A Drive Up The Mountain And Some Color

I had to drive up the mountain to go to DMV last week.  My son got a new car, and needed to get his registration, so I drove.  Now, this is not going down to the city, it's going up the mountain, and there is one part that is a bit curvy, so I seldom travel there.  The first trip I made, DMV's computers were down, so I had to come back.  I felt more at ease the second time, so I will visit more often, as it's only a 20 minute drive.  It's a small quaint town; not much there but a couple restaurants, a nursery, and a lake.  Next time, I want to visit the lake and the nursery, but on this trip, I managed to get a few pictures of nature.  There is an open road where I can see Mt. Shasta so clearly, and I feel as if I can reach out and touch the mountain from this one spot.  The California Poppies are wildly blooming, and there was a tree with eyes watching my every move.

"Exhaust the little moment, soon it dies.  And be it gash or gold, it will not come again in this disguise."

~Gwendolyn Brooks

I made a big salad, and this time I added bacon to it.

One of my favorite lunches - tuna sandwiches and barbecue chips.  These are Popchips, which use simple ingredients and heat and pressure instead of grease and the deep fryer.

And then there is pecan pie.

I bought some tennis shoes with the Amazon gift card Nel gave me.  They are slip-on casual sneakers in a classic grey.  I need a good pair of walking shoes.

I wanted to show you the cakes Nel made recently for her niece and nephew.  The first cake is a nature theme, and the second one is a Poke'mon cake!  She did a really creative job decorating them.

Brian bought Jess a hummingbird feeder for the back porch, and she waited and waited until one day a hummingbird came to visit her.

The man who was in charge of the fundraiser in my dad's name passed away recently.  He was a dear friend of the family, and especially to my youngest brother.  He was involved with many events in the community, and he was such a good person.  Thank you, A, for all you did to keep the fundraiser ongoing for so many years.  My family loved you, and you will be missed by many.  I thought this June page on my calendar was perfect to say good-bye to our special friend.

I opened up the blinds in the laundry room, and this little guy flew on my fence.

I combined blue with blush, just because I love both of these colors.

I laugh when I see this picture of Charlotte.  I just want to kiss those smiling cheeks.

Got a new landscaper out here last week.  They did a nice job on the front and back yard.  Things grow fast here in the Spring and Summer.  I've been outside working, getting what they missed; weeding, pulling, and sprucing.  It's so nice when my white flowering bush comes alive every Spring.  It seemed to come late this year.

I watched The Chosen Livestream, Season 4, episode 1.  The show is getting better with each season.

May you have many good June days.

~Sheri

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

What little girl wouldn't want to get a make-over at the magical Disneyland?

Francesca and Mia did just that last week, and they got to choose what princess they wanted to be for the day.  Mia was Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty, and Francesca was Elsa from Frozen.  The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Disneyland is where children go for magical makeovers! They get to go shopping in the Enchanted Chamber and choose from the dozens of princess dresses on display, including Belle, Tiana, Snow White, Cinderella, Elsa, and more!  Then, they select a hairstyle, costume jewelry, and sparkly shoes and head into the salon for a full makeover.  Afterward, they are led to the castle studio for a photo shoot.  Nel said it was just as magical for her and Jess as it was for the kids!

They even got to see Princess Tiana along the way.

And then, they got to spend the rest of the day walking around Disneyland in their pretty dresses.

~Sheri

  

A Drive To The City

For my birthday last week, I drove to the city with my son.  It's about 50 minutes away, and this time I drove.  It always makes me nervous to take the highways and freeways, but I had a great day!  The drive there is actually a peaceful country drive, and it's only when we get to the city that I feel uneasy, as I'm not familiar with the streets.  We first stopped at my favorite cafe' and had breakfast.  My son had a gift certificate to the movie theatres, so he wanted to see a movie.  It was a bit early for the movie to start, so we headed over to Target.  I just bought some pink flip flops, as I use them in the Spring and Summer for outside chores.  It was time for the show to start, and we saw "The Fall Guy," with Ryan Gosling.  It was a blend of action, mystery, and comedy, and although there were parts that were too violent for this mama, my son enjoyed the movie, and I just indulged in the theatre's buttered popcorn.  It was interesting to see the adventures of a stuntman, and Ryan Gosling is a talented actor.  After the movie, we went to all my favorite shops - World Market, Michaels, Barnes & Noble.  It was time for lunch, and I felt like Italian food, and Olive Garden never disappoints.  We shared the "Tour of Italy," as it comes with a salad and bread sticks, and was very filling.  After lunch, we went to the mall, and I loved browsing through Home Goods.  I wanted to go to See's Candies last, as it was a hot day and didn't want the chocolate to melt in the car.  It was the most wonderful day spent with my son, and he paid for almost everything.  When I got home, there were packages in the mail from the girls, and handmade drawings and cards from the kids.  Jess wrapped all the gifts so nicely, and tucked them away in lavender tissue paper.  Nel gave me a generous Amazon gift card, and she always finds the prettiest cards for special occasions.

  The next day, I opened up the blinds in the laundry room, and there were two deer right next to my car.  Oh May, you're always full of surprises!

~Sheri 

A Park With History And Memories

When I was in my hometown recently with my family, Nel wanted to stop at the park so Mia could stretch her legs, run around, and play!  We happened to visit a park that is not far from the home that I grew up at.  It's a large park with a baseball field, and a lot of shaded picnic areas.  This park has been around since 1917, and although they have updated it through the years installing a new playground, it still has the same vibe it did way back then.

There is an old contraption sitting on the grounds at the entrance of the park.

It was a sunny day, and when we first got there, we noticed a butterfly fluttering about, which stayed in our midst for a few moments.  Nel put her hand out, and that butterfly landed right on her hand, long enough for me to get a picture.  What a delightful moment that was for her.

Now, I have to tell you, what was so special about spending time here with my granddaughter was that I used to play at this very same playground when I was her age!  My dad used to have company picnics here, and our family would gather together and have barbecues and play games, and I would run around carefree until it was time to go home.  To see Mia enjoy herself at this playground was very sentimental to me and brought back the best memories.

I glanced over at Nel, and I remember her looking so peaceful watching her five year old enjoy her time there.

There was a very high slide, and Renecke wanted to make sure that no big boys were going to push Mia off in any way, so he had a watchful eye.

We sat at the playground and talked, and Nel wanted to know what happened to the small zoo that was there, so she took a walk to see.  They closed it down years ago, but she still has memories of her and her sister and brother walking through that area and seeing all the interesting zoo animals.  There was even a couple black bears there at one time, until they were moved to a new and larger habitat at a zoo sanctuary a half hour away.

And then there was the high slide, and Nel went inside the little house at the top of the slide with Mia.

When we were leaving, I saw the most charming home.  There are many houses across the street from the park that are old and very kept up.

And one of the prettiest red rose bushes I've seen.

Nel received two blessings on this trip to her hometown; one was the butterfly that landed on her hand, and the other was a double rainbow on the first day she arrived.

~Sheri