A Few of My Favorites!

A Very Special Collage
September 2011, came and will leave today! It seems like we waited so long for that very special day to come! It came and it went, memories made, with so much love and happiness to share!
Thought I would bring you a few of my favorites in an old fashioned sort of way! 
Time for new beginnings, such wonderful memories to cherish! 
Frame courtesy of:
TheCoffeeShopBlog.com

Peace Out Mama!!!

Photo Taken at Chris & Allicyn's Wedding, 2011
Recently I received several comments and emails complementing me on my sense of humor!
Making people laugh? Wow, that makes me really happy knowing that I gave someone a really good chuckle! I used to think that it came from my dad but I have to tell you that the vehicle of my birth pictured above is a real character as well! Lately she uses the, old card, when she gets herself in to deep. She is 87 after all!
Let me xplain Lucy!!! Just a few of many short incidents:
Mom went to visit a relative in a psych ward last week. She comes from a generation where if you just feed someone they will get better! So of course she had my brother carry in a large brown bag filled with food. She never made it past security, however, as they found a hammer in the bag! Yes, a hammer, now think about that for a moment...hammer/psych ward! Why a hammer you ask? She was going to have my brother hang a picture later that afternoon! I asked her if there was an empty bed near the patient?
We flew her down to Florida for a visit last winter, she wanted to bring me kale soup on the plane and was sure the pilot would understand!!! NOT!
She called me all excited one day! Rose, Rose, Obama called me! Deep breath, let's just go with it I thought! What did he want Ma? I'm not sure, I think it has to do with my medications! "Call this number right away" she said, and sooooo I did! Are you ready for this one...... Humana Prescription Services, how may I help you? OK, OK, Obama, Humana, they both have two a's! I can almost understand her confusion!  
During a pelvic exam she asked the doctor if she found any cob webs you know where! 
She refuses to wear glasses because she says she will see it when she gets there!
She stopped taking her heart medication because the bottle said no refills and the pharmacist should have called her! Her meds are now closely monitored. Thank God!
She said my brother went to buy a bureau when in fact he went to a store called Euro! 
At my dad's funeral mass we were at the back of the church standing behind the casket, the priest in front, facing us! Wouldn't you know it, she let one rip!!! We were hysterical as my husband standing behind her gasped out loud. "Put your hands over your face and pretend your crying," I said! Father, had a look of horror on his face. Not sure he knew what was going on. I swear dad gave her a gas pain to help her thru the mass. He always knew how to make her laugh!!! 
She lives in an addition on the side of my sister's house! My sister will be canonized soon, 
I am sure of it!
Yes folks that's my mama! On a daily basis you just never know what you're going to get! 
At 87 I hope I have half her energy, she still cooks up a storm, a gene I did not inherit, she is just so darn cute and would never hurt a fly! 
 My only hope is that the tears she sheds today are those from laughter rolling down her legs!
Her six children, grand-children and great-grand-children love her so! 
Peace Out Mama! From whence I came!

Emotional Transition!

Alderbrook Farm 
We left Kingsland, Georgia, just north side of Jacksonville, around 7AM yesterday morning with three hundred eighty two miles to go. A torrential rain fall, southern style enticed us to stop on the second day of our journey! It was good to get off the road and enjoy a nice dinner, covering over five hundred miles earlier. 
The state of Florida greeted us with an abundance of sunshine and warm temps. Arrived home around one, having made a couple of brief stops! Coffee, bathroom, coffee, bathroom!
It's good to be home and almost organized. Hubby playing golf this morning and I'm off with the girls on a shopping expedition and lunch later. No rest for the weary. 
So much for groceries and cleaning! 
I'm still in northern mode and it will take me a few days to adjust. Still missing the kids!!! Hence a picture of a northern farm stand that I took earlier in the month. 
Really need to get those groceries! Darn those friends of mine!
This adjusting stuff can be tough but somebody's got to do it! How fortunate am I?
Have a wonderful day!

Crossing Over!

