We’re hopefully coming to the close of summer. I’ve had enough . . . My air conditioning went out twice and just yesterday the electric company gave the neighborhood a power outage to work on the power lines . . . Why is August and not during the cooler weather?
I suppose no time is a good time for a power outage . . . but it is a good time to enjoy a refreshing root beer float in a frosted mug . . .
And to celebrate in the evening, it’s always good to sit outside by the fire pit and make some s’mores with friends and family.
August is our last chance to do a camping trip . . . and to celebrate with backyard bbq’s . . . You can even camp out in your own backyard . . .
I Thought It Interesting How In The U.K. They Go To The Seaside And We In The U.S.A. Go To The Beach
It may just be a matter of semantics . . . or a cultural thing . . .
Spending time at the beach is always a fun day . . . Mainly getting out of the heat of the city . . .
I do enjoy going up in the mountains to get away from the heat of the day . . . I do find the mountains relaxing. I suppose we all have our get-away spot . . . Having a picnic is alway nice and taking a bit of a hike . . .
Then nights can be ripe for telling ghost stories — basically scaring the wits out of each other . . .
There is truly something about the mountains and the trees and the wild animals that makes ghost stories ideal . . .
Especially urban legends that take place near a lake or stream . . . a child who was drowned and a crazed mother terrorizing everyone years and decades later seeking revenge for the loss of her child . . .
Leave Me A Comment Letting Me Know How You Spend August
Some are preparing to going Back-to-School or embarking on their college days . . .
I do enjoy relaxing . . . sometimes thinking about the fall and winter holidays. This is truly a perfect time to plan ahead and take advantage of all those wonderful summer activities . . .
Yet, most of my activities are quite low-key . . . I do enjoy a relaxing life and life-style . . .
It’s a good time to work on craft projects . . . Even planning ahead to get started with Halloween — yes, it may be a bit early . . . But never too early to choose that perfect costume . . . I like to avoid the crowds and get a bit of a jump on the selection available . . .
I Just Couldn’t Pass Up The Opportunity Of Putting Up One Of My Favorite Halloween Pictures
It’s always fun for me to go antiquing — checking out antiques — all those wonderful memories from my childhood . . . or even before . . .
I have a friend who collects old toys . . . and another one is into dolls . . . I usually I don’t have anything in mind. I’m just looking at what catches my attention and imagination . . . I do enjoy candle related objects usually in silver . . . I do have a collection of button hooks . . .
This Summer Season Has Been Busy And Much Too Warm . . .
Actually, it was downright HOT! Usually I don’t mind it with air conditioning . . . but when it goes out, life can be quite uncomfortable and miserable.
I did buy a new heating and air conditioning unit — my other one was old and pretty much beyond repair. I had 10 days of waiting for the new unit to be installed . . .
Fifteen day after the new unit was installed . . . it went out . . . Something that should last 15 to 20 years stopped working after only 15 days. Obviously, this was unacceptable . . .
The company did make it right . . . but I suffered through too many hours of sweating which wasn’t my idea of enjoying my major investment . . . or the relaxing, lazy days of summer . . .
The Purpose Of This Post Was Not To Bore You With The Chaos In My Life . . .
I was more concerned about the concept of summer — my least favorite season mainly because of the weather. I’m not into the hot sticky weather. I’m more comfortable with temperatures in the 70 + degrees . . . And usually about this time I’m yearning for fall/autumn my absolute favorite season.
But summer does have its perks — many people go on vacation or read good books or watch movies . . . just relax and enjoy the fair weather. There are bar-b-ques and outdoor dining — I like sitting on my patio and even on my front porch with a nice cup of coffee or a cold glass of iced tea.
Sitting Under A Tree Or On A Tree Swing Is Relaxing
Is it possible that we never outgrow a swing — a tree swing or one we remember from our childhood at home or school or a playground or park?
I think a swing is nice — you can just sit or move slowly or get into it and reach for the sky . . . We make it work by pumping our legs . . . and maybe with a little push by a friend . . . A swing and summer seem to go together in my mind . . .
A tree swing is very appealing to me because you get the shade of the tree overhead . . . With a slight breeze, you can hear the rustling of the leaves — makes me think of fall . . . It is relaxing and very calming . . . You can allow your imagination to bring all kinds of wonderful images to mind . . . Remember . . . your precious memories . . . stories you’ve read or heard . . . being creative and making up a story of your own or poetry — remembering a poem or writing one while you’re relaxed and swaying to a rhythm of your own . . .
