All Things Vancouver.....Post Views....32,394

   ......pertaining to Gram G and summer....
 I have been running all over east-side Vancouver the past few weeks buying supplies for front and backyards, getting maintenance on Ted, prepping for a Schmidt gathering here in July, planning 
Gram G/Tyler 12 year old trip, continuing physical therapy, doing a few routine chores, swallowing 2 weeks of antibiotics for an achy upper right jaw, watching the TV series of the life of Albert Einstein and considering a few surprises.

Today  is summer solstice. It is the peak of what I look forward to at winter solstice.  How did it get here SO fast?  There is still time to enjoy long days of late sunshine, but the tide has turned and daylight will start getting shorter....

Here's a bit of what summer has been for me so far.... 

Evolution of Gram G's front yard.....

Upon returning from San Diego the end of May.  The red rock is gone....that is the hard dry dirt underneath.
Observe the evergreen hidden behind the Japanese Maple and messy flowering scrub in the corner.
The tree in the pot ended up in the left side yard which is still mainly "desert".

I came out one morning and heard rustling under the maple...
Tony, the landscaper, was giving it a bonsai haircut!

He has also moved the evergreen to the right between the windows! 



Gram G doing her share by watering the hard dirt 

Tony preparing the watering system....



 Time to "plant" the sod.....

90% done with the remake....

                         

Two weeks ago, it was a trip to Shorty's Nursery to look for a tree for my new front yard.  Going there is always a walk in a park....

 

Bought some nectarines from their fruit stand...absolutely the sweetest nectarines I have ever eaten!!
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The perfect evening....after a serene day.   Monday, June 19.
Today is the last day of spring, though most of us define all of June as summer.  Here in VC our temps soared to an overly warm 88.
     I had to get to physical therapy, which I did from 10:30 until 12:15.  The sun was shining and blue sky was everywhere.  I got a glorious view of Mt. Hood from the PT center.  
     I had a secret errand to do just "around the block" from therapy.  I found my way there, but not back.  Actually I couldn't figure out how to get out of the business complex to turn the direction I wanted.  There was no convenient way.  I found a lady walking through the maze and she acknowledged that a lot of folks get lost and proceeded to explain how to exit, though I might have to wait for traffic.  Ah....on my way home with a 12 inch Subway sub of the day!
     Once home and considering sitting on my freshly cleaned up porch I opted to immerse myself in an episode of Star Trek Voyager while devouring half the sub, a small bowl of chips and fresh ice tea.  Took time to try on some new clothing to decide if they were suitable to keep, and sorted out the laundry. 
     By 6:30 the temperature outside cooled down with a balmy breeze.  I spent time watering  many trees and plants, cleaned out and filled up a fountain and then sat with a large petunia plant to pick off old buds, while sipping evening tea.  A perfect evening

with petunia fragrance wafting through the breeze.  Summer is not summer without the perfume of petunias filling the air!  I do believe that in eternity I will seek a position working in the heavenly gardens...such peace and satisfaction.
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Win One.....Lose One....in the same day...
AKA   I'm smarter than I think... in one situation.....
I have been cleaning up outside.  That includes a "little boy" fountain.  The past few days I've cleaned it out and have been trying to make the water flow. I don't like all things mechanical. The pump was close up against the back of the bowl, which is where I think it was last summer. Several times I made adjustments, cleaned the tube and added more water....no water flow.  I thought I might need to buy a longer tube so the pump was not smack dab against the bowl.  I went to take out the tube but discovered it was glued in.  I determined only to make a couple more tries before turning the fountain into a plant pot.  Why wasn't the water flowing?  Finally I thought to try putting the pump into the back "cup" behind the large bowl just to see what happens.  Yep, that's what happened.  The little boy happily poured water from the cup into the large bowl!!  Still don't remember where it was placed last summer.

A bizarrely timed loss....
   I took Ted to the glass shop early afternoon to get his molding re-glued.  Since it was a couple blocks from where Deb works we arranged to go to lunch together while the work was being done.

