Rodeo Weekend

We spent the weekend at the Sisters Rodeo. We make it a point to watch the parade. Then it's off to the rodeo!

Oregon Zoo

This was our third annual end of the year trip to the Oregon Zoo. It's a good way to spend the last day of the school year. This year was a bit different. I got to spend the day with my niece. I had the opportunity to feed a lorikeet, the zoo has a new exhibit of California Condors and the lion cubs aren't so little any more.

New Deck

My home needed a new deck. I knew that when I bought it, but rather than have the seller fix/rebuild, I decided to keep that project for myself so that I could get what I wanted. Due to the slope of the lot and a few other considerations, I chose to have it built rather than doe the work myself. Safely was more important than saving myself some money.

My old deck was sloping, the footers were rotting, and I wasn't comfortable with the stability. It also lacked railings and the stairs weren't up to code.

Old deck

To replace the deck as it was, would have required a permit from the city so we lowered it and added steps down out of the house. It is also a bit smaller, and made of synthetic material which means I won't have to restain/reseal it every few years.

New deck

The crew from Rick's Custom Fencing and Decking did an awesome job.

My garden

I had the idea to put in a raised bed so I could grow tomatoes. I love tomatoes but I am not impressed by the ones you can buy in the grocery store.

We got one raised bed put together and filled. And had enough soil left over for second one. Now I have two, and my garden has grown to include bell peppers, cucumbers, green beans, sugar snap peas, strawberries, oregano and two kinds of basil as well as three types of tomatoes.

Newly planted, May 20.

June 11. 

45 Years

Happy Anniversary to Mom & Dad.

Strawberries!

It's that time of year. Actually, the season's a bit early this year. We've had some really weird weather.
Today my mother, aunt and I went to pick "just a few" and ended up with 42 pounds of the Benton variety! They're really yummy, but I don't think we needed that many.