November 30, 2011

Rain in the mountains and canyon

What snow had melted has once again frozen, now into ice.  These periods that swing from freezing to rain and back again are just nasty.  Our Yaktraks are now a permanent part of our boots.  The ground is still mostly white, with just a few brown spots in the grove, the yard and on the driveway.  I love the white because even on the darkest, moonless nights, there is always light outside.  As if the snow were self illuminating.

Because of the weather, I stayed inside most of the last couple days.  I spent Monday designing our Christmas card and making the children's cards.  I was able to get a good start on on actually making some Christmas cards, but they are going to be more work than usual this year.  Good thing I've got another week to finish them.  JB isn't planning on going Down There again until December 7.  I also helped JB put the track back on MAX.  I got a little cranky as it wouldn't go on right away and I just wanted to be inside making cards. . .

On Tuesday, I wrapped more Christmas presents and packed another box to mail.  Just two more boxes to go, but I have to wait for items I've ordered before I can send them.  Everything should be there by the time JB picks up the mail again.  I also worked on the cards a bit and made the dog's chicken broth.

It's the end of November and we really haven't made much of a dent in the fire wood (thank goodness).  I have been using the smaller, stick wood as much as possible.  The mountain maple is fantastic!  It burns for hours, and must be as hard as apple wood.  We have never had any apple wood, but this being orchard country, it is available every year as old trees are cut down and new ones planted.  Larry and Elsie use it when they can get a good deal, but have told us you have to mix it in with other wood because it makes a lot of ash.

And speaking of the fire, it is always warmer in the loft than downstairs.  So when we are working upstairs for a while, we often forget that it may be getting chilly downstairs.  Chilly being less than 68.  Actually, sometimes it gets just too warm to be in the loft, but we haven't created the problem yet this winter.  I think we are finally learning how to keep a comfortable temperature and not blow ourselves out.

I really have to work on my relationship with my muse.  I am sure it is obvious that we don't always click.  She often leaves me floundering deep in the abyss of cliches and worn out adjectives.

Thought for the day:  I'm going to LIVE until I die.  Katie D.

November 28, 2011

Rainbow Sunday morning

Late Sunday Morning, after recording his weekly solar electric figures, JB walked up to the south ridge with the dogs.  I was still inside letting my hair dry when the phone rang.  JB's voice said, "There's a rainbow to the west.  Grab your camera."  So I did, and threw on my coat and boots.  Running outside, I hoped it was still there, as I have missed several shots of clouds and fog that he has seen.  As you can see above, I didn't miss this one.  Where does one find the words to describe a rainbow?  I give you this picture in lieu of adjectives.  (I could clearly see every band of color, but the violet on the right side did not show up in the photo.)

After lunch, JB went outside to hammer the bolts out of MAX's axle and hunt up the old ones.  He was able to do both, and re-installed the axle extender.  But that was it for working outside, as the temperature was up just past freezing which caused lots of wind with off and on rain.  The snow was melting off the roof, noisily dripping on the icy remains of our side berms.

One other thing I did on Saturday was to vacuum seal the 25 pound bag of gluten free old fashioned oats that I had ordered from Bob's Red Mill.  JB had picked it up on Friday, so relieved that he had the Jeep and not MAX. Twenty-five pounds will last about 13 to 14 months.  I seal it into 7 to 8 bags of 2 to 4 pounds each.

I posted a photo of our tipi in the snow the other day.  We had not intended to leave it up for the winter, but the time and weather got away from us.  We had been using most of the nice days to gather and cut fire wood, so when it first snowed, we still had not taken it down.  Actually we really had no container in which to store it.  Last year it was just in a couple large plastic yard bags and mice got into it.  They nibbled a couple small holes in the tipi, but fortunately they were near the bottom.

There were several other things we were unable to accomplish as planned this year, but nothing that can't wait til 2012.  Not exactly a project, but we haven't found any antlers yet this year either.  Of course there is still a chance that we may, and I am always keeping my eyes open for them.

Weatherwise, each year Up Here is different.  A confirmation of what Larry told us when we first moved to Rose Camp.  Last winter was the Year of the Wind, and this year may also earn that title, but with more snow.

Thought for the day: Less than fifteen per cent of the people do any original thinking on any subject. . .  The greatest torture in the world for most people is to think.   Luther Burbank

November 27, 2011

Our Friday afternoon walk

One of the best things about Thanksgiving is the leftovers.  The almost identical dinner Friday evening.  The cranberry and turkey sandwiches.  The turkey casseroles.  The cranberry and turkey sandwiches.  You can have all that any other time of the year, but it just doesn't taste the same.  I stripped the carcass of most of the meat Thursday evening and put it in a pot for soup.  Cooked the broth, then made the soup on Friday adding just seasonings, onion, carrots and rice.  We had some for dinner last night and the rest went into the freezer, along with several packages of meat.  All vacuum sealed.  As I was pulling the wish bone off and cleaning it, I remembered that last year I had set it up on the kitchen windowsill to dry.  The next morning it was gone!  I eventually found it on the kitchen floor where a mouse must have pulled it.  Won't do that again.  (That makes it sound like we have mice all over the place, but we really don't.)

With just the two of us Up Here, I don't make Thanksgiving dinner the grand buffet I would if we have guests.  But one tradition I always keep, wherever we are, is using my maternal grandmother's Wedgwood gravy boat and my paternal grandmother's cranberry glass dish for the cranberries.  Small but very meaningful, bringing back many cherished memories.

