Getting the camera out

Photographs, and sometimes good ones, could be made everywhere, even in the most seemingly commonplace or fraught moments. –Sally Mann, Hold Still

 

Yesterday I decided to take my camera out for a stroll and try to take some better photographs. I feel my picture taking is getting stale since i don’t push myself. I just take photos around my house that document my daily life without trying new techniques or stretching my skills. So I wanted to combine a walk with Sadie and picture taking. About six miles from our house if Crook Farm. It’s a lovely old farmhouse which has been restored and depicts the early history of Bradford. The Landmark Society holds a country fair every August there. There is also a one room schoolhouse on the property, a bank building and a barn. In the spring school children come and take part in an old fashioned classroom and experience life in the house in the olden times.

  So Sadie and I ventured out there. Behind the house is a walking path that goes along the Tuna  (Tunungwant) Creek. Behind the home were two lovely flower beds with old fashioned flowers such as foxglove and peonies. I spend a little time taking shots of the flowers while Sadie sniffed around. Then we started our walk despite the pesky gnats busy all around us. Unfortunately we only got about fifty feet when I realized that Sadie just wasn’t going to make it. She walked very slow and then began to hobble. Her arthritis is very bad these days. She is still taking predisolone every other day but her joints still swell and she just isn’t up to walking very far. I carried her back to the car. I called the vet in Buffalo and we are going to try a different anti inflammatory. But first she has to be off the steroids for seven days. This might be hard and the vet said we could expect her to get worse. Poor Sadie.

 

   This morning I had it in mind to download the pictures from my camera and show you all the lovely flowers. Much to my chagrin I had not put the chip back in my camera. That means all the pictures were in the camera itself. I will have to get the cable and try to get them off that way.  Lesson learned, Peggy.  Always check to make sure the chip is in before going on a photo walk. Duh!

 

  so here instead are some shots of my tomato plant.

 

 

and a peony from my garden

Journaling

Do you keep a journal? Do you blog? In 2006 I began to read decorating blogs and found a whole community of people who put their lives out there for others to see and read. I enjoyed going from blog to blog and reading how others lived their lives.  Sometimes it was decorating hints, seeing beautiful rooms, looking a food or recipes or just listening to the daily lives of those women who write on a daily basis.

   At the same time I began an interest in photography and read many blogs which helped me improve my photos. I decided to start a blog as a journal of my life. I wanted to post pictures so my family could look at what was going on at the time. And I wanted a record to mark events in my life.

Gradually others than my family and friends began to find my blog. Since I don’t make an effort to put on crafts, recipes, or diy projects I didn’t expect a big readership. I am doing this just for myself with no pressure to have the perfect pretty blog. I want to enjoy blogging.

I am in the process now of turning my blog into books. I am using a program called Bookemon which is easy to use. I wanted a hard copy of my journal so that all my life doesn’t disappear into the cloud when I pass on. A book will last and maybe my children or grandchildren will find it a way to know me better.

At my urging my father used a cassette recorder and some questions that I gave him to fill two cassettes with his life story. It is a treasure. I transcribed it as well as made a scrapbook. It is one of my prized possessions. I learned so much about him that way. Before he passed he urged me to get my story down. I think this journal is one way to do that and honor his request.

Tick tock

Oh, my God. What if you wake up some day, and you're 65 or 75, and you never got your novel or memoir written; or you didn't go swimming in warm pools or oceans because your thighs were jiggly or you had a nice big comfortable tummy; or you were just so strung out on perfectionism and people-pleasing that you forgot to have a big juicy creative life, of imagination and radical silliness and staring off into space like when you were a kid? It's going to break your heart. Don't let this happen.  ~ Anne Lamott

 

Time is a-passin’. Tick tock. It may be just me but at this stage of my life it seems the days are flying by like a train not stopping at my station. I frequently say…where did this month go? I’m living a full life…doing whatever I want, taking advantage of every opportunity. But I ask…can I do more? Am I doing all I can? I yearn for that great adventure before its too late. Above my computer I have this quote…

 

“One day, you will wake up and there won’t be any more time to do the things you’ve always wanted.  Do it now”  Paulo Coelho

 

I know how things can change on a dime. I am blessed with good health right now. I think it’s time to start planning something.