 
After lunch and dropping me off I was eager to get to Shorty's nursery in the same area.  When I was there 2 weeks ago I saw a cream colored painted iron statue of an angel.  I really wanted it for my garden but wasn't sure about price, etc.  and thought to wait until July when I had a discount.  But I determined that today I would stop in and buy it.  I got to the nursery after navigating a few weird "no turns", excited to get the statue but also wanted to look at a few plants.  I got to the gift shop and was confused at not seeing the angel or the display and figured they had re-positioned them or someone had been in during the past two weeks to buy it.  I went around a corner and there.....yes, there....was a lady holding MY angel statue in her hand.  I was so disappointed I thought I might cry.  I even heard myself mentally asking her if she was going to buy that statue....cause I'm sure it means more to me than to her.  However, I refrained as I watched her place it on the counter, say something to the clerk and went back to browsing.  I slyly walked around the store to see if maybe she would change her mind before checking out.  I even quietly asked the clerk if the lady was buying the angel, because that's what I came to buy.  The clerk responded "yes", with a "bummer" look in her eyes.   I thought to wait around to actually see her purchase my prize, but when she continued to browse I left.  To this very minute I cannot understand the bizarre timing of this non-purchase....a disappointed, The End.... 

      my rose "tree" in bloom

tea garden ready for visitors...

I have a resident little bird that sings almost continually. He spends a lot of time sitting on the upper branches of the birch trees, loudly warbling his song for me to enjoy! 
(A lady friend who raises canaries said that the male sings loudly, hoping to impress a potential mate..poor fellow seems to have been alone for 2 summers. I think this one just likes hanging out at my place.)

Tuesday the most beautiful, deep blue sky covered Vancouver.


A recent visit from Nancy and Jo for us to plot our next adventure...
Oh, yah,  that is tomorrow!!  
You all come back soon to find out what!


This has been a good 7 "all things VC" days in the life of Grandma G.

"As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."  (Genesis 8:22)

Totally Topsy-Turvey..... Post Views...32,319.

  

 ..Today, Friday, June 9..  

      ...Was one of those rare days, fortunately, that happen rarely.

I was up at 8AM (well, 8:30) anticipating a carpenter coming at 9 to build shelves in the studio closet. While waiting for him I drank a couple cups of tea, browsed quickly through Face Book, set the lawn sprinkler to water the new lawn for 10 minutes, cleaned a path through clutter for the carpenter to go

back and forth, and mentally scanned the activities planned for the day.  So far, all is on schedule. 
       Since I was still waiting at 9:00 I started focusing on misc. plans for upcoming events.  I checked out the ferry schedule leaving Anacortes (just in case 3 ladies want to take a ride soon), looked up coupons for Joanne fabrics (just in case I wanted to buy 35 T-shirts on sale), re-scanned through a Safeway grocery ad (just in case I wanted to get in on Friday deals after going to physical therapy for the first time in 3 weeks) and worked a bit on the past San Diego blob post (make that "blog" post ( in case I would get it posted by evening).
       At 9:09 a text came in.  I figured the carpenter was apologizing for coming later.  It was Debbie, "Was I coming to Micaela's graduation tomorrow?"  Yikes!  I texted back that I was thinking of texting her to find out when Mick graduates...I hadn't heard anything.  Somehow I had missed receiving an announcement. After some texting back and forth arrangements were made for me to not miss the important, main event of Saturday.
      That all settled I returned to the misc. plans for upcoming events.  (I really didn't get all the above done before Deb texted.)
      The carpenter arrived at 10 and apologized for his already delayed day.  I said all way fine, but that I needed to leave at 12:20 for a 12:45 appointment.  He went about his professional work, using his laser level and by noon I had a wonderful, already painted set of new double shelves ready to receive storage boxes.  Yeah!