North to South
This photo was taken yesterday morning somewhere in Virginia, outside of our hotel. It was around 7AM, muggy with a heavy fog blanketing the air. Hubby is a retired railroad engineer and without knowing it we usually find a hotel close to railroad tracks. Had no idea the night before because it was dark, luckily we never heard a train thru the night, thank goodness for that. Kind of says a lot about our hotel budget, doesn't it!
For me the rail crossing symbolizes our crossing over from north to south. Yes, still on this planet, not that kind of crossing over!
This Fall I will miss selecting just the right pumpkin, picking ripened apples, falling leaves and most of all my Mom's delicious Kale Soup. Relying on photos via email or cell phone of the children at Halloween! Old memories etched forever in my heart!
The trade off, warm and sunny days thru winter, no ice nor snow, bobbing in the pool with my colorful noodle, golf, fishing, palm trees, blooming annual flowers around Christmas and full watermelons in January! 
My brain still not totally wrapped around all of these sweet southern changes.
Our beautiful grand-daughter, Sophia is already counting down the days until Christmas when we shall meet again!
Guess we have the best of both worlds and so fortunate to have the health and marginal wealth to enjoy them all! Have a wonderful day!

On The Road Again!

Life Is Good
Took this photo leaving a townie coffee shop with my friends on Saturday. It was taken with my cell phone. Sometimes I wonder why I have such an elaborate camera???
We traveled six hundred miles yesterday and were ready for a good meal and some rest. Will, has a theory that it takes less time to get to Florida from Massachusetts because we are going down hill! Think he may just be excited to get back home. 
As usual he did an awesome job driving while I sat there suffering from passenger tourettes. Driving the Northeast Corridor is not for the faint of heart. Sunday in our opinion is the best day to travel, especially thru New York and DC.
Missing my children already but looking forward to meeting with all of our southern friends and many good times ahead! 
Yes, Life Is Good! Have a wonderful day!

Grasshopper!

Symbolic Words
"Art finds kingdoms in a foot of ground."~Stephen Benet~ 
Here are just a few words of which the grasshopper is symbolic: luck, stable, virtue, vibrant, content, intuitive, fertility, patient, peaceful, creativity, abundance, insightful, messenger, connected, courageous, resourceful, forward thinking.~google search~ 
Take your pick every word listed above is a good one to own! The photo not so good as I took it with my cell phone. Leaving a coffee shop with my two friends yesterday we came upon this very large grasshopper. He was sitting right on the hood of Mary's car. Rather comfortable, there was no moving him!  Mary, extremely protective of all of God's creatures gently moved him with an envelope from a greeting card she had just purchased. Startled he jumped high into the air onto a branch of a waiting Russian Sage. 
It was funny how we all saw him at the same time. 
 Luck, stable, virtue, vibrant, content, intuitive, fertility, patient, peaceful, creativity, abundance, insightful, messenger, connected, courageous, resourceful, forward thinking. 
Just a few words to symbolize my friendship with these two wonderful ladies. Yes, Mr.Grasshopper you are very wise! It's funny how this all happens sometimes! 
Just a little message sent by the Universe! I will miss my northern friends! 
Hope they come to visit as promised!

Things I Will Miss!

Until We Meet Again
Is there anything dearer to a mother's heart than to celebrate round the dinner table with all of her family? Last night along with the newlyweds, we feasted on lobster, clam boil and stuffed quahogs.  
All New England style of course! No bibs in place we all wore a little bit of our dinner. The sounds of lobster being cracked, music to my ears. Simply can't watch them going for a steam bath though, just feel their pain. Seem to get over it when dipping that first chunk in melted butter, however!
Why the celebration? We are heading south tomorrow! Our journey will take about three days with no specific itinerary in place. We stop when Will is tired. My guess would be somewhere in Virginia on the first night. The second night around Savannah, GA. On to Fort Myers, Fl, on the third day. No little side trips planned this year. Think we have had all the excitement we can possibly handle for a while. 
The wedding such a beautiful highlight of our summer!
I will miss my children most, they have such busy lives and we were so glad to care for our grandchildren this summer. They have grown so big and are needing us less and less. 
I guess independence is what we strive for in our children and they are all doing so well.
 So it's time for old Mother Goose and PAPA, job well done, to hit the road once again!!! 
I have spent most of the week saying goodbye to extended family and friends and having coffee with a couple later this morning. 
Goodbye dear family and friends we love you all! 
Until we meet again!

