Simple Pleasures ~ Breaking for Ice Cream

Welcome back to Simple Pleasures! Although I didn't take a very long break, I still missed our weekly party and I'm delighted to be back. Thanks for all of your comments during my time away; your kindness is appreciated. 

After The Man and I left the island (see previous post for details), we decided to return home via one of our favorite Texas getaway cities, the lovely San Antonio. Here we are, pausing along the charming River Walk, taking an ice cream break. It was one of the best parts of a very hot day, and absolutely a simple pleasure. In case you're wondering, who had what, The Man tried Mexican chocolate, while I had a cup of "lime in a coconut" gelato. Divine!

Are you enjoying your summer? I have a confession. Summertime is my least favorite season. The heat and humidity can get overwhelming (not to mention unending) here in Southeast Texas, but for many people, summer is something they look forward to every year.

If summer is your favorite season (or even if it isn't), I thought it would be a fun twist to share summer pleasures here during the next few weeks. If you want to play along, that would be lovely. If not, that's OK, too. Whatever floats your boat, as long as you share a pure simple pleasures.

If you're new here, please read the guidelines before linking up. If you check back and your link has been deleted, it isn't personal. You'll find the reason in the guidelines.

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What's your simple/summertime pleasure?

Happy Birthday to my Daughter ... and a bit of news ... almost

Today is my beautiful daughter’s 25th birthday. My love for her is without measure. She is a gift from God, and I thank Him for entrusting her to me.

~ My precious baby girl ~

It seems fitting, on this day, to let you in on a bit of good news. If all goes as expected (fingers crossed), I will soon have another Chicken Soup title under my belt (all glory belongs to God). The title of the book is, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Answered Prayers, and the title of my story? “My Miracle Baby,” which is the moving story of my struggle with infertility, and the miracle of my daughter’s birth.

So …. Happy Birthday, angel girl! I love you tiny dots up to the sky. (That’s how she described her love for me when she was a wee thing, and it describes my love for her perfectly.)

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A Day on the Island (and news about Simple Pleasures)

If all goes as planned, our brief summer escape to the island will end tomorrow (at least we'll start heading toward the barn, as we say in the South). We will return home a bit tanner than when we left, rested and ready to tackle whatever awaits us. I heard it rained in our absence, which is a glorious piece of news, as it has been drier than a bone back home.

Here's how our days on the island have gone.

Morning coffee on the patio. (Wish you were here.)

Mid-morning: "Shall we go have some fun in the sun, dahling?"

The water has been rough and choppy and cold, but the sound of the waves rushing to the shore is one of my favorite sounds in the whole world ...

soothing the spirit and cleansing the soul.

I could be a serious beach bum.

If you've checked in with me lately, you know I've been reading my favorite book, Gift from the Sea, by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. It's become a summer tradition.

(Don't ya love my flip-flop bookmark?)

The Man is a serious reader, especially when it comes to American history, particularly the American wars. This is yet another novel about Gettysburg.

Afternoon naps are essential.

After naptime, it's time for just chilling outdoors.

(Can you tell this is my grand-dog?)

Early evenings find us heading out to one of the local joints for food. This was taken from our indoor table at Pier 19, a super casual restaurant, situated right over Laguna Madre Bay. The seafood is caught fresh daily, and cooked to perfection.

It's also within walking distance of our campsite.

This is a platter of fried oyster nachos. We weren't sure what they'd taste like.

In a word, DIVINE!

The last time we were on the island, it was January 2010. I caught some fabulous sunsets on camera during that visit.

The earth has shifted since then, and the sunset wasn't as "accessible" this time, but still worth watching and capturing, as you can see here.

This view is steps away from our campsite, which overlooks Laguna Madre Bay.

Using my zoom brings it up a lot closer.

That's the bridge that takes you over to the island from Port Isabel.

And another day on the island comes to an end.

I hope you've enjoyed the day with me in pictures.

I've missed visiting with all of you, but I will catch you back at the homefront.

...

And, guess what?

