Otis at the Oregon coast

Otis at Haystack Rock

Can you find Jade?

Jade likes having the lights on in the kitchen.  She can clearly say "light."

At the farmers' market: Saturday, October 13

Showed Jade (who I call "L'il Punkin" sometimes) what real pumpkins are.  We chose some pumpkins to bring home, including a little pumpkin for Jade.

Tom was drawn to the tool table.  Reminds me of the year I asked him if he'd like a  pedicure for his birthday or a trip to the Home Depot Tool Corral.  What was I thinking?

Jade was interested in carry-on bags.  Maybe for her upcoming trip to Portland?

Jade with her very own pumpkin to carry home.

Squirrel nest!

Just when we thought it was safe to sit out on the patio, thanks to the elm trees being trimmed, what should plummet from the sky but a squirrel's nest!  Luckily for the squirrels, nobody was home.

See how the squirrels strip bark and chew it into thread-like strands to weave the nest?

They also like dryer lint for the nest!

Emma and Patches

What are you and Patches reading, Emma?

River and Mya's dress up clothes

River loves changing into Mya's dress up skirts.  Looks like it's the first thing he did in the morning, putting the skirt right over his jammies!

"Man Wall" additions

Skyler sent me home from Portland with his hand prints, which  are now on the "Man Wall" in the living room next to  the portrait he gave me.  Thanks, Skyler!

Skyler has big hands!

The mask Amon made in his welding class

My favorite photo of Tom, taken by me during SXSW, probably in 2007, outside Nuno's ,  just after listening to a  visiting blues band.

The Man Wall, so far.  Additions welcome!

Another elm limb down!

We were so glad to get the rain and wind on Saturday, September 29, but apparently it was too much for one of our elms.  The biggest limb ever fell out of the tree.  The broken end is propped next to the tree trunk, unable to completely fall because of the "top" of the limb on the ground.  Papa and I will be getting the chainsaw out on Saturday.

Portland visit: September 18-21, 2012

Lemon cucumber and Black Cherokee heirloom tomato from Amon's garden

Otis and Uncle Amon

More fun with Uncle Amon

Otis, Skyler, and Amon's train track setup

Otis showing Daddy a dandelion through the basement window

Daddy waiting to scare Otis with the gorilla mask.  (The mask used to scare Otis; now he just laughs when he sees it.)

Tomatoes and lemon cucumbers from Amon's garden

LaWanda and I took Otis to the school playground before walking to dinner with Otis' dog, Bananas.

A cool house we saw on our way to dinner

Not in focus, but....yep, the guys are still taller than me.

Anjanette and Jade over September 15

Baba wasn't interested in letting Jade pet her

Beautiful strawberries for Jade's lunch

It's all in the presentation!  Anjanette prepared Jade a lunch of cheese, turkey, apples, and strawberries.

Jade in the little chair Aunt Jan gave to baby Ryder, and with her favorite toy:  the phone!

Papa's fall garden

Papa Tom's fall garden.  The tomato plants already have blossoms.  If there's no frost before Thanksgiving, we could have sliced tomatoes with the turkey.

Moonflower seeds for Amon

Papa Tom and Anjanette collected moonflower seeds for Anjanette to take to Amon in Portland

Moonflower, just beginning to bloom

Lots of moonflower seeds! 

The elms get a haircut

On September 15, P. Tom was still asleep when the tree trimmers arrived and  cranked up their chainsaws right outside our bedroom window.  He said before he totally woke up, he thought I was really blending that smoothie in the kitchen!

Papa Tom helped load limbs.  See the dark brown circle inside the limb?  That's dead wood.  Our trees are about 65 years old and it's become more difficult for them to get water from their roots to the tops of the trees.  Hence, dying limbs.

I'm so glad Mario and his crew came over to do this job.  Papa Tom had the idea a few years back of  taking his chainsaw up into the elms and securing himself with Bungee cords while he trimmed the trees.  He never did that, thank goodness!

With LaWanda's cousin Tamyra

LaWanda's cousin Tamyra moved to Austin in August.  On September 10, we attended an AIDS fundraiser together with Tom and Tamyra's roommates.

Fun with Jade

Jade spent the night with us Friday, September 7.

Bath time!

Curls and Mardi Gras beads

Jade's at that adorable age when toddlers copy everything.  I stuck my tongue out at her and she copied me for the photo.

Anjanette and Jade

Anjanette and Jade came over Tuesday, September 4, for lunch, along with my friend Cheryl who drove in from Bulverde, near San Antonio.  Anjanette measured Cheryl and me for Marilyn Monroe "Seven Year Itch" dresses that she's making for us to wear to Key West next month.  Thanks, Anjanette!  Jade is sitting in Ryder's little chair.

Yikes!

Here's the mottled rattlesnake that Al, Joyce, and Emma saw while hiking  near Fort Davis around Emma's birthday.  

Mya's art

Mya drew a picture she wants to share.  Thanks, Mya!

DonnaLynn has electricity again!

DonnaLynn was so excited to have electricity again as of Sunday, September 2.  In the meantime, she had to totally clean out her fridge and throw all the food away.  

Mya likes crispy trout skin!