April 30, 2012

Western Spring Beauty



Alpine Shooting Star




Dwarf Waterleaf















So many wild flowers blooming now, creating a colorful carpet on the forest floor.  This has happened just in the past day or two.  Oh, how I love Spring!  (The correct name for the specific trillium whose photo I posted on 4/27 is Western Wake Robin.)

Woke up so sore yesterday morning from all the garden clearing and driving.  Swore I wouldn't do any more for at least a week!  And took some ibuprofen.  I did the final sanding on the mudding of the bathroom walls that Elsie had done, and had JB pull out the washer and dryer so I could do the mudding necessary on that wall.  By the time I was done, the ibuprofen had kicked in so naturally I went out to help JB who was pulling roots out of the garden area.  We finished getting out most of the roots and bushes.  Just a couple more to go.  JB made several trips with MAX and the trailer to the chipping pile.  Was another cool day - 52 with scattered clouds.  Just right for working outside.

When I called Jesse to go on our walk, he came running from near the outhouse where he had been laying, which was an odd place for him.  Dinga sniffed his mouth and ran over to where he had been.  I went over and saw a deer leg that he must have found.  Stripped clean of meat, but must have been a recent kill.  It was very small, so may have been taken down by the coyotes.  Or maybe a cat.

Thought for the day: The average American consumes approximately 11.7 pounds of chocolate per year.  (And I am sure that I have made up for those who are below average.) 

April 29, 2012 Happy Birthday, Mom!



JB and MAX clearing the garden site



More wildflowers!
















Two more beautiful Spring days.  Friday was clear and cool, but Saturday was much warmer.  As we sat eating lunch yesterday, at about the same time we looked at each other and said, "Screw it!  Lets go somewhere!"  So we all hopped in my Jeep and drove to Leavenworth.  This all before we gave it a thought that not only was this a beautiful Spring Saturday, but it was the first weekend of Wenatchee's Apple Blossom Festival which draws people from all over this state and the surrounding ones.  Leavenworth is a small, "Swiss" town about 20 miles west of Wenatchee that sits at the foot of the Cascade "Alps."  There were WAY too many people and cars, so we turned around and went back.  We stopped at one of the larger orchard/fruit stands which was fun.  No produce available, but they had a great store with all sorts of interesting sauces and relishes.

Both towns and all the orchards were in full bloom.  A veritable feast for the eyes.  While trees and bushes are just budding Up Here, their blossoms adorn all the streets and fields Down There.  And all this against the backdrop of the snow-covered Cascades.  It was a great drive.

Thursday night we caught a mouse in one of the bathroom traps.  Don't remember having one all winter.

After we pumped water out from under the house, we spent Friday afternoon clearing more brush from our garden site.  I can only hope that actually planting and growing a garden is much easier than clearing a place for it!  I pulled and chopped, while JB used MAX and the small trailer to haul the cleared brush to the chipping pile and then pull out some smaller bushes.  It sure looks good, and we just have a couple more large scrub brush and some big roots for JB's Jeep to pull out.

Saturday morning the dogs went nuts barking and both ran up the south slope.  Just as quickly they came running back down, still barking.  We couldn't see anything, but we think it must have been a bear.

I brought in the last of the firewood from the porch yesterday.  We'll have to pull from the wood shed again but probably won't be using too much more.

Today is Dinga's fourth birthday.  It would have been my Mom's 89th.

Thought for the day:  Earth laughs in flowers.  Ralph Walder Emerson

April 27, 2012 Elsie, The Bear Whisperer



Trillium



Pulling out roots





















Spring is back.  Wednesday's high was 51, which I thought was quite chilly, after just last week having thought it was quite warm.  We had about an hour's thunderstorm in the late afternoon.  Yesterday only got up to 38 - 29 degrees cooler than Monday!  Plus we had at least five hours of hard rain that began around 6:00 am.  Didn't have to pump out the crawl space, but we probably will have to today.  It didn't snow last night as predicted, but it is certainly cold enough - 26 with a clear, blue sky.

We spent Wednesday afternoon using JB's jeep to pull out brush from his garden sight.  Certainly is a lot easier than trying to chop and dig it out!  With yesterday so rainy and windy, we spent most of the day inside doing chores and baking an angel food cake.  This time I made an orange/lemon frosting for it.  Yum!

JB walked down with the dogs on Wednesday to get the card out of the game cam.  50 photos.  Half of them were people coming and going.  The other half were the dogs and one rabbit.  We put the card back in yesterday and we probably missed a herd of elk and 6 bears on Wednesday night.  The rain washed away all their tracks. . .  But we did see several trillium down the driveway.  Have never seen them Up Here before, just further down our road.  (See photo above.)

