lovin right now

Guess what!! I took myself shopping last weekend!  I know... that doesn't happen.  I mean I might order a shirt online or dream about it but the last time I went into a store and bought something new was last summer before we went to Florida on vacation to get a couple of new bathing suits.  This time I was in the market for loose shorts and tops and something new to sleep in (my old tanks are getting ratty!).  Luckily, and I promise I didn't even think about it beforehand, summer clothes are on the way out so everything is on sale!! BONUS!  I picked up five tops at Loft that are light colored and very airy (although when I washed them one of them shrank in the dryer to the size of a 2T dang near.. ugh!)  I got five pair of loose, flowy shorts at Belk and I bought a few things to sleep in that are super comfy at Kohl's .  Now I'm set to play outside in immense heat for the rest of the summer and sleep in thin comfortable bliss each night.

 

And then we get on to the other reason I will probably need loose clothing that I can grow into after forming an addiction to Lil' Drums!  When you want a little something sweet these are perfect at about five inches tall and 130 calories each.  Tough part is there's twelve in a box and somebody's got to eat 'em!!

 

And when I need a lil' something else, I grab onto a handful of seasoned croutons.  Am I the only one that snacks on croutons?  They have such flavor.  It's like an entire Italian meal in one little cube... if you close your eyes and imagine it.

 

A friend of mine introduced me to Ferti-Lome blooming and rooting plant fertilizer this year and I really like it.  I've only used Miracle Grow in the past but all of my flowers really seem to like this stuff.

 

And that's what I am "lovin' right now" kids... besides loving summer itself!  I truly to the depth of my soul am a summertime child.  I like to grow plants and watch flowers bloom.  Eat vegetables right out of the garden and have tomato juice drip off my chin.  I love to hear all of the different voices of summer like birds that are here for the summer, katydids, locust, hummingbirds zooming by.  I love to go barefoot (my heels pay dearly for that!) everywhere and was my feet under the hose pipe.  I enjoy sitting outside with Shaun and friends anytime we want to from morning to evening or all night long!  I don't even mind wearing bug spray... Lord knows I need it!  I love that my laundry takes longer to pile up because the clothes are thinner and smaller than winter clothes.  I like the quick summer meals that are sometimes not made or served until after nine pm.  I love being able to take the day care kids outside at any given moment to play instead of being cooped up inside because it's too cold.  I even like being chilled by air conditioning and curling up with a blanket and watching the original Parent Trap.  I could seriously go on and on. 

 

Look around before it's gone. 

Soak in each part of the season that you walk past every day and just stop for a second. 

July is almost gone yet again. 

This is my forty first summer.  I hope to see many, many more!

around here

In Bloom was the title I envisioned for this post.  But it truly is what's going on "around here."

 

 

I have said it before.  I believe there are two "most wonderful times of the year." 

 

If you came to my home right now

and took a stroll around with me

here's what you would see.

 

3rd year Caladiums.

Begonias from a friend.

One of my QVC bulbous begonias.

and another.

and another.

Yellow roses.

Tomato blooms.

 

Butterflies loving the milkweed.

Green bean blooms.

Zucchini blossoms.

Dragonflies resting atop corn stalks.

Black bean blooms.

Basil blooming too fast for me to snip it.

Orange Zinnias  -  new to me this year.

Pixie zinnias from saved seeds.

Cucumber vine flowers.

Water Hyacinth from a friend.

Begonias from a friend.

I am right fascinated by this one.  How lovely.

Can you spot the tadpole in my water hyacinth?

It is one of many... many... many tadpoles in there.



literally on the library hold shelf

 

rethink: I have been waiting for my library to get this book for a long time it seems.  I actually haven't checked in a while to see if it was there.  Now that it is I am on a wait list. 

 

wild: I don't know much about this movie.  Only that I'd like to see it.  So it's waiting on me now.

 

the bee cottage story: One of two home interior books on my list right now.

 

the stuff of life: The other one.  Although I'm not really in to redecorating.  I haven't had much interest in that for a while.  I do however enjoy keeping up with styles and both of the design books I have here are 2015 and may have some great ideas.

 

the girl on the train: I admit I have already read this one.  To boot, I picked it up Tuesday night before yoga and read a few pages before going to bed.  Then wound up finishing it by noon on Thursday.  It completely captivated me.  I never read books that fast!  I guess I do now!  The story and the characters and the "up in the air" / "I don't know what's going to happen" feel of the book I loved. I truly enjoyed it and wanted it to last longer. 

Image Inspiration

Image Inspiration is a spot where I share images that have caught my eye and inspired me in one way or another creatively, soulfully or just plain ole inspired me to do something. 

 

 

These pics from hazelandscout... post named Bohemian Ballet Boudior captured me.  I intend to photograph my niece Kristen within the next couple of years for her senior pictures and am always looking for poses and situations that are inspiring for us to try.  I think these are gorgeous... whether or not we use them.

