Six Word Fridays ~ Free!

May God bless us all as

we put aside our differences and

celebrate our shared gift of freedom.

Happy Fourth of July dear friends!

Sunday Funday!

I loved my Sunday.

It was eggs-tra good!

It started with puppy time.

He played in the park, and my girl and I got to hang out and talk.

And walk.

And feel the sunshine on our faces.

She put up with my interruptions for blooms and buds.
A "look at that" {pause for photo} thrown in... right in the middle of her story.

The best "look at that" was the random hawk (falcon?) spotting!
This guy drew quite a crowd along the path...he was hanging out in someone's yard!

I took som time by myself at Robbins Farm Park in Arlington.

{also known as skyline park, for obvious reasons!}

It was wonderful to sit in the sun and enjoy the view of my city.

The Marathon is being run today.

Here in Boston it's been a week filled with remembering last year...
remembering who we lost,

remarking on the courage and determination of the survivors,
and getting ready to take back this day for the runners and for the city.
I spent a nice, long quiet time alone with my thoughts and prayers
and enjoying the innocence and laughter of children playing.

Then it was home for the fun.

All the kids, some food that reminds us of Paris, and steaks on the grill.

There's always lots of laughter.

And good conversation.

But we "dine" in our sweats, so photo-ops are in short supply!

The funniest moment of the night was when my husband said,

"I'm ready for dessert!"

And then proceeded to spill the jelly beans out of my cute table decoration.

And eat them.

This Easter

my cathedral was made of a path, a hill, some sky and some trees

and

my congregation was my family

and 

my sermon for the day was:

"Sing to the Lord a new song;

sing to the Lord all the earth."

Psalm 96:1

It was a wonderful day.

Joining Tamar for

The Good. The Random. The Fun.
and Mama Kat's
Writer's Workshop

Look what I made {5}

Cheeeeziness...for Valentine's week.

It was thirty years ago, this Friday, that my sweet husband proposed to me.

Thirty years.

30.

Three-oh!

So, I might be cheeeeeezy all week over here.

I'm hanging heart wreaths on the doors.

I'm re-decorating my re-cycled spice jars with hearts....and lots of red and white.

{Remember my Thanksgiving Spice Jars and my Christma/Winter Spice Jars}

There's also going to be a birthday celebration this week.

And a visit from my brother and his new wife...
all the way from Hawaii!

So I've got everything looking very cheery, indeed.
{Might be watching Downton while I type}

AND....Here's a heart that found me!
Still busy with my easy-macro iPhone lens,
I was taking photos of ice crystals on the leaves of a small bush,
when I spotted this little heart!
It was only about half the size of the nail on my pinkie finger...
but it sweetened my day and got me in the Valentine's mood!

Joining friends for
The Good. The Random. The Fun.
and
Macro Monday

Six Word Fridays ~ Spice

Twas Thanksgiving day and all through

my house, not a creature was

stirring....neither pup, son or spouse!

We rested and rested and rested

some more, without thoughts of turkey

{nor of stores ~ that's for sure!}

I did lots of cooking and

spoiled my guys...the yummiest of 

spice cakes was the grand prize!

Tomorrow we'll feast ~ the whole family

home...Tyler, Melissa and even Jerome! 

BOO!!

This guy was hanging out by my side door for a few weeks.
Swinging on a huge web.
Coming and going.
Catching flies and such.

And casting creepy shadows.

I was going to kick him out after the trick-or-treaters left...
But Sandy took care of that for me!

Happy Halloween Everyone!

The word for Six Word Friday (11/02/12) is

QUESTION.

{what Questions are you asking? being asked? Do you question your choice - second guess yourself? The question is....}

Link up here!

town square ~ new england style

One of my favorite things about New England?
The beautiful, white churches that stand 

{old and proud}
in the center of so many of our towns.

In the summer the steeples glisten against the bright, blue skies.

In the fall, the steeples seem to be nesting in the colorful leaves.

I pass by this church almost every day.

This time of year the trees on the town green are
adorned with pretty lights.

And the steeple towers above, lit against the night sky.

Something about this sight

helps me to know I'm home.

Savor the Memories, Make them Last

Hustle and Bustle?

My heart is peaceful this morning.

I am well rested.

We have had a wonderful, relaxing, 

long

weekend.

I'm hoping to carry this feeling through the end of the year...

through the 'holiday season' with all it's potential for

hustle and bustle.

Let's see if I can relax and enjoy!

Because it'll be over before we know it - 

and I don't want to loose 

the important

in the middle of all the 

hustle and bustle.

No need to rush.

Let's just live it one precious day at a time!

Celebrate With Thanksgiving!

Thank you God. You have made
me all that I am and
given me all that I have.

Thank you God. You are the
perfect Father, guiding me, protecting me,
trusting me and believing in me.

Thank you God. Your grace and
goodness inspire my heart and heal
me when I'm hurt or weary.

Thank you God. For my husband.
For his laughter, his love, all
his hard work. And his faithfulness.

Thank you God. For my children.
They have filled my life more
than I could have ever imagined.

Thank you God. For this table
and the love that we share
here. And for yet another day.

Ode to the Holiday Season

On the night before Christmas at our little house,
Just one story was read, by a man - not a mouse!
The stockings I packed up last year (with great care)
Are awaiting their turn after turkey day fare.

My children are nestled in new, grown up lives -
but visions of holidays past come alive!
These pages, they tell me, that though kids may roam,
Thanksgiving and Christmas will bring them back home!

Take a Moment to Remember

me·mo·ri·al

–noun

something designed to preserve the memory of a person, event, etc., as a monument or a holiday.

–adjective

preserving the memory of a person or thing; commemorative: memorial services.  

of or pertaining to the memory.

When I think about all the memories that I have preserved in scrapbooks and picture frames, I am filled with gratitude for all the people, places and experiences that have made our lives what they are today. As a family, for generations, we have known possibility. We have traveled, known a myriad of professions, lived in many different parts of this country, and celebrated the milestones of our lives together.

Freely.

I'm sure I don't appreciate this freedom in the same way that my immigrant great grandparents appreciated it. Maybe I appreciate it a bit more than the youngest of the cousins...I hope so. As I honor the memory of all these family members - from young, to long gone - may I take a moment to remember that every aspect of our lives has been shaped by possibility, by choice, by freedom.

Today, and everyday, help me never to take that for granted.