Then: The First Part of September 2010 Now: July 31, 2011



Skunked!



Fall brilliance

Then: The First Part of September 2010

September started out nicely enough until the morning of the 2^nd when the dogs went out at 4:30 a.m. There was quite a ruckus about 15 minutes later and then there was quite an odor. I opened the front door and there was Jesse, drooling, nose running and eyes closed. Poor baby! He had just got skunked! Then it was, poor ME. I yelled for JB to get up. Hauled Jesse into the tub, and grabbed some dish soap and his regular shampoo. Trying not to breathe, we gave him a long, sudsy bath. When we had rinsed him off, the scent was still pretty strong but at least he could open his eyes a bit and wasn't drooling any more.

I covered the couch with towels for him and we all went back to bed. Later that morning I called Elsie and asked her advice. She recommended a paste made up of dish soap, hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Put it on the worst areas and let it dry, then give him another bath. So we tried that and it got rid of most of the odor. The best soap to use is Dawn because it is such a great grease and oil cutter and the skunk's spray is an oil, but I didn't have any at the time. We had to throw Jesse's collar away, but fortunately I had a couple extras. Even with all the paste and baths, that wonderful scent hung around for several weeks. I certainly hope he has learned his lesson. The next time to town, I brought back two bottles of Dawn.

We continued to cut and split wood brought up from down the driveway. We have been so busy lately that we decided to take off Friday, 9/10, and go to the Chelan County Fair in Cashmere. We always used to go to the State Fair in Puyallup when we lived the other side of the mountains, but that is HUGE. We both prefer the smaller, country fairs. It was a beautiful day and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Saw a lot of great displays and animals. Ate a lot of yummy, fair food. It was the longest we had ever left the dogs at home, but they did just fine.

On Saturday evening, Larry and Elsie came up and brought a huge box of peaches. We had scheduled this visit, as she was going to help me can for the first time. I had finished taking the four classes, but it was so good to have someone else there who really knew what they were doing. We canned 14 pints that evening. It is really easier than it sounds and looks. It was a good way to spend 9/11 with all its bad memories.

The next day I canned 14 more pints of peaches; limbed three dead-standing trees that JB felled; and split 5 wheel barrow loads of wood. I figure I really earned my "Mountain Mama" Degree that day.

On 9/15 we all went Down There. The dogs needed their annual shots. We shopped at the Farmer's Market, then Costco and the grocery store. On our way back Up There on our dirt road, a small bear ran across the road in front of us. Of course the dogs went nuts. But later that evening on our walk, they got to chase a deer away. They only chase the critters to the fence on the east slope and south ridge, down to the end of the driveway or part way down the west ridge. They know our boundaries and are simply keeping the critters away from our home, not chasing them just for the chase.

The Fall colors are in full bloom now, with more leaves turning each day. I love the brilliance of it all.

Now: July 31, 2011

After this past week we are going to take today off and just relax. We have earned it and our bodies are screaming for it. Yesterday morning we put the second layer of tar paper on top of the deck using the staple hammer and cold tar. Got it done just as the sun caught up to us. After a late lunch, we cleaned out and organized a bit inside the shop. JB decided where he wanted the window, then marked exactly where it would go and cut the 2X4's to frame it. He started cutting the metal, but by them it was just getting too hot and we were getting too tired. So he took a short nap, then got dinner ready - home-made pizza. He makes the best!

When I changed the sheets yesterday (Saturday night, you know), I put on regular sheets instead of flannel ones for the first time this year.  The nights are finally warm enough.

I plan to paint the three front posts on Monday. Our warm, dry weather is supposed to hold out until at least Wednesday.



Then: The Rest of August 2010 Now: July 30, 2011



Starting to build the stairs



The finished stairs and Dinga

Then: The Rest of August 2010

At last we are going to build our stairs to the loft. We have been discussing various scenarios for the past several months and were finally able to agree on how they should look and where they should go. That was the easy part. Since they won't be the standard size, the formula for building them does not apply. So we had to skew the math to make them fit. JB figured out the lumber we would need and ordered it, along with some extra for a floor to ceiling bookcase in our bedroom. The lumber was delivered on the 16^th, and on the 17^th, JB drove Down There to buy the necessary hardware. Glad he made the trip. It was a very hot day.

I have been splitting wood, as usual. Also primed the battery shed/generator room. I am going to paint it the same reddish brown as the outhouse. On 8/23 I attended the first of four canning classes Down There. They are held in the evening, so it was the first time I drove our road by myself at night. Sure looks different.  And I discovered that we have what I thought were pigmy owls.  After looking through our bird book, we found that they are poor wills.  Not whippoor wills, they are east of the Rockies.  They are in the owl family and are the ugliest birds I have ever seen.  If they were any bigger, they would be downright scary!  They nest on the ground and come out at night - into the middle of the road.  They only move when the car is practically upon them.  After reading about them, we realized that we had been hearing them occasionally after dark.

JB built the bookcase in the bedroom before starting on the stairs. I love it! Then came the long awaited project. The stairs will run South to North along the wall between the bedroom and livingroom, so we will enter the loft on the far North side. The ladder had been situated so that we climbed up into the middle of the loft. I had spent the previous weeks completely reorganizing the loft to accommodate the new entry. I actually like it a lot better. There seems to be more room. We will both have a large work area and share the computer desk.

JB started by building the landing on the North side, above the side door. Then he put up the two sides to which the risers will be attached. We put in the risers and enclosed the spaces. We have stairs! What a difference it makes in the look of the whole great room. It's very easy to write about, but it was definitely the most difficult of our projects to date. What a relief now that it is finished.

As August ends, the smell of Fall is in the air. The nights are getting cooler and the change to Fall colors has begun. All our trees are evergreens, but the underbrush turns gold, with some of the plants and bushes adding shades of orange and red. By the first day of Fall, the colors will have already arrived.

Now: July 30, 2011

Hard to believe its almost August again. Yesterday we cut and installed the last four metal sides on the shop. We have two pieces of metal siding left with which to build a door. Haven't quite designed that yet. But the sides are up and it is starting to look like a shop. JB worked on organizing the inside and deciding where the window will sit. I filled in the ditches with dirt all the way around. Now we just have to sculpt the ground for drainage.

