Seaside

Seaside is a place I have always wanted to visit. It is a planned community on the Panhandle. The movie The Truman Show was filmed there. Early on, Seaside was a small beach town with colorful cottages and a small town atmosphere. We stopped there on our recent trip, and it was hopping with Spring breakers and families on vacation....no longer is Seaside a small beach town...it has become a tourist destination.

These photos were taken from a moving car...sorry for the reflections of the dashboard!

The cottages are many different colors and architectural styles. 

These homes are right on the main street of town, and face the beach on the opposite side of the street.

When I went to the beach with my family as a child, a "cottage" had knotty pine walls and barkcloth covered pillows on the lumpy couch. These homes are a tad bit bigger than what I would consider a cottage to be, but they charming and have great views.

...lots of bikes, cars and people in town...

...a few antiques...

...and lots of galleries...

I'm fairly certain this is my third grade teacher. 

Whenever I see this color combo I am always amazed...."and I think to my self...what a wonderful world".

Hope you enjoyed our brief spin through Seaside. 

Enjoy the day,

Robyn

Worn and torn

 This is a very old and worn sampler. I love the colors and the motifs on the bottom. There are a few letters in the most wonderful aqua blue...some in a very faded beige...and then the dog, teapots, tree and flower on the bottom, in tobacco brown and black.

...dog, tree, three teapots, flower...

                      
                              

...tea pots...

 

...a wonderful black and brown dog...

I enjoy looking at this old piece of naive needlework when I sit here to pay bills or use my sewing machine. It helps to slow things down when life gets rolling a little too fast...it reminds me of a simpler time when young girls took time out of every day to pull a needle and thread.

The outside view isn't too bad either.

I like my worn and torn possessions around me as I go about my daily doings...and I never tire of fluffy white clouds in a beautiful blue sky.

Enjoy the day,

Robyn

... a pony for my birthday!

This fine fellow was my birthday gift this year. 

His paint is chipped, his tail is missing, his bridle is dry and broken...I think he is a fine horse.

He is a lovely tobacco brown, with a black mane, and a wee bit of red paint clinging to his wheels...perfect.

Thank you to all who sent birthday wishes...they made me smile! I appreciate your taking the time out of your day to visit and say hello.

Enjoy the day,

Robyn

A New Number

This is a photo of my grandfather and me. It was taken on March 26th...many, many years ago and it is my earliest memory. It was my fourth birthday.

At our house, when your birthday is near, my daughter starts to chant, "You're going to be a new number!". Well, today I am a new number, and I am amazed at what a whopper it is! 

Today, I will reflect on the days that have passed, and the people that I miss. I'll look forward to coming adventures already marked on the calendar in large, black letters. I'll hug and kiss my husband and my daughter. I'll refine that ever growing list of things I'd like to do, and try to limit it to that which is, in reality, truly "doable".  And, I will eat cake...chocolate cake.

Enjoy the day,

Robyn

Home

We arrived home last night, and were we ever glad to see our little house. We travel six times a year to attend meetings of a professional board, on which my husband serves. We have been doing this for almost eight years and Mr. M. was recently elected to serve another term...two more years. We have visited many wonderful places on this adventure...we've had lots of family time while traveling...made lots of new friends, and many people who have never known a person with Down Syndrome have come to know and love our Annie. It's been a wonderful experience for our family...but...we are always happy to come home...ah...such a lovely word...home! 

I did get a little bit more done on my girls from Prim Sisters...I actually sewed in the car!

The beach was back to normal...I did enjoy that view!

...but am happy to be seeing this view every day!

Mounds of laundry are calling my name...

Enjoy the day,

Robyn

Just lookin'

Yesterday, we roamed around downtown Pensacola. The cemetery we visited is not the oldest in Florida, as I said before, rather, one of two old cemeteries in Pensacola.

It is located in the "historic" area and does contain many old graves...Civil War era. I snapped a few shots of the most interesting details on some of the headstones.

...wonderful lamb...

This lamb sits atop a stone and is small. I spotted him as we circled the cemetery looking for a place to park...then I had to search for him once inside. A good "hooker" can spot a sheep anywhere! 

...going up...

Yeah...I know what you're thinking...

...five children from this family...how heart breaking...

...ouch...

Rebecca was laid to rest in 1869 and the tree has swallowed up her stone in the many decades since.

Another lighthouse added to our list...we have been to many of the lights here in Florida. This one is actually located on the Naval Air Station Base. Mr. Mugwump goes up...I wave to him from the ground.

It's wicked rough out there...red flags flying means no swimmers in the water.  

Enjoy the day,

Robyn

Traveling

Happy Spring!

We were traveling here yesterday. This is a part of  Florida we have never visited. It has been cloudy since our arrival...but the beaches are the unbelievable white that make Pensacola famous...white quartz washed down from the Appalachians. 

...view out from our balcony...

I'll be sipping coffee and stitching here tomorrow morning!

Red flag warnings are all over the beach because of the heavy rip tides...this is the Gulf of Mexico!..not the ocean!

Off to see the oldest cemetery in Florida.

Enjoy the day,

Robyn

Thinking about a give-away with a beach theme...hmmm.