Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge #109: Under the Sun
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge theme from Amy for this week is “Under the Sun.” It’s about photo captures anywhere under the sun. I applied the theme to both indoor and outdoor.
Last year in June I babysat my granddaughter, Autumn, by myself while my daughter, Mercy, and her husband went to Iceland on vacation. Some friends said I was brave. Some said it would tire me, but I could handle it. The advice was, “When she sleeps, you sleep.”
Mercy made a spreadsheet of suggested daily schedule and activities, a list of her friends and phone numbers, the doctor and phone number. My mind was at ease without worrying of what to do to fill the days. They rented a car even though I wasn’t planning on driving.
They took a late afternoon flight to arrive early the next day to make the most of their trip.
“I missed Autumn already. Please send us a lot of pictures.” Before boarding, Mercy sent me a message.
“I will do that.” I returned her message.
When Autumn woke up in the morning, she looked for mommy and daddy. I said, “Mommy will be back. Daddy will be back.” She said, “Daddy went to work. Mommy went to work. Daddy will be back. Mommy will be back.”
We went to the park in the afternoon. There were kids playing with the water feature. I looked at the backpack, there was a change of clothes, no I let Autumn play with other kids.
The next day before nap time, Autumn had a temperature of 101.2. After she woke up from the nap, the temperature went up to 103. I kept Mercy updated. Deep down, I regretted to let Autumn play with the water for too long on the previous day. I hoped her temperature wouldn’t prolong. Most of all, I didn’t want Mercy to cut their vacation short.
I called Mercy’s friends to pick up a few items from the store for me. They came after work. One of them was a nurse. She checked on Autumn and wrote some instruction for me. The other friend bought what I needed, plus some Popsicle.
Autumn had a good night sleep. I put her on a soft diet, plus the Popsicle. We didn’t go to the park and just did some quiet activities around the house. By the afternoon, her temperature came back to normal. It was such a tremendous relief for me. My first-time babysitting Autumn full time was okay. I’m glad Mercy didn’t have to cut their vacation short.
“It seems to be a 24-hour thing.” Mercy messaged me.
“I think so. I’m glad it was a 24-hour thing.” I returned the message.
The remaining days, we went to the park, the library, and walked around the neighborhood.
Mercy and Will had a fabulous trip. We exchange messages and photos many times a day. They got home in the late evening on their return. Autumn was excited to see Mommy and Daddy when she woke up the next day.
Iceland by Mercy Rossi
Iceland by Mercy Rossi
Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge #109: Under the Sun
Thank you for reading. Wishing you a fabulous day under the sun.
The Showers of Blessings 
I’m much older, and I still might consider getting sick if I received a popsicle out of it!
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Haha, it was her popsicle. She liked it right away.
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Autumn is adorable. Of course she would get a bug when you are babysitting and her parents are away, Murphy’s law. You raised a family, so you knew exactly what to do. Great pictures.
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Isn’t it scary, Murphy’s law. I was afraid of it. It reminded me when I was in first grade going on a field trip to the farm and visit the rice field. My mom said, be careful not to slip into the rice field. Of course I did, and got my shoes wet! Thank you for reading, Carla!
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😂😂
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Adorable pics of your grand daughter. Oh, to be so carefree again!
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Thank you, Mark. I just came back from visiting my granddaughters. The photo theme this week let me write about my trip! I’ll do it soon.
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I am glad all turned out well. Autumn is adorable!!
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I’m glad it was okay with her also, Michele. Thank you for reading!
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Isn’t it great being a grandparent! You did very well baby sitting! The water in the park looked like great fun!
Dwight
How are your Zinnias doing?
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I transplanted all of the Zinnias. Some of them are 6-7 inches tall, getting strong but not flowering yet. Thank you for the tips.
There was a Cabbage White butterfly laid egg on the Zinnia seedling, ate lots of leaves. I let it do it. It formed a cocoon but it was not the same kind as the monarch. It transformed during the night and flew away.
The new leaves continue to grow so it was okay.
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The zinnias will get about two feet tall when they start blooming. Pull off the dry heads and save them for next year! For every one you pull off two more will bloom. Feed them and water them and they should do well.
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Thank goodness it was only a 24 hour bug and Autumn was okay for the rest of the time.. It looks like your daughter and her husband’s trip was amazing..a lovely way to spend time with your granddaughter.. hugsx
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I think I worried about Autumn more so than Mercy. Moms know this thing happens.