The 2"X6"X12' tongue-in-groove lumber was delivered about 1:00 pm. JB drove down to the gate to lead the truck up. It is the first time we have ordered from this company, so it was the first time coming up to Rose Camp for the driver. He really admired our place and was in no hurry to return to town. But eventually JB led him back down after the lumber was unloaded. Since he was going down our road anyway, JB went into town to check the mail and get some paint I needed. Today I plan to paint the three 6"X8" poles that hold up our porch. They will be the same reddish brown as our outbuildings. I also want to paint the large, metal triangle on the top front. It was supposed to be the same brown metal as our roof, but there was a mis-communication somewhere along the line with the contractor, and it ended up being the same color as the house.

While I am up on the tall ladder, I also want to caulk along where the outside wall meets the roof. There are tiny spaces where the yellow jackets get in. I will have to caulk all around the house where the sides meet the roof, but at least it will be easier on the back now that we have the deck on which to put a ladder. It will also be easier because there are no yellow jackets this summer to bother me while I'm up there.

The cooler, wetter weather this summer seems to have kept the rattle snakes on the warmer, south slopes. We have only seen and shot one this year so far. In 2008 we shot about nine. In 2009 there were six. And in 2010 there were four. With any luck, next year we won't have any!

The Asters are blooming



Then: The First Part of August 2010 Now: July 29, 2011



Sun through haze from forest fires



Buck watching us through the trees

Then: The First Part of August 2010

August 1 and we are running with the sun! When Larry and Elsie arrived for the BBQ, Larry grabbed JB and said, "Come on. We're gonna get you hooked up!" Poor JB was trying to cook the hamburgers and Italian sausages, so we ended up eating a bit late. Thank goodness it didn't take them long to do the final wiring at the panels. The batteries started sucking in all that power and our solar power was working as advertised! Woo Hoo!!

There were only nine of us at the BBQ but we had a great time. For his birthday, we gave Larry a bottle of VERY hot sauce. He doesn't like sweet. He goes for the spicy. It was dusk when the last of the guests left. We just sat on the porch enjoying nightfall and watching the bats. It was a very good day.

The first week of August was hazy with smoke from the forest fires and we couldn't even see the mountains. It made for beautiful sunsets but rather eerie days. The fires made me realize that we needed an evacuation bag by one of the doors that would contain our valuables, both emotional and financial. So I prepared one. Thank goodness I have most of our pictures on discs, because my 30 or so photo albums wouldn't fit in the bag!

There was a strong wind the evening of the 7^th and in the morning we awoke to clear skies. The wind had blown most of the haze away and we were reassured when we saw that the mountains were still there. Now we could see where the last of the fires were, but they seemed to be under control. RJ was up for breakfast and JB made my very favorite - German pancakes. I think I mentioned previously that when you put peaches and brown sugar on them, it is the best meal ever. After breakfast we went down to visit Larry and Elsie. Returned some borrowed tools and took some books for Elsie. She was dehydrating potatoes and showed us how to do it. She also gave us fresh vegetables from her garden.

On the drive back home I snapped a great photo of a buck near the road. When we got back to Rose Camp I split four wheelbarrow loads of wood and worked on my photos.

The second week of August we put up the one carport that had survived the April wind storm. It will be strictly for storage of items that need to stay dry. Took us a few days to get it assembled and everything in it. Then we started pulling logs down off the east slope at the beginning of our driveway. JB sliced them on site and we loaded the pieces into the trailer and took them up to the splitter. Got two trailer loads done and I worked the next several days splitting them.

JB's Mom, Celeste, had been wanting to come Up Here to see our place, but all the sons were very concerned about her making the trip. She will turn 89 this Fall and is quite active but has heart and other health issues. It's a long drive over from Seattle and then there's our four-mile dirt road. But she finally convinced everyone she would be just fine, so on August 14, JB's brother and sister-in-law, with whom she lives, drove her over to visit us. JB met them at the gate and they all arrived Up Here about 11:30 a.m., after stopping to buy Applets and Cotlets in Cashmere. It was a clear and sunny day, not too warm. We had lunch, then sat out on the porch and chatted. A perfect visit on a perfect day. And Celeste loved it up here. Said it was even more pretty than the pictures we had been sending to her. They left in late afternoon and had a good drive back. There was a collective sigh of relief when she arrived safely back home.

Now: July 29, 2011

For those of you not familiar with this area, Applets and Cotlets are a famous, chewy candy made locally with fruit from the orchards. Celeste sends them out every year as Christmas gifts, and we enjoy them year 'round.

Yesterday we were able to cut and install eight metal panels on the sides of the shop. Only four more to go and we plan to put those up today. Then we will start on the roof/deck. The wood for the deck is scheduled to be delivered today around noon. We loaded the rest of the wood for RJ on the trailer and will probably take it down to his place on Saturday. I also cut a couple wheelbarrow loads of wood that we gathered along the road on Wednesday. One load for the splitter and one for the wood shed.

Larry and Elsie drove up for a visit Wednesday evening, bringing enough fresh horseradish to last us several years! JB wants to plant some of it and can the rest. Elsie told us how to process it for canning. They like it hot so she usually wears goggles, a face mask and gloves when she prepares it!. They also brought fresh eggs, and onions and zucchini from her garden. Wow, groceries delivered right to our doorstep. It was a treat to see them during the week, as they usually visit on the weekend. I guess they just don't need as much sleep as us old folks. . .

The mountains are finally down to their summer snow. The wild rose blooms are almost all gone and the rose hips are forming. The wild asters are now blooming with little patches scattered all over, and the fire weed and paintbrush are still phenomenal. Mother Nature always plants her garden so that when one flower begins to fade another one begins to bloom.

Wild Rose enjoying her morning coffee on the porch
(Note JB's tomato plants in the background.)

