Tuesday, May 18, 2021

HAPPENINGS...



These are the happenings around here

 from last week

 and for the week to come.

 


A bit of sweet smelling springtime sunshine 

coming in through the kitchen window.  

It makes doing dishes a happy chore.

 

We emptied just about everything 

out of the screened porch

 in preparation for summer gatherings. 

 It has been a couple of years 

since we painted 

so the walls and screens were in need of a generous cleaning. 

 Everything was hosed down and off and wiped until it shines and...



 

...the Secret Garden itself 

was given a proper face lift. 

 The ivy was sprayed 

and the rock was raked 

and a light clipping was done...




...so that the fairies 

have a delightfully clear path 

to their front door

...

if you are lucky enough 

to get by the watch rabbit.





The table and chairs

 were put back in place

 and decorated with new cushions and...





...I do love the pretty new fushcia 

that we picked up 

for the old fountain out in the garden.





Little Robin 

had all of her teeth pulled last week except for the two canines on the bottom. 

 Hopefully that will keep her tongue from hanging out and so far it is working. 

 She also had a small lump removed from her chest 

and we will find out soon if it is cancerous or not.  

She is a trooper

 and is eating well and feeling good. 

 You can't tell her she doesn't have any teeth

 as she chews everything just like she did before!







A couple of years ago 

a neighbor gave the Captain a planter with a couple of iris in it. 

 For two seasons

 we have waited to see them bloom but they never did.

  We kind of stuck them back and forgot about them 

and here they are now, just about ready to open.

  One looks to be purple and the other is bronze.

  I am really happy to see them.





I received the first letter from 

Corporal Charlie Henderson Burke to Miss Audrey Rose Drollinger. 

 It was written on July 5, 1943, 

and tells of how they met at an Army Rangers 4th of July dance

 and Audrey Rose's dance card was included and shows it filled up with just one name. 

 They spent the night dancing to songs such as

 Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree and Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy 

and he hoped that he hadn't been a nuisance to her. 

 He thought she looked so pretty in her red dress 

that he couldn't resist. 

 He apologized for talking her ear off 

while never actually getting to know much about her. 

 He closed the letter by saying that maybe,

 if she had the time, 

she could spare some fond thoughts for him once in awhile. 

 He would be much obliged if she would

 as she would be on his mind often enough 

and signed off Love, Charlie..

It is all so much fun 

and it will be as hard for me to wait for each letter 

as I am sure it was for Audrey Rose and Charlie.




Jacenda Rangel, MSN RN CNL


The highlight of this week will be 

watching Jacenda graduate from the University of San Francisco

 with her Masters degree in nursing and a GPA of 4.0.  

It has been a long time coming

 with a  lot of her studies being interrupted by Covid this past year. 

 For that reason, it will all be "virtual".  

She and Jake are now living in San Francisco 

so that she could finish school but where they live in the future 

will depend on her job. 

 She has applied at a few hospitals 

and is waiting to hear. 

 Jake works from home and travels when he has to for his job with Kaiser. 

 We feel fortunate that we will be able to follow along 

with the ceremony over Zoom and You Tube.

  They both have worked very hard 

for what they have accomplished 

and we are so proud of them.  

Congratulations, Jacenda!





We will be continuing 

on getting the Cottage ready for summer. 

 That won't be long now.


Have a great week.


...Judy...




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19 comments:

  1. Congrats to Jacenda! Hope Robin is doing better. Great secret garden and sprucing it up was a good thing! Maybe that was why the iris bloomed now. Who knows. Janice

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    1. Thanks so much, Janice. Robin is doing really well. We are still waiting on the one part. The bronze iris finally opened up and now I'm not sure what the true color is but it is beautiful..xxoJudy

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  2. Hi Judy! Whew, you have lots going on! Congratulations to your dear Jacenda - what a joy she is to your life. Your table and chairs are so charming. I'd want to hang out there all day. I just love spring and opening everything up for the warmer months. I am knee deep in moving boxes, so nothing pretty happening at our house. I will have to vicariously through your blog and all the other blogs out there! Jane

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    1. Thanks so much, Jane. We are proud to have Jacenda a part of the family. Those two kids really have their stuff together and are doing so well. Everytime we sit on the porch we say it is the best thing we have ever done. It will be frustrating for you for awhile but what wonderful things to look forward to..xxoJudy

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  3. You are a busy lady! Congratulations to Jacenda. She and Jake are doing so well and are so ambitious.You must be so very proud!! Enjoy that porch and that bunny! xo

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    1. Thanks so much, Kim. We are really proud of them, they have worked hard to get where they are. We just watched a Zoom call of her graduation.xxoJudy

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  4. wow your porch and secret garden look lovely! I love the new cushions on your chairs.. the red really pops and is so cheery! I bet you are so proud of Jacenda and Jake! What hard workers they both are. Your cottage is looking wonderful.. I haven't done much for spring or summer.. but AM working alot outside. We have at least a hundred Irises that came up all over our yard. I transplanted a huge clump last year that had become like a lump of cement (the bulbs had to be chopped apart with an axe!).... and put them all over, front and back. We are now enjoying the fruits of my labors. I hope to post pictures on my blog as want to share. I just love Irises.. they are such gems that only bloom for a short time. I have purples, golds with burgundy, smaller yellows and larger yellows and a few purple with white tops. I hope to intermingle some pinks for next year. I love all your flower bouquets in your cottage! Take care...Marilyn

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    1. Thanks so much, Marilyn. We just watched a Zoom of Jacenda's graduation. The bronze iris has opened and it is a beauty. I will show it next week, and I am not sure if it is bronze or more yellow. The purple seems to be at the same stage as it was in the picture so I don't know if that is normal or it might not open..xxoJudy

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  5. Congrats from one nurse to another. You go Jacenda. I love to see young people working hard to move ahead and make a difference in this world. I know you are so proud. Little Robin without her teeth but still doing well. What a cutie pie. It is amazing how they can adapt. Have a good evening. xoxo Kris

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    1. Thanks so much, Kris. Yeah, she is chewing up a storm although we are just giving her soft food now but she is loving it. Just got a call from the vet, her little tumor was not cancerous so I am a happy camper now..xxoJudy

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  6. totally lovely post, I'm particularly drawn to the floral arrangement with the turquoise tea set. Loving all the color! And your garden plants look wonderful. I am setting the garden tomorrow, as much of it as I can, anyway. I'm looking forward to my porch when all the work is done, too, Hugs, Sandi

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    1. Thanks so much, Sandi. That poor old flower arrangement gets dragged from pillar to post wherever it is needed. I love it too and the turquoise colors are making the porch a much brighter place to be. We are enjoying it..xxoJudy

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  7. Congratulations to Jacinda! What a grand accomplishment! And I adore that bouquet -- poppies (?) with the purple and yellow? It's fabulous! I must say, each and everrphoto makes me smile. I suspect I will be doing the same porch cleaning as you in a few weeks -- it's a good feeling!

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    1. Thanks so much, Jeanie. We are very proud of her and what she has accomplished. Yes, those are red poppies in my tired, old traveling bouquet. I take it apart occasionally to shake out the dust but then put it right back together and it shows up someplace else. I just can't seem to get tired of it. We are enjoying the porch sitting..xxoJudy

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  8. I love your posts, down home folksy newsletters that put a smile on your face!

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Your comments are so special to me...Judy