The Young and the Old

Fawn in my front yard

I often find deer in my front yard, luckily not in the back fenced-in garden area!  Also, as we walk around in the mornings, beautiful groups of deer can be seen amongst the trees in the lovely golfcourse.

                                                                     15 August 2012

I am now 73 years old! Or is it YOUNGEven though I have felt that I do NOT need to celebrate any more birthdays, friends and family felt differently.  I guess they are celebrating that I MADE it another year!  Here are cards and gifts from them:  flowers, candy, book, bird-measuring spoons, and even a painted egg from the Ukraine.

The stuffed dogs are huskies that I have had for years, but they make a nice centerpiece.  :o)

My children did wonderful things for me:  You are very old!   But, that also means you are very experienced.     

You have figured many things out, like...    The best way to keep a new hairdo out of the rain, and...   

The tactical methods of performing citizens arrests, and...    Innovative ways to perform CPR on kittens, and...  

The stealthy skill of attracting younger, unsuspecting men to drive you around on their motorcycles, and...   

Various other and sundry ways of dealing with the greater world around you.    Just gotta smile when I think about my mom.     You're great.   Happy Birthday!!!     Love, Marsh   

AMEN!   Happy Birthday mom!   Andy    

I second the amen! Happy bday mom.  I think marsh you should write a movie it a series called crazy Jane in or crazy Jane as  Amie  

Cat texted the following:  Happy birthday!  I love you Grandma!!   I’m truly blessed to have you in my life!!  Love the summers at your house and can’t wait for the next!  You are my role model and inspiration!! Lots of love from your #1 fan!   

Quentin called and left a message of  love.

Two friends, Eileen and Marlin, took me out for a Chines lunch.  In case you forgot what I look like, I am in the middle!

Later that day, my friend, King, and I motorcycled around the area and stopped for yogurt.  We celebrated both of our birthdays, his is on the 14th.  King lives about 1/4 mile to the west and is a nice neighbor who walks his dog and sometimes I go along.  I saw a coyote on our trip in the Suisun area.

When Brian and Amie Radford came for their kids, they brought Cat's friend, Allie with them.  Heather joined in and they all had great fun

The three eat corn from Larry's open market on Suisun Road.  We also had chicken roasted with Orange peppers that Amie cooked.  Add that to the wonderful fruit avilable and all was very tasty!

Always, kids have gone to my closets looking for dress-up clothes, and it is no different here in California!  Heather, 14, is dressed in one of the dresses that her own mother wore to a ward dance party in Rexburg when Holly was about 12.  Allie has on a crazy outfit matching her personality, and Cat is in a "Little red Ridinghood" outfit.

Grandkids in California

There is always adventure with Catrice and Caden Radford, grandchildren from Idaho, when they visit.

Here they are eating their favorite breakfast of Grits, Scrambled eggs, bacon, and English Muffins while I read to them in the kid's room.

The Bennions and Radfords head out for a bike ride in Green Valley.

My Garden is going great guns this year.  In the back are red raspberries just starting to come on for the 2nd time this year.  The peach tree has ripening fruit, next are the orange trees and tomato plants with cherry and big boy fruit.  Next are the red potatoes, then onions, carrots, beets, and beans.  The pumpkin plants can bee seen at the far right along the wooden fence near my hanging wooden Wizord.  Peppers, zuccini, yellow squash, lettuce, and parsely are growing nicely as are the many strawberry plants, all producing yummy stuff for me.  I love the happy, colorful pansies in the front.  The kids love to find ripe raspberies, carrots, and strawberries to eat.

Haydn, Caden, and Braden.

Our friends, the Brent and Anissa Olsens, are moving from here to Houston, Texas so we had Braden (12) over to play/hangout, with Caden(12) and Haydn. They make a great 3 some.

"And here we have Idaho" Cat wearing her 50 lb back pack ready for Girls' camp in the mountains and going on the 4th year 30 mile hike for 3 days!  She did survive and was the first one back to camp!

Horses and lemonade

At our second lemonade stand, we had unusual visitors. two gals come up riding horses.  They bought lemonade and the boys quickly got two of my cooking pans and filled them with water for the horses

 Haydn even got to sit atop the palamino.

Then it was time to count the money!  They made $96 including tips!!!  After paying me $5 for the cups, they made out tithing slips and put one tenth of what each made into their own envelopes and on Sunday gave them to the bishop.

Napa Valley adventures

Two friends, Len and Jeannie, and I ventured out early Thursday morning heading NW for a day free from work, yard, jobs, and crowds. We chose to drive Past Napa, CA and all of its wine country to fill some of our wanderlusts. We visited a gyser, a castle winery, an old grist mill site, and the Boothe State Park.

One can tell by the palm tree that this is NOT in Yellowstone!  It is north of Napa, CA near Calastoga, CA.

After a picnic lunch in the Boothe State Park ,we hiked up and over a hill to see this is a very OLD grist mill.  We looked over the huge water wheel and geers that helped it work, and then trudged back the 1.2 miles and about 1/2 mile into the Boothe State Park to a creek and found large rocks to sit upon and soak our feet.  I had wanted to do this for years!  Why had I waited so long?

It's nice to have great friends.

Len

                                                                         Jeannie

Dillon Beach at Bodega Bay

Picture worthy for a Puzzel

About 8 families traveled from our area to this lovely beach after the ward breakfast and set up tents and chairs, played, ate lunch, played some more, and cooked dinner.

The rocky shores on the north of Dillon Beach were wonderful for adventuring.

The beach had great treasures including this water smoothed log just begging to be sent to the ocean.  Ben Trettie, Hunter Bennion, Simon Stubert, and Caden Radford are the engineers for the project.

Imaginative play is the name of the game for Haydn Bennion.  Sand, water, waves, and rocks are the answer to a boy's dream.

Americana Mobile

Fourth of July celebration

      With Heather driving, Hunter in the passenger seat, Haydn in the bucket seat, and Caden and Catrice riding their long-boards from my home three miles to the Church house for a pot-luck breakfast, the Fourth of July got off to a wonderful start.