July 7, 2012 Alone Time



The dogs & my new wiggle wood fence

 We didn't have the predicted storm on Tuesday, but we did have strong winds all day - 35 mph sustained with some pretty impressive gusts.  And a high of only 54.  JB spent most of the day outside, braving the winds and trying to get some more projects done before he leaves for Seattle, like moving all the large rocks we took out of the yard back to where I plan to build a small rock wall where the yard now slopes down on the SE edge near the cistern.  He also chipped two loads and spread it on the parking area.  I stayed inside and puttered around.  Did some work on the computer, labeling and organizing my photos, and printing out the invitations to our "4th Annual Rose Camp BBQ & Potluck" which will be held on August 5 for people who own property Up Here or live nearby.  By noon it was chilly enough to put a fire in the wood stove.  Ahhh, July in the mountains. . .

Wednesday was a glorious day to celebrate our country's independence.  If only individuals could be as independent as they once were.  If the government keeps on going the way it is, we will all be forced to be dependent upon it and under its tight control.  But I digress.  This year's 4th of July was truly enjoyable, and as the present, it was one.  The future will be here soon enough.  We had a scrumptious BBQ of salmon, salads and corn bread, played cards and simply enjoyed each other's company.

Thursday it was back to work and we moved about six wheelbarrow loads of rock in front of the shop on which to set the generator and its cover.  We cleaned the grove of items we had placed there to be out of the way when our yard was re-sculpted.  I raked more dirt clods away, and we put the horseshoe pits on the restructured west ridge.  JB got organized and packed for his trip.

I drove down in the morning to say good-bye to RJ and Mike who were leaving to go back to Seattle.  Mike has a really busy few weeks ahead of him.  This weekend he is going to climb Mt. Adams, then has football camp during next week.  On the 14th he, his Mom, along with her significant other and his parents and siblings are going on a cruise up the inside passage to Alaska.  When they get back he is going to climb Mt. Rainier.  Hopefully he will be able to come back up for the Rose Camp BBQ, unless he is just going to take a week off to sleep!

JB left for Seattle yesterday about 8:30 am.  On Thursday he had baked a loaf of bread for me and I had stacked up on food that is quick and easy to make.  I'm not one for cooking much just for myself.  I have plenty of yogurt, apples, carrots, cheese and pre-cooked chicken-spinach-gouda sausages.  And, of course, ice cream.  By 10:00 am it was already 70 outside, with highs in the 90's and low 100's predicted for Down There through the weekend.  That means at least 80 Up Here.  A good excuse to do nothing. . .

Unfortunately, I have a hard time doing nothing, so while it was still nice and cool in the shade I started re-building my wiggle wood fence on the edge of our "new" west ridge.  I finished it after dinner.  Check one project off my list.

And speaking of our government, here is an item from the "Newsroom" in the June-July issue of "Mary Jane's Farm" magazine:

It's been 15 years since two Fox News reports were silenced and fired over their never-aired investigative story about the dangers of Monsanto's bovine growth hormone (rBGH).  After being pressured by Monsanto (including the threat that "there would be dire consequences for Fox News if the story aired") and asked to report false information by their news manager, the two filed a "whistleblower" lawsuit, a legal protection for those who bring corporate or government misconduct to light.  BUT, after six long years, the two lost their suite because the court ruled that there is no law that news has to state the truth, or in the words of Project Censored, "the media can legally lie."

Thought for the day:  Life can be hard.  Sometimes it's full of frustrations and disappointments.  But in spite of it all, we persevere, and suck up the pain, because at the end of it all. . . there is ice cream.  "Pickles" comic strip by Brian Crane (of which, we are great fans!)