Larry and Elsie finally saw a bear.  Actually three bears, as they stopped to unlock the gate one day last week coming home from work.  A mama bear and two cubs were running along the hillside.  As they came out from behind a cluster of trees, only the mama bear appeared.  Elsie yelled at her, "Mama!  Go back and get your babies!"  Sure enough, mama bear stopped.  Stood up.  Looked, and ran back to get her cubs.  A few moments later, all three came running from out of the trees.  As they watched, mama bear again got way ahead of her cubs.  So Elsie yelled, "Mama!  Get your babies!"  And, once again, mama bear stopped and looked back.  This time she just waited until they caught up, and then they were all off into the woods.  Elsie, The Bear Whisperer.

Thought for the day:  I have been studying the traits and dispositions of the "lower" animals (so called) and contrasting them with the traits and dispositions of man.  I find the result humiliating to me.  Mark Twain

April 25, 2012



Balsam root buds near the house -
about six weeks early!



Sunset 4/22/12

















Sunday and Monday were definitely summer days misappropriated to April, while Saturday and Tuesday belonged in mid-June.  Monday's high temperature was 67!  Yesterday was 61 Up Hear, but 75 Down There.  It is supposed to rain today and snow by tomorrow evening.  So temperatures are getting back to normal, but what a wonderful respite.

JB arrived back home on Monday and had a good trip over the mountains.  He got back much earlier than I had expected, so I had to hurry and clean up after Elsie left from doing the last sanding and just a little more mudding.  JB was pleasantly surprised with the bathroom (thank goodness).  I hope to get that all finished soon.  We just spent the afternoon reading newspapers and talking, sitting out on the porch in the "summer" sun.  He said it had been clear and in the 70's on the other side all weekend, which is unusual for them too.

Yesterday we both went Down There in our respective vehicles.  Took two as JB needed to fill the gas cans.  So he did some errands and I did the shopping, and we got home much earlier than usual.  It was too hot to take the dogs with us, which is never an issue in April!  It was my first time shopping by myself since last Fall.  I had to re-familiarize myself with the stores, so of course that meant going down every aisle in Costco. . .

When we returned home, JB hung out six yellow jacket traps (which is about a month early).  I worked on pulling out more tall stalks of dead grasses and yarrow from last Fall.  So nice to get an early jump on all this clearing up.

Thought for the day:  Nothing can be a very clever thing to say.

April 23, 2012



Jesse sunning himself



It won't fit!















By the time the dogs and I returned from our morning walk at 11:00 yesterday, it was already 57 degrees!  I gave them their treat, then sat on the porch and watched the woodland life.  "Our" wren is back in the birdhouse cleaning and putting in a fresh nest.  Most of the little insect fliers are also back: flies, wasps, gnats, bumble bees.  As I sat there, our first hummingbird appeared at the porch, the red one.  I took the hint and got out the feeder.  Washed it.  Filled it.  And hung it out.  It took less than two minutes for him to find it.  A little later I saw the tiny green one at the feeder.  Also saw a lizard sunning himself on a stump as I went to clean out and fill the bird bath. 

Heard the turkeys down over the west ridge.  The dogs ran over to the edge to look, but didn't go down.  Elsie said that every day now when they come home from work, "their" flock of turkeys are in their yard.  What a sight to come home to!

I have never been more aware of birds before moving Up Here.  Maybe because their songs are not drowned out by traffic and other sounds of life Down There.  We did have a bird feeder on our deck when we lived in Kirkland, until one day when I looked out the window to see a roof rat sitting on the railing and eating bird seed.  Norwegian roof rats look nothing like a typical rat, but more like a pack rat.  A big, cute hampster!  We actually had to get our house "rat proofed" as we some had gotten into the attic.

The high temperature for yesterday was 64 with a cloudless sky!  Way above average.  It was 74 Down there which was 18 degrees above normal.  More like an early summer day.  Elsie came up in the early afternoon to sand the bathroom walls and put another coat of mud on.  She plans to come up again this morning for the final sanding, and then I will prime the walls this week.  When that is all dry, she's going to help me put on a texturizer that goes under the paint.  Should be all done in a week or so.  Just in time for us to order the tongue-in-groove pine to finish the great room.  Our road should be just fine for the truck to come up by then.

No game cam pictures today as I do not know how to put the card back into the cam and reset it.  We'll check it when JB gets back today.

