciousness.

When it comes to music, I’ve always liked girls and guitars.  There’s something soothing about a female voice accompanied by the easy strumming of the guitar.  Or even sometimes the racing, too-fast-to-follow strumming, as seen by the likes of women like Ani DiFranco and Erin McKeown.

In college I became a follower of Dar Williams, who infuses catchy or beautiful tunes with well-written, clever and often poignant lyrics.  What woman doesn’t need to hear that she’s aging well, better things are on their way, and that the world’s not falling apart because of her?

Of course one can’t forget the Indigo Girls.  I like much of Regina Spektor’s work – though she plays the piano, not the guitar – she’s great in concert – lots of attitude and style.  I think Feist is pretty phenomenal and loved seeing her perform in an outdoor setting.  I used one of KT Tunstall’s songs as my own personal theme song for a while.  I was introduced to the work of a British gal named Sandi Thom whose song “I wish I was a punk rocker” never fails to get me dancing or clapping or bobbing my head.  I’m not sure if she plays the guitar; she’s amazing regardless.

The other night when I needed something for my melancholy mood, what gal with a guitar came to my aid?  None other than Ingrid Michaelson.  Most people know her for the song “the way that I am.”  I think maybe it accompanied a sweater commercial for Old Navy.  She’s also had a few songs featured on the television show “Grey’s Anatomy.” I don’t have the musical vocabulary necessary to describe her voice.  So I’ll keep it simple: I like it.  I like her music and lyrics.  Last night I especially liked singing along to “Be Ok”:

I just want to feel today, feel today, feel today
I just want to feel something today
I just want to know today, know today, know today
Know that maybe I will be ok

(It’s very catchy – trust me.)  I also appreciated the good reminder from “Keep Breathing”: All we can do is keep breathing.  “Die Alone” always appeals to me with its, “I’m just a stranger, even to myself/

A re-arranger of the proverbial bookshelf.”  And it’s with good reason people love “The Way I Am”:

I’d buy you Rogaine when you start losing all your hair
Sew on patches to all you tear

Cuz I love you more than I could ever promise
And you take me the way I am

Other than her music, you might be surprised to know the thing I like best about her: glasses.  She wears glasses.  And she plays the guitar.  And she sings and writes her own songs.  And she’s a girl.  In other words: cool.  It has been my general observation that when you find yourself listen to a glass-wearing girl playing the guitar, you’re usually in good hands.

Like last April (2008) when I attended her concert.  She did not disappoint.  Clever, funny, original, and an incredibly good singer.  Thankfully I’ve got her albums.  You just never know when you need a guitar-playing girl.