Then: The Rest of July 2010 Now: July 28, 2011



Fire to the SW of us, July 28 2010



Fire to the N of us, July 30 2010

Then: The Rest of July 2010

During the third week of July we drove Down There to our storage unit and brought back a full trailer load of items. This allowed us to move what was left into the smallest storage unit available. Next summer, when we build the shop, we will be able to bring everything Up Here. In this load were the big speakers for our surround sound system. We installed the small speakers on the edge of the loft and put the big speakers on top of the book shelves on either side of the TV and Stereo. Wow! I had forgotten just how great surround sound is!

On the 24^th we watched the baby wrens sticking their heads out of the bird house. We think there are at least three of them. The next day when we came out for our morning coffee, the whole family was gone. Hopefully one of these times we will get to see the babies learn to fly.

It has now been a year since we have seen our son and our grandchildren. Jake calls about once a week on his hour commute home, but I still miss them all so much. Thank goodness for Facebook and digital photographs.

On the 28^th I drove Down There to buy supplies for our Second Annual Rose Camp BBQ and Potluck for land owners in our canyon which will be held on August 1. Had lunch with our friend, Cathy, in a wonderfully air conditioned cafe.  Very hot outside.  I arrived back Up Here at 4pm and an hour later an electrical storm moved in.  There was thunder and lightening all around us. Then came a torrential downpour of rain and then hail, all of which lasted for about an hour. When the fireworks had moved on, we walked our ridges looking for lightening strikes. A couple canyons to the southwest of us we saw smoke and called it in. I was impressed at how quickly the helicopters arrived and started dumping water on the fire which they took from a nearby reservoir. As night moved in we could see the glow from a couple small fires that had moved over the ridge towards us. Still too far away to be concerned about.
That evening Larry called to let us know that there had been a washout on the paved road near where our dirt road meets it. There was a mudslide and they ended up having to walk about three miles to get home. Enough excitement today to last us until Christmas!

The next day the helicopters were still dumping water on the fire and it still seemed to be going strong. Fortunately we had heard that there were no homes in the area. We could also see at least one fire way to the north of us. My Aunt Nene called and said the news was showing several forest fires in the area. Larry called to advise that the county had cleared the mudslide from the road, but there is still a lot of work to be done to repair all the damage.

On the 31^st we prepared everything we could for our BBQ the following day. This certainly has been the month for work and unwanted excitement. Lets hope August is a little more tranquil.

Now: July 28, 2011

Today is the one year anniversary of the big storm that caused the mud slides and forest fires last summer. The underbrush is much greener now than it was then, but there are patches that are starting to turn brown. Hopefully we'll get by with no serious fires this year.

Yesterday was a another perfect day for working outside. A bit warmer, but with a nice breeze. We installed two sheets of metal siding on the south side of the shop. The first one was a more time consuming as we had to cut the flashing to fit just right in between the house and the siding. Then we loaded the trailer with half the wood for RJ and drove it down to his cabin. Can't take the short cut pulling the trailer, so it was more than a eight mile drive round trip. We brought the clippers and saw with us so we could trim some bushes and trees along our road on the way back up. Was a two hour trip and the dogs walked the last mile up as we were stopping all along the way to do the trimming. By the time we all got back home, it was time to rest. (See photo below.)

Just too tired to get all the way onto the bed!

Then: July 2010 Now: July 27, 2011



Lifting the solar panels into place




Attaching the panels to the frame

 

Then: July 2010

July 1 and we have a fire in the wood stove both in the morning and evening! Very chilly. JB took the trailer Down There to pick up the solar panels. Yea!!  They are here! I get to babysit Larry & Elsie's chickens and water their plants over the July Fourth weekend, so when JB returned we drove down to pick up Elsie's ATV for me to drive to and from their place.

The next day I went Down There to pick up supplies for our annual July 4^th Family weekend. Austin, his wife, Sue, and son, Adam, arrived Saturday, July 3 and we gave them our bedroom to sleep in. JB and I slept in the livingroom. Adam was thrilled that we had built a sandbox for him (the horseshoe pit). Fortunately it the sun wasn't out or Jesse may have tried to defend his tanning box. RJ and Mike were up each day from their cabin, and the guys went down to RJ's for some target practice. We had a lot of fun and ate a lot of food, but weather was cool and cloudy so we ended up putting a fire in the wood stove on July 4. Each morning after breakfast, I zipped down the mountain to feed the chickens and water the flowers at Larry and Elsie's. So much fun driving up and down our road in their ATV!

But now the holiday is over and it's time to get those solar panels up. First we have to dig the 300 ft trench for the conduit. That's quite a project, but least it doesn't have to be too deep and we get it done. We laid the conduit in the trench without connecting the pieces. Then we threaded the three wires through the conduit that run from the panels to the battery shed. As we did that, we glued each piece of conduit together. When we were all done, we buried the conduit. Whew!

In between all these goings on, I have been pressing wild flowers. JB's Mother gave me a flower press for my birthday that JB's brother made. It's wonderful, and I can press a lot of flowers at once. She makes beautiful greeting cards with her flowers and that will definitely be one of my winter projects.

On July 12, JB went Down There for his annual physical and ran some errands. He called me as he started on his way back so I could return Elsie's ATV. I met him at their place and rode back up with him. The next day we attached the brackets for the solar panels to the pole. Then JB changed the oil in the generator and I pulled weeds. We still have so many daily chores in addition to our special projects.

I just finished reading "The Girl Who Played with Fire" and have started "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo." Lisbeth Salander ROCKS!

On July 20, RJ and Mike came up to help us raise and attach the solar panels. Once again we handed the camera over to Mike and he photographed us for posterity. (See pictures above.) We had four panels to lift into place. RJ and JB lifted them onto the brackets and I screwed them in. They are up! JB then finished installing the electronics boxes in the battery shed and wired them in. Larry is going to help him with the final wiring at the panels.

Now: July 27, 2011

Life has been so much easier in the year since we installed the solar panels. We have the water pump on as long as the sun is up unless it is really foggy and dark during the day. We adjust our schedule in the short winter days. Since we have to turn the water off before we eat dinner, we do the dishes the following morning so we don't have to use the generator. Want to use that as little as possible. I fill a big tea kettle with water each afternoon and heat it for washing up at night. We leave the inverter on all the time, so we have electricity 24/7.