Window Of Possibilities!

Window of Hope
"The optimist lives on the peninsula of infinite possibilities; the pessimist is stranded on the island of perpetual indecision."~William Arthur Ward~
"Hope is the companion of power, and mother of success; for who so hopes strongly has within him the gift of miracles."~Samuel Smiles~ 
I loved these two quotes so much that I decided to use them both today! 
I absolutely love the photo as well! 
These are flowers from the wedding still going strong a full week later. They sat ever so proudly on a window shelf waiting to be photographed, a bit cloudy outside the light was ever so perfect. 
So my suggestion for the day is: 
1. read the first quote, observe the photo while absorbing it's content.
 2. read the second quote, observe the photo, while absorbing it's content as well. 
3. repeat the process several times if necessary...
Now ask yourself, isn't life full of possibilities, nurtured by hope, resulting in miracles? 
I think we may be on to something Dr. Watson!!! Yes, yes, I think we really may be!
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That Old Fashioned Look!

Say Cheese  
Have you ever seen those old fashioned wedding photos from the early 1900's where no one ever smiled? 
I have seen several photos of my grandparents and my husband's grandparents where everyone was stoned faced and quite frankly looked frightened or upset. It must have been the style back then or maybe the flash was so bright one had to brace themselves! 
Our parents generation, married in the forties, seem to smile more freely. 
I asked Chris and Allicyn to give me that serious face look. Allicyn did Ok, but look at Chris. There was no wiping that smile off his face and nothing I said seemed to help. Well, there was something I said but this is a family blog after all! So that look on Allicyn's face just may be a look of shock! I almost captured that early nineteen hundreds kind of feel, don't you think? Such a glorious day, enjoyed by all.
It went by way to quickly!

We Interrupt This program...!

Public Health Announcement 
"Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it."~Bill Cosby~
Ok, so I know there are many things in life worst than a colonoscopy but there are times when this being human stuff really sucks! Today is prep day! I've been thru this process once before and I can't tell you how fast five years went by. 
Supposedly I've got the good stuff this time. Think I heard that five years ago too! Not to be anal but when are one of those genius' going to come up with a better test? Going thru the double whammy, also having an endoscopy, scheduled at the same time. Yes, yes I've heard all the jokes!
Stocked up on jello, white grape juice no alcohol, and popcicles. Decided to skip the clear broth as it might be just to filling.
The one thing I have learned thru all of this is that everyone who has been there has a tip or two and it is unanimous that the prep is the worst part. So true!!! 
Bummer when the porcelain bowl is going to be your best friend for the next twenty four hours.
If you haven't had a colonoscopy in a while, I suggest you call your doctor, a statistic is definitely not what you want to be!

Elsie's World!

Catch Me If You Can
Is there anyone cuter than a flower girl? Elsie is Allicyn's niece, she will turn two next month. 
Elsie is a highly spirited child with a definite mind of her own. Absolutely adorable she steals the heart of whoever she meets! Running barefoot thru the grass and barefoot down a pebble path before the ceremony, she refused to wear her new shoes! 
Such hearty little soles!!! A precious little muse!
I love to capture children in their natural state of play! 
Running freely, screaming as loud as they can while doing so, captures the spirit of a child every single time! 
Uncle Chris is an uncle once again, how fortunate is he! 
Strong willed and beautiful, watch out world! Elsie has arrived! 

Everything Was Warm & Glowing!

Begging to be Photographed click photo to view larger
This gorgeous bouquet of flowers belonged to one of my grand-daughters. It was placed on this lovely brass tray by her dad. It was time for sweet Sophia to run and play with all of her cousins. Doing what a nine year old does best! She would proudly announce that the color of her gown was sangria. She did such a beautiful job as a bridesmaid, so grown up.
Her twelve year old sister Hannah was maid of honor. Equally as beautiful, she took her job very seriously. Holding Allicyn's flowers and primping her veil. Before you know it I will be attending their weddings too! Time just has a way of doing that!
I love to take those shots at a wedding that just seem to beg a photograph. All the attention on the bride and groom many gorgeous photo opportunities go unnoticed.
As far as the best flower shot goes this one gets my vote. Just love the warmth and glow of this photo that filled the air by everyone and everything present!
It was just that kind of day! 
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Something Blue!

