Saturday Snapshot -- Experiments

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On Wednesday, as I was dashing between classes from building to building, I passed this balloon experiment. I didn't get to stay long enough to see what happened, but did enjoy seeing the students beginning to surround the professor wondering what was going on.

I imagine the experiment had something to do with physics or chemistry. Since the balloon was floating it obviously was filled with helium.

Hope something piqued your curiosity this week too.

Saturday Snapshot -- Sad Yet Happy

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One of the universities where I teach is getting rid of all of its hard copy books.
I know, it's hard to imagine.
It's going to make the spacious room a commons area for students to gather, and instead of books, it is putting emphasis on the online collection.
That meant that today, I got a chance to peruse the library collection and take any books that I wanted. Of course, being a university, the emphasis was on reference and textbooks, but I still found some classics and picked out books that I thought my husband, my son and my daughter might like.

My husband got a collection of Edgar Allan Poe stories plus great American Mysteries.
My daughter is getting ready to fly overseas, so I grabbed a copy of Tender is the Night, a book I read on the beach in Corsica many years ago. I hope she'll read it and leave it where someone else can find it to read. I also found a book called A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare that should be fun while she travels around England.
For my son, I figured he needed a copy of Catch 22 all his own, plus some James Patterson novels and A Farewell to Arms.
I took Boomsday by Christopher Buckley for me and Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, which I haven't read, but figured would be fitting because of the Native American protests going on now.
A library without any books is sad. I'm glad I grabbed a few that will be read and passed on to others.

Saturday Snapshot -- Summer Garden

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This week, we spent some time digging up two strips of grass in front of our stone wall and planting it with flowers.
I mostly considered this an unimportant job because I thought the grassy area was fine, but apparently it always bugged my husband. And truthfully, I didn't do very much.
I did go to the store to buy plants, manure and mulch, which subsequently spilled in my car and I'll need to vacuum it now.
After one side was planted, I realized we didn't buy enough flowers, so I went back to the store for more and spent one steamy afternoon digging holes to add the extra flowers. But my eldest son discovered me in the act and came to help.

He also dug up the grass on the other side so my husband could plant, manure and mulch there. So mostly, I'm a bystander in this project.
Even though I didn't think it was necessary, it does look nice.

The morning glories come back up each year around our porch. Usually I take a picture to show how they cover the railings, but I wanted you to see one up close. They look silky and velvety.

And each year, I buy a flat of zinnias to plant. I don't know why sometimes they look like this. One or two simple stems and flowers.

And other times, they outdo themselves, like these.

Hope your summer and your gardens are doing well too.
Hope you'll also visit French Village Diaries today where she posted a review of Paris Runaway, my latest novel. There's a giveaway too, so be sure to enter.

Saturday Snapshot -- Summertime

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I wanted to share a photo I took of my neighbor's porch.
She's one of those clever, artsy people. She collects old furniture and paints it, turning it into masterpieces.
On a walk recently, I noticed her front porch had a new addition.

Isn't that adorable? A little bedside table with flowers spilling out of the drawers.

Here's a closer look.

And, I wanted to include a picture of me holding a proof copy of my latest novel, Paris Runaway. 

I would describe it as a fast-paced, action, women's fiction novel with romance. If that interests you, I'd be honored if you'd preorder the Kindle edition, which will be released on Thursday, June 30. 

The paperback should be available on Amazon and other websites soon.

Thanks for your support. 

Saturday Snapshot -- Life

Oftentimes when I'm avoiding my blog, it's because I don't want to deal with my emotions. I'm  not pouring them out to readers because I don't actually want to face them.
Instead, I try to find joy where I can.
So I'll join West Metro Mommy for this weekly meme of photos people have taken and share on their blogs.

I took an afternoon to read a book on my front porch during a sunny day this week. And the cats decided to join me.

I love that Tybs was peeking around the flower. Life can seem idyllic, if you're a cat.

I'll be reviewing the book that swept me away for Dreaming of France on Monday, so I hope you'll check back then.