JB drove Down There on Friday to buy the kit he needed to reskore the bolts on MAX's axle extender.  I made him drive around Rose Camp first to be sure the ice underneath the snow wouldn't be a problem for his Jeep.  Didn't seem to be, so off he went.  Turns out it was much easier than either of us had anticipated.  Perhaps we have been more timid than need be in going Down There in the snow.  JB has attended two Jeep Jamborees with his Jeep Wrangler, so he has learned just what his vehicle is capable of.  Now we really know what it can do.

While he was gone, I made the soup and cleaned the house a bit.  Then I chipped away the ridge of ice that had formed in front of the garbage/recycle shed door so I could put the garbage in.  I'm thinking that maybe we should have put the door on the side of the shed, instead of on the end where the snow and water run off the edge of the roof.  I also had to clean the snow off the deck, but the wind had helped with that, so it wasn't too bad.

When JB went out to fix MAX on Saturday afternoon, he realized that the one die he needed was not in the kit he purchased.  So he came in and asked me if I wanted to make a "quick" trip Down There with him.  Oh, why not.  I threw on my coat and boots.  Grabbed some extra outerwear and our emergency backpack.  Called the dogs, and we were off.  Just like he described his trip of the day before, it was actually easier than driving down in the mud.  Even with the ice.  But it was one of those times that he should have called beforehand, as Lowes and Home Depot do not sell the dies separately.  And the store that does is closed on the weekend.  It is amazing how many stores are closed on the weekend in Wenatchee.  We picked up the mail, some newspapers and an eggnog latte, then headed back home.  Even though we didn't get what we went for, it was an adventure and a beautiful ride, well worth the latte alone.  

In the winter, and often during the rest of the year, we always take at least one of our two emergency backpacks with us when we go Down There.  RJ gave them to us for our first Christmas Up Here.  They contain basic survival and medical supplies should something happen on the way up or down our road.

JB was going to call Larry today and ask if he has the die we need.  Larry has every tool known to man, and has insisted many times that we borrow his rather than spend our money on buying tools.  But he and Elsie actually came up to visit last night, and Larry suggested an alternative to reskoring the bolts.  Seems you can hammer them out and replace them.  We kept the several axles we have had to replace and they all have good bolts in them.  So that will be our project for today - after our Sunday breakfast which will include scrambled eggs with crumbled bacon we saved from the top of the turkey.  Yummm!

Thought for the day: The smallest deed is better than the greatest intention.

November 25, 2011



A peek at the winter sun





Rose and her fire wood sled












Sated. That is certainly the word for yesterday, and even into this morning. We spent Thanksgiving day cooking and doing crossword puzzles, then ate at about 2:30 pm. It was one of the best holiday meals I have ever eaten: turkey cooked with strips of bacon crisscrossed on top and basted with a mixture of butter and red wine infused with seasonings, bourbon sweet potatoes, gravy, novelak (a Lithuanian bread stuffing loaf), cranberry sauce and green bean casserole with french fried onions. I was a little concerned that the wine might overwhelm the taste of the turkey, but it simply gave it and the gravy a full bodied taste.  The bacon on the turkey is a Southern recipe.  Moments before we sat down to eat, it began to snow. A perfect day.

On Wednesday we pulled the skewed tire and tracks off one side of MAX and discovered that all except one of the lug nuts attaching the axle extender had come off. Nothing was broken, but the bolts need to be reskored. The only way we can figure that happened is if JB got interrupted and forgot to tighten those nuts. The day had warmed up to 32, which made everything much easier to do than when it was 17!

JB had purchased an inexpensive plastic sled on Tuesday for me to use in bringing the fire wood to the house.  (See photo above.)  The wood shed is uphill from the house, so I just have to be careful that the sled doesn't get down before I do.  Certainly a lot easier than carrying the wood.  Might even use the sled for sledding.  The only problem is that while there are some great downhill runs, there's just no safe place to stop unless I can turn the sled easily.  I could keep going right on down to RJ's and land on his roof.

A lot of the snow melted on Wednesday, but it turned cold again that night and was back down into the mid twenties on Thanksgiving.  JB had planned to drive his Jeep to town today to buy a kit with which to reskore the bolts on the axle extender, but now everything under the new fallen snow is ice.  He thought he might just put on his YakTrax and walk down to my Jeep, but the way it's snowing and blowing out there right now, I doubt he is going to do that.  Not sure why he wanted to go Down There on Black Friday anyway.

And speaking of great deals, I got several on-line last night.  No waiting in line.  No pushing.  No shoving.  I love the Internet!

As we sat eating our Thanksgiving dinner and watching the snow fall, it was another of those moments when I realized just how lucky we are to have had the opportunity to make this life for ourselves.  It is difficult to be away from family during the holidays, but there's really no place else I'd rather be than Up Here. 

Thought for the day:  Every moment of the year has its own beauty.  Emerson

November 23, 2011



Large rabbit tracks on North ridge





Tipi in the snow, for Katie

Found those rabbit tracks in the photo on our north ridge during our walk on Monday.  Much larger than any of the others we've seen.  The back feet are about 8" long.  We never actually see the rabbits Up Here with the dogs around.  Another reason I like the snow  - we can see the prints of all the animals trekking around Up Here, even if we can't actually see the animals.

We inflated the tires on MAX Monday.  JB drove him around Rose Camp and then tightened everything up.  Good to go for Tuesday.

We watched the Kevin Costner movie, "Wyatt Earp", Monday night, but I had forgotten how long it is.  Didn't get to bed til 11:00 pm and JB had to get up at 6:00 am so he could leave by 8:00.  Monday had warmed up to the mid 20's and by Tuesday afternoon it was up to 30.  There was rain mixed with snow falling when JB left for Down There.  And during the day there were several loud avalanches off the roof.  A good start to our house's winter side burms.  There was a light rain and wind most of the night, so maybe this won't be our stay-for-the-season snow afterall.  Never can tell with La Nina.

