RE-CONNECTION

What a great re-connection with cousins I haven't seen in waaaayy too long...........seriously!!  Decades!   My cousins were all seeing another family member graduate from University of Oregon in Eugene.  I was so looking forward to them stopping by on their way back to the Bay Area in California.  Debbie is my God-daughter and she has grown into such a beautiful young woman........inside and out.........a complete delight!   Her husband Greg was great to get to know......he has such a thirst for all information.......and it shows itself in many various ways with intelligence, wit and humor........I just ordered from Amazon Greg's book.........."I The Jury" on being a member of the jury on the infamous Scott Peterson trial........I can hardly wait to read it.

 This is Greg.............

 The time together went by all too quickly.........It was raining and hailing out in a show of unusual June weather for Oregon.........I know we are known for rain, but this was just really poor timing and unusual.  Poor Norm was out there trying to barbque and cover the barbeque with the cover at the same time.....Interesting it was..........Funny is was for sure!

 I caught up with the years with Barbara and Dave, shown here with Norm and myself as they were heading back to California.  And so many laughs!   That always feels good.  Blows out all the 'gunk' that's going around much of the world these days.......   So many years were covered and I'm sure there's going to be a lot more when (notice I said not "if" but "WHEN")  they return.  Hopefully, they'll stay longer so we can show off some of our areas a bit.  

 So, Debbie,Greg, Barbara and Dave.......until next time.........Love you all much!!

SOME EARLY SUMMER HAPPENINGS.

Hasn't this been a crazy weather year?   One day it's as hot as autumn and then it's cool and raining....This first photo is a chair that Norm built for the new deck.  We were one shy and he built this in about 2 days.........Lots of varnish...Spar Varnish??   so it should do well through the winter.   

Have you noticed how so many plants and flowers seem about a month ahead of schedule?  I'm seeing Queen Anne's Lace and Michaelmas daisy blooming when they usually come late summer....Our birds in the Norm-built bird houses have been having a hard time lately.  I don't know what happened to the bluebirds.....I thought they were settled in the nest they choose.  Now I just don't see them at all.  A clue might be the swallows and how they're having to worry about the scrub jays that have discovered there's a food source in that little box.  I hear all kinds of panic and the swallows are flying frantically around and there's the nasty jay with his head in the nest box.   I don't know how far back the swallows built their nest.  I hope it's not on the front wall just inside the opening.  I've gone out a number of times clapping and chasing the jays away.  It's sort of funny that after I send the jays flying off, then one of the swallows 'chases' the jay further.............Like he had something to do with it.  A bird with ego.........I just hope those new little baby birds will make it to adulthood.   Could be the jay got into the bluebirds nest too.....I saw it was causing trouble at that nest, too, a few weeks ago

 Let me introduce you to our good friends, Ginny and Dick........This day we took them to lunch to celebrate Dick's birthday...........Nope....I'm not telling!   But he IS amazing!!   And Ginny is a retired flight attendant and her smile is always there.........she is one of the happiest ladies I know.  Love them both!

 OK..........here are some of my flowers blooming in the garden.  I fooled a little with editing, which I enjoy doing here and there.........I like to see the different effects I can get.  The lower photo was actually a sunset that I fiddled with.  You'd never know it was a sunset, huh?   It's looking over the backyard fence and beyond the hills towards the west.

 So..............I'll be having my cousins come to visit tomorrow........I haven't seen them in ages and I'm definitely looking forward to catching up!  That will probably be my next post...........And wouldn't you know, instead of 100 degree weather like last week...tomorrow there is a strong possibility of rain!   I'm hoping the weatherman is wrong.........as they so frequently are.  Maybe the Heavens will be kind...........

OK, boys and girls.........Have a good rest of the week, enjoy the summer and stay safe...

PS.........prayers and healing thoughts for Orlando...........XOXO