EKjourney Backup

Oh my goodness, what happened to late Spring?  We are sweltering with August weather and 100 degree days.  This week Sawyer had his state testing, we had our last piano lesson until the end of Summer,  Phil officially finished up school with a meeting (although he will be working during the Summer), the children did a work day at my parents to earn money for fireworks, we attended a wedding, and we tackled our annual house and purging clean. We started cleaning in the garage, pulling out items into the driveway and going through boxes.  We are just about finished with both the storage section as well as the laundry and pantry area.  Then, we will take on the rest of the house.  It is overwhelming work with messes and staging areas strewn throughout the house, the patio, and the driveway.  It is hard to downsize and I get very sentimental about our things and what we have used and needed in various seasons of life that we no longer have room for.  ...

On the way home from church, we stopped so I could photograph the California Poppies that have been so magnificent.  I wasn't overly pleased with the lighting but these poppies are a bit tricky as they are open in the daytime but close up in the early morning and evening.  (not poppies but I liked the stripes)  There is a beautiful lavender colored field that I have been eyeing but no way to access it.  We tried a side road with no luck but it led us to a magnificent view of the Valley.  I think I would like to have a house smack dab in the middle of this field with huge windows overlooking the valley below! Then, it was off to Shellberg falls with my parents for a picnic lunch (take out burritos) and a quick walk to the Waterfall.   I love this pictures but I needed to snip a few branches! I love big open spaces and views and farm country and distance mountains and big skies but I have to say Forest Trails are quickly becoming a favorite place of mine to v...