On our recent St. George Island vacation, we found a little path that led to a secluded bayside beach right at the end of our cross street. When we first went out there, I noticed it was the ideal spot to catch a spectacular photo of the sun setting over the bridge from the mainland, so I planned to come back out there that evening to catch the sunset. First night…cloudy and hazy from the heat. Second night…hazy from the heat. Third night…hazy from the heat. But while I was waiting for a break in the haze, I looked down and saw how the setting sun was shining light on the gems of the area….the lowly oysters. Ninety percent of the oysters consumed in the state of Florida come from the bay I was facing. I’d say they deserve a photo op!
CC Weekly Creativity Challenge: Steamed
Calling All Mullet Tossers
So, have you ever tossed a mullet? The second day of our vacation in St. George, we heard there was a mullet toss going on over at the Blue Parrot, the one big hangout on the island. The Blue Parrot is basically one little piece of Panama City Beach meets St. George Island. Well, since my girls had never seen a mullet toss (I must admit I have; I did go to college just an hour and a half from the Redneck Riviera, after all), we decided to wander on down there. They decided against actually participating—even though you got a really cool t-shirt for your $10 entry fee that went to charity—but they enjoyed watching, adding commentary like, "Mama! That guy just threw a REAL FISH!!!!" Maybe next time we’ll grab a mullet and take the prize. There’s quite an art to the toss, and we have a year to practice! (And if you must have this picture for the sheer fun of it, I'll be posting it in my photo Etsy shop!)
It’s been a very draining week, so I’m looking forward to heading down the lake for the day tomorrow. Enjoy your weekend!
The Lottery of Life...
When I got home, Wyanne’s wonderful Universe backed up her comment. The minute I walked in the door, Livvie was sitting on the couch and said, “Mama, where’s your new charm?” This morning I pulled my new anniversary charm out of its pretty little heart-shaped box and showed it to her before I placed the charm and my bracelet in my purse to get it soldered today. It was that very box she was holding, and she asked me if she could have it. “Look inside!” she said, “Sarah gave me a present!” Inside were a few coins and a heart-shaped bead, so I told her how nice that was of Sarah and that, yes, certainly she could have the box. She gave me a big Livvie hug like only little Livvie can do.
Then Sarah whispered at me from the stairs and asked me to come up stairs. She grabbed my hand and walked me into the guest room (where we keep all the wrapping supplies) and, still whispering, said, “Shhh….I’m wrapping more presents for Livvie.” On the floor were the shoe boxes from their new shoes Granddad bought them this weekend. Inside one shoe box were a Barbie and a few pieces of paper she had colored; inside the other were a sweater and her ladybug backpack. Yet still whispering, she asked me to help her wrap them. “But I need some tape and scissors. Can you find me some?” I told her I’d run downstairs and get her some and she said, “Okay, but come right back and don’t tell Livvie.” When I came back up with the tape and scissors, she started trying to wrap the boxes, then looked to me for help when she struggled. “Mama, I want to put one of those sparkly bows on each one, but I can’t open the box [they are stored in]. Can you help me?” I helped her open the box and she picked out two bows, one sparkly red and one sparkly green, and taped them to the presents.
She wanted to put the presents in a gift bag so we walked over to the closet to pick one out. Now, this closet is the very closet in which I stored Bunny C. I’ve told you about Bunny and Sister Bunny, so Bunny C is the third backup I found and stored away, only to be found by Sarah when I wasn’t looking. She named this one Fluffy because, being brand new, obviously she was rather fluffy! And at the moment, Fluffy was not in her special place in the special closet. “Sarah, did you take Fluffy out again?” I previously told her that Fluffy really wanted to live there until she really, really needed her, like when, *gasp*, Bunny and Sister Bunny both got lost or got so threadbare she couldn’t carry them around anymore. “Yes, Mama,” still whispering. “Well, do you know where she is?” “Um, no, Mama, I really can’t remember right now [trying to distract me]…I think Livvie would like this bag,” she said as she picked out a big blue one with snowflakes. Then she put the presents in the bag and took them down to Livvie, who happily opened them up and, snuggling up to her sister, asked Sarah if she wanted to watch Hannah Montana with her.