   About noon I called my dentist office to see if I could get a prescription refilled to combat an achy right jaw and to see when I could soon get the upper right eye tooth filled. I wanted to see if the pain was coming from there and not a questionable molar.  They could get me in at 3.
    At 12:35 I scurried out the door and arrived at the physical therapy office at 12:50.  I apologized for being late once again.  No problem said the office lady.  You are early but we can fit you in now.  ????  I said my appointment was at 12:45.  No, it is at 2:15. 2:15?  Seems I rescheduled last Friday but still had 12:45 on my mind.  Well, I need to be at the dentist at 3 so need to be done by 2:30.  No problem, we'll have you in and out.  So, at 1:30 they take me in and indeed had me done by 2:30.  
    Off to the dentist about a 20 minute drive and arrive there at 3PM, get checked in, chat a bit and take a seat.  Shortly an office lady says that it will be an hour before they can see me.  I am early since my appointment was for 4.  ???   This time I am sure I heard the girl on the phone say 3.  Well, the room has 2 other patients and I wanted to get to Joanne's for the T-shirts with a 20% off the sale price of $2 each.  We agreed for me to return at 4:30.  
   At this point rain was not too heavy.  At Joanne's I took in my carefully figured list of shirt sizes, checked out available colors while frequently checking the time so I would not keep the dentist waiting. Picked out the shirts and now need to wait behind 6 other  shoppers for 2 checkouts.  Yeah!  They put on 2 more and soon I was out the door into sort of heavy rain.  
   Made it back to the dentist by 4:30 and sat with 3 other patients.  My patience was a bit tried.  But by 5:30 I was called back.  There I sat waiting for others to be helped and for freezing to take hold. When doctor started working the freezing was not effective.  More waiting.  Once the drilling was done and filling started, I waited for some mild bleeding to stop.  Well, I left there at 6:50 and headed to Freddy's to fill a prescription and buy 4 greeting cards.  By 8 I was so excited to be going home, frozen lip and all!!
   As I write this at 10 PM I think of Bilbo telling Frodo. “It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.”  (J.R.R. Tolkien)
  It's a dangerous thing sometimes just getting up in the morning.  The end.
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Sat. June 10   Micaela's high school graduation...PNW style..

Gram G  is still not fully integrated into "big city" life.  My notion of high school graduation is the school auditorium or gym with about 150 students graduating.  I was thinking of wearing a dress with sandals. Fortunately I was more reasonable and chose long trousers, covered shoes....and a raincoat.  We were advised to arrive early, about 9:30 for an 11 o'clock

commencement. That we did, but I didn't know we had to park 1/2 mile away and that we will stand in line, in the rain, for at least a half hour before going "inside" where I thought we would be dry and warm.  After another 1/2 mile walk once the gates opened I was a bit deflated that "inside" was a amphitheater with, gratefully, covered roof.  It was still chilly, sitting there with a wet raincoat and breeze coming

through. 

The orchestra did play light, enjoyable folksy type music while we waited. 

MICAELA MILLER!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!





Gram G and Mick
















Jake, Debbie, Mick, Angie




Mom and Dad,     Debbie, Mick, Keys 


Papa Frank
Grandma Carole



Little Gracie and cake....






Blue sky as we walk back to the car!






This past week held other unique happenings.  Ya all come back soon to find out!

 This has been a good 7 "topsy-turvey" days in the life of Grandma G.

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."  (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18)

Snake Encounter...Almost....Post Views...32,259

Tuesday afternoon, May 30, in San Diego, Amanda, Berklee and I set out on a trek across the open desert.
Well... for a hike in the Mission Trails Regional park.  
The sun was hot, but the breeze was cool.   Gram G was cool until she discovered the path was not completely level as it ascended quite high.
   A short distance into our hike Amanda said, "Listen, hear that noise ?  That's what rattlesnakes sound like."   Oh....

Enjoying the sun, scenery and Berklee...

What's this?  A stick in the path?  Does a stick slither across a path?  Does a rattle snake slither across a path?  Hmmmm...

Not gonna get very close....
photo from a safe distance...

Amanda's biggest challenge....
keeping our little hiker in the middle of the road and not dashing into the dried bushes housing rattle snakes....

Desert beauty....

Beauty in the desert.....
She has her daddy's eye lashes...

Time to go home...
Time to get a carry....

Time to refresh....

Gotta try Bubble tea....mango flavor

tapioca gummy balls on the bottom....

Just checking them out....
Pretty yummy and refreshing





Then had to try zoodling the zucchini...

Turns into squiggles...


I need this gadget at home....

On Wednesday,  a walk around Ocean Beach street market before heading to the airport..


An OB family















A bagpiper






A didgeridoo-er
/drummer and lady singer....



OB family with sunflowers...

International youth hostel....

Saying goodbye to OB pier and palm tree



OB family with sunflowers and Gram G

Octopus mural....

While I was there...
(NOT there at Alcatraz)

Gemma created a model of Alcatraz for a school

California historical site project...

                                             Meanwhile back in Wisconsin Devin graduated from high school...
he and his folks will be on their way to Italy soon!






This has been a good 7 "remembering San Diego" days in the life of Grandma G.

"I [The Lord] will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into springs.  I will put in the desert the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive. I will set junipers in the wasteland, the fir and the cypress together."  (Isaiah 41: 18 & 19)