"Our memories of the ocean will linger on, long after our footprints in the sand are gone...."

~Anonymous 

more driftwood ideas....

Wow, I can't believe that summer is coming to a close. It's back to work for me. This summer I was able to experience fresh water, our lake and the salt water, the beach. So in order to remember those times throughout the year, here are a few of my collections and crafts.
First our view to the beach.....

Where we collected a lot of shells!!!!

My mother in law then showed us a different beach where we collected jingle shells on a beautiful evening! 

Growing up on Long Island, I was disappointed in myself that I had never heard of jingle shells...but here they are:

It was a group effort to collect these!!! I had to bring some back to VT!!

From here to here:

When it's lit, it looks like beautiful parchment paper!

And finally from our beautiful lake that we have spent most of our free time on this summer.

I am a driftwood collector!!!! Here's my wall art....

Enjoy the last days of summer!!!

A smile is the light in your window that tells others that there is a caring, sharing person inside. 
Denis Waitley 

What a beautiful day to work outside! My Dad helped me build new window boxes. They came out beautifully! 

Boooorrrring.......

Still not sure about the color though......

I feel like I am the only one still buying annuals, ;)))))) I just can't stop!!!!!

But if each man could have his own house, a large garden to cultivate and healthy surroundings - then, I thought, there will be for them a better opportunity of a happy family life.
George Cadbury

Did I mention how much I love July??? I spent a beautiful morning in my gardens. My peas are ready, blueberries are so close, and the best part is being able to have fresh cut flowers for the house all the time!

My kids are excited for Kale chips

"Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace."
May Sarton

Wow, I actually had a full day to spend in the garden yesterday and it was all that I thought it would be.....fantastic!!! This has been a very busy year for me, I'm going into my second year of grad school and trying to balance everything else along with it. Phew!!!!
I'm posting these pics and blogging for two reasons. One is to see the progress of this home which has become a shared vision for my entire family. Second, is in the middle of the long Vermont winter I can look back and think remember when..... ( when life was not a frozen tundra!!!)

We are enjoying the pond so much. It's nice in the evening to sit with a cocktail and watch the fish, yes we have coy and they are thriving!

Freshly painted table, and my hibiscus is blooming again!!!

The rose bush in the back is so beautiful. Difficult to see, I would like to move it but it does so well where it is!

I will officially be on summer vacation this coming Tuesday. My school just happens to be one of the last still in session it seems. I am so excited to finally have the time to work in my gardens!!! So today, I thought I would post some of the pictures of the progress so far.
Blueberries have a great start.... My husband planted several bushes a couple of years ago.

Lettuce and peas......

And finally flowers.....

Let the fun begin!

Well, I can't believe we made it this far. When we first started to dig it seemed like we would never get it done. My husband and my parents put so much work into this project! With my hectic schedule and running the marathon I put in as much time as I could. I am so pleased with the way this came out. This side of the house is so peaceful to sit by, relax, and just enjoy. We still have some work to do around the fire pit and with some more plantings. Also, the deck still needs to be painted so I will post pictures throughout the summer showing the progress. The fountain that my husband found looks so beautiful at night because it's lighted. I think the nicest part about the whole project was that my family built it together. Here it is.....