Jamie in Mali

Our friends, Phil and Jan Casterton's youngest daughter Jamie just left for a year in Mali with the Peace Corp.  She's a delightful young woman and will bring her enthusiasm along with her.  She will be doing a blog while there which I have a link to on the blogs I follow should you be interested in her experience.  I'm looking forward to learning how she grows and learns from this amazing adventure.  Good luck to you Jamie!

Penny Lane

Meet Penny Lane.  This is our son Matt's puppy.  He got her from a breeder in Traverse City at the end of May.  She's soft, sweet and fairly small and lively right now.  She will probably get to about 100 lbs. at full growth.  Her parents are from Europe and both beyond that weight full grown.  Matt is doing a good job with her so far.  She is also adjusting to her feline companion Leo (Sara's cat) pretty well.   We will see how she adjusts to her new surroundings and life in the city after the summer's done!

This boy loves his basketball!

Right from the time he was very, very little Dylan has been fascinated with all things to do with basketball.
He loved watching it being played by the next door neighbors when he couldn't even walk yet.  He's been to see a few NBA games even (thanks to Boardman)!  He will pass up all playground equipment even if there
is a basketball hoop.  We put him on Mark's shoulders and let him have at this junior size one in a playground by our home.  He thought he was the bomb for sure and made quite a few baskets which thrilled his little point guard heart.  I videoed him and he had to watch it several times pumping his arm up each time he watched himself make it and high 5ing me afterwards.  We'll see if he turns out to be as Matt puts it " a scrappy little gym rat" or not!

Nothing better than a playground!

Penny and Pirate Booty and Toy Story II

            Good way to end the day!

Not Far From The Tree

I was quite fascinated with pictures my brother Jim unearthed while working on our family tree.  We had the picture of Nora Carr Anzalone (my grandmother) with her sister.  But her parents James and Nora and Nora's father James O'Boyle were the first we've ever seen.  Lots of James and Nora in this family as even James O'Boyle's wife was Hannora.  My Dad is James as is his father and my brother.  I was also amazed at how much Gramma Nora looks like her mother with just a slightly wider face.  They are all just adorable as far as I'm concerned!  I certainly don't wonder where my family gets its short stature (both sides too).  This is my 100 percent Irish arm of which I am one quarter.  James O'Boyle emigrated from Ireland to Ontario where he is pictured in from of his home.  James and Nora Carr ended up in Escanaba.

Pastee (y) Picnic

I've been in my hometown for the last 10 days visiting my 3 brothers.  One of the last night's there it was really nice so we went to Gram's and got pasty's and brought them down to the park with our catsup and
had ourselves a picnic.  If you've never had a pasty they are like a pie you hold in your hand and have beef, rutabaga, onion, potatoes inside.  True yoopers use ketchup on them and they are devoured in a few minutes.  They were a perfect meal for miner's in the day and a U.P. standard still!

Mothers Day Feast

    This was a wonderful mothers day feast prepared by my son.  He's a far better chef than anyone else I know.  He prepared salmon benedict with roasted red peppers and hollandaise sauce, pork tenderloin with creamy mushroom sauce, fresh aparagus, roasted gourmet potatoes, and fresh fruit with a balsamic/brandy reduction.  The tenderloin was cooked in an immersion cooker of his own concoction (in the sealed already seasoned package which made it so tender and perfect. 
I enjoyed watching him make it and the three of us throughly enjoyed eating it in the warm afternoon sunshine on our sunporch.  The only possible way it could have been any better were if Sara, Lindsay, Dave and Dylan were there as well.  But let me tell you, if you're only going to eat once this day, this would be hard to beat!  A treat for this Mom.

Mother Nature

This year I have decided not to fight mother nature.  I've planted all shade loving plants despite the fact I love color.  I will have red (new guinea impatiens) and white (lobelia) and lime green sweet potato vine and deep red in the coleus but all are supposed to do well in the shade.  We'll see.................

First of the season

The first babies of the season appeared this morning................................