Wordless Wednesday

I’m trying really, really hard NOT to use words. But, in case you were wondering, she’s a unicorn. 😉

Blog hopping today with Wordless Wednesday over at Comedy Plus.

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Awww Monday: June 18, 2018

Summer will end soon enough, and childhood as well. ~George R.R. Martin

Seems strange to talk about the end of summer when it’s only mid June. But, by this time next month, school supplies will be in the stores and Autumn decor will be everywhere…if not sooner.

Summer began with a bang as our oldest daughter got remarried (more pictures coming soon in a separate post). Originally set to be in their backyard, the day’s forecast was for rain and severe storms. So, it was relocated to the lower level of our house! And, in typical Mother Nature fashion, there was no rain during the day.

On the heels of that, our church’s version of vacation bible school on some serious steroids took another week. And, just because we hadn’t had enough fun, after that we took the grands on a mini vacay for a few days.

Peanut and Twix have now left for their summer visitation with their dad halfway across the country. I should breathe a sigh of relief for the break in child care responsibilities, but it’s always a bittersweet time. Entrepreneur and I need some down time to focus on us for a while.

Yes, time is flying by at warp speed….not willing to pause and allow anyone to savor the moments. All we can do is try and make the most of each day….whether child or adult!

Blog hopping with Sandee at Comedy Plus for Awww Monday.

 

May Photo Challenge: Outdoor Activities

The month of May-hem is finished. It’s a miracle I got any photos to use for this month’s challenge with all the indoor activities that went on this month….birthdays, our niece’s high school graduation, Mom’s Day, student presentations, final grades and semester wrap up, end-of-the-year awards for Peanut’s school….plus, I had to cover for an employee who took some vacay days.

Whew….bring on June. But before that happens, we’re to share our May photos for PJ’s monthly challenge. This month was Outdoor Activities. Now, I could have provided tons of indoor activity pics this month, but let’s see what’s in the May file for outdoor fun.

Outdoor #1
The very first outdoor activity I look forward to in the spring is watching the hummers return to middle Missouri. As soon as I see a couple hovering around where the feeder should be, I quickly mix up the nectar and find the feeders that were so efficiently packed away for winter.

Outdoor #2
Next on the list is usually hauling out the fairy garden furnishings and setting up the village with Peanut. This year, we have a new resident to the fairy garden area. He’s yet to be named, although we have some great choices via a Facebook poll. Artemis? Howard? Gizmo? Elmsworth? Waldorf? Ashford? Timber Who? Winston? George? Professor? Snoops?  Which is your favorite?

Outdoor #3
I mentioned our niece’s high school graduation. The ceremony itself was indoors, but her after party offered an opportunity to take a few photos outside to commemorate her milestone event.

Outdoor #4
Something has been busy with outdoor activities in our yard. We have about a dozen of these holes in the back part of our property. Another Facebook questionnaire resulted in everything from armadillos to earth nostrils.

Outdoor #5
Beware small children welding water guns. This favorite outdoor activity is in full swing now that temps have warmed and Missouri humidity has increased. Cabo is their favorite target…much to his enjoyment!

Outdoor activities will abound the next few months. To kick off the season, blog hop over to PJ’s on May 31st and see what other outside activities happened this month.

Thankful Thursday

Trying out a new blog hop today called Thankful Thursday. I probably need this hop to actively remind myself to look for the positive things in life since so much of my last few months have been spent in the company of anxiousness, stressfulness, irritation and frustration. They are really not good company and even worse influences on others.

But, semester is (mercifully) finished, grades are recorded and school is officially out! All my college seniors are scattered to the wind to take on the world…God help them AND the world!

So now, I’m thankful for time spent with our two grand girls before they leave to visit their dad 12 hours away for the majority of the summer. At nine and four, they are handfuls, and they can test the patience of Job….but for Entrepreneur and I to be an integral part of their lives is a blessing we simply cannot overlook.

So, today I’m linking up with others for Thankful Thursday.  A big thank you to Sandee at Comedy Plus for introducing me to this worthwhile weekly opportunity.

I hope life settles a bit so I can participate in more of these hops in the future!

Awwww Monday

May is only half finished and it seems like Spring lasted all of about 5 minutes. Now….judging by the Doodle’s response to the heat….it’s on to summer. He remembers how nice the AC vent feels on these hot days.

