Tomato Sandwich & a Tan

If you've known me longer than four seasons, then you know this: I loooooooooove when the seasons change. I love winter, the sweaters, Christmas, scarves...then I hate it. I love Spring, the flowers, the time change...the pollen.....not so much.........then I hate it. Summer, you're up. I cannot stop fantasizing about summer. When I think back to child hood, summer is by far the season which holds the most magical memories for me. (I definitely overuse the word magical, but here, I really mean it - summer was just magical).

I love hearing crickets and frogs.

I love the taste of tomato-juicy mayonnaise runnin from the white bread. ( I love some wheat bread - but truly, tomato sandwiches are by far better on white - with salt n pepper). NOTHING BETTER.

To add to that, (I have a feeling foods will play a major role in this blog post), I love a meal of fried okra, tomato sandwich, field peas all from the garden. And all the juices runnin together on your plate. OH. MY. GOOD. GRACIOUS.

Really, the only way to eat okra is fried - let's not lie to ourselves.

More food - I love canning pickles...but I never open a jar until at least a month later - If you love homemade pickles...put em in the refrigerator for several days first...then, ahhhhhhhhhh. (PS - I was gonna enter some last year in the NC State fair, and guess what? THEY DON'T EVEN TASTE EM.) Ummm, whhhhaaaaaaaaat, now? Are you serious?!

OMG. That tamatah is callin' my name!!! Look at dem picklessss!!!

I love when my face is tan and I can wear less make up and not look so frightening.

I love sittin under the tent at the beach, and listenin to whosever music is nearby and meeting people from different places and having people always guess where I'm from based on my accent. People are weirdly accurate - although most guess VA. And, likewise, it's fun to guess where they're from as well. (Thanks random Duke guy from last year with the great ipod playlist for your donation of a sweet NC Stizzle koozie - I love that thing).

I looooove walkin' on the beach at night...Ahhhh....

Beautifulllll.

I love widdle babies and toddlers and their tiny swimsuits who think there is NOTHING more glorious than a fresh pool of cool water and their new summer pool toys. And they always smell yummy like babies + sunscreen.

I love having a summer birthday because that = cookouts, hangin out at the lake (although I WILL NOT get in lake water unless I am VERY close to shore orrr, I have to pee really really really bad and I have no choice but to get off because the boat is in the middle of the lake - weird because we used to live on the lake and I had no qualms about it - even after I would see a NAISTY little snake peekin it's disgusting little head out of the water under our peer - now, not so much).

I love the idea of the lake - beach towels, bathin suits, music, relaxation, shootin the breeze, it's all great and I love lookin at people's lake pictures - just don't actually wanna get in the water - so sue me. 

"At" the lake.

I love painted piggies. Just makes for a prettier foot, friends.

Wegs & Piggies.

I love Anj's tan feet. Weird?          Probably.            I don't care.

The bible says that his feet are mine now anyway. (PS - none of the piggies above are Anj's).

I love sittin outside at beachy or lake front restaurants - or somewhere in the Raleighwood area. Mmmmm.

The beach haziness tried to ruin our picture. :(

I love ridin at night with the windows down. A. MAZ. ING. I've spent A LOT of my life riding around - it's so soothing and calming - wonderful stress reliever - music up - seeing people out on a summer night - eating ice cream, or kids playin on a playground, or some kind of festival in the park kinda thing - LOVE IT.

Tea. It's good all year. But it's better in the summer.

This - is the one thing that is NOT easy for my diabetic self to measure carb-wise - man, oh man - LOVE!!

I love some tan skin - in moderation. And, I love tan lines even more. De-lish...but let's stay brown, people, not orange.

I love yard sales and flea markets - EVEN MORE in the summer. I'm so excited right now I just don't know how long I can stand this.

I love summer concerts - or even sitting out at a local pub and hearing a live band. Mmm.

Saturday night! Bring yo self on out, now!

I love the drive-in movie - with our smuggled in snacks and drinks.

I love family gatherins in the summah-tiiiime!!!

All babies wuv Granndeddy.

I love baseball games - especially the hotdogs.

I love that people get (or actually take) time off to relax and remember that life isn't supposed to be as stressful as we let it get.

I love the sweeeeeet animals enjoying a summer day - and how they all gather under the shade or go wading the pond.

I love the rope swing over the pond at Buster's.

Love him.

I love packing coolers. (Food is an IMPORTANT part of summer, okay?)

I love to sleep with the windows up and the fan on ... HEAVEN...but not for long because then I sweat profusely and it loses the magic - while Anj is STILL snuggled under his 46 blankets.

I looooove homemade ice cream - 1) banana 2) tie b/w chocolate and strawberry. Holla!

I love. love. love. homemade tomato juice - thank you Hazel and Weeze for your generous thoughtful gifts. Yummmmmation!

Tomato biscuits with BUTTTAHHH! (I don't think I can ever live in a place that doesn't produce tomatoes. Why even get out of bed each day?) Boeger - if you're reading this - there's still hope for you!

The countdown is ONNNNN y'all!! Whoop! Whoop!