SUNSHINE

There is sunshine in
my soul today!

~ Pinterest

Thank you all so much for the birthday
wishes, I passed each one on to Alex
and he too says thank you.

We had a fun time getting together
Friday evening, laughing, cooking,
enjoying the love as only a family
can. Even when a massive front
hit bringing thunder, dangerous lightening
and buckets of rain, we just moved
everything inside and continued on
with the celebration.

Saturday dawned with bright sunshine
and with it plans for the beach. A
good friend and I spent the day sitting
at the shore, soaking up the sunshine,
talking non stop. We strolled down to
a local restaurant to pick up lunch and
bring it back to eat on the beach. I'm not
sure what it is, but being at the shore
renews my spirit. It really was a perfect
day.

Today it's suppose to be really, really
hot!  I don't have any plans except
to knit, other than that I am just going
to go with the flow.

I hope there is sunshine in your weekend.

Joining with Karen

SUMMER DAYS

 

Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean-
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?

~ Mary Oliver [Summer Day]

What summer means to me....

: unscheduled days

: the air conditioner constantly running

: temperatures that come with a heat advisory

: humidity, humidity, humidity

: afternoon thunderstorms

: lightening bugs

: checking the Weather Channel every morning
   for hurricanes

: the sound of cicadas at dusk

: wearing tank tops and shorts
  or a sun dress if I go to town

: picking blueberries

: pretty painted toe nails

: checking the fig tree daily so I can beat the
  birds when the figs are ripe

: naps in hammock under the pecan tree

: homeschool book lists

: picking dinner from the garden

: sun tea

: canning food

: popsicles

: weekly [daily] beach trips

: staying up too late reading

: new flip flops

: dragon flies on the back steps

: movies at the drive - in

: hanging clothes on the clothes line

: snacking on watermelon all day long

: bike rides early, early in the morning

: snakes in my yard [ six so far ]

: the smell of fresh cut grass

: weeding the garden

: flat ironing my hair [see humidity]

: playing horse shoes

: my youngest son's birthday [17 this year]

: spur of the moment road trips

: more time to knit

: anklets and toe rings

: sunscreen

: aloe when I don't use enough sunscreen

: trying on bathing suits [sigh]

: wild flowers in vases


What does summer mean to you?



:

MEMORIES OF THE WEEK

 Sometimes  you will
never know the value
of a moment until it
becomes a memory.

~ Dr. Seuss
 

I wish you a wonderful
weekend and for all my
American friends a
Happy Memorial Day.

Love,
Tracey
XO

THE BIRTH OF A COBBLER

Love is to the heart what the
summer is to the farmer’s year —
it brings to harvest all the
loveliest flowers of the soul.


~Author Unknown

 

 

 

 

 You spot the vines earlier

in the season than you remember,

didn't it use to be in June?

 

Soon there are flowers dotting

all around and a sweet scent fills

the air; before long the

petals fall and little green berries

begin to form.

 

You watch as the berries go from

green to red knowing you aren't

the only one waiting, the birds

and deer are watching too.

 

The rain has fallen just the right

amount to fill out each pod of the

berry and the sun has been warm

enough to turn each jewel from red

to a beautiful deep black-purple.

 

You wake early, pulling on jeans

and a long sleeve shirt despite the

heat, red bugs and ticks are out

in full force. You slip into your

boots and grab a bucket as you

head out the door. Briers snag

your pant leg and scratch your

hands sometimes leaving little

splinters that are almost too small

too see.

Slowly your bucket fills, two for

you, one for the wildlife, two for

you, one for the wildlife and so

it goes until your bucket is filled.

 

Back inside once again you wash

and drain the berries, leaving them

to drip in the strainer as you pull

out a mixing bowl and begin to make

a batter similar to sweet biscuits,

it's not long before a cobbler is

bubbling away in the oven.

 

Not long after dinner, served
still warm with homemade ice

cream melting in a puddle around

the bowl... Yes, it's just like I remember!

 

Recipe

 

 

 

THE FIRST SUMMER {FOR ME} WEEKEND

Hey! It’s summer! Be free and happy
and danceful and uninhibited and
now-y!

~Terri Guillemets

 Homeschool reports are complete
and for me that means summer
vacation begins.

I am putting my hands on each
and every item in my home...
everything!
If I don't use it or love it, it's
out of here.

In between cleaning out, taking
care of the garden and all the
animals I have adopted I am
spending all my spare moments
at the beach.

My soul is happy!

Joining with Karen.