I worked inside cleaning and trying to catch up on the filing.  Doesn't look like I did much, but I was busy most of the time.  The dogs and I went for a hike down the road early afternoon and with every step, the snow turned to slush.  Lots of deer tracks, some obviously made after JB was on the road.   Didn't see any deer, although Jesse seemed to be hot on their trail.  The dogs used to take turns guarding me on our walks, but Dinga is the one who stays with me now, ever since her hind legs were hurt. 

It took JB much longer than usual to get down the road in MAX as there was very little snow the last mile.  And even less by the time he drove back up again.  That's the problem with early winter and late spring.  We always have snow much longer Up Here than even elevations half way down the canyon.  Just as he was coming up the driveway, JB almost lost one of the tracks.  Turns out one of MAX's wheels almost came off and is at an ugly angle.  We will have to figure out what happened today.  Possibly a broken axle (we do have an extra one).  At least we have our Thanksgiving turkey (which is sitting outside in a cooler because there is no room in the refrigerator) and all the ingredients for the burbon sweet potatoes.

Thought for the day:  In wilderness is the preservation of the world.  Thoreau

November 21, 2011

Looking down into the canyon
with low clouds and fog

Somehow we managed to pick the two coldest days so far this season to put the tracks on MAX. The high for both Saturday and Sunday was 17. JB swears we’re not ever going to take them off again! The problem is that is it is not just a matter of putting the tracks on. First, we have to take off the wheels with the big tires - all six of them. Then we put the axle extenders on - all six of them, one for each wheel. Next we put the wheels with the small tires on the front and back of each side, but not the middle wheels. We then suck the air out of each of those tires with a shop-vac. Once we get them as small as possible, we try to put on the tracks. This being the fourth year we have done this, we have that down to a very loose science. You have to turn the wheels a little bit one way, then a little bit the other way until the tracks finally work themselves on. Then we inflate those four tires, and put the middle wheels on. Not too bad if the temperature is in the 30's, but just a little chilly when it is only 17.

Sunday afternoon we did manage to get the tracks on. And what a relief that was. JB has to go Down There on Tuesday to mail the Christmas packages, pick up our fresh Thanksgiving turkey, and do a little shopping in several different places.

We received only a trace of snow on Sunday, but we ended up with low clouds and valley fog in the afternoon instead of the forecasted sunshine. It seems that the only weather NOAA can accurately predict is the wind. It usually starts and stops within ten to fifteen minutes of their predicted times. Not sure how they do that.

JB made a delicious gluten free lasagna on Saturday.  The noodles are made with rice flour and we could not tell any difference from wheat noodles.  He also baked a delicious loaf of garden bread on Friday.  The snow really gets him into the cooking/baking mode.

Now that the wood is all cut and stacked, and MAX has his tracks on, we can relax a little bit and enjoy winter.  We already have two major projects planned for next summer, but not nearly as time consuming as building the shop and deck.  We want to finish putting up the pine tongue-in-groove walls inside the house.  And we want to build a root cellar.  But those are months away, and it is now time to experience the delights of winter.  Yes, we have to shovel snow and lug in fire wood, but I figure with all the calories I expend doing that, I can have more eggnog and cookies over the holidays.  After all, those are some of the delights of winter. . .

A definite November thought for the the day:  Politicians and diapers need to be changed often for the same reason.

November 20, 2011



Prepping MAX to put on tracks



Snowing in the mountains



Friday was my seasonal melancholy day.  I wrapped Christmas presents and got a couple boxes ready to mail.  Melancholy because there are so many gifts I no longer need to buy.  So many family members who have passed on.  But the day and the mood passed, and I am good to go.  Good to celebrate the holidays the way they were meant to be celebrated.  Joyfully.

JB worked on MAX oiling and tightening the chains, and anything else that could be done inside the shop.  We have discovered that there is not enough room to put the tracks on in the shop as they stick out too far to drive MAX in and out the door.  So Saturday afternoon we started that job.


But Friday evening I pulled everything out from the pantry under the stairs that was sitting on the floor.  Had to get the winter supply of dog food in there  (5 - 40 lb bags), and be sure all the large cans were full with the appropriate food.  Discovered that we won't be needing white sugar any time soon, what with the 40 lbs we have.  Ooops.  One of JB's first winter projects for his shop is to make little dollys for the dog food so the bags can easily slide in and out.

It was snowing when we awoke on Saturday morning and the temperature as down to 12.  We had a leisurely morning, and by the time we headed out after lunch to work on MAX, it had warmed up to a balmy 17.  Nothing went smoothly.  Many of the lug nuts on the six wheels were extremely difficult to get off, even with JB's impact wrench.   The new grease gun was obviously designed to be put together and used by a very strong man under the age of 40.  So by the time the wheels were off and the axel bearings were greased, it was 3:30 and starting to snow again.  We should be able to get the tracks on today.  Hopefully. . .


I was right about certain people worrying about JB manually splitting the fire wood (other than Nene).  We found out that his Mom was so concerned that she had her son that she is living with chop some wood so she could see how it was done.  After that she only worried half as much.


When I first moved Up Here, I thought for sure than living at Rose Camp would help me look younger.  All the fresh air, being so active, surrounded by nature, doing things I love to do, and living where I have always wanted to live.  I certainly feel younger.  I thought it might be my own little Shangri La.  But, no.  I definitely look older than I did when I moved here.  Of course I am 3-1/2 years older, but I don't think that's the only reason.  I am sure that gravity is stronger Up Here.  So while I am getting younger on the inside, I am still getting older on the outside.  I guess that's better than the other way around.


