Red, White & Blue Revue

Time usually rushes past far too quickly when you're wishing the exact opposite would happen. The more you are enjoying yourself... and so hoping that this feeling could last forever, that is when the hour hand on the clock seems to spin. Somehow this weekend kept a perfect pace. We did much, visited many, ate volumes, got rest nightly, celebrated,  and still seemed to have time on our side!

How'd we do it all?   Look see   ~

I hiked for 3 hours, through 3 different County parks. During a heat wave.....

let's begin - with a hike

We picnicked with friends while cheering on a dear trumpet player... who, by the way, toots a horn mighty well at the age of 87!

We picked fruit by the buckets! Hubby shined every fruit to a gleaming purple perfection. Sharing them at all of our holiday stop-offs.

We celebrated a family birthday, included some red, white and blue and laughed for hours....

Food, FOOD, FOOD, FOOD, Food, MORE FOOD !



summer = corn on the cob

 and sparks flew at nightfall on an eve or two...

And the people ( and pet) in this household are tired, and ready to start the new week....

Free To Be

Lallygagging

Happy as a clam - except for the heat!

Enjoying the weekend

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY ! !

Thinking of my joys in life - each one because I AM FREE to do as I please...

Freedom is a gift to me from many persons...... they've fought, strove, worked, slaved, voted, rioted, forged ahead to new lands, written laws and chosen to make this true for all Americans.

OUR COUNTRY and THIS FREEDOM is a gift!

I'm free and able to write anything I wish on this blog. I have the means and the technology in which to do so. I have been educated freely and mandatorily. I have worked, been insured of my health, own and live in a home with a husband that I chose because I love him. The possibilities are endless in this country that I live. Yes, I know there are some misgivings. I deplore the thought that not every person is given the same rights quite as freely. Still this is where I was born and still live and I feel privileged!

Off my soapbox... and onto the next BBQ!!

Enjoy your independence !

Jazz And A Picnic

Few things seem more summer than a picnic. Add to that fun a little bit of music... and you've got the makings for a nice evening out of the house. Old time music, mellow conversation, lawn seating and food.....  AHHHHHHH

swing dancers

The July 4th weekend is off to a good start.....

Rain and Healthy Hydrangeas

Assuming that the amount of rainfall we endured this winter and spring have to be the reason that the hydrangeas are knock-out FABULOUS this year. Come take a look ~

Many types of hydrangeas growing all about my garden and they're happily blooming in droves!

Got Some New Wheels...

This old relic, she just stands in the yard and looks purty. The basket filled with frilly flowers. She is loved, but not one ounce of rideable!  (you've seen her before)

Then... along comes... (Mary?).. ha! that's a song. And I've become smitten with a new toy....
sorry old Relic - my heart belongs to someone new and usable!!  hahhhaaa

Mary?

Together we've seen the neighborhood sights. Even ventured further down the community trail and into the "nice side of the tracks"... known as Willow Glen. Got really brave and chose to muss the hair and don an ugly bike helmet. Boy - we need some Fashion Police onto this topic. Can't something be done to help girls look pretty AND ride a bike?? Once safety was addressed I took the new ride over to the shop! I'm sorta liking these new wheels!

PURPLE RAIN

Didn't I just mention that the plums would be a' comin'???  Well, they've arrived in abundance and more so!
Clusters of these fleshy delicacies are absorbing all of the sun they can... hoping to muster just the right tinge of purple.




all tones of purple...


Many unripe fruits yet.....



Our friends - The Plums


Can't blame the fellas for lagging in their season. We actually had rain today. Our two plum trees would've been picked clean in a regular year.

After Interstate travel brought me home, I combed the yard for any new edibles. Unfortunately I came upon numerous broken limbs in our fruit trees. I can hardly explain how this saddens me. In my mind it's no different that these living, giving creatures have arms that bear loads, than it is that we peoples have the same. I wouldn't like to have a broken arm. I'm sorry that the Plums' have broken arms. They're just hanging there - flesh ripped, not torn completely through. I asked Hubby to please go out and bolster the branches; a task that should've done awhile ago. Now I feel guilty that the peoples didn't come to the aid of the trees in time. We'll surely lose these branches - they're big ones! Hopefully the Plums' will survive.

Hiking and Heels Don't Mix

Dusty trails and sunshine while traipsing for 4 hours...

We still weren't to the top when we spotted this marker. Eleven miles was the final count. Shortness of      

breath was a steady companion of mine on this trek. I hadn't joined my hiking group in many weeks.  It   

felt good to accomplish this journey.       

                                                                                               

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And just where does the hiking and heels come in??? Later in the day, of course.... 

The perfect attire was                                                                                                                                

set out, waiting for me to get off the mountain and shower-up for the evening event. We  were meeting        friends and family to toast a 21 year old and congratulate a graduate.  A just right t-shirt dress and high      heeled sandals for an outdoor party. Somehow I'd forgot to consider the years old bunion and peds that     ached from a morning of strenuous exercise. Switcheroo on the shoe choice and I was good to go! Never mattered an inkling about the aches or the shoes... smiles, reminiscing and happiness filled each minute....  

     

                                                       

                                                                                                                     

Thought of the day : Just remember -

HIKES AND SPIKES DON'T MIX!