May 2, 2014 Phenomenal Spring Days

One of the views from our drive on Wednesday.

Wednesday 4/30.  After posting my blog, I went back to bed until 9:00 am.  Just one of those mornings.

It was already 57 when I hung the laundry outside and, while doing so, I decided that this was a day to simply be enjoyed.  So, first, JB enjoyed driving the tractor in order to level out the north horse-shoe pit.  He moved the frame out of the way and leveled the dirt he piled there last Fall.  Then put the frame back in and finished up.  Looks good.

After lunch we took Miss Kitty for a drive.  Loaded the huge bag of glass bottles we saved for my brother, RJ, from winter use into her bed and I drove down the short cut to his cabin.  Then we went down his road to the main canyon road and up to the saddle to explore some of the roads we had never been on.  It was a couple hours and about ten miles.  So much fun to be able to do that, especially on a day like this.  Our high was 64.  No coats needed.

While JB was sitting on the porch in the late afternoon, a humming bird flew up to each of the three poles looking for the feeders, twice.  I guess I better get them hung out there.

Yesterday Dinga turned six years old.  It was also my Mother's birthday.  She would have been 91.  Happy Birthday, Mom.  We sure miss you.  And she would have enjoyed such a phenomenal day as this was on the mountain.

Thursday 5/1.  May Day.  It was 52 and partly cloudy when Dinga woke us up at 7:00 am.  She was barking at some deer on the east slope.  We keep the blinds closed on the front door, but she could hear and/or smell them.

While I was sitting on the porch with my coffee, a humming bird flew up to me as if to say, "Hey Lady.  Get with it!"  All right, already.

JB left for Down There at 8:30 am.  The humming-bird feeders were hanging on the porch posts at 9:00 am, and the humming-bird wars have begun.  Had to be sure the syrup was cool enough.  You would think that we live Up Here just to feed the dogs and humming birds, and be sure all the other birds have water.  Hmmm.  I may have stumbled upon something here. . .  I am sure that Aunt Nene thinks it's her job in life to feed the squirrels, birds, and stray cats.

Out on the porch at 9:00 am, I actually had to sit in the shade as it was too warm in the sun.  It is supposed to be in the middle 80's Down There today and tomorrow, with cooler and wetter weather for the weekend.  

There is just something about sitting out on my porch. . . in the woods. . .on the mountain, especially when the morning sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the bees are buzzing.  My mind is thinking about all the chores I could be doing on such a great day, and my body is thinking just how comfortable this chair is.

No fire needed in the wood stove this morning.  There goes my coffee warmer.

Well, my mind won out.  I washed the dishes and vacuumed.  Then just took my time moving the kindling that was left on the porch to the wood shed.  Also moved the short but heavy stack of pitch wood from the north side.  Swept off the porch and moved the chairs.  Our summer porch is slowly re-emerging.  Then I started getting my things together for my weekend.

JB was back just after 2:30 pm after letting Larry and Elsie's dogs out, so they would have time to run some errands after work.  Then he met one of our neighbors on the road back up and had a nice chat.

It was another phenomenal day, with a high of 70.  Tomorrow I plan to start house-sitting after lunch.

Friday 5/2. When I got up to let the dogs out at 5:00 am, it was 57 with a heavy overcast.  Back up at 8:00 am, the clouds were completely gone and it was 59.  I think the grass has grown another three inches in the past couple days, and so have our pepper plants.

I will not be posting again until Tuesday, as there is no internet signal at Larry and Elsie's house.  

Thought for the day: It is spring fever.  That is what the name of it is.  And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so.  Mark Twain

April 30, 2014 Bella & Lucy

Shooting stars, who love the sun
on the south ridge.

Monday 4/28. I was up at 5:50 am to let the dogs out and decided to stay up.  I was out on the porch with my coffee at 7:30 am and the temperature had only warmed up to 32 by then.  Still a bit chilly.  JB got to sleep in this morning.

Looks like we may have put the tomato plant outside too soon, from Siberia or not.  I covered it again, but it has definitely bit the dust.  The pepper plants, however, seem to be doing very well.

I hung the laundry outside but almost froze my fingers off.  It was 44 in the sun and I was in the shade.  The afternoon was much warmer and our high for the day was 53.

After lunch I drove Miss Kitty half-way down the driveway and filled her up with another load of wood.  I now have 1-1/2 rows of kindling.

