This New Place

and 

Finding our new normal 

We've moved and we have new neighbors.

They come by to say hello all the time.

This is part of the new back yard.

Our Kitty seems to like it here.

It's a little worrisome though with coyotes coming around at night

and singing in the yard. Kitty has to stay in at night!

We see wild creatures a lot. This one was beside the trail on a little hike we took.

We've been enjoying local foods and now the apples and ripe.

I've made lots of pie and applesauce.

Washington apples are famous for a reason.

There are lots of birds here too.

Blue Jays come to see what's going on every day, and Barred Owls sing in the

woods behind us at night.

We've seen Blue Heron and watched eagles and hawks. 

Humming Birds visit and so do all kinds of 

yard birds.  

Our parrots like to go out in a little cage to see who is around.

Bob has a new interest in Mushrooms.

He's learning all about which ones are Yummy, and a lot of other ones that aren't so 

good for people.

There's a lot to learn.

So far we do love it here.  There's so much to see and do, 

so much to learn,

and so much beauty around us.

Peace in the Valley

We are here now and things are beautiful in our valley 

String's sister and her husband hung a wonderful welcoming banner on our front porch.  It was so cute and sweet for them to do.  Another neighbor brought banana muffins down the hill from her house to welcome us also. They made us feel great.

The move wasn't easy and we left lots of things behind us in California, but we are doing well.  We did have a little trouble getting things hooked up and running.  We were without a phone or internet for a time, but we lived through it.  Right now it's finally feeling like I'm on a vacation. We didn't get a break after school got out, just get packing and get rid of things...rush, rush.  

My son and friends of ours helped us so much.  We were so lucky to have their assistance.  Moving was a huge job.  Now we just have to finish settling in and it's been kind of fun finding this or that for the place.

We're happy to be finally in our little hide-away.  We walked by the river and we have ordered our shed and wood  stove.  It's feeling very homey here already.  I've been very relaxed.  Wow...The deck is my new favorite place. At least for right now :)

Another Grave Undertaking

(Anchors represent Hope.)



Graveyards are always so fascinating...here's one I
checked out last Spring,
I don't plan to be buried in one, but I have to
admit a certain interest in the "Gardens of Stone".

This particular one isn't far from "Old Sacramento"
and while you're checking out the historic
places around there, this might be a nice addition
to your visit.

The Old Graveyard in Sacramento

One of the mausoleums--there are lots...
one more lovely than the next.

There are beautiful, historic resting places to see
 everywhere you look.

A little friend who was posing



We spent a good part of the day just taking in
the sights.  This place has a nice feeling to it.
Sometimes you're back in Victorian times and in other
Parts of the park it feels like it could be the thirties.

********
Gardening is a specialty of theirs
and you can see that from all the
work that's been done.

No Hands

There's lots of walking involved when you come here,
but there are nice areas and lots of benches
if you need a temporary resting place.

********

She seems so reflective. And this is
most surely a good quiet place
for thinking.

"Darling Nettie"

I loved the bark on these trees.

********

This place is known for its
roses, but we didn't see too many
of those.
Lots of other blooms and greenery
though.

I think theses two people wanted to be close forever.

I wanted to read all the stones to see who was there
and where they'd come from.

The hand on this stone made it very special.
One of those little things that
captures your interest, and seems
locked in a time warp.

 

Wonderful statues
Some were very elevated.




"One everlasting whisper, day and night
repeated so:

Something hidden. Go and find it.
Go and look behind the Ranges,
Something lost behind the Ranges,
Lost and waiting for you. Go!


Rudyard Kipling
The Explorer