Camping with the grandkids

Our daughter and her children are home for 2 weeks and we're all out at the campground. We're very lucky to have such beautiful campgrounds near home. It's a little chilly out (our daughter is happy since its sooo warm in Florida) so we've done a lot of hiking. Yesterday the boys played in the dunes over looking Lake Mi. Our youngest, Pierce sat down and I snapped this picture of him.

Big brother helped get him up, the older brothers are so good to him The campground has a wonderful creek running through it, we hiked along it, the little ones had their bug boxes and shovels ready. The kids love to play in it and look for crayfish, minnows etc.
The boys with their hiking sticks. This trail along the creek is so beautiful, it looks like an enchanted forest.
The little ones in the camper bed with their lanterns. The quilts, I made them when they were born. I made them good size. Pierce still loves his pacifier, he's only allowed to have it at night time.

Melissa's friend Vicky taking a nap (they've been friends since birth and camped together since birth), the blanket her cousin made her is two layers, what I thought was neat, when she made it, she tied the two layers together at the sides, with every knot she tied, she said a prayer for Vicky. Its known as a prayer blanket.
At the nature center they had a butterfly garden, not much was blooming yet, but this corriopsis (I'm not sure of the correct spelling) was. They use this plant in natural dying but I'm not sure if it's this species. I was given some that I planted in my garden, but I have to do more research before I use it.

My herb garden, I have only one Calendula blooming there, but I have a lot more plants coming along for dying in other pots. This flower is so much prettier than the picture shows, it's a beautiful orange color. I've had such a busy June, hopefully by the middle of July "life" slows down so I can get back to quilting and dying my fabrics, although I've been having a fun time with the kids.

I'm home!

I didn't plan on going to Florida but my daughter was having a bad time with her back, she has 2 buldging disks (since the twins were born), and needed some help while going to specialist appointments. So, I flew down for 2 weeks. I did have a great time with the kids. The Drs. changed my daughters medicines and hopefully it will get her pain under control. This is a picture of my youngest grandson, 2yrs. old sitting on a bench in their back yard feeding the geese. I came home Thursday night. I made this Raspberry Rhubarb pie for Fathers Day. I thought I'd share the recipie with you as it is so easy and good. Cut up (small) 3 cups of rhubarb into your pie shell. (I don't use a shell and make it more like a cobbler). Sprinkle on top of the rhubarb 1 3oz. package of raspberry or strawberry jello. Combine 1/2 cup of flour, 1 cup of sugar, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, and 1/4 cup of melted butter. Sprinkle on top. Bake 350 degrees for 50 minutes. It will be firmer if refrigerated overnight. Serve with ice cream or whip cream.
Every Saturday morning during the Spring, Summer and Fall I go out and pick a bouquet of flowers to start my weekend. Between my yard and the woods behind my house I can always find something. When things are sparse I use this small bud vase. My husband covered the vase with birch bark and also made me a larger one. The flowers always look nice in a natural vase.
My husband flys out tonight to Florida to drive our daughter and grandkids home for 2 weeks. This was planned last winter, they come home and we go camping for a week, then they spend another week with us. Then, her husband flys up and drives them home. Their all excited to come to Mi. and escape the Florida heat. We have a lot planned.