TTforTTT.......Post Views.....17,175

AKA.....Triple Treat for The Terrific Trio......

       With the weather forecast for rain Tuesday through the weekend, we (the Terrific Trio) decided, on this sunny Monday to check out a nursery across town. I am still getting familiar with small tree, shrub and ground cover options.  At the early hour of 9:30 we started out to the Garden and Grow Nursery

almost knowing where we were going.   

This one was more extensive than the one I visited on Saturday.



More ground cover choices

One of my favorite minis.....
                          A fun shrub.....

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     On the way over Nancy had pointed out a store she enjoys shopping at for gifts.  Since we had time after the nursery browsing we stopped in on our way home....McSteven's  mail order business specializing in CHOCOLATE.....

                                                      NOT a football......a cocoa pod....

Getting our free samples hot chocolate buzz on.....

With Betty Boop.......

 We didn't like the "bacon & chocolate" mix....

                   I did like a chance encounter with Elvis...... 
And the year round Christmas scene....

Not Christmas outside.....

                              The Terrific Trio can't go home on an empty stomach 

One more stop to buy new perches for Nancy's finches, food for Jo's Beta and aquarium research for Grandma G's future pet fish....


Bring on the rainy days!....the Terrific Trio will rest while anticipating the next fun adventure.....


  For me....a bit of a sit on the couch, an evening 1&3/4 mile walk though our park and some blogging finished out my sunny PNW day..... 

What do you see here?

 A killdeer nesting??

This has been a good "terrific trio" day in the life of Grandma G.

"Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel" (Proverbs 27:9)

A Visit to Shorty's....Post Views.....17,157

         My newest project and focus of attention is turning this pebble backyard into a "green space".  It is a bit larger than it looks, but not much.   I've been wanting to put in grass but people tell me I don't want to have to water and mow it.   HMMMMM.....I have decided (I think) to put in a ground cover.  It is a little tricky because the afternoon sun is very hot.  So, picture a miniature darker green fern ground cover, some stepping stones going through the middle of the yard, a few whimsical evergreen shrubs along the the white wall, four small soft evergreen trees lining the left side of the yard, a gnome waterfall in the upper left corner, several colorful ceramic mushrooms scattered throughout, a good sized stone turtle somewhere, 2 large colorful pots with small sculpted evergreen trees along the right side, solar lights along the stepping stones, the sidewalk painted a brick red and a covered glider along the front border of the yard (can't really see it here) AND.......WALLA!.......one has a cozy, PNW green space...... NOW to make it happen......A Saturday afternoon trip to Shorty's  Nursery.....

Magnolia tree...
not buying one, but thought it quite impressive

A chocolate rooster for my Easter basket....

The soft evergreens of my choice.....only $99 ...times 4= $400-$4... (plus tax) Might have to keep looking..... 

       

        New Zealand Brass Buttons ground cover for full sun..... miniature 2 toned ferns.... 

whimsical shrubs..... 

    Next is to have someone shovel off the "pea gravel" and haul it away......remove a flimsy "weed barrier" .......haul in a bunch of fertile dirt.......spread it out......and WALLA! again......Gram G is ready to start green spacing.....

One's dream has to start somewhere before becoming reality......

Oh, yah, there are 3 metal salamanders to go on the outside walls... and a green metal frog.....

This has been a good "visit to Shorty's" day in the life of Grandma G.

"The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and to take care of it."  (Genesis 2:15)

Albertina Kerr Outing.....Post Views....17,144

       After a long sit in the dentist's chair on Tuesday and a rainy "out of sync" Wednesday, Thursday was a welcome outing into Portland with the Red Hat ladies.  We had lunch at Albertina's Place.  This was a new adventure for me.  Albertina's has a long history.    

 Delicious lunch of fresh salad

Spinach, Parmesan quiche in tender, flaky crust.....YUM....    

 Visit to their thrift store
(after viewing their high end
china store)

I found two fun necklaces....



     I very well remember the many, many Kerr canning jars I used over the years of my kids growing up....lots of canning.....peaches were my favorite.
    Albertina's is also significant for me since it is sometimes referred to as an orphanage.  I spent a short time in an orphanage in Indiana when I was 5 or 6.  There was a picture on the wall of a small, raised bathtub and a child sitting in it.  One of my few memories was of me sitting in a tub like that while my older sister bathed me.  I had always thought it was a clothes washing tub.  It was probably one like in the picture.  I did not get a picture of the picture.   I will need to return and get that picture of the picture....

   This has been a good 2 Albertina Kerr Outing days in the life of Grandma G.

 "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."   (James 1:27)

And What Has Grandma G Been Doing?....Post Views...17,117

....Besides dental appointments? And healing up from molar extractions? And learning to eat with one's front teeth like a chipmunk? While waiting for more appointments to get permanent bridges on both lower jaws? 

    WELL.....other than hanging out with Lou for 6 weeks since mid-January.  I HAVE......

(Sent 27 Valentines to 7 children and 18 grandkids)

Attended our Red Hat Ladies' formal afternoon tea.....

(late February)

Finished the "GeoLou Schmidts Family Happenings" calendar

Starting March 2015

Packaged and Addressed them once

And then repackaged and addressed them a second time 

to save a little chunk of money..... 

Made "twice baked" potatoes for the first time in 40 some years....

they were actually more yummy when "twice reheated"

well....."twice heated" or "once reheated".....

Gazed at and photographed a maze of "chem trails"

There is a following who have quite the explanations for these.

Not my area of expertise...

To me they are simply airplane vapor trails....

Enjoyed an afternoon ride with grandson Zach 

to view a beautiful panorama of Mt. Hood 

Tried my luck with bingo cards and a dauber....

The Troublesome Trio strikes again....

Enjoyed a walk in "pink snow"

Spent an afternoon with preliminary deck clean up

Lamented sweet potato abuse.....     started to plan a "green" space

Received my most favorite B-day card ever.......

Gram G          Sissy                                      Hats off to you, Grammi

This has been a good 10 "what has she been doing" days in the life of Grandma G.

"Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long." 

 (Psalm 25: 4 & 5)