August 10, 2015 Happy Birthday, Larry!

Elsie's forest of tomato plants!

The T-shirt we gave to Larry for
his birthday.

Friday 8/7. I always feel a bit discomboobilated when JB leaves for more than a couple days, and it will take a few nights before I can get a good night's sleep.

I hiked all the way up to the peak on our morning walk as I saw and smelled smoke to the southeast.  It looks like it is drifting in from the fires that are to  the north and northeast of Rose Camp.

It was such a beautiful morning that I pulled weeds for a while before going in to do the laundry and dishes.  I do so enjoy hanging out the laundry.  It somehow always helps me feel grounded, as do so many of the chores we have Up Here that we never had Down There.  Doing basic things for ourselves.

I discovered dark blue berries on the bush that we enclosed in the expanded chicken run.  This is the first year it has bloomed and I think they are service berries.  I went inside the run and picked them for the girls.  They were thrilled with the treat!

On our afternoon walk I could see that the smoke had cleared, probably with the breeze that had popped up.  There is still a brown haze on the northern horizon, but nowhere else and I couldn't smell anything either.  It was a lovely day with a high of 74 and clouds moving across the sky.

JB visited his youngest brother at their winery on his drive over and finally arrived at his other brother's and Mom's place about 4:00 pm.  The traffic between the two was horrific.  He says he will never again complain about traffic on this side of the mountains.

I broke out a bottle of my favorite wine - Orange Muscat - to have with a dinner of pasta and marinara sauce.  We have discovered that the gluten-free pasta that is made in Italy is the best.  

Saturday 8/8. It was 65 and clear this morning, but clouds soon started appearing from over the mountains.  This was the first day that I detected Fall in the air.  A bit early, but then everything has been early this year.  In fact Fall colors began to appear the last week of July.  Yellow and orange leaves of bushes and ground cover now dot the forest green.

After an early breakfast, I used the weed eater to get rid of the tall grass south and east of the chicken coup, and some that had grown up in the grove.  One tank of gas lasts about 45 minutes, and so do I.

Last time I was at the thrift shop I found a 3-in-1 volume of P.D. James' books.  I finished one and started another today.  Love that Inspector Dalgliesh.

Mrs. Westie drove up with her daughter this afternoon, whom she wanted to show our place and introduce us.  Her daughter will be living in their small cabin while she looks for a job and apartment in Wenatchee.  A pleasant surprise and nice visit.

Buster also came up for a visit, giving Jesse a good workout.  They both went on our afternoon walk with Dinga and me.  

After dinner I drove Miss Kitty down to pick up the mail and stop at Larry and Elsie's so Larry could show me his new set-up for watering.  I also gave him his birthday present (see photo above).  Elsie gave me a dozen eggs from their girls in hopes that I would not get out my BBQ chicken recipes.

All in all it was a very pleasant day, with a high of 78.

Sunday 8/9. It was 60 and partly cloudy today with possible thunder storms in the forecast beginning tonight and on into the week.  I didn't see any smoke on the northern horizon so the rain that looked to be falling over there yesterday must have helped with the fires.

Randy called this morning.  At a little after 9:00 he was already on his way back from the dump, having taken many of the 15 trees that he and a neighbor had cut down from the slope at the back of his house.  He planned on cutting up the rest and making another trip today.  He suggested that I mention in my blog about being careful what you wish for.  He wished for living in the mountains, but he just didn't realize how much work it would be!  As we were talking, he saw what looked to be a tiny, newborn fawn trying to stand up by the road.  Fortunately it is a gravel and little-traveled road.

The talk with Randy seemed to pull me out of the slump I had been in for the past month or so, what with the heat, lack of exercise and everything going on with JB.  After breakfast I started up the splitter and began working on getting the last of the rounds split.  As I was taking the first large load to the wood shed, our wheel barrow met its demise.  I knew the barrel was loose, but it came completely off, dumping its load near the gate.  I stacked the very pitchy wood and then had to wash my sticky arms.  By then the splitter was in the sun, so it was time for a rest.

After lunch it was back in the shade, so I split several more rounds and just left the pieces in a pile right there.

After an early supper, I drove down to Larry and Elsie's to feed the cats, collect the eggs and water all the plants and garden.  At Larry's suggestion, I also picked a few bright red tomatoes.

It was a very pleasant day with a high of 77.  I could see thunder clouds to the north, but none came near us.

I have continued watching the second season of Elementary and so enjoy the character of Sherlock Holmes that they have created.  "The world is continually balanced on the knife's edge of destruction.  You just accept that and get on with things."  One of my favorite lines from the series.  Such exceptional writing and acting.

Monday 8/10.  Happy 60th Birthday, Larry!  As I told him, he doesn't look a day over 59.  It is 65 with some thin, high clouds and I will be on my way down to their place as soon as I post this morning.

Thought for the day: A moment of patience in a moment of anger saves a hundred moments of regret.