We drove down to Larry and Elsie's a little after dinner.  Elsie gave me the instructional tour of what to do while house sitting.  They have a new chicken, Bella, given to them from a friend who couldn't keep her any more.  She is very friendly but a couple of the other chickens still pick on her, so she gets special attention.  Their six "new" chicks are no longer babies, almost half the size of the adults now, but still in their own cage right next to the big one.  Bella does have a friend in Lucy, a Rhode Island Red.  When Bella is put up on the roosting ledge in the evening, Lucy will come over and sit next to her.  It is so cute to see.  

After the instructions, we only had time for two games of marbles, which were pretty wild and very close.  The women prevailed on the first game.  The second game came down to whoever rolled a "one" first.  And, again, JB was able to do that, so the men took the second game.  We will have the rubber game in a couple weeks.

It was a great evening, but we didn't get to bed til almost midnight.

Tuesday, 4/29.  Today was a glorious Spring day!  It began with clear skies and a temperature of 36, with a high for the day of 56.  The forecast for tomorrow is 77 for Down There.  Should be a very nice weekend.  I have decided to stay at Larry and Elsie's house all the time for the four days and JB will come down for an evening or two, especially if there are any hockey games on TV.  It will be like a mini vacation for me.

I drove Miss Kitty down the driveway again this morning while JB planted some of the potatoes.  I filled up her bed with wood, then stacked it all after lunch.  I went down for a second load and brought back a lot of pieces for the wood cradle.  Then I helped JB plant potatoes - reds and Yukons.  A lot of reds and Yukons.  I still had a basket with a few reds from last year that were trying to grow, so we planted four of those just to see how they would do.

JB will be going Down There tomorrow for his annual cardio check up.  And, of course, the list of errands for him to do just keeps getting longer.  After all, I do need some ice cream to take with me for the weekend. . .

The dogs and I went for a nice, lazy walk after dinner.  A cool breeze had sprung up over the south ridge, but my bench on the north ridge was in the sun with just a light breeze.  The perfect end to a perfect day.

Wednesday 4/30.  This morning is 43 and clear.  The end of April already.  My, that was fast.  I will be posting on Friday but then not again until Tuesday as there is no internet reception at Larry and Elsie's.

Thought for the day:  Guard your own spare moments.  They are like uncut diamonds.  Ralph Waldo Emerson

April 28, 2014 Spring Planting

Our first bluebell, growing near
the garden.

Looking up from the south slope to Jesse and a
balsam root bloom on the ridge.

Friday 4/25. When I was Down There yesterday, I stopped in to visit Larry and Elsie.  They have to go out of town next weekend and asked if I could house-dog-cat-chicken sit.  Of course I said Yes!  It will be the first time I have stayed at their house, so it will be quite an adventure.  Plus, they have TV. . .

I finally finished all the papers JB brought back for me.  Twelve days of the Seattle Times.  I did ask for them but got rather overwhelmed with all the news, mostly grim.  I mainly like them for the comics and crosswords.  Now I have all the "homesteading" magazines to read.

Did the laundry but hung it inside as the clouds were getting darker.  We had about a ten-minute snow shower at noon and then the sun was out off and on.

We planted four rows of onions: Walla Walla, red, and white.  JB will cut the potato starts and we will plant them in a day or two.  This is much earlier than we have planted before.

On our afternoon walk there was snow falling on the south ridge.  When we arrived back from our walk, it moved down to the house as a short, mixed rain-snow-sleet shower.  The high for the day was 48, but it sure didn't feel that warm.

It was nice to have our Friday-night pizza again.  After which we watched the movie The Rum Diary with Johnny Depp.  Don't know why it got panned.  We sure enjoyed it.

Saturday 4/26.  It was 32 and clear this morning.  34 by the time I got out on the porch with my coffee.  Sitting outside even for a few minutes really gets me energized for the day.

After morning chores, we took a drive in Miss Kitty down to sandstone corner and collected a load of wood on the way back up.  Back home I broke up the pieces and stacked them in the woodshed, while JB planted the leftover onions in some pots we have.  Then we planted the tomato and pepper plants I bought on Thursday.  The tomato is a Black Prince, an heirloom tomato that originated in Siberia.  Thought it might be perfect for Rose Camp.  Then we have one green pepper plant and one red pepper plant.

Our high for the day was 50, but with an icy wind.

Dinga and I went out for a bit after dinner for a short hike, but Jesse stayed inside with JB where it was warm.

