June 29, 2018 Where Did June Go?!

Paintbrush & yarrow.

My hanging basket from
Elsie is flourishing.

A great start on our
firewood.

Wednesday 6/27. First thing this morning we moved all the grass and weeds I had pulled from the rock area yesterday to behind the compost pile in five tractor-bucket loads.  Then I went in to do morning chores and laundry while JB did some more weed-eating.

After lunch I pruned rose bushes that were intruding on some of the pathways and did more general clean-up.  The weather was perfect for working outside, with a few clouds and a high of 70.  A light rain began to fall around 8:30 pm and lasted for about an hour.

Thursday 6/28. It was 48 and clear this morning with a 9-mph breeze.  I was on my way Down There by 9:00 am for errands and groceries.  Bought everything we need for our Fourth-of-July family gathering except for perishables which I will go down for on Monday.  The wind was really blowing in town, as it often does, but it would have been uncomfortably warm without it.

I do so enjoy being able to stop and visit Mrs. Gridder and Elsie on my way back up the mountain, now that they are both home.  Mrs. Gridder is out of school for the summer and Elsie is loving her almost-completely-retired status.  With all my visiting, I was home a little before 3:00 pm.  Our high Up Here for the day was 69 with a wind gusting to 15 mph.

I can't believe that the month of June is almost gone!  And just where did it go?  May was a lovely month that just slowly ambled by, whereas June was obviously in a hurry to leave.  But it left us with some great memories.

Friday 6/29. It is 48 and clear this morning with a very slight breeze.  Temperatures are supposed to be cooler through next week.

Thought for the day: The grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love and something to hope for.  George Washington Burnap

June 27, 2018 Back To Work

Rose Camp park, looking down to
house from south ridge. . .

. . .and looking to the house from
the north ridge.

Prairie smoke with some
little asters.

Monday 6/25. JB finished mowing today.  Wow! What a difference!  Yesterday while he was mowing on the south ridge, he startled a grouse hen and her babies.  First time we have seen the little ones.

After morning chores, I split wood and JB took it to the wood shed in three tractor-bucket loads and I stacked it.

When the dogs and I went on our afternoon walk it was just like walking through a park.

JB noticed a good-sized bull snake by the porch.  I talked to the snake and told him he was welcome to stay as long as he took care of our mouse problem.

It was a good day for working outside, but with a wind gusting to 14 mph.  Our high was 67.

Tuesday 6/26. It was 47 and clear this morning when I got up to let the dogs out at 6:30.  The sun was on the porch and it was just too nice to go back to bed, so I sat out there with my coffee for a while.  Until the chilly breeze picked up.

After breakfast we got outside for more yard work (I figure we have about a five acre yard).  I pulled grass and weeds in the rock area between our cars and the hen house while JB use the weed eater to clean up in some mowed areas and between the house and the wood shed.  We continued these projects after lunch also.

We all went on a morning walk and in just one day the asters and yellow salsify had begun to bloom.  I also noticed a patch of prairie smoke.  The lupine has run its course, but there are still a few sun flowers.

A few clouds began drifting in from the southwest before noon and continued to do so for the rest of the day.  We had a breeze, but not nearly as strong as yesterday.  Our high for the day was 66.

Around 2:00 pm I began splitting more wood and finished all of it except for the three huge rounds from last years' tree.  Then I had to tear down and re-stack the ends of the second and third rows, as I usually do.  So now we have three good rows, and I will start the fourth tomorrow with what I split today.

Wednesday 6/27. It is 48 and partly cloudy this morning, with possible rain this evening.

Thought for the day: No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.  Aesop

June 25, 2018 Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety Jig

Fireweed beginning
to bloom at the
 end of the porch.

Wednesday 6/20. At Costco yesterday, I discovered that they are now selling cold brew coffee.  How delicious!

Thunder clouds were peeking over the mountains to the southwest when I went out to hang up the laundry.  I hung it up anyway, knowing it would all be dry before the storm arrived.

