Fabulous February!

 TWOSDAY!!

February in the Pacific Northwest has many expressions.  It is a combination of winter and anticipation of spring.  Cold rainy days give room for sunny, warm days encouraging daffodils to burst forth!  And the green grass!  In February! That is what drew me to this area many years ago! 

February 1st is the start of the new Schmidt Family year!  Featuring the new GeoLou Schmidt family Happenings calendar...full of fun pictures from the previous year.

Prim Roses...a touch of spring for Gram G's back deck!

While her old stomping grounds endured -2 F. 

We enjoyed over a week of mild temps and sunny skies.  I love the feathery, angel clouds that float along some days!

I took a drive one Saturday to visit a friend about  20 minutes from here.  We had a great lunch and gorgeous view of Mt. St. Helen's.

Valentine dumpling dinner at Gram G's

Keys and Deb, Frank and Carole, and Gram G

February boasts of several family Birthdays...

son, Big Al, back home in Green Bay, WI

With Autumn and Eddy

Friend, Kahana, and Geo out for their 

complimentary Red Robin B-day burgers! 

A B-day outing to dinner in Portland 

with Micaela and Angie!

with

Deb and Keys/Carole and Frank 

Debbie, my first born, on her  B-day.

Always wanted a lemon tree.  

Got a hybrid...plastic buds and lemons until real ones can grow.

And mermaid cork holder from the coast

Dessert!

Creme brulee with crispy raw sugar topping! 

Three lovely February B-day ladies!

Gram G, daughter Debbie, granddaughter Micaela

Gram G with her name sake,  

President George Washington at Mt. Vernon...

Family resemblance?

But Wait!  There's more!

But Wait!  You'll have to come back to find out!

REFLECTIONS

     February is a cold month for most of us.  It is also a fun, warm, loving month for me with so many Birthdays, including mine! Plus two children and a granddaughter.  Years ago, I would bake three cakes within nine days.  One year Louie remarked, "I thought three cakes was a good idea, until it came time for dishes." He helped a bit with dishes in those days. 

     It is the month of Valentines for all those you love!   And love is what keeps us warm.  (And worried sometimes.)  Writing out valentines with the kids during school years was always fun.  Now it is satisfying to think about and pray for all my "favorite valentines" near and far!  

This has been a good 3 GeoGram weeks in the life of Gram G.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, so that whoever believes in him [Jesus] shall not perish but have eternal life."  (John 3:16)

Goodbye to January!

 

January has come and gone!  Most of it was spent recovering from Covid...4-5 weeks. I wasn't down in bed but daily routine was greatly hampered.  It was a great time to have a lazy life and get plenty of sleep. But that gets boring after a bit. This sickness has frustrated me since I was scheduled to visit San Diego January 26 for a week, but had to cancel because the Ocean Beach Schmidts were recovering from omicron.

I got out for a few walks when the weather would tease us with spring during the day and winter at night.  I so enjoy the hardiness of January blooms and the boldness of daffodils defying the winter months. 

This is especially true when I observe the weather forecast for my old stomping grounds.

I had a fun cross cultural experience on Sunday, January 30.  A friend from church invited me to her Vietnamese church's New Year's celebration!  

Sticky rice with chicken boiled in banana leaves 

and bitter melon soup...I couldn't finish the soup...

it was too bitter.  Ha, Ha

The cabbage soup with chicken meatballs 

was just right!

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Also on Sunday my son who lives in 

Oceanside, CA experienced a hard 

earthquake jolt!  I am grateful there was no damage and that it wasn't stronger.

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Saturday, January 29, grandson Tyler

made family history by competing and winning

first prize in adolescent weight lifting!  He qualifies for national championship but will be gone to Germany for his brother's wedding.

Congratulations, Tyler!!

You da man!!

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I still have a few slices of my homemade  multigrain bread.

I will make another loaf in about a week.  This time add more salt, a dash of molasses, sun flower seeds and hazel nuts.  Check back next blog! 

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NOW!  What you have been waiting for!!

Chapter 11 of Gram G's life story!!

"Storm Clouds Gathering"

Check it out on the pages tab at the top of the blog

REFLECTIONS

Recovery from being sick has been slow but most of daily life has been able to go forward.  I've gotten back to piano practice, some lessons, walks, church and a little socializing.  Winter months have always been difficult for me.  But here in the PNW winter is much milder then northern Wisconsin! This is time to kick back and not make demands on myself, to think about and plan for summer adventures and fun!  And to get back to writing my story.  It is easy to have goals, but much harder to persevere and see them through to accomplishment. 

This has been a good two GeoGram weeks in the life of Gram G.

"Therefore if anyone is Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!"  (2 Corinthians 5:17)