Week 8 - Missing Blog Posts

Where have the daily blogs gone? Our days have a fairly predictable pattern. We go over to Mom G's in the morning and work. The kids break at 3 or 4 to swim. I come home to cook dinner. We go to bed.  They say a picture is worth a thousand words, maybe these will suffice for the missing posts. 

Activities not shown in photos: running errands for ourselves and Mom G, grocery shopping for both, household chores for Mom G, laundry for all of us, more organizing....

Early on I blogged the day we uncovered the greenhouse. We then moved on to working on the trees in the power lines and driveway....but this week...Michael and Alex liberated the greenhouse. To refresh  memories - this is what the spot looked like on Monday. 

Not really "Before" because you couldn't see it at all before. LOL 

They are holding ONE ROOT of one Cork Elm

 When we're all done, I envision being able to plant some pretty flowers in this bed. The roses will be back. We may eventually get the trees out of the greenhouse....they've taken over everywhere. NEVER plant Cork Elm.  Stacia and I were so inspired we decided to tackle some greenery which is overgrowing its bounds. Mom G told us they are monbretia, and you can see below  they DO have a pretty little red flower. The problem comes when they are tangled in berry vines, taking over garden spots, spilling into the easement, and taking over the driveway.

These bloomed before we arrived. It was time to tackle them....we cut them back, careful to leave the bulbs, and we did the same up the fence line. They're pretty ugly when he flowers are gone and the greenery is browning. 

We uncovered an address! All the greenery we've not touched are grape vines.....we'll work on them after we harvest the grapes. 

Cork Elm roots are tough....but not as tough as Stacia.

I am so pleased with how the kids have stepped up to help. Michael is a great supervisor, and he is working his tail off too, but there is no getting around the fact he pays a heavy price and has to stop before he would like to stop. The kids pitch right in and pick up any slack Michael and I leave. It really does my heart good, I need to be more like them. Here Stacia and Alex have finished the fence line. I envision a fresh coat of paint when time allows. No fence showed when we arrived. 

The apple tree Michael pruned in June is bearing.... a few branches of plums have been grafted in.....

In order to keep Michael off the ladder, I conquered my fear of ladders to pick some plums for Mom  

 This is a good place to mention neighbors. Three have stopped by repeatedly to chat and offer encouragement.  We've been loaned tools, given advice, offered RV spots and the use of burn piles. Would you believe one neighbor stopped to complain? He rents nearby and prefers the yard overgrown. It appears he's been helping himself to fruit and would like to continue to do so. We're nice. We'll share.  BUT we aren't leaving your favorite tree tangled in the power lines so  you can poach fruit without being seen. ::snort::  Let us know you'd like to wander through the self-pick oasis - if Mom G doesn't have plans for it - help yourself.

Below is an amazing photo. I had no idea Michael was going to deal with this. To the right is the shed and in the back of the photo is the back of the greenhouse. This area was TOTALLY taken over by berries, grape vines and Cork Elm. One couldn't walk through here. The path has re-emerged. It still looks a bit overgrown - as the grape arbor was to the left and over a path. It didn't stand up to the weight of the bears. But we are looking at a huge crop of grapes.  We'll look at fixing that and cutting back grapes later in the year.

 This is the kind of brush we've been clearing in our search for the fence line. We have removed so many cork elm that we can now see the neighbors roof line....Stacia picks all the berries she can reach before we continue working in this section.

We found a 3rd wheelbarrow

 A perk of working here is the amazing, all-you-can eat, fruit buffet. This week we've had YUMMY apples, a couple kinds of berries, a nectarine or two, and plums to choose from. 

I suggested a machete, but it has proven difficult to find a real one in America. 

The chair around the fire feels really good at night. 

Nolan isn't in a lot of these photos as he had a couple of days off. Off from us - he is working for some college friends who live in the area.

Spectacular Sunday

Dad was released to come home on Sunday. It will be several months, according to the doctors, before his strength is back. They are also in the process of evaluating and changing meds for his various ailments...rating the priority of which ones to treat...treatment of one ailment can cause side effects for the heart - it's a jigsaw puzzle.  Us "kids" have realized it is an asset for one of us to understand the drug/medical picture for Mom and Dad. This was the second time we've been at the ER in July with Mom first, and now, Dad. Both times there were many questions about the extensive meds taken. Sherri, Will's wife,  is being informed by doctors and Mom and Dad and is getting up to speed to be our "go to" person for meds for Mom and Dad. We love you Sherri!

 

I told Dad the next time he wants to have a family reunion, we can go directly to the reunion and skip the ER phase. All three of us kids were home....what a blessing Nate and Heather were in the states and that Will and Sherri live in the same town.

Yes, that is Josiah at the end of the table. He drove down from Seattle on Sunday and back on Monday. He wanted to see Gpa for himself and get a bit of family loving.

We stayed an extra day to help with the transition back to home, and to visit with Josiah. After Dad got settled, we left them to grab some peace and quiet, and went to lunch. Look who I got to see - not nearly enough this trip - but the trip was about Dad. ::gasp:: The sweet outfit is from my friend, Marvie.

Bella appears to love sticking her tongue out at cameras. ::snort:: 

Monday morning we said goodbye to Mom and Dad and Josiah and headed back to our place in the Redwoods.

Group hug

Hook in the Park

 Movies in the Park are a fun, weekly event sponsored in the Springfield area, by the Willamalane Park and Recreation Department.  Krista and CoRielle joined Michael and the kids for a showing of Hook in one of the local parks.

Popcorn too! Maybe Arielle doesn't approve of movies in the park? 

#WYFF - Dorris Ranch

Dorris Ranch was established in 1892 and is now operated by the Willamalane Park and Recreation district (whom Krista and Arielle are working for this summer). Dorris Ranch combines a working farm and orchards with hiking trails. It's a favorite spot of open-air enthusiasts. Michael, the kids and Arielle enjoyed a morning/afternoon visit.

  

Read the sign carefully! 

Evidence of a beaver - in the middle of duck territory - how do you like THAT?

Stacia, Nolan, Arielle, Alex

#WYFF (Where's Your Feet Friday) is sponsored by Fulltime Families. View more of our Friday exploits by clicking the #WYFF tab above. 

Gherkins at Lane County Fair

At the end of a long day of yard work at Mom and Dad's, Krista suggested she take Nolan, Alex and Stacia to the 2016 Lane County Fair. Michael called me at the hospital and suggested we go out for dinner - which we did.  A fun evening for all.

Stacia commented these rides were wilder than the ones in Hachinohe. 

I love her expressive eyes!

They got more than they bargained for in this ride. It looked like it would swing back and forth. It was an exhilarating surprise when it swung up and over the top.  Stacia's response on the video is priceless....worth watching just for those seconds. Keep in mind this is the first American county fair these three have attended.  Yes, they saw the rabbits, jams and jellies too - but the rides were the hit for them.

Charming gals at the fair. LOL 

 I texted Krista to go ahead and get dinner and tickets for all and we'd reimburse her. She didn't get the text, but I was relieved to see they had a nutritious dinner of elephant ears nonetheless.

Krista even took some video clips, if you'd like to see the action click below. 

 

This is life....the fun in the midst of the hard. Family memories made in the midst of the hospital visits. That'll preach!