Day Two Hundred Seventy Four 2012

The leaves at the top of the Red Maple in our back yard are starting to turn. Not sure whether to be glad or sad. I guess I feel a little of both.

How beautifully leaves grow old. How full of light and color are their last days.   ~John Burroughs

Day Two Hundred Seventy Three 2012

Happy 15th Birthday, Julia!

My sweet niece, Julia Foy, celebrated her (almost) fifteenth birthday this evening with all the good things that make for a fun party—family, cake, ice cream, punch and, of course, cards and presents. She gets to be at the beach when she officially turns 15 on October 3. She’s one of my favorite people on the planet—smart, funny, sweet, loving, talented and beautiful inside and out. Happy Birthday, Julia! Love you bunches! Hope all your birthday wishes come true!

Day Two Hundred Seventy Two 2012

This was after lunch yesterday. Neil and I enjoyed a fast food meal at Dogwood Park and some sunshine time beside the fountain. The day was hot, but every now and then a  breeze would blow some cool mist from the water into our faces. Nice. And all for free. Neil needs to learn how to relax. Today was overcast and cooler and wanting to rain but never really did. I didn’t take any pictures, so these will have to do. Happy TGIF, everyone!

Day Two Hundred Seventy One 2012

Grandson Elijah’s Fall Ball T Ball team (The Tigers) played two games in the tournament tonight. They won their first game, but lost their second game, which eliminates them from the rest of the tournament. They played so hard and played very well in both games. Congratulations, team, for a job well done! Way to go, Elijah! You just got better and better with each game played. We are so proud of you!

Day Two Hundred Seventy 2012

"In the garden, Autumn is, indeed the crowning glory of the year, bringing us the fruition of months of thought and care and toil.
And at no season, safe perhaps in Daffodil time, do we get such superb colour effects as from August to November." - Rose G. Kingsley, The Autumn Garden, 1905

Day Two Hundred Sixty Nine 2012

Grandson Elijah’s T Ball team played in the Fall Ball Tournament this evening. His team won 26-12. They did an outstanding job, batting and fielding. The losing team was awarded medals while the winning team watched and applauded for them. Afterward, Elijah said, “But we won! You mean we have to lose to get a medal?” He could not understand it. It doesn’t make any sense, even to a six year old. Of course, his team gets to play again in the tournament. If they lose, they will get a medal. For showing up maybe? We wouldn’t want any hurt feelings. Only in America, folks. I’ll get off my soapbox now. 

Day Two Hundred Sixty Eight 2012

Grandson Elijah played his last Fall Ball T Ball game this evening. His fielding is better each game he plays. A lot of these kids have improved over the past few weeks. Tomorrow evening, the tournament begins. They will be keeping score.

Day Two Hundred Sixty Seven 2012

Today is Sunday, the first day of the week. Did you “go to church”? Many people today understand the church as a building. This is not a biblical understanding of the church. The word “church” comes from the Greek word ekklesia which is defined as “an assembly” or “called-out ones.” The root meaning of “church” is not that of a building, but of people. The church is the body of Christ, of which He is the head. Ephesians 1:22-23 says, “And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” The body of Christ is made up of all believers in Jesus Christ from the day of Pentecost (Acts chapter 2) until Christ’s return.  So the church is not a building or a denomination. According to the Bible, the church is the body of Christ—all those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation (Acts 2:38).

Day Two Hundred Sixty Six 2012

My sister Ann and her husband Terry always host an annual Labor Day family get together at their house. This year, we got rained out, so they moved it to this afternoon and rented a huge shelter at the beautiful park just down the hill from their house, just in case the rains came again. But we couldn’t have asked for a more gorgeous day, and what a way to kick off the first day of Fall than with family and yummy food!
























My sister in law Cynthia snapped this one of us enjoying BBQ, Ann’s killer potato salad, Don’s killer cole slaw, and Terry’s killer baked beans. I took a similar picture and sorry to exclude you, Cyn, but your shot was much better than mine.
After dark, we headed back to Ann and Terry’s for a huge bonfire.
This fire was so big and hot you had to have a ten foot pole to roast a marshmallow! It sure did knock back the evening chill.

