March 30, 2012



Yuck!  We don't want to go
out  in that!



Fog & drizzle in the canyon

 


I am beginning to feel like the subject of a Country song.  Along with the water situation under the house, a large nest of yellow jackets somewhere in the roof is waking up and buzzing around in the loft four or five at a time.  Wednesday we had a problem flushing the toilet and it still doesn't seem to be working quite right.  All we need now. . .  Nope.  Not going there.  No need to tempt the fates.

The past two days have been Seattle days, and it seems our weather patterns have been reversed with them getting snow and us getting their rain.  We have had continuous snowy rain.  Or is it rainy snow?  There has to be a more interesting term than snow mixed with rain.  Anyway, we are sitting under the March lion.  As in going out as.  And we're down from 80% to about 50% snow cover on the ground.  

Spent the last two nights taking turns getting up every two hours to pump from the pond.  During which we completely missed the water rising up the well to fill the cistern and refill the swimming pool under the house Tuesday night.  Fortunately the house is built on very hard clay which does not absorb the water more than an inch or so down.  Unfortunately, we have mold starting to grow on the wood.  This situation will be completely taken care of this summer, but until the ground dries and thaws out around the house and cistern, we just have to deal with it the best we can.  I am looking at it as a job.  Each afternoon I get to crawl under the house and play in the mud.  With all the channels and dams I am building under there, I think I have missed my calling.  I should have got degrees in geology and engineering so I could work for the U.S. Corps of Engineers.

JB was planning go Down There today to look for a small sump pump, but it is now obvious that the water is coming in somewhere else also.  I just can't figure out where.  So we will just continue pumping, although it certainly is eating into our reading time. . .

Thought for the day: Coffee makes it possible to get out of bed, but chocolate makes it worthwhile.

March 28, 2012



Clouds over Mission Ridge
on Monday



Snow & fog on Tuesday






















And our pump still works!  Had to put it to use again yesterday as the water was back under the house.  At least we now have the means to deal with it right away and not let it sit.  It looks like I'll be climbing under the house again today as the water is back, despite pumping out of the pond every two hours during the night.

Monday was overcast with a high of 37.  I took the dogs on their morning walk while JB finished making bread.  We got kind of a late start that day.  Yesterday a very fine snow began falling about 8:30 a.m. and the fog began pussyfooting around at about noon.  The snow turned to rain about 5:00 pm and didn't let up til around midnight.  So much for winter leaving gentley.  A good inside day.  Well, I got to stay inside.  JB had to be outside with the water pump, although I don't know that I was any better off under the house in the mud and water.  I guess Sunday used up our quota of Spring weather for a while.

JB's Mom sent us an Easter package containing Peeps and pistachios, books and DVDs, treats for the dogs and some photos of JB when he was just a toddler.  So cute!  She sends us packages several times a year, always full of fun and surprises.  I broke open the box of peeps in order to let them dry out by Easter.  They are always better when they are really chewy.

Our son e-mailed us photos and a video of the grandchildren playing on the beach in Florida.  Building sand castles and trying to protect them from the waves and tide.  Do we arrive on earth pre-programmed in our genes to do that?  Such a joy to watch them.

I may not be a water person, but I do enjoy beach combing.  The rocky shores of the northern Washington Puget Sound are a treasure trove of shells, rocks and little creatures caught in tide pools.  The sandy ocean beaches further south readily give up their shells and sand dollars, pieces of driftwood and all sorts of man made detritus.  I hear that bits and pieces of the devastation from the Japan earthquake are beginning to show up now.  I have glass jars sitting on my windowsill full of shells and rocks collected on many different beaches over a lifetime.  And jars of shells and polished rocks from my Mother's collection that she used in teaching school.  I am fascinated by such gifts from Mother Nature.

And speaking of nature, one of the best magazines for natural living is "The Herbal Companion."  It is published every other month and it takes at least that long between issues to absorb all the information.  It contains all sorts of recipes using herbs and essential oils for everything you can imagine, from foods to cleansers and air fresheners to medicinal needs.

And speaking of scents, every time I open a bag of dry pine needles to use as fire starter, I am transported back to barns I have known.  The musty, hay-like smell reminds me of two barns in particular.  The first being the horse barn at the ranch on which my Grandpa Herb lived when I knew him.  I have photos of me on Grandpa's horses before I could even walk.  Probably where my love for them began.  The second was an almost-falling-down barn on a small farm my Dad and stepmother rented for a couple years in the early sixties.  I remember my Dad getting such a kick out of saying he was "out standing in his field" when they lived there.  It always made him chuckle.  This was after my Grandpa (my Dad's Father) had passed away and Dad had a couple of his horses.  I would get to ride them on weekends I spent out there when the weather was conducive.  Horseback riding was a big part of my life through junior high (middle school).  A part that I really miss.

Thought for the day:  You will hear the god you listen to. . .  Place honor where it is due, and peace will be yours.  A Course in Miracles

March 26, 2012



Coyote walking down our road




A rabbit also caught on
the game cam
















More photos of the rabbit and coyote.  The coyote looks rather small though.  don't know if it is the same one or not.  Of the 43 photos the game cam took during the past week, 35 were of Jesse!  Seems to be a lot of activity of some sort near the hair-pin.  The dogs have really been barking the last couple days.  Not sure if it is a coyote or if the bears have started to wake up.

I could smell Spring in the air on Saturday for the first time this year.  Kind of like smelling Autumn in August.  You know it's going to be a while, but it's definitely on its way.  Yes, I realize that it is already Spring according to the calendar, but we're talking the mountains here. . .

Well, all my blathering about how far off actual Spring weather is was negated by Mother Nature yesterday.  The sun shone.  The thermometer needle swung over to 47.  The birds sang.  The first flies buzzed.  JB and I got our chairs out of the tipi and sat on the porch in the afternoon sun.  Heaven.  Didn't need a fire during the night other than the one we put in before going to bed.  Of course, this morning it is overcast, windy and 30.

When it gets too warm in the summer, I sometimes wish for snow.  And then a small voice from somewhere deep inside me pops up and says, "What the hell are you thinking?!"  While I like winter, I rarely want to speed its arrival.  It's just too hard to get rid of.  Although I do prefer it leave gently rather than in one massive thaw.

We have resubscribed to "Discover" magazine after four or five years.  Still as fascinating as ever.  Not sure why I let it lapse.  Probably happened during our move Up Here.

And speaking of magazines, I saw a great quote in one of them: "Remember: Don't make us old people mad.  We don't like being old in the first place, so it doesn't take much to tick us off."  Spoken by George Gosselin this March.  I love it!  Oh, and here's another one from "Time" magazine: "A kid in Africa with a smart phone has access to more information that the President of the U.S. 15 years ago."  Spoken by Ray Kurzwell at the SXSW conference.  To which a Twitter user replied, "Collective mind blown."  No sh**!!
 
My Uncle Bobby, who passed away last Spring at age 93, always said that you should learn at least one new thing each day.  Well, what I learned yesterday was that baby powder sprinkled in my rubber gloves, that I use for washing the dishes every day, makes them ever so much more pleasant (feeling and smelling).  Maybe I should make that an item for each posting.  Nah.

Thought for the day:  Don't interfere with anything in the Constitution.  That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties.  Abraham Lincoln

March 25, 2012

Dinga in her favorite winter place. 

The pump works!  All the water has been sucked out from under the house and now the mud needs to dry.  Will have the fan going down there every day.  Whew!

OK.  I have decided to combine both my blog ideas.  Instead of creating a whole new blog on gluten-free eating, I am going to incorporate it into this one.  I have already re-named my page "Some of our Favorite Food Recipes" to "Gluten-Free Gastronomy."  And have added two more: "How I Learned to Survive my Husband's Celiac's Disease" and "Our Favorite GF Products & Cookbooks".  Hope this will be helpful to those who need it.

It was 18 and sunny when JB left for Down There about 8:00 am on Friday.  Dinga always whines so pitifully when he leaves, and continues to make her displeasure known for quite a while.  Jesse just sits stoically.  Patiently waiting for the hour to pass until I let them out.  At least he no longer runs way down the road after JB.  By his tracks in the snow, it looks like he only goes down to the hairpin turn below the end of our driveway.

I took the dogs for their morning walk since JB was gone.  There were lots of nuthatches, juncos and woodpeckers out, making their presence known.  I saw a bird of prey soaring above us, large enough for an eagle.  I can tell the difference between a raven and a bird of prey in flight, but JB is able to identify whether it is an eagle, hawk or kite.  Maybe I need new glasses.

When we go for a walk, Dinga always needs a stick to carry and chase.  As we begin, Jesse is thrilled to have one but he needs a cheering section to keep him interested.  Dinga, on the other hand, will nip at our heels if we don't throw her stick for her if she has dropped it.  If we are not outside, she will lay on the porch, as seen in the photo above, for hours at a time whether it is 18 or 38 out there and there is no wind or precipitation.  In warmer weather, she seeks the shade and coolness of the earth.

Well, the words are just pouring out today, so this will be a long discourse to make up for the previous few short ones.

JB discovered a tiny frog on the floor by his chair at the kitchen table yesterday morning.  Am still not sure how they always end up in that part of the house.

Early Spring at Rose Camp means that although the day may start out in the teens, it will probably warm up into the 30's and possibly 40's.  Any snow we get disappears quickly from the bare spots, but the ground is still about 80% covered in snow.  Our road is still mostly snow and the main canyon road is a bit muddy with some snow and a little ice in places.  Below Larry and Elsie's it is all dirt or mud, depending upon the precipitation.  The buds are slowly appearing on the bushes.  And the birds are coming back for more than just a few hours at a time.

I think I neglected to mention a couple great articles in the current issue of "BackHome" magazine.  (They are all great articles, but I particularly liked these two.)  "Ten Unusual Uses for Eggs" lists ingenious ideas from skin and hair care to glue for torn pages in books.  There is also an interesting article on "Making Cheese at Home."  Have read about this before and one of these days I am going to try it.  Sounds easier than it might seem.