And here's a photo of my son on his way to a job interview, looking handsome in his new suit.

It's raining here today, so it looks like an inside day for me. I've already run five miles in the rain. I plan to make a pineapple upside down cake, take a warm shower and finish grading for the end of the semester. Maybe I'll even do some writing. Have a good weekend.

Saturday Snapshots -- Interesting Things

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I'm always looking for interesting things. When I parked at work on Friday, I loved seeing these tiny piles of stacked stones. Apparently, they're meant to imitate cairns, which is Gaelic and the stones were balanced to memorialize loved ones. Now stacked stones might be anywhere, even in parking lots.

After a sleepless night because of family worries, I cancelled my run and instead went for a walk this morning. Our little city was preparing for a race with flags marking the routes, and I saw this elaborate colorful drawing. 

And finally, as I neared the end of my walk on this gloomy sky day, I noticed this delightfully pink tree. And I couldn't resist taking a picture.

I hope everyone else is finding joy today, wherever you can. 

Saturday Snapshot -- April Snow

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We woke up this morning to find that Spring has abandoned us and winter returned in full force.
I tried to go for a run but stinging nettles of icy pellets attacked my face, so I came home. My husband agreed to go for a walk with me, so we could be bundled up.
The weather continued to be cold and blustery, but we paused to take some pictures of the snow on the freshly bloomed flowers.

We also took a tulip selfie. This woman always has gorgeous tulips every spring. It feels like Holland.

The snow also looked picturesque on the creeping phlox.

The weather should return to the Spring later this week. Hope you're having a lovely weekend, bad weather or no.

Saturday Snapshots -- Early Spring

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My morning excursions are some of my favorite times of the day, of the week.
Earlier this week, the sky glowed a beautiful pink as the sun rose.

And then the pink segued into a lovely golden sky. 

I feel fortunate that I can get outside and experience it. 

This morning, I ran with my friends on a bike trail in the country and we stopped along a vernal pool, yes, one of those spring pools that doesn't appear the rest of the  year, and listened to the spring peepers along with some bird song. There isn't much to see, but the sounds are inspiring.

Hope everyone else finds some joy in their weekend. 

Saturday Snapshot -- Cats and Runs and Chocolate

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Today I started off my day with a 10-mile run through my small city and on into the next suburb. For some reasons, there's a cornfield in the middle of the city, and a paved path going through it.

So I took the opportunity to run along the path and found a small brook. Probably, the brook isn't there except in the spring time as the snow melts -- a vernal pool.

I texted my husband around mile 7 and asked if he wanted to meet me at the coffee shop where I would end my run. So we met and bought hot drinks. As we walked home, me sweaty and worn out, we stopped at the salon, and they had time to give him a haircut, so I walked home alone.
When he arrived home later, he deposited a boy of chocolates on the table. "It's your birthday week," he reminded me.

Hope it's going to be a good one.

I made the bed the other morning, and the cat, who isn't allowed to sleep with us at night anymore because he disturbs me, had curled up on the pillows. He refused to move and was still there at noon.

So, my running is going well, my writing is going well, and my family is loving and supportive. Those are the things I'll hold onto as I enter my birthday week.

Saturday Snapshots -- Friends

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In spite of the hectic holiday season in December, we managed to gather as friends on a couple different nights.
This is a picture of us at Italian Market in Italian Village. These friends were the parents in my homeschooling group. They were my village that helped raise my children, assuring me, cautioning me, loving me.
Only one of these couples has a child they still homeschool, but that hasn't broken the bond of friendship.
It's so great that so many of us could enjoy each other the week after Christmas.

I hope everyone has an equally supportive group of friends that they see, if only occasionally, as we do. 

Saturday Snapshot -- Mouth Full of Chocolate

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We had a fairly laid back Thanksgiving, but at one point in the afternoon, 3-year-old Regan asked whether I'd come play with her. Of course, I did and she set up an elaborate tea party.
A piece of cake and a piece of Buckeye candy were on Regan's dessert plate. Suddenly, I looked down and the entire Buckeye was gone.
"Did you put that entire thing in your mouth?" I asked Regan. She nodded, but her full cheeks and over-wide eyes told me the answer before she did.

