Hello, patient blog readers! Summer has been busy around this old homestead! How about where you live...did your summer pass in an absolute flash?
We've celebrated milestone birthdays, hosted relatives visiting from Connecticut (which I posted about here), Georgia, and Maryland, and we traveled as well...back to my hometown of South Boston, Virginia, for a quick weekend; and Tom and I experienced Philly for the first time as part of our 37th anniversary getaway!
So...lots of summertime fun times!
Thomas Jefferson's Monticello gardens were a delight to browse, and I promised you some photos: 
We walked this dirt path around the perimeter of the backyard with our tour guide who talked about all the various flowers: 
The plant stake stated that this flower was Prince's Feather, which I'd never heard of, very tall and leggy but pretty. The Shop at Monticello sells various collected seeds from their gardens: 
I loved all the purple flowers, especially this grouping: 
This photo below of Cockscomb near the Reflecting Pool is one I recently posted on my Instagram, but I'll post it again here.
By the way...do you follow me on Instagram? I don't post a ton, but sometimes there are things there that I don't get around to posting on the blog. The button is on the left sidebar under Subscribe: 
Okay....who wouldn't be happy when your grandchildren are coming to town?!! Did you hear all the hand clapping??
The visit from Sarah and her family from Atlanta a few weeks ago was absolutely W.O.N.D.E.R.F.U.L.! It was their first visit to Virginia since both babies had been born. Here's Aunt Hannah with Matthew:
And here's Uncle Jonathan teaching Andrew how to strum along on his guitar: 
We were able to get a 4-generation picture with Andrew and me (now the Granny around these parts), Great-Granny (formerly just Granny....it gets confusing and we forget!), and Sarah with Matthew. I will treasure this picture: 
Sarah enjoyed walking around the property while they were home, and Hannah took a family photo of them out by the old barn next door to us...this was also the scene where Eric proposed to Sarah two years ago on Labor Day, 2015:
The next weekend we traveled to my hometown of South Boston to celebrate my dear friends' 50th wedding anniversary, held at Berry Hill Mansion. Here's the view as we approached: 
Here I am below with Carolyn after the wonderful celebratory festivities at Berry Hill Mansion. I don't think it looks like she's been married for 50 years, do you? She must have gotten married when she was 17! Yes, she did! 
Here I am with a very faithful blog reader and dear friend, Doris, who is Carolyn's sister: 
I grew up with Donna and lived right down the street from her in South Boston. Here she is with her husband, Allen, and they now live in Chesapeake and just celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary. It was so fun sitting at their table and catching up on our lives: 
Lots of years of marriage represented in this room...Tom and I were getting ready to celebrate our 37th: 
A final picture taken in South Boston...we took Great-Granny to visit several friends on Saturday and then back to her hometown church on Sunday. We thoroughly enjoyed the conversation and a meal out with the pastor and his wife after the services. All in all, it was a great weekend:
Next up....I think I have way too many pictures of our trip to Philly and Longwood Gardens to put them here. That will be my next post.
~DebSave
Save
We loved being there!! So good to see all the old places again. :)
Posted by: Sarah H | Friday, September 01, 2017 at 03:55 PM
Good to see you blogging again...one a month isn't nearly enough! ;)
Posted by: Cathy | Friday, September 01, 2017 at 05:40 PM
Wonderful times and what wonderful memories!
Posted by: victoria | Friday, September 01, 2017 at 07:50 PM
WOW QUE HERMOSAS FOTOS MI QUERIDA HERMANA EN CRISTO, ESTOY TAN FELIZ DE VER LAS CARAS SONRIENTES DE SUS BELLOS NIETOS Y SUS HIJAS, SUS AMISTADES DE AÑOS Y SU MADRE, QUE TIEMPO TAN WONDERFUL, SU CORAZON DEBE DESBORDAR DE FELICIDAD NO? ¡FELICES 37 AÑOS DE MATRIMONIO¡¡¡ POR MUCHOS Y MUCHOS MAS. UN MATROMINIO PIADOSO EN EL SEÑOR, ES UN HERMOSO TESTIMONIO Y EJEMPLO PARA SUS HIJOS Y LA COMUNIDAD DONDE USTEDES VIVEN, EN ESTOS TIEMPOS DONDE ABUNDAN LOS DIVORCIOS O SEPARACIONES, ES ALGO RARO VER MATRIMONIOS DE TANTOS AÑOS. NOSOTROS CUMPLIMOS 40 AÑOS DE CASADOS EL PROXIMO 2018 CON LA AYUDA DE DIOS MEDIANTE, Y ESTAMOS FELICES DE ESTAR JUNTOS Y TAMBIEN DE SER EJEMPLO PARA LOS JOVENES. LE ENVIO UN ABRAZO A LA DISTANCIA MI HERMANA QUERIDA, A LA ESPERA DE NUEVAS PUBLICACIONES. BLESSINGS.
Posted by: ANA | Saturday, September 02, 2017 at 02:54 PM
Yes, our summer went by much too quickly also. What happened to August? I love the four generation picture and it's so good to see Andrew without his NG tube and all that tape. I'm sure he is even happier than he always looks.
Posted by: Barbara J. | Saturday, September 02, 2017 at 03:19 PM
Wow you did have a busy summer.
Love the picture of you ,your mom and the grand kids.Have you seen Micah and Ethan lately?I saw that Micah is now in Maryland.
Nice to people able to celebrate their 50th anniversary.
What a busy 2 years for Sarah.Won't belong and she will be chasing 2 small ones.
Our summer was busy moving again and sending Allison back to school.
Posted by: Tammy C | Sunday, September 03, 2017 at 09:39 AM
Hi Deb, I recently visited the "Entrance" to Monticello. That's as far as I got because they were closing soon. I'm happy that you were able to visit though. So good to see all the smiles on the faces of your family. Looks like everyone is doing well. So blessed. Happy Anniversary to you both. May you enjoy many, many more great years together. Be Blessed!!! -Steve
Posted by: Steve Gordon | Monday, September 18, 2017 at 12:15 AM