The Katie girl got to fly an airplane today.  Not all by herself...but she did some of it!!  It was an introductory flight for flight school.  We're still working through that decision but wanted her to get her feet wet or keep them or dry or somethin' just to see if she REALLY likes flying as much as she thinks she does.  This was her birthday present but since she was in India on her birthday it had to wait a bit. 

Katie and her Dad before take off...She was a little excited!

Katie and the flight instructor.  WHAT a nice guy.  He's retired and does this just because he loves it and wants to teach others. Does his best to make it affordable and makes little to no profit. 

Getting ready to drive (that's not the word!) over to the runway. 

AND away she goes!!!!  Her instructor said she did VERY well....even better than most!  NO surprise to us of course!

Oh yeah...SHE LOVED IT!! 

 I've hardly blogged this summer.  Been lazy and busy...is it possible to be both??  I think I manage it.  So a quick picture post of my garden....

Ready to go in May.  If you look close at the top on the right there are some Zucchini planted.

From the corner of the garden.

And here we are the middle of August.

We have the following packed into our little garden:  Cabbage, Cilantro, lettuce, radishes, beets, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, Walla Walla onions, Red Onions, Green beans, cucumbers, lemon cucumbers, zucchini, Kohlrabi, pumpkin, watermelons, cantaloupe and spaghetti squash.  "Square Foot Gardening" is my gardening book of choice.  We have a fall crop of lettuce, radishes and kohlrabi planted and growing!  This is the most I've planted and the best crop we've had.  The only one I"m not sure we'll get anything at all from is the cabbage, it's still a maybe....look okay but only a couple of heads forming.

This is the same "From the corner" shot from above. 

My pumpkin crop is making me happy.  Only lost one to raccoons or some other varmint so far.

Pumpkin and spaghetti squash.

The cherry tomatoes have been prolific!

Pear tree is packed!  Weirdly enough the apple tree only has about 5 apples on it.  The plum tree is also packed and ready to pick....Beeb's job for tomorrow! 

Random plant from the yard.  I really like this plant, Autumn Joy Sedum....the bee's seem to share my taste.

So there ya have it.....a picture blog of a little bit that I've been up to this summer. We're not ready for summer to be over quite yet......So I'm off to be lazy..and busy some more.

This Day of Freedom’s Birth

 By William Kevin Stoos  Friday, July 3, 2009

“Posterity: you will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it.” 

John Quincy Adams

It’s more than just a banner
Framed in azure skies,
And more than just a country--
This land o’er which it flies.
To call this day a birthday
Is to miss its deeper worth:
‘Twas more than just a nation born,
This Day of Freedom’s Birth.

This day a blessed nation was
Conceived in liberty
And sprang forth from a concept
Unique in history:
God granted no king power
To rule by tyranny,
For men are better governed
By consent than by decree.

By the Founding Fathers nurtured
Did this blessed nation grow
And here did freedom flourish,
In the land that we now know.
But to think and live as free men
Has meant the sacrifice
Of millions gone before us
Who dared pay freedom’s price.
For “freedom” to our founders was
No simple abstract thought,
But a precious gift to others
Which their pain and suffering bought.

America has prospered since
The Stars and Stripes unfurled,
And occupies a special place ‘mongst
Nations of the world.
For whether we accept it,
Or will that it should be,
We bear a special burden for
All those who would be free:
It is here they look for guidance
In their quest for liberty,
For on earth no people do exist
As free and strong as we.

So as we celebrate this day--
And celebrate we should--
In a moment of brief solitude
It may well do us good
To ponder how we got this far--
And where it is we’ve been--
And what it is this promised land
Has meant for all free men,
For America’s a nation
Unique o’er all the earth,
And that is what we celebrate,
This Day of Freedom’s Birth.

Independence - freedom from the control, influence, support, aid, or the like, of others.  (Dictionary.com)