Floating Gardens

 One of the many perks of living in the DC area is getting to explore more than the mall or the Top 10 tourist sites in the city.  Recently we visited one of those places that is off the beaten path.

Nestled in the Kenilworth neighborhood off of the 295 highway are the  Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens.  

I was blown away that this beautiful garden was just blocks from the freeway and yet it was peaceful.  You could hear the birds, frogs and even watch the turtles.  This is truly a hidden gem.

Due to construction in the parking lot we had to park on side streets and enter through a temporary entrance.   We immediately were greeted with ponds filled with lily pads and floating water lilies.  These beautiful flowers have been beloved flowers hundreds of years.

Buddhists and Hindus waterlilies are symbolic of rebirth and enlightenment.  Their beauty rival many flowers but their ability to close at night and reopen the next day makes them extra special.

Our walk took us along many ponds of waterlilies and then we saw incredible pink beauty.  From the muck of muddy waters standing tall are the bright pink lotus flowers. Their leaves are gigantic, their flowers vibrant, but what is even more amazing is what happens after the flower blooms.

The seed pod is located in the center of the flower.  After it blooms and shares its beauty for 5(ish) days the petals begin to fall.  With the movement of the murky water the seeds fall out of the pod into the  water where they will nestle into the mud till the conditions are right to grow and bloom.  The pod will begin to dry out.  I had no idea that these dried pods are what I have in many of my fall and winter flower arrangements.

While I was enchanted by these pods the boys were thrilled to be in a park that had lots of sticks and rocks.  That little rock is about to become wet.

It is great fun to watch them discover nature for themselves.  Sticks and rocks are at the top of their list to find.  Running on the trails, walking like a bear on the bridge and watching the birds were also fun.

As the adults in their life we loved watching the brotherly love come out in sharing hugs, kisses and holding hands.  They really are the sweetest.

Cutie E kept asking where the turtles were.  We were looking, but they were hiding in their secret places.  Just before leaving I spotted a little dude resting on the banks of one of the ponds in the sun.  The boys loved watching him stretch his neck.

The best part of the day was sharing this new hidden gem with the boys, Holly and Dreyton.  I do love our field trips together.

Apples

 It is no big secret, FALL is my favorite time of year.  

Football returns,  the breezes kick in, temperatures cool, the days get shorter (not my favorite part), evenings are cool enough for snuggling, sweatshirts return and the fall colors are vibrant.

Fall in Oregon is a bit short for my liking, but not here.  In the DC area we can enjoy the fall colors and weather for almost 2 months.  That is two whole months of soaking up everything fall has to offer.

One of my favorite activities is to go apple picking. It has been a few years since I've picked apples and now that the boys are a bit older it was the perfect time to pick a Maryland farm. 

The little farm Holly and I took the boys to was not so small and perfectly fall.  Larriland Farms is surrounded by rolling hills,  a small lake, lots of trees and beautiful farm land.  They started in 1973 and their primary focus was to produce yummy fruits and veggies for you to pick.  

Ariel view of Larriland, from their website

Larriland has 25.5 acres with 27 different varieties of apples, each with its own peak season.

On our visit we strolled up and down a couple of isles picking Crimson Crisp and Autumn Crisp apples. It didn't take long before we had filled two giant bags with yummy apples.

The boys loved picking apples that were low to the ground and easy to pluck.  Cutie E enjoyed showing off his prizes and filling the bag.  Cutie O wasn't sure at first as his little hands didn't always fit around the apple.

Some of the apples were so big that I couldn't use my apple slicer.

Both varities were sweet and juicy and if stored properly can last up to 6-8 weeks.  WOW!

We have eaten quite a few, but the majority are apple sauce.  I did have a little help, but Cutie O didn't see why he had to cut the apple if he could just eat it.

My mom taught me to just chop up the apple and throw everything in.  In the process of sending the cooked apples through the sieve the skin and seeds will be left behind.  She said that you wasted less apple this way.  I have followed mom's process for years.

The pleasant surprise this year was that the Crimson Crisp apples deep red skin color turned the cooked apples pink.  I have pink apple sauce without using red hots or food color.  To top it off it is so sweet that I didn't need to add brown sugar, cinnamon or ginger.  These apples are amazing.  My little helper thought so too.

We have enjoyed these apples so much that I will be making more trips to Larriland Farms in the future.

I hope everyone is enjoying their fall favorites no matter where they live. 

