Bittersweet July

July was a busy month.  And a stressful month.  And a sad month.  

I spent some time at the lake with this cutie.   This is his "monster" imitation.   I must say he is the cutest monster I have ever seen.  Don't you agree?

I went to the Farmer's Market.  The colors and smells at the local market are always amazing.

I also said goodbye to an old and dear friend.  Thumper had been a part of my life for thirteen years.  It is sad to say that sometimes you take for granted the moments and times you have with your loved ones.   I was able to shower my sweet one with love before she left me.   If you are reading this- give your family and loved ones a hug and kiss.   Be kind to others and count every moment as a blessing.

I have been taking it easy on the Jeni's.   I think my Jeni's consumption might be personally responsible for the button strain on my pants today.   I will tell you that this new flavor I tried- coffee- was out of this world amazing.  I think that I find a new favorite flavor every time I go there.

Nature has a way of calming me.  And spending time at the Lake house as amazing.  There was no beach in the plans for me this summer.  Instead, I was surrounded by nature and silence.   Peace for the soul.

 I also made The Pioneer Woman's Blackberry Cobbler.  I have made this several times before.   This time I did tinker with the recipe some.  I did reduce the amount of sugar used in the recipe.   Instead of a full cup- I used about a 1/4 cup less.  I also did not sprinkle more sugar on top.   AND..... I used a mix of blackberries and raspberries.   AMAZING.  Please go here and try out the recipe for yourself.   A note to all you fake cobblers out there with a pie crust masquerading as "cobbler" - this is a REAL cobbler.

As usual, my photos are lacking.   But this cobbler was amazing and I did not even darken my plate with ice cream.  This cobbler is tasty enough to stand alone.  But, if ice cream and cobbler is your thing- knock yourself out because it will be fabulous!

I leave you all with a quote that I found and loved.   It is a grainy image and I apologize for that, but it fits in with my I phone pictures.  I dedicate this quote to my friends- an amazing group of people who have always been there for me. 

I hope that August brings cooler weather, rain, and peace to me this year.  I hope that everyone had a great July.   Drop me a note and let me know what you were up to.

Peace,
Marci