Lesson 705: Passport to Summer 2021

Happy Fourth of July Weekend, Readers!

I've been really looking forward to this holiday!

The pups and I found this clever hide at the 

Harborcreek Community Park this evening.

There's even a little glow stick hanging from it.

I left it there for someone else to find joy, too!

Eloise was certain she had stumbled onto a crime scene.

I mistook the new turtle habitat logs 

for shoes and legs.

I'm glad I didn't get a stamp in that Passport of Adventure.

I'll be adventuring this summer in my new favorite shoes!

They fit so perfectly

and have sasquatch on them!

And, they glow in the dark.

I'm sure my fashionista sister is running out right now 

to find a pair for herself.

Passport stamps issued for adventures in the Allegheny National Forest.

 Fishing and family wiffle ball are some fine examples of must see destinations.

So is a preschooler learning how to take selfies.

Our eyes were on the skies this week

at Sam's little league game in Fort LeBeouf.

Eloise sees doves.
Do you?

This sweetheart was excited to show us the sign of hope

over the school.

We should get a passport stamp from Oz.

Nephew Jack will be off to new adventures.

He begins a new job in Washington DC 

with a grassroots organization in a few weeks.

My parents are on a cottage adventure,

repairing the storm damage for the second year in a row.

If you text and I don't answer,

I'm in Libya.

What an adventure ride this book is!

I'm not sure if I want a Libyan stamp in my passport.

Sounds like an undesirable vacation destination.

The girls are finishing up their t-shirt designs

for the Mountain Laurel Apparel shop.

I'm hoping to tell you about it next week.

I'm not as much about stamps in a passport

as I am pages in a scrap book.

I'm working on Sam's scrapbook,

It's a simple plan I came up with for my daughters,

and I'm continuing the tradition with Sam.

Pick up an old school photo album at Walmart--

the small ones that photos slide into.

I counted out the pages and divided them by months 

from grades 8-12.

Because Sam is the class of 2025, 
I put $25 on the first page of each month.

I print a photo or two from each month of the school year

and fill the book over five years time.

At the end of  Sam's senior year,

he will have a book of printed snapshots 

and a graduation gift of $1,250!

Here are some I included for this school year:

First day of school was at home on the computer,

but my friend Amy still remembered to drop off 

first-day-of-school treats!

Sam will remember the year he played football in a mask,

and waved to the opposing team at the end of the games

instead of high fiving.

Bowling was masked--

(he also bowled a 300 game)

and so was basketball.

Bernie came to watch.

We bought a cabin and flipped it.

Got a puppy.

The pilgrims came to a Thanksgiving Feast in the barn.

And we delayed the family Christmas celebration

until a few of us rode through Covid.

It would be the year we all pitched in extra to 

help with Erik and Natalie

because most things for them were shut down.

Easter was outside.

Sam sang in a mask,

yet still was awarded the Best Vocal Performance plaque.

By the time baseball rolled around,

things were looking up.

Vaccines and follow up treats

helped make for a more typical season.

As promised,

once we were all vaccinated,

we could go on vacation.

We decided on Shenandoah National Park.

The kids really got into the outdoor adventures

thanks to the pandemic.

We've been exploring the Pennsylvania parks.

Do you know there are 121 of them?

We made a stop a Chapman Dam last weekend

and I picked up one of these in the park office.

Eloise highly recommends this $10 purchase!

It lists all 121 State Parks

with photo,

description,

and place for a passport stamp.

You can earn Champion Tags,

and Eloise has plans to snag all six!

After you visit certain places under a given theme,

and have a passport stamp in your book for proof,

you can send away for your tags.

Here are the categories:

I think I'm gunning for Mother Earth first!

Homework for bird nerds:

Can you identify this bird?

I'm having trouble1

Have some well deserved,

and long overdue fun this Fourth of July!

Eloise