Yesterday was a perfect day for working outside and we got an early start. JB finished framing in the sides of the shop while I unscrewed the wood on the deck and then leaned all the wood up against the sides to dry. As soon as the top is dry, we can put the second layer of tar paper on. If it doesn't rain for a few days, we'll get the wood down to RJ's and be ready for our deck wood to be delivered on Friday.
Today we hope to get some of the metal sides up around the shop. Maybe even all of them. The most time consuming part is cutting them down to size as they are 10 feet tall and they only need to be about 8-1/2'. Since we don't have the electric metal cutters, JB has to do it by hand. But it is finally all coming together and the end is in sight.

(See picture of my "wiggle wood" fence below.)

My "wiggle wood" fence



Then: More of June 2010 Now: July 26, 2011



Raising solar panel pole



Tom Turkey treed

Then: More of June 2010

With the improved weather, the last week of June was a busy one. JB was finally able to build the horseshoe pits we had been planning. I had painted the wood at the same time I painted the wash station by the outhouse. With all our measuring, they still turned out caddiwampus. They look like they were situated by two blind, old people. . . Too late to move now. JB had already filled them with the sand he brought up.

On June 29, JB picked up the pole for the solar panels that he had ordered from a local metal shop. Oh my gawd, that thing is huge and heavy! Somehow we got it off the trailer and rolled over to where we will install it. We dug a three foot hole to place it in the next day. On the 30^th, Mike came up to spend the day while RJ worked on his cabin. We handed the camera to Mike as we went about setting the pole in concrete. He took pictures for posterity, and did a very good job of it. (See photo above.)

That afternoon JB and Mike played Magic Cards, or I should say that Mike is still teaching his Uncle JB how to play. RJ came up for dinner, and afterward the three of them played cards. It was a nice, relaxed ending to a busy month.

Now: July 26, 2011

Yesterday turned out to be much wetter than NOAA's forecast had indicated. JB went Down There, but without a trailer load of cardboard for recycle. Just too wet. He ordered the lumber for the deck to be delivered on Friday, and bought more tar paper and the cold tar. Also ran a few errands and picked up a few groceries.

While he was gone we had a four-hour deluge. I was out in it clearing the little drainage canals. When I got back inside, I added an item to the top of my "Must Buy" list: waterproof rain gear. My 30-year old, water-repellent jacket just doesn't cut it any more. I was soaked to the skin.

After that little escapade, I did wash and hung it inside. Then puttered around the house doing little things. Worked on my photographs for the last several months, especially making discs that I had promised for friends and family who had visited us. When it eventually stopped raining, the fog moved in. And as I've mentioned before, when the fog moves up the mountain, it also moves into my brain. Time for a nap, which I took after JB got back Up Here. No problems coming back up the road except one little slippy-slide on the steep part of our driveway, after all he does have a Jeep Wrangler.

JB pointed out a great article in the current Aug/Sept issue of Home Power Magazine written by a woman who has lived off-grid with her husband for 26 years. Kathleen Jarschke-Schultze is a monthly contributor for the magazine and this issue's article is entitled "Off Grid, Not Offline." She is definitely into techie toys, while we are not. Well, maybe I shouldn't say that. JB just bought a Nook while he was on the other side of the mountains. It's like a Kindle, but less expensive and tied to Barnes and Noble, not Amazon. Also, he can borrow books from the library on it. I guess I'm being dragged into the digital/technology age whether I like it or not. At least I've stopped kicking and screaming. JB is also the one who got me to do on-line banking, and our son, Jake, is the one who got him to do it.  Jake grew up in a completely different world than we did getting his first computer in the fourth grade.

The storm has passed and this morning is clear and beautiful.  Perfect for working outside, which I'm sure we will do.



Then: June 2010 Now: July 25 2011



Our new storm door/picture window



Our wash station

Then: June 2010

June started out the way May ended - cool and wet. JB's son, Chris, actually got to see the mountains though. JB met him in Leavenworth for a bonding and site seeing day. Chris stayed two nights and we had a really good visit. Both he and JB left early Sunday morning for Seattle, in the rain. JB went over for a family gathering in celebration of Chris' and his daughter, Kirsten's, visit. Kirsten had stayed in Seattle to party with her cousins. JB stayed one night and was back Monday afternoon, in the rain.

By mid-month the sun began appearing more often and the mud started to dry out. I built a small, 2' high "fence" on one end of the yard out of "wiggle wood." Dead, gnarly, twisted branches that I had been collecting. Looks pretty good, even though I do say so myself. JB wants a lawn of sorts in our yard, so I raked the area to be planted of the natural compost that is about 2" to 8" deep. I moved it over to where we plan to put a small garden next year. Then JB planted the grass seed. We'll see just how well it does.

One of our projects on the list for this year was a wash station on the north side of the outhouse. JB built that mid-month and then I painted it. We hung a pan on it. Hung a towel on the wall. And put a coffee urn full of water on it, which works better than one of our plastic jugs that so often have the spout break off. Looks pretty good.

On the first day of summer, I was finally able to get my summer clothes out. Something that I usually do around the first of May.

We finally bought a storm door for the side entrance and installed it on June 22. What a difference it makes to be able to have the side door open. It's like a new picture window!

I have been cutting branch wood when it isn't raining. When it is raining, I have been sorting my photographs that are on the computer and saving them on archival discs with the DVD burner Jake gave me for Christmas. Supposedly they will last for more than 300 years.  I certainly hope our great-great-great-great-greatgrandchildren are interested in them.

By the end of the month, it was looking more like summer and the grass was starting to sprout in the yard. Just maybe we will dry out before Fall arrives.

Now: July 24, 2011

We were awakened at 4:30 this morning by a thunder storm.  The fireworks were to the west of us, but we did get a 10 minute downpour.  Another storm just rolled in at 7:00 but with just a few sprinkles and it is quickly moving off to the north.  Supposed to have high winds most of the day and cooler temps.

