Family at the Grand Canyon

Recently my daughter and her hubby and children spent a week in Arizona at the Grand Canyon and staying in a little cottage in Flagstaff. She took a leash for the little one and yu can see Hannah wearing it in this photo.

Hubby and I have been there in the past, too, and there are no words to describe it. I was so happy they could see this wonderful place. They look happy, don't they?

Another of God's gifts to me

The father of my child and my dear hubby. We have been together over 30 years. He is a good man. A man of habit. A man who is as good as his word, which can always be depended on. Hard worker. Pretty cute for 58.

I want to honor him this Father's Day. My life has been better since the day I met him.

Happy Father's Day, to my Tom.

Thank you for being you.

Summertime for sure

Flip flop time. This was taken on the bay at St. George Island. I sat there for a long time, with wine glass and camera. It was late afternoon. The water was so clear that the fish were quite noticeable as they swam beneath the dock. It was so quiet.....

The dock next to us had a family that lived on it all week-end. They had chairs, towels, fishing rods, coolers, you name it. They went in at dark and came back out on the dock in the morning with their coffee in hand. But it was far enough away, they were little moving specks, and I could just hear the murmur of their voices.

Summertime for sure.....

God has given us so many earthly gifts!

On the bay

Well, four couples recently spent a long week-end at St. George Island, Florida. What a wonderul time. We have all known each other for over 30 years. So we could put on bathing suits and say "so what?"

Here is a sunset. I think I have been converted from being a beach gal to a bay gal. So quiet, so lovely, and so much wildlife! We saw dolphin so close to the dock we could hear the blow hole, and heron, and the stars were incredible.

God is good. He has given us such beauty! Just look!

Pretty Ballerina

When I look at this photo I can see in her eyes that just two days prior to her little recital, she had been very ill. But by the time Friday and Saturday came, she was ready to dance. It was so good to see, after knowing how sick she had been.

I love the ballet school she attends. It is at a church. All the music and dance are built around scripture and praising the Lord. And yet, it has three mirror lined, hardwood floor studios, a staff of wonderul teachers, and the church sancutary makes a wonderful stage for performing. It is just a good place, and it is a blessing that our little one can participate.

Not without grumbling sometimes, though! There are afternoons when she just wants to stay at Nana's and play. But now she has a summer break, and next year is tap dancing. She is excited about dancing when there is noise involved.

She loves to clog! And so do I. Who can stand still when bluegrass is playing? Here, however, she looks so much like the classic little ballerina. All smiles. Of course, Nana's heart melts at that!

Living on the back porch

The days of that are getting short - how can that be, Northerners say? Because here it is already 92 degrees in the shade. I ate lunch here today after I worked in the garden and was already hot. With a big glass of water, it felt good to rock in the rocker.

The light through the window is our dining room chandelier.

I keep telling myself on cool nights I will sleep on the swing.....but then I hear the raccoons. And the mosquitoes buzzing.

We have our share of meals here, as we sit and look out at the trees. No houses in back of us - acres and acres of land undeveloped. Love it! Come and sit with us some night!

As I was growing up, our family porch was on the front and folks did come and sit. Our evening entertainment was talking to the neighbors who would often wander over. But now I notice that porches and patios are on the back, where family can enjoy privacy. There is good in both. I remember having dates sit with me on the porch, and I knew all the neighbors were probably watching. Back porches can cure that! :)

Our Dining Room

Well, we used to eat in the kitchen all the time. I have posted a photo of that room in my MaryJanesFarmfarmgirl blog-a-thon. But as our family grows, we eat in the dining room, which is not fancy but I try to keep it comfortable....I am not fancy!!!! I am a mid-western gal who only knows how to make it nice.

Tomorrow night we will have barbecued chicken breasts, macaroni and cheese (the kids love that), salad, and home made bread and I hope always that the kids will remember sitting down at this table with love.