quiet week

So, I have attempted to grow sunflowers for years now.

I love them.

But the squirrels or rabbits bite them off at the stem, so even carefully pre-planted ones disappear.

The other night I was at the store and here were these!

I brought them home. They were stuck into the garden, and Jay said, "Eat those, Bitches."

I laughed.

So far they are uneaten.

Love, Val
 

she's five!

This picture says it all. What a great party, Girl.   This was so much fun, and that dress perfectly gorgeous.

Cousins!

I hope everything about being five is as fabulous as you are.

It's going to be a great year.

Happy birthday, Darling.  We love you like crazy, Grandma and Grandpa and Everybody

pet cemetery

These flower were blooming this weekend.  A couple years ago I cut a bunch and put in a vase and they wilted instantly.  Apparently this is not a thing you can do with these.  They're pretty in the ditch.

After the kids left we went into town in the rain and walked around to all the booths set up in the street, all the art vendors, jewelry, crafts.

Then we went to the car show. It was small, but the cars that were there were cool

Then after we made a stop at Poor Richard's. the antique store, Jay had the idea that he'd like to put plants on the graves of our dogs back in the field.

So we drove to the nursery our old neighbor, Dori, used to go to and he picked out some plants.

We took her along, thought she might like to run around in the field, smell things, dog out.

Nah. Not really.

Sidney's burial plot:

As soon as we had the plants and mulch out of her way she jumped into the back of the van.

So much for doing dog activities.

That's Sam's with the same plants on it as Sidney's.

And the plants on Sophie's spot are doing great.  We watered those too.

And that's the end of that.

Love, Val
 

august friday

We got to the lake Friday and these guys were there.

She went with us on a boat ride.

We got to see these guys too. The younger one showed up in our kitchen late in the evening and it was good to hear what he's been doing the last couple weeks.  Apparently he set a record in weight lifting for his age group.  Pretty nice.

And then they all loaded up and left by lunch time, had to get back for a concert.  Tickets were bought before the pandemic and now they're finally able to use them. Should be fun.

Love, Grandma

weird lamps

Got these at the second-hand store last week.

Pretty fun:

 Love, Val

minnehaha falls

After supper we drove into the city tonight to check out Minnehaha Falls and the park in preparation for Maria and Dalton's wedding in a couple weeks, wanted to check out the terrain and parking, get a good view of it all.

Well, it is a drought so the falls are dry.  A little mud, a few puddles, but that's how Minnehaha Falls is. It spans the whole range of possibilities.

Here's a park and rec stock photo of autumn.

Behind the falls in winter when it is frozen:

Normal flowing water, which we don't have at the moment.  Not to worry. The falls are very weather dependent.

The park though was full of people, huge restaurant, could smell the shrimp cooking. Jay bought chocolate ice cream from the window at the restaurant.

Ahhh, August?  You're looking fine.

Love, Val
 

happy birthday, aaron

 Glad you had a great day and also know your way around Dairy Queen!

Thank you for enduring, patient friendship, for laughter and care.

Happy Birthday, with love for always,   Jay, Val and Everybody