Thank you, Lord, for bringing me another one of life’s little moments to keep me on the right path and remind me that I have, in fact, won the lottery of life.
CC Weekly Creativity Challenge: Summer Vacation
Sand dollar hunts and golf cart rides
Lighthouse climbs and chasing tides
Living in the moment to savor the feeling
Of oyster shucking and boiled shrimp peeling
Forgetting the hassles, the chores and the bills
To cherish a vacation and the cheap little thrills
Only found in the summer with sand between your toes...
And ice cream on your nose...and salt air in your clothes...
Who knows...the joys you’ll find when you just let go and soar.
Happy Father's Day
The Tooth Fairy Pays a Visit
You Always Have to Come Home, Don't You?
Here's just one of the pictures I took. These pretty little flowers grow in the beach scrub. We have them growing along our back fence in yellow, but theses orangy-pink ones are really pretty, don’t you think? More later!
St. George Bound...
Just popping in between trips to say hello! I returned today from our state student government advisors workshop in St. Petersburg. Great trip with great people. This is always one of my favorite work trips of the year because it’s the only trip I get to travel to without my students. Though I could have done without the 151 Rum-marinated strawberries, Marjorie. :-)
Tomorrow morning, the family and I depart for beautiful St. George Island for a week. Both of these pictures are courtesy of the Florida State Park system. I’ll have mine to share with you next weekend. Have a great week!Finally...Pictures of my Booth
Though we got quite a bit of rain at the Riverside Arts Market Saturday and I learned that my booth sits smack dab in the middle of the main run-off area (and I mean right in the middle—I had about 3” of rain running through my booth at one point), I did at least get a few nice booth shots before the rain started! Here’s a close up shot and a full shot.
I’m still getting the hang of this set up and for the second week in a row, we forgot to pack something…this time my wire shelving I use to hang my earrings and pendants on...so DH had to once again make the trek back to the house. This set up is working nicely for combining the two media. I wish more of my large juried annual shows would allow two media in one booth! While my sales at RAM can’t come any where near competing with my larger shows, being able to combine more than one medium in one booth is definitely a nice benefit.I'll be in and out of town quite a bit over the next week and a half (for work AND for play) so things will be a little spotty here on the blog. Talk to ya again soon!
Sunday PostCard Art: Vintage Bathing Beauties
Time for June Free Bling Friday!
Graduation? Can't Be!
My girls last day of kindergarten is tomorrow. Tomorrow! Can’t be! I can’t believe my girls are soon to be six and going into first grade. So did you get cap and gown pictures when you “graduated” from kindergarten? I sure didn’t! How cool is that!? Though these grins, especially Sarah’s, speak of the “Say Cheese!” variety, when Sarah showed me her picture her biggest concern was that they flattened and covered up her curls. Ah, the vanity of a little diva. Livvie’s been developing her trademark camera smile; she’s quite the ham.
I’ve been reading a lot of Artful Blogging lately and thought about what I would write if I ever submitted an article to them…the whole “why do you blog?” story…and I realized one of the main reasons I blog is for my girls. Sure, this little ole blog is a great way to share my own artistic endeavors, but as you can see, I also tend to ramble on about my girls. I’ve mentioned here before that I never had the opportunity to learn about what my mom’s life was like when I was a kid. My fault I guess that I never thought to ask while I had the opportunity. I want my girls to remember what our lives were like when they were growing up, so really, what better way than to record little snippets of it for them in writing? I came across a website, Blurb, which will turn your blog into a book. I think that is just a fantabulous idea….you can pick and choose which posts you want to include to customize the book to your liking. Isn’t that just the coolest thing? Blurb, you are in my future.
Summery Greens...
Special Sisters...
As for me, I got a call from my own sibling this weekend, my sister Kim. I’m going to be an aunt! Kim and Rob got married in October and are now expecting. When she told me she didn’t expect it to happen this quickly, I asked her, “Well, you know how that happens right?” ;-)