A Teensy Look at Summer 2020

Whimsy and Hugs! Summer says goodbye today... Hello, Autumn! I really enjoy cooler weather and even the thoughts of Winter.

Thought it might be fun to revisit the "top ten" of the summer season.

Probably our biggest change has been starting the Keto way of eating. I don't really love it, but I have stayed faithful. My son has seen amazing recovery from his health issues and a wow! weight loss. I am pretty sure I have lost a little, but not sure how much since I didn't weigh...  At any rate, this way of eating/diet has been good for us as the sheltering in place and further staying in had been much too conducive to cooking and eating our way through the Pandemic...  Nobody is a poster child of health here, but we'll get better!

Summer and porch sitting are so compatible. We have a front porch that gets the coolest breezes and shades morning, noon, and night.  My daddy sat out there for hours, just watching the natural progress of the world. I always think of him when I am out there.... we have a wild kingdom at our windows... 

I really did not expect to spend so much time on this stitching! I may be all 66 days on the first third... (Full disclaimer: This is NOT mine... I am not this far!) However, I am indebted to this sampler for rekindling my enjoyment of cross stitching... I forgot how much I loved it!

No summer (or any season) recap is complete without a nod to our little ruler of the roost...  She helped me clean and organize my Studio where I made probably 100 cards and 25 notebooks and journals this summer... (I need to buy stock in glue!)

This is my son! He is soooo much fun to have around. We laugh and talk and play with the cat... Watching first one series and then another is our plan... Right now we have started Criminal Minds. It is really well-done, but hard to watch for the tender-hearted... I think it says a lot to read the main actor, Mandy Patinkon, quit after a couple seasons because the show's content was hurting his soul! I imagine a couple seasons at a time is all we will manage, too... My favorite series we have watched was The Mentalist. I had watched it in real time through the years, but my son hadn't seen it... We also adored Everbody Loves Raymond, Game of Thrones, (minus some of the last season), Goliath, Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad, Designated Survivor, Madame Secretary, Stranger Things, The Umbrella Academy, Fargo, Sneaky Pete, Ozark, The Witcher, and The Mandolorian.  We generally only watch one episode of something a  night... By day--- He works from home (computer programming) and generally keeps our spirits up...   

His birthday falls at the end of summer, and this year's gifts were a real treat to make. 

I am not sure it is appropriate to count decorating for Fall in my Summer Top Ten. It feels a bit like cheating! However... I really do enjoy seasonal changes in the house--- even just for myself. 

I finally made it through all the kitchen cabinets--- ordering, trying to match equipment with storage with uses... Organizing literature and papers seems easy to me, but I am quite weak organizing anything concrete... I failed with the laundry room yet another season... (unless today brings a miracle team like those Amish girls.) I don't even plan to work in there (Shocker! You don't see a picture of that room on this list, do ya?)

Summer's first week saw the arrival of the Grand Fairy of Kensington Gardens. my surprise birthday gift from my son. She makes me smile!

Summer has seemed quite strange without the usual visits from friends. We have had a couple porch picnics and lots of phone calls and cards. I learned the ropes of Zoom meetings with new friends and a Bible study... and I have been diligent to stay off the computer most of every day (Vertigo Awareness!)  while meeting with so many of you and your wonderful blogs at night. When I talk of you to my son or my friends here, I always say "I have a friend from--- insert your location here---... My blogging friends are a special part of my spirit! I appreciate you and your inspiration so much... 

Have a lovely ultimate day of Summer.... See you in the Fall!