And speaking of eating (I did mention food above), I find that I do not "pig out" anymore.  I love food and have always loved to eat, catering more to my taste buds than my hunger or health.  But being Up Here, I find that I no longer need food to make me happy or fill a void (well, except for chocolate).  Whether it is because I am retired and without the day-to-day stress of the job or because we are living away from the constant press of life in the city, I'm not sure.  I just know that now the only void in my life is being so far from our son and grandchildren.  And I have come to know myself and my husband better.  I am learning to listen more to others instead of fighting to be heard.  Life is good, and I am letting it be so.

Thought for the day:  Love is all there is.  The Beatles (and many others - The Beatles just put it to music.)

March 23, 2012



More rabbit tracks on the North
ridge on Wednesday.




Dogs on the North ridge

 


 















Wednesday was an overcast, cold, down day.  No water in the "pond" fortunately.  Thursday began with an inch of new snow, 16 degrees and a cloudless sky.  The sun bounced off the snow and made our eyes scrunch up, but by 1:00 pm it was overcast again.  Our son called.  He is getting ready for a 4-day weekend with the family in their new trailer at Destin Beach in Florida.  Going to try it first close to civilization.  Later they'll go for the campground way up in the Alabama woods.  We're stoking the wood stove and he's turning up the air conditioning.

JB drove down our road Thursday instead of Wednesday to be sure it was passable for his trip Down There today.  Jesse got to go with him, but Dinga stayed at Rose Camp with me.  Just too much strain on her back legs for such a run in the snow.  She's doing so well, we don't want to set her back any.

I fixed one of our favorite meals on Monday, Ham-Apple-Macaroni Bake.  Great comfort food and one effort makes two meals for us.  I  have added the recipe to our "Some of our Favorite Food Recipes" page.  We use Quinoa Pasta, which is gluten free, with more protein, and much tastier than regular   wheat pasta.  A light, nutty taste.

Yesterday I finally cleaned out all of the 2011 papers from our files.  And in doing so realized that they weren't just extra thick.  I had not done this last year. . .

As much as I like winter, this year I am so ready for warm weather and wild flowers.  I'm sure this is partly brought on by talking to our son and hearing about all their outdoor plans in the sun and surf.  And, of course, the fact that Larry and Elsie are in Cancun, Mexico, for ten days.  I'm not a beach person, but I am ready for some nice warm, sunny days.  Ready to go outside without having to dress in six layers.  Ready to sit on our porch or deck in the sun and watch the birds.

Thought for the day:  Life is like riding a bicycle.  You don't fall off unless you stop pedaling.  Claude Pepper, U.S. Congressman

March 21, 2012

These are the packages that Aunt Nene sent
to us.  So funny!

We celebrated the first day of Spring with snow and wind.  Wind and snow.  Typical, Up Here on the mountain.  Blowing and snowing all day long. Because of all the wind and possible drifting, JB plans to drive MAX down to the main canyon road today.  Haven't had to worry about packing down the snow for quite a while.  Ice has been the main concern on the road.  Meanwhile in Port Orchard, Aunt Nene's irises are blooming.  I won't see ours for another couple months. . .

Monday was simply a study in frustration.  JB spent a couple hours on the phone with Customer Service reps from the company that made the water pump we bought.  We tried several different things and they finally decided to send a part to us that will hopefully fix the problem.  If not, we can send everything back for a full refund.  Meanwhile, under the house. . .  At least the frog is still happy.

I am just not going to fret over this anymore.  It is what it is, and we are doing all we can.  The bilge pump in the "pond" is pumping out less and less water, so that's a good sign.  But then it hasn't been very warm up here lately.  Monday's high was 33, but it started out at 14, and Tuesday only got up to 27.

Yesterday I did an extra load of wash, which happens every two or three months.  Normally we do wash on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  Then after each wash we fill the cistern.  Didn't need to do that this time.  I also cut JB's hair.  And worked on getting all the Easter cards ready to mail, as JB will be going Down There this Friday to pick up the part for the pump.  The cards will be early, but I think everyone we mail to is used to that.  Better than late.

Aunt Nene is pretty sure that the rabbit we caught on the game cam is the Easter Bunny.  But I don't know.  I thing the Easter Bunny lives in Port Orchard, along with the Tooth Fairy. . .

Instead of compiling a gluten-free cookbook, I am thinking about doing a gluten-free blog.  JB thinks I'm nuts considering all the time I spend writing this one.  But I would probably write on the other one just once a week and it wouldn't be nearly as time consuming as this one.  We'll see. . .

Thought for the day:  Let go and let God. 

March 19, 2012

Finally got a rabbit on
the game cam!

Also caught Larry & Elsie coming up
last Monday.

We slept in on Sunday.  Big breakfast.  Finished reading magazines.  Read more on our books.  Enjoyed more angel food cake.  Little cells of snow blew through with sun breaks in between.

Haven't decided if we will refer to this winter as the winter of "Ice and Wind" or "Melts and Freezes."  The Friday night snow is all gone from the canyons and valley, but certainly not Up Here.  After all, the first day of Spring isn't until Tuesday and we are due for more snow tonight.

I was asked about the mole that Dinga caught and why it would come up out of the snow.  Actually it didn't.  The dogs can hear the little critters moving around under the dirt, and in the winter, under the snow.  Dinga looks like those videos you see of Arctic foxes that jump straight up and pounce down into the snow to catch their prey.  And that's just what she did with the mole.  It had probably just come up from underground and was tunneling under the snow.

JB started working on our taxes yesterday.  Always a fun project.  At least now that we are retired it is much easier.  

Thought for the day:  The marvelous richness of human experience would lose something of rewarding joy if there were to limitations to overcome.  The hilltop hour would not be half so wonderful if there were no dark valleys to traverse.  Helen Keller

March 18, 2012



Off to clean the solar panels early
Saturday morning




Mountains nestled in the clouds

















Friday morning at 9:00, just after JB left for Down There, a blizzard moved in.  It only lasted about 40 minutes and then we had sunshine the rest of the day.  It is fascinating to watch all the different forms of precipitation Up Here and how quickly they change back and forth.  I never really had or took the opportunity to sit and watch the weather before retiring.  Of course we never lived up in the mountains before either.  Big flakes, little flakes, teeny-tiny flakes.  Sleet, hail.  Floating, pouring, pounding.  And the light flakes start floating upward when they come close to the house.  They bounce around in front of the windows as if looking for a way in.  I am amazed that anyone can accurately forecast the weather (and they usually can't).  Or even come close, with all the little nuances present.  It's like "they" say, "If a butterfly flaps its wings in China, it can change the weather in North America."

We could hear the avalanche control "cannons" going off most of Friday morning and again yesterday afternoon.  Jesse does NOT like the sound, even though it is so far off.  He stays inside the house when they are doing that.  Anything that even remotely sounds like a gun freaks him out.

We woke up to another 3-/12" of snow yesterday morning, but it was sunny most of the afternoon.  Which is a good thing because we were working with our new water pump outside.  We read the directions several times and tried to get it to pump several times, but to no avail.  Of course when we finally decided to call the company for help, it was 2:00 pm our time and they close at 2:00 pm eastern time.  At that point I just wanted to scream!!  Now we have to wait til Monday morning and we still have 1"-2" standing water under most of our house. 

Fortunately JB and I had made our first gluten free angel food cake yesterday morning.  Actually our first angel food cake of any kind.  And, except for a few air holes, it turned out perfectly and was all cooled down and ready to eat when we were done dealing with the pump.  Angel food is always a good thing to help change your attitude. . .  We got the recipe from the King Arthur's Flour catalogue, as they now have gluten free flour also.  All their products are a bit pricey though, so for the 3/4 cup flour called for we just filled the measuring cup with 1/2 Bob's Red Mill All Purpose flour and 1/2 white rice flour.  It was the perfect recipe for all our extra eggs.

I still don't have a bucket in which to make the laundry soap, but I am using white vinegar in the rinse cycle instead of softener.  It's wonderful and it gets rid of any scent from the soap.  It just smells fresh, even when hung inside to dry.

After posting the photo of the coyote, my Aunt Nene told me that my Grandpa used to trap coyotes for the $5 bounty.  Once he even brought a live one home!  But when Nene went out to feed it once, it had somehow hung itself.  Don't know if I mentioned it before, but he had also brought home a bear cub he found one time.  They had that "pet" for quite a while until it scratched Nene's sister, my Aunt Ginny, when she went to feed it one day.  After that Grandma insisted that Grandpa get rid of it.  Nene now wonders how she ever made it to 86!

And speaking of Aunt Nene and bears, we received a package from her on Friday.  Remember the Chicken Poop she gave to Elsie and me?  (Actually jelly beans.)  Well, she sent JB and me some Bear Poop (chocolate covered peanuts)!  Again, she found them at Walgreens.  JB said we should be sending her bear poop, with all that we have around here in the Spring and Summer!

Thought for the day:  The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.  William James  (Doubt that his was the first generation to discover that, but certainly is true.)

March 16, 2012



Odd tracks on the South ridge



More odd tracks. . .

JB saw these odd tracks on the South ridge Wednesday morning when he and the dogs hiked up to the panels to clean them off.  I took photos on our afternoon walk.  We came up with all sorts of possibilities (and some improbabilities) until we finally realized that they were the dogs' tracks in deep snow where they dragged their feet between steps.  The tracks had melted, spread out, and refroze.  A case where fiction would have been much more interesting than the fact. . .

With the warm weather we had recently, Larry told us that he had found a tick on their Beagle.  Sure enough, on Tuesday we found our first tick of the year on Jesse and the second one on him Wednesday.  I've been combing them both every couple days as that is a good way to find the ticks, both attached and unattached.

A very light, soft snow started falling Wednesday morning about 9:00 a.m.  It snowed all day but by 4:00 p.m. we only had 1-1/2".  Yesterday warmed up to 37 so no snow, just sleet and rain moving in and out all day long.  With the new warming, I had to work on the drainage "ditch" in front of the house as it was all ice again, but the snow and ice on the south side were melting.  Mid afternoon JB heard running water and we discovered that a stream was getting in under the porch where the south side meets the house.  I quickly diverted it and we turned on the pump.  Seems that water had filled up the pond again.  Thank goodness for the pump Larry and Elsie brought up.  Today JB is going Down There to pick up our pump and we can work on getting all the water out from under the house.  On Wednesday, I filled the shop vac and JB made eight trips with it outside.  Still a small lake under there even though it's not being fed any more. 

