Happy Times

Don't you just love it when the grandchildren come to visit? When the family gets together? When it's not 9 zillion degrees outside? Daughter Susan and grandsons Griffin and Tighe came down for a visit. First two days it was over 100 degrees but yesterday and today as they left and it is only in the 90s. Go figure. 

It was a very enjoyable time. Two visits with Elbert......

A trip to the Ice Cream Shop... 

a must-do excursion to the Seaboard Train Station Museum especially for Tighe (he's like every child these days, heavy into Thomas the Train) ... 

a campfire and roasting marshmallows...

Griffin and I bopping to music going down the highway.... 

(no photos of that, I know you are disappointed in that. ha ha)

Griffin getting a guitar lesson from Jonathan.... 

Griffin and his Uncle John building a campfire... 

quiet times (there were a few) to just chat and enjoy my daughter. Times like these are priceless.

A Trip to Remember

Okay, folks, I am traveling way back today.... back to June of 1980. I can not believe that it has been 30 years since a bunch of us gals took off from Alabama for Arizona. My oldest daughter and her two year old had come 'back home' for her sisters wedding and I was going to drive them back to Tucson, where they lived.... oooooh, Indians, rattlesnakes, flashfloods. .... just kidding. 

My precious Mom had loved geography in school and had always yearned to see the West. She was 76 at that time but we packed her clothes up, stuck her in the car with me, my youngest daughter and the oldest daughter and grandchild. And, we headed west. Nothing like a 'girls trip'. Mom was so cute. She loved seeing the smallest thing, it didn't matter, it was just different from Alabama so it was an adventure. She'd see wild flowers by the roadside and I'd stop the car and she would hop out and pick some and I would stick them in a book to press. 

She tried Mexican food for the first time. She saw Indians and tumbleweed and oil wells. 

We drove north from Tucson up to the Grand Canyon and camped out in a tent overnight. 

That was a first for her.... and me, too. I was just remembering that trip this morning and how thankful I am that we got to take her along for a trip she never forgot.

Hydrangeas

I took a walk in my backyard and look what I saw... A blooming bush, that's what. One bush, three colors of blossoms, pink, blue and lavender. I took a closer look. They are even prettier up close. 

 Had to have a bouquet for the house. It was daughter Marie and son-in-law Russell's anniversary so I fixed them a little dinner, placed the bouquet on the table and lit candles. I just love hydrangeas. 

Enjoying my yard

We've had plenty of rain so the yard is looking great. Last year the flowerbed around the bird bath did not do well. Verbenas just took it over and never bloomed. But, all good things come to those who wait.........

The verbena came back this spring but only in the right places and I have blooms....

I planted one sprig of dianthus and it is so colorful.

The African Daisies are beautiful. I do love those so much. In fact, I am just crazy about any daisy.

And, the Stella de Ora (did I get that right) day lillies are a wonderful ray of sunshine all day long.

So, when I sit out on the patio I have all these beautiful flowers to enjoy. Aren't I lucky??

GETTING IN THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

Marie and I joined Elbert at Magnolia Manor for their Christmas party last night. Elbert was alert and having a great time so that made us feel good, too. 

We ate and sang and danced and just had a great evening... then Marie and I left Elbert in the capable hands of the caregivers at Magnolia.

Today at noon I had some of the Wakefield girlfriends to my house for lunch. I started some of my early preparation of food on my kitchen counter.

We always go out to eat when we get together so this was fun. They all said they had a good time. I know I did. 

Some were absent.... and we missed those but work, health and going to see the Rockettes perform are 'legal' excuses ... a person just can't do it all. After lunch we sat around my dining room table and had a gabfest.