......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....
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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
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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.)
(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)
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