front yard.. back yard!

I need to say first off that these pictures do not to these projects justice. I should wait and photograph them again but I'm tired and lazy so these will have to do. Come and see them in person to really enjoy them. This first picture is the mound out in front. We planted lots of flowers for summer and put on a thick cover of cedar mulch.

It should be pretty in a month or two!

We planted some pots on the handcart on the back of the mound.

Pops got this bench from Jack and Delores for his birthday. We put it together so we could use it in our next project.
Some of the bushes on this side of the house didn't survive the harsh winter this year. We trimmed them but it didn't look very good.

Some were overgrown and some were dead.

We added new soil in this bed and filled it with flowers and mulch to hold in the moisture.

The crushed rock in this bed was some that Pops crushed special just for this purpose several years ago. It is beautiful granite and Quartz and even some fools gold. We blew out the leaves and junk and washed it down.
We put the new bench on the gravel. It is beautiful and shady in the afternoon and Mom and Pops really like it.

Okay now let's start on the back yard projects.

First we planted a Japanese Maple surrounded by Azaleas under Mom and Pops bedroom window. This was just a weed patch but now with thick mulch the weeds shouldn't be too bad. The moister is provided by an underground drain with holes in it that comes from the roof that the guys buried. Looks nice doesn't it?
Our next projects caused a little damage to our truck. We were using the bumper to pull out some evergreens. Guess they were stronger than the bumper.

It was a fun show

Lots of big bushes to pull out

Dave and Pops would put a chain around them and then I would pull them out with the truck. I guess technically I'm the one who ruined the bumper but I also have the idea of how to fix it.
Pops sat out at the fire and burned the bushes in the pit. He uses the blower to fan the fire and it burns really fast.

No fire department this time!

When they pulled out the shrubs there was a big stump under there. They dug down and sawed it off so you can't tell there ever was one there.
Here are more shrubs by the stairs to cut out. They are all overgrown.

These pictures aren't very good but I'll try to take some finished project photos tomorrow. For now these will have to do.

Tiptoe thru the Tulips

Last Monday we decided to do a day trip with our Family Home Evening group. Uncle Leo and Uncle Jared have done a lot of work for a guy up past Mt. Vernon. They have built roads and rock walls, retention ponds and cleared brush on his 180 acres. As we were talking about a day trip they said lets drop by Jeff's place and drive around and feed the fish. WOW! What a place. The ponds were full and fish were jumping. The scenery was breathtaking.
There were even fun places to stop and things to see. It is completely private and the sign said as we entered: "If you weren't invited, we don't want you!"

We are sure glad we were invited! After seeing Jeff's place we went to the Royal Fork in Mount Vernon for lunch. It was a very good Buffet and we had a great time.

Then it was on to the Skagit Valley Tulip fields. All I can say is they were jaw dropping beautiful! The pictures will say it all and they don't start to do them justice.







There were field after field for miles! I love pink! I couldn't stop here and I was driving but I took this picture myself anyway. Can you believe it?
Here is red and yellow but there were tons more colors and types. What a day!
Here is our group. Me, Dave, Mom, Pops, Uncle Leo Baird (Moms brother) Uncle Jared Dickson (Pops brother) Aunt MaryAlice Dickson. We usually have family home evening together every week.
The guys couldn't leave Conway without stopping to get the famous ice cream cones everyone was talking about. Lynn mentioned it to us but then everyone we talked to said that is part of seeing the tulips. Dave and Jared waited in line for a good 1/2 hour.
I can't believe I didn't get a bicture of the cones. When she started giving them to us they were so big that I didn't have a choice but to put up the camera and help the guys take them to the car. Next year I vow not to go to an all you can eat buffet before going to the ice cream place so I can have one! This was a day to remember.

Pops 91st Birthday

It was interesting to read your comments at the end of this blog. I couldn't figure out why Janice mentioned that not everyone was in the pictures. I showed Sheri the pictures I was putting in and thought I had done it. After reading Janices comment I kept thinking who in the world was at the dinner that I'd forgotten to take a picture of? Then I decided she must mean everyone who called to wish grandpa a happy birthday but couldn't come. But then I looked over the blog and I was shocked to realize these last two pictures were not there. Oops! Believe me this won't be the last time I goof but I hate doing it so publicly to my super heros. :0 Viv
Yep I mean it when I say these are my super heros! They drop everything to come and help us and are so good to grandma and grandpa.
For his 91st birthday we asked Pops where he would like to eat dinner. He said he didn't know but would really like some real good ribs. We started a search for a good rib place but had trouble finding one. No Tony Romas around here! We looked and Sherilyn even searched the internet but we had no luck until we asked Janice. Janice said she had seen a new place called Famous Daves Barbeque by the Everett Mall so even though none of us had tried it we went.

We went for lunch because Dave and I had a cannery assignment in the evening. Famous Daves was a good choice! The place was full of people and it was great food.

With all the gooey yummy ribs Meledie was wondering why she wore a white jacket! We had a fun lunch with Sheri, Joel, Seth, Janice, Matt, Meledie, Dave and I, and Mom and Pops.
All day Pops received phone calls from his grandchildren. The calls started the day before his birthday and kept coming for several days. He was so happy to talk to everyone.
Jack and Delores and John and Melinda bought Pops a new park bench to add to the seating in the yard.

The day was great, the ribs were wonderful,
but the telephone calls were the best!
Thanks everyone!!!

Pops had so many ribs he took home a whole meal for the next day.
Yep it was a good birthday!