The Good Old Summertime

We'll know it's truly summer again when the annual 4th of July fireworks display of Hydrangias and Fairy Roses burst into bloom under the Mimosa in our backyard.

Since I obviously jinxed our weather back into the windy, rainy pattern with my Spring pictures, I hoped maybe I could encourage warmer, sunny days with some Summer pictures! If not, at least it's nice to reminisce! Dennis and Marci at the Oregon Gardens

Labor Day weekend.

The men of the family, Dennis, Jeremiah, Josiah, & Grandad with the power saw (again!) are all gathered around to help put our 14 year old Sunset Maple out of it's misery. It was a sad day when we realized it was not going to ever leaf out again! The ice and snowstorm of the previous winter did it in. We missed it's shade all summer and it's beautiful bright red leaves this last fall. BUT...in it's place is the Red Bud that we can hardly wait till Spring to see bloom for the first time! One of the fun things our whole family loves about summer is the car shows! This particular one was in the Dallas City Park during Summer Fest the end of July. That's Marci and Carissa with one of our favorites. (Notice how much taller daughter is than mother!)

And what is summer without nice, hot, lazy afternoons spent on the porch swing reading a book, or ...taking a nap!
(Notice the Red Bud in the background. It has some growing to do to shade the porch!)

Spring Remembered

Tuesday the 24th was beautiful and sunny up here on our mountain top!

Our first sunny day since Dec. 17th! But I'm afraid it was just a teaser.

It did feel good to get out in my yard and clean up some flower beds in anticipation of the

Spring flowers to come. Here are some reminders from last Spring to

bring back hope that this eternal rain will end and the sun and flowers will return!

Above is our Weeping Peach tree in the background, and Camelia in the forground. (A sight we should be seeing again shortly!)

Pink Cheroke Chief Dogwood and Bridlewreath Spirea are in the background, and Lord Roberts Rhododendron in the foreground. But we'll have to wait till May for these. In this picture this Spring will be the Eastern Red Bud tree that Jess & Drew gave me for Mother's Day last year. I can't wait to see it bloom. My little taste of beautiful Virginia!

After the hot pink of the Weeping Peach have faded, the yellow of the Basket of Gold Alysum and the purple of the tulips and Arabis take over.

Pink Wiegela and Spirea are in the background, with Lord Roberts and Purple Splendor Rhododendrons in the forground surrounding one of several benches scattered around the yard to sit and ponder all of God's glorious creation! And one of these days (soon I hope) the benches won't be wet!!

The Inside Story

Aren't they cute?

They're checking out the magazine selection.

In this particular basket, the pickings are kind of slim, mostly Martha Stewart Living!

The little girl will be thrilled but her brother probably better check out the basket with the car magazines!

Don't tell Daddy!

But he shouldn't have left his boots out!

I tried them all, but this one was just right!

(Sorry Jessi!)

You know, if Emma can do it, so can I!

Besides I thought there might be some fish in here!

It is a fishbowl isn't it?

The Inside Story Continued

Obviously they must get it from their mother!
Sheba thinks an open container of any kind is an open invitation to get in and sit a while. Yes, we did wash the chip dish before the party!

The highlight of our Christmas and the best Christmas gift we got, was Jessi & Andrew getting to come home from Virginia and spend a week. Dennis had the week off so we got to enjoy a day at the beach, Cannon Beach if you can't tell.

Special photo ops with our Great Neice and Nephew

Emma as the Bubble Baby (above)
Dennis & Benton
Emma & kitten that is still waiting for a home Emma with mommy (Alysun) and daddy (Jeff)

The gang's all here! 17, including the babies, Benton & Emma!

A house full to be sure!

Some of our traditional favorites shown above include: Apricot Foldups, Date Nut Bread (baked in soup cans for a nice round shape), Cranberry Pastry Twists, Almond Balls (rolled in powdered sugar), Nutmeg Logs, Candycane Crisp Cookies, Date Bars, Spritz, and on top in the back are Jessi's Cranberry Swirl Cookies brought with her clear from Virginia!

After we got our water back, we had just a few days before Christmas to bake (believe it or not!) 83 dozen cookies! That's just 4 shy of 1000 cookies! Josiah counted, and Bernard helped as you can see. These happen to be some of the 15 doz. Nutmeg Logs, my personal favorite.