Browns' Backyard: June 2006

A CRUISE TO CELEBRATE 31 YEARS OF MARRIAGE!

Yes, I said a cruise! Dennis heard about the Willamette River Queen dinner cruise at work. So as I've been so sick with this bronchitus for the last 4 weeks, we decided that that would be a relaxing and enjoyable way to celebrate our anniversary. It was wonderful!!

The Willamette River Queen

Those mesmerizing paddle wheels!Our 2 hour cruise took us first downriver towards Portland, and then upriver towards Independence as far as time would allow. It's slow going upriver, so we didn't make it as far as we would have liked.

SUCH A RELAXING, ENJOYABLE TIME

I enjoyed the scenery and the running commentary by our captain about the history of the river boats on the Willamette River. He also told us about the only Civil War battle fought in Oregon right there on Mento Brown Island (in the background). Believe it or not this area was predominantly Southerners! However, they did loose this battle on Mento Brown Island!

Dennis was facinated by the paddle wheels.

We even saw a Beaver on the river bank gnawing away!

The Captain made a big deal about our anniversary and having been married 31 years. We even got candles in our dessert!

END TO A PERFECT EVENING

It was so sad when we had to turn around and go back.

We wanted to keep going and see a part of the river we'd never seen before!

A close up from the dock.

Looking back from the park above, wishing the evening would never end.

Our Captain!

THE IRIS MAY GO AWAY...BUT ROSES ARE HERE TO STAY!

"Swingtown" just refuses to quit. It has double and triple socketed buds, so as you pick a dead one off, low and behold there is another in it's place!

"Salsa Rio" still blooming away.

Dennis' "Owyhee Desert" still hanging on.

Carissa's "Conjuration" is like the Energizer Bunny. It just keeps going and going and going...

The passing of the seasons is part of God's creation. But, the hardest one for me to let go is Spring. Spring with all of it's color and brightness after Winter's darkness. A time for planting new things and watching and waiting for the first daffodil, tulip, and ah yes, my favorite... the Iris!

WELCOME HERON POINTE!

Monday, June 5th, the folks from Heron Pointe finally got their chance to come to Brown's Backyard. The iris may have been on their way out, but they found plenty else to look at and enjoy...

Oscar, the Beagle being their favorite!

And, even an iris or two!

A rest in the shade. It's moments like these you wish could go on forever. It would have been nice to sit and visit and get to know these wonderful ladies. Well, maybe on a return visit they can stay a little longer. Thanks for coming ladies!

SASSY GOES HOME!

It's times like this that I realize how much I love this job! (If you can call raising Siamese a job. Too much fun!) Anyway, meeting the Colby's was one of those times. They adopted our last little Blue Point Snow Shoe, whom they named "Sassy", but as they were waiting to move into their new house, we had the privilege of keeping her another couple of weeks.

Max, their son, investigating the tulips at our first meeting.
I'm sure he and Sassy are having the time of their lives.

Sassy was intrigued with Jeremiah's birthday balloon. So we got her her own to take home with her. We'll miss her, but I'm so glad she is going to such a wonderful home.

SATURDAY'S CELEBRATION OF GRAMMY'S 70 YEARS!

Saturday we celebrated Grammy's 70th birthday by taking her to Adelman's Peony Gardens.

Tom and Sherri were also able to come down from Washington. My Great Nephew, Benton, is along for the ride as Grandma Sherri and Grandpa Tom were babysitting.

I think he actually enjoyed himself, as you will see in a later photo.

(And he made some great photo ops!)

I sure was hoping to get this one. I fell in love with it!

Well, maybe next year!

Grandad with a peony named Kansas. Since it is his birthplace, he was especially drawn to it.

Grammy really enjoying the celebration of her 70th birthday! We started the afternoon off eating at the Great Wall restaurant, which is an all you can eat Chinese buffet!! Good choice Grammy! And what better way to work off all those points than walking around the peony beds!

Benton getting the hang of what one is to do in a garden! This was my favorite picture of the day!

ADELMAN PEONY GARDENS

WANNA-BE FARMERS?

Uncle Tom & Grandad discussing who knows what with a real farmer.

Only a farmer could appreciate this sprinkler head bouquet!

To me, it represents the miracle of water that I am praying for here in Brown's Backyard!

Dennis out standing in his field! He could care less about the farming techniques being discussed in the previous picture. He just loves the end result!