Summer Joys

I've been neglecting my blog lately haven't I?  It's not that I've had wildly exciting happenings going on in my life.  It's just the happy, simple things that have been keeping me joyfully occupied.  I've never been much of a summer person.  It's kind of hard really, living in Alabama.  We've had several days with over 100 degree temps already!

But I've found a way to enjoy the weather we've been given.  I get up pretty early ~ 6:30 ~ breakfast on something that I enjoy (usually buttered toast with apple cinnamon jelly), and enjoy a couple of cups of coffee while reading my emails.  If it's laundry day I load the washer before I eat.  Then I hang out the laundry, water my plants, and take little Maggie for a walk.  All this is done while the morning coolness is still in the air and there's even usually a pleasant breeze in the early a.m.

Then I play little games with myself the rest of the day.  I promise myself a little treat in between my household chores, "Now Sherry, if you run in and get the floors swept and mopped you can sit out on the front porch with a cup of tea and read awhile."   These little conversations go on all day until...

"Good job with those chores, now grab your book and read awhile until time to start supper!"

Do you get the feeling most of my rewards is reading time?

Reading is one of my favorite things to do.

I've read quite a few books already this Spring and Summer.

The Bookmobile and the public library have seen quite a lot of me lately.

In fact, the public library even opened up the Summer Reading Program to adults this year!

Of course I joined right up.

It's the first time I've participated in the Summer Reading Program since my children outgrew them.

The adult program encourages the reading of different genres of books.

It got me to read books I wouldn't ordinarily have chosen.

  I even read a western!

I took my guys' suggestion and read Hondo by Louis L'Amour.

I really didn't expect to like it as much as I did.

Mr. L'Amour wrote quite a good love story.

It was a real page-turner.

I did kind of cringe though at his vivid descriptions of killings and scalpings.

Sweet hubby even pulled out an old VCR tape of the movie starring John Wayne and we enjoyed it together one night.

I also read a biography as a Summer Reading Program requirement.

I chose:

It was so good!

I just found out that there has been a movie made from the book.

I've gotta check that out!

Have you ever read any books by Denise Hunter?

I've just found her books this Spring/Summer and I highly recommend them if you like a good, clean, romance book..

Here's the ones I've read so far:

Seaside Letters
A Nantucket Love Story

The Convenient Groom

And my current read:

Driftwood Lane

And I usually keep a cookbook to browse through.

This is my favorite one of the summer so far.

It came from the Bookmobile.

I plan on using some of the recipes to help use up some of our garden's abundance.

Especially the yellow squash and zucchini.

So now you know where I've been while not blogging.

So far it's been a flip flop wearing...        

...dream chasing kind of summer.

Now I've done it,

I've sat here at the computer chatting with my friends while the sun has heated up all outdoors.

I've gotta run because I've got to:

hang sheets on the line

walk my little Maggie dog

 get ready for a visit to the library

and (my favorite)

lunch out with my friends!

What about you?

Are you enjoying your summer so far?

I'd love to hear what you've been up to!