This weekend we had a surprise visit from eldest son John and his eldest son Chris. They just had to come and show off the fish they had caught early in the morning at our local Lake. The two of them have taken to going out as the sun rises, in the Kayak of John’s, and taking their fishing gear. I am just thrilled they have this father/son activity together. Between their jobs it is not easy to fit in.

Of course Chris had to do some boasting – his fish was an inch bigger than his Dad’s measuring out at 13 1/2″  He said he had to do the cleaning and they celebrated by taking Mom out for lunch afterwards.  It is so rare now the Grandkids share things like this with us, so this was especially a treasured moment for me.

I did mention in another blog that my passport was expiring. So were my daughter’s. We decided to go across the line to mail them in, as I do not trust the Canadian postal service (sad to say) and it would be so much quicker too. Youngest daughter did hers, but I opted out of joining her at that time as I was not ready. A few days later she had to pick up my grandson in Bellingham, (her nephew), who is spending three weeks with them at their Summer cottage at Alison Lake in the interior. This time both Angela and I had our acts together and were ready to get our photos for it. We joined them for the outing and stopped off at Costco in Bellingham for the pics.
My three babies and Grandbaby.

It was so good to visit, even if for just a short while, with son Eugene. It is a rare treat to have all three siblings together at one time. Oops we stayed visiting too long for us to get to the post office in time. No problem. It was Angela’s birthday, so the next week we went across the border again to post the passport applications off, and I treated us to a delicious Birthday Mexican lunch at our favorite restaurant in Sumas. (no pics I did not have my camera LOL)

Well the rain came last night – we had a good shower that lasted till late morning. Weather a lot cooler for the next few days, and showers expected every other day. At least it dried up and the air show is going full blast, even if the clouds are heavy. I imagine the people that are there are happy as it is not too bad and at least they will not be cooking in heat

This was the sight I was greeted by when I arrived home from my trip. When you are into gardening the way I am, and every plant is somehow personal, what a thrill it is to find they have thrived while you were away.

My planters were just babies when I left, and now look vibrant with their flowers – still look this way over a month later!

Unfortunately my prize red Rhodo did not do so well. As did the little pink one next to it. The flowers were just starting to open when I left. I cut off a couple of small branches and took it to the nursery to see if they could tell me what went wrong. From what they could tell these just did not get enough water while I was away, and the roots (which are shallow growing and not deep like many other plants) did not have enough protection. My others have a lot of ground cover around them, and Elmer was not aware that even though the month of June was damp and cool, these plants needed extra water. Instead he thought he was doing me a favor by clearing out the weeds around the base. Leaving them there might have helped, but who knows? Oh well, we are leaving it like this for now and making sure it is well hydrated, and with a lot of extra mulch,  as there is a very slim chance it may come back again. Unlike it’s family member the Azalea, Rhodo’s do not like to be pruned and rarely put out new shoots from the trunk of any of their branches, always producing their new branches and flowers from the base of the old flower instead. It is this part that has died back, while the main bush wood is still green

Oh My but it is getting noisy here – I had forgotten that this must be the Air Show weekend at our airport, which is only a couple of miles from our place. The planes have been coming in from all over the world and the weather will be perfect for the very big crowd that ususally attends it. Though they do say a storm may be coming in for Saturday. The show runs from Friday till Sunday so it should not be too bad. Elmer and I get a kick out of the day after it is over – the crews just delight in showing off amongst themselves in the air before taking off to go home again and we get to see them above us

I took this one from the back of the airfield a couple of years ago shows the big plane that draws a lot of people. The Snow Birds always open the show and end it. So exciting to see them pass over our heads.

I think it was SuzyQ in Xanga that talked about the birds around her home – just had to do a blog on our little renters. One of our great delights is to sit on the patio in the morning and have our early morning coffee. We have three birdhouses along the patio roof siding, and the sparrows that have taken them over are very friendly.

Again I am showing off older pics, but do not have any new ones. Does not matter it is still the same.  This year we had a small drama going on. The house on the one corner had babies, and every now and then one of them would fall out. The dad would just make a racket till we came and put it back into their nest. Unfortunately none survived in the end, I do believe a crow got the last one before I could rescue it. Still, the sparrow sits on the spout and greets me every time I come out, letting me know he is there.

Elmer pulled the nests down after that and it was long overdue – they were filled to capacity with debris, so no wonder the babies kept falling out. All three nests were cleaned out, and the residents were happy, starting new ones immediately. They are such chatterboxes, and start up quite the racket whenever we go out there

This morning we were also greeted by another bird, one I do not see too often though they used to nest in the neigbors tree till it was cut down.