I love Surprises
When one takes over 500 hundred photos at their son's wedding one must then try and put them into some sort of category.
The above photo wins for the funniest! We were out on the front lawn of the mansion, I was
tagging along behind the pro photographer who I had threatened earlier. I warned him he best not get in my way of a good shot! "It is my son's wedding after all, I proclaimed."
He roared and we bonded. So nice to meet someone with a sense of humor who thought me funny. I am sure I raised a few eyebrows!!! OK, so I let him take the lead!!!
Allicyn was running effortlessly thru the lawn. I know I am more than twice her age but I just kept getting my heels stuck in the grass. I must say that I felt better when I discovered her secret. Chris thought her secret hysterical!
So cute, sweet, funny, adorable, darling and beautiful. So hard to label a photo when you love everyone last one of them. Enjoy!

The Wedding!

Just Gorgeous!
"The day was ordered by the Universe and all events that took place could not have been more perfect. When it is meant to be, planets align and memories are forever etched onto the souls of all who rejoiced and participated!"~Rosemary Aubut~ 
The wedding was so beautiful, it went by in a second and a mother's heart is filled with joy! 
We LOVE YOU Chris & Allicyn!!! It's a wonderful life! 
Where is that box of tissues?
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It's The Big Day!

Accessories Make The Outfit
So I couldn't find a mother of the groom dress in flannel! Comfort seems to be on my priority list lately. I did find something, borderline comfortable in some sort of silk blend fabric, however. Slenderizing, understated in a dark shade of beigey brown. Perfect for a mother-in-law, and I will definitely look like someone's mother. I even got my son's seal of approval. In lieu of a handbag my camera will be the ultimate accessory. Nice touch don't you think?  Definitely an upgrade from my daughter's wedding where I carried a glue gun in my purse in case anything fell off one of the girl's dresses and I used it! PaPa will be in a tux!
Now that I have described my outfit lets talk about family and weddings and what I have experienced in the past. Below, my cast of characters: 
Uncle Kissy Face; Yes, he will come at me grab my ears and kiss me smack dab on the lips every single time. No matter how I brace myself, hold my breath and manage a smile afterwards, it is always an experience. Have resigned myself into knowing that unless I wear a berka it's just going to happen!
Uncle Dressy Dapper; Yes, Uncle has worn the same leisure suit to every family wedding since 1977. Dark brown with contrasting white stitching highlighting the collar, down the front and around the bottom. Pockets outlined as well! Pearl covered snaps close the deal. Quite the fashion statement and very predictable! He still looks cuter than ever!
Three Aunties, Pomp A Do; Yes, yes you know the type, the family matriarchs, they dance together, their hair perfectly coifed, kind of on the pink side, lacquered down with that bullseye circle of rouge adorning each cheek. Lipstick amiss leaving the perfect imprint on one's cheek. Avon, perfume a bit strong! They are so sweet and always praying for me!
Auntie Needs A Wax; Nothing like getting stabbed with facial hair. Can poke one in the eye if you're not careful! So darn cute whiskers and all!
Cousin Drinks A Lot; You know the type, lands up in the bathroom for the rest of the evening, wishing he had never heard of or met, Jim Beam, Jack Daniels or Jose Cuervo! 
Over the years I have witnessed family members loose, clothes (their pants), dance on tables wearing tutu's on their head, jump out of windows, get lost for hours going round some rotary and yes loose everything in their stomachs that could not be digested quickly enough! 
It is fair to say that there is always a story later to be told, their all mine and I love them so! 
My sweet son is getting married today and we are so happy for him! 
Your dad and I wish for you and Allicyn all the good that life has to offer!
Good people really need to reproduce! OK, so I'm wearing beige but you know it's hard for me to keep the mouth shut! Love MOM 
Where am I going to keep all those tissues??? Might have to bring my snuggy a little chilly today!

