OC's Boardwalk Observation Tower

Just like Summer and summer vacations, Theme Week: Summertime here along the Outskirts of Suburbia, is drawing to a close. You can see the memories flashing by like a movie. Like Danny Zuko and Sandra Dee singing all about their summer romance while image of them holding hands and skipping around the beach flashed by as the T-Birds and Pink Ladies doo-wopped along. Summer will be back. It won't be long until it's too hot and uncomfortable to move very far from the A/C. Until then warm some cider, roast your chestnuts and spike the eggnog. Christmas is only a week a way.

Mid-Summer Classic

The other Mid-Summer Classic. Fireworks. Pyrotechnics. Nothing says hot and humid like laying on a blanket in the grass, fat and happy with a hot dog in one hand and a cold beer in the other than large amounts of explosives igniting just over your head. Yes, there's the booms and pops and bangs, whizzers and cracklers and then there is the "sound checks", KA-BOOOOOOM! And the blinding flash of white light that follows. Sometimes three or four of them. No pretty colors, no ooooohhh's, no aaaaahhh's. Just barely enough time to flinch and cover your ears. Ever notice it's always the first thing in the air, too? Like I said, " Sound Check". Just enough to let everyone know "It's Time". And bring the squeamish to tears.

Ahhhh, Summertime!

Please ignore the below freezing temperatures outside, jump into your Bermudas and flip flops and lets go smell the flowers. We're still celebrating summer despite single digit wind chills (what a little frostbite between friends?) Don't worry I'll be all Christmasied up next week, so pop a top, my friends and lets go lay out on the deck.

Be VERY Alert

Corporate decision: we are observing summer this week. That correct... it is Theme Week: Summer. This news is straight from the main office, and I have sworn my allegiance. Today it's baseball. These summery signs are found in Fenway Park up north in Boston, Mass. Just a couple more pictures from our trip home from Maine last, last summer. If you take anything at all away from reading my blog, please, please take a mental note that foul balls and bats, indeed, DO hurt. Thanks for joining in. Next week I promise some Christmas pictures. Promise. And don't interfere with those balls when their in play either.

North Myrtle Sunset

A little breath of fresh air for all of us who survived the hype of impending blizzard that turned to rain showers and mid 30's. I offer you all this view from North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Taken back in October.

Winter's Coming

It's just around the corner. The snow, the cold, the ice, the dark. Will it be a wet one, a white one or a wimpy one? We had snow this early last year and the snow machine hammered us. I guess only time will tell.

And Finding a Christmas Tree

It's Christmas tree time, people. Last weekend was my time. It's a hard time of year to stop what you are doing and venture out to the tree farm, hop a ride on the wagon to the far away side of the farm to wander through the Dougs and find the perfect tree. Is there a perfect tree? Too tall. To fat. That one has a hole in the side. We could put that towards the wall. There's one. Who do I look like, Charlie Brown? Crooked truck. Lopsided trim. Three tops. How about this one? Cut it down. Quick.

Will I give this up for a plastic tree? No way. I'm like the mailman when it's time to look for the Christmas tree... through rain, sleet, snow or freezing cold... we will deliver the tree.