Happy Independence Day America!

O beautiful for spacious skies,

For amber waves of grain,

For purple mountain majesties

Above the fruited plain!

America! America!

God shed His grace on thee,

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet

Whose stern impassion'd stress

A thoroughfare for freedom beat

Across the wilderness

America! America!

God mend thine ev'ry flaw,

Confirm thy soul in self-control,

Thy liberty in law.

O beautiful for heroes prov'd

In liberating strife,

Who more than self their country lov'd,

And mercy more than life.

America! America!

May God thy gold refine

Till all success be nobleness,

And ev'ry gain divine.

O beautiful for patriot dream

That sees beyond the years

Thine alabaster cities gleam

Undimmed by human tears.

America! America!

God shed His grace on thee,

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea.

Oh Lord I pray this prayer for my country and my fellow countrymen...

The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
The LORD make His face shine upon thee,
and be gracious unto thee:
The LORD lift up His countenance upon thee,
and give thee peace.
Numbers 6:24-26 KJV

God bless my homeland.

God grant that we may never forget its rich faith heritage.

Aimee

Photos:

fireworks display

wheat field near Heirloom Roses

Pikes Peak from Colorado Springs, CO

my current favorite central Oregon coast beach

The Mayflower II, Plymouth, MA

(courtesy of my cousins F. + N. Blessings)

SW Portland

Willamette National Cemetery

SW Portland

small rural cemetery

Notes:

America the Beautiful

Lyrics: Katherine Bates

As found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America_the_Beautiful#Lyrics

A Change of Plans: At the Top of the Road

If it were sunny, the views up the road would have been gorgeous.

As it was they were still beautiful!

For a lot of the route there are trees on both sides,

but in some places it looks more like this.

Yea, we made it to Timberline--home of the beautiful historic lodge.

As my hubby didn't feel too good we didn't walk in the lodge this time;

next time I will--after all I want to see their wonderful St Bernard dog

and see the lodge again.

It has been way too long!

And yes, I did take a photo but it is too obscured by fog and such to see it clearly.

When I was younger our family spent a night there

(I LOVE historic lodges and have been in several);

they had an outdoor swimming pool and it was fun to freeze and then warm up.

I had a memorable incident there...and so did the young man who must have been SO surprised when I ended up holding onto him for dear life; poor guy. If you are out there in my bit of cyberland and reading this...THANK YOU for being there!

Lesson learned: always tie back your long hair when swimming because it is very hard to breathe when it gets into your face:(

Oh I almost forgot to mention that one can ski year round at Timberline;

now isn't that awesome?

Snow in some areas; none in others.

Soon to come--I hope--wildflowers:)

I love alpine wildflowers!

I can hear you now...

what are those strange looking black things in the photo?

I'll give you one clue...

PNW 'spring' weather:)

Anyway, we passed quite a few runners on the way...towards the top there were a lot of them with their shirts off. Considering the steep grade, I don't blame them! During the summer there is a special event in which teams run from Mt Hood to Seaside (Hood to Coast). We got stuck behind a group one time...it was interesting but not much fun:)

Another not so perfect photo---but considering the speed we were traveling and the trees,

it does kinda show what I wanted you to see,

the alpine slide at ski bowl.

They also have HORSES I found out,

a chair lift you can ride in the summer

(I did that in Washington state one time at an area up there)

and trails besides other things.

This is all during the summer season of course.

LOTS of changes since my last visit....

Last, but definitely NOT least--man's (and women's too) best friend. 

When we first saw this cute pooch he looked as if he was driving.

But by the time I got my window down to take his photo

(because he looked SO cute),

Mr Pup got a whiff of my french fries

and this is the photo I got.

Still very cute I think:)

What is your fav mountain area?

Do you hike, ride horses or participate in other activities during the summer at one?

Blessings,

Aimee

Info:

Photos and info about the Timberline Lodge,

a national historic landmark

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timberline_Lodge

A Change of Plans: Pt II

Further up the mountain road we saw this view--

lots of trees;

hillsides full of lots of beautiful trees!

Even though I would have preferred sunnier conditions,

there is something very magical and special about the mountains when you have low clouds and

wisps of fog on the tree covered slopes.  

A runaway truck ramp.

If you look closely you will actually see marks on the ramp.

The grade here is a steep 6% and the road curvy;

sometimes truck brakes fail...

I am glad they have this for emergencies.

I don't remember a ramp here before;

of course it has been years since I've been up this far

(we used to ski on this mountain when I was a teenager).

