December 29, 2017 Warmer Temps & Down For The Mail

Squirrel tracks in the snow.

The sun from the south
ridge on our Wednesday
afternoon walk.

Wednesday 12/27. A lazy morning.  I have started the book that JB gave to me for Christmas, The Whispering Room by Dean Koontz.  Wow!

I went out around 1:00 pm to get a bag of chicken feed out of the root cellar.  Not quite as easy as expected, but I managed to get a bag out and pulled it down to the hen house on the sled.  Meanwhile, JB got the snowblower out to clear as much as possible before the forecast snow hits tonight.  (The snow that never arrived.)

The fog cleared and a light snow began to fall while we were doing all that.  The snow only lasted for about an hour and left just a smattering on the ground.  Not even enough to measure.

Our high for the day was a balmy 22 and the sky was almost clear by sunset.

Thursday 12/28. It was 17 and overcast this morning.  I left in Miss Kitty to check the mail around 10:30 am.  No problems at all going down or coming back up.  Had a nice visit with Mrs. Gridder and was home in less than two hours.  

While driving back up, a few snowflakes were falling.  One of several failed attempts for a real snowfall.  By the time of our afternoon walk there was a light sleet falling, but the actual snowfall didn't start till about 5:30 pm.

Randy has a moose visiting his house again this winter.  Not an animal you want to meet face to face, so Randy is always on the lookout.  He is getting a lot more snow and colder temps than we are over there near Bonners' Ferry, ID.

JB made a big pot of chili for dinner, and I made my Mom's recipe for rice pudding for dessert.

Our high for the day was 32.  Almost didn't need a coat. . .

Friday 12/29. It is 24 with a light sleet falling this morning.  Not a lot of snow so far this year.

Thought for the day: Today choose forgiveness over self-pity.  Choose vulnerability over putting up walls.  Choose joy over fear.  Guideposts, January 2018

December 27, 2017 Celebrating 48 Years of Marriage!

Sentinels in the fog
on Tuesday.

Friday 12/22.  We drove down to the Jeep in Miss Kitty with no problems.  Had a package to pick up at Fed Ex, then I visited with Larry and Elsie while JB did his Christmas shopping.  Going back up the mountain was another story with several slippery spots.  We were home by 1:30 pm, but figured this was probably our last trip down in Miss Kitty.

The new Time magazine had a great review on The Last Jedi that I completely agree with.  I think to completely appreciate this movie, one must have seen all the previous ones, even the stand-alone, Rogue One.

We had a heat wave today with a high of 24, but it was back down to 16 by 9:30 pm.

Saturday 12/23. It was 10 with clear skies this morning.  With the sun shining, there was a rainbow of gems atop the snow.  Another magnificent, but cold, day on the mountain.  Our high was 18.

I baked two kinds of cookies today, almond horns and lemon bars, then made the dough for chocolate snowballs that has to stay in the fridge overnight.

With these frigid temps, I am setting the alarm for every 3-1/2 hours, so we can get up and put in a fire.  I get up on the first one, about 1:00 am, and JB does the second one around 4:30 am.  With it being so cold for so long, it can be hard to keep the inside temperature at 70.

JB drove MAX down our road to groom it and that went quite well.  It's been a long time since he has done that.

Sunday 12/24. It was 10 again this morning with a light overcast.  I baked the chocolate snowballs first thing, then we did the dishes.

We were invited to Gridder's Christmas Eve, mid-afternoon dinner at his Mom's, but with this cold, new snow due in today, and the road the way it is, we had to beg out.  We would have to drive down in MAX, all bundled up, then drive in the Jeep.  Just figured it would be too long for the dogs and too cold for us.

However, Larry and Elsie invited us down for dinner at 5:00 pm, which we decided could work out.  We left at 4:00 pm in MAX (all bundled up in the 14 degree weather).  Snow began to fall as we reached the main canyon road, then about another half mile down, one of MAX's tracks came off.  I just threw it on top of the back of MAX and off we went.  We got there with no problems and had a very enjoyable, informal evening.  Not knowing just how it was going to work with just one track, we left a little after 7:00 pm.  

But there were no problems getting back up the mountain and we were home by 8:00 pm.  It was really quite a beautiful ride in the dark with snow falling and everything white.  The perfect Christmas Eve drive, and we had received 1" of new snow.

Monday 12/25. It was 12 on Christmas morning and overcast.  It had been snowing west of the mountains most of the night and everyone we knew over there had 3"-4" of snow!  My cousin said it has been nine years since they had a white Christmas in the Pacific NW.

We opened all our presents as slowly as possible.  My Aunt Nene had made mine a chicken Christmas!  She always comes up with the best gifts and stocking stuffers.  When we were all done, JB made German pancakes for brunch.

