GRANDPA'S CAMPOUT 2011

WELL, THERE IS ANOTHER ONE FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS.

THE CAMPOUT WAS A SUCCESS.

EVERYONE WENT HOME WITH TREATS AND TREASURES FROM THE TREASURE HUNT AND HOPEFULLY SOME FUN MEMORIES.

We did a craft.

 Played some tag.

 And more tag.  Hmmmm, grandpa must have been tagged, he didn't move at all from the previous picture.

 Poor Spencer couldn't figure out which way to go to catch his cousins.  Darn tree anyway!

 First clue on the treasure hunt.

 It was getting dark so they needed to hurry.

 It looks like Matthew just figured out the clue, he has that "ah-ha" look on his face.

 Logan thought there might be some treasure on top of the trailer.

 Finally, the treasure was found.

 We dumped the whole treasure basket in the middle of the floor so they could take turns choosing from their prizes.

 Posing and being silly.

 It was a thumbs-up all around for the camp out.

 Here is the mass of sleeping bags after a good nights sleep.

This is grandpa's hunting tent that they got to sleep in.

The unanimously chosen breakfast, doughnuts and hot cocoa.

Thank goodness we have a wonderful bakery close by.

Oh ya, on top of the camp out two of the moms stayed up until 3a.m. canning tomatoes and green beans.

Then today we all worked together to can more green beans and some peaches.

All in all we canned:

103 pints of green beans

27 quarts of tomatoes

and

53 quarts of peaches.

All I can say is,

I AM EXHAUSTED!!!

TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT

The grandkids are coming over for their annual "Grandpa's Campout". 

The tent is up

The taco's are being prepared

The treasure hunt is in place

T-shirts are finished

Prizes are ready

Games are ready to be played

We will even be doing a craft (imagine that!)

I will be back later with pictures.

RANDOM POST ABOUT PLANTS

I am just posting some random photo's of pictures I took while camping and then a few of what's growing in my back yard.

This was a huge three leaf clover that caught my eye.

I thought this tree was quite interesting.  It is growing right out of an old log. 

 Lowland huckleberries.  The huckleberries in the higher mountains are a bluish/purple color.

 Loved these three little trees.

 Here is a plant that refuses to die.  I am not sure what it is but it is taller than I am.  It was in this little corner when we began our addition.  It got stepped on and didn't get watered for months but yet it still comes back every year.

 My first tomatoes of the season.  I didn't even get these planted until around the first of July.

 And of course the zucchini (sp?) is huge.  I just turn my back and I swear it grows 3 inches.

 My one success this year with roses.

And lastly my impatiens basket finally took off.

I hope all of your plantings are doing well wherever you are.

PEACHES APLENTY

It looks like the peach order has outdone the cherry order.  I currently have 1650 pounds of peaches being delivered to my house Thursday night.

I am just glad I don't have to can them all.  Whew!  That would be the 'pits'.  Haaahaaaahaaa, get it?  The pits?

PEACE, TRANQUILITY AND RELAXATION

We just got back from twelve days of heaven.  We camped with kids and grandchildren in one of the most peaceful places around.  There were campfires and s'mores, fish caught, frogs captured, swimming in an icy cold river, hikes and bike rides and playing card games and reading books. There was no cell phone service, very limited internet service but we did have our satellite dish so we could watch some television, although we didn't watch much of it.

It was kind of sad to have to come back to reality.

Here are a couple of photo collages of some of the fun we had.

CATCHING FROGS

How do you keep a two boys three and five years old occupied on a camping trip?

You go frog hunting, that's what you do.

 The hardest part is making sure they don't fall in the lake.

 I think Grandpa had as much fun as the boys did.

SUMMERTIME FUN

We are spending some more time at our secret camping spot.  Some of our kids and grandchildren joined us this time.

This is Tower Rock.

There were a few brave souls that decided to hike to the top of Tower Rock.

Little Miss Dawson was one of them to take the hike, although she got to be in the backpack.

 Duncan also went along on the trip to the top of the rock.

 This is the view from the top.

 Hubby Jim, son Dustin, grandsons Matthew and Spencer and son-in-law Jason were mighty brave to pose in this photo.  It's a little too close to the edge.  Oh the things they do when mom and grandma aren't around.

My daughter Tasha and I stayed in camp and were able to see the mighty hikers through a spotting scope from camp.

 Here is the owner of the campground patiently teaching the boys how to cast their poles.

 Spencer caught the biggest fish of the day but was too chicken to hold it for a picture.

 Once the fish was cleaned and strung up on a stick he was brave enough to hold it.

More photo's to come, we are headed back for five more days.

I THINK WE HAVE "WRENTERS"

As I was sitting at the computer this morning I noticed a little birdie checking out the bird house perched on the front porch railing.

(Please excuse the fuzzy pictures, I took the picture through the screen.)

The next time I looked out the whole family had come to check out the house.

...they were having a grand time.

We actually have had some barn swallows nest in this little house the last few years.  As soon as the babies are able to fly we never see them again until the next spring.

UNIQUE BLOOM, UGLY PLANT

I love the blooms on this plant...

So big and showy,

but this is the whole plant...not lovin' it so much.

The bottom looks like this most of the time

UGLY AND SPIKY!

Does anyone know the name of it?

I just wish the flowers from it lasted longer.