I’m thinking of ice cream — a yummy ice cream cone . . . Making something cooling and refreshing.
Check out some of the items below this post and make yourself a refreshing treat. Something you and your family will enjoy this summer season . . . and for years to come.
Since this is the beginning of Summer, I thought it appropriate to tell a ghost story about a house in the woods.
I’m creeped out a bit when it comes to property with woods beyond the property line. This seems to be an ideal place for ghosts and sinister behavior by the living . . . But, we are much more interested in the real ghost stories.
It all began when Julie, her brothers and some neighborhood kids decided to play hide-and-seek in the woods behind Julie’s house.
They had played in the woods before, but now it was beginning to get dark and Julie had an uneasy feeling about hiding in the woods.
Of course, everyone teased Julie about being chicken and other names, but Julie stood her ground. The others did decide to play hide-and-seek and Julie went home.
It wasn’t long after Julie set the table for dinner that her brothers, Sam and Kyle came in looking as though they saw a ghost — which they did . . .
According to Kyle, he and Sam were looking for a good hiding place while Tammy counted to 100. Amy stayed with Tammy while she counted. She wasn’t too keen on the idea of going into the woods and hiding.
Sam saw something or someone following them. Not directly behind them, but off to the side, but every time he moved his head to look straight on, nothing was there.
He felt uncomfortable and started to say something to Kyle, but dismissed it and continued walking deep in the woods.
They did come across an old abandoned house. At least they thought it was abandoned since the porch steps were rotted away and the porch roof sagged. They went to the side of the house to look inside through a window.
Then something touched Sam’s shoulder. He quickly turned around to see if it was Tammy or Amy, but it was a man dressed in black. He looked old and had red piercing eyes.
Sam felt paralyzed looking into those piercing red eyes. Kyle called to Sam, but he couldn’t speak or move. He wanted to warn his brother to stay away, but he couldn’t.
Then suddenly, the man disappeared, but the red eyes still glowed through the row of trees watching him.
Kyle pulled Sam away from the house and towards home. Sam could feel those red eyes on him. He tried to tell Kyle what happened, but couldn’t form the words.
But Kyle saw something looking back at him from inside the abandoned house. It seemed to be a woman dressed in white, carrying a lit candle . . . but there was something strange about the angle of her head. And it seemed as though her eyes were black holes and her hands were those of a skeleton.
The boys got back to the edge of the woods just as Amy and Tammy were starting to go into the woods to find them.
“Don’t go into the woods!” Kyle yelled. “It’s haunted.”
Of course the girls laughed, but they were also relieved that the game of hide-and-seek was over. They did go home . . . and Julie, Sam and Kyle’s father told them a story about that old house in the woods.
Originally, it was believed to be owned by a coven of witches. They were into some dark magic and over time each of the witches either moved on or died right in that very house.
Then a young couple with a daughter moved into that house. They were strange. They kept to themselves. They did go into town from time to time, but grew the food they needed and hunted deer and rabbits. They had chickens and their own dairy cows.
When their daughter was old enough to marry, a stranger came to the old house. He claimed to be an old family friend. He did work in town as a blacksmith and also as an undertaker. Strange jobs for an unusual man, but somehow it seemed to work out for the town.
The day of her wedding, the stranger didn’t show up. He just seemed to disappear. Some thought he ran off with another woman or he met up with the ghosts of the witches in the woods.
There was something strange about that man, as the stories were told, he sold his soul to the devil. He stopped working and spent most of his time in the tavern. He drank and played cards. He would get into fights and spend time in the woods when he should have been working.
Whenever he would show up in town, strange things would happen. People who looked at him would get sick, crops and animals would die along the path he walked. There was death and destruction all about him. The town just about became a ghost town had it not been for some of the men who chased him out of town and told him they would kill him if he stepped foot in town again.
With stories and such, it is difficult to know what happened to the man, but people thought he still lived in the woods and was courting the daughter in the old house. But when he didn’t show up for the wedding . . . one can draw their own conclusions.
In the woods, even to this day, there have been sightings of a young girl in a white dress looking for that stranger. And, yes, there have also been sightings of red glowing eyes in the woods.
It could be an urban legend to keep kids out of the woods after dark . . . or parts of the stories could be true. For Sam and Kyle, they believe they saw the young bride in the old house . . . and the devil himself.
Being an election year for those of us in the United States of America, both parties selected their candidate for President along with their Vice President.
The campaigns may be heating up for the final outcome in November.