I’m leaving on Friday to see them and spend several days with them. I’m waiting with anticipation. ❤
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Fabulous..I am sure Autumn will have grown even in the short time since you have seen her..♥
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Yes, I anticipate to do some toddler activities with her! ❤
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It will be wonderful and I am sure we shall see some photos..hugs ♥
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Yes, I’m sure I’ll take many photos, Sally. 💖
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Miriam, your granddaughter is adorable and I’m glad she quickly recovered from her fever spike. My son used to get these all the time … very odd but often went down just as fast. How special that she could stay so long with you and precious times for you both.
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Thank you for your visit,. Annika! I was glad that my worry didn’t last for too long. She always has a happy spirit. I’m getting ready to see her and her little sister in less than a week. Nora will be five months old when I hold her in my arms. I cancelled the trip for her birth when the pandemic started.
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I am so glad that her fever went away after 24 hours. I can’t imagine how worried you were! Thank goodness it all turned out fine!
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Yes, Patti! I wouldn’t know what to do if it prolonged. I hate to have my daughter returned sooner. I’m glad to have help.
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Oh my goodness Miriam, you must have been so frightened! You managed the “crisis” perfectly though, good for you for keeping your cool!! Your granddaughter is adorable.
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Thank you, Tina. My daughter thought of everything and left me plenty of resources to handle situations like this. I was glad everything turned out okay.
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It sounds like a lovely time, Miriam, even though you had the worry of the short illness. My mom used to help with my son, Greg, while I worked. On day, he fell down a few steps and scrapped all his face. She was so upset about it but these things can happen.
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I know, Robbie. People tell me it’s harder to watch grand kids than one’s own because it feels more responsible.
I drove a friend who was pregnant. I was more careful than driving just myself.
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Yes, I can relate to that, Miriam.
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Even with the fever, Autumn looks as though she enjoyed her visit with Grandma. How fortunate you had a nurse friend to consult and help put your mind at ease. As others have noted, Merci’s Iceland photos are spectacular!
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Yes, Liz. We’re so thankful that she is such a happy child. She only looked “tired” and lacked of energy to smile two, maybe three times in three years. I was glad to be in good hands.
Iceland was a hot vacation spot before the pandemic. I would like to go.
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What an adorable child! I love this stage in life — and she seems to as well.
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Thank you, Rusha! Yes, Autumn was cute at this age. She is now 14 months older. I’ll find out more when I see her in a week.
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Hope you love your time with her as much as I love time with my granddaughter. It’s precious and fleeting!
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I will, for sure, Rusha! Thank you.
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She’s beautiful. Its always a worry when they get a fever especially on grandma’s watch. Glad it was only a 24 hour thing. Beautiful photos of Iceland:)
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Thank you, Denise. She is a big sister now. I’m going to see my two grand kids in 8 days and meet the five months old for the first time.
Yeah, I was glad it was a 24 hour thing.
I wish to go to Iceland someday. 🙂
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I’m so excited for you! It will be such a great visit and meeting:)
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I think so, Denise. I’ve been staying safe, so I can be healthy when I see them. I even took a flu shot early. 😉
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She’s adorable! I’m pretty sure you can’t stop kissing her rosy cheeks! One tip: The next time you let her play water, strip her bare except for her diapers. From the photos, she is probably wearing cotton and when cotton gets wet and with any wind, it can get cold.
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Oh I see. I think that was what happened. She was cold when I dried her off. I’ll remember doing that if I let her play water again. Thanks for the tip, Kelly. 🤗🙏
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No problem at all. 🤗 Another good tip is to warm them up with a hot drink like hot cocoa or warm milk after the water play. This will warm the little bodies up much quicker than putting jacket on.
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That’s a good tip, Kelly. I’ll share that with my daughter also. Last time they went to the beach, Autumn went to the ocean naked. My daughter said she wanted to do that. 🙂
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Lol! I wish I can let my daughter do that but in Malaysia, it can be frown upon since it is a Muslim country and they can lean on the conservative side.
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I understand, Kelly. I’ve watched movies with that feature especially when women are not conservative.
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103 F is pretty scary and from a “24 hour” illness. She is an adorable baby.
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Yes, Michael, it scared me. My daughter said she was warmer when she first woke up from a nap. But later in the afternoon, she was still hot. I’m glad I didn’t have to take her to the doctor.
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Autumn is such a cutie! I am glad everything worked out and her fever vanished. I’m sure she felt much better and what a relief for you. Also glad your daughter and her husband were able to enjoy their Iceland trip. I know a few people who have traveled to the “land of fire and ice” and say it is amazing to see!
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Yes, Mae, some friends babysat their grand kids, so I was glad to have done that. It was a good timing for my daughter and her husband to take the trip because she was talking about having a second child. I thought it would be a long time before they could go on vacation alone. In fact they have the second child now. They would have to wait for a couple of years when the kids are older for us to babysit if they want to take a trip.
