Fathers, Fishing, Family and Fun!!

What a fabulous way to spend the afternoon on this Father's Day.  Paul was thrilled to have two of his daughters home this weekend.  Zoe did make a "virtual" appearance later in the day as we video chatted with her toward the end of dinner, then she was the official "Bocce Ball" judge on some of the close calls.  We knew Father's Day would not be an easy one because of the loss of Paul's dad and the girl's grandpa this spring, so it was so nice that we had a houseful for dinner.

Father's Day Family Photo

The afternoon began at 4 p.m. with the arrival of Bill, Christy and Everett. It was wonderful to be surround by three such wonderful fathers in our midst, Everett, Bill and Paul.  We enjoyed some drinks and chips and salsa while Paul and I finished up the Shrimp Taco dinner that was served.  For dessert I made a wonderful recipe called "Grandma's Rhubarb Crisp" topped with some French Vanilla Ice Cream.

Grilled Shrimp Tacos...delicious.

Build your own tacos with all the fixin's.

Rhubarb Crisp.

After dinner it was fun giving Christy a tour of our gardens.  We love showing off our back yard that we have created to be our little "happy place".

Christy and Everett gave Paul a gardening book, and, in a joint Mother's Day and Father's Day gift,  Paul and I got money from the girls so we can purchase our fishing licenses (Molly, is this spelled correctly???.....LOL!!), and get out and do some fishing this summer.  But now we realized our next purchase needs to be fishing poles!!

After Christy and Everett left, the Bocce Ball competition was on, with Paul and I against Molly and Cosette, and Zoe still with us on the Chrome Book as we played a round.  It was close, and it came down to the last play, and "Team Millenial" won, thanks in part to our fair and impartial judge Zoe, making the close call through video chatting.

Cosette and Molly then drove to Coeur d'Alene to spend the night at the Coeur d'Alene resort.  Cosette is now the Social Media Coordinator for the Best Western University Inn in Moscow, as well as the Catering Assistant.  She was meeting with the person who does Social Media for the resort on Monday, so she was comped a room for the night.

What a wonderful weekend, a wonderful way to spend Father's Day, and a great time seeing lots of family and friends throughout the weekend.

Bridal shower, North Fork River Girl, Joyful Joy and Eagle Grad...Socializing Saturday

What a day of fun the Roberts' family had today hopping from one social event to the next.

Cosette started off the day by attending a bridal shower for her life long friend Jessi Gibbons.  Look at these two beauties!!

At the Silver Valley Community Market on Thursday I found the perfect sweatshirt  at Knotty Ridge Creations for my friend Kellee who enjoys almost every weekend throughout the summer "up the river" on the North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River.  The owner, Jess, saved it for me, and said I could pick it up at her grand opening of her new shop on McKinley Avenue in uptown Kellogg.  So I went up Saturday morning to check out her new shop and buy the sweatshirt.

It looks great on her!!

Molly, Cosette and Paul checking out the beautiful river.

Koach the River Dog

When you look at the view from their river place, you know why Kellee refers to this place as her "little slice of Heaven."

Kellee and Rex, our awesome hosts this afternoon.

Then it was off to French Gulch Farms and Garden for Joy Persoon's retirement party.  Joy started teaching in Kellogg when I was in junior high (unfortunately I never had her as a teacher, but she did accompany me at different times while I was in high school).  Joy has left a lasting impact on her students throughout the years, and many of us gathered together to celebrate this success.  It was a nice surprise to run into Geni Williams Fischer, a fellow Class of 1981 graduate. (I saw lots of former KHS classmates today!!)  Fortunately, all three of our daughters had her as a choir teacher in high school.  It was wonderful catching up with lots of people at the party, and to see different people share about our friend.  I look forward to spending more time with Joy in her retirement!!

Joy and her grandson Lennon.

Our final stop of the day was the Rathdrum City Park where Joanie McNutt was celebrating her graduation from Eastern Washington University.  The ceremony was this afternoon at EWU, then friends and family gathered together to celebrate her success in earning a degree in Recreational Therapy.  It was great to see Joanie and her sister Abby, and her grandparents Ann and Larry Curry.  It was also fun catching up with her Aunt Katy Davis, and more KHS Class of 1981 girls, Joanie's mom Tina Curry and our friend Tammi Durick Flores.

Tammi, Tina and I....lifelong friends!!!

Our final stop for the day was at Fred Meyer in Coeur d'Alene to pick up some last minute items for Father's Day dinner.  The highlight of the shopping trip was when the four of us met in one of the grocery aisles as Pharrell William's song "Happy" came on over the speakers, and the four of us started singing and dancing down the aisle.  So fun to spend the day socializing, visiting and laughing with Molly and Cosette!!