JB and I are going down to Larry and Elsie's Monday evening for some marbles and instructions for taking care of their house.

Sunday 4/27.  It was 33, mostly clear, and windy.  According to NOAA, it was snowing at both passes, but temperatures are supposed warm up back to normal in a few days.  Again, it is a very icy wind.  Of course we just planted the peppers that do not like the wind.  Don't know how to shelter them from the wind without sheltering them from the sun.  Fortunately, I covered all three plants last night.  We had frost on the roof this morning.

While JB worked on getting our new computer set up, I drove Miss Kitty down the driveway a ways to start collecting wood from the several piles stacked along it.  Brought up a full load and stacked it in the woodshed.

I wanted to go back outside after a late lunch, but the wind was stronger and even colder.  Sleet cells were passing over and dropping as much as they could.  I did go out to cover the tomato and pepper plants again, which is good because in less that an hour we were in the middle of a snow storm.  And then we weren't.  Oh, that's right - it's Spring!

I think the best part of my visit to the doctor on Thursday was a recipe for vanilla pudding that I copied out of Good Housekeeping.  Am still rather irritated about that whole episode.

When the dogs and I ventured out for our afternoon walk, the wind was not as icy as it had been before the sleet and snow passed through.  While we were up on the south ridge, Dinga disappeared over the side, obviously on the trail of some critter.  Jesse and I continued on, but still no Dinga when we were back at the house.  So back up to the south ridge we went in search of her.  I glimpsed her about 150' down, trying to get a critter out from under a log.  Jesse got a whiff of whatever she was after and ran down to help.  I went back to the house, and they both showed up about 15 minutes later for their dinner, since they hadn't seemed to be able to catch their own. 

After dinner we watched another couple episodes of Homeland, season two.

Monday 4/28. It is 31 and clear this morning.  I hope to get another load of wood up from the driveway today, and JB still has some more issues to deal with on our new computer.  

Randy and Arlene are on their way back to southern California from northern Idaho today.  Godspeed.

Jim, would love to see some of the photos you took of the bridges!

Thought for the day: You must speak straight so that your words might go as sunlight into our hearts.  Cochise

April 25, 2014 He's Back!

A new bloom on the south slope that I don't
believe I have ever seen before.

Wednesday 4/23.  In this morning's posting I made it sound like I was just waiting for the dogs to catch the little critter in the wood pile, but that wasn't it at all.  I knew they would never be able to tear the pile apart and get to it, but it was fun to watch them try.

I washed the dishes, did the laundry and hung it outside.  By that time the clouds had moved in with the breeze, but it didn't look like rain.  The breeze acted like a cool dryer and the sheets were dry before JB arrived home just before 1:30 pm.  Soooo good to have him back!

We unloaded all his things from the Jeep, including goodies from the family and the mail.  I had ordered some Christmas and birthday presents so there were several packages.  The problem with ordering gifts so early is that I often have a hard time waiting to give them.

In my sorting of the loft, I discovered a little book by Robert James Waller entitled Slow Waltz in Cedar Bend.  He is also the author of The Bridges of Madison County, and I had forgotten how much I enjoy his style of writing.

A few days ago, in an evening of high spirits, Larry was unable to pronounce the word "rototiller" and coined the nickname rotilararie.  And so it shall be known as from this day forward.  So when I suggested to JB that we plant the onion and potato starts he had brought home, he moaned about having to till the garden first.  I told him that Larry had already used the rotilararie on it and I am pleased to say that he was very grateful.

Just after I hung up the laundry this morning, I decided it was time to call Randy.  He is the one with whom I have been corresponding by email for several months since he contacted me because of reading my blog for more than a year.  He and his Mother are moving from southern California to the mountains of north central Idaho and are up there for a couple weeks.  We had a lovely chat and he is just as delightful and funny over the phone as he is via email.  I do believe JB and I have two new friends. . .

As much as JB wanted to go for our afternoon walk, it had been a long day for him, so he read the paper while the dogs and I went.  It was obviously snowing in the mountains and on Mission ridge.  But wildflowers were still popping up everywhere Up Here.  Our high for the day was 44.

JB had found the fourth season of Justified for only $12, so we began watching it this evening.

Thursday 4/24.  It was 38 and foggy at 6:00 am after a night of rain, that I am sure JB brought with him.  The dogs went out on the porch, but only Dinga braved the chill.  It was raining again at 8:00 am when I got up to stay, but it stopped at about 9:00 am.

