Summer... and the livin' is fine!

It is definitely summer around here....long warm (translate...hot) days, eating out on the deck, gardening, yard projects, visits with family, afternoon thunderstorms, BLTs made from home-grown lettuce and tomatoes.  Yup...it is summer, the livin' is fine, and we are lovin' it!

This week there is a little lull in activity, tho' you can't tell it by looking at the calendar and our to-do list.  But let's look back just a little - in the past few weeks we have enjoyed visits with both family and friends, and more are on the way!

First we had a nice relaxing but fun visit with our friends, Dot and Arky, from Mississippi.  We met them when we were in Gulfport for several months after Katrina.  We did a lot of talking, catching up, playing games, eating, relaxing, exploring, and even more laughing.

(For more photos from their visit click here.)

Then we made a trip to the Tidewater area of Virginia for a graduation.  Can you believe it....we're old enough to have a grandson graduating from high school?  (Oops...we've already had two grandchildren reach that milestone before this particular event.)   Nah, we can't be THAT old, but we decided to go anyway.  Whatever....we ARE that old!  (Insert smiley face here.)
It was a busy weekend, and we were there as proud grandparents to watch Cody receive his diploma,

to wish Happy Birthday to both Ted (6/17) and Amber (6/19), and to celebrate with a pool party (at Cody's request).  It was a special time to be with family and Willie enjoyed being able to see all four of his kids at once! (More photos available here)

When we made the trip home, we had an extra body in the car....our almost-twelve-years-old grandson Nicholas rode back with us to spend a week at "Our Green Acre".  Nicholas was thrilled that we decided to purchase the Wii while he was there, and I do believe he initiated it in royal fashion.  I think his favorite word that week was "Wii"!  We did entice (or coerce, or....) him to participate in other activities....like an 81/2 mile hike on the AT with his grandpa, a couple of campfires in the fire pit (complete with s'mores, no less), a 17 mile bike ride on the Creeper Trail, bird-house building, fishing (yes, he caught his first fish, and second, and third, AND fourth), lessons on fire-starting and beekeeping!  And he really felt like he'd "arrived", when Daisy started climbing up in his lap (she's a very skittish and picky little Yorkie).

For more pics from Nicholas' visit, click here.

It had been a couple of momths since we had made the trek over to Biltmore, so one day last week we took advantage of the beautiful weather and headed over the mountain to Asheville....always a beautiful drive.  Once again, Biltmore did not disappoint, tho' we were dismayed to see that the Conservatory had sustained hail damage, and most of it was closed.  But we did take in a little extra....the Architect's Tour, which allowed us to see parts of the house that are not open to the general public.  And the views from the upper balconies and roof top....oh, my!

 More photos of our Biltmore visits can be found here.

In the midst of it all, the everyday things go on.....the garden - carrots, tomatoes, onions, banana peppers are producing, the beans and green peppers are getting nearer to that point...the swiss chard, romaine, beets and scallions are growing (photos here.....more to follow)....
the bees are doing well, and are (excuse the cliche) busy as bees (click here, more this weekend)...and then there are the ever-present projects - cleaning and staining/resealing the deck, repairing the shed, not to mention the on-going yard/lawn maintenance!

We are so grateful that God has blessed us with all of these wonders....and we are so in awe.  Our church is gearing up for Echo...where on the last Sunday of this month the church members will be servings in various ministries/outreach opportunities during what would normally be "church time"!  I love a church that goes beyond the four walls of its building and really reaches the community.  Pray for us during these next few weeks as we search where God would have us serve in an on-going basis.
That alone will be an adventure, a blessing, and a challenge....He has much in store!