On My Mind

Mid-Summer Update

As I sit here, I can look out my back door and see the breeze blowing in the flowers and birds in the feeder. The sun is golden and the grass has gone dry. We're harvesting our garden and delighting in seeing our lovely property bloom over the last year that we've lived and loved here. 

I don't really know why I feel this way, but this seems like the summer of "relish". 

I'm relishing everything that presents to my senses. Every thing I look at is "art". I'm taking it all in, living in the present. I have an immense feeling of gratitude and it makes me feel happy, peaceful and appreciative. 

* Maybe it's because I have a lovely husband of one year who shows me love & support I've never known *

* Maybe it's because I have 3 wonderful children who love me as much as I love them ~ they are my greatest accomplishment *

* Maybe it's because I have a loving family that is fairly drama-free and extremely appreciative of FAMILY *

* Maybe it's because I know time is short and of the essence and knowing this, I make the most of every moment *

* Maybe it's because my mind is always taking artful snapshots and I CHOOSE to see the beauty in everything *

or

*Maybe it's because I have summers off and I'm relishing this time off before I go back to the mayhem *

or 

*Maybe it's because certain toxic people have not been front and center in my life for the last year, and now the restraining order is no longer in effect and I know that the peace may not last * 

MAYBE IT"S BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE ABOVE

at any rate, overcoming obstacles with a right attitude has gotten me to this grateful place in my life, and knowing when it's good and appreciating that. THANKING the Universe for the opportunity to live a life well and hoping I am doing it right and enough. 

That's what I think about... doing it right and doing enough of it. Life is so short and full of complications and Mean People. We have to do things to nourish our souls and recharge when our bliss meters point to near empty. I'm all about BLISS and I am thankful my

life has enough blissful people and things to keep my meter up in the medium to high level almost all the time. 

Some things I've done this summer *so far* that make my heart sing:

*camping with Wade's family, 46 people and 14 dogs all got along*

NOT working, at work. Not missing it one iota. 

Working at home: on a garden, on to do lists, housekeeping, cooking.

Tending a garden and flowers. Reading. Sitting in the quiet. Rocking in my rocking chair.

Camping at the Mopar Nationals, just me and my hubby, our yearly tradition. Rodeo's and fairs, floating our boat on the river. Gathering river rocks. Sitting in the swing and laughing with my girl. Morning coffee on weekends with my husband.

Birthday bash for Kristina and Wade at Kitty's. FAMILY getting together and feeling 

the love, clearly.

LISTENING to the quiet. Taking care of myself. Banking my bliss! I COULD GO ON! 

We'll see how the rest of the summer goes. Update soon! 

Summertime - And The Livin' Is Easy....

As most of you know, well all four of you who read my blog... summer is MY time. I wait all year, starting on the first day of school, for the first day of summer. I count down EVERY day and even proclaim at the end of a working day that we are "one day closer to summer." Some may say this is silly, saying in September that we are one day closer to summer, but take it from me, this is for sanity's sake. It's my way of looking forward to my favorite time and being positive when the weather turns gloomy.. for that is when my mood turns gloomy as well. Summer is my winter's light at the end of the tunnel.

As for THIS summer, well, it's been jam-packed and it's not over yet! We've been camping, floating the river, took a trip to California, lots of bbq's, been to the races and the drags, celebrating family, life and warm weather when we've got it. 

I LOVE SUMMER! 

Now we are in August (ALREADY!?!) and this month we have the Country Music Festival to attend like last year, and Wade's daughter is getting married this month too. Nathan has a birthday and I do believe my first day back to work (ugh) will be this month as well. 

I can honestly say that as busy as this summer has been, and I did at one time complain a bit that it is go, go, go a bit too too much... it has been a wonderful summer full of fun and good times. I never floated a river before, and I've never been to LA. Now I have! My summers of the past have included college, homework, ebay and staying home. I didn't do anything and i thought I liked it that way. 

But now I'm out there living life! LIFE IS AN ADVENTURE! 

There are some who pooh-pooh my enthusiasm. My mush and gush. But, it is who I am and I believe life is for living and we must have a positive attitude or we have a negative life. It's all in how you choose to live and I choose to live as cheerfully as possible!

So, I will enjoy my simple pleasures: a stalk of wheat, a golden sunset, the smell of hay and the sound of frogs croaking at night. The way my curtains blow in the gentle breeze, the song of the yellow finch at the bird feeder, how the light hits the leaves in the maple tree in the front yard. THAT, is truly what life is about. 

Enjoy what remains of your own summer. 

As we patiently wait for summer...

Whilst we wait for our beloved Summer to arrive,
I can stroll down a lovely small town road and dream....

.... dream about the day when I will have my very own front porch,
where I and my dog(s) will enjoy long, long days of nothing but
sitting and enjoying long, long days of warm, warm summer.

I'm hoping for a vintage home, one that needs a little or a lot of love.

White picket fence too, please!

But mostly just a home that can we can fill with a whole lotta love.

I keep plugging away at the dream...... it'll come!

*photos of last summer's trip to my dream retiring spot ~ Jacksonville, Oregon. The top photo
is of the bed and breakfast my sis and I are GOING to stay at this spring or summer. That is, if it ever gets here.... it'll come!*

Winter Duldrums

Here we are in the winter duldrums. I wish I could say I love
winter, but I can't. I feel tired, achy and I miss the sun and
my flowers.

Mostly I miss being warm.

Time passes fast and before we know it, though, summer will be here
and I will be outside, enjoying the flowers. And then
I'll blink and here I'll be complaining about winter again.

That's life!

School Starts Tomorrow & Back To Work

Going on the rides

Those magnificient horses!!!

Some views of the moon....

The colors!!

Summer's last yahoo ~ The State Fair!

I won tickets to get into the fair (and see the Disney concert) so we decided to go, after I worked my first full day at work... what was I thinking?!

The girls rode on the carnival rides, I people watched. We strolled, we ate (the scones!!!), we sat and looked at that moon, we strolled some more. Left for home at about 9:30 and my feet were on fire!

And today it's raining. Where'd the summer go?!!!

CELEBRATING VISITORS TO THE ZINNIA GARDEN

It's a happy day when we have so many visitors to the zinnias.

Have I mentioned zinnias are my favorite flower?

I can't help but take lots of pictures of them. They bloom for so long and as they morph they change into something new and different in the process. Look close... they look like little cakes. At least they do to me.

I would challenge any talented cake designer to make one! Sculpting cakes like flowers is a whole market! As delicious as they look!

We had one other visitor to the zinnias.. a humming bird! I was taking pictures of the white butterfly, and a hummingbird flew up. My gasp of delight scared it away.

Celebrating summer! Celebrating completion of summer term at school! Celebrating life & zinnias!

Babes In Diaper Land

Oops, Lane thinks the water's too cold!

Evan wants to play some ball!

Lane

Ezra, always happy!

Keelyn, Hunter, Lane, Evan & Ezra

Just look at these beautiful babes in diaperland...

My nephew, great-nephews and niece.. all in diapers.. or nothing at all! Aren't they cute?!