I had finally called my doctor yesterday for a referral to an ear, nose and throat specialist.  I have chronic ear pain that is an on-and-off type of annoyance and have been to doctors about it for the past twenty years, but to no avail.  It has been getting worse the past several weeks, so I decided to try a doctor in Wenatchee as my last resort.  I was given an appointment for today at 4:00 pm.  So I left for Down There at 11:30 am to do some shopping first.

The road was a bit dicey in places, but almost completely dried out when I made my way back up at 5:00 pm.  As expected, the doctor had no clue as to was is causing the pain, but he did have a couple suggestions that might help.  I am getting like Larry is with doctors.  He won't go to one because he says they are still just practicing medicine.  As soon as they learn it, he might go.

Everything is so lush at the bottom of the canyon and the rest of the way down.  And not just green, but GREEN!  It was a lovely drive both ways.

JB worked on our new computer for most of the time I was gone.  He found a great deal at Fry's on one with an Intel N3520 processor and a half of a terabyte of memory.  I sound like I know exactly what that means, but all I understand is that it was a great deal and so very much better than the ones  we have.

After dinner we started watching the second season of Homeland, which JB also brought back.

Friday 4/25.  It is 34 and mostly cloudy this morning.  I have lots of Seattle Times papers to read yet and several magazines, so I am going to have a lovely, relaxing morning.

Thought for the day: The truth is always the strongest argument. Frederick the Great

April 23, 2014 Dogs & Tales

The dogs after a critter in the wood cradle.

Monday 4/21. While I was sitting on the porch this morning, Dinga discovered a little critter in the wood cradle.  Jesse soon joined her and they were doing their very best to tear it apart.  Dinga gets not just focused, but obsessed, clamping on to the logs and trying to pull them out.  I often yell at her not to tear such piles apart, but this could easily be redone so I didn't this time.  Jesse, however, kept looking at me and twice ran back to the porch as if asking if it was really okay for them to be doing this.  He lost interest after about 20 minutes, but Dinga kept at it for quite a while, never catching whatever squirrel or chipmunk was in there.

Meanwhile, I just sat on the porch, enjoying the show and writing.  I feel as though I could sit there and write for hours each day.  Too bad I actually have to work in order to live Up Here. . .

Our "resident" butterflies have been here for a few weeks, even before the snow was all gone.  They have chestnut brown wings with a light tan outline.  I really do need to get a book with which I can identify them and the others that we see Up Here.

Our wildflowers are multiplying each day.  On our morning walk, I could see bright yellow bouquets of balsam root dotting the south slope.  More such plants are sprouting all along the south ridge and will soon be blooming also.  Lupine is sprouting along the north ridge in all the old familiar places, each one a promise of beautiful lavender blooms.  As is the case with most wonderful events, anticipation is half the fun.

After doing the laundry and eating lunch, I cooked a pot of chicken stew for the dogs and baked some chicken for myself.  Then I took a nap.

The sky had mostly cleared when I woke up 1-1/2 hours later, just in time for the dogs' afternoon walk.  Now there are almost as many western spring beauties as there is grass.

I went out again after an early dinner to cut down a couple small trees that were crowding others on both the south and north ridges.  I also tossed a lot of the rocks out of the garden that Larry had dug up with the tiller.  Then the dogs and I just walked around a bit enjoying the views. 

As often on his visits, Larry was talking about some of his boyhood adventures when he was Up Here on Sunday.  He has some incredible stories to tell about growing up in the Wenatchee area.  He spent most of his free time out in the woods backpacking and camping, and driving the back roads when he was old enough.  There are lots of those dirt roads in our area that go on for miles and they are accessible from where we live.  Am looking forward to exploring them with Miss Kitty.

I spent a lot of time camping in the summers up through grade school with my parents, then at church camps as I grew older.  But there was a big change in my life when I was about twelve years old.  Within less than a span of two years I was presented with a baby brother, both my Grandmothers and a Grandfather passed away, my parents were divorced and we moved to a new town.  And that was when I decided that I never wanted to be too happy because it would be so much worse when things went wrong, as I knew they would.  

It has taken most of the rest of my life to learn that I should give thanks in all things.  Which is not to say that I am always, or even often, successful in this, but I am no longer wary of being happy.  And upon that note, I realize that my blog is not simply the tale of our adapting to and living off the grid, but has indeed become an autobiography of sorts.