I left before 11:30 am for a quick trip Down there to pick up the package of parts for the oven (and a milk shake), and was home in just under two hours.  The dark clouds were getting darker and closer, so I wanted to be home before they let loose.

JB cleaned the mower attachment to the tractor, something that should be done when we take it off in the Fall, but never seems to get done until we want to put it back on again the next year. . .

I needn't have hurried home.  There was just a little distant thunder and a couple of rain drops.  The clouds all drifted off to the south and our high for the day was 78.

The temperature was really too warm to work hard outside, so after dinner I split some wood since it had cooled a bit.  JB worked on the oven and then I helped finish, as it is really a two-person job.  Before we put it all back together, I vacuumed and cleaned the inside of the stove.  By then it was after 7:00, so we just sat on the porch for a while and enjoyed the evening.  The dark clouds were no longer in sight.

Thursday 6/21. The day of the summer solstice began with 60 and partly cloudy skies.  We got outside early and moved the wood I split yesterday to the shed in two loads.  As I was moving some of the rounds closer to the splitter, I discovered a timber rattler curled up under one.  Got my snake stick and quickly dispatched him.  He was only about 14" with five small rattles.

Then we put the mower on the tractor.  What a pain in the patootie. . . and the knees, and the hands, etc.  Didn't get the last part attached as it needed to be oiled and extended.  JB said that would be a project for him while I was gone.

I went inside to finish packing and take a nap.  After that I stacked the wood we had taken to the wood shed, then took a shower.  After dinner I was on my way to the Gridders' place about 6:00 pm.  This had been our hottest day this year, with a high of 83.

Friday through Sunday 6/22-6/24. We were up at 6:00 am Friday to set up for the garage sale what was to begin at 8:00.  I had taken my craft-fair booth, which provided us with lots of shade.  Both days were quite warm, but with a strong breeze, so we were all quite comfortable.  Sold a lot, talked a lot and played cards in the evenings.  A great time!  But we have all agreed that next time there is enough stuff for another sale, we will just take two loads to Goodwill, one load to the dump, play cards and just skip the garage sale part of it all.  However, I made enough money for Mrs. Gridder and me to get to lots of other people's garage sales this summer!

We enjoyed a lazy Sunday morning and were on our way home about 10:30 am.  I was back up at Rose Camp before 1:00 pm.  Such fun - but it is always good to be back home.

JB had gotten the mower all attached to the tractor while I was gone, then mowed the south ridge and some to the north.  I helped him spot stumps and rocks on the north ridge Sunday afternoon, so he could finish up.

While I was gone, daily temps had been the the high 70's and today was 78.

Monday 6/25. It is 58 and mostly cloudy with blue sky to the west this morning.  We had a storm pass over during the night with lots of lightening, a little thunder, and some rain.  The thunder really freaks out the dogs, so JB spent a couple hours on the couch in the living room with them.  Needless to say, he is sleeping in this morning.

Thought for the day: Accentuate the positive, not the negative.  It sounds so trite, but a lot of people will pick out something to complain about, rather than say, "Hey, that was great!"  It's not hard to find great stuff if you look.  Betty White

June 20, 2018 Slicing Wood & A Trip Down There

Again, I am unable to upload any photos.



Monday 6/18. It seems like all of the robins have moved on, not just the ones whose nest we could see.  But there are plenty of smaller birds about.  The red-capped sparrows are building their nests and love to collect the dogs' hair that is in little clumps from my brushing them.  Wish I could get a photo of one of them with their big, droopy, dogs'-hair mustache.

After I hung out the laundry, we sliced up the two logs I had limbed yesterday.  Then I limbed the other two and we sliced them up.  I measure and JB cuts.  After lunch we moved four tractor-bucket loads of rounds to the splitter, two loads of wood I split yesterday to the wood shed, and one load of rounds, too small to split, to the wood shed where I stacked them all.  These were small trees with only 96' between the four of them.  Still, it's lots of wood, and we will be thinning out the woods of many of the small ones.

