Busy, Busy, Busy

It's been almost a month since I've written here and that isn't like me at all. Family and other activities have kept me busy through the month of June and into July. Here's a short synopsis of what's been going on around here.

1. A trip to my daughters where all the cousins were together for playing, swimming, a little basket ball practice, treats to keep us cool, and lots of laughter and good times.

2. Two different cars shows in one day with Old Red our 1940 Ford truck. Both had crafts and booths for me to wander through while Mr. H wandered among the vintage cars.

3. The highlight of the month was riding the Arkansas Missouri excursion train with our grandsons. We can be quite the rowdy bunch when we're together. It's hard to keep boys still and quiet, so we were thrilled when we found the lounge of the Silver Feather touring car empty. It was just waiting for us. Instead of regular train bench seats, there were two couches, two tables with chairs and plenty of room for loud, active boys. It was a wonderful ride.

4. An afternoon with Mr. H and my sister traveling through four counties photographing courthouses, ghosts signs, and historical buildings.

5. Attending a history tour with the Arkansas Preservation Program at All Souls Church in Scott, Arkansas. The community was too small when this church was built in 1906 to have a building for each domination. The women of the community decided one church building would work. Preachers of different faiths alternated Sundays. The church is still in use and is now a nondenominational church.

6. A short hike with our grandsons to see a waterfall. It was way too hot to hike any further. They cooled of by playing in the water below the falls.

7. After the hike we picnicked and swam at Lake Catherine State Park. It was a perfect summer day.

8. And lastly we ate at the boys favorite restaurant, All Aboard, where a train runs around the ceiling delivering your food right to your table. There's even a Thomas The Tank Engine train table for playing after the meal. The food was great, but we'd eat there even if it wasn't, just to see the trains running. These boys love trains.

That's about it.

I'm tired, but it's a good tired.

July seems to be slowing down, so I can rest up and stay inside where it's cool. But, I will miss the good times with my five guys!

Hope you're having a great summer!

30 Days of Gratitude - Day 25

I am grateful for summer days.
It's a little harder for me to be grateful for summer,
but I try really hard.
I do love summer roses!

"It was June, and the world smelled of roses.

The sunshine was like powdered gold over the grassy hillside."

~ Maud Hart Lovelace

Summer Finds

Another week of summer has come and gone!  And, another summer scavenger hunt is complete. Great prompts once again and lots of fun finding them! I was looking for...

butterflies,  sunglasses,  flowers,  sprinkler,  ice cream,  watermelon,  and  relaxing.

The first prompt was the hardest...butterfly. I searched high and low for one of these elusive beauties! They seem to be so scarce this year. I finally gave up and posted this image. It seemed a fake butterfly would have to do!

Later in the week I traveled to my daughter's home to spend a few days. Needing a break from the car ride, I bought a sandwich and stopped at a little city park for lunch. A park which just happened to have a small flower garden that was attracting...butterflies! I rushed back to the car, grabbed my camera, and took shots of butterflies until I was just too hot to take any more!

Sunglasses, those are something I use regularly. Once I got started, my sunglasses were suddenly everywhere!

Of course, you can't have a summer scavenger hunt without some pretty flowers.

To keep the lawns and flowers pretty we need to drag out the sprinklers several times a week. This little squirrel braved the sprinkler to get some of the sunflower seeds I put out for the birds.

Summertime just wouldn't be complete without some homemade Milky Way Ice Cream.

As I mentioned before, I went to my daughter's this week. I knew we were going to spend one day on the lake, so I took along a watermelon for us to eat and to use for this last prompt. I was going to make watermelon balls and place them in a bowl for the shot. When my grandson, Josh, started helping me, I knew this shot was so much better than just a bowl of watermelon!

 Our last prompt was relaxing. Photography is more relaxing to me than anything else.

These summer scavenger hunts are not always easy, but they have been fun. They have also gotten me outside on these hot summer days.

I certainly hope you're finding ways to enjoy your summer!

Summer Scavenger Hunt...

What do you think of when you think of summer?

