Category: summer

On A Spring Into Summer Laundry Day

Sometimes all it takes to set memories in motion and give ideas for a blog post is a photo putting a fresh spin on the household necessity we call laundry day.

laundry day

Country Living Magazine – Brent Darby Photography

As sunny days and warm breezes become the norm, I look forward to the spring into summer activity of hanging freshly washed clothes out on the clothesline to dry.

Linens especially smell so summer sweet when line dried, and instantly take my thoughts back to summers sleepovers at Dave the Builder’s aunt’s house, where life in a Northern Louisiana town imitated that of your favorite episode of The Andy Griffith Show.

decorative-laundry-room-items

laundry-clothesline-vintage-print

North Prints

Today’s laundry room design and decor is anything but rinse and repeat.

laundry-room-Marie Flanigan Interiors

Marie Flanigan Interiors

My laundry room falls into the category of not ready for prime blog time, but it is the little space that could.

Currently, the space lacks loads of style, but makes up for it in cabinets, countertops, shelves, and storage space that aid in getting the job done.

Back in our antiques shop days, Dave the Builder unearthed a vintage soda display stand from an old store, brought it home, and promptly placed it next to the washing machine as an absolutely perfect storage display for laundry soaps, fresheners, softeners, dryer sheets and the like.

This began an appreciation for display fixtures for home use.

Retail stores going out of business will usually sale display tables, cabinets, and racks for a song.

If this is not a feasible route, check out big box retail and home improvement stores.

3 Way Clothing Rack - Boutique Ivory

3 Way Clothing Rack – Boutique Ivory

Inexpensive surprises and common sense laundry day tips never cease to amaze me.

Ocean Scented Liquid Dish Soap - 10 fl oz - Smartly™

Ocean Scented Liquid Dish Soap – 10 fl oz – Smartly™

Smells like the ocean (a super lovely scented ocean) liquid dish soap is the go-to laundry detergent alternative I use for washing pillowcases.

Several drops added to a medium to high water level load does the trick, and the clean fresh scent is amazing.

Ocean Scented Liquid Dish Soap

Let’s just say getting clothes out of the dryer as soon as the cycle stops is not one of my laundry day strong suits, however, I love the way sheets and pillowcases smell fresh out of the dryer.

A spritz or two of homemade linen spray refreshes, and the light and lovely scent sets the tone for a good night’s slumber.

Linen Spray

Ingredients

1 ½  teaspoon essential oil of your choice

2  Tablespoons witch hazel or vodka

4  cups distilled water

32 oz.  spritz bottle

Directions

Mix witch hazel or vodka and desired oils in a bottle.  Add the distilled water and shake to combine.

The witch hazel or vodka aids in dispersing the oil evenly throughout the liquid.

Shake bottle gently before each use.

Clothespin-Bag-Decorated-with-Cricut-outside

Spring into summer is the prime clothesline drying season, and this clothespin bag from Mary Beth at The How-To Home is an easy DIY project perfect for clothespins storage.

Vintage Wire Collapsible Laundry Basket Hamper

Vintage Wire Collapsible Laundry Basket Hamper

Dirty laundry is just a fact of our all things house that make a home life.

neutral-laundry-room

Better Homes & Gardens

Easy DIY projects, fresh scents, comfort of the known, sunny days and warm breezes go a long way toward making laundry day a little easier.

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A Fetching Friday: Sunny and Bright

Today’s Fetching Friday is sun kissed and brightly inspired by sunny and bright summer days and positive dispositions.

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Sunny and bright interiors, exteriors, flavors, settings, and destinations radiate a luminous sense and feel of happiness and cheer.

Bruern Abbey gardens

Bruern Abbey Gardens – House & Garden – Photo by Eva Nemeth

“The sun does not shine for a few trees and flowers, but the wide world’s joy.”

-Henry Ward Beecher

natural-sunlight-in-hallway-photo-Paul-Massey

House & Garden

sunny-and-bright-yellow-front-door

Spartina 449

yellow-road-stripes

Solitude art print by Diane Leonard

Solitude Art Print by Diane Leonard

“Anything is possible with sunshine and a little pink.”

-Lilly Pulitzer

bright-powder-room

Southern Living- Photo by Alison Gootee – Styling by Suzonne Stirling 

aesthetics for the zodiac signs

sunny-and-bright-on-the-beach

Condé Nast Traveler

yellow-wall

Better Homes & Gardens

lemon-tree

“Friends are the sunshine of life.”