Annie’s Sparks is on hiatus for a while, but Sandee’s Awww Mondays are still kickin’ it every Monday over at Comedy Plus. Post a picture that makes you say Awww…and that’s it! How simple is that?

 

 

A spring walkabout

Hello! Spring is finally here!! And I’m expecting a marked improvement in my attitude, despite circumstances that swirl around me. It was a loooonnnggggg winter in so many ways. Entrepreneur was overly susceptible to the cold now that he’s on daily oral chemo, so we didn’t venture out much unless absolutely necessary.

But the windows are open….and the pollen is building up on my tables. But no matter. I’ll dust every day if it means I can bring in the fresh air and see the sunshine.

It’s hard to believe this was the scene just about a month ago, April 1st, the evening of Easter Sunday. Spring seemed awfully bipolar this year.

My daffodils were the first to defy winter, and I had to cover them a couple times when the temps dipped way below freezing. I suppose they knew what they were doing because I ended up cutting a lot of them to bring inside to help me get through the month.

But now……now everything is in full bloom! My iris plants are budding so they’ll be the next featured posies. The temps are warming and we can finally get outside without feeling like an Eskimo in January. Here’s what I found on a recent walkabout in my backyard.

Creeping phlox. The soft purple color is so soothing to me. I wouldn’t mind if these crept all over the yard.

Lavender tulip tree. Not technically in my backyard, but close enough. There are no visible fences in our neighborhood so sometimes we tend to wander past official boundaries. This lovely specimen is a member of the magnolia family and makes us all feel very “southern.”

My all-time favorite spring tree is the redbud. I call them “smart” trees because they rarely show off until the threat of frost and freeze is over. Mine didn’t pop a bud until about a week after winter was officially in the rear view mirror. Unlike those silly  bradford pear trees that bloom at the first hint of warm temps…..only to turn brown when they’re hit with a cold night.

And here’s a springtime gem I found in my yard…with her lovely, yellow “wildflowers.”

She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbor:
“Winter is dead.”
~A.A. Milne, When We Were Very Young

I hope spring has sprung in your corner of the world.

April Photo Challenge

And just like that….April is over and done with. Four months already on the books for 2018, and here we are again with PJ’s photo challenge. April’s prompt was One Person and I admit I didn’t really think about this until…..um….yesterday!

But, today I rallied and went through the April photo folder to make anything something work.

One Person: Entrepreneur
He’s my One Person and we’re going on 38 years this July. God knows we’ve been through a lot together. Nine moves, two daughters, four dogs, four cats (two not really ours, but The Golfer “abandoned” them to move to Florida!), and two grand girls. And now, the latest challenge….cancer…which has racked up two surgeries, 8 months of Bell’s Palsey, radiation and daily oral chemo. But he’s a fighter and we’ll face it together. As Rachel Platten’s song “Stand By You” says,
Even if we can’t find heaven, I’m gonna stand by you.
Even if we can’t find heaven, I’ll walk through hell with you.
Love, you’re not alone, ’cause I’m gonna stand by you.

One Person: Peanut
The One Person who made me a Nana for the first time in 2008. Our original pocket rocket of a grand girl is now nine years old and one of the loves of my life.

One Person: Twix
And right on Peanut’s heels is her sister, who never ceases to amaze with what comes out of her mouth! Her personality is much, much larger than her little four-year-old frame. Definitely another love of my life.

Cabo’s One Person
I guess that would be me. Other people do help take care of him, but I’m the one he seeks out most often when he wants to play, or go outside, or sleep at my feet, or just thinks someone should be paying attention to him. Nothing thrills him more than when it’s time to throw the ball! He was Entrepreneur’s idea a year ago this month….so I would have company after he’s gone. So, he’s now in this with me for the long haul!

One Person: Old Man Winter
Yes, now I’m grasping for ideas. Old Man Winter has finally released his strangle hold on middle Missouri and Spring, with all her muses, has finally arrived. That means the windows are thrown open to let in the warmer air and scents of blooming trees and bushes. I have a Korean Spice Viburnum under this window, and the scent that’s drawn into the house through the window is heavenly.

I’m closing with what just might be the most famous “one person” quote of all time.

To the world you may be one person; but to one person you may be the world. ~Dr. Seuss

Check out the Photo Blogging Challenge over at PJ’s and enjoy who other’s featured as their One Person….Or would it be One People? 😀
(P.S. He’s a bit behind, so you might give him one more day before you look for his PBC post.)