Aw...Mondays Tuesday4 Happy Tuesday Maxine Cacks Me Up

 

Summer Solstice

 

Welcome, it's Tuesday 4 time.  Annie keeps it up in memory of her friend Toni Taddeo who really enjoyed her blogs. 

The Summer solstice arrived and some got hot weather and some got chill and rain.  But summer is the time for holidays or vacations, summertime activities and being outdoors more.  It's also a time, like winter, for complaints and we realize that people in Texas, Arizona and Florida stay inside in summer.

1. How is summer treating you so far this year?   Could things improve? How do you make summer fun in your neck of the woods? 

We had a wonderful wet Springtime and everything was green and flowers and trees were in full bloom. Now the hot weather is returning. We do have cherry tomatoes popping up. But it is indoor weather for me. I only do outdoor chores early in the morning.  We could use more rain, that would help stop the spread of fires when they are started. We barbeque a lot. We have company this week and our son0in-law Zach already smoked a pork butt and made several batches of fresh cookie. We play lots of games. Our daughter Hannah and her husbands Jake brought Kluster with them. You have to place these magnets inside a circle. It seems easy until....Hannah beat her dad, as it is a game for two to play. Then he turned around and beat me badly. Sigh.... Candyland is something we play with our grandsons. hahaha We do love games. If the weather is not too hot we play corn hole and have other outdoor lawn games.

2.We give you magic powers! You can change the climate, the surroundings, even  your house and anything you like. Tell us what you are doing to make your summer or your entire year better..... GO!

I would have great weather 24.7. Lots of good moisture but sunny skies in the daylight with perfect temps from 60 to 77/ I would make my house bigger so I could accommodate our growing phamily. I would have a screened in porch, I would drive a sensible car that would magically never have any mechanical problems. Life would be so grand. I would make sure kids with lower income phamilies would have  3square meals a day and lots of healthy snacks too. I would buy back my childhood home and entire neighborhood and make is the way it use to be without crime, beautiful yards with green lawns and flowers and now that I am older, I would add a huge living room window so I could look at Pikes Peak anytime I felt like it. I would help anyone who needed it.  We make sun tea and enjoy the good weather by going to baseball games . We love to sit on the patio and need a new cover for gazebo with the screen netting to keep the mosquitoes away from us.  We just like to surround ourselves with phamily. Good friends and I would blow more bubbles in memory of my friend Jessica who passed away unexpectedly two years ago in June. I would make more strawberry trifle in memory of my best friend Sharon who also passed away two years ago in May . It is her recipe and Rebekah has perfected it. In fact, she is making it for Hannah's birthday we are celebrating this week. 

3. The puppy on the boat at the right is your new friend.  He wants a name.  What name will you give him and  would you like to be in that picture (if you can't sail we will provide someone for you!) I would name him Skipper. My parents had a Skipper dog who disappeared before I was born. But my sister told me many stories about him so I would name him Skipper in memory of that phamily pet. I am not a huge fan of deep waters but I learned to water ski when I was young. I would have a captain sail me around with Skipper and we would all wear life jackets and be sensible so no one would be hurt. 

4.   It's friendship pot luck day at your house this month.  Everyone is  coming. Please assign us what dishes each of us are to bring to make for a great day.(by the way, you needn't use names. Just name some dishes  you would like people to bring along) Rebekah's Pasta Salad, Sharon's Trifle, my mom's ice box cheesecake,  burgers and brats and hotdogs/ Icy cold Lemonade or Ice Tea. Grilled veggies and Macaroni Salad and Potato Salad and Garden Salad too.

Happy Tuesday

A vintage kitten print from etsy UK that is baking. I truly love this. It made me happy when I saw it.

Oh Maxine we agree on everything today!

Feline Friday and Pink Saturday

  Pink Saturday

2.5-quart pitcher 8-10 large strawberries 1/4 cup mint leaves 2 cups ice 6 cups filtered water 1. Clean and hull the strawberries, cut into halves or quarters, depending on your preference and the size

That water looks very refreshing and the Pinterest person shared the recipe, easy peasey.

Feline Friday

4.bp.blogspot.com shared these adorable Vintage looking kittens in a pink and white striped hatbox.

"Be a flamingo in a flock of pigeon's."

Happy Tuesday Maxine Cracks Me Up Wordless Wednesday Thankful Thursday

 Happy Tuesday

“What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.”
Confucius

Excellent advice to heed.

Kindness and compassion are two things animals understand. So many people need to follow their lead. 

Today it was confirmed five people died tragically in a capsule trying to get to the remains of the Titanic 3 miles under the sea. No matter how you feel about them remember someone lost a loved one times five. 

“The unhappy derive comfort from the misfortunes of others.”
Aesop

Choose happiness. Use it everyday . It costs nothing and it makes a heart feel light. 

Seriously Maxine, I think most people have had this fantasy. The key is not to act on it. You wouldn't like it behind bars. Drink your coffee and be happy.

