Flowers for Jake

OK, so Jake wants not purple flowers. I had to have some in the pictures because they are the ones that are growing like CRAZY, but the evening primroses and the roses look good, too. The last two photos are of different plants that bloomed at different times. The first one was around the 4th and the last one is blooming now. Other than that, have been cleaning up T's room and found LOTS of playing cards. However, there were only 2 or 3 complete sets. So, who isn't playing with a full deck? :o)

It was nice and sunny and breezy today and was able to hang clothes out to dry. Even washed my quilt..although, I know I am not supposed to wash it in the washer. I did dry it outside on the line. Made some rather strange crispy noodle snacks. They never did get 'dry'. I made them with chocolate chips and they set up well, they were just gooey, even after being in the fridge.

Sunshine again!

Well, we had a week or so of rain, but it is now over and the sun has come out again. (Almost a song from Annie!) Everything grew like crazy. S has been mowing tonight and the garden needs weeded something terrible. My Himalayan (sp) Balsam are HUGE and full of bees, the swallows are all grown, and the butterfly bushes are blooming. My evening primroses look great, too. And I have even MORE roses budding and a sunflower came up volunteer in the rose patch!
We also heard from T. It was the token call home. Basic starts tomorrow. He said it was hot. (I can imagine. The humidity in Ft Knox said in the 90's and the temp tomorrow night at 10pm is expected to be 75 degrees. (ICKY)) It must be like Korea in the summer. Probably hotter, though. Outside of that, not much news from him. He said he'd write soon. I hope so!
Haven't gotten the HP book, but not a problem. Re-reading some Mercedes Lackey stuff. Have some more of hers on reserve. I love ILL. :o) Tillamook County Fair is soon and J goes to Scout camp and then it is Moograss over Labor Day weekend. OH-And I forgot the newest TAPA play (see link). Can't wait to see that one! Am also looking very forward to The Golden Compass coming out later this year.
Hey, Jake, do you read these? :o)

He's gone, except in Pix.

Well, we took T to Portland with a dear friend. I was glad she was there. We went to Wunderland Arcade/Avalon Theatre. I had forgotten about that cool Portland spot. We wanted to see a movie, but missed most of them as we had to get T back to the hotel by 10pm. After we dropped him off, I was pretty sad most of the way home and then when we landed in North Plains the Oregon Ambassador's people had come home (See Mrs. Henderson's page) and N was there!!!!! I turned into a watering pot when I hugged him. (A small watering pot). So, then S got me a snack and I felt better. Food and tears. It helped a bit, but it still feels odd. J said it was very wierd because when he got up, T's door was open and it is NEVER open. I am washing clothes and bedding and stuff from his room. (Major work!). No wonder he left home!! We wern't able to do the cell phone thing. We just aren't educated enough in technology. We gave him a calling card, but it is a hassle to use. I only hope he tries anyway. I still want to send him a phone! I gave him some stamps, maybe he'll write. (B does, but we know where he is!)

I have a T spaced hole in my heart. Dean preached about a God spaced hole and how only God can fill it. Only T can fill this one. >sigh<> OK, this blog says it may not post. We'll keep trying!

T leaves Tomorrow

Came into town for a celebratory cake. TMC decided to get a cake for T because he has spent much of his life in the shop..it is almost a second home! I am at the library and this mouse is tweaked, this chair is awful (I leaned back and almost fell off of it!), and I can't get into my myspace site. Go figure.
Have a few things to get and then I will take the boys back up the Trask. T saw the new HP movie, he liked the Transformer one better. J was at church camp and S's birthday was tons of fun. It was pretty much death by chocolate, even though he didn't die. I gave him lots of chocolate and it was fun. All day he got bits of stuff, m&m's clipped to his clipboard, and so on and so forth. :o)
I thought the phone was working..and it was for about 20 hours. This am I was talking and it crackled and blitzed out. NOT FAIR. At least I got a few pictures on!

Past July 13th

OK, Eagle ceremony is over. There will be few if any pix of it as my camera was on a low battery and I was coordinating the event, so I didn't have the camera much. Pix of EO are here, though. We'll see what I have. I only took a few there, too! S took the camera on a Troop fishing trip, so I may put some in of that. We'll see what the phone lines let me do! Here goes!

