Celebrating the joys of summertime…
It’s been a busy month in the garden. Lots of fruit ripening and jam-making in our kitchen. Our favorite flavor? Wild blackberry! Recently Randy found this abandoned bird’s nest in our woods, truly a work of art…
To celebrate Paul’s 15th birthday, we took a trip to the Seattle zoo and also the locks to see the boats come in and out of Puget Sound. The weather was glorious – an unheard of 90 degrees and sunny…
The roses are in bloom everywhere and it’s been fun to have some boy time. My favorite stop in Seattle is PinkaBella cupcakes! Can’t eat just one…
One of the highlights was being the Fairy Queen at a fairy party for a friend’s granddaughter. Oh joy! A wonderful leap from our all-male household to gossamer wings and giggles! This group stole my heart…
And then there are the stories, always the stories, written in the margins of ordinary life…
Hope your summer is going well!
Be the first to receive writing updates, try her favorite recipes, and get her FREE guide: 10 Beloved Books (that inspire me professionally and personally).
Glad to see that you and your family are having a wonderful summer. My family is having a great summer as well, we are trying to get as much family time as possible before my sister Laura leaves for college in August. I can’t believe she’s ready for the step. At least she’s not leaving the state. She’s going as far away as possible without leaving the state though.
Carissa, I can’t believe Laura is about to move on to college either! You’ve summed up our situation exactly. We’re trying to get as much family time in as possible before Wyatt leaves for college next year. So glad you’re having a good summer – and that she’s not going too far! I was just telling my mom today that I wish I had a big ol’ KY tomato to eat. So please enjoy one for me! I bet you have a few in your garden! Bless you for taking time here as you’ve been missed – though I do keep up with you via your lovely pins!
tomato’s are what’s planted to have plenty left at the end of the summer.My mom uses the left overs to make her own tomato sauce. Along with the rest of the stuff she cans. We live in a subdivision in Louisville but half our backyard is a garden during the summer.My dad does it every for my mom, because you can take the girl off the farm but you can’t take the farm out of the girl.
Oh so understand that KY girl thingy, Carissa! I always say you can take the girl out of KY but you can’t take KY out of the girl :)! I know your garden is just beautiful!
What beautiful pictures! Thanks for sharing some of your personal summer fun with us. I must admit I clicked on the manuscript so I could read it better and my book appetite was awakened! If I may have a request from the “Fairy Queen”…it would be to have this book in my hand with the wave her wand 🙂
Amy, You are one clever lass 🙂 Just like the Scots heroine in this book! It took me FOREVER to figure out that a click enlarged the photo. LOVE the wave that wand and have that book in hand. Book appetite, indeed! I so understand! I’ve been working on the title and cover document today for this one, releasing September 2015. This will take us a whole new direction as it’s a standalone novel and so will be very different from those Ballantynes. I’m ready and I bet you are, too! Thanks for your great comments. I’ve sure missed you and others here!
You take such beautiful pictures! Your youngest is 15? Wow! It speeds so quick, doesn’t it? Still reading Love’s Reckoning and enjoying it. Found another neighbor to introduce your books, too. She is a Catholic widow and spends much time outside reading. Trying to be more conscious about visiting her, especially with the kids. She enjoyed Courting Morrow Little.
Julia, Your word of mouth means so much to me. Thanks yet again! Thrilled she enjoyed Morrow. Reading outside sounds lovely. I was doing that a little bit on the deck today before the sun went in. You’re so thoughtful about visiting your neighbor and yes, I think the secret is taking your beautiful kids. They grow up so fast!
Paul is our baby at 15, sniff! Wyatt is almost 18 and is a senior this next year. Lots of changes in the works as he prepares for firefighter training soon. Hug your littles for me. And a big high five to Mr. C!
Wow, that’s great that he has a good idea of what he wants to do. Sadly, I’m one of those that changed my major a few times and ended up working in a library which I loved, but which wasn’t my degree at all. And my husband is a computer worker with an English degree. Our next-door neighbor worked for the fire department for 50 years and I have so much respect for that. If I remember correctly he’s an exceptional fiddler, too, right? Or did I confuse your sons. Do you still travel for that?
