Tuesday, July 31, 2012

It's Still Summer

 It's lunchtime, so I made you some strawberry cucumber salad.  Do you like a nice pomegranate vinaigrette?   
 The sunflowers have really overstepped their bounds.  Look at them!  Our entire front garden is a wild tangled mess.  A good mess!
 It's hard to snap photos while avoiding weeds, but don't you LOVE pinwheel petunias?
 See how this corner is changing?  Hollyhocks come up any old place!  They are growing right out of the rocks.
 We had to remove our big maple tree because we did not want it to fall on our dear neighbors' house!  She won't give up though!  Look at the little shoots!  Maple trees remind me of fall and school starting.  Do you press leaves into your fat books?  I do.  I feel sort of romantic when I look at Birdie and Miss Bug's school uniforms, little plaid skirts and khaki jumpers.  I like football season (the idea of it, not the actual watching of games) and harvest doings.  However, when I think of being gone from my house-nest for ten hours a day . . . 
Well, let's not think about that.
 My friend Kerri (a fairy poet from New Zealand) sent me a most generous gift:  Mr. Hare.  I had admired him in her Etsy shop (Poetry and Cloth).  Isn't he handsome?  Hares are special you know.  
 My dear sister, Karol, brought another reading gnome to me.  With all the stuff she had to haul to Guemes Island, she brought me a goodie, too.  She is very nice.  You'd love her.
 Speaking of nice people, my Cambodian friend Christina and her little boy Nathan sent me this little mouse.  Do you like his fancy outfit?  He might marry Grace the mouse.  They make a funny couple.  She's all wooly and old fashioned and he's snazzy.
 I didn't take too many photos of the land of my youth, but the farms were stunning.  They've had a lot of rain, too!  The weather there has been like the weather in England.  DAMP.
 This little string of cabins on Guemes Island is so charming.  They are rustic, but very cozy.  I think we could live in a lot smaller spaces than we do, don't you?  Maybe we'd be forced to go outside more if our "digs" were cramped and small.  My brother and his lovely wife stayed in the cabin they stay in every year, so before the flock of additional siblings arrived and before Bill had to fly back to Denver, we went to the beach for a sneak preview.  Bill had fun talking to my mom and dad.  Don't they look comfortable soaking up the sea view?
 I forgot to show you this photo of our boys.  I took it a few weeks ago.  Jeff is moving into an apartment this week (sad face for Mom) and Brad lives an hour and a half away.  I do love my boys' twinkly eyes and happy smiles.  They are good men.
 I spent yesterday on the sofa with a sore throat and a fever.  I watched the Olympics and dozed.  My doctor said that I probably caught this bug while on the airplane.  I felt so horrible yesterday that in comparison, today I feel GREAT!
So, the Year of the Toadstool: Summertime has rolled along so nicely.  Friends pass toadstool views along to me (thank you, Katie!) and I have found a toadstool sister (Julie!) and gnomes and toadstools and fairies gather close by.  
Miss Bug and Birdie are "sleeping over" tomorrow night. We'll make fairy cakes and play with stickers.  
Sam comes Friday for an all-day stay with us. Yippee!  
My sister-in-law is flying to Denver for a good visit and Monday is the third annual FINN'S Picnic!  So, it's picnic food all around, splashes in the blow up pool, and family, family, family.
Oh for heaven's sake.  It IS still summer!  Hooray!

21 comments:

Farm Girl said...

I am so sorry you got sick. I hope you get all well very fast. I see little mushrooms and I think of you just like I see fairy gardens and gnomes. All of them bring you to my mind and bring a smile to my face. It sounds like you will be busy this week.
I love seeing all of your pictures and they just make me so happy. Your garden is so pretty.

magsmcc said...

Is it really time for Finn's picnic? Goodness, where do these months go? I think we should loive in smaller spaces for chunks of time. Our beach house made me think just this very thing, and if it were not for the torrential rain, the cathedral tent would be out and about. It will be nearly two years since we lived simply and blissfully therein. Life should be simple. Toadstools are simple, in a joyous way! Our sunflowers have yet to throw colour from their heads- they need some sun....

Gumbo Lily said...

I love your tall sunflowers and hollyhocks in your yard. Beautiful. Small, simple homes would probably be the best for us. With all of our kids gone from home, our house feels pretty big now for two. The good thing is we have lots of room for our kids and their families when they come stay.

I'm sure your sons ARE good men. They look happy and that is a very good thing. Happy Summer. Enjoy those Littles.

Jody

Bonnie said...

I loved seeing your photos. What wonderful cabins. I bet they had sunflowers in vases in them (at least I hope they did). Enjoy the last month of summer.

Leslie said...

