Where Did Those Weeks Go?

 Hi, friends! I hardly know how to catch up on all that's happened in the past month or so. Like everyone else, I feel that life suddenly jumped to warp speed, and it hasn't slowed down. 

Not long after my trip to West Virginia, I flew (yes, I did -- I flew) in a stressful and rather harrowing airline adventure, to Mississippi to help my daughter and son-in-law. They've had a hard six months with Ellie Kate's health not doing well, and two deaths in the family. I stayed for a week and drove back home with a new-to-her car for Julia. 

I was home less than a week when we packed up the car again and drove to the North Carolina mountains for a family vacation that we've planned since last September. I'll post some photos of the highlights. It was both hard work and sheer delight. As I age, there's nothing more wonderful than being with my children and watching them enjoy each other. And somehow, there is relaxation that can only be had if we all get out of our own homes (and home-lives), and go to another place where we can let our hair down. 

The whole world seems to be traveling and vacationing after denying themselves for over a year. Who can blame them? We have lots of visiting tourists here also. The farmer's market has been busy. 

Generally, life is good. We're so happy to say that we have a fourth grandbaby, born to our son and daughter-in-law in Colorado. She's beautiful, and we are thankful she arrived safely. 

Now we're home, but there's "no rest for the wicked," as they say. We're not wicked, but we sure are busy! I'm painting and doing things for my little business (soaps/lotions/watercolors/etc.) and Adam is doing mowing and improvements on the property. It's slow going. He continues to improve, but is still so exhausted most days. 

Those are my two favorite cards I've painted lately. The cat I painted while using a resource piece, but I'd like to practice enough to do those techniques on my own. The blueberries remind me of my brother and sister-in-law's farm in WVa. They're in the middle of blueberry season right now.

Many blessings to you, dear friends. Sorry to have been absent so long!