We Went Somewhere

 

I'm not keen on traveling, but it was a special event:  Dear Nephew's college graduation.  

Arranging a place for Natasha and Harry to stay while we were gone took some doing.  After multiple failures, we found a great vet facility to board them for our trip.  Our own wonderful Vet's boarding unit was fully booked for the days in question.

Natasha was quite elderly and fragile, but the vet checked her over and seemed confident she'd be okay.  She had been a lot better the previous month or more--our Vet's meticulous tweaking of her medication and food finally hit a sweet place and she'd been cheerful, comfortable, had a Samoyed (hearty) appetite again, and was enjoying her strolls to the fullest.  On her walks she'd been happily flirting with a couple of handsome neighborhood boys, Carl The Skid Row Chihuahua and Oliver the Mostly Hound.  We were in a good place.  Were.

As will happen with the frail and elderly, her health suddenly went south.  The vet said, "It's time." and really, so did Natasha.  We had to say goodbye after a few months shy of fifteen years.  It was rough.  Harry consoled us.  He misses her, too.  It was rough.  

Some days later, Harry safely boarded, we safely boarded a plane for Spokane, Washington for a wonderful visit with Dear Nephew and family.  So proud of him we are!

To everyone's amusement, letters flopped around on a breezy day and "Congrats" became "Rats" 

 The Spokane area has some wonderful hiking trails.  We accompanied Nephew, Nephew's Sweetheart, and Nephew's Dog on a beautiful forest and meadow walk.  Beloved took pictures.  We all took turns flinging a ball for Nephew's Dog.

I was on the lookout for wildflowers:

Awaiting the next fling:

We also managed a visit to Manito Park, which has a beautiful Perennials garden, a Rose garden, a Japanese-style garden, and Desert/Tropical Conservatories.  

It was already too late in the morning for good photos, but a delightful treat for plant lovers.

Is this a Dogwood (Cornus)?  It was gorgeous:

Another activity:  I stress-reduced travel anxiety by weeding the parkway out in front of Dear Nephew's.  A previous property owner had put down landscape fabric and gravel and of course it was full of weeds.  I will say, though, the weed roots were all very shallow because of the fabric, and I was able to pull them all by hand without much effort.  Some LDS missionaries stopped by to convert me and help me weed a bit.  I noticed family members discreetly vanished while I chatted with the missionaries.  They were just kids, quite sweet, really.  Didn't bother me at all--I was gardening!  They listened politely while I extolled on the virtues of gardening--inexpensive, connection with Mother Nature (In their language, perhaps, "God's creation").  Healthy for body, challenge for mind, peace for soul.  The Gospel According to Gaia.  I think one of them became quite thoughtful about it.  He was a better weeder than his companion, too.  

 Unconsciously, I was seeking to plant a belief in their minds.  Hah!  Who was converting whom?

After:  I point out a distinct lack of weeds: