August 19, 2011



Mullein by our front porch




Mullein blossoms

 

JB working on the deck

As I was on my way back to bed after my daily posting yesterday morning at 5:30 a.m., the smell of smoke was wafting in from our bedroom window. JB thought he had seen smoke the night before towards Leavenworth, but I wanted to check it out for sure. I put on my bathrobe, grabbed my gun, and headed out to both the south and north ridges with Dinga and Jesse in hot pursuit. The dogs were thrilled to be going on such an early walk. Me, not so much. I could see an exceptionally red sunrise in the making and the Wenatchee River Valley was full of smoke. Good. No threat to us. So back to bed it was. 

We were able to put in all the boards on the deck yesterday, except for the last 2-½ on each side! Of course even when all the boards are in, our project still will not be finished. JB needs to plane the decking where it meets the center board. The water should flow into the center, down that board, and off the deck. We will have to waterproof the seam where the wood meets the house and all along the center board. Then we get to seal the deck. Actually finishing this project is going to be anticlimactic. It will never make it into House Beautiful, but it is very solid and functional. We'll see how it's doing this time next year.

Larry and Elsie drove up to visit last night, bringing fresh blueberries and eggs.  They told us that the fire is a few miles up Tumwater Canyon, which ends in Leavenworth.  Seems that someone flipped out a cigarette while waiting for road construction.  What is it with these people?  So wound up in their own little lives that they are not aware of what they are doing and where they are! 
JB performed his annual shaving of his beard last night. Now I'm living with a stranger! Fortunately it doesn't take long to grow back.

In writing this blog, I have discovered that it is much easier for me to tell a story with photographs than writing about it. I can really appreciate the saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words."  I am seriously thinking of switching to all pictures.

As the month goes by, the colors of the landscape are changing from green to brown in many places, although the north faces of most hills are still quite green. The yarrow is fading and the mullein is growing. It is a tall, one-stalk plant with large, soft leaves and pretty yellow blossoms on the top foot or so. I have seen it reach more than six feet high. It has a long history of use both in North America and Europe. In early Rome, people would cover the dry stalks in wax and use them for torches. The Wicca did the same on this continent. It is considered a noxious weed in hereabout, so I let the few plants around our house bloom but cut them down before they can go to seed.

The September issue of the National Geographic has a very interesting article on protecting houses from wild fires. In it they list four basic ways to protect your home: 1) Install class A-rated coverings on your roof. 2) Have duel-pane windows. 3) Keep gutters clean of combustible debris. 4) Remove dry, dead vegetation and prune over-hanging trees or branches. Is it just me, or are all those simply common sense? I don't understand why anyone would live in such an area and not automatically consider those basics. I guess you just can't fix stupid. I received a great e-mail a few weeks ago on the death of common sense. If you are interested, let me know and I will send it to you.

Very soon I am going to have to take time to make some birthday and other cards. We have been so busy that I don't think anyone has received a birthday card from us on time this year. So if you are reading this and are one of those who haven't received yours yet, don't worry. I haven't forgotten you.

We have another frog in our crawl space again. I don't even want to think how they get in there. It seems like we always had a basement when we lived Down There that would be home to crickets and the occasional frog. Never did figure out how they got there. Please don't tell me the answer is just common sense.  (I seem to be ranting a bit today, sorry about that.)