Had a passing thunder shower this morning at 7:20.  Very short.  Just enough to wake me up.  We may get a few more during the day, but it is already 54 out there so it will be another warm one.  Didn't need a fire last night for the first time this year.Thought for the day:  Maple Leaf Gardens: the most important religious building in Canada.  William Kilbourn  (In honor of the hockey playoffs)

April 22, 2012



The view from my swing.




Snow is gone from the yard and
the grass is greening.
















Saturday was the most glorious day!  Perhaps our best Spring day in two years.  All I can remember from the last two is wet.  But yesterday was amazing.  I cleared a few more bushes from JB's garden site early, before the sun hit there.  Then the dogs and I went for their morning walk.  When we got to the north ridge I could see that one of our weekender friends, Dave and Kay, were up.  So the dogs and I hopped in my Jeep and we drove over for a short visit.  JB had made another loaf of dilly bread for me to have while he was gone, so I took a few slices for them.   I was amazed that the road had cleared up so much in just the few days since we were down it.

When we got back to Rose Camp, I had lunch and thought about all the work I could get done that day.  However, my inner child just wanted to sit out in the sun.  My child won.

Elsie came up on her ATV about 5:30 to start taping and mudding the bathroom.  Dave had wanted to see her technique so I gave him a call to let him know she had arrived.  She did a wonderful job and will be back Up Here today to sand and put on another layer.  Then she will come back up tomorrow to finish.  What a great friend!!

Larry drove up on his ATV later, so we all had a nice evening visit til they all left around 8:00 pm.  It was just getting dark and was still warm enough for only a light jacket.  The high had been 55, but I am sure it was much warmer than that out in the sun. 

As I sat down this morning to write, I saw our first robin in a tree near the deck.  And yesterday I saw our first blooming wildflower, a Spring Beauty.  Oh, how I love Spring!
Thought for the day:  Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.  Victor Borge

April 20, 2012



Ready to take a load off
the north ridge



Showers over the Columbia River.

On Monday I brought in the last of the firewood that was stacked on the south end of the porch, so I swept and cleaned off that end.  Then set it up for enjoying sitting outside.  Sitting out there with my morning coffee or just resting from work seems so much more wonderful this Spring.  But in looking back, we had been snowed in almost five months.  No wonder I am enjoying the warm and dry outside!  (Warm being anything above the mid-30's.)

As I stepped outside with my basket of laundry on Monday, a large grouse was strutting by the north end of the porch.  So pretty with his (her?) silvery and gold wing feathers.  It took a few moments, but the dogs soon gave chase.

Both Monday and Tuesday started out clear and sunny, but soon became overcast.  It was in the low forties, but good working weather.  Both days I worked on clearing out dead grass and bushes from north of the house.  JB got his Jeep ready for his trip to Seattle today.  On Tuesday we brought three trailer loads of small branches to the chipper, and one load of larger branch wood to be cut for the woodshed.  The north ridge looks so nice now.  Definitely worth all the effort.  Now we can get working on the east slope.

After lunch on Monday, we all walked down to bring my Jeep all the way up to Rose Camp.  Still some snowy spots, but I had no problem driving it home.  And, of course, we walked two miles and the dogs ran six.  A few showers passed over mainly to the west of us.  We got just a few drops from the edge of the clouds.  However, it started raining about 5:30 pm yesterday and continued until well after we went to bed.  Looks muddy out there but the dog's feet weren't too bad when they came in.  Hope JB doesn't slide around too much driving down this morning.

Thought for the day:  The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too.  Samuel Butler

April 18, 2012



Frame for JB's greenhouse




My swing!














There was a lazy snow falling when we woke up this morning.  It didn't stick and soon gave way to patches of blue sky.  A bit chilly though - 28.
JB baked dilly bread on Monday.  I have seen several different recipes for dilly bread over the years and tried some of them, but the very best one is from Aunt Nene who discovered it when I was still in high school.  I will post it on my recipe page soon.  JB simply substitued half the necessary flour with Carol's mix (from her cookbook, Gluten Free Quick and Easy) and half with Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Baking mix.  So delicious!

Monday was grey and wet so we stayed in most of the day.  Tuesday was still grey but at least it was dry so we got out and worked.  I cleared bushes and branches between the tipi and the north ridge.  We put up my swing on the west ridge, overlooking the mountains.  And JB put up the frame for his green house.  He made it from surviving pieces of our car port.  It is 12'X10' and he will cover the frame in heavy "green house" plastic.  He also plans to sink the poles into concrete.