Yesterday being Sunday, JB took the afternoon off. All morning he had worked on digging the trench for the metal sides of the shop. Once that is done, work should go fairly quickly on putting the sides up and the tar paper on the top. I cut up the big branches I had sawed off the trees on Saturday. It was into the 70's by noon, so really too hot to do anything else outside.  We gave Jesse his much-needed bath, then we both just relaxed inside and did our own things.  I went outside in late afternoon, just in time to see the dogs flush a big flock of wild turkeys just off our west ridge.  Must have been at least a dozen of them.

A few days ago I mentioned JB being able to check out new items in the stores while he was on the other side of the mountains. When I went Down There last Tuesday, I took time to walk down the aisles in Costco. Well, that was a mistake! They just have too many interesting and useful things. And I just had to buy a few of them, like a laminator that I had been wanting. I don't feel too badly about that as I will definitely put it to good use.

Got another RSVP on our August 7^th BBQ, so we may have as many as 17 people. We are really looking forward to it.

Then: Our May 2010 Guests Now: July 24, 2011



Before



After







Then: Our May 2010 Guests May was just a cold, wet and generally depressing month weatherwise. Spring is breaking records for the rain, and the temperature has been 10 to 15 degrees cooler than normal every day. Not a great month for guests. But my BFF, Sandy, and her friend, Donna, were due Up Here the week before Memorial Day. I drove over to Seattle to meet them and spend the night. On that side of the mountains, it was one of those seldom seen, beautiful and cloudless couple of days. We went downtown Seattle to the Pike Place Market. Drove by the house boats on Lake Washington and over the bridge to Kirkland. Got ice cream cones at the Kirkland Park on the lake, and just had a great day with scenery that only the Pacific Northwest can offer. After breakfast the second day, they followed me over Snoqualamie Pass and then Blewett Pass, and on up to Rose Camp. It was overcast and still damp and cool from all the rain. As planned, Donna and I slept in the tipi and Sandy crashed on our couch. It started raining that evening and didn't stop for the three days and two nights they were Up Here. We couldn't even see the mountains! Not even Mission Ridge. Unbelievable. We had a nice visit and played games inside, but they actually left a day early to be sure we could get them down the road. Sandy had parked her car by the gate and I had taken them both up in my Jeep. When we left, JB drove down in front of us. We slipped and slid most of the way, but our Jeeps did their jobs very well. It was probably the most "exciting" part of the visit for Sandy & Donna! I was in tears about the weather and their inability to see our incredible vistas. Driving back up to Rose Camp after saying goodbye, I was unable to get my Jeep up the steep beginning of our drive way. JB walked down the next day and brought it up. JB's son, Chris, is due up the first week in June and we can only hope that the weather improves by then. The only positive note is that there are a lot of wild flowers blooming. Now: July 24, 2011 Yesterday was another warm, cloudless day. More typical weather for July, but still cooler than normal. JB mowed the loop on the south ridge, while I cut the last of the branch wood. My pile of wood has disappeared, while JB's pile by the chipper has grown larger with all the small sticks and branchlets I have thrown over there. After lunch he dug the little trenches in which the steel sides of the shop will sit. I cut down two large branches on trees in the grove.  (See photos above)  A good day for such work - not too hot, with a cool breeze.  Today looks to be the same but since it is Sunday JB, with his good Catholic upbringing, likes to take at least half the day off.  He is going Down There tomorrow with the trailer for deck/shop building supplies, so sometime today we are going to load all the recycle cardboard on to the trailer for him to take.  It is eight months worth and there is quite a bit.  So, don't worry, Aunt Nene, we won't work too hard today. A post script on the Celiac's disease situation: JB's niece was the only person who tested positive for it. She had been diagnosed as bipolar for years and has had a terrible time dealing with it. Celiac's can have the same symptoms as bipolar disorder. Since going on a gluten-free diet, she has been able to go off all her medications that treat bipolar problems, and for the first time, she really happy, well-adjusted and enjoying life. I think that to this day, Sandy doesn't believe we can see the mountains and river from Rose Camp. She is sure that the photographs I show her were not taken from Up Here. I can only hope that some day she will brave our road once again during our typical, beautiful summer weather. See photo of RJ's fireplace and stone floor below.

RJ's fireplace and stone floor





Then: May 2010 Now: July 23, 2011



Our double domed car port



One of our resident wrens



Then: May 2010

The afternoon of April 30 the wind started to blow. As the evening grew longer, the wind blew harder. It was as though the wind had saved up its force from not blowing all winter, when we really could have used it to blow away all the fog. The wood stacked against the house and the tarps covering it were rattling so much against the bedroom wall that it was too noisy to sleep in the there, so I moved out to the couch. Neither of us got much sleep and ended getting up early the morning of May 1. The wind was still blowing and according to NOAA, Wenatchee was getting 65 mph gusts, so our winds were at least that strong. As I stood looking out the kitchen window, I could see the poles on the west end carport were moving quite a bit, as was the covering. I started to say to JB, "We really need to get out there and. . . Oh, never mind. There it goes." The wind picked up the whole west end carport and it disappeared out of sight.

We both got dressed as quickly as we could and rushed outside. There was the carport in amongst some trees not far away, looking like a double geodesic dome. But nothing that had been in it was missing! The wind soon died down and we spent the day salvaging the carport cover and using it like a tarp to cover everything again. Soon after lunch it started snowing, but just enough to turn the ground white.

We decided that we had to move the carport that was left to a more sheltered area. So we spent the next several days doing just that. Fortunately, after just a month on his new diet, JB was feeling better and had more energy.

Every pole in the damaged carport was either bent or broken, but the other carport had faired much better. The west end poles were tweaked, but fixable. Once again we would not have a shelter in which to work on MAX, but hopefully that would only be til the summer of 2011. Our time and money for this year were going toward the solar panels.

JB had researched the panels prior to our moving back to Washington and knew which brand he wanted, but we also had to get the pole on which to mount them plus all the wiring, conduit and electrical boxes and connections. As it turned out the Kyrocera panels were not available in 2010 because the company had a big contract with a commercial project. The market had changed a bit since he last looked for panels, so it was almost back to square one. Plus, our budget had shrunk. JB finally chose the Trina 175 watt, because of all the places they were being used, and they fit into our price range.

