September 30, 2011



No room for Rose!



Evening walk - taken from North ridge



The dogs usually wake me up between 5:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. I let them out and then go up to the loft to post on my blog. I write most of it the evening before and then just tweak it in the morning. The dogs are in by the time I'm done and we all go back to bed til about 8:00 a.m. However, on Wednesday when I thought I would go back to bed, I found both dogs asleep on my side of the bed. (See photo above.) Jesse is often sleeping on the foot of the bed, but Dinga rarely gets up on it any more. But there she was, cuddled into JB with her head almost on my pillow. I knew if I moved her, she would jump down. So I just grabbed my pillow and headed for the couch. Started to snuggle in when I realized how chilly it was on the main floor. I checked the temperature outside and it was 36! Time for a fire in the wood stove. Finally got settled on the couch for a short snooze.


We spent Wednesday Down There running errands, one of which was buying the hardware for the sliding door JB is going to build for the shop. It's a good thing we had the trailer because the 12 foot rail would not have fit in or on the Jeep. After errands we went to our storage unit to finally clean it out. Tied it all down and we were on our way back home. Woo Hoo!!

It was a long day for all of us. We unloaded the trailer and stacked most of the items on the porch. After dinner and our walk, JB returned the trailer to Larry and Elsie. Turns out they had been robbed the night before and the dogs slept right through it. Apples, blueberries and other fruit were missing, but there were some very happy, sated bears in the area. . . JB came back with two dozen fresh eggs and we all went to bed early.

Thursday was another beautiful Fall day, although much cooler Up Here than Down There. This time of year there can be a 15 to 20 degree difference, but in the winter we are actually warmer at times as the cold air sinks into the valleys. The propane truck arrived mid morning and now we are set for another year. JB worked on getting the sides on the trailer. I unpacked some boxes and put the genealogy binders in the cabinet in the loft.  After lunch I split three wheel barrow loads of wood. JB split all the really large pieces of wood into quarters so they wouldn't be so heavy for me, and he also moved the wheel barrow to the wood shed each time I filled it. Then I stacked the wood. That's five loads from the wood he brought back from Seattle and we still have another two or three to go.

Today I'll probably rake up the rest of the bags of pine needles we'll need. When starting a fire in the stove with the needles, they flare up very quickly. It's scary to think of all the careless, smoking drivers and campers out there who just don't have a clue as to how dry all that fire fodder gets in the Summer and Fall, and how rapidly one spark can turn into a raging forest fire.

And speaking of water, I am amazed at how much we don't need to use. When I give the dogs clean water each evening, I keep what they haven't drunk to help water my outside plants. When I am waiting for hot water, I fill up the tea kettle or our water containers until it arrives. (It doesn't take long) And as far as flushing the toilet goes, we use the guidelines given when we lived in California through one of their many droughts - Poo do. Pee don't. Or as our nephew says - If it's yellow, let it mellow.

We are also stingy on the use of paper towels. I use them more than I probably should, but I only use the size I need. I really like the ones that have large and small options, but the regular towels are less expensive at Costco. We just tear off what we need, not necessarily where the perforation is.  I'm not a fanatic about it, but I do try not to waste anything.

One thing I am not stingy on is chocolate. I read a quote once that said - I heard that chocolate helps to slow down the aging process, and I am not willing to take the chance that it doesn't. Works for me. . .

September 28, 2011



RJ's sod roof & tower on North side



East side of RJ's cabin (no sod)



Monday was a typical Seattle day - cold and rainy.  We both found plenty to do inside and were especially cozy with a fire in the wood stove.  I attacked a couple more boxes and JB worked on his computer.  His hobby is antique Indian glass trade beads.  We got into that when we were rendezvousing and actually published some articles on the beads which JB has since put on-line.  I spent time shredding tax returns going back to 1978.  I have no idea why we had kept them that far back.  Just put the last seven years worth into a box, which I will probably find in ten years and shred.

Monday afternoon I had that moment of elation when you realize that what was wrong is now right and the stabbing pain had shrunk down to a dull ache.  Life was good once again.  I know I mentioned previously that attitude is everything and we are ultimately responsible for our actions and choices.  Well, when I am hurting and the doctor can't figure out why and I have to pay a lot of $$$ for him to not know, I choose to get angry.  Not the best course of action, I know, but this time that was my choice.  Sometimes staying angry is cathartic.  I think doctors should be like most other professionals - if you don't produce the necessary results, you don't get paid.

I actually think this doctor doesn't care for me personally.  The first time I saw him I bitched about increased health care premiums with less coverage thanks to our socialist president.  He commented that he was not in the habit of discussing politics with his patients.  I commented right back that maybe he should, as he might learn the truth.  Turns out that he has more than one patient who absolutely needs care and prescriptions but isn't getting them because they cannot afford it.  Fortunately I can use one of those no-interest Visa checks to pay this time and take six to eight months to pay it off.  Thank you, Obama!  (I think I had a pinched nerve that got unpinched.  Unfortunately, Obama pinches all my nerves.)

Also on Monday, I hung the laundry inside to dry for the first time since our wet Spring.  Thank goodness for our high ceiling in the great room.

Before JB left for Seattle last Friday, he received his Father's Day card from Jake which included a nice monetary gift.  Better late than never!  So while on his trip, JB spent it on the newest season of Castle and Burn Notice that are out, and a couple books he had been wanting to get.  I know that many of you like-minded people out there have already enjoyed these series, but we will save them for winter, which starts in November around here.  However we did watch the first episode of each one as they both had cliff-hanger endings last season.

Tuesday was dry and mostly overcast til the afternoon, so we were able to work outside.  JB had finished painting the spar varnish on the wooden sides and bottom of the little trailer, so he painted the bottom side of the bottom with the little bit of deck sealer we had left.  Then he painted the undercarriage with the rest of the Rustoleum.  Found out we need new lights, but at least on Thursday he can put everything else together.  I went down to RJ's to help.   He has to go back to Seattle tomorrow and just has a few things to finish.  I cleaned up all the construction scraps so he wouldn't have to come back to a mess the end of next week.  He is done with all the basic construction of his "tower", and has most of the roof covered with sod.  Amazing!

