May started out with such beautiful weather.  Wally worked up some of his ground for all of us to plant a garden. The girls were excited to help plant and we kept our distance and planted, peas, green beans, carrots, squash, cucumbers and pumpkins. Just over a week later and they were already coming up!  

Because of the stay at home orders, Mom and Dad had decided that this year they just would not plant new plants in the yard.  The only place they have gone since this all started was to the doctor for her broken wrist.  Well, I talked to Cyndi and we decided that we would go plant shopping for them.  At first Mom was like, "no, buying my own plants is part of the fun"  But she decided to let us buy them for her.  Cyndi and I donned our masks and hit the garden centers.  It was so fun.  We dropped off a load and headed back for more.  By the time we got back, Dad already had most of them planted.

The next weekend was Mother's Day.  Jessi and Arianna and Lina met me at the garden center all masked up and we picked out hanging baskets from them and the boys.

On Mother's Day, we talked it over with Jessi and decided that it was time to start getting back to normal being around her kids.  In the beginning, we had kept total distance, even though they were coming over here, they didn't come inside.  We decided that since all patients at the hospital are now being tested and only one patient was positive with no symptoms and Jessi is being checked each shift, that we could resume what we do with the kids. I was rewarded with the biggest hugs ever!!!

After the Veras family left on Mother's Day, we went over to Mom's for another distanced gathering.

Most of the month was spent at home, I was outside in the yard as much as possible.  We had sunny summer kind of days and rainy winter kind of days.  And we had rainbow days with some of each.

We had a rock painting day with the kids.

I was slowly working back at getting my chipmunks to take peanuts from my hands.  Sure enough they are back taking peanuts from me.  One day, Josiah was out there and he had one take 3 from him.  He was totally excited.

Jessi takes the kids on hikes all of the time.  It is so fun for me when they find something that they know that I will love.  Here are examples...robin eggs, hearts and maidenhair fern.

The yard is full of the usual critters.  Hummingbirds, bunnies, and other birds are all back and feeding at their feeders.

The year we moved here, we noticed an eagle nest way down by the river in the top of a tall fir tree.  A couple of winters later, it blew down and the eagles didn't build a new nest the next years.  It was so awesome one morning, I spotted two of them in that very tree.  They hung around for a few days and I was sure they would build a nest again, but sadly they have not.  But they do fly around and around in the valley every few days.  I love watching them soar in unison as they follow the river.

A whole flock of waxwings showed up and devoured the berries from our Oregon Grape plant. 

I can't let a month go by without a few shots of that mountain!!!

And of course...the flowers...

My favorite clematis, Josephine, came on just loaded with blooms and they all bloomed at once.  It was gorgeous at it went through the 3 stages.

The first year we moved here, John built me a pergola for my birthday.  I planted a wisteria at each corner.  It has fully covered the top and was so gorgeous blooming!!!

A few wildflowers from my workouts.  Yes, I stop and shoot flowers along the way.

I have an orchid plant inside.  I just love how the little middle part looks like some kind of exotic bird.

After 10 weeks of staying home, Mom and Dad agreed to a little excursion.  We decided to take a drive to Adelman's Peony Garden in Brooks.  We all took separate cars and the 3 cars followed along, Cyndi and Dan, Me and Mom and Dad. They are still going to stay home most of the time, but when it is for something that will keep them outside and away from people, they will start venturing out a little at a time.