Then we were both ready for a nap!

The sky had cleared a bit during the day but clouds moved back over late in the afternoon.  Our high for the day was 76, and by sunset the sky was almost clear again.

Tuesday 6/19. It was 52 and clear this morning.  I was on my way Down There by 9:00 am, mainly to pick up the package of parts for the oven.  It wasn't there at 10:30 am, nor was it there a couple hours later when I went back after all my shopping was done.  Guess I should have checked the tracking online.

As many times as I have done it, travelling our road is always an adventure.  The foliage changes a bit from one trip to another, and one never knows what critter one might meet, if only a grouse or two, or if there will be a large rock or tree on the road.  And upon returning to Rose Camp, I always seem to see our home in a new light, both actually and figuratively.

The day rapidly heated up Down There and I managed to get back home by 1:30 pm.  Again, our high for the day was 76, but it seemed much warmer today.

Tomorrow will be the summer solstice and the sun is now as far north as it will get for the year.  From our viewpoint, it sets right into the crevice formed by Tumwater Canyon, which opens into Leavenworth.  This is the first place where I have lived that the annual movement of the sun is so obvious.  Living Down There, I rarely noticed.  Just another wonder of living Up Here on the mountain.

The Gridders' garage sale in Moses Lake is going to be this weekend.  Mrs. Gridder, her sons, and I are going to leave Thursday evening.  I will not be back home until Sunday evening, so there will be no blog posting on Friday.  JB and I plan to put the mower on the tractor tomorrow so he can be mowing while I am gone.

Wednesday 6/20. It is 64 and partly cloudy this morning with thunder storms in the forecast for today and tomorrow.

Thought for the day: The United States was supposed to have a limited government because the founders knew government power attracts demagogues and despots as surely as horse manure attracts horseflies.  Rick Gaber

June 18, 2018 Thunder Storms & Busy, Busy Busy

One of our many brilliant
paint brush. . .

. . .and one of our lovely wild roses.

Friday 6/15. JB was on his way Down There about 9:00 am.  Like yesterday, dark clouds floated past to the south and a few overhead.

I don't have to bring in firewood every day now, but I do have to water the flowers and tomato plants which takes just a little less time and energy.

I had lots of things that needed to be done inside today: dishes, laundry, a thorough vacuuming, refill and replace the mouse traps, etc.  I also fixed (I hope) the gap by the drain pipe behind the washer.

JB was home about 2:30 pm with a clean bill of health from his cardiologist and four full gas cans.  He had also checked out Lowe's 80-volt battery chain saw.  The brand name is Kobalt, but it is manufactured by Greenworks.  It is probably the one we will purchase as the Greenworks web site doesn't list the 80-volt one that Larry bought.

There is so much more lupine and paintbrush blooming on the mountain this year than usual.  And so many of the wild rose bushes have more blooms on them.  Quite a delight to the eyes.

We heard thunder while on our afternoon walk.  Lots of huge, dark clouds filled most of the sky by then.  The first rain drops fell a little after 4:00 pm.  Lots of big, heavy drops for a 30-minute downpour.  Then the clouds and thunder slowly drifted off the the northeast.

Our high for the day was 68, but it seemed warmer without all the wind we have been experiencing.

Saturday 6/16. It was 50 and overcast this morning.  We started hearing thunder around noon and a short rain squall moved in ten minutes later.  The thunder moved closer and rain fell off and on until the sun seemed to have won out about 3:00 pm.

Not a day to work outside, so I caught up on filing and sorting.  However, I did manage to put the two "cages" that JB bought yesterday around the two tomato plants that didn't have any.  The weather also allowed us to go on our two walks with the dogs.  

Our high for the day was 62, and we had some more thunder and another short squall shortly after our afternoon walk.  By the time Star Wars VI had ended this evening, another band of clouds was on its way in from the northeast.