When I got back I was able to split two loads of the smaller pieces that JB had brought back from his brother's.  JB moved the full wheel barrow to the wood shed both times and I stacked the wood. 

Today we are all going Down There to run a few errands and pick up the last load from our storage unit.  Hooray!!  I think I have a place for the table, but the trunk may have to go in JB's shop.  Or maybe I can store blankets in it that are in the loft.  Who knows?  I truly believe that smaller is better in this - or any - day and age, but I sometimes wish I had maybe another 100 square feet of space. . .

September 26, 2011



Cold front moving in

A cold front moved in early Sunday morning with one clap of thunder and about five rain drops.  Most of the day was cloudy with a brisk wind.  It was 56 when I got up and the high for the day was 58.  Typical Fall weather, I guess.  Can't decide if it's going to be hot, warm or cold.  It was 87 Down There on Saturday which was 14 degrees above average.

Am still taking it easy on my back.  Made cards, birthday presents and Christmas presents.  Defrosted the refrigerator.  Sorted through another box.  JB arrived home about 2:00 pm with a big load of Douglas Fir from his brother's.  He had a very good weekend and did an excellent job of representing both of us at the memorial service.  Most of the people there hadn't seen him since before we moved to Chicago.

Caught another mouse Sunday morning just after I posted my blog.  It was the first time that our new, super-duper mousetraps didn't kill instantly.  So I had to go get the hammer.  Guess I'm really going out of my city mind, because I didn't get all upset about having to kill it this time.  Just did what had to be done & put it in a plastic bag to take out in daylight.  Now I feel kind of bad about not getting upset. . .

Raked up another two bags of pine needles on Sunday.  With all the wind, I couldn't tell that I had just done it on Saturday.  We only need to use the needles to start a fire, so don't really use them when we have the stove going 24/7.  However last Spring we did use alot because we didn't always need a fire during the day, just morning and evening.  I actually ran out of needles mid-May.  So this Fall I am going to rake up about 10 bags full instead of 5 or 6.  I already have 5 bags, plus JB brought back a bag of shavings from using his chain saw this weekend.  Some of the rounds were so big that they couldn't be moved unless sawed in half!  One of them was three feet in diameter.  He neatly stacked all the wood that is left and we will pick it up next Spring and Summer when it is dry and a bit lighter.

Elsie is planning on bringing her Grandson up to Rose Camp today to see the tipi.  He is three years old and quite the character.  She watches him most Mondays.  Hopefully it won't rain and spoil their plans.

September 25, 2011



Rising sun on western clouds




Purple thistles gone to seed

 

The first day of Fall just sneaked right by without any fanfare, which isn't too surprising since Summer was acting like Fall and now Fall is acting like Summer. The last few days have been in the low seventies and we have woken up to 58. I'm sure this is all because I put flannel sheets on the bed.


Mentally it has been very difficult for me not to do any wood cutting, splitting or stacking for the past two days. Of course my back would not have let me do it even if I had tried. So I re-arranged my craft area to make room for the boxes of things we brought from storage. Unpacked a few of them and found places for the paper, fabric and other items. Most of what we have left in storage are craft supplies, genealogy information and shop items. There is also a trunk, a table and a cabinet. I can put the cabinet in my craft area, but I haven't a clue as to where the table and trunk will go. I have become pretty handy at using all available space in our 1025 sq ft home, but some things just will not fit. Once we finish the other two walls in the great room, I will have a 24 ft long shelf across the front of the house for many of our large knick-knacks. Like our antique bowl and pitcher that we just brought up and is still in the box. It will most likely stay in the box on the porch until the shelf is up. Then there are all of my candy molds. About twenty years ago I had a small, in-home business of making molded chocolate candies. I loved it but just did not have time to keep up with it, work a full-time job, raise a teenager and be a wife. Maybe now I'll have time to get back into it for gifts. I know my friends and family would love that! Right, Sandy?

Sometime late Friday night or early Saturday morning, there was a pack of coyotes nearby, howling and yipping for Dinga and Jesse to come out and "play." It's only the second time that has happened since we have lived Up Here and it is so eerie. Like something out of a Stephen King novel. Especially since I am by myself, as JB left for Seattle Friday morning.

Went for our usual after dinner walk with the dogs Friday evening, and hiked up to the peak on our south ridge to make up for the exercise I didn't get during the day. Saw a rubber boa snake on the trail which looks and feels like it is make out of soft, brown rubber. It's about the fourth one I've seen this year, which is fairly normal. Still have seen only the one rattle snake, which is not normal but very good as far as I am concerned. Saturday afternoon we went for a short hike down the road, but didn't see any snakes or wildlife of any kind.

Finally found the booklet to our dehydrator in one of the boxes we got from storage. Definitely want to try dehydrating some potatoes, squash and fruit. Don't know if I will get any canning done this year except maybe some more pie filling. That is so easy and so much less expensive that buying it ready made.

In the past week JB has had to switch from the electric coffee maker to the manual Melitta in the morning. The lazy Fall sun isn't on the panels any more at 7:00 a.m when JB wants coffee, and the automatic maker one pulls too much electricity, as does the toaster oven. The Melitta makes great coffee, just takes longer as we have to boil the water to pour over the grounds.

Sure wish I new how the wasps were getting in the house. They started swarming this weekend, which is late this year, and Saturday I must have swatted 15 or 20 of them up in the loft. I haven't finished caulking all around under the eaves yet, but will do that as soon as my back is feeling better. I think they are getting in around the windows also, I just can't figure out how.

The pine trees are have started to shed our fire starter - their needles - just in time to harvest for our winter fires. I rake them up into big, plastic garbage bags and store the bags in one side of the outhouse for the winter. And I clean our yard at the same time. We only had a fire in the wood stove the one day so far, but I know the cold weather will be here for the season in the not-too-distant future.