We ordered the panels, mounting rack and electrical boxes/connections with delivery to be in June. Now we just had to find someplace local to get the 12" diameter X 14' tall pole. And the 200 feet of wire and conduit.
Along with all our daily and Spring chores, that pretty much did it for the month of May. It ended much more nicely than it had begun, with no snow and lots of wild flowers.

Now: July 22, 2011

Yesterday morning it was 39 degrees outside when we got up and very chilly in the house. I put a fire in the stove - on July 22 - unheard of! But the house was warm by the time RJ got here for breakfast. He has been working on his kitchen, living room and bedroom floors, and adding a few shelves here and there. He is gradually covering his dirt floors with clay tile, rock and wood. So we promised to go down later in the day and see it all before he leaves tomorrow.

After breakfast, JB started mowing and by early afternoon had mowed all around the house and almost to the south ridge. Definitely a good day's work. I cut three wheelbarrows full of wood - two for the wood shed and one for the splitter. When JB was done mowing, he helped me get the splitter going for the first time this year. I split one wheel barrow full and then actually let him split some wood too. We ended up splitting three wheelbarrows full and I stacked it all in the wood shed. Feels good to finally get some splitting done. The stack of wood we brought down of the east slope this Spring is now almost gone, so it's time to go get some more. There is a lot of downed wood at the end of our driveway, so that is probably where we will start. After we work on the deck.

We are going to pull up the four rows of decking we have screwed in and sell all the 2"X6"X12' decking to RJ. Instead, we are going to put down 2"X6"X12' tongue-in-groove decking. We are also going to put down another layer of tar paper and use cold tar over where we staple it on. Then we will probably put up all the metal sides before we put on the decking. Makes me tired just writing about it. But we want it done right so it will not leak.

We also have to get ready for our August 7 Third Annual Rose Camp BBQ and Potluck. But that is two weeks away, so I'll think about it in 10 days or so.

Our new mouse traps work as advertised! JB set them yesterday afternoon and before we went to bed the mouse in the loft had been caught. Then during the night, we got the downstairs mouse. Hopefully there aren't any more.



Then: April 2010 Now: July 22, 2011



Jesse's nest



Spring is arriving

Then: April 2010

On April 1, we head down to the doctor's office. Knowing that it will be a long day, we take the dogs with us. It is sunny and warmer than usual for early Spring. I haven't been Down There since mid-December, but it seems like just last week that we drove the muddy, bumpy road down to the pavement and into town. And, yet with all that has happened, it seems like a year ago. And this time we take MAX down to our Jeep at Larry and Elsie's. I know the dogs are surprised when we get to the main canyon road and keep going, instead of turning around and heading for home. They get a long run, and seem glad to be able to ride when we get to the Jeep. There is still a lot of snow on the road most of the way down, but it is clear past the gate.

We finally arrive at the doctor's and get JB checked in. The procedure will take a while and JB has to come out of the anesthesia afterwards. It being April 1, the nurse threatens to paint his finger and toe nails while he's asleep, and I advise that a bright red would look best. So, leaving him in good hands, the dogs and I go run some errands and get lunch. It is such a nice day that we stop at the park along the way.

By the time we get back to the doctor's office, BJ is babbling as he slowing awakens, no worse for wear. We consult with the doctor, and his findings confirm the blood test. JB has Celiac's disease. Sounds terrible, but just basically means his body can no longer digest gluten. It is actually an autoimmune disease that can eventually cause death, but dealing with it is very simple: delete all gluten from JB's diet. Gluten causes the celia in his small intestine to wilt and they are unable to take nutrients from the food he eats. But a low white cell count is only one of many, many guises this disease has. However, the doctor assures us that after six months on a gluten-free diet, the celia will recover and be as good as new. The disease is genetic, so JB has to inform his two sons, and all his brothers, nieces and nephews of his diagnosis so they can also be tested.

We find that changing his diet is much easier to do now than it would have been five years ago. It seems that more and more people each year are being diagnosed with Celiac's. But because of its many symptoms, even more people are not diagnosed, which is too bad because it just takes a simple blood test. The month of April is practically consumed with researching the disease and product sources for a gluten-free diet. Since JB already enjoys baking bread, he can still make his own, just using different flours. The natural food stores all carry the necessary ingredients, but they are pricey. Our Fred Myer grocery store has a very large selection, but the ready-made products are expensive. We finally go to the Bob's Red Mill site on the internet and are able to purchase their all purpose blend of flours in 25 lb. bags. We can substitute that flour in any recipe, adding just a little xantham gum (powder) and it will turn out perfect. They also have large bags of gluten-free oatmeal which is JB's favorite breakfast. It is amazing how many food products contain wheat or gluten in some form.

As we go about our research and learn to cook with new ingredients, the snow is melting and Spring has arrived in the mountains. At the end of the month, we are able to bring my Jeep two miles up the road to our cutoff, and should be able to drive it all the way up to Rose Camp in a few more weeks.

Now: July 21, 2011

It has been almost 16 months since JB was diagnosed with Celiac's, and we have easily adapted to his new diet. I have found that the GF (gluten-free) foods seem to be less filling. As far as pasta goes, we now use the quinoa pastas and they have a nutty flavor that we both really like. Friends and family always bring him GF foods and mixes when they visit us or he goes to Seattle.  JB's stamina has improved and his digestive problems have all but disappeared.

Yesterday we made an unscheduled trip Down There to buy the heavy duty shelves JB wants in his shop. He found them at Costco and wants to be sure we get them before they are gone. We also stopped at AG Supply for a more heavy duty mouse trap. The little ones we had been using don't seem as effective as they used to be, or maybe the mice are just getting smarter. It was cloudy and cool, so the dogs came with us. Today JB is going to mow the paths again, something that on a "normal" year he would not have to do after June. I plan to cut some more branch wood. Tomorrow we want to get started on the deck/shop again.

RJ is coming to breakfast this morning and then will return to the other side of the mountains. He and Mike will be back up for our annual Rose Camp BBQ and Potluck on August 7. We should have about 15 people this year.

