Magical Summer

This has been a magical summer. 

YES it has!

Not too hot for the most part

(always awesome for those of us who are heat intolerant), 

but still filled with many beautiful days.

Garden pickings have been plentiful enough for us to be able to stop buying fruit at the grocery store. 

Figs, lots of berries, apples and Asian pears with more fruit on the way. 

Hubby and I have been eating MUCH healthier and losing weight (yippee!)

and I am right on schedule to be my ideal, healthy weight in early autumn:)

Now that my DH is retired, 

we've also been hiking more in varied locations

(although I am sidelined today by a blister--boo!). 

And hopefully, hopefully we'll be able to do some camping soon too. 

It has indeed been a summer full of blessings

and I will be telling you more about them in the next few weeks

(we upped our data plan and have figured out part of the tech trouble we were having)

And now for blessing #1: 

Do you remember way back in May when I said I had some news?

Well between tech problems -- which included phone issues on both of my smartphones--

I just couldn't find a good pix of someone special who I wanted to introduce you to. 

And I definitely wanted a good pic because this little somebody is indeed VERY special...

then early one morning, about 0100 (1:00 AM for those who don't speak hospital or military time), I got the strangest text from my DD and it turned out she was bringing this special little someone, 

and four other very special people to see us. Oh--and she expected to be here in about 6 hours.

And, a bit later then the appointed time, 

after a marathon 6 -8 hour all night cleaning session, 

my house and we were ready to meet our guests:)

So, without further delay, 

our newest special one. 

Yes, we are totally in love with her--and with ALL of our special guests!

SO adorable!

Just like her adorable daddy and mommy:)

This special little someone is our very FIRST great-granddaughter

and it goes without saying that she is cute, charming, totally well behaved 

and very, VERY special!

And, though our family had been on the road for hours and hours...

I knew where they'd want to go...

I told my hubby before they ever arrived.

And, yep, I was right...

they wanted to see our lovely sand and ocean right then. 

So down to the sand we did go. 

BTW, THREE of our very special guests had never, 

and I do mean NEVER, 

been to a ocean beach before.  

So, over the next 

--all too short days--

we beach hopped. 

And had an AMAZING time!!

And I remembered, what I had seemingly forgotten, 

that EARLY mornings are BEST spent on the sand...

(oh yea, one of my special visitors is on one of those boats out there)

Though you can't really see, 

the lighting is more magical in the morning, 

the beaches and roads a LOT less crowded. 

The atmosphere even feels different. 

And when a minus tide and those early AM hours coincide?

Aimee is in heaven. 

And that's the SAME way our special visitors felt as we walked the sands 

and explored the AMAZING life to be found in the tide pools.

God definitely blessed us this summer

and there were more blessings to come. 

I hope this has been a summer of blessings for you as well. 

Blessings, 

Aimee

Photos: 

Lincoln City, Oregon

A Walk Among the Irises and Columbine

Aimee was VERY bad last month. 

You see Aimee is a VERY passionate person--

especially when it comes to history. 

And, it just so happened that a LOVELY history research project developed in her mind 

early in April

and that was it...

before long I was dragging my DH to a pretty little area in the valley

and spending a WHOLE bunch of time there and

on the Internet doing research.

And, soon, very soon--

almost ALL of our allotted data time was gone. 

No data for browsing your lovely blogs,

no data to share my adventures with you. 

NO DATA. 

No.

Poor hubby. He suffered too.

But, it's a new month. 

And if I am really good, 

I might be able to catch up with my pastime of browsing blogs

and, maybe just maybe, create a few of my own. 

And if I am bad?

Well, I found a public wifi I can use :)

Here is our latest adventure...

a trip to a bit of heaven known as Schreiner's Iris Garden.

And now the photos

(data time is flying by)

Every time we go here, 

I am awed by the beauty and peace!

So MUCH variety!

Truly paradise!

Just incredible! 

My Mom would have loved it here--

she loved columbines. 

I do too and our home garden has many. 

LOVE!

A walk here always changes my focus--

it's like a breath of fresh air in the midst of a dust storm. 

A drink of cool water in the midst of a hot desert. 

I am crossing my fingers in hope that we make it back this way soon:)

A lot has happened since my last post. 

Many road trips as always. 

A trip back in time to the days of Beverly Cleary

(the object of the research project I mentioned). 

And there was unexpected news...

See ya soon!

Blessings, 

Aimee

Link:

http://www.schreinersgardens.com

(amazing, amazing place!)

Abundant Blessings

So much has happened since last I posted, but first I would like to take a moment and extend a HUGE thank you to those who left comments on the sad passing of our little Eskie gal. She will be missed for a long time always, but we have a lot of sweet memories of her and lots of photos. 

