The Bee's Knees

Yes, the bees were a buzzin' and the roosters were crowin' and the sheep were

baahin' and the day was so pretty and warm.

Our family spent the afternoon at Aullwood Nature Center and Farm Sunday. Visiting from time to time has been a tradition for many Daytonians for years and years.What a sweet treat to feed the sheep and wander around

just enjoying the day, nature, the animals and one another.

I hope your weekend was a sweet one and that your

week is beginning well.

This time of year there is always something fun to do or a

gardening chore that needs doin'.

I will be by to visit each of you soon...until then,

know I send my love and many hugs!

Susie Q

They Say It's Your Birthday...

Happy Birthday to my dear friend Andi!

May it be a day filled with hugs and laughter,

pretty shoes, Bully kisses and lots of chocolate!

Love and Hugs,

Susie Q

As Still As A Statue

Once again, if it is a statue, and it's Summer, we must be in downtown Dayton. Yes, statues have invaded once again. I had a lot of fun with the ones from last year so I hopped into the Rabbit Mobile and headed downtown. I only took a few pictures and only used 4 of the statues but I had such fun.

I hope to get back down this weekend and *meet* a few more of the characters which will be calling Dayton home this Summer! Gosh it is hot today! 90 + and oy! The humidity! Grace had her last day of violin Summer camp today and the parents were treated to a mini concert featuring the theme from Star Wars, Puff the Magic Dragon

and other well known tunes. Is it just me or does anyone else tear up (okay. SOB!) at Puff? It is such a sweet but oh so bittersweet song! Oh my...I am a bit overly teary aren't I? *sigh*

Tomorrow we have a day at the pool planned so Mom here will be well ensconced under the pagoda with a good book. Grace will be, of course, not. *smile*

Oh! We had a hoot last night at the concert! What fun. The arena was filled to capacity and everyone sang along and there was lots of dancin' goin' on as well. Miss Grace and her BFF, the divine Miss K were hot on the dance floor. Literally and figuratively! They had such fun...and no. I didn't have my camera! Can you believe that? ACK!

I hope you are staying cool and smiling often...have another glass of lemonade and hum a chorus of Puff for me!

Love and Hugs,

Susie Q

Hypocrite Bloggers Unite!

Ah yes. I have been referred to as a member of the *hypocrite circle*.

It seems that many of us have been tagged for *sweet* anonymous comments. And why? because WE left comments of support to a blog buddy who has been heckled by this same anonymous coward.

Such people deserve no further publicity from us so I debated leaving anything to draw even more attention to our Sour Patch Kid commenter. But I want to post today as a way to celebrate this wonderful *hypocrite circle* which most of us have come to cherish. Like the women seen in the photo, we have all become great friends, friends who are quite willing to wade into the watery abyss to support one another, defend each other if need be and share our lives as dear friends do.

Is it *hypocritical* to do so? I think not. We are all different in so many ways yet the same in the ways that matter most. I care not a whit if your skin is the color of well ripened eggplant, you have been married 12 separate times to 9 different Albanian caterers or you do NOT think Brian Dennehy is sexy. Okay. So I MIGHT cringe a little on that last sniggle but a sniggle it is...and a minor one at that.

We all love our families and our homes. We all love this crazy world of blog and the friends that have come into our lives because of it. We stand together, as friends, as women, who are there for one another as friends should be. There is nothing we can not overcome together...even the inane ramblings of a disgruntled anonymous commenter.

I am so proud to be a part of this world and so, so grateful to call you all my friends.

Love and Hugs,

Susie Q

I Am Feelin' Blue...

It's dark and we're wearing sunglasses...

Uh huh...Bill, Grace, my brother Jim and I will be feeling blue tonight. We are heading over to The Fraze Pavilion, an open air live music spot, to see Jake and Elwood's Blues Revue. From Orlando, this duo are affiliated with Universal Studios and are the only Dan Ackroyd/Belushi Family sanctioned Blues Brothers tribute band. They have a rhythm and horn section and pretty darned lively and lots of fun! The Fraze offers lots of these events during the Summer...the tickets are inexpensive and you can't beat it for a sweet evening of entertainment!

2 weeks ago Bill and I went to The Fraze to see Nancy Cartwright do her one woman stand up show, "My Life As A 10 Year old Boy". Nancy is the voice of Bart Simpson (and other Simpson characters as well) and hails from our area. Her father sat right behind us and was such a nice man...we saw where she got her sense of humor!

We have tickets for other Summer events at The Fraze and always enjoy ourselves...it is just another reason I am proud to be from the Dayton area.

