More flowers

Here is another gladiola that I like. Maybe I like glads because they are the flower for August my birthday month..
Another glad. I had trouble getting this pic. It was leaning over, but I held it with one hand and took the picture with the other.
This is a dwarf sunflower. My neighbor gave me the seeds. I planted them and only a couple came up. You think of sunflowers being tall, but these really are dwarfs. These are pink nicatiana (spelling?) that Toot gave me. I also have some white ones blooming. They are showier for "real" than the picture shows. There are some impatients blooming (red) in the background.

These are the first of my dahlias that are blooming. At the side is some blue salvia that Toot gave me. I think it looks closer to purple than blue.

Pine Knot week end

My friend, Martha Mast, her sister Della and Della's friend June arrived at Pine Knot on Thursday evening. It felt so comfortable after watching the greased pig catching contest at the Allensville Firemen's Festival.
This is Della standing in front of a large rhodedendron bush along Rag Hollow Road. There were so many gorgeous bushes I could have taken hundreds of pics.
Della and I walked out this road (Rag Hollow Road) Friday morning for our morning walk. Della likes to walk in the mornings too. Aunt Sis came over Friday evening and played some games with us. I got her to take our picture so we had one of all of us. In the left of the pic is Martha, then her sister Della, and June in front. I am standing in the back
This is a picture of flowers we saw on our walk. It is probably a weed, but I thought it was pretty.

Saturday afternoon we went to Allensville for the parade. This was the color guard leading off the parade. I guess you know these are John Deere tractors pulling kids and flags in the parade.
This is the antique fire engine that belongs to Allensville Fire Company. My cousin, Marlin is sitting in the front waving. He was responsible for having this old engine restored and it is only used for in parades now. If you ever meet Marlin and ask him about the truck, be prepared to hear a long story! He has been a member of the volunteer firemen many years and now his two sons are also in it. This is a picture of Marlin's son, Danny Lee and wife. I don't know who the children are, maybe nieces. Danny doesn't have children yet.
This is a newer vehicle belonging to Allensville. They also have a pumper tank truck. There were fire trucks from neighboring towns in the parade, too. People and kids line the streets for the parade and as the trucks go by they throw out candy. This is a big small town event.

My friends and I also visited Peight's Store, Peachey's Restaurant, besides playing games. We usually stay until Sunday afternoon, but I had to come home because Joel and Mandy's baby was being dedicated on Sunday. More about that in the next blog.

Wexcon picnic on Saturday, July 12

Wendell and I decided to ride this old car. He took my picture, then I got in the back and he drove. But we both decided this was too tame. So, we went to the roller coaster called the Phoenix. It was a wooden rail thing. It was "wicked"! It went so fast and the Gs were so pronounced that it lifted us both out of our seats and then flopped us down. It did that on several of the drops.
We also went on the bumper cars. We both had a blast and went back to where Rita was sitting at the table and persuaded her to come on the bumper cars too. She did and I took her picture and wanted her to take mine, but they started them up before she got a picture of me. So, I had two rides on the bumper cars. It was a great picnic, but very hot. It was held at Knoebel's Grove at Elysburg, PA. It is a very nice amusement park with lots of trees but it was a hot day and we walked a lot.

This is a picture of the youngest person there, Ricky and Amy's little Joanna. She is only two weeks old on this picture. Becky in case you don't know Amy is Phyllis and Andy's youngest daughter, married to Ricky Eberly. Ricky is one of Wexcon's foremen.

They had the picnic catered for us. We had hamburgers, hot dogs, barbecued chicken, macaroni salad, baked beans, cole slaw, chips and ice cream, Also sodas in a keg. I liked the birch beer. So good.

My busy life

My first gladiola this year. I don't dig out the bulbs in the fall any more and they grow, but also multiply.
My Asian lilies. Some years ago, I bought one bulb. They have multiplied and I have shared with quite a few folks.
The first red double portulaca to bloom this year. They always seed themselves. You see there are a lot more that will bloom later.
I also had take a picture of the yellow portulaca. I need to pull some extra "growth" among the flowers!

This is what I did yesterday before going to work. I did two batches yesterday and one today. Now in case you raspberry jelly lovers think I have made a lot of it, just remember I have 16 grandchildren, and kids you have to share!

Work

My new John Deere for mowing my lawn
I mow my lawn in a little less than two hours with my new mower. Check out my Wexcon hat!
This is black raspberry jelly and apricot jam. I love making it, but mostly give it away.

at Laurel Nursing home

My friend, Betty Naftzinger and I go to Laurel twice a month and sing, play our guitars and tell them some jokes for an hour. One of the aides took these pictures for us. Our audience is mostly in wheel chairs.
They clap and enjoy when we come. We sing hymns or old songs like "I've Been Working on the Railroad"

Today we even sang some rounds with them.

Picnic on the 4th

Somehow I missed putting this picture on my blog, but I wanted you to see it.
I couldn't miss having Aubree on this report.

4th of July

To any one who wasn't able to be there, a good time was had by all! Lots of food, lots of talk, just good family time. Andrea is showing her ring that John just gave her. It has to be made smaller to fit the right finger.
We all went up to Wendells for a tour of their new home. Here Andrea is relaxing in their living room.

I don't know what Julie's problem was here. I didn't even know it showed her mouth open until after I viewed them. Kind of funny, but Julie probably doesn't think so!
Here is Aubree "touring" around. I could have filled my camera with great grandchildren's pictures. They are the cutest! This is Mindy taking her turn on the little bike.
Too many people to all be on one picture. This is one end of the table from up in Julie's loft.
This is the Filsons. Check out how tall Daane is. He has his driver's license now and insisted they had to stay for the fireworks. (They did.)

More eating! The usual menu. Everybody pretty much brought what they usually do. Julie had turkey barbecue. They also had corn on the cob. Rita made her baked beans. Edna brought broccoli salad- yumm! Sallie brought graham cracker pudding. Aunt Sis brought meadow tea and those little peanut butter cups in a cup cake. I'm not sure what Anna Margaret brought.
Another picture at the table.
I'm not sure what Phyl is showing here!
Do I need to say who brought these? After all the food we ate we still ate these! A picture of the other end of the table from Julie's loft.

This was a surprise. They invited Sallie because they were celebrating my 80th birthday. I told them it wasn't my birthday yet, but they said it is too hard to get everybody together. So, they did it on the 4th of July. Missing was the Geesamans because of the Army guys just getting to the states on furlough.
Andrea loves Grandma cookies just like the other grandkids. She had a plate with four!
Krista brought me a bouquet out of her garden for my birthday. They are so pretty.
They start young with grandma cookies. Mindy likes them too.
Sallie. I was so surprised to see her and Vic.

Anna even came home for our 4th.
Another one eating Grandma cookies. They were so funny. They just wanted more and more.

Another cookie eater. I thought I put several more pictures on, but somehow they are missing. I will have to check and if I find them I will send them too. Julie had made me a cake and they had two candles an 8 and a 0 lit for me.

I didn't take any of the fireworks, but they were bigger and better then ever, thanks to Kerby.