Julia, You have such a good memory about that fiddling! As of a couple of months ago, Paul stopped lessons after 8 years and now only plays with our church’s praise and worship team. Sniff! He has moved on to sports and sidelined music, sadly. But we hope it will become important to him once he grows up. Yes, Wyatt, the oldest is the wanna-be-fireman. He’s been volunteering with the local dept. here for 2 years and will soon be able to drive the ambulance as he’s also training to be a paramedic, etc. We pray he can handle the emotional impact of the job as firefighters now have to do and be so many things beyond actually fighting fires. I so admire your neighbor, too. 50 years is a huge legacy to leave!
Like you, I changed majors and had several jobs unrelated to writing. I loved my library job like you. You are just where you should be, writing those incredible reviews!! I’m in awe of that.
So good to catch up with you here! And I forgot to say I am honored you’re taking time for LR given your busy review schedule! I sure don’t expect you to do that but I’m very thankful. Thank you. 🙂
Love this peak into your summer, Laura! I’ve missed chatting with you. Hope you’re doing well.
Okay, here’s the big question… what kind of camera do you have? Seriously, your pictures are always amazing! Or do you mess with them on the computer? Do tell all your camera secrets! 😀
Oh Sally, All too happy to give the credit to my Canon! I bought it at WalMart on sale a couple of years ago after experiencing many frustrations with other brands. This one manages to snag good shots even though I am NOT a good photographer. Also, PicMonkey is amazing for editing photos and making collages which is where I do all of these. Thanks for the photo/camera kudos. It’s sure not me!
I’m counting down with you as you sail into Genesis Land 🙂 My big regret this year is not attending ACFW as I love to go. Meeting you would be the bomb! I hope you and yours are doing well, too. Staying cool and enjoying that garden we talked about a few months back. Bless you bunches for catching up here. I’ve missed you!
Someday we’ll get to meet. If you’re ever going to be in the KC area… 🙂
I won’t be at Genesis this year. It’ll be my fourth time as a finalist and I haven’t won yet, so it isn’t worth spending the money, just in cases. 🙂
Thanks for the info on the camera. Canon’s seem to be highly recommended.
Sally, 4th time! I understand about the expense. That’s why I don’t do contests, etc. One of the reasons, anyway. I will smile BIG if you win. And you just might!
Yes, we will meet someday, Lord willing!
What a beautiful peek into your life this summer! Happy birthday to Paul. Such handsome young men you have! I love how you share that you write in the margins of ordinary life. So lovely!
Carla, You’re a kindred spirit if there ever was one :). Thank you for warming to that thought about life and the margins. I think of how busy many of us writers are with family and am amazed the work still gets done by His enabling. This has been the busiest summer I’ve ever had. Maybe you, too!
Thanks for blessing us with your presence. You remain one of my favorite writer friends!
Oh Laura, what gorgeous photos. You’re making me long for summer now! And I see a Baskin Robins cake … yummo! So glad you’re having a lovely summer.
Loving the peak at your writing too! Certainly stirs my curiosity about what is coming up 🙂
Blessings to you!
Helen! Waving at you from the other side of the world 🙂 I know you’re well into winter about now and hope you and your precious girls are well and weathering the season well! Yep, this next book is about to move off my desk next month and onto my editors. Praying she – and you – like the story very much. It has a very delightful (well, she charmed me, anyway!) girl who is five within. Makes me long for a grandgirl at least :). One of the best parts of the fairy party was ‘meeting’ my little heroine face to face. When I saw her I just knew it was her!
Bless you right back. You’ve made my day by being here!!
Such a magical, beautiful post – Laura, a feast for the eyes!! I loved viewing every part of it!! I don’t think my Summer has been as exciting as yours, but blessed and enjoyable – regardless!!
You were the perfect Fairy Queen (love your wings and dress)and I’m sure having you at the party was an unparalleled treat for those little girls – I can only imagine their joy. You can read books to me anytime you want, beautiful Fairy Queen, although my book of preference would be “Love’s Fortune” (LOL)!! I’m SO eagerly anticipating the book containing Seamus also!!
You have two such handsome boys, Laura – Wyatt appears to look the most like you. Such a beautiful family you are!!