September 23, 2011

Wednesday proved that I was still not feeling all that well.  Definitely something pulled in my back, so I just did the wash and puttered around the house.  After lunch we all piled in the Jeep and pulled the trailer down to our storage unit.  JB loaded up about half of what was in there and brought it back to Rose Camp.  Now the fun part comes in trying to find a place for it.

The lady at the storage facility and I usually have a good chat when I am there, but this time she just wasn't doing too well.  Has had several months of one difficult thing after another.  She made the comment that she had no control over any of the things that happened.  It occurred to me that the only thing we really have control over is how we act.  What we say.  What we do.  The choices we make.  There are always outside influences, but when it comes right down to it, the choice is always ours.  And that makes us who we are.

And who I was Thursday morning was a very sore old lady.  At this point my choice was to go see the doctor.  It didn't seem like just a back ache, but possibly a re-occurrence of another problem that could be serious.  Luckily I got a late morning appointment so I had time to shower.  The doctor would not have been happy if I hadn't done that.  Anyway, after much poking, probing and testing, several hours later it was determined that they could find absolutely nothing at all wrong.  With the large deductible I have on my health insurance, that was probably the worst best news I ever had.  Doctor said it was possible that I had pulled a muscle and that hot and cold packs may help.  OK, fine.  JB will go to Seattle on Friday by himself to pick up more wood and represent us both at the memorial service.  I will stay home with the dogs and try not to hurt.  Maybe I just need to do nothing for a few days.

So that's where we are.  And not even a picture for today.  I could take one of me screaming in frustration, but that would probably just scare you all away.

September 21, 2011



RJ's kitchen



The other side of RJ's kitchen



Decided to take it a bit easy on Monday, so I only cut and stacked two loads of wood. JB was working on our super weed eater, an older model that RJ had given us. He hadn't be able to find the right reel of wire for it, so he just bought the wire and wound it himself. He went to put gas in it and see how it worked, only to watch the gas pour out the hose that some critter had chewed through. Hopefully the hose will be easier to replace.


After lunch the dogs and I hiked down to our "next door" neighbors who were Up Here camping in their yurt for the week. As I was talking to them, RJ drove up our road leading the delivery truck from the lumber yard. So I hiked back home just in time to help load the trailer and drive it down to RJ's. JB led the delivery truck back out as he had to go Down There for some hardware for the little trailer he is rebuilding. Unfortunately, after he left, we discovered that JB had all the straps in his Jeep so we had nothing with which to hold the lumber in the trailer. RJ suggested duct tape and that's what we used. I'll add that to my list of 100 uses of duct tape. I should have taken a picture.

After unloading at his place, I checked out all the remodeling RJ has done on his cabin, including installing the two cabinets, re-situating his kitchen sink & building shelves above it, and installing his small firebox stove.   Eventually he will put a regular size propane stove where his Coleman stove is now.  Looks so good!

It was a low energy day for me and I ended up going to bed at 7:30 pm. It was just what I needed, 'cause I felt so much better when I got up Tuesday morning. And that's good because it was shopping day Down There. I was able to leave early enough to get back in time to cut a load of fire wood for the wood shed and also split a load. RJ and JB loaded up the trailer when I got back home with RJ's plywood and took it down to his place. He will probably be ready on Thursday for me to go down and help him put the sod on his roof. I will definitely take pictures of that job.

Monday evening when we left for our after dinner walk Dinga was really having problems with her legs, so JB sat on the porch with her while Jesse and I went for the walk.  Tuesday evening she just stayed on her chair and did not even come outside. I think she is finally realizing that she just cannot be as active as she wants to be. We are realizing it too. It really hurts because we are getting closer and closer to a decision.

When Larry and Elsie were up the other night, Larry and JB were talking about homemade hootch. That evolved into Larry talking about his hunting trips and that whenever he and his buddies would go for a two or three day trip, he would take Everclear and Gaterade powder. Upon arriving at camp, he would mix some the powder in the Everclear to drink. All their aches and pains would disappear, plus they replenished their electrolytes!

September 19, 2011



Snowberries

Received a very encouraging e-mail from Lisa in Maryland who is enjoying my blog. Thank you, Lisa. I love the feedback!

We actually had a good, half-hour rain shower Sunday morning, just as RJ arrived for breakfast. Just enough to keep the dust down and make enough mud to get the dog's feet dirty the first time they went out afterwards. It really freshened the air and there were patches of blue sky by noon. Our high temperature for the day was 58. Perfect for working outside and not getting really sweaty.

We were done with JB's great breakfast of eggs, pancakes and bacon about 9:30, so got a nice relaxed start to the day (I was still in my jammies and bathrobe). JB finally decided to get rid of his comfy, old rocker that we really don't have room for. RJ took it to his cabin and will put it to good use. He'll cover it whenever he leaves so the mice and chipmunks don't put it to good use too.

Once I got going for the day, I cut 4-1/2 wheel barrow loads of wood. Three for the wood shed and 1-1/2 for the splitter. Then I split three loads and stacked them. By then it was 1:00 pm and time for a nap. JB, Jesse and I slept for about an hour (actually Jesse & and slept for 1-1/2 hours). So refreshing! I really should take one full day off a week, but there is always so much to do and I can't really relax unless I am doing it.

It was still raining on Mission Ridge in the afternoon, but we weren't high enough to catch those clouds. They just broke up and drifted by us.

Larry and Elsie came up to visit last night and brought another dozen eggs.  When we mentioned how JB was completely redoing our little trailer so we could take it to Seattle, Larry said we should just take his trailer.  Thank you, Larry!  We will be able to put so much more wood in it. 

And speaking of gluten-free flour (JB used it for the pancakes), I don't think I mentioned that it makes the best lump free sauces and gravies. I was simply no good at getting rid of all the lumps in gravy until I started using GF flour. There are no lumps to begin with. They just dissolve and thicken like in the cook books. I highly recommend it.