This was an incredible Christmas.  One of those times in which there is a slight shift in reality, and so much for the better.  Our tenth Christmas Up Here.  It's all about perception and attitude, especially attitude.

No snow fell today and we actually saw some blue sky, but our high was only 18.

Tuesday 12/26. It was 10 and we were fogbound this morning.  The fog stuck around all day and our high was just 14, but the forecast snow never arrived and we couldn't see if it was falling nearby.

It was a lazy day reading books and relaxing.

Wednesday 12/27.  Our 48th wedding anniversary is going to be another chilly day, beginning with a temp of 11 and mostly cloudy skies.  Our world is rimed from yesterday's fog, and today the fog lake is lapping at the feet of the mountains.

Thought for the day: Some luck lies in not getting what you thought you wanted but getting what you have, which once you have got it, you may be smart enough to see is what you would have wanted had you known.  Garrison Keillor 

December 25, 2017 Merry Christmas from Rose Camp!

The Reason for the Season.

Santa Jesse

JB & the dogs on our
Christmas Morning walk.

Looking to the northwest
on Christmas Morning.

Monday 12/15. Merry Christmas from Rose Camp.  May you enjoy all the blessings of Christmas now and throughout the New Year!

December 22, 2017 Star Wars & Winter Solstice

Setting sun from south ridge on
winter solstice afternoon.

Wednesday 12/20. Had to feed the dogs & chickens, wash the dishes, hang the laundry and take a shower before I could leave for the movie.  Was on my way early, a little after 11:00 am, because of the 7" of snow we received yesterday.  At a couple places along the road, Miss Kitty was indicating that I really should have put the chains on, but I made it down to Gridders' in plenty of time.  It was snowing when I left, but blue sky prevailed by the time I was half-way down.

I have been an avid Star Wars fan for forty years now, and it is my opinion that The Last Jedi is absolutely phenomenal!  Am so very glad that Carrie Fisher was able to film everything before her passing.  All the new characters have been well chosen, and I can hardly wait to buy this film and watch it again and again and again.

Driving back up the mountain was a bit of a challenge without chains, but I made it in about 45 minutes and was home at 5:00 pm.  While I was gone, JB had driven MAX up and around the south ridge a couple times, which makes it so much easier to walk there now.  Our high Up Here was 28.

Thursday 12/21. Winter solstice began with a frigid temp of 22 and partly cloudy skies.  But we are now on our journey back to the light!  Woo Hoo!

Was still on a high from the movie, but lots of things to get done.  Am behind on the laundry, so more of that today.  Plus we had to get the chains on Miss Kitty.  We are both going Down There tomorrow so JB can get some Christmas shopping done.  I'll go visit Larry and Elsie.

We got the chains on the front tires, but no way would they go on the rear tires that are wider than the front.  We had been able to get them on the older tires, but not these new ones.  I think we'll be okay though.

An icy breeze accompanied the dogs and I on our afternoon walk.  It had been mostly cloudy all day, but very bright.  Our high for the day was 28 again.

Friday 12/22. It is a frigid 20 this morning with overcast skies.  We hope to be on our way Down There by 9:00 am.

Thought for the day: Your freedom is the most expensive thing you own, even if you didn't pay for it yourself.  Anonymous

December 20, 2017 Eggnog, Marbles & Snow

Tuesday's snow.

Looking down to the house from
the south ridge on our Tuesday
afternoon walk.

Monday 12/18.  I was on my way Down There at 9:00 and home by 2:00 pm.  Got everything done, including a stop at the hospital to visit my cousin who was rushed there last night, having suffered a stroke.  I wasn't sure what to expect, but she looked good and may be able to go home by Wednesday, thank goodness.

It was another warm day, with a high Up Here of 40.  Larry and Elsie drove up to visit and play marbles after dinner.  So much fun!  The first game, Elsie could do no wrong and we really creamed the guys.  The second game was a long one that came down to one roll of the dice.  Snow was just beginning to fall as they left around 7:30 pm.

Tuesday 12/19. We awoke to 4" of new snow and it was still coming down.  By noon, we had two more inches and it snowed all day until about 4:00 pm.  Maybe another inch by then.  JB cleaned the panels off on the morning walk.  After lunch, we got out the snow blower and he spent about an hour clearing pathways.

Eggnog in my coffee, a paper to read and falling snow to watch.  Mornings just don't get much better than that. . .

I baked the rest of the chocolate zinger dough, forgetting the moose and going for a simple round cookie.  Then I tried a recipe of JB's Mom's for a pan brown sugar cookie covered with melted chocolate.  Absolutely decadent!!  

I took the dogs on their afternoon walk, slogging through the snow.  Don't walk as far in winter weather, but sure get as much exercise.  And, speaking of exercise, rolling out the cooled cookie dough and cutting the cookies really works the abs and biceps.  My abs were still sore from Sunday's baking!

