Happy 4th of July!

I've got my bags packed. I've watered the garden. I've straightened the house. I'm ready to go. Finally, our family is getting some much needed vacation time.



We are heading out for one of my favorite places in the world, Oak Island, NC.



I can't wait to spend a little time on the beach with my favorite people.



I'll be back next week! I hope everyone has a happy and safe Fourth of July! Enjoy your family and remember our wonderful military troops that are spending their holiday away from their families. God Bless!

Workin' Girl

It's nice to have a workin' girl around the house. My oldest daughter, Catie, works at an ice cream/ produce stand from April until October. She is working hard to make money for a trip to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland this coming April. She loves working in produce and meeting the customers that stop by. Until this weekend, I didn't realize how much she has learned while working.

You may remember the blackberries from my last post. Well, Friday after work, she came in and asked me what I was going to do with the berries. I informed her that I was going to make a cobbler. She got really excited and said, "I'll do it!" I had forgotten that she had mentioned making cobblers at work. Of course I agreed to let her make it and sat back and waited for the finished product.

Here it is!



Who knew that this lovely, talented, beautiful teenager had learned how to cook!



She even added her personal touch to the picture.



I was so excited that I had to break out the fine china for my little snack. It was delicious, too!



I'll tell you, my girls never cease to amaze me! They are growing up way too fast and I am learning that that is not necessarily a bad thing.

More Simple Summer Pleasures

I have enjoyed reading every one's comments on their simple summer pleasures. It seems that we all have many things that we enjoy about summertime. Although the weather is still very hot here in the southeast, it has not put a damper on the pleasures of summer. Today was one of those days filled with little moments that make life worthwhile.

This morning I went to my dad's house for him to change the oil in my Jeep. While he was changing the oil, (thanks Dad!) I went blackberry picking! He has several large bushes that are full of berries. They are the thorn less variety and are easy to pick. He is going to make some blackberry wine with the ones he picks. I think I'll make a blackberry cobbler with mine.



You may remember my post about getting a ticket to see Jersey Boys a while back; The couple wouldn't take any money for the ticket, so I decided to make them a gift of fresh pesto, blackberries, and cherry tomatoes. Do you think they will like it?



After picking berries and tomatoes, and making pesto, I went to a friend's pool with some sweet little girls. Carson got new braces yesterday and gave a big smile to show them off.



My cousin's little girls were enjoying the pool too!




Aren't they the cutest things? I remember when my girls were that little. My how time flies.

Fresh berries, good friends, cool pools, and smiling kids- these are some more of my simple summer pleasures!

Simple Summer Pleasures

I love the simplicity of summer...no school, no piano lessons, no sports...just lots of extra time to kick back and relax. We have finally had a week where things have settled down and become less hectic. Since I am very laid back by nature, this is my favorite time of year. Each day I find myself looking forward to the simple pleasures that summer affords. Things like...

...sitting on the porch each evening waiting for John's truck to appear in the driveway. (It has been way too hot to sit there in the middle of the day.)



Since John has been in Maryland for a couple of days, yesterday's appearance was even sweeter! I really miss him when he is not here.

...enjoying a simple summer supper with fresh garden veggies.



You may remember my tomatoes from yesterday's post. They were really yummy tossed with garlic, basil, mozzarella, and olive oil. The squash came from my parents' garden. Even after the long trip from Maryland, John still wanted to grill the ribs and squash. (That is how he relaxes after a long day.)

These are just two of the simple pleasures that I enjoy in the summer. There are many more I'll share throughout the summer months. What are some of yours?

Morning Harvest & New Babies

Oh, those lazy, hazy days of summer! I wish. Today is officially the first day of summer, although we southerners feel as though it has been here a while. I would like to say our days have been lazy, but actually they have been pretty busy. It seems as though we have had a lot of appointments since school has been out. Hopefully it will slow down a little in the coming days. I am managing to enjoy some time outside each morning checking the garden to see what is ready to be picked. This morning greeted me with some cherry tomatoes hanging on the vine.



Don't they look yummy? There are lots more ripening and waiting for their turn. We are still waiting on our squash, cucumbers, and regular tomatoes.

We have tons of basil this year so I guess I'll be making pesto all summer!



Although I do not have any chickens, my mom and dad do, so fresh eggs are abundant. They have even added to their little chicken family with some baby Dominic and Black Star chicks.



Aren't they just the cutest things? I love baby chicks! I also love fresh eggs. The color of the yolk is very different from a store bought egg. Don't you think?Carson was making pecan pies for Father's Day and cracked her first double yolk egg the other day. She was amazed. You know me, if I had been there, I would have taken a picture for my blog! Maybe next time!

In the meantime, I hope everyone finds a little time to celebrate these lazy, hazy days of summer!

Hot, Hot, Hot!

I spent a little time today looking back on some of my winter and spring posts. Those days seem so far away now. After an unusually cold winter and spring, our days have turned extremely hot! We have had temperatures in the middle to upper nineties for well over a week now. Needless to say, I have had a hard time getting excited about gardening and yard work in this hot, humid weather. We have actually had quite a few appointments this week, so I have had an excuse to not spend too much time outside. (One drawback to living in the country is the driving distance to doctors, dentists, and such. One appointment may take a good part of the day for travel.) However, we have found some time for a little summer fun.



Nothing beats the heat better than taking a dip in a cool pool. (Thanks Mark and Robin for letting us use your pool!)



Even the little neighborhood doggie knows where to go to cool off.



When the temperatures are this hot, we save most of our outside activities for the evening when sun is going down. Harvesting veggies has to be done either early in the morning or late in the evening. I guess I'll have to find some indoor activities to post about until we get a break from this hot,hot, weather! Wishing you a cool weekend!

Bedroom Epiphany

Several years ago while celebrating an anniversary at a Bed-and-Breakfast in Charleston, I had an epiphany. I suddenly understood what was so special about spending the night in places like that one. I was sitting in bed taking note of the details that made the room a peaceful place to rest. First of all, there was no clutter. In fact, as I thought back to all of the wonderful rooms that I had visited over the years, every room had that simple, uncluttered look. I also took note of the comfort of the bed and linens and realized that there was no reason why I shouldn't enjoy that peaceful experience at home. So, I went home and made some changes in my own room.



I simply started removing some stuff. I took the dresser that we used for our clothing and put it in the closet. I also took out a dressing table that I never used, since I applied make up and such in the bathroom.



I bought some simple, but very comfortable, sheets and a down comforter. I also added some down surround pillows. As you can see, it is not fancy at all, but boy is it nice to crawl into after a long day.



I also try to add a special touch once in a while. Can you tell what that is?



....fresh flowers in a vase. I can't think of any other item that could make me feel as if I am spending the night in a nice room more than a vase of flowers by the bed. I do try to keep from putting anything on the remaining dresser or bedside tables to distract from the peaceful setting that I have tried to create. Don't you think we all deserve to have a bedroom that makes every night special?