Tucker also got to meet his new cousin Benjamin and he wanted a selfie. So I held up  Benjamin for Tucker to take a selfie with him.

We also got a family snapshot while all of us were in the same place.

Hope you  had a lovely holiday, if your an American, and that everyone else had peaceful weeks.

Then and Now

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This week, I spent a lot of time scanning in negatives of photos when the kids were little. 

Each picture was more adorable than the next. I posted a bunch on Facebook to oohs and ahhs.

Today, I planned to post some on my blog, showing how Grace has been an actress since the day she was old enough to choose her own clothes, but instead, I got hijacked by Spencer.

Spencer came home from college yesterday, and after eating dinner with us, Earl dropped him off at a friend's house on the campus of Ohio State. 

This morning, he called and through highly slurred words, asked if I'd pick him up. 

"Did you sleep at all?" I asked.

"No, not yet," he said.

So I traveled through the pre-football traffic to pick him up. But when I got there, he had fallen asleep and I had a hard time rousing him. I texted. I phoned. I got out of the car and walked up to what I hoped was the right door. No one answered.

As I got in my car to leave, a  young man opened the door and he must have woken Spencer because he came out and got in the car. 

On the 15-minute drive home, he fell asleep.

So why is it that this sleeping Spencer at two,

is so darn much cuter than this sleeping, tipsy Spencer at 21?

Hope you all have a splendid weekend. 

Saturday Snapshot -- Sunrise

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Friday evening, I went to the first same-sex marriage that I've attended. The Supreme Court ruling in June made same-sex marriage legal in Ohio.

This morning on my run, I spotted a lovely sunrise. 

How many times a year will it peek through at this exact spot? 

Of course, the picture is never as good as the real thing. You'll have to take my word for it. 

Maybe I'll get a picture of the full moon tonight so I can juxtapose them. 

Busy Family Gatherings

This week, I had a lovely visit with my parents.
So I haven't blogged all week and I'm way behind on my grading.
Still, it's nice to take a break. To just be in the moment. To laugh and remember. To take some walks. To talk about making jam, but then decide not to.

This is a good picture of us, even though my eyes are closed!

We thought they might not be able to make the trip up from Florida, which is about 1000 miles away, when Dad went into the hospital the week before. He'd been sick and Mom and the doctors thought it was from being on antibiotics which upset his digestive system. They went to the ER, he had some fluids pumped into him and he went back home.
Then that night, as he continued to be sick, he got up to go to the bathroom and nearly passed out. Mom call the ambulance and they took Dad to the hospital. He stayed for four days and in the end they realized that he had salmonella poisoning.
I know how I feel after a stomach virus, so I urged Mom to take Dad home and rest for a few days before they made the drive to Ohio. I looked up airfares and tried to convince them to fly instead.
I wasn't really surprised when I received a text from Mom that said Dad was out of the hospital, and they were driving north.
They didn't even wait a day.
Like independent teenagers, they took no advice from me.
But I was so happy to see them and spend time with them.

My brothers and me

My brother from Texas flew to Ohio so that he could be here for my mother's family reunion. She's the youngest of nine children. Five of them are still alive, with the oldest being 95.

Mom wanted all three of her children at the reunion, so we were.
Mom and Dad were here at my house on Monday when Grace flew home from Europe, so that added to the joy of the week.

Tucker made several visits to eat dinner with us while Mom and Dad were here.

Grace snuggling with her Nena.

Now, I'd better get busy grading papers. It should fill my weekend, with just one brief foray to the Columbus Art's Festival where Grace will be doing a scene with the cast of Hamlet. She plays Gertrude, Hamlet's mother. It's a stretch, but that's why she's expert at makeup.
Happy weekend to everyone.
I'm joining West Metro Mommy for this weekly meme of photos people have taken and share on their blogs.