After I saw their photos, I want to go to Iceland.
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You did a great job as a grandmom, Miriam and Autumn is such a cute little darling. Beautiful pictures too.
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Thank you so much, Kamal. I used to go to see them every six weeks. I haven’t gone for five months. But I’m going in 9 days.
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You are welcome Miriam and that is great. Have a wonderful time with your little angel.
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I surely will do that, Kamal. 🙂
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😊😊😊😊😊
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🙂🙏
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👌👌👌👌
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Hi Miriam. It is scary when a child in your care is sick. I am very glad it was just a 24 hour chill. Iceland looks sensational, and Autumn is a sweetheart!
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It scared me, Kim. I had her sleeping with me that night. I was glad it wasn’t anything serious. Thank you, Kim!
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You did well. Autumn is so darling
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Thank you, Bella! I’m glad it turned out fine!! Autumn is a big sister now. Her little sister is 4 months old.
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Oh wow. Yes it is good it turned out well. It is stressful babies with temperatures.
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Yes, it was stressful. I gave her along lukewarm bath, and she was a little better.
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Oh my gosh, Miriam. I would have been freaking out. One time I was housesitting for someone for three days. Their dog disappeared for two days, and I felt awful. They had a high fenced in yard, and I went around and around looking for it. There were no openings, and it was far too high to jump over. I thought someone had stolen him. What am I going to tell the owners? On the last day, he appeared. He was dirty, and I was mystified. Then it hit me—the little varmint had found a tiny crawl space under the house.
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A tiny crawl space under the house would do it, Pete. When we had pets, we used pet doors. Once they went outside, we had no control if they went on the street.
I’m happy that the dog showed up before the owner came home.
I was worried for one whole day, just hoping for the best.
How is your book coming along? You mentioned you had written 80,000 words. You could do series.
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It’s more like 55,000 words, which is a lot for a middle-grade book. I’m busy chopping the fat away right now. I’ve gone over about 1/3 of it with my group. It’s so good to be back with them. I’ve gotten used to wearing my face mask for long periods. We’ll have to catch up one of these days. Enjoy those grandchildren! I remember your trip is coming up.
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Yes, coming up in 9 days. I won’t be going anywhere, just stay home. It’ll be 102F anyway. I took the flu shot, try to do what I could to be well to prepare for the trip.
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Sweeeeeet! Nothing beats kid shots! (Though dog shots come close. 🙂 )
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Haha, John, you’re right. Even hot movies have babies and pets. 🙂
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cool pics
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Thank you, Cathy.
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Oh gosh…how stressful that must have been, Miriam. I’m happy all is well. So many sweet photos in this post. Thank you for sharing! ❤
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In fact, I was nervous even though some friends shared their experience and said it was fun. Who would have thought I got a scary 24-hour? Thank you, Jill. I was so glad it turned out okay. And I don’t mind doing it again. I would need my husband to come along next time because they now have two kids. ❤
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Isn’t that the nightmare, that your grandchild becomes ill on your watch! Once when my mom watched the kids for me (she often did), when I picked my two toddlers up, my boy couldn’t walk. Nor did it get better the next day. My mother was distraught but I told her it had nothing to do with her care. It was just bad luck.
It too got better!
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Oh, no. I would have felt terrible also had I been in your mother’s situation. My daughter didn’t seem to worry, only I thought the sky was falling. After all, it was 30 years ago when I took care of my daughter when she was a toddler! I was thankful nothing worse happened.
Thank you, Jacqui!
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Yes, that guilt. Really, if husby and I hadn’t chosen that night to go out to eat, it would have happened to me. It’s hard to be a grandma, innit?
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Well, now I understand. We can’t let the possibility worries our fun to enjoy life. I’ll watch my granddaughters again when they get older. I’ll have hubby coming along next time.
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I’m glad it went well, good to have a nurse friend when you needed help. The park, library, walk… thank you, Miriam for sharing your sweet memory with Autumn. The photo Marcy took is spectacular!
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Well done – looking after grandchildren is scarier than looking after your own. One of our grandsons we looked after for three weeks when my daughter started back to work – until he started at nursery. It needed two of us to stop him escaping or getting into strife!
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Yes, Janet, I can see that it took two of you to watch your grandson. At that age, they are running around and getting into everything. I agree that it’s easier to look after one’s own children than grandchildren.
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Awesome trip, and a very caring Grandma 👵 ❤
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Thank you so much, Susie! ❤
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My pleasure
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🤗
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What a good Grandma. So worrisome. Glad it all went well. Sweet times.
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I was glad it turned out okay, V.J. I had a wonderful time except worried about her for one day. Thank you!
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Welcome.
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💖🙂
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