Hope your week is treating you well...and that you have lots of reasons to smile!

Love and Hugs,

Susie Q

It's All Over And *I* Didn't Even Sing...

Hey, it WAS hot ya know! Grace at third waiting to be brought home...

*Smack*

The team...Grace is 4th from the right.

Our own MVP

...uh huh. The fat lady must have been singin' 'cause Grace's softball season came to an end late Saturday afternoon. It came during the second round of tourney play and wow. It was a real heart breaker at the end...7-8. But the girls played hard and well, were great sports and had so much fun. They learned a lot this season and worked together as a team and as friends. It doesn't get better than that!

There will be a cook out for the team this Saturday, to celebrate their season and get together again. We all look forward to that!

I hope you all had a sweet weekend and that all the dads in your lives were treated well!

Have a wonderful week...stay cool and smile a lot! Life is such a precious gift!

Love and Hugs,

Susie Q

Sweet Summer Day

As always, each photo can be enlarged by clicking on it...

Recently I spent a few sweet hours at Cox Arboretum, part of Dayton's wonderful Five Rivers Metro Park system. I shared the day with Grace, her BFF, Miss Kelly and the talented

Sara . If you have yet to meet Sara,

hop on over and say hello! She is one heck of a great shutterbug! We had a great time walking, chatting and snapping photos. She features her work on her blog and I know you will enjoy it!

It was a lovely day, not TOO warm, low humidity and lots of warm, bright sunshine. The perfect sweet, Summer day!

I am sorry to be such a bad blogger again but I have been watching my nephew this week and Grace has been in Summer Strings and softball tournaments! But I will be by to see you soon! Look for me! *smile*

My love to each one of you...have a safe and happy weekend.

Love and Hugs,

Susie Q

Kip Say WHAT?

The old dudes said we were goin' for a ride! Way cool!

Ah, such a nice evenin' to be out with the parent type dudes. I am sure we must be goin' to the Ritter's place.

Surely we are. Hmmm...I don't 'member this road though...but these old dudes are probably lost or sumpin'.

Well old dudes, I guess there's nuthin' to do 'cept relax and enjoy the ride... Wait a mo...this looks familiar...oh. It says *CATS* on the door. Is this where we gots my cats from old dudes? Is THIS it? WOW! Maybe we are gettin' a new cat! Is that it old dudes? Um, Dad dude. Seriously. The CAT door is over there. This door says *DOGS* on it and I LIKE bein' the only dog dude. Uh oh...it is comin' back to me now...I KNOW this place! No way old dudes! NO WAY! NOOOOOO...

No one EVER listens to me...sheesh. If I sit here real quiet like and pretend to be a statue, the mean people who give shots won't know I am here. Ssh... Did someone call my name?? Did they?? No wait Dad dude...no...please do NOT take me in there...please...PLEASE...

This is so humiliating old dudes...seriously. And you say you love me...is THIS how you treat someone you love? Hey lady dude! Whatcha doin' back there!! Do YOU mind?? Do you MIND!

Okay. Whew. That's over...no wait...who are those needles for old dudes? They better be for YOU two...oh NOOOOOO... This has been one of the worst evenin's of my whole life old dudes. NO I am NOT bein' overly dramatic Mom dude. What ever THAT means.

What are we doin' here? I know this Queenie place...well. I KNOW it but it is NOT Ritter's parent dudes.

What do I want? *pfffffttttpffffftttt* I WANT Ritter's.

Hm...wait a mo. They DO have 'scream and I 'member it bein' pretty good...WAIT old parent dudes!

I wanna 'scream! I wanna 'scream!

Gimme some of that Dad dude...it's mine ya know...gimme, gimme...

*slrpethibmmmmslrpethibmmm*

What do you mean that is ALL I get?

There is still more in that cup dude. May I remind you of THIS???

Yes, THIS old dudes. Poor innocent doggie hadda get a blood test and it hurt dudes. HORRIBLY! I may be scarred for life old dudes! May I REMIND you of this???

*slrpethibmmmslrpethibmmmm*

I do NOT think I will even LOOK at the old dudes all the way home...nope. They think a little 'scream is gonna smooth things over. HA!

Nope...not gonna look at 'em...nope. Let 'em sweat it...phooey. Huh? So it wasn't THAT bad?? Was it YOU who had them stick that, whatever it was, well, in...in...YOU know where...and was it YOU who got the shots? And then they took my blood! I almost bleeded to death! They was evil I tell you!

So...am I over my little snit? What do YOU think?

*pffffftttttpffffttttt*