There is lots going on with Jill's family this week. Jill has been called out of town for a Gibson family emergency. We took her to the airport Sunday morning. Isaac got a ride to his meet up for his week at Boy Scout Camp. Our job was to take Irene to her week long Girl Scout Camp.
We had planned to visit some more NPA Open Gardens on Sunday, and since they were in the same general direction as Irene's camp, we combined the two, and I got to spend much of the day with Irene as she critiqued some lovely gardens in the Snohomish area.
Garden of Ramona Hensrude and John Barnington
Irene was quite impressed that all of this was outside the fence.
From the first garden we visited, her radar picked up every garden bench there was to sit on.
Another garden, another bench, this one a swing! She said it was very hard to get out of this one, there in the shade.
In the garden of Robert and Cathy Haynes
"Grandma, this is what you need in that place where you took down the tree! A grape arbor!"
The home and studio of Karen Guzak and Warner Blake, Angel Arms Works, is very beautiful, full of charming sitting areas and wonderful artistic creations.
And, much to Irene's delight, they have five cats, three if which she got to meet.
Charlie didn't really want Irene to leave, and it was mutual.
We had to skip several gardens, so we selected a few we had not seen before. We were very happy to get to see this wonderful place, the garden of Fred Rowe and Ed Poquette.
Always another bench!
I got lots of advice here from Irene about how we needed to put in a water feature.
"Oh, there are fish!"
"Oh, this is what we should put over our hot tub. Then if someone wanted to kiss of something they could close the curtains." Her hot tub, not mine. I don't have one.
After visiting four gardens, we moved on, and landed in Monroe for lunch at a Subway.
We were doing very well on our timing, so we stopped in Duvall to look in some shops and then have ice cream. After all, it was now 95 degrees outside, and it was National Ice Cream Day.
The little ice cream shop was very busy and hot, so we opted for the self serve frozen yogurt place, that was almost empty and well cooled. The mango sorbet, topped with the raspberry sorbet, was delicious! Irene enjoyed her cotton candy flavor.
We finally got her to her camp, Camp River Ranch near Carnation, WA. It was very hot, so we stuck to the shade as much as possible as we got her checked in.
We bought her the newest addition of the camp sweatshirt, which she might need later this week, as a cooling trend is supposed to set in.
We got her settled into her covered wagon bunk house, kissed her goodbye and left her in the care of her camp councilor.
We got back in our air conditioned car and drove back to our air conditioned house where we stayed put for the rest of the day.
Today is a much cooler 77 degrees at 4:00. We are on garden and cat sitter duty over at Jill's house this week. Tomorrow we take Jake in for his first post-surgery check back.
Once a parent, always a parent, except when you are a grand parent.
you are certainly busy watching pets, kids and grandkids...fun day with your grand dg. touring gardens in the heat. We are getting monsoons now and it's cooled greatly only in the 80 degrees today-RELIEF!
ReplyDeleteWonderful pictures. I am amazed at how quickly Irene is growing up, Linda. The difference in her pictures today and a year ago are very noticeable. And yes it was so hot yesterday that I vegetated in place, fans blowing and a book in my hands. :-)
ReplyDeleteFunny how Irene thinks we need curtains for kissing in the hot tub. Silly girl! It will probably be her before me and the curtains will definitely be Open!
ReplyDeleteLooks like you saw some lovely gardens. Peter and I considered going to those, but opted instead for the Federal Way Symphony Garden Tour, closer to home.
ReplyDeleteYour kids keep you busy. That is a good kind of busy. Irene should have fun at her camp. Was she excited to go?
ReplyDeleteLoved the gardens, but your garden is better. (Don't tell the others I said so.)
That's more than a garden...it's a whole park. I like how Irene found all the benches.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous day! Those gardens are so unique and beautiful. I can't get over how quickly Irene is growing up. She is such a beautiful child.
ReplyDeleteThose gardens make me feel like a piker. You all must not get many weeds in your area. I have foot tall tulip trees in my flower beds if I let them go more than a week without weeding.
ReplyDeleteOops, forgot to add that your granddaughter is just lovely and that long flowing blonde hair is to die for!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed seeing all the benches! That looks like a great place to camp, I hope she has a marvelous week:)
ReplyDeleteYou saw some fun gardens and got to spend the day with Irene; how fun is that? I'll be watching to see if you add a curtained hot tub, water feature or grape arbor! Hope all goes well for Jill and the Gibson family!
ReplyDeleteNinety Five?? Now I see why she sat a lot. What lovely gardens and I too liked the one with the cats best.
ReplyDeleteThat covered wagon bunk house is adorable. Doesn't look like it has A/C so I am glad it has cooled off for her. She sure is growing up fast.
She is getting tall. And growing up in other ways if the concern for those who might want to kiss is any indication.
ReplyDeleteShe is getting tall. And growing up in other ways if the concern for those who might want to kiss is any indication.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Irene! I love gardens where you can sit and enjoy the beauty of the plants and even meditate for awhile in the shade - especially on a hot day! Very charming gardens. One day when I get myself organized, I'm going to strive to make mine presentable.
ReplyDeleteI wanna go to camp. And to those gardens. Enjoyed the photo of you and your granddaughter on the bench. She'll love that forever.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the visit.