Stella and Marina and summer artwork

When Owen was deployed to Afghanistan several years ago I was so anxious that I could hardly make it through each day.  I would run in the forests to try to calm myself.  During these runs I had several unusual experiences that involved owls.  Owen returned home safely, and since that time I have felt a special affinity to owls.  I had relayed my fears and these experiences to Owen’s grandfather, Grandpa Vernon.

One day Grandpa Vernon gave me a beautifully painted rock of an owl that he had commissioned a local Whidbey Island artist to make just for me.



This summer Stella and Marina saw the owl rock and decided that they wanted to paint some rocks.  Off Grandpa and I went with the girls to the craft store and bought them some paint.  The girls roamed around our 5 acres of forest, found several rocks, and the painting started:





They painted new rock for our garden:


Here they are taking a break from painting, enjoying the day lily garden and riding on Grandpa’s vintage tractors:


 
 

Dan and I decided to put new flags around the top of our enclosed Garden.  We bought a roll of brightly colored flags--Tibetan Prayer Flags.  We want to have each of our grandchildren draw whatever they want on “their” flag.  Marina and Stella were the first to make their flag.  We will keep our “Grandchildren Flags” forever!