THANK YOU everyone--you are most KIND!

Now for the main reason I have been absent for a long time...and it's actually a GOOD thing, one of those blessings this post is about. Not too long after THAT sad day, my eldest son gifted me with a new little toy to play with and that is what I've been doing these past weeks....

to be honest, there were definitely some moments when it felt more like WORK than play, (that's what happens when you have to learn a totally different OS from what you have used FOREVER),  but now I am pretty good still learning to do things the Apple way and I mostly LOVE my laptop! Of course it helps to have SO much info on the web and a son that does tech support:)

Besides computer challenges and triumphs, my hubby and I have been taking a lot of day trips. We've been to beaches, bays, rivers, historical sites, lakes, wetlands and up hills. We have also been planning a few trips--some close, some further away. We'll see...

And now a few photos...I still haven't transferred any of the ones on my phones and even the most recent ones on my cameras. BUT, and this is an important but, at least I know how to transfer the photos now to my laptop and somewhat edit and organize them:):) And, as of just a few moments ago, I can actually upload them--sort of--to blogger. LOL.

 I am just SO used to doing things the other, non Apple way.

Oh well, challenges are good. I think:)
Update: my phone, the phone I was going to transfer those photos from...
well it's now decided not to respond anymore. Sigh. Good thing I had texted some of
them to my e-mail awhile back--but some photos are probably lost for good.
:(
Now on a happier note...photo time!

(Still learning this new photo editing app so bear with me please.
Suggestions welcome!)

One day we came back from a wetland area to find we had some visitors of our own. 

Apparently these guys take their "free ranging" seriously! 

Our wetlands adventures were many and we loved seeing all the geese, swans, ducks, eagles, egrets, heron and even beavers close up this winter! It almost made ALL the rain worth it (almost being the keyword here). 

Aren't they amazing? 

Beautiful on the ground, in the lake and in flight!

One last photo for now--

this is Depoe Bay on the central Oregon coast. 

The surf and sea spray was amazing that day spraying up onto the parking area...

a BIG blessing!

Yikes! I just looked at the time and it's way past bedtime. Hopefully by my next post I will have perfected the photo editing programs and can upload faster. Until then--

Blessings, 

Aimee

PS: Is everything in your yard in bloom right now? I can hardly believe it but we have roses--yes roses--in bloom! It isn't the first time, but it is still a bit shocking to see daffodils and roses all within a few yards of each other. Spring is AMAZING!

Weeping Wednesday

She became part of our family in 2003 --

the last year all of our kids called the PNW home;

the year the changes began.

 

The "runt" of the litter--a wonderful combo of white fluffy fur, emotions and energy.

She was perfect paw-fect and we knew she should make her home with us.  

 

 

As the years passed she would become more sure of herself

and in time took a more dominant role in her "pack".

 

 

She loved spending time with
her aunts, who often would feed her treats...
her human brother and sis who loved her...
her nieces and nephews too.

but most of all, she loved spending time with her Alpha Daddy Dog
(AKA Farmer Boy).
He was EVERYTHING to her.

 

 

She was an accomplished blogger,

creating at least two three posts on this blog

(Dear Daughter Dog Takes A Trip,

If Only,

and

 National Dog Day).

 

Her favorite subject being HERSELF

(of course).

She was not one bit conceited

(LOL)

or maybe she was just totally secure in our love.

 

 

She could be sad, happy, shy, bold, curious, temperamental, manipulative,

loving, cuddly, wanting to be left alone--

the one thing she never was--

was boring.  

 

 

She loved people food.

She didn't like dog food.

 

She hated chickens (the live ones).

She had a love-hate relationship with cats

(but apparently learned one day they are best left alone).

 

She had a love-hate relationship

with her doggie brothers too

 (especially if there were any chickens in sight or earshot).

 

She hated her picture being taken.

Kind of like yours truly:)

 

 

She was a good watchdog;

incredibly loyal to her Daddy Dog.

She trusted him implicitly and he never, ever let her down.

 

She was one of a kind;

I can't imagine ever finding another pup like her.

Could there ever be one?

 

 

She loved to travel and did so routinely--

from the heights of Timberline Lodge (Mt Hood)

 

 

to the sandy beaches along the Oregon coast.

 

Forests, the Coast Range, the valley...

Trips will not be the same without her. 

Sad sigh.

 

 

I thank God for creating you my furry one and for bringing you into our lives.

 

And,

I thank Him for answering my prayer and letting us know,

beyond a shadow of a doubt,

it was time to let you go

(even though my heart is breaking from your loss).

 

 

 

Know that I will miss you intensely each and every day but

 your paw prints will forever be etched in my heart.

 

Go with God now my Furry One.

