To Hot..............

Today we had made plans for a picnic lunch and day at the beach. Off we set around 10am. We got out to the Sleeping Bear at around 11.30 and decided lunch would be first. We stopped at the picnic area and ate. Laura made sandwiches and so did I, we brought fruit and crackers and left it at that. So Laura and Reina were discussing what was in the sandwiches and Reina was arguing..........so Laura said " I made the damn sandwiches I think I know whats in them." Tristen pipes up "Nanny made damn sandwiches too"






It was nice and breezy in the picnic area and no one else around. Nice................We could see the people at the dune climb, like ants.........must be crazy in that heat. There was a weather warning for extreme heat. The temperature 94 with heat index of 101

This is where we are going.

It was like crossing the Sahara. The water was nice, I dont swim and usually that's not a problem. I just wade and look for stones. It was so hot I could feel my skin crisping.......I thought I smelled pork chops.

Laura found a cold spot

time for a swim.



no matter where she was she had two little bodies right there with her, splashing and generally annoying hehe. I went in for a paddle and same thing. Why do kids have to be right on ya?????

Along the large puddle that always collects where the water from waves get trapped, there were some sand birds. Little piping plovers I think.






We decided to retreat. We left the beach and went into Cedar for an ice cream. Picked up some world famous Cherry Polish brats and hot dogs for supper and headed home.We saw a lady turkey


She was not very cooperative.


Then a special treat. A deer and two fawn crossed in front of us. We slowed to a crawl and I got the camera ready. They too did not seem willing to pose today.


We came home to the air conditioned house and collapsed. The kids were still wound up so after a but Laura and Reina went home...............we had the brats and hot dogs for supper

I am sharing this with The dedicated house, make it pretty Monday
I am also sharing with Our World Tuesday

Thanksgiving................

Tristen and his Uncle Jason.



While not an American this is one holiday I truly love. There is just so much to be thankful for. This is the first year without Alexandra, but we have made it thus far. What I am so very grateful for is the faith I have that we will see her again some day. I thank God for our salvation. I thank Christ for His courage and endurance in sticking it out down here, submitting to the humiliation and shame of the things he was put through, the pain and ultimate sacrifice. He made this world and everything in it and yet He left His home in heaven and came here to make that sacrifice for me, and for you and for Alexandra. Because of that I know without a doubt that we will meet again.
I also thank God for my family. This year Dan and Debbie came for dinner. The fact that Alex's mother and father can sit together with their new spouses and share a day together with Alex's son Tristen. To help make the day special for him. Jason came home and is now Tristens new best buddy as he brought with him Tristens birthday gift from September. Tristen sat at the top of the stairs when Jason went for a shower. Gabby is living with us and so she too was here and Bill came over to visit. Dan took Tristen in the afternoon to go visit Debbies folks and have lunch with them so he had an amazing day and was very happy to see Reina and Evie.
We cooked a big meal as always. Turkey, ham, Brussel sprouts, baby carrots, green beans. Roast potatoes and mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes. Stuffing and gravy. Quite the feast. I have not yet recovered enough to even think about dessert. We have cherry pie and pumpkin pie but it can wait.

This is a picture of a traditional Thanksgiving feast.



Thanksgiving

The year has turned its circle,
The seasons come and go.
The harvest all is gathered in
And chilly north winds blow.
Orchards have shared their treasures,
The fields, their yellow grain,
So open wide the doorway~
Thanksgiving comes again!
~Old Rhyme



Harvest

(John Charles McNeill, 1874-1907)

Cows in the stall and sheep in the fold;
Clouds in the west, deep crimson and gold;
A heron's far flight to a roost somewhere;
The twitter of killdees keen in the air;
The noise of a wagon that jolts through the gloam
On the last load home.

There are lights in the windows; a blue spire of smoke
Climbs from the grange grove of elm and oak.
The smell of the Earth, where the night pours to her
Its dewy libation, is sweeter than myrrh,
And an incense to Toil is the smell of the loam
On the last load home.