My most vivid memories of seeing runaway truck ramps are of the ones on the Grapevine--

that famous -- or some would say -- infamous section of road leading into southern California.

I never drove it,

but I did drive in Los Angeles rush hour traffic once and loved it--

of course I LOVE challenges:)

 Up we go...climbing higher

 A not too perfect photo of our perfect native rhododendrons.

They were everywhere we looked...as were other native plants and wildflowers.

The forest floor, which I BADLY wanted a photo of, was SO incredibly beautiful...

I was in awe at this creation of the Father.

A roadside waterfall--one of three.

Not too bad of photo considering we were driving at about 45 mph and my camera was set to a high shutter speed. Still, I prefer waterfall photos that make the falling water look silky

(but one must stop for that kind of photo and to do that, one must have a safe place to park).

More coming---at the top of the road.

Blessings,

Aimee

Sighs and moans of frustration...my Internet reception is alternating between weak and good today.

Oh, it must be that summer hasn't come to the PNW yet...:(

A Change of Plans + Sunday Scripture

What is my DH doing wearing sandals and no jacket in the snow?

Well at one point DH, DDD and I were headed towards another location,
near the coast where sandals and no jacket would be quite appropriate.
But because of a horribly snarled highway...more like a parking lot really,
plans changed
and we headed upwards,
above the timber line.

Here we are passing a wigwam burner...
do you remember these? They are a vivid memory from my childhood;
I always stop and take a photo or two when I see one
(or, as I did here, I capture a photo from a moving car).

At one of my favorite viewpoints.
No view of the mountain today;
lots of beautiful flowers and peace though.

Here is a closer view.
I am 'dying' to know what kind of flower these are...
they are soft (yes I touched one; I had to know),
they remind me a bit of a spirae's bloom.
Anyone know?

And an even closer view...
LOVE these:)

 Some views from further up...off the main road
(you know how I love to do that;
after we got home and I found more info about the road we were on,
I wished we had gone further on it).

Lots and lots of wildflowers everywhere made me happy,

despite the sometimes rainy conditions which made taking photos not as fun as usual.

But if we in the PNW stayed indoors everytime it rained,

we would never get outside:) LOL..

More to come on Monday.
Blessings,
Aimee

Note:
This week has not been easy.
As you know part of our family made their way back home
after a wonderful visit
and we feel their absence acutely.

Additionally we have had issues with our house that have been frustrating to say the least.

Finally, some places very dear to my heart have been experiencing wildfires
and for more than a moment we thought they might be gone forever. Tonight though comes the good news that staff again walk the beautiful grounds I have loved since 1977...
thank you Lord for preserving Glen Eyrie that it might continue to be used to give You glory and honor.

I will praise the Name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving...
Let the heaven and earth praise Him, the seas, and everything that moveth therein.
Psalms 22:30, 34 KJV

At the same time, I feel a great sadness for the hundreds affected by the fires in our mountain states, especially those left homeless and those who have lost loved ones. May God be with all of them and the brave firefighters.

What Is It?

Here it is...

here is my mystery

and

I need to solve it,

because it's driving me crazy not knowing.

Now if I had been a good photographer,

I would have shot this with a zoom lens...

but I didn't.

Still I have to know---

so here are the clues to this mystery.

The Mystery:

What is that formation in the background?

(offshore)

Location:

 the beach at Barview County Park, Garibaldi.

This is on the beach, located north of the northernmost jetty

looking north.

Possibilities:

 Twin Rocks,

as seen from the south?

If so it doesn't look at all like it.

The Tillamook Head Lighthouse?

I would think we are way too south on the coast to see this former lighthouse, now columbarium...

aren't we?

My eyes want to make that top part into a lighthouse...

am I just wishful thinking?

Or is it something else?

Update: Mystery solved....I know what it is now, do you?

I first found the answer here:

http://www.igougo.com/story-s1221975-Tillamook-Barviews_Jetties_and_Oregon_coastal_landforms.html

(the author describing what he saw at the Barview County Park beach looking north)

And you can see a very nice closeup of what is on that rock here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDtzyRPB5vU

(you will think you are there with the sounds and sights of one of my fav places)

And the answer is:

Twin Rocks

(a view from a beach north of the rocks).

Isn't is amazing how a different perspective changes everything?

I would have said it was a lighthouse too:)

Blessings,

Aimee

Grandma Truths

How can it be that someone so very small can touch your heart in such a very big way?

© 2012 A.Blessings

How can it be that seeing things through their eyes is like seeing them for the first time--

all over again?

