Last week was a busy one

Want to get yourself worn out?  Well, just have two grandgirls (8 and 6) visit for six days and that will do it!

Of course picking lemons for lemonade was one of the first things we did.  There’s a small lemon orchard in the park and members can pick what they need.  The biggest and best lemons are up high, so it was great to have Robyn agile enough to climb one of the trees for the prize fruits.

Tuesday found us on a very long day trip to visit Joshua Tree National Park.  The trees, cacti, and wildflowers were all in bloom.  It was the perfect time for a visit.  Avery and Phoebe were even able to earn Junior Ranger badges by the end of the day.

With a little help from their mom, both girls got to shoot my air rifle.  We practiced one afternoon to be ready for the Thursday morning Ladies Poker Shoot.  Avery, on the left, really didn’t like it, but Phoebe ended up being a little Miss Annie Oakley.  The Poker Shoot pays out on the best high and low hand, with at least a pair being required.  Robyn won the low category and I wasn’t even in the running this time around.  We didn’t enter the girls in the shoot, but I think Phoebe might have been in the money if we had.

On two afternoons, we did soap felting.  The finished products are on the lower right.  With all those soap suds flying around everyone had sparkling clean hands, and I now have the cleanest picnic bench in the park!

We had cookouts every night, and while waiting for me to finish cooking dinner the Indiana ladies went on a hike up the big boulder hill that can be seen from my patio.

Up and up they went.  I had to take these photos with my 600mm lens.  They were really just specs on the hill to the naked eye.

But before you knew it, they had made it to the top.  Sure wish I could have made that climb.  All the things I did get pictures of were interspersed with numerous trips to the pool and spa, two ice cream socials, and miniature golfing.  The girls took turns driving the golf cart to these events, and I’m happy to report that we didn’t crash even once.  Of course, the girls sat on my lap and I controlled the gas and brake pedals.  They’re not quite tall enough to do all that yet.

It was a busy week, and after taking them to the San Diego airport on Friday I was pretty tuckered out.  But you know what?  I wouldn’t have missed last week for the world!

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy