Flowers

This is a Hollyhock from my garden. The first ones are starting to bloom now and will bloom all winter. I have pink, and red single and double hollyhocks which bloom each year, mostly given to me by my Mom or Grace. Grace died about 6 months ago and we miss her in our neighborhood. She grew up here, her father planted the citrus grove which we live in. The old farm house is still standing and her son lives in it. Grace lived in the corner house on 18th Street and Marshall. Her yard was always filled with flowers much like an English garden. I drove past her house for years before I knew that I would live on her street one day. I drove on 18th Street to take the kids to the library and would always admire and be in awe of her beautiful flowers. Grace's flowers were part of the reason that I bought this house, I got to enjoy her flowers every day. I feel so at home here because our neighborhood is in a citrus grove and I grew up surrounded by citrus groves and cotton fields.

This is an Indian Paintbrush which grows wild in northern Arizona. It is one of my favorite Arizona wildflowers.

My roses are so beautiful right now. These are called Rio Samba and they start yellowish-orange and end up a bright pink. My Peace rose tends to get the biggest. I picked one today that is about 7 inches in diameter. It is just amazing. I took a picture of it, but haven't downloaded it yet. Maybe I'll show it to you next time. Mom has taught me to grow roses. She is the pro and has always grown beautiful roses. When our kids were little she would grow experimental roses for Jackson and Perkins. They were always a surprise and she got to name them herself. She named one after each of her grandchildren. They would visit Grandma and Grandpa and get to see their rose too.

This is part of our new patio. It used to be a hot tub, but we turned it into a planter. Our friend Chris did the tile work. We also covered the cool deck with red bricks. The kids drew on the bricks with chalk when they were here and we enjoy their chalk art still. I suppose it will eventually wear away, but until then it is a fun reminder of their stay.

This is Dilly picking some white flowers around our cabin in Flagstaff. It's great to be able to go for a walk and see so many wildflowers. There's a hill where Indian Paint Brush bloom every year and lupin bloom under the big pine tree next to our porch.

Veteran's Day and the Marine Corp Birthday

Veteran's Day is always right after the Marine Corp Birthday, so we celebrate both at our house. I try to make the Marine Corp Birthday fun. This year I marched in place, saluting and singing the Marine Corp hymn to Julian who was a Marine during the Korean War. Thank's to all our veteran's. Julian, Larry, and my Dad come to my mind first. My Dad was in WWII, Julian Korean and Larry Vietnam. They represent all our Veteran's who have fought for our and the world's freedom. Thanks!

Red, White and Blue flowers in memory of all our veteran's who have died.

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Country for which it stands, one Nation, under God, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.

Plees Fourward Our Mail Two Indeea

"Plees Fourward Our Mail Two Indeea" was written on the kids mailboxes of their cardboard townhouses on the day they left. Here is Dylan ready for the 30 hour trip to India.
Rowan spent longer in the bath the night before they left. Dilly constructed this sidewalk from the houses to the hallway all by himself without anyone suggesting it. I think he is good Civil Engineer material.
The kids were being various animals walking and hopping on the sidewalk. I caught Rowan in midair, hopping like a frog.

Here the kids are enjoying time in "tickle jail" with Papa.

Here are the cousins. Rowan calls Jeremy, Nathan, Niko and Maceo, "the boys, my cousins".

We miss the nightly trunky monkey races, and on the trip they were people magnets. Two blond kids on lime green trunks on wheels drew people like when the circus comes to town.

Kirsten said that when her luggage went through the scanner when it finally arrived in India, the man doing the scanning kept asking her "what is that, what is this?" (imagine him speaking in an English/Indian accent) For example she had packed a hammer and small tool kit. He said, "what is this?" Kirsten said, "that is a hammer". He said, " why do you need a hammer?" Kirsten said, "I might want to hang a picture or do minor repairs around the house." He said, "You use a hammer to hang pictures and do minor house repairs?" Kirsten said, "yes, it comes in handy around the house." By this time a small crowd was gathered around the Indian man looking at the scanner and Kirsten with 2 bored little children. He was translating everything Kirsten said and everyone was amazed, not believing or laughing, take your pick. Then he got to a very strange object that mainly showed up as lots of springs. He said, "And what is this?". Kirsten said, " that is a small trampoline that I use for exercising." He said, "You exercise? Why?" And so it went on and on for the strange blond woman moving to India!