The WhenEverGram...

I am considering renaming my blog... 

"The WhenEverGram" 

 It is already past Valentine's Day, 

February 16... 4 weeks since my last post.

But an eventful 4 weeks it has been!!

Thursday, January 19, I boarded a flight from cloudy Portland to San Diego for a 3 day weekend of sunshine! (Hopefully)

Beautiful Mt. Hood and blue sky above the gray clouds!

Friday Burt arrived from the east coast to visit for the weekend before  attending a work conference. 

It was perfect evening Schmidt family time hosted by Bill and Amanda!

With sparkles after sunset

And to celebrate Gemma's sweet 16th B-day!

Mom with 3 of her little boys

Burt, Gerry, Bill

Group photo time...front to back

Burt, Gemma, Gerry, Bill, Berklee, Amanda,

 Gram G, Debbie

Classy, youngest grandchild selfie!!

Cali cousins....

Gram G by Berklee

Trying out Burt's rental wheels

A visit to La Jolla Cove to check out the sea lions and seals

A walk along Sunset Cliffs

Frau "Schmeet" out for German cuisine with her Jungen 

Time to return home...

Favorite aerial view...Crater Lake...

Same weekend Schmidt/Miller ladies enjoyed sunny Florida Keys

Micaela, Angie M, Angie V, Debbie

And hung out with parrots...

One week later, in Pittsburgh, Tyler qualifies for the Nationals in power lifting....

The next 2 weeks Gram G was busy at home preparing for...Well...check back WhenEver to find out!

Happy, Happy Feb 16 B-day, Big Al!

Al in high chair... Angie, Gerry, Debbie, Burt

probably 1975

REFLECTIONS 

My feet had been on the ground since late October. I feel like a boomerang that needs to bounce back to the skies every few months!  I wasn't sure this trip to San Diego would happen with all the weather and health and cost and schedule uncertainties these days.  But, it did!  It was a short burst of refreshing and bonding with family.  

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

"Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.  Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, Lord,  preserve both people and animals"  (Psalm 36: 5-6)

The Joys of January!

 

The Christmas season extends for me into January with Gram G's Christmas/New Year!

Sunday, January 1...starting with... 

drying bread for dumplings two days before 

Enjoying a family dumpling dinner!

Presents!!

Family Picture time!!

Friday evening, January 6, Kahana, Saul, Pomai and Nainoa came over for dinner and Christmas visit! 

I feel so happy when I can bring out the basket of little kid toys!!

Sat, Jan 7 Elf Zach came over to take down my tree and help eat tri-tap roast left overs!!

The major project this month is the family calendar which runs from February to February.  It demands a lot of time, but is fun to look back on the activities of the past year. Yay, I got it done!!

I went for a 2 mile walk today, Jan 12, between rain events. I was reminded of the first time I visited here 20 years ago and why I moved out here...Green Grass in January!!  

The sky was cloudy with a forecast of showers any minute, but the temperature was 54 and the breeze mild. I heard the high pitch crooking of tree frogs, the call of the chickadee and the honking flyover of three geese!  Outdoor PNW life is good between showers.

           Enjoy this photo essay...

Getting ready for spring...

Anticipating Spring!

Don't monkey with me!!

Green Grass!!

Baby Monkey Tail Tree! He's gonna be mighty, mighty in 100 years

I did have a very disturbing thought invade my head recently...having been here 10 years, I vaguely miss the frigid, bright sunshine winter dormancy of northern Wisconsin.  It sorta freezes out all the messes of the past year.  Oh, my, where did that come from??? Not that I have any intention of returning to that annual cleansing. 

REFLECTIONS 

With the Christmas season over and the start of a new year I like to recall the events and adventures of the past year.  At the start last January, I wasn't confident of how the year would progress.  I spent most of the month enduring Covid but the rest of the year was filled with a 10 day trek to Germany as well as 6 other family trips and a week of Indianapolis folks visiting here. This year so far I am anticipating two major events, plus a smaller one.  I am confident the remaining months will be blessed by the Lord!

    

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

"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you or forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." (Deuteronomy 31:8)

Merry Christmas!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

This December has passed quickly for me. 

I didn't join in lots of activities but the few I did were satisfying. 

Five of us ladies from Creekside enjoyed an evening walking around and viewing the lights at a site called 

"The Grotto" in Portland...one of the few no rain nights...

I sent out 22 grandkid Christmas cards

and several to adult children and friends

Our park provided ham and rolls for a festive pot luck dinner

I was privileged to play carols before and for a sing along after the meal!

Micaela met me for lunch one day

And joined me for a living Nativity service at church, including Curly the camel

Little goat kisses...

or maybe he wanted to eat my coat.

Jake and Mic brought in, set up and helped trim the tree with me!

(The only decorating I did this year.)

There was time to make peanut butter kiss cookies and homemade caramel corn. Yum!

I enjoyed a Christmas Eve sleep over and  Day with the Miller family!

"Well, that got my goat!"

REFLECTIONS

This is a busy activity time of year, getting ready for Christmas.  But it was good to pick only a few to engage in for me.  This season has been relaxed; I don't feel overwhelmed. (This might be an excuse for giving into lazy mode.) I know this isn't possible when preparing with children, but a perk for senior status! Yet, festivities really aren't over for me.  I still have our "Gram G Christmas" on Sunday, New Year's Day, to prepare for!  Need to nix the lazy for the next five days.  

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

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!

HAPPY, BLESSED 2023 NEW YEAR!!

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. 

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, 

Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

(Isaiah 9:6)