Farewell and thank you for everything.

 

Love Always,

Aimee

 

In memory of our Baby Girl Eskie who died this week

2003-2016

 

Wetlands Wednesday

Like a hawk I have been watching...

for another rain break

and

for a certain road closed by high water to reopen.

 

This week both happened

and we (hubby and I) set off towards a certain wetland I had been wanting to visit

 since I first heard about it.

 

 

When we arrived I was truly blown away by the tranquil scene before us.

It was better than a massage,

better than dark chocolate,

better than...

well at least it was better FOR ME than a whole lot of things:)

 

 

A lot of the usual feathered friends were there...

geese,

 

 

an egret

(I think he fit in well with the Oriental feel that part of the wetlands has),

 

 

 swans

(A special thank you to Teresa for reigniting my desire to see these beauties this winter!

BTW, for some amazing close ups of Mirror Lake's tundra swans see Teresa's lovely post on "her" feathered friends here:

http://teresakasner.blogspot.com/2016/01/lots-of-swans-swimming.html)

 

 

The trail around the lake was amazing--

all except for one snake who was definitely NOT hibernating

(being that this blog is a no-snake zone,

I am not posting any of the 3 photos I took of the slithery one)

 

 

The trail is mostly flat and only a tiny bit over one mile in length.

 

 

Oh, oh DH is up and foraging through the fridge in search of food.

Better go:)

 

Night all!

 

Blessings,

Aimee

Sunshine On My Shoulder Makes Me :)

Every so often a miracle occurs here in the Pacific NW.

The gray, drippy and very dreary winter skies give way to blue ones
(or at least partially blue ones)
 and...

Aimee, sick or not,

escapes to one of the many roads which -- sooner or later -- leads her to a wetland area.

You see one of the TWO things Aimee likes LOVES about winter are the numerous wetlands
and their amazing inhabitants
(the other, as you may already know, is snow, snow and more snow)!
 

Today Farmer Boy and I set off to explore a wetland I had just learned about
and another that we had driven by, but not stopped at before.

 

 

A tiny chipmunk we saw.

Perhaps his name is Alvin?

 

 

"My" beloved geese.

 

 

A mourning dove?

 

 

A hawk who likes heights better than yours truly.

 

 

A lovely snow white egret.

 

 

Guess who?

One of the major challenges was actually being able to get there...
we got turned back twice when trying to visit one of the areas I wanted to explore.
 

 

Of course, sometimes one HAS to get out even if the skies aren't blue

and we've done a little of that too. Those photos another time.

 

Blessings,

Aimee

 

Scenes Of The Season

Life has been busy...

 

 

First there was transitioning to the hubby being home,

then there was the getting used to the darker days of gloomy gray all over again,

then there was the rain, wind and more rain

(SO thankful we had a certain tree removed earlier this year),

and

then there was the whole

getting ready for company preparations,

attempting to find all the Christmas decorations I hadn't put up for 5 or so years

and all THOSE other things that come with life:)

 

BUT, then they began to arrive,

one by one...

(yep, those pictures are on my cell phone).

 

 

And, since some of them are still here, life continues to be busy

(in a very good way though)

 

But before the company we had time to make a little road trip to see some feathered friends

and a whole lot of flooding

(I think I read yesterday was Portland's 25th day of recorded precipitation)

 

 

There were my beloved

Canadian geese...

 

 

and ducks in various poses!

 

 

Two bald eagles

(so much better a view through the telescope that was there).

 

 

And then there was the flooding...

 

 

And more flooding--almost up to the road in places,

over roads in other places...

 



 

We were happy to see a certain famous couple survived the flooding though

as a certain Small One was part of our expected company.

 

 

I was pretty good about not adding to my Christmas décor this year,

but couldn't resist these Swedish candleholders at Goodwill--

only 99 cents each:)

 

Couldn't resist some figurines to add to my Christmas village either...

also very inexpensive.

 

 

Speaking of flooding,

we had a foot of water under our house at one point this month.  

Have I ever told you how thankful I am for pumps?

 

Well, one of my kids should be arriving back soon--

I believe spaghetti is on the menu for this evening.

(I LOVE having kids that cook so very well)

 

So far we've had yummy

beef bourguignon,

salmon chipotle and twice baked potatoes,

Christmas ham and all the trimmings,

jalapeno poppers...

a beautiful lattice topped apple pie

(our oldest granddaughter made),

homemade treats my wonderful SIL made...

I am know I am going to have to diet forever,

 after all this feasting,

but NOT yet

:)

 

They're back so I need to sign off.

 

Hope you all had a very joy filled Christmas!

 

Blessings,

Aimee

 

My apologies for any typos and such,

no time to proof read--