Picnic

Yesterday we went to Manito Park with the girls for a Picnic. .




Sydney had just finished VBS (Casey opted not to attend) and was really hyped.







They had a Christian Rock group that lead the singing with a lot of "get down, jump up, turn around" sort of dance steps

humming birds

Saw in the paper a neat site so went to it.
Check it out http://community-2.webtv/velpics/HUM/
Truly amazing shots.

Ginkgo

While moving into this unit (#1) Jerry & I often spoke of planting a tree. We looked in nurseries and talked to various friends but nothing struck us as being an indication of who we are as a couple. Then, on our recent trip, I said how about a Ginkgo? And it fit. The Gincgo dates from dinasour times. Trees are either male or female but you don't know which you have until they mature at about thirty years of age. So we stopped at the Petrified forest gift shop and bought a three year old tree. It is about 15" tall right now and goes striaght up (no branches). It has been very hot here is Spokane, so I have not as yet planted it, waiting instead for somewhat cooler weather (which should decend upon us next week). I'll post a picture or two later.

Bats, Bats, Bats

Saturday evening we, Jerry, Sydney, Casey and I went to Deep Creek for the Parks Dept. presentation on bats. The girls were reluctant to go at first but were very enthralled when the biologists finally began catching and measuring the bats.


Here is one caught in a harp trap





These next two pictures are of the scientist measuring the ears and forearm bone for identification. Yes, they have sharp little teeth. No, we could not handle them, however, we were able to touch their wings and back while they were being securely held by the biologist.






All in all six species of bats were snagged in the nets - 20 in all - 19 males and 1 female. HMMM. Males like to party at night?
The girls are looking forward to next year's hunt.

Excusses

See, this is why I don't keep a journal. I don't record regularly enough to make sense of it. I have been busy, though, since last I blogged.
Last week we drove to Sequim (pronounced Squim) to see the Lavendar Fields. The climate at the north end of the peninsula mimics that of Provance, France, so makes ideal growing for this beautiful herb/flower.














Then we traveled west to the Old Growth Forests. Magnificant - Awsome - etc. Saw a two point buck, resting in the shade of some trees, just feet from the road. He had no fear. It wasn't hunting season and he was in a protected National Forest.






We then went to to the Washington RainForest on the Olympic Peninsula.

While there we came upon a hear of Roosevelt Elk lounging in the sun. Quite magnificent.
Loved it.

Saturday

This is a Red Hat day. We will be meeting in Manito Park for lunch and touring the conservatory after. That should be fun. The weather is cooperating with us today. (Last year when we tried it we were rained out).
Then this evening we will be going to a birthday party. Jerry isn't too enthused about it but, "Oh, well", we are going.
Guess I will have to pack this morning for our trip to the Olympic peninsula. I want to get on the road right after church tomorrow. We will stay in a different motel every night and come back home on Thursday. Hope I can see everything I want to see in that short time frame. Again I seem to be dragging a reluctant husband. He made the reservations for the motels and now he's sounding like "do we really want to do this?' I just wonder about him. All the beauty of God's world and he doesn't want to see it.

hummingbird

Yesterday, just before we were to leave for a wedding, a hummingbird came sipping at our nectar bar. It was the first one I've seen there. I was thrilled. He/she had to sip out of all four spouts. Looked like he/she was sitting on the little roosts and taking his/her time. I really would like to get a picture of one at the feeder - if one comes again - if I am there to see it - if I have the camera ready.

Before church

And another week has slipped away. This being a short week, we seem to be back around all too soon.
We had grandparent duties a couple of days. The girls love to sew and can be entertained for hours creating cloths for dolls. We made bead dolls this week and Casey is trying to figure out a mobile apparatus for them. Sydney is working on a nine patch doll quilt.
I really enjoy have them here. But I really don't care for the bickering that sometimes accompanies them. I guess because it upsets their grandfather and I don't like it when he scolds them. They are off camping next week and then to Seattle for a week's visit with their other Grandma Bowers.
Might take Jhary to see Cars today.

Wooden boat

Won a ride on a paddle boat at our auction this year. The person offering this cruise made the yacht begining in 1972. He worked painstakingly over the next 25 years peicing it together, varnishing every board and polishing every peice of brass.

This is a picture of the proud owners. A very nice couple.








The boat has a tank of water (in the wooden box
in front) sitting over a small furnace (note the black smoke stack) that he keeps blazing to boil the water that turns the paddle wheel in the rear. The interior is marvelous. Just room for four people. Since we had six on board, the guys sat outside steering and stoking.




There is quite the ritual to get the boat in and out of the water, but once in and underway it was glorious. Hope they put it in the auction again next year so I can bid on it again.

