Support our troops

I recently read that between July 4th and Thanksgiving our military overseas receiver fewer letters than any time of the year.


I'd like to challenge us all to write somebody in the military and thank them for their service.

Don't know anybody personally? I found a website to help.
It's called Forgotten Soldiers. Here's the link:

http://www.forgottensoldiers.org
The Forgotten Soldiers site has a link where you can send a letter.





One more interesting site is Support Our Troops. Here's the link:

http://www.supportourtroops.org

Thanks to the men and women serving our country. God Bless America.

How does your garden grow?

We added a couple of new flowers to our garden this year.

The yellow flowers are the ones we thought might be a weed in the spring. They turned out to be a nice surprise.
The day lilies came from bulbs at each of our parents houses. The orange came from Mrs. Layton and most of the yellow came from my parents house.





We also enjoy flowers on the patio and front porch.




Thanks for stopping by and sharing my garden.

Summer weddings

My niece, Kelli, married Rob Stubblefield last Saturday.

Welcome to the family, Rob.

Storms filled the skies around Kentucky and they planned an outdoor wedding. The wedding took place in Bowling Green and the area around the wedding was free of clouds.


First I want to share a picture of my parents, Nancy and Dick Lutz.

Brooke was the flower girl, and you know she has a special place in my heart. Here she is practicing.

Ladies and gentlemen, may I present Kelli and Rob Stubblefield.

And now to the reception.

CONGRATULATIONS KELLI AND ROB!

More flags

Flags fly for Gadsden area war veterans in Gadsden, Alabama.

"Ice Cold Pop" sign and American flag advertised on Route 66, Seligman, Arizona.

Here are some flags at Fort Sumter in South Carolina.

As you travel this summer, do you notice flags? I know this will sound corny, but I'm proud to be an American and I love to see our flag flying high.

Have a great week.

Hot Fun in the Summer

I love July in Kentucky. We've had more rain this year than I can ever remember, but we found a dry day to hit the park with some of the family.

Lots of fun and running around.

It's never to late for fireworks.

Flag of the Week

Here's this week's flag of the week.

I'd also like to take a moment to welcome the newest member to our family. We're so happy Sadie Lutz is here.

Congratulations, Jessica and Eric!

Do you wear your flag?

I love to hang my American flag off the back deck for all the neighbors. I love living in the USA, and I don't care who knows it.
I appreciate all the men and women who founded our country so we could worship God freely.
I also appreciate the men and women who have protected our freedom over the years.

Do you enjoy wearing patriotic clothes or jewelry? I wanted to share a few possible ways to show your patriotism.

If anybody asks you, I hope you say you're proud to be an American!

Have a great week.

Flag of the week

This flag is in Wilmore, KY, my hometown.

Wilmore hangs flags and flowers along the streets every summer. It's part of our small town charm.


I hope you all had a happy 4th of July.

Happy 4th of July

Last year I started the annual Layton 4th of July party. After helping my parents move to a smaller home and going through a vast number of slides I remembered how fun the 4th of July could be.

My Aunt Judy and Uncle Dick used to throw a party every year. They had a big home and huge yard and could really throw a party.

I can remember some of the older people playing a game called Tripoli. I used to like to stand around the card tables in the driveway and watch them play. Dad's family had interesting people with interesting names. Coopie, Cat, and Chick are just a few of the ladies' names. Then there was the man with a round face and beautiful white beard that was a dead ringer for Santa Claus.

Tonight as Tim and I were setting up, I told him that some of us need to come up with nicknames so we'll be interesting to the next generation. Brooke calls us GiGi and Sparky, so maybe that's a start.

Tomorrow there is only a 90% chance of rain. Ha! So we're prepared to eat and play inside.

My dad's bringing a tripoli board and some poker chips from WWII. (I promise no gambling.)

I've decided this may become one of my favorite holidays. I love summer, I love spending time with family, and I love being an American.

Happy 4th of July!


Here are a few pictures from last year:

A Weed by any Other Name...

This spring my husband and I were pulling weeds in the garden. Six years ago, we decided we'd have a simple garden. I'd spent enormous amounts of time at our old houses working in the gardens, and I decided not to do that again.

I laugh at myself now because each year we think of ways to add something else.

This spring my husband and I were pulling weeds in the garden. We came upon a growth in two different places at the border of our yard. Tim thought it was a weed, but I wasn't so sure. I convinced him to give it a chance.

For the next few weeks we'd look and debate but still left it to grow.

Voila, it is a flower. I expect it to be beautiful and last through this summer. I'm so glad we didn't pull it and toss it in the garbage. I remember planting the seeds last year. They never grew but came up this year for some reason.

This made me wonder. How many relationships do we walk away from that might turn out to be beautiful? Next time I meet somebody that rubs me the wrong way, I think I'll give them more of a chance. We never know what may lay beneath the weedy exterior.

Happy July, everybody!