 

 

 

 This Peach Druzy Necklace.

 

 

 

 

A recipe for these zucchini flower fritters from Mimi Thorrison. 

I don't know if we would love them but I sure do have a lot of zucchini flower so now would be the time to try!

 



This font and font collection put together by Bonnie Christine.

I'm cheap and prefer the free ones that you can optional donate to.

But this one could be hard to resist because it will come to mind in future projects.

 

 

 

This porch picture inspires me more the more I look at it.  Makes me want to work on the picnic table area of  our back porch and hang baskets  to house garden and canning needs for the summer.  I do get a touch hesitant thinking of the bugs, spiders, wasp and dirt dobbers who would be after the new décor too.  It also makes me want to plant more garlic this year for next season.  Mine didn't do to suit me this year.

 

 

 

I happened upon one of my favorite interior sites a few days after I scheduled this post... which I do in advance that way it allows me to build on them if I want.  And in this so case... I want. 

frommoontomoon.blogspot.com is a classic fave of mine.

In often find inspiring images and have shared them with you before.  Today, after I finished the dove book!!! YYYAAAYYY... I cruised a couple of my regulars and found myself literally staring at this picture.  Pictures with plants speak to me.  I am a plant lady and garden girl and love to see how people incorporate leafy life into their homes and spaces.  I stared and stared and remembered a bench that our friend Stevie brought to me recently and thought of moving some friends around on the porch.  Honestly... when I finish this I am going out to see what I can do.  It feels good to my soul... even though the heat index is still 107 right now.  Not a complaint.  I still love summer.

 

You kind find this fantastic post HERE.

 

 

 

OK and don't think for a second that I didn't think of painting tires for planters after seeing them here.  Lord knows we've got plenty of tires around here... big ones and little ones.

 

 

 

This kitchen scene is amazing too.  I was drawn immediately to the pottery utensil holders.

 

 

 

Must make more dream catchers and hang them on the porch.  How pretty is this!

I love seeing other's style.

 

 

 

 





Around Here

We've had so much rain that the fairy ring in the front yard came up.

Almost a full circle. 

 

Last Saturday, Katie Bug and I decided to take a break and chill out at the creek for a bit.

My camera was steamed up is was so hot out.

 

Maybe when the dove book is finished, which hopefully it will be this weekend, I can take more time for myself.  My work hours have picked up to about sixty a week which is good for business but bad for play time for Laurie. 

 



Camp Arrowhead Day Four

Our fourth and last day of summer camp at the day care was sure a fun one.  I wanted to squeeze in all of the plans for other days that didn't happen but as it turns out they didn't all happen on this day either.  Things like tug-of-war, clothespin drop and a trip to the creek.  Maybe next year.  We did manage to have a pretty full day as it was.  After everyone arrived we met in the craft room and made popsicle stick picture frames.  My plan for the afternoon would incorporate these.  They are very simple and do need time to dry.  I had the kids lay out their popsicle sticks in twos and we held them together with masking tape then put a generous dab of glue at the top of two and then the bottom of the same ones and laid the other stick pairs on the glue.  We used q-tips and mod podge for the glue.  That's it really.  Now we wait for them to dry and we all headed outside for a bit of free play.

 

 

For our last picnic lunch of camp we took a vote and decided to hike up the driveway to a set of trees in the corner of the sunflower field.  I had already packed up their sack lunches of ham and cheese sandwiches, Pringles chips, green grapes and two powdered doughnuts for desert along with the last of the drink boxes.  We had a lovely lunch in the shade and afterwards the kids treasure hunted under the trees and found several things to fill their pockets.  We headed back and all settled in for our last bedding down around the campfire as I read one more scary story.  I wish I had read this one before because I had to change the ending once I got to it to something a bit less scary, or maybe less real, for them.

 

 

 

When everyone woke I had plans to make microwave s'mores that turned out to be very good but very messy!  What's wrong with gettin' a little messy?  Not a thing!  As we were finishing our snacks someone arrived to pick up a couple of my boys so we didn't get to hand out their badges. :(  I did take their pictures for their frames and promised they would be ready for them on Monday.  SO we had the badge ceremony with the other children and their faces smiling as I reminded them what they had done to earn their badges of being Good Helpers and Good Listeners during story time and Washing Hands without being asked.  They were all so proud.  I got pictures and began printing them for frames as another Mom arrived.  Sounds like I wasn't ready for camp to end! 

 

I had decided to print out labels for the frames instead of using a marker because all of my test runs had ran into the wood.  So I glued on titles for their frames and really liked how they turned out.

 

 

After everything was semi-cleaned up from snack and pictures, we headed outside to a humid afternoon and a battle of water guns for our summer camp finale!  There were just a couple of us left there but it was total fun.  I had one of the boys quoting Eastwood and stations set up to hide behind with buckets of water for ammo refills.  A very fun ending to a very fun week of camp with these kids!