Cat's Tales Productions

Apron Mania Part 1

2012-01-14T13:33:00.001-08:00

I'm selling aprons hand over fist in order to raise money for my misson trip to the Philippines, and one of the benefits in signing up for this mission is that I've learned how to spell the name of the country!

The ones below have not sold yet, so let me know if you want one (or more) and I'll take it out of the collection.

These are the 'twins' (on right and left) I believe I blogged earlier and have added another to the 'leafy' collection.

The reverse side is lavender with an intricate sage green stitching displayed on it.The reverse 'leafy' has some ribbon for the sake of interest which, unfortunatley cannot be seen well here.
Below is the Spring Flower Collection

Above, again, you cannot see the festive buttery embriodered tablecloth I used on one side of the apron on the left. The two on the right have a rosey pink watercolor batik pattern. Reverse sides are shown below.

Some of these have intricate stitching for embellishments along with unique buttons.

Be sure to look at the next blog for the other aprons. I'm not great at figuring out how to get more than five pictures on a blog. DUH!

Lady's aprons sell for $20 plus shipping, child's for $10 plus shipping.

The Latest Aprons Hot off the Press!

2012-01-14T13:07:00.001-08:00

More Aprons! You cannot really tell the precious buttery yellow fabric with tiny blue dots all over. The reverse side is a buttery yellow/lavender plaid with a hint of green stitching shown above.

I love this watercolor batik red and black, Mother/Daughter set; it has distinctive stitching and black buttons. Mother's apron is reversible (same on both sides), and Daughter's apron is not.

This next one is a sage paisley pattern on one sied with vintage rose red flowery on the other. I gave you a close-up picture of the combination with the pocket showing.

You can see the softly scallopped edge of the feminizing statement in the picture below. Most of the latest aprons are this patternMore aprons are created almost every day because I just can't stop myself; they are so endearing and fun and flirty!

Write me if you're interested in buying something:

cathaybrown@yahoo.com

Happy Wife/Happy Life Survival Kit

2012-01-09T15:57:00.000-08:00

This is the best Christmas gift I have given to my husband who wants NO gift at all!

So, I took a recipe box that I'd want sitting around all year long and put cards in it in two catagories: Free and It'll Cost You

Below you see the instructions. Our lives a pretty ordinary (for me) and I find it tiresome to do the SAME thing EVERY Saturday night (watch a movie and eat popcorn). So, I made cards to include some activities to spice up our lives.
Here is a list of the Free ones:
Make hash browns on Saturday or Sunday morning for your wife who thinks you make THE best ones!
Dance with your sweet wife before your movie date: slow, up-beat #9 on The Help CD.
Dance with your sweet wife before your movie date: slow dance #2 Joe Cocker CD.
Plan a picnic and take your wife on one. Be sure to ask for this date ahead of time; she LOVES "the old hwy pond" where she can observe birds.
Dance with your wife before your movie date: up-beat #5 The Help.
Suggest a discussion about a vacation together for next summer.
Slow dance to #5 on the Don Juan de Marco CD.
Suggest a time of deep prayer together before the movie on Saturday.
Dance with your wife before the movie: up-beat #8 The Help.
Ask Catherine to choose 2 hymns or praise songs to sing before you watch your Saturday night movie.
Dance with your wife the Samba #4 Putumayo Presents An Afro~.
Dance with your wife the cha-cha-cha #7 Armik Isla Del Sol

My Dear Husband doesn't dance, but I have suggested we go to the kitchen and pretend he is dancing while I dance around him, especially on the more active ones. He CAN slow dance.
Hey! If you have more ideas, tell me!!!

Here are the ones that will cost him:
Drive to Riggins for sight-seeing, hiking, and dinner or lunch with Ernie and his wife.
Suggest (ahead of time) going to Super 8 to swim and hot tub before your movie date.
Ask your wife on a coffee date at her favorite coffee shop. You could have a hot chocolate!
Ask Catherine out for lunch sometime this week.
Buy your wife her favorite candy bar; you KNOW the one she loves!
Ask your wife out on a BIG date: dinner and a movie (in a theater) in town or LWS.

