WRAP MY ARMS AROUND THE DAY

This morning I woke up and just thought: "I'd like to wrap my arms around today." My days are coming to a close as I know them this summer. I love summer. It is my time to do what I want to do...no agendas, no lesson plans, no meetings, well, not many anyway. My time is mine!

The days have been perfect with sunshine and even the humidity. Occasionally, a rain shower. Just enough to dampen the ground and cool things off a bit. I know the farmers don't feel the same. They want it to rain and rain and rain. I know we need it. But I still love this weather.

I have been tending the neighbor's garden as they are on vacation for a couple weeks. That is fine with me. I water her flowers and then pick all the veggies that we love. We have fresh beans and cumcumber salad every night. The tomatoes are just getting ripe and we have a few of the small ones in our salads. They can go on vacation every year as far as I am concerned.

This morning after our 5 mile walk, we poured our cereal into bowls with milk sloshing in them, grabbed our Activia and headed for the deck. We sat there in the sunshine among our flowers and listened to the birds while we ate.

Yes, I just want to wrap my arms around each day I have left of this beautiful season. The verse in Psalms comes to mind on these mornings: "This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!" I am taking every minute and putting it in a special place to remember when winter winds come upon us!

HOW I SPEND MY TIME

I have had a few days to just stay home, read and enjoy the pool. That is my ideal summer past time. Many times I am just too busy to do it. This week has been a dream for me. Not only did I have the time, but also the weather was awesome. Here are some pictures of where I spend my time.

Here is the deck where I sit for lunch, take time to read or just watch the birds. The flowers at the bottom of the deck are doing great this year.

I just got two new shepherd's hooks for some hanging baskets. This was just the touch the south end of the pool needed.

Most of my time, however, is spent right here. I am either on the deck chair, reading away or in the pool floating around with a pop in the holder and a book in my hand. This is really my favorite spot when I am home in the summer. Just wish our summers were longer!

THEN AND NOW

Each year when I plant my flowers, I wonder: Will they ever grow? The growth comes so slowly when I know I only have few weeks to enjoy these beautys. I plant them, water them and keep watching and watching. Here are pictures of a couple places in our backyard when I first planted them and how they look now!

Poetry Through Flowers

"The flower is the poetry of reproduction. It is an example of the eternal seductiveness of life."
---Jean Giraudoux

For poetry Friday I give you a slice of my garden!