Gaggle, Google Or Geese!

Yikes, just a little chilly!

Honk, the Geese are in! Fall is sure to follow!

I know my cell phone is in here somewhere! Hello!

I think we should head south! The seagulls here are confused! Fresh water???

This place isn't so bad for a rest after all! 
Running wedding errands all day we drove thru the park on our way home. Wow, look at all the geese, lets stop. Hubby was all to willing, to bad he didn't have his fishing pole! 
I took over 150 shots so narrowing them down to a few of my favorites wasn't easy! 
Funny how a few hundred geese can keep me from doing what I am supposed to be doing! 
They were hysterical to watch, a little noisy and very territorial. 
There were ducks, white, brown and multi colored, Canadian Geese, seagulls and a few pigeons running amuck. Now I could google all of this and give you more accurate information but right now I'm just going for the visual. I think we were most surprised to see the seagulls in fresh water away from the ocean. Guess they have to find drinking water somewhere. Never thought about that much! 
Reminded me of my dad and how he would take rolls of film of the same jumping whale while on vacation and only a few of us children. Think I understand now dad, it is so easy to get carried away!

I Don't Loathe Hydrangeas!

Pee Gee Hydrangea
I am sure you have heard all the hype about Madonna loathing hydrangeas. Her acidic remarks will probably make hydrangeas more popular than ever, hydrangeas being acid loving plants. Now do I really care if Madonna loves hydrangeas or not? Absolutely not! I respect her opinion and right to dislike them. "I simply like roses better," she said.
I however, love, adore, idolize, respect, revere and admire them. 
Did I mention that I really like them too? Just call me a Material Girl!
The Pee Gee variety grow quite large by fall, they begin to turn lovely shades of burgundy with a hint of brown. Their stems become a bit weak and wispy trying to support their colossal heads. Their magnificence defined by their size alone. A bit tattered by Fall, singing their last hurrah to their summer audience, still going strong and I'm talking about the hydrangea! What do you think of Lady Gaga? Now there's a show stopper!
Have a wonderful day!

Autumn Crocus!

Autumn Crocus
"Most people are familiar with the Spring Flowering Crocus, with its small flowers in a variety of colors representing some of the first blossoms to appear in the spring. The Autumn Crocus, however, is unknown to the majority of gardeners. When encountered, it is considered by many to be an over-sized Spring Flowering Crocus that is blooming in the wrong season. While related, the Spring and Autumn Crocuses are not nearly as close relatives as their common names suggest. The Autumn Crocus belongs to the Lily family along with the Lilies, Tulips, and Hyacinths. The Spring Flowering Crocus, in contrast, is a member of the Iris Family along with the Iris and Gladiolus."~google search~ 
Strolling thru the gardens at Blithewold on Sunday I came upon these beautiful crocus. I was truly amazed that crocus, an early spring flower would be in bloom this late in the season. 
We later discovered that they were called Autumn Crocus. A flower I have never heard of before, don't they just make you happy? Crocus, Spring and Fall are the quotations that confine Summer!
What a delightful surprise Mother Nature, Herself, once again had in store for us! 
Have a wonderful day!
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Rehearsal!

Rehearsal 
Rehearsal for the wedding party took place Sunday afternoon. The ceremony will take place in the north garden at Blithewold. Dinner followed with twenty five people in attendance.
It was a glorious day, two beautiful young people will be joined in marriage while two families are joined forever in friendship.
Allicyn's grand-mother and Chris's  grand-mother (my mother-in-law) began talking, thinking that each looked familiar. Well you guessed it they grew up across the street from each other and hadn't seen each other in many years! Just another one of those coincidences!
Can't wait till Friday! No hurricanes in sight, thank goodness, just a little on the cool side! 
I'll take it!

Everyone Has A Story!