If all goes as planned, the Simple Pleasures series will return next week! I may break again every few weeks, but, for now, let's roll out the party carpet!

I suppose we could call it "Summertime Pleasures," if you'd like.

What summertime pleasures are you enjoying? Do tell.

Hope to see you all at the party!

South Bound

Cloud Nine left the depot bright and early this morning, south bound.

The Man gave me the wheel for a few hours and, as odd as it may sound to some, I love driving this big rig, except when it's terribly windy, which it is today, but I knew The Man needed a break and so I collected my bearings, said, "Help me, Lord," slowed the speed way down, and we reached our first night's destination without a hitch. And now I'm out of breath from typing that very long sentence. (hehe)

We will travel a few hours on Sunday, then end up in a place we've been before and thoroughly enjoyed during our last visit, although it was winter the last time we were on South Padre Island. It's definitely not winter now!

We don't plan to stay long ... just long enough to unwind and forget about any and all unpleasant things. Sometimes you have to do that, whether you take a roadtrip, or just escape to the backyard, you have step away from the tight places and just breathe.

Lord willing, I'll be breathing to the rhythm of the waves for the next few days.

I'd love to know what you'll be up to this week. Wherever you are, whatever you're doing, I hope your summer is sailing along smoothly.

What Children Need from Their Fathers : The Children Speak

According to an article that appeared in the Washington Times a few years ago, written by Stuart A. Miller and Rich Zubaty, 85% of prisoners, 78% of high school dropouts, 82% of teenage girls who become pregnant, and the majority of drug and alcohol abusers come from households with no fathers in the home. Other studies have been done that bear out these stark statistics.

From the beginning, God intended for fathers to play an important role in a child’s life.

Most Scripture pertaining to the disciplining of children is directly addressed to fathers.

Without a doubt, boys and girls have specific needs that only their fathers can fill. What are those needs?

For the answer, I went straight to the ones who know—the children. And I asked what attributes would the "ideal" father possess, and how would he behave. What would make him a great father, in their opinion? 

Their answers might surprise you. Some of those I spoke with were raised by single moms, but they answered the question based upon their ideal father. Their ages range from 14 to 21 and here is what they had to say about a father’s role.

What the Boys Had to Say

1. Spend time with me, just talking together.
2. Don’t be too proud to say, “I was wrong,” and  “I’m sorry.”
3. Show affection to your wife by hugging her, kissing her, and buying little things for her.
4. Acknowledge my achievements.
5. Punish me when I need it. When I don’t get punished, I feel like you don’t really care how I behave.
6. Let me handle some difficult situations myself. It will help me become a man.
7. Trust me by allowing me to go with my friends sometimes.
8. Don’t try to be macho or Mr. Wonderful. Just be yourself.
9. I hate it when you show off in front of my friends. I don’t want you to act like a teenager. I want you to act like a father.
10. When I have a problem, sympathize with me.
11. Take an interest in the things that are important to me. I may not want to play sports. That doesn’t make me a sissy. I need you to love me for who I am, not who you want me to be.
12. Don’t be ashamed to admit that you don’t know everything. It doesn’t make you less of a man, but it does make you more believable as a father.
13. Show me more kindness.
14. Please don’t provoke me by constantly nagging me about everything. It discourages me from trying to do better.
15. Set a Christian example for me and take me to church regularly.

What the Girls Had to Say

1. Always love my mother.
2. Love me unconditionally for who I am and respect the career I choose.
3. Discipline me after your anger has subsided.
4. Don’t favor my brothers over me; there are times when I need you to just be with me.
5. Don’t say one thing and do another; I hate hypocrisy.
6. Work less hours, even if it means not having as many things.
7. Please don’t yell at me, and don’t yell at my mother.
8. Share your interests with me. Take me fishing or hunting, or teach me how to work on the car. Whatever you enjoy doing, include me in your world.
9. Tell me you love me often, but also show it by hugging me a lot.
10. Please don’t tease me when I am in a bad mood; respect my feelings.
11. Make some good memories with our family by playing games, planning family vacations, or just laughing more.
12. Don’t be afraid to tell me no. It shows me you care.
13. Tell me about how you learned some of life’s tough lessons.
14. Show your family more affection, both verbally and physically.
15. Teach me about God, and take me to church.

