Photo of the Day...8/31/12..."Hidden"

One of our favorite things to do when spending time on the beaches of northern Michigan is to hunt for petoskey stones.  But to find them...you have to get wet...even venturing out into the water... because their spots are hidden until they get wet.  But the hunt is rewarded.

For more info on the Photo of the Day challenge, go here.

Photo of the Day...8/30/12..."Card"

This was an easy assignment for me...I'd like to share my "feel good" basket.  Packed into this woven container are gobs of notes and cards I've received over the last several...and I do mean, SEVERAL...years.  Some are birthday cards...some are get well cards...many are "just because" cards.  And the purpose of this collection? I can get a small dose of love anytime I need to.  And, just by looking at it, I am reminded of the many blessings in my life whenever I want to focus on the potholes.  And its sentry?  A sweet little doll given to me by my husband (then, boyfriend) as a gift for the first Christmas of our dating experience.

Now that you are done reading this...go send someone a card.  Not a text...not an email...but something handwritten.  Someone needs to add your love for them to their "feel good" basket.

For more info on the Photo of the Day challenge, go here. 

Photo of the Day...8/29/12..."Down"

Yesterday, my daughter and I ventured "down" to the yellow area that surrounds Detroit on the map.  Anytime we are in that area around a mealtime, we always try to hit a local favorite chain for lunch...Olga's.  I believe that a stray Olga's has been known to leak out of the area...falling into the yellow areas around Lansing and Grand Rapids.  We wish one would find its way into the Flint area...it could even turn the Flint economy around...maybe.  But until that happens...we will continue to visit anytime we are "down" in the Detroit area.

For more info on the Photo of the Day challenge, go here.

Photo of the Day...8/28/12..."Clock"

Today I enjoyed a "getaway day" with my 12-year-old.  She has had an interest in the Titanic since seeing some of the hoopla around the 100th anniversary of the ship's tragic sinking on April 15 of this year.  So, we ventured down to the Titanic exhibit at  the Henry Ford Museum in the Dearborn, Michigan.  We had a great day, with the highlights being spending time together, enjoying a very interesting exhibit, beating the GPS original ETA on the way to the museum and the way home...and spending time together.

Knowing that today's "photo of the day" assignment was "clock", I had hoped I'd be able to get a picture of the clock at the top of the replica grand staircase featured in the exhibit.  Unfortunately, we couldn't take pics inside the exhibit.  Needing a plan B, I had hoped there would be some important clock on display somewhere in the museum...actually imagining an exhibition wall full of historic timepieces...or maybe one featuring clocks set to different time zones.  Again...no luck.  If there was anything clock-related in that museum, I didn't see it.  So, as we exited the museum I was beginning to formulate plan C...and there it was...standing tall between the museum entrance and the entrance to Greenfield Village.  Thank you very much.

For more info on the Photo of the Day challenge, go here.

Photo of the Day...8/27/12..."Tap"

Tap?! Nope...had to POUND to break up the frozen toffee candy bar for butter brickle s'mores.  Now, it's time to add a toasted marshmallow...mmmm.

For more info on the Photo of the Day challenge, go here.

Photo of the Day...8/26/12..."Dream"

Today I was reunited with my 12 year old.  Rachael has been visiting San Diego with her grandma...hanging out with my sister's family (you can find my sister here).  It was a "dream come true" kind of trip for my daughter.  You see...she has been a huge fan of surfer Bethany Hamilton since seeing the movie "Soul Surfer".  And...on the third day of the trip, she found herself face-to-...er, board...with the actual surf board Bethany was riding when attacked by a shark.  And the swimsuit she wore when she returned to surfing.  Rachael was over the moon.  But it was just the beginning...because the very next day, her grandma treated her to surf lessons.  Who knows how long this interest will last?  But I'm so happy that she got to taste it up close and personal.

By the way...I can't take credit for this pic...but I love it.  It was taken on Rachael's camera by her grandma. But it qualifies for the topic...and I love it!

For more info on the Photo of the Day challenge, go here.

Photo of the Day...8/25/12..."Fresh"

Started a "fresh" new book today...it comes highly recommended by my friend, Terri.  I started reading it at the beach, without the benefit of a pen.  This bummed me out, because I like to mark my books up.  So, when I returned to the beach after lunch...I made sure to bring a pen...and I started all over.  I've already committed one quote to memory and I guarantee that my kids will get tired of hearing it..."Hard does not mean impossible."