Enjoy the Days....

After an over-abundant number of days of absolutely perfect weather, which I call San Diego Days, beautiful blue skies, no humidity, balmy breezes, temps in the upper 70's/low 80's which we decidedly deserved after the winter we endured, summertime has returned to Chicagoland....heat and humidity.  Now I am not complaining (well maybe just a tad) but when that humidity starts rising, I am forced to turn the AC on, shutting all the windows and doors and it's just like winter again with the house all closed up.   Altho unlike winter, I can go outdoors and sit on the backporch, read, nap, listen to the birds singing and splashing in the birdbaths.  So no, I'll take a little heat and humidity anyday over last winter.

Saturday my daughter held a little surprise "bon voyage" party for my youngest granddaughter, Brie.  She is off to South Africa, yeah, South Africa....where she will be working at a Cheetah reserve....yikes!!!  She is in her senior year in college and this trip is part of her studies to become a large animal handler (aka zoo keeper).  Last year she interned at a small zoo, this year it's the Cheetah's.

 And she was surprised...

Several of her friends were there along with her cousins.  Aren't they cute sisters!!??
 

And not only did Brie get a surprise, but my other granddaughter, Bailey surprised me with this....

A tattoo representing Alzheimer's in honor of her PopPop, my sweetie.  I was really touched by this sweet gesture.

On my way home I decided to stop at one of my favorite garden centers, Blumen
Gardens.  What a truly unique place to visit.  Not only do they have gardens filled with beautiful flowers but they have truly gorgeous spaces to hold special events.  There was a wedding scheduled for that evening, so I peeked around (naturally, wouldn't you??) to see the set-up.  In fact, my daughter has just scheduled the "great grandbaby" shower at this location in July.  Lots of old brick and rusty doors....perfect!!

Growing wild....pink poppies and red poppies.

And in my yard today....bird on fence. I know the sparrow is just about the most common ordinary bird around here, but he posed so nicely for me and with my new lens you can see the patterns and colors in his feathers,

And also growing on this same fence is lovely clematis, see this time I didn't call it a peony....I tell you it is definitely the age.

And more growing on the trellis in the front.  Sure wish these lovelies would stick around longer, but they bloom their little hearts out and then they are gone, only a memory until next year.

Like so many happenings and people in our lives, they are here for what seems like such a short while and then they are gone, a lesson to be learned.  Enjoy life each and every day, what is here today may not be here tomorrow.

Until next time.....