October in Portland

Fall arrived very suddenly..very warm one day, chilly the next. The trees back up the weather's proclamation that it is fall.

My personal favorite.

An evening at a pumpkin patch with Jackie.

Pumpkins and people beside a pond.

Jackie chose this one.

"Look, a crack in the hay. I want to go in it."

And in it he went.

Holding his pumpkin on the train ride back to the entrance. We took a boat across the pond. I haven't been to many pumpkin patches but this one was fabulous. I'm sure a beautiful evening helped a lot.

Reflection across the pond.

Farm land..we are just minutes from Thad and Jessica's.

's

Enjoying an ice cream date

He is telling the geese to stop...they didn't.

Keeping an almost 4 year old busy...painting

Cutting..

Gluing

Sitting in the rental car pretending to drive

Climbing a green mountain

He is ready for school, carrying his lunch box which does not hold lunch, instead it holds various treasures such as envelopes, bubble wrap and a tiny book that belongs to Captain. This is his idea of a cool pose.

Nana like this pose better.

The Laird's back yard

Rest of the back yard

Thad celebrating the building of his fence

A common sight at the Laird's

After Thad and Pedro worked all day...dirt and rocks in place, lawn mowed...things are shaping up well.

A dedicated artist, directly from bed to painting.

Jackie is wearing a gown-up. Probably named when someone said, hold your gown up. It is a adult sized t-shirt. He loves his gown-ups; sleeps in them, spends the day in them, has been known to take them back out of the laundry to wear them.

Really, who needs toys when they have a roll of paper towels. "This is my path."  Note the blue gown-up. His second favorite.

So many things to do with paper towels.

And paper bags. He was sure he could pull me in this one so told me to stand in it. The handles broke off..that Nana is too heavy! So, ripping apart the bag became the next activity.

If all else fails, pull your paper towels around in laundry baskets. Never a dull moment. When I look back on our morning and all he/we did it is no wonder he naps for 2 hours. I'm ready to nap as well!Life will seem a bit dull and quiet when I return to Honolulu on Monday.

Tennessee

Another visit that was too short...a visit in Knoxville with Rick, Sara and Kali.

Kali and her beloved Brooklyn, also called Brooky or Lili. That is a piece of rawhide hanging out of Brooky's mouth

Leaping Lizards it a dog. She goes like a shot across the yard and is usually just a brown streak.

A girl and her dog.

Visiting the neighbor dog.

 Here is Kali running to greet us after school.

The building where Kali's classroom is. It is on the right.

Brooky checking things out.

Captain's 70th birthday celebration started with blueberry muffins for breakfast (not pictured) and then lunch was at Texas roadhouse.

Miniature golf was next on the agenda.

Goofy Golfers

Check out her stance.

Keeping an eye on the ball

Another great hit.

Golf lesson from Captain

After golf, a playground frolic

Notice the shoes.

After rolling down a small hill.

The evening began with drinks at Sapphire...

Followed by a sushi dinner at Nama

Birthday cake topped off the evening.

Biker Kali

I think I see a rain cloud!

Front yard fun in Kali's bouncing castle

Flipping

Oops! Everyone out.

Nana gets into the fun too.

Posing and trying to look cute

Brooky really wants some of Kali's food.

 Thanks Venables for a wonderful week. We wish Knoxville was closer to Hawaii or Quadra.