refreshment / refreshing

L - iphone / T - iphone

This was the first watermelon I have had all summer. Do you enjoy yours with salt or without, eat it with a spoon or a fork and knife? / waiting out the days in athens. papers are turned in, finals are tomorrow and family will be here for commencement on saturday. hotel life isn't so bad for the moment.

summer evenings / summer days

L - Nikon / T - iphone

Tis the season for summer concerts in the park. / bookbag tan - it's happening.

picked / cleaned

L - Nikon

...and eaten
This evening I picked a few before the birds ate them. They’re good straight from the tree but next I think I'll try them with chocolate.

Chocolate Covered Figs

• 4 whole fresh California figs with stems
• Fine sea salt; as needed
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Wash and dry figs; dust lightly with salt. Set aside. Measure chocolate chips into microwavable bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds; stir. Microwave for 30 seconds more and stir until chocolate is completely melted.

Holding fig by stem, dip in melted chocolate and set on wax paper-lined tray. Sprinkle with sea salt. Let stand until chocolate is set.

Serves: 4

iced / nice

L - Nikon / T - Nikon

Whew, it's hot. Today T and I went to Athens to do a little clean up and decorating to her apartment. She hasn't been there all summer and it was a bit stuffy and hot inside but it didn't slow her down any. While she worked, I had my mind on that sample of iced coffee I got at Starbucks yesterday.
She's been so incredibly productive this summer. During her time home she has organized my basement (not a small task - in fact a huge task), made a new mannequin and decoupaged it, painted shelves, created a upholstered headboard for her bed, and after she organized my mom's fabric closet she found some fabrics that inspired her so she quilted her very first piece and made a pillow cover out of it. In addition, she shopped for and cooked the meals for our weekly meal with my parents all summer long. And she told me today that, before she goes back in a couple of weeks, she plans to sketch out the portraits she has wanted to paint of me, my mom and her (each separate paintings of us at age 20). I'm so very proud of her. So proud that she chose to make good use of her summer. And you know what? I think she is proud too - she told me today that it's been the best summer. Now that's a nice thing to hear.

lush / plush

T - Nikon / L - Nikon

lush fresh juiciness of blackberries and plush green softness of moss - these are the luxuries of summer.

"Live in each season as it passes: breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit."
– Henry David Thoreau

thrill / chill

L - iphone / T - phone

There is no way the summer is almost over, right? Wrong. I can’t believe it’s flown by so quickly.. Our last post on June 30th seems so long ago! But we have been very busy little bees all summer, whether we were taking short weekend trips (a relaxing getaway to Savannah at the onset of the break) or weeklong trips to the big city (one of our more recent travels to Chicago, a first time for both of us). In between, I’ve gotten to spend a lot of time with my families on both sides. I was able to go see my cousin graduate from high school in California and spend some quality time with my grandma, which I don't get very often and really enjoyed. We also spent just last weekend in Kentucky with my mom’s side of the family (and we had a record number of attendees, I might add!). Each vacation was very different- some action packed and others with more down time than anything else, but each one has been such a blessing in its own way and I have loved every second of all of them.

After all, It’s not always about the activities you do or how quickly you do them, it’s all about who you spend your time with and allowing yourself to enjoy the down time that you may not normally have.

I hope you are all having an exciting summer or at least a refreshing one.

refuge / retreat

L - Nikon / T - Nikon


This little kitty was very shy - she wouldn't venture far from her safety zone, her refuge from the world of over-eager children wanting to play with her. Her brother was a little more accepting of the attention - even let Taylor pick him up. Taylor wanted to take both of them home with her. I hated to say no, but I had to. However she is going to try to place them in loving homes so they will be protected and loved. / i took this photo when i was in southern california a week ago. sad to say it's the only photo i took to speak of. this hotel room was my retreat - rather it was where i was stuck for lack of having a car (too long of a story). we had some good times and i have to admit there were some boring times. that's just the way it goes - summer has some of both.