And speaking of living Up Here, since the snow is all gone and the chipmunks are about, it is time to close the gate on the woodshed so Dinga doesn't get in there and start tearing it apart looking for the little critters.

And, of course, I couldn't let a day go by without mentioning Downton Abby.  When talking to Sandy on the phone the other day, she commented that on my blog I am beginning to sound like a woman obsessed.  I suppose I have been lately, but it is such a refreshing change to the other series we watch that can be so violent and harsh.  Which is not to say that I don't like action-packed films, but the historical and verbal action of Downton Abby is just as entertaining for me.

In watching movies and TV series, I am often impressed by the actors' lines and think, "Wouldn't it be nice if someone clever could write mine!"  One of my all-time favorite lines is from the HBO series Deadwood.  One of the men swears in front of a woman and says, "Pardon my French."  To which she replies, "Oh that's okay.  I speak French."  And, of course, Granny in Downton Abby (played by Maggie Smith) has some of the most incredibly funny, sensitive and clever lines that only she could deliver so effectively.

Back to Up Here, rain began falling as I was getting ready for bed and 9:30 pm.  A gentle, fresh rain.

Tuesday 4/22.  It was 37 and lightly raining at 6:00 am when the dogs wanted out.  After lighting a fire and letting the dogs back in, I was back to bed until 8:30 am.  By then the rain had stopped, but the breeze was blowing around a few snowflakes.  They soon disappeared but the wind stayed all day.  The clouds moved on and we had sunshine, but our high was only 45.  Didn't figure out the wind chill factor with that biting wind, but if I had, with the wind speed in the mid teens, I probably would not have gone outside at all.

I washed my delicates in my hand washer, then put them in the big washer for a rinse and spin.  Of course with my life Up Here the only delicates I really have are camisoles, some of my long underwear, and a few bras.  Then there are a few slips for special events, but never again stockings.  I haven't worn them in years.

I cut up a pile of branches and stacked them in the shed, then brought in the firewood.  It was really too windy to be outside, but we did take both our daily walks.  I did some reading, some sudoku, and baked our favorite banana coffee cake.  JB will be home tomorrow, thank goodness.

Wednesday 4/23. It is 35 with a blue sky and clouds around the horizon.  JB plans to leave the winery at about 8:30 this morning and take Highway 2 home across Stevens Pass.  It snowed there a few days ago, so it may be slow going.  It will be so good to have him home again!

Thought for the day:  As much of heaven is visible as we have eyes to see. William Winter.

April 21, 2014 Easter

Dinga enjoying a last bit of snow on our road.

Delicate spring beauties with their
tiny purple stripes.

Friday 4/18. With the temperature down to freezing, there was quite a thick layer of ice on the dogs' water and bird bath this morning.

At 8:00 am, having been up much earlier to light the fire and let the dogs out, I was lying in bed and enjoying being lazy when the dogs started barking.  I got up and discovered that our coastie neighbor's dog was back for a visit.  If the dogs don't come out when he arrives, he will give a few barks to let us know he is here.  He is obviously so delighted when they do come out to play.

I fixed my coffee and took it out to the porch.  I love watching the birds, and when I think of them as tiny, flying dinosaur-descendants, it makes them even more fascinating.  The rows of wood on the porch are dwindling now, so sitting on the porch, I can see to all sides, instead of just straight ahead to the east.  I can easily watch the birds at their bath - bathing in and drinking the water.  Something their digestive systems can withstand, but certainly not mine!

I spent a lot of time sitting on the porch this morning, in and out of the house a few times.  And as I was there, Jesse came up and gave me the "Jesse mind meld."  I looked at the clock and, sure enough, it was time for our morning walk.  I wasn't dressed but had my capote on over my dressing gown, which was over my pajamas.  So I just put on my boots and off we went.  My capote is from our rendezvousing days and is a long coat with a hood made out of an Early's Witney 4-point blanket which is 100% wool and made in England.  Warm enough to keep out the coldest wind.

The problem I often have with sudoku is looking but not seeing a number and that causes me to make mistakes.  Kind of like life, I guess.  I often look but do not see.  Some things have to be believed to be seen.  Simple things, like the goodness in others.  That God-spark that is within all of us.  I tend to be lazy in that aspect and think that each person's goodness should be right out where I can see it.  Sadly, I often don't want to have to exert myself and go digging.

