St. Simons Lighthouse

This summer Abigail and GranMom are taking off for about a week to St. Simons Island, Georgia for an adventure on Three Barrier Islands: St. Simons, Jekyll, and Sapelo. Abigail has been studying in preparation for the trip. She is sooooo excited. Part of the trip includes visiting the St. Simons Lighthouse.

Can you tell where this is going?








This was the end of day one.


Day two. Please excuse the hair...field day at school today and it was a million degrees with 300% humidity.


Penciling it in...gotta be "just right"


Outlining is her least favorite. I love the way she's practically lying down.


Whew.


Bigger paintbrush = happy Abigail.


Ta-da!

Country Best Farm Strawberry Adventure

What a great place this is! We've stopped in a time or two over the last couple of years but I had no idea how big this place really is. Thanks to a strawberry picking field trip with EG's school I came out of there with a new favorite place for produce.

Several acres of fresh fruits and veggies. They grow peaches, satsumas, squash, onions, potatoes, and of course strawberries just to name a few. They also do cakes, pies, chicken salad and homemade ice cream...chocolate, vanilla, peach, strawberry and blueberry...and it is GOOD!


I love this...the honor system. Ahhhh a wonderful place. We will be getting all our fresh produce here from now on...well all the stuff we don't grow in our garden that is.


The girls were ready to get started!


Filling those buckets. Well Layla was anyway. Get a look at the expression on EG's face. She makes me smile.


Layla really liked this particular strawberry....it was a funny shape.


EG did some picking for the bucket....and a little for herself. (pesticide free folks)


A few more for herself...


Mmmmmm, juicy.


With full buckets in tow we headed back to the main building to pay for our haul...and get some of that wonderful homemade ice cream. EG was tired.


This is Wes.


And his twin brother, Wyatt.


A really great group of kids. :)


For those of you who live locally you can (and should) visit this place. Country Best Farm is located at 1711 Moates Rd. Enterprise, AL 36330 (334) 393-7224. It's just a couple miles off the circle headed toward New Brockton on hwy 84.

I love it when she paints

Several months ago I made a request. I asked Abigail to paint me a sunflower, a big sunflower. I wanted it to hang in the water closet under the stairs.

I missed the sketching of the flower and came on this.


She used the rug from the room to get the color "just right"


This part took her a looooong time


A Really Long Time


She let it dry between classes and came back to it yesterday. Another coat of blue....


And now that it's finished EG has decided it would look better in her room. She's probably right. So much for MY sunflower....but I do love it when she paints.

Wordless Wednesday

Splishy Splashy

Today was one of those near perfect days. The weather was fantastic! EG and I set out with Megan and Layla over to Miss Melissa's house for a water play date.

EG and Lacie were the first ones in.


Splishy Splashy.


Miss Layla getting ready to dive in. She is so cute.


Marvin showed up with his Incredible Hulk to defend himself against the wild girls.


Lacie taking a little break.


Things were getting a little crazy so we thought we'd add some sugar into the mix.


Savy. Big blue eyed Savy.....


Little Luna and mom Trish.


Luna was turned loose to make a big ole mess in the grass...not on mom's lap!


On a completely unrelated note....GranMom the clothes you sent Abigail were a perfect fit. Thank you!

Treasure from Merida, Mexico

"When we went to Merida, Mexico, from Mexico City for Spring break in 1964, I bought baby size guayabera shirts and huiple dresses in the Merida market. Some we gave as presents to friends and family with children. I kept a selection of both. The little dresses [huiple pronounced he-peel] remained in my trunk until Brian brought the girls for a visit on a warm day and I got them out -- just in time because Elizabeth was almost too big for them." Caroline Wilkins aka GranMom

That was about 3 years ago. Here is a picture of EG wearing the huiple about 6 months after GranMom gave it to her.

Yeah, it was a bit short...but I really, really liked it.

In fact I like them (there are two) so much that I have left them hanging in EG's closet all this time. Until this morning when I thought....why not.

I WILL get another summer out of these treasures. When it's all over I will put them away in a trunk and wait for my girls to come by with their girls (if we're lucky) on a warm day so I can get them out again.

Is it a Bluebird? Is it a Blue Tanager? No it's a....

By now it shouldn't be any surprise that I am obsessed with the birds in the backyard. Since we moved here we have made over 30 different identifications...and I'm actually proud of it. Last week something on the feeders caught my eye. Little, blue...make that bright blue, not a bluebird feasting on the seeds in the yard. Dozens of them. It has taken over a week to capture an image cause these things are super shy and seem to know when you are armed with a camera. This afternoon the girls and I were playing in the yard when they showed up again. I ran in the house and grabbed Abigail's camera (chasing them all off). I planted myself on the sidewalk beside the shop and waited. And waited. And waited.

Finally!


Right about the time I was loading the pics to the computer Megan, who must have been reading my mind since she is as bird obsessed as I am, sent over a suggestion...blue finch?


Nope try again.


Indigo Bunting. I dismissed the idea that they were Indigo Buntings when they first showed up...I couldn't even tell you why. Side by side pics from the yard and pics online...yep, Indigo Bunting.