this moment

blog sharing with

soulemama and friends...

a single photo.

no words.

a simple...extraordinary moment

from my week.

a moment to pause, savor,

and remember.

amen.

winner

I enetered a giveaway

recently...

hundreds were vying for the

spot...but

there can only be one

winner.

Any guess who won?

Lil ol' me!

That's who!

Eyes Open Creative Photography

E-Course

with our host

Erin Wallace.

Here I am viewing the Week 1

syllabus...

Yeah, I said syllabus.

After reading the first lesson

my head hurt

just a bit.

My brain is on

summer break...

I will be reading and re-reading

until a morsel

absorbs.

But that will have to wait...

with baby sister Mary in town

there was fun to

be had.

I'll pack the camera...

doing instead of studying

theory.

All packed in big sister, Tina's

plush Caddy

(when you own the nicest car you always

get driving duty...I'm

holding onto my Jeep forever!)

we headed to Tecumseh, MI

about 1 hour north

of our hometown area.

Destination

British Tea Garden

for lunch and crumpets

and a spot of

tea.

It's true what they say...

backdoor guests are

the best.

Seated at our table

as our waitress

with a cute short haircut

(where's that pic?)

prepared our teas...

my choice

a rooibos

Ginger Pepper Orange

Very nice and mild...

browsed the shop while mom

paid the tab...

gee-whiz...

by-gosh-by-golly...

you-didn't-have-to-

but-I'm-sure-

gald-you-did!

Thanks, mom.

Or is it mum?

Saw this window seat

and thought...

next time.

What can I say...

we are lovers of our land

you can travel anywhere...

as long as its

not far from home...

Even vacation plans

land us in our

beautiful state...

yep...

going up north for

our late July vacation...

where the temps are cool and breezy

and the beaches would

have Florida blushing!

This ad has been brought

to you by

The Michigan Tourist Association.

What a rude interruption...

now

back to our daytrip.

Where Mary is riding the hump...

see where being the baby lands you!

She's showing me

her pretty floss

choices in variegated

shades...

planning a lovely cross stitch

piece.

Caught in a minor road

delay got us to dreaming

of opening

a shop of our very own...

a sister's fantasy.

This house would be

perfect with a little

renovation...

hang our shingle and

the masses will

come.

A long day that

ended with a family

picnic at Vienna Park

packing pizza

corn hole

frizbees

and hours of chasing

my little girls

around the monkey bars.

When I dropped them off

at home

the skyline was calling

for a photo...

a red barn in the foreground...

come on!

it doesn't get any better...

I swear that's a barn...

trust me.

Take two.

Maybe if you enlarge the

picture you can see

what I'm talking about.

Damn it!

I know my camera has a setting

that will capture

this moment.

Fuss with camera

to no avail.

Ah...

Kierstin you look so

adorable...

let me take your picture...

pretty please!

Now sit very still this

time because that one

was a bit blurry.

Snap.

Trust me.

She is adorable.

Back to the books...

I got some learnin to do.

(Erin's got her work cut out for her!)

:)

way of the wind

i found this rusty

windmill

roadside

while on a bike ride.

i pulled over to read

the free sign and

proceeded to

call home for some

pick-up assistance.

it was the first time

i had my cell phone with me...

some might call it

fate.

the owner walked over

to talk with me...

she said that it needed

some tlc

instead they decided to replace it ...

she was happy it

was going home with

someone who appreciated

it as much as she did...

and quote...

not to some metal scrappers!

I didn't have the heart to

tell her that

i was one of those...

i didn't have to

since i knew this

beauty

was going to find

new life...

in my yard.

my handy man

gave it some

rudy love

and now it

spins in the wind

like a happy

song.

a few questions

still remain...

should i paint it

or leave it

natural...

with all its glorius

wear and tear?

where or where

should it

stand

and catch the breeze?

here or there?

my garden or the community garden?

until each option is

fully weighed...

to exhaustion!

sorry family...

my man put it where

he thought it

should

be...

in our front yard...

with the rest

of my rusty

diamonds.

once again

i saw it

in my mind's eye...

and my man

made the

vision

a reality.

it's the way of things...

the way of the wind.

thank you, babe.

why we do

 nature preserve

 way station

milkweed garden

monarch heaven.

it is said that the monarch

will migrate south

where it

continues its life cycle

of laying eggs

and finally dieing.

the new caterpillar

will emerge and begin its

life cycle

and

when it becomes

a beautiful butterfly

it will migrate

north

to the very location

its parent

butterfly

lived.

my yard.

and that's why

we do what we

do.

standing

in awe of

everyday miracles.

this moment

Joining Soule Mama and her many

friends in this Friday ritual.

A single photo.

No words.

A simple...extraordinary moment

from my week.

Oh, sweet daisy...how I love you!

the longest day...

ushers in a new

light

a brighter light

a warmer

stronger

directly overhead

light

the day is

different

just last night

a single candle

shone in

the darkness

for an

evening

swim

to keep

bugs

at

bay

today

on this first

full

day

a shift has

occurred

a calm

quiet

reflection

of

yesterday

hovers

above

sit

or get

dizzy

sing

a song

of

seasons

pause

pray

think of

 days

ahead

and those already

tread

my place

 shares

in this newness

of light

on the wings

of these

brief

long

summer

days

roadside stands

None better

in my opinion

than this baby...

Tucker's Farm

located on W. Temperance Road

in the town with

the same name.

Offering daily produce

 picked or pulled that very day

fresh from the field.

A sign by the road

will tell you what is 

available.

Enticing me to pull-in and

plan what's

for dinner.

Now we're talking

real local.  

Proudly displaying their

 new

badge of

honor.

Congratulations, Tucker's.

And thank you.

On this particular day

raspberries

were advertised.

I loved those Babycakes

scones so much

I wanted...needed...

craved

more!

After pulling my Jeep off-road ...

I took the

 short walk

to the

stand...

where I was greeted

by...

self-serve signs...

with pricing...

info...

and instructions

for payment...

with clearly

written directions...

and visuals

to assist.

Only in

small town

USA.

Where the honor system

is alive and

well.

This just pulls at my heart

in a big way.

Thank you

Tucker Farmers

for placing

your trust in me.

I'm the one who paid

in pennies.

(I was low on cash, but had to

have those

berries.)

:)

solstice skirt

In celebration of

sleeves and

summer.

The solstice skirt.

Again utilizing my t-shirt

parts to create

something

new...

 from

old...

removed sleeves.

This time

allowing the hem

to retain its

wild

gypsy caravan

feel.

The edges didn't

quite line-up

and somehow

it all

worked.

I kept doing

my thing...

and let it do

its.

I gave it a wide waistband

to add to the

flexible styling...

a high waist...

a rolled waist...

fold-over...

below the belly button

or above.

It all depends on your mood.

But wait...

something is missing...

Ah...

that's it.

Just in time for the

summer solstice...

when as you well know...

clothes are optional.

I couldn't resist it.

;)

emergency kit

It was

Father's Day Weekend

after all.

Outdoor projects.

Hot and humid weather.

I could have kept

everyone hydrated

by trucking it

in and out...

out and in.

Or...

find a better solution

since I was one of the workers.

A self serve station.

Complete

with the lime

to put in your

coconut.

My attempt

at making sure

 Father's Day

was a happy day.

:)