I mentioned way back somewhere that in 2008 and 2009 on September 15 the wasps swarmed. Looking all around our house for a way in. I think it was too cold for them again this year, because we didn't see any. Or maybe 2008 and 2009 were just anomalies. I do know that the new traps JB put out on Saturday are still attracting yellow jackets. Unfortunately the water in our grow boxes also attracts them and the boxes are on the south end of our porch. Next year we will put them away from the house and I will try to make little, removable screens to cover the opening to the water.

Got some potatoes out of my new potato box in the "root cellar" and they are doing great. Of course it's only been a few days, but, hey - so far, so good.

Aunt Nene e-mailed me an addendum to the potato and dog story. Seems that was the year that Grandpa Herb grew his own potatoes, so as upset as he was at having to shoot the dog, he was just as upset over losing most of the potatoes. We will probably try to grow our own potatoes next year, along with some tomatoes and vegetables. Will keep my eye out for dogs frothing at the mouth.

September 18, 2011



Gathering logs on road



2 trailer loads (doesn't look like alot,
but it really is)



 

 

Not sure what I was thinking when I made that list of what was left for us to do before winter. Must have been my subconscious wish list. Our actual list also includes:

     Finish paneling great room
     Paint porch pillars
     Put cement in cracks in earth around solar panels
     Put summer clothes away & get out winter ones
     Go to laundromat to wash winter coats & overalls that didn't get
          washed this summer

Wait a minute! What summer? Oh yeah, that three weeks in August and first couple weeks of September. Well, it's over with now. Thursday morning was 45 at 7:00 a.m. and Friday was 38. I do prefer the cooler weather, but a little longer with the warm would have been nice.

Friday morning I thoroughly cleaned the wood stove, then put new gaskets in around the catalytic converter. Have never done the gaskets before and it was a real pain. The high temp glue is really hard to work with. I got really pissy because I had planned to do this a couple months ago, but ended up leaving it until the last minute. Of course JB felt the brunt of my pissyness. He's fairly used to it after 42 years and is a good sport. Pretty much just ignores me. But the job did get done and then I vacuumed. I always put an old sheet over the kitchen counter when I clean the stove as a little soot always gets everywhere. It's a lot better now that I hold an umbrella over the stove as I am brushing off the soot, but some still floats out and about. If anyone else has a better solution to keeping the mess down, I'd love to hear about it.

RJ called about noon and I met him Down There at Lowe's at 1:00 to pick up his cabinets and a few other items. I got spray paint and spar varnish for the little trailer JB is finishing. When I got back to Rose Camp, I cut two wheel barrow loads of the larger logs for the splitter. Then I split and stacked them. Am keeping the dry wood separate from the green. We have a little over two cords so far, and about ½ cord is green.

Saturday morning I finished cutting the wood we had hauled up which was 3-1/2 loads for the wood shed and one load for the splitter. After lunch we took the trailer down to the end of our driveway for two big loads of downed timber. All this cutting, splitting and hauling doesn't take a lot of time, but it is labor intensive. We were all done about 2:30 and I think I used every muscle in my body. We both took nice, hot showers and felt so much better.
Already time for the flannel bed sheets again. Amazing how Autumn arrived on time, but summer never did. We had a 20% chance of rain predicted for Saturday and we received about 20 drops of rain. The same is being called for today, so we'll see what happens.

RJ is coming up for breakfast again today and we may have a cozy fire waiting for him.  Saturday morning I made our first fire of the season in the wood stove and then again in the evening.  Just  short ones to take the chill out.  I sure enjoy having a fire.  Our stove has a glass window so we can see the flames. 

Monday RJ is having a load of plywood and other building supplies delivered to our place (the truck can't get in his road as it is so overgrown) and we have two sheets of plywood on the truck that JB will use to build the floor and sides of the little trailer. He has it all taken apart and painted. Today he plans to grease the wheel bearings and get it all put back together again. Then we will probably leave on Friday for another trip to Seattle for the memorial service and to bring back more wood. Don't even want to think what our gas bill is going to be this month. On top of that, our propane is going to be delivered sometime during the last week of September. Our only "utility" bill that we pay once a year in October. It will probably be the same as last year even though we have used less propane. The price has gone up about $.50 a gallon. The good side is that they deliver to everyone in the canyon on one day so the delivery charge is minimal.

Even though Autumn has arrived, it still doesn't smell like it usually does. Feels like it. Just doesn't smell like it. Of course that may be because my nose if full of dust. Even when the dogs run, they kick a lot of it up. And they are running a lot the last week with this cool weather. They love it!

September 16, 2011

Heavy clouds over the mountains

Wednesday was one of those rare, perfect days. Cloudless sky, with a high of 70. It was cool in the morning when we drove down our road with the trailer to gather wood. There are a lot of trees that have been along the road for at least 25 years. They were cut to widen the road for the last logging venture. We have taken a few throughout the years, but there are still enough for several winters to come. So Wednesday morning we loaded up the trailer with some of that wood and headed back home for lunch. I did some laundry while we were resting and eating, then hung it out just before we left again. We found several really good sized logs and pulled them up on the road with JB's Jeep. Then cut them to size and filled the trailer with another good load. The dogs thought it was just wonderful to have two outings in one day.


After we unloaded the trailer for the second time, it was time for a good rest. I finished Patterson's 10^th Anniversary, the latest in his series of Women's Murder Club books that I really enjoy. Then it was back outside to cut two wheel barrow loads of the new pile of wood. Most of it was just the right size for stacking. No need to split.

Tuesday afternoon I built a potato "basket" I had been planning for some time. I have always had a hard time keeping potatoes for any length of time, but our two-foot crawl space under the house might be a good place for a root cellar of sorts (as long as I can keep it dry). So I used a wooden crate I had purchased at JoAnn's several years ago and covered it with screening used for a screen door. I also made a cover out of the screen and put in the potatoes I have left. I put it near the trap door so it will be easy to access. We'll see how well that works.