And speaking of feeling better around nature, there is a great article in the current Outside magazine entitled, "This is your brain on nature.  How getting outside makes you smarter, happier, want to fix the planet."  That is just one of the articles on 33 people who are fighting to make our planet better.  Very inspiring.


Thought for the day:  Let us love winter, for it is the spring of genius.   Pietro Aretino

November 18, 2011



Tree blown across road
in windstorm





Dogs on North ridge


There are no sounds during a windless snowfall.  Only the quiet ringing in your ears.  It is as though each snowflake gently sighs as it lands atop the softness of others already on the ground.  A cup of cocoa.  A seat by the window.  And it is pure bliss.

Winter has arrived a bit early this year.  Our first stay-for-the-season snow started falling at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday.  About 4:00 p.m., after our afternoon walk and having fed the dogs, I was out shoveling snow and wondering, "And we built such a large deck because. . .?!"  By then we had two inches of powder snow and the deck seemed the size of a football field.  Shoveling the deck is my new winter chore, as JB does all the snow blowing.  Hmmm.  I wonder if one of those leaf blowers would work as a snow blower. . . . 

By Thursday morning we had 3-4 inches, depending upon where we measured.  The wind had been blowing most of the night and I was surprised there was no drifting.  More snow is forecast for each of the next few days, so it was definitely time to drive my Jeep down to its winter parking place.  I'll admit I was a bit nervous about this "adventure", never having driven our road with that much snow.  But then we have both had a lot of "firsts" Up Here.  It's not so much the road I was concerned about, but rather that 500 ft drop-off on the right hand side.  Wasn't sure I'd get all the way down with dry pants or not.  MAX doesn't have his tracks on, but JB drove him around a bit Up Here with no problems.  I started out first and he followed me.  There was no drifting on the road, and, as it turned out, driving my Jeep down in the snow was easier than in the mud.  (Sandy remembers a drive like that.)  However, driving MAX back up the road was a little slippy, slidey, but we made it just fine.

This is almost a month early for having to move the Jeep.  I can usually drive to town til the first or second week in December.  If I don't go Down There with JB in MAX, I'll be Up Here for at least five months.  That would certainly be my record. But it was a good decision to move it today, as about an hour after we got back home, it started snowing again.

One of the photos above is of a tree that the windstorm took down right across the road at one of our year-round neighbor's place.  Had it fallen in the opposite direction, it would have landed right on top of their house!  And that is one big tree! They live down in the canyon and the wind can really go whipping down through there much faster than it does up at Rose Camp.  It turns out the Larry and Elsie didn't get through the storm unscathed either.  The wind flipped the glass-topped table on their deck and broke it, also taking out some wood on one of their doors.  At least the roof stayed on their chicken coup this time.

Thought for the day:  I'm retired.  I don't have time to work.

November 16, 2011



RJ's new floor



RJ's new stove



Moments after I posted on my blog Monday morning, the snow let up, the clouds receded, and the sun came out.  A beautiful day!  Especially because there was no wind.  That evening all we could hear was the occasional crackle of the fire and Jesse's snoring.  What a relief!


After morning chores, picking up after the wind storm, and lunch, we drove down the shortcut to see RJ.  A little sliding going down the two main steep parts, so decided not to try driving back up, but rather take the long way home (4 miles vs. 1/2 mile).  RJ's cabin was so toasty warm!  He is living not only his dream, but also our Dad's.  I'm sure Dad would have been happiest in his retirement (if not his whole life) in a cabin in the woods.  Don't know if he was born a century too late or if he simply couldn't let go of a previous life.


When we arrived back at Rose Camp, I started up the splitter and was going to finish the little bit of wood that still needed splitting.  I managed to get 1-1/2 wheel barrow loads before the splitter froze up.  Not sure what the problem is, but it will have to wait til Spring to be resolved.  It's on wheels, so we can just tow it down to the small engine repair shop.  Don't have many rounds left that need splitting, so RJ can do those by hand.  Couldn't use my new chain saw as it takes motor oil instead of bar oil.  For temperatures under 32, it needs #10 and we didn't have any. 

JB went Down There on Tuesday for a doctor's appointment and our major "stock-up-for-winter" shopping, which will also include the oil for the saw.  NOAA is predicting 3-4 inches of snow for Wenatchee beginning this morning, so we will get at least that.  Just wish I had that pile of wood cut and stacked on the porch.  Not only is it easily accessible for really bad weather, but it also acts as a shelter for the porch from the snow and wind.  At least we have the north and south ends done.  We use it last, when the fire wood in the shed is gone, or beginning the end of February.  What we do not use, we move to the wood shed.  I really don't mind that because it is a head start on next season's wood.

Spent last evening putting away all the supplies and updating our list.  Also did an inventory while we were at it to be sure we have everything we need, especially the necessities like chocolate, cocoa, chips, salsa. . .  Well, you get the idea.  But no #10 oil.  No store had any.  JB is going to call the company who makes the saw today and ask just where in the world we are supposed to find it.


There certainly are a lot of articles in the newspapers and magazines about the possible havoc in 2012.  It was my opinion that the predicted sun spots would cause most of the problems, especially since so much of our technology these days relies on satellites, but we read an article in which NASA was quoted as saying that, "if you are older than eleven, you have already lived through a similar episode."  Interesting.  Well, there was all that broohaha about computer and other electronic problems when the date switched to 2000.  Nothing happened.  It may be that all these dire predictions just succeed in selling newspapers and magazines.


And speaking of the Internet, JB discovered a site called Intelius.com.  If you thought you had any privacy left, just go there and type in your name and a city, or even just a state, in which you have lived in the past 15 years or so.  It costs a nominal fee to get an address, but I found a friend with whom  I had lost touch about 20 years ago by just typing in her name and state.  Cool, but scary, too.