I do hope you are on the mend and back to your spunky self. Your flowers are wonderful and I would like very much to eat a salad like yours! Yum. You have very handsome fun looking boys. I just love boys. haha.

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

Your pics are great...I love the cabins and I am with you, I think we could live in smaller places.

You are enjoying summer....it is 105 here so this looks great!

Kit said...

I love reading about your latest events! But sorry you got sick. But one good thing, the Olympics are on! Take care, Kit

Kerri said...

I LOVE your garden! All those sunflowers and hollyhocks made my winter heart so happy. How funny to see Mr Hare at your place! I forgot to tell you to make sure you only iron him on the non printed side of the fabric, but you probably already knew that :0) Happy summer x x

Anne said...

Dear Pom Pom,
First, I want to thank you for visiting me often and for all your sweet, sweet comments ~ (Thank you for coming to my impromptu Mad Tea Party, too!) You are are much better "commenter" than I, my Dear, but my few-and-far-between are heartfelt! This post is gorgeous...LOVE that beautiful salad, and all your flower and "fairy folk" photos...fabulous!
Looks like your and your lovely family are having a grand time...cherish those times with your parents ~ (I know you do!)...Hope you are feeling much better!
Hugs,
Anne

Elderberry-Rob said...

Sorry your sick, sending healing thoughts and prayers that you will be fit by the time the little ones come to stay. Your cabin holiday looked fun, cosy and pretty. Your new gifts are all lovely, you have some kind friends. I have a small maple in my garden and I do press the leaves, they look so lovely when they turn red. Get well soon. Betty x

Unknown said...

Looks like you are having a wonderful summer from those photos and the strawberries made my mouth water until I saw the yukky cucumber - I hate the stuff!
Enjoy August.

Anonymous said...

So many lovely things in your blog post today....and I'm SO GLAD you're feeling better today! :) You have a lot of family things going on, phew I'm tired just reading about it all! :) Have lots of fun and don't think about school yet. xxxx

Nancy McCarroll said...

You scored with all your gifts. Mr. Reading gnome is sweet and a mouse, too. The picture did not load, but I will go back for a second look.

Hope you are feeling better now and have a great time with the kids.

Happy summer!

Nancy McCarroll said...

You scored with two sweet gifts.. A gnome AND a mouse!

Hope you are feeling better now.

Will reload your post as most of the pictures did not load ffrom Blogger.

Pom Pom said...

Thank you for the sweet hellos, everyone!
For some reason some comments go the spam route, so forgive me if they aren't immediately published. I'll check that on a regular basis from now on.
I am feeling a little better! Thank you for your get well wishes! (BIG HUG!)

M.K. said...

Your wonderful life sounds so busy that it makes my head spin! As you said: family, family, family! Your boys' smiles are so big and happy, that says it all. I am not sure I've ever seen a photo of Bill before. Is he camera-shy? I'd love to see a photo of you two, together :)

I very much agree that we live in too much space -- little cottages would be perfect, and I prefer them. We visited friends in their little fish camp house on the river (sounds like Ratty!), and it was perfect. I roomy screened porch faces the river, and everything inside was wooden and cozy, with a fireplace. Yes.

"It's hard to snap photos while avoiding weeds" -- heehee!! You are SO funny. Just wait until you see the seashells a friend gave me yesterday. They are stunning!

Bradley W. Maston said...

I'm glad you are back and now feeling better! Those airplane rides can be very demanding on even the most developed immune system! Love, love, love, brad

Left-Handed Housewife said...

I do hope you're feeling better, P.! Your sons look like fine young men, indeed. I like my house, but it could be smaller and I'd still like it. Thanks for all the garden pix--lovely!

xofrances

Attic Clutter said...

HI Pom(:)
The boys are so cute..mine are about that age too- I have 3..
yummy strawberries (:)
Oh thanks so much on my hutch it was my moms and I have made such good use of it ..LOL hugs..P

TexWisGirl said...

cute sons! cute hare! and beautiful overgrowing sunflowers!

Lisa Richards said...

I've been working at getting over a bug, too. It's "going around" I guess! Hope you feel better and better!
My dad built a little log cabin, about 18 feet square, in the woods behind our house. He passed away about 8 years ago and the little cabin is returning to nature, but I often wonder what it would be like to live in a little house like that with no running water or electricity. (He did have electricity.)I imagine I would fit in a tiny woodstove for heat, a colorful daybed, bookshelves of course, and I might have to build a small lean-to on the back for a tiny kitchen with a wood cookstove and a tub for bathing! It's fun to plan such a little gnome home in the woods, and probably what my dad had in mind when he built it. He made a little sign over the door that says, "The Cuckold's Nest", and he enjoyed several summers in his little Walden.
Your flowers are beautiful and so are your boys! Have fun with those grands. You're having quite an action packed summer!

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