 

Can there be any more joy?

There is freedom waiting for you
On the breezes of the sky.
And you ask, ‘What if I fall?’
Oh but my darling,
What if you fly?

– Erin Hanson

 

These are happy days, my friend. How can you not smile when all around you flowers are blooming?

The peonies are showing their colors and the climbing hydrangea has flowers all over it for the very first time.

Tatiana is still ruling over the garden. I meant to plant something in the urns in front of her, but nature took over. I know these are probably weeds, but for now I like the way they look. Over by the arch the clematis are starting to climb.

It is such a pleasure to be outside…that is if the weather would warm up a bit.  It was 45 degrees this morning. But there is plenty of sun to enjoy.

It was love at first sight

 

I saw it sitting there.  Just a chair. The store owner had just opened and put it outside.
It had rungs on the back and a cane bottom seat. The milk paint was a lovely shade of blue that just made my heart sing. I had been thinking about a chair for the front porch to hold a plant for quite a while and this one was just what I wanted.
Of course I had to buy a pink plant to accompany it. How could I resist? If you get to Carlisle, PA I think you’d like Feathers in the Nest. It’s a very small store but each time I go there I find just the right treasure.

Another fun weekend

We had a super weekend. We went to visit Chris and his family. My sister Linda came up from Virginia. It is always nice when the family gets together. We visited and laughed and talked. We swam in his pool and cooked out. On Saturday morning we went to some flea markets. I'll be posting a pic of my treasure tomorrow.

Sadie who loves to swim had a great time and was in the pool a lot. We had her wear her life jacket because she just doesn't know when to quit. We had to be stern with her just to get her to get out once in a while to rest.

We also watched a movie in Chris' home theater downstairs. It is so nice on the huge screen and surround sound and with comfy reclining seats it is better than going to the movies.

Now we are home and back to nicer weather it was really hot down in southern PA

 

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Can you believe it?

It's seven am on Thursday and it is 37 degrees. Can you believe it? This is June 9 th. Why? I'm praying that earlier it didn't frost and kill the leaves on the Japanese Maple out front. I thought we were done with such cold weather. For the last two years my maple has had frost in May which destroyed the top of the tree and it had to be drastically pruned this year. I know it will warm up but yesterday it was so cold it had me in my Acorn sock slippers for my cold feet and the heat on. Is this summer?

it will warm up this weekend, thank goodness. And it is Father's Day. I want to give a shout out to my two sons who are great fathers. They both have raised their children to be great people. They have instilled values and respect for others in their kids and I am so proud of them. They had a good example with my husband.

 

 

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The way summer should be

 

Summer is a very special season. As a kid...and a teacher...I always looked forward to June and the freedom from school. I loved my job but having three months off during the summer was such a treat. I still feel that summer should be celebrated. It's a time for being outside and enjoying the good weather. And doing fun things. After the chore of setting up the outside furniture and planting flowers the rest of the time should be spend doing the things you love. I of course love to travel and visit family in the summer.

YEsterday I washed windows all around the house. I took down the kitchen curtains and washed them also. It's nice to open up the windows and let in the fresh air. We also had visits from our friends. Summer is the time to socialize.

do you have any special summer plans?

 

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Lots of rain

Sunday brought a windy rainstorm but it didn't last very long. The rain has saved me from watering and that I like.

I am anxiously awaiting the blooming of the peonies. I have to give those bushes credit. They require nothing at all except a cage to keep the stems from falling over. And when they bloom they are glorious.

The climbing hydrangea is filling the wall and is full of blooms. This is the first year ever that it has had flowers except one year when there was one flower. I think it liked the miracle grow soil that I dumped on it last year.