Happy 1st day of Summer

L - iphone / T - phone pic

Taylor is away in the great sunshine state of California on this first day of summer. She said it's been a little chilly there, but it's probably a nice change from the heat and humidity of Georgia. Before she left town she re-did her "live by the sun" banner and this summer she has definitely been living by the sun - tanning every day. I did that when I was her age too, but she is smarter than I was - she uses the appropriate sun screen.
Ah summertime! There is a care-free quality about it isn't there? - even when we work every day like the rest. There's the excitement for summer vacations. We are looking forward to our summer trip this year to Chicago. Where are you going this summer?

dignity / inelegant

L - Nikon / T - phone pic

In the language of flowers, the magnolia blossom is symbolic of dignity. But in this heat it's having a hard time living up to it's reputation. We've had little, to no, rain and the flowers are suffering. But it looks like we might get some needed rain this weekend. / bunny is hot and lazy in the non air-conditioned heat of my apartment - keeps her out of trouble.

"What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance."

-- Jane Austen

Find a place in the shade and breath in the summer scents. What's one of your favorite summer scents? The sweet fragrance of gardenias in the evening breeze is one of mine.

Enjoy the weekend!

healthy / healthful

L - iphone / T - iphone

Taylor worked with me in my metalsmithing studio over the weekend. It was fun having her down there. She made herself a ring that says "bend don't break" and I snapped this phone pic while we chatted because I thought she looked so cute and summery in her little dress and hair all pulled up. She had a healthy glow to her skin after working landscape with her dad the past couple of days, but I don't think she was too happy about the t-shirt tan she got. She's pretty smart about using sun screen just like she's pretty smart about the foods she eats. "Ants on a log" is her idea of a great snack. Whereas I tend to go for the Snickers bar. What's your favorite type of snack?

splish / splash

L - iphone / T - phone pic

"Spring being a tough act to follow,
God created June."
- Al Bernstein

It seems as though summer came early. The flowers are already wilting in the hot sun. But I for one enjoy the heat in the day and the cooler softer evenings that June so often has to offer. How's the weather in your part of the country? / it's not much of a view, but it's private - relaxing and quiet - and i love it. especially in this heat.

faded blossom / dusty bloom

solo post - L, Nikon

I hope everyone had a fun and safe 4th of July. Mine was very laid back - spending most of the day just relaxing in the hammock with a new book. But the day was set off to a good start by going to church with my parents. There was uplifting patriotic music and the sermon was one of the best I've ever heard in my life. Truly. Such a great way to start the day. The day ended with a blast by lighting a few flowering fireworks at home. I continue to hear them going off throughout the neighborhood. T has gone off to enjoy some more fireworks with her friends.

lounge /recline

T - phone pic selfies

You'd think by looking at these photos that all they do is laze about, but it's not true. (well it's true for the cats). But not T. In fact one of the reasons I have been so slack about posting these last few weeks is because T has been working on my computer much of the time. She has a freelance job designing CD covers and I have to say I am very impressed with her work. When she's not working at the computer she's working very hard outside doing landscape work with her father or helping my dad out in his yard by cutting the grass, edging, etc. She's a very diligent worker – but she also knows how to relax - and that's a good thing too. right?

Hope your summer is filled with many relaxing, lazy days.

summer / everything's coming up daisies

solo post  but with her image, L - Nikon / T - Nikon

The other day I told you that T asked me to get her permission before posting an image from our photo shoot. Well out of all of them, she approved this one and 2 others – all in the series with the daisies. I love them. She took the photo of the daisies then she went to pick one and put it in her hair – I snapped some photos. Doesn't it say summer – a sundress and a daisies? For me the flower that epitomizes summer is a daisy – their sunny center and pure white petals dancing in the breeze speak of freshness and a free-spirit. Remember the innocent game as a young girl? summer love at camp - he loves me, he loves me not... Well she's no longer the innocent age of twelve but she does have a free spirit that can be refreshing. / these are not her words but what we remembered together.  The last time we were here was to shoot photos for our friend's music CD. The concept included an umbrella. We were getting some great photos, cool shadow images on the white wall and then I saw it – a drawing on the concrete. The drawing was of an umbrella and childlike sun. There happened to be a puddle and some leaves, too. What a fluke! T shot a photo and we used it in the CD package.

summer greens

L - NikonD60 / T - Nikon D40x Sigma 30mm lens

I'm so glad we did our photoshoot the other day. This nice grass field is now gone - cut to the ground – no more whispy wonderful grass. / i help my oma with a photoshoot of a little boy today. she usually takes the photos herself but since i was here i helped. i have to say we had a hard time getting him to relax – he didn't pose like a natural 6 yr old boy.