Slowly getting established in Colville, Washington

We are in the process of getting our drivers license, firewood, library cards, electric power and garbage pick up, all on line before the first visitors arrive.

Our very first visitors, twice a day, are the deer. Mini-buck here, and his herd are stressing my wallet by demanding treats such as apples or carrots.

Our son Jason and grandson Riley, came for a weeks stay. I had no trouble filling Jason's truck with free horse manure from the Northeastern Fairgrounds here in Colville.

Poor Riley, Granny didn't waste any time putting her grandson to work peeling beets (gloves- so their hands don't turn red) 

to pay for his room and board...:-)

OMG...next day Granny had Riley humped over planting and watering bulbs for her spring flowers.

Riley's cousin Ashley came to visit and "never rob a bank with Riley" comes to mind...first thing he did was to tell Ashley where Granny had him plant bulbs in Opa's garden...ha ha

The little guy can't complain too much after Opa built him his own "straw couch" out of some left over garden straw. Riley wasn't surprised at the couch but he was surprised that Opa could even build it?

Granny decorated the front porch with some of her 60th BD items from her party in Las Vegas last week. Hard to believe my girl is 60 years old...looks so much younger. It's just not fair...my hair was grey at 40 and Donna still has nearly all of her own natural color at 60!

Jason was helping the "old man" out with some of the normal maintenance that was sorely missing from the house we bought. I think what he constructed was a "redneck rain gutter cleaner"? What the heck, it worked!

Before Ashley came to visit, I took Granny, Jason and Riley to Lake Roosevelt, which is really the Columbia River backed up 150 miles up to Canada from the Grand Coulee Dam in Washington.

This weekend was the first time Ashley, who is just under two years older, and cousin Riley have met. You would of thought they were twins, the way they play and hung together from the first minute.

Well if Granny can get away with it, then I'll give a try. Opa got both kids digging and planting bulbs on the back patio but I did pay them with a trip to the "fabulous" Colville Corn Maze...:-)

The corn maze was a fun trip for Opa, Ashely and Riley. The kids took turns (without my direction) leading me down one path after another until we were exhausted. 

For two kids who had just met, they developed such an instant friendship and companionship, that would be the envy of many countries. I think when you add Ashley's maturity and Riley's openness it was a match made in heaven.

It was so natural for them to walk hand in hand that I kept hearing the theme whistling from the Andy Griffith Show. Oh how I miss Aunt Bee's apple pies...:-)

Granny found these fall decorations and added names to each. The kids loved them of course, so did Opa.

Riley is checking out Opa's crawl space looking for any leaks...times like this I wish I was 40 inches tall!

There is nothing like family members eating popcorn and playing on the computer together.

Aaaaaah! The kids spent so much time either feeding the deer and turkeys or just like this...sitting quietly watching the local wildlife.

I have to give a "shout out" to my daughter-in-law, Laura, for driving the 70 miles up to Granny and Opa's to bring us Ashley for the weekend.

The kids would of really liked seeing this rainbow, but they left the day before our downpour.