Grasshopper Days - the Extended, Summer Version...

Grasshopper Days

For today, Thursday, August 31, 2017

Yes, yes, I know.

Apparently July AND August were unscheduled bloggy breaks.

That's fine.

It's summer - what can I say?

When you live where it rains nine months of the year,

you tend to take advantage of the non-rainy (i.e. sunny!) weeks.

But there are photos,

so that makes it all better.

Right?

As our family grows older and in number, we've tended to group birthdays together rather than try to celebrate them all individually.  That meant for July and August, we had Wyatt, my cousin's husband Mike, and Kerry :D

Wyatt's gift from Aunty Tami... in a Victoria's Secret bag??? (It was a gift card.  Not to V.S.)
Mike thinks it's hilarious.

The pictures are in no particular order.  There were barbecued elk burgers, there were gifts, there was swimming.  It was fabulous.

Yes.  They're all that and a bag of chips.

One thing to notice in those photos is the lovely clear blue sky.

That was before Canada shared all its smoke with us.

Outside my window...

today is clear and gloriously NOT as hot as we've had lately.

I'm about to put the third load of laundry on the line :D

Hearing...

silence!

Gunnar finished part of his homeschool work and I've dispatched him onto some chores.

You can imagine how happy he is about THAT.

Pondering...

this is a new season of life...

Wyatt has a f/t job.

Tate has a f/t job (for two more weeks, then back to school.)

Gunnar is going p/t to the high school, but the schedule is weird.

He goes every-other-day, ALL day.

So half the time,

I have a 

VERY QUIET HOUSE.

It's amazing.

Just a few days AFTER the birthday bash, we had some friends to the lake.

Notice the change in conditions.

I didn't take many photos.

Praying, and Thankful...

the biggest thing on my radar lately is my dad,

who had open heart surgery earlier this month.

(Aortic aneurysm and a leaky valve.)

And, apparently, the "glowing ear upgrade".

(Because he kept taking the pulse oximeter off his finger.)

We're all thankful the surgery was successful :D

The ticket to going home is WALKING.

Everyone looks better in their own clothes.

And their own car!  Headed home!

It's going to be a long process to full recovery,

but this is from earlier this week, after seeing the surgeon for a post-op,

and being told he's doing WONDERFULLY.

Aren't they cute?

So yah, that has occupied much of my attention lately!

We're so thankful for how great he's doing.

God is faithful :D

Going...

off to school!

Gunnar's first day back.

Note the violin, because orchestra :D

Reading...

just finished some "fun reading" -

The Book Thief,

Debt of Honor,

and

Look Me In The Eye.

Looking forward to...

how about looking back?

We had a great annual neighborhood potluck-picnic :D

Fun for all ages :D
 

We're expecting a new neighbor any day ;D

Ralph and "Queen" Bea behind Kerry

Nate is adorable :D

In the kitchen...

I am really looking forward to some cooler weather,

because I am NOT very motivated to cook when it's hot!

In the learning room...

Gunnar is basically homeschooling two days a week.

We just finished reviewing and testing on the latest chapter of his government course,

and still need to discuss some of his reading.

Sweet!

Around the house...

maybe today... maybe TODAY I'll get some good pictures.

We got the house painted this summer (finally! much needed!)

but I was waiting for the smoke to dissipate to get good photos!

Noticing that...

we had a sad day last week.

Tate's geriatric and much-loved rabbit died one night.

He kind or knew it was coming, but still...

it was a sad day.

Something to remember for later...

Tate just kills me.

He often helps take the offering at church,

taking the basket around to the overflow rooms.

We have a real joker at our chapel named Harry,

who usually sits there.

Tate and Harry have history.

When Harry doesn't put anything in the basket,

Tate holds it out again and says,

"Harry.  The teeth.  Your gold teeth."

(He has a row of them in the front.)

The pastor heard about it from his daughter.

He thinks it's HILARIOUS.

The Mother Load...