My Aunt Nene told me that when she was growing up on the ranch, they had a shed for potatoes. Each Fall my Grandfather would buy a truckload of potatoes and fill the shed. That worked well except for one year when something caused a dog they had to start foaming at the mouth and take out after her sister, Ginny. My Grandfather had to shoot the dog who then crawled in with the potatoes to die. It was a horrible experience for the whole family, especially for Grandpa Herb who loved animals. (Like me, he tended to get along better with animals than people.)  Hopefully, with our potatoes under the house, we won't have any animals dying on them.

My brother, RJ, is up for a couple weeks. He came to breakfast Thursday morning, and after he left, JB went Down There to fill the gas containers, buy our winter supply of oil for all our various engines, and price a new trailer. I split six wheel barrow loads of wood while he was gone, and then another three after he got back. Today I am going to meet RJ Down There at Lowe's to haul two kitchen cabinets back up for him in my Jeep.

New trailer's are just too pricey for us right now, so we will keep our eyes open for a used one. Meanwhile, JB is going to build the floor and sides on a smaller, 4'X5' trailer we have. It is made with the axle and wheels of an old car so it will hold a lot of weight. We may opt to take it over to Bob's brother's the weekend of the 24^th, as we have a memorial service to attend for my cousin's husband. I remember my Uncle, who passed away at the age of 92 last year, saying that in his 80's it was that time of life where friends and family were passing on so often that he had to check the paper each day just to be sure he was still here. Aunt Nene and Uncle Jack are the last of their generation on my side of the family. JB's Mom is the last of her generation on his side of the family. Just the natural cycle of life I guess.  Or so I keep telling myself.

Good Lord!  Didn't mean to write such a downer today what with the dog and the dieing.  But I guess it's not all fun and games, even if you're living in paradise.  There's always that serpent lurking in the bushes.

September 14, 2011



One of the grouse in our yard



Dinga and the wood



After picking up Larry's trailer on Monday, we took all the wood up to Rose Camp in two trips. Stacked it by the splitter for Tuesday. We are going to keep his trailer for a few more days to gather downed wood along the road and help my brother take some large pallet wood one of our neighbors let him have. He will probably use it for his outhouse. For the past 20 years his outhouse has simply been a large box with a toilet shaped seat in it over a large hole overlooking a small canyon. Great view. Not too much privacy.


It feels so good not to have to rush out and work on the deck each morning. Now my list of things to do has shrunk to:
    Thoroughly clean and reseal the wood stove
    Clean the chimney (as soon as I receive the brush I ordered)
    Finish finding, cutting and splitting winter wood
    Build up winter supplies

Tuesday JB had a dentist appointment Down There, so he left early for that and to run some errands, one of which was to price the hardware for the sliding door to his shop. It will slide back and forth like a barn door. Building that is on his list of things to do, along with getting MAX ready for winter.

While he was gone, I split seven wheel barrow loads of the Douglas Fir from Seattle. It is green, but it split much more easily than I had anticipated. Then I realized it had been sitting out for almost two weeks in abnormally warm weather before we picked it up. I was able to get 32 pieces out of one of the larger rounds. The smaller pieces are pretty standard to split. Just split it in half, then split each half into two or three pieces depending upon the size. The large rounds are more interesting. Split it in quarters, and then the fun begins. Much more of a challenge, especially when there are big knots in the wood. Our splitter is hydraulic and has a force of up to 22 tons, but a large knot can cause it to stop. You just have to coax the wedge through the wood. I love it!

One of JB's tomato plants had a nice sized ripe tomato when we returned on Sunday. It was the first one. We ate it on Monday and it was so good. There are several green ones that should be ripening soon.

We heard some noise in the shop during the night on Monday and discovered that the critter (probably a pack rat) had knocked down the plastic jar of poison and tried to chew into it. The poison that JB put out is gone already. Maybe we should just leave the jar open.

There is a great article in the October issue of "Outside" magazine entitled "Pan-seared Hama Hama, Sea Rocket Topped with Toothwort Roots and Aged Lichen" by Richard Conniff about foraging for food. Incredibly written. Fascinating subject. This magazine always has such intriguing articles.

Larry and Elsie told us that for a couple days last week they found no eggs in the chicken coup. Turns out they had a weasel that was getting in and taking them. One of their cats quickly dispatched it and left the proof by the back door. Hmmm. Maybe we should get a cat. . .  Or not.

September 12, 2011



11:30 am



4:20 pm

As we drove away Friday morning, our resident frog was wishing us Godspeed. Even after being Down There this side of the mountains as many times as I have been this summer, I still looked like a deer in the headlights when we got to the Seattle suburbia traffic. Still not sure I wanted to be there as we parked the rental trailer at JB's brother's house. By the time we arrived at the restaurant for Mike's birthday party, I was relaxing a bit. After a Corona and an incredible slab of baby-back ribs, I was doing just fine. Both birthday parties were a success, and it was so very good to see everyone again. My mother-in-law loved the photo album, and the many other thoughtful gifts she received. It really was a wonderful visit.  But, I must admit, it is good to be back home at Rose Camp.

The wood was so green and so heavy that we didn't get very many pieces in the trailer compared to how many were available. We made the trip back to this side of the mountains okay, but half way up the canyon road my Jeep started to overheat. So we unloaded and unhitched the trailer. When the engine had cooled down, we drove up to Rose Camp. JB took his Jeep to pick up the trailer and return it to U-Haul. Don't think the cost of the trailer was worth the amount of wood we were able to load in it. Today JB is going to borrow Larry's trailer to pick up the wood.  I plan to start splitting it tomorrow.  Should be able to finish it in one day, as long as it cools off as advertised. 

We were both so surprised at how noisy it was over there at night. Constant traffic. Neighbor noises. Airplanes. And that was in a suburb, away from the city. Granted, much of that was because we were sleeping outside in the pop-up tent. Nevertheless, their constant background noise was not just yellow jackets. As I sit here writing, my ears are ringing with the silence. The wonderful quiet of the forest.