This first photo is of the EO family around 8pm when we left. The next is of T with his final fish he needed for his Fishing Merit badge, just days before he turned 18. The last is of the awards he earned for attaining his Eagle. I took the photo at a Court of Awards earlier in June, but it looks rather cool and I figured it would work to put it in!
His Eagle ceremony was fun. We had lots of different persons from his life. Teachers from Elm School and HS, members of TAPA, church friends, friends from other areas, and lots of Scouting friends. It was very cool. T leaves on Wednesday for Portland and from their boot camp. More updates will be forthcoming. :o)

LOLOLOLOL

OK, so it is mid July and I have not written a post in ages. I have been busy! We were in EO for several days, then we went to a Wedding on Saturday, then we did some other stuff, then I had to work and plan for T's Eagle Court of Honor for Sunday, and then he leaves on Wed. PHEW.
So, I have been busy. I am at the neighbor's again. Our phone lines are really bad and when I tried to hook up to the net it was about 14 kb whatevers. So, I left that puter and came over here. It is very late and I have scads to do for this Eagle thing, so just a note to let people know a bit of what is or might be going on. :o)
I will try and get a pix or two online, but only if our phone lines cooperate!

Not much new.

I am at the neighbor's and she has a much higher speed net now due to a more modern technology. It is way fun to use! Kinda like when I am at the library, but more homey. I am listening and watching about a zillion hummers outside her window feeding from one of her feeders. It is pretty fun. T will be 18 on Monday and we will be going to EO to visit. I will do many more posts after that. TTFN.

Just about July

This flower is called a corn cockle and is poisonous. It think they are rather pretty. The picture had a swallowtail butterfly in it, but I guess it flew off before I snapped it.

It has been ages since my last post. Not sure just why, but there it is. T's friend TK is off to the Army today and T follows soon. It has been nice and sunny, so we have been doing some stuff outside. Lots of flowers are up and stuff is growing nicely (see pix!). Had a court of honor for Scouts and T's Eagle Board of Review is tomorrow night. All in all, it has been a bit busy and fun.

The photo below is a swallowtail on my privet bush. It is a humblebee hide out! There are bees and butterflies and hummers all over it! The last photo is one of my transparent apple tree. I had a photo earlier of T in front of it when it was covered in blossoms (that was a may day post) and this one is of the forming apples. You can see the dying blossoms on the apple end of this full cluster. I probably should have picked three flowers off to make the fourth apple stronger, but it is too much work! The apples make great deer and crow snacks and wonderful applesauce.

Odds and Ends

Mum has been here and we are getting ready to take her to the airport so she can leave this warm, sunny weather! We finally got some time to go and tourist around the area. Here is the Cape Meares Lighthouse and Radar Beach. I also found one of T without his facial hair. His friend decorated his airsoft rifle and they wanted a picture of it!

More Party Pictures

These first pix are of T shaving with the 'expert' help of a friend from Troop 629 (who is actually younger!). My photo of the final result didn't turn out as well as one taken by a young lady who came to the party. I hope she will share it with me! In the first one we thought he looked a little like Wolverine from X Men.

The next two are on Friday. Goodbyes are so hard..especially when you plan on seeing each other within the next week! All in all, it was great fun and I really enjoyed it.
Something odd is going on. In my draft this page looks much better than it does on the page online. So, those of you reading it will just have to deal with it as I have no idea how to fix it as it does not need fixing in my posts!

Party pictures!

Here are some photos from the party. These were taken on Thursday after the bus dropped off a couple and cars brought up more. I am not going to try to identify them, they are mostly graduated seniors, but there are a few others in there! As you may notice, some of them are of the same people. It just worked out that way.

Portland Floral Parade

How time does fly. I can't believe it is time for the Portland Rose Festival! I haven't gone since I was in college, but it is a definite landmark in the year. You always get better footage while watching it on TV anyway. This year, as it is the 100th year, they are doing bits in a sepia color and then fading back to color. It is pretty cool.

