The 90th

I promised pictures of the big day - Granddad's 90th birthday party. He said we managed to surprise him. Not with the cake - he was along to pick it up Saturday morning.

The limo was a surprise.
Friends he knew were coming were joined by some surprise guests.

He wasn't expecting the champagne toasts.

Especially not the one with all the hats from his extensive hat collection.

He was a good sport about having hat after hat set on his head.

It amused his guests a great deal.

Notice the bags on the table?
Thanks to our researchers for discovering treats from 1919 and where they could be gotten today. The unique hand made labels were imported from Florida.

Granddad was surprised - and tickled - that a bit of his past from a long-ago newspaper had been tracked down and framed for him.

Not every 90 year old gets a tomahawk for his birthday.

The dancing girls were definitely a surprise.

There are no pictures of the fireworks, but let me assure you that they were spectacular.

"I've had a lot of parties" he said. "But I think this was the best one of all of them."

Entertaining company with the simple things

It was a fine day for the farmer's market. Some people found the bright morning a bit much until after their cup of coffee.
We carried home sacks full of fresh vegetables to grill for dinner, and fresh fruit to accompany brunch. And tomatoes for every meal.

This is the perfect weather for dining al fresco: cool and clear with a little breeze blowing and the chipmunk chipping in the background. We sit and chat until the coffee is cool and the butter is warm. When we finally get up, three Sunday papers are waiting to be read. When we finish the papers, we each have books we bought yesterday at the library booksale.

We are fortunate that our company is content with simple pleasures.

Weekend on Lake Erie

Somewhere on an island we found ourselves failing to achieve cell phone communication
in the midst of some really wild life.

We stayed anchored

and steered a steady course.

Thanks to some excellent guidance.

Looking back at summer

One warm day we went to the zoo.There we met up with cousins, had a little birthday celebration, and went off exploring. We searched for animals, but on this afternoon most were resting.Only a few were alert and watchful.
After the sun and heat outside, we enjoyed the dark coolness of the oceans exhibit.

A definite highlight was getting to touch the sharks.

We had not gone far from home, but it felt as if we'd visited some exotic land.