-John Hay

daisy-bouquet-in-yellow-bike-basket

Style Me Pretty – Allyson Magda Photography

sunny-and-bright-gallery-wall-photo-Rebecca-Reid

Domino – Photo by Rebecca Reid

Wishing each of you a sunny and bright fetching Friday custom-made for soaking up the sun (don’t forget the screen) and positive summer vibes.

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Seasoned Cheesy Broiled Tomatoes Recipe

This seasoned cheesy broiled tomatoes recipe is a taste of summer on a plate.

homegrown-tomatoes

One the many things we love about summer is the fresh vegetables and flowers the season brings to the table.

vegetable-stand

When word gets out our favorite fresh vegetable vendor has homegrown tomatoes in stock, it’s time to place a call to my brother who lives closer to the stand located about 10 miles from our house.

fresh-tomatoes-squash-1

As long as I’m making and sharing with him a dish, sandwich, or burgers with fresh tomato slices or dices in the mix he’s happy to oblige.

sunflowers-in-the-morning

Fresh sunflowers, squash, and eggplant accompanied this latest tomato haul- a bit of Louisiana lagniappe.

fresh sunflower 1

Crazy is the word of the week here at Places In The Home.

I’ve been crazy busy tying up loose ends before Dave the Builder’s upcoming heart procedures.

In all the planning, packing, and pre-admit madness remains the fact you still gotta eat, and homegrown tomatoes at room temperature, which is the way we like our tomatoes, will ruin if left unrefrigerated for too long.

As delicious as a homemade hamburger and a tomato sandwich is, I was looking for a something on plate.

Something on a plate is a Places In The Home family term.

Credit goes to Dave the builder for taking a commonly used phrase into colloquial territory.

Here’s how it came to be:

My mother-in-law took a day off from work to finish sewing junior prom dresses for Dave’s fifteen-year-old identical twin sisters.

That’s two times the daughters, two times the junior prom dress fun.  To say she had a lot on her plate is an understatement.

Dave is eight years younger than his sisters, the baby of the family, and on this particular day was underfoot more than normal.

Parents in Covid quarantine know exactly what I’m talking about.

Dave set in asking his mother to fix him something for lunch.  Her promise of just one more minute and I’ll fix you a sandwich was met with Dave’s verbal protest.

“I don’t want a sandwich.  I want something on a plate.”

Dave wasn’t having any part of the simple sandwich solution to lunch.  What he wanted was a salad-meat-vegetables-bread something on a plate lunch.

Joe's-broiled-tomato

A quick inventory of cupboard and crisper coupled with the memory of the fabulously delicious broiled tomato served at Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab brought about recipe inspiration.

Easy is the key ingredient of this seasoned cheesy broiled tomatoes recipe.

Seasoned Cheesy Broiled Tomatoes Recipe

Ingredients

3 fresh tomatoes, halved

3 cups shredded mild cheddar & Monterey Jack cheese

salt & pepper taste

1½ teaspoons garlic powder

olive oil

3 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese

6 Tablespoons bread crumbs; optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Rinse tomatoes and pat dry.  Cut tomatoes in half and place cut side up in baking dish.

Salt and pepper each tomato to preference.  Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon garlic powder over top of each tomato.

seasoned-tomato

Top each half with ½ cup shredded cheddar & Monterey Jack cheese.

Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the cheddar & Monterey Jack.

bread-crumbs-topped-tomato-1

An optional choice is to top each tomato half with bread crumbs.

Give each cheese-bread crumbs topped tomato half a lightly drizzle of olive oil.

olive-oil-drizzled-over-top-of-tomato

Place baking dish in preheated oven and bake cheese topped tomatoes for 8 to 10 minutes.

Turn oven to broil.

Broil tomatoes for 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese-bread crumbs is toasty brown.

broiled-tomato

The above image is of the seasoned cheesy broiled tomato, and the image below is of a seasoned cheesy broiled tomato topped with bread crumbs.

Toasty brown puts just the right amount of crisp on top.

seasoned-cheesy-broiled-tomatoes-recipe

This seasoned cheesy broiled tomatoes recipe makes for a great side dish to grilled steaks, appetizers at the cocktail hour, or dinner entrée.

