Sunday, July 31, 2016

In the pink

 It was a long frustrating stay at Central Peninsula Hospital. Mum is now home and doing well. The lovely bouquet is from the Nikiski Senior Center. It was created and delivered by an old friend. The card suggested mom should 'get the hell out of there!' She did.

 Fading purple fireweed full of bees AND wasps and ready to top soon. It seems a bit early, but the fireweed is a good indicator of what is to come.
Tamara (Filigree and Hues Hair Design) fixed mom up so she wouldn't have to worry about her hair falling out. Mum said she has an Anderson head. (that is from her mom's side of the family-the Norwegian one?) I think she's cute! I am very thankful she is home. Her not so little dog is thankful, too! 

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Lots of pictures!

I almost wasn't sure google would let me post blogs from AK. EVERY time I post from a new locale, I need to verify who I am. You'd think they'd realise I've had this blog running since Tony was in HS and have used the same address all those years. Silly people! Anyway, 
Welcome to Alaska! 
I have about a week's worth of crazy photos on the newest new septic and other assorted adventures. 
 Here we have Bob and the 'Big Guy' rearranging mom's driveway. You can see what it looked like prior to the excavations. Also, during!
 I had a chance to go to Arness Dock with Obie. Obie was not as enchanted as I was. He now refuses to go anywhere with me. I think I wore the poor guy out!
After the guys were done, this is what the driveway now looks like. I am seeking help in getting it back in shape again. The neighbors have said they might come over sometime, but it will take baby steps and may last the entire weeks I'm home.

 The day mum had a blood transfusion, I had time to wander around. I went up to the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters. I love this spot. So much to look at and great trails.

 I was rather surprised to see so much Devil's Club and very little Pushki. Neither one are friendly to flesh and limb, but each of them are incredibly pretty in their own way. The cabin below was one belonging to the first guide on the Kenai. Andrew Berg. If you get a chance to read his 'diary', you won't be bored!

 The above building used to be the place to go. It held a small interactive area and all the offices. Mrs. Fencl worked in here. So did I, ages past, with so many other YiCC's. Below is a bad selfie with a moose statue. He was hard to fit in the frame with me. I often have this trouble. Giant and short don't often work well.
 This truck needed photographed. A 67 Chevy in the parking lot. (am pretty sure the plate said '67)

 As you can tell. The green verge between the road and the 'garden' is gone. We had the 'Big Guy' at the bottom of the drive until this morning (July 28). I was seriously contemplating decorating it with TP or other fun drapery.
 Below may resemble a pile of covered trash in a heap. It isn't. It is the remnants of mom's wood pile under a tarp and sand and rock moved by the 'Big Guy' and his friend 'Deere-dra'. (she is the cutest backhoe/dozer). This is one of the several projects I have til mid September. Finding and reorganizing the woodpile!
 If only I could harness the power of the fleets of mosquitoes who surround me each time I go out. Kind of like James when he he used Miss Spider's webbing to collect gulls to move the peach..The possibilities could be endless!

Thursday, July 14, 2016

Looking GOOD!

 Steve shares a birthday with Patrick Stewart, Harrison Ford, and Cheech Marin. We decided, he has more hair than Patrick Stewart (Steve said his head is well shaped for a bald look), he has the hat of Harrison Ford, and everyone wondered where Dave was.

However, we celebrated his birthday in style, once again. Friends, cupcakes, and ice cream! Moses was NOT an impressed cat. Max was so put out, he vanished til everyone left. Kila? I think he was locked up cuz he kept trying to go outside when the door opened! I think we'll keep things quiet for the next few years! Although NOTHING will top his 50th when Tony surprised us by coming home.
 There were big cupcakes and little ones! Chocolate with sprinkles, chocolate with chocolate chips, and plain chocolate topped cupcakes of chocolate with chocolate chips and banana with chocolate chips.
 The ice cream of choice was Udderly Chocolate. I hope everyone liked it! I know it is one of Steve's favorites.
  
This is the ONLY photo I took of the fun. It turned out very fuzzy because I was in a hurry, but since it is the only one, I am not deleting it. We could say it was the juke box  hopping and shaking the house! Pictured are Steve, Charlene, Dorothy, Kate in the back with the boys, a tiny bit of Cindi, and Justin's hat and elbow. We had quite a few visitors and the last ones stayed and prayed. 
 This is from June at the 'Old Iron Show'. I opted to use it because he is laughing and laughter is always a blessing! May we have many more years of you, Steve. YOU are a blessing to so many of those around you.


