1) A picnic at Wellington Beach
2) A visit to Story Land with grandkids
3) Ice cream at Frosty Scoops
4) A lobster bake
5) A visit to the science center with grandkids
6) Tram car to the top of Cannon Mountain, then hiking the rim trail
7) Enjoying fried seafood or other takeout at a picnic table at Riverside Dairy Joy
8) The Fourth of July get-together at the home of friends
9) Sitting on the screened porch of a cottage by a pond or lake
10) Playing miniature golf with grandkids
I would like to think we could manage all ten this summer, but I would settle for seven or eight, I guess!
2. Do you collect seashells when you're at the beach?
I am more likely to collect sea glass.
What do you do with them once you get them home?
Sand dollars and sea glass would be displayed or used in craft projects.
What's your favorite place to comb for seashells?
The beach at Cabot Provincial Park in PEI for sea glass; the same beach, plus Popham Beach in Maine, for sand dollars.
How many of these 'best beaches for hunting seashells' have you visited? Which one would you most like to visit?
Calvert Cliffs State Park (Maryland), Jeffrey's Bay (South Africa), Sanibel Island (Florida), Shipwreck Beach (Lanai Hawaii), Ocracoke Island (North Carolina), Galveston Island (Texas) and The Bahamas
I haven't visited any of those places. I would probably like to visit Okracoke Island in NC if I had to choose one of them.
3. At a snail's pace, shell out money, come out of your shell, go back into your shell, drop a bombshell, happy as a clam, clam up...which 'shell' phrase could most recently be applied to some event or circumstance in your life? Explain.
Tasked with settling an estate and having to deal with legalities and paperwork, I would very happily go back into my shell. And wish I could do so right. now.
Trying to think ... Summer tends to be pretty short here, so there probably isn't anything I truly dislike. There are things I don't personally enjoy, but nothing I can think of that I absolutely dislike.
5. What's something you see as quickly becoming obsolete? Does that bother you?
Maybe handwritten notes or letters. I hope that doesn't happen, but it could. And that does bother me because handwritten letters can be real treasures.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
Having trouble thinking right now ... any coherent thought at all. Everything just feels like too much. However, God is in control and this is on my plate so -- in His strength alone -- I will manage to deal with it.
Your photos are beautiful and so summer-like! Hope settling the estate wraps up soon so you have some time to relax and enjoy the summer. The strawberries look delicious!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ann! Looking forward to scenes like these is what keeps me going in the winter and the ugly "spring" that we have here.
DeleteThe strawberries were picked in Vermont and were indeed delicious. Looking forward to picking some in a few weeks when they are ready at the u-pick farm.
Not sure how quickly things will wrap up ... it's not looking real likely that will be the case, but God knows.
You have a great summer list, and I hope you get to all 10 : ) I'm sorry if life feels a bit overwhelming for you just now. Settling an estate is an enormous job, and I wish you well as you work through all the legal mumbo jumbo, paperwork, and memories.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Joyce. I expected it to be difficult and confusing, but I was feeling encouraged earlier this week. Not so now. Only trying to encourage myself in the Lord as David did!
DeleteYes, I hope we get to all 10 activities also. I left out some good ones like picking strawberries and watching collegiate league baseball ... just didn't think of them.
Settling an estate is not easy, for sure. My husband just finished that task and we've one more court date in July. In our case it also involved a hoarder's house to clean out. I will pray for you. Did I tell you that I've never eaten lobster in my life? Living in a state with 15,000 lakes but no ocean, it tends not to be a thing here in Wisconsin. I'd love to attend a lobster bake though.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, I have a hoarder's house to clean out also. My mother was the hoarder (and she was not anywhere near as bad as some!) but after she died my dad was just in survival mode and did well to take care of himself after a fashion. He could never have dealt with the clutter and didn't really see it anyway.
DeleteThanks so much for your prayers, Judy. Greatly appreciated.
No, I don't think I did know that you had never eaten lobster in your life! If you visit New England you must try it. Lobster stew or a lobster roll would probably be a good place to start.
Oh I hear you on your final point. I have so much going on right now to include a court case. Being the representative for an estate is mind boggling, time consuming, and very wearying to be sure. It may test your mettle, but The Lord is right there with you and He will get you through.
ReplyDeleteYour post is just plain pretty. I so enjoyed the lovely photos you used to illustrate. Perfection! Hope that you get to all the items on your list.
Now let's talk loon cam...I watched the egg a lot this morning as that is the focus. Am I imagining a line running along the length of the egg with a teeny-tiny hole? And is there a tiny little beak pecking away in that hole? I can't tell because the grasses sway and obstruct my view. Maybe I can tell by going back to see if there's been some progress. And is it only I or do I also hear faint pecking? Ha! I'll be as loony as a loon after this is over.
