Kitchen Memories

Years ago when I moved into my own apartment, my mother gave me a few things to get me started in my new kitchen. She gave me her yellow mixing spoons and her oven mitts. 

I loved these items. Not because they were brand new and looked stylish, but because they were my mom's. They conjured up so many memories of my young life in my parent's home.

But, like most older items, they were becoming a little dingy and in need of replacement. So, I bought some new oven mitts and found a few mixing spoons at TJ Maxx. I debated about what to do next with these old pieces that held so many fond memories. So, I whipped out my phone and took photos of them so that I could  remember all of the happy thoughts they invoked.

And, yes, I did finally throw the mitts and the old spoons away.

Summer Memories

I have always loved summer. I love the sun. I love the pool. I love the beach. And, I love the freedom of the lazy days. Here are a few of my photo memories from my younger summer days.

The summer I was a beach attendant. One of my most physically demanding jobs and one of the most coveted jobs for teenage girls who live at the beach.

The Ruesch girls at Busch Gardens---1979

Me and my bike. I loved that thing and I would ride it all over Pembroke Meadows on those hot summer days.

We spent several summers at our cottage in Pennsylvania. Here's the ol' station wagon with the bikes loaded on the back for fun.

My dad planted this awesome garden at our old house in Virginia Beach and I can remember picking lettuce and green onions. It's the inspiration for my many attempts at summer gardening.

Summer of 1984 with my friend Veronique. We loved hanging out at the pool and talking about boys. We also loved having matching bathing suits.

My sisters and I with our dog, Lucy, at the cottage in Pennsylvania.

Summer of 1975 and I am thinking this is where my love of the beach began. See those chairs in the back? Well, eight years later I would be lugging those around on the beach as a beach attendant.

My Aunt Sue's dog, Max, was one of my favorite companions in the summer when we would go to our cottage in PA. I spent a couple of summers there without my sisters (they were home working summer jobs) and this dog kept me company.

John and I took a trip to NYC in the summer of '97.

Another summer at Busch Gardens with my sister, Kathy. I love BG and love continuing the tradition with my own girls.