Wordless Wednesday

Thankful Thursday

“I am thankful to God every day for the Gift of Life because even if I were the richest in the world, I still wouldn't afford to buy Life.”
– Gift Gugu Mona

Thankful for pizza boys

Thankful to be one of todays grannies. Hey, it's a job and somebody has to do it!

Thankful for the hard stuff

Thankful for:

Thanks to Joyce M. for these final two thankful's.

Tomorrow I am going to try to get around to comment before the weather goes sideways. 

I Appreciate All Who Visit Here

 Aw...Mondays

This is titled Cheer Up! When some of the kids were small, they would say to me, Why can't dad just beat us? We don't want to stand in the corner. It's awful! hahaha....they still stood in that corner. 

All About You:

Answer these questions if you please:

1. What was your first car?

Minus that black stripe, my first car was a 1972 Dodge Swinger. I loved that little car.

2. Do you have a favorite Super Hero?

 

Oh I love this woman! I would like to have her Super Power.

3. Do you have a favorite quote? I love this one and it is perfect to share with Sparks today too. 

4. What is the most money you would pay to see someone in concert?

 I attended dozens of concerts when I was young and tickets were $20. Those were primarily at Red Rocks or the old McNichols Stadium in Denver. I think it is absolutely sinful what a concert ticket costs today.  I would not waste my money on it today. Hard times are coming and so many are so clueless. Sad world, sad country.

5. What is the hardest thing you have experienced?

I had neurosurgery three times when I was a young mom. It was incredibly hard to deal with. Other than loss  I can not think of anything else.

6. What is your favorite place to visit?

I love the states so I would like to be able to see them all although I am not sure that is possible. 

7. Do you like to read?

I love reading. Sometime I can live vicariously through others who travel in books. I follow an author who told us about a wonderful candy that is made in Italy. It is available on amazon so it feeds my guilty pleasure.

8. Do you garden? 

Rebekah and Zach planted potatoes. Four containers and they are growing nicely. I have three cherry tomato plants and a regular Big Boy plant. We had lots of rain so no fruit yet but patiently waiting. We also have a lilac bush and a rose bush that seem to have enjoyed the rain. I have lots of veggie seeds and flower seeds. I like to live on the wild side and plant random things. It is fun to see what grows where it was planted. 

9. Are you talkative or quiet?

My daughter Rebekah says, this is me:

\

So I am guessing you know what I am ????

10. Do you love murals?

My daughter Noelle took this photo in Miami, Florida. She knows I love baseball, Robert Clemente and this really touched my heart. I want to find the Denver Nugget mural downtown in Denver. I think these artists are so incredibly talented.

This quote by Roberto Clemente is a beautiful Sparks share also. 

Kim Casali always drew in pencil I believe. But this colorful love is..... is sweet none the less. 

I hope I did not bore you today. Have a wonderful evening. 

Aw,,,Mondays Happy Tuesday Tuesday 4 Maxine Cracks Me Up

 Awww......Mondays

When I was a small child my uncle Louie told me the story of Bruce. He was an only child and was the son of my maternal grandmother's cousin Frances. Bruce loved America and went to serve us in WWII. He was a Mariner.  Bruce was a few weeks shy of his 22 birthday when he perished.  Buried at sea near Rabaul.  He is on eternal patrol.  Uncle Louie gave me this photo. I can not imagine his mother's pain knowing he passed away but no bodies were ever recovered and so his  death is simply considered considered buried at sea.  52 submarines lost at sea during WWII and 3,506 officers and enlisted men . Bruce's story incredibly is  sad yet so powerful especially during these dark troubling times in our world. I can not understand those who are against our country and our freedom. 

Although he perished at sea, Bruce received the Purple Heart. 

Memorial Day is much more than simply a holiday weekend. 

We have had lots of rain pouring down on us. But the grass is very green. Life is everywhere. 

" May we think of freedom not as the right to do as we please , but the opportunity to do what is right." Peter Marshall

Happy Tuesday

This would be a great refrigerator magnet!

I can't say I don't do anything but I enjoy being home. I have caught up on lots of reading, completed a few smaller projects and  watched kids and pets too.  Life is joyful and of course it leads to happy days!

BEDDY BYE

 Hello! Nice to see you back for another Tuesday 4 which was begun by Toni Taddeo and kept up in her memory.    It might be nice to talk about our homes and how we like our rooms to be ordered and used.  What about the bedroom.. a place of comfort and peace.

 

 

 1. How do you make up your bedroom and bed... colors? blankets? Quilts? Bedspread? Comforter? Throws? Pillow? what goes into making your bed comfy for you? We have light gray walls and a white ceiling. Our curtains are room darkening in light sage green. The white comforter has a floral print on the top half in purple and dark sage green. We use our old heated blanket which is no longer heating in the cold months and take it off in the warm months. We have a top sheet and a Minky lavender and white checkered blanket that covers three quarters of the bed. We don't have room for many pillows but we do have many of them.  Cool gel pillows and an adjustable bed make our golden years very comfy. 