I know that certain closets, including mine, tend to shrink clothes that are hung in them for too long, but now it seems to be making either the buttons larger or the button holes smaller.  I was talking to my son about this concept and he said something to do with cookies and chocolate, but I really did not understand what he was talking about.  

After our walk I washed the dishes, did the dishes and hung it up outside.  With JB gone, I only wash the dishes on days I do the laundry, as there are not that many and I have to have the water on for a while anyway.

I have this great idea for making pine-cone flowers.  Well, at least I will find out how great it is when I actually start trying to make them.

After lunch the dogs and I took a walk down the driveway and I realized that I could drive Miss Kitty down and get a load of wood from the jumble at the foot of our driveway.  So that is exactly what I did.  I took the large pieces to the cutting cradle, then broke up the smaller ones and stacked them in the woodshed.  By then it was time for our afternoon walk, but since the dogs had walked down and back up the drive twice today, we only took half a walk.

I took the laundry down after our walk, but I had washed jeans and they were not quite dry.  So I hung them up inside the house.  I really need to get them hung out much earlier, especially on a day when our high was only 46.  By the time I brought them in, the sky was mostly overcast with the sun breaking through occasionally.  But by sunset, the sky was as clear as it had been in the morning.  That seems to happen a lot Up Here.

I finished watching season four of Downton Abby, but I'm sure there must be some special features from some of the seasons that I haven't watched yet.

Saturday 4/19.  It was 32 again this morning with thin, high clouds drifting slowly to the northeast.  The dogs water had no ice on it, but the bird bath did.  I was up at 6:00 am.  Fixed a poor-man's mocha (a packet of cocoa, a heaping teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa, a heaping teaspoon of instant coffee, and a dollop of milk).  And took it out on the porch to enjoy.

I listened to a conversation between two birds, one in our grove and one towards the south ridge.  They went back and forth with different sounds and intonations, and was simply fascinating.  Don't think I have noticed anything quite like it before, especially because of all the different tones and length of "tweets".  Just wish I had an interpreter, as their meaning was just out of my grasp.

It seems that our landscape has gone from white to brown to green so quickly this year.  Just a few weeks ago I was breaking up ice in our yard, and now I am pulling weeds.

Dinga was in a wild mood this morning.  While I was sitting on the porch, she came up to me with a wild, let's-play look in her eyes.  That consists of me acting as if I am going to grab her and her running away, darting about the yard and sometimes running completely around the house.  I don't have to move much, just make like I am going to go after her.  Even Jesse has caught on to the game.  She does all the running and he simply has to dart and pounce a bit.

I tackled my side of our bedroom closet before lunch.  I tend to just stuff things in there to get them out of the way, but then they seem to stay there.  Now I can actually see the floor.

At 1:00 pm the sky was clear to the west and north and the sun was shining.  I thought it would be a good time to drive Miss Kitty down the road for another load of wood.  I went down to the rope gate, but by the time I had a small load, the clouds had moved in.  There was no more sun and no blue sky.  In fact I could see rain moving our way from the west.  I finished filling Miss Kitty's bed with wood and drove back home.  I just wanted to yell at Mother Nature, "Oh, for Heaven's sake!  Make up your mind!"  Wouldn't have done any good, I am sure.

I had a great conversation with Sandy, mostly about Downton Abby.  We both have the same thoughts about what we think is going to happen next season and the same opinions about what has already happened.  When we were done, I went in and brewed myself a big cup of Earl Grey tea.

I could hear loud gunfire in the canyon this afternoon, which even made Dinga nervous.  Neither of the dogs strayed more than a couple feet from me on our afternoon walk.  Well, this is redneck territory, so I am sure that a lot of the guys around here thought, "Hey, it's Easter weekend.  Let's go shooting."  I guess that's one way to celebrate.

That got me to thinking about living in a place where guns are a part of everyday life.  I have become so used to the sounds of gunfire that I don't give it much of a thought, other than, "Oh, I wonder who that is?", and try to figure out where the sound is coming from.

During my evening chat with Larry and Elsie, Larry said they would be up tomorrow afternoon with "Easter" eggs and the rototiller.  He is all done tilling their garden and now he said he would till ours.  Says it will only take him about and hour and a half as ours is so small, and anyway JB isn't here to say, "No! We can do it."

The wind blew a rain cell through at about 8:00 pm, but by 9:00 pm the stars were out.  I went to bed at 10:00 pm with the wind howling, but within just a few minutes there was suddenly a very loud silence and the wind had completely disappeared.

