The Hoosegow, Real Danger, Cement Flipflops and Bridal Veil...Post Views....25, 416

Late Thursday evening son, Gerry, granddaughter Gemma and grandson Jude arrived for a 2 week visit with me and family here in Vancouver.  


Here you see them....

Here you might not....
Perspective...                       





Friday evening we tried out the burgers and smoked pulled pork at the Hoosegow in downtown VC, across the street from the court house. 

Waiting for dinner ...
Jude's vacation goal....find the best burger in VC

 Hoosegow is #1 so far....
yummy smoked pulled pork, too.....

Checking out the Columbia River.....





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REAL DANGER

     I don't normally comment on world events, but this one struck quite close to home.  Daughter, Debbie, and granddaughter, Micaela, were 2 blocks from the terrorist attack in Nice, France on Thursday night.  They were there with Mic's French class and were leaving the fireworks display when several people went running by them.  Mic grabbed Deb's hand and ran with her to the nearest restaurant.  They returned safely to their hotel.  Deb did not realize until morning the severity of what happened, but Mic was more aware with her classmates in another room.  She spent a long time Face-timing with her dad and sister here at home in order to overcome the trauma. 
    I haven't had much contact with them, but they are enjoying the rest of the trip with occasional panic attacks.  They will arrive

home Wed. afternoon.   
   I thank Jesus for his protection.  

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CEMENT FLIPFLOPS, DARLING...

    Walk a bit in our footsteps....

I needed some stepping stones for my tea garden.

Couldn't find any

Jo'ann Fabrics had coupons for 1/2 off a full price item.  

They also had a flipflop  DIY stepping stone kit.   PROJECT!

After letting them set for at least 24 hours, Gram  has "fun project with Gemma" stepping stones with the names engraved..
Gemma
Gram

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Bridal Veil Falls...

Sunday morning we loaded our bases at Linda's Home Plate cafe near my home.  I've walked by it several times these past years, but this was my first stop.  The food was great and the baseball theme surrounded us and many other patrons.
Time to play ball!!



     On to checking out the Columbia River Gorge, George.  

   The Vista House...

The high point overlook of the Gorge...







 

Our goal was to scout out and hike a little around Multnomah Falls, but as we neared the 1/2 mile mark traffic was at a stand still on the single lane mountainous road.  After waiting several minutes we turned around ( along with many other cars) and went back to check out Bridal Veil Falls.  That adventure did not disappoint, though it was a 1/3 mile steep decline hike and just as steep incline hike.  Gram G was a survivor!!

     We got to the bottom and I was secretly a bit disappointed.  The view and the falls were nice but small.  Guess not everything in the PNW is majestic.  Got a few scenic pictures....

BUT WAIT!!

     People were climbing up a set of stairs that seemed to be the route back to the parking lot...

there is another falls....

BRIDAL VEIL FALLS.... 

 WORTHY OF SEVERAL VIEWS...

  AND                              AN AWKWARD CLIMB TO THE BOTTOM 



  REWARD

    Time to head back to town for a stop at Dairy Queen to join in National Ice Cream Day, Dilly!!

     Then home to catch a rare sight of the tiny tropical tree frog....

(Been trying to photograph one for the past almost 4 years.) 

 

 Monday evening gathering with cousin Angie and boyfriend, JJ, and cousin Jake.. Bentley.
Angie saving scared Gram G from Kakuna
trying to drink her Yorkshire Gold tea......

Meanwhile back in Wisconsin....

Olivia's LL team takes the championship!!

Al, Autumn and Eddie board a Milwaukee flight to come visit us here in VC.

Welcome to the great PNW!

More BIG FAMILY FUN!!

Ya All come back to join in the fun!



  
  

This has been a good 5 "The Lord protects" days in the life of Grandma G.

   "The Lord will keep you from all harm--he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forever more." 
 (Psalms 121:7 & 8)

Gardens Galore and More.....Post Views...25,351

How about coming home to a daisy forest taller than you are??