I better not wake up to more snow in the morning, because if it is too deep for Miss Kitty I'll have to take MAX or walk down to the Gridders'!  And for Star Wars: The Last Jedi, I will!

Wednesday 12/20. It is 22 this morning with mostly clear skies.  Frigid temps are in the forecast for the next several days.  Doesn't matter because I'm going to see Star Wars today!

Thought for the day: Adopting a dog or cat may not change the world, but for that one animal, the world will change forever.

December 18, 2017 Current Events, Sun & Valley Fog

Valley fog to the northwest
on Saturday.

At our house, even the
dish soap dresses for
Christmas!

Friday 12/15. Time magazine's Person of the Year issue really clarified the current movement against sexual harassment for me.  Not seeing the news on TV or getting a daily paper, it just seemed to be getting a bit excessive.  When I entered the workforce, men were in charge.  That's just the way it was and there were lots of lewd jokes.  Even right up to my last job in the fitness industry, it was a good-ol'-boys club.  Fortunately, I never experienced any overt sexual harassment.  It was all rather subtle, except for the jokes.  However, I once had to train a man so he could take the position of my boss instead of being promoted myself, simply because he was a man.

But at what point does it become harassment?  There is the obvious physical touching or even failure to be promoted just because you are a woman.  Unfortunately, there are going to be a lot of men that are unjustly accused, by liars or women who are simply too sensitive and just won't stand up for themselves.  And that's just life.  We were never promised it would be fair.

But now I am living Up Here, having put up with all that crap for so many years.  Harass me now and you will regret it.

And, speaking up Up Here, we had some light snow in the morning, but by 10:30 the air had warmed to 33 (which was our high), the snow stopped and the fog sank down into the canyons and valleys.  Blue sky appeared in the west and the sky was clear by sunset.

We watched Guardians of the Galaxy #2 this evening.  Entertaining, but both of us prefer #1.

Saturday 12/16. It was 26 and partly clear this morning.  We had patchy blue sky throughout the day with valley fog and our high was 33.

Just a typical winter-weather day. . .

Sunday 12/17. It was 30 and mostly clear this morning, again with valley fog.  I finished the last two Christmas presents.  Got two packages ready to mail tomorrow, and baked the first of the Christmas cookies - chocolate zingers.

My trip Down There will be my next-to-last before Christmas.  I have been invited by the Gridders to go see Star Wars, The Last Jedi!  Woo Hoo!  Our son and his family saw it Thursday night at a special showing, and he says it is better than The Force Awakens.

Quite warm today.  We could see the forecast snow coming down to the west, south and north, but it never arrived here.  Before dark our high was 36, but when JB checked at 9:00 pm, it had warmed to 39 and the wind was whipping about at 18 mph.

Larry and Elsie are coming up to visit tomorrow evening and play marbles.  Certainly looking forward to that.

Monday 12/18. It is 36 this morning and still a bit breezy.  Looks like the sky is overcast, but it is hard to tell since the sun isn't up yet.  I plan to be on my way Down There by 9:00.

Thought for the day: It is better to walk alone than in a crowd going the wrong direction.

December 15, 2017 Sun, A Trip Down There & More Fog

Wednesday morning's blue sky
looking west from the loft.

Wednesday 12/13. I was on my way Down There by 9:00 am on a glorious, sunny morning!  Amazing, the sun on all the rimed landscape.  It was a beautiful but cold trip with ten stops on my list.  I got everything done and was home by 3:00 pm.  Of course, in the winter there is always the time-consuming job of getting everything out of Miss Kitty and into the Jeep.  Then getting more of everything out of the Jeep and into Miss Kitty.  Today my list included filling three 5-gallon containers of non-ethanol gas, which was my last stop.  My first stop was at the post office where I mailed all our Christmas cards and packages to the tune of $66!  One of the items on my list was to stop in and visit Larry and Elsie, which was the best stop of the day.  

Each day we were in the fog/clouds, the rime continued to build on all available surfaces.  Am sure it created more than another inch of "snow" on top of the snow.  A friend of Larry & Elsie's who lives on the other side of the Columbia River on Badger Mountain, told them that he has so much rime that he was going frost-mobiling today!

By the time I left for town, our temperature was already up to 28.  Our high for the day was 34.  When I arrived back home, much of the rime had disappeared from the trees.

Since we bought several TV series that we had wanted, we are going to alternate nights with Boston Legal and Castle Season 6, which we started this evening. We might even throw in a movie or two.

Thursday 12/14. It was 24 this morning and the fog was back.  A very fine snow fell for about an hour mid morning.  The fog receded and we were in between the low clouds and the high valley fog for a while.  Until the fog returned.

