oops...

...I left Rocket out of the last post...he should have been included...he made us laugh...when his life jacket was put on him, he didn't move...I mean not a muscle...only his eyeballs...he eventually got used to it...became a real lake dog...

summer memories

Summer has come to an end, and even though I am loving this beautiful, fall weather, I'm reminiscing about summer. My favorite summer memories revolve around the lake. God has blessed us with a little cabin on a little lake not far from here (it belonged to Molly B's family before us) and we have spent many, many weekends there over the past 18 years. Lots of memories...these are just from this last summer...

...sitting on the deck is like being in a treehouse...there were several times that David and I just ran over for the afternoon to swim, fish, read, nap...

...David takes his fishing very seriously...we've had some delicious meals thanks to his hard work...perch, crappie, and bass are the best...while everyone else is playing, he's working hard to put food on the table...as you can see...

...Austin and Elizabeth relax on the dock after a nice, evening swim...

...Austin married into the family and fits right in...

...Anna, too, takes her fishing very seriously and is pretty hard to out-fish...Garrett (her boyfriend) helps her land a big one...there were meals where she provided everything...the fish and fresh vegetables from her garden...

...David and Garrett...fishing in the canoe...after the Fourth of July, we hardly see a soul here...the water is so calm...it's as if we have our own private pond...

...my brother, Craig, comes to kayak...and fish...mostly kayak...Kristina, his wife came, too, and I wish I'd gotten a picture of her doing homework on the dock...she's working on her master's degree...

...our nephew Cade...we laughed at his minnow mustache...Mema and Grandad were here, too...no picture...no matter how many I take, it's never enough...

...Bonnie and I love to swim...sporty little dog...this water is the softest, freshest ever...and then...

...we like to warm up in the sunshine...a Mickey Mouse towel from 1990...

...stopping here on the way, in Cross Plains, to eat the best chili relleno in Texas...the Doris Special...one chili relleno, rice and salad...$2.99...no kidding...once, we ran inside just as it started raining after a long, dry spell...we were all strangers, but instantly kindred spirits as everyone in the restaurant expressed their joy and excitement over the welcome rain...

...sandwiches are elevated to a whole new level at the cabin...everything tastes better at the lake...we are bums...no makeup...no fixed hair...no doubt about it...bums...

...the cabin at night...so cozy...I wish you could hear the night sounds...

Someone asked me what my favorite season is...just the kind of question I love to ponder...here is my answer...

My favorite season is:

Spring in the Spring,

Summer in the Summer,

Fall in the Fall,

and Summer in the Winter!

morning in the meadow

This is the view from one of our upstairs windows. I just happened to be passing by one morning and peeked through the curtain. It was a little hazy and the light was golden. One of those fleeting moments you could so easily miss if you don't stop to look.

barn swallows

This spring, a couple of barn swallows built a nest on our back porch. They were obviously newlyweds - it took them a month to complete their nest. We watched as, daily, their efforts fell to the ground.

They never gave up and finally made a lovely home. Isn't she a good decorator? I love how she finished it up with this pretty feather. Maybe he brought it to her as a gift and she knew just where to put it.

Soon, there were three little, hungry babies.

Then, there were three BIG, hungry babies. They sat like this for about a week before flying off.

Every night for weeks they all came back and slept like this. One big, happy family.

Yes, they made a mess on our porch, but I don't mind.

note cards and game board

I'm back! I finished the big job I've been working on (will post pictures soon) and am back to my regular schedule (whatever that is). I did manage to work on these note cards during that busy time. I'm addicted to pretty paper and can't stop buying or cutting it. I've got 15 sets ready to tie up in bundles of 6 cards per set.


And, I asked my husband (he can do anything) to make me a nice, large, wooden game board, 24" x 24", and I painted it yesterday. It can hang on the wall when not in use. I will make the game pieces out of ceramic and glaze them red and yellow-y orange.

So glad to be back to my hodge-podge, whatever-strikes-my-fancy lifestyle!