Summering It Up

All day we summered it up in the 100 degree temps.  Library.  Lunch at Cobblestone.  Ice balls.  Stop for Combos.  This picture, taken outside the Sweet Tooth, represents about only a minute of sitting outside.  (Note Aaron's ice ball mouth.)  In late afternoon we started across town in snarl-y traffic to get Nora home for her game and Nora and Mike took off for a town east of here.

Then, the wind started to pick up and the temperature started to drop.  100 when I left Steph's house, 86 by the time I pulled out of her neighborhood.  Eighty when I stopped at the fabric store ten minutes later.  Seventy now.

News from the game:  hailing so the team went to a near-by Kroger.  Then, game probably on.  Then lightning and rain.  It's the end of the season, tournament, last two days, probably everyone is ready to be done, but they may need to reschedule for another day.  Who would have guessed?  This wasn't expected, we weren't supposed to have rain for days.  My garden is no doubt thrilled.

Under the Interstate

Under the interstate, down by the river.  Who would have thought?  This is the sand volleyball area, a kid dream sandbox on weekdays.  The shadow is from the interstate above.  There are also a couple of nice playgrounds.  Next time we're taking lunch and staying all day.  Two hours of sand and one of playground just wasn't enough.

Summer Squash

One of these days, and not very many days away, these squash will be ready.  Squash are my favorite summer vegetable, so I'm watching them carefully.  And a good thing:  I don't think that deer care for them.

I got these rain bells, a long string of them, and maybe one of these days it will rain and I can hear their gentle music.  They are currently divided into two sections hanging from shepherd's hooks - when I was hanging the whole section on the gutter I was stupid and they crashed down on my head.  It really, really hurt, and there was a lot of bleeding.  I'd like to think that I won't be stupid again, but I know I will be, just not in that way.

Aquarium

On Tuesday we visited the Newport Aquarium, the first time in quite awhile.  We discussed the concept that some kids travel quite a ways to come but we just go down the street.  Steph predicted that there would be more interest in the fish than when the kids were little, and she was right.

This is the first time ever that Nora tried to pet a shark, would even get near the petting pool.  It just wasn't on her radar to even want to do such a thing.

Aaron was disappointed that he couldn't quite ever reach one.  I think those sharks are pretty skilled at getting oh-so-close while avoiding little fingers.  He was thrilled when he went around a corner and saw Nemo in his cylindrical tank.  Absolutely the real thing.

Summer Solstice

Happy Summer Solstice, everyone.  A day to be celebrated, the longest day of the year.

Yesterday the kids got ice balls from Sweet Tooth, a long-awaited treat.  They ate part in the store, then we had to leave to get Nora across the river for softball practice.  Not always easy with all the construction traffic.

There was the happy sound of spoons "slushing" the ice until, about five minutes later, there was a spill, followed by tears from Aaron.  You have to understand the eating of ice balls to fully understand this - it takes lots of "slushing" to get it just right, and it was finally just right.  We pulled into Speedway for a Slushee bandaid, no where near the same and both kids agreed that it didn't taste good after the ice balls.  The point, though, was an acknowledgment of the importance of the disappointment.  And a bag of Combos to munch on as we went on our way. 

Spring Reveal

Tomorrow is the first day of summer.  I actually forgot that it wasn't already here.  So many days of temps in the upper 80's and 90's.

The last day of the season is the day to reveal a 12" x 12" quilt for that season, which means that today is the spring reveal.  You'll see mine above.

I started with a pretty conventional spring scene, tulips, blades of grass, green shoots unfurling,  When spring comes, we celebrate the first of all these and love each one.  I always picture several months of new growth, moderate temperatures, the end of the dark and cold.

My quilt represents the shift that occurs several times during spring, the displacement of the "perfect."  The cold comes back.  There are rainy days when we don't get a good look at the garden.  And all too soon, it's downright hot and we worry about our new plantings.  Through the shifts, though, we appreciate the colors, the newness, the growth.

Yay for spring, my favorite season for one more day, because it seems as if my favorite season is always the one we're in.  And, I'm wishing you a happy summer.

Check out Joanne's spring reveal, which will happen some time today.  www.jsuley.blogspot.com 

Really Glad

I'm really glad I decided to make this 4th of July table topper.  Above is the red star side.

And here is the blue flag side.  I don't have a favorite side.  Anita Goodesign Seeing Double. 

And I'm really glad that Sarah took this camping picture.  In the Smokies, just like I like to think of myself.  Thanks, Sarah.  Orange lillies in the background, too.