Summer Solstice

I always thought that the solstice would be in the middle of the summer.  Apparently I was wrong!  The solstice marks the beginning of summer and is the longest day of the year!  Of course, around here, summer begins June 1st and lasts through August (and often well into September temperature-wise).

Last night Bill went on a bike ride.  When he came home, he brought me a gift...

... He had picked a handful of wild flowers for me on his ride home!  The last time he did that for me was years and years ago when the kids were little and we lived in an apartment in Pleasant Grove!  I love the wild flower bouquets from my husband much more than some store bought hot house flowers because I know that he went out of his way to pick them for me himself.

 Today I swam laps for my training workout, then came home to pick weeds out of the yard.  That is an eternal job.  Phooey!  After working for about and hour and a half, I came in for lunch, then headed back to the pool with Helena.  She wanted me to spend the day with her, and I happily agreed.  After all, this might be my last summer with her, depending on what her life looks like after she graduates next spring.  We only spent an hour or so at the pool before heading back home because her sinuses are bothering her so badly.  The cotton wood is floating thickly in the air and it is wrecking havoc with her allergies.

I joined her in the back yard for a picnic lunch (for her, anyways, I already ate lunch) and decided to take some pictures because the sky was so VERY blue and it felt like such a perfect summery day!  So, here are some of the pictures I took!

Right now, Helena is off babysitting and Will is off hanging out with his friend, Dallan, so I am home by myself again in a nice, cool, peaceful house!  When Helena gets home again, she wants me to go back to the pool with her again.