Almost Summer

A kid in the pool, a thriller novel in my bag and salt and vinegar chips on the picnic table- summer is taking over. We're trying to finish school work this week and I'm not sure who's more ready to be done, me or the children.

The repairs on the house are on hold while we wait for an official estimate. The delay is frustrating because it's so hard to make plans. If we can get our school year complete, that will be at least one thing off my plate.

We finally got some tomato plants in the garden and the flower beds are looking better. I'm also on the hunt for a good place to turn loose some mint. Mint is notorious for being invasive, but I think this family could handle an acre or two of it. After recently delivering an order which included mint ice cream, mint ice cream cones and mint bars, our Schwan man said, "I think this family has a mint deficiency." He may be on to something.

Summer is almost over...

My summer vacation is almost over. School starts next week and the fall craft show season will be in full swing soon. We've managed to have a fair amount of fun, though:

A couple of trips to the beach
Anniversary spent in Charleston, SC
A weekend in Atlanta
Family reunion at our place
Growing herbs, some for the first time like pineapple sage and stevia
Read a few books
Lots (but not enough) afternoons by the pool

The hot days will be around for a while yet, but my days without a schedule are ending. Back to math lessons, reading with the children, history (US history this year) and spelling. Actually, that doesn't sound too bad.

Back from our travels...

I have been looking forward to this day for quite a while. Andy and I have had loads to do in June, including a family reunion, an anniversary trip to Charleston and a business trip to Hilton Head. All three were fun, but took a lot of time and energy.

But today, feels like the real start of my summer. We don't have any more big events or trips planned. I get to stay home and work on orders for customers, water plants, tend chickens and get ready for our goats. I can also spend hours a day watching my children swim in the pool, one of my favorite things in the world to do. There will be canning, gardening and lots of reading.

Of course, I'll also be weeding the garden, breaking up arguments between my children and keeping an eye out for that king snake that likes to hang around the yard. Still, it's summer in the south and life is good.

Wordless Wednesday--Summer Supper

Family Reunion

We had a family reunion at our place yesterday. My cousins and I decided that we were tired of seeing each other only at funerals, and our family has had quite a few of those in recent years. So we picked a summer Saturday and put out the word.

I set up a drink station, with cups, napkins, and drinks in the coolers. Sweet tea in gallon jugs was added later.

The food table was prepped to receive all the goodies that I knew would arrive. Turns out, two of my guy cousins are awesome cooks. Who knew?

Tables and chairs, set and waiting for food and conversation:

And, my cousin Burt (sorry, but your dad is "Wayne"), getting ready for his big dive. We're all waiting.

And my son is ready for you...

'Bout time!

Pretty impressive form there, cousin.

Burt and his wife, Meredith, have a blog. She and I took pictures at the same time, so this shot may actually appear in two places on the web. Here's a link: The Burtons.

Stuff We Did Over the Weekend

I can't believe it's the end of May already! We finished our schoolwork on Friday and our summer vacation has officially begun. The flower beds will get the attention they deserve and the vegetable garden will be tended. The herbs will be watered and harvested at the peak of flavor and the pool will stay clean and the animals showered with attention. Okay, well, I can dream can't I?

The flowers are looking good; the warm temperatures are agreeing with most of them. These knockout roses are beginning to bloom profusely.



My containers are beginning to fill in well, although the grasss around the new steps hasn't grown back yet.

The vegetable garden finally got planted. We put in tomato plants, cucumbers, radishes, beets, squash, and eggplant.

When we got done with the chores, we headed for the pool to cool off. Abby the Ginormous Dog cooled off too. Unfortunately, she decided that digging in the dirt and covering herself with it was the way to go.

Cool.

The pool is finished! And it is looking sooooo tempting on these hot days.

The water temperature has only just gotten above 80 degrees, perfect for swimming. Below 80 and it's too cold for me; above about 87 and it just feels like bath water--yuck!

But right now, as Goldilocks said, "It's just right."