Ready, set, go

One of our granddaughters is on a swim team this summer and I took these shots the other night.

She was competing in the breast stroke and free-style.

READY

SET

GO

SWIM BABY SWIM






Hope you are filling your summer with lots of  joyful activities.

Linking with BLUE MONDAY

Ann

Cart of pink shades

On this Pink Saturday morning I want to share my flower cart full of petunias.

Some of the shades are almost violet, some variegated pinks.

We are enjoying this month of cool mornings, and warm to hot afternoons and plenty of rain.


Each time I look at my cart I am reminded of my favorite movie "My Fair Lady" and Eliza Doolittle and her flower cart.

Linking with the Miss Beverly, our wonderful host for Pink Saturday who has faithfully kept us all the in the pink.

PINK SATURDAY

Ann

Xyst

We are approaching the end of the alphabet for this round of ABC WEDNESDAY.  Letter X is always a little hard but I believe I found a good one.

Xyst is a long portico usually found in Greece for athletics OR a long covered garden walk.

Last year on a tour of the Kansas City Museum I photographed the lovely gardens.  This XYST is covered with vines, however the Wisteria was not in bloom at the time.

I really enjoy this one because it also reminds me of Greece with the columns.

Linking with ABC WEDNESDAY

Ann

Pink faces

At our children's vacation bible school celebration we had a face painting booth.

Our Grand Niece

Always the princess!

Granddaughter

This activity always pleases each and everyone.

Linking with PINK SATURDAY

Ann

William Allen White

We are examining the letter W this week for ABC WEDNESDAY and I am featuring the home of William Allen White in Emporia, Kansas.

I have driven by this home hundreds of times because both of our children received their undergraduate degrees at Emporia University.

The home is known as RedRocks.  The red bricks are actually red sandstone believed to be from Red Rock Canyon near the Garden of the Gods in Colorado.

William Allen White was born and raised in Kansas and went to Emporia College and Kansas University.  He moved to Kansas City and became a writer  for the Kansas City Star.

A progressive influential journalist of the 20th Century, he received two Pulitzer Prizes.

 In 1899 he  borrowed 3,000 to buy the Emporia Gazette where he remained for the rest of his life where he earned the nickname "The Sage of Emporia".

Several of our U.S. Presidents visited him and his wife at their residence and the home was declared a National Historical Landmark in 1976.




Linking withABC WEDNESDAY

Ann

Convoy of Hope

My sister, a  close friend and I just participated in "Convoy Of Hope" here in Kansas City.  Convoy of Hope is a faith based international humanitarian-relief organization  that takes a weekend in a city and ministers to the poor and homeless.  They come in with their convoy full of booths and merchandise to give away to the needy. They are based in Springfield, MO.

Even though we had a deluge of rain, the event went on and was really successful. We had 1100 volunteers from around the city, representing many churches.

Their services include health checkups, counseling, haircuts, gardening supplies, family portraits, fun games for the children, clothing and feet washing with brand new socks and new shoes.

I'm ready to be a blessing.

I worked in the Clothing Tent, and we treated the people as guests, they got a personal shopper to help them find what sizes they needed and they were allowed to take as many items as they wanted.

My girlfriend helping a little one with a pair of shoes.

My sister worked in the "Foot Washing Tent".

Shoes stores donated new shoes and socks.

As we helped the customers, we really treated them with respect and asked if we could pray with them about anything. Some wanted prayer and some did not--didn't matter.

Convoy of Hope partners with Harvesters and 35,000 lbs of food was given away.

Such a rewarding day, I came away feeling that the people touched me just as much as I helped them.

Linking with BLUE MONDAY

Ann

Birthday Pinkie

Yesterday we celebrated a 1 year birthday party for one of my great-nieces. She is a darling little girl, just learned to walk and is so sweet.

Her Grandma found this princess outfit for her and she LOVED her wand.

You can't have a pink birthday party without pink cupcakes and she ate every last bite of hers.

Linking with PINK SATURDAY

Ann

Variant

We have landed on letter V this week on ABC WEDNESDAY.

My word is VARIANT.  The definition of variant is a different or distinct version of something.
I have many flower containers in my gardens, they VARY in size and type but this new one I received is worth VIEWING.

My sweet neighbor Evette brought me a container filled with flowers a few weeks ago.

I think this is a perfect VARIANT on the typical flower pot.  I am going to enjoy filling this log flower pot with annuals each spring and think of the kindness of others.

Linking with ABC WEDNESDAY

Ann

Fun Blues

Joining Miss Sally today with some fun blues.

We had a special Lullaby for Motherss Day at our church this year.  First we had a beautiful song sung to a sweet little baby and then a surprise baby appeared.

You have got to have some fun in church, don't you agree?  This is Virginia and her son Jeff and she sung to him too.


On a Mother/Daughter trip over Memorial Day one evening we ate at a mexican restaurant under the pretty lights and gorgeous blue sky.

My sister Lori and my Mom Nellie.

Hope your blues are kind to you too.
BLUE MONDAY

Ann

United

United is the word for U this week. United is defined as joined together for a common purpose or by common feelings. My Mom and her four girls had a wonderful trip last weekend.

Our purpose on this trip to enjoy each and every moment being united together.

Sister and Mom from Missouri, sisters from Kansas and sister from Indiana.  One of my sisters made these great bags for us. Mom is carrying a bag that says "YES, I'm Nellie, our bags say Nellie's girls and our individual names.  Yes they received many comments and compliments.


Linking with ABC WEDNESDAY

Ann

Nascar Blue

While at the grocery I found BLUE for this week.  A NASCAR Team made a visit to the store and I got a few shots.

We have a spectacular NASCAR track here just built a few years ago.

Car #43 driven by Aric Almirola for the Richard Petty Motorsports competes in the Sprint Cup Series.

Hope you have a wonderful BLUE MONDAY and thanks to our wonderful hostess Miss Sally.

BLUE MONDAY

Ann