Saturday Spotlight: Life Behind The Blogger

Susan from Must Love Junk, and myself  wanted to do a regular feature on our blogs, something unique that hasn't been done before.   So we came up with an idea to 'spotlight the real life behind the blogger' in a more personal way.

There is so much talent and inspiration in blogland, and we thought it would be fun to bring you a closer look at the person behind the blog.

Every week on Saturday we will spotlight a blogger and have them tell us a little bit about themselves and their blogs.  You will be able to see and read about each of the bloggers on both Susan's and my blog. 

Saturday March 22

June From Laughing with Angels

The Spotlight Feature is to introduce you to wonderful bloggers with beautiful and inspirational blogs.  I love the comments that come back to say thank you for introducing me to a new blogger.  That is what I love about this it brings new bloggers together and also let's us get to know the bloggers we love to visit on a more personal basis.

This week I am introducing you to a blogger that not only has a  beautiful blog but also has a beautiful life and story to share.  I am truly excited to introduce you to June this week from Laughing with Angels.  Please enjoy reading her story and also seeing her beautiful family, home and inspirational life.  Enjoy.

I want to thank Kris for asking me to be her guest here today and to share a few things about myself.

I'm June and I am the author of the blog Laughing With Angels.

For those who don't know me, my blog is named Laughing With Angels because 

of the particular syndrome that my son has. He has what is called Angelman

Syndrome and one of characteristics of it is excessive laughter. Isn't that just the neatest thing?

He doesn't laugh near as much as he did when he was a young child, but rarely is he ever without a smile.

I am a full time caregiver (mom) to Landon who is now 27 years old. He is on the more

severely affected end of the scale of Angelmans and doesn't have any self care skills.

He doesn't walk and has no speech, but his eyes communicate a lot.

I love my life and wouldn't change anything about this gift I have been given.

I have been married for a-very-long-time! to a-very-awesome person!

I am a mother to six children (four girls-two boys) and gram to 13 grands.

My children and I are very close and have so much fun when

we are able to get together.

We live in rural Idaho, in a farming and ranching community of 500 people.

The place we live on daily is an acre, but we have 65 acres in the mountains

about 17 miles north of where our home is. If we had our way, that is where our home would be

but because of Landon's health and the fact that there is no telephone or cell service there, 

we choose to live in town. 

We enjoy living the rural life and have horses and a few calves here on the home place.

This is driving down into our town and if you look up and a little to the right you can 

see one large mountain and if you follow down the left hillside...right there in that canyon is 

our other place. It's called Fishcreek on maps and by the locals here.

I have a little teeny cabin there that I am getting ready to repaint and redecorate for the summer.

 Two of our five horses---Sunny and Pal

Trigger the Shetland pony

a gazebo it the back by the pasture fence

The thing that keeps me the busiest is the garden and yard that we have on this acre.

Gardening is my passion and I love having it right out our doors to enjoy everyday. 

We live on a very busy two lane highway and all the trees and greenery help to deaden the 

sound of the traffic. In spring, summer and fall that is where you will find me.

I do all the gardening myself and my husband does most of the mowing of the lawns.

My favorite thing about having this garden is watching the grandchildren playing amid all

the trees and having their little picnics and tea parties in it. 

I even let them ride Trigger the pony in it sometimes : )

I always said that I wanted to have a little granny garden.

One that didn't looked planned, but just happened over time.

I have created little pockets and rooms with the children in mind so 

that it makes a private little space that they can feel like is their 

own little secret garden. 

I am sharing some of those areas in the photos below.

I have a backyard studio where I love to make things for my home. It is a little 

sanctuary really. I was lucky enough to show it off in the latest issue (Feb/Mar/Apr)

of Where Women Create.

I go in there and turn on my favorite music and sing myself hoarse

while I sew or craft.

In front of the studio

I love making wreaths from my dried garden flowers and here are two I made this week.

The wreath above is sitting on a quilt top I finished awhile ago and is

ready to be quilted. I love sewing, any kind of sewing. 

The wreath below is much more colorful and I have a place in mind for it.

I made them to replace some other dusty ones I have had

hanging for some time.

  I love decorating, and like many of you, I love finding vintage items to do it with.

I love to move things around a lot too.

In fact, the house looks nothing like the photos below because

I have already been changing things up while spring cleaning.

below are two of my favorite vintage finds

the Gothic window frame and the pink and white porch railing

a few shots around the house of some favorite things

I love to take photos - of anything - at any time the lighting seems right. 

I know a little about photography and F-stops and aperture, but not nearly enough. 

You know how some things just won't penetrate the forehead sometimes? I get it, and then I forget it!

And to learn an editing program sheesh! I know I could if I put the time in. I just don't.

(Anything I edit is done with Windows Live Photo :)

I love photographing flowers as you can tell from my blog.

They are the perfect subjects.

A parting shot of my garden in early evening light.

There are many things I love to do in life but I truly am what you would call 

a homebody. I don't care for going 'out' much and I think 

that goes with rural living. It is such a drive to go anywhere and to do anything,

that I usually am fine entertaining myself with hobbies here at home.

I can't even tell you the last time my husband and I ate out together. For Valentine's Day 

this year he drove 25 miles to bring take-out Chinese home for me. What a guy!

Living in a town that is miles from anything has been a challenge sometimes, but the trade offs

are worth it to me. Thank you for letting me share my life with you, and thank you again Kris

for the opportunity.

Thank you June for your inspiring story and the most beautiful pictures.  Just gorgeous.
Now that you have gotten to know June please hop over to Susan's blog and meet another inspirational blogger Cathy from My 1929 Charmer.
Have a wonderful Weekend.
Kris
:)