Heat, heat, heat...did I say that too many times?  That's exactly what I think of when the word summer is mentioned!!  HEAT!! I'm sure I've mentioned before that summer is my least favorite time of the year. The only time I ever enjoyed summer was when my children were home and summer meant no school.  I always enjoyed the time we spent together during the summer; sibling arguments, boredom, and all!  Now, the only part I like about summer is when the grandkids get to come to our house or I get to go to theirs. It seems I don't think about heat when they're here!

Speaking of grandchildren, they were all here last week. We stayed pretty close to home. We played in the water and ate watermelon, home-made ice cream, and grilled burgers. We just simply had fun!

What do you think?  Do I need a larger pool?
Maybe not, they seem to be having lots of fun to me!!

                                         

The little one, stayed in the shade in his stroller,

cooing and talking to Gramps and Gramma.

 

That makes a perfect summer for me, but back to the question...what do you think of when you think of summer...

flip flops, swimsuits, cold drinks, sunshine, flowers?

One of the photography groups I belong to decided to have a Summer Scavenger Hunt. Usually we get one prompt a week, but this week we got seven. Seven prompts that scream summer!  It has been a really fun week. I haven't been able to travel anywhere (still have sore ribs, although I'd guess I'm at least 95% healed!!  Yea!!). Anyway I had fun being creative and finding the prompts right here at home.  I went out early, before the heat, and took pictures for the seven prompts: a kite, cold drink, flip flops, flag, berries, swimsuits, and bicycle.

a kite

When I was small, we didn't buy our kites. We made them!  We'd get a piece of newspaper, some sticks, string, and little pieces of fabric for the tail. They weren't great kites, the newspaper tore so easily, but they did fly, loop, and swirl as we ran across the yard.  Since I don't have a kite, I made a small one for this prompt. I'll tell you a secret...it's tied to a tree limb, I squatted down and shot up making it look like it's flying.

cold drink

This little vignette represents a little summer "me" time.  A good book and ice cold strawberry lemonade.

flip flops

I received a surprise in my mailbox from my daughter and her family; a 60th birthday flip flop. Can you imaging the surprise of opening the mailbox and seeing a flip flop in there? I wonder what the post lady thought.  It was probably the first flip flop she's ever delivered!!  It was addressed and stamped on the top and signed on the bottom!  What fun!!

flag

A different perspective of our beautiful flag.

berries

Delicious strawberries. I think we'll have strawberry shortcake for dessert.

swimsuit

It's mine, but I won't model it!

bicycle

I thought this bike belonged to our son, but Mr. H says it didn't. His memory is better than mine.  We do still have our son's bike, but it's grey. It really made a better story when I thought it belonged to our son. You know...our son's bike...ridden by his nephews...and someday his sons.  Oh well, it's still special because it is ridden by our oldest grandson when he comes to visit.

So, once again, what do you think of when YOU think of summer?

Baby, It's HOT outside!!!

Memorial Day is traditionally the first day of summer. The community pools open, barbecue grills are dusted off, the first lemonade of the season is made, and cold watermelons are cut.  Families are thrilled! The rigors of school are over, or almost over, and vacation plans are being made.

There are some of us though, that don't look forward to this season; who don't like the heat and humidity! I'm one of those! I won't go on a tirade against summer. Just believe me when I say I'll be glad when it's over. Give me winter any day!!

As I write, I sitting on my swing in the early morning watching a pretty bluebird and the antics of several squirrels. I can hear the clanging of the chain on my swing, birds singing out a welcome to morning, and the pulsing of our water sprinkler.  The sun is rising and so are the temperatures.  We're already 4" short on rainfall with record breaking temperatures! When you look at the photo below, you're not seeing smog or fog, this is Arkansas humidity. So thick you can hardly see the sun this morning!

I'll stay out here for a little while, relaxing and enjoying nature. This is my time. Time where nothing interrupts and my mind wanders. In a few minutes I'll be sweating and headed inside to look for something to do. Maybe I'll piece some quilt blocks. My sewing machine is under a window. For the rest of the day, I'll just have to be content to look at the beauty of summer through the window while listening to the welcome whir of the air conditioner!

Enjoy your day today!!

Inside or out??