My Story
We were babysitting the grandchildren there were two at the time, Kathy was pregnant for our third. I took Mike to school and returned to a still sleeping grand-daughter! 
Will, called from the other room,"there's been an accident, a plane hit the World Trade Center." OMG upon first view! Then before my very eyes the second plane hit! We are at war and this country will never be the same, were my first words, feeling frightened in total disbelief. 
Within moments the reality began to sink in, I realized my daughter and son-in-law were flying in that same day from a convention held in Las Vegas. The only thing I knew for sure was that they were to land at 4PM in Boston, not knowing the whole itinerary. 
I can't even begin to describe the sheer horror that I felt at that moment. I began by calling the hotel the only thing they could tell me was that they had not checked out, but could not be sure, neither answered their cell phone. I called my son, "those poor people in the planes I screamed," not even comprehending the poor souls lost in the Towers! He said he would make some calls. There was another report of a plane down. By this time I was hyper-ventilating, totally out of control. Not in my personality, or so I thought!
My story has a good ending we heard from our daughter around noon. They were in fact in the air at the time of the attacks and were headed for a layover in Phoenix, AZ. 
My God, don't fly home I commanded not realizing that all planes had been grounded. 
They rented the last car available and drove back to Massachusetts. 
A neighbor was an airline stewardess on flight 103 and covered for a friend on that fateful day, she left behind two small children and her husband! 
To all those families who lost loved ones my heart and soul goes out to you. 
You are forever in my thoughts!
So many stories and everyone has one or at least you remember where you were and what you were doing! 

Go Fly A Kite!

Scene 1

Scene 2
"The optimist pleasantly ponders how high his kite will fly; the pessimist woefully wonders how soon his kite will fall."~William Arthur Ward~ 
Here I go with that wishy washy stuff again. Couldn't make up my mind which photo to publish! I really do like the second one better but I had to show you the overall size of this giant stream of happy.
Probably the largest hand held kite I've ever seen, the tail had to be at least a 100 feet or more. A very windy day, many kites were flying high, shadowed by the presence of this magnificent display of organized freely flowing fabric. 
Families picnicking by the bay a wonderful day to lift one's spirits and keep their kite afloat.  
Have a wonderful day and with all due respect, Go Fly a Kite! Things are looking up!

Reflections!

Observations
I fully intended to capture only the lower half of this window. With a little cropping it would be just perfect. The box is attached to a historic building which has been converted into a jewelry store on the first level and an apartment on the second! Handsomely accessorized with a distinct carved wooden door, painted in a rich black high gloss, bejeweled with shiny brass hardware securing the content of the building. A show stopper for sure! 
It was the reflection of the gas lantern that caught my attention first, how very cool is that, I thought. The buildings behind the gas lantern a definite wow, then low and behold, there I was, ME, in the lower left windowpane, clicking away! 
Moral of the story: observe and be careful of what you publish, one could definitely incriminate one's self! 
Have a wonderful day!

Before The Rain!

Before The Rain

"There is music wherever there is harmony, order, or proportion."~Thomas Browne~

Can you hear the music, feel the harmony, sense the order all of which is working in the correct proportion in this photo? There are days when one is glad to have had their camera in hand when a scene like the one above presents itself. 

The clouds hung low, air warm with a hint of brisk, the sea smelled as a seashore should, calmness lent itself into taking in as much fresh air as one possibly could! 
Just an all great day to be alive and fortunate enough to experience it. 
It has been pouring here for three straight days, very intense at times. Rain, rain, go away come again some other day! Rose needs to go out and play! Corny yes, but my camera is getting restless! 
Have a wonderful day!

Perfect Penmanship!

Scene 1

Scene 2
"The trees are God's great alphabet: With them He writes in shining green
Across the world His thoughts serene."~Leonora Speyer~ 
I have driven down this familiar road in town many times always quite taken by the west branch of the river which runs along side it. A very scenic view dotted with water craft of all shapes and sizes. How is it then I totally missed this gorgeous tree of which I finally took notice? Not  particularly beautiful by gorgeous tree standards, but a tree of character, shaped by it's sometimes harsh environment, withstanding the test of time. 
Thank goodness for my instrument of capture allowing me to capture God's serenity, taking notice of His perfect penmanship! 
Loved both photos, could not make up my mind??? Enjoy!

