☀️ Summer Celebrations❣️

Welcome to our Summer Blueberry Tea celebration!  My granddaughters, Molly, Rosie, and Joy helped me fill Cookie Bear with ginger cookies. Cookie Bear, who is about 46 years old was made for me by my last college roommate, Ginger. He has traveled back and forth across the USA thanks to all our moves. Each girl wanted him to look at her, so they kept turning his head around.  Molly was our hostess and decorated the sea chest for the event.  She chose blueberry flavored tea which was delicious, and Cookie Bear is looking at her in this photo.

 We are celebrating that my youngest son-in-law, Gary, has been honing his woodworking skills.  He did not make this swing, but he finished it and figured out a way to hang it on two trees which we think is pretty clever.  The swing faces the pond, which is now in its dry season.  The pond looks like a big bowl of green salad now and as summer progresses it will probably become more golden in color.

 We have three Hydrangea bushes.  We hoped we could coax all three to be this purple-blue hue, but so far just two of them are co-operating.  However, we are celebrating that two of the bushes have made it through their first year here and we hope the third will enjoy blooming here, too.

 We did not knowingly plant this Daisy plant but are celebrating its choice to bloom on the berm because we are fond of Daisies.

 On July 4th we celebrated the USA's birthday with an indoor/outdoor picnic. Our menu included hot dogs and hamburgers, salads, chips, white cake, and fruit. I had strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries with frozen vanilla almond milk on top...patriotically yummy 😃

 At nightfall, we had a few little fireworks.  Some of my young granddaughters could be heard celebrating by saying, "Happy Birthday, America!"

 This summer we are celebrating that nearby Mt. Hood received a good snow pack in the winter. It still has lots of snow on its slopes and we so enjoy being able to see it during our warm clear summer days.

My good blogging friend, Teresa and I met at a restaurant to celebrate that I finally finished my Ruby Shawl!  Teresa was first to use the pattern and encouraged me for years to finish my shawl...what a dear and faithful friend!  In spite of all the challenges I faced in crocheting it, I am so glad I did.  Teresa is wearing the new shawl she just finished.  Isn't it gorgeous! If you haven't already visited Teresa's blog, click HERE.  You will be linked to it, where you can learn more about how she made her shawl. You can also search her blog to enjoy seeing the many beautiful things she has knitted, crocheted, painted, beaded, photographed, and you can enjoy the good narratives about them and her life adventures.

Thanks to all of you who have encouraged me to finish the shawl and to interact with you through blogging!

Tonight my youngest son, Tim, and I plan to head to the airport to get my oldest sister, Carolyn.  Then in a few days, we plan to head to the airport to get my older sister, Margaret.  Next week we three sisters [ages 75, 73, and 66] plan to drive from Portland, Oregon, toward Omaha, Nebraska, to visit my niece, Trina's family who live on a farm near there.  Then we plan to fly from Omaha to Boston, Massachusetts, to visit more family members. From Boston we plan to fly to Detroit, then from Detroit Margaret plans to fly back to Burbank, California, while Carolyn and I plan to fly back to Omaha and drive back to Portland.

I am so excited!  My mind is full of lists I have not stopped to write down, but I hope I am remembering to do all I need to do!

Thanks for visiting with me here.  I love your kind comments.  My communication with you over the next six weeks is apt to be sparse, but I will be wondering..." what are you celebrating this summer?"

Cheering you on and praying for blessings for you,
Gracie 🤗

Spring Fever Gardening

Rainy day crocheted strawberry still not complete...

Fudge Almond Chocolate Chip cookies and Almond bread by replanted Shamrock plant

Fish Stew [I thought it was yummy!]

Rainbow Chard, Fuchsia Hanging Basket and Basil planted

Hulda Klager Lilac Garden, Woodland, Washington

Lilacs from our bush

Mallards

Wood Ducks

Sandy River from Tad's Chicken'n Dumplins

Becky, Dennis, Betsy, Teresa, Phil, Dayle, Gracie

Gracie, Betsy, Teresa, Taci

While I am not certain of the symptoms of Spring Fever, I suspect I have a full blown case of it.

You see, I have spent time inside cooking, and stitching and painting a new horizon for my watercolor painting, but, I have been so excited to spend even more time out and about witnessing the glorious blooming of Spring!

Teresa, my dear blogging friend, drove us north to the Hulda Klager Lilac Garden in Woodland, Washington, and published a wonderful post about our trip HERE. Thank you, again, Teresa, for the fun, and introducing me to such an amazing place.

When I got home I checked our one gigantic lavender Lilac bush.  It only had about six blossoms on it and I cut two and brought them inside so we can enjoy them...the blossoms have such a short life, but their fragrance is h.e.a.v.e.n.l.y ~ ~ ~

This week I planted three hanging baskets of white Fuchsias...no blossoms yet.  I planted six little Rainbow Chard plants and a Basil plant out among the flowers.  We have some Joseph Coat Rose buds, I noted!

Saturday my youngest daughter sent me a text while out on errands to tell me she had seen a lot of "duck action" out on the front pond on her way out the driveway if I wanted to take some photos.  I was convinced I only saw some Mallards, but when I looked at the photos on my computer screen I saw some Wood Ducks, too!

This weekend was very special because our blogging friend, Betsy, drove down with her husband all the way from Spokane, Washington...six hours!  We had a great visit.  I had such a good time I did not want us all to part ways again.  Taci was not able to make it to Tad's, but at the last minute was able to meet most of us the next day.

On my way home I did not want the fun to end.  The weather was perfect!  I was thinking about Betsy and Dennis telling us about their youngest son's life over in Japan where he has worked for years.  Then I remembered that I had read recently about the Japanese garden in Gresham that I had never stopped to see.  I pass by it nearly every week, but you can't see it from the road.  I thought you might enjoy seeing some of the photos I took of it. I hope to go back many times, and am curious to know how it will look different from season to season...after I recover from Spring Fever. Do you ever develop a full blown case of Spring Fever?


Gracie xx