Summer!

Running in the sprinkler

Splashing in the puddles

Hot summer sun 

Carefree

Joy

Family

Love

Memories

Photo Bomb

Yay for Independence!

Mom's Gallery

Something I've always been around is great art. I live among many, many creative people!

My first exposure to art came from my Mom. She picked up our little water colors when I was about 7 years old. She's not stopped since then! Not only did she study and learn and practice her own techniques, but she later taught classes to help release the inner artist in others.

My Mom has passed on this gift for drawing and painting on to quite a few members of the family. My older brother has that gift. As I've said before, I have the carrier gene and so does my sister. Many of Mom's grandchildren and great grandchildren are artists as well. It is wonderful to watch as they all develop their own styles!

Today, I came upon some photos I took just while I walked around Mom's home one day. I think you'll enjoy walking through this little home gallery as well. Enjoy!

Photo Series

I'm not that great of a photographer.

To make up for it, I take a LOT of photos

in hopes of having a lucky shot.

That is exactly what I was doing when I shot this series

But as it turns out, more WAS better.

These two little sweeties are rarely still.

I think you can see that.

They also have quick-changing emotions

which you will also see.

Week-End Wind Down

What a fun week we've had! We started off celebrating Ben for his 29th birthday, happy that he was here with us for his day this year.

Later in the week Sara arrived with her parents.

We enjoyed a sweet time having them visit here in Wyoming.

It is nice when others can see the beauty of the West with us.

By Friday evening it was back to just Mike and me.

We were in our dual rocking chairs when a cold wind blew through, 

bringing hail and lots of rain.

 It was really, really a LOT of rain!

THEN, our cell phones and our land line all started ringing.

We are signed up for a CODE RED alert system that

calls us with serious weather threats.

We were being warned of the potential for flash flooding!

We didn't have any problems at our house but we did

learned that the local art museum was flooding.

That's the museum where our son-in-law is employed,

where they were just starting on their big week-end festival!

Yikes!

I don't think he had a very pleasant evening but

he and the rest of the staff there did get

everything under control.

 It turns out to be tougher than you might think to get a 

good photo of rain and hail but this at least gives you

an idea of the bouncing and splashing that was occurring.

 By this morning, things were calm again so we headed into

the festival to enjoy...well, to enjoy the festivities.

The girls had their faces painted.

Elise held her face funny but she was very still throughout the process.

Cordelia requested a butterfly face.

She was very specific in asking for a monarch butterfly.

Aren't they precious?

 There were stilts there for people to try.

Cordelia did pretty well with them.

 There was plenty of cotton candy.

 Our little monarch butterfly really enjoyed her cotton candy.

 This is how I smile when I am trying to take a photo of Elise

but due to the glare on my phone, I didn't realize the camera

was in mirror format (looking back at me).

Oopsy.

 There.

I got it figured out.

It was fun to watch Elise

work her way through the cotton candy.

 Yes, she was wearing two hats.

Cordelia's kept blowing off as she was dancing around a bit

so Elise kept track of them both.

Uncle Ben found these adorable hats for them

in New Mexico and they sure were drawing a lot of compliments.

When we first arrived at the festival we had a chance to chat with a man on stilts.

As we were leaving, we saw him from the back.

Well, what can I say about that?

No thanks.