Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Just a Little Photo Fun Today

 Some days, do you ever just want a light hearted day?  One with nothing serious going on? 
I do!!!  Some days I just want it to be fun and different.  Escape.
I have days where I skip from thing to thing in a very haphazard way! LOL!  I may not accomplish any one thing - but I still enjoy my day.
Kind of like these pictures today - all over the place.

This picture comes from LaurieS, my good friend and a poster here.  This is a picture she and her hubs took on a recent day trip to Crater Lake National Park in OR.  Isn't it just beautiful?  The blue of the water astounds me!  
We have pretty nature around, but nothing to compare to this.  Funny, right after seeing this picture and another one, I watched a program talking about Crater Lake.  Laurie, and anyone else interested it was on a program called Mysteries of the Outdoors.  The Travel channel - Season 1 - Episode 11.  You can probably catch it online.  It talked about all the mysterious happenings and disappearances and paranormal things that have happened for centuries around this lake.  VERY interesting.
I just can't get over the beauty - it is almost mesmerizing.

Sunflowers coming up - bird planted - and Cheryl approved!  This is across the front porch, under the feeder.  They have popped up in a nice row and will be blooming soon.  What fun to just get random plants - right where everyone can enjoy them!

My little cookbooks from my 2nd and 3rd years in foods in 4-H.  As you can see well stained and well used.  Yep, mom and I both kept everything!  I knew I had these - and came across them while cleaning papers last week.  I guess I was probably about 9/10 while using these.  I remember in my 3rd year our entry for the fairs was banana bread.  My uncle, who was a chef at a fancy restaurant here in town, told me his secret.  Never use vanilla in it - use banana extract instead.  Not sure if it was that advice or not - but I won blue ribbons on it that year!


Any idea what is suddenly growing in my planter?  LOL!!!!!!!!
Oh, that crazy Blackie.  I had to take the pictures through the door, so he wouldn't be disturbed.  I guess it was a warm spot on a cool and sunny afternoon.  This was a new one for me!
If I fits - I sits!!!!!!!!

Click on pic to enlarge if needed
Grade 5 - I am top row, center, in yellow dress.  Oh my goodness, what a blast from the past.  I remember I loved that dress - my mom made it for me for Easter and she also made a lavender coat to go with it.  I was a regular Easter egg that year!  The little redhead in the 2nd row, 2nd from the right - was the first friend I ever made (we met 1st day of first grade) - and we are still friends today - 62 years later!
Sad to say several of these sweet children are no longer with us today.

Anyone remember 'Fun with Dick & Jane'?  That was the first reader we had in school, and this was my workbook from then!  Two old report cards also - back when they were handwritten.

Gosh, just a few little fun and frivolous memories and fun things that are happening around and about today.
Hope you enjoyed!
Have a great day.




30 comments:

  1. Thank you, Cheryl. We could all use a little more fun in our lives, don't you think?

    My family visited Crater Lake when I was in my teens. We hiked down to the lake with a tour guide. The hike down? Easy peasy. The hike back up? Let's just say younger brother and I wondered where Mom and Pop were as all the others from our group returned. We waited. And waited. Eventually our folks showed up, Pop walking behind Mom, pushing her along. LOL! The pic brings back memories. I'll look into that show.

    Sweet on the sunflowers. All on our property are volunteers, too, planted by birds (I'm sure). And what adorable pics of Blackie!
    --Elise

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It sure looks like a beautiful place to be. Pushing mom back up - that would have been me needing pushed!!!
      Love sunflowers. Such a happy flower!

      Delete
  2. Crater Lake is a true marvel in this country. We were there late July back in '98 and still so much snow on the road we couldn't drive all the way around!

    Childhood memories are fabulous. So glad you have rediscovered several of yours :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It sure is pretty.
      Yes, I love taking a journey back into the old days now and then!

      Delete
  3. The picture is gorgeous! We have some pretty scenery around here but nothing like that. Thanks, LaurieS, for sharing.

    It's fun to go through pictures and papers and find forgotten treasures. I am in the process of sorting the box of pictures we got out of the closet last week. Haven't had a whole day to devote to picking through and even tossing some.

    Today is a beautiful day. It was 52 when I got up. Blackie has the right idea for laying in the sun.

    I qualified for a survey through Herron and the first of it is today. There were will be one more this month and two next month. All done online so I won't have to go anywhere. $225 when I complete the surveys. Not too shabby.