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Summer Reading List 2020

Summer is prime curling up with a good book season; hence, the importance of what book(s) makes your summer reading list 2020.

books-set-by-green-staircaseHouse Beautiful

Reading evokes thought, enlightens the mind, enriches the soul, lifts the heart and takes one to treasured places and descriptive destinations in ways only the reader knows reading can.

Summer Reading List 2020

My Summer Reading List 2020 is a delectable literary picnic packed for the beach, lake, pool, porch, patio or bespoke indoor alcove.

beach-reading

Flickr

Up first on the list is I Was Told It Would Get Easier by Abbi Waxman.

I-was-told-it-would-get-easier

I Was Told It Would Get Easier – by Abbi Waxman 

Mother and daughter Jessica and Emily Burnstein have a college tour trip planned.  Jessica anticipates reconnecting on a “she’s not a little girl anymore” level with her daughter- a daughter in search of a way to become excited about her future.

Traveling together along the east coast, mother and daughter experience a shared journey in personal growth and special bonds made along the way.

brunch-and-other-obligations-a-novel

Brunch and Other Obligations – by Suzanne Nugent

Brunch and Other Obligations by Suzanne Nugent details the fictional story of four ladies, friendship, loss, humor, understanding, and the things one learns over a standing monthly brunch date – a final request from one friend to three grieving frenemies who meet and master hard times, the art of patience, and the dynamics of the female friendship.

the-Jane-Austen-society-a-novel

The Jane Austen Society – by Natalie Jenner

The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner charms the reader with a story set in the English village of Chawton post World War II, also known as the final home of novelist Jane Austen.

A group of socially different but like-minded people undertake a united and powerful effort to preserve the home of Jane Austen and her legacy.

A shared love of works, timeless words, the bonds of war, and triumphs in wins come together to create the Jane Austen Society.

Summer Solstice – by Nina Maclaughlin

Summer Solstice by Nina Maclaughlin details the details of summer and the elements and activities only summer knows.

Lakes, oceans, and every pond between.

Ripe red tomatoes ready for the summer salad or sandwich.

The taste of the first hot dog hot off the grill.

The scent and the seen of fresh cut grass.

Opened windows.

Fireflies.

Stargazing.

Nina MacLaughlin’s essay is a season of sun and fun insight into summer pasts and the ones that lie ahead.

you-had-me-at-hola

You Had Me at Hola – by Alexis Daria

You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria reads like a summer sexy soap opera, and the reader is all atwitter for it.

This romantic, sultry, and smart story is set in the drama-filled world of telenovelas.

Jasmine Lin Rodriguez is the soap opera darling returning to New York City after a breakup to star in a bilingual romantic comedy.  All is presumably well until a casting shake-up pairs her with telenovela heartthrob Ashton Suárez.

After a series of career killing circumstances, Ashton figures his new gig will give him the chance to win over American audiences and Hollywood casting agents.  The on-screen chemistry with Jasmine has got to be as hot as summer, but leave it to a less than memorable first impression to squash the hope of any heat between the two of them jumping off the screen.

In a career move to benefit both, Jasmine and Ashton mutually agree to rehearse together in private.  Private rehearsals lead to a private affair in true soap opera style.

The glare of the media spotlight is bright, and stands ready to discover and dish the dirt on these two telenovela stars.

Is it me, or is it getting hot in here?

the-vanishing-half-a-novel

The Vanishing Half – by Brit Bennett

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett promises to be a can’t put it down summer must read.

The story of the Vignes sisters, identical twins whose decision at age sixteen to runaway from the small, southern black community they called home, is a complex one.

From that time and moving forward, everything from their families, communities and racial identities is different.

One sister along with her black daughter lives in the very southern town at sixteen she tried to escape. The other sister secretly poses and passes for a white woman living with her white husband who knows nothing of her past.

Many miles and lies exist between them, and their fates continue to be intertwined.

Weaving together aspects of this family from generations past from the Deep South to California during the 1950s to the 1990s, this provocative story looks beyond issues of race to the lasting influence of the past and its influence on the personal decisions and wants, for reasons not easily recognized, people sometimes feel compelled to live as something or someone not of their origins.

Florida-Man-a-novel

Florida Man – by Tom Cooper

The Florida Man by Tom Cooper centers around a 1980 timeline and a middle-aged beach bun named Reed Crowe.