What a beautiful extended birthday celebration for Paul – which the entire family was able to enjoy!! I’m sure those cupcakes were “to die for” (they look similar to the Gi Gi’s Cupcakes with their mountain-high frosting and flavors galore) here in Louisville and Nashville, Tn.) and I’m sure that beautiful Baskin Robbins cake, with the zany candles, was delicious also!!
Such beautiful roses you have – I only have one kind/color of rose bush, however, they exploded with blooms a couple of weeks ago after seeming to take forever to bloom and I’m so loving gazing at their beauty!!
You’ll never guess where I found a bird nest?? I couldn’t figure out why I had globs of mud stuck to the frame of my front door every morning, my first thought was mud daubers but I found no hives. Then I found the perfectly shaped and sizeable nest being built behind the wreath on my door, poor bird- all her beautiful handiwork got tossed, PTL there were no eggs in it!! Bird nests are another one of God’s miracles, amazing that such tiny creatures can build such intricate masterpieces to shelter their young!!
I envy you those tasty jams – nothing better than home-made, blackberry is always the flavor I insist on with my biscuits when I eat at Cracker Barrel. Garden and orchard grown foods are so delicious and so good for one’s health, however, a lot of work is involved in canning and preserving them for later consumption. How well I remember helping with all of it as I was growing up on my parents’ farm. I now rely on local farmer’s markets and the graciousness of friends who garden.
Thank you for visually blessing us with the beautiful picture tour of your Summer, Laura – so happy to view the blessings of your life!! Love, prayers and hugs to you – sweet friend!!
Bonnie, Wonderful to catch up with you this way :). I sure miss you ALL when I go into the writing closet – or maybe I should say the summer sauna :). Thanks for enjoying those pictures with me. I have a lot of fun prepping them for posts if they turn out well (many don’t, sadly).
I LOVE that you’re so excited for Wren’s story! It means even more to me that she’s from YOUR neck of the woods. I wish I could have done her home more justice before whisking her off to Pennsylvania but better hush lest I spoil something for you! She should arrive soon. Chewing nails here. Kind of like birthing a baby only you have to share the baby with everyone and pray it doesn’t have colic!
You make me want to visit you AND GiGi’s. I think I like cupcakes more than any other dessert. Funny thing is I saved one of them till we went to the zoo and JUST HAD TO HAVE IT as we were walking down this busy Seattle street that 90 degree day. Of course the icing is the best part and then SPLAT, off it tumbled onto the sizzling sidewalk. I did a little make believe “come apart” for my boys who thought it was hilarious I lost it right then and there. We were too far to get another one. Sigh. Next trip, Lord willing…
I’m chuckling at your bird’s nest. What a roost! You say it so well – amazing such tiny creatures can build such intricate masterpieces. I am in awe. I took it to my mom as she loves that sort of natural beauty. She likely has it in the place of honor in her living room :).
Yes, my boys are growing up. So glad you see me in Wyatt. That’s so interesting. He is most like me in personality, too. Poor thing!
Wish I could send you some blackberry jam. Not sure how it would make the trip! But oh, I’m so tempted, dear Bonnie. You’re in my prayers as we move into August. Bless you for your ever gracious comments!!
It appears that you are having a lovely summer! I just got to spend 16 days with my niece, which was fun. She is moving with parents to California. I am going to miss them so much. I am glad to get to spend so much time with her. Her birthday is on Wednesday and we are getting together on Thursday to celebrate. I just ordered her a pink and purple Dora cake! They have plans on coming back to visit often, but I am still going to miss them so much! I hope you are doing well! You make a lovely fairy queen!
Emma, Oh, I know you will miss that niece of yours as you two are so close. I see a California trip in your future :). Love those sunny CA temps! The Dora cake sounds wonderful. I think little girls are such fun. They were so cute in those wings and I even liked mine, fluttering in the breeze. Thoughts and prayers with you for this big birthday bash and then their move, sniff. I hate leave-takings! THINK CA!!
Other than the hurricane, summer’s going great!
So are the weeds in my garden.