    Enjoy your day. Love the sunflowers all lined up like the birds planned it that way.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Good morning, Thank Cheryl for posting that picture. Crater Lake truly is amazing. Thanks for the heads up on the program I'll be looking for it. When we were up there the visitors center was closed for remodel, I was looking forward to stopping there because they run a short movie on Mt. Mazama and how the Crater Lake came to be. Hopefully it will be done so I can see it next year.
    Love the class photo! And the Cat plant:-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the tip on the banana flavoring. Is there a particular brand you use?

      Delete
    2. Donna - you are right - nothing that pretty around here. Amazing. What a great opportunity to do the survey and get paid. That is a tidy sum!!!!!! It is lovely today!!!!

      Laurie - no problem - I figured everyone would enjoy it as I did. That program was pretty neat - you need to try and find it.
      The cat plant IS pretty darn cute!!!! No I just use whatever flavoring I find. I am not sure back in the day what brands they had. I usually get my flavorings from Spices, Etc. - so that is probably what I have had for a long while. It does just amp the taste a bit.

      Delete
  5. Oh my goodness! That blue water...Love that! That entire photo just screams America! Wow, just beautiful. America the Beautiful.

    Don't you just love it when blogging friends share, and also I have forgotten to mention that, I think it is so sweet of Frances to send the cd to you, that is really, really thoughtful. So wonderful.

    I just love vintage things and those books are just wonderful, so sweet. Yes, I remember those readers too. Our daughters find those if fortunate at estate sales since they homeschool, we love them!

    That Blackie...He's beautiful. Oh the entertainment and joy our pets bring!

    Yum, your banana bread sounds so good!

    Your sweet class photo is darling, I'll click on it closer in a bit, hopefully my connection will let me now. Don't you just love those old class photos? The time period is so great. I can't wait to see your yellow dress!

    Maybe I can find the program you mentioned on pluto or tubi. It sounds very interesting.

    Have a great day, so thankful for this sweet blog and the great people here. Just put up a blog, it wasn't what I planned but what God planned. : )

    I appreciate you! ~Amelia

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Saw your blog post today and left a comment. Thank you, Amelia, for a much needed reminder today. I've been feeling... a bit overwhelmed and depressed lately. God bless you!
      --Elise

      Delete
    2. Yes mam America the Beautiful. You are right that picture does pretty much scream America.
      I love all the old stuff. I guess maybe because I remember when it was new!!!!
      Blackie is doll and a stinker!
      The program was very interesting. Strange but neat.
      I will go visit - many days, mine do not turn out at all what I thought I had planned. I do believe we are led on a journey at times!!!!!!

      Delete
    3. Elise, I answered back. Oh yes, I hear your heart here. Me too, some days seem like things are up and some days they seem down and yes, yesterday I was feeling very down until a nice phone call from my mom where I was thinking their might be hope? But it's true...I've been dancing around the house trying to make things fun even on a blue day! It helps me. I think it will extend our lives and make us a healthier person at the end of the day, got the idea from an 85 year old vlogger. Hugs Elise! So glad the blogs ministered to your heart. ~Amelia

      Delete
    4. Cheryl, so true. I was a little aggravated when I got to my computer yesterday evening and saw hardly any of the pics uploaded! Oh dear me! But then I reviewed that old blog post, it still ministers to me....And there was the Answer! : ) I knew that must be a huge part of my blog, to post that old blog's thoughts there. God sure works in mysterious ways, he did on the older blog I linked, so very clearly and then He did again yesterday and as I posted this morning. If we're still like I know we both cherish those still, quiet times, I do believe we can ponder as the good Lord moves on our hearts, and sometimes He is very practical too! : )

      Hugs! ~Amelia

      Delete
    5. P.S. Love the group photo...I used to wear headbands too! Adorable. I long for old fashioned ways like that, the kids dress so much nicer and sweeter. I'm so blessed our girls dress their kids more like that and I did too. Thank you for sharing!

      Delete
    6. Girls always wore dresses and always looked sweet. Times have changed a lot.
      I love to see little girls all dressed nicely. The two little girls across the street are almost always dressed alike, and they look so adorable - and their brother is always well polished as well.
      Your blog was just lovely. We are moved to post things at times - either we need it or someone else does.

      Delete
    7. Thank you Cheryl. It means the world.

      Yes, it's sad how things have changed, it's always bothered me, we firmly kept things sweet and old fashioned best we could here. Our girls loved Jimmy Stewart and Gregory Peck etc.

      Is the family across the street the one who lost their daddy? I've wondered how that family is and also your neighbor who came to you, fighting a bad diagnosis. I've prayed for them.

