Where Bloggers Live: My Favorite Thing About Summer

I’m a plant mom, have been for a very long time. I think I inherited my love of greenery from my dad, who was a plant dad. In some ways, he was a better plant dad than kid dad. Our house in Virginia had a sliding glass door and, in front of that sliding glass door, my dad had shelves of plants of all varieties. Including cacti. He used to tell us all the time not to run in the house because we might fall on the cacti and hurt one. Yes, seriously. And, one day, my sisters and I were running through the house, when one of us {me}, slipped and fell into the plant stand and ended up with pricklies in my hands and knees. Dad immediately ran to his plants and Mom immediately ran to me. It’s not as bad as it sounds. He was sympathetic, but he had told us numerous times to quit running in the house.

Skip ahead thirty some years later and I’m the same way with my plant babies.

Bleu and Lola, don’t run in my house.

THE PROMPT: My favorite thing about summer

I have plants everywhere. They sit in my window sills, hang from the ceilings, and sit on the floors.

They’re all named after my favorite TV characters because that was one of the things Dad and I used to do together — watch TV.

 

 

After he and my mom divorced, I lived with him for about a year and a half, and it was the most incredibly fun time of my life. Dad and I would sit on the floor with our bowls of Ramen noodles and watch Star Trek {his favorite character was Lt. Uhura} and Wonder Woman {he taught me to draw using Lynda Carter as a model}. Then we’d go outside and I’d run after my dog while he played guitar or painted.

The one thing I never did was touch my grandma’s garden. Grandma had vegetable gardens at her house in D.C. and her house in Spotsylvania, where Dad and I used to live. I think it’s fair to say that he inherited his green thumb from her. She used to grow all sorts of vegetables: squash, okra, tomatoes, strawberries, etc. Grandma always looked happiest when her hands were in the dirt.

Anyway, my plan was to share with you how much my dad and grandma influenced me to start my own garden this year and how my favorite thing about summer was going to be my veggie harvest.

 

 

 

Like my grandma, I’m growing squash, tomatoes, strawberries, a variety of bell peppers, and some flowers. The Hubs even had a sweet little greenhouse built for me that has turned into my little sanctuary.

But that plan has changed.

Now, my favorite thing about summer, this summer in particular, is family. In a few days, I’ll be traveling to spend a few days with my son, something we’ve been trying to arrange since we moved to Louisiana. Then I’ll be meeting The Hubs in Pennsylvania, where we’ll join up with our other kids to attend our youngest daughter’s wedding. I don’t have many details, only that the wedding will take place in a local park. And we’re all very excited. My daughter is marrying a wonderful woman who shares the same quirky sense of humor as the rest of my kids, so she fits right in.

If I’m allowed, I’ll share a picture or two from the wedding. And, of course, I’ll share some pictures from my visit with my son.

So, yeah, I’m looking forward to this summer for so many reasons. It’s going to be my favorite one yet!

ABOUT WHERE BLOGGERS LIVE

Welcome to the monthly edition of Where Bloggers Live. It’s kind of like HGTV’s “Celebrities at Home,” but…Bloggers! Who doesn’t like to peek behind the scenes and see inside people’s homes? Over the next few months, we’ll share about our work spaces, home towns, and more!

I should note – because this is super important – the creative brain behind this project is Bettye at Fashion Schlub! Love her!

The Celebrity Bloggers

Bettye at Fashion Schlub
Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks
Em at Dust and Dog Hair
Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style
Iris at Iris’s Original Ramblings
Leslie at Once Upon a Time and Happily Ever After
Sally at Within a World of My Own

Make sure you visit everyone to see where the magic happens!

IT’S YOUR TURN

What’s your favorite thing about summer?

THANK YOU

Thank you for stopping by my blog. I hope you enjoyed this post and learned something new. If you like what you read, please consider sharing this post on Facebook or Pinterest. While I pay for many of the items I share on this blog out of my own pocket, some items are gifted to me {I always disclose those items}.

Come back soon,

 

 

 

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AFFILIATE INFORMATION

As the blogger and photographer behind Living Outside the Stacks, I independently select and write about stuff I love and things I think you’ll enjoy too. Living Outside the Stacks has affiliate and advertising partnerships so I get revenue from sharing this content and from your purchase. Thank you for your support.

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