Easter Sunday 4/20.  It was 33 and clear, with a light wind this morning.  Whatever one's beliefs, this is a day to celebrate renewed and forever life, from Spring itself to infinite possibilities.  I awoke at 5:00 am with the dogs wanting to go out.  The moon still out and riding high.  It too seemed to be in joyous celebration as it reflected the golden light of the new day.

But it was just too early to stay up, so I went back to bed for a couple hours until the phone range at 7:30 am.  It was my son calling to wish me a happy Easter, while he was getting ready to go to church.  How nice!

Took my coffee out on the porch again.  Just had too, even though it was cold and breezy.  The birds don't seem to care, so why should I?  I always take my pen and notepad with me, but this morning my pen was rebelling against the chill.

As the wood piles on the porch shrink, I am thinking how to arrange everything.  I love to nest, and this is really the only place I can re-arrange.  We are definitely going to take the washer and (unused) dryer that are sitting there Down There and donate them to Habitat for Humanity.  Should have done that last summer, but lots of "should have's" didn't get done last summer, just the "must do's".

Years ago I read in a holy scripture, "Man is that he might have Joy."  If this isn't a joyous time, then I don't know what is.  So today I am going to be especially Joyous.

The dogs wanted in while I was eating breakfast and both seemed a bit spooked.  They both lay down on the floor near my chair.  I hadn't heard any gunfire, so there must have been a furry, four-footed critter of some sort out there - bear or cougar?

After breakfast I had some M&M's, after all, it is Easter.  And I take much Joy in chocolate. . .

Then I cleaned up the house and vacuumed.

People have commented to me that they think I am a natural-born writer.  But I think that is only because I communicate better when I have time to think about my words.  What I am "natural born" is really a scatter-brained klutz.  I am sure that one of my Mother's most-used expressions while I was growing up was, "Rose, pick up your feet!"  That would still apply today, were she here.  And I am personally acquainted with every door jamb in every house I have ever lived in.  I am sure much of that comes from lack of focus on what I am doing, thus the scatter-brain.

I started on my idea for pine-cone flowers today.  First I cut the bottoms off of a stack of cones with my large clippers.  Then I pulled the little seeds out of them with a small pair of needle-nosed pliers.  Now I have to figure out how to put a stem on them.  I already have a few ideas on how to decorate them.

One chore I did have to get done before Larry and Elsie arrived was to put the corner post back up in the garden.  The wind keeps blowing it over.  I used the post-hole digger and managed to get it upright again.

While doing that, I noticed that my iris are popping up and two of them have divided.  So I weeded around them and transplanted the two new plants.

A light overcast formed and dissolved a couple times during the day, but by late afternoon the sky was mostly clear.  Our high for the day was 52, but sitting in the sun in my swing, it felt more like 72.

Larry drove up at about 4:30 pm, but Elsie had a migraine and was unable to come.  It did indeed take him about 1-1/2 hours to till the garden and I was so grateful.  We chatted a bit until the setting sun began to cool.  Then he left and I went inside to put in a fire.  I had spent most this glorious day outside, and it felt so good.

Well, it is obvious that with JB gone I have more time to think and write, and tend to get very verbose in my blog.  Am so glad he will be back on Wednesday.  Am going to have him pick up some onion and potato starts on his way back.

Monday 4/21.  It is 39 and overcast this morning.  Rain is forecast for much of the week.  We'll see if it really gets here.

Thought for the day: Thank you, Lord, for this new day.  Thank you for all our blessings and those that are on their way.  W. Rose

April 18, 2014 Finally - April Showers

Easter Eggs!!

Trillium is blooming too.

Wednesday 4/16. My Aunt Nene emailed me a couple weeks ago about coming to visit and bringing a couple friends.  They plan to be here around mid-June for a day.  I was so excited and talked about it so much to JB that I completely forgot to write about it!  Can't wait!

Rain is in the forecast for the end of this week, but with a dry weekend.  If the road is sufficiently dried out, I would like to make a garbage run early next week.  We will have to take two loads down this Spring.  With both trips last year, we had too much for one load and now that extra has grown into another full load.  Not kitchen garbage, but everything else.

About mid-day, before lunch, I decided to walk down the driveway in search of trillium.  I know where they usually bloom each year among the trees.  Just as I was about to give up, I spotted the one in the photo above.  Then I saw several other smaller ones nearby.  They are so pretty.