 Right in your own side yard?  Those are 5 foot arborvitaes mixed in with them....

What died in the daisies??

There is an unpleasant smell as I sit next to the daisies.  Been wondering why.  

Today I found out that, unfortunately, daisies give off a stinky odor.

Who would have thought or smelled that??  

Then having a wee peek at the flowering Irish moss from inside the Hobbit garden?

Gram G has been home now for 14 days.  I am still in transition back to routine....though no actual routine has been established these past 4 years...minus one month and 2 weeks.

       Since I woke up Thurs morning, July 30, life has been a roller coaster of activity.  First obtaining 6 weeks of mail from, not my neighborhood post office, but one further away.  They were nice and gave me a PO basket to carry my tons of paperwork home.  Once home I sorted it out in piles on the living room floor, mainly searching for my hoped for new debit card...oops, not there. (This very day,7/12, half the mail is STILL in piles on the living room floor. Really.) 

Bonus:  The PO location presented me a beautiful view of Mt. Hood on a clear, sunny afternoon.....

On Friday I went to my bank to inquire about "no debit card". (Mine had been frauded recently.) I forgot they told me on the phone a few weeks back that I needed to stop in and sign for a new one.  Darn.  Sign I did.  Wait I did.  Yesterday in the mail I received a new debit card. Now to activate it, figure out what bills have not been paid, and how not to be frauded again.  

     Aw....the weekend.  Time to relax... start the laundry, figure out a grocery list, look over the yard, finish unpacking..maybe, think about and start preparing for a soon upcoming event, think about another soon event, get to church service early on Sunday to sing with the worship team, get reacquainted with church friends, spend the afternoon shopping and looking over garden fixings, then join in a family July 3rd cookout.  Finally home to bed, sleeping in and enjoying alone time while the rest of the country celebrates the 4th.    

Vancouver allows its citizens to light off fireworks the night of the 4th.  There are none allowed in this park, so we are like the eye of the hurricane as the booms and lights surround us hour after hour after hour after hour.....

Gram G has a new tea garden!!

 Patches of New Zealand brass buttons that will fill in to make a non-mowing green carpet.

A backwards look to April.....NZ buttons to plant...Jake spreading out the dirt that "wintered" in my back yard.....Carole faithfully watered and pampered "my babies" all the while I was gone.  Thank you, Carole!  They will miss you....

Gram G and Kahana enjoying the first tea lunch in her tea garden...Wed, July 13....

Kahana gifted the girl planter and boy fountain to me.  Thank you!!



Harvesting the second crop of raspberries....
Carole harvested and ate the first crop of 4 or 5 while I was gone.  



    A crop of obnoxious "ground cover" weeds that I need to spray before they cover more.... 


My Hoosier gnomes got some 
new PNW clothes while I was gone.
A friendly neighbor painted them.




Have a walk through Hobbit Town.....
(Where hobbits are dressed like gnomes..)

Watch out little hobbits.....
Live giant bunny is checking you out!
Then he climbed into the shrubs and took a nap!!



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SO.....
Now what is Gram G up to??
You'll have to check back as summer progresses to find out.....



More exciting news...

Grandma G has lit up the world map!!   There are various shades of green totally covering this chart!  Posts have been clicked on from at least 100 countries!!  Yeah!!  A number of years ago a fellow was remarking on all the pictures I was taking and he asked, "Who's going to look at all those pictures?"  Today I could answer, "The whole world!"



     This has actually been a difficult post to initiate and to finish.  I don't have the gusto I used to have.  My brain and body tire out.   I've been trying to get too many tasks done before my next big happening which is going to starting happening late Thursday evening.  I'm very excited for it.  Check back next week to find out all about it!!

This has been a good 7 "gardens galore and more" days in the life of Grandma G.

"Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground-- trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food." 
 (Genesis 2: 8 & 9)