The Sky's The Limit

This morning the sky looked like this. We had some wonderful rain yesterday and through the night. It was still raining this morning when we decided to head out to do our usual Saturday morning routine of groceries, farmer's market and general errand running.
We braved a misty, cool morning to get some nice tomatoes and peppers. But once I crossed the street and hit the market my sandals broke! Jack thought we were done and would have to drive back home for some shoes and skip this all together. Nope! I just went barefoot. He thought it was pretty funny. (He didn't realize he was married to a Hillbilly Greek...and someone with no shame!) No one else seemed to notice..or care. So I got what I came for and then we headed home for some footwear. But not before Jack thought it was a blog photo moment. I've snapped him plenty of times so I guess turnabout is fair play.
This was the farmer's market last Saturday. It was much drier and both my shoes stayed on! It draws a crowd every week no matter how sunny or wet it might get.
What does everyone want? Well, mostly this kind of goodie. Yummy fresh food from local growers.
You're sure to find someone you know..Awww..holding hands is so sweet..even at the market!
Rain or shine parking is never a problem for man or beast.
If the market isn't your thing, maybe seeing an angel flying through the sky will make you smile.

A Little Out Of Order

I'm starting out posting a bit backward..Saturday activities first. We had our Pioneer Day Church social at the park Saturday evening and, as I mentioned in a previous post, a pie baking contest was one of the activities. I did decide to enter my old fashioned apple slices..this is what they look like. It's my Mom's recipe and a favorite around here. It won first place in the fruit category. Wow, I was surprised since I'm not a great pie maker. Who knew!
Here's the proof..my first place ribbon and my prize..a dish towel..thanks Stacy and the Primary for the fun and all the work that goes into putting together a gathering like this.
With our new expanded Church group we certainly had enough food and people on Saturday for the Pioneer Day social. The Park was the perfect venue...room for games, pool time, and a nice pavilion to eat and socialize.
I called and kidnapped my Grandkiddos to go with us. Before we ate we headed over to the pool for some water time. Cameron is just getting brave enough to start trying to swim..and jumping in is a good way to start!
Anthony had fun splashing around and keeping his nose clean!
Summer is a good big sis to keep an eye out for Cameron and play with him too.
On to today...Summer and her friend Megan stayed overnight with us after the social. I realized that my camera had a smudge on the lens..sorry Summer! I enjoyed watching some scary shows before bedtime last night with the both of them...teens are so fun sometimes and I'm really not use to having girls around the house. But they were great!
My son Phil called after we got home and asked if Addy could stay overnight too. Sure! The Whispering Pines Inn was now full! After breakfast today of special order chocolate chip pancakes..and blueberry pancakes, I caught this little monkey with the morning sun shining on her sweet face. I'm not sure who's brighter...the sun or little Addylicious!
Now back up to Friday. No, it's not fall! Friday night we were sitting on the deck when the setting sun hit the tops of the locusts trees...and BAM! I thought they looked on fire! It does really look like an early fall pic.
Jack wanted to put a fire in and he knows I love when we have one. The pit was very wet because of the lovely rain we had the previous 2 days. But he is the fire master...although it took a bit of convincing to make the wood understand who was boss!
The fire calmed down nicely and we spent a quiet evening sitting around the fire, talking, looking at the stars and just enjoying a cool (finally!) evening. Jack laughed at me because I had to wear a sweatshirt..hey, it was in the 50's! (Just like me!)

Don't Bat An Eye...Lash

Sometimes we get into something that just draws a crowd...or a few monkeys looking through the window at the goofy goings on in the surgery office between cases today. Follow along as I explain.
Today we celebrated Donna's birthday. (It was really yesterday) She's lost almost all her eyelashes to chemo and to help her out until they grow back I brought some lashes in for her to wear. I wore some too and I also found some nice big blue ones from Halloween to let some others try. The effect was not so cool..but very funny!
Maybe an eyes open shot will help you see the beautiful lashes we're all wearing. But some people should maybe just not go there...see the next pic please.