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Article first appeared in The Dallas Morning News. All rights reserved.

Happy Father's Day to my dear dad, and to my wonderful husband, and to all of the great fathers in your life.

Linked up with Spiritual Sundays.

The Necessity of Alone

Every summer, it's become a tradition: I re-read the classic book, Gift from the Sea, by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. Outside of the Holy Bible, this may well be my favorite book, and that's saying something, coming from a book-lover like me. I believe every woman should have a copy in her library.

What I find in this book, published in 1955, are timeless truths, words to live by, a reflection of women everywhere. It's a small book (barely 100 pages), but its richness requires time ... time to absorb it all. And those are the best kinds of books, if you ask me.

Today, I'm sharing snippets of Lindbergh's writing from Chapter 3, entitled, "Moon Shell."



Photo by Dayle



The world today does not understand, in either man or woman, the need to be alone.



Photo by Dayle



How inexplicable it seems.

Anything else will be accepted as a better excuse.



Photo by Dayle



If one sets aside time for a business appointment, a trip to the hairdresser, a social engagement, or a shopping expedition, that time is accepted as inviolable.



Photo by Dayle



But if one says: I cannot come because this is my hour to be alone, one is considered rude,

egotistical, or strange.



Photo by Dayle



What a commentary on our civilization, when being alone is considered suspect;



Photo by Dayle



when one has to apologize for it, make excuses, hide the fact that one practices it—like a secret vice!



Photo by Dayle



Actually these are among the most important times in one’s life—when one is alone. Certain springs are tapped only when we are alone.



Photo by Dayle



The artist knows he must be alone to create;
the writer, to work out his thoughts;
the musician, to compose;
the saint, to pray.



Photo by Dayle



But women need solitude in order to find again the true essence of themselves: that firm strand which will be the indispensable center of a whole web of human relationships.

~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Gift from the Sea (1955)



You can read my take on solitude here, as well as a few suggestions for finding alone time.

Introducing A New Blogger

Meet Leslie.

She's gorgeous.

She's gifted.

She's funny.

She's my niece!

And she just started blogging again,

after a number of years in between.

I'd be most pleased if you'd hop over to her place

and just say, "Hey!"

Her latest post is asking for advice,

so maybe you've got an idea or two.

Tell her the aunt sent you.

Thank you!

Don't Miss the Afternoon of Life

Photo by Dayle

We Americans, with our terrific emphasis on youth, action and material success, certainly tend to belittle the afternoon of life and even pretend it never comes.

We push the clock back and try to prolong the morning, overreaching and overstraining ourselves in the unnatural effort.

We do not succeed, of course. We cannot compete with our sons and daughters. And what a struggle it is to race with these overactive and under-wise adults!

In our breathless attempts we often miss the flowering that waits for afternoon.

~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh - Gift from the Sea (Published, 1955)

Kindred Spirits

Woo Hoo! I can see the smiling faces of my Kindred Spirits again! I didn't realize how much I would miss them. Glad they are back ... at least for now ... fingers crossed.

 

 

P.S. Not sure if this had anything to do with upgrading my Internet Explorer to Version 8, but things have worked better ever since that change. Just Google search for "IE8" for a free download, if interested.

 

A Little Summer Break

After much back and forth, and a bit of hemming and hawing, I have decided to take a little summer break from the Simple Pleasures series, at least for a few weeks. I may even be back as soon as July. Time will tell. And it was a tough decision, becaue I love this party so much.

Here's the thing. My summers are generally slow and easy, but this one is shaping up to be busy, with The Man and I on the road some, which makes it a bit difficult to host a party. As I said, time will tell how long my break lasts.

So … I guess you could say that is my simple pleasure for today—a little break. I think we all need to take a break from the routine occasionally, and I hope you’re able to do that for the next few weeks, as well. 