We’re down to ONE kid at home. ONE? Our grocery bill has dropped by 75%. For reals. We picked up a package of beef yesterday and poked it. I mean, MAYBE by August we can afford some. Of course, that was at Costco and the package in question was a 48 pound roast. I think it was 1293$
I see my baby’s name there!!!
LOL! You’ve blessed me TWICE in one day! YES, you DO see your baby’s name in there :). In fact, as I posted it I wondered if you’d catch that. And your savvy self did! I just had to go through the manuscript and delete the OVERuse of his fine name as it sounds postively onomatopoetic using the M, too. My heroine fussed at me as I was doing it so I told her to see you ;)…
I have to laugh at your wilted grocery bill. Ditto! Paul is away this week on the other side of the state and I still see groceries in there. Costco is my favorite place! Yes, the price of beef even at Costco is outrageous. And don’t even get me started on halibut…
Good to see you, my friend. I’ve been praying for your big boy, little boy, and everyone as you adjust. I so understand all that!
Laura this is so grand! You and those wings at the fairy party. *sigh* what magic! I bet that was such a delightful time. And seeing the pictures of your trips and your sweet family. I am so glad you guys are having a happy summer savoring the little things and the big things. What fun! Hugs to you!!
Joanne, I’ve been thinking of you and it’s SO good to share these pics with you! While I was at the fairy party I thought of you and your little girl :). It was such fun! Those wings were delightful! I was sorry to shed them and return to my testosterone filled house, lol. I know you’re busy enjoying your own summer joys. Thoughts and prayers with you as we squeeze out the last of summertime together!!
“And then there are the stories, always the stories, written in the margins of ordinary life.” (by Laura Frantz, blog quote)
You’ve just been quoted! Love it! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
SO happy you like those words that came to me one day when I was driving. Glad you like it enough to quote it :). I’m honored, truly. Thank you.
PS… We are having a simple, old-fashioned summer. Boredom is common, but so is creativity. Reading and chores, helping dad with projects, and movie nights are some of the things on our agenda. So is staying up late playing hide-and-seek in the dark. 🙂 There is something about summer evenings and laughing and joking in the dark, after sun has set, that makes for such sweet memories.
Oh, so love your poignant description of summer – love the old-fashioned feel of it. Creativity is certainly present when boredom is permissable! I learned to relieve boredom with books early on and I know you must be the same as you start off with reading :). I can just see your hide-and-seek in the dark! Now THAT’S creative! Sweet memories, indeed! Bless you for being here.
Good morning, dear Laura! What a blessing to see what you’ve been up to this summer; your photos are lovely! Happy Birthday to Paul! My Ryan just had his 11th birthday on the 18th. 🙂 They do grow so quickly. Julie, my oldest, graduated in May! Nicole will be in 11th this year.
I must say that you do make the perfect Fairy Queen! I bet a wonderful time was had by all! 🙂
And what a sweet treat to get a glimpse into your edits. It makes me all the more anxious for the release of Love’s Fortune!! 😀
I pray that you continue to enjoy your summer, and the company of your family. Much love and hugs to you.
P.S. I’ve discovered the fun of Instagram this summer! If you ever visit there, my user name is michellet71. 🙂
Michelle! I smiled at your Instagram – truly is IS a delight. I am tempted to join in but so far have only been enjoying Wyatt’s creativity over there. A total foodie, I think most of his photos are food-related, lol. I hope you are posting some of your kitchen creations! I will keep your user name handy in case I take the plunge or will ask Wyatt to let me go over and visit you there…
Yes, these kids of ours grow way too quickly. Startling and sad at times! But never dull! I think I’m enjoying my boys at this stage more than ever before as they are such interesting creatures :). I know your Julie, Nicole, and Ryan are the same. Lots of changes daily which keeps us on our aging toes!
Bless you for being here. Wren is coming up, yes, and I am prepping behind the scenes for her release, hoping you enjoy her wild world! Hugs to you, too!!
Your summer looks glorious Laura. I simply cannot believe your boys are growing up so much. Also loved the Fairy Queen, and the Baskin Robbins cake.
This month has been absolutely draining for me. An hour of mandatory overtime per day at work. You know how much I am loving that.
