Special Summer Memories with Family

My view of Mt. Ranier from 30,000 feet on the way to Mom & Dad's. Always majestic, and a breathtaking view of the 14,000 foot peak... a beautiful day! (click on photos to enlarge)

Equally lovely was the water view from Mom & Dad's balcony... I couldn't have asked for nicer weather here in the Pacific NW! It was so great to have a week to relax with them and catch up! Why is it that coffee always tastes better when enjoyed with them over our morning chats? :o) Mom & I enjoyed sharing lots of conversation with this view in sight. So special! And Dad and I enjoyed his extensive collection of VanGogh & Monet prints and computer time that would "stretch" us both! ha! Then as always, we ALL enjoyed some of the best cooking you'll find anywhere!

I took a little excursion to one of my favorite places in Seattle... Pike Place Market.... you want "fresh"?? Fresh anything?... Fish, Flowers, Fruits or Veggies? Then this is the place to come! Not to mention fun shopping with local artisans, etc.
I was pleased to see that you can still buy a huge, beautiful boquet of fresh flowers for $5.! Wow!

A little lunch and goodies to take home from this local Russian bakery... Yummers!


Enjoying a little quiet time on this deck near the water. Thanks for a wonderful time, Mom & Dad!! I sure miss you!

And I always look forward to time in AZ with Aunt June & Uncle Darrel! I've been doing it since I was a kid and it is always a little "Oasis" of relaxation and fun!

If we all could enjoy the healthy and peaceful life of these two, we'd be blessed! And I could go on and on about their generosity and patience through the years with endless kids and teenagers, including me! They have one of the greatest gifts of hospitality of anyone I know.
Enjoying our favorite Mexican restaurant. And soooo much more to follow... a day of shopping (Aunt June & I are definitely "soul mates" when it comes to shopping! ha!), puzzle time, talk time, walk time, endless laughter, and even our very own little "play pool"... ooohh!! That's cold water! ha! I can hardly wait until my next visit with two of my most cherished friends/family!

The above photo was from a prior visit including my youngest daughter and family... we all treasure the "welcome mat" that is always out for us all in our desert retreat!
"Where's Dottie"??? Hmmm... she's not outside? Where did she go? Well, we laughed so hard when we went in the "guest room" and here she was... with my purse (which had been put up on the computer desk). She had even taken my pink wallet OUT of my purse! Okay June... what are you teaching your dog??!! HA!! You can see by Dotties ears back on her head that she knows she's not suppose to be there! Too cute!! So many laughs! I love it!! xo

Berry Picking...

Picking blueberries... it's been years since I've picked berries. In fact, it was when my two lovely daughters were just little girls themselves! And now, here I am with my "baby" and her babies! What a treat! We headed out early to avoid the "crowds" and visited the cherished farm that brings joy in the fall with pumpkins and cider and now in the summer with sweet offerings that come in a tiny round blue ball. To begin our adventure we stopped at the little country market that's here on the farm for a few homemade cinnamon donuts... Yummers!! I'm loving this country livin'! ha! (click on photo to enlarge)

The hayride out to the berry fields was as fun as any amusement park ride I've been on! Yee-haw!!

Mommy and her 3 little treasures. Baby brother pretty much slept thru the whole event, but I'm sure he'll enjoy the pictures when he's older! I so appreciate that Little Mommy wants to ensure that her kids are aware of life's simple blessings.

We were each allowed to choose a berry of our own to taste. Big Sissy took this very seriously and chose carefully!

Little cutie pie didn't really understand the concept of "just one" and quietly indulged in several of these sweet treats! And of course "Bear" was included in the fun!


Such a special treasure in a tiny blue berry!

Big Sissy is always such a great helper! Wowie! Look at all those berries!

Whew! This is a lot of work!! Time for a little rest! ha!

Another reminder that the best things in life are truly the "little" things! xo

Ciao' from Roma!

Rome... what can I say? It has been on the top of my list of places I'd like to see and it was a thrill to finally make it here! But how much can a girl see in one short afternoon? A passenger on my flight over, who lives in Rome said that we needed a minimum of three days to barely begin seeing all there is here. I'm certain he was right! But take a look at all that I DID get to see. It made me want to check out more of the history of this extravagant, beautiful and troubled city. You know... the rise... the fall? But for now... please join me in my little tour in Roma! (click photo to enlarge)

Just a few blocks from our hotel I came across this open square. It's the Piazza del Popolo which in modern Italian literally means the "piazza of the people". In it's tragic past it was a place for public executions, the last of which took place in 1826. Ouch!

I would soon discover that there are endless fountains here in Rome. This one was one of many in the Piazza del Popolo

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Via del Corso is the main street that runs through the historical center of Rome. A good portion of it is for pedestrians only and it is lined with designer stores, small shops and also leads to many of the major sites here.

What a treat to see this lovely wedding party strolling down Via del Corso... the happy couple was gracious to allow us "tourists" to photograph them and I'm glad for that.

The famous Spanish Steps. It has 138 steps and is the longest & widest staircase in all of Europe. An interesting piece of trivia? Eating lunch etc. on the steps is forbidden & fines are given for doing so. A law was established by Roman urban regulations. Guess I'd better find another spot to enjoy my potato pizza! (an Italian delicacy... yum!)

The Trevi Fountain. I had been walking for a while and wondering if I was getting close, then I rounded the corner... it literally took my breath away! (see panoramic view at top of blog) Such a huge, ornate building, right in the middle of more common structures. It was a very warm, humid day here in Rome and the fountain created a cool retreat to take in it's grandeur. I didn't know it at the time, but the legend goes that if you throw in a coin, you are ensured a return visit to Rome and throwing in two coins will lead to a new romance... Why oh why didn't I do my research ahead of time and bring more change! HA!

I'm not sure what all of these buildings are, but as always I love the architecture in Europe.

This of course is the Pantheon. It is the oldest standing domed structure in Rome and is the best preserved building of it's age in the world. It means "temple of all the gods" (alas the "fall") and was rebuilt as far back as 125 AD.

A view looking outward from the Pantheon.

The above is Largo di Toree Argentina. It is the remains of four Republican Roman temples. (where were the Democrats? ha!) On an interesting side note? There were what looked like "wild" cats dwelling here... they were sleeping on rocks and in the shade. A curious tourist ventured down to get a closer look (what was he thinking?) and I was kind of hoping for a little excitement, but the kitties just ignored him. :o)


The last major building that I saw before I headed back was the Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II. I thought the name sounded familiar from my visit to Milan and yes... Victor Emmanuel was the first king of a unified Italy.


Well, I hope you enjoyed my tour. I always wish you could ALL join me in the fun! Some of my crew spent their day touring the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel and said it was incredible. Guess that will be on my next trip to Rome. Well, hopefully my next trip... I was too cheap to throw coins in the fountain! Ciao! xo