Bits and Bobs

Hi everyone!  How was your weekend?  We just returned home yesterday from two and a half days in the mountains of North Carolina at Nantahala Lake.  It was so nice to have a little getaway.  I didn't take a single picture while we were there, just too much going on.     

Dry Falls near Highlands, NC      Hal took this picture of Dry Falls several years ago; they're located about an hour away from where we stayed last week.  The purpose of this trip was to spend time with family -- my husband's parents, his brother and sister-in-law, and their four children.  Not really children anymore; the oldest just graduated from high school.  The biggest regret I had is that we weren't able to be there during the same time that our son was there.  Hal's job is making it harder and harder for us to get away because they seem to be always in the midst of some big computer project.  Once we got there, we had a really nice time, lots of good food, pretty scenery, a ride on the pontoon boat, lots of storytelling and laughter.  I really appreciate my in-laws' generosity in renting the mountain house and hosting all of us.     

     While we were there, I tried these cookies for the first time.  YUM!!!  My MIL got these at Costco, and we found some at Sam's Club.  They really are delicious.        

        Also, the gang had this lasagna from Costco one night before we got there.  They said it was really good lasagna, so I'm thinking of trying that, too.  My mother-in-law is a wonderful cook, but 11 people is a lot to cook for over a week's time.   

   I've also been reading this summer (as usual) and I read two of the best books I've read in a long time.  The first was Standing in the Rainbow, by Fannie Flagg.  I absolutely LOVED this book, folks.  I just happened to see it mentioned on a blog that I don't normally read and can't remember the name of now (I'll try to find it again).  Standing in the Rainbow is the second book in a series of three, the Elmwood Springs series.  I cannot recommend it enough.  I told three other people about it, and they loved it, too.     

   The next book I read was The Dean's Watch.  This is a wonderful story!  My thanks to Dotsie, who blogs at Podso, for mentioning this on her blog a few months ago.  This was so, so good, and I'm determined to read some more Elizabeth Goudge books now.    

   We're truly knee deep in summer now.  When I take Duncan out before bedtime, the fireflies (or lightning bugs, as we say in the south) are flickering on and off all around.  During the day, the June bugs are swarming in the grass, although they may be mostly gone now.  At night, the tree frogs and crickets are so loud, we've been able to hear them inside with all the doors and windows closed.  It's all of these little things that make me happy to be alive.        There are so many things I love about summer,  However, I'll have to experience the great outdoors in small doses right now.  We went to Sam's Club earlier today, and it's brutal outside.  I just checked the temperature online, and it's 93° right now at 6:04 p.m.  Are you having a good summer?  Have you traveled recently or read any good books?  I'd love to hear from you!      Thanks so much for your visit and your comments.  You make it worthwhile to keep writing this blog.  Have a wonderful rest of the day!    Blessings,