Also, at the beginning of the month, my roommate, who you may remember is one of my coworkers too, she passed out at work, and was taken to St. Joe. I went to the emergency room along with our other roommate, and she and I both mentioned the headaches Vickie’s been having. They did a CT scan, and found a very large brain tumor.
To make an incredibly long story short, it is not cancer, and Vickie had surgery on 7/11. She is doing very well, and is at Cardinal Hill right now. She is truly, a walking, talking, miracle right now.
The things that have really gotten to me, all of our co-workers asking me about her daily, the genorosity of strangers. Vickie’s birthday was two days before the surgery, and she was craving chicken and dumplings. A lady who works in one of the offices at Lexington Clinic, went home that evening and made chicken and dumplings. She brought enough that four of us were able to eat them. They were so good.
So all in all, my plate has been full this summer. I am truly amazed with how God had put all of this together, and I am truly amazed with how well Vickie is doing. To be quite honest, I prayed for the best, but tried to mentally prepare myself for the worst.
Amazing story, Michelle, about Vickie! SO, SO thankful she is in recovery and it’s benign, etc. Since I’ve lost 2 family members to brain tumors/cancer, it means all the more hearing about her return to health. It truly IS the surrounding support and overflow from people that bring out the best in those situations and in us. I can just see those chicken and dumplings, my own personal favorite! I’ll be praying for her and am glad Cardinal Hill is taking care of her. Am sure you will be overjoyed when she returns home. Vickie, too :)!
I hope your mandatory overtime ends soon and you can enjoy some peaceful summer hours. Hopefully it’s not impacting your reading/writing, etc. I pray not!
Glorious is one of my favorite words. Thanks for that. Strangely enough, I have numerous things I call “thorns” in my life right now but I can honestly say this has been one of the happiest summers I can remember. Or maybe the right word is joy irregardless! I think the Lord is working on me to emphasize the joys and be thankful for those HUGE, miraculous experiences like Vickie’s that show us just what a privilege life is.
Please hug her for me :)! Prayers will continue for you both and all involved… Thanks so much for sharing her journey here!
Laura,
I love your blog. Peeks into your life are great. I love all the photos too! Blessings!!
Robin! Welcome here :)! I feel like I’m getting dessert as I now have your wordpress site to visit :)! Thank you. Glad you like these humble photos. I am trying to follow the Joy Dare project and focus on the joys and not the negatives. So far so good. Having you join me here is an extra joy. I’ll see you at your place soon!
It seems that blackberries have been plentiful this year from coast to coast. We’ve had more than enough for ourselves, the birds and all the other critters that enjoy them. One highlight of my summer was the day I went picking behind my parents. Oh, I hate the chore. It always begins so romantically but then there’s the thorns, and the heat, and the sore fingers (and later the chiggers… ewww). But I was determined not to be out done by my eight year old who had picked a bucket full the day before. 🙂
Afterward, I stopped in to see my ninety year old grandma. I had a couple of hours to kill before time to get my boys from camp, so she convinced me, without much difficulty, to take a nap on her couch. When I woke up, she handed me nine gorgeous jars of jam. While I was sleeping, she had indeed been very busy transforming my blackberries. And to tell you the truth, the memory is worth the pain of those nasty chiggers that plagued me for days! 🙂
Our summer like yours has been full of beauty and thorns. You do remind me so often, though, of what is delightful. I love your boards on pinterest, your journal and your books. You inspire me to remember what is beautiful. Thank you.
Blessings to you and your precious family!
Amy, Oh, the blessing of your comments! It’s humbling to think of you drawing beauty out of anything I write, here or book-wise or otherwise. Thank you for the gift of your gracious spirit. YOU inspire me! And I treasure hearing this about your berry picking and your giving grandma :). A beautiful memory. Grannies are very special. I miss both of mine so much. They were the kind you describe here – doing good and ever giving, even while we napped!
You sound like your summer is full and overflowing. Kudos to your 8 yo for picking those berries! You remind me I must go again into the raspberry patch today. I prefer picking those to those loganberries which have so many thorns. But your blackberries are my very favorite eating berry and jam berry!
Thanks for shining your special light over here. You’re always a delight to see!