I've gotten almost all the little naggy things taken care of.

Now for the larger projects...

Something fun to share...

with Gunnar's school schedule,

we usually have time to walk together in the morning.

And what a beautiful, misty morning we had earlier this week! 

A favorite quote for the day...

I'm reverting to one of my classics.

(Good motivation for September, right?)

When I do stuff,

stuff gets done.

Deep wisdom, right?

A few plans for the rest of the week...

well, there isn't much week left!

I'm having dinner with my folks tonight, because Kerry and the boys are having a men's thing here.

And because the Seahawks are on ;D

(They have channels.  We don't.)

And plans???

I plan to blog more often :D

A peak into my world...

my little cel phone camera doesn't do it justice,

but we had a gorgeous sunset view of Mt. Baker on Sunday.

Hot and Hazy Makes Me Lazy

We're having our annual heat wave.

It's currently 95, which for us is approximately

the temperature of the sun.

Go ahead, laugh it up you southerners ;D

Meanwhile our neighbors to the north are plagued with forest fires,

and are sending their smoke our way.

Gee thanks, Canada.

Normally, I look out the window and see something like this:

Today, it's more like this:

A British Columbia radio station posted this view from Canada of Mt. Baker,

going, going, gone.

I'm usually thankful that no matter how hot it gets in the day,

our nights are nice and cool.

I'd made up the bed with the summer sheets and my Jimmy Buffet quilt...

and now.... not so much.

We're not used to sleeping with... just a sheet.

 Which is more than you probably wanted to know about our sleeping habits.

In funner news...

(Is "funner" a word?  If it's not, it should be...)

Gunnar and I both went to fiddle camp this summer.

Of course, we both went last year, but this year we both participated.

And the timing worked out for us to bring along Gunnar's friend A.J. who was on his way to Desert Eagle Flight Encampment.  If you've been reading the blog long enough, you'll remember that Wyatt attended in 2013.

Made the trip a lot more fun to have a buddy along for the ride.

 We stopped at some of our usual spots, like the Gorge...

I see that pool way down there and think it looks so appealing for swimming...

... for about 10 seconds, until the hypothermia sets in.

And we stopped at the Washington Pass overlook.

AJ is helpfully pointing out the spot (the curve in the road just below the pass) where his family broke down last summer, and spent the night in their trailer beside the highway... fun memories, right?

Two peas in a pod.

And stopped for lunch in Winthrop, at Three Fingered Jack's Saloon.

Aaaaaand got detoured around a "small" fire near Twisp, where they've had more than their share.

Stretched our legs at Dry Falls...

... and dropped A.J. off in Ephrata, so he could fly gliders for a couple of weeks.

(Wyatt did the "powered flight" option.)

Because I am just that fabulous, I hardly took any photos in Moses Lake.

If you've been to Moses Lake, you'll understand.

Plus, I was busy this year, fiddling instead of lounging by the pool!

The sunsets were nice.

The air conditioning was even nicer.

And fiddle camp... whew!

Only the classes for absolute beginners are divided - youth vs adults.

All the rest are by skill alone.

My friend Carol would call that "ego training", i.e. "humility building".

My class ranged from senior citizens to kids that looked about six or seven.

Two and a half hours of class in the morning and again in the afternoon.

That's a lot of fiddling!

And then we drove home.

Lots of farms.

Lots of orchards.

Lots of sage brush.

I missed stopping in Cashmere to see my friends, but...

... since they were camping all the next week at Birch Bay,

it worked out fine!

I met Bronco and Jo back in my Reachout Expeditions days in the late 80's, early 90's.

I love these people :D

And what a perfect day to be at the beach!

Notice the sparkling water and clear blue sky.

*sigh*

I miss clear blue sky.

Bronco has long enough arms for a selfie with all three of us :D

Big things were happening at our house while we were away.

Big.

Huge.

I want to take photos and show you.

When the smoke goes away.

Soon?