GOING, GOING, GONE

That's it, the end of my summer.  Monday I return to work. .  My bff  and I went to Lake Wedowee for the night. She and her husband have a humongous camper that is permanently set up at the lake.   I think my most favorite thing in the world to do is swim in the lake. The lake pictures are from this morning when it was cloudy and misty. They look black and white, but aren't.  It's very isolated, you feel totally alone. The pictures are of the area we swim in.  It's very deep - 30-60 feet. I have the uncanny ability to tread water for hours and hours.  I never use a float or noodle (though I'm respectful of the danger of water and always have one nearby). When your head is at lake level you really feel primordal almost.  Looking out across the lake, your feet dangling in the deep green water.  I can't help but think about every B horror movie that happens at a lake.  It's always some pristine, beautiful, perfect spot. And then pirranas attack, or some unknown-till-now dinosaur fish, or 90 ft alligator, or...well, you know.  

We grilled filet mignon on the Cowboy Grill (that's what we call it, her husband made it. He is a cowboy deep inside:)). We also grilled some vidalia onions, yum!  She had dug up some potatoes and picked some corn from her garden and we had them, too.  What a meal.  There was a scupernong (or maybe a muscadine) vine growing that actually had some fruit on it.  I've never seen fruited vine because the fruit is usually at the top of a tree. I thought that was cool.  After dinner I stitched on a crazy quilt square while she scrapbooked, and of course we talked...and talked...and talked... 

They built a wonderful screened in porch.  But what I love is the screen door.  Don't you remember that sound from your youth? The squeak and slam of the screen door is a wonderful memory for me. 

SUMMERTIME

Sweet summer-time.  When it gets hot and sticky, I always start reminiscing about "back then"...

 The HUGE industrial fan left over from a building site that Daddy brought home and installed in our attic (which is where my bedroom was). When we turned the fan on my little white curtains stood straight out and I would lay across my bed and relish the breeze. Listening to the AM radio at night as I lay in bed (I Wanna Hold Your Hand). We swam daily at John A. White swimming pool, I remember a boy dancing down the length of the high-dive to "Satisfaction". I thought he was so cool (he died of a drug-overdose, so sad).  Popping tar bubbles with my toes. Meeting the neighborhood kids under the street lamp after dark. Catching fireflies. Stepping on snails (uhey-gooeys we called them) and having to use fingernail polish remover to get the gunk off. Drinking our Friday night Coca-Cola from the cold bottle (hearing the swoosh when you popped the little clamped lid off, and checking the bottom of the bottle to see whose bottle was processed the farthest away, since we lived in Atlanta, the birthplace of Coke, it was a big deal to have a bottle from another bottling plant). No air conditioning back then, so the sounds of summer were the crickets and cicadas.  We'd sit on the screened in front porch and churn ice cream....oh, yum!  Just plain ol' vanilla that  I'd add chocolate syrup to. We'd camp in late August at Myrtle Beach, SC. Oh the fun we had! When we returned home it was time to think about school again.  School began after Labor Day.  My grandmother always bought me new dresses.  I remember the excitement of going into her bedroom and seeing a big white box on her bed. She'd lift the lid and there were the prettiest dresses, all separated by the thinnest tissue paper. Then we'd get our paper and notebooks and pencils and fountain pens.  Why did we ever move away from fountain pens?  They were so fun to write with, and I swear my penmanship was so much neater!

Such lovely memories. I hope you are having some of your own summer memories.  Thanks for stopping by!

A SECRET PLACE

 There is a secret place I know of.  Perfect for a picnic. Shady, quiet, deep and dark.  You  pass this little lake on the way. It eventually feeds into the big lake where my little spot is located.

 See, it's waiting for someone to come and enjoy it's serene beauty.

 Look how pretty the reflections look.

 Interesting roots to ponder.

 So pretty and quiet.

Dappled sunlight. Just right for a nap.