I really got suckered this year into thinking about and mentally preparing for Spring with that stretch of warm weather we had, when in reality we have at least another four to six weeks of Winter left Up Here.  Being retired and Up Here, I have become more aware of the seasons and their passing.  Spring warms and blossoms into Summer.  Summer cools into Autumn.  But Winter fights its way in and out.  Here in Washington there always seems to be a big storm the week of Thanksgiving and then Winter takes hold.  After ruling for several months, Winter fights Spring's advances sometimes all the way into June, butting heads with Summer.  Each year is quite an adventure in the mountains.

We have used up all the stick wood on the porch, along with the small inside rows of wood on each end.  So on Wednesday, JB took the frame and tarp that we had used for the stick wood and put them in the woodshed.  I swept the porch and stacked the 2X4's we on which we placed the wood.  Snow or no snow, the porch is beginning to get ready for Spring.  Now we can bring the chairs up from inside the tipi on nice days (over 35 degrees and no precipitation) and sit on the porch.  We already put the dogs' beds out when it is dry.

I really enjoy the off-the-grid writer who contributes to each issue of "Home Power" magazine.  This month's article is on raising pigs, which they plan to do this year.  She quotes one of her neighbors who raises them as saying, "Our animals have a great life and just one bad day!"  I love it!

I finally started my last Jim Butcher novel, Turn Coat.  I have been saving it but just couldn't wait any longer.  He is, by far, my favorite novelist.  And Harry Dresden is my favorite fiction character.  Am not-so-patiently waiting for his next book to come out in paperback.

When JB was Down There last week, he discovered a brand of frozen gluten free frozen waffles and purchased a box.  Nature's Path Gluten Free Buckwheat Wildberry waffles - very light and tasty!

Thought for the day:  In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.  Aristotle

March 14, 2012

Oh, look!  More snow!

It snowed all day Monday and we received about 3.5".  Not powder this time.  It was heavy, wet and cold.  Down into the teens that night and only into the mid-twenties on Tuesday.  Snowing in the mountains, but we had blue sky most of the day except when the edge of a cloud would get blown near us and toss a few snowflakes our way.  It is 16 degrees this morning.  A bit chilly.  NOAA is forecasting 5" to 9" of snow tomorrow afternoon.  Obviously Winter is not about to let go anytime soon.

Into Monday's loaf of bread, JB added two tablespoons of Italian seasoning.  Excellent!

Larry and Elsie drove Up Here about 4:00 pm on Monday with a small bilge pump and 18 eggs!  I crawled down under the house and placed the pump in the "pond" where the pipe comes up and threaded the wire through the hole in the floor where the pipe goes to plug it in.  The guys attached the garden hose and we were in business!  As I lay there watching the water level drop, I noticed our resident frog swimming in the water.  He crawled out and gave me a very disgusted look as his pool disappeared.  I set the pump on a pie plate so it wouldn't get in the mud, and crawled back out.  Right now we have the 100 feet of hose coming out the trap door to the crawl space, which is in the bedroom, and running out the great room through the front door and away from the house. 

We left the pump on til no more water came out, then played a game of Aggravation.  At first it looked like we girls were going to get whipped again, but the dice finally warmed up to us and - despite Larry's ongoing commentary - we beat the guys.  Boy, did that feel good.  Before they left, we turned on the pump again and a few more gallons came out.  We turned it on once more before we went to bed with the same result, then pulled the hose into the house for the night.  In the morning we didn't have much more water, so maybe the flow has tapered off. 

After JB picks up our new pump, I will cut a hole in the metal siding under the porch and bring the hose in that way.  Will be a lot better than having the hose running through the house.  The "pond" is right at the front of the house anyway.

Larry thinks the coyote we caught on the game cam may be a female since it seems to be alone.  Once a female mates she will go off on her own to birth her litter.  I certainly hope she moves on before her pups arrive.

I was thinking about how much we have had to adapt and learn Up Here, and think "outside the box."  Come to think of it, I believe we left "the box" Down There when we moved Up Here.

Gross-out alert for Sande.  This paragraph will rate a 10 on the gross meter.  When JB and the dogs hiked up to the panels Monday morning to clear the snow off the panels, Dinga caught a mole.  I have never seen her actually eat any critter she caught, but this one she did.  Must have learned from Jesse the other day.  She sat right out in the yard and it looked like she just pulled  the innards out so she wouldn't have to eat the skin. . .  Hey, I warned you!  And if you think it's gross reading about it, you should have been up here to see it.

Thought for the day:  In prosperity our friends know us; in adversity we know our friends.  John Churton Collins

March 12, 2012



Coyote walking up to our driveway



Coyote at the foot of our driveway

















Well, it's not a cougar, but it is a coyote.  He is probably what the dogs have been barking at all week.  Almost looks like a fox, but he's too big.

After threatening to snow yesterday morning, the clouds stayed west of us and got blown to the north. The sun came out and the wind started up.  The snow didn't arrive until sometime during the night.  That which was brown is white again, and it is supposed to keep snowing all day.

