LIVING Summer to its Fullest

I can't believe it has been May since I've shared a blog post! Sunshine is to blame for the lack of posting on my part... we have been soaking up every ray possible! But to recap where we left off, I had last posted about our daughter's return from Spain.

She returned from Spain the last weekend in May and it was so wonderful to pick her up at the airport and hear all about her travels. We had spoken several times a week through Skype while she was gone, but it is just not the same as in person!

I asked her to put together a slideshow of some of her pictures that she took while she was in Spain and the other countries she visited to share with you... so here it is :)

I hope you enjoyed the video of our daughter's travels!  It has been wonderful hearing all about her experience, and seeing her pictures.

Our daughter's treasures and gifts that she returned home with ...
We had so much fun as she passed her gifts out to us and heard all her stories!

She cooked a Spanish tortilla for us the next evening. It was her first attempt, and delicious!
A Spanish tortilla is a potato and egg dish that pairs beautifully with just about any meat.  

A ride out into the mountains on our 4-wheelers with spectacular views. 

It's wonderful to ride out in the mountains, exploring the beauty around us!

The wild rose blooms this year were stunning and magnificent!

Then come the lupins with their cheery purple blooms adorning the landscape.

Irises are next in line to bloom in our spring blooming season with their decadent blooms.

I found these gorgeous hydrangeas on sale and planted them in my garden,
it will be interesting to see whether they stay pink or blue!

Gardening season is in full swing, everything is planted and growing happily!

A garden tea party was planned for my ladies bible study group,
and we had a lovely time together with sweet fellowship. 

I set up a canopy over my little tea garden area,
and it has been such a blessing to enjoy
the shade all day long.

Time for tea in the garden!

 

I finished the teacup quilt that I began during the winter months. I put it out for display when
I have a tea party. I'm glad to have finished it! 

Homemade strawberry shortcake... my Dad arrived for a visit when the strawberries were at their peak,
and we enjoyed quite a few of these treats! 

As we walked one evening after an afternoon thunderstorm,
this beautiful rainbow arched the sky in front of us as we walked. 

God's magnificent handiwork at its best!

Another view of the gravel road we walk in the evenings... oh the skies in their magnificence never cease to thrill my soul!

While my Dad was here we went on lots of picnics and drives.  We bought this sandwich at a local
Mennonite bakery/deli and enjoyed it down by the river. They make their bread homemade fresh daily, and their sandwiches are the best!!

The brilliance of the water and skies was glorious! 

A peek into my little Prayer Garden area... 

 I planted these alliums last fall in anticipation of their blooms, and they did not disappoint! 

 

One morning my husband had just left the house and called to say our local herd of elk were grazing just down the road. Dad and I drove over to watch them, and were lucky to get one good picture of them before they spooked and ran.
 Elk are very flighty creatures and a challenge to photograph. 

We took Dad to the local rodeo, always an exciting event!

This rodeo queen is a friend of my son's. She spotted us in the crowd and made her way over to see us during the event.

Enjoying the views of the river

Glorious flowers - poppies and bachelor buttons growing in abandon.. we saw these at a local state park. 
Someone had a vision for beauty in this spot, to plant such a glorious array of blooms on this hillside!  

 

Oh the glorious beauty of land, water and sky!

Down at the local state park... the views were spectacular!

Well... this post could go on and on indefinitely... we've been LIVING this summer to its fullest, and I've struggled to find time indoors to put this much of a post together. Honestly, I've been working on this post since the end of June... so I will just stop here and share more in a later post. I just wanted to let everyone know that summer is when we get outside and enjoy all the beauty that our world has to offer. Warm summer days are so fleeting, and we have waited so long for them, that they must be enjoyed! Lots of things have been happening here, not the least of which is that we were able to get our place logged. But I'll save that story for another post! 

Blessings and love to all!