Awww... Isn't that Sweet!

First, today is our anniversary. I had remembered this first thing in the morning when I got up, but by the time I had come in from the garden, I had forgotten. I sat down at the kitchen table with the DH and he pointed across the table to a shelf. There, hanging from a wire hoop was this...

Then my husband says, "It's your 30 year pin." One of the sweetest gifts he's ever given me. He said it had a back side too...

He had a difficult time finding a clothes pin. For some reason this one was sitting on the counter just waiting for him to use it. I think that one of nicest things one person can do for another is to just acknowledge them and confirm their place in your life.

Thank You, Love! Happy 3oth Anniversary to You Too!

Baby It's HOT Outside!

We're under a heat advisory and it's so hot that the grandkids are in the AC instead of the pool. I've been getting up early to water and tend to my garden and yard. Not doing ANY yard work afternoon till it starts cooling down.

My zucchini have started producing. The plants this year are growing like I remember the first zucchini I ever planted. Tighter and bushier. The zucchini plants the past couple of years spread out more, like vines.
I've got everything planted pretty tight, as usual. My 'three sisters' beds are REALLY tight. That would be corn in the four corners, acorn squash in the middle and pole beans between the corn. We'll just have to see how they do.
The birdhouse gourd vines are really taking off. The flowers on these are quite interesting.
I think 4th of July was the last rain we've had. There have been stormy looking clouds, but no storms. Not here anyway. The cloud below looked a lot brighter when I first saw it. By the time I got back with my camera it was a bit more subdued.
I hope everyone is enjoying their summer. I've been trying to get the grands over to swim in the pool as often as they can. I think PK would live in the pool if we let her. She's quite the little swimmer.

Princess Birthday Swim Party

This year the Princess decided to have a swim party and since there were so many pictures taken, I'm just going to insert slideshows. The party started in the afternoon with swimming, of course.

The pool pictures are from both before and after the cake and presents. After an hour of swimming everyone got out of the pool, and after drying for a bit, all took seats at the tables in the studio. First there was cake and ice cream. It was questionable as to whether 12 candles would fit on such a small cake, but she got them all on there. The Princess was certainly ready to blow the candles out when the birthday song was over.

After cake & ice cream is was time to open presents...

The last slideshow has pictures of hotdogs grilled at the firepit, miscellaneous shots and picture after dark when the the movie was showing on the big screen and the glow sticks had been handed out.

The only bad part of the party was the mosquitos. Other than that, everyone had a wonderful time.

Happy Birthday, Princess!

4th of July

I've been so busy and spending so much time out in the yard and garden that I haven't had time to update my blog. We didn't have as large a gathering as we have in the past for the 4th but we totally enjoyed those that were able to be here. The weekend of the 4th was a rainy weekend, but not a stormy one. The rain was bearable without the wind and craziness. We set up the tables in the studio for games and eating...
Two long tables lengthwise out from one wall...

...one long table lengthwise for the food and the third table out lengthwise to the center for use as needed.

The ladder, above, was so the older kids could climb up into the loft to free up more room below.

Below is how you get a fire started with wet wood. You just need a good bellow to get a hot fire.

The rain stopped just in time for the kids to start lighting their fireworks.

The big kids were ready to voluntarily get wet.

Also notice in the picture below the large white area above the pool. That's the screen for the movies.

Here's a shot of the yard. You can see the barbecue grills under the canopy.

The pool is new this year, the one we had for 5 years finally bit the dust. The new pool is much larger and came with a volleyball net and ball which the kids soon put to use.

A lot of energy was exerted having fun.

Then darkness fell and the light show began. This was on the street and went on for quite some time.

The city fireworks was shot off the night before for the school's 100 year celebration that was going on. It was still raining off and on and I didn't take my camera outside because of it.

Members of our family had bought some nice fireworks...

...and there were other families in the neighborhood shooting theirs off, too.

I like this silhouette shot.

The person in town that shot off the city fireworks had a few of the same to shoot off for the 4th. There was a whole series of ones like the one below....

...with one like this between...

...another like this.

The rain was really a blessing because it hadn't rained in a while and things were rather dry, easily burned. So the rain made for a very safe 4th. We all had a wonderful time, missed those that were elsewhere but felt their presence.