Oh Jen, you look like a sad puppy dog..maybe blue eyelashes aren't you after all.
Just to see that we can laugh at anything....Becky, you made our day!

Things That Just Shouldn't Be

There's a few things around here that just shouldn't be. Like this little visitor. He shouldn't be on the door...on the door hinge...inside the house.. but he was. Now he's back where he should be with no harm or squished body to report!
This shouldn't be around Eddy's body..He had surgery today to remove a growth on his belly. He's recovering and a bit whiney but he shouldn't be out of commission for long. Get well Eddy!
This shouldn't be...how did the older sister on the right go from this little kiddo:
To this lovely 17yr old? Today is Driana's birthday and we stopped over for dinner and gift opening. She's a sweetheart and we think it's just plain weird that she's going to be a senior this year...going to graduate...going to go to college next year..and we haven't aged a bit!

This little turkey shouldn't be showing his big sis how to interpret the card he made for her..well, maybe he should! Happy Birthday Driana..We love you!

Flower Power

I took pics of some of the flowers at the Pines. With our heat and little rain they won't last forever. The hydrangeas will last longer than the daylilies and the petunias. This summer is flying by. The middle of July is already upon us and the stores are filled with school supplies and school lists. My "to do" list for around the house is still full and I'm hoping to get my rear in gear and actually accomplish something before fall. I've put up some jams and jellies and the elderberries are coming on so more jelly and probably a pie is in order. Next week there's a pie contest at our Church social..should I enter? Pies are not my strong suit but I'm up for a challenge. I've been assembling pics to perhaps enter in the County fair in September. Simple tasks just like those flowers..tasks that will be gone with the summer and in winter when it's freezing out I'll think back to this heat we've had and probably say "Ah, it wasn't so bad"...Then Jack will give me the "LOOK"...I can't explain the "LOOK" but the meaning is clear..He hates the heat!

Patch Envy

A few months ago I was president of our women's organization..The Relief Society. Then our little Branch of the Church turned into a Ward when we inherited members from another Ward that split. Voila! I was released. I was not sad..at all. I've served in that position 4 times and I was happy to move to something else. However, when I was asked to be the Leader of our 11yr. old Boy Scouts my first thought was "Seriously? They want a Grandmother to be their leader?" My answer was "Sure, why not." My ever enthusiastic Scouter hubby thought it was a good idea..heck, I get a really cool patch to wear on my shirt. It's one that only our Church has since regular BSA troops don't have a separate 11yr. old Scout patrol...or something like that. He said other Leaders from other troops will drool over it. (Ok, so he didn't say those exact words) but his enthusiasm made me think they would. Here's the patch...are you drooling yet?
Oh yeah...classy, that's me. Thousands will drool over this patch.
One final thought. I picked these up at the hospital gift shop. Not expensive of course, but I was just wondering....silver or goldish with the scout shirt?

Back From Camp!

Jack came home from his week at Boy Scout Camp. He's gone there every 4th of July week for the last 23yrs. The weather is always a big part of the challenge. Boys will be boys and the food has improved greatly since his earlier stints...but the weather is a mystery that unfolds year to year. This year was probably one of the hottest. 3 digit numbers, even in the woods is nothing but hot..throw in high humidity and no breezes...and it's hellish. I remember one summer I came down on family night. It's a 1-1/2hr. drive south from Ashland. After getting there I walked into camp and the heat and humidity was so oppressive that I said hi to Jack and bye to Jack and turned around and drove 1-1/2hrs back home! But each year he comes back with funny stories, successes in merit badges, and the triumph of young men who are homesick (he calls it "marshmallow fever) wanting to leave ASAP, to those same young men who come up to him the last day of camp excited about coming back the next year. Who knows what will happen with Scout programs around the world and our country. Will the values it promotes survive? Will the rank of Eagle Scout still bring pride to those wonderful boys who achieve it? Hopefully honor of self, country, God and family will still be a goal of our youth and hopefully adult leaders who will take on the challenge to sacrifice time and effort to see it continue. Here's a pic of Jack's home last week. I think sleeping in AC tonight will be a welcome relief!
A group shot. I don't think any tent is the same!
A leader tent?
And this one.
Ok boys, I get the drift...no more pics!
I know this pic is blurry. When I looked closely at it I did have to laugh because is sure looks like the leader in the shot is crying..or wishing he were home in the AC with a cool soda in his hand (or whatever!)..I laughed because I know that would be exactly how I looked after a week of almost 100de. temps and no relief. Good job Jack for hanging in there to give our Scouts a good week.

