Joyful June

Thursday, June 5, Chuck came to visit for a few days!

Friday afternoon he drove us to the Columbia River Gorge

Viewing one of several waterfalls!

A stop at Hood River to watch "wind watersports" on the Columbia River

The trees know the direction and speed of the wind!

Mt. Hood in its glory!

A little relaxation before the work

Chuck  came also to replace a couple rotten boards on my back deck along with taking measurements and checking on supplies for the guys to come out over Labor Day weekend to demolish the current one and build a new one for me!!

Hate it when a tool falls through!

Tuesday, June 10, we accompanied each other from Portland to Denver!!

Mt. St. Helen's and caldera with Mt Rainier in background!  A beautiful new view for me.

The Strawberry full moon over Indianapolis

Four sisters... Georgia, Kate, Betty, Paula

And brother John with wife, Susie...

Gotta play dominoes!!

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Friday, June 13 I attended a fund raiser golf outing with Kate.  

No, I did not play golf... 

Kate with daughter, Stephanie, and granddaughter, Catherine and friend Ashley

 

Helping Catherine to sell mulligans!

Over 100 golfers heading out! 

Catherine getting a golf cart ride!

Gram G winning TWO raffle ticket prizes!!

Spending one for dinner!

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Saturday, June 14, I, accompanied by Stephanie and Kate, attended the Celebration of Life for my foster sister, Susan.  Susan was a month older than me and passed on in January.

This photo was taken 14 months ago at my last visit with her.  

Susie and Georgie First Communion photo...

7 years old?

I was a foster sister with the Sperry family for about 3 years in early grade school.

I plan to do a separate blog post about the positive impact of this foster family on me.

(Click on "I Will not leave you" tab for more reading) 

Family members performing music at Susan's celebration

I was included in the family's 50th wedding celebration of Jim and Marge!

Family home in the background

The farm was sold several years ago, but the silo is still standing!

Visiting the family homestead

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Indiana farm country

Corn storage silos in Indianapolis

near Kate's home

Time to go home!!  It's been fun!

Thanks, Steph, for driving us seniors around!!

3 hour, on the plane, thunderstorm delay in Denver.

They got to leave, why not us??

Hello, Mt. Hood, my old friend!!

Some nature for your blue days!!

REFLECTIONS 

June has been a prism displaying an array of activities and emotions. It's been a privileged time of family bonding, travel, dealing with medium-sized frustrations, plans for future events, figuring how to live a healthy senior lifestyle, being grateful to still be involved in life!  The summer solstice has come and gone, which for me is the turning point of the year.  We're halfway through and need to make the most of what is left, while still remembering to...relax!!

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

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."  

(1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

May Mountain Mama Living!

Friday, May23, was lovely! A great foothills of the Cascades Mountains springtime day!  The weather was mild and sunny.  Neighboring chimes blowing in the breeze beaconed to me.

A marvelous day to finally get some yard clean up!  

Time to give the Japanese Maple a cut...

And nose hairs trim!

All set for summer!

Took about 2 hours...

Experiment in healthy cooking on a budget!

I bought a 6lb chicken and 2 packages of bone-in chicken thighs on sale.  I've read about bone broth and it's health benefits.  The recipe for homemade seemed quite easy.  So...I baked a lemon pepper chicken, ate some,  cut up and "deboned" the rest.  Also deboned the thighs (a bit messy).  Put them all in a large pot with a tablespoon of vinegar, frozen celery and onion pieces and simmered for 6 hours.  

Let it cool, strained it and skimmed off the fat.

(Later I returned the fat after reading it is healthy.  Feel free to have a conversation about that.)

I got 6 small containers to freeze, plus some to make... 

a pot of chicken, carrot, celery and fine noodle soup!

It produced a tasty, light soup with a thin (healthy) broth.

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Mountain Mama living isn't all chicken soup...

Jake broke through the lumber on the back deck.  Redoing or making a new deck is on the schedule for labor day weekend.  My sons and grandsons are going to labor...hopefully as details get worked out over the summer.

Ted, my 20 year old SUV, keeps killing the battery.  He ended up in Portland at the Hyundai dealership.  Needs an electrical component that isn't made anymore.  At this moment a call has come that they got one from a junkyard somewhere in the country.  Need to get him back and hope that is the solution.  I have been having a talk with Ted that it might be time to part company.  We'll see how well he functions. 

TOOTH TROUBLE!

A permanent lower left bridge including a tooth with a root canal needs a redo from a redo. Yuck!

Tried for an appointment last week but got lost and had to reschedule for this week.  Yuck.  

Don't think you want to see a photo. Yuck. 

Wednesday, June 4, I successfully endured the root canal!

WEED WAR DAYS!!

Time for DIY weed killer action!!

My yard is broken up into 5 small areas.  I enjoy working on them except when there is too much to maintain, weather is bad and senior age is setting in.  Nice to be outside.

Jake power washing for me! Thanks, Jake!!

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Heavenly sign I'm called to be a writer??

REFLECTIONS 

It seems that recently many problems coincided in a short time.  I'm alright dealing with one issue, but more than that confuses my  mind and emotions. Debbie's family helped me out with getting me to where I needed to be and Jake power washing my driveway and sidewalks.  Thanks, Millers!! Life seems to be easing up.  Summer is here and time to enjoy sunny weather!  Come back to find out what June adventures await!   

This has been a good 3 GeoGram weeks in the life of Grandma G!

"The righteous person may have many troubles but the Lord delivers him from them all."  (Psalm 34:19)