© 2012 A.Blessings

And how can it be that this happens over and over again with each new grandchild?

© 2012 A.Blessings

How can it be that one's heart can sing so loudly with joy

 when you see your grandchild loving the same things you also hold dear?

© 2012 A.Blessings

or when something small you do makes your little one smile?

© 2012 A.Blessings

© 2012 A.Blessings

How can it be that one can be this blessed?

How can one deserve the gift of love they bring our way?

How can it be that it seems they give more to us than we could ever give to them?

© 2012 A.Blessings

But, oh how can one's heart break in two when we must say goodbye to the

 little ones that have stolen our hearts:(

Missing all of my grandchildren today;

sending you my love everyday!

May God bless and keep you till we meet again

(and may that be very, very soon).

Blessings,

Grandma Aimee

Notes:

Photographs taken June 2012 at the OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center

and at my current favorite beach on the central Oregon coast.

A Walk Amidst the Roses: A Trip to Heirloom Roses

While I again readjust to LAK - life after kids (+ grandkids)

and bemoan my fate as a grandma who lives thousand of miles away

from the aforementioned loved ones,

I thought a walk in a rose garden might improve my normally sunny disposition...

so off we went (we being a good friend and I) to one of my favorite places.

As you can see, it was a perfect day;

the kind that has healing effects on body and soul.

The flowers, as always, were gorgeous and we spent a lot of time breathing in their fragrance

and admiring their beauty!

Of course, it wasn't the best time for photography...

but oh well that just means I will have to make a return trip:) 

It was heavenly being surrounded by roses of every kind:

climbers, old garden, miniatures, English legend and more.

The perfume scented air, the birds, the dragonfly, the incredible colors and blooms!

As always I was drawn to the pinks...

could it be the influence of seeing so much pink on my granddaughter?

Yikes, I mentioned the 'g' word...

back to the flowers and the amazing garden:)

 This one's color was stunning!

I think I need a larger yard.

 I think I need a full time gardener.

I think I'm going to have to come back here soon... 

I think I'm going to have to save the rest for another post:)

If you love roses,

what is your favorite one?

Do you have a rose garden?

Blessings,

Aimee

Notes:

A BIG thank you to the staff at Heirloom Roses who extended us a great deal of assistance during our time there; you are awesome! Also, thank you to them for graciously allowing me to post photos of the garden here on my blog--appreciate that:) For those interested you can see more photos of roses and learn more about their care and even order some, if you would like, at Heirloom Roses' great website here.

Disclaimer:

As is always the case, unless I specifically state otherwise, I am in no way associated with Heirloom Roses except for being a fellow rose lover! Oh yes, and a happy customer.

In the Early Summer Garden

My youngest granddaughter loves to spend time outdoors in the gardens.

She plays with our dogs,

eats the ripe fruit,

hunts for snakes with her grandfather

and gathers flower bouquets.

Fortunately, a lot of beautiful flowers are blooming now:)

 All of our lavender---

by the way,

we passed by a lavender farm this weekend,

on one of our journeys,

and they were open...

so if you have never been to one,

I highly suggest a trip

(if you have been to one, I don't need to suggest a trip...LOL)

Here is a link to some Oregon lavender farms...

http://www.oregonlavender.org/festival.php

I've been to three--so far...

 Caneberries--we still have blossoms, but also fruit now

(of course the fruit won't be ripe till later this summer).

We have two types--waldoberries (thornless)

and marionberries.

I guess we actually have three,

if you count the wild blackberries...

One of our daylilies--in the upper pond area.

I love these plants,

especially after a rain shower:) 

 Evergreen huckleberries

(unripe). I love this plant and would grow it even if it did not produce fruit;

another PNW native I like is salal.

I never get tired of salal.

Last year a friend made me a salal wreath for our anniversary;

you probably already know that florists use salal as part of flower arrangements.

One of our heirloom apples--isn't the color amazing?

This was a GOOD year for our three heirloom apples;

a very good year! 

 Blueberries---this is one of two Earliblue plants

(one, sadly our oldest one, is not thriving and will be replaced soon).

My granddaughter and I share a love of blueberries:)

This year will see large harvests!

And last, but not least,

one of our gooseberries...

have you ever had a gooseberry?

These are not quite ripe,

but we are eating them anyway:)

What is growing in your garden this week?

Do you have any plans for new plants?

We are thinking of adding a red gooseberry

(it is a sweeter type and very, very yummy)

and another blueberry.

I love gardens, don't you?

And now?

Now it's time for Aimee to get busy cleaning...

Blessings,

Aimee