I Love To See The Temple

"I Love To See The Temple"

I'll take the longer route to see the Washington DC Temple rise above the freeway.  It looks like it is floating about the trees, parks and neighboring homes.  From the top of the Washington Monument it is a speck of white rising above a distant dark layer of metropolis.

Washington DC

I Love to see the Oakland Temple.  This is where my family was sealed for time and all eternity.  It is where my great grandparents served and it really is the beacon on a hill overlooking the San Francisco Bay.  

I don't remember the circumstances around this memory.  When I was young my family and I were  flying home from a trip.  We were to land in Oakland, but the fog was so thick up against the hills that they diverted our flight to San Francisco.  In order to get us to our car in Oakland the airline put our family on a helicopter and we flew over the San Francisco Bay at night.  I was terrified.  The chopper ride felt like it would never end.  I gripped my seatbelt for dear life as I could see the bay from the window.  In those moments the fear of drowning was real, until I saw a faint light in the distance.  The fog never really cleared, and I couldn't make out the structure clearly, but I knew it was the temple.

Oakland, California

As a child I loved going to the Oakland Temple at Christmas time to see the lights and nativity display.  I always felt close to Heavenly Father.

Philadelphia, Pennsylavnia

"I Love To See The Temple"

As a teen I joined my youth group to make yearly treks from Beaverton, Oregon to Seattle, Washington to do work for our ancestors at the Seattle Temple.  These trips are some of my most favorite memories.  The beauty of serving others in such a personal way always brought me joy.

"I Love To See The Temple"

In 1989 the Portland Temple opened.  We were all so excited to have a temple so close to home.  In that first year I had many wonderful experiences.

Portland, Oregon

At the open house I was able to put blue booties over people's shoes as they took tours.  I was able to attend the dedication with my family. And the following spring (1990) our youth group was asked to plant flowers for the upcoming season in all the flower beds.

Sean and I were sealed in the Portland Temple for time and all eternity in 1993.  My sister and hubby were sealed in 1998.  Many years later we were able to witness our daughters sealed to their sweeties in the Portland Temple as well.

"I Love To See The Temple"

Our first apartment was in the attic of an old house.  From the side family room window we could see the Logan Temple.  Evening walks or glances out the window brought the beauty of the temple into our home.  In 2021 Harrison and Ragen were sealed in the Logan Temple.

Logan, Utah

"I Love To See The Temple"

In the last few years we have had some unique opportunities to visit many temples.  Nashville, Salt Lake City, Desert Peak, Philadelphia, Laie Hawaii, Denver, and Manti.  Visiting temples has become a part of our travels.

Desert Peak, Utah

"I Love To See The Temple"

The Washington DC Temple is impressive.  Not only is it large, but it sits on a hill and from the freeway or the top of the Washington Monument it looks like it is floating above the earth.  I love going.

Just a couple of weeks ago I took the boys to see the temple.  They can't go inside yet, but they can enjoy its beauty, the grounds, the visitor center and feel Heavenly Father's presence.

Sean warned me to watch the boys at the reflecting pool.  I watched alright, I watched them splash in the water and get all wet.  It was super cute to see them sit on the steps looking at the temple and point to the reflected image in the pool.

The Visitor Center at the DC Temple is wonderful for littles and adults.  There are hands on activities, interactive displays, videos, tutorials, a 3-D model of the inside of the temple, coloring pages, electronic coloring activities, models of biblical temples, a model of a home, art and an 11 foot Christus.

The boys quickly ran to the windows to look out at the temple.  They are a bit too young to enjoy the model of the temple, but I loved taking pictures of them looking out the windows.

Their favorite activities were the coloring pages, the stained glass window of Christ's Life (they liked identifying the animals) and the Christus Statue.

Not only was it wonderful to share the temple with the boys, but to hear them say Jesus when pointing to the Christus statue was the best part of the day.

Our trip was cut a little short, sleepy boys were getting a little grouchy.  We will be back to explore the grounds and come December we will visit the lights, nativity display and musical performers.

Model of the temple with the actual one in the background

"I Love To See The Temple" and share it with the boys.

Projects with Pops

We have a great home.  But like any home that is 30 years old there is a lot of work that needs to be done.  

Lately most of our weekends are spent painting.  Its not always easy with Cutie E and Cutie O running around, especially if Pops has out a cool looking tool.

