Ya know it's summer when there's a tent in the yard

In early July Peoria Gardens, a wholesale nursery outside of town, opens to the public for a limited time. The first hour of the first day they were open we were there. So were a million other people. It was quite the buying extravaganza. Everything was so cheap and so beautiful that what's a person to do but buy?!?

I returned a second time at the end of the day when it was nice and quiet--and bought more. I used the excuse that I wanted our backyard and deck to be beautiful for Aaron's birthday party coming up at the end of the month. I needed an instant garden. (I was hoping that Aaron would understand that there was no money left over for a birthday cake--it had all been invested in flowers. What 13-year-old wouldn't understand that?!?)




Yes, the Honda was full and I was happy. Courtney was--hummmmmm--very tolerant and helpful. Even supportive.





Well, there will be more later about the results of all that, but meanwhile our friends Frank and Margaret from Pacific Grove came to visit. I think we can safely call it a tradition. This is the third summer in a row that they've come to see us and camped in our backyard.




At the old house they had to camp on the side yard to be as far away as possible from the road noise of 53rd St. But in our new yard it's nice and quiet in that way. Noisy in other ways. Like the rooster across from us and the sheep at the end of the street. And bicyclists and walkers talking as they take the path just on the other side of our fence.




In the photo above we're on the back patio of our favorite restaurant, Nearly Normals. Out for a leisurely dinner and good conversation. It's always wonderful to have Frank and Margaret here. We've got plenty, plenty to talk about and share.




We relaxed alot in the backyard and around the house. But it was also the Da Vinci Days weekend so we made a trip downtown to see the Kinetic Sculpture Parade on Saturday morning and then Frank and Margaret spent the rest of the day at the Da Vinci Days Festival. Live music, information on alternative everything, plus the races and sculptures. Aaron took lots of great pictures of the parade with my cell phone, but I'm not quite advanced enough to know how to get them from the phone to the blog. Maybe later......




Meanwhile, looking out into our backyard and seeing their tent, sitting around drinking coffee and yakking, showing them the Co-op. It was all fun and gave me the feeling of summer. Vacation, camping, leisure time. Ahhhhhhh....how good.

Only days after they left the next round of company was due here, so no rest for the wicked. More fun to come, stay tuned,

Valori