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| Otis had a great time riding the rides at the Multnomah County Fair on Sunday. |
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| Fearless! |
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| Snoballs are the best! In high school, I'd walk to the snowball stand every day at lunch time, eventually trying every single flavor. Hard to say which was the best. Probably whatever I was enjoying at the time! |
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| The tomatoes are ripening. So far, Scout the Squirrel has only looked at them. |
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| Bell pepper Below: moonflowers and sunflower |
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| Carrot tops. We've left the carrots in the ground for more than a year. Here's what carrot tops really look like: not orange at all! |
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| A baby ladybug landed on Papa. Do you see it? |
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| Papa got to come home early from work, so we decided to catch the eclipse. The eclipse started around 7:30 p.m., too close to sunset for us to see the sun due to trees blocking the way, even from the Lamar Middle School track, the highest point in the neighborhood. |
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| So we zoomed over to Mt. Bonnell, arriving after the sun had dipped below the horizon. We got to see a lot of people instead, while we waited in the traffic jam. We'll be better prepared in 2023! |
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| One of Millie's favorite treats is shredded mozzarella cheese. |
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| Doesn't she look like a little bear? |
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| We spent a fun time with Jade on Saturday, May 19, 2012. We started out splashing in the wading pool up on the deck, then hung out with Roy (but not Greg: he's terrified of children) and ate bratwurst at the Draughthaus, visited with neighbors John and Sybil, shopped at H.E.B., and brought Grandma Evelyn over to sit outside. |
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| Jade splashed in the wading pool earlier Saturday afternoon. I have a bag of bath toys somewhere, probably stored in the garage or under the house, so had to improvise with a plastic ice tray and container of black beans to shake. I promise to find the water toys before your next visit, Jade! |
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| Too bad this isn't a video. Jade was dancing to the music. |
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| Mmm! Strawberries! |
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| Jade brought Millie a bowl of cheese and deli turkey |
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| Feeling the juicer vibrate when Papa juiced beets, celery, and carrots |
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| Been entertaining people all day long!!! So nice to chill at last! |
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| We talked to Daddy on the phone. Had so much fun with you, Jade! |
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| Einar just wants to eat dinner in peace, but the grackles like cat food too. They don't seem to realize that for Einar, grackles could be cat food. |
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| Einar's finally had enough |
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| The grackles move in |
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| Millie likes to hang out on the deck railing and watch us through the kitchen window |
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| Can you find Millie? |
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| I let Millie into the sun room one rainy day last week, fully expecting her to relax on the soft towel I'd put on the floor for her. When I checked on her a bit later, she was hanging out in the red basket instead of on the towel or one of the cushioned chairs. Silly Millie Ka-billy! |
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| One of Millie's very favorite things is opening the new bag of cat food. |
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| We're very sad to report that Penelope (affectionately known as "Penny") Possum is no longer with us. She expired last week on the brick planter out front, behind the pot of caladiums. We will miss watching her, silhouetted against the moonlit sky, or perhaps the sky lit by the Honda dealership a block away, balancing along the top of the back fence, headed for the compost heap. We can only hope that she left some progeny to continue her legacy. |
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| Otis' birthday dream came true on May 13 when he and LaWanda rode Amtrak from Portland to Seattle. For more great photos, check out Otis' Facebook page. Thanks for sharing this picture, LaWanda! |
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| One of the stories Papa and I told Mya when we were in Asheville was about how elephants can pick up peanuts with their trunks. We spent a good deal of time on YouTube together, trying to find a video of an elephant eating peanuts. We found a lot of other great elephant videos, including one of a baby elephant taking a bath and some elephant animation from Thailand. Anyway, it looks like Mya took the peanuts story to heart. Here she is the day after we left, eating her raisins with her "trunk." Thanks for the photo, Brandy. |
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| River's sleep sack prevents him from climbing out of his crib--so far. But it doesn't stop him from running around! |
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| There's our bundle of joy now! |
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| We spent Saturday afternoon at the Mayborn Museum on Baylor campus with Emma and her friends Maddison and Sarah. Saturday was opening day for the remodeled historic village. But due to rain and mud, all the activities were moved inside. Here, Emma shucks corn while Maddison watches. Activities also included roping a "calf" (sawhorse with wooden calf head on it), playing ring toss, and trying to knock wooden bottles over with bean bags. |
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| We enjoyed the rest of the museum too. The girls used up all our pennies, spinning them into the coin catcher. |
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| In the weather room, kids can put on a simulated newscast with weather forecast. Not sure why Emma and Sarah are running across the set here, but Maddison is recording everything. |
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| Maddison, Sarah, and Emma in the play town. Emma's car is a Baylor Bear football helmet on wheels! |
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| On the school bus |
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| Emma's blowing a giant bubble |
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| When Emma's not taking the buckboard to town, she's driving the convertible |
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| Pioneer women, headed into town for supplies |
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| The choir entertained us with hits from the '80s. Emma's choir performed Madonna's "Material Girl" as an opening number. Unfortunately, Papa and I were stuck in Austin traffic and were late to the concert, so we missed the first song. |
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| But we got to see Emma in Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun." Emma was one of the choreographers for the number. |
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| Pepsi, boiled peanuts, and beer. Saw these in a convenience store sink as we were leaving Asheville and had to have a photo. Sort of makes up for no Cheerwine (I promise, it's a soft drink) photo. They also had Cajun boiled peanuts. Next time. . . . |
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| River was fascinated with opening and closing the gate |
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| He's pretty well caught on to how the latch works |
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| River, Ryder, and Papa |
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| We promise no animals were harmed in the making of this coonskin cap. Papa saw it in Gatlinburg and just had to get it for Mya. We found a bear cap for River. Wish we had a photo! |
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| Mya's birthday party was at the nature center. We saw wolves, coyotes, otters, and snakes. Here's Papa with a magnolia blossom |
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| Rhododendrons were blooming everywhere in the Asheville area. They bloom in Portland at this time of year too. (We were in Portland on Cinco de Mayo 2007). |
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| Mya's yummy birthday cupcakes |
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| Wouldn't be Mya's birthday party without a pinata |
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| Mya got a bicycle for her birthday and rode it from home to a nearby shopping area. Here she is with Papa and Mimi (Brandy's Mom) |
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| Papa, Mya, Mya's cousin Austin, and me, outside the ice cream shop |