Larry and Elsie drove up to visit Monday evening bringing lots of eggs.  Some for us and some for JB's brother who has the winery.  JB is going to bring back an empty wine cask for them this weekend.  Just perfect for home made hootch.  Larry was able to identify a sound that JB had been hearing the past couple days.  Turns out it is grouse doing their mating season thing.  They have a couple turkeys down at their place who are, shall we say, taking full advantage of the season.

Reader's Digest ain't your Mama's digest any more.  It's very entertaining with some great articles.  However, I strongly disagree with most of "Cheer Up!  17 Reasons It Is a Great Time to be Alive" in last month's issue.  And so does an author in the current issue of Countryside magazine.  She writes an open letter entitled "What on Earth?" which really tears apart most of those 17 reasons.  There are several articles of specific interest to us in this current issue, including a couple on making yogurt, which I really would like to try.  I think I am going to write them a letter though, asking about the difference between oven canning dry food and vaccuum packaging it.

Countryside's note about magazine scams is right on.  I have received scams for renewing a couple of our magazines.  Not a problem for us though as I would never pay as much as they are asking.  And I only renew on offers from the specific magazine and payable to them.  I have even received a couple "collection" notices for NOT renewing!

Regarding my thought for today, even though I worked for StairMaster and then Precor, both of whom had excellent workout rooms available to employees, it was always difficult for me to make time to exercise.  I walked our Greyhounds alot, and to me that was sufficient.  Now exercising comes with our lifestyle.  The BEST way to exercise.  However, I still wash my mouth out with (hot) chocolate on a regular basis.

Thought for the day:  Exercise is a dirty word.  Every time I hear it, I wash my mouth out with chocolate.

April 16, 2012

East slope so recently white & now greening up.



Already stacking branch wood
for next winter.





No one on the game cam except for the dogs and us, but it was fascinating to watch the snow melt during week.  There is a small stream running down our driveway from the little snow that is still left.  So nice to be able to walk on firm ground instead of slogging through the snow.  And it is amazing how green the east slope is now as up to 10 days ago it had been white for five months. 

So many small trees seem to have grown dramatically over the winter.  Or maybe just in the past few weeks since it has warmed up.

Slept in on Sunday but still got a lot done outside.  JB worked on building a wooden shelter for the shop generator.  I finished cutting the third pile of branches on the north ridge and trimmed a few trees.  Brought back the last of three wheelbarrow loads of branch wood for the wood shed and stacked it.  While I was working on the north ridge, there was a pull-your-hat-down-and-zip-your-vest-way-up wind blowing in from the west.  I also cleaned up branches and twigs from winter's collection in the grove, and raked up pine needles from the yard.  I don't clean up the needles shed in the autumn so they can be a protecting layer for the grass and flowers.  While raking them away from my "fence", I discovered that several iris are already popping up.  I hope they will bloom this year.

It is so nice to be able to sit on the porch in the sun during our work breaks.  And starting the day sitting there with my coffee is a delight.  Won't be doing that this morning as it is grey and raining.  I try to think of it as April working on May flowers, but it is still grey and wet. . .

I have let my hair grow long this winter so I can wear it pulled up.  Unfortunately it is not nearly as thick as it was when I wore it like that in my 40's and into my 50's.  But whenever I let it grow, I think it must look better and be easier to deal with when it is short.  When I finally do cut it, I like it for a while but then think I like it much better long.  Even now I am tempted to cut it just as it has reached a little below my shoulders.  Ah, the grass is always greener. . .

I have decided that I am receiving too many magazines, so I will not be renewing at least three of them.  They are all interesting and well written, but I have a penchant for cutting out or copying articles.  I have a big filing box full or articles that I will probably never look at again.  All about projects I want to try; products I might be interested in; different gardening techniques; books I want to read; movies I want to see; etc., etc.  I would have to live another 100 years just to read all those books.  And that's only the ones written as of today.  Each week brings more.

And speaking of gardening, I simply do not have a green thumb.  Even though all those articles I cut out make growing a vegetable garden seem as easy as reading a book (which I am very good at).  JB has found a nice sunny place on the west ridge where he is going to put his garden.  I will help, but it will be his project.

Thought for the day:  I'm not getting older.  I'm getting discounts.  (Courtesy of my BFF, Sandy.)

April 15, 2012



The snow is all gone Down There.



The grosbeaks are back too.















JB left for Down There Friday morning under blue skies and 28 degrees.  It was supposed to be cooler all weekend, but yesterday warmed up to 50 even though we had a cool breeze.  Snow is about 3/4 gone now, but it's been a slow melt so we don't have much mud.  And so far our April showers have been just that.  No downpours like the last two years.  Yet.  It seems like it has been a very sudden transformation into Spring.  For five months we could not work outside and now we can every day.  One day we couldn't.  The next day we could.  At least it's not like Chicago where Spring lasts for a week, if you're lucky.

I worked on the branch piles on the North ridge while JB was Down There on Friday.  We didn't pump out water when he got back, but we did yesterday.  Seems to be less now, but who knows?

On our Friday walk Dinga discovered a mouse nest.  I saw her digging and then walking around with something in her mouth.  I called her over and she was carrying three tiny baby mice very gently.  I got them away from her, but of course couldn't put them back in the nest.  So I had to kill them.  Don't ask. . .

Also on Friday, I found a tick on Dinga.  None on Jesse though.  Am going to have to be more diligent about checking for them now that the weather is staying warm.

Yesterday right after breakfast, even before doing the dishes, we drove JB's Jeep down to get mine.  Wanted to get down and back up before the snow on our road got slushy.  There is still quite a bit, so I left my Jeep where the main canyon road meets our road.  Can probably get it up in another week.  It's just not quite as agile as the Wrangler.  We cleaned our road on the trip, moving two large rocks and several smaller ones.  

Living Up Here is the first time in my life that I have really felt the pulse of each season.  Probably because they affect us so much and what we can do.  Down There working, we were doing the same thing five days a week almost all year long.  Except for vacations, there was really no time or reason to be affected by the changing seasons other than the clothes we wore or maybe what we did on the weekends.  Nothing drastic, except maybe a snow day or two.  I love that Up Here, every day we are aware of the time of year, its weather, and the changes in the landscape and critters.

Thought for the day:  Optimist: someone who tells you to cheer up when things are going his way.  Edward R. Murrow

April 13, 2012 Spring Showers

Balsam root shoots - It really is Spring!

Two days of occasional Spring showers and the snow is quickly melting.  More than half gone now.  There are balsam root shoots popping up on the south ridge along with other greenery.  Temperature has been in the high 40's, which is perfect for working outside.  And we did.  I continued working on the piles of branches on the north ridge.  JB discovered that tightening MAX's chain will be a bigger project than he initially thought, so we will do it together probably on Sunday.  He is going Down There today and hopefully we will be able to bring my Jeep up at least to our road on Saturday.

I made pea soup as planned on Wednesday.  The ham bone was so big I had to use my big canning pot in which to cook it!  Turned out delicious, and I may still be able to get some of it in the freezer.

Don't need to bring firewood in every day now.  When it's up to 50 for the day, we just put a fire in first thing in the morning and then again around dinner time for the evening.  But we do need to pump water every day.  JB is going to Seattle next Friday to help his brother at their winery for the weekend.  We will pump just before he leaves and hopefully that will do until he gets back.

I really miss not having a fire in the stove during the warm weather.  We use the top of the stove as a place to keep our coffee and other food warm, melt butter, etc.  But most of all, I miss standing by it even if I'm not really cold, and of course watching the flames and gases dancing like a manic aurora borealis.

The juncos are busy scratching like chickens in the yard.  They are often joined by sparrows and nuthatches.  The squirrels are out and about now too, driving Dinga and Jesse crazy.  I watched one climb a thin rose bush stem to get a left over rose hip.  He sat on the dog pen fence and ate it like it was quite a delicacy.  I am surprised the bushes hadn't been stripped clean in the Fall.  We also had a big critter going across our east slope yesterday that JB thought might have been an elk.  He just got a quick glimpse before the dogs scared it away.

I saw a letter in a recent Country Woman magazine from a woman in Maine who was looking for a manual bread maker just like the one we have.  We don't use it any more because gluten free dough does not have to be kneaded.  I wrote to her and I guess I was the only one who offered her one, so JB will be mailing it to her today for the cost of the postage.  Am so glad I found someone who will really use it.

Thought for the day:  Lots of people talk to animals. . . Not very many listen, though. . . That's the problem.  Benjamin Hoff, The Tao of Pooh

April 11, 2012 Outside Working!

First batch of laundry drying outside this year



JB hauling branches to
the chipper














I hung the wash outside to dry for the first time this year on Monday.  It was already 42 by 11:00 am.  Tuesday was the first morning it was above freezing when we got up - 33.  Both days warmed up to 50 even though there was a light overcast.  Got up to 69 Down There.  Opened up the windows in the house and didn't put in a fire for the night.

We pumped water out from under the house both days, and will probably have to do it daily for a while since the weather is warm now.  It's become part of our routine, so I'm just not mentally fighting it any more.  It only took us a total of 40 minutes from set up to clean up on Tuesday.  We just get in, do it, and get it over with.  But we will definitely get the problem resolved this summer, because I am NOT spending every winter and early spring pumping water!

After pumping on Monday, we took the tracks off of MAX.  Not really difficult, but very time consuming.

Tuesday we thought we would be able to drive JB's Jeep down to get mine and bring it back up, but because the snow was so soft, we only made it to within about 1/2 mile of the main canyon road before we had to turn around and go back home.  The dogs were thrilled to finally get a ride again.  JB will take MAX down on Friday when he goes to town and if the road is better, we will get my Jeep on Saturday.

When we got back we pumped water and then attacked the largest pile of branch wood on the north ridge.  I took my jumbo clippers and started cutting, making two piles.  One for the chipper (which was most of it), and one for the wood shed.  I could really feel the sludge working out of my muscles!  JB hauled four trailer loads to the chipper pile before he had to quit because MAX's chain was slipping.  It's been a busy two days and we have more busy planned for today.  I'm going to make pea soup with that huge ham bone, then continue cutting on the wood piles.  JB will tighten MAX's chain, then haul more wood.  And, of course, we will pump water.

On our Tuesday afternoon walk we heard several turkeys gobbling just over the side of the north ridge.  The dogs must have heard them also, but just didn't seem interested.

We have had the side door open during the day for the past week or so.  The storm door being another window through which to let in the Spring sunlight.  I thought we would have the door open in the winter also for the light, but we don't.  Makes it seem colder inside.  Not as cozy.

For Easter, Nene and Jack not only sent us chocolate, but also a battery operated can opener.  It's the kind that takes off the complete top of the can and leaves no sharp edges.  AND you don't even have to touch it.  Just put it on the can and turn it on.  Does the whole job by itself.  This has got to be the coolest gadget we have in our kitchen!

Thought for the day:  Finish every day and be done with it.  You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities crept in.  Forget them as soon as you can.  Tomorrow is a new day.  You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.  Ralph Waldo Emerson

April 9, 2012 Coyotes & Turkeys

My favorite kind of
bunny!



Too bad these two coyotes aren't
chocolate too!

















The sun was shining on the porch after breakfast Easter morning, so I put on both my bath robes and took my coffee outside.  Temperature was barely above freezing but warming up quickly in the sun.  And the birds were singing, as they are this morning.  After settling into my chair, I noticed movement up the southeast slope and realized it was a turkey hen.  Then I saw a tom near her, tail fanned.  Took a photo but he was really too far away to make out, even zoomed in.  I watched them for a few minutes before they disappeared into the trees.  Fortunately neither dog noticed them.

The day was soon overcast but at least it was dry.  JB fixed our smallest trailer that had started to rust on the bottom out by the tongue.  Bolted a piece of wood onto it.  I cleaned up more branches and fixed dinner.  A nice, relaxing day.

We had 43 pictures on the game cam for the week.  Seven were of JB, myself, Larry and Elsie coming and going.  Three were of the two coyotes, and the rest were Dinga and Jesse.  The dogs were growling and pacing in the wee hours of Easter morning, obviously because of the two coyotes that were caught on the game cam. 

When JB went Down There on Tuesday, the only ham that the butcher shop had left until more came in on Thursday was 17 lbs!  It's a good thing we have room in the freezer. . .  But it was delicious and I made candied yams and broccoli to go with it for our Easter dinner.

About a week ago we realized that we were draining the water from the bilge pump over our septic tank drain field, and that was probably the cause of our toilet flushing problem.  We switched to direction of the drain pipe, and, sure enough, our toilet seems to be working just fine now.

Thought for the day:  If I had my life to live over, I'd live over a delicatessen.

April 8, 2012 Easter Sunday & Bears are Waking



Looking south to the grove
Thursday afternoon




Looking north to the grove
Friday morning





















It was snowing when we got up Friday morning and by 9:00 am we had 1-1/2" of snow and another inch by the end of the day.   But by noon the sun was out and the it was starting to melt.  Slipping off the roof.  Falling off the trees.  By 2:00 pm we were in the middle of a hail storm that soon turned to snow again.  Ahhh, Spring in the mountains. . .  Not sure I'll ever get used to it.

