Flamingo by the throat...

It is a beautiful morning here in East Texas. We slept in until 7 AM. Late for us! We have had our coffee on the porch... read the paper... and I about to make Evan's day by suggesting that we have breakfast at Einstein's Bagels which recently opened.




Then, on to Lowe's for mulch and a few plants to replace ones I lost during my journeys to Roanoke (they don't seem to survive the heat without a lot of TLC).




Next, I am going to put a big pork loin roast on the smoker so I can enjoy smelling it while I work outside! LOVE THAT!



Okay, these photos were from a walk Amanda, Alex and I took in Roanoke. We walked the Greenway and came out in a neighborhood... I have to admit, this was a new one for me!




A gargoyle with a flamingo by the throat. Interesting. None of that in my gardening plans. LOL. Have a great Labor Day!

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My...

My favorite adventure in Roanoke revolved around my "morning time" with Alex. I would usually try to take the little man for awhile after his early morning breakfast so that his mom could get a little more rest.





One of our adventures was with the animals!




Oh, how delightful it was to watch him work so hard to make a cooing sound... how sweet to my ears...

It is truly amazing that he will go from no language skills to proficient in such a relatively short amount of time...

The fresh wonder and amusement of this child stirs my own sense of wonder.

Little arms and legs flying... little eyes searching... soft, sweet coos... a growing miracle.

The Adventures Continue...

We took lots of walks through the wonderful historic neighborhood... I love the curves of this wall...

...the arch of this roofline...

How the flowers are not beat down by the sweltering Texas heat...

These are directly across from the Wildflour Cafe...

Note the colors of the building behind... someone has "saved" this old commercial property and had made it a handsome home. A super fun view while enjoying a yummy lunch... All in a short walk from the kids' home.

While there were many beautiful upstairs porches... this one was my favorite.

The colors were so vibrant and repeated in each area... gorgeous!

This little cutie is a real estate office... Red trim! How fun!

There are an incredible amount of multi-family properties that are well tended and retain their elegance from days gone by...

And, a little bungalow to end the day's adventure... Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Roanoke Adventures Part II

Yes, this is my industrious daughter hard at work. One of our adventures involved shopping for material, a sewing machine and all the little items for tackling a sewing project. It took us awhile to accomplish our project... seems there were many stops for loving on that sweet baby boy. =)


But, the end result was fabulous (if I do say so myself)! This is only a teaser for a post to come from Amanda... can't steal her thunder. But, it was great fun to work with her... and, a joy to me to help give her something to make her smile.

Roanoke Adventures Part I

I am just getting settled back in after returning from Roanoke... again. I have not been away from home this much EVER in my life. But, as I told Evan, I am so torn. Home is where the heart is... and mine is torn in two. When I am here, I want to be there; and, when I am there, I want to be here. I never envisioned this situation... but, I am adjusting.



On the first day I was in Roanoke, we took Little Man to the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, VA. It is my prayer that he comes to love his country like the rest of his family does. And, that he respects and appreciates the heroes whose sacrifices have given us, and many others, the blessing of freedom and safety.




I was not able to capture the sprays of water that represent bullets flying as the troops debarked and crossed to the shore.

So many lives were lost before they even touched ground.

Generously, they served and sacrificed with great courage.

It is difficult to see OVERLORD that is carved into the top of the memorial. That was the name of the operation. Apparently, the elevation and the height of the monument cause the area to be a magnet for lightening. It was drizzling the whole time we were there... and, softly raining part of the time. The caretakers pulled us in as a precaution. There are some areas I really wish I had photos of... but, there will be a next time.

Propellers in the garden...

Stripes that indicated to the allies who were in these planes.

Names and names and names... all heroes.

This symbol is reproduced in the landscape...

This memorial is struggling to survive. Costs of operation are high. Visit. Donate.

Let us always remember that freedom is not free. Let us always be grateful, respectful and mindful. May God continue to bless America.

Roanoke

Roanoke has an AMAZING number of historic properties! It was wonderful to walk and be surrounded by these old beauties.


Seems on every street, there was work being done.



I have never seen so many throughout an entire city.



Of course, I enjoyed this immensely! =_

Quote for the new little Mom.

From the Quote for the Day:

A mother's love is patient and forgiving when all others are forsaking, it never fails or falters, even though the heart is breaking.
Helen Rice

Even when she's running short on sleep... =) Love you, Sweetie!