The last week of summer- Monday

 I thought I’d do a picture a day for this last week of summer. Just a way to keep savoring this favorite season of mine. A little Monday Mahjong with my friend Rebecca!

Hello from the Cape!! What a treat to be writing from this view!! This particular lodging not really being my home but this place being my home away from home.  I’m not quite sure I can pinpoint in words what this place means to me or how it even makes me feel - but it’s special, life giving, peaceful.  Believe it or not I have actually never been down here before in the off season and while it is for sure quieter - the feelings are the same busy season or not. I actually have a friend who when she comes down as soon as she passes this one particular place on the Cape that we Cape lovers affectionately call “stump hole” or the “rocks” - she cries. I confess I used to get teary myself full of nostalgia and memories and don’t get me wrong all that stuff is still treasured up right in my heart, and I’m sure a BIG smile is plastered all over my face as we pass those rocks and I am filled with immense gratitude for what I like to call this little piece of heaven on earth that God so kindly lets me be a part of.  My family actually calls it home even though we own nothing down here. EVERY TIME we come it just feels like coming home. So it’s our home away from home. 

I have sat here for a few minutes (and actually I am sitting here again the following morning) wondering what to write about - and one day later I still don’t know - I just know I made that goal to write one day a week on this blog for 30 minutes and here I am. This moment of writers block tells me I am definitely not sure I should ever write a book no matter how often my husband tells me I should.  

So very much has happened in the world just this week and the reality is things happen all the time that I don’t even know about. My dear friend will often say “make it make sense” and we both know we can’t BUT what we do know -what I know to be absolutely true is that God is good AND HE is kind. And just to remind us all that HE is sovereign and still on HIS throne I will close this post out with this picture form the Cape last night 

That my friends is a picture of the Milky Way galaxy taken courtesy of my iPhone. That night sky is on full display for me to SEE while I HEAR the ocean waves roaring in the background. 

“The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display HIS craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make HIM known. They speak without a sound or a word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world.”                    ~Psalm 19: 1-4 NLT 

Now that I have knocked out these 30 minutes I am pretty sure that the Lord used these moments of uncertainty on what to write to remind me to SEE - in fact I think that might be what HE’s reminding me of this whole trip.  And just so I remember when I come back and read this one day - my beach read so far has been Sophie Hudsons A Fine Sight to See 

Thanks for listening to me ramble….

~leighann 

 Happy FriYAY!! When I was in my teaching era - specifically for first grade I had these super cute earrings that said FRIYAY! I should pull those out again and wear them - because who doesn’t love a good FriYAY - I mean it’s the weekend after all! 

When thinking about what to write for my designated Friday 30 minutes this week (mondays post was a bonus lol) I remembered that I had recently seen an instagrammer do a “few things I’m liking - purse edition” - I was fascinated LOL - for several reasons - she had purse salt - who knew! Hilarious!! 

Anyway, if you are a female you know the purse/bag struggle is real. I think women go through many bag seasons.  I do think it needs to be stated there are actually women who have no bag struggles and care nothing about having a bag or a purse - let’s be clear that is not me whatsoever.  I LOVE a good bag and my season of purses/bags can definitely be defined. And I might have a purse and a bag - the possibilities are endless with me and its not one or the other its usually both and 😉 but most always I have a purse/clutch.  I have had a lot of bag eras complete in size and color and can probably be based on occasion.  If I sat long enough I could probably just dedicate this whole post to types of bags/purses based on what season of life I was in.  But that doesn’t really sound fun to me.  What sounds fun to me is telling you what I am liking/loving in my purse (also read -some of these things stay/are a staple for the most part no matter which one I am currently using) Even now as I am even thinking about this - what I do find interesting is that I could create another whole post of things I like/love - travel bag edition… ooh I might do that next week so stay tuned for that my fun inquiring mind friends. 

On to what’s in my purse currently 

1. Finger nail clippers - and not just any finger nail clippers - these are baby finger nail clippers and yes I have had them since my oldest was born.  I have several pair from when the kids were babies.  I think these are the best ones on the market.  You would not believe how many times I have been asked if I by chance have any nail clippers in my purse - the answer is always yes! 

2. Finger nail file - I might could have combined 1 and 2 but they are technically different products. I have only started carrying this around in the last few years but sometimes I find you need the file and not the clippers.  My favorite one is from Olive and June because it’s not too big but also not too small and bonus its pink.

