We're Having a Heatwave

Hello, how are you?  We are having some pretty summery weather right now!  It got up to 93 deg. F yesterday and is expected to get to 88 deg. today.  I just went out on the deck to snap a few photos of how the flowers are doing and it was 76 right now, perfect.  Our big Hydrangea bush is at it's peak, I think.

The sun is shining in our little forest of Douglas Fir and Cedar trees.

A close-up of the florets of the Hydrangea are like a watercolor.

One of the last to turn purple, I really love the lime green and lavender together.

Dayle sprinkled fertilizer in the outdoor pots and this Bonfire Begonia is growing like it's on steroids!

The flower baskets just keep getting bigger.. :-)

I'm so glad we had this pond installed with 3 waterfalls, it sure sounds nice when you're relaxing on the deck and the koi are fun to watch.

This is a Citronella plant that Kristi got to keep the mosquitoes away.  It smells good too.. like lemon, it's a member of the geranium family.  You crush the leaves and rub them on your skin to repel skeeters.

The Astilbe is so neat how it dependably comes back every year.  I really need more colors of this plant.  It comes in a red, a coral red and white along with this pretty purple.

The Jasmine is scenting the air nicely.

Did I tell you that we have the guy who finished our attic doing some more work around the farm?  He has painted some of the really high things Kristi couldn't get to, power washed the house and roof and I asked him to do a fresh coat on the back door, which I am pleased about.  He also is replacing some broken windows on the barn.  He is also going to work on our front porch, which needs some new deck boards.  Then to decide what color to paint the deck of the old-time porch.  

Shirley and I volunteered at Multnomah Falls in the Visitors Center yesterday.  These two darling girls asked for the Junior Ranger books.  Their Dad had a really interesting accent, I asked where he was from and he said Texas.  :-)  WELL.. it certainly wasn't a Texan accent, so I asked where he was from before Texas and it was Spain.  The kids had to answer questions in the book and then answer questions by Shirley and when they got things right we gave them a Smokey Bear pencil and pencil sharpener.  :-)

My big news is that I've booked a flight to Ohio to visit my daughter and granddaughters.  In 2 and a half weeks.  Dayle is staying home and taking care of the dog - his doctors are re-adjusting his heart medications and I didn't want to stress him.  It's a swim day, it's so nice to go when the weather is sunny!  Do you have any fun weekend plans?  ((hugs)), Teresa :-)