Thought for the day: Be the kind of person that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says, " Oh Crap, She's up!"

November 14, 2011



Our porch with south end wood
before we finished the north end





Our 1st row of wood
on north end of porch



Jesse still does not understand the act of moving to a new time zone without leaving the one we are in.  It's okay for me in the morning, but by 8:30 pm I am ready for bed.  Why is it that the government wants to screw around with every single aspect of our lives?!

No, I did not sleep in this morning.  I just couldn't access the Internet earlier.  I am  a bit cranky after 36 hours of 35-40 mph sustained wind and gusts to 55 mph.  Oh, we had our 30-second lulls, but they just caught our attention and made it sound as if something was wrong because it was so quiet.  However, it was a great excuse to stay inside all day, except for getting fire wood and tying down tarps that were blowing away.  Not sure just what I did, but I managed to stay busy.  Finished some Christmas presents.  Cleaned up the loft a bit.  Started a new book.  JB worked in his shop for a while, installing a light over his work bench and generally cleaning up.  A nice, relaxed day - except for the !!*%@# wind!  And the fact that our high temperature was only 32.  Don't even want to know what the wind chill was.  This morning it is still a bit windy, but the velocity has backed way off and now it is snowing.  I see that we lost the tarp over the splitter.  Will have to put another one over it as we probably won't find the lost one until Spring.

Talked to RJ and he is nice and cozy with his new stove.  He says it is actually a little too warm, so he will have to learn how to moderate it like we have.  We hope to be able to drive down to his cabin today to see his stove all installed and working.  He says he has also put in more wood floor.  Will take pictures and post them.

He will be listening to his NOAA radio to be sure he can get home on Wednesday.  If not, he'll just stay another day or two.  In Washington you cannot drive from one side of the state to the other without going over a mountain pass.   There are two major routes, I90 over Snoqualamie Pass and Route 2 over Stevens Pass.  I90 is the best one for winter travel as it is six lanes with an altitude of only 3200 ft.  However, with a major winter storm like we just had, they can all be closed at once.  I90 doesn't usually stay closed for more than several hours, but it has been known to close for a whole day, which can play havoc with transportation around here.  Even if the pass is open but has snow, ice and limited visibility, you don't want to be driving it.

When I was in junior high and high school, my Mom drove us over to Spokane every Christmas via Stevens Pass.  She was motivated as I remember driving through snow storms, but she never let the weather stop us.  And that was in a VW bug!

Thought for the day:  It's not intelligence or ability that necessarily gets the job done, but perseverance.

November 13, 2011



2nd load on Saturday, next to wood
from Friday and 1st Sat load




Hazy mountains on 11/9



The ground is barely white and I'm already feeling the urge to hibernate.  The bears and I.  Especially now that we have so much wood cut, split and stacked.  And piled, ready to cut.  Most of the wood in the photo above just needs to be cut, not split.  I swear some of the wood we gathered this week has been laying on the ground so long that it is half petrified!  The chain saw doesn't like it, but it will be great for burning.

It cooled off again Friday night.  Saturday's high was only 27.  When the temperature gets down to 25 or less, there's a definite chill in the air.  At that point we have to work at keeping the fire going and the house warm.  Warm, as in 70.  We like it toasty inside when it is so cold outside.

We dragged and cut two trailer loads of wood on Friday, most of it smaller logs that will not need to be split.  JB cut most of them into 4 ft lengths to fit in the trailer, then I can cut each piece into three pieces at the cutting pile.  On Saturday we simply cut the rest of the wood we had dragged up or pulled down along the road.  Again, most of it will not need to be split.  We now have two BIG piles to be cut into stove length (16").  However, we plan to take today off after all our work this week.  It was very windy all night, and still is.  Kept waking up with the strong gusts, so when I go back to bed after posting this, I will probably be lazy and sleep in.

We were back home and unloaded by 3:00 pm on Saturday, and the snow had just reached the west ridges of the canyon. We thought we had just timed that perfectly, but the snow never did cross over to us.  Quite often we are on the very eastern edge of the weather pattern and can see the rain or snow falling west of us, but we never receive any of it.

 We have subscribed to a new magazine that I am really enjoying called "Cappers".  It's another down to earth, living close to the earth, common sense publication with great stories and recipes.

And, speaking of living close to the earth, it is so much easier Up Hear to listen to that tiny "voice" or urge that tells you when to do or say things.  It tends to get drowned out with the cacophony of daily life Down There.

There was a very interesting article in the paper that my BFF, Sandy, sent to me by Jacquelyn Mitchard of AARP entiltled "Things not to do after a certain age", and is aimed at people for whom "the 50's are in your rear view mirror."  All very common sense, but what I liked the best were the following:
"People to no longer tolerate:  Space invaders.  Those who stand too close, consuming space, energy, oxygen and time.  People who learned all they ever needed to know in high school and are still living it.  Arrogant doctors, educators, waiters, TV commentators, authors, legislators, coaches or anyone who lets a little influence go to their head.
Things to do at least once: Dance outside at night in a foreign land.  Write long handwritten letters to your grandchildren, even the ones who aren't born.  Start telling the truth, every day.  Stand up for what you believe, and do it with dignity.  Be able to retire but say, to hell with it, I'm going strong."

Regarding "people to no longer tolerate", I think I have already made it clear how I am going to vote next year.  And as far as "the things to do at least once", I believe I have done or am doing all of them but one. So I guess I better get those letters written.

Thought for the day:  "Just trust yourself, then you will know how to live."  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

November 11, 2011

Our first snow of the season!
Hopefully a portend of things to come.

