What are these called?.....

Not sure what these thingymagiggies are called but got a few shots of Grant fooling around with them. They're not even his...a friend left them here!

Isn't he growing up? My!!

We Miss Marina!

Grant's girlfriend and her family moved to Alabama two weeks ago (July 24th). We took the two of them out to eat the night before. Here's two photos from that night. I sure do miss having Marina in the house...hearing her giggles wafting up the stairway and knowing where Grant was most of the time because they spent so much time here! Miss you Marina!

Grant Skating....

Some fairly good shots of Grant and friends skating in the back drive from the other night. I've uploading just about all that I took knowing that these boys probably all have myspace and don't often get good photos of themselves skating and this would be a good place for them to copy and paste them at their sites. This is Tyler Graham below.

This is Grant..

Below is Christian....

Merlefest 2008 Part Three

Michelle and Joan. Still quite over-exposed--hate that, would be a great photo otherwise. They hung all weekend! And became Merlers for life, I think!

Every year Jug and I celebrate our anniversary at Merlefest. This year marked 27 years! Doesn't seem possible! We have both actually been known to forget the day and it's difficult for me to be indignant about it when I forgot too! I got flowers and an absolute tear-jerker card and I gave him a journal (from The Vintage Home, of course!). Told him he needs to record all the epiphanies he's been experiencing lately!! Seems there's great growth potential in mid-life!! Life is just good, ain't it?

Fell in love with The Carolina Chocolate Drops this year. A fabulous group--very humble and genuine--and very talented! Please visit their website: http://www.carolinachocolatedrops.com/

Meaner looking pretty in her new Merlefest dress. Marina is a bit camera shy and I have to really coax her to get her to relax. Longer she hangs around Camera Kim, the more she'll relax. Grant and Olivia have grown up having every step documented with flashes and Mama saying, "let me get the camera and you do that again"!! They don't even flinch while I click away.

Merlefest 2008 Part Two

Nice nature shot. This was in front of the Walker Center. The grounds at Wilkes Community College are fabulous! And as stated earlier, most all my photos from the weekend were over-exposed but I adjusted the lighting in Photoshop and got them tolerable!

Me by the tulips. It was very hot Thursday and Friday hence the "oh-so-not fashionably" upturned jeans. Also note the fabulous burlap bag---these can be purchased at the oh-so-fashionable store on Main Street, Wilkesboro: The Vintage Home. www.thevintagehomeofwilkes.blogspot.com --please visit!!

"Meaner" (Marina) and Grant. Grant sat with us more this year than ever! Yay!

Jug and Grant confer over the schedule. See what I mean about the "interesting" views/shots I get when I have the telephoto lens in use? Also--Jug's goatee--while putting old photos in albums recently I came across some really good pics of Jug when he was sporting a goatee some years back and while at that time I wasn't too keen on the facial hair, I thought he looked so handsome in these particular photos and when I told him---well next day he quit shaving!! I think it compliments him!

Photo of the Day--Grant and Olivia

My babies. Taken 2006 in the window seat in the dining room. I have several photos taken over the years of the two of them together like this. They're six years apart in age and because Olivia had had six years as an only child and got all our attention she was able to accept her little brother when he came along. Accept--yeah, but she still had her moments of intense jealousy! I remember one instance when Grant was still just an infant hearing Olivia in the shower just sobbing and saying between her dramatic sobs: "I wish they'd just send him back!!" Funny! Regardless she considered him to be HER baby and she loved holding him and playing "Mommy". When Grant would wake and cry, Olivia and I would race to him! Course then there were the years of Grant's toddlerhood that a day didn't go by that I didn't hear: "Mama make him stop!" And "Grant! Stop that!!" He was forever interfering in her prissy little girl play. I think she has such a capacity for love and love her brother she certainly does. She's always nurtured him and petted him.

I've been uploading remodeling pics, a few a day, until I got to the master bedroom. For some reason I hadn't taken "after" photos of the master bed and bath. Well, no reason I can't take them now--except I'm such a lazy slug I haven't made my bed yet to get these photos!! Will soon!!

Photo of the Day --Grant

This was taken in the spring of 2005. I'd just gotten a new flash and was testing it out. He was just waking up. A beautiful boy!

Old Blog Stuff--02-28-2006 Grant

Grant

Doesn't he just imbue cool rock star? We had a conversation the other day about artists who sell out. If I understood him correctly he believes that if you become famous you've sold out. Hmmmm..... My idealist son.

Grant is so cool. I love his hair! I tell him it so reminds me of the boys when I was young--all the boys had long hair in the 70's. He's a very talented artist like his sister, specializing in graffiti art. He also plays the guitar very well especially for his age. He takes weekly lessons from locally renowned guitarist Donnie Story. He LOVES skateboarding most of all. He skates every day, weather permitting. He's a fine young man!He told me recently: "Mom, I sure I hate I missed the rock-n-roll of the 70's--that's when music was really good." And it sure was! He and I have our love of 70's rock in common.

The Opening Part Seven

Olivia, Grant and Marina



























Ain't they cute?

























Olivia and pal Aly




















And Kristin!




When I spoke to Olivia yesterday (Saturday, day after show) she was experiencing such great relief to have this behind her. She had quite a journey getting here--lots of hard work and it's such a huge accomplishment! She said, though, that she couldn't shake the feeling that she was supposed to be doing something! For so very long she just couldn't quite relax for always feeling she was supoosed to be working!! Friends, Kristin, Aly, Amanda and others can attest to the fact that they seldom got time with her that she did not have some part of the project in her lap. They'd watch Buffy or X-Files while Olivia also worked!! Such dedication!




I'm so proud!

The Opening Part Six

YES!! A great pic of my great friends Michelle and Joan!!!

Hmmmm.....dagnabit--think Jug took this one!

It's tangible the bond between these two!!

Can you not see the pride beaming from this daddy?

Jug, Kim, Olivia and Grant

Loving sibs--yeah, they really do!

The Opening Part Three

Aly Curley with her parents Don and Pam posing in front of "Aly's Wall".

Michelle Gann and Joan McCord with Grant Shumate and Marina Oshel. Joan and Michelle are enjoying the tasty treats Olivia and Kim had prepared for the show. We had quite the spread!! Please visit Michelle's store, The Vintage Home, Main Street, Wilkesboro. I'm still intimately involved in it and love to see it thrive! Also check out her blog of the store:

http://www.the-vintage-home.blogspot.com/

Grant and Marina.

Michelle and Joan.

Grant (Grizzle) and Marina (Mea-ner)