New challenges

I signed up for Eva Shaw's "Writing your life story" class. It has been exciting to learn techniques in writing as I am new to this. I just learned bubbling, or mind mapping. My life story bubble is bursting and I haven't even included the last 30 years! This week we are doing 'character sketches' about people we will write about. After we learn all these tools we should be ready to put our story together. What a challenge that will be!

I also uncovered the old Unique Gardens web site that Randy did for me in 1999. Mike posted it up on my new site. Uniquegardens.net. Check it out. There is a lot of work to do on it yet but the information is still good. Check out the Monthly guide to gardening. I am trying to learn the new software we got, Microsoft Expression Web, so I can edit the site.

My brain is working overtime.....time to get out in the garden for a brain break!

Fun with Siena and her Mom and Dad

Randy, Staci and Siena came down for the day. We had fun at the beach.

Siena loved playing with the sand but loved the water even more.

Some Grandma fun

Playing in the garden

A trip through the garden is my favorite time to spend with everyone who comes over. They all know what's up when I ask "anyone want to go outside?"
It is especially fun with the grandchildren. It is amazing how much they remember from visit to visit. Aubrey always wants to look for worms around the compost pile. Garrett loves to play with the rocks and splash in the fountain (named Bob).

Garrett playing with the rocks in the herb garden's dry river bed.

I think the little ones look so cute around the bridge.

Aubrey and I pulling out a six foot high celery plant that I let go to seed.

Nicole enjoyed harvesting the seeds from the plant. They have a really intense celery flavor. We will use them as seasoning in the kitchen and plant some in the spring for a new crop of celery.

Aubrey loves to water my plants on the deck.

Fiesta weekend

Nicole and the grandchildren spent the weekend. We attended the annual San Clemente Fiesta. A full day of family fun. Rounded the busy weekend out by going to the beach and playing on the deck and in the garden.

The crowd at the San clemente Fiesta.

We went early and were leaving just about time the crowds swelled to 25,000!

Aubrey and Garrett were 'Pirates" at the Fiesta. Arrrrrrrg!

Garrett insisted on pushing Aubrey around the deck.

They are really having fun playing in the waves now.

It is so nice to be able to go to the beach for an hour or two since it is less than 5 minutes away. That is plenty of time for the little ones to play hard, just in time to go home, clean up eat and rest. We pack light and it makes it easy to go on the spur of the moment.