We woke to a light dusting of snow on Wednesday morning.  (It was too dark to see when I posted.)  Looked like we would get some more, but the clouds cleared and it warmed up to just above freezing.  When JB got up and opened the blinds on the front door, there were three deer outside the house in the driveway.  Had to let the dogs out and they all went bounding into the woods.  Spent the morning doing chores inside - me inside the house, JB inside his shop.  I did some re-organizing of our kitchen in order to make it more efficient.  As I have said before, in a house this small you have to make use of every inch of available space, and I seem to be constantly re-organizing to try to do just that.  After lunch we made two trips down the road to fill the trailer with wood.  Jesse had somehow hurt his front right paw, so we left the dogs in the house.

Our first load was of long logs, very small in diameter, but very dry fir.  JB just cut them short enough to get in the trailer.  Thought we would get the same on our second trip but JB spotted a large, long fir log on the down side of the mountain and he pulled it up.  It was about 10" in diameter, 20 ft long and in great shape.  JB cut the rounds to size and it was enough to fill the trailer by itself.

Yesterday we drove down for a load before lunch.  Jesse seemed just fine, so the dogs came with us.  They love these outings.  At the same spot we had been Wednesday, we pulled up some more small fir logs.  JB cut the bigger ones to stove size and the rest to just fit in the trailer.  We had planned to get another load after lunch, but we ended up with such a big pile of rounds at the splitter that we decided to get it split and stacked instead.  We split six wheel barrow loads and that finished the outside row on the north side of the porch (9' long).  Just the inside row and then two short rows on the east side to go.

I was talking to Elsie Monday evening and it came up that I was really concerned we were so far behind on getting our firewood.  She asked how much we still needed and I said at least a cord.  Then she asked how much we had left over this Spring from last winter.  I told her about a cord. . .  And that's what friends are for!  She had finally been able to get her grandson up to Rose Camp to see the tipi.  She takes care of him every other Monday, but he had been sick or the weather had been bad the past few months she has tried to get him Up Here.  He's such a cutie, and was fascinated by the tipi and our house.

The moon was full last night and riding low, so it came over the tree tops and shone in the east window by the dining table just in time for dinner.  Absolutely stunning!  And this morning it is shining in the loft window.

According to the Farmer's Almanac, Tuesday, 11/8, black bears go to their dens for the winter.  I hope they're reading the Almanac too.

 

Goodbye, Andy.  We will remember and miss you.

Thought for the day:   One of my favorite articles attributed to Andy Rooney:

As I grow in age, I value women over 50 most of all.  Here are just a few reasons why:
A woman over 50 will never wake you in the middle of the night and ask, "What are you thinking?"  She doesn't care what you think.
If a woman over 50 doesn't want to watch the game, she doesn't sit around whining about it.  She goes and does something she wants to do and it's usually more interesting.
Women over 50 are dignified.  They seldom have a screaming match with you at the opera or in the middle of an expensive restaurant.
Of course, if you deserve it, they won't hesitate to shoot you, if they think they can get away with it.
Older women are generous with praise, often undeserved.  They know what it's like to be unappreciated.
Once you get past a wrinkle or two, a woman over 50 is far sexier than her younger counterpart.
Yes, we praise women over 50 for a multitude of reasons.  Unfortunately, it's not reciprocal.  For every stunning, smart, hot woman over 50, there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants making a fool of himself with some 22-year old waitress.  Ladies, I apologize.
For all those men who say, "Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?"  Here's an update for you.  Nowadays 80% of women are against marriage.  Why?  Because women realize  it's not worth buying an entire pig just to get a little sausage! 

JB pulling up big log

November 9, 2011

One of my favorite
Winter Sun photos

Two back-to-back days Down There and I am more tired than if I had spent 8 hours a day cutting and splitting wood.  However, yesterday I did find a doctor whom I really like, so that made that trip worthwhile.  Met RJ at the stove shop so I could save him 10% off the stove pipes he had to buy.  (Tuesday is Senior Day.)  He still had to spend more on the piping than he did on the stove.  That hardly makes sense.  He spent more than we did for less pipe, but then the price of steel has risen each year.  Actually, when I've been in Costco the last few times, I've noticed that the price of everything has risen lately.  The same dog food we used to buy for our Greyhounds 12 years ago at $17 per 40 lb bag is now $28.  And that price has gone up about $3 in just the past year.

Most of the Autumn color is lying on the road now, except for the tamaracks whose color flames up in the midst of the evergreens.  With all the extra foliage this year, the road is a solid bright yellow in places.  Even the potholes are covered, so memory is essential for a smoother ride.

My camera is back home but I haven't had any time to take pictures.  Will definately start again today.  We plan to get another couple trailer loads of wood hauled up to the cutting pile, but JB will just cut it to fit in the trailer and I can cut it to stove length Up Here as I bought a new electric chain saw yesterday.  They are very inexpensive and very light, which is what I need.  And my little Coleman generator is easier to start than a saw.

The snow is supposed to hold off until this weekend so we should be able to get a lot of wood cut and stacked.  It has warmed up to freezing, so the splitter should be working and JB won't have to split by hand.  (So you don't have to worry, Aunt Nene.)

That's it for today.  I just can't keep my eyes open. . .

Thought for the day:   When Daylight Savings Time was explained to the old Indian, he said:  "Only the government would think that if you cut off the top of a blanket and sew it on to the bottom, you get a longer blanket."

November 7, 2011

Sign should read:
No trespassing -
survivors will be prosecuted!

