We’ve just returned from a full week of traveling, bookmarked on each end with a graduation; one nephew’s college graduation and another nephew’s high school graduation (congrats to them both –  I couldn’t be more proud!).  The first part of the week found us in southern Missouri, south of Branson.  With all the rain that has fallen (including while we were there), everything is a beautiful and lush green.  The Ozark mountains were in their prime, and waterfalls were running full and fast.  In other areas, flowers were in full bloom – iris and peonies, foxglove and phlox.  We truly couldn’t have picked a better time for our trip.  It was a great time to explore the area with its natural beauty – a wonderful relaxing time.