Thank you so much for the encouraging words, Vee. I'm sure it's no accident that I've recently been meditating on Philippians 4:13, Joshua 1:8, and Joshua 1:9. "Be strong and of good courage!" "I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me!" "The LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest!"
DeleteI'm glad you enjoyed the photos. I tend to have quite a few summer photos. New England in the summer is particularly photogenic, don't you agree? I always forget over the winter about how very green and flowery everything gets. And the gorgeous blue of lakes, oceans, and sky. How silly not to be able to trust the Creator of such beauty!
I was thinking (and hoping) those same things about the loon egg. The spots on the egg, plus the swaying grasses you mentioned, were indeed deceiving.
Sometimes I can read...nesting is done...they have moved on...that egg has been collected...sigh
ReplyDeleteI knew that I was dreaming!
Did you watch the video of the egg collecting, Vee? I watched part of it before having to go and do something else. Very interesting.
DeleteI think I read that they hope to do another loon cam with a different nest on a different lake. Can we handle the suspense?
Perhaps you can handle the suspense, but I have gone around the bend. 😜 No, I did not see any of the egg collecting. Do they do a autopsy on an egg?
DeleteI think you would enjoy seeing them retrieve the egg. I think the video is titled Loon Egg Collection -- not sure. The assumption seems to be that perhaps the inviable egg was the first egg laid in the nest and that, due to black flies, it wasn't tended quite as carefully as after the second egg was laid. They do consider this a successful nest -- check it out at loon.org. They said that due to the interest in this loon cam, they probably would open it up and examine the contents, etc. They did an informal "float test" with the egg. Interesting! Like you would do in your own kitchen if you question whether an egg is good or not.
DeleteThey do say on the site that there will probably be another loon cam live next week in a different location.
Those strawberries look delicious and I adore hydrangeas! Sorry for the stress you're under with settling the estate...hopefully, all will be well very soon!
ReplyDeleteThank you, April. It's not looking like a quick process. I was really hoping to enjoy the summer, and in God's strength and with His peace, I will.
DeleteThose hydrangeas ... aren't they so incredibly blue? That photo was taken on an island in Maine. I'm guessing it must be something in the salt air.
What wonderful photos! I'm feeling more summery already! And the "talk" and pictures of seafood...oh, lead me to it. We are big seafood lovers. Is a lobster bake like a clam bake? I've always wanted to go to one of those.
ReplyDeleteThe lobster bake that we have been to is actually billed as a "clambake" but every person gets two lobsters, a dozen clams, baked potato, corn on the cob, and more. Plus chowder to start and blueberry cake for dessert. You can check it out here: Cabbage Island Clambakes!
DeleteYUM!!!
DeleteNow that I've looked at the site, I have to say it seems very familiar. I've read 3 or 4 books in a cozy mystery series about a family in Maine who runs boat tours to their island for clambakes twice a day.
DeleteIsn't that interesting, Stacy!? Can you remember the titles of any of the books? I would love to learn more about them.
DeleteUgh. Legalities and paperwork. I'm so sorry because I understand the stress of that. What pretty pics you posted and although I still mail out cards and notes, nobody seems interested in letters. Your list of summertime things is good.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nonnie! And I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures.
DeleteLetters ... my mother saved an entire storage box full of letters from her Aunt Mabel, who knew how to write a good letter! I am not sure I'm going to be able to bring myself to throw them away.
Sounds like a fun summer! I know from doing my aunt & uncles estate, it is no picnic. I still send out thank you notes but the younger generations just don't seem to be interested. Yes God is in control....Amen!
ReplyDeleteI hope we can manage to do most of the things on that list in spite of our busyness, Debby!
DeleteSo thankful that God is in control and His timing is absolutely perfect!
I love sea glass! We have one place here in Florida that is known for it. I was angling to make that our Xmas vayacy spot but I got out-voted for Stone Mountain.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter collected jars full of sea glass. So pretty! I have made a few cute votive holders by gluing sea glass to clear glass votives.
DeleteBeautiful pictures!
ReplyDeleteOcracoke, I'd have to say. It's the photo I use for my icon!
Thank you, Sandi! Isn't that interesting about your icon! I've never been to Ocracoke, but I have long wanted to visit the Outer Banks.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry I'm so late commenting here...trying to catch up after being gone can be a challenge! I enjoyed your answers and your beautiful summer photos, especially the colorful canoes on the bank with that beautiful blue water in the background, that yummy lobster and corn and those gorgeous strawberries! So much to enjoy in the summertime...enjoy yours!
ReplyDeleteOh, never worry about being late, Debby! I am just happy to see your smiling face here!
DeleteThat photo with the colorful kayaks was taken at a remote pond where my extended family owns a cottage. When our kids/grandkids from out West were here in 2015, we booked the cottage for a couple of nights and borrowed kayaks and canoes. Lots of fun memories.
Enjoy your summer too. Hope your time in TN was wonderful!