August Adventures!

To the Oregon Coast!!

Passing through the I-5 lift bridge across the Columbia River...

Crossing the double-deck Fremont Bridge on the Willamette River...

Tunneling through Goose Hollow leaving Portland... 

Traversing  the country side...

Into the mountains...

Observing wispy clouds and cars, cars, cars at Oceanside!

On to the SEA!!

Kahana and Saul took me on a day trip to the Pacific Coast!

Visiting the Octopus Tree...

And Cape Meares lighthouse...

Climbing down the rocks to get to the beach!

 Pacific Coastal Highway 101 in Tillamook, OR

A bit of nostalgia...

I rode The Champion a few times in my growing up!!

Just put in your quarter!

And ate at Frisch's Big Boy in Indianapolis!

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Late summer floral magic!

Hibiscus...tea, anyone?

Chives...back in the old country of northern Wisconsin we called them "Schnittling", term from southern Germany 

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Checked out the annual quilt show in our park

Multnomah Falls...must have been a challenge to design and stitch!

I'd purchase this one!

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Summer ain't complete without...

Fresh peach cobbler!  Ate it all my own self!

When's the last time your egg had twin yolks??

Harvesting from my strawberry patch!

So fun and colorful on my new deck for the summer!

Start of partial lunar eclipse!

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REFLECTIONS  

I went out walking around the park one Saturday morning, taking the route in the opposite direction from my usual.  I noticed things I hadn't in the past 14 years!  A different view and a new perspective.   It was like doing something backwards or rewinding the clock. Refreshing! I was in the same place as the past 14 years, but it was new! Perhaps one needs to focus like that on every day things and get an unfamiliar, fresh perspective.

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This has been a good 4 GeoGram weeks in the life of Gram G!

"The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for He founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters." 

(Psalm 24:1-2)

Midwest Tour Part 3

Indiana Schmidt scouts out northern Wisconsin!

The north fork of the Mighty Flambeau River!!

South fork of the Mighty Flambeau River!

My dad had a cabin there years ago. Now belongs to some nephews. 

When our kids were young we would go visit him, cook hot dogs with beans, swim in the river and use the outhouse which is still in use today!!

I hung out with Burt for 2 days at his and Jen's someday retirement "cabin" north of Park Falls!

Drove by the homestead in Park Falls where Lou and I raised our "magnificent 7"! The outside looks as it has for years.

One "for sure" when I travel Up North is visiting with Mitch and Juanita. Their son, Diego, took guitar and then piano lessons from me in his younger years before he became disabled from

neurofibromatosis. 

With sister, Maria...

They had a "free library" constructed in his honor in the city park of Phillips, WI.

A happy young Diego!

Mitch and Juanita plan a memorial vacation here to the Portland/Vancouver area in the near future.  Diego once visited out here and always wanted to make a return trip before he passed on. 

On to Minneapolis...

For a baby shower for Ellie and Devin 

AND Burt's famous shrimp boil!

I got my vittles before he dumped in the shrimp!

A few weeks have passed...

Who's cuter?  Pops Burt or Little Leo??

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Starting off August properly!!

Dumpling dinner time! August 1, we set that date so Jake, the dumpling lover, could be there. But...he was called out to his helicopter refueling job because of the Oregon wild fires.

 

And blueberry dojun...

A happy Zachman!!

When your pet cobra needs sunshine...

July Full moon over Vancouver!

 REFLECTIONS    

I have finished the low down on the highlights of my Midwest trip! It has taken many weeks to complete the blog posts. There were several more adventures and events that I spare you from reading about...they were all fun, meaningful and healing to my soul. The summer is quickly moving along, hot  but hints of autumn on the horizon. Time now to dedicate to physical fitness, house cleaning, music projects and dreaded "paperwork". And to consider how life progresses from here.

This has been a good 2 GeoGram weeks in the life of Gram G.

"Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts."  (Psalm 145:3-4)