This Old House Part II

For the last couple of months, the downstairs bathroom smelled like the old cellar.  The smell would go away when we turned on the radiant heat in the floor.  Wondering if the toilet was leaking, we reset the wax seal and hoped we were done.

That was not to be.  So Bob cut this artful round hole in the wall.

It has to be spooky in there.

Sticking the camera in the hole revealed water in the empty space.  It was undoubtedly left over from the flood waters and never got a chance to dry out.  3 days of heaters and fans took care of that.

Bob gooped up the edges and stuck the wall back together.

All textured, painted and done!  AND no smell.............I am sensitive you know.

This Old House Part I

We suspected that we had an ant problem before we left on our trip.  This is the pile of "ant dust" that we discovered upon our return.

First Bob made a tidy hole in the siding and killed hundreds of ants, but the wood particles continued. Then he resorted to removing the gutter and really getting into the siding.

 The black spots are where the ants died and fell to their fate.

We found this monstrous hill in the back woods.  The sack of ant poison shows the comparison of size.

Ants up close and very busy.  Hope we got them all!

Light and Dark

After Ann introduced me to this lovely blooming oregano, I found that it dries very well and maintains the pale pink and green colors all winter.  I just took this year's cuttings and had some camera fun.

Grandma (and Grandpa) Camp

 Grace and her mother came to spend a week at G-ma Camp.  We had an agenda and really kept busy.

 Grandpa's camp job was to provide the fun......and they found it on the water at Boston Harbor.

 You can purchase the modern version of rag curlers which would be soft to sleep on.  Sure beats those hard plastic rollers we used to use before the availability of curling irons.  Don't we look like twins?  Our hair wasn't wet enough when we rolled it and we only got a slight wave.

 We started our sewing experience by looking at the construction of Grandma Tilda's dress, which is full of hand stitching, whale bone, horsehair and too many single hooks and eyes to count.

 Then it was Grace's turn to get acquainted with her machine.  We figured out how to wind a bobbin and thread the machine.  What else do you need?

 The moment of discovery!!!!  " See what I did?"

 Yes, Grandpa did provide the fun.

Grace had a 70's party on her calendar and so Shannon made this fun outfit, ball-fringe and all. 
It was a great week and over too soon.  I'm making plans for next summer............

Leaving and Going, Is It The Same?

Friday morning and we are headed north.  The beautiful new temple at Brigham City, a minature of the Salt Lake Temple and soon to be ready for the open house.

 The old Brigham City Tabernacle brings to mind much earlier Saints who built it and worshiped there.

 Our accomodations in Nampa, Idaho on the way home.

The wheat has turned to its' most beautiful amber color.  There is field after field through Idaho and Oregon. 
Then we head up the Columbia River with its green walls, and as we get closer to Portland, the clouds gather to cover the sun and the air is cooler, and we know that home is just a few more miles down the road.  The places we saw are memorable, but the people we saw are wrapped in our hearts.

Just One More Day.......

We had planned to leave for home on Thursday.  But with persuasion (it didn't take much) we stayed an extra day with Ben and JoLin and the kids. 

When trying to keep from swallowing the pits, Quinn generated lots of cherry juice.

Joel wanted to show us where he will be going to school.  This wall with the planets has captured his interest.  His bedroom at home is a mixture of planets and sharks......

There is also this wonderful map of the United States.  Joel knows where he lives and he asked Grandpa where his house was.  When Bob stood there, we could see the distance between us.

98 degrees in the sun.  We didn't stay at the school long.  Instead we headed for the air conditioned house.

Logo project complete.........So fun playing

Home for the next FEW years.

Love these kids.

I asked for a formal pose and this is what I got. 

I guess we really are going home in the morning.  Hmmmmm.

Wednesday Afternoon

Still flying high from seeing Ann, Paul, Laura and g-daughter Elissa, the afternoon found us making our way to Riverton to see Dwight and Velna.  Again, it had been 6 years since we had seen each other. 
For them, there have been many changes.  Health experiences have got to be as toughening and as tender as any life has to offer.  They have both weathered life changing difficulties.  When we felt the calm in their home, we were made to feel calm ourselves. 

Velna looked beautiful, the pain  masked for the moment.  How does she do it?  Dwight was fun and tried to stir up family controversy over at whose home we had stayed the longest.   We are going to take all of his advice.   A wonderful visit!!!!

I am sad that these are blurry..........

Wednesday Morning in Orem

6 long years had passed since we had seen Ann and Paul.  They are unchanged, a constant in a world that seems to be topsy turvy.  This pose is in front of their picturesque garden fence and gate which surrounds their growing operations.

I love these raised beds made from the cherry beams. Tomatoes are in the foreground and they picked cucumbers to take back to the house.  This is a happy spot of earth.

 The chickens saw (or heard) Ann coming and they all came running.  She didn't even have to call, "Here, chick, chick, chick."  Notice the watch dog is on duty.

 The award winning garden in the front yard is loaded with perennials and roses.  At the far end is a beautiful yellow rose.

 Tanners newly decorated living room.  The new vinyl windows that Paul installed in cold December really help to make the room more comfortable. 

Ann's treasure cabinet holds so many fun things.  Notice the Penrose Good Roads photo displayed on the top shelve.  Very clever.

Unfortunately the poses I took of Laura were blurry.  Sorry, Laura.

Tanners' home was the scene of another reunion.  Elissa, Jay's oldest daughter, found us and we had a delightful time.  She is studying at the Paul Mitchell beauty school and here she is about to leave teenage years behind.  Keep up the hard work, Elissa.....you'll make it.

Layton Valuables

 Monday was our visit to see Louise.  We had seen her in March in Washington, but we were just as excited to see her.  She has created such beauty in her quilt world and in who she is. 

Louise has her kingdom in order, from the quilts to her home to the wonderful scrapbooks that she has assembled.  She has kept every family wedding announcement, photo or related scrap of paper and compiled books on individual family members.  I'm sorry that I didn't send her more as she would have organized it all.

The Reason Ben Moved to Utah

 Sunday evening Ben took us into Ogden to show us his office.  He was responsible to select the location and do what it takes to make it a functioning business.

 ........showing his dad around the place........

 This is a  different idea of a "board room".   I recognized the hand writing and because Ben has been less than detailed about his responsibilities, I asked him "who is in charge around here."  He replied, that I was looking at him.  I was impressed.

 Beautiful summer sunset in the western sky.

 ......with dark clouds like this to the south.   Ben took us to several sites where RailWorks had built railroad tracks, either new or replacements.  I was excited to be up close to the trains.

More trains requiring more tracks.  It's ironic that Bob's last job for the State of Washington was with the Dept. of Revenue and one of his assignments was to check railways for correct taxation.  So he has walked a few tracks himself.
We loved getting a glimpse into Benjamin's professional life.  Now I know why he's so busy.

Heading South into Utah

The Logan Temple on a Sunday morning

Patchwork fields up against the mountains would do a quilt proud.

Can't miss the new Brigham City Temple spires off in the distance.

Look who greeted us in Clinton!   Always reaching higher........

Let's get on the business....Grandpa had started on this Lego project with the kids while they were still in Washington.