Sunday Sunshine ->Thankful Thursday

Practicing contentment by remembering the graces of the week and practicing gratitude by giving.

Sunday slipped away, then Monday and Tuesday followed suit.  So here I am, joining up on the Thankful Thursday parties to make up for my absence on Sunday.  For those new, you'll find highlights of the blessings in my life in bold.

Sunday slipped away because my parents were here visiting and we were busy being entertained by my ham of a daughter, and whiling away the summer afternoon playing cards and games on the back porch.  I had a craft fair in Montrose, PA on Monday and while sales were lacking compared to prior years, my mom and I still had a great time in the shade people watching!

I'm thankful that a local pool has a free toddler program that will run for two weeks.  I'm glad that I have healthy tomato plants this year and that my garden is growing well.  I love seeing lilies in bloom and hear the creek running, even though the rain has been sparse.

In light of the heat wave gripping our area, ceiling fans, window fans and cool nights are all things I am thankful for today!

I hope you can look back, and forward, to find the joy dotting your story!

Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light.” (James 1:16 -The Message) May the light of the Father brighten your week!

Audio Book Review: Missing Max

Missing Max

By Karen Young

Read by Laural Merlington

The book opens with the abduction of six month old Max Madison during a Mardi Gras parade and moves quickly into the conflicted relationships that are left in the wake of the kidnapping.  Kyle and Jane and Kyle’s sixteen year old daughter Melanie are each struggling in their own ways with feelings of responsibility for the missing child.  Family communication breakdowns add to the frustrations as each family member struggles to deal with the loss, while maintaining hope for reunification.

Ms. Merlington does a wonderful job of voice fluctuation between characters, moods and emotions that draws the listener into the drama.  There was one particular point during a heated conversation where the narration was rapid and was not clear between a character’s speaking voice and the character’s thoughts.  After a moment of listening in context, the confusion was cleared up, but it did give this reader pause.

Without giving away too many details, I will say that Missing Max follows a typical Christian fiction cookie cutter and was rather predictable.  I also found parts of the story line to be far fetched and out of character for the characters as they were written. It served well for “brain bubble gum” to occupy my mind while my hands were occupied with the tasks of the day.

Disclosure: I received this audiobook free from Oasis Audio as part of their Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Tuesday Garden Party

I'm wading back into the web-world after a three day hiatus from most things internet.  What a busy weekend: it was filled with family, friends and work.

In order to get in gear for today's Garden Party I had to take a minute to see what was really going on in my garden.  I'm seeing many summer veggie blossoms (cucumbers and squashes).  We're still picking some of our spring veggies (lettuce, spinach, peas and broccoli) but I think those are going to be toast after the heat wave we're getting this week.  My strawberries are just about finished and my potatoes are stretching past the first layer of tires.  Once they get just a bit higher, we'll fill the tire in with dirt and add another tire layer.  We let the potatoes grow up about three layers high.

My basil is taking it's sweet time - I've put it on notice that it has to be prolifically thriving when the tomatoes start coming in!  Hostas, Day lilies and Easter lilies are also blooming.

Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July weekend!  Here are some pictures of my yard and  garden:

[caption id="attachment_1619" align="alignnone" width="150" caption="Hostas Blooming"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1618" align="alignnone" width="150" caption="Easter Lilies in Bloom"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1610" align="alignnone" width="150" caption="Day Lilies in Bloom"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1613" align="alignnone" width="150" caption="Itty-Bitty Baby Tomato"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1615" align="alignnone" width="150" caption="Potatoes - getting ready to get buried again."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1612" align="alignnone" width="150" caption="Still Reaping Peas"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1617" align="alignnone" width="150" caption="Cucumber Blossoms"][/caption]

Save Money & Have a Fun Summer Too!

The sun is out, the kids are out of school and the temperatures are rising.  Summer is here and there are dozens of pitfalls waiting to empty your wallet.  With a little planning and creativity, you can save money this summer and still get the best that our warm season has to offer.

It’s been a long day of work and the kids are tired.  It’s hot outside and temperatures are even hotter inside.  The trap is set.  Nobody feels like cooking and yet everyone is hungry.  Instead of getting caught in the “let’s just go out” trap, plan ahead.  A package of hot dogs or hamburgers with matching buns can make a quick outdoor meal.  Set up the sprinkler and let the kids run off their energy while you cook.  Add carrot-sticks and chips and a picnic blanket.  Dinner is ready and your wallet has been rescued.

Everyone deserves a summer vacation, right?  You’ve worked hard and everyone wants a break.  The trap is set.  The “we deserve a big vacation” trap that usually entices more greenbacks from your wallet than you ever planned.  You are right.  You do work hard, and you do deserve a break.  Just because funds are tight doesn’t mean that you have to right off your vacation plans just yet.  You can vacation closer to home, planning picnic type meals to avoid eating out and pre-book your nights at budget motels- preferably with pools.  Plan your days for local activities and your evenings for pool time.

Another option is a staycation.  Stay at home, but set up the tent and camp in the back yard or visit the local state park, lake or beach.  You can plan activities that are different from your normal outings and plan a special treat for each day.  This can save in meals and lodging if planned and that amount can be saved, or spent on outings or take-out to relieve the stress of meals.

The summer is also a wonderful time to utilize the natural resources around you to lower your energy bills.  Put up a clothes line to save on electricity and/or gas.  Open your windows on cool nights to naturally cool down your home, and keep your thermostat set warmer during the day when you’re not home. Plant a small garden to save on produce at the supermarket.

The possibilities for saving money this summer are endless.  With a little creativity and planning you can make your pennies go a long way.

This article was originally written and published for Helium.com.  Click here to see my other articles.