3. AirPods - always in the purse - if you know me you know I love to talk on the phone and sometimes I have a nosy passenger riding along LOL.  Also great for listening to podcasts or audiobooks 

4. Mah Jongg playing card 2025 -this is a new edition to the purse but it has found its home.  Never know when the Maj will strike and I have not memorized all those plays yet LOL - in fact I am not even sure if people memorize them or not. Never know when you might need this. 

5. Kindle - no surprise here - I am reader and the kindle follows me where ever I go! I just finished Kate Strickler’s book I Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen - highly recommend. I am currently reading Leaving by Roxana Robinson recommended by the Annie B. Jones from The Bookshelf. 

6. Portable fan - this is just one of those if you know you know… my friend Kelly B (I have a few friends with this name hence the specifics) gave this to me it’s a fan, a flashlight, and phone charger all in one.  If you are a female in your late 30’s and up you need this in your life. 

7. Lotion - this is one of those staple items that I have in every purse.  I don’t know if it’s just me or what but I have to have lotion for my hands.  Sometimes they just get weird feeling and in my mind the lotion makes it all better. I really do love this one from Eminence -Mangosteeen Replenishing Cream.  It smells delightful and feels great! 

8. Summer Fridays lip gloss - I recently discovered this lip gloss and now want to buy it in all the colors and flavors.  The one pictured is guava but I also really like the cherry which I will problaby switch over to come fall because of the richness in color … oooh that sounded so fancy of me …lol

9. Sharpie - who isn’t always looking for a sharpie??!! Well look no further! I always have one on hand.  That is also an item I get asked if I have a lot - so it’s a keeper for me.

You have to know how badly I wanted to end with the number 10 but it just wasn’t working out so there you have it.  Funny story about that purse in particular - a client came in the salon with that exact purse and I drooled all over it - it was in my color palette, it matched up with my style analysis - I mean it just hit all the things and I asked the client if I could try it on she was so kind and obliged.  I fell in like with that purse and promptly went home and ordered it online.  Thanks to the sweet client at the salon for catering to my whim of needing to try on a purse! 

That’s all for today folks! See ya when I see ya! And as my favorite podcaster Annie says go out and do something fun! 

~leighann 

Labor Day Thoughts

 Today is not the last day of summer - period - and there is nothing more to say about this - except that there is.  You must know I have more things to say about this - SHOCKER! 

Traditionally Labor Day marks the end of the summer era especially for those in the Northern part of the United States where normal school systems don't start back to school until this holdiay has passed.  (For us here in the south you know we start back as soon as the calendar hits August.  This could be a whole post in itself but not the point of todays)  Most people are marking the Labor Day holiday as summers last hurrah etc etc.  BUT summer does not acutally officially end until September 22 when the Fall seaons legitimately commences on the calendar thats like 3 more weeks to have all the summer hurrahs you want to! 

I recently shared with my closest friends that this year I really wanted to live out the summer until the summer officially ended.  I told them because I wanted them to keep me accountable.  And of course we have had several run ins with fake fall over here in the south making me second guess my savoring of summer days! I confess it is usally my MO to pull out all the Fall things in late August and enjoy all the pumpkin goodies as soon as they are available because lets face it they don't last that long because society is over here trying to rush us in and out of all the seasons before we are even in the said season or for that matter before its over! BUT NOT THIS YEAR - at least not for me anyway.  I want to enjoy every minute of this season that we are living in and be present for it - savor it and right now the calendar says we are in the summer until September 22. After all the summer season is my very favorite and also my wardrobe color pallete according House of Colour. 

Now can these last few weeks of summer also be a transition into the fall season of course they can (said in my best Steel Magnolias voices) Remember life is full of the both ands. I actually recently listened to a very good podcast episode about this very thing - you can listen to it right here - its one of my very favorites That Sounds Fun with Annie F. Downs.  

So, as for me, for now  I am going to be over here sitting out by my pool, leaving that fall decor in the attic until the season officially changes AND maybe sipping/eating a pumpking goodie now and then while they are still available ... you know savoring summer AND slowly moving into fall .. 

And one more thing on my mind - I learned how to play Mahjong this weekend! If you know me you know I LOVE a good game and friends - I LOVE this game.  I also want to note I loved the idea of it before it ever hit the trend station. One of my very favorite things when people watching in China was seeing the mahjong games happening on the street, in the park, etc - and the first time I went to China was a long time ago.