Again, tell me if you think of more because there are plenty of blank cards in the box!

We have had GREAT success with this. We have NEVER had a discussion about a vacation, and last year we got one day together. We have already planned in August to go to the Oregon Coast. I call that Spicey!!!!

Don't Waste Your Life!

2012-01-01T16:18:00.001-08:00

My Dear Husband and I visited in The Dalles for Thanksgiving.

That may seem like old news to some, but Jay had never done that, and I love him for stepping out of his comfort zone to travel. He is a 'stay-at-home' kind of guy.

We've since celebrated Christmas and New Year's Eve, and I confess to y'all that I've been in a struggle all this time. Remember when Jacob wrestled with God in Genesis 32? Well I didn't want my hip to be injured like Jacob's, so today I relented. Every time I questioned God about this He deflected my reasoning. So...

I'm going to the Philippines on a mission trip to an orphanage called Nehemiah House.

I've wanted to make a difference, which I DO!...already, but the Lord has something more for me. I'm reading a book by John Piper called Don't Waste Your Life, and it backs up the call for me to go. I teach and present workshops on Living Like You Mean It, so why I've been so reluctant is curious.

My excuses this morning:

*this morning at the crack of dawn after my prayer time I felt compelled to give all my money away to someone in GREAT need

* there's a wedding in April that my grandson will expect me to attend

*When I asked about the team (hoping they were full), I was told 3 people had just dropped out

God's responses this morning and this afternoon:

**The sermon this morning was about 'embracing the call'!

**The team needs someone to present a Bible study to women, and the one Monique (the leader) has been praying about is one I've been leading for several months! She needs me to present this.

**The team needs someone to lead morning songs for the girls in the orphanage, and I sing!

**I'd been afraid to bring up 'the call' to my husband because he is not a 'go-er', and when I confessed my struggle and perceived 'call' he told me that if I'm called I'd better go AND he'd help with finances!

**Last year if felt a need to renew my passport!

My life is not a waste unless I don't answer the calls on it! I want to live big this year. One of the women I coach told me that in her prayer time she was given that God was going to do something big in the next three months. Since He will do for all what he does for one, I took that and ran with it. My Resolution Chart is made, but it is all about the physical (food, weight, exercise). Now I have even more reason to believe He is calling me for more, for something BIG.

Has He called you for more? Are you reluctant too? Get on the train!

Let's go somewhere BIG for God.

I'll be making aprons madly to raise money for the trip. Also I'll take four with me as gifts to the women who cook for us...lots of white rice, fruits, veggies.

I covet your prayers, your warriors out there.

Answer my call for prayers; answer God's call to live a bigger life for Him this year.

He may not be calling to an overseas mission, but He IS calling you to something!

Don't waste your life!

Recycled Thrift Store Finds!!!!!

2011-10-27T09:52:00.001-07:00

I make a B-Line to the 'linens' department at my tiny thrift store usually once a week. Last week a Battenburg Lace tablecloth (a BIG rectangular one) appeared, so I brought it home, cut the square corners off, and mounted one of the corners on a rosie watercolor fabric. I cut the lace away from the top corner so it is shaped like a heart.

And, voila!

The pieces I cut away I mounted on two little girl aprons.

And then...
I picked up a small kitchen curtain, cut the corners off, and mounted them on some green and purple leafy fabric for the next two aprons.

The Battenburg Lace Lady's Apron is already sold, so I'll make three more today and tomorrow.

The pleasure of creating and sewing beautiful aprons that others want gives me such satisfaction!!!

Seed Time/Harvest Time

2011-09-18T07:05:00.000-07:00

No one offered up any cheese with my whine about the lack of produce in my garden, so I've sucked it up and waited for something to happen. Shockingly, the tomatoes have produced 30 pounds of fruit already. The Zinnias that failed to show earlier are blossoming beautifully. The Buckwheat that volunteers has flowered and begun to turn seedy. I'm grateful for this turn of events!

