Day Seventy Three 2012

I spent the afternoon with peeps at my mom's place. What a glorious day! 85 degrees! We spent our time outside today, hanging out on the front porch swing and rocking chairs. Grandson Elijah, grand daughter Shelby, niece Julia and sister Ann (the biggest kid of the bunch) played around the willows around the pond and made willow wreaths for their sweet heads. Also in the after lunch bunch: sister Jane and brother Ken and our mom.

Tagged Canadian geese are almost always hanging out on the property. They love that pond, same as the humans. These two just sat there as I circled them, trying not to spook them, while I took some pictures. They kept a close eye on me the whole time.

I had to get a snapshot of niece Julia, grandson Elijah, and grand daughter Shelby wearing their beautiful willow wreaths, which they decorated with wild flowers. The picture doesn't do them justice. Julia looks like a flower child with her long braid and tie dyed t shirt. Elijah looks like he's been shot in the belly. He just couldn't keep his eyes open because of the glare and wore his wreath proudly. Good times with sweet peeps!

Day Sixty Six 2012

Earth 's crammed with heaven...
But only he who sees, takes off his shoes.
~Elizabeth Barrett Browning

I wanted to take off my shoes this afternoon and settle underneath one of the lacy green willows growing around the pond where my mom lives and soak up this little piece of heaven. No one could have asked for more perfect weather today. The cherry trees there are blooming, too, and a couple of geese were on the bank of the pond, probably enjoying the wind and the sun and the sky as much as I was.

Day Two Hundred Sixteen 2011

Grandson Elijah only had a half day of school again today, so after a "delicious hamburger" (I'm quoting him) at McDonald's for lunch, he was ready to settle in at Granny's house to play video games on the Wii and watch Pink Panther cartoons on Netflix. He was none too happy when we made a detour to spend some time with my mom/his great granny. No cousins there to hang out with today. His mom came to the rescue and loaned him her iPod which he enjoyed for a while. But the thing he probably enjoyed the most was getting to throw rocks in the pond on the grounds at my mom's place. He loves to do that. Plus, walking under the willows and getting to say hello to the resident cat is fun, too. (The cat-- whose name is Snuggles, I think, but we call him Persian and sometimes Elijah calls him Butter-- got a shave and a haircut for the summer.) So the afternoon wasn't a total bust for Elijah. Anyway, he'll be stuck inside a classroom all too soon when kindergarten classes start full days next week.

Day Two Hundred Eleven

Afternoon fun at Mom's place....

These juicy red cherry tomatoes are only a small part of the harvest taking place in my sister Ann's summer garden. And those cute hands holding the bounty belong to grand daughter Shelby.

A flock of Canadian geese hang out where my mom lives. They love the pond. These geese are banded and I'm guessing someone is studying their flight patterns and migration habits. My niece Julia and I were trying to take some pictures of them today. We managed to get a few shots, but we also ended up spooking them into the pond. Here some of them flee to the other side.

And they promptly take off and fly away, probably to another quieter pond where there is no paparazzi.

Ann took all the kids up on the hill for the traditional rock tossing into the pond. Son in law Kerry pulled off some pretty impressive rock skipping as the rain drops began to fall on our heads.

Caught a snapshot of one of Kerry's rocks in mid skip as it traveled the length of the pond.

Peace Lily says, "Peace, y'all!"

My sister Jane helps Snuggles the resident cat strike a reluctant pose on the front porch. If looks could kill....(We all refer to him/her/not sure which as Persian because it seems to be a Persian type cat--it's sporting its summer haircut).

Day One Hundred Ninety Seven

We visit our mom at her place every week for lunch, and
on Summer days like this we end up outside on the porch
swing, in the rocking chairs, and of course out by the pond
and the willows.

Ann always takes the kids up on the hill to throw some

rocks in the pond. This is Elijah's favorite part of the day.

Elijah gets a closer aim at the pond with his rocks while

Ann watches and Julia snaps pictures of the day. She always

takes such great photos. Check out her blog at

http://imagine.blogspot.com

Elijah relaxes under one of the beautiful willow trees that

grow along side the pond.

Most of the gang is still here after lunch--that's brother Ken,

niece Sarah, Elijah, sister Jane, sister Ann and Mom. I always

enjoy our time together. Good times, great memories!!