Sweet Summertime

I don't know what the weather's like where you live, but here in Georgia, it's cold, gloomy, and rainy. Even though I enjoy all of the changing seasons, I still long for the return of summer this time of year, when you can be out in the warm weather and not be chilled to the bone. So, I thought I'd put a little summer back into your day by sharing the pretty scenery we've seen on some of our family vacations.

These first two photos were taken on the second family cruise we went on, Mariner of the Seas. They're of a place called Labadee, Hispanoila. We visited this picturesque private island. Doesn't it look just like a postcard?
These next series of photos were taken when we went to Sedona, AZ. If you've never been there, you really must go! It is beyond beautiful! The color of the sky and the rock formations were gorgeous! Would you believe that we hiked almost to the very top of this rock, called Bell Rock? It was a long way up...and a LONG way down!! This is a church built into the side of a rock formation. It was so neat inside!We discovered this creek flowing through Sedona. We walked all up and down it and took a dip in the cold water. Brrr!! Just look at that view!!And another one...so serene...Chris and I went on a trip to Vail, CO. a few years back with his former employer. We were there for about four days and I loved it! I'd go back in a heartbeat! Here's what we saw as we left Denver on our way to Vail... Yep, that's me on a horse. We took a horse ride way up into the mountains, through a forest of Aspen trees. It was the neatest thing...check out that view! My horse had a serious case of the "toots", though. It was so funny! Plus, when our ride was over, my horse ran off with me still on his back when he spotted the water trough! I kept yelling, "Whoa, whoa!!" What was my hubby doing, you might ask?...laughing hysterically!! Sorry, but I failed to see the humor. My horse was gorgeous, but he sure had a mind of his own! This photo was taken last spring when we went to the Great Smokey Mountains in Tennessee. I can't think of many places prettier than that. Here's the Smokies in all their glory...Here's the girls feeding a flock of hungry seagulls from our balcony on our third family cruise this past summer. We went on Freedom of the Seas. Talk about a grand ship! Wow! I highly recommend it! We were docked in St. Thomas...loved it!!The girls walking along one of the beaches in St. Maarten looking for seashells. The water was a light turquoise color. Just after this picture was taken, we soon realized we had wandered onto a nudist beach!! Chris and I made a quick diversion and got out of there before the girls knew what happened! Whew!! Talk about a close call!Last, but not least, here's Chris on the first cruise we went on, Grandeur of the Seas. We went to the Cayman Islands and swam with those yucky, icky, slimy, blood-thirsty stingrays. Those suckers were everywhere in that water! They'd brush up against your legs AND come to the surface and blow water at you! Normally, I'm not bothered by animals or mammals in the slightest, but this is one creature I do not care to get up close and personal with! However, my "manly" hubby, as he likes to call himself, wanted to act all macho and hold one of those disgusting things! No way, no how, was I going to do that! More power to you, hon! So, I hope my photos of sun and blue skies somehow brightened your day up just a little...wherever you may be!