Just before we left Sunday morning, Dinga found a nest of baby rabbits. Fortunately I found her before she could do any damage. There were three little babies, each barely bigger than a mouse. It says a lot for the camouflaged nest that she was in the yard since Friday afternoon, and just found it Sunday Morning.

While we were gone several grouse moved into our front yard. Remember how I said that all this domestication can quickly turn back to nature? We were only gone three days and two nights. Three very hot days. It was in the 80's over there and Mt. Rainier finally disappeared behind the haze and smog on Sunday. We did get a glimpse of that magnificent mountain on our way in on Friday though. There is a heat induced haze this side of the mountains also, but unfortunately to the northwest, it is caused by smoke from forest fires. Highway 2 is actually closed west of Leavenworth because of the fires, and the sun was a bright red ball as it set last night shining through the smoke.  This morning the full moon is a reddish gold as it sinks into the west.

Well, back to the story of Sandy's camping disaster. Above and below are the photos she took of her husband trying to get the tent put up and the time line. Of course she admits that the trauma of the whole experience may have warped her sense of the actual time frame. It seems the next day on the way home, they stopped off to visit some of his relatives who live by one of Wisconsin's thousand lakes. Sandy wanted to be so sure all the ticks were off of her that she went swimming in the very cold lake and stayed in the water until she was almost blue. That may have been the last time she went swimming, too. My reason for not going swimming is because my swimming suit has a hole in the knee.

4:21 pm

September 9, 2011



Huge ripening rose hips!



Tall Mullein outside kitchen window.



I would like to state for the record that my work on the deck is done.  Sung to the tune of "The Witch is Dead", it sounds great.  And feels even better.  Ding. Dong.  The deck is done!

Wednesday and Thursday JB worked on the trailer and his shop.  I finished sealing the deck in the morning before the sun got to it, and then helped him a bit.  We have decided that this old, battered trailer simply will not make the trip loaded with wood from Seattle to Rose Camp.  So JB went on line to rent one over there on Friday and return it over here on Sunday.  We are only going to use our trailer Up Here from now on, so we won't have to license it again.  We have a smaller, sturdier trailer we can use to go Down There if we need to.  Just have to put sides on it.

Today we leave for the other side of the mountains.  Am trying to get into my city mind just for the weekend.  It is supposed to be abnormally hot Down and Over There, which probably means very muggy.  The past couple days Up Here it has been in the high seventies with no breeze.  About 13 degrees above normal, according to NOAA.  It is much more damp on the west side of the Cascades, so their heat is more humid than ours.  Oh, goody.  But it will be so good to see everyone again and celebrate the two birthdays.  I spent yesterday afternoon getting ready for the trip.  I always over pack, no matter where I am going or for how long.

I have had so much fun preparing the photo book for my mother-in-law's birthday.  Going back forty years in pictures has resurrected a lot of good memories.  Having to pare down from  almost 100 pictures to 37 was very difficult, so I printed some of them out in wallet size in order to put two to a page.  Looks pretty good.

This past week I read one of Sara Paretsky's V.I. Warshawsky mysteries.  Somewhere back in the recesses of my memory, I recall reading one of these long ago.  Don't know why I didn't read them all.  I love the main character, who is a lot like Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone, and I have read most of her books at least twice.  Paretsky's book was the sixth in the series and written about 1989, so I will have to try to find the first five at one of the used book stores Down There.

Speaking of weather, our Son had to fly to Baltimore the day after their earthquake, and just in time for their hurricane.  He was there for a week, then flew back to Mobile just in time for their hurricane over Labor Day weekend.  He has all the luck.

Because of our trip I won't be writing on Sunday, but on Monday I will have the rest of  the story from my friend, Sande, on her one and only camping experience.  

September 7, 2011

Deer path coming down to our driveway.

Most holidays just slip by Up Here as did Labor Day. It was half a day of labor, as I worked on the deck in the morning as I had the day before. I should be able to finish it today. How many times have I written that?!

We did take the afternoon off and hiked down the road to hang a "Posted" sign near our property line. It was about a mile round trip and the perfect day for it. On the way back we heard what sounded like dirt bikes or ATV's down near my brother's cabin. Being a holiday weekend we had heard a lot more activity than normal, but this bothered us as there are a lot of trespassers who ignore the private property signs, especially on nice weekends. So when we got back to Rose Camp we hopped in the jeep and drove down to the cabin. No sign of anyone having been there, but the dogs were so pleased that they got a hike and a ride.

Unfortunately Dinga wasn't doing well with her legs after dinner when it was time for our evening walk. So Jesse and I went by ourselves and had quite a bit of excitement. First there was an ATV with two riders up on our neighbor's property. Then there was a baby bull snake on the south ridge that quickly slithered into the weeds on our approach, completely startling Jesse. As he was recovering from that, he flushed about a dozen grouse near the burn pile. When we got back to the house, he lay down and quickly fell asleep.

Yesterday morning the dogs woke me up at 6:00 instead of 5:00 so I really didn't have a chance to go back to bed. I just stayed up, washed my hair and got ready to go Down There. Leaving so early, I was able to get most of my shopping done before the heat of the day, and actually get home by mid-afternoon. Time for a nap before dinner.

September is the month of berries more than flowers.  The elder berries are ripening to their grey-blue.  The wild currants are bright orange.  Most of the black caps are gone, having been already eaten by the birds and other critters.  But there are miriads of rose hips in a brilliant red.  Not yet ripe, but full of promise. 

I sorted the photos for my mother-in-law's birthday in the evening, somehow ending up with twice as many pictures than would fit into the book. Now I get to chose the ones to use. I have 83 and the book will only hold 40. Oh, goody. I have two days to choose the pictures, label them and assemble this gift.

Dinga was doing a little better yesterday, but she seems to be having a problem with both hind legs now. In fact when she got up from her bed one time, she actually walked on just her front legs for several steps. This situation isn't going to be easy for any of us.