Larry and Elsie were going their grandson's school play this evening and wouldn't be home til late, so I drove down about 2:30 pm to put another fire in each of their two stoves.  Played with the dog and cats, and stay about 1-1/2 hours to be sure the fires were going well.

The fog and clouds can be so weird.  Driving down, I was in the fog/clouds until about 100 yards from their house.  Driving back up, there was no fog at all until I got home, and as I looked back down it was as though the fog had followed me almost all the way up.

Friday 12/15.  It is 24 and once again, we are fogged in.  Well, that's okay because it's only ten days til Christmas!

Thought for the day: Progress might have been all right once, but it has gone on far too long.  Ogden Nash

December 13, 2017 Fog, Christmas Decorating & Sleeping

It's beginning to look a lot
like Christmas!

Monday 12/11. Fog. Fog. Fog. And it is really getting old!  Yesterday I drove Miss Kitty down to pick up the mail and send some birthday cards.  Stopped in to see the Gridders and Larry and Elsie.  Nice, short visits.  They were all underneath the low clouds.

Today I finally got out the Christmas decorations and put some up.  Am putting fewer up this year, just because.  I did put a few more outside than usual.

JB baked two beautiful, delicious loaves of pumpkin bread.  Yum!

My decision to stop eating or drinking anything but water by 8:00 pm was the perfect one for better sleep.  I am getting more sleep than I have in years!  Even though I have to set the alarm for 1:30 am, in order to get up and put in another fire on these frigid nights.

Our foggy high for today was 22 again.

These moonless, foggy nights are really dark.  Feels so cozy to be inside with a fire going.

Tuesday 12/12.  The temp was down to 16 this morning, and we were still surrounded by fog, or clouds, or whatever.

I got all the Christmas packages and cards ready to mail when I go Down There tomorrow.  Well, everyone's except Sandy's, because she opens everything the day she receives it.

The tree and rose-bush branches are sagging under the weight of the rime which continues to build up each day.  Many of the wild flower stalks are almost on the ground.  The fog and low clouds cleared away just before 4:00 pm and we could see the high clouds and small patches of blue sky beyond.  All this just in time for sunset.  Mother Nature is such a tease.

Our high for the day was 22 again.

Wednesday 12/13. We have BLUE SKY this morning!  Woo Hoo!!  Them temp is 21 with a forecast high in town of 30.  I hope to be on my way Down There by 9:00 am.

Thought for the day: Each moment you choose love over fear is a miracle. . . When you choose to perceive love over fear, life begins to flow.  Gabrielle Bernstein

December 11, 2017 Rime At Rose Camp

Rimed rose hips.

Even our dream is
rimed.

Rime on a spider's
web.

Rime on the clothesline &
a forgotten clothes pin.

Rime on the goose.

Rime on the bushes.

The weekend of 12/9 & 12/10. Our morning temps were 16 and our highs for the day were 22.  Always in the fog or low clouds.  Our landscape is like a scene from Dr. Zhivago.

Thought for the day: To be continually happy, you've got to know when to be blind, when to be deaf, and when to be dumb.

December 8, 2017 Eggs & Pogonip

Rime on the moose.

Wednesday 12/6. There was very low valley fog this morning that crept slowly up from the rivers, until when I left a little after noon to drive down and pick up the mail in Miss Kitty, it had worked its way up to the gate just below Larry and Elsie's.  However, by the time I got there, it was slipping back down.  I picked up the mail and was home in about an hour and a half.  A beautiful, but chilly ride.  There were a LOT more deer tracks on our road and some large cat tracks on our road down by the spring.

I mentioned that we only received 15 eggs in the whole month of November, but now it is only December 6 and we already have nine eggs for the month!

JB baked two loaves of delicious banana bread.

Our high for the day was 34.

Thursday 12/7. Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day began with a frigid 20 and we were ensconced in pogonip (frozen fog).  By noon, most outside surfaces were covered in rime.  Beautiful, but icy cold.

The fog did its normal wafting in and out, but today it was mostly in.  Our high for the day was only 22.

No outside projects other than normal chores and two walks.  I worked a couple hours on our son's Christmas present and, like JB, read a book.

The generator would not start again this evening.  I think it is just being ornery.  We watched Boston Legal on my computer again.

Friday 12/8. It is again 20 this morning and we are still in the pogonip.

Thought for the day: If animals have moody days, they handle them better than humans do.  Betty White

December 6, 2017 Beautiful Sunny Days

Daily preparation to
stay warm.

Whoa! Runaway firewood sled!

Monday 12/4. I had a nice long chat with Sandy this morning.  Always such a great start to my day.

After laundry, dishes and breakfast, I packed the Christmas gifts in preparation for mailing.  Still working on the one for our son and daughter-in-law, but I am way ahead of where I usually am this time of the season.  Will start getting decorations up by the weekend.