Then: March 2010 Now: July 21 2011




JB talking to Jake back on US soil

 

No snow in the valleys

Then: March 2010

The weather is whispering of a Spring to come. The snow flurries are getting further apart. There is no snow in the valleys Down There. There are spots of brown showing Up Here as the snow starts to melt. But we still need MAX to get up and down the mountain. So once again, we fix the broken axle in a very short time. And, once again, I am thinking maybe we could hire out for this. But, like taking the tracks off and putting them on, it probably wouldn't be worth our while.

Instead of the first day of Spring, our main focus has been on March 14 which is the day our son, Jake, leaves for Iraq. He has been posting his activities of getting ready to leave on his Facebook page, such as packing some of the gear he has been issued, his targets from qualifying on the M16 and M9 (excellent!), and reactions to his shots. He said his fellow officer who will be going with him did very badly on the qualifying. But that's okay because Jake will always have him walk in front. . .

The 14^th comes and goes, as does the first day of Spring. Still don't know how long Jake will be over there. He posts pictures almost every day on Facebook which really boggles my mind. He is so far away and yet so close. He takes this technology for granted as he practically grew up with it and works with it on a daily basis. My generation, not so much.

With the melting snow, we are able to cut firewood again, so we attack the small pile of logs left on the north slope of the south ridge. It is good to be doing something productive outside other than shoveling snow.

On March 25, we get a phone call from Jake, who is back on U.S. soil. Yes!! He has returned and all is well. Unfortunately not all is well with us though. JB has been to the doctor for tests because he has been getting very tired and easily worn out. His white cell count is falling. We will both go Down There on April 1 for his appointment with a specialist. It certainly has been an interesting month. . .

Now: July 21, 2011

Yesterday was a beautiful day in more ways than one. The sun was shining and JB got home about 2:00 p.m. I did a load of wash, vacuumed and got reorganized for sharing the house again. I also worked on my blog for today and in trying to choose photos to share, discovered that everything I had saved on disc from February 27 through September 30 of 2010 is corrupted and inaccessible! Thank goodness I still have a lot of my photos from that time on my hard drive. It is usually very time consuming to choose which pictures to share as I often take 400 to 600 a month.  What can I say - when it comes to photography, I am my Father's daughter.

Many of the different grasses are starting to go to seed now. There is one of them that has a very sticky top and seed. As the dogs go running through the undergrowth, that sticky goo gets all over them. They come back looking like military camouflage dogs with seeds, petals and all sorts of little detritus stuck to them. Jesse definitely needs a bath and I need JB's help with that, so I am hoping we can get that done today. Dinga's fur seems to slough off everything within a short time of it sticking, and I wouldn't even attempt to give her a bath anyway.

My Aunt Nene's widowed sister-in-law, who is 82, lives in the mountains of NW Idaho by herself.  A wonderfully strong and independent woman.  Yesterday she e-mailed me some videos from her game cam of a mama bear and cub near her place.  They are fantastic!  I really need to save up for one of those.

Then: The Rest of February 2010 Now: July 20 2011



Tipi in the snow




Austin & JB arriving on MAX

 

Then: The Rest of February 2010

JB's nephew, Austin, visited us the last weekend of February. The day before he arrived, we received 9" of snow! He drove his car about a mile and a quarter up the road and parked it. JB took him in MAX from there, and that alone, according to Austin, was worth the trip over. Other than seeing us, of course. But the whole weekend was fun. Catching up. Traipsing around in the snow. Sleeping in the tipi. He, his wife and son, Adam, will be up for our Fourth of July get-together this summer.

When JB arrived back from taking Austin down to his car, we realized that MAX had another broken axle. Thank goodness we ordered extra parts last time. There is obviously something about this vehicle that we do not understand. The next day JB spent more than an hour on the phone with Recreatives and we think he has the answer. The tires have too much air in them, which puts too much pressure on the axles. I guess we'll see.

In February we made plans for more guests this year. My BFF will finally be here in May. She and another friend, Donna, are driving up from California to see us and her friends relatives in Seattle. Donna is looking forward to sleeping in the tipi, so she and I will sleep there and Sandy will sleep on the couch. No camper this city girl. I'm lucky enough just to get her up on the mountain.

JB's son from his first marriage, Chris, will be here the first week of June for a couple days. He will be spending time in Seattle with the rest of the family too. So now we have these visits to look forward to and prepare for.

We have been hearing from our son, Jake, that the East coast is getting pounded with snow storms. They received almost six feet of snow and he missed four days of work. Have been checking the internet for news on this since he told us about it. He is getting ready for his deployment in a few weeks. Brings back so many memories that neither JB nor I wanted to relive. War sucks. And as far as I am concerned, Iraq and Afghanistan are just another Viet Nam. Don't get me started. . .

Now: July 20, 2011

The dogs and I had a good trip Down There yesterday. The dark clouds finally came through with their threat of rain, and it was sprinkling when we left about 9:30 a.m. At least it was cool enough to take them with me and leave them in the car while I shopped. They usually do not get to go to town in the summer because of the heat. Rain in July is almost unheard of here. When I check NOAA each day, they always announce the daily high which is running 12 to 18 degrees below normal. I hate to admit it, but as long as it isn't downpours, I'd rather have cool and damp as opposed to hot and dry. Much less chance of fires. And sunburn. The skies cleared in the afternoon and the clouds had all but disappeared by the time the sun went down.

I did not feel organized when I left for Down There, and, sure enough, I forgot the letters to mail and my cell phone. JB usually serves as my memory chip in such matters. Sometimes I think I have the short term memory of a goldfish. (And so does JB.)

After my posting yesterday, I should probably explain how we get our mail. We rent a mail box at the UPS store in town for most of it, which gives us a street address. We also have a mail box on the pavement at the end of the dirt road. We just give out that address for official business and bills. The box on the pavement is very small, but the UPS store has lots of room for when we don't get Down There for 3 or 4 weeks at a time.

When writing about the wild flowers yesterday, I neglected to mention the Yarrow. Its little white clusters of blossoms are everywhere, including ringing our yard. I also did not correctly describe the Fire Weed. It is actually a long stem on which there are many blooms. (See photo below.)