Thanks, again, Ann and Terry, for hosting this good time shindig! This is my favorite time of year, and getting to spend times like these with my family is always a blessing to me.

Day Two Hundred Sixty Five 2012

It’s all you need, even at the flea market.

What’s a flea market without a naked lady?

These diving ladies make me wish I had a swimming pool. Or whatever.

Need a bra? Or two? Or ten?

When pigs fly among the mums. Oink.

Lots of vendors selling lots of ornamental gourds and pumpkins and mums today. So tempting. Amazingly, I resisted.

And I thought I had dental problems…..

These huge gears drew lots of attention. Neil was drawn to them because the gear was his engineering fraternity’s symbol. I’m glad he wasn’t interested in buying them. Couldn’t afford them anyway. I think the price tag was five-thousand dollars.

Pails for sale made for a striking display. This vendor always has interesting and sometimes useful stuff.

The vendor of this booth told me he’s the original Mario (as in Brothers). She said she traveled with him strapped into the front seat beside her and got some looks from other drivers (to say the least). I thought he was just plain scary.

Howdy from the Nashville Flea Market. Gratuitous self portrait.

We couldn’t figure out what these strange balls were supposed to be, except that they were quite colorful (and perhaps totally useless).

This vendor had a whole herd of metal animals that stretched as far as the eye could see. I wonder if he made them. Probably mass produced.

I liked these ceramic jack o’ lanterns.

I also liked these gargoyles, thought they’d be cool sitting on either corner of our rooftop, but Neil said no.

Bald diva girl scout. Would you buy a cookie from her? No? I don’t think she’d care.

Peace out

You might want to lock this in the toy chest before you go to bed, little girl.

I love this. Should have bought it.

Where’s the rest of this moose?

No, grandson Knox was not for sale at the flea market, although I did buy this cool T shirt for him there. It’s the only cute thing like this I’ve ever seen that says ‘Granny’ which is what my grand kids call me. All the grandmother stuff usually says grandma or nana or mimi, etc. So I had to get this for him. I told his mommy he has to wear it every day until he grows out of it.

Daughter Kelly treated us to scrumptious cupcakes from Gigi’s this afternoon while we were visiting. These are totally decadent. The ones on the right are dark chocolate and salted caramel. Bottom left is lemon ice box pie and the top left is cinnamon bun. I just saw a report the other day that claims sugar shrinks your brain. I think I’m down to a single brain cell after eating one of those chocolate caramel things.

I think Knox was happy to see us, even if he was forced to wear his I Love My Granny shirt. I enjoyed swinging him into a nice hour long nap on the porch swing. The breeze was so pleasant and cool on this last day of Summer. When we left for home, he waved bye bye. So sweet! Sweeter than a cupcake from Gigi’s.
Hope your TGIF was sweet, too.

Day Two Hundred Sixty Four 2012

They give you a round bat and they throw you a round ball and they tell you to hit it square.
~Willie Stargell

Neil and I enjoyed watching grandson Elijah play T Ball this evening. He hits the ball hard, and he does a great job fielding. For one round of batting, the coach pitched the ball to him, instead of him hitting it off the T. He smacked it pretty far. One game left and then the tournament.

Day Two Hundred Sixty Three 2012

"Happily we bask in this warm September sun,
Which illuminates all creatures..."
~Henry David Thoreau

Day Two Hundred Sixty Two 2012

Tonight was family night at granddaughter Shelby’s middle school where she’s in sixth grade chorus. Neil and I enjoyed their sweet and entertaining performance. I always get all teary-eyed when I hear children’s voices singing, especially if one of them happens to be my dear peep. The last song  performed by all the chorus grades 5th-8th was called ‘Why We Sing’ –to learn, sing, share, and uplift others with our gift of song!  That’s sweet stuff. Good job, Shelby! I’m so proud of you!!

Day Two Hundred Sixty One 2012

Monday got soaked! I hope all this rain makes for a colorful Fall.

Day Two Hundred Sixty 2012

Sunday clears away the rust of the whole week.
~Joseph Addison  (English Essayist, Poet, Dramatist and Statesman, 1672-1719)