Purlygrl and Cy-Boar's Summer of Fun 07

Last summer I had so much fun and was so busy, that I never managed to post my photos and commentary from summer so here goes:

I didn't have the money or where-with-all to travel much last summer so I spent my free time enjoying the fun that Ohio has to offer.

The particular area where Cy-Boar and I reside is about an hour from city life, but what we do have is plenty of gorgeous nature. This comical sign was in front of a gas station near a park where we hike. What could one love more than the freedom of Sunday beer sales and value-priced firewood in one convenient location? Certainly makes me proud to be an American.




One of the popular activities/attractions in smalltown Ohio during the summer is always the county fair. Of course you can enjoy fried foods, livestock auctions, and yes you can also purchase your headstone and visit a wax sculpture of a blue-eyed Jesus. On a more personal note, my peach pie got 2nd place at the Marion County Fair and went for a quite respectable sum at the pie auction.



Since my birthday is in July, birthday celebration is always a part of my summer's activities. And since my 29th birthday was in 2007 it also happened to be the last birthday I plan to ever have. Here Cy-Boar and I enjoyed a lovely Italian dinner and I received a comfy hammock to laze away the days of summer.

If I had my way I'd visit a white sandy beach with crystal clear blue water every summer, but this was not the year for that. Still, believe it or not Ohio does have some sub-par beaches, and where better to spend the afternoon of the day you were fired from a less than inspiring job?




I can't leave out the other men in my life, so here I am at a family wedding with my baby brother, my grandpa and my dad. Of course the best picture from this wedding though is of a group of bikers doing the hokey poky...............

Of course all good things come to an end so the official closure to our summer was Labor Day weekend in Detroit where Cy-Boar and his little one and I spent time with friends and had a nice trip to the zoo.

On Miracles

"There are only two ways to live your life: One is as though nothing is a miracle, The other is as though everything is a miracle. I believe in the latter."

-- Albert Einstein

In my family I have the privilage/dubious distinction of being the eldest of 10 cousins on my father's side of the family. Thus, I have changed countless diapers as the family babysitter and have fond memories of watching my cousins grow up.

On Friday, which was July 4th, I was reminded of one of my favorite memories of one of my cousins. When a particular little one was just a tot we took him to a baseball game that was followed by fireworks. I'm not sure if he had ever seen fireworks before that evening or not since he had spent the first couple of years of his life in Uganda, Africa, but regardless of the question of novelty, his reaction was priceless. After the first one burst in the air he said, "It's a miricle!" in a wistful and awestruck tone like I have never heard before or since. It was of course adorable at the time, but I suspect it has stuck with me all these years (said child is now in college) because it was so much more poignant than cute.

He really believed it was a miracle. Any of us could have told him what he surely knows now, which is that there is a clear and understandable scientific explanation for what he saw. And I suppose that is the reason that so few of us truly believe in miracles as adults. At some point we learn that the magician isn't magical, its all a clever trick. And of course Santa AND the Easter Bunny turn out to be Mom and Dad. Yet sometimes it saddens me when I remember believing in magic and fairies.

What is interesting is that no one teaches us how to see the miracles that are all around us. The marriages that last, the single parents that raise amazing kids, the people who make the world a better place. The rare people who love each other unconditionally. Those crazy people who belive in peace.............

Our lives are a miracle, I guess sometimes we miss that when our wisdom and experience get in the way.