Last week, Bonnie and I went out to the Swan Island Dahlia fields. I was afraid that it might be too late in the season to get good pictures, but it was still really pretty. As far as your eye could see there was color, so much color that you could not take it all in. My eyes were on color overload.











I didn't realize how attracted to dahlias the bees are, until I was out there. Maybe because the flower season is almost over and there are not many choices for the bees to choose from. Anyway, it seems I took more bee photos than just flower photos.














I also was pretty proud to get the ladybug on the purple salvia.

I have a confession to make. A few months ago, I moved my herb pot on the back deck and in the process, I saw a tiny little frog hopping away. Well, that is not so bad, what was bad was that he had one of his back legs dangling. I had crushed it when I moved the pot. I didn't know what to do. I felt so bad for maiming him. I thought maybe I should catch him and end his suffering, but didn't really think I could do that (catch him OR finish him off), but before I could really figure out a plan, he had hopped right off my upper deck and was gone. It has bothered me ever since, whenever I water the plants out there, I think of him. Well, the good news is...HE IS ALIVE! Last week, I was just below the deck caning out my berries and saw something hopping around. It was my maimed little frog! I watched him for a while and then ran in to get my camera. He actually seems to be just fine in spite of missing a back leg. He hopped right over to safety from me and hid in the blueberry bush next to where I was working. He hops so fast that it was really hard to get a picture. This is the best one I got. I don't blame him at all, after our last encounter, he probably thought he was a goner for sure.

Catching up on Summer before it is gone

Before the summer is over, I need to go back and catch up on what else happened. First off, the 35th class reunion that I was working on. It was so much fun! I really didn't want to work on it, let alone go and it ended up being a really good time. That is how I felt five years ago, when we had our 30th. I had heard rumors there would be one. I got an email from a few classmates about going, I said I was not sure and then one thing led to another and I had the checkbook with my name on it, and "since my sister owns a print shop" (do you think that is why they got me involved?), I did the invitations, reminders, name tags and update book. We ended up with an amazing turnout...which did not happen this time around. I guess the curiosity factor was gone from 5 years ago and it was just too soon for everyone to go through it again already. But it was a good time to chat and catch up for those who did go. It was so sad to know of a few classmates who died...two of them within the month before the reunion. I know that there are going to be more who can't make it to the future reunions, so actually, even though I was reluctant to be working on it, I came away glad that I did. I was afraid that those who made it would be disappointed that there were not more there and leave as soon as we ate, but everyone stayed and stayed. Everyone left saying they for sure want to have a 40th and promised to help get the word out and round up the missing ones. I sure hope they do!
Here is the group shot of the classmates who showed up. The top is the classmates from Sandy High school. The bottom one is the 5 who made it from grade school. We only had 20 in our 8th grade class. 14 boys and 6 girls. Last time around we had a Cottrell reunion the night before, all but two girls and 6 boys showed up. We will make sure they ALL make it for the 40th.

A few years ago, my sisters and I decided that it would be fun, instead of shopping around for a gift for each other, that we would pick a restaurant that we would like to go to with each other and then get a $25 gift card for each other to that restaurant. We each pick a restaurant and buy 4 cards, one for each sister and of course we include one for Mom and Dad and ourselves. But the rule is we keep the name of the restaurant a secret until we all open the card, and we go together to use it and the person who bought the card picks the night we go and makes the reservations. When the bill comes, we all toss in our gift cards and then split the remainder of the bill between us. It does not have to be an expensive place, just one we think would be fun for us all to go to. It has turned out to be a fun gift that we enjoy all year long and it gives us a chance to try places we might not have gone to before. My parents take part also, but they kick it up a notch. Last year it was a trip to Seattle for dinner (including train fare and hotel), this year we had a dinner cruise up the Columbia on the Sternwheeler. It was really nice. A perfect day for it, sunny and warm and we could not even feel a breeze while we were out on the deck. The food was fantastic too! The summer always ends with Emily and Joshua getting to spend a few days here at my place because John has to go back to teacher's inservice days at school. This year was no different. We made churros, hunted caterpillars, bought school clothes, went ice skating and had one last time in the pool. And I do mean the LAST...Great Grandma and Grandpa have decided that they have to remove the pool. It is due for too many repairs and with the few weeks of use it gets, it is just not worth the work to get it all up to par again. We have had so many good times there and made a lot of memories, but it is time to move on. Mom reminded me that it was my kids who were the first to get to swim in it 20 years ago and thought it coincidental that it would my grandkids who were the last. They will begin tearing it out this week and will do some sort of landscaping in its place. Maybe leaving it sunken in places with a fountain. Joshua suggested maybe a huge bridge over the hole. They will have to get back to him on that.