Since we don't have enough snow on the ground to make sides for a run for the firewood sled, it often gets away from me and runs for its freedom.  It made it almost to the tractor this morning (see above).

JB used the snowblower to clear in front of the house a bit, to Dinga's delight.  Not sure who enjoys it more, JB or Dinga.

I tried a new recipe today for bourbon brownies.  Yummmmm!

The clouds had pretty much disappeared by noon and we had another sunny day, with a high of 28.

Tuesday 12/5. It was 28 and clear this morning.  Still working on our son's Christmas gift, then I have two more to make.

I have been taking melatonin to help me sleep for more than a year now, and realized that I have been just taking it way too often.  So for the past several nights I have been trying the advice of not eating too late.  We love to nibble on snacks while watching our evening programs, but you really shouldn't eat two hours before you go to bed.  Well, I made 8:00 pm my cut-off time (about 1-1/2 hours before crawling between the sheets), and it seems to be working.  Wasn't sure I could do it because I do love to eat, but the promise of a good night's sleep was motivation enough.

Another wonderous day on the mountain, with a high of 37.

Wednesday 12/6. It is 28 and clear again this morning with air stagnation warnings for the rest of the week.  I plan to drive Miss Kitty down to pick up the mail today.  Won't be going to town for another week.

Thought for the day: Anything that is in the world when you are born is normal and ordinary, just a natural part of the way the world works.  Anything that's invented between when you're 15 and 35 is new and exciting and revolutionary.  Anything invented after you're 35 is against the natural order of things.  Douglas Adams

December 4, 2017 More Snow & More Eggs

Valley fog to the west on
Friday.

View off the north ridge
Saturday afternoon.

Our Sunday afternoon
visitor.

Friday 12/1. I was on my way Down There by 9:00 am and back home by 1:30 pm.  There were lots of rabbit and deer tracks along our road, and often close together.  Bambi and Thumper?  It was a quick trip with just a few stops on my list, so I had time to drop in and visit Larry and Elsie.  I had pictures developed at Costco and decided to wait for them.  While browsing, I found and extendable snow wiper that is perfect for Miss Kitty.  Having looked for women's snow pants at a reasonable price for several weeks with no luck, both in stores and on line, I finally decided to buy a pair of men's size small at Costco.  Great price and when I got home and tried them on, they fit perfectly.  Well, maybe an inch or so too long, but not a problem with snow boots on.

We had blue sky and sunshine Up Here, while everyone below about 3000 ft. had a very overcast day.  Our high was 37.

It is almost a full moon, and moonlight on a snowy landscape is absolutely magical.  I turn off the light in the bathroom while brushing my teeth at night and see the magic, as opposed to watching myself in the bathroom mirror.  I love it.

Saturday 12/2. It was 30 and overcast this morning with valley fog.  Tiny patches of blue sky began to appear mid morning and the sun peeked through, but all it managed to do was pull the fog up to Rose Camp.  The predicted snowfall began around 10:30 as JB and the dogs were on their walk.  By 3:30 we had 2" at the end of our afternoon walk, and by 5:30 the snow had all but stopped and we had received a total of 4".  Our high for the day was 24.

I spent most of the day inside wrapping gifts and addressing cards.

Egg production was down in November and we only received 15 eggs, one every other day.  However, yesterday we got 1 egg and today they gave us two!

The generator would not turn on this evening to power up the batteries, so we watched two episodes of Boston Legal on my computer.

Sunday 12/3. It was 27 with clear skies and a light breeze this morning.  An icy light breeze.
After breakfast I started the snow blower for JB and he spent about an hour clearing paths around our house and the hen house.  I cleaned off the vehicles and ran my Jeep and the tractor for a while.  Also drove MAX up and around the south ridge.  

By then it was time for our morning walk.  Such a glorious day to be walking on the mountain!  

After lunch JB checked out the generator.  Everything looked good and it started right up.  Vapor lock?  Then I shoveled off the deck with the new snow shovel from Costco.  It is bigger and lighter, and I was done in minutes instead of an hour.  It always helps to use the right tool for the job, and not wait til the snow is two feet deep. . .

The girls gave us two more eggs today.  Looks like our egg production is getting back on track.

Both the dogs were inside when they spotted a doe just across the driveway.  We didn't let them out, just so we could watch her.  She just wandered from bush to bush eating rose hips and twigs.  She was almost to the top of the south ridge when we finally let the dogs out.  They couldn't see her and just sniffed out her tracks from the direction she had come.  She didn't move, just kept on eating and watching the dogs.  Jesse came in and then Dinga finally spotted her and ran in her direction.  Again, the doe just watched and Dinga stayed about 20 yards away.  I guess if they don't run, Dinga won't chase.  Meanwhile, Jesse was inside and didn't have a clue.