Lunch Date and "Hosta Takeover"

There is a new restaurant that opened uptown called "The BackCountry Café". It serves breakfast and lunch seven days a week, and is open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Paul and I really enjoyed our meal.  I had a Beef Lover's Sandwich, and Paul enjoyed a Reuben and Rachel.  To see more information and to check out their menu, you can go here

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Go treat yourself to a great sandwich, or pick up an order to go!

I was looking at the front of our house today, and we seem to have a bit of a "hosta takeover" (pun intended!!).  For whatever reason, the conditions in front of our house under the living room window are the perfect conditions to grow hostas.  And I have split most of these in the fall to share with others, and they just keep coming back, bigger and better than ever.  I got the small one from my brother's yard last fall, but it didn't get planted in the proper spot.  I need to move it over the the right to center it better between the other two hostas on either side.  I love that they grow like crazy in this front flower bed.

Quirky Garden Finds, Half Price Plants and an awesome Community Market Kick off!!

Paul and I scored in a variety of different ways today finding some quirky items to put in our themed gardens around the backyard.  The first was "inheriting" a lawn swing from my sister and her husband, since they purchased a new one.  But this will not be used as a theme.  It will be the centerpiece in one of our themed gardens.  Stay tuned as the garden progresses.

Paul had some items to take to the transfer station, so we decided to drive to Osburn and check out St. Vinnies.  We were in search of a bowling ball that we will transform into a garden gazing ball.  We scored and found a bowling ball, plus a white globe light cover and a perfect silver metallic vase to put in on that will also find a place somewhere in the yard.

Our local Ace Hardware Store put all their plants on sale half off today.  I tried to be very careful and not overdue buying too many.  I think I did pretty good.  I focused mostly on some perennials, but found a yellow climbing rose that will replace the one in my bathtub of roses that did not come back this year.  I purchased three black-eyed susan plants.  For some reason, I cannot, for the life of me, grow this flower and have it winter over and return in the spring.  Maybe if I have three, at least one will return next year.  I also nabbed some salvia and a different coreopsis.  

Then around 5:30 p.m. Paul and I hopped on our bikes and rode over to the Kellogg City Park to partake in the opening evening of the Silver Valley Community Market.  There were lots of vendors, lots of people and the weather was beautiful.  We saw lots of people that we visited with, saw lots of great vendor booths.  Ethereal E provided awesome music.  I look forward to visiting the market every Thursday that I am in town throughout the rest of the summer.

Radio Brewing provided beer and wine for sale.

One of the food vendors was making hot dogs.

Black Kettle Kitchen served some tasty Thai dishes,

Everyone I talked to enjoyed the new set up in the City Park.

We met the owners of Roo's Garden.  

Sandy Pommerening was there selling plants with Riverview Greenhouses.

You could do yoga for an hour to the music of Ethereal E.

Terry Anderson sells his awesome Jala Sauce.  Terry teaches at Kellogg High School with Paul.

More awesome vendors.

You have got to check out Creations by Christina. She takes copper, wood and many other materials to make unique, one of a kind earrings and necklaces.  I bought a pair from her last summer and always get a lot of compliments on them.

More Yoga.

There were craft booths for the kids, and a bubble machine to play in that I saw many kids enjoy.

If you are in Kellogg on a Thursday night between 5 and 8, make your way over to Kellogg City Park and enjoy a great evening.  It is worth the trip!!!

A Little Gardening, A Little Napping, A LIttle Bike Riding

The view of the South Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River as you enter Kellogg from the east on the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes.  Yes, I really do live here and get to experience this beauty every day!!

Paul and I finally got out for our first bike ride of the season together on the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes.  We rode from Kellogg to Elizabeth Park.  On the way to and from, and kept telling myself, "look at this beautiful valley you live in.  Don't ever take it for granted!!"

First bike ride together for this summer season on the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes.

It was a beautiful evening, and perfect for a ride.

I spent some time this morning checking on the gardens.  I have never really had this luxury of having the ability to keep a daily close eye on how things in the gardens are progressing.  Ever since I have lived in this house I have always had some kind of job in the summer.  I still have a job, but since it is working at home, and takes place in the wee hours of the morning, I have time to putter around in the yard and keep an eye on progress.  

But, because of those wee hours, I need to be mindful of my nap times during the day.  Yesterday I didn't quite nap enough.  So today I had two naps.  One in the morning and one in the afternoon.  Both were very much needed.  I thought this would happen this summer.  Since the days are longer, I enjoy spending time outside in the evening so I am not getting to bed as early as I have been.  But I just need to take my naps!

Throughout the years, I have always had a creative outlet, whether it was writing, acting, singing, performing, cooking, knitting, pottery, painting, stamping cards, or crafting.  This summer I am exploring some new creative outlets and look forward to seeing what comes of it all.

