Summer Garden

The heat has arrived for the summer here. That means the last of the tomatoes are coming in from Mom and Dad's garden. If Mom had her way that would have stopped a week ago. Dad however can't stand to let one little bit of one go to waste. I think their opinions are swayed by the division of labor in the canning process. I ended up with one little squash on a plant I grew and that was donated to a neighbor for the kind act of mowing my grass while I was on vacation. So this summers tomatoes will have to be savored in hot sauce,tomato sauce, tomato relish,and just regular old canned tomatoes. Summer saved up in a Ball jar. Ever ready to lend that home grown wonderfulness with the pop of a seal.



Don't look now Mom...Dad's picking figs!

Higgledy Piggledy

I love finging quirky places.  Tucked away corners that have found a use.  This little gem of a doorway was just off a main street in Stromness on Orkney.  An awkward spot made to fit. All angles and reused wood.  I love the worn paint and henges.  The palette and whimsy suits be very well.  That's one of the reasons I love travelling with my camera and bringing these bits home with me.

I'm back!

I had a wonderful trip and I hope some of you were able to follow along with some posts I had made to my Facebook page. Once again my dear friends Shannon and Mario at Scottish Dream Tours made my travel dreams come true. The Highlands and Islands of Scotland were gorgeous. Snow topped mountains, lovely Spring blooms everywhere, gale force winds ; ) what an adventure. The above photograph was taken at St Conan's Kirk on the way to our first stop in Oban. Mario is a talented photographer and we had a lot of fun finding the next "great shot" and making sure we didn't tumbled off a cliff edge. It always helps to have a buddy along. I tend to become very "focused" when shooting and can sometimes lose site of what's going on around me. Just ask some of my friends about the Mexican wrestling match we attended. So, its good to be home. I've been through all my images at least once and I'm sure I'll continue to find surprises in them as I work with them but overall I'm very happy with those I was able to capture. I'll post images here as well as in my etsy shop, Society 6 and flickr (links to the right). I'll also get back in the groove of posting here regularly and let you all share in what I'm seeing. My phone email sign off says "from my little stone cottage in Scotland" to just keep it out there until it happens but for now "from my little cottage in Texas"

Thanks for checking in,

Kim

Scotland

It's funny. When people ask me where I'm going this year on vacation I most often get two responses when I tell them "Scotland again". If the person asking has never been they usually want to know "don't you want to see someplace different this time?" and if they have had the chance to visit they say "can you stuff me in your suitcase" I find myself thinking, what if this is the last trip you get to take, do I really want to miss seeing Scotland one last time? The response is always a resounding, NO! So I'm seeing the Highlands and Islands again this year but in the Spring instead of the Fall. I'll have a "big girl" camera this time and a lot more experience under my belt. I can't wait to get swept away by the beauty, wonder and romance that I find every time I visit Scotland. Be sure and stop back in a couple of weeks. I'll be sharing my finds.

Must be jelly cause ....

You can always tell when Spring and Summer arrive at Mom and Dad's house. There is always something ready to be canned. Dad is growing it and Mom is putting it up. Today was strawberry jelly made special for the grandkids who savor each scarlet dollop. What I would fret over and plan to the nth degree (jelly making} Mom calmly goes about without a worry. Years of experience I suppose and any missteps long forgotten. No anxiety included here. The only thing that goes into the jelly now is yummy ingredients and lots of love. Must be why it tastes so good.

Barefoot Freedom

Were you a run around barefoot kind of kid? Could you walk on asphalt and stickers, hot pavement and rocky beaches? Not me. I am the original tender foot. I even wear socks in the house and not just to keep from sweeping. This perceived fault of mine has created a deep seated envy in me. I wish I didn't have to stop to slip on shoes. I'd have loved to pelt down to the waters edge without a care for shell or pokey bits. Sigh. Maybe that's why this young girl really captured my imagination. As soon as I saw her and her dog flying towards the water, In my imagination, I slipped of my sensible shoes and socks. I was boldly running with them. Ignoring the potential for a debilitating foot mishaps. Slapping my souls on the earth without a care, celebrating my barefoot freedom.

Go There or Then in a Book

I'm sure we've discussed my love of reading in the past. I was time travelling again today in a book. I slipped back in time as I read then surged forward as my phone dinged. Then eased back again to pick up the story. I didn't need a time machine, just a well written story and a willingness to go there. I did and I will, go there every chance I get. What are you reading?