I love the word besprinkle!

I call it a golden word.

Beginning tomorrow we shall be besprinkled for an entire week with:

~sand
~sun
~sea breezes
~umbrella shade
~ gobs of seashells
~ colorful beach towels
~salt water
~good literature
~seafood to eat
~walks on the beach
~beach chairs

Hope you will have a besprinkled week too!

josie dress

Opening a world of possibilities for girly summer dresses to be sewn in crisp cotton fabrics can be as simple as opening a girly book.

It needs a zipper. 

I have not set a zipper in a dress in years since buttons are my preferred method. I shake a little, even though a friend assures me she has a surefire method.

summertime yarn along

It has been quite a while since I've posted along with the wonderful knitters and readers of Ginny's Yarn Along. However, it is summer and that is the time to pull out one of those fiction books on the stacks just  begging to be read on lazy afternoons by the pool or in a lawn chair by the sea while the sea breezes stir the pages and sand burrows deep into the grooves.

Knitting a self-stripping sock is my remedy for mindless summer activity; I let other projects take on the most strenuous brain power, and so easy to slip into a purse or beach bag.

The book I recently began reading is by an author I have never read before, Elizabeth Bowen. This particular novel has acclaim as her choicest work. In reading about her life, she leaves an impression of not being my idea of a role model I would commend. We shall see how the novel's story unfolds. I am not abashed from laying aside any work of literature that I do not enjoy reading. There are so many other outstanding good reads why waste time on something not to your liking is my train of thought, especially in the good 'ole summertime!

lavender's blue dilly,dilly...

Burl Ives sings this song in the Disney film, "So Dear to My Heart". Perhaps you have seen it? So many things in it to charm and comfort a soul.

Not unlike the lavender that blooms in my backyard garden, planted near the stone walls. Lavender adores limestone and it has never ceased from thriving every year in my garden. Of course the application of lime to your soil will also help make your lavender happy.

Lavender syrup is so simple to make and I love having a jar of it in my refrigerator to pull out whenever I want to add a bit of summer's nectar to my iced tea or lemonade. Initially I gave the recipe a couple of summers ago. Making syrups, I have found, are very adaptable especially regarding the amount of sugar you must add to make your syrup. The typical recipe is 1 part water to 1 part sugar. I have sometimes altered that to half the amount of sugar, the syrup is not as thick, but still adds a good flavor to your drinks. Try it and see what you think. I now add the entire lavender sprigs, stems and all. You must strain it anyway and the stems contain huge amounts of lavendery flavor as well as the blossoms.

Lavender lemonade in my great-grandmother's punch bowl, with lemonade ice mold and a sprig of mint. Served at Charlotte's birthday party back in May.

summer reading program

During the summer vacations of my youth, I could think of nothing better to do than to spend hours of my "long" days reading books. The library was frequented often enough, but by far the paperbacks from Scholastic Book Company were the mainstay of my reading diet, titles such as Gone Away Lake, Magic Elizabeth, The Mystery of the Empty House, and Plain Girl.  Many of these books have been dug out once again and spread before Charlotte as a magnificent feast to be devoured, page by page. But first she reads a book received as a birthday gift, Dancing Shoes  by Neal Streatfeild of her shoe series. 

Charlotte finds various places to read daily but the back porch has become a favorite on summer mornings.

Red shoes (from the dress up closet), what part is she playing out I am wondering?

wise words to brides, new and old

                                              Rules for Married Life


1. Handle Joe's money well. That she knew was important. She had noticed that married people had more trouble about money than almost anything else. She would keep accounts, she resolved, and never be extravagant-unless Joe wanted to be.


2. Keep yourself looking nice when Joe's around. Don't plaster on sticky creams at night, or wear your hair in curlers. She would put up her hair after he went to work, she planned.


3. Wear pretty house dresses, like Mamma does, and see that they're always clean. Some organdy aprons would be nice, too.


4. Learn to cook. Betsy frowned over that one. You're fairly bright. You can learn if you try.


5. Always, always, be gentle and loving. No matter if you're tired or feeling cross. Papa and Mamma don't quarrel, she thought. You and Joe don't need to, either.

Betsy's Wedding

Maud Hart Lovelace

Since it is the season of brides, I thought you would enjoy Betsy's sagacious words!

"congratulations"

A celebration of another order, Alan's this time. We sent out invitations, decorated with cute things and cooked good food.

Friends and family showed up on this lovely Saturday in June and we enjoyed the time together to honor Alan upon his recent graduation from college. Then we stopped and prayed God's blessings on him and his future.

I positively could not have done this without the expended help from several others. Claire was a tremendous help with her creative art contributions, the making of a strawberry trifle, and sticking with me in the kitchen preparing this and that. I absolutely love having her as a daughter-in-law. A good friend came early and helped in the kitchen along with the baking of a delicious chocolate-peppermint cake. Then many others appeared in the kitchen and chipped right in conversing all the while during the washing up of all the china, silverware and glasses.

A special thanks goes to my photographer, seventeen year old Priscilla. Without her I would have no way of visually reliving the day's joys, of which there were many.

love tunes

    June days and an anniversary to celebrate.

Thirty-four years later we linger after an extremely delicious dinner eaten outside by the light of the moon and the glow of twinkling candles.

 There was the gentlest of breezes to brush our faces and whisper love tunes that only lovers could hear.

A Monday in May

I am scanning old photos and iphotoing like crazy today as we prepare Alan's graduation video for the luncheon we are giving in his honor on Saturday.

And here is something to give you a totally delightful pause in your day.

 Charlotte will be taking lessons on a string instrument in the fall. I have been faithfully birthing this thought in her since she was a wee little thing. Cello would be the string instrument of my choice, but she planned on trying both the violin and cello to decide what fits her the best...although watching this young woman play her violin might rather nip it in the bud.

"Do you think you could do this some day with classic ballet moves, Charlotte?" 

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ahoy little matey!

A baby boy expected in July put me to dreaming of a soft flannel blanket for his mother to swaddle him. Nautical themes for the nursery led me to sew and embroider this blanket of blue and white pinstripe

adding a crocheted edging of bright cardinal red.

This was wrapped in blue tissue paper and placed in a blue and white polka-dotted box with these baby wash cloths to wait for the little matey to make his appearance.

Snap! Some of what we did

Sometimes even I can be amazed at what can be fitted into a short period of time. Here are a few things we did while away.

 I liked the idea of a picnic using my English picnic basket with foods purchased from the food coop and local farmers' market. 

A planned visit to a historical site was on the agenda.

 Do you happen to know what happened on April 9, 1865 in our nation's history?

General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia. The actual signing was done in the private home of the McLeans.

on the steps of the McLean House

Room service, a super treat to some while my husband and I had evening plans to dine in a fancy restaurant.

When I asked Charlotte what was her favorite part of the weekend, she said walking across the glass walkway that led from the hotel's front driveway to downtown. This walkway crossed the Western and Norfolk RR tracks, a huge part of this city's and the hotel's history.

Farmer's Market

Top of a mountain

Riding an elephant, this makes it official, three out of four of my children have had the experience of riding an elephant. 

Does anyone want to guess what town we stayed in?