Reed is living the Florida life on fictional Emerald Island on ill-gotten gains.  When sink holes begin opening up on the Island, the seedy to the point of shambles motel and amusement park Reed owns as well as his secrets become endangered. In the midst of this predicament he puts into place his amateur spelunker skills. Soon he begins to uncover artifacts that connect the dots between his understanding and the island’s history as his family’s role as pioneering homesteaders.

Bringing more intrigue and to the mix is the company Reed has kept over the years.

Hector “Catface” Morales is a Cuban refugee, a trained assassin, and a crack-addicted Marielito who is after revenge on Reed for stealing his stash of drugs and then leaving him for dead (a detail unknown to Reed) in the wreckage of a plane crash in the Everglades decades ago.

Heidi Karavas, a globe-trekking art curator ex-wife, and Nina Arango, his current love, find their way into the state of confusion in the state of Florida.

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A Fetching Friday: The Good Old Summertime

Today’s Fetching Friday features wonderful memories of childhood summers and how we whiled away the hours in the good old summertime.

fetching-definiton

 

white mountain freezer

White Mountain Freezer

Homemade ice cream was the summertime treat we had to work for.

Who remembers being put on cranking detail?

Southern Living – Photo by Paul Costello

My grandmother had a PhD in food presentation. 

She always served homemade ice cream in an etched sherbet dish like the ones above garnished with either a sprig of fresh mint, peach slice, fresh strawberry, or chocolate Kiss. 

To me, there is nothing better on a hot summer afternoon than a dish of cold, creamy homemade ice cream garnished with a generous amount of memories. 

good old summertime

I first saw this in the good old summertime image on Pinterest.

Social media trends from one platform to another, and I noticed it on Facebook captioned with the words “this is what old folks call snap chat.”

summer-fresh-peas

Guide to Summer-Fresh Field Peas- Southern Living

If I had a nickel for every time my grandmother handed us a glass of homemade lemonade and a bowl full of peas prime for the snapping, I’d have enough money to run by Raising Cane’s for a lemonade to enjoy on the drive out to the farmer’s market stand on the bayou to pick up a bushel or a peck of peas.

Revered summer rituals of the past shape the summer activities of the present.

good old summertime

Flickr

We never met a pond, creek, or fresh water spring our feet or fishing poles didn’t like. 

Serenity Photograph by Li Newton1

Serenity Photograph by Li Newton

It was nothing for my Dad and uncles to suggest the entire family load up and caravan to the drive-in.

My Mother and my aunts gathered up the aluminum lawn chairs, filled an industrial size ice chest with canned Cokes (it’s the South- we call any flavor soda or pop Coke), and popped several pans of Jiffy Pop.

Ironically, the only trip to the concession stand was for mosquito coils.

Pure summertime fun gold. 

drive-in-theatre

I hope you all have a most fetching Friday and a great weekend enjoying some good old summertime fun.

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Bake, Chill, Sweet and Dill: Summer Food Recipes

With summer’s official arrival and the 4th of July coming up, happy summer times are here again, friends.  Like the summer temps, summer food recipes are a hot topic of conversation.

I really look forward to picking, preparing, and plating traditional summer fare.  I’ll put a new spin on an old favorite to spice the taste factor up a bit, but all in all I stay true to the original recipe.

Fresh is best for many summer food recipes.

Fresh tomatoes?

The official unofficial fruit of summer.

Yes, a tomato is a fruit.

fresh-tomatoes-summer

Fresh corn?

fresh corn

Flickr

Stir in chopped bell pepper, onion, Kosher salt, fine black pepper and you’ve got a sweet summer treat.

tomatoes-bell-pepper-green-onions

Fresh peaches?

fresh peaches

Peel ’em up and pass the sugar.

summer food recipes

When I can’t make it out to the local growers, it’s to the farm to market produce section at the local grocery store I go.  There’s plenty of summer food recipes out there with an ingredients list of seasonings ready to enhance the flavor quotient.

Today I’m shining the summer food recipes spotlight on traditional and new traditional favorites sure to please.

summer-macaroni-salad

Classic Macaroni Salad

Ingredients

1½ cup (12 ounces) dry elbow macaroni

½ cup mayonnaise (I use Duke’s)

1 Tbsp white wine vinegar

¼ cup milk

2 teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon Kosher salt (or more to taste)

black pepper to taste

1 medium tomato, chopped

1 medium bell pepper, diced

¼ cup red onion, diced

1 whole green onion (green and white parts), sliced

1 cup whole kernel corn, drained

Directions

Cook the elbow macaroni in salted water according to directions on package. Drain cooked macaroni, rinse with cold water, and allow to completely cool.