2. What is in your dresser? Is it organized or messy? My dresser drawers are organized but the top of the dresser can get quite messy so no photos today.  We have way too many things in our bedroom so we are in the process of downsizing lots of them. We have lots of wall hangings, with pictures and lots of things we enjoy. 

3. What's in and on your night stand? We have tall nightstands with five small drawers so they are filled with our personal things. Candy, books, things we are working on. The top of the night stand has a lamp on either side, my is a pineapple shaped base with a white shade. He has a touch lamp that is white and gold trimmed.  We have our cup of pens & pencils, scissors, little things and way too much stuff. We are in the spring fever downsizing mode so we will see how it turns out. 

4. Do you read in bed or watch TV before going to sleep? Both. some nights we watch TV before bedtime and often we listen to the bible on tape. I like to read being comfy so I often settle in with a cup of tea and read to my hearts content. My sweet husband does the same. We also use our laptops which go into our drawers of the nightstand. 

Aw...Mondays with More Fun

 Aw....Mondays

Love these elegant creatures. They were favorites for our sweet  great grand boy Alastor Avery. I like to remember him through these lovely spotted animals. If you go to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, Colorado, which sits at the base of the beautiful Pikes Peak mountains  , you can feed these friendly vegetarian's. Alastor loved to reach out and touch them and giggle.

If you love reading, I highly recommend this book. The author was new to me but RaeAnne Thayne, an author I follow recommended this book. On Thursday I did nothing but pad around in my pjs and read this book in one 353 page sitting! Sometimes you just have to have one of those days!

Blaise Pascal lived from 1623-1662 and his words for this SPARKS share are relevant today.

Always.....love is.... has the best advice to keep your heart young. I love these because MaryDon shared with me many years ago at her blog. It was the common thread between us and I have stacks of these little messages from the 1970's when I first fell in love with these little bits of love . Please pray for MD as she is back in the hospital. She is such a brave lady and so filled with goodness and always shares the very best of her days. 

Loretta is the cousin of my high school and lifelong friend Yvonne. Loretta is a cowgirl and she makes me laugh ever single day of my life!  My husband will often say, is this something you got from Loretta? Even he knows her so well.  God and a cowgirl, hey at least she is asking for future reference!

The Ice Cream Man

This sign was in front of the Ice Cream Food Truck, one of many delectable desserts you could purchase. I am kind of sorry we never bought the bucket of Nachos////sigh...

My sister-in-law Lucy found more photos to share with us. Oh how handsome he was in his Navy Blues! Loved my father-in-law Carl. He was a character who could make you laugh. He was an orphan and his take on life came right out of the Word of God. He was one amazing man. His wicked ole aunt sent him off to the Navy at the tender age of 14. She fibbed on the paperwork. So by the time he was 19 he had traveled around the world and had been in6 out of 7 seas and 3 out of 4 oceans. His work ethic, his love of family and everything he did in his life was done simply because he never stopped learning. 

Feline Friday

There are some who have the absolute life of Riley! He bullied poor Finn off this comfy cozy corner. He looks innocent, do not believe it. 

At the Carnival Food Truck event this past weekend, we saw so many different kinds of food and fun! Many people had their pets with them. It was a good time. 

Back the Blue

I hope never to see another one of these in my little city. This officer gave his life trying to defend someone in a domestic violence call in 1984. The park where all the outdoor events are held is named in his honor. 

We had a fun weekend even with all the hard work we did around the house and yard. Plus we saw the grand kids at Brody's final basketball game and we watched Blake while dad went to his 20th school reunion and mom and Addy and Brody went to Kamrie's recital. Kamrie is their cousin who plays basketball with Brody and she had her first dance recital. She is a girl of many talents too. 

This handsome fella spent some quality time with us Saturday. His dad's barber has a daughter who is going to be a rock star like her dad! She gave the boys their haircuts and did a fantastic job. My twin wearing his Jamal Murray number 15 jersey. I should have snapped a photo of us together.

Brody loves basketball. He is so good already and plays very hard. Now he plans to do some street hockey but he did ask Zach to teach him to skate on the glass! I see the hockey league coming his way. 

THANKFUL THURSDAY AND MY BOJON HERITAGE

 Thankful Thursday

I am very thankful for the rain. Concerned about the flooding reports we keep hearing but grateful for all the moisture. We can't control the weather, But God can, so I trust Him, regardless of what is happening. 

I recently read a lengthy article about Janis Joplin. I am thankful I was raised by wonderful parents. She was not so fortunate. It is interesting, I worked with a lady who came from the Padre Islands in Texas too. She was also raised with non loving parents and spent her life searching for someone to love her. So very sad. I wonder if anyone told Janis that God loved her? Her incredible talent was overshadowed by her use of drugs and alcohol. Such a tragic life.

This silly kitty made me smile. I love seeing such precious shares like this. Thankful to see creative hearts and grateful to have a silly kitty.

Ha! I sure got a kick out of this. A mom I Know with triplets and a busy husband who is a Navy surgeon shared this.  They recently moved to a new state and just are settling in to their new home.