perfect summer day

Today was the perfect summer day.

It was neither hot nor cold--just perfect.

The grand children played happily in the yard

We had grilled corn and fresh fruit with lentils for dinner--easily made and cleaned up

The hammock beckoned as the ice cream maker did it's work

We took a delightful stroll through the neighborhood

The ice cream tasted delicious just before bath and bedtime

A happy, relaxing summer day

Perfect

The Great Out of Doors

Last week was a lot of hard work, but so much fun as I cooked, chatted and got to know the young women from church and their leaders as we camped and worked together. I had fun baking outside in the most amazing contraptions in order to offer brownies (from a cardboard box), a layered birthday cake (dutch oven), whole wheat bread and cinnamon swirl bread (plastic bin wonder oven). To me it is an adventure to go off the beaten path and try to be self sufficient when the norm is not available.

While I was away lounging in my hammock my sweet husband attacked the side porch. We have been using it for a long while as a workshop, the saw has been set up and the wood stacked for a quick place to prepare the next home improvement project. It has been wonderful, but slowly the sawdust was taking over, and what with the summer settling in, we needed to evict some critters who were becoming too comfortable and needed to be reminded that people live in houses and critters in the woods.

It was nice to come home and see the finished project, not to mention a place to put all of the camping gear while the washer goes through it's regiment to clean it all up again. My sweetheart and a yellow jacket had a stinging run-in while visiting on the porch, and the new refrigerator went kapoot and had to be dealt with (why do things break down just after the warranty runs out?)but all in all a great deal was accomplished outside last week.

The day I cam home from camp I had a house full of little ones waiting for me here at the house. They will be with us for two weeks and we are having fun teaching them the adventures of being outside at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

We have been pulling weeds, planting flowers, strolling down the lane, playing slip and slide, swinging and having picnics, to their amazement, all outside. Cries of "it is hot" have been met with a quick shower from the hose and a tall glass of lemonade. We are learning together that there are a lot of fun things to do outside on a warm summer day. Winter is spent inside doing homework, summer sun calls for fun outside by the pool.

I have hung up the hammock and stocked the freezer with popsicles, it is time for summer relaxing.

What do you do when the days are long and warm?

Hot and Humid

On a hot summer day I am reminded of the old song:

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer,
Those days of soda and pretzels and .....

I love the slower pace of summer. A hot lazy day with a book is my idea of a good summer experience.

It is true that in the south it can be a bit heavy outside with the heat and humidity, but, we are lucky to live in the era of air conditioning. I run quickly from the cool house to my air conditioned car, step briskly into an air conditioned store then repeat as needed until I am home again enjoying the coolness of forced air and ceiling fans.

A summer afternoon in the south is not the time to explore the great outdoors unless it includes a water feature, like a pool, lake or stream. I will leave the exploration for the spring and fall.

I enjoy looking out at the blooming flowers and leafy trees that shade our property. I have a nice seat by the window in our family room that overlooks our yard. Sometimes the deer walk right up to the house to nibble on my flowers, then I am torn between the beauty of the creature and the desire to save my flowers. During the summer heat I have discovered that flowers in the garden make the whole house and yard seem much cooler.

All winter long I look forward to the days that I can go out and there is no need to wrap up from the cold. There are plenty of months to huddle and shiver. Summer is the time to wear light clothes and leave the sweater behind. It seems liberating to me to be able to just walk out the door.

In the south it is hot and humid. Women glisten from the dampness in the air. Yard work makes for a river running off the end of your nose. It seems odd to me that if it does not rain for a few days we worry about a drought.

Humidity makes the hots hotter and the cold piercing. I think I would rather take the hot since we have air conditioning. Without cool air this heat would be unbearable. I do not know how people lived in this type heat for centuries before air conditioning.

When we first moved here the school my children went to was not air conditioned. They would cut the school day short on the hottest of days and send the children home to go to the pool. Now all of the schools are air conditioned and the children attend year round.

Hot and humid, this is where I live. I am thankful for air conditioning and ceiling fans, especially this year with record breaking days in excess of 100 degrees. Blow baby blow.

Pool Time

Time passes quickly. It seems like just yesterday I was facing a busy summer with 6 small children. Now those children are all grown and between them they are raising 17 little ones with summer dreams in their eyes.

When my children were young and at home we spent a lot of time at the pool. On a hot summer day it was a great reward for doing our morning routine--making the beds, dusting and vacuuming, cleaning up the kitchen and reviewing a few of the things we remembered from the school year.

After lunch we would pack up some snacks and head out for a cool afternoon of water fun. It was a treat for me because the kids were so busy dipping and diving they did not need much from me except a set of eyes to watch.

After the pool I would bring the tired children home and let them have some time to read or watch a movie while I made dinner in the quiet kitchen.

I remember on a busy Saturday filled with chores and home remodeling we would end the day with a trip to the pool to cool off and add some fun. As the time approached to go home we would put a dab of shampoo on the kids hair and put them under the shower at the side of the pool. As the shampoo and water washed over their bodies they were clean and ready for pj's and bedtime.

I will soon have grandchildren visiting for a few days. I do not have a neighborhood pool to take them to any more, but I do have a wading pool that I put on the deck and fill up. Sometimes they play in the pool as they pour water on each other and the deck. Sometimes we just put our feet in as we sit by the side and eat a popsicle. Sometimes I turn on the sprinkler to water the lawn and let the children play in the droplets. Sometimes we get in the car and drive to visit Aunt T and her neighborhood pool.

What ever the opportunity affords, I do believe some water and sunshine help children grow in body and spirit. It is time to enjoy a summer day by the waters edge.