It was good to say hi to the Jay again before he took off once more. 

I have been spending my morning going through all the people I subscribe to and checking them out – so many are not posting now, either taking a break or gone elswhere. I also relied on my mail – but very few of the posts are being sent there too. At least in the private page I seem to get a couple of posts that did not come through the mail. Hmmmm not sure I care for that.
I also see that these points they now give us can be used to help others get Premium or even Lifetime memberships. Good deal! I do not need the bulk of them and would love to share with my friends if any of you need them for this. Let me know. Not that I have that many haha, but every little bit counts – right?

I seemed to have gone for ages with nothing to say, and now I cannot keep up with what I want to put in here.
Little things, but they do make up my days.

First, I guess I should complete my journal of my trip.

Texan Vacation Highlights 2008
http://www.care2.com/c2c/photos/view/449078385/Texas_Vacation_Highlights_2008/

The day after Father’s Day I left on the plane with my sister to visit with her in Texas, and to see her son’s new home and re-aquaint myself with his little family. Brent had rented a car for his Mom to pick up when we arrived so that we could have transportation. Such a loving boy, and this was so appreciated by the two of us. We spent the first couple of days with them, then off to her dairy farm. It was lovely to see how her garden was coming on, as she has been working on it herself and I had seen the earlier stages when I visited last Nov. Her grape vines were loaded, and her little raspberry bush producing. Despite so little rain, everything was flourishing.
We took off for one of the days to go across the nearest border. We were prepared to spend a couple of days traveling, but after our first stop, changed our minds and came home. Still it was fun and I got to see some different things and can now say I went to Arkansa (even if it was just a small part haha). the heat was getting to me and all I really wanted was to relax in their air conditioned home and visit. I was also getting a bit worried about returning home – while I was away the air fairs had jumped considerably and I had not booked a return flight, leaving myself open. Elmer wanted me home too. At least, at Renee’s, I had wireless internet, and could connect with him on a daily basis.
Brent found a good flight for me to Seattle from Dallas for the following week. That suited me fine as son Eugene was there for that time and was scheduled to come to Bellingham anyway on that Thursday to pick up his son who had been visiting with the cousins and family here for a few weeks.
We made arrangements to stay with Brent from Sunday after going to a show he booked us in for – ever heard of STOMP?  I had not, and I so enjoyed it. What an experience.

It was a good trip back, and great to see the family here again. Guess a month was just a tad bit too long to stay away for me right now. (By the way the airport passport checkers let me know my passport was due to be renewed, so no more traveling till that is done and I have a new one)

This weekend Canada is celebrating their 150th birthday.

Happy Birthday Canada.

It also happens to be our Canada Day Long weekend.
Elmer and I did not go to any of the functions that have been advertised around the valley, even though there was a lot going on. The lake and park down the road was very busy, and we could hear the music, loudspeakers and even the fireworks at night as we are only a few blocks from it. Guess we are becoming old fogies? The Agrifaire was also on – seems we have been so many times to it, this year it just held no appeal. So for us it has been very quiet. At least the rain we had the last few days, with accompaning cooler weather, has taken a break and once again we are going to experience sunny warm days for a week at least. I just get such a chuckle out of the weather man when he says Summer will be here for the next few days.

Our days are made up of little things, they bring smiles to our faces. A phone call from my sister to let me know how everyone is doing, with a sweet annecdote about her youngest granddaughter. I just enjoyed meeting that little one and getting to know her while I was in Texas. So sociable and loving, trying so hard to learn to talk, but not afraid to jabber away, using her hands to help her express what is going on inside her.
A call from my brother, for help with a computer problem (which thankfully I was able to accomplish)
A short Email from our youngest son to let us know they had arrived safely, with no car problems, at their first stop on their way to Calif.
Our first tomatoes and cucumbers ready out of the garden. And a bowl of raspberries picked from our little vines for a delicious berry and icecream desert at night. Even the carrots – the first time in years Elmer has attemted to plant any – are almost ready to eat and looking good so far, with no bugs eating them.
Being able to pick some of the flowers from the garden to bring into the house and enjoy for while.

The dainty ones here are growing under one of my Rhodos and this year have put stems out that are taller than the bush – I just had to cut some of it to bring inside – I did not think they were so tall, but they are just so pretty. I have no idea what the orange one is – I do know I bought it last year, but have forgotten their name. They came back late and are thriving.

