CALIFORNIA WEED

Weed taller than I am-

(I have my glove holding the top of the weed.)
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Our house is at the end of a cul-de-sac so the back yard stretches across a long distance. The above picture is of part of the right-hand side of the back yard.

Below is one of the patios in the left-hand side of the back yard.

This is the farthest left-hand corner of the back yard. The back neighbor's two-story house (not the one in the weed picture- our back yard runs across 2 of those yards) has a "cabana" behind the wall here. (Lots of weeding to do here too.)

Below is some of the center of the back yard. The big plant in the center of the picture is part of what's left of my 30 foot tall 65 year old Giant Bird of Paradise that the tree pruners smashed to pieces. Don't make me think about it. I don't want to cry again.



The trash yard has a beautiful climbing rose.

When you park in the driveway, you can go to the right, back to the trash yard or go left to the front door.

Below is the right-side of the driveway, next to the neighbor's.

Below is the approach to the front door.
(It's spring so the raphioliptus bushes are in bloom.)

If you park on the street in front of the house, you can come up the front walk through the facing benches (usually past lounging cats). Garbo is on the bench. Blackie is sitting on a railroad tie.

Below is the view of the street from the front patio.



Below is looking toward the other neighbor's driveway.

Below are Sarah, Chris and Rebecca by the front door.

This is spring of 2011 so the twins are 9.
Click to enlarge to see those sweet faces.

EASTER SUNDAY 2011

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Grandma and Grandpa Van Horn, Sarah and Rebecca 9 years old

Connie, Chris, Sarah, Rebecca

(In the picture below, notice my Christmas tree behind me that has been dragged into the living room for several years now. A prior tree got too big and is planted in the back yard now.)

It's not all fun and games. See below when Daddy has hidden an egg so well that none of us ever found it (thank Goodness that it is a plastic egg that contains coins and is not a real hard-boiled egg that is going to be found later because of its smell).
Anita Mills Johnson wrote me she thought our yard was perfect for an Easter egg hunt. I guess I didn't make it clear that the hunt was confined to only part of the front yard. Otherwise we might still be looking for both grandchildren instead of for one plastic egg!



NO APRIL FOOL'S JOKE

It's another wedding anniversary- the year before the 50th. I thought I was celebrating the 47th for the past 3 years so I am a trifle surprised to be this close to the golden one.
How I happened to get married on April Fool's Day is a long story- and pretty funny too (at least it kept Chris's girlfriend laughing at dinner at Don Jose's last night).  And, at this stage, laughter is a prime commodity, but, having told it all last night, I am too tired to tell it again. And everybody probably already knows that staying married for that long is no joke.