A light overcast formed by 3:00 pm and our high for the day was 32.

Monday 12/4. It is 22 and partly cloudy, I think, this morning.  A bit hard to tell as the sun is not up yet.  However, the full moon is still up and riding high in the west.

Thought for the day: It's all good and working out like it should.  Angels watching over me.  (A little ditty I often sing in my head, and sometimes out loud.)

December 1, 2017 Getting Ready For Christmas!

Late afternoon sun through
clouds & fog.

Valley fog to the south.

Wednesday 11/29. The sun broke through the clouds and shone most of the day.  Our high was 37.

I printed out the first batch of Christmas cards, decorated and addressed them.  Looking pretty good, I think.  Then I wrapped gifts and got them into boxes for shipping.

I bought some carrots yesterday for the deer.  I cut them into large chunks along with some apples and trudged up the east slope to put them on a stump.  Sure hope the deer find them soon.

Larry and Elsie found huge cougar tracks on the road by the gate.  So now there are at least two of them in the canyon right now.

We started watching the second season of Boston Legal last night and will watch the entire series now.  Love this show!

Thursday 11/30. This last day of November began with a chilly 26 and we were in the fog.  Snow fell for four hours today, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, but we only received 1/2".

JB was outside for a bit doing chores: putting oil in Miss Kitty, checking the oil in the generator, etc.  I stayed inside and finished wrapping Christmas presents.  Only 24 more days until Christmas Eve!  Whoo Hoo!!

Fog rolled back in after the snow stopped falling, but began to clear a bit as we went on our afternoon walk, although it was still thick in the canyons and valleys.  Our high for the day was 32.

Friday 12/1. It is 28 and mostly overcast this morning with valley fog.  I am going Down There again, mainly to pick up mail and packages.

Thought for the day: Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday and all is well.  Guideposts magazine, November 2017.

November 29, 2017 More Snow & A Trip Down There

A sample of the Christmas trees
I am making with pine cones.

Monday 11/27. I made a big pot of dog broth from the turkey carcass that Elsie sent home with me.  That and crafting were my projects for the day.  A few days ago I began reading Origins by Dan Brown.  It's good, but all his Langdon books have pretty much the same plot line.

The clouds cleared a bit and the sun shone most of the day.  There are still some large patches of snow around, but most of it is gone.  Our high for the day was 37 with an icy wind.

Tuesday 11/28. It was 31 and overcast this morning.  Snow began falling about 8:30 as I went out to bring in firewood before going Down There.  I was on my way before 9:00 to pick up packages and buy a few groceries.  Also found time to wander through Hobby Lobby again.  Christmas music playing, still 50% off Christmas decorations and crafting supplies - how nice!

The predicted storm moved in while I was Down there.  It was snowing all around on the hills, but raining in town.  Halfway up the paved canyon road I encountered the snow and there was more than an inch already at Larry and Elsie's.  Got all the packages and groceries moved into Miss Kitty, then about 1/2 mile up the road, my bladder decided it was full.  No way I was going to get out and make yellow snow.

I was home by 1:30 where we had received almost 2" of snow.  By the time the snow stopped falling around 4:00 pm, we had 2-1/2".  Our high for the day was 31.

Wednesday 11/29. It is 30 and breezy this morning with thin clouds hiding most of the sky.  I really have to get going on making our Christmas cards today.

Thought for the day: Sometimes I look in the mirror and think - Oh that can't be right!

November 27, 2017 Leftovers & Another Visit

One of the reasons we
live Up Here.

Friday 11/24. For a day that started out so bright and sunny, it ended up being rather dark and drab.  A thick overcast moved in and there was no snow left to brighten the landscape. The sun did manage to break through just before it set, turning the woods golden.  Our high for the day was 39.

We spent a quiet indoor day reading and checking out the Black Friday specials.  Got some great deals on TV series' DVDs, and of course the second Guardians of the Galaxy movie.

Yesterday at Larry and Elsie's, they gave us a show of 60 of the 720 videos they had taken off their game cam.  So much fun to watch!  They had many deer, mama bears and cubs, cougars, bobcats, skunks and one raccoon.

I cooked a turkey breast with all the trimmings for dinner, including gluten-free dressing that Elsie had made and sent home with us.  "Leftovers" - the second best part of Thanksgiving dinner.

Saturday 11/25. It was 32 and overcast this morning with fog in the Wenatchee River valley.  As the cloud cover began to thin, the valley fog grew, creeping up and into the canyons. By the time JB took the dogs on their morning walk, it had crept into Rose Camp and spent the rest of the day wafting in and out.  By 3:00 pm, snowflakes were drifting down and very quickly the ground turned white again.

It was another inside day with a nice, slow morning.  After lunch JB bakes scones and I worked on crafts.  Am using pine cones in most of my creations, and enjoying every minute of it.

