Summertime Summertime

How's your summer going so far? It's about mid-point and you know that once August hits, time really flies by. Have you done all you've wanted to yet?


Here is a my summer so far in pictures. There are some home improvements, graduations, a birthday, an anniversary and some other assorted things.


My daughter Jena painted our front porch for us. She insisted (for a price!) and we are so glad she did.


Isn't it pretty?

I almost didn't want to put any of the furniture on it. But I did. The pillows and rug are new. My attempt at adding more aqua in my life!

The bucket to the left of the chair with the twigs in it is new too. It is a vintage apple picking bucket, which is near and dear to my heart. I lived in an apple orchard and the pickers with these buckets slung over their shoulder was a familiar site.

My son Michael graduated from high school. Here he is with a few of his "lunch table" friends.

We bought him a few gifts for being on the honor roll, winning scholarships and just being an all around great kid. He turns 18 in a few weeks.

These are his new "kicks" as he calls them. They have to be LeBron James' brand.

He is teaching himself guitar and was using my old acoustic guitar. Time for an upgrade to a nice, red electric guitar.

Yes, we spoil him :-)



My granddaughter Chloe graduated pre-school and will start Kindergarten in the Fall. This is the year she will graduate high school. Yikes!!

Our silly kitty Cyrus turned one year old on July 1st.

He is not only silly, but a little crazy. Here he is playing fetch. He loves jumping up to catch his toy.

That is a real picture. It has not be edited :-0

We went to opening day of the Renaissance Faire in Sterling, NY. It is done very well with the authentic costumes and accents and events of Medieval England. This was the Sing-Along at the last half hour of the day.



We spent the 4th of July at a Red Wings baseball game with fireworks following. They are a local minor league team. It is nice to have them nearby to go in the summer for some baseball, peanuts and cracker jacks!

I went strawberry picking with my daughter. We ran out of time before we had to get back for pedicures so it was the fastest 2 quarts I ever picked. I got two batches of jam and a strawberry rhubarb pie out of them.

My husband and I celebrated 20 years of marriage on July 13th. It was a 90+ degree humid day so all we wanted to do was be in air conditioning. We went on a shopping spree at the mall, which was to buy anything we wanted the whole day. Looking back I didn't buy enough!


We also went to see the movie The Shallows. It was really good! All I will tell you is that it is about a girl on a rock in the ocean and a shark.


Our day ended with dinner at a restaurant called Otto Tomattos.

There has been lots of thrifting and garage sales and barn sales. My granddaughter Cassidy and I have been going on Fridays when she is with me for the day. We found this great barn sale nearby and spent an hour going through everything. I bought a lot of great treasures, some to sell, some to keep.

We had been working on our dining room and decided to give up and give in. It was just too much work. We hired my niece's husband to finish the job. It turned out phenomenal! There is still one more thing to be hung before I do a reveal.


Here is a sneak peak at the color. That's all I've got for now!

We have had a very dry, hot, humid summer so my gardens are not looking very good and the grass is brown and crunchy. I did enjoy my Mock Orange Tree in bloom in late Spring though. It is always a highlight of the weather turning warm.

I hope your summer has been all that you planned for, or hoped for.


There is still a lot of summer left so enjoy!


AnnMarie xoxo


I am joining these great blog parties this week:


Make It Pretty Monday
Share Your Cup
Thoughts of Home on Thursday
Simple & Sweet Fridays