I spent the afternoon under the house, while JB carried the shop vac in and out.  He made 12 trips.  At about 4 gallons per trip, that makes almost 50 gallons we cleared out and there are at least that many left.  Will sure be glad when that pump gets here.  It's due to be delivered by Thursday, so JB will go down on Friday to pick it up.  It's only good for "clear water", so any mud puddles will have to be sucked up with the shop vac.  But if we can keep the hole empty in which the water comes up, it should take care of most of the problem.  I just need to check it often now with all the melting and run off.  We may have to ask the contracter who did the initial site clearing and put in our water and septic tanks to come up at take a look at the problem.  Might be good to have some professional advice and help here.  But, as stated by one of my favorite quotes from Episode I of Star Wars, "A solution will present itself." 

I am seriously thinking of putting together a gluten free cookbook.  The ones we have are very good, but have their own specific recipes.  I would like to create one that tells how to adapt to any recipe out there that uses a wheat flour.  It's not that difficult with a little practice.

Thought for the day:  The first day of Spring is one thing, and the first Spring day another.  The difference between them can be as great as a month.  Henry Van Dyke

March 11, 2012



Our yard in the midst of the battle
between Winter & Spring



Dinga cooling off by making
snow angels

















The annual March battle between Spring and Winter is in full swing Up Here.  While we had a very mild week, snow was forecast for last night and into the next three days.  It didn't snow last night but this morning it is 28 with a 60% chance of snow today.  Looks like it's coming in from the southwest.   Friday's high was 47, which makes it the warmest day so far this season.  If this keeps up, we will be hauling a lot of the porch fire wood up to the wood shed.  That's okay.  It's a lot easier that cutting more wood.

JB found the road all the way down to Larry and Elsie's was one big sheet of ice when he went to town on Friday, but from their place to the pavement the road was clear.  It was in the mid 50's Down there, and he arrived back at Rose Camp with just one jacket on and no snow pants over his jeans.  Along with the mail and groceries, he also brings newspapers.  There was an article on the front page of the Wenatchee World about a cougar north of here near Twisp.  Seems it was getting too comfortable being around people.  It had been chased away a couple times, but when it dragged a deer carcass under someone's porch, they called in the wildlife department.  Unfortunately they had to euthanize it and are now looking for its kitten.  Seems to me that a few rounds shot in the air would have chased it away, but who knows.  I'm just sorry they had to kill it.

Thursday I baked cookies from a Bob's Red Mill mix that JB's Mother had given him.  They turned out great - tasty and chewy.  But it's a bit pricey for just 24 cookies.  Of course, we certainly won't discourage any such gifts!  Saturday BJ made big chocolate muffins from a recipe in one of his gluten free cookbooks.  Yummm!

I am surprised at how many friends, blog readers and relatives (our daughter-in-law for one) use the home made soap.  Where have I been?  I wonder if it is also good for washing dishes.  Or is there another recipe floating around?  The April/May issue of Country Woman has some great recipes for home made natural cleaners, skin cleansers and room spray.  And, as usual, some delicious sounding food recipes also.

First day of Daylight Savings Time and although the clock says 8:00 am, my body says, "No way!  It's only 7:00!"  I was seriously thinking of keeping Rose Camp on Standard Time, but the dogs are getting up with the sun anyway.  At least it will seem later with I look at the clock.

Thought for the day:  No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session.  Mark Twain (1866! Some things never change.)

March 9, 2012



Larry standing on top
of boulder



Larry standing next
to boulder
















When Larry and Elsie first arrived Up Here last Saturday evening, Larry was going on and on about how we were really going to have a rough time getting out our road as a very large boulder had rolled down on it.  Elsie had pictures on her camera that they had taken, and as I looked at them I couldn't figure out where on our road it could be.  Turns out it was actually on their road that goes up the canyon near their house.  Ha, Ha, Larry!  That's it in the photos above, and as you can see, it is really huge.  Not only that, but our car is parked down at the mouth of that canyon!

The arctic freeze that was predicted for Wednesday night never arrived.  It was back up into the low 30's on Thursday, but more snow is due over the weekend.  Looks like it's going to be a warm on today too, as it is already 32 at 7:00 a.m.  The sun was so warm on our walk yesterday that I really didn't need a coat.

JB is going Down There today for groceries and to send and pick up mail.  He'll have to go again next week to pick up the pump we ordered, which should be perfect for dealing with the water under the house.  It has a small gas motor and can sit outside our bedroom window.  We ordered 40 ft. of inbound hose and 20 ft. of outbound hose.

Wednesday and Thursday were indoor days for me.  Just making cards, reading, and normal chores.  My muse and I seem to be in sinc right now.  Some days I couldn't create a card if my life depended upon it, and other days I can't make them fast enough.

JB cleaned off his workbench in the shop on Wednesday in preparation for starting to learn glass cutting.  He built a fire in there Thursday morning, and after lunch started to teach himself how to use his glass cutting kit.  He also has a glass etching kit.  We have been keeping all our glass bottles. Not quite sure exactly he has in mind, but am glad he has a new hobby.

