Flora and Fauna Friday

A beautiful little woodland pool at Lakewold Gardens in Lakewood, WA.

Throw-back Thursday

In July of 1964, Big Al and I visited Stephen F. Austin State College (now University) in Nacogdoches, TX, to see if we wanted to finish our schooling there. We decided we wanted to, and matriculated in September. We both lived in (separate) dorms – before the days when men and women shared dorms, or living arrangements before they were married. But by June 1965 we were married and living in an apartment while Al finished school. Good Times!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nearly Wordless Wednesday

The garden is producing nicely. Squash, pickling cucumber, lemon cucumbers. I donated 5.5 lbs of squash and cucumbers to the Food Bank on Saturday. Producing faster than I can eat it.

 

 

 

Thankful Tuesday

A trip to Lakewold Gardens on the shore of Gravely Lake in Lakewood, WA.

 

 

 

 

 

 

How Great Thou Art

Cooler weather after several days of scorching heat – over 90 deg., which for Washington is a broiler.

 

 

 

 

 

Flora and Fauna Friday

(…only it’s not Friday any more – it’s Saturday.)

The garden is running riot! Hot days and sunshine have made for a bumper early crop.

Tomatoes are ripening,

Green peppers are swelling,

And the squash are taking over the joint. (Please notice that I whacked off some of the squash leaves because they were threatening the cucumbers and tomatoes. If it kills them, too bad, but I’m afraid they are like the zombies that will come back from beyond.)

Honesty

My one word for 2015 is “Honesty.”

Let’s see how I did with Honesty in June.

Lunch Bunch was a trip to the Clubhouse at McCormick Woods Golf Club, in Port Orchard. Good food, and a lovely setting overlooking the 9th tee.

The main thing that happened in June was our 50th Wedding Anniversary. Both of the boys and their families came and we really enjoyed having them here.

Ray and his wife (and step-daughter who is being camera-shy).

There she is after all – Katie Meers.

Bill

Erika

Ian

and Kate Watters.

While they were here they went to Seattle and saw the sights. Big Al and I stayed home (why get on I-5 if you don’t have to?)

We also had a picnic at Owen Beach on Puget Sound and Bill and Kate tried their hand at kayaking.

We went up Mt Rainier to Paradise…

…rode around the Olympic Peninsula where Bill spent most of his time looking for Big Foot. We stopped in Port Angeles for lunch and looked across the Strait of Juan de Fuca at Canada…

…saw Crescent Lake…

…drove through Forks (no vampires visible). Then we stopped at Ruby Beach on the Pacific Ocean.

They all left on the 13th and 15th, and Big Al and I have had a fairly quiet rest of the month.

My garden is still taking up a fair amount of my time. The squash are taking over the joint. I had green beans for lunch today that I grew, the peppers are making nice little peppers, and the onions are getting pretty big. I’m pretty sure I have some cucumbers under the big tepee, but I can’t get to them for the tomato plants. I have more little green tomatoes than I can count.

The spring onions were great!

I’m still walking every Thursday morning with the group from the church. (Actually, I’m still walking every day – although the weather is pretty hot – even for someone from Dallas – over 90 deg. today.)

We went to see a baseball game at the local AAA ballpark – the Tacoma Rainiers played the Reno Aces. We lost unfortunately, but it was a good game.

I’m going to see the Seattle Mariners next week!

I won the virtual race to the border by several days (remember, several of us were counting steps to see who could walk 150 miles first – the distance from Tacoma to the Peace Arch on the Canadian Border.)

I’ve gotten a FitBit for Big Al, and he is still walking a little. Maybe he will reach his goal of walking a mile. He could do it if he would try. His physical therapist released him today, so we’ll see if he will keep it up.

Until next month’s report on HONESTY you can follow along with my daily pictures.