 Oh! Isn't he sweet, waiting there for me.  My Dad.  I asked him to stop on our little excursion so I could take these pictures.  

I hope you've enjoyed seeing my little secret place.  It's a beautiful place to spend a quiet hour or two on a hot summer day. Thanks for stopping by!

MY CRAZY QUILT PROGRESS

I have another crazy quilt square to share.  I think this is one of my favorites.  Unfortunately, I just can't get a very good picture of these. 

I completed this square during the time DH and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary and took a train from Atlanta to New Orleans.  I found a little train button to commemorate the trip.  

 A pretty piece of trim decorated with straight stitch and beads.

I was very happy with all of the stitching and beads and buttons on this piece.

 I love this piece of lace.  

 I like scrunching a ribbon and sprinkling beads 

 

It's gardening and swimming and tennis time now, not much stitching going on. But I do drag it all out and do a bit before my attention gets called away again.  Hopefully I'll get this done this winter.  I think I still have one that is at the bead and button stage, and one that hasn't had anything done.

No rain and the temps are close to 100. I've had the joyful access to a private swimming pool for the last ten days, but it all came to an end yesterday. I'm really going to miss that relaxing time in the pool! I hope you are having a great Monday.  Thanks for stopping by!

IN THE GARDEN

We actually had a little rain last night! I woke up to thunder and pitter-patter...how exciting!  It's hot and muggy but the garden seems to be thriving.  I need more lillies.  They do so well in my shady garden.
Day lillies not so much. They don't bloom as heavily, the yellows do seem to do a little better.  I really love the white Caladium with the pink veins.  I bought 3, and two are huge and beautiful. The other one stayed small, almost stunted looking.  I dug it up and put it in a pot so I could place it somewhere with more sun and it is doing a lot better.  Crazy how you can have so many different micro climates and soil compositions in one little garden!

 I hope you are having a great Saturday! Thanks for stopping by.

FLASHBACK FRIDAY - 1973

1973

Yes-sir-ee, that's me on the right.  L-o-n-g hair, parted in the middle.  Bell bottoms, cigarette hovering close to the lips.  Look at the shoes my friend is wearing next to me, wouldn't they be stylish today?  We all smoked back then.  I quit in 1991, it was the same year I accepted Christ.  I know He helped me through the difficult time.  I don't think I could have done it otherwise.  We were gathering for my sister's wedding.  I think we had been to the rehearsal and Mom was having the rehearsal dinner at the house.Those are my dear sweet Grandmother's legs on the right. You can just see her stocking rolled down on the left leg.  Did your Grandmother do that?  I don't think she wore any kind of garter, just rolled them down. She was such a lovely lady.  I like taking little trips down memory lane.  Hope you do to!  Thanks for stopping by!

A BIRD IN THE WREATH IS WORTH...

A while back I wrote about a sweet little bird building a nest in my Christmas wreath, you can read that post here.   After a lot of window watching we were a little disappointed because it seemed like the little mom  quit building her nest. Here is the half done nest, so sad and forlorn looking:(

 So I procrastinated again, telling myself on numerous occasions to take down the wreath, clean it up and store it for next Christmas, but never getting around to it.  Finally I had actually talked myself into taking it down.  That very morning, when I opened the blinds, a little wren was at the nest with straw in her mouth.  And thus began the second building event. Here is her nest today:

It  seems my derelection of duty (namely, not getting my Christmas stuff put away in a timely fashion) had a positive result this time! She is now sitting on her eggs. We are excited about the big day which is to come.  I worried about her during the 105 temperatures we had this week, but she seemed to do fine (while I seemed to wither every time I stepped outside). I can't wait to hear little chirps, but in the mean time - gotta keep kitty away!  My front porch looks like Sanford and Son - I've got all manner of stuff on the railing, trying to keep kitty from perching there, waiting to leap when mom flies out. Bad kitty!!  But crappy stuff stacked up works - I'll just have to deal with winces from the neighbors:)  Thanks for stopping by, I hope everyone had a happy and safe 4th!

