Catching up with you...Two Posts Worth!

I split this up into TWO posts again (one right after another) because it's been 21 days since I last posted...YIKES...time is flying too fast! I'm still breathing, still beading, and trying to enjoy all summer has to offer. I'm finishing up two dotee dolls for friends and still working on one doll that needs to find her owner SOON!!! I am going to set a deadline for myself because I really need a little time to play with fabric and prepare for the BJP that starts in September and feel prepared!

I got this lovely shot last week, one early morning when I couldn't sleep and the sun was just coming up! I have never really thought to go grab my camera this early in the morning before...usually because I haven't had my coffee yet...but it was just beautiful! Due to the fact that I really am a night owl, I usually am asleep! However, with the wonderful... menopausal thing and age...I'm finding myself waking up more often in the middle of the night and sleeping less. Maybe because of that, I'll be getting more sunrise pictures! ;-)

At the end of June, we had one evening of some WILD thunder and lightening! I have never tried to take pictures of lightening before and it isn't easy to catch the strike! Spencer and a friend were over for dinner that night and wanted to try too, so altogether we must have snapped 100 + pictures and kept maybe 10! But it was fun trying to catch the lightening from our deck. The lightening was across the valley at the time but switched and started coming our way and that was it...time to go in! But thought I'd share a couple with you.


My oldest son came home for 11 days from June 26th-July 6th! He took vacation time and was in a good friend's wedding on the 4th of July! His friend Bryan, has been a dear friend of his since grade school and is like another son in our home...among a few...and he is a sweetheart! We have never been to a 4th of July wedding before, but it was lovely! It was at a new golf course in Happy Valley up on a hill, near where we live, that overlooks the valley toward downtown Portland. Actually from our deck, across the valley in the last three pictures, Happy Valley is the hill you see! You could see the fireworks in the evening and there were tons of sparklers going off when the limo swept them away! It was a fun evening, even though it seemed a little odd getting dressed up and not doing the normal BBQ thing. Bittersweet, too, because the 4th of July was my mom's birthday. But we had a nice time and still made it home and watched the rest of the fireworks from our deck and enjoyed the rest of the evening.
This handsome man is my oldest son, Blake! He is the son who lives and works near San Francisco. He has been away for two years now and when he comes home, mom is one happy camper! He is a lot of fun, a big teddy bear, and we all have a great time together. Both our boys are such great men! When we are together, we all have the best time with lots of laughs, memories, and fun! Blake and Spence are our pride and joy!!!
May I introduce to you... Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Sager! They are a beautiful couple and they were both just beaming with JOY! They are both teachers (Bryan just received his Master's last year) and they are off to an all-inclusive resort in Mexico for their honeymoon!

I'm sharing a picture I've had for a LONG time and came across it in my desk recently. He is "Bacchus"...The Roman God of Wine..Dec. 1884. The photograph says..."a deep secret do I hide but I shall guard and keep it." Do you SEE the deep secret that he hides?? Let me know if you see it! ;-)

Continued below. . .