Preparing for the Summer Solstice and Simply Enjoying Summer

I feel as if I haven't got a word to share here, other than a mundane update of our doings, and account of how we are spending these summer days.

We are in the full swing of Summer here and I can feel it slipping away already. Being a non homeschooling family, I hold tight to Summer as that time to get all of those "other" important life lessons in with my family. I feel an intense pressure to seize the opportunities that each day offers.

This first picture was taken yesterday at our breakfast table, after we lit our morning candle and spread good thoughts out to "everyone in the whole world." My eleven year old threw that last thought in as our "thinking about" list of people grew longer and longer and longer . . .

We had big plans yesterday, but fortunately, some days the rain pushes us inside and lets us catch up on those things we have been meaning to get to, like table work.

This picture was actually taken last week, but I wanted to share it since I got the idea for gluing buttons on watercolor paintings from Montessori Mama, who always shares her good ideas.

I have been trying my hardest to get in a fair amount of my own table work, as I am knee deep in a few projects of my own right now, the least of which is preparing for our summer solstice fellowship service. I happily volunteered for it, but am now just hoping I can pull it off.

I am focusing on the theme of gifts for the service (especially those that are less tangible) but keep getting hung up thinking about bees. We'll see how that all works out.



We have been spending lots of time watching the gardens grow and the flowers bloom. I have a new camera, and I cannot stay away from the growing things with it. Its hard to figure out, but I am happy to have to had the fun of taking about 100 pictures (no exaggeration) of the blooming lilies in my yard.
















We have made about 4 trips to the library already, but have yet to make it to the pool. Well, actually I went once for an hour with the big boy, but it hardly counted. We must get to the pool soon, and the beach. How could I let two weeks of Summer slip by by with no swimming?


My eleven year old broke the pattern of sending me off to drum circle alone and came along for the fun last weekend. Just about nothing could have made me happier. Drumming in Summer feels good, especially when your kid is sitting right there next to you.


We have attended funerals and luncheons for an old friend, and attended dance recitals, both of which made tears run down my face. I hardly talk about my beautiful, wonderful, creative, smart, no... brilliant, glorious step daughter on this blog, but you might get the gist of how I feel about her anyway. She has been such a gift in my life. I never knew she would teach me so much, but she does and I get the feeling that the learning is JUST beginning.

Summer has that strange way of putting us in constant juxtaposition with ourselves. It seems like we are trying to hold onto those long lazy days of humidity and heat, while simultaneously running around as fast as we can in our air conditioned cars trying to squeeze as many things as we can into our weeks.

Visiting family, and high school graduations are par for the course of summer days.

After our family reunion last weekend, I feel compelled to share this photo of my mom and step dad with you. I normally don't post pictures of other people without asking, but I am sure they will let me know if its a problem.

I bet you didn't know I was the spawn of real life old world pioneers?

Summer. So much to do, so many gardens, so many salads, so much to see, so much to love.

I could go on and on,
but I'll spare you more of the mundane for now.

How are you spending your Summer days?