Coming back up the drive, I heard the deep-throated mating call of the blue grouse.  I finally located him and was able to get a few pictures, until Dinga got too close.  He spread his wings and his tail feathers, then glided from the ridge into a tree.

When I came inside for lunch, I realized that I still needed to wash the dishes and do the laundry.  That never would have happened if JB were at home.  They would have both been done by 10:30 am!  I am simply not on the same schedule that he is. . .

After lunch I split some pitch wood into fire starter size.  When I brought the basket of it into the house its wonderful scent was almost overwhelming.  Certainly better than any man-made air freshener.

Later in the afternoon I was sitting on the porch and got buzzed by our first hummingbird of the year.  Guess it's time to stock up on even more sugar.  Then I saw Dinga acting a little strange and realized she had caught a mouse.  It wasn't quite dead, so I had to do the deed.  I really hate that.  It still almost brings me to tears.

Forgot to mention that when JB's grandnephew was visiting, I showed him the dozen eggs that Elsie had given us.  His face lit up and he exclaimed, "Easter eggs!"  Not quite, but they certainly look like it.  The photo above just didn't capture the blue and teal hues, especially the second one from the top on the right.

When JB called this evening, he said that they just won't be done with the work until Tuesday.  So he will be coming home on Wednesday instead of this Saturday.  I said that was okay but I was going to need a chocolate bribe, it being Easter and all.  Preferably hand made from a specialty shop.

Thursday 4/17.  It was 40 and overcast when I got up at 7:30 am.  NOAA is predicting a 100% chance of rain in the form of a thunder storm.  Upon hearing that, I grabbed a garbage bag and dashed outside to gather some needles for fire starter, as I only have one bag left.  I could smell rain, as I did yesterday on our afternoon walk.  And, speaking of that walk, it looked as if there were three times as many balsam root plants blooming on the south slope as there had been the day before.

And the swallows are back on the south slope.  They nest in the trees there, where there is more sun.  Each year some of them check out the eaves on our house, but obviously find them wanting.  However, they always find room for nests under Larry and Elsie's eaves.

Dinga's mountain snow cone has completely disappeared.  Yesterday there were still a few dots of snow left in some very shaded areas, but I don't see any today.  She is going to be very disappointed.

On our morning walk, the air was heavy with moisture.  It almost smelled as if it had already rained.  And, no wonder, as according to our weather station, the humidity was 78%.  Rain finally moved in slowly about 1:30 pm, a light and gentle rain.  It fell until about 4:00 pm, but there was no thunder.  In anticipation of the "storm", I had swept out our little drainage "canals".  They tend to fill up with loose dirt, needles, fir cones and sticks that all form little dams.  It began raining again at about 7:00 pm, but by 9:00 pm the wind had kicked up and the stars were out.

I spent most of the day doing little things and by dinner time I had actually accomplished a lot that one could actually see.  Even fine-tuned the loft.

And, speaking of Downton Abby, I have found myself being a snob at times throughout my life.  I am sure I got that from my Mother, which will be very surprising to anyone who reads this and knew her.  No one who did know her would ever suspect it, but she was always very gently with her snobbery, much more so than I was.  But then I am sure she learned it from her Mother who was born into a wealthy family, married a very well-off man and lived in London from 1925 until 1942.  I am glad to report that I have left my snobbish ways behind many years ago.

It could have been a dreary day, but it wasn't.  I kept a small fire in the stove and it was quite cozy, and the rain smelled so good.  But by 4:00 pm, it was a little too cozy and I had to open a couple windows.  Our high for the day was 48 outside, and 75 inside.  When I spend the day mostly inside, I never have to worry about getting enough exercise.  Just letting the dogs in and out gives me plenty.

Saw a video on Facebook of the showdown in Nevada.  Wish I could have been there!

I re-watched two episodes of Downton Abby, series four after dinner.  Tomorrow I will finish watching it and be very sad about that, but JB was able to find three different series that we want at very good prices.  So when he returns, we can watch those. 

Friday 4/18.  It is a very nippy and windy 32 this morning.  The wind is tearing off little pieces of clouds that are over the mountains and sending them our way, otherwise the sky is clear.  I will definitely stay inside today if this wind keeps up.  The wind meter shows the gusts to be in the low twenties, but it sure seems stronger.  Actually, the outside part of the station is in a place where the house may block some of the wind, so perhaps it is a little stronger.

Thought for the day: The welfare of humanity is always the alibi of tyrants. Albert Camus