Over the past few years I have been trying alternatives to cow's milk.  Up til this weekend, my favorite had been vanilla almond milk.  Last time Down There I bought some vanilla rice milk and now that is definitely my favorite.

As the dogs and I left on our afternoon walk, there was a deer on the south slope.  The dogs went after it in sort of a "Oh no, not another one" fashion and the deer didn't move very fast either.  Then they all stopped.  The dogs came back and we went on our walk while the deer just stood and watched us.  There have been so many deer Up Here in the past few weeks that the dogs have been running and sleeping a lot.

We ended up with a little more than 1/4" of snow and our high for the day was 34.

Sunday 11/26. It was 31 this morning and we were encased in fog.  The sun started teasing us with glimpses of blue sky.  We were invited down to the Gridder's for coffee, pie and wine beginning at noon.  By the time we left at 11:30, the fog was beginning to sink into the canyon.

We had such a wonderful visit with them and her parents, filling up on apple, pecan, strawberry-rhubarb and oreo cookie pies.  We waddled out to Miss Kitty to leave about 3:30 and were home by 4:00, bringing more pie with us.

By then the wind had cleared out all of the fog.  Our high for the day was 34.

Monday 11/27. It is 30 and mostly cloudy this morning with a wind gusting to 18 mph.  Won't be out too much in that icy wind, and tomorrow I plan to go Down There, mainly to pick up packages at the post office.

Thought for the day: A good conversation is like a mini skirt - short enough to be interesting, but long enough to cover the subject.

November 24, 2017 Sun, Baking & Thanksgiving

A Thanksgiving rainbow.

Wednesday 11/22. Dark clouds gathered in the west most of the day, but they split to the north and south so we received none of the rain that was predicted for today.  It was a beautiful day with valley fog and an unseasonable high of 54.

I moved my Jeep and Max a little so the tires weren't sitting on the same spot.  Also tried to get most of the ice off the tarp over the girls' run, but there is one huge and very heavy piece that I have to let melt a bit more.

I baked more peanut butter/chocolate chip cookies.  I seem to have quite a craving for them right now.  JB had baked two large loaves of pumpkin bread on Monday.

Thursday 11/23. Thanksgiving Day began with a temperature of 44, overcast skies and light rain.  All but a few small patches of snow vanished with last night's rain and wind.

JB saw a herd of six deer just wander up the drive and onto the east slope.  By the time I got up at 7:45, I got to see the last one just grazing in the woods.

The sky began to clear mid morning and there was a huge rainbow to the north and west.  What a delightful sight for a Thanksgiving Day.

I baked an apple coffee cake to take with us and a plate of JB's pumpkin bread.  We were on our way in Miss Kitty to Larry and Elsie's at 1:30 pm.  Still lots of snow and ice on the road for more than two miles down.  We enjoyed a delicious meal and relaxing afternoon with them and their family.  What better way to spend this special day.

I picked up the mail before we headed home under the starlit sky.  Our high for the day at Rose Camp had been 40, but it was in the low 50's at Larry and Elsie's.

Friday 11/24.  It is 32 with mostly clear skies and a breeze this morning.  Going to do some Black Friday shopping on line.

Thought for the day: Be the change you wish to see in the world.

November 22, 2017 Rain & Coyotes

Circles in the sky on Saturday.

Clouds on Sunday.

Monday 11/20. There were rain showers with intermittent downpours til just before noon.  Then suddenly there was blue sky and sunshine, and we were above the fog.  The wind soon picked up and cleared out all the canyons and valleys.  It was gusty for the rest of the day and our high was 40.

We designed and printed our sample Christmas card, then I did more crafting.  Finished a couple more gifts.  My crafting table was covered in glue gun threads, as usual.  In my opinion the glue gun ranks high on the list of most important inventions.

Tuesday 11/21. It was 32 and overcast this morning with a light rain.  About 5:00 am we woke up to the most eerie, horrific sound.  It was coyotes on the south ridge, but it sounded like some large critter was meeting a horrible death.  We have only heard it once before, several years ago, but I never want to hear it again.  Poor Jesse was shaking.  Neither of us got much sleep after that.  When we finally got up at 7:00 am, we got dressed and put the dogs on leashes, then walked up to the ridge (with a gun).  The snow was too hard for any new tracks and all we saw was one small spot of blood halfway up to the point.  I had expected a big, bloody carcass.

Back at the house, we got ready to go Down There for JB's doctor's appointment and a couple errands.  We were on our way in Miss Kitty by 9:30.  The bumpy ride down didn't do JB's back any good and he was in need of a Tylenol by the time we got to his Jeep at Larry & Elsie's. But it was a good visit with the doctor, and he is cleared for more activities.  He just has to take it easy for a few more weeks and listen to his body.