It is getting dark so much earlier nowadays, and the sun is more lazy getting up in the morning.  So am I.  Time to start hibernating.

September 6, 2011

I am going to start posting just four days a week beginning today - Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.  After writing our history for the past three years, not every day warrants a posting.  So this is it for today and I will continue tomorrow.

September 5, 2011




More Fall colors

Yesterday morning I spent several hours painting on the sealer under the deck overhang and along the wall.  And, using a very small brush, filling in between the boards where the sealant did not get all the way down.  That was fun.  Will have to finish today before it gets warm and the yellow jackets get interested in what I am doing.  It's quite a testament to my relaxed state Up Here that I don't swat at them.  I've always been so scared of stinging, flying insects since I was in the sixth grade on a Campfire Girls overnight stay in the woods.  We must have set up camp right under a nest of wasps or yellow jackets.  Don't think we ended up staying the night as we all got stung several times over.  But after being at Rose Camp for more than three years now, I have learned to go about my business and ignore them, unless they become aggressive.  They seem to do that more when I am in the sun with a shiny bucket of something wet.  So, as I said, hopefully I can get that finished today before the sun gets to the deck.

I mentioned yesterday that I do not like painting, and one other reason is my innate ability to get whatever medium I am using for a project all over me.  My hands get covered and my clothes splashed just opening the can.  As much as I liked working with the cold tar, I had an awful time getting it off of my hands and arms.  It is still on my pants.  And when I am using glue while crafting, I always have to have a bowl of water and paper towels near by.  I am such a clutz.

JB went Down There yesterday afternoon for some items he needed for the trailer.  Also dropped off a disc of photos to be printed for his Mom's birthday present.  Costco's photo printing machine is down until the end of the week, so he had to go to Walgreen's.  It was 85 Down There, but our high for the day was about 68.  It is definitely Autumn, regardless of the fact we haven't yet reached the equinox.

Yet another indication of the year slipping by is the fact that I received "free" holiday return labels in the mail!  I haven't even thought of Christmas yet and by this time I usually have half my shopping done or have made many of my gifts.  Help! What happened to this year??

September 4, 2011



No words needed.



Fall colors



I will let the picture speak for itself, although one thing it cannot convey is my elation over having actually done that portion of the deck project! I was practically giddy when I finished, and it wasn't because of the fumes. Today I am doing touch-ups and sealing underneath the overhang. It really hurt to paint over the wood, but the sealant we chose was colored, not clear. It has been my experience with decks that the clear sealants are not the best. JB really researched this and ended up deciding that GaacoShield would be the best choice, especially considering our weather extremes.


I really do not like painting because it rarely turns out the way I want it to. However, this time was better than ususal because the caulking disaster seemed to disappear.

JB spent most of his time working on the trailer. He has been looking forward to having a shop ever since we moved Up Here, so now he is making the most of it.

Yesterday I mentioned my procrastination abilities. Well, I was so thrilled to be done with sealing the deck that I immediately baked the zucchini bread I had been putting off ever since Elsie brought up fresh zucchini from her garden. Also had to make more chicken broth for the dogs. But my procrastination has been reduced to the little things. Like cleaning off my desk. Or doing the filing. Or baking zucchini bread.

And speaking of the dogs, Jesse is training us very well. Instead of just waiting outside the door to come in, he now taps on it to be let in. And in just the past week, he has begun tapping on the door to go out also. Something else he has learned in the past month is to climb the stairs to the loft. We have had the stairs for about a year now, but neither dog would climb them. We were both sitting in the loft several weeks ago when we heard an odd noise. It was the clicking of Jesse's feet as he climbed the stairs. He was obviously very proud of himself and now often comes up to keep me company.

The zucchini bread was sooo good. Still warm from the oven, I put lots of butter on it. Won't be procrastinating on baking that again. I may just make another loaf on Monday, because this one isn't going to last very long.

September 3, 2011



Cloud formation on 9-1



More pine berries



If you are a first-time reader, please be sure to start at my first posting for our whole story.

 I had forgot that JB had to put in one little, final piece on the deck, so he did that yesterday and I caulked in around it.   Also did a little caulking under the eaves about the deck.  Now I am all prepared to put on the sealant today.  Can't believe how that keeps getting pushed out.  Reminds me of my procrastination days.  I used to be one of the best procrastinators around, second only to my son.  But living Up Here off the grid has changed all that for the most part.  There are so many thing that have to be done on time if we want to live the life we dreamed, daily, weekly, monthly.  Firewood has to be cut.  The cistern has to be checked and filled.  The wood stove must be cleaned.  Supplies must be restocked.  Winter must be prepared for.  The solar panels must be tilted correctly at specific times of the year.  Our shorter growing season must be planned for.  The deck must be sealed.  Etc.  Etc.  Etc.  So, yes, I will get that done today.  And tomorrow I will crawl under the house, and try not to scream when I meet our croaking friend.

After lunch I cut firewood.  One load to the woodshed and stacked.  One load to the splitter which I split and stacked.  I have been finding a lot of pitch wood lately, which I keep separate from the rest of the wood and use mainly for fire starting.  Or just put one piece on the fire at a time, as it burns hot and fast.   I remember reading in The Klondike Fever, by Pierre Berton, that the first people who arrived looking for gold complained that the firewood was so full of pitch that they could hardly sleep at night because the wood burned so fast.  They kept having to get up and put more wood on the fire because it would burn down so quickly.   That is so true and why I keep it apart from the rest of the firewood.  Last winter we had a lot of wood from one specific log that had a much higher pitch content than normal and was all stacked together.  That made more work for me in trying to mix it with the other wood when bringing it inside.

After fitting in the final deck piece, JB worked on our trailer yesterday to make sure it would be in good enough shape to make the trip back from Seattle with a full load of wood.  I am sure we will not be able to get all  that wood in our trailer.  JB will have to make a second trip later this month or next.

