…..who are now young men we are very proud to claim as our own. Their parents generously encouraged and accepted the boys affection and love of me, their caretaker, substitute mother, nanny, when I took care of them. The title doesn’t matter, we are family. I began taking care of my older son full time when he was about a year old, but I’d occasionally babysat him from the day he was born. I was their only childcare provider for 15 years. Our older son is now 20, the younger son is 16. The boys drove up yesterday morning, spent the night and parted ways with us in Oakhurst early this afternoon. They are busy with high school and college so I don’t see them very often.
Friday I finished cleaning the house, brought in fresh cut flowers, made a salad, an apple pie and bread. Early that evening I was on the deck looking at the clouds that had moved in during the day, when I spotted a fawn and it’s mother next to our burn pile. The mother had already moved on when I returned with my camera but the curious fawn was still there. The sunset that evening was colorful due to the clouds and the Motor Fire in the Yosemite area.
Tar Weed and roses, an intoxicating aroma! I removed the dog’s sheet from the couch before the boys arrived.
Below, roses for the dining table. Photograph above table by Gary Christiansen. The bowls on the kitchen divider are by Ralph Mendershausen.
A nice, clean house. If only it would stay this way for the next month, then I wouldn’t have to clean for Sierra Art Trails Open Studio Tour. View from the stairs: the ‘entry’, dining room, kitchen, edge of living room.
The view from the ‘entry’ to the living room/family room/media room and stairs. We live in a rather condensed space 
Since I knew the boys would wonder where they should park I put a sign at the parking stop, ‘VIP Parking’.
The boys arrived Saturday before noon. They were reacquainted with the critters and house. The older son, Nic, hadn’t been to the house since we’d moved here full time, nor had he seen the completion of David’s photography room. When they were kids I’d brought them up here several times during school vacations. At that time this house was our future retirement home.
They toured the property and met the chickens. I never found the box turtle they grew up with, she was hiding somewhere in the bushes. I don’t readily search the bushes since finding the rattlesnake. We visited a while in the backyard until the summer heat forced us to relocate inside the house where it was cooler. After we’d had lunch I decided to make brownies. Nic took a nap while Matt and I (as if I did anything) worked on (and completed) two Photoshop projects for school. I was amazed as I watched Matt create the two projects, he could teach a class about working in Photoshop!!
We spent early evening on the deck enjoying the late summer weather….and a snack of brownies before dinner. Yes, I had wine with my chocolate For dinner I served the kids favorite meal, Herb Roasted Whole Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli, homemade bread. Some of us didn’t have apple pie for dessert since we were tooooo full.
This morning we enjoyed pancakes, eggs, bacon and orange juice outside on the deck in the gazebo. Around noon we drove separately into Oakhurst to visit the galleries that carry our photographs and paintings. The boys had lots of questions about artwork in the gallery and I enjoyed our conversations about art.
The boys headed home down Highway 41 while we returned home on Highway 49. The house was very quiet and felt empty when we got home. I hope they come back soon! They are such well mannered interesting young men and I am honored to have a place in their lives.
Our Green Cheek Conure LOVES the boys. Though he hadn’t seen them in a few years, he didn’t forget them. He spent as much time as he could cuddled on the neck of one of the boys. He’d screech until one of the boys retrieved him from his cage. Below: Matt with Cecil on his shoulder, Dave in his favorite deck chair. The cockatoo seemed to remember the boys as well, but wasn’t as sure about them as the conure.
Below: Nic and Cecil.
My boys and I. Of course I had to blink!
