IS THIS WHAT A BLOGGING BREAK LOOKS LIKE?

I didn't plan on having a blog break but - after not blogging for two weeks - I guess I did! Now, Miss Mari-Nanci ("smilnsigh") has told me I must update my blog, and I always obey a direct order from MISS M-N!

The scan above is of a set of pages I did for an altered books round robin. I happen to know that the owner of this particular book loves pink. As I selected pink images, I realized they were about summer delights. And that brought to mind the post Daisy Lupin wrote in June 2007 about planning to have a juicy, greedy summer of personal delights. Sadly, Daisy died not long after writing that post.

I decided to make a collage featuring Daisy's words, summer themes, and bubble gum and hot pink colors contrasted with a cool refreshing green. I also added the word "luscious" because I have the incorrect and indelible notion that it was included in Daisy's quote!

The quote and Daisy's name are written on pink tags hung with green ribbon. The tags hide part of the words "summer" and "wild", and the plastic flamingoes' heads. I was on a roll after these two pages and went on to do a bunch more in pink as well as my favorite colors: lavender, blue and green.

So why haven't I been blogging? I guess I have been trying to fulfill my pledge to honor Daisy's dream of a perfect summer. My personal delights include:

Enjoying big glasses of lemonade with lots of ice cubes, and the occasional, more expensive treat of a hazelnut Italian soda or fruit smoothie.

Eating fresh peaches, cherries and watermelon, and letting the juices drip down my chin.

Barbecuing every chance we get. Some kind of meat, of course, and my husband's Famous Fredericken Potatoes wrapped in tin foil. Although he won't eat it, I like this veggie side:

Chop up some small zucchini, the long yellow squash (name??), some onion, and some red and yellow peppers (or green if you prefer). Marinate in a marinade made from a dry Italian salad dressing mix. This doesn't take long on the grill, so don't over cook!

Being a moongazy girl under the ripe summer moons.

Stopping to soak in the view just before I go inside to work. The building I work in sits atop one of the highest hills in Bismarck. From there, one can see the hills unrolling south of town. Depending on the light and weather conditions, the hills are shadowed a beautiful blue or wreathed in mist.

I'm excited for our department's move the first week of August. We will no longer be on the highest heights, but we will be in a gorgeous new building with an entire wall of glass that overlooks a stunning, panoramic view of the Missouri River valley.

Taking time to smell the (neighbor's) flowers. Because of my carpal tunnel syndrome, I have only a few planters on my deck this year, but I've been thoroughly enjoying other people's gardens. I must brag, however, that my roses were astounding this summer. I grow hardy Canadian roses, perfect for our harsh ND climate. My William Baffin climbing rose, which is (supposed to be) trained over the front arbor, went berserk in June. I think the mailman could have used a machete to make it to our front door!

Reading - a lot. I find that my ancient eyes work much better in natural light so I'm going to read as much as I can while the days are long. I'm usually on my deck (see below). Unfortunately, the books' pages are prone to being smeared with food and/or mud from the dogs. (Read a page, throw the ball; read a page, throw the ball.)

Sitting on the deck under our venerable American Elm tree, one of the largest elms in Bismarck. Its canopy covers half our yard, and gives us shady relief from the blazing sun setting in the west. Its leaf cover is so thick that if it is raining lightly, we don't even feel the drops.

Trying to appreciate the turkey buzzards, or turkey vultures. A couple of years ago, they came in from their natural habitat along the Missouri River and now roost on the water tower in our neighborhood, and in the trees on the corner. I really hated to have them around. They gave me the heebie jeebies (a la "The Birds") and they are scavengers who also - erm - poop on their legs to cool them off when they are hot. Yish, as Mari-Nancy would say.

Some of my blogging friends who love birds have told me that buzzards are wonderful, necessary creatures, so I have been trying to like them, and honestly, I have enjoyed seeing them swoop and soar on the evening air currents. They have a long wingspan and look very graceful, from a distance. All was well until the other night, when the two pre-teen girls playing next door spotted them. "Ooh, the tower buzzards," they screeched. "They're creepy!" Yeah, girls, I hear ya.