Summertime ~ Hydrangea Time

Since I last posted it has officially become summer.

I hope yours is off to a good start.

Here the hydrangeas are coming into bloom which is always a highly anticipated event.

I especially like how it only takes a few blossoms to make a good sized bouquet.

This one has been on the table for over two weeks.

While the hydrangeas are thriving, the roses are struggling.

The Japanese Beetles have moved in and set up a smorgasbord.

(you might see one of the little buggers on the bottom left rose).

I have been going out there morning and evening to shake them off into a bucket of soapy water.  I am seeing more blossoms now, but the foliage looks bad.  From past experience, they eventually move on or expire and the plants rebound.  Looking forward to that day.

In other news:

My eye doctor appointment last week revealed changes that resulted in an urgent visit to a retinal specialist.  It seems I now have macular degeneration.  I received an eye injection and will be receiving them monthly.  The day after the injection the doctor advised no tv, computer or reading time.  I was a bit surprised by how often I felt the urge to pick up my phone and check all those things I check each day.  I tried to think of what I did all day before the internet and social media took over.  I often miss those days.  Back then I was raising kids and busy with all that was required for that.

It was kind of a fun challenge to find other things to keep me busy.

Drawers are being decluttered, ovens cleaned, carpets vacuumed and new recipes being tried.

So, now that I can return to my normal daily life, I think it best to greatly reduce my time spent on the computer.  Did you know that when we are on computers and devices we don't blink as often as we should?  That isn't a good thing for dry eye (which is another thing I'm dealing with).  The eye doctor told me that they are seeing a much higher amount of children with dry eye.  He said that was rare in children before electronic devices became such a part of daily life.

Anyhow, the reason I am sharing this with you is that if you don't see new posts here or comments from me on your blogs, you will know why.  I'm not ready to totally give up on blogging, just prioritizing things.

Wishing you all a wonderful summer!

Pondering Weddings Now and Weddings Then

We made a quick trip to Baltimore over the weekend to attend a nephew's wedding.  While waiting for my son to finish last minute packing, I strolled around his yard to see what was blooming.  The previous evening's raindrops were still clinging to the calla lilies.  Gazing at them conjured up thoughts of my own wedding nearly 43 years ago.  Prior to the wedding I had seen a magazine photo of a bride holding a simple bouquet of calla lilies.  To me it was a very beautiful and elegant look.  One I hoped to copy for my own wedding someday.  When that day came along and my mom and I were talking about wedding plans, she suggested using silk flowers instead.  Her thought was that real flowers were a waste of money.  All the money spent only to throw them in the trash a few days later.

Go the silk route and you and the bridesmaids can have them for years to come she said.  I could see her point and somewhat reluctantly gave up on my calla lily bouquet.

June 27, 1981

Here you see the beautiful silk candleholders the girls carried.  Pretty safe to say none of them kept them for long.

I, myself, carried a lace fan embellished with silk flowers.

I held onto that fan until we moved six years ago.  It had been sitting in a trunk all those years.  I did love my wedding gown.  Being a sentimental sort, I had visions of a future daughter wearing it one day.  Since there are no daughters, I took a closer look at it when I moved and decided there was no need to keep it either.  Although I could scarcely believe I would ever part with it, it felt good to let it go.

My nephew's bride has been involved in dance and drama since she was a little girl.  When they planned their wedding they wanted all of the most important people in their lives in attendance and they said being on the dance floor at least once was mandatory.

I don't think I have been to a wedding with so many young people in attendance.  Many of them were also dancers.

My brother (father of the groom) danced with his granddaughter.

She is only 2 and a half years old and was on the dance floor most of the evening.  With all of the dancers she was surrounded by, she will most likely grow up with a love of dancing.

At some point the bride changed from her wedding gown to this mini length fringed dress.  Her 88 year old grandmother is behind her in this picture.  Grandmother was also on the dance floor most of the evening.  
My brother and I were sitting at the table remembering how much our dad loved to dance.  We were commenting on how he would have loved to see his grandchildren and a great grand having so much fun on the dance floor.  Right about then the DJ announced that he was fulfilling a request for grandmother.  Proud Mary was the song she chose.  It is also the song my dad loved dancing to.  It prompted my brother and I to get out there and join the crowd.

Dancing with Dad.

June 27, 1981

Reflecting back on my own wedding, it seems like we followed all of the traditions of the time:  church wedding, layered wedding cake, bouquet and garter toss, etc.  I remember my mom telling me that it was important to get around to each table to say hello to each of the guests.  Although I loved every minute of my wedding, I felt like by the time I fulfilled all of the obligations, the band was performing their last number and the guests were dwindling out the door.

I did, however, cherish that dance with my dear dad.

Back to the weekend wedding, the wedding took place in an outdoor garden just outside an art museum.  We migrated indoors for the reception.  The garter (do they even wear those anymore?) and bouquet were never tossed and cookies and brownies replaced the cake.  To me it seems like the weddings I have been to in recent years are more a reflection of the bride and groom's interests, talents and shared dreams.  I kind of like how they express their individuality more now rather than being tied to those traditions.

Just comparing notes on weddings here today.

Mine was everything I wanted it to be at that time.  I don't regret a thing.  Well, if I'm being honest I might have regretted those silk flowers just a tad.  :-D