Here are more of those orange ones – I put one of my white Echinacea with them and the asters that are looking better this year. I also tried to bring in some of the dainty coreopsis from my front door, but see they do not like to be picked and started dying off almost immediately. Still it was good for a day inside.

My Holiday Cactus just went all out this summer with their blossoms. Just a delight to see on my patio

I was surprised and delighted too to see the piece that I had stuck into the white pot when it broke off this winter also put out a flower – who would think it would do this so quickly!

It has taken me a bit of getting used to this new format, but I am actually starting to like it! WOW.

Time is going on as usual and I seem to be able to waste a lot of it

I should carry on now with my narration of days spent on my trip – a lot happenend in the month of June. Elmer had his birthday alone, he was quite happy with that really. I did get him on Skype and send him a card, so he was not forgotten. It was also our anniversary a few days later, the first we have spent apart – 26 years of marriage! Hard to believe it is that many already. And there was Father’s Day. At least he got to spend that with his youngest son and family, and went out for lunch with them. Not much different than if I was there too.

As for me, the Sat. after the wedding Renee and I finaly got to spend the day with the girls and our ex SIL. It was a good day. We helped her clean up the yard which still had all the aftermath of the wedding the day before. By that time the kids and their children showed up so we spent the rest of it just visiting each other – a lazy laid back kind of day.

Sunday of course was Father’s Day. We were supposed to be treating George and Odette to a lunch, haha, it turned out he treated family out instead. We all went to a great Mexican Buffet, where we were joined by his youngest daughter and her little family, Odette’s daughter, her sister and her sisters family.

Quite the crowd! All kinds of photos were taken, and cards exchanged. Just a lot of good comaradie and fun.

Anyone have a clue what kind of palm tree this is?

One of the plates of food chosen from the buffet

Renee and I with our plates

Afterwards the majority of us went to a winery where Renee at least got to sample a few of those wines while we sat outside and listened to a small band play. Just pleasant and relaxing.  Lastly, on the way home, we called in at Karen’s home as I wanted very much to see the new renovations they had done to her house since I had been there last – very impressive!

5.8 Earthquake in California Chino Hills! That was posted in my personal family site yesterday. What a shock. My family live there. It did not take me long to phone and see if they were all OK. Yes! Some major shaking and loss of land line phones. Some electricity down for a while. The University (where my SIL works) shut down for inspection for structural damage, but otherwise no problems. I was just so relieved to hear they were all OK.
If this had to be I am glad it was now and not next week – our youngest son and his family are leaving in a couple of days to vacate there. I wish them a wonderful time, and do hope everyone can connect while they are down there.

The core reason for my trip south was of course to go to a wedding.

I did not visit with the girls while I was there the first week as I knew they were very busy getting it organized and doing the last minute things that needed to be done. It was to be held at their Mother’s home (my ex SIL who is still a very dear friend of mine), so there was a lot of preparation, and the Bride’s oldest sister had taken on the responsibility of not only seeing that the yard was set up (in conjuction with her Mom) but the food organized too. She also made the wedding cake.

The flowers that decorate this cake are real. All picked from her Mom’s garden and treated with a sugar coating that makes them fully edible and firm. I heard she did have her girls and cousin all help out in getting them done   Turned out just beautiful as you can see.

I did get to see them though before all of this – I was lucky, once again to be there for one of the children’s grad ceremonies from Middle school. This is not something we do here in Canada, but it seems to be a very big deal here in USA, or at least where they live (cannot talk about other places as I do not know about them).  It was quite an impressive event. Held out on the school field, with a full stage all decorated. It was a huge group that graduated, and lasted a couple of hours. I loved it, but did have a couple of complaints – no toilets anywhere near, and sitting in hot sun for that length of time in the late morning, was not exactly my thing. I left it up to the rest of the family to take pics.

Ususally I am not one to go shopping when I go on vacations – in fact I do not care to go shopping most of the time, and leave it up to Elmer to do the regular trips to the stores with my lists. This time though, I soon saw I had taken the wrong clothes and needed a couple of dresses. Was just thrilled when Odette asked if I would go dress shopping with her as she still had not found that perfect dress for the wedding and she was to be the Mother for the bride during the ceremony. We had a very succesful trip – not only found a great one for her, but two for myself, that I almost wore out while away. Just love them! They have the Hawaiin look, of a silky washable fabric I love and I would never have found anything like them here. The price was right too!

