a visit with great-papa

Over Memorial Day weekend we had a nice visit with Marcus' dad's father, who we call Grandpa C___ and the kids call Great-Papa.  Great-Papa is sick with cancer but still up to seeing visitors, and didn't forget to give the kids a special treat--a gold dollar coin.  :o)

Uncle Pat (by Marcus) has been in town helping give
care to his dad.

a prayer before ending our visit

If you are so inclined, please keep Bob C__ and his family in your prayers, as Bob enters this final stage of his life.  Thanks!

Stinker with lime

My little helper, taking care of the compost for me....

more fun with grandma and grandpa

All good things must come to an end.  Grandma and Grandpa have been back in Ohio for a few weeks now, but we're still remembering all the fun we had:

grandma taught Bunny how to knit

the last evening:  dinner at the Cruise-In Country Diner

Seddy liked the chocolate malt.

A trip to our "new" library (our local one is being remodeled
for one year(!) so we go to the Main Library now...it's farther
for us, but the Main Library is so very nice!).

had to get a manicure in

grandpa worked on projects right up to the
end--this is a bat house

I had been needing a shelf system near the
dog wash station for 2 years now (coincidentally
for as long has Gemma has been walking, and
getting into the soap bottles....).

As always, we had a fantastic time with grandma and grandpa, and we are already planning what we will do when they come out to visit again!

Girls' time at the mall

Tuesday morning...rain forecasted, so no gardening...time for shopping!

first up, 2nd breakfast at Biscuits Cafe  ;o)

next stop, Sephora to try on makeup

then Nordy's for some shopping!! 

a trip to Starbux before going home
(notice Mariposa changed into her new dress)

A nice evening before the RAIN

We knew to get all our planting done by Monday night, because COLD and RAIN was forecasted for the rest of the week.  Our final good-weather fling:

A gardener's work is never done...

planting pumpkin seeds just outside the fenceline
of our new "auxiliary" garden

Mariposa is ever-present in the garden

some starts and some seeds...not enough room
inside the fence so we will try this

2 rows of corn, with room for 2 more rows
then some pumpkins
then zucchini/squash
then beans, with room for another row
and finally Walla Wallas
(Mariposa is making a nest for a chicken egg)

just "a few" seeds left to go  ;o)

gifts for James

Sunday evening, after our Chinese dinner,
James opened his gifts.  It was a beautiful evening
so we gathered outside on the front porch.

Gemma doesn't stay put for long.  But she wasn't alone:
Catnip was with her out in the lawn.  ;o)