I no longer can tomatoes because the frozen ones taste more like fresh when they are thawed.

I just 'chunk' them up for use in sauce and salsa later.

Yesterday morning in the cool 44 degree and breezy weather I pruned the tomatoes so that no more flowers are left, just the vines with tomatoes so that their energy can go to ripening.

And, last of all, these plums are amazing!

It is time to get stared on seeding some flats of lettuce to grow in the sunroom for winter.

Seed time/harvest time...is this my favorite time????? Hm, let me get back to you on that.

S'up in the Garden?

2011-08-17T05:32:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my little Sisty, Barb, for the idea of attaching cd's to the fencing for deer repellents. They swing and shine in the sun keeping away predators...maybe even birds; I'm not sure. We will not turn on the electric fence this year. Everything is producing now, although nothing is ripening all that well. Our nights are already cooling down to as low as 48 degrees, and the days this last week haven't been all that warm... in the low 70's. The watering system didn't work well in my absence this summer, so the potatoes and tomatoes didn't get their fair share with the broken line. Blossom end rot has taken a few tomatoes, and the potatoes began dying earlier than should have been expected.
The greens have FINALLY taken off and produced great quantities. Lettuce is finished, and the chard and kale are wonderful!

There IS a blossom on this eggplant, not that it will ever ripen and be harvestable.

When I lived in The Dalles I had three plants from which I harvested 18 large eggplants! The recipe in Laurel's Kitchen for Eggplant Pasta Sauce is my favorite, and I made a lot of it that year for the freezer...none this year, sadly.

There are only a few of these Amish Paste Tomatoes.

And I have many of these lovely "Connie's Dad's" Winter Squashes.

Only 36 pounds of potatoes were harvested from my 25 plants. I expected at least 50 pounds, and we had great potato-growing weather. Crop failure due to watering issues is heart-breaking.

What to do with those Zucchini Boats?

I grind them into relish using a pickle relish recipe. We like this in tuna for sandwiches, in home-made Thousand Island dressing, and in potato salad. Cucumbers are always an issue to get for me, but zucchinis are not!

That's S'up in the garden!

Little time is left here in the mountains of wild Idaho for anything to happen, and the wet and cool spring made warming the soil an issue. This is the third year in a row for very challenging gardening weather. I'm grateful for the lack of bugs!

Sold...at G'ville Farmers' Market!

2011-08-08T11:41:00.000-07:00

I made aprons while I visited my Little Mither in B'ham. Below is one I made from a tiny set of kitchen window curtains purchased at the Goodwill in Vancouver. My friend Margaret was selling garlic at the Farmers' Market near my booth. She 'HAD' to have this one. It is/was my favorite, and I didn't expect it to really sell. It went first!The aqua/brown one below went next, my second favorite.

Below are the Little Sister aprons I had for sale too.

Big Sister/Little Sister aprons...and some of my favorites.

There are still some left. I sold 3 ladies' aprons and one child's.

I have some vintage table cloths in my stash, so I'll leave you now and get started on more aprons out of that fabric. It should be very delightful to create/view what's next!

Tour de notFrance

2011-08-02T09:03:00.000-07:00

This is a mini-tour of some places I've been lately.

Yesterday it was a rare sunny day up here near Canada while I am with MamaPajama. We decided to take a tour of the Mount Baker area.

This is in front of Picture Lake which is still mostly covered over with snow. There were small floating iceburgs within the lake too. Mom said she'd walked around this lake in the past, but not so yesterday. It was a warm 70 degrees and brilliantly sunny.
These next pics are for you, Elaine!
Margy came up several weekends ago, and we toured an historic mansion that houses a quilt museum. The one below incorporated many men's ties.
I loved the brilliant and colorful spash of a quilt this was.This next one was a 3-D with the quilting done in chickwire-style to match the chicken theme.

