Looking for the gifts. Life's bits of happiness, if willing to open up and see.

6) Sunshine and blue ski after weeks of rain.



7) Remembering that the rain (but the sun helps too!) helps the garden grow

8) Our small town Father's Day parade

My boys "escaping" from the jail

9) Peaceful strolls on Sundays.

10) Daddys. His, mine and theirs. And remembering them not only one their special day, but always!

remember when

Last year at this time.....

My garden helper found time to sample the garden goods:

Good dirt that is.

And this year:

Yum! Rhubarb! And she has left the dirt where it belongs (well, mostly!)

The weather outside is

Rainy....again!!

Even the poor beagle-girl is unimpressed!

So what is one to do?

Create!

~Create warmth

~create art~

~create racing machines and the barrels to jump over~

~create music~

Create memories in finding simple pleasures.

Something new for Mondays

I have long enjoyed reading Ann's blog and on Mondays, she, and others reflect on life's gifts. All different kinds of gifts. That are easy to overlook, but none the less, they are the little things that bring a smile to one's face. And bring a reminder of His daily love. So here it goes....

1) All the rain that's making our seeds grow.

2) All the rain that sings softly aiding sleep to come.

3) The girl parties that allow me to dress my favorite little one like this:


4) Summertime heat that gives plenty of reason to have banana shakes for supper (a family tradition!)

5) Bloggers that inspire me to keep my eyes open and be grateful for all of life's gifts.

Remember when

Remembering the first time our family traditions included our baby girl:

She sat in the seat we sat her in because she didn't know how to move. She throughly enjoyed her empty cone at our favorite ice cream and antique shop in Northern Wisconsin.

And now this year.

She won't even sit still.

And she didn't get to hold her cone because there was ice cream in it. And she had places to go and people to wave to and a stop to Mom for a lick was sufficient.

And it is after all a camping trip, don't mind the hair.

today

in my wanderings today

beauty in my backyard

little gifts

growing potential

captured in the moment

in the newly sprouted bean plants

in the tiny little growing apples

in the diapers drying in the breeze

in the beagle relaxing in the sun

in a precious goat kid overcome with curiosity

in a smiley little one