Thoughts Of Fall!

Fall
"How bravely Autumn paints upon the sky
The gorgeous fame of Summer which is fled!"
~Thomas Hood~
Going thru some of my photos I came upon this lovely scene. I took this photo several weeks ago, loved the angle and view thru the porch. Captured at Westport Point, a very well established historic area of town. 
The day was a bit overcast with a fall like briskness in the air. I converted the photo to black and white, adding Kim Klassen's textures, Cracker Jack at soft light 67%, along with Autumn Burst, soft light at 72%. 
A pretty simple photoshop recipe for that impending kind of fall look. Needing a jacket this week as temperatures will drop to the low sixties. Falling leaves and cooler temps a sure sign of a new season to follow. Pouring today, off to breakfast with some friends, umbrella in tow. 
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Look At The Rainbow!

Look At The Rainbow
"My heart leaps up when I behold a rainbow in the sky."~William Wordsworth~
I do not think I've ever seen a rainbow that did not capture my full attention, or be with someone who did not hesitate for a moment, upon first view, to point one out! 
They are seldom seen, with each performance being as grand as the first. 
Rainbows speak to us in a way that no other natural phenomena can. 
Just think of all the emotions, feelings and associations that are conjured up by the simple word rainbow! 
Take notice of any rainbow, hold it dear to your heart, let it symbolize for you all that is hopeful, for they are fleeting gifts of beauty painted forever on the canvas of the minds eye!
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A Very Sweet Bachelorette!

Bachelorette Party
I really do apologize for the not so good photo. It was taken with my cell phone but I think you get the idea of how darn cute she is! Allicyn's banner reads Bachelorette, you can barely detect a veil, which she wore proudly. A group of us took Allicyn out for a fun dinner at the Waterfront Grill in downtown New Bedford, last evening. She was sitting down the other end of the table, I only got bits and pieces of her conversation, the one thing I heard repetitively was my son's name. Chris, Chris, Chis, music to a mother's ears! 
Grandma here, left about 9:30, my idea of fun is my blankie and the couch! 
The young ones went on to party at several hot spots. All still sleeping, bet there are some great stories, some of which mother's really don't need to hear! 
Beauty, brains, loves to cook and adores my son, what more could a mother-in-law ask??? 

A Path Well Taken!

300/365
I happen to know where this path leads, an easy and safe track, where the ocean in all it's splendor awaits me. 
We are shown many paths in life some we choose to take, some we reject, while others lead to a fork in the road causing us to suffer chronic indecision for a very long time. 
Still there are unknown paths that we know we should take but fear keeps us from taking that first step. Sometimes it takes a little extra push, eradicating all excuses from one's vocabulary. 
It is the Path of Chance to prove to ourselves that, yes we can. 
Scary, tripping and taking hold at times, knowing that no journey worth it's while is an easy one. Triumphs along the way with the encouragement from others and self belief, can lead us to enormous self-discovery. 
There are oceans of possibilities that await us down that less trodden unknown, Path of Chance! 
Just take the first step! 

Local Color!

Local Color
"Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship."~Budda~
I just love this photo and this place. Fresh corn is now in abundance here, an all time family favorite. It is a riot to watch the grand-children eat it with all the new hardware in their mouths. Braces definitely slows one down. Maybe silly, but can't wait to buy corn so I can bring my camera along with the grand-children to experience this peaceful environment, time and time again. There is always a multitude of photos and experiences to be had!
Here is Alderbrook Farm's description on the web..."Small family farm offering locally grown produce in season. Also, farm fresh eggs, milk, cut flowers, herbs, items from Dartmouth Grange shared-use kitchen, honey, maple syrup, breads, and baked goods. We also offer birdseed bird houses, candles and gift items. We encourage a visit with our barnyard animals."
Nancy the owner, a retired postmaster, is more than willing to share her knowledge, especially with the children. 
Just a bit of local color to spread the wealth, feel the contentment and restore the faith. 
Have a wonderful day! 

click on photo for larger view