Boyce Arboretum--Arizona

We spent a fun day at the Boyce Arboretum, about 50 miles east of Phoenix, with our friend Lois Spencer. Lois was a former member of Al's church in Beaverton.
They have had more rain than usual this summer and the hills were green and the cacti were in bloom. What a fun walk we had in the sun and 80 degree weather.
Enjoy a taste of what we saw!!

We didn't take the long walk, but it would have taken us up to the base of the mountain.



Thank you to Lois for taking us to this beautiful spot.

Japanese Garden Phoenix Arizona

My sister-in-law, Linda and I went to the Japanese Garden near downtown Phoenix, Arizona. This group of rocks was part of the monument at the beginning of our walk. I don't think I have ever seen so many rocks the same size before. My friend Suzanne loves round rocks and wants a round rock garden.


The garden was made for quiet time and had many spots like this to sit and meditate, or to just enjoy the beautiful scenery.

The boulders in this picture forming the water fall were all hand picked. The bolder creating the two water falls weighed 25 tons!!

It was a little cool for our walk, but the sun was out making the garden very beautiful. The rest of our day was spent at a nursery. It almost felt like we were in another garden as we walked through the rows of trees, shrubs, and flowers. I enjoyed seeing all of the plants and trees that grow well in the desert.

Petersburg Friends Thousand Palms, California

We began our March vacation in Thousand Palms, California, staying with our friends Suzanne and Larry Peterson. We had a fun filled four days. The first day we visited the Living Desert. We saw beautiful plants and trees growing in this dry climate. We enjoyed seeing the African animals who also live in the desert climate




We ended our afternoon at the San Andreas Fault. We drove out of town in the desert and all of a sudden we saw a big stand of palm trees. Water seeps up through the fault to provide water for the trees. We took a mile hike to see the small lake formed by more water from the fault. We decided we were pushing our luck to one week stand of the beach with a chance of a tidal wave hitting the beach and the next week to be standing on the San Andreas Fault.

Friday Al played golf in the Squarehead Scramble. This is a golf tournament for Petersburg people living in the area. Al has not had a golf club in his hands for about 5 years. His team won the 1st place trophy!!! I spent the day with a friend at a quilt show, lunch in downtown Palm Springs, and a visit to a quilt shop. We both had fun days. About 75 people gathered for dinner after they played golf.


Saturday afternoon my friend Sylvia had a luncheon for me on her patio. About 14 of us gathered for good food and lots of visiting


Al and Larry visited with Wally and his brother Norris while we had our luncheon. After the luncheon we went over for a visit at the Swanson's beautiful home.

Our friends Wally and Colleen Swanson

Our last night in Thousand Palms was spent with our hosts, and Wally and Colleen Swanson and their daughter Caol and her husband John. We went to PF Changs for dinner and to celebrate Larry's birthday. It was a perfect ending to a great vacation in California.

Celebration of Life and Death

About 90 people gathered on the hill side of a small cemetary in Naselle Washington ten days ago, to celebrate the life and the death of Joe Pentilla. Joe lived with his daughters in Petersburg during our time there. We grew to love Joe and his family. Joe lived his life to the fullest. Every time you met him he would flash his big smile. He always seemed happy, but when you visited with him he usually reminded you of what a wonderful person his wife Dorothy had been and then there was a sadness in his voice. We gathered in the rain under the multicolored umbrellas.




His daughter Teri and her husband Rob were checking last minute details with Al. Al was in charge of the service. He gave a little sermon, we prayed, we sang, and we remembered. The service ended when his Son-in-law played "Amazaing Grace" on the harmonica. The tears mingled with the rain drops.


Joe spent much of his life working with wood. He and his family lived on an island near Petersburg during the summers where he had a logging company. In his later years he could be found in his workshop still working with wood. It was fitting that his casket was made from pine. After the service we all gathered for a luncheon and more stories of Joe's life were shared by many. God Bless the memory of Joe Pentilla.

