An Evening at the Lake~~~~~~~~

This evening after supper we decided to go to the Snowball stand and get a snowball. Our special treat during the summertime.  We than rode up to the State Park that we like to go to that has a beautiful lake.  We were not disappointed in the ride.  The lake was beautiful toward evening and had many different types of boats riding the waves.  We were high above  the lake at one point and it had a sloping hill going down to it.  I found this poem to share with my picture.

"The Lake Below"

by: L.D. Redmond

From the slope on the hill

I gaze upon the lake below,

Peaceful, lonesome and still,

As the even sun shines down

The surface gleams a rightly glow.

From the slope,

On the hill

My sight wonders deeper

Stretching down the valley

I enthrall its distant scope

Flowing gently.

With time to dally.

On the slope,

I see the gem glisten and lay

Nestled amongst nature.

Lake, you are a mighty display

With your body of enrapture.

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We watched many different types of boats passing us by.

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We drove down closer to the dock, where the boats presented a very colorful picture.

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"Fisherfolk"

by Robert Service

I like to look at fishermen

And often times I wish

One would be lucky now and then

And catch a little fish.

I watch them statuesque stand,

And at the water look;

But if they pull their float to land

It's just to bait a hook.

I ponder the psychology

That roots them in their place;

And wonder at the calm I see

In every angler's face.

There is such patience in their eyes.

Beside the river's brink;

And waiting for a bite or rise

I do not think they think.

Or else they are just gentlemen,

Who love--they know not why.

Green grace of trees or water when

It wimples to the sky.......

Sweet simple souls!  As van I watch

My heart to you is kind:

Most precious prize of all you catch,

Just peace of mind.

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As we neared the end of the lake, we saw some small boats in an alcove, enjoying the quiet and the fishing.

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A Fat ol' groundhog was enjoying his evening meal.  His hole in to the upper right of the picture. You can see them throughout the park.  They are oblivious to us humans.

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As we left the lake, we witnessed a beautiful Sunset, ending this wonderful evening.

Hope you all enjoyed this ride with us.  It is one of our favorite places to visit. And it is not more than 20 minutes from our home.  I thought I would "Take the time" to take some pictures tonight and share them with you.

Tomorrow is Father's Day. Hope all the Father's, Grandfather's, Uncles, and Brothers have a wonderful day. 

hugs to all.

 

                                                            

                                                           

A week spent at Sister-In ~Laws Shore home....

My husband is from a family of 3 sisters. He being the only boy. The sisters have all had shore homes and boats.  Now I keep asking my husband what happen to him?  I love the water, but his interest lie more in the mountains and streams and lakes.  Which is still okay with me, as long as it is water.  But just saying...........................

Any how only one sister lives on the water now. The other two have given up their shore and boat days, due to the aging process and all the upkeep that goes with living at the shore.

About two years ago we spent a week with his sister Jean. She lives on a creek that goes into the bay. It was a one room fishing hut years and years ago when they bought it. Camping out was the way to go back than, as the small hut did not provide much room for the family.  Anyhow through the years they added on and made a home there.  When  her husband retired, they moved there permanently. He passed away suddenly a few years ago. The family are always welcome to come and stay there and enjoy the beautiful view.

A pier leads off the yard into the water. where you can sit and enjoy the scenery.

Or you might want to throw over some crab pots and catch a few crabs for supper.

Watching the different boats go up and down the creek , is so pretty. And in the early morning and late evening you will see fishing boats coming or going from their day on the bay catching fish.

One day while my husband and I were sitting on the end of the pier, a Bald Eagle flew over our heads. What a wonderful sight that was.!

One morning our Smokey decided he was going to go on his own down the pier. The first time for him ever around water. And he did pretty good exploring.  So much in fact, that later that day, when a couple of us had left to go into town for lunch, he and Sarah ( miniature poodle) got out of the yard when  my husband's other sister was watching them.  He got lost, and when they came to find us and told us, we had to rush back.  It took us over 4 hours in the pitch dark driving around the inlet looking for him. We were frantic. We saw him a couple of times and he just ran from us. We finally found him, he and we were totally exhausted. All we kept thinking about was what would we do without him, if we could not find him. We had him for 15 years.  Sadly, this year at age 17 he passed away. We know what it is like not having him around. And we miss him very much.

One morning I had awaken early and went out on the side porch, and was met with a beautiful sunrise. It just took my breath away.

What a beautiful way to start the day.

The Mallard ducks were out bright and early looking for breakfast.

This old tree housed some birdhouses, filled with baby birds. We watched the mother birds flying in and out bringing back food for the little ones.

A Crane was walking up and down the side yard. Probably waiting for the fishing boats to go out and stir up some fish for him and his morning breakfast.

As the sun was setting each night, it too produced some beautiful displays on the water.

The Crane at  night on a neighbor's pier.

And the Seagulls settling down on another pier.

It was a wonderful relaxing week to be sure. Being with family and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

But as all good things must end, we had to head home.  We are hoping to visit again this summer.

And I still ask my husband " and you got into this family how???"""  lol

As summer is fast approaching us, we will try "To take the Time" and enjoy what this season has to offer for us.   Well, besides cutting grass for weeeks on end.

Hope everyone has a great weekend coming up. As it is, my husband and I are going to visit some dear friends that also live on the water. I have a post written about how we met them years ago when our first daughter and their first son were born.

hugs

                                       

The Princess and the Frog.......

