Summer Days

I am just amazed at how swiftly the summer has passed by! It has been an entire month since my last post and summer vacation is nearly over. The girls start school next week, I can hardly believe it! We have had a very busy and wonderful summer. I love summer for experiencing the present moment. No other season captures my attention like this one! I am going to try and recap in photos what our last month has been like. We have been so lucky to have family visits, lots of berry picking, summer library programs, a trip to the beach, hikes, swims, art making and kitchen fun.

First Mom came for a visit - we got to enjoy the Arboretum, through a rainshower and playing in the creek at Montreat.

Mom made a beautiful blueberry linzer torte with rose petals for my birthday.

Here is my birthday hat made by Vivienne...

Then I got another wonderful birthday surprise - Amy came for a visit! Mia took this photo.

Not only was it a birthday week but David and I celebrated 16 years of marriage!


We took a nice hike off the Parkway.

We spent the afternoon with friends at Caroline and Don's farm

And went blueberry picking - yum, the best berries ever!

The kids had a crazy dress-up parade with Rachael

Off we went for a trip to the beach - where we visited with the Hassett clan.

Mia and Great Grandma

The first thing Vivienne did when we got home was harvest the vegetables from our garden. And the kids made a really amazing tomato-cucumber salsa for lunch

Parades, Cookouts and Fireworks! Lavender, Goats and Lemonade!

These are the elements of our first week of July. We learned of a neighborhood parade on the 4th at the last minute and joined in the fun. How I love our neighborhood! After walking a loop around, waving at the folks on their porches , we shared lemonades and said hello to friends. And in the evening, enjoyed a mellow barbeque with friends and a few small fireworks to end the day.

Today was a wonderful lavender festival at Mountain Farm, and we enjoyed seeing baby goats, running around a lavender labyrinth, making art and admiring the beauty of the farm. The girls made a lovely fairy house for all to enjoy. And we came home to a glorious thundershower, which our garden loved!

And a Happy 10th Birthday to our dear cousin, Augustine!