The one below was also three-demensional...a cutie!

Below is the Peace Arch on the Canadian border with Washington.

The park was truly lovely with sculptures, gardens, and slow people...like us.

Mama looks a little worried, but she was very happy to have been to the border to see the arch. The Olympic Torch was passed through the arch during the pre-games run through countries.

My sister, Barb, with whom mom lives is an extraordinary gardener. I've picked gallons of raspberries for her freezer while she is away and I am here to take care of Mama.

I decided with part of the pickin' I'd make jam to take home with me. I LOVE raspberries!!!

One of my favorite get-aways is at a darling little knitting shop.

I'll spare you all the pictures of the darling houses on Lummi Island where Mom and I toured last week on another sunny (finally!) day. You can see the northern Cascades on the right in the background and Mount Baker on the left...they are obscured somewhat by the clouds that enveloped us earlier in the morning.

In the center of the picture below is a glacier getting ready to fall over the cliff. We were entranced by the stunning beauty of this place yesterday.

This is Galena Creek Falls fed by the melting glacier in the top of the picture.

I have only 2 days left here before packing up and trekking on home.

I've spent only 10 days at home this summer, and I'm ready to be there for awhile!

It has been a lovely 'visiting' summer this year.

And I needn't have worried about my garden.

Jay filled the new boxes with rich composted manure from the ranch last fall.

The 'soil' was too rich for the plants, and we have no tomatoes. Gardening is always an experiment; sometimes is works, and sometimes it doesn't.

That's life!

Kids, kids, kids!

2011-07-20T13:20:00.001-07:00

I am staying with my MamaPajama in Bellingham for 3 weeks while my sister Barb is on vacation with her family. Kelly, back from Afghanistan, brought his family up for a visit. He came with Melissa and two of his kids, Marcus and Brianna. Also accompanying them was 2-year old Cameron, Mister Busy. We had a blast playing, eating, chatting, and picturing-taking.

Mom's heart was filled with joy by the visit with little Cameron,

so much like Kelly when he was two!

Melissa is a kid at heart, and she LOVED playing legos with Marcus!

Marcus celebrated his 5th birthday while he was here, and I let him help me build his cake.
He was more into decorating it with hundreds of 'sprinkles' and some candy corn.

Mama taught Brianna to knit for her b'day present. She celebrated her birthday, her 11th!

Marcus made a catapult with his new lego set.

Cameron was mostly into fruit (bananas and grapes0 during their visit.

I love his big eyes and long lashes, so much like his Moma, Mandi, my oldest granddaughter.

I think this is a magical picture that Kelly took of us as we watched something on TV as we all lined up on the couch together.

My sister Margy has blessed us with a visit since Kelly left, and now we are on our own, just the two of us sewing, knitting, visiting, cherishing our time together which we both know is short.

The Wedding

2011-06-28T07:49:00.000-07:00

I have to say that I was sweetly surprised at the wedding of my granddaughter on Sunday.

She and her beloved have lived together and have a delightful child already; they did a tremendous job of planning and accomplishing a time together that drew family and friends from diverse lifestyles. You can see in the picture below on the far right Jason's twin brother and on the far left Mandi's stepmom, Melissa taking pictures as they hear from the pastor who married them. The Kiss...and Melissa's lovely hair in the bottom left corner.

The happy couple: Mandi and Jason True
Kelly and Melissa's 'middle child' was the flower girl/bride's maid.

Isn't she a darling?!

Isabella and Marcus taking a break from dancing the night away together.

Father/daughter dance: Kelly got out of his dress uniform as soon as he could,

and then he and Mandi had the first dance, so sweet.

Arlie and I flanking Kelly and Mandi as pictures were being taken.
Marcus wanted to be near his Daddy, and Arlie is accompanied by his dog Baby.

Apron Camp...and more...

