Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Summertime Colors & Wishes!

Ahhhh....I am finally back to home sweet Seattle after a wonderful 19 day trip to be with family & friends in my hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. I already miss everyone terribly, but am very much looking forward to an upcoming 12 day (solo!) jaunt to Portland, Oregon (for just one & a half days!) and then to Salem for a 5 day encaustic "camp", followed by another week traveling up the coast of Oregon (from around Seal Rock to Astoria, about 150 miles South to North) to soak up the natural beauty and funky little seaside towns! PLUS a rendevouz in Sarasota Florida with my daughter & grandson in late August to visit my mom there! Yes, I was born a ramblin' gal...but am ALWAYS more than happy to come home again to my beloved home, husband and doggies!

So as I mentioned here a few times recently, I am cutting way back on my online time (the 6 hours I spent online yesterday, researching, cooerdinating & reserving 7 different hotels and finding don't miss spots to see for my upcoming adventure notwithstanding!), and for now I feel most comfortable with blogging only on Wednesdays to share my 52 Photos Project photo and Wishcasting Wednesday wish...which I suppose is mostly for myself, since I really enjoy both of those weekly challenges and need a place to share them with others who are participating. I just had to be honest with myself that although I was "proud" of the month long success of my personal challenge to blog everyday, it was just taking up way too much of my "real life" time each day, and especially with the nicer weather upon us and all of my travel plans, it just is not feasible for me to blog everyday (and I never got into the time saving habit of writing a bunch of blogs all at once to post daily because, for me, it is more about writing to share something about that particular day as it unfolded).
So anyway, here I am on this mid-June Wednesday with my weekly photo and wish!

This week Bella asks us to share a photo which answers the question
"Summertime Colors...what colors are you seeing, right now?"
 
Although summer "officially" begins today (June 20) and many places in the States are already experiencing extreme heat, here in the Pacific Northwest area  where I live (Washington state), things are quite different! All "Seattlelites" agree that summer here officially begins on July 5th! (and usually only lasts until Labor Day!) And we dfine summer as being several weeks in a row of no rain and the daily appearance of the sun warming the clean fresh air to an average of 70-75 degrees...which is just the PERFECT temperature, if you ask me! Due to the normally mild temps here, there are species of plants and flowers blooming year round, and the land always remains a lush shade of green. This pretty pale pink rose petal fell from one of our rose bushes yesterday, and as you can see, the steady misty rain decorated it with tiny drops of refreshment!
What are the colors of summer where YOU live?

And this week, in perfect synchronicity, Jamie asks us:

"What do you wish for this summer?"

This summer, I wish for...

*cool sunny mornings sharing warm lattes with my husband out on our "treehouse" deck*

*quiet afternoons communing with nature while working among
 the flora & fauna of our lush yard*

*time (and ability) to enjoy some of the many special summer activities this city has to offer,
 like live music or Shakespeare in the park, the bounty of local Farmers Markets, neighborhood street festivals, berry picking, the drive-in, art fairs and farm tours (to name just a few!)*

*outdoor activities we so love to do (but seem to get put on hold while other duties call) such as hiking the rainforests and mountains surrounding us, biking the Burke-Gilman Trail,
and maybe even trying kayaking for the first time!*

*LOTS of beach time!...lazing on a driftwood log people watching, reading, and daydreaming, walking for miles (with my head down!) searching for treasures, exploring new areas with camera in hand...the beach is my favorite place to be in any season!*

*Traveling! (already told you about all the plans I have for this summer!) Plus welcoming a dear friend who is traveling HERE to visit usfor a week-her first visit to the PNW-and I look forward to showing her the best and most beautiful local places we love so much!*

This summer,
I wish to get OUT and ABOUT, whether I am doing something "special"
or nothing (but still special!) at all!

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SUMMER!

Happy Me-Laurie Z!













Happy Me-Laurie Z!
 




7 comments:

  1. I love your redrawing your online boundaries to honor your unique needs - awesome job of self-love!

    As you wish for yourself, so do I wish for you also.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Welcome back to the chilly PNW! I'm in Wenatchee, WA, and I must say, it sure doesn't feel like summer over here... Barely breaking 70 during the day is NOT what we expect mid-June...

    Anyhow, as you wish for yourself, so I wish for you as well.
    ~Sunfire

    ReplyDelete
  3. Like the raindrop detail on this photo. Great job!

    ReplyDelete
  4. fabulous photo, love the clarity and the raindrops!

    ReplyDelete
  5. ahhh lattes on the deck...
    hear! hear!

    As you wish for yourself, I also wish for you!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hello this week, Laurie! what a fun list and a great post. enjoy your summer! As Laurie wishes for herself, so I wish for her also. ~diana

    ReplyDelete
  7. Lovely list! I love this one: "quiet afternoons communing with nature while working among the flora & fauna of our lush yard"! As you wish for yourself, so I wish for you also!

    ReplyDelete