While cleaning out my studio closet, I came across these old pictures. My boys…at the beach…in years past…

Little Ian…always the imp! Loving life and getting the most out of it he can!

Sweet Alex…serious…always thinking…just resting while the others exert all their energy…

Dear Adam…not feeling very cool at the moment. Bad enough to be at the beach with your parents…but then your Mom has to make all these dumb pictures…

Sweet memories…sunny days…warm breezes…cool water…sunburned shoulders…sandy toes…wet towels…falling asleep to the sound of the gentle waves rolling upon the shore…and another one…and another one…and another…shhhhh…

That’s the title of an old country song…do you remember it? It really was a terrible song, but it told how the boy was swingin’ with the girl on the front porch.

What are your memories of swinging? I remember little about a swing set when I was a little girl…but, there do seem to be lots of pics of my sister and I turning flips over the bars…not much swinging going on.

My boys had a swing set they loved to play on in our backyard. We also had a lawn swing under the big tree in our backyard that we all swung in for many a mile. During the last remodel of our previous home, we built a sunroom, and I had a swing hung inside…I loved it…as did everyone else that came to our house.

Now we are in our new home. Don got me a little potting shed, and it has a swing on the front porch. There really is not much room to swing….mostly just a place to dangle your feet.

Now, this is a beautiful old swing, isn’t it? I bet it could tell lots of stories of people who had swung within its arms. Parents and children…boyfriends and girlfriends. It looks as if it has been well used. Wouldn’t it be fabulous to restore it, put in a new seat, and a comfy cushion?

This one, on the other hand, is strictly a fantasy swing. A beautiful forest, a beautiful girl, a beautiful dress, beautiful flowers, and beautiful sunshine. What’s not to love?

This swing, made of metal, is called a moon swing. It is supposed to represent swinging in the cusp of the moon. It is very pretty, but I think all those metal circles would not be very comfortable.

This is the pumpkin swing. Sort of like Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater…put her in a pumpkin shell…It, too is quite beautiful, but I imagine it would get very hot in there on a summer’s day!

And, this is the best one of all…good sturdy board…strong ropes…and room for 1. You can swing as high and as fast as you want. Yep, I want one just like this in my backyard!

I am always on the lookout for cute table decor. A centerpiece can make a huge statement on a table and bring an otherwise boring menu up to a fun food party! Here is a cute idea I ran across the other day. It would be perfect for a cook-out or even for a child’s party!

Simply use a jar or vase and place a rubber band around the center. Carefully slide colorful straws underneath the rubberband…covering all of the glass.

Add water and flowers…and tie some matching ribbon around the rubberband to hide it! There ya go! A quick and easy centerpiece. Well, actually, you will probably need several of these to go down the table, but, you get the idea! Enjoy!

Yesterday, I finally went back to school, and got my stuff together. Of course, I had already brought a car load home before school was out…and then things got so busy there at the end, that I didn’t have time to get the rest packed up. So yesterday, I went and separated my stuff, from the school stuff, and filled the back of my car with what was left. And, it is still sitting there today. UGH! Now the job is finding somewhere to put it all. I’m such a book collector, and I happen to love children’s books. And, I can not bear to part with any of them. Now one day that will be great for my grandchildren, but for now, it’s a lot of children’s books! I’m fortunate to have a library now to store them in…it’s just finding the energy to do it. Maybe they just need to rest in the car for a few days.

There are still alot of things to organize with the new music teacher, and we’ll tackle that when she is ready. But, I did get the desk drawers cleaned out and organized and the storage cabinets. So, when she gets ready, there will not be so much to do. We can just work on files, etc.

So, my stuff is out of the school, but part of my heart will always remain!

I have always loved the peaceful, thoughtful atmosphere that is made by beach chairs looking out to the sea. I think, personally, that the mighty ocean, and its many moods, is one of the more glorious of God’s creations. The many people that sit and rest and gaze out to the sea, have many thoughts. What do the rolling waves bring to your mind? Do you wonder how far the sea shells that you see next to the shore have come? And, if by chance, you are lucky enough to come upon some sea glass…what do you think it was before it was broken apart and polished by the sand and the sea? As you gaze out to sea, do you feel very small and insignificant in this universe? Or do you feel energized by the constant in and out and in and out of the waves? I confess, it makes me feel like a tiny speck of sand in comparison to the world we live in. It is mesmerizing, though, isn’t it? To watch those waves go on and on…to see the tides rise and fall…to see the palest of blues, and the teals, and the greens…deep and almost black fading into emerald and a beautiful, crystal clear green. And the white caps of the waves adding just the right highlight to the whole scene.

I particularly like to sit on the beach at night…when it is dark enough to see the stars in the sky. I love how the moon highlights the sand…it almost glows. And, the moon shining across the water makes such an enticing pathway, you almost feel as if you step on it and visit with the man who lives there. I like the way other groups of people move into and out of the area you have lain claim to…they seem to just disappear and you are alone again. Just you and the sea.

So, the sight of beach chairs gives me pause to remember the great God of the sea…the creator of this masterpiece…this playground He so richly provides for us.

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This is a summer beach tablescape I have in my home…Note the little beach chairs, and the picture in the shadowbox of more beach chairs!

I’m afraid some one would get wet here….maybe that is why they’ve all gone inside!

The sea turns to diamonds this time of day…

I love these chairs, they look very comfortable. Can you see how many shades of blue and green there are in this pic?

The straight back chairs make a colorful picture, but I am not sure I could sit there long enough to do much pondering…

This is a picture I have on my mantle…and I actually bought it at Target. It is a wrapped canvas, and it gives me a very peaceful feel.

OH,MY! This is gorgeous…but I do not even think I could get out to it. It looks to me like it is on a sand bar…and that would require swimming in pretty deep water…so I am sure I will only visit this from afar.

A beautiful sunset…a chair built for two…a place for cold drink…quite romantic, don’t you think?

These chairs seem to be put here as an afterthought. Notice how they are facing the sun. Perhaps they were dragged down to the water’s edge for a couple to take in the sunset. I love the fact that the chairs have a place for your legs to rest also.

And, these are the chairs I’d most like to sit in. Something about the materials and the style of them…they look as if someone lovingly crafted these chairs by hand. I just know that these would be MY chair!

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“…be still…and consider the wonders of God.” Job 37:14