Going off Daylight Savings Time is one of the best days of the year.  JB decided to spend his extra hour sleeping and went to be early.  I wanted to stay up late and read, which I did.  The dogs, on the other hand, have a real problem adjusting.  Their breakfast and snack were okay as I have been pushing those out a little each day, however Jesse's clock just would not change for dinner.  I'm sure he thought we had forgotten them, until at 3:30 (which he just knew was 4:30) I said, "Let's go for our walk."  He jumped off the couch, tail wagging.  Thought for sure he would lead us on a forced march, but he didn't.  He was the first one back to the house, though.  It's kind of nice knowing that once we are back from our walk, we are in for dinner and the rest of the night.  We have been washing the dishes after breakfast for several weeks now, so the evenings are simply for relaxing, reading, writing, whatever.

RJ came for breakfast yesterday and we had German pancakes with peaches and brown sugar.  So good!  Then the guys played a game of cards while I went out to see if I could start the splitter.  It was only 16 when we got up, but it was a balmy 22 when I got outside.  The splitter does not do well in the cold weather and I couldn't get it started.  So the dogs and I when for a short hike.  After RJ left, JB got the splitter going but the hydraulic fluid was just too thick in the cold.  JB offered to split the wood by hand, and that's what we did.  He split and I stacked 4-1/2 wheel barrow loads of wood.  Half before lunch and half after.  My woodsman hubby!  We were done by 1:00pm and both of us relaxed for the rest of the day.  I sat on the north ridge for a little while, just enjoying the view.  JB baked some bread and read magazines.

I actually hesitated to write about JB splitting the wood by hand because I know that certain people who read my blog would be worried about him, but this is a diary and I want it to be a true account of our life Up Here.  How we really live, and sometimes blunder through.  Our challenges.  Our mistakes.  Our learning experiences.  Our simple joys, and sometimes overwhelming awe of this land.  How fortunate we know we are to live here.  We have both learned to take breaks and not physically overwork ourselves.  It can get a little frustrating at times, but quite often we surprise ourselves.  The breaks are mentally relaxing also.  I can get very cranky if I feel pressured into constantly working, even if it's not physically strenuous.  After all, I am retired.

I think I have mentioned previously that I am much more easy going now that we've been Up Here for more than three years.  There is time to think about that and life before Rose Camp.  I have come to realize that probably the main reason is that I have finally learned to pick my battles.  Not fight all the little things.  Let it go, and let it flow.  Within reason.  Until someone really pisses me off. . .

Today I am going Down There.  Not really looking forward to it, but I am going to the craft store.  I usually try to restrain myself, but there are a few items that I need.  Also going to my favorite thrift store to look for a couple things.  I should have time to leisurely browse, so that will be nice.

Thought for the day:  If I have to pull up my big girl panties and deal with it one more time, the elastic is going to break and I really will have to show my ass.

November 6, 2011

One of my favorite "Mtn sun/Vally fog" photos
3/5/11

I had forgotten how long it takes to get dressed to go outside on a really cold day!  And these past few days have been really cold.  18 degrees Saturday morning, which is the record so far this season.

On Friday morning while I was doing inside chores, JB was cutting up scrap dimensional wood to burn in his shop wood stove.  After lunch we drove down the road aways to get wood.  I scrambled up the steep slope just above the road and loosened logs so they could just slide down.  JB cut the rounds to size on the road and we filled the trailer.  Took that load back up and stacked most of it by the splitter.  Got one wheel barrow load that didn't need splitting and stacked that to finish the south side of the porch.  Went back down for another load, but after half a log, it was obvious that the chain on the saw was dulled.  So we just threw small pieces of wood in the trailer that we found on the way back home.

Saturday morning we tilted the solar panels all the way down for the winter sun.  Then JB changed the oil in the generator and put the slats back up on the shed in front of the generator to protect it from the winter weather.  After lunch we drove down the road for another load of wood.  It was Saturday morning that I graduated to my winter overalls, coat and boots.  Certainly more of an effort to move around.  I have been stocking up on hand and toe warmers that are sold in big boxes at Costco, and that was the first day this season that I used hand warmers.  Although it turned out that I didn't really need them, as I kept plenty warm moving the logs and rounds.

We managed to fill the trailer again with a lot of dry, hard fir.  Stacked it by the splitter with Friday's loads.  Then I called RJ to see if he had made it back Up Here as he had planned.  Turned out he had arrived on Friday and wanted to know if we could come down to his place and help him unload something from his Jeep.  We drove down and he showed us his new wood stove!  It's a small, oval stove with a glass window at one end so you can see the flames.  It is Dutch made and only weighs 150 lbs.  Seems the Dutch have the attitude that you should have several small stoves where you need them, instead of one large one.  Sure wish I had the space and money to put one in our bathroom. . .

The weather forecast is now predicting snow Monday night and into Tuesday.  At this point, I'll believe it when I see it.

RJ is coming up for breakfast this morning and the guys plan to play a few games of cards.  I plan to split and stack as much of the wood as possible, even though it is Sunday, as I have to go Down There both Monday and Tuesday.  Finally found a new doctor - a woman - and couldn't coordinate my appointments for her and my mamogram on the same day.  That's okay, as there are several things I need to do and with two trips I won't be rushed.  I just hope the snow holds off til Tuesday night.

Thought for the day:  I don't want to get to the end of my life and find that I have lived just the length of it.  I want to have lived the width of it as well.

              Diane Ackerman, author and poet

November 4, 2011

What we expected but did not receive!

Wednesday was our get-ready-for-winter-now day as the weather forecast was predicting four successive storms with snow and wind beginning Wednesday evening into the next seven to ten days. So we cut the rest of the logs and moved them up to the splitter. We had time to split and stack four wheel barrow loads on the porch, then covered the stack with a tarp. We start stacking on the south end and now have a double row 8ft long by almost 3 ft high. JB put all the tools inside that we had sitting outside. Everything that needs to be in the shop is. Had to keep moving while we were out today as our high didn't even reach 30. However, moving all those rounds as JB cut them kept me really warm and, at one point, I took my hood off. Poor timing as I was standing so that I had sawdust raining down my neck. By the time we were done, it had worked its way down my back, my front and into my bra. Thank goodness my belt was tight enough to keep it out of my pants.