Chop, slice, and dice the tomato, bell pepper, red onion, and green onion.

summer food recipes

To prepare the dressing grab a medium mixing bowl.  Add the mayonnaise, vinegar, milk,  sugar, salt and pepper.  Stir all together to incorporate and set aside.

Place macaroni in a large mixing bowl.  Add the bell pepper, green onion, red onion, tomatoes, and corn.

macaroni salad dressing

Pour dressing over top and toss to evenly coat.  Chill salad for at least 2 hours before serving.

Bread-and-butter-pickles

Bread and butter pickles recipe from Recipe Girl.  Click on over to the  delicious Recipe Girl blog for the recipe details.

Recipe Girl Blog Link HERE

pickled tomatoes

Marinated Tomatoes and Onions

Ingredients

1 medium red onion, sliced and separated

3 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges

½ cup vinegar

½ cup granulated sugar

1 Tablespoon honey

1 cup water

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper

½  teaspoon allspice

Directions

Layer tomatoes and onions in jar.  Sprinkle the pepper and allspice into jar.

tomatoes-sliced-onions-Ball-Mason-jar

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, honey, sea salt, and water to combine.

Pour vinegar-sugar-honey-sea salt-water mixture into jar covering the tomatoes and onions.  Place lid on jar and seal tight.  Give the jar a vigorous shake to incorporate the flavors and to thoroughly coat the tomatoes and onions.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Firecrackers, chicken, and the summer soiree are part of the recipe for summer entertaining success.

baked-firecracker-chicken

Contrary to summer soiree belief, not everyone grills and barbecues.

Oppressive heat, inclement weather, building restrictions, personal taste preference- you get the idea.

If you’re not on board the grilling/barbecue train, this recipe for oven baked Firecracker Chicken from Jo Cooks has got your name written on it.

Click HERE to get the recipe.

And now for something sweet

Chocolate-chip-smores-bars

Dessert puts the cherry on the top of the summer spread cake, so to speak.

It’s always a good time for a good s’mores recipe, and this Chocolate Chip S’mores Bars recipe from Glorious Treats is, well, glorious.

Who remembers cranking out homemade ice cream on a hot summer afternoon?

Dave the Builder and I both have done our fair share of cranking over the years of childhood.  What complaints we had about having to crank were quickly diminished when the ice cream was ready.

When a good crop of peaches came in at the local orchard, my grandmother would peel and dice a bowl full of fresh peaches to add to the ice cream.

Talk about good!

In the spirit of summer, good memories, and great summer food recipes, this recipe for fresh peach ice cream from Southern Living is deliciously appropriate.

Fresh Peach Ice Cream

Ingredients

5 large egg yolks

½  cup sugar

2 cups whole milk

1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk

2 cups mashed peaches

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a large heavy saucepan. Whisk in the milks.  Cook over medium-low, stirring constantly, 15 minutes or until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.  Stir in the peaches and vanilla.

Cool completely (about 30 minutes); cover and chill at least 4 hours or up to 8 hours.

Pour the custard into the freezer container of a 2 ½ to 3-quart electric ice-cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. (Instructions and times may vary.)  Transfer to a freezer-safe container; freeze 2 hours or until firm.

-Southern Living

enjoy

Scroll Through to the First Day of Summer

The first day of any highly anticipated event can generate a ton of inspiration, enthusiasm, and general fancy.  Notice I say highly anticipated.

The first day of summer vacation generates a ton of excitement.

The first day of school generates a ton of anxiety.

What a difference an activity makes.

first day of summer width=

In a wave of let’s hit the beach-shore-coast good times, the first day of summer kicks off the hot fun in the summertime season.

lobster

Better Homes & Gardens

Picnics, cookouts, boils, bakes, and barbecues are tailor-made for summer days and evenings.

picnic basket blanket red white

Flickr

These rituals of keep it summer simple fun celebrate what summer is all about- relaxing times based around good food and drink shared with family and friends.

Summer bursts onto the scene in bright and bold glory.

Thunderbirds

 Air Force Thunderbirds

Red, white, and blue especially takes command of the color palette spotlight in July.