NATURE VISITS THE GARDEN

 I thought I would post a few pictures of a little Cardinal that visited in the Spring. I had this post ready when my computer went down.  I hate to waste it!

This little Cardinal came to visit earlier this month.  One of the joys of life has got to be all the birds (and bees and chipmunks and snakes and ants and...well, you get the picture!) that visit the garden.  Birds are fun, no matter the time of year! I had a Scarlet Tangier visit the other day, no camera around at the time :(

My son is a BIG snake fan.We have a medium sized garter snake that is living in a hole made by a deceased tree in the yard.  We've seen it a few times and I will try to get a picture.  It's very skittish.  It rears up like a tiny Cobra, trying to scare us off.  It's very pretty. 

Each year my son and I say we are going to keep a diary of all the cool bug and insects we see during the summer.  Maybe this will be the year we actually do it!  Gardens are a great place to do a nature study! There is always something lurking there, under the leaf or rock...sometimes it's scary stuff, like a black widow or a scorpion - I hate them.  But mostly it's just beautiful insects. Thanks for stopping by!

TO THE TRAIN STATION

I'm headin' down the Atlanta highway

Lookin' for the love getaway

Headed for the love getaway

I got me a car, it's as big as a whale

And we're headin' on down to the Love Shack

I got me a Chrysler, it seats about 20

So hurry up and bring your jukebox money...

 Well, actually, we were heading down the Atlanta highway on our way to the train station, but I love that song and so thought I would work it in to the post.

We were taking my daughter and her husband to the train station.  She's like Sheldon of The Big Bang Theory- If you don't like trains then you just don't like fun!  The above picture shows our pretty state capitol.  It's covered in gold from our Dahlonega gold mines.    

 Turner Field, where our wonderful Atlanta Braves play.  It's a REALLY gorgeous stadium.  It was built for the summer Olympics we had a ways back.  But now our guys play there.  AWESOME!!

 I can't believe I didn't get a shot of the outside of the station.  It's very quaint - really old.

 Here is the interior.  Beautiful.

 Me, I'm a Sheldonite, I LOVE fun and can't wait to take another train ride!! Thanks for stopping by!

Finally! Glad To Be Back

I've been on a two month hiatus, but not of my choosing. My laptop died and it's been in the shop
f-o-r-e-v-e-r. I am so happy to be back and browsing blogland again.  I have realized an important fact, though...I was spending much too much time online.  I will have to limit myself to make sure I am productive around the home.  Not that I've been particularly productive these last few months, but at least it can't be blamed on the computer:)

Here are some pictures of my garden in the late Spring.  It had some beautiful moments.
I've always planted impatience for summer color, and they have always done beautifully. Here is mid May...

The impatience were getting some nice size on them.  Unfortunately, ALL of my impatience got a disease and died.  The one in the above picture, center left, is beginning to show signs of stress.  You can see the number of blooms is greatly diminished.  I had already pulled out some by this point.  I ended up putting the begonias that I had around in pots into the empty spaces.  The Impatience disease does not infect other plants, thank goodness!  Here is the garden today:

I also put in some petunias, I'm always surprised how well they do in the shade.  I've not had luck previously with keeping them alive into August, but I'm being very faithful in my watering this year so maybe that will help.  It has been incredibly hot - 105 degrees, but nothing seems too stressed in the garden.  I've watered twice a day sometimes.

I think the caladiums are wonderful.  They brighten the garden, and I love the pink veins that add a great pop of color with the white.  I bought 3 plants, and these two grew beautifully, but for some reason the 3rd plant didn't grow.  I've dug it up and am trying to give it some sun to see if it was in a bad spot.  Hopefully it will start growing soon.

I'm so glad to be back and can't wait to get around to see your latest posts. Thanks for stopping by!