Turns out the snow actually went northwest of us on both Wednesday and Thursday.  The northern Cascades are solid while now, but the peaks west of us have very little snow.  Even Mission Ridge, to the south of us, received quite a dusting.  Actually I was kind of disappointed we didn't get any snow, but it did give us more time to work outside on Thursday. I finished splitting the wood which was four more wheel barrows full. That gave us another two feet on top of one 8ft row. The inside row on the south end comes up to just under the dining room window as I don't want to block our view. When I was done, I helped JB who was, once again, re-arranging his shop. I told him this makes up for all the times he has helped me move furniture. I think he mumbled something like, "Not even!" But in the interest of marital harmony, I chose to ignore it.

I thought for sure I would be seeing a lot more wild life now that I don't have a camera for a while, but I guess not. Dinga has been barking more than usual and both of the dogs have been running down the driveway and/or up the east slope. Occasionally we will hear an animal crashing through the underbrush, but we still haven't actually seen one.

Our wood stove is working better than ever now that it is clean and has a brand new catalytic combuster. It gets hot very quickly with less wood. We still haven't started using any of the split wood yet, although we may have to in the next day or two. Still using the large branch and ugly wood.

A few days ago we witnessed a murder of crows flying over Rose Camp. (I've always wanted to be able to write that sentence.) We don't get many crows Up Here, just ravens. They each make a very distinctive noise, so they are fairly easy to tell apart. But, really, who thinks up these terms? A murder of crows? A skein of geese? No, a skein of yarn. What am I - knitting with feathers? If it birds or sheep, then it's a flock. However, a congress of baboons I can understand. . .

I knew when I entered the grocery store on Tuesday that the holidays are definitely here. There is eggnog in the cooler! Yes!! Bought some for my coffee. Eggnog in my coffee makes me happy. I'm really quite easy to please. (Note to self: do NOT buy low fat eggnog ever again.)

We usually buy newspapers whenever we go Down There and on Tuesday were able to buy the Sunday editions of both the Seattle and Wenatchee papers. In the Seattle Times Pacific Northwest magazine there is an excellent article entitled "The Space Case." It's about living and dealing with the animals on your land. It gives a website where "you can read about how to deal with critters from snakes to cougars: http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/."

JB's thought for the day:  I welcome change, as long as nothing is altered or different. . .

November 2, 2011

Jesse's favorite cold weather spot!

We started Monday with a jolt. Or rather lack of a jolt. When JB turned on the water pump, lights started flashing and beepers started beeping. Then all the power went off. Knowing that he had tightened all the cables and connections to the batteries, he called Larry to see if he had a suggestion. But his answer was that when anything like that happens, something is loose. So JB walked up to the panels and turned the switches off so no power would be coming in. He then rechecked everything, and found that one of the cable ends had become jammed against the battery lead which was causing it to spark. When he took out the bolt that was holding it in, it broke in half. When the bolt was replaced and the cable end was back where it belonged, I went up to the panels and turned the power back on while JB stayed in the battery shed. As we turned everything back on, one by one, it all seemed to work fine. And still is. Thank goodness.


It never did warm up much on Monday even with blue sky and sunshine. Didn't make it out of the 30's. We finally made it out to work about 1:00 p.m. JB had to get my Jeep working with our new trailer as there was some electric issue. I used Larry's chain saw to cut the small logs that did not need to be split. Ended up putting two good loads on the porch. But the saw was just too heavy. I was able to start it the second time, but not the third. JB had to do it. So when he was done with the trailer, he used the saw to cut most of the bigger logs. We got another load of wood for the porch and a big pile for the splitter. I think I am just going to have to buy another electric saw, and just plan on doing that every three or four years.

It was very cold on our evening walk. Am going to have to start wearing my big winter coat. With the change back to standard time this next weekend, we will have to start taking our walk before dinner. That means that Jesse will be going on a forced march because he knows it will be time to eat when we get back to the house.

We celebrated JB's 69th birthday on Tuesday by loading up the trailer with the last of the garbage and taking it Down There.  Did some shopping, picked up the mail and JB spent some of his birthday money.  They we really celebrated by going to Jack in the Box for lunch.  Afterwards I bought my only second or third latte of the year - Yummmm!  I used to buy one on the way to work almost every day, but that was in my past life.

When we arrived back home, I managed to get our Red Neck drainage system just about finished.  That is, putting the heavy black plastic on the ground along the sides of the house so the water coming off the roof will flow away from the house instead of sinking into the ground and running into our crawl space.  Outside the side door RJ and JB had framed in a landing and one step down.  In 2010 I made a mosaic of flat rocks inside the landing frame, however the water from the roof falls about 10" in from the end of the frame and just seeps into the ground and probably our crawl space.  So today I dug out the rocks back to about 16" and put black plastic down so it comes out under the front piece of wood in the frame.  Then I put in gravel sized rocks I gathered from the south ridge and covered them with the dirt I had shoveled out.  I put the flat rocks back in and - Viola! - a drain (I hope).  Now I just have to get some more tent stakes to tack down the plastic when I go Down There next Monday for my annual mamogram.

And. . . when I was done with that, the wood stove was cool enough for JB to replace the old catalytic combuster with the new one and for me to clean the stove.  What a productive day!  And what a cold day.  I think our high was 32.

Thought for the day: How to handle stress like a dog:
                             If you can't eat it or play with it,
                             Then pee on it and walk away.