Evening Primrose

This is a really cool flower that my sister in Idaho has had for years. This summer I was able to bring home a small plant from hers. The flowers open up at dusk right in front of your eyes. I was able to capture one opening tonight.

A Very Productive Friday

This is how my Friday went:

Woke up at 4:00 a.m., puzzled as to what day of the week it was. Figured out it was Friday and that I would have to get up for work, went back to sleep until 6:00 a.m.

Out of bed, showered and out the door by 6:30. Quick stop at McD's (breakfast burritos are 1.00 and they have the best chocolate milk). Arrived at office did some work till meeting started at 8:00 a.m. From 8:00 to 1:30 p.m. I was in day three of a meeting. It was a requirements gathering workshop for a new computer system. It was fun, but it's what we call a brain drain.

A little more work at the office then home by 3:15 to get my computer up and running in time for a 3:30 meeting which ended up taking place at 5:00 p.m.

Then it was open three days worth of mail, make dinner, a trip to Walgreen's and Top Foods, do the dishes, mop the kitchen floor, clean the bathroom.

Ahhhh, all done now. Time to go to bed so I'll be refreshed in the morning for the Kent Cornucopia Days 5K. Then in the afternoon it's off to the carnival and street fair with our 8 year old grand-daughter.

I love summertime!

Birdwatching (or a Walk on the Wild Side)

I did something this morning that I have never done before. With three friends, all of us armed with cameras, binoculars and hats we went bird watching in the Kent industrial area. There is a pond that is off the road surrounded by various trees and plants and very protected.

We walked for a couple of hours where we not only watched but also listened to a variety of birds. Luckily my friends knew what types of birds they were. There were also many pretty plants and lots of butterflies and dragonflies.

We saw sparrows, robins, ducks, geese, blue herons, sandpipers, killdeers, yellow birds and more. At the end of our walk we watched from across the pond as one of the herons devoured a frog.

It was a fun morning. It was very surprising to discover what is just right in front of me if I only take the time to be still, watch and listen.

Here are a few pictures.

Trudy vs. James Street Hill June

Trudy 4 - James Hill 2

June - I lost this month, I did not do the hill. I promise to do it twice sometime later to make up for June.
May 23 - 38 minutes (new PB), temperature about 65 degrees, wonderful walk.
Apr. 25 - 41 minutes (temperature about 50 degrees) It was off and on sunny. Springtime is pretty on the hill.
March - I didn't do the hill in March. I blame it on the weather and busy Saturdays, I know that's no excuse!
Feb. 21 - 40 minutes (temperature about 58 degrees)
Jan. 31 - 39 minutes

The goal is to walk up the hill starting at the Chevron on Central Ave. up to the pedestrian walk-way at the grade school and back down the hill, a minimum of once a month this year.

Vacation Anticipation

It's coming up and I'm looking forward to it. It's an annual trip we do with my siblings and their families. A week together at the cabin on the lake. They will be about 20 of us there. We're figuring out all the food and what days everyone arrives.

This trip I get to meet some NEW additions to the family since last summer, a new great niece and a great nephew. And I get to see my other adorable great nieces and nephews too.

On the menu is chili, pizza, Mexican food, chorizo w/rice and other good stuff. And don't forget bacon and eggs and pancakes every morning for breakfast cooked on the restaurant griddle that Dad bought years ago.

We have tickets to see Guys and Dolls at the Playmill Playhouse in West Yellowstone. And we even get to play tourist in town

(and pretend we haven't been going there for the last 40+ years).

There may be a trip into Yellowstone Park or there might not be.

Sometimes it's just nice to stay at the cabin and relax, sew, read, eat, eat fudge,

sleep, visit, play games, fish, sit outside in the sunshine,

sit in the cabin and watch the electrical storms at night on the lake,

chase bats out of the cabin and rescue an occasional hummingbird.

The trip never ceases to surprise me.

I Did It!

I have officially ran my first 5K race (and walked some). It was at the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Seattle. I participated in the non-competitive women's 5K. It was great. The start line was almost as exciting as the finish line.

We ran on the viaduct overlooking the Seattle waterfront on one side and downtown Seattle on the other side. There was more uphill than I expected and the finish line was misleading. As you came down off the viaduct it looked like you were done then you had to turn and do a couple of more blocks.

The temperature was about 58 degrees. Some of the best advice I read on the Internet as I was preparing for this race was to dress as if the temperature is 15 degrees warmer than it is. Great advice.

After the race inside Quest Stadium was tons of booths with free samples of food products, water bottles, bags, etc. There were bananas, bagels and yogurt just to mention a few.

There was also entertainment. I was there for some of the drumming groups. It was great to see a lot of families there and to see the cancer survivors in their pink shirts.

For more information about breast cancer: http://www.iamthecure.org/

May Flowers

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

This June will be my first time participating in this fundraiser.

If you feel so inclined to donate to a good cause the link below will take you to my Race web page. They make it very easy to donate on-line and even 5.00 would help the cause. There is a box for "other" amounts.

I found out this week that my company will donate 100.00 for each employee that completes the walk/run, so that's exciting.

Thank you for your support.

http://www.pugetsoundraceforthecure.org/goto/TGaytan

Trudy vs. James Street Hill - May

Trudy 4 - James Hill 1

May 23 - 38 minutes (new PB), temperature about 65 degrees, wonderful walk.

Apr. 25 - 41 minutes (temperature about 50 degrees) It was off and on sunny. Springtime is pretty on the hill.

March - I didn't do the hill in March. I blame it on the weather and busy Saturdays, I know that's no excuse!

Feb. 21 - 40 minutes (temperature about 58 degrees)

Jan. 31 - 39 minutes

The goal is to walk up the hill starting at the Chevron on Central Ave. up to the pedestrian walk-way at the grade school and back down the hill, a minimum of once a month this year.

Time for the Weekend

I realize it's only Thursday night, but I'm so ready for the weekend. I say bring it on.

The weather is great. I got my bike out today after work for a short ride.

Friday is a half day for me at work and Monday is a holiday.

So I'm looking forward to some fun and relaxation this week.

And of course - James Hill on Saturday.

A Tribute to My Mom - Elsie Bowler Nielson

It's Mother's Day once again and I think about my mother who passed away five years ago. She was an absolutely delightful woman. I have very fond memories of her, not just from growing up as the youngest child in Boise, but many memories of her from my adult life as well.

This is a picture of her when she was in her early 20's.

To name a few things that made her special to me:

1. She was a great candy maker
2. She always talked to strangers
3. She was a wonderful letter writer
4. She was a great poet and writer in general
5. She had an incredible sense of humor and sharp wit
6. She loved her family very much
7. She always said to me, whatever decision I make is okay with her, as long as I'm happy
8. She adored my Father
9. She baked wonderful cinnamon rolls which I would come home to after school
10. She had a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ which she loved to share

I spent the weekend in Boise caring for her shortly before she passed away from Alzheimer's. Although I'm not sure she knew who I was and she couldn't talk much, when I tucked her into bed at night, she put her hand on my face and looked at me with those big brown eyes and said, "pretty".

 

This is a lilac plant that was given to me by my step-daughters after she passed away. We have lovingly nicknamed it "Lc". It has spent most of it's years in a pot on the patio and this spring we found it a permanent spot in the backyard. Mom always loved turtles so we found a ceramic turtle which is at the base along with a butterfly.

If I could say anything to those of you who still have your Mothers around, it would be cherish the time you have with them, learn from them and love them.

 

Age 72