A day in town...

By town I usually mean the slightly larger town 12 miles down the road. The one with more stores and people (maybe 3,000?) than our little Nevis. Ha ha.

I started out with my two mile walk (in Nevis on the trail) a little before 9, before it got too hot. The trail was "packed" with joggers. Meaning, I was constantly within view of someone coming or going for the entire 45 minutes or so. This isn't unusual, I guess, since there are lots of tourists staying through the week of the 4th, and many of them probably plan to run the Firecracker 5k on Saturday, which is held in the larger town (Park Rapids) mentioned above. Everyone was out for their workout. I didn't envy them jogging. It was a little humid and starting to warm up. Walking was fine by me!

After the walk, I stopped off at the little gas station/convenience store (one of two) in Nevis and got a cuppa joe, and then went to the beach here in Nevis to enjoy the cooler breeze by the lake. I had the place to myself except for a young lady (who I hear is a first grade teacher and a lifeguard) who was giving swimming lessons to little kids. I sat in a couple of different locations, enjoying the boats and pontoons coming and going, and a loon landing and diving for fish. I didn't have my camera, so I'll post an older picture here, because, dang, this is a lot of text!

Actually, these don't do it justice. These are in the fall, and now it's nice and green. I'll have to remember my camera next time!

After spending lots of time vegging and gazing at the lake, I headed for Park Rapids where I:

*went to my physical therapist and had a little chat and made a few more appointments
*went to the thrift store where I bought a few old books and other odds and ends
*I was starving by then, so I went to Burger King, and even ate inside!
*went to our little Ben Franklin store and bought a few small items for making cards
*went to Walmart to get a gas can (finally got my mower back from the mechanic) and a few groceries
*went back to Nevis and filled the gas can, and then...
*went home.
*Oh, and then to the post office.

Since getting home I've finished my cards for the "Inspired by Vincent Van Gogh" swap. No, they don't look much like his paintings, but then, if I'm not willing to spend my whole life and all of that blood (remember the ear?), sweat and tears he did in perfecting my craft, I can hardly expect them to. Right? Hee, hee.  (The operative phrase is "inspired by".)

Granny Marigold, you asked how I did the stamp collages. I have some mulberry paper that I like to use as a background. I just rip a piece off, glue it to the card. Then I pick some washi tape that seems to be in the same color family as the mulberry paper and the stamps I'm going to use. Put some of that on where it looks good...to me. Then I glue the stamps on. I'm not as creative as some, but I'm working on it. Maybe next time I make one I'll actually take some step-by-step photos. :)

Well, it's past supper time and I'm hungry! So, I'm going to wrap this up with photos of two of my favorite boys (I have lots of great boys!). Micah just posted this one of Thatcher...

...and son Jordan sent this one to Facebook to show me his "new" 1976 Schwinn bike. His wifey, Brooke, bought it for him for his birthday. (He was 37 yesterday!!!) Jordan is sort of a retro guy. Now they're looking for a bike for her so they can hit the biking trails in Ft. Worth. :)

Photo taken in front of their retro house in a retro neighborhood of Ft. Worth. LOL

God bless you all! Have a safe Fourth of July!
Shalom!