After a scorching summer that felt more like Texas than Wisconsin, the last few days have been cooler and today, almost autumn like. It’s a relief to have the blazing sun and cloudless blue skies replaced with clouds and cool breezes that have the feel of impending rain.

The grass in our subdivision has suffered much this year. Tom just looks at our once lush grass and shakes his head. Thanks to recent rain, the green has come back in patches, but other areas look like straw.

In the stores, all the summer things are on sale. There’s something a little sad about seeing big bins of flip flops and beach towels and bathing suits on clearance when they were such a welcome sight just a short time ago. Time marches on, and the aisles are now teeming with back-to-school supplies.

Will enters 11th grade in about 3 weeks. I felt a little wistful seeing all the little boy merchandise for school on the racks. How is it that I no longer have small sons to buy for? Then I remember. “Ah, but I have a little GRANDson to buy for now!”

Thankfully, I still have a little girl to raise. Emily is a girly girl who requests a bow in her hair each morning. Today, the bow is pink to match her outfit. Yesterday, for church it was yellow, her second best color. Bows make her very happy and so do ruffly socks. She’s wearing both today.

It may be a Monday, but it’s tea party day. On the wall over my reading chair in the living room is framed sepia photo of my Scandinavian Great-grandmother, Sigrid. I thought of her as I set up Emily’s table with her doll china. Out of my drawer in the dining room hutch I pulled two napkins made with Sigrid’s own hands many years ago. Seeing her great-grandaughter, Emily Frances, with those napkins on her little table made me smile.

(The embroidered white cloth on Emily’s table is from Romania, and the doll as her centerpiece is from Russia, a gift from 2 Russian girls adopted by our friends. Quite the international table setting!)

The world outside our doors may be all kinds of ugly, but children remind us of the need to nurture what is good and beautiful and lovely in our homes. Have a happy Monday!