2011-06-16T07:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my son-in-law Chris set up a sewing center in the garage for me. While Isabella was in school I made the apron for Kimber. It was a good day for her, out of bed, up and around, and cooking! Then Isabella and I made her own so they could cook together (meatloaf, baked potatoes, and green beans).
I have the pleasure of taking Isabella to Karate twice this week, and she is awesome!

Grammy gets a dose of Grand Babies: Isabella, Dante, and Great Grandbaby Cameron.

My oldest Grandbaby, Mandi, is Cameron's mama.

Cameron and Grammy

That's all folks!

Greenhouse Gardening in Miniature

2011-06-03T08:09:00.000-07:00

Again this year June has been renamed: Junuary we call it.

The temperature yesterday got UP to 43 with pouring rains off and on. The fog moves in sometimes in the early morning, and below was the scene greeting me from my studio as I drank my coffee and contemplated life and how it is unfolding this month. I'm leaving next Tuesday for nearly the rest of the month and have been concerned about putting out all my starts. The cover blew off the tomatoes twice, so I've set up these Walls 'O Water around each tomato, squash, cucumber and eggplant to keep the frigid temperates at bay for them while I'm gone. They act as miniature greenhouses for plants struggling to maintain their composure in cold, wet climates.
You can see how cozy these Boothby's Blonde Cucumbers are inside the 'Walls'.
I put a small tomato cage inside to keep the 'Walls' from collapsing onto the plants if they should be so inclinde in my absence.

Putting crushed eggshells in the hole before planting tomatoes provides a little extra calcium. And then I sprinkle more eggshells on top of the earth around each plant to prevent slugs from wandering around and nibbling/gobbling up such tender morsels.

Garlic is loving the cool, wet weather!

And the potatoes (Yukon Gold) are emerging and thriving!

Not much else is in or coming up except some volunteer cilantro, some lettuce and herbs.

I pray it will all be thriving when I return home on June 27th and that 'uary' part of June will have absconded with the rain and cold to parts unknown!

End of the Year HomeSchool Extravaganza

2011-05-28T12:30:00.001-07:00

The real challenge at the end of the year in homeschooling is to finish well. I chose to give my students a 'challenge' in creativity and research. The older boys and girls created a country in the Cartographers' Challenge. They colored world maps with a red X to place their country on an already-existing continent. They created physical maps with at least 10 land forms, and they created political maps to tell us about where people live and what they do. A 3-paragraph essay was the last requirement which encouraged us to go visit their country. So, it was kind of an advertisement for their country's resources. There were extra-credit options including creating a flag, song, clothing, food, language, etc. Abigail created Pigamunga where everyone speaks Pit Latin.
Emma Rose created a soft and sweet place where Joy abounds in Zequillis Quinterra. You can see her 'cover' for the research file.

Aurelia created The United States of Military Dog Handling. She went all out in the extra options, dressing up for the presentation of her essay and creating a cardboad statue.

You can see Grace pointing out to us where Pigslovokia is on her world map.

I graded on accuracy and neatness.

She made a fine example of a political map for her country and keeping with the 'pig' theme she had states named PorkBelly, Bacon, etc.

The next day Grace brought us a sample of the 5-legged candycane pigs for which her country is famous! It was minty and delicious!

Grace's brother Dillon created Mythania where characters from games live.

And Carson created Swaden located in the familiar country of Sweden. He had a great time coming up with a new language.

I wish the pictures had turned out well of Lauren too. She created a country called Cowboy with states called Mane and Tail.

For the little boys, my third-graders, I assigned the Arachnid Challenge in which they chose a spider to research, write a report, and build a diorama for their presentations.

You see Wyatt and his habitat for a Black Widow spider.

And William created a habitat for a Tarantula.

After the presentations the girls got to make Flubber to finish up their science unit on chemistry. They shared the finished product with the little boys who did what you see below. Only the boys would do this with the Flubber!

It was a wonderful ending to a perfectly wonderful year. The big boys have graduated on and will be students of my husband Jay upstairs in his junior high/high school classroom.

Some of the girls with join them too.