Monday, July 11, 2016

A LOT of photos from Saturday (June 9)

The parade on Saturday ALWAYS starts with a kid's parade. Most of them are on decorated bikes. 
 This year, Carrie put out a tub of water for the dogs. We were open for a bit on Saturday so people could use the bathroom, go online, and get out of the heat for a bit. Our tongue in cheek motto is 'We are a full service library." (She and her staff also have some great dead body stories to share!)
 Pipes and Drums from the High School. A full generational band. Grandpa Pyle is on the far side there and his grandson is piping next to him.

 Steve drove the Mercury in the parade this year. He hopes to get the Toyota Land Cruiser running for next year. The Class of '56 from Athena is on the float behind the car. Larry C. thought it would be fun for the class to follow a 56 Mercury. I was so proud to see Dad's car finally in a parade! I'm sure he was looking down with a grin.

 I thought this was entirely clever. No way you'd lose any of your family in a crowd while they are wearing tie dyed matching shirts! Caledonian Days had a lower than usual turnout this year. If you look at the website, it suggests about 2000 people descend upon the town. Maybe 10 years ago, but it has dwindled over time. We estimated there may have been (including participants) about 400 people for about 40 minutes on Main Street Saturday. Many more were out doing yard sales!
 Part of the Pendleton Round Up court.
 VBS float!!!!!!!! Athena Christian Church is hosting the fun this week from 9-12. Mrs. Coppock is driving her beautiful International.
 Jon and Joe closing up the parade!
 In front of Athena's fire engine was a 'dog' from Helix's fire department.
 I had to take this photo. Jonathan's come a long way from white knuckling my Ford Escort through Portland.


On the way back from the park, Steve found a genuine horseshoe buried in the dirt of an alley. Good Luck? 
 We didn't have the Mercury in the car show on Saturday. Instead, we did projects around the house. The pond has needed cleaned for months.We have had this pond since Jon was in HS. It has changed over time from a pond with a  stream to only a pond. It gets full of berries and leaves and is often a mess, but it has never gotten scummy. This year, about April, the scum and oily water showed up. I decided it needed dealt with and it was MESSY!! I'm pretty sure the plant we pulled out was part of the problem. If it had been something other than an invasive pond weed, the plant probably would have died. It was root bound in the pot. A root bound plant cannot filter anything, nor can they absorb water. Pretty interesting what root bind can do to a plant and to the surrounding ecosystem (if it is a water plant). The bb's I dredged out with a magnet (thank you to my imaginative friend who came up with this idea!!!) probably didn't help, either! (Jon was shooting wasps over the pond....)
 Later, Steve showed off his punkins. He has SEVERAL and they are getting huge! He's opting to go for monster pumpkins this year. I hope we get time to carve them!
 One of the things I hope gets done this summer is the kitchen window. It tends to leak when the wind pushes the rain against it. Steve decided he was going to take this Saturday to look at it. He's so not impressed. Why on earth someone would put new cement siding on a house and not wrap it first, we'll never understand. The blown in insulation is in piles inside the walls (Steve is getting dirt out in this shot) and the house is COLD.  We also are not sure why the window frames were put on before the siding. There probably is a reason. It is going to make it easier to fix things, though. We won't have to take off siding. Hoping he won't have to remove the window! (there are also pics of this on FB in the house improving album)


 At the end of the day, I made watermelon/7-Up slushies. They were a perfect end to a busy day!
Moving on to the next adventures. Kristen is headed north next Saturday and Steve and Jon will be busy in Athena. Before then, however, Steve has a birthday!!!!!!




Wednesday, July 06, 2016

Walla Walla Valley Bands Fantastic Fourth!

The concert band has grown so much since Jon first started playing with them. They moved from the gazebo to the ground and now they are on the other side of the gazebo. It is a bit smaller, but it is much nicer as it has better shade.

 They are now under the direction of young Jackson Maberry. He also conducts the Walla Walla Choral Society.
 I like their new location, I can sneak better photos of the kid!!!






 I eventually stopped taking pictures, I hope I wasn't in the way--I'm always leery of photography bugs who bother the performers. Back at my seat, I found some other interesting things to photograph. I do love reflections!

 It was a grand concert, full of fun songs and stirring marches. When the band plays the 'Armed Forces Salute' the emcee encourages our Veterans to stand during 'their' song. I believe the man below was from the Navy. He looked interesting, so I took his picture~
Thus ended a tradition I've missed the last couple of years. Hooray for the Walla Walla Valley Bands!!! Hooray for Independence Day!