Stephanie says

I'm studying botany; the terminology jostles my memory from Botany 101 some 40 years ago as I fondly invoke the words:  dicot, monocot, stigma, stamen, anther, xylem.  Oh dweeb indeed.  I'm enrolled in a Master Gardener program, all day each and every Tuesday for the next 13 weeks.  Sustainable gardening is the focus.  I envision a riot of vegetables and a profusion of flowers in my garden this season.  I actually imagine that every season but this is the one that will succeed! Oregon State Extension Service provides this training as one of many educational services, for example: 4H, Food Preservation, Animal Husbandry, Trees and Woodlands.   Take this link to visit OSU Extension website  My grandfather, Elmer O Post graduated from Oregon Ag, College ( for a bit about him, click this link) in 1917 and the OAC Extension was already going strong providing education to improve rural life. Along the way, OAC became Oregon State University and OS...

Nearly 20 years ago on a road trip with cousins, the two of us without grandchildren were embarrassed by the behavior of the two with.  I witnessed each of them stop perfect strangers to show off photos of the children.  Jeanne and I declared a vow at that time that if and when either of us had grandchildren, we would NOT carry photos in our wallets, or behave in that manner.  She has two granddaughters, ages 9 and 10, and she may well have school photos tucked into her wallet but I've never caught her flashing photos of them to strangers. I have 18-month Henry and don't have a single photo in my wallet.  However, I do have an I-Phone.  Does that change the playing field?  Herewith, a video clip of him calling me "Grandma." We're not strangers, right?

As evidenced by today’s Christmas shopping trip into the metropolis of Eugene, (It’s all subjective.)   Drain’s population hovers around 1000 souls; Yoncalla has just about the same.   Eugene has a whopping 160,000 AND traffic signals.   Just so you know, red means stop.   Teresa drove today and must have maddened the traffic-light deity because at each and every intersection, the light turned red as we approached.   I didn’t notice this particularly until after our stop at Harbor Freight to pick up a gift for her husband, (an electric wood splitter of all things.   They have been married a very long time…   Wait, wait, is there a “Fargo” joke lurking in there?)   This was a virgin visit for me and I purchased an assortment of flashlights for stocking stuffers, a long-running favorite of my daughter.   I bought a hammer and tape measure for Bonnie – who is closing on a fixer-upper house next week.   She’s gonna need tools. ...