Love those moments ...

... when a nice thought turns into something lovely. I had one of those thoughts this morning when I woke to pure sunshine, no humidity, and birds singing ... and I thought - - what a great day to have breakfast outside.

Of course, this is my usual routine -- enjoying a cup of coffee, some fruit & yogurt, my current read and my favorite spot in the world - my Amish glider :) Note - the kids are typically still asleep ... so this is complete solitude - - just me & the birds. (*sigh*)

However, this morning, I decided to whip up some muffins - and I do mean "whip up" as in Krusteaz Orange & Cranberry Muffin Mix. I know ... I know. I cheated. But guess what? They were pretty darn good and they only called for one cup of water!! I added frozen blueberries (found at Sam's for an incredible buy!) and sprinkled the tops with sugar before baking. Not too bad in a pinch!

Threw together baggies of cereal, a thermos of milk, and - no summer breakfast is complete without - fresh fruit ...

What is it about eating outdoors on a lovely day that seems to make everything that much better?

Not only had I loaded up our car with our munchies, but I also packed up my paint tote :) filled with watercolors & canvases ...

While I set up our art supplies, my little guy filled up our old pickle jar with water from the river to clean our brushes ... and we were off!

My girl already had in mind a design ....

and decided to create a sunset over the ocean water, adding a mystical treat of a mermaid's tail peaking up from the water ...

Across the table, my son decided to play with colors to see what might come of them ...

Through his brushstrokes and variations of color ... a grizzly was discovered! This certain bear enjoys keeping his eyes on the twinkling stars of evening and munching on favorite berries in the wood. Can you see him?

I decided to try and capture our morning ...

I am still working on my painting ... as my daughter pointed out to me, "you could stay here all day painting! aren't you done yet??" I was simply taking my time, savoring the moment and adding some detail ... and a little more detail. :)

My son finished quickly and spent most of his time along the banks of the river shouting the arrival of passing boats and building sandy mud forts -

Even though piles of laundry and other household chores greeted me at home ... I was still able to carry that peaceful serenity with me from our shared morning. Spontaneity can really boost one's soul ... I highly recommend it!

Only in spontaneity can we be who we truly are.

- John McLaughlin

The Judge ...

... and I'm not talking about "Judy" :)

For any of you who are are an automobile enthusiast ... "The Judge" gives a whole new meaning to this lofty term other than afternoon shows of crazy courtroom debates. I've learned recently that this "bad-boy muscle car" was a hit in 1969 and was only created for three years by Pontiac, in an effort to reclaim their sales and status with the "youth market." Well, they did so with my godmother's husband, who owned one back when they were dating. Those were the days when cruising was a sport and evenings were made of starry night skies, the rumbling of engines, some rock-n-roll, and local carhops.

With their 40th anniversary approaching, she enlisted my help in her vision of surprising his socks off with her thoughtfulness :) Now, the fact that I had never sketched a car in my life did not stop me from jumping on the bandwagon ... I have the Good Lord to help me with that! So, we talked car details and "back in the day" stories, and I worked out a design to hopefully capture the nostalgia of this gift.

From my design to create an old photo, add a punch of color to designate our focal point and the incorporate the history of this car ... I hope that we have achieved a surprise that will satisfy his adoration of the long-lost car that he once enjoyed.

Happy 40th Anniversary, Rosanne and Danny!

May you enjoy many more beautiful & happy years together :)