what's the buzz?

 Looks like this bee-utiful flower is the place to "bee!" 🐝 🌻

the friday feed: 5 bags of tortilla chips

The farm, friends, fireworks, food, and Fritos...that's what filled my Fourth.

From 9:00 until 2:00 I worked at the farmers market with non-stop customers buying  mainly sweet corn, onions, tomatoes, and bouquets of flowers for their Fourth of July picnics. We had twelve bags of corn, each filled with five dozen ears of corn, and in two hours eight bags of corn had been emptied. Oh, sweet corn...what a taste of summer! Regardless of how you cook your corn, all it needs is butter and salt, and you're off to summertime bliss.

Now for food, friends, fireworks, and Fritos. A dear friend moved into a new home and she invited us over for a picnic and fireworks. She asked me to bring an appetizer. Since I was working, I wanted to make something simple but fun and tasty. The good ole seven layer taco dip that was so popular in the '80s was my contribution. I didn't have time to go to the grocery store so Todd got the list and the task to buy the  ingredients: refried beans, sour cream, cream cheese, black olives, shredded cheddar, and tortilla chips.

Todd doesn't go to the grocery store very often but when he does he loves to look around and he finds bargains. Well, he found a bargain. Buy two bags of tortilla chips and get three FREE. Five bags of tortilla chips. 

Deep breath. "What are we going to do with five bags of tortilla chips?"

"They're not the big party size bags, they're the smaller ones. We can give some to the kids." (Three of our four kids live out of town. Do you think a bag of chips would be a sufficient bribe to get them to drive 3+ hours for a visit? 🤣).

We took two bags to the gathering and by the end of the evening only a few scoops of dip and a handful of chips remained. Two down, three to go...

 

a grand ole flag

• “When Freedom from her mountain height / Unfurled her standard to the air / She tore the azure robe of night / And set the star of glory there.”  Joseph Rodman Drake, “The American Flag”
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wednesday's words and wonderings and wanderings

Wow...Monday was July 1. As a friend said as June turned over to July, "July is the hump month of summer." The athletic and music activities have returned to the high school's campus, signaling the new academic year that starts on August 18. July is the 183rd day of 2024, marking the second half of 2024. The calendar pages keep turning and time marches on.

This past weekend we celebrated our first grandson's 2nd birthday with a party in Cleveland. The invitees included both sets of grandparents, Great-Grandma, and Andrew and Jen's friends from college and high school who are now starting their families. What fun to see the the next generation of little ones and to reflect back on the days when we were the young parents chasing after our little people.

From the birthday party in Cleveland, a quick trip to Chicago to celebrate a wonderful man's life. He was my son-in-law's mom's life partner. Jim lived life to the fullest. He rode a Harley, played the drums, was an expert fisherman and boatsman, was a grill master extraordinaire and an over-the-top fish fryer, a wonderful father and grandpa, always willing to help with anything, just the kindest man and wonderful friend. Cancer (melanoma) took his life. A good guy gone too soon. This was a time for those who knew and loved Jim to reflect on our lives, grateful that he was part of our lives, but also to think about how we can be a positive influence to those we love, to our friends, to our communities.

It was a weekend to celebrate a young life and the future ahead of him and one to celebrate a life well-lived and his legacy. The circle of life.

It's the circle of life
And it moves us all
Through despair and hope
Through faith and love
'Til we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the circle
The circle of life

~ from "The Lion King"

a walk in the woods

We spent a lot of time in the car over the weekend. After we got home, unpacked the car and our suitcases, Todd cut the grass and I went to Hill & Dales MetroPark to unwind from our road trip.  A lot of people were at the park to enjoy the fresh air on this cool summer day: dog walkers, people sitting on the benches by the pond reading or chatting. There must have been a shift change at the nearby hospital as quite a few people in their medical uniforms were on the trail enjoying the peace of nature. Me, I plodded along and took pics of the wildflowers.

monday's mulling: july 1

July 1...The Second Half of the Year Day.

It’s the perfect time to reflect on how the year is going so far - on the New Year’s resolutions that were made, and on things hoped to be improved upon or changed now. It’s a time to reevaluate goals and objectives - related to diet, exercise, career, finances, big life decisions, or any other part of life - and if needed, take steps to get back on track.

Reflect on how the year is going so far. Do you have New Year’s resolutions that you started strong on that have fallen by the wayside? Are there new things that come to mind that you want to improve upon or change now? Today is the day to do it. Use the day to reevaluate your goals and objectives and get back on track!