Yes, I"ve been away, and now I am BACK!

There is nothing so special to me in life, so important, as family! We just spent an entire week in the home of my son, in Portland, Oregon! What a joy it was to wake each morning to see this little face,
to talk to her, to listen to her talk, to feed her, to dress her, to play with her, to teach her and to learn from her!

She is bilingual you know, as being born deaf, but now sporting a fashionable cochlear implant that allows her to hear, miracle of all miracles, she is signing and talking, and can help me learn the ASL alphabet! And she identifies written letters and some words! She is all of 22 months old.

She knows all the colors and shapes already. I do not know what they will teach her in pre-school!
And she loves music and her Grandpa! She signs for him to play guitar and sing and he does!

I also have two other grand kids who are older, Kaeli will be 20 in a few short months. She is studying to be a nurse! And she is so sweet and loving too. She'll make an excellent nurse.
Her brother was there as well, age 23, but didn't stand still long enough for me to take an un-blurred photo of him this time. He's a sweetheart too!

My son loves his little daughter beyond words. Their nightly bath ritual is very special and fun.

Mommy is a very special person too. I love her oh so much. She is a teacher, so no wonder her little one is learning so quickly...the lessons never stop...nor do the kisses!

We took a day trip to the beach. Allie is reading the letters on the side of her food pouch!

Cannon Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever visited. It was fun walking across the water of the inlets to get to the ocean edge.

It was also a pleasure to sit on the big quilt I made them (for dancing at Country Fair) on the beach.

That's Grandpa out far in the water!

I also had the added pleasure and fun with a lunch meet up with Judy Wise while there. I invited HER to lunch and she paid for it! Now you know that just means we have to do this again next time I am in town so I can treat her (which was my intention!) We also drew each other and I'll post those drawings on Friday for PPF blog.

Judy is so charming and fun. We found we had more than just art in common. We are also old hippies, who, we decided, are aging quite gracefully!

We also spent time on the way up and again on the way back in Glide, Or with our dear friend Sam.
We have been friends for as long as I've known my husband, as he and her husband, now deceased, were best friends in their 20's. So we go back a long time.
Sam has us up every July 4th. I'll do a special post of her home and garden as it's all so artfully done!

And we visited Cris and Con in Roseberg, Oregon both directions as well. Cris didn't like any of her photos so I am posting our husbands instead! They get along great and it's fun to see them together!
My friendships made new friendships for DH. Cris's home and garden are beautiful. She has a little farm of animals, and wonderful art to see and enjoy! I love seeing her latest works of wonderful art!

And last, but not least we stopped for a sleep over in Ashland at my cousin Betsy's home. Betsy turned 90 this year, but don't let that fool you. We had a hard time keeping up with her, literally, as she hiked us up the hill to the dining room in her ACTIVE senior community. The emphasis is on the ACTIVE. We were huffing and puffing, but Betsy was NOT. She is so fit. I swear she is going to live to 200!

 

As you can see it was a wonderful 12 days vacation. And on Friday I'll post the ten drawings I did while away. Or most of them anyway.

 

I hope you are enjoying summer too.