Flying fish and gardens and buntings

Funny story from last night...I actually did quite a long post and was so tired at the end I could hardly keep my eyes open. I published it and looked it over and I had put it on the SwapperSpot blog. Well duh, so here I am back tonight. Susan K and I did a patriotic Bunting swap and both of them are so pretty! I got hers and I just love it. Here it is hanging on my front porch tonight. She used wood triangles to spell out Freedom. I am thrilled with it. It looks so pretty and festive and Freedom is a word that I really love. I am not really sure if she got hers or not but I posted it on Facebook so I know she has seen it. I used denim from jeans that I got at a yard sale for fifty cents. cut them into squares and then made mini flags with fabric. I made some fancy bows with ribbon from a yard sale too....I thought it turned out nice. I made some red white and blue pom pom pens and put them in a denim pocket that I had left over and included a card. God Bless America. I like saying that too! I got Miss Roc's bag sent off too... here is something I have done in the past to wrap something inexpensively that is maybe odd sized or your don't have a box. Take a brown paper grocery bag and fold it down over the store logo. Then put your item in and cover the fold with scrapbook paper. You can staple it shut (I had no staples.) or hot glue it and then decorate. Simple and sweet. When Taylor first got here, she thought it was too cold. Boy she isn't thinking that now. It was 105 today and tomorrow it is going to be about 110. I am gardening and watering a lot. I am grateful that I decided to do a straw bale veggie garden or I don't think I would have one at all. You actually plant in the composting bales and it holds a lot of moisture. No weeding and things grow fast. I have had a lot of fun with it. This is my 30 day picture and I swear in the week since I took it things have doubled. Even as I look at the picture it doesn't even look like the same garden. Already I have tomato's, acorn squash, green beens, lettuce, basil and rosemary and this stuff was grown either from seeds or 1 " starts. I am just going to keep replanting it as we have a long growing season here. Something I have never had before. When I picked up Taylor in Seattle from the airport Olivia came with me and they hit it right off. They had a lot of fun when I took them to see the sights. They loved the Pike Place Market. They both got a "made in front of them" bracelet with their name spelled out in wire with beads and turquoise bands. We went to the famous Flying Fish vendors. What they do is when someone buys seafood the fish mongers throw the fish to the other workers, one who is usually in the crowd so it is flying over the heads of people. I caught the eye of the guy at the counter and held out my arms and he lobbed it right out at me and it was the perfect catch. I threw it back, and put my hands in the air and yelled "woo hoo!" Then he threw one to Taylor. She was so excited. We were the famous two fish catchers at the market for about 15 minutes. All the tourists clapped and took pictures. I wore the imprint of the fish all day right across my boobs. In fact I wore it proudly. Here is Taylor right after she threw the fish back. We also had a sleepover, Birthday party for Olivia on Saturday but I am too tired to write anymore and this is a long post. I think I am ready to take to my bed. Happy Summer all...xoxoxoxmelinda