Do you see the geranium garland I put around the chandelier? I also added some Luminara candles that come on at dark. Love those!

The heliotrope is also starting to blossom. How I love this time of year.

 

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What a celebration!

  We had a great time this weekend celebrating Don’s birthday. On Friday night we went to the casino to enjoy an outdoor concert by Travis Tritt.  It was a perfect evening to be outdoors and the music was so great. We had seats in the back but still a great view with the big screens on both sides. And the acoustics were so good it felt like we were right up front. 

 

Afterwards we played a little at the casino.
Then on Saturday we drove to the Nic-L-Inn for a great meal with friends. Jamie and I have been friends for many, many years.
It was not only Don’s birthday but also Gary and Al’s was yesterday. After we ate we came back to our house for cake and ice cream. We sat around talking and laughing for hours. Such a great weekend. As you can tell I’m still learning to use the selfie stick. LOL..

Love my busy life

I am not neglecting you blog, really I’m not. It’s just that I have a life and have been so busy I just can’t get to my computer to sit down and blog.

Did your May fly by just as fast as mine did? I blinked my eyes and it was over. Now we are into June and it promises to be as busy as ever. So if my blogging is sporadic I hope that you will forgive me and know that I am out there enjoying my summer.

Tomorrow is Don’s 74th birthday and we have a weekend of celebrations. Tonight we are going to the casino to see Travis Tritt and eat at the buffet. Don loves crab legs so this will be a treat. Tomorrow night we are going out with two couples to his favorite restaurant the Nickel Inn. It is so nice to share the fun with those we love. I bought Don an electric weed eater for his birthday. With his COPD it is difficult for him to pull the cord on our gas one and it is too heavy to manage. This will be lighter and easier for him to use. He is learning that he now has to make concessions to this disease.

Yesterday I went with my friend up to Buffalo. She is moving to Texas soon and taking three cats with her so we went to Pet Smart to get a few things. While up there we did a lot of looking but bought very little. One of the things I bought is a slushie maker. You just freeze the inside of a plastic glass and pour in juice, stir, and a slushie comes out. I figure this will help with my craving for something cold in the hot weather.

Speaking of hot, our temps have been right up in the high seventies and eighties. It rained yesterday but today I need to go out and water and finish planting. I went to the dr this am for a checkup and all is well. Hurrah! I love good news.

I hope that however you are enjoying these first days of June that you are having a ball!

 

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Viburnum

It is a joy to walk around the house and see what is blooming. We redid our landscape a few years ago and now the plants are maturing and giving us such joy. I picked this bloom and put it in the bird vase that my sister bought me. I love the way it looks. I used my new lens to take this picture.

A ride around the lake

It has been such a warm and lovely weekend that today we wanted to take a ride to enjoy the sunshine and eighty degree weather. About an hour from our house in New York state is a large lake. Don’s mother had a cottage at Chautauqua Lake on a creek that fed the lake and for many, many years we spent weekends there. We have always had a boat and loved the water.

   We began our trip by having lunch at the Olive Garden, one of our favorite places to eat. On our way to Jamestown we pass this little shack called the Swamp. We always get a laugh out of its name since when the lake rises water surrounds it.  But it doesn’t stop people from going in.  I think it’s a bar but I’m not really sure.

 

   

 

After our lunch we continued to the northern part of the lake and on to Barcelona on Lake Erie. This is where Don brought our boat to go walleye fishing. We would keep the catch till the end of summer and have a big fish party and invite all our friends.
There is a lighthouse on the hill.

Don and I sat there for a while enjoying the view.

On the side of the harbor people were swimming. The whole bottom there is covered with flat pieces of slate and the water is very clear.
On the way out of the parking lot I spied a family of geese. Mom and dad were taking care of their babies. Then I noticed a few larger babies and realized that there was another pair close by.

It was such a wonderful day to get outdoors.