SUMMER VACATION FAVES/June

 

I'm enjoying every moment of this past week and the 10 day vacation we have before summer school begins on Tuesday. There's been many blessings, some big, others small and it's good to give thanks for them and share with each other what God is doing. 

I'm linking up with other like-minded bloggers to share FIVE of my FAVE blessings from the week and using some alliteration in the process!  Click here to learn more or to link up. 

FIVE FAVES

Luke, Emma, Courtney

• GRAD GIRL!  Last Saturday afternoon, Dave, Courtney (our oldest) and I went to my niece Emma's high school graduation party.  Emma is the oldest daughter of my youngest sister (who is 15 years younger than me!) Jill and her husband Mike.  My younger sister Joy was there with her son Luke (same age as Courtney).  My sister Hope and her husband Donny couldn't make it and our youngest daughter Claire had to work.  We had a blast celebrating Emma and eating way too much ice cream.  She will be attending UVM in Burlington, Vermont this autumn majoring in Political Science/Women's Studies with a minor in Voice. We are thankful we were able to attend and celebrate our niece!

from left to right:  our nephew Luke, my sister Joy,
 me, Courtney, Dave

Sacandaga Reservoir at Northampton State Campground/Beach

• ADIRONDACKS AFTERNOON:  On Sunday, I went to the 9 am church service and since Dave was working production there and then staying for a missions meeting, I decided to head to the southern Adirondack Mountains to spend the day on Sacandaga Reservoir swimming, reading, and relaxing.  I also popped in to my cousin's house to visit him as he lives in the next town over where my parents' summer camp used to be.  It was a relaxing afternoon and the water felt great...it's still very cold but felt so good as the temps were HOT (92 degrees F) and HUMID.  I'm thankful I had the afternoon at the lake. 

Dave ahead of me on Moreau Lake
Moreau Lake State Park
south-eastern ADK foothills

• DATE DAY!  Dave had Monday-Wednesday off of this past week so we could do some fun things together.  Monday, we loaded up the two kayaks and set off for this state park about 35 minutes north of our home.  Years ago when the girls were little, we would camp there. We love going here as it's so close to home and also a great place to swim and kayak. I'm so thankful we had the afternoon together. We bought subs and drinks for lunch and sat under the pines to eat and then kayaked for about an hour and swam to cool off.  

• BROWSING BOOKS:  Tuesday was my day to grocery shop, do some household chores, and return a book to the town library.  When I got there, I saw that all the Covid19 guidelines have been lifted so I spent a significant amount of time browsing the books and found 2 that I want to read.  One is a non-fiction book (see side bar) that is fascinating to me.  The other is a new to me author and I believe it is her debut novel.  It was in the "new books" section.  I love reading as I don't watch television in the summer months so I'm thankful I had time to browse some books.

New Exhibit at The Clark 

wall mural in the entrance to the exhibit

children playing in nature/Norway

• ANNIVERSARY ADVENTURES:  Dave and I celebrated our 31st marriage anniversary on Wednesday.  We just cannot believe it's been over 30 years of doing life together and building a home. We decided, since it was so hot and humid with threats of thunderstorms, to head east about 35 miles away to Williamstown, MA in the Berkshires and re-visit The Clark Art Institute and Museum.  There are currently 2 new exhibits along with their regular stuff (European and American artists).  THe one exhibit was using nature in art which I was most excited about. It's titled Nature Transformed and the sculptors  were  a married couple from France (both are now deceased) who worked in the mid-20th century. My favorite sculptures from that exhibit are pictured below.  The other one was the one depicted above by an oil painter from Norway in the beginning of the 20th century.  His work is amazing. I'm showing my fave painting from the exhibit along with the museum's display in the gallery entrance. You can read more about the exhibits here. We arrived about 2 hours earlier than our tickets were for, so we ate a leisurely lunch at a local restaurant and then made our way to the museum where they said we could go ahead in early.  It took about 1.5 hours to see the entire displays and then we walked the short trail on the museum grounds, out of a group of various trails, before heading home to get ready to go out to dinner. We would have hiked more but it was thundering and starting to rain.  I'm thankful we had a special day to celebrate our marriage. 

a metal grasshopper from Nature Transformed
which holds wine bottles in his body
and the wings open to hold wine glasses as a table.

Carp Sculpture on the Museum Pool
Nature Transformed Exhibit by Claude and Francois LaLanne

Dave on the beginning of the easy, short trail
through the pasture

even the fencing around the pasture is a work of art!

That wraps up my week!  I head back to the classroom for Summer School with the special preschoolers on Tuesday the 6th. This weekend will be hiking, picnicking,  swimming and an Independence Day Parade in the southern Adirondacks!  (Saturday).  Whatever you do, embrace every moment!