Vicki's Photo Journal

Saturday, August 31, 2019

So here goes AUGUST!!!

A continual thought in my blogging. How to slow down the time.

My big thrill for the month was this. There are 3-5 little chipmunks here each morning while I sit on my little porch with my latte. I always toss them a few peanuts and have been working at getting them to take them from my hand. One of them finally went for it!!! Now each morning, as soon as they eat the ones I toss, this one keeps coming back for more.

The kids spent the night and had to give it a try. Lina was out there alone with me and the little guy came right up to her. She was nervous but so excited! By the time she ran inside and told the other two and they got settled, there was too much commotion going on and the chipmunks were hiding and they gave up waiting for them to come back.

overnighters are the best!!!

John and Rachel and Josuah stayed a night on their way to Hawaii.

Josiah wanted some super glue for tying his flies, I only had some old Gorilla glue. I told him I didn't think it was any good anymore, but to give it a try and toss the rest out. Well, he and Arianna decided instead of tossing it out...they would use it up, which we didn't know about until that evening when I wanted to open the garage door to go to the airport to pick up Joshua. John and I tried everything we could to open that door. Time was going by, so instead, I just took the truck. The next morning in daylight, John took a crowbar to lift it, he unhooked the chain and tried it manually, nothing would work. It was so strange...until we noticed this little bead of glue right along the flap! Yep...they had glued that door shut. My old Gorilla glue was not too old to do the job. John cut the flap free and hooked the chain back up and that door just went right up again. We are still laughing!!!

Josh went to Hawaii with his parents, but came home after the first week. He stayed the night and the next day I took him on our annual 'school clothes shopping'. It was so fun getting him clothes for his senior year and ended with lunch. I love spending time alone with each of them.

This yard!!!

The flower below has a Siamese twin. A complete flower bloomed right on the bottom of it.

my rock heart collection

the lemon tree is loaded this year...

I have been working on capturing the hummingbirds feeding on the flowers.

Quite a few years ago, my Dad gave me a stephanotis plant for Valentines Day. It has grown and grown. Always a few blooms, but this year topped it! The whole plant is full of clusters of sweet smelling flowers.

This cluster looked like a heart.

Critters in the yard.

My ground cover was not doing too well on one side. No flowers and not thriving like one side. I moved the water to see if it was just too dry. Then I discovered the morning visitor. This guy has worked his way through half. He just keeps to that side, not sure why.

After our class reunion, I met up with two classmates that I went to grade school with. They were not able to make it to the reunion. Eva and Mark. Bonnie went with me to Mark's.

Our Annual Neighborhood BBQ was a blast. Each year gets better as everyone gets to know each other more. This year, they stayed and stayed. Everyone just enjoyed talking and spending time together.

I have said it before, but it still holds true....those clouds make the view so much more interesting.

Notice the heart in the clouds below?

Not much snow left on the mountain. The huge patch looks like a star.

As fall rolls around, the clouds linger along the river below.

When I was little, we always went to the Canby Fair. I usually had a 4-H entry to see my ribbon. Either knitting, sewing or cooking. Sometimes all three. When my kids were born, Dad and Mom started taking the whole family to the State Fair. Every year we all went. For some reason, we just stopped going. Well, this year, I decided that I need to take the kids. We had so much fun looking at all of the animals. Each barn we went into, they decided that was the animal they wanted. Rabbits, chickens, goats, sheep, even pigs. Arianna decided no way for the turkeys though.

Lina started out all fancy with her cute little boots. Not far into the fair, she decided they didn't feel good. So glad her Mom sent a change of shoes for her.

I could not believe the coloring on these rabbits.

Arianna for sure did not like those turkeys.

Lina for sure did not like the smell.

It was so surprising that they didn't want to do the rides. Instead they went for the games. I loved watching how they took care of each other as we walked around.

Arianna amazed me with how good she could do the hula hoop!

Then came time to take Arianna and Lina school shopping. Josiah stayed home and went fishing with Grandpa. The girls helped me pick out shirts for Josiah, Gabe and Daniel.

Not only was it school shopping day, it was also birthday shopping for Arianna.