Anthony Cochran Design

Anthony Cochran Design

Nature dips a fine brush into a pastel canvas to paint across sea and sky.

pastel beach sky waves surfing

Flickr

The first day of summer just wouldn’t be the first day of summer without a slew of fresh vegetables ready for the picking.

tomato server

The History of the Tomato Server

Home grown tomatoes sliced not too thick and not too thin served with a generous dollop of Duke’s mayonnaise and finely peppered is the summer simple treat we’ve waited for all year long.

That first bite is the stuff summer farm to table dreams are made of.

Duke's Real Mayonnaise

Duke’s Mayonnaise – James Reed

The first day of summer is here, and I for one and ready for it.  And how about the extra added bonus of it landing on a Friday!

Dave the Builder has put his order in for a summer soiree for this evening.  The grill is ready, the playlist is loaded, and the lanterns ready to light the summer night.

Let the summer fun begin.

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South Dakota, Colorado, Washington, D.C., Florida and Alabama Vacation Photos

Labor Day begins the winding down of summer.  I’ve come to think of Memorial Day and Labor Day as a set of spiffy bookends supporting the May to September romance we have with summer, the summer vacation, and vacation photos.

bookends-shells

A summer vacation was not to be for me and Dave the Builder due to obligations, project deadlines, and ch-ch-ch-ch-changes (a tip of the hat to David Bowie) in our everyday life.

So it goes.

All good things come to those who wait to hit the holiday road in the fall.  Fall will be here soon as will cooler temps, seasonal colors on parade, festivals and gumbo good times.

Grab a to-go pumpkin latte and call me a happy traveler.

pumpkin-latte

A simple solution to alleviate vacation withdrawals is to live the moment  vicariously through vacation photos delivered to my inbox from the merry band of traveling Millennials aka our son and his wife, nephew #1 and his darling family, and nephew #2 and his beloved.

badlands

Our son and daughter-in-law traveled to the United States for a twelve day trip to discover the sights, sounds, and highlights of the Black Hills of South Dakota, Mount Rushmore National Park, Badlands National Park,  Aspen, Denver, Fort Collins, and Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Dakota

Mt. Rushmore

Mount Rushmore National Memorial

GW-Mt.-Rushmore

bison

They called one evening and while we were talking I heard the roar and rev of motorcycles.

Is that motorcycles I hear?

Yes it is.

Have you ever heard of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally?

Needless to say, it was quite a noisy conversation.

brewery

Our son on tap and taste duty at the New Belgium Brewery in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Dallas-puppy

There would be more pictures, but the newest addition to their family, Dallas, chewed through both of their laptop charger cords.

Two observations:

Puppies gnaw and chew on cords, belts, purses, shoes, furniture.

A mother who bites her tongue and does not remind her son if the cords were not left on the floor for the puppy to get to in the first place you wouldn’t have this issue deserves a medal, or at the very least a vacation.

This weekend marks their first wedding anniversary.  To mark the celebration, they are traveling to Minneapolis to dine in style, see Taylor Swift in concert, and shop for new and replacement electronics, chargers, and devices.

Congressional Country Club

Speaking of weddings, the next round of vacation photos are from nephew #2 and his beloved’s trip to Bethesda, Maryland and Washington D.C. to attend a friend’s wedding and reception held at the Congressional Country Club.

Washington-Monument-1

tomb-unknown-soldierTomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery

The Korean War Veterans Memorial

The Korean War Veterans Memorial 

Smithsonian-Institution

Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History 

M-W-C-beach

Nephew #1 and his darling family make a Florida vacation a yearly event.  Joined by our niece-in-law’s parents, sister, brother, their spouses, children, and a pair of aunts and uncles, the group travel by air and land to Perdido Key for a week of family fun in the sun.

terrace

Twelve adults and six kids (including two babies under one) require a lot of stuff.  With a two day start, our nephew drove his loaded to the gills SUV from Missouri to Florida to meet the crew.

Florida-boat-rental

Sun, beach, water, sand, rinse and repeat floated everyone’s boat.  The Places In The Home side of the family leans more towards the mountains and the west coast, but know well the appeal of the Florida Gulf Coast.

CC-family

Nephew #2 and his beloved ended up having a two for the price of one vacation.  The second part of their vacation found them on beach time in Orange Beach, Alabama.

L-C-beach

toes-in-sand

Toes in the sand without a vacation care in the world until company arrives.

beach-birds-flying

vacation photos

Winter, spring, summer, or fall- vacation photos place you in the moment and serve as a wish you were here postcard.  As the sun sets on summer 2018, we hope you have a wonderful Labor Day holiday weekend.

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