Late Springtime Fun....

Late spring brings beautiful colors to the PNW!
Rhodies in bloom!
Rhododendrons are a familiar flower in radiant colors! 

My friend Nancy and I haven't had much time together so we went for a lunch at the Mediterranean restaurant, Petra House

We started out with hand washing with rose water from a majestic pitcher


A tea toast!
Cucumber/beef salad for Nancy
Meat safiha for me. 


3 open faced meat pies baked on our dough, topped with seasoned lean halal ground beef mixed with onions, tomatoes and spices. Served with cucumber yogurt sauce.

I had to try out the cute low sitting booths....

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Back home it was time to clean my sidewalk patio with an outdoor cleaner attached to the hose.  It worked quite well to clean off all the scum and mildew collected over the winter. 
Later, Keys cleaned off the back deck in time for Memorial Day gathering.....

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They say necessity is the mother of invention....I had a necessity and an admission....The rocks in my hobbit garden really aren't rocks, but plastic "shells".  When one goes to walk on them, one is surprised when the rock caves in.  Well, I had a thought...what about filling them in with the cement mix I've used for the stepping stones?? Now at least they feel like rocks when one walks on them. 

The End....

Gram G gave her Japanese maple a haircut.  Looks quite nice!

And replaced the dead, brown  evergreen tree with a decorative little one sporting round puffs...when they are kept trimmed






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Meanwhile, back in So Cal Angie joined Bill, Amanda and Berklee for the semi annual 
Joshua Tree Music Fest near the National Park!

Lots of sun, fun, music, food and friendship.....











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Here in Vancouver, I got ready for a Memorial Day cookout...
Gram G's homemade potato salad, Debbie grill master,lots of vittles

B-day cake for "little Jakie" 17 years old

Don't mess with him when he is in LaCross goalie mode!



First big party of the summer....
Maybe the only big party of the summer....

Everyone was SO patient while setting up for self-timer picture....
They know to keep Gram G picture happy.....




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Not the Portland Chinese Gardens, but still fun....
A taste of the Midwest.....back home in Indiana....on Thursday...
(Red Hat Mamas were scheduled to venture into Portland to the Chinese Gardens, but with "surprise" rain it was decided to try out the new Cracker Barrel restaurant closer to home.  The Cracker Barrel has just recently crossed over the Rocky Mountains into the west coast...) 

For Gram G....

chickenNdumplings, sweet potato casserole, corn bread, fried apples!  Yum!!  
NO okra....nope, no way, nada, never....

This has been a good 7 "late springtime fun" days in the life of Grandma G.

"See, the winter has past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land." (Song of Songs 2:11-12)

Mt. St. Helen's and More....

On Friday, May 18 I went for a senior trip to visit Mt. St. Helen's. It was the day of the 38th anniversary of the eruption. It was cool the date was May 18, 18.   I was excited to go since I had not been on a senior trip for over 18 months.  The weather was forecast for warm, though possible cloudy. We had an enjoyable hour drive before our first stop at an information center off Interstate 5.

Shortly after, we stopped for lunch on the back deck of the Riverview Diner...with a lovely river view....

Views of the Toutle River

As we ascended the mountain highway the weather became cloudy and then foggy.....

YO!  Majestic Mt. St. Helen's....

The lack of viewing the mountain was a disappointment, especially for those who had never been there.  I had been there twice before, so could visualize the scene behind the fog... 

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With the warm/hot weather now here, it is time to clean up the deck and both small yard gardens....

Enjoy a virtual tour of Gram G's tea garden... 

                                                                                Mommy and daddy dragon waiting for baby to hatch...     




Petunias, my favorite summer flower and fragrance....

Newly added bamboo.  I've wanted some for a long time.  They will stay in a planter.  I hear they will take over the ground if planted.
 Carpet of miniature New Zealand Brass Buttons....

Family memory stepping stone patio...

OH!  A garden snake!!
sub-genus....hose..

















It is wonderful to spend time outside in the sun and warm air.  There is a little song bird that visits almost every day.  Unfortunately I can't picture his song....




This has been a good 7 "Mt.St. Helen's and More" days in the life of Grandma G.

"For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from within the cloud."  (Exodus 24:16-17)