OK, so we have had Graduation, a party, and all kinds of stuff. School is out finally even for J (who is named after King David's friend and one of the older kids in our church--Jonathan Scott). He was glad that he wouldn't have to get up on Friday to go to school. Silly boy. We had a party on Thursday (last day of school for all the underclassman). It was great fun and was more and less than I had anticipated. T (for Tony who is really named for his dad and an old friend of mine) and I expected more kids would come up for the party, but we did NOT anticipate that everyone would spend the night! We ended up with 11 boys sleeping in our living room and the 4 girls who stayed the night slept in Tony's room. I will put pix of that on later.

The next day, Friday, T and I went to Brenton's trial. It was horrid and hard and not fair that it was a beautiful day. Having him in Tillamook will be better. At least we can go and visit him. I promise that we will do that.

Here are some grad pictures. This is T and two of his friends they day after graduation. If the other ones show up again, it is T with Mr. Rhodes (THS principal) and T and his Grandma and Grandpa and Nana.

Pictures again!

OK, I am going to try something and play with the pictures. First, we have Memorial Day flag planting. J is in the flannel shirt. (He is always in the flannel shirt or a certain sweatshirt and the same pair of jeans.)

The stone for John is posted because he is a very special person.

The Memorial Day ceremony was the first time I realised that T is going to go in the military. But, also, for the first time, I didn't cry during Taps.

This last picture is for Jake. Mum thought she might like it. Moses caught his first snake this summer. Thankfully, it escaped and was still in pretty good shape. Hopefully, it will eat the carpenter ants that have appeared with the heat. :o)

Dadgum it! I lost the pictures and had to redo them onto the post. So, I hope that they don't show up twice on here!!!!

HOT!

A few years back THS did the play Some like it Hot....Today in Tillamook, it is HOT. Our house it was 83 and then we left to come to town. I was going to make a cake or cookies, but it is too warm. I might just send snack pack puddings for lunch. G brought up the camper trailor for mum to stay in, except it got down to 38 last night. At least that is what it said it was this morning. We rented Lucille Ball's and Desi Arnes' movie The Long Trailor and the boys loved it. I thought they would!
Not much news so far. I will post pix later. Just wanted to put in a fast update since I was in town.

Mum is here!

Ok, we have been rather busy lately. The second bath is just about done and looks splendiforus!!! T has been ending his HS career and that has been an odd feeling..J is still having to be in school. Graduation is this Friday for THS...Our district is getting out the earliest this year. The last day is the 7th. Nestucca is the 13th or so and Neahkahnie is just a few days earlier than that. At any rate, THS had their last concert of the year (my pix did NOT turn out well from that) and the kids all got their yearbooks and we planted flags at the cemetary for Memorial day. Bible memory is over, we have about 15 kids eligible for camp this year. I am going to get the Jr. Campers set up for Daycamp again this year. I was glad to do it as this is the only year I have not got a set schedule for those youngsters! The theme is knights. Speaking of nights...Good Night! :-)

Just a few more!

The youngsters are in an ivy root that was taken out during T's Eagle project. It appears that ivy is so invasive that is can overtake small children if it is not controlled!!

To be or not to be...no, Hamlet was last week. This week, he is just T in shorts, and a tee, and playing with a sword!

T is with some friends before prom 2007.

Mid May

Phew, as mentioned in my last post, this will update the blog! I am at the library and I LOVE these computers. Well, I like the fact that you can be online at a fast speed for free! It is much more useful than waiting for ages at home. I only wish I had my photos here so I could upload them! Ah well, you can only have so much.
OK, this last Saturday was prom and in the morning T did his Eagle project. I was not impressed at how many persons did NOT come out to help with his project, but we managed to get a great deal done. Trees were planted, trees were 'found' in a midst of blackberries and vines, ivy was uprooted (that stuff is NASTY), and trash was removed. Dr. M even chipped some stuff to put down in the trails. It is an ongoing job and lots more can be done. All of us have blisters and blackberry thorns in our hands. It would have been a great Sr project, too. Now we have to get the paperwork done. That is the hard part!
After we got done there, we went home and I finished up T's jacket for prom. It was pretty fun and I sure hope it gets used again! S. worked on the bath some more. The tile is down and the grout is in. I need to water the grout twice a day, but it should be ok. It looks very nice. I also took lots of grad type photos of T yesterday. Some with his sword, but most with his tux from vocal ensemble. (lots of new news on Mrs Hendersons page!!).
I finally got my herbs planted. The plants were a bit dry, but I think they will survive. I forgot to check them this morning. S had to go to school in PDX, so we were home all alone today. It is hard when he is gone, it appears to be more work.
I have been working a great deal this month in the schools and at the museum. I am very tired and grumpy, but I will be ok. Mum comes down at the end of the month and the best part of that will be having the bathroom done. S cleaned out the tub and I looked at it as it sat in the yard. :-) T is in the tail end of schooling. He is doing the credit recovery class for Geometry from last semester, but may not do so hot in the regular class. I should have not let him take it this semester. If he only passes it.... J is doing ok. His classes are on every end of the spectrum! He still wants us to buy a bari sax, if they weren't so expensive... T dressed up and recited a bit from Hamlet. Gerry got him the clothing, I wish he would have let me get a photo with that outfit on. At least he got a higher grade in English. At least, I hope he did! J has a choir festival this week and a band one later this month. It should be fun!
Speaking of fun, Mattress is over. >sigh< It was a great show and I loved cooking for it. Speaking of which, I need to send out some recipes! For Mattress news, check out Pappycat's Something Spicy is Cooking's page.

