April always brings showers preceding May flowers, of course, but it also brings a few birthdays in our family.. our son Paul, his son Christopher, and Dave's daughter Christa. Christopher and Christa's birthdays are just four days apart. They turn twenty this year.

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS TO
PAUL, CHRISTOPHER, AND CHRISTA!

    Our yard has been showing us that Spring is on its way with bunches of the tiny daffodils that often come home with our groceries at this time of year and then find a nook in our yard. This year, Hildy and Dan brought us another potful to bloom on our kitchen table. Their cheery yellow brings sunshine on the dark days.

    Weather has been very queer this year. Sunshine and rain in about equal parts and even a couple of hail storms with the biggest hailstones I've ever seen. Today is bright and sunny but with a nip in the air to send you back in to get your sweater!

    Nan, John, and I had a gorgeous visit to the Skagit Valley to see the acres of blooming tulips. a sight that never fails to lift my heart. I was sorry Vern chose not to go. It was sunny with just enough overcast to lend some depth to the views. Nan got some great pictures.

    History House is gearing up for a new neighborhood celebration.. this time it will be northwest Seattle, which, of course includes Ballard. Vern's family lived in Ballard from the time they came to Seattle and he was born there. He and I will both have displays made with the help of Nan and John. Vern's will be about the Saicoms (the high school friends who stuck together under that name forever after) and his story about the Camel's Hump (a trail over the bluff that took Sunset Hill kids down to the Sound for swimming).

    Mine is about my first salmon fishing with Dad and some background about Vern's parents and about the short time my parents lived in Ballard when they first came west.

    Last time I asked, many displays are coming in, so it should be a very good mix of personal information and business and historical offerings.
    Grand opening is slated for May 6.

    News and pictures from Heather let us know that their two babies, Skyler and Anastasia, are healthy and growing fast. Skyler is walking, now, and the baby is a hefty 13 pounds at 2 months so Mom and Daddy have their hands full in the true sense of the word.

    John and Nancy will be going to Tulsa for her niece Giuli's (pronounced Julie's) wedding to her Ben. Giuli will be graduating from Oral Roberts University and they will marry two days later. She already has a teaching position lined up. They seem to be putting roots down in Tulsa.

    Anne and Dave took us to dinner at Outback. Vern and I split a steak dinner and still had to bring some home, their servings are so huge! The four of us shared one of their deep-fried whole onions.. Ummmm, good!

    Our flowering crabapple tree was gorgeous this year. Nan took a flock of pictures showing it full of almost red buds shading to pale pink open blossoms. The tree is very old.. at least 45 years. and it fills half of our front yard with beauty when it blooms, making one of the "high spots" in our year. It is especially lovely this year since we had an arborist prune it. He took out many crossing branches and the whole tree gained a new grace.

    Hildy and Nan helped me with the taxes this year for which I call down blessings on their heads. Don't know what I would do without their help, so kindly given.

Special thought for April:
It's hard to believe this country was founded to avoid taxes.

Dixie/Dorothea, Senior Editor

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