Catching Up a Bit.....

Once again, I am asking myself where the summer went!

 This week the weather took a distinctly autumn turn; sunny, and a bit blustery, with a nip in the air, and nights as well as mornings that are downright chilly.

My favorite weather really. :)

Seeing as how it has been so long since I posted, let's back up a month or so, shall we?

And yes, you see it right, Boots is now the proud owner of a trombone (~he had been telling us how he would love to learn to play one since last year) and this is how it happened:

Back in July, before Big Brother left for summer camp, the mouth piece of his trumpet had become jammed in the instrument. (Some little person who we will allow to remain nameless had dropped it on the floor.) Since he really wanted it in proper working order before he left, as he was planning to play taps for the camp each night, my Knight took it to work to show to a guy who used to play the trumpet, and see if he had any tips for the best method of extraction. A fellow in the next cubicle or so over, heard them talking about trumpets, and asked if either of them would like a trombone! Apparently he had one in his trunk that he was planning to take to the Goodwill. So, yes, he gave it to My Knight right then and there.....for free! And the other guy who was the former trumpet player insisted on taking it home and gave it a thorough cleaning in his bathtub, bringing it back to work the next morning. All we had to do was order a new mouthpiece.

(I know!!!!!! So awesome, right??!!!!!!)

So now we have battles of the brass.

And while there are times that it can be a bit spine stiffening...

....I do love it.

On to other things....

I did manage to make some pie this summer.

Blueberry pie.

Mmmmmm.

My Knight and I left two days early to go pick Big Brother up from his summer camp, so that we could explore a bit of Wisconsin's beautiful Door County.

It had been a while since just the two of us had gone off anywhere, and we has such a wonderful time. Our first night, we spent in Sturgeon Bay, at a charming Bed and Breakfast called The Sawyer House.

For dinner, we walked down the street to a pub called Kitty O' Reilly's.

The food was so good! 

I was a bit sad to leave The Sawyer House the next morning, 

(See, I  brought my knitting basket along?)

but we really did have to get back on the road. Especially since we wanted to make it all the way up one side of the peninsula to its tip, and then back down the other before making our way back down to a hotel in Waupaca.

We stopped at Sister Bay for an early dinner, at a Swedish restaurant called Al Johnson's.

~They actually put goats out to graze on their sod roof!!!!

The food was very good ~I loved the pewter dishes!!!

It was the first time either of us had ever tasted (let alone heard of ) lingonberries.

We tried lingonberry jam, lemonade (for him) , tea (for me), and vinaigrette. 

Mmmm, were they tasty! 

We also had Wisconsin cheese curds and I ordered Swedish meatballs.

My Knight had to help me finish off my plate! 

Too much good food!

The lake was absolutely gorgeous,

looking as soft and smooth as velvet.

And while this isn't really as pretty, I had to take this shot of the big city (trying desperately to remember if it was Milwaukee or Chicago) on our way home. Doesn't the sky look ominous?

It was a bit surreal to be driving through with it looking like that.... 

Well, that has to be all for now, as my little girls are up, and demanding attention.

But I will try to be back soon. 

:)

Exciting Things, Part lll

Two weeks ago (tomorrow) my Knight and I (and Little Lady) were on our way to Arizona.

A very good friend (from the Wyoming college days) was getting married, and we decided (~a tad on the side of last minute;) to attend. 

We got in late Friday night, and the wedding took place Saturday afternoon.

It poured rain all day (~the first rain they had had since last fall!), but after the wedding the clouds broke, the sun came out.........and I simply cannot describe to you the beautiful colors! The picture above does not do it justice. It didn't seem real. And just in time for wedding pictures! God is so good. 

Arizona is beautiful.

I was in awe.

I couldn't get enough of the mountains and the cacti.

After Mass on Sunday, we spent the afternoon and evening with some other dear friends.

(~Also from Wyoming college days! What a coincidence!:)

It was so lovely. They have such a beautiful family.

And then on Monday, we drove four hours to the south rim of the Grand Canyon.

My friends, all the words and pictures in the world, could never do it justice.

(If you have ever been there, you understand, right?)

The brain reels at the vastness....

......the dizzying heights.......

......the sheer beauty......

I felt like I was in a daze.

It just didn't seem possible.

But it is.

On our way to the Watchtower, to get a view of the sunset over the canyon, we were held up by a herd of elk! It was my very first time to see them in person, and it was something for a first time! 

They were so close, I almost could have touched one by reaching out the window!

It was really pretty funny! They were in no way intimidated by all the vehicles, but just calmly went about their business, foraging and what-not.

But, back to the Grand Canyon.....

........just knowing that for all its immensity, it is just the tiniest reflection of God's majesty...

I think that is what is most awe~inspiring of all.

It brought on a great longing...

...a great yearning...

for Him. 

We were, unfortunately, a bit late to enter the little gift shop.

It looked so charming.

Perhaps next time.

And early the next morning, we flew back home.

Dear Arizona, I hope we can visit you again!

Where Has the Summer Gone???!

So much had happened this past month, I don't even know where to begin!!!

We got new siding and windows put on the house! That means I can open the windows in every room now! Heaven!!!!! And the weather has been absolutely glorious, so I have been doing just that! (No matter that they all still need to be trimmed out on the inside.....I'll get around to posting pictures one of these days...)

I made two blueberry pies within a week of each other. Couldn't help myself....the blueberries were only 99cents a pint!!!! (I froze a bunch too!)  I decided blueberry pie is my favorite pie ever.

We are finally getting tomatoes! Tons of them! We are in heaven!

Oh......I also made a strawberry-rhubarb pie. It is my Knight's favorite.....and was also very tasty. 

We  have been getting lots of green peppers! ~I caught my Knight eating one like an apple the other day. He is planning to even put out more pepper plants next year.

In early August, we spent two lovely weeks out in Wyoming with my Knight's wonderful family. And one of the things we did was play a little baseball. Such happy times! It is always so hard to leave!

On the long drive out I finished up that quilt I posted about a while back. Can you see the ant crawling across the top? That is Nancy. I embroidered her there for my dad........who used to lay on my bed and tell me stories about her (and her friend Sally the housefly) when I was little. He made them all up himself of course, and I loved them! So now he has been telling them to the grandchildren.....and I thought "hiding" Nancy somewhere on my quilt would be just perfect. ( I have to make one for Sally next!;)

We are back at school........I am teaching three this year, so things are much much busier. That is why you may very well not hear quite as much from me as formerly. So don't worry, all is well, just very very busy! Hope you all enjoy these last few weeks of summer! I, for one, am very ready for autumn to begin!