I'm the Queen

After church today I will be attending the Coeur d'Alene Theatre's performance of "Peter Pan" with seven of the women I swim with. Afterwards we will go to dinner. I wish Jerry liked plays. He doesn't mind going out to eat but plays, movies, mystery dinners, auctions etc. just aren't his heart's desire. Oh, well. He has no other faults, is a good lover, a hard worker, makes me feel like a queen so I really have no room to complain. "Off of the tree of life I picked me a peach" (I know that should be plum but I like peaches better).

blocks

I decided to try to clean out my enourmous stash of fabric. My method is to cut all the odd sized pieces into 3" and 4" blocks with the intension of piecing them back together as table runners, quilts or purses etc. This morning I tackled my Purple bin. Half of the bin in satiny, silky, flimsy stuff for doll dresses and not at all suited for my supposed projects. The other half got whacked. I spent a good three hours just cutting squares. I was seated so my feet did not suffer but even with a rotary cutter, my wrist is tired. What color do I tackle next?
Bought some more elastic 'cause I STILL have not found my little box of elastic assortments.
The people are moving into unit #9. Maybe I should bake a cake and take it to them. Or not.

pocket purses

Today I had Casey & Sydney decorate Pocket Purses. I saw the project in a children's activity magazine & went for it. Just have to cut the back pocket off the rear of a pair of jeans (used ones) and decorate. The two large ones are from Brian's jeans and the two small ones from a pair Casey had outgrown. Pretty cute?

Baby pictures

Here she is. Such a cutie.







And here is her mom (holding her), her grandma on the left and her great grandma on the right.

Then of course we had to get a picture of Uncle Christopher, Mom (Jessica) holding Anessa, and Aunt Kimberly. Don't you just love it when the kids all smile?

Arizona

Well, we made it to Phoenix without any problems. It is hot here.
The baby is addorable (of course). I will post pictures when I get home as I do not have the capability of downloading pictures onto this computer from my camera.

Bat flowers

One of the girls in the pool told me about this little plant, (Firecracker Cuphea). She and the
nursery attendant call it a bat flower because, if you have a good imagination you can see a little bat face and big red bat wings.

It's real name is Cuphea purpurea. There is another branch of this plant that they call little mice. Much the same in configuration but with smaller red petals.

They say that hummingbirds love them. We shall see.

Red hat lunch

Our original plan for today's Scarlett O'Hatties gathering was to go to Lake Coeur d'Alene and take a cruise around the lake. The weather has been cold, stormy, windy, wet and only two ladies were going to attend the event. HMMM. My thought then was to change the venue of the meeting to something a bit closer (the lake is 30 minuts away) and less expensive (cost of the cruise if $15.00 plus food). Therefore I opened my home to a lite lunch. The same two ladies who were going on the cruise were the only ones in attendance. Go figure.

The best part of that whole scenario is that my house is all clean (company coming clean) and we have less than a week before we go to Phoenix. With any luck the place will be tidy when we leave so I won't be coming home to a sloppy house.

Phoenix has been having 95-100 degree weather. Ours on the other hand has a time getting into the 70s. I'll pack lite - shorts and t-shirts.

Sewing room organized

As you can see, I had a big mess on my hands. Stuff was brought into the sewing room and placed where ever there was room. Since the room is smaller than the one I had upstairs, rearranging has been a challenge. I have finally gotten the bulk of it done.














Now I can actually get to my machine and find room to cut out a doll dress or two.





My grand daughter, upon seeing that the room was tidy again, said, "can I make a purse"? I had to take some pictures of a clean room before she started.

Now If I could only find my small box of elastic I'd be all set.

My garden

After being scratched this spring by my "attack rose bush", I told her that she had better be spectacular or out she was going. See, she really is outstanding. She stays.







As does the docile, "nice white bush". The first cuttings I brought inside lasted quite a while. Then came the rains and the second cuttings did not fare as well. I think I have to snip off all the spent flowers now to ensure a healthy bush, right? I sooo know nothing of roses.








I had the grass removed (dirt area to the right and in front of the gas meters) so that I could put flowers in. I put sunflower seeds in front of the gas meters. Should block that view in a month. Trouble is the meter readers have to have access to the little dials on the front of the meters or I'd box them in entirely. This

More rain

This rain just won't stop. Yesterday the hillside next to a well traveled road near us washed away and took part of the road with it. We have now broken the record for rainfall during the fiest 13 days of June set in 1888. We officially have 2.73 inches this month. The last time June was this wet was 1983 whe we had 2.85 inches for the entire month.

Rain Rain go away

I suppose the farmers love rain but I, personally, am getting a bit boored with it. Sure it makes the grass green and the flowers grow but it also makes weeds grow. (Now I remember why I didn't want a yard to take care of). I only have a small plot so I really shouldn't complain. It will give me something to do when I get boored of sitting on the patio sipping a tall glass of crystal clear water.

Went to "A Chorus Line" yesterday with seven of my swimming companions. We have asked our instructor to incorporate some of the dance steps into our swim routine. That could happen, right? "step, together, flip kick, turn, slide , slide" all in the deep end. Ha Ha We are taking hats today for the routine. I'll let you know.

Called my daughter in law last night - the grandmother of my great granddaughter. Seems the father of the baby is living with them. Now I might be able to agree to such an arrangement IF they couple were married and IF he had a job and was contributing to the household expenses, but guess what? He's not. He has put off asking Jessica to marry him (until after his brother gets married this summer) - what's up with that. He has lost a couple of jobs in the last year and has now been hired by someone who says he really has no work for him. What part of job does he not get? Job is something you do for pay, not something you say you have and do nothing for no pay. Brian must be a saint to put up with this situation.