Day Trippin'

The pool is closed for summer maintenance this week, so

we are planning on local-ish day trips and some small around

the house projects - hoping for a good balance of work and play and rest.

 

 

 On Saturday we went to the Hardesty Park Art Festival.

It is one of our favorites - usually better than Art in the Park,

which is the week before.  This year was no exception ~

so much talent!

 

 

Afterwards, we went to Mary Coyle's -

an old Highland Square ice cream store and

restaurant.  I don't quite have "the selfie"

technique mastered...

 

I took a handful of pictures in the yard, yet again...

this pot of cannas has been spectacular.

 

 

 

This little lily was a gift from a friend and I

forgot all about it until it bloomed a couple

days ago.  It is just beautiful.

 

 

Today we drove to Kidron and spent some time at

Lehman Hardware.  The place is amazing.  It is all

combined at once a store for the local Amish and Mennonite

population, a tourist attraction, a museum, restaurant, boutique

and toy store.  I'm sure I have left something out...

The picture above is actually a 3-D wood carving by a local artist.

There must have been 20 or so on display.  They are not for sale.

...from 1 piece of wood.

 

Do you see the sled? 

 

Sarah, this is an entire room of canning supplies!

 

 

Way up high in most of the rooms are antiques of all

kinds.  These are full size, original pieces.

 

Keith, this is a beautiful tool box.  I am pretty ticked that

I took a blurry pic...sorry :-(

 

LeAnna - I thought of you when I saw this washing machine.

I can't even imagine...

 

I always feel like I am being rude when I take pictures but there was

no one around when I took this.  There were lots of buggies on the road

today and it was obviously wash day.

 

 

 

Many fields of these cool little hay stacks.

 

 

                              
                                 



                                   This was the view out the windshield on the
                                   way home.  A cold front blew through last
                                   night and we have had one of our infamous
                                   weather shifts.

Ian, thanks for the great post!  Keith and Adam, we are looking forward to seeing yours. You are both having eventful weeks ~ it will be fun to see your week in
review in pictures.

Love you all, Mom
                                   

The Past Few Weeks

The last week or so of Ian and Eleftheria's visit we did a couple of day trips.  One to Cleveland and one to Columbus.  The Saturday we went to Columbus was also the weekend Cory and Laura moved into their new residence.  It was a nice coincidence.

The past few weeks since "the Greeks" left have given us time to relax and return to our "normal" existence.  Art in the Park and the Hardesty Park art show have come and gone.  We have been to a couple of free concerts at the Akron Art Museum.  Nancy's daughter Chris and her grandson were here for a visit.  Karen has been maintaining the gardens and inspired by a magazine photo I saw we have added yet another landscaped area.  We are calling it the bathroom window garden because it is best viewed from above.

 

The area near the side door was already covered with riverstone and the pavers were given to us by our neighbor Gail before she moved away several years ago.

 

 

A early view from the bathroom window with Arlo headed for a gate escape to greet an intruder in his world.

 

 

Creeping Thyme, Goldilocks & White Star Creeper

 

 

Prepping the beds. 

 



 

Finished for now.  We'll let it grow for a while.

 

 

 

Before  Ian and family left we  spent part of a day at the Cleveland Aquarium located in the old power station in the flats.  These are jellyfish viewed from an overhead opening in the ceiling.

 

The pattern on this eel reminded me of the wallpaper in Ian's dining room.

 

The tall building (Key Bank) in the center of the photo was under construction when I worked downtown in the 80's.  Hard to believe that was nearly 30 years ago.

 

We also spent a day in Columbus.  Kurt and Denise were down to see Cory's new digs and we crossed paths at a coffee shop the Short North neighborhood. 

 



 

Swinger!

 

Sliders!

 



 

This lantana that Eleftheria gave to Karen is really doing well in it's pot on the deck.

 

This is a bloom on a calla lily given to Karen by Veneta the year Karen had her back surgery.  Just one bloom so far this year, but the plant is very robust.

 

What a great year for the flowers in the garden.

 



Baby Blog - Top 10

 

Here are some of my favorite baby pictures from

Ian, Eleftheria and Artemis visit. 

 

 

 

This has to be the Cadillac of all backpacks!

It is very cool and Artemis loved it.

 

 

She likes to be upside down.  She likes to swing.  She likes to

be tossed up in the air ... a future in extreme sports?

Cutest picture ever! 

 

A friend of mine crocheted this pretty little blanket.

 

G'pa and Artemis admire the fish at the

Cleveland Aquarium.

 

 

...maybe this is the cutest picture?

 

Mom and Artemis go for a ride on the tractor at the playground.

 

Meal time at G'm's Front Porch Café.

 

Really?!  No baby menu ...

 

Where's my harness?

 

Found this photo on my phone?

Summer Flowers in the Garden

I took a stroll around the house this morning and became aware of how many different plants were in bloom.  It's nice when the work that has been done over the years pays off in such a beautiful way.

 

  

 

Another flower in our garden.