100 moments of summer...(no. 78-87)

"All in all, it was a never-to-be-forgotten summer — one of those summers which come seldom into any life, but leave a rich heritage of beautiful memories in their going — one of those summers which, in a fortunate combination of delightful weather, delightful friends and delightful doing, come as near to perfection as anything can come in this world."  ~L.M. Montgomery

Summer is about enjoying, making, watching, remembering and going...


enjoying...a visit to downtown Nashville (good food and great people watching)
making... something new out of something old
watching...the ducks and geese on my walk around the lake
remembering...all the fun times spent at the stables, watching my daughter take lessons
going... to the beach with my daughter, watching her do cartwheels on the sand
enjoying...a beautiful evening walk by the bay
watching...a gorgeous white swan swim in the lake outside my son's new dorm
enjoying...helping to teach an awesome on-line class at BigPictureClasses.com
going...to a Bird's of Prey show and being amazed at the beauty of the owls

100 moments of summer (no. 78)...

"This is what it's all about. What could be better than this?"  ~ Big-Z ( from "Surfs Up" )

"The best surfer out there is the one having the most fun"  ~ Duke Kahanamoku

"It’s all about where your mind’s at."  ~Kelly Slater

I love going down to the inlet early in the morning to watch the surfers.  This particular morning the ocean was even more beautiful than usual...the water reflected the light and it looked like it was sprinkled with diamonds.  As I watched the surfers I wondered if they could see how magical the ocean looked...somehow I think they knew.  

100 moments of summer...(no. 77)

A sailor’s joys are as simple as a child’s.   ~ Bernard Moitessier

It's out there at sea that you are really yourself.  ~Vito Dumas

                                     

                                     

 

I always enjoy spending time at the fishing docks.  On one side of the docks you'll find the gorgeous fishing boats and yachts, some worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.  They are truly stunning and you can tell that they're all well taken care of.  On the other side of the docks you'll find the work boats. They're all rusty and worn and messy. I continually find myself drawn to the work boats...to me they just have so much more character! 

100 moments of summer (71-76)

"The most simple things can bring the most happiness."  ~Izabella Scoropco

Some of the best things in life are the most simple of things...

Children playing on the beach without a care in the world.
Steamed crabs with your family...and messy hands and laughter.
Watching a ferris wheel go round & round on the boardwalk
A garden of white daisies
A quiet day by the pool with a good book
A seagull flying alone above the sea

100 moments of summer (no. 39-70)

"You see, but you do not observe"  ~Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

"You can observe a lot just watching."  ~Yogi Berra

"Look around you...Feel the wind, smell the air. Listen to the birds and watch they sky. Tell me what is happening in the wide world."  ~Nancy Farmer 

One of the things that I love about taking pictures is that I notice things that I normally wouldn't pay attention to.  When I look through the lens I'm more aware of the little things that might otherwise go unseen...and when I slow down to see these things I also take the time to observe how they affect my other senses.  How they smell, or sound, or taste, or feel.

Things like...

the taste of fresh peaches on my cereal in the morning.
listening to the sound of the seagulls and of the waves crashing when I go to the beach.
finding cool shapes and shadows in dune fences on the sand.
looking up and seeing a yellow roof outlined against the bright sky.
looking down and seeing a colorful beach ball rolling by at the pool.
feeling a sense of peace when surrounded by the beauty of the bay.
how much better burgers taste when cooked on the grill.
watching people on the beach...fish,build sand castles,hold hands,fly kites,walk dogs & play.
feeling grateful when doing everyday chores (like laundry or dishes) for a life well lived.
seeing a beautiful butterfly or white heron and thinking about how awesome nature is.
enjoying all the inspiration found on the internet via Pinterest or Instagram.
eating a frozen yogurt (with yummy toppings) outside on a summer night with the kids.
listening to the music of the merry-go-round & remembering all the fun times we had.
watching my daughter pack for sophmore year of college & wondering where the time went.
smelling chlorine & sunscreen and feeling the warm sun on my face when we're at the pool.
counting how many bunnies we see on our evening bike rides
being amazed at how gorgeous a summer sunrise over the ocean is.
spending time watching tv shows together with my family.
hearing the sounds of geese flying overhead.
appreciating the gorgeous summer flowers we see on our evening walk.
going to watch a movie on the beach (Brave)...and getting rained out, but still having fun.
noticing how fast the time goes when you're spending it with a good friend.
seeing a white contrail in the sky and wondering where the plane is going or where it's been.
going to my mom's house for a delicious home cooked meal
taking a nice 15 minute afternoon nap in a rocking  chair on the deck.
going on a trip to city that we all love and seeing familiar sights & visiting favorites places.
finding beauty in old and abandoned things...and wondering about what their story is.
watching Top Ten Plays on ESPN with my son.
hearing the laughter of my kids...best sound in the world.
making pancakes (with chocolate chips) for breakfast with my daughter...so good.
going back to school shopping...and feeling not quite ready for the summer to end.


So very grateful for all of these little things that make summer (and life) special.













...

100 moments of summer - (no. 38)

“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.”   ~Charles William Eliot
"We read to know that we're not alone."  ~William Nicholson

“Do not read, as children do, to amuse yourself, or like the ambitious, for the purpose of instruction. No, read in order to live.”   ~Gustave Faubert

Not a day go by that I don't have a book in my hand.  No matter what the day may bring, I always find time to read. Books, magazines, newspapers....from the bookstore, or Amazon, or borrowed from the library or from a friend...in winter, spring, summer or fall.

Words that come to mind when I think of reading and books...

magic
comfort
light
love
discovery
growth
life
hope
peace
happiness
friend

home.

100 moments of summer (no. 37)

“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing    you say to yourself?"

"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"

"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.

Pooh nodded thoughtfully. "It's the same thing," he said.”   ~A.A. Milne

Breakfast of Champions...in our pantry

Honeynut Cheerios (with peaches on top)
Kashi GoLean Crisp! (triple berry crumble)
Bear Naked granola (added into vanilla greek yogurt)
Nutri-grain bars (blueberry, strawberry or mixed berry)
Granola bars
Peanut butter (to put on top of whole wheat mini bagels)
Pancake mix & syrup (with chocolate chips, of course)
Nutella
...and a box of Poptarts hiding in the back


* Thanks to Susannah Conway for her August Break prompts!

**You can follow me here on Instagram