Happy Memories of a Holiday Weekend

It is my sincerest hope that everyone in America enjoyed  Fourth of July celebrations  to the hilt.

The weather in our part of Massachusetts could not have been more perfect. The sun shone brightly, white clouds bobbed in blue skies, and it was comfortably warm.  Somehow, we were blessed with an absolutely gorgeous day.

A Fourth of July parade had drum and bugle corps, floats, and colorful Latin American dancers. Everyone had a splendid time.

One of my sisters was born on the Fourth of July so, after the parade, we celebrated her birthday on the deck and at the new pool in the home of one of her daughters. Oh, it was glorious. Today I look quite a bit like a red lobster but it was worth it because we all had so much fun.

In the evening, a huge group of us traveled to Tanglewood in Lenox, Massachusetts, to attend a James Taylor concert. Other famous guests included Amy Grant and Vince Gill.  (A separate post will be coming up to tell more about this concert.) Tanglewood is the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the concerts there are out of this world.

The best part of the whole wonderful celebration was watching the splendorous display of fireworks. They lit up the night sky in a profusion of colors.  Star bursts  and fabulous designs of every imaginable shape against the  black velvet heavens delighted hundreds of spectators  There were bursts of pink, green, orange, yellow, violet, and white. Of course there were white boomers that filled the night with loud explosions.  What a thrill it was to see such a great display of colorful, artistic firepower.

Can you see where my eyes were during the fireworks? They were looking through the lens of my camera to try and get the best shots ever to share with you on this blog. Some people may have thought I was a bit crazy but I didn't care.

Fourth of July is over now and my heart is so filled with gratitude for such splendid  memories.

WHAT DID YOU DO FOR FUN THIS PAST WEEKEND?

One (Almost) Perfect Day

Even though every day of life is a gift, some days are extra special and this was one of the best.

It started out with swimming 40 minutes of laps, followed by a one hour aqua aerobics class. Exercise always contributes to feeling fabulous.

A day trip to a town an hour away included a stop at my favorite international market, Trader Joe's, where I stocked up on my husband's favorite non-alcoholic ginger beer.  Also got some yummy chevre (goat cheese) at rock bottom prices and other assorted items.

Stopped at a farm stand and bought some fresh corn-on-the-cob.

The bummer part of the day came when a lady backed her car into mine while I was stopped to buy sunflowers. Unfortunately, I didn't get her insurance information.


 At the time, I felt kind of sorry for her because she was an elderly lady. She sure didn't offer her insurance information and actually drove away rather quickly.




 My car's fender has a big fat dent in it. I'm sad about that because I love my car and now I'll probably have to pay for the repair myself. Oh well. I'm glad it wasn't worse, like having the whole door dented.

Shopped  at two of my favorite thrift stores and found a couple of new treasures, including a pretty cobalt blue tray that I really like.

Then, made and  enjoyed a mostly vegetarian supper. Made a pan of yummy red and green peppers, onions, and mushrooms in olive oil and served that with rice, beans, and sweet corn.

Ended the day with an enchanting walk along a lake as the sun was setting.  My heart filled with gratitude to have been given such a beautiful day to remember.

WHAT MAKES A DAY SPECIAL FOR YOU?