      Delete
  6. Crater Lake is gorgeous! I must look for some information as to how it was formed.
    Oh my, your sorting has certainly found lots of wonderful memories for you. I have the Canadian cookbook I got for my Grade 12 graduation gift from my parents. Like yours, mine is stained and also the spine broken and fixed with duct tape. I ordered a new copy and had to give it to my daughter because it just wasn't the same. :)
    Silly Blackie! Cats do tend to sit where the fit. The sunflowers wouldn't survive here at this time of here. Enjoy the blooms!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It sure is pretty. I would love to see it in person.
      How neat on the cookbook. I have my moms old Home Companion and it is all taped together. I wouldn't trade it for anything!
      I will take a picture when they bloom. Each day the buds just get bigger and bigger!

      Delete
  7. Hello, all!

    The official fall roller coaster is off and running lol. I already feel like I'm behind in getting things done.

    Love the picture of Crater Lake. I thought it was Tahoe at first, but I didn't recognize that little island. I knew it wasn't Emerald Bay. I've never been to Crater. Been to Tahoe often. That's one thing about those west coast lakes. They are beautiful hues of blue...and so clear in places. At the top of Heavenly Valley, the lake is a swirl of colors from aqua to deep navy blue. Gorgeous. We definitely don't have that in the middle. More like mudholes lol. And definitely no big trees and mountains. But Tahoe is body numbing cold!! I jumped off a boat and it took my breath away. I thought the Pacific Ocean was cold lol.
    Great picture.

    Love your school picture. It's funny that they all look so similar, isn't it? I was looking at my mom's over the weekend and it doesn't look much different than mine at about 7 yrs. old.

    And your silly kitty. My friend sent me a picture of her cat wrapped around the ficus in a big pot. She said in her text, CAN YOU FIND LUNA? Admittedly, it took me awhile lol. Blackie is hanging over yours like a muffin top haha!!

    Overcast today. It's not forecasted, but I'm hoping for rain.
    Lunch is fried rice and eggs. Dinner will be French dips and Caesar salad. It's still quite warm here.

    Toodles!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have never been to any of those places - it would surely be something to see in person.
      Yes, I guess there has been a model of doing school pictures for years - basically all the same. My siblings are very similar and they were many years before mine (same school).
      Kitty is a big boy! My neighbors are always amazed at how big his head is and how long he is. He looks thin, but weighs a lot.
      Meals sound great.

      Delete
  8. I do remember my first grade learning book was of Dick and Jane. That was in 1937. I remember Spot as being their dog. What a long time ago that was!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Spot the dog. I do believe there was a cat as well. I started school in the early 60's, so they must have been a success for teaching!!!!!

      Delete
  9. I laughed and laughed at the cat in the flower box. Good post. You should see the cookbooks I got when I got married, they are so stained and falling apart. But they fall open to the recipe I need.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He is just the cutest thing!
      Love those kind of books - so much use, shows a lot of love and great meals cooked for family!

      Delete
  10. I treasure my Mom's 1946 cookbooks that she got as a new bride. I have found some recipes that I thought were "hers" in those books! haha. She made them hers with love sprinkled in. I have my first cookbooks from childhood and newly wed also (1967 married). I like them so much better than ones now.

    I copied, in their handwriting, grandma's and great-grandma's recipe cards and notes. I used a color copier. Made a notebook with those gems. Many didn't have "amounts" or oven temp---just things like moderate oven or hot oven. My sons aren't interested, but one of the DIL's has requested the book when the time comes...

    Today was one of those days for me, too, Cheryl...puttered around all day doing stuff---nothing major or on a list...just as I saw things needed doing! It was a very good day. Jane in Florida

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jane I just love the old cookbooks. I have lots of hand written notes in my moms old book. She adjusted things or turned it into something different and she left notes.
      Your idea is precious. Neat to share those things.
      Yep, just one of those days. I talked with an insurance man, and that was about as serious as I got!!!! LOL
      I like those kind of days!

      Delete
  11. That picture of Blackie made me smile, I hope there wasn’t anything planted in there that didn’t mind being squished.
    Or maybe you have invented a new form of seed germinator ( 100% organic and environmentally friendly). Louise

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL - I just thought he looked so cute. No nothing was in it - it got emptied a couple weeks back. I guess he felt it 'needed' something!

      Delete
  12. Your Blackie is so cute! :) I'm overwhelmed this month with busy weekends, houseguests, travel... Ooof. Plus allergies, which make me cough and my throat sore. But I stumble on! :)
    MaryB

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks!
      You are a regular social butterfly!!!!!! You keep busy with FUN things! I like that.
      Allergies have been kind of flaring here for me this week. I shall endure! Take care!!

      Delete