7-10-2015 Hot Summer Days

 On HOT summer days

there's nothing better

than eating popsicles 

in the shade!

And on HOT summer days

there's nothing better 

than working on small knitting projects

like mittens!

Here is my progress

on the "Unleashed Mittens KAL".

Next week's KAL clue is the pattern for the thumbs.

The following week's clue is the pattern

for the 'flip top.'

7-9-2015 A Lovely Bouquet!

A lovely bouquet of flowers

picked by my granddaughter JP for me.

:*)

7-8-2015 It's a Wash Out!

This past week has really been something weather-wise!

We had a powerful storm Monday night

that flooded many places in town

and swept away the bridge bed

on our favorite walking/jogging trail...

The trail was covered with waves of mud.

The bright side to this morning's walk...

it was only 60*F all day

(we are usually in the upper 80's-low 90's this time of year)

and we found some wild blackberries along the trail

to munch on as we walked!

7-7-2015 I Love LuLaRoe! And Jamberry!

GD wearing a new LuLaRoe dress I got her...

And I love my accent "Jamberry Nail"

with my new LuLaRoe Azure Skirt...

7-6-2015 Swim Suit Shopping

It's finally warming up enough outside

to take the GDs to the neighborhood swimming pool,

so took the baby shopping for a swim suit today.

She was more interested in the tags.

We gave it a try in our kiddy pool at home first.

It made me think about shopping for a swim suit

as a teenager and adult woman

and all the body image issues 

we accumulate

as we age.

Wish I could go back to being as 

carefree and innocent as these 2 are today!

7-5-2015 Still In the Festive Mood

Still in the 4th of July

festive mood

so I'm wearing this LLR Maxi skirt today.

And got these cute pix of my GS

feeding the ducks and geese at the park...

7-4-2015 Happy 4th of July!!!

DH & I went to a local 

4th of July street festival today

since it was NOT blistering hot outside...

for the kiddos, bouncy castles...

 a petting zoo...

face painting...

(I'm a kitty!)

Kitty's Little Sister...

And for the adults, there were street vendors,

food and beverage trucks.

We enjoyed a brat for lunch.

I spent the day in my new LuLaRoe

bomb pop dress!

7-3-2015 Gotta Love Iowa

When I lived in Missouri

for the past 30 years

the farmers would plant their corn

and hope it was 

"knee high by the 4th of July."

Here in Iowa...

And some pix from our trip to the zoo today...

7-2-2015 Different Points of View

From our walk this morning...

same location...

3 different 'points of view'...

7-1-2015 Things That Make You Go, "Hmmm?!?!?"

So, my 20+ year OLD washing machine

had a 10 minute wash cycle

and a 7 minute rinse/spin cycle.

On my NEW "High Efficiency" washing machine,

the shortest wash/rinse/spin cycle I can find

is 84 minutes long.

How is that more "efficient?!?!?"

(Yes, I know... it uses less water...)

6-30-2015 An Indoor Day

These's a storm a comin'...

time to find some indoor activities!

Spent the morning at the Family Museum

running around and playing in the water...

6-29-2015 The Fog Comes...

The Fog comes

on little cat feet.

It sits looking

over harbor and city (and corn fields)

on silent haunches

and then moves on.

~Carl Sandburg

This morning

DH & I sat on our front porch

sipping our morning cups of java

and watched the fog roll in over the corn field

across the street from our house.

Within a few minutes

the fog had covered the corn field

snuck across the street

and moistened our cheeks and hair.

It felt like the living thing it was.

And, reminded DH of Carl Sandburg's poem (above).

6-28-2015 Chestnut Street Inn Celebrates 10th Anniversary!

On our way home from Chicago

DH & I stayed at the Chestnut Street Inn

as our dear friends Jeff and his wife Chef Monika

celebrate their 10th anniversary as InnKeepers.

Their wonderful rooms,

gracious hospitality

and spectacular food

keep us coming back!

Congratulations, you two!

Cheers to the next 10 years!

This weekend's themed meal was

"Wraps from around the world."

You know you're going to have a good meal

when your place setting has this many forks!!!

Here is one of the five wraps. Mmmm...

And for breakfast the next morning,

her famous Chestnut coffee and a bird nest!

6-27-2015 Happy Birthday Grandsons!

Today my awesome D-I-L hosted a joint birthday party

for my two grandsons

(one born mid-June... one born mid-July).

She had a Dr. Suess theme

with a bounce house 

and a delicious catered meal

for all the family and friends.

Thanks so much for inviting us!

What perfect weather for the party!!! :*)

Here is the teddy bear I made for my 1-year-old GS...

(every stitch with love,

and lots of purple since Oma loves purple!)

And here is the toy box that Opa made for him...

(I neglected to get a pix of it after it was stained/finished.)