Yard

Yard

Monday, March 24, 2014

Bear Weekend


 
Hello Big Bear!  This cabin was our home away from home for a family weekend.
 
 
Kim's friends own the cabin, and it was an ideal location, close to things like shopping in the village!
A nice passerby took this photo of us with Scott and his family.
 
 
Everyone loved the Sweet Shoppe candy store.  I wonder why?
 
 
After Adam and Melissa joined our group, we took a quick trip up to Bear Mountain where Adam, Amanda, and Valerie wanted to go snowboarding the next day.  As you can see, snow was sparse, but they make more each night.
 
 
Look who found the Sweet Shoppe the next day!  Reese and Maddie loved the hand chairs.
 
 
The kids also loved this big Teddy Bear in one shop.
 
 
Candy shops were sure popular with our group---this one had lots of fudge choices.
 
 
The village even had its own Clydesdale pulling a wagon.
 
 
In the snowboard shop I found ORANGE sunglasses----woo hoo!  After snipping off the tag, they were great for the bright Big Bear sunshine.
 
 
The girls got their snowboards.
 

 
Then we stopped at a cute little park in Fawnskin, which is right next to Big Bear.  Reese and Maddie loved all the fun things to play on or in.  Obviously the adults loved it too!
 
 
After a full day of shopping, eating and playing in the park, Reese had a great time collecting as many pinecones as he could find by the cabin.  He counted 100 of them!
 
 
The adults, however, wanted nothing better than to relax.  We got cozy and played games, watched Forest Gump on TV, had popcorn and had lots of fun.
 
 
The next day Adam, Valerie and Amanda hit the slopes.  Unfortunately, Valerie hit them a little too hard and came out with a fractured elbow------poor Baby!
 
 
It was mostly a great weekend, and Duane has this Tee Shirt as a remembrance!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Monday, March 17, 2014

Spring Fever


Much to our dismay, Southern California has had summerlike weather in the recent weeks.  Normally, I don't like to do much planting or gardening until April, but I really don't think there will be another frost until maybe December.  So, I've started eyeing the garden to see how it can be refreshed and improved.

 
One of my favorite "go to" plants are geraniums.  They are so colorful and fresh and need a minimum of care.  I love planting them in pots, or next to other brightly colored flowers.  Today I bought a red one, a white one and a peach.
 
 
I've always been in love with Gerbera Daisies.  They come in so many spectacular colors.  I hope to get a duplicate of this potting again this year.  This one had 3 or 4 colors.
 
 
Hydrangeas are also very showy, and I like to keep them in pots for maximum color.  I'm sure many will be featured for Easter or Mother's Day.
 
 
But flowers are not the only plants I love.  Yesterday, I planted some Patio Tomatoes, Jalapeno Peppers, and Habanero Peppers.  One of each went into this planter on the porch.
 
 
Other tomatoes and peppers are in pots on the patio.  I like them close by for easy access.  In the background is one of my lavender plants.  It is always filled with bees, so I'm sure these tomatoes will have maximum pollination.
 
 
Now I'm hoping for lots of these guys to invade our yard.  The Praying Mantis is one of the best bug killers around, and they are so much fun to watch.  Happy Spring!
 
 
 
 

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Beautiful Then.......Beautiful Now


40 years ago today, my little girl was born.  And, what a wonderful 40 years it has been.  She began by showing her personality early in life with this photo taken at 3 days old.......

 
Her Dad always said that she was born on "the most commanding day of the year"---
MARCH 4th !!!
 
 
He just loved his kids.......
 
 
She never failed to entertain us.
 
 
And even played the piano and organ for a while.
 
 
When she met the Love of Her Life, we loved him too.
 
 
One of the proudest moments of my life was when she married the man of her dreams.
 
 
But what to my wondering eyes should appear?  But two grandchildren so
sweet and so dear......
                                
 
And as the family grows......
 
 
Heather, at 40, has become even more beautiful, inside and out.