The afternoon before the wedding I once again was able to get together with all the family as we met to have the rehearsal for the wedding.  It was so good to be together in this informal gathering. While I had seen most of them for the Grad. it was not exactly a visiting type connection, so could not exchange news then. Also another neice had arrived now from Canada with her two boys. Oh but they had grown since I last saw them 3 years ago.  That night my sister arrived from Texas, and I went with George and Odette to pick her up from the airport.  As we all live so far apart, it is seldom the three of us are ever together at the same time. Takes funerals and weddings for that, and that can be years between.

My siblings and I.

Renee was there for only a few days, but we were determined to make the most of that time before the two of us headed back to Dallas.

To continue with my first week in Calif….

Gardening was not the only fun thing I did. Sunday, George and O had a standing date with a college friend of theirs to go toWhittier for a fundraiser event for their Cultural Society. All I knew at the time was they were going out and would I like to join them. Game for anything, I was in. At the last minute, George had to back out as he was not feeling that good (too much sun too?), so it was just O and I. On the way there I found out exactly what and where – WOW I have an online friend that lives there, and I know she is into that kind of thing. I wonder if I will see her (and even recognize her, as I have only seen her in pics) We have known each other for 8 years this way, and never had the chance to get together all the times I had visited, as Whittier is rather far from where my brother and his family stay. We signed in the guest book and then went to explore what was being offered – some great stands from various food/restaurants that offered free plates of what they specialized in. Yummy! While sitting and enjoying my plate of goodies, I thought – hmmm there is someone who could be Joan, but she had her back to me. As she turned around, she spotted me and Wow it was her! We were just so excited and thrilled to finaly meet in person, and had no problem recognizing each other all.

And yes – she was one of the organizers, having seen my sign in name, she too was on the lookout for me as no-one else could possibly have my name
I felt so in awe that we were to meet this way, so out of the blue – it had to have been meant. We hugged, and were able to spend quite a bit of time together on and off as she did have to do a lot of running around. And to top it off O’s friend was a good friend of hers too. Such a great afternoon.

More later….

Slowly I am catching up on friends I have made here in Xanga – a lot of reading in the process, but it feels good to see what you are getting up to and how you are doing.

This winter I seemed to have lost my enthusiasm for taking photos, or even keeping up with all the different photography sites I have joined. I guess I get too ambitious – or is it I overwhelm myself and join too many places when I am enthusiastic about something? I do know I needed to back off for a while. With the sun out, and warmer weather, as well as the break, some of my enthusiasm has come back again, and I’m once again taking pics, just not as many as I used to. I have had to think hard about what I was doing and why – join a group and suddenly my pics are not good enough, I have to work at making them into art? Not my thing! I just want to show off my world and not have to go to a lot of expense with the fancy cameras and high tech photo programs in order to qualify for what I joined.

Meanwhile, back to my life and adventures in the last couple of months.

I received a wedding invitation from one of my neices in Calif. It was to be in June and I was going to go, come hell or high water   I spent the month of May trying to see who was going and if there was any way I could go with someone. No-one from my end of the country was able to make it, so I had to do it by myself. OK. My sister was coming from Texas, and I did so want to spend some time with her too while I was down in that part of the world. Poor Elmer, he was not interested in going anywhere, and while I was confident he would be great on his own, knew he was going to basicly be very alone for the time I was gone. Son Gerry said he would connect regularly with him for me, which was comforting. Thank goodness for Skype, as  I was taking my laptop and knew somewhere along the line I would be able to get internet, and connect with him while away. I made reservations one way only to Calif. and then another one way to Texas with my sister when she returned home. No return date, and hoped I would be able to find something that would not cost an arm and a leg to come back from Dallas when I had had my fill.

Beautiful Jacaranda Trees in bloom in California this time of year. I love this tree, always brings back some great memories of my childhood.

I arrived in Calif a week before the wedding, staying with my Brother. Now, I had no idea what they had been up to, so was thrilled when they had a project started that I could become involved in too – right up my alley!

California 2008 – Creating Beauty in George’s Front Yard
http://www.care2.com/c2c/photos/view/449078385/California_2008___Creating_Beauty/

Most of these photos were given to me by his wife (my SIL), so I could be in them as well.

Does anyone have any idea what kind of tree this is – the flowers are so delicate, like brushes. Too high up and far away for me to get a closer view. 
Between the pollen and the dust I had major allergies but George did have some allergy pills to share with me that worked great. 
I went from 10C/50F to 104F weather in one day! Loved the sun but Oh I did get quite burnt on my arms and legs those first few days. And my poor feet and ankles swelled like crazy, so I could not even wear the different shoes I had brought with me. Thank goodness I had packed one that could be adjusted, and the other pair I wore most of the time had elastic on the top.