But before then . . . we’ll be getting the kids off for another school year and Halloween!!!
There are still some days of summer to enjoy, though. Maybe a last trip someplace. Getting more swimming in and enjoying the warm temperature.
I don’t know if that dreaded essay of “What I Did Over Summer Vacation” is still asked. If so, now is an excellent time to get thinking about that. Helping the kids by hitting the highlights of those who had a very active summer . . . and for those who didn’t . . . thinking of ways of making at least one thing you did with your family sound interesting.
When I think back on summer vacations, I think of all the time in the car. Yes, we saw lots of things and had fun at a cabin on the lake or going to National Parks . . . and even visiting relatives . . . The task of sitting down to write about it took all the fun out of what fun we did have.
And, the absolute worst part was reading them aloud . . . Yes, that was torture listening to what others did . . . some were as lame as my summer vacation.
I’m way past that . . . but I do get a cold shiver down my spine when school opens each year . . . even though I’m definitely not involved. Maybe I’m having empathy for all those students . . . Times have definitely changed . . . but those “first day butterflies” may still remain.
There are old movies about this . . . I was wondering if there was a jigsaw puzzle . . . or some books:
I’m never disappointed! There is always something available to help me out.
Honestly, I was thinking of doing a kick-start into Halloween. . . I know it’s still too early . . . so I went with the back-to-school theme. But don’t be surprised as you’re shopping in preparation for a new school year, you don’t see Halloween stuff . . . The stores always seem to start early . . . and by the time I may be ready to think of buying stuff . . . those shelves may be getting a bit bare . . .
Strange isn’t it? We’re always being pushed to the next season and the next holiday.
Today is a beautiful day to celebrate and remember the long hard struggle for independence.
This read-a-loud book may be helpful for you to share with your family.
We celebrate this day with parades and fireworks. We, as a nation eat millions of hot dogs and hamburgers, wave the American flag and decorate with red, white and blue banners, streamers and bunting. It is a colorful sight to behold.
I plan to sit out on my patio to watch the fireworks from the city park. I have my American flag waving proudly in the nice breeze of the day out in front of my house. A BBQ is in order with family and friends gathering. It is a day of celebration. And, a day of reflection . . . what freedom means . . . it is different for many people. And, today as in the days of our founding, not everyone agreed . . . but it was necessary to come together, to cooperate and compromise in order to make this new nation — The United States of America.
I’ve been working on some scrapbook projects and going through pictures. I do love all the Disney characters I grew up with . . . and some new ones. I have been going through clip art and coloring book images just for fun and to add to my scrapbook pages to give them some fun . . . and we all know Disney equals fun!
Well, we have Mickey and Minnie, Donald and Daisy, Goofy and Pluto just kicking back. I think they may be waiting for the fireworks to start . . . but that won’t be until tomorrow night . . . or is it the BBQ feast they’re waiting on?
I know at my house we’re BBQ-ing up a storm. We just can’t get enough of that char-broiled flavor in our meat and vegetables.
And, yes, as the BBQ is cooling down, we bring out the fixings for s’mores.
There are those who would prefer to have a nice refreshing root beer float to top off the end of a beautiful day. I love root beer floats . . . done the old-fashioned way . . . just a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream in a mug of root beer. It is refreshing and oh so filling!
I usually start out small with a little ice cream and root beer . . . then add more ice cream and root beer . . . if I have room for a bit more. And you can always share your root beer with someone else . . . one can is more than enough for two root beer floats. At least at my house. You may do something quite grand with yours.
A beautiful summer day spent with friends and family is wonderful. Lots of conversation and plenty of activities to keep the kids happy and entertained. Maybe we’ll have a scavenger hunt before nightfall . . . I like doing it like an Easter Egg hunt. I hide things around the yard and take pictures of them. Then I cut up the pictures and mix them all up . . . the kids need to put the pictures together in order to find the hidden objects.
It is fun and a bit challenging. With everyone working together, the objects are found and the kids decide which one they want to keep. I usually have board games, card games and puzzles that I hide. Then we can close out the evening playing those games.
I love having family game nights. Kids can play together. Adults can play together. We can all play the games together. That is usually the best, but sometimes it’s good for kids to learn how to cooperate and settle their own disputes.
If this sounds like fun, here are some games you may enjoy playing with your family and friends during this summer season:
I could go on and on . . . but this will get you started. Just click one of the links and your adventure is on to finding the right board and card games to play with your family and friends.