The other day I was looking through a book on ghost towns in the west that was my Dad's.  His interest in the history of the old west peaked my interest at an early age and I have become a fan also.  I remember when I was in the fourth grade, my Dad, Mom and Grandmother (Dad's Mother) went on a trip to several old west towns and ghost towns.  They started in Virginia City, NV, and ended up in Bodie, CA.  I was devastated that they didn't take me, but we had an International pickup back then, and there was only room for three people.  I have the photos they took, and many years later JB and I visited Bodie and took our own pictures.  My Dad had visited Bodie in the '40's and always told the story about the old timer who was still living there.  As he walked down the streets with Dad, he greeted people only he could see.  Townspeople and miners who used to live there. . .

JB and I had our own interesting visit.  When we arrived on the washboard dirt road, we drove to the cemetery first.  I love old cemeteries.  It was a clear, hot day but as soon as we got out of the car, a small dark cloud appeared and created a torrential downpour over just the cemetery.  We made a quick visit then drove into town, and looking back, the cloud had disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.  The town had deteriorated since my parents' visit, but it was still fascinating, and left me wondering if I had been there before in another life. . .

Thought for the day:  It is not the length of life, but depth of life.  Ralph Waldo Emerson

March 7, 2012



Still have the equivalent of two full
rows left in the woodshed.



The grove is almost clear of snow, but that
pathway in front is solid ice.


















Jesse is outside barking and won't come in, so here I am blogging at 6:00 a.m.  He's just standing across the driveway and won't go any further.  Must be a cat or a coyote.  It's already light out, but that won't last much longer what with Daylight Savings Time starting soon.  I just don't understand why the government wants to mess with with every single aspect of our lives.  Aren't those officials supposed to be protecting our freedoms instead of infringing upon them?  Nothing like starting my day whining and complaining.  Enough.  On with life. . . 
Still have plenty of fire wood left in the woodshed, and I am almost a week into taking it off of the porch.  We had less than that back row left at the end of last season.  Just means less wood to cut this year.  Yes!!

When JB baked bread on Monday, he put two tablespoons of Costco's Kirkland Organic No-Salt Seasoning (similar to Mrs. Dash) into the loaf.  So very tasty!  I made some cheddar and raisin muffins that turned out pretty good too.  A little heavy, but nice and chewy.  That's the thing with gluton free cooking, it's all a bit of an experiment the first or second or third time around.

Our weather started cooling off again on Monday with the wind bringing in a cold front.  It started out at 34 in the morning, and by mid afternoon it had cooled to 27.  By Tuesday morning it was down to 13, with a high of only 26.  Time to put away the snow shoes and get out the ice skates.  Just blue skies and cold air forecast for all week.  Good excuse to stay inside and make cards and other crafts. . .

I was watching a hawk flying about on Sunday.  I often feel as I watch them and the eagles and ravens ride the thermals, dive and soar, that they are not only looking for a meal but simply doing this for the pure enJOYment of it.  I can almost feel their delight, and hear them shouting, "What a rush!"

In mentioning Dr. Bronner's Castile soap, I neglected to advise NOT to use the peppermint soap in the shower.  As refreshing as it might sound, it is way too strong for your. . . umm. .  private parts.  Trust me on this.

I read a book on JB's Nook for the first time.  That is an electronic reader that is simply a reader with no other apps, but it can hold up to 2000 books.  It was much easier to read that I thought it would be.  Not at all like staring at a computer screen.  Yes, it's great for having lots of books in very little space, however you there aren't that many sales.  E-books are less expensive, but it's not like going to a used book store and picking up some great buys.

Thought for the day:  So many books, so little time.

March 5, 2012

A glimpse of the Cascade Mountains
zoomed in from Rose Camp

Sunday disguised itself as the first day of Spring.  A real teaser.  Blue skies and 44 degrees.  A warm wind melting the snow.  Birds darting about.  No fire needed in the wood stove.  Opened the windows and let in the fresh mountain air.

Each season has equal time on the calendar, but Spring and Autumn seem to flitter by so much more quickly than winter and summer.  Up Here winter lasts from mid-October into April.  We often have snow for five months out of the year.  That's no problem for me as I prefer the cool weather to the hot.  And even though Spring brings mud season, it also brings all sorts of new life and colors.  Both in flora and fauna.  I always look forward to Spring and Autumn, but I am also pleased with the arrival of Winter.  Summer, not so much.

I spent time outside with the dogs in my overalls and just a light jacket.  We hiked about on the east ridge and I picked up some branches that had fallen.  There were no rabbit or deer tracks since the heavy snow Tuesday night.  I think the deer are down in the canyon right now.  Don't know about the rabbits.  And I think the cougar has moved on.  The only wildlife on the game cam for the past week were the dogs and JB.  It only picked up the headlights of Larry and Elsie's ATV as they came and went in the dark.

I have started a new page for food recipes and will be posting some of our favorite dishes on it.  For Sunday dinner I made bourbon sweet potatoes with orange marmalade chicken, so the first recipe is for the bourbon potatoes.  The chicken dish doesn't really have a recipe.  Just pour olive oil in a pan and add the chicken breasts.  Cover chicken in orange marmalade and bake in the oven (375 for 40 minutes).