Sunday 6/17. It was 58 and clear this morning.  Rain fell during the night but we heard only one distant clap of thunder.

After morning chores and lunch we had planned to cut down the large dead pine tree up on the east slope, but the wind popped up so we took down four much smaller ones instead.  Then used JB's Jeep to drag them down to the drive.  I limbed two of them and did some splitting.

Large clouds blew in from the northeast during the afternoon, which is the complete opposite direction from normal.  Most of them went to the south and west of us so the sun shone all day.  Our high was 70 but without the wind,it probably would have been uncomfortably hot.

Monday 6/18. It is 60 with a partial light overcast.  We want to get the four trees sliced up and moved to the splitter today.  Hopefully I will have time and good weather enough to do some splitting also.

Thought for the day: I accidentally went shopping on an empty stomach and now I am the proud owner of aisle 5.

June 15, 2018 Mice & Down There Again

Connection too slow for pictures this morning.

Wednesday 6/13. I was on my way Down There by 9:00 am.  With no fun things on my list, I just focused on the groceries and got it done.  Was home a little after noon.

Finally put three of the tomato plants in the raised bed and one in a large barrel planter.  They weren't too happy about the wind, as they had been sheltered on the porch.

Other than the wind, it was a nice day with a high of 68.

Thursday 6/14. It was 44 and clear this morning with breeze.  JB put in a fire to take the chill out.  Caught two mice in the bathroom traps during the night.  I think they are getting in by the washer drain pipe.  Will definitely have to check that out.

Wash and dishes in the morning, then after lunch JB sliced up the two logs.  One was about 50' and the smaller one about 30'.  While JB took a nap, I did some splitting, then snipped branches into kindling and took them to the shed in two large bags full.  When JB got up, we moved the split wood to the shed and I stacked it after going on a walk with the dogs.

I guess I missed seeing the baby birds learning to fly, as both the wrens and the robins are gone.  I am surprised that the families leave so quickly.

Another nice day with a breeze, but not as strong as yesterday and without it the temperature would have climbed into the uncomfortable area.  Our high was 66.

Friday 6/15. It is 52 and clear this morning.  Caught one more mouse last night.  JB will be on his way Down There for his annual check-up with his cardiologist and do some errands, including filling the gas cans.  Between the gas generator, the splitter and Miss Kitty, we have been using it up much more quickly.

Thought for the day: Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do.  Mark Twain

June 13, 2018 Downed Trees & A Bad Tooth

Pulling the large log
out to the drive with
JB's Jeep.

Monday 6/11. Our little spiked buck with Up Here this morning with two girl friends, but Dinga chased them away.

I drove down in Miss Kitty around noon to drop off some letters and pick up the mail.  Then I got the tomato plants from Elsie.  We had a nice chat and I brought four plants back home.

JB dropped one large and one small tree.  They were both pine trees with the branches on the top quarter.  I limbed them and then JB dragged them out to the drive and near the splitter.

By the flurry of activity, we can tell that the eggs have hatched in both the wren's nest and the robin's nest.  Looking forward to seeing the little ones learning to fly.

It was a nice day with a cool breeze and a high of 64.

Tuesday 6/12. It was 53 and clear this morning, but soon became overcast.  We had planned to slice up the two logs today and do some splitting, but JB was awakened with a bad toothache in the middle of the night.  He hadn't told me that it had been bothering him for a few weeks. . . 

He called the dentist and they squeezed him in for a 1:00 appointment.  I drove him down and hit the nearby dollar and thrift stores while waiting for him.  We were back home just before 3:00 pm.

It was warm and muggy in town, but our high for the day Up Here was 60.

The Gridders had loaned us the Marvel movie, Black Panther, which we watched this evening.  Very good.

Wednesday 6/13. it is 55 and partly cloudy this morning.  It is payday, so I am going Down There for some grocery shopping.  Hopefully we can get the logs sliced up tomorrow.

Thought for the day: Man plans.  God laughs.