My week started in Montgomery

where we had a happy retirement luncheon for one of the best clerical assistants I've ever had

- seriously -

I don't how we're going to make it without her!

But I wish her all the best

[and kind of wish I was retiring too!]

So summer is here -

and for the past 25 years we've started the summer with the

Hot Air Balloon Jubilee over in Decatur -

even when the boys had soccer tournaments in Memphis or Atlanta

we'd still migrate back to the balloons as soon as the games were over...

and this year the weather was perfect.

We always enjoy watching them take off -

but especially enjoy the early Sunday Morning Key grab

when they actually fly into the field.

[First photo.]

And ohmygoodness - the Pepsi balloon was

SO CLOSE.

[The pilot wins a truck if he can grab the key off the pole.]

Emma and I have enjoyed some relaxing afternoons on the patio

taking time to smell the roses - and, the honeysuckle - it's delicious!

[We have a fence close to the house so she can't run out at night and risk possibly being grabbed by coyotes - we've had neighbors WATCH them grab their tiny dogs.]

We've hung out on fire pit deck too - love these comfortable late spring days!

It's usually in the 90s by now so these cool evenings have been wonderful...

Now that summertime is here it's time for farmer's markets, free concerts in the park -

and, this year, free movies at The Space Center - and we're looking forward to it all!

Many of our neighborhoods are starting their own fun farmer's markets

so we stopped by the one that's about a half mile from the house -

Love getting fresh flowers

and fruit, plus local honey, goat cheese,

and home baked butter rolls - yum.

And I'll admit that I had strawberry shortcake

[with sugar free angel food cake]

for dinner a couple of nights -

Oh, the things you can do when you don't have to worry about

feeding the kids nutritious meals-

Then on Thursday night we went out to The Space Center

for dinner under the rocket and the free movie;

2001: A Space Odyssey.

One. Weird. Movie.

Enjoyed walking around the Rocket Garden just a bit too...

We spent the other free evenings and most of Sunday afternoon trimming trees that were hanging low [and hitting me in the face when I mowed the lawn] - and getting the side yard cleaned out - got rid of the two huge boxwoods that have bothered us since we moved in

tried to give them away - but nobody wanted them --]

plus other yuck that we've let grow up behind this little bit of privacy fence.

Yay. It's done.

I'm thinking of making a 'secret garden' there since it's hidden -

might be a nice little place to sit and read -

And finally, my upcoming project for the week: