Welcome to Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday! Last week we had so much rain, but this week summer has finally come. Somehow that made me think of Regenschirme (umbrellas) and Sonnenschirme (sunshades). In German, there is one word (Schirm) for the thing which protects us from the elements (Regen = rain, Sonne = sun). Neat, huh? Anyway, here's my mom's favorite umbrella which she bought at an Italian street market. 
Cute ducks.
She also bought an umbrella for me at the same market. Oh, she knows me well -- it's an umbrella in jeans color.
The fabric looks like demin for sure.
It's a great color for grey, rainy days.
Then I have this tiny umbrella in a checked pattern which fits into every purse -- really handy!
It looks cute all opened up -- and it has a good size, too.
When Disney's Pocahontas was all the rage in the mid-1990s, I bought this umbrella. 
Beautiful shades of blue and green -- really cheerful in the rain.
Oh, now that you have seen all those umbrellas, I have to show you two sunshades, too. After all, you need to be protected from all elements! The one below is as colorful as a bright summer day.
I also love the midnight blue sunshade. Somehow, it makes you feel cooler despite the hot summer sun.
