A Great Mother's Day

I had the greatest Mother's Day. We went down to Seattle to visit my middle daughter and family (and pick up a load of fertilizer). My youngest granddaughter, who just turned one a week ago, climbed up on the dining room table after dinner and stood up by herself for the first time. She had a great and appreciative audience of parents, grandparents and big sister and she wowed us all. She was so pleased with herself.

Iris Meets Lambs

My granddaughter, Iris, met two new lambs this morning. She named them Rosa and Rosie. We can't really tell them apart but since the names are really similar it doesn't matter.

What a Big World

Our youngest daughter, Siri, finished college at Brooklyn College, in well, Brooklyn, NY, yesterday in the Film Studies program. We are immensley proud of her and the hard work it took to do that. She's a long way from the farm and the island but maybe she has always looked out from here to the great big interesting world. Best of luck to you in all your ventures, dearest daughter.

Know Your Farmer

I've just come home from spending several days in Seattle babysitting my youngest granddaughters, Iris and Charlotte. Here's Charlotte getting her first taste of delicata squash grown by Grandpa Joel. We took down lots of beets, carrots and winter squash that mom is going to turn into baby food.

Baby Pictures

So what do new Grandmas do but share baby pictures. So here is Charlotte Hope with her big sister Iris May, mom, Marilla, and dad, Jay. I can't wait to see this young lady in person.

Spring Break

It's spring break and our oldest daughter arrived yesterday with family, neighbor, and a passel of friends on their fishing boat.
Today she came over and helped me dig up and move the dahlias. They are planted in a 40" bed, in rows 3 feet apart, 30" apart in the rows. After three years they are so huge that I can't get between the plants to harvest the fowers. So then they get dug up, the big bunches of tubers thinned out, and replanted.
They go into the new bed the same way. We'll move the mulch from the old bed to the new and plant peas in the old bed.

Anniversary

Today is our 22nd wedding anniversary. We were married in this house with our kids and my sister present. I made the dress and Joel's shirt from Folkway patterns. I don't remember what the cake was like but it looks like chocolate. Funny, we don't usually remember our anniversary until several days have passed. Christmas was two days ago, Joel's birthday in three, then mine in a week and a granddaughter just before mine, the anniversary usually gets lost in the shuffle. This has not affected our marriage. But today for some reason we remembered. And I am celebrating by sharing this picture.

We did not get off the island for Christmas. It was just still too cold to leave the house and critters. But yesterday we went to Friday Harbor and picked up our two older girls and their families and brought them over here for a late Christmas celebration. Siri is coming in January.

Wedding

This last Sunday, Joel, Siri and I went to our foster daughter Laurel's wedding on Orcas Island. We went by boat from Waldron to Olga on Orcas with friends. The bride arrived mounted on a beautiful Arabian horse and was married in a lovely meadow with her two children in attendance. It was a lovely sunny day. for a wedding. Laurel lived with us for much of her growing up and it was just so great to see her so happy on her day.

Siri's home

Our youngest daughter Siri is home for a few weeks from New York where she is a student at Brooklyn College. She's working on San Juan Island but made it back to Waldron last week for a few days for a visit and to help get ready for market.
All through high school and for several years after, Siri was in charge of the cut flower part of the farm. She is a superb bouquet maker and we miss her expertise.
She met up with friends at the market on Saturday. It is so very, very nice to have her around for a bit. We do miss her.