And I am making big plans for a significantly different year next year with only 6 students, mostly boys, fourth through sixth grades. Yippee!!

SoggyBottomBreakdown Garden Tour

2011-05-15T17:06:00.001-07:00

Today my face is as long as the title of this blog. It is raining hard...AGAIN!!!

I just checked the rain gauge, and we've received 3/4 of an inch today already

and it is just 5:00.

You can see the small lake growing below.

I've a mind to order some trout to stock this little lake so we can at least benefit in some way.

I planted rosemary and sage yesterday in the sunny 65 degree weather.

We've had two days without rain this month!

I found a place for the Annabelle Hydrangea that Connie gave me.

And the raspberries have begun 'showing'.

More 'lakes and rivers' growing too.

The plants inside have begun to rise to the occasion.

I love it when the seed pods and dirt cling to the squash plants as they rise.

These are my biggest tomato starts, Cosmonaut Volkav. I will put them out after Labor Day in hopes they'll take off while I'm away from home for several weeks.

The sunroom is lit up with the 'starts', and the perennial garden is beginning to come along.

The Forsythia and Leopard's Bane continue to be my glowing substitute for the sun.

Last, the Mother's Day bouquet sent by my son is still fragrant and lovely;

thank you, Kelly! It brightens up this rainiest of days.

Crank Up the Heat on Garden Tour Number One

2011-05-06T08:53:00.000-07:00

Rachel and I have been chomping at the bit to get where it is warm and sunny and colorful; and that would be Connie's Cottage Garden. Oh my were we blessed. Here was the scene that greeted us. It is just beginning, mostly with bulbs, but we have only yellow daffodils and leopard's bane blooming where I live. So this was a treat. Not only was it colorful, it was warm, and I got a sunburn on my exposed arms!! Connie always fills interesting containers with flowers placed perfectly.

I want to bury my face in these neon lavender flowers!

Connie is growing a myriad of pansies for a wedding in a few weeks in which

the bride has a tie-dye theme. These are just a few of the varieties Connie will take.

And how about these sunrise/sunset tulips?

I enjoyed the afternoon so very much, its slowness, the sweet conversation, the darling little girls accompanying us with their grandmother, Hildi, too, that it felt like I'd been to a spa.

Thank you, Connie. And thank you for the hydrangea too!

I spent some time in my garden this morning putting up the tomato pavillion.

More pictures will follow on that subject.

It has been another very wet spring; in fact, we continue to have snow for at least five minutes regularly, so I may be dreaming of having a garden rather than really having one!

...to be revealed!

Finally...Trippin' Three!

2011-04-27T15:56:00.000-07:00

I know, I know; it has been ages since I presented the other two posts about my Spring Break Trip. Mama is now doing better and here you see the last part of the trip as I headed home.

My sister Margy is famous for her sense of "Let's Go!"

First we visited Fabric Depot for quilting and apron materials. You can see below the vigorous prints I picked up for aprons when school is out and I can set up my sewing room again. Buttons will accessorize the new aprons.

And, I have new hair now. I just wanted to keep you updated.

Of course the hair below is the what the hairdresser arranged. I cannot 'do' it that well!

Also my sister Margy made some fabulous b'day gifts for me.

Spotty Hen is stationed above the archway in the new kitchen.

Isn't she darling?

Margy made a cute cowboy potholder that holds a special place beside my tin hatbox girl.

I do NOT know what happened below!

Another of the same and another picture of my new hair. How do these blogs work??????????

I wanted to show you a close-up of the potholder and, in fact downloaded it here.

Where is it?

Okay, I'm moving on.

Thank you, Margy, for the truly remarkable gifts of Spotty Hen and Cowboy Potholder!

Trippin' Two

2011-04-13T15:39:00.000-07:00

After seeing to Mom last month I travelled south to the homes of my children and took in the deliciousness of grandchildren which you will see below. Kelly's youngest, Marcus, was very anxious to show me his very own new tool. The small 'Leatherman' was used for "projects" while I visited. Project Number One: The cutting of his hair!