And I hope you won’t forget about me. I’ll still be blogging (about as often as I do now), so stop by and see me sometime, and let me know how your summer is going.

In the meantime, let’s get this party started!

What’s your simple pleasure? If you’re new here, please read the guidelines under the Simple Pleasure tab above before posting. If you check back later and discover your link has been deleted, it isn’t personal.

Please note that I will be slow in getting around to chat with all of you, but don't give up on me. I'll be there eventually, and always come away from your blogs feeling like a million bucks.

A Place for the Quilts

For years now, I've wanted a hutch of some kind to display my antique quilts in. I wanted a place where I could enjoy them every single day, a place where guests could enjoy them, as well. While I keep a couple out in my guest room, the rest of them languished in a dark closet until their time to be on display arrived.

When I spied this tiger oak hutch in an antique gallery, my heart beat a little faster. I was already in the process of a family room make-over, and I could visualize this fitting in perfectly with my plan. Its original purpose was a bookcase, but I knew I could make it work ... if only The Man was willing. (hehe)

The discussion about the bookcase continued for a few days, and into a few nights.

Eventually, it came home with me. I told The Man it could be for my anniversary, birthday, and, quite possibly, Christmas. :)

If you love antiques, as I do, it's truly magnificent, with the beveled glass doors. (Not sure why I didn't open the bottom doors, but that's wonderful storage room down there.)

Once the dust settled from the family room make-over (literally), I filled the hutch with some (alas, it can't hold them all) of the old family quilts that make up my collection.

And I smiled every time I walked past it, when I could stop staring at it long enough to walk past it, that is. I'm officially in love.

On top is an old cookie jar, handed down from my great-grandmother (I will fill it with spools of thread or empty spools or something, one of these days). The old radio was purchased at a remnant store in McComb, Mississippi, and it works like a charm.

In case you wonder if I use my old quilts, the answer is "yes." I'm respectful of their age, but I do use them on occasion. I also have new quilts that I use and enjoy.

The photos I placed in the hutch are the faces of my ancestors who are primarily responsible for the quilts you see here, except for the two “friendship” quilts. (More about them later.)

That's my paternal grandmother.
She made two of the quilts in my collection, including this vibrant one.

That's my great-grandmother, feeding the chickens.

She is responsible for three quilts in my collection; the one seen here,
the one hung on the hutch door,
and one not shown here that is draped across my guest bed.



That's another great-grandmother. She made the oldest quilt in my collection
(the top one on this shelf).

The old Alice in Wonderland book belonged to my mother.

The two quilts pictured above are my "friendship" quilts, given to our family from two separate churches my dad pastored in Mississippi in the 60's. One quilt comes from Meridian, the other one from Vicksburg. I have enjoyed (and continue to enjoy) these quilts.

To read more about my quilt collection, and to see more pics, you can click on this link and find several posts on "quilts."

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Sharing today at the following blog parties:

Common Ground - Vintage Inspiration Friday

At the Picket Fence - Inspiration Friday

Miss Mustard Seed - Furniture Feature Friday
Just A Girl - Show and Share Day

Hop on over and join the fun.

The Gathering of Family

On Memorial Day, The Man and I had my family over (those that could make it) for burgers and dogs on the grill. I think you will agree that being with family is one of life's greatest simple pleasures. We ate and laughed and talked the hours away, all between snapping pictures of those in attendance.

My favorite photo was this one of the cousins: my daughter (on the right), my two nieces, and my precious great-niece (check out her toes, if you will). Even though they live in the same town, it's getting harder to get the girls together, what with various work schedules, so when it happens, and I manage to get a picture of them, well, that's something to smile about.

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What about you? Do you have a simple pleasure to share today? If you're new here, please read the guidelines on the Simple Pleasures page below the header, before linking up. Important information is there. If you check back and find your link has been deleted, it isn't personal; please revisit the guidelines.

On an editorial note: I'm considering discontinuing this party through the summer months, but haven't made up my mind. I would appreciate your input in the comments section regarding that. And if you would be interested in hosting this party (like ever), I'd be delighted to hear from you, as well.