Shadows and Laughter

I still try to put something funny on my door at work each day.
I often have my door closed while I am on the phone.
Sometimes I see shadows of feet under the crack of
my door and then I hear
laughter.
I like that.

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Summer!

Running in the sprinkler

Splashing in the puddles

Hot summer sun 

Carefree

Joy

Family

Love

Memories

Summer Evening in Wyoming

Last night was a pleasant evening. Our daughter-in-law, Sara, arrived to join Ben here. Along with her were her parents, Mark and Orit. With these relatives here from North Carolina and Michigan, our daughter and son-in-law, Maria and Eric, hosted us all for a delicious dinner out in their yard. Although we felt a few drops and saw some threatening clouds, the weather was really quite cooperative.

Mark and Orit arrived with gifts for our little granddaughters. They really hit the mark with little princess costumes!

They felt so very beautiful and special!

I received a dandelion from a princess.

THAT doesn't happen every day.

Cordelia felt it was important to teach Elise how to bow in her royal dress.

Sara tells me she is not photogenic.

I do not agree!

Sara and Ben  

And introducing Orit, Sara's mother...

I know she looks sad but she was just listening intently to Maria telling her something.

I thought it was a pretty photo of her anyway, and I promise 

I will show smiling photos of her as well.

And this is Sara's Dad, Mark. 

I think he's also listening intently to something Maria was saying.

I don't think Mike and Sam were listening intently at all.

Rudely, I did not get any good photos of our host and hostess.

I don't know what is wrong with me.

Later, we showed Orit and Mark a big view of Wyoming from part way up the mountain.

 Sara took over the camera so I could be in some of the photos as well.

I really loved this one of Mike & me.

I'll likely use it over and over until you are all sick of it.

The four parents all lined up in front of Wyoming.

The four of us became related back when Sara and Ben were married,

and we've really grown to appreciate these people.

Mike & I always find them easy to visit with and fun to be around.

It was nice of Sara and Ben to bring them into our lives!

And another nice photo of Sara and Ben...

It's probably a good thing we were running out of light as 

I may have just kept making people pose. 

I do that.

Sometimes the Grass Really is Greener on the Other Side

My Mom is an artist. She really is a talented artist and has done many excellent paintings. That is not the art I want to talk about, though. I want to talk about how she uses her talents as an outdoor artist, working with nature.

A few years ago my mother bought a vacant lot not far from my sister's home. That lot did not look too nice to most of us, but she could see the potential. The lot next to her's is still vacant and shows you pretty much how her's once looked.

That fence marks the edge of her property, and trust me, the grass IS greener on the other side.

It once looked as weedy and sad as that lot.   One of the first things Mom did was have this little playhouse moved from her old yard to the new lot. Then, in the evenings, she'd come over and hangout at her little playhouse. It is cute and fully decorated. Just imagine what the new neighbors must have been wondering. Some even stopped by to ask about her little house, did she live there? She almost could have, except it has no bathroom.  Click here to see photos my Aunt took of my niece's little girls inside this playhouse.

Eventually her new (real) house was ready. Since Mom has been living there she has worked hard to make it what it is today. From a weedy vacant lot it has become a beautiful refuge.  

We were there yesterday and spent some time in her yard. It is so relaxing!  

I marveled once again at her eye for beauty.

If you do not live in a semi-arid part of the world, you may not realize how difficult it can be to grow the things she grows here.

And she makes it look so easy.

Sprinkled throughout her yard are delightful surprises.

And pretty little personal touches.

Even with Summer fading, her yard still has a lot of spectacular flowers.

 There is color everywhere.

It still has a lovely place to read, which we did.

Summer's Final Bookend

Memorial Day and Labor Day are kind of like the bookends of Summer, don't you think? Does it make you sad when we reach that second bookend? I've heard several conversations lately where people were grieving the end of Summer. I am not one of those people.

Don't misunderstand, I like Summer just fine. However, I really, really love Fall. I always have. Part of that is maybe that I always loved school and Fall was when school started again. There's more to it than that, though. I really like the crispness of Autumn! The colors, the smells, I love it all!

So, in case you are mourning the loss of Summer, I decided to post a few photos from last Fall. Maybe it will help you feel some happy anticipation for the next few months.

Last Evening

A storm blew through...

...but it was mostly just a bluff.

Behind the storm came a beautiful evening.

Sunday Evening in Snapshots