On this particular Saturday the boys were fascinated by the palm sander.  

Cutie O usually stands a safe distance from something new that makes a strange noise, but not this time.  He was very interested in the palm sander.  He loved its sound how it felt as it vibrated.

Cutie E definitely wanted in on the action and couldn't wait to touch it.  

Of course we discuss safety first, but I think they will be big helps on future projects.

On another occasion it was the boys having all the fun while Pops was working.  A quick break to play with the boys turned into tickling Pops, messing up his hair even more and copying him.

Aren't the three of them adorable? 

Strawberry Time

The last time I picked strawberries was in 1984, at the end of my 7th grade year.  I wanted to earn some money so I signed up to pick Hood Strawberries on Sauvie Island.  It was hard work, I only lasted a week bending over rows and rows of strawberry plants.  

After that week of picking I said I would never do it again.  I would rather pay a bit more and buy them picked.

I kept that promise till a month ago when I decided to not only pick strawberries, but to take the boys. This time I was much older with tired knees and two cuties going in different directions.

A friend let me know of a local strawberry patch that had yummy berries.  Just after breakfast we got dressed to pick berries with our friends.  It was a  lovely spring morning with sunshine, blue sky and a slight breeze.

Keeping the boys occupied while picking wasn't too hard.  They made discoveries on their own that kept them busy.  Cutie O just ate the berries off the vines instead of putting them in the bucket.  And Cutie E was more interested in dumping the full bucket of picked berries on to the ground or playing with the field flag markers.  

As the morning wore on their attention to the field became more about riding the green tractor again.  That's when I knew it was time to go.  

How do you get 2 buckets with 23 pounds of berries and two little boys from the field to the tractor, up the stairs and seated for our ride.  GREAT QUESTION.

ANSWER:  Cutie O on my left hip, carrying one bucket in my left hand while holding Cutie E's hand and bucket with my right hand.  I'm sure I looked like a chaotic mess.

By the time we got to the cash register I didn't have any strength in my arms or hands to hold the boys.  That is when this Gammy is grateful for the love of rocks.  The boys found fun in playing with all the rocks in the shaded area near the register.

As soon as we got home we started washing and capping the berries for jam.  Both of the boys mashed, stirred and held jars as Gammy filled them with freezer jam.  The kitchen filled with smells of strawberry jam and homemade bread to go with dinner.

We had a wonderful morning at the strawberry patch but our afternoon naps were a great end to a busy morning in the fields.   

The Miserables

 In December of 1989 I was in New York City with my marketing class.  I had never been and was impressed by the enormity of it.

The highlight of the trip was seeing Les Miserables on Broadway.

I knew nothing about the story, only that it was a famous musical and well loved.  I enjoyed musicals and thought this would be light and fun like "Oklahoma" or "The Music Man".  Little did I know the sadness I would feel throughout the performance.

Opera House, Kennedy Center

Thirty-six years later my reaction to this beautifully tragic story has not changed.  I still felt the deep pain of each of the characters and had to wipe away a few tears.

The difference this time is that I attended with Sean, Holly and Dreyton in the Opera House at the Kennedy Center.  I don't think it will ever get old seeing a performance in this theatre. 

Holly and Dreyton love to attend the performing arts and this production did not disappoint.  Holly could not get over sitting in the Opera House and looking up at the stunning ceiling.

The famous Opera House Ceiling

We had a wonderful evening together.  I wonder what we will see next.

Heat Wave

 The Heat Wave has arrived!

Its too hot to do anything outside or much of anything else unless you are sitting next to a fan.

Pool Time

The boys love playing outside.  Cutie O asks often to go outside, he will even bring you his shoes.  They love to dig in the dirt, kick the ball, scribble with sidewalk chalk, ride on their Tonka dump trucks, bubbles and playing with the neighbors.

The next 10 days are going to be a bit too hot to do all of their favorite things.  In order to get them outside we had to speed up breakfast and get out as early as possible.

Today the boys splashed in the pool under the shade of one of our trees.  There was a slight breeze and it was only 90º with 65% humidity at 10 a.m.  ONLY!!!!

SpLaSh!

These two cuties and our neighbors could have lasted much longer in the cool water, but this Gammy had melted through by 11 a.m.

Tomorrow looks even hotter, I think we will stay inside, enjoy the AC and do some summer crafts.

He figured out how to squirt the neighbors with the hose.