The Dog Days Of A Summer Hodgepodge

Welcome to another edition of The Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you've answered today's questions  add your link at the end of my post, then be sure to leave a comment for the blogger linking before you. That's how the Hodgepodge rolls-

1. The Hodgepodge lands on National Dog Day this year (August 26th). Do you own a dog? Did you have a dog when you were growing up, or maybe some other kind of pet? Would you say you're more of a dog person or a cat person? Neither is okay too : )

Do we own a dog? Trick question-ha! Technically no, but we have two living with us and one will likely stay on as ours once our daughter and her family return stateside. We haven't set that in stone, but he's so happy here and loves the lake so I imagine he's going to stay with us for good. 

Plus they might have to wrestle hubs down to get him back even though he sometimes makes us a little bit crazy. Don't all dogs sometimes make you crazy? 

Daughter2 will be taking her sweet pup with her into married life many states away. 

And we'll cry in the driveway because her dog never makes us crazy. 
Well almost never. 

I grew up with a dog in the house and am definitely a dog person. I'm allergic to cats. 

2. Last time you felt 'dog tired'?

That's extra extra tired, right? Utterly exhausted as opposed to the normal 'age I am' kind of tired? I probably haven't felt dog tired since the Asia jet lag we experienced back in the fall. 

Although there was one morning this summer hubs and I pulled weeds in the high heat and ridiculous humidity and I pretty much felt like I'd been run over by a truck the rest of the day. 

3. It's said you can't teach an old dog new tricks. When did you last prove this idiom true or prove it wrong?

I feel like I mostly prove this true, but every now and then I figure out some trick of technology (usually with a lot of help from my girls) and when that happens I feel like I could rule the world. It's the little things people.

4. A favorite book, television show, or movie featuring a dog. Why did you love it?

Without a doubt my favorite dog book is Where The Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls, which I've sobbed through more than a time or two. Pretty sure to qualify as a good dog book tears should be shed in the reading. 

Why do I love it? It's an old fashioned-never gets old story of a ten year old boy and his coonhounds living in the Ozark Mountains, which sounds like it might be boring but I assure you it is not. The writing is so wonderful and the story nestles right into that part of your heart where the memory of childhood remains. You really just need to read it for yourself. 

5. Last time you had reason to (literally or figuratively) exclaim 'hot diggity dog'?

This phrase is defined as an exclamation of surprise or delight so I'm going with earlier this summer when our soon-to-be son-in-law asked Daughter2 to be his bride. Hot diggity! 

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

The weather, like so many things this year, has not been super stellar. Still we are taking advantage of pretty sunset skies when we can and Sunday was one of those days.

In 2020 find beauty where you can. 

Saturday Summertime Sweetness

The world is a bit of a drag these days, but rest assured there's still sweetness to be found. Catching up on some of that goodness here today and not mentioning the long list of things making me crazy. It's a choice y'all.

Let's roll it all the way back to last weekend when we trekked over to a semi-nearby South Carolina town and my daughter's future in-laws. Fun fact-both my girls m-i-l's have the same first name.

Anyhoo, celebrations in the age of Corona are a lot of work and a bit of a brain drain. The hostess has to think about a thousand little details that would never have occured to anyone in the pre-virus days of hosting parties.

Things like space between tables, disposable towels in the powder room and disposable masks too for anyone needing to come inside. How to serve food without anyone actually touching the utensils (a masked server with a gloved hand because hi it's 2020), and of course the weather is a worry because we need to be outdoors and it's a bazillion degrees in July, and we want people to come, but not too many people and whew! It's a lot.

Flowers and hand sanitizer as seen on Pinterest. Well maybe not but it should be.

In spite of all the hurdles daughter2's future in-laws did a wonderful job of making the whole event feel so special and I know the bride and groom felt well loved and well celebrated.

Even the sky on our drive home was cheering them on.

The soon-to-be-marrieds came back to our house for a couple of days and spent most of that time packing up Daughter2's belongings for her move north. Not going to elaborate on that because this post is all about sweet things, remember? I might mention it some other day when I'm telling you about all the things that make the mothers of grown children simultaneously sigh and smile, but that day is not today.

We enjoyed a lovely leisurely dinner one night at a place on the lake, and I'm here to tell you going to dinner by boat is definitely sweet.

The sun was setting as we motored home and it was an all around picture perfect evening.

Tuesday hubs and I met neighbors for tacos at a spot we enjoy. You eat at wide tables on the patio and the servers wear masks and it's not completely normal but it did feel almost normal. As normal as things can feel in this very strange season.

Speaking of not normal we've had some wicked storms this week, but the upside to all that is this-

God keeps His promises.

Yesterday hubs and I packed a picnic lunch, loaded up the boat, and headed to one of the beachy islands in our lake. There are many, but we'd never set up in this particular spot before and we loved it.  All tucked away in a cove away from boaters and people and everything.



The weather was sunny, hot, and humid aka perfect for swimming, fishing, and reading...

Forgetting for a moment all the turmoil in this upside down world and counting our blessings instead.

Pretty As A Picture

It's a gray and rainy Monday here in the upstate which means it's the perfect day to share a few engagement pictures. Credit for all these gorgeous shots goes to photographer extraordinaire Chris Isham.

Did you take engagement pictures when you got married? I don't think that was a thing in the 80's, or if it was I missed it. We took wedding photos which were lovely, but seriously posed. Today's photographers aim for less stiff, more natural movement which I like so much better.

Engagement pics seem to happen mostly outdoors, either in a well loved city or out in nature somewhere. Daughter2 and her fiance enjoy hiking and the mountains so that seemed the perfect choice. Their reception will be in the small big city so we'll have downtown shots on their wedding day.

The bride told the photographer they'd love a mountain shoot and mentioned how much she loved a location he'd used in another bride's session. He liked that idea a lot, but then said if they were game he had an even better spot.

'Do you mind driving out a little bit'? 

No, she didn't mind.

Okay then. This spot is 2+ hours from town so 'just a little bit out' -ha!

Totally worth it though-

I feel like this next one could be a print advertisement in Town and Country Magazine-

One more...they look like they're on top of the world here-

Because they are.