I really believe that our life up on the mountain is a cure for just about everything, mental or physical. We certainly are more in touch with Mother Nature, but just as important, we are out of reach of the constant blare of modern life. It's not just that we don't have TV, we are away from the hustle and bustle. We are allowed to be just us, without the demands of modern corporate America. When we first moved Up Here, I had a lot of aches and pains that I simply accepted as having to do with my age. So did JB. Most of those have disappeared now. My shoulder is no longer sore. Stress doesn't settle in my upper back. The arthritis in my fingers does not pain me nearly as much. JB seems to be completely rid of his gout attacks, and other pains he would wake up with in the morning. He does not snore like he used to. We just feel better. I am sure that some of it has to do with being retired, but that in itself can be stressful Down There. Rose Camp, the Answer to all of what Ails You. Hmmm. Now if I was Down There, I'd say that sounds like a great marketing campaign. . .

Fireweed

 

Then: February 2010 Now: July 19, 2011



Our home in the snow




Fixing MAX

 













Then: February 2010
The first week of February is looking no different from the whole month of January - snow and fog, more snow and more fog. JB has been driving MAX down the road and back every other day or so, and the dogs usually go with him. I haven’t been going lately. Too many things to do inside. When he came back from his second trip on February 6, he drove up and around the south ridge to pack down our path. Coming back down to the house, the right track came off which was caused by a broken rear axle. Wow! We made it all the way to February. Last year I think we had two broken axles by now (didn’t mention the second one when writing about last winter). Well, it’s Saturday so he can’t order the parts until Monday. This time he is going to order two of everything.

On Sunday, 1/7, it warmed up to 32. It sounded like it was raining with all the snow melting off all the trees. Got some organizing done inside along with the normal chores. We have spent so much time lately dealing with the snow that being inside is a treat, especially for JB who won't be able to drive MAX for a while.

Last time JB went Down There, he bought a garbage disposal for the kitchen sink. One more tiny bit of civilization. He has been working on the wiring for it and on 2/12 he installed the disposal. But it wouldn’t work. Took a day off to try to figure out the problem, which he did, and on 1/13 we had a working garbage disposal! I love it! It’s good for the septic system too to have all that extra food bacteria.

I have been working on sorting my digital photos and genealogy information. Both sides of my family have copious records of family history. In the past 10-15 years I have been working off and on trying to get it all in a computer program. I have also scanned many of our old family photographs into the computer and put them on discs for family members. Still trying to get them all organized. It is great to finally have the time to really get into it. I love being retired!

On the 15^th I left at 9:00 a.m. to hike down the road to check the mail. I was expecting some papers for a new medical insurance plan. I took Dinga and we had a delightful hike down in the snow. When I got to my Jeep at Larry’s and Elsie’s, I drove it down the last mile to the pavement and the mail box. No insurance information. Lovely. Drove back up and parked the car. Larry offered to drive me back up to Rose Camp, but I declined saying that I needed the exercise. How stupid was that! By the time I was half way up, I was cursing my independent streak. Dinga was having a great time and I was forcing myself to enjoy the scenery. Got back home with aching glutes and shoulders.

Larry brought up the parts for MAX on the 2/19, bless him! We’re getting to be old hands at fixing the axles, even in the cold and snow. This year at least we had the car port as shelter to work in. However, because the carport cannot support any snow load, every time it snows - day or night - we have to go out and "bounce" the snow off from the inside. We use a pole with a soft, round end, and if it is snowing when we go to bed, we set the alarm to get up and check the car port every few hours. But we actually had a full week of sun from the 16^th through the 22nd. We got MAX fixed in no time and JB was able to go to town on the 22nd. In our more than three-weeks worth of mail I finally received my insurance information, so JB had to go Down There again on 2/25 to mail my payment and forms. For 18 months since JB retired I had been on COBRA from his company. It was a real nightmare to go out and get insurance on my own with no employer involved. JB is on medicare and a supplement. Much easier to deal with.

Towards the end of the month we find out that our son will be going to Iraq in mid-March for 14 to 30 days. At least he has a Facebook page. So very different from when JB was in Viet Nam. Same worries, but lots more communication.

Now: July 19, 2011

Today I will be going Down There for the mail, a few groceries and to pick up my boot that has been repaired. I’ve been wearing my old hiking boots that are not nearly as comfortable as my well-broken-in work boots. It is breezy this morning with dark clouds moving in from the south. Our weather usually comes in from the west or southwest and then I can see it coming, but when it comes in from the south my view is blocked by the trees and south ridge. I have to walk up to the top of the ridge if I want to see what’s happening. A little rain won’t keep me from driving Down There. Just means it will be nice and cool.

A quick note regarding my health insurance.  Once our President's Health Bill kicked in, my rates went up and my coverage went down.  Don't get me started. . .

Yesterday was partly cloudy and warmer. Got a load of wash done. Cooked a large pot of broth with four chicken thighs for the dogs. They get fed twice a day, morning and evening. I put a couple tablespoons of broth on their dry food along with pieces of chicken and carrots. When we have bacon, I always save the grease for them and put some "bacon juice" on their breakfast. No they are not spoiled, just well fed. When we had our Greyhounds, people were always saying that when they died they wanted to come back as our dogs. What can I say? I’m an empty nester. I always told our son that it took four Greyhounds to fill the empty space he left.

After lunch I cut four more wheelbarrow loads of branch wood. Two for the wood shed and two for the splitter. I am sure that by now, with all this exercise, I have gotten rid of my winter weight. My pants are fitting much better. Every winter I tend to gain a few pounds - a little less activity and a lot more eating.

I took a short nap and then the dogs and I hiked down the road to the Wood Spirit. The lupine and sweet peas are fading, but there are some scattered patches of them left. The roses are still out in full force with their heady scent, and the paintbrush is everywhere with its brilliant red tips. And now the fire weed is starting to bloom. It a dark pink flower on a tall stalk, and in the Fall its leaves turn bright orange and red. There is also a purple flower with little trumpets on its stem. Haven’t identified that one yet. But, needless to say, it was an incredible hike with all the dazzling colors.

Talked to JB in the morning. I had looked at the calendar wrong, and he will be home tomorrow, not Thursday. Yippee!