The weekend we were in Long Beach for the service the beach was opened for clamming. Friday night there were about 15 who braved the cold and most of them came back with their limits. On Saturday afternoon it was a little different. There had been an earthquake in Chilie and there was a warning for the Washington coast for a tsumani. By Saturday afternoon, they figured the tsumani was not coming so they headed out again. The sea was angry and the clams dug down deeper in the sand. I don't thing anyone came home with their limit that day. I guess we are happy they came back with some clams and the tidal wave didn't come.



Al enjoyed being on the beach with his little shovel and bucket. We now have some clams in the freezer at home.

Sunday afternoon Al and I drove to Seattle to spend some time with the Busch family. We hadn't seen Oliver and Mae since Christmas and that it too long. We also wanted to celebrate Joe's birthday. It was a beautiful day and even though they had been to the park to bike ride in the morning, Kaia and I took Oliver and Mae to a different park in the afternoon. It was fun to see the kid's excitement as they ran from one thing to the next.


Little Mae loved it all from the train, slide, swings, to the monkey bars. She is not afraid of trying anything. It made Grandma a little nervous.



They are on their way to the slide. The first time down for Mae, she got a little push from her brother Oliver, but after that she went down by herself many times.


Mr. Oliver is trying to decide which way he wants to come down. He did it all --on his bum, on his tummy, and sideways. He has no fear!! This makes Grandma nervous also.

They loved to swing, being pushed by their Mom, Kaia. The higher the better.
We loved being able to spend time with the kids and their parents. We ended the afternoon by making home made pasta and then a wonderful dinner with the pasta.

Shalon My Friends

Last night we went to Tacoma to attend Ava's first grade music concert. The first and second grade classes from her school participated in this concert. I was impressed how her music teacher had total control of all of the children. The teacher sat at the piano and played and the children knew when to come in and sang their hearts out. I am always happy to have music a part of their education. Last week we went to Emily's music concert for her school. I hope someday Emily will be able to play the piano for a concert and Maia will be able to play her guitar for a concert.


I love the joy you see in the faces of the children.



They closed their concert with the song "Shalom". They sang together and then did it a round. It was a fun evening for Ava and her friend Will (in the stripped shirt) and also for Mom, Dad, Olivia, Grandma and Grandpa, Will's Mom, Dad, and sister Amelia.

Shalom my friends. May peace be with you.

No Broken Bones--No Blood--Only One Dead Fish

This past week, Al and I spent with Ava and Olivia. Their Mom and Dad went on a trip to Miami. Zach had meetings for American Express and Sara went for some time of rest and relaxing. We had a fun week with the girls. They enjoyed getting up a little later, eating breakfast at home, and being taken to school and day care. Each morning they got up there was a special card for each of them from Mom and Dad. You never know what kids are going to notice on a card. For them, it really mattered how many XO XO XO XOs were at the bottom of the card. They love those hugs and kisses from Mom and Dad


For Christmas this year the girls got a salt water aquarium. It is really fun, just to sit and watch all of the fish, crab, and creatures move around. It was my job to feed them three times a day. I loved watching the fish and crab try and catch all of the little shrimp I put in the tank. One night the girls came to me and asked me to come into the living room, because the beautiful blue fish had died. They wanted to pray for the fish. When I got to the living room, they had all of the lights off except for three battery operated candles. We each had a candle. They proceeded to sing, dance, pray for the fish and then we had to clink our candles together. The fish had a great celebration of his life and I got to see the girl's faith in action.

Each day I let them pick out their clothes for the day. They usually picked out dresses or skirts. It was my job to try and give them new hairdos every day. We had fun coloring, playing games, cooking, setting the table, going swimming, getting Valentines ready for the school party, and doing first grade homework.


Tucker, the, dog, and Tommy, the cat, were two of our other charges for the week. Tommy is an indoor cat, who liked to hide during the day and who would love to go outside. Tucker and I enjoyed a long walk everyday. One day we even walked down on the water front. It is too bad we don't live closer, I could walk him every day. It would be good for me and I know he would love it.

Ava and Olivia, Grandma and Grandpa had a great week with you. We thank your Mom and Dad for trusting us with their two beautiful girls.