                                                       The Princess.... Our Granddaughter Neve


                                  Neve had spent the night with us and was up early this morning, ready to explore our backyard.  Pop Pop was working on the garden , planting some vegetable plants and flowers.

He was preparing the ground for the seeds, using a tiller and a cultivator.

Neve was quite interested in the cultivator.

She had questions about what it was used for and if she could try it.

He told her it was to clear the weeds, open up the planting trench and tilling. Something that had to be done every day.

She seemed to be interested in what he was saying, as she surveyed what he had already done with the cultivator.

He told her she could try using it if she wanted to. But after a few minutes of thinking, as you can tell by her face, she decided that maybe it was something she would rather not do.

She decided that the couple of Weeping Willows near by, would be more fun and something neat to play under.

Weeping Willow Trees are the Bestest (lol) trees to play under.  This is where Fairies and Elves live and play. But humans cannot see them as they hide when we are about. Neve was looking for some type of clue that they lived there.

She was enjoying herself and using her imagination under the branches that hung low to the ground. We could hear her singing some songs that she was making up as she went along with her play.

                                                                   
I had told her that when we were little we would go under the Weeping Willows after a Spring Rain. We would tug at the branches and the raindrops would come down on us like a shower. So of course she tried it, since we had a heavy rain the night before. She was not disappointed !!

She came back to the garden and saw an onion that Pop Pop had pulled out of the ground. One that we started last year, and is now coming up. She couldn't believe the size of this Spring Onion.

She saw a Mother Wren fly into the birdhouse that Pop Pop had made and nailed to the fence about three years ago.  This is the first year a bird has taken up occupancy there. I tried for over an hour trying to catch her going in or out to take a picture, but she was too fast for me and the camera.

~The Frog..... in the Pond ~

After finishing up with the garden area, we decided to check out a few of the small ponds that we have around the yard. We wanted to show her some of the new baby goldfish that we had put in.

Also the green frogs that have made our ponds their home. They are very verbal most of the day. The sound they make sounds like a big rubber band being pulled back and released. 

This is a pond, my husband built about 2 years ago. We just add to it every year. Our new additions this year were 2 Koi fish and some new pond plants.  The round one is a planter with 5 different plants in it. It just moves around and around in the pond.  Well, Mr. Frog decided to jump on it and ride around the pond all day.  He is on the planter in the middle of the yellow flowers.

We got the biggest kick out of watching him. He was just sitting there enjoying the ride "like no body's business."  When he did his loud noise, Neve practically jumped in the air.  He is little but has a mighty voice.!!

At night when we have the windows opened, we hear him all night long.

We told Neve that since she was a  Princess and he was a Frog she could kiss him and see if he turned into a Prince.....Don't know why.... but she didn't go for that idea very well. She said that only happened in Fairy Tales.!!!  :-)

Another pond houses this frog.  He is not as handsome as the other frog. And Neve was still not interested in kissing this one either.

So guess the poor Frogs are just going to stay as Frogs.  Unless one day the Princess will come along and give him a big Kiss and he will again turn into a handsome Prince.

Meanwhile, between the pond and ~Taking the Time~ to play among the Fairies and Elves, our Green Frogs will have to enjoy the life they have.

Have a great week.  Have you kissed a Frog lately?????

hugs

                                                                             

                                                                                                        

A Spring Rain........

                                                 

A Spring Rain can be so peaceful and yet it can also turn into a terrific thunder storm. Last night we and our surrounding areas had a bad storm .  It caused a lot of damage in many areas. We were fortunate this time to not get the damage from this storm.  Tornado watches were up all around.
I would like to ~Take the Time~ to share some pictures that I took yesterday and a few poems about Spring Rains.

                                                  
                                                      A Spring Rain by Raymond Foss

"The World is wet today

luxurious, damp, drenched

drops hug the leaves,

anoint the still budded lilac blossoms

before their blooming

rich purple and  plum

made richer by their watery skin

New leaves under the weight

droplets heavy, hanging

bowing the  white pine needles

undersides exposed to drink

drink in the morning

hushed in the rain

temperatures near the dew point

sprouts of just planted flowers

eager from the parched soil

new puddles bloom too

on the ground, the driveway

collect and gather

 without the smell of summer rain yet

tears splash and spread

silent shimmers,heralds, messengers

in the Spring rain."

There is something mystical about raindrops and puddles.

The Rain....by William Henry Davis

"I hear the leaves drinking rain

I hear rich leaves on top

Giving the poor beneath

Drop after drop;

Tis a sweet noise to hear

These green leaves drinking near,

And when the sun comes out,

After this rain shall stop,

A wondrous Light will fill

Each dark, round drop;

I hope the sun shines bright

Twill be a lovely sight."

"A Spring Rain"....by Raymond A. Foss

He was hidden in the nascent

emerging buds of the

lilac branches, singing his

ornate, urgent, compelling song

to the back of the hall

to the ladies, to the heavens

letting the world hear his

beautiful, erudite trill

shared in joy,

piercing the momentary gloom

of the gentle spring rain."

                                                                           


                                                               

The rain makes things grow greener and produces beautiful flowers. It fills our streams and rivers.

All forms of life are benefited by the Rain.

Hope you can ~Take the Time ~ to enjoy a rainy day. Nothing like a nice, soft , gentle Spring rain.

 Our prayers are with those who suffered damage during the storm last night.  This type of rain is not the type we can enjoy.  We have to always be prepared for what a storm can bring. And as our environment changes so does our weather. And not always the best way.

Have a good weekend. And stay safe and dry!!

hugs