Strawberries

Sometimes good living gets in the way of better living.

It is spring--finally.

Time to wash bed linens and change out heavy quilts for lighter blankets.
Time to wash windows and clean light fixtures.
It is time to throw open those clean windows and let the fresh air in.
Time to take notice of the garden and get your hands dirty.
Time to move the furniture away from the wall and vacuum the dark corners.
Time to pick some strawberries and put some in the freezer for next years cold, dark days.

Last week my sweetheart and I took two buckets and headed out to the local strawberry patch. In less than a half hour we filled those buckets and headed home. The berries were beautiful, large and flavorful. In an hours time we had them cleaned, sliced, sweetened and sitting in our freezer. We made 7 quarts this trip. That makes it about $2.30 a quart for a touch of spring in the dead of winter.

This morning I took a spoonful of the ruby red sweetness and spooned it right onto a warm bowl of oatmeal. Topped it off with some yogurt and a few walnuts--YUMMMM--dessert for breakfast.

This next week we have a date with our son and his wife to go pick some more. My sweet daughter in law is due to deliver her baby in 3 weeks. My mother went strawberry picking just before I was born--I am praying she comes early--will this be the trick??

Strawberries--they make me smile.

Storms

Sometimes the forces come together for quite a storm.

Yesterday was one of those days.

The wind blew, the rain fell.

The sky grew darker.

The wind blew harder. Rain turned to hail.

In an area where the weather is usually mellow, numerous tornadoes struck.

The funnels dipped and dropped all around.

Hit and miss. One house fine, one leveled.

Today is a day to stop and think of those we love and the blessings we share.

Today is Sunday, a day of rest, usually.

My son in law went to church this morning and was assigned to a work crew.

We have the grandchildren while their parents are helping neighbors.

Our family is fine, we go home and carry on while many around us have no home to go to.

The wind blew, the lightening flashed, the rain fell...

....and then the sun came out.

1-11-11

There are some fun days on the calendar this year:

New Years Day was 1-1-11
My husband tells me yesterday was a fun day for computer smarties: 01.10.11 and October will offer up a few more 01 days on the 1st, 10th and 11th
Today is 1.11.11
In November we get 11-1-11 and 11-11-11

I have a coupon for the craft store that is valid today only for an item I have been looking at. YEA!!

This morning we woke up to about a half an inch of ICE which means closed schools and no work or late openings throughout the county. How does that affect my coupon?? I will call the store and see if they are closed like they should be and maybe they will honor the coupon tomorrow.

Surprise--they are open and the coupon is good only today!! Now I have a dilemma on my hands. Do I go out in this when they are asking everyone to stay home unless it is an emergency? Is the craft store an emergency type store that should be open??

I enjoy staying home on icy days, they are like a bonus day. Time to get the oven working and a game or puzzle on the table. A hot pot of soup and home made bread sounds like a treat to warm the soul.

Nope--the craft store is not an emergency type store that needs to be open--even if it is 1-11-11

-little bugger

OUCH

A mosquito just bit me

IN my house

He tried and I swatted the little bugger and MISSED

He tried again and I missed AGAIN

He tried a third time and....

...I got him

Now I itch, and itch and itch

The joys of living in the woods with a stream on the property.

October

Today, I am finally reconciled to Fall.

We are driving along the highway, on our way to visit our sweet new baby, and I realize that there is a chill in the air and the leaves are beginning to have a tinge of color to them.

I can feel my body start to crave a warm bowl of soup.

Gotta get out the sweaters and wool socks.

Time for a change.

Excited to hold that new baby. Coleman Grant is his name. We will be there in just a few hours. Gonna enjoy the scenery as we drive along on this beautiful fall day.

Change

September

I love spring and summer.

Lazy slow days--at least in my mind--no need to put on a coat or shoes. I am not freezing.

No alarms, schedules slow down.

Today is the first day of September. Change is in the air.

School has started.

Soon the weather will change--some will rejoice--I will freeze.

Schedules have changed--homework, catch the bus, hurry to bed, set the alarm.

Hurry seems to be a word for winter.

Poor Connor has had a lot of change in his life this week. School started and his new baby sister came all at the same time. Today I reminded him that by Halloween everything would be better. He asked how?? Time is my answer. By Halloween we will be used to the new changes in our lives that fall has brought. Time helps us adapt to the changes in our lives and understand them better.

The only constant thing in our lives is change.

My mom often reminds me that:

This Too Shall Pass

Everything must eventually change. Even the good things change. Our ability to manage the challenging improves with time and practice.

Eventually everything changes.

It is our attitude that makes the changes easy or challenging. Some changes are welcome, some are not.

Change is in the air.

Attitude is the key in change. Only I can control my attitude.

If a situation is not the best the only person to change it is me.

Change is in the air. I control my attitude.

September is here.

Summer

I love summer. It is my favorite season.
Yes, yes, I hear you--I know it is HOT,
but,
air conditioning and water make it easier for me to cool off
than in the winter when I am so COLD I am FROZEN STIFF.

Yesterday I filled up the little plastic pool and placed it on the deck. I gave the grandchildren each a frozen yogurt, dressed them in their bathing suits and told them to have fun.

Two hours later the pool was empty, the deck and everything else was wet, and I had a clean kitchen with dinner made!! The children went to bed nicely because they were exhausted.

I love summer. No homework, bedtime is not manditory because the alarm is not ringing before the sun shines. There are leaves on the trees and flowers in the garden. I love the fresh vegetables and easy light dinners. I like going out the door and not having to put on a sweater or coat.

Yes, Summer is my favorite season!!