"Seens" of Summer

 

I'm sure there will be a few posts coming up, emphasizing summer scenes, cuz, after all, the beauty changes as we move on through the season.  

Oh, wait!  We haven't started summer yet, officially.

Still, there's lots to see on these summer-like day AND the activities and the coming and going. 

Annie came home last night from Seattle.  She'll be here for the weekend. 

My oldest brother Mike and his wife Mary are in the "going" mode. Starting today they'll be spending some time in Europe on a tour. 

They fly out this afternoon, and when they land in Amsterdam on the first leg of their trip, Mike will be 80 years old. Midway through the trip, Mary will turn 80. 

Hard to believe that our siblings are getting to that age, but when they're 80 and still traveling around Europe, that's a pretty good and encouraging sign to those of us still aiming toward that milestone. 

I don't remember if, when we were kids,  I ever thought about how old we'd get when we started getting really old. 

We had other goals in mind.  

We were in the "couldn't wait" stages of life, looking toward incremental changes like junior high or driver's licences and then high school with its ultimate of high school graduation and college, etc. 

Now, we're pretty much okay with waiting for the next stages of life.  

After all, have we ever heard anyone say, "I can't wait to get a hearing aid or I can't wait to get to start using a walker or, gee, it will be cool when I finally get to start carrying an oxygen tank or spin brodies in my wheelchair, etc."

Nope, I don't think, in all my days here on Earth, I've ever heard anyone utter any of the above.  

 At this age, the perspective deals more with getting through each day and giving thanks that we're still breathing and using those days efficiently. 

Anywho, I wish my big brother a Happy Birthday.  For Mary and him, this will be a LONG day.  Ironically, his actual birthday segment might get short-changed a bit with time changes.

It's a beautiful morning in the neighborhood, and I'm loving the sounds of the Western flycatcher and its spouse, which has been flitting in and out of its nest for the past several days. 

It's the same nest as last year's, and the birds have come often enough over the past few years that I immediately recognize and smile when I hear the first chirp of the year. 

We especially enjoy these birds cuz they're kinda social and like to hang out on deck perches whenever we have company. 

Well, speaking of efficient usage of the day, I'd better quit babbling and get on with my agenda.  Lots on the plate today. 

Happy Thursday. 

I heard from one of the anglers in the above photo that fishing at McArthur Lake yesterday  was okay---some small perch and sunfish. 

Fishing aside, it was an idyllic summer scene. 

Combine a lilac with the sweet fragrance of a beautiful blue Iris, and it's an amazing pleasure to enter the room where this bouquet sits on the kitchen island.

Heavenly.