Capture the Moment

I seriously wasn't planning to take any nature photos today but this guy literally plopped down right in front of me. OK, I might have been daydreaming out my window at work, but I couldn't resist trying to capture the moment.

Unfortunately, I didn't have my "big" camera with me. I just had what I call my Black Friday "purse camera." So I really couldn't zoom in and they are a bit fuzzy being taken through a window. But I'm OK with them.

I am not surprised to see the Monarch likes lilacs. Who doesn't?

That was close to the highlight of the day. The other biggie was that summer -- you know, what we had back in March -- has returned! It was 80+ degrees today!

Probably a bit hot for baseball, but the boys played a double-header in Almond. As it turned out, only the 6th- and 7th-graders played today because Carter and the rest of the 8th-graders were on a class retreat. So I ran Jim down to Almond (about 40 minutes from Iola), dropped him off (he got a ride back) and headed home (about 40 minutes to our house). I changed into shorts and headed into town to meet Carter's bus at 5:30 p.m. It's all clockwork.

The retreat was sort of a tour of chapels and cathedrals in the La Crosse Diocese. Carter said the architecture was unique and the artwork everywhere was fascinating. I asked if anyone was smart enough to take a camera. He said, "No. And you really couldn't even capture how amazing it was." So that's cool. Glad he had a worthwhile day.

We came straight home to eat supper and give me time to take a short walk. Yes, even though my pedometer officially died and I had to wait for a new one, I found a replacement to use a few days this week and am still on pace for 5 miles of steps a day. Yay, iPad dream!

After my walk (in the shade, thankfully), I mixed up some mints that I will be "forming" into graduation diplomas and flowers. They are putzy but yummy. The only ingredients, seriously, are 8 ounces cream cheese, a teaspoon mint extract and oh, about 2 pounds of powder sugar. I will start the putzy part tomorrow.

I am making these for a friend whose son is graduating with our nephew Colin. Then will make them again in a few weeks for Colin's party. If you've never seen them or tasted them, you're missing out. If I think of it, when I'm done I'll take a picture of them.

Because obviously, that's what I do!