There are still some brilliant, Fall colors in town, but a late October wind storm blew away all the color in the canyon.  Rain fell all day and it was really a miserable, wet, Seattle day.  Our only consolation is that it is raining over there, too.

We arrived home about 3:00 pm, in the rain, and the dogs were so pleased to see us.  It had been a long day all around.  Our high for the day was 32.  Just a degree or two colder, and we would have had the snow which Mission Ridge was getting.

Wednesday 11/22. It is 44 and overcast this morning with rain in the forecast for the rest of the week.  We are going down to Larry and Elsie's for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow and so looking forward to it.  So very thankful for friends like them.

Thought for the day: Notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, "If this isn't nice, I don't know what is."  Kurt Vonnegut

November 20, 2017 An Elk (?), Circles In The Sky, Crafting & Rain

Sorry, but Google won't let me post any photos today.


Friday 11/17. We read the rest of the newspapers and magazines I brought up yesterday with our morning coffee.  One of the perks about going Down There.

JB took the dogs on the morning walk in the icy wind, but I declined.  Stayed inside and crafted most of the day.  However, I did take them on an afternoon walk, as I needed the exercise.

There have been a lot of deer around lately, and not just during the night.  We often see their white rears bouncing away as the dogs run after them.

The wind blew large clouds overhead during the day and our high was 36.

Saturday 11/18. It was 30 and mostly overcast this morning.  In the wee hours, I awoke to a musky, skunky smell.  Dinga was going nuts, but Jesse seemed to sleep through it.  Must have been an elk, or a very smelly herd of deer.

The cloud cover soon disappeared and we took our morning walk surrounded by sunshine and glittering snow.  On the south ridge we watched three military jets seemingly chasing each other and drawing huge circles in the sky, as opposed to the penis one pilot drew yesterday (check your newsfeed).

During the night, the deer cleaned the last of the leaves off my lilac bush, ate the iris leaves and all the rose hips off the bushes to the west of the propane tank.  I don't think there is anything left for them in the yard!

After lunch I drove the tractor from behind the house, down by the other vehicles.  Started the snow thrower and drove it around a bit.  I also gave the girls more pine shavings in their nesting boxes.  That's where most of them sleep on these cold nights.

The snow on three sides of the house is completely trampled by the deer, but not so much on the south side and that is where I found elk tracks.  The opposite side from our bedroom, but that must have been what we smelled early this morning.

Our high for the day was 36.

Sunday 11/19. It was 30 and partly cloudy this morning and remained so all day, with a lot of sun peeks.  Our high for the day was 38.

I worked most of the day on crafts.  Finished two Christmas gifts and started some more.  So much fun!

JB is anxious to see the doctor on Tuesday, hoping that he will allow him to bend and move around a bit more.

Monday 11/20. It is 32 this morning and the fog is drifting in and out.  Snow was supposed fall above 2500 feet during the night, but we got rain instead.  Doesn't look like any of the snow melted though.

Thought for the day: You call it a box of chocolates.  I call it a support group.

November 17, 2017 A Trip Down There

Dawn on the mountains
this morning.

Wednesday 11/15. We were on the southeastern edge of today's snowstorm, so during the morning we just got fits and starts.  During the afternoon three flurries moved through, each one about an hour apart and lasting about thirty minutes.  Nothing measurable stuck.

We did long-term storage food inventory today.  Somehow our records were way off on several items.

It was breezy with a high of 38.

Thursday 11/16. It was 32 and mostly clear this morning, and the wind was calm.  I left for Down There in Miss Kitty just before 9:00 am.  It was a beautiful but uneventful drive down to Larry and Elsie's, where I let the dogs out (theirs and their son's) as they had left early to drive west of the mountains to attend a memorial service for Elsie's stepmother.

It was a lovely day and I had to take my time in order not to be back too early for the dogs again.  So I had lots of time to look through the books at the Dollar Store; look for zippered turtlenecks at the thrift store (found a beautiful one); wander through Hobby Lobby for Christmas craft items (they were having their 50% off all Christmas crafts and decos!).  Also got some grocery shopping done.

I let the dogs out again about 2:00 pm, put a fire in their downstairs stove, got everything transferred from the Jeep to Miss Kitty, and was home by 3:00 pm, where JB had a big pot of split pea and ham soup simmering on the stove.  Such a beautiful day to be out and about.  It was in the high 40's in town and our high for the day was 38.

Friday 11/17. It is 30 and mostly clear this morning, with the wind gusting to 18 mph, as it did all night.  I started using our fleece sheets a couple weeks ago.  They are so very soft and cozy to slide into at night, but very difficult to climb out of on a cold, winter morning.

Thought for the day: Women are angels.  When someone breaks our wings, we continue to fly on a broomstick.  We're flexible like that.