I am really looking forward to being in Kellogg this summer and experience a lot of the events offered.  Last Sunday, Paul and I went to a free concert in the park sponsored by Radio Brewing Company.  It was a great bluegrass band playing named "Ginstrings".  It was a nice turn out in the Kellogg City Park, and just a fun event to be a part of.  We were sorry we missed local artist Travis Brown, who performed before "Ginstrings".  Hopefully we will get to hear him at one of the upcoming Silver Valley Community Markets.

Ginstrings in the Park

Speaking of the Silver Valley Community Market, tomorrow night, Thursday, June 13, kicks of the Silver Valley Community Market season.  The market is moving from the Silver Valley Chamber of Commerce area to the Kellogg City Park from 5-8 p.m..  Ethereal E will be performing as part of the free summer music series.  There will be free yoga from 6-7.  It looks like there will be about 20 vendors selling things at the market tomorrow night.  Some from last year and some new vendors.  I am looking forward to a wonderful evening!!  What a fantastic weekly community event this has become.

June is Busting Out All Over

I love that my garden is a nice mixture of perennials and annuals.

We were fortunate that when we moved into this house, the landscape already had many established perennials growing in the front and back yards.

Come and take a tour of my backyard and see some of the beautiful perennials, those flowers that return each year.  It is like welcoming back an old friend as they return each spring.

Daisies are such a cheery flower, and I have clumps of them here and there throughout the front and back yards.  

I think this particular Columbine was Paul's Grandma Taylors.  I love having "heirloom" plants in the yard.

I also have this pretty pink colored Columbine.  

 I have two Gibraltar Azalea bushes that stand out with their lovely orange blossoms.

I have many clusters of yellow day lilies throughout the yard.  The nice thing is they all don't bloom at the same time.  This one has yet to bloom.

This Dianthus weathered over the winter in this pot.  These come from Mom's yard.  I also had some white ones, but not sure they weathered as well.  

This Centaurea Montana came with us from our former house uptown on McKinley Avenue. It returns faithfully every spring. 

My "big pile of dirt" is a holding place for some of my newer perennials I acquired at different nurseries last fall, or were taken from my Mom's garden beds (now belonging to my brother) last fall as well.  Some may stay her, and some may be moved to another spot somewhere else in the yard.

I'm Ba-a-a-a-a--a-a-a-a-ck!!!

Weeping willows and day lilies.  A wonderful combination in my backyard.

It has been a while since I have written anything on my blog.  May was a crazy, hard, exhausting, emotional and tiring month.  But I thank those of you who sent me messages, telling me you missed my blog and gave me encouragement to keep writing.  Your encouragement meant the world to me during a very difficult time.

The craziness began with Paul's dad Burt Roberts being hospitalized at the beginning of April, and being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  He passed away about three weeks later on April 30.

We traveled to Meridian to be with family the first weekend in May.

We traveled back to Meridian for the service, which was held on May 11th.

I had a convention I needed to attend in Burley, Idaho the following week.  I flew to Boise on May 16, and flew out of Boise on May 19th.

Memorial Day weekend was full of family as we all gathered for a special dinner on Sunday of that weekend to celebrate and honor our daughter Molly, who graduated from Lewis Clark State College with a degree in Education.  

On the following Thursday, my sister Christy and I drove to Moscow to do some preparations for our upcoming Delta Delta Delta sorority reunion that will be June 21, 22 and 23.  We are in charge of the Saturday afternoon activities, so we went and met with the people in Moscow who are running the activities.

We spent the night in Moscow, then Christy headed back to Kellogg, and I drove to Boise and attended a special retreat on Saturday, then headed back home on Sunday.

I was so glad to be home and not have to travel again until June 20th.  I have my sorority reunion this month, then a trip back to Meridian mid-July  to see "The Music Man" at the Idaho Shakespeare Festival with some of our family, and celebrate our anniversary.

And I have made a vow to do NO TRAVELING during the month of August.  I just want to be home.

Already, this past week, I can't believe how wonderful it has been to have time to work in the yard and garden, and not have impending deadlines.  I have needed this respite in my life.  It is really good.

My blog may look a bit different from here on out. I have some different ideas, and I have a whole lot of things I want to share, from the fun we are having creating our special backyard garden, to craft ideas, to community events and just everyday family stuff.  

Thanks again for reading!!  Grief is a funny thing.  You aren't prepared how it is going to affect things you do on a daily basis.  For some reason, I needed to stop writing for a while.  But now I am ready to start telling my stories again.

P.S. The service for Burt was absolutely amazing.  If you would like to watch a video of it, you can watch it on YouTube

here.