Pictures today...post tomorrow!

J is working on T's Eagle Project at 'Down by the Riverside' on the Tillamook River. T is wearing the tux coat I made him (not really a costume Jake, but close!!) for Prom. It is silver sequins. J said you could signal airplanes with it.

Hmmm. I wanted to try to put them side by side, but somehow, it didn't work. At any rate, I will post more tomorrow from the library where it is faster!! Check out Mrs. Henderson's page for more great photos and updates on Choir!!!!!

May Day and not a flower to share

Oh, bother. The cats are sparring again. It is past bedtime and I just thought I'd put in a late April post. It is almost my favorite holiday, May Day, and I forgot to get flowers today to give away. I have to go to town tomorrow anyway, so I can get some to drop off...but I feel odd that I forgot! I rarely forget May Day!!! OK, here is a May Day pix. It is the closest I can get as I have not taken any spring photos yet. It is T surrounded by apple blossoms..This is one of the most photogenic trees we own! I just thought of a way to get a better pix of T (not so shadowed), but as it is raining the weather may knock the blossoms off the tree before I can capture it!

I also have a better (he says) pix of T as the Lion, but will post that on myspace under my cat pictures! Well we are back in Kansas again. Oz was lots of fun, but I am so glad it is over. Next choir goes to State (see Mrs. Henderson's page) and then the Jr/Sr musicale. Also, Mattress this weekend. T's Eagle Project is the 12th and mum is coming over Memorial Day weekend. **of note: I did cry when the kids took their bow at the end of Oz. This is T's 14th full length non-church play. He's come a long way since Pinafore.

I did try to put Noggin's page in my list of favorites, but for some reason it didn't take. I will continue trying to do that.

We're off to see the Wizard..Again!

We have two more shows and we'll be done. Our first night was a bit rough, then last night was splendid! T makes a wonderful lion and plays with the audience instead of just to it. He did a rehearsal today with the 'girls' so he can sing tomorrow night..after the last Oz performance. J is taking a shooting test today. He passed his hunter's safety test (he missed one out of 60) and is looking forward to seeing Annie tonight. He and S are going to go to that. Annie was fun. The young lady playing Annie was Awesome! But of course, we have seen her on stage before. She acted with T in Belles on their Toes.
Our dog is better, though! Trinka is a great actor, even if she is just following the food around. She is so well behaved and is very sweet. (she isn't just following the food, she likes people, too!)
I will have to try and get a picture of her and Dorothy. (OH, fiddlesticks. I forgot to send the camera with J and S for this last day of hunter's safety.)
Mattress is even better than it seemed it was going to be. Check out Noggin's site for more information on that!
OK, I think that is all for now. It is beautiful outside and T is going to rehearse with Fingers for next Sunday's Monday Musical performance. It is for the Jrs and Srs to show off their talents. It should be fun. I am hoping to get a pix of T with the apple tree, it looks splendid right now! I'd like to get one of J and T, too.
OH, I also got out my crochet hooks and made a something for Oz. It is a bell pull, but it is more of a something. I am thinking that while I am at the library I will get a book on how to crochet!