Thought for the day:  We don't see things as they are, but as we are.   Anais Nin

March 4, 2012

MAX's tracks to the top of the south peak

As of Wednesday morning it's time for the snow shoes again, and - oh, my - do they use different muscles!  It's still easier than trudging through the snow without them though.

We spent a lot of Friday outside working and just enjoying the out-of-doors.  JB drove MAX up to the peak on the south ridge a couple times to pack it down.  We cleaned as much snow off the tipi as possible and dug out around it.  It needs to be clear around the bottom to let air in that will pull the smoke up and out the top.

Friday night is usually pizza night.  JB made the best GF crust ever!  Now that he has figured that out, we won't have to buy the pricey ready-mades.  Our pizza is always a joint effort.  We empty the fridge and cupboards of all the possibilities and come up with a different creation every time.  This week it was one large pizza, half ham and pineapple, and the other half left-over extra ground turkey from the enchilada casserole with onions on top of it all.  Yummm!

It warmed up to 33 on Friday and 38 on Saturday so we had to chip out the drain in front of the house again.  Have to wear goggles for that as you always end up getting a face full of ice.  The area is supposed to cool off on Monday with more precipitation.  By Friday the snow had already started to get moist and heavy, so cleaning around the tipi was not as easy as shovelling had been the day before.  May not need the snow shoes til it snows again at the rate it is melting.

Yesterday morning Jesse caught a little critter and ate the whole thing!  We didn't get a chance to see what it was, but it was definitely a fresh catch as there was blood on the snow.  I suppose this means lovely doggy farts for a few days. . .  When Dinga catches something, she just plays with it then kills it and chews on it.  Then she buries it for future chewing.

Larry and Elsie drove up last night and brought us a dozen eggs.  They are getting 8 to 9 a day now.  We played a couple games of "marbles"  (Aggravation), and the game lived up to its name.  The dice loved the guys and Larry carried on a play-by-play the whole evening.  I was going to write that I don't believe I have ever heard someone jabber so much about so little, but that would just be spiteful. . .

I have been meaning to give the home made laundry soap recipe, but rather than type the whole thing in my daily blog, I have made a special page for it and other recipes.  And I named it accordingly - Recipes Other Than Food.  I haven't actually made the soap yet as I am still looking for an appropriate bucket in which to mix it.  The e-mail that my friend sent recommended a web site called TipNut.com.  It has other recipes for home made soap (search for Homemade Laundry Soap recipes) and lots of other great tips for homemade cleaners and household tips.

Thought for the day:  The question is not what you look at, but what you see.  Henry David Thoreau

March 2, 2012



Warming up by the stove after
playing out in the snow



Our snow covered yard

Our Wednesday morning blue skies were soon obscurred by clouds and our views hidden by fog.  The sun peeked out in the afternoon, but we didn't see the mountains again until Thursday.  With every little breeze snow blew off the trees, looking like another snow storm.  I shoveled off the deck after dishes and laundry.  Meanwhile JB was unsuccessfully trying to start the snow blower.  Finally he had to shovel the pathways manually.  Fortunately for both of us, the snow was light and fluffy.  As soon as the road is passable by Jeep, JB is going to take that snow blower down the the small engine repair shop and have it thoroughly gone over.  Enough is enough!

After lunch we put the track back on MAX and I think we broke our record for the shortest time ever.  Then JB drove around the south ridge and house several times to pack down the driveway and path.  The dogs stayed with me inside as he drove down our road twice to the main canyon road to groom and pack it down.  Most of it was virgin snow with just a few deer tracks by RJ's cut off.  There was a little drifting, but nothing he had to get out and shovel.  The main canyon road had been plowed and this time our entrance was not blocked.  Thank you!

I'm not setting the alarm to do the stove at night now.  I got up at 1:00 am Thursday morning to visit the bathroom and put in another fire, and the stove was still above temp.  "Temp" being 250 degrees on top, which is 500 inside, the minimum at which the catalytic combuster can re-burn all the smoke and fumes to create more heat and less pollution out the chimney.  There is a lever on the stove which we pull up to force everything through the combuster.  To add wood to the fire, we push the lever down and open the draft.  Put the wood in and close the draft a bit, then wait ten minutes before pushing the lever up again.  We close the draft as much as possible so the fire will burn as slow as possible and not go out.  When JB got up at 7:00 am, it was still above temp.  That's six hours!  A very good fire.

JB left for Down There at 8:00 am Thursday.  Besides getting groceries, mail and gas, he looked at sump pumps.  They just aren't going to be what we need.  He dropped in to see Larry and Elsie, and Larry suggested a bilge pump.  Will check into that on the next trip.  JB went alone this time because he needed to fill up two of our gas cans, and there is not enough room in MAX for me and them.

I started taking firewood off the porch on Thursday.  March 1 and we now have more than eleven hours of sunlight each day.  Yes!  Only three weeks til Spring.  I saw a fat little wren on the porch yesterday.  Guess he can't wait either.  I don't really get tired of the cold and snow, it's the long hours of  darkness I can do without.

Thought for the day:  You are not a human being having a spiritual experience, but rather a spiritual being having a human experience.  Unknown