The Natural Habitat of Vintage Maxis...

...in front of the Goodwill, of course.  What can I say, they have the best walls for photography. This particular Goodwill also has a mini-nature preserve in back of the store...

Outfit Particulars:

Batik cotton maxi dress-Goodwill

Necklace-K Mart

Shoes-Hand-Me-Ups

Collins-esque bag-Goodwill

Bangles-Gordmans

Fragrance-Bvlgari Omnia Coral

 We like visiting this location as there's always good bird watching...

 Like this goldfinch with a beak full of thistle.

Closer to home we spotted this butterfly on my coneflowers.

 And this praying mantis outside the art supplies store. He was happy enough to sit for several minutes having his photo taken.

 "Be sure to get my good side."

When Danny was small, the occasional praying mantis would jump onto the window. They move their hands back and forth, and I had the kid convinced it was waving to him. Sadly, he no longer believes the praying mantis is waving, but he was concerned it might leap out at me after a bit. I backed off to finish the photos.

 Back home, we tried photographing this maxi in a gale. The sun was shining, the wind blowing, and every single photo had me making some sort of stupid face. Every. Single. One. So here's my very nice polyester maxi dress and a stupid face thrown in just for fun.

 Outfit Particulars:
1970's maxi dress-Fairytale Costumes, Omaha
Shoes-K Mart
Collins-esque bag-Goodwill
Earrings-Target
Bracelet-Yard Sale in the abandoned mall
Trifari brooch-Hand-Me-Ups
Fragrance-Courreges in Blue, vintage formulation

Such a great print, but maddening to photograph. 

Monday is drop-off day for the fair which means Danny will be furiously baking this weekend. He's entering two breads, a white cake, cinnamon buns, oatmeal cookies, quick bread, and of course seven different jams and pickles. The excitement around here...can you feel it?! I know you can. Probably. Well try, damnit.

 I'll leave you with a dead easy way to make a meal out of tomatoes.

6-7 large-ish ripe tomatoes
A handful of herbs-thyme, basil, oregano, etc.
Black pepper and salt to taste
Olive oil to taste

Toss it all together in a pan, chuck it in a 275 degree F. oven, and leave it alone for an hour or so. Once the skins peel easily off, remove them, then coarsely chop the tomatoes. Serve with some grated cheese over pasta, or on toast with additional olive oil and freshly torn basil leaves.

I told you it was easy. I don't like complicated in the summer.

Uh oh, the weather alarm just sounded. Tornado watch? In August?! Well I'll be damned. I just took a look out the window, and it is indeed looking ripe for severe weather. This is madness, at this time of year. Oh well, at least we have a proper basement here with a cement foundation unlike the dirt storm cellar on the farm . Guess I'd better go harvest the last of my pattypan squash before the weather comes through-I'd hate to lose them. *Grumbles about severe weather season being in Spring, not Summer*

Have a great weekend, everyone!