A Little This, A Little That

THIS is some of the things THAT happened today. This lovely lady is Stephanie and she is one of my co-workers who hails from our neighbors to the north: CANADA! In her honor and her homeland we had a celebration for Canada Day. (We will take any excuse to celebrate..especially if food is involved) Some of the food was eerily familiar..like Moose Sticks. I don't know, but with mustard and coney sauce it sure looked and tasted like a hotdog to me. Plus the package said hotdog and it was made in New York...Yep, takes alot to pull one over on this brainieack.
Stephanie made this lovely poster to educate us about her country.
Food native to Canada. No one brought syrup, bacon and for most of the workers who were very disappointed....beer.
A half eaten Canadian cream stick..NO, it wasn't eaten by me!
Someone made friendship bread because we all know Canadians are the friendlies people on the planet! Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian blogger friends!
This also happened today. I told you I was interviewed for our local newspaper's cooking column.."Cook of the Week"..well these pics are the result..and that's just sort of scary! I worry that the recipes won't turn out as good for the readers and then I'll have angry, hungry people knocking at my door..wait, I don't think they put my address in..or did they? I better go back and read it!

And to end the "this and that" post: This came yesterday: I won a Vera Bradley bag from Vicki at 2 bags full..(check out her blog from my sidebar since I'm an idiot and couldn't get the link to happen..it's really a fun blog!) That was the best surprise! Thanks again Vicki!

And Another Thing

Many people have an idea of the perfect weekend..the perfect vacation. It's different for everyone. Some like a trip to a fun location. Some like the beach or the mountains. Perhaps a cookout with friends makes your skirt fly up. Me? I'm simpler...less adventuresome. I'll take these examples of what makes my perfect weekend....like the pic below that reminds me of a Grandma Moses painting. People gathered in every corner of the livingroom doing something different. Braiding hair, brothers in deep conversation, babies gathered around a favorite Aunt for some special attention, a little one moving so fast she's nothing but a blur in the middle, Jack reading the sports page! Like the song says, "Here are a few of my favorite things"....
It's loving every minute with our newest member of the family...Ella, my great-niece. She was so good and fun and it was wonderful that my niece Amy and her hubby Eric would take a couple of days out of their vacation to visit all of us. Thanks guys for coming!
It's seeing that sweet Sophie face first thing in the morning eating her cereal out of vintage Ninja Turtle bowls that her Daddy and Uncles had when they were little.
It's posing for a group shot that no one really wants to do. Taylor, Katie and Sophie being good sports for me!
Jumping off the high dive for the first time when you're only 7. Way to go Taylor!
It's showing YaYa a skill you didn't have last year...putting your whole face underwater and swimming. That's our Lexi Loo!
It's taking that first leap of faith into "how to learn to swim in the baby pool". Good beginning Addy Rae!
A helpful brother...Taylor..pointing out to bigger sis Katie, the height of the high dive.
The final wave...I'm here I can't go back now!
We have lift off!
It's Katie with her can-do attitude...you go girl!
Finally, it's jumping into the deep end even if you can't swim because someone you trust and love will be there to catch you..no matter what. "I'll simply remember my favorite things...and then I won't feel so bad."