JB got caught in the hail storm as were were pumping out water.  I guess not being out in the weather is the only good thing about being under the house in the water and mud. . .

None of this weather is deterring the juncos.  They know it's Spring.  Even in the middle of the falling snow they are out digging for food, especially where the snow has just melted between the house and the grove.  We think a couple of them are living under the porch for now.  I love watching them hopping and flying about, especially after a long winter with no birds at all.  Elsie says the robins are down at their place.  Looking forward to seeing them, too.

On our walk Friday, Dinga caught what I think is a vole.  She started throwing it around, but stopped when I yelled at her.  Unfortunately she had injured it so that its back feet weren't working.  I had JB stomp on its head to kill it.  So glad he was there and I didn't have to do that.  I just hate it.

Friday's full moon was a Pink Moon, also known as the Little Frog's Croak moon.  Am always amazed at the names given to full moons.  Our little frogs aren't croaking yet, but will probably doing so soon.

Yesterday we had blue sky most of the day, with clouds blowing over from the east which is unusual, as they usually come in from the west.  The snow is melting again, but it is not as muddy as I thought it might be.  I'm sure that will change soon enough.

We pumped water out from under the house yesterday so we wouldn't have to do it today, being Easter.  With the clear weather, I went up on the East slope and began cleaning up branches, adding them to the piles that are still there.  This week I hope to start using MAX and the little trailer to start bringing the piles of branches down to our cutting pile.  Still have several piles from the past few years.  While I was out there, I found a wasp's nest (see photo below).  Was actually working around it for a while before I saw it!I sprayed it with wasp/yellow jacket spray in order to kill any that might be in there.  Didn't see any flying around, but I'm sure it's still too early for them to be out. 

Larry and Elsie drove up last night.  They saw bear tracks on our road about 1/2 mile down from our house.  The first tracks they have seen this year.  That would explain the musky odor JB smelled outside a few days ago when the dogs were barking with their hackles up but wouldn't go far from the house.  Will be packing from now on.

And, speaking of Easter, we have a chocolate Easter bunny this year and chocolate eggs courtesy of Aunt Nene & Uncle Jack.  Of course, I got to eat the bunny ears.  Chocolate makes everything so much better. 

Thought for the day:  I never panic when I get lost, I just change where it is I want to go.  Rita Rudner

Wasp's nest

April 6, 2012

Time to pump out the water!



Rain shower to the NW of us
on Thursday






















What a grey day it was for most of yesterday.  Typically Seattle.  So what was it doing over on this side of the mountains?!  I think Mother Nature is having some serious directional problems.  The older I get, the more sunny days I need.  We had dark clouds, but all the precipitation went to the north and south of us.  It was a good excuse to bake cookies, sort some of my recipes and finish reading magazines that JB brought up on Tuesday.  We did have a few sun breaks in the afternoon and both of us scooted outside.  JB gathered lumber to build a small shelter for his shop generator.  I cleaned up more branches and cut up the larger ones.  Feels so good to be outside working.  Will be hard to keep me inside now.

We pumped out water from under the house on Wednesday and broke our record - took us only one hour from set up to clean up.  And that included me bringing in fire wood from the porch while JB began his set up.  Didn't need to pump yesterday, but we will today.

Dinga has quite a relationship with the local ravens.  They will fly over making their gronking and other odd noises, and Dinga will bark at them.  They often perch on the top of the trees and "talk" to her.  She watches them closely and will often follow aways when they fly off.  Jesse will watch them sometimes, but pretty much ignores them.

The last couple times JB has gone Down There he has bought some Nature's Path frozen GF waffles.  We have tried the buckwheat and home style, both of which are excellent.  Much better than any Eggo I've ever had.

There is markedly less snow each day now, and we are seeing little green sprouts along the pathways.  Wild flower blooms can't be far away.  Well, I wrote those two sentences late yesterday afternoon.  As I went downstairs and looked out the window to the north, I thought there was a huge fog bank in the valley or maybe it was raining there.  Just as it looked like we were going to get wet too, the temperature dropped to 28 and it started snowing.  Sticking everywhere.  Just when I was about to go looking for wild flowers. . . 
This morning it is almost a white out.  Back to Christmas.

I started reading On Mystic Lake by on Monday and finished it on Wednesday.  Couldn't put it down!  I'm sure I will read it every year or so.

Yesterday was our Granddaughter's fifth birthday.  In the evening our son called so we could be on the phone when she opened her present from us.  A better gift to us than ours to her!