The dogs and I took a short hike after their dinner and before ours yesterday.  Haven't taken time to do that as much this summer as we usually do.  I noticed that in just the past few days, the leaves on many of the bushes have started to turn yellow and gold.  Probably because of the last few chilly nights we have had.  It was 42 at 7:00 yesterda morning.  I really do love autumn with all its brilliant colors, and really don't mind the chilly temperatures that create those colors.   Our general weather forecast for September is for warmer than average termperatures and mainly dry.  That will be nice, but I'm sure the nights will still be cool as usual.

My brother, RJ, will be Up Here at his cabin when we return from Seattle.  We plan to help him get his sod roof going that week.  He had been cutting a lot of sod squares in preparation last time he was up, so we can get right to it.  None of us have ever done this before, so it will be quite interesting.  We always refer to our place as rustic and his as primitive.  It may be primitive but it is very well built, and that sod roof will be great insulation.

Still can't believe how many yellow jackets there are in the traps, and by JB's grow boxes with all their water.  They are certainly making up for being gone last summer and most of this one.  Hopefully my caulking under the eaves will prevent them from spending the winter inside with us.

September 2, 2011

   

Jesse and Dinga resting after a long day of keeping away all the critters.

Yesterday I actually did most of what I had planned.  Put in the last pieces of wood on the deck and caulked them in.  The deck had looked pretty good until I added those rustic features.  No, not even rustic.  It looks like someone turned a six-year-old loose with a caulking gun.  If I had to make a living doing that, I would have starved to death by now.  At least it is done and today I want to put on the sealant.  I think the sealant will stain the caulking the same color as the wood, so maybe it won't be very easy to see, or at least it will be easier to ignore.

After completely screwing up the deck, I put the new chain on my chain saw and started cutting firewood.  Pretty hard to screw that up.  I cut and stacked two loads in the wood shed.  After lunch I cut one load for the splitter, then I split and stacked that load.  Since we are going to have at least two cords of green wood, I made place near the front of the wood shed to put some dry wood.  In a normal year, we shouldn't have to start using the wood until October mornings.  But who knows this year.  Hopefully it will be dry before we have to use it.  It was 64 in the house this morning, which is a bit chilly, but I absolutely refuse to put a fire in the wood stove this early.  I'll just wear more clothes.  Anyway it warms up quickly once the sun hits the house.

JB spent most of the day at the chipper and put a pretty good sized dent in the piles of branches around it.  He put the chippings in places where we have to walk when it gets muddy - in front of the entrance to his shop, near the path through the grove, places near the driveway where there is no ground cover growing.

Haven't seen many birds around in the past week or so.  They must be down in the orchards eating the fruit.  We always have the ravens though, who fly over a couple times a day.  Dinga watches and sometimes barks at them, and they will squawk back at her.

Looking at all my pictures has brought back so many memories, and I am so glad I inherited my Dad's penchant for photography.  I'm pretty sure he got it from his Mother, as my Aunt Ginny (his sister) was quite the shutterbug too.  I actually have my Grandmother's Brownie camera.  It would probably work if I could find film for it.  Her photos go back to her high school years and I have scanned most of them onto a disc.  As I mentioned previously in my blog, I like pictures so much better than words.  Try as I might, I could never find the words to describe some of our sunsets or the views from Rose Camp.  And it would take volumes to describe just the moment captured in each of my photos, let along what led up to that moment and what came after.  Fortunately my Mother's family also believed in lots of photographs, and I have her Mother's albums beginning from the late 1800's that I have also scanned onto a disc.  They bring to life the history of both sides of my family both before and after I was born.

I picked up eleven more pine "cobs" today.  Yep, sure hope that woods dries before we need to use it. . .

September 1, 2011



Wednesday morning's project



Dinga standing guard



The Autumn month is here. The last week or two of August is usually when I smell Autumn arriving, but not this year. I definitely felt it during the last couple days of the month, but that certain smell is not yet in the air. Probably because the smell of summer never did have a chance to sink in.


It was a glorious day to be working outside yesterday. Didn't even reach 60. In the morning we split all the wood that was stacked and ready. There were about 42 pieces and it ended up being four wheel barrow loads. It really doesn't take that much time to split the wood. It's getting it to the splitter in 16" rounds that is time consuming, so by the time it is there, we have done most of the work. JB split almost a whole load while the washing machine finished its last spin and I hung out the wash. I figured it would save time if I let him do some splitting. . .

After lunch, I cut some dead branches off a few trees and moved a couple piles of wood to the cutting area. There were enough small pieces to take a load to the wood shed. JB worked in his shop and put up another yellow jacket trap near where I had discovered a nest in the ground. Only got one branch cut off that log!

JB called for price and availability on the tongue-in-groove knotty pine that we want in order to finish the great room walls. When we last ordered it in June of 2009, the cost was 52 cents per foot. Now it is 60 cents per foot. Not too bad, I guess. We will probably order it to be delivered mid-month, after we get back from Seattle. That way we can split wood in the mornings and work on the inside walls in the afternoon. Doing the same thing all day long gets old. I like variety.

We have decided to leave for Seattle on Friday and stay two nights. Just too much to do for a one-night stay. But we will not be renting a truck - way too expensive. We'll just take our trailer and plan on a second trip which will still be cheaper than renting a truck. Also, it is Mike's 13^th birthday on the ninth, so we may be able to go to his party.

Our resident frog has been serenading us with his croaking most days. I have to get down under the house again to confirm that there is no leak and the water that was down there earlier in the year was from poor drainage outside. I have visions of meeting a huge, foot-long frog, so I've been putting it off.

It has been fun going through all my photographs looking for ones to print for my mother-in-law's birthday. I didn't realize I had so many loose ones. I remember now that I had taken a lot of them out of albums that were not archival grade. Now I have another winter project - scrapbooking. The way it feels outside right now, we'll be snowed in by the end of October!

I finally have everything I need to put in the last small pieces of wood on the deck and finish caulking, so I hope to be able to do that today.  Then I may have time to also put on the sealer.  Dare I hope that this project might be done by the end of this week?  Or did I just jinx myself?!