Thought for the day:  The voyage of self discovery lies not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.  Marcel Proust

April 4, 2012

Turkey tracks



Dinga & Jesse on their "lookout" rock
during our hike






















The snow is fast disappearing, and in just three days April has brought mud season into full swing. There was no need to pump water out from under the house on either Monday or Tuesday, but looks like we will have to today.

MAX’s wheel problem was just an optical illusion! Woo Hoo!!

There were only nine photos on the game cam when we checked it on Sunday. Seven of them were of Jesse and two of JB.  Definitely wild life, but already have plenty of pictures of them.

When the dogs and JB went for their morning walk on Monday, JB heard an elk bugling in the canyon to the south of us. Then at the north ridge he heard our resident blue grouse. Yep, Spring has definitely arrived.

I got some overdue chores done, like defrosting the fridge, vacuuming, etc. JB baked bread as usual on Monday, then we both worked on a chocolate chiffon pie. The filling turned out yummy, but we still have to work on the crust. JB used the pie crust recipe in our Gluten-Free Cooking for Dummies cook book, but we didn’t have a couple specific items so he improvised. Obviously not a good idea.

The dogs and I finally went on our "loop" hike again, east on the south ridge to the end then down into Erno’s property and back to Rose Camp. Saw turkey and grouse tracks, and a couple deer tracks. Actually spooked a couple grouse in two different places, but didn’t see or hear any turkeys. It felt very good to get out for a long hike.

JB went Down There yesterday and it will probably be the last time on MAX with the tracks on. Just not enough snow on the main canyon road. We may try to get my Jeep up to our road this week.  I took the dogs for their morning walk and stayed outside a while picking up small branches knocked down during winter storms.  Sat on the porch for a while just watching and listening to the birds.  So nice. . .

Just as I crawled back into bed yesterday morning at about 5:00, after going to the bathroom and putting in a fire, we heard the faint high-pitched yipping of coyotes. Barely close enough to hear, but enough to get the dogs barking. They were probably down by the hair-pin, so hopefully we will get some on the game cam this week.

Thought for the day: I know in my heart that man is good, that what is right will always eventually triumph, and there is purpose and worth to each and every life. Ronald Reagan

April 2, 2012

Can see the sunsets again now that
the sun is further north & not setting
behind the trees.

April roared in like March, but by mid-day the snow stopped falling.  The clouds blew away and the sun shone.  The wind didn't slack off, but the day warmed to 33.  The snow started melting.  All gone in the valley and canyons. There was less water under the house.  Plenty of chocolate inside the house.  And only one yellow jacket in the loft.

JB drove MAX down our road to check it out and pack it down.  Got back with a rear tire that looks like it has some broken studs that we will have to fix today.  He plans to go Down There on Tuesday.

Larry, with his Cancun tan, brought up a couple dozen eggs and visited for a while.  Elsie was still recuperating from a cold she picked up on their travels. But they did have a great vacation.

Thought for the day:  The most wasted day of all is that on which we have not laughed.  Sebastien Chamfort

April 1, 2012

3/31 The lion's last roar as seen from
the loft.

March was still roaring as April swept in snowing and blowing.  We woke up to 1-1/2" of snow  yesterday morning and received almost 2" more during the day.  The temperature was down to 22 so the snow stuck everywhere and we are back up to 100% ground coverage.  The avalanche canons were thundering on Mission Ridge both Friday and Saturday, echoing over the mountains and chasing Jesse into the house.  Several storm cells passed over on Friday but because of the wind, any snow they tried to drop went horizontal and did not land until reaching the next county.  There is a wind advisory in our area for all day today.  Mother Nature is certainly in a snit.

Had to pump water out from under the house both Friday and Saturday, and poor JB had to be out in that weather while we did it.  It takes about 1-1/2 to 2 hours to set up, pump and then clean up, with only 6 to 12 minutes actual pumping.  Now that we are familiar with the pump, we have the whole process pretty much down to a science.  We even have a rope that attaches to both our wrists that I pull on when JB needs to turn off the pump.  And I have made a cap out of screen for the end of the hose to keep small rocks from getting sucked in.  There are two main places in which the water settles and from which we pump.  At this point I am only concerned with getting the water out from them and not all the little indentations as there will be more the next day.  Just trying to keep the support poles as dry as possible.

It may be the end of March, but it is looking like the end of December out there.  Still just a beautiful, but I am getting antsy for more of that warm weather we had this time last week.  This new spate of snow hasn't chased off the birds though.  They can feel Spring weather in the air, too.

Thought for the day:  The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.  Alvin Toffler