He proudly came out of the bathroom telling us that it not only looked good,

but that he didn't even cut himself!

We got such a kick out of his pride in this project that no one objected, however Melissa DID take him for a buzz cut later in the day. We went to my favorite ice cream place, Big Jim's, where Kelly called us from Afghanistan, and you can see Marcus talking ever so casually to him.

Brianna is growing into a lovely young girl who is not only beautiful on the outside,

but beautiful on the inside too!

And Christina is Melissa's right-hand girl!

She is supposed to be going to school, which she is, and spends HOURS a day on facebook.

She's a darling thing too.

At Kimber's I had the pleasure of babysitting Dante for a bit while Kimber went to pick up Isabella from school. Dante had disappeared for a LONG time, so I went looking for him.

This is what I found. I love that he is already a reader!

We went to Isabella's school to have lunch with her, Kimber, Dante, and I.

Is he not the cutest, curly-headed little boy you ever did see?!!!

We also went to the school library where Kimber takes him every week to interact with other pre-schoolers with a librarian who reads them, leads a craft with them,

and lets them dance to music.

Kimber told me she hates craft time because Dante just wants to tear up all the other kids' pictures and then throw the crayons at them. He thinks it is P.E. time, I guess.

And Isabella comes home from school. She loves the brown dress wtih pink circles on it so much that it is now a long shirt over her jeans. She cracks me up!

So, these pictures are not only for your pleasure, but are for my Kelly-JellyBean's too;

he called this morning from Afghanistan wanting 'the rest of the story'.

Here it is kiddokidoke!

Trippin'

2011-04-06T15:50:00.001-07:00

My mother became seriously ill last month with fluid collecting around her heart, maybe even in her lungs. I cancelled school, something I'm NEVER sorry about, and drove the 9 hours to where she lives with my youngest Sister, Barb, and her family. You see below Barb blowing on her 'Shofar' which was a gift from her husband for her Bat Mitzvah. She embraced Judaism when she married, so the Bat Mitzvah was part of how she wanted to continue on her spiritual path. She's a darling thing, and she takes exquisite care of my mother, and Barb's son Jacob loves to go downstairs for his first breakfast every morning with his 'Tita'. Mom struggled getting enough oxygen, so you see her hooked up to a machine providing it. She cannot go very long without something of value to do, so her knitting was brought to her. She is famous for her baby booties which she began knitting after I was born, I think.

The fluid around her heart has been drained off, but she is pretty weak. She is in good spirits and quite perky for an 87-year old who's been hospitalized three times since the beginning of the year!

I had lots of fun playing with Jacob while I was there. He is a very bright, active, and darling 8-year old. I'm sorry I couldn't stay long enough to see and hear is piano recital.

Barb, exhausted from all the faldeerol of taking care of mom, having me as company, fixing Shabbot dinner, and participating in Saturday night festivities merely laid back to catch her breath. I traveled on to my daughter's and to the home of my daughter-in-law also, but those pictures will follow.

Sushi and Rachel's Visit

2011-03-19T13:09:00.001-07:00

Jay's daughter Rachel came for a visit from Hawaii where she lives with her dear hubby Jason and where she works as a massage therapist.

This is the scene that greeted her upon arrival. Being prepared with boots and warm jacket,

the weather did not affect her visit at all. We all got together for a delightful meal of sushi and two kinds of pie.

Below you can see how simple it is to put together what most of us call California Rolls.

We seared the salmon after marinating it in secret ingredients so that we could all enjoy it because some of those among us wouldn't be able to eat raw salmon!

Lovella has placed a sheet of seaweed on the cutting board.

It isn't easy to get this here, so we look for it when we go to the big cities in the west when we visit family there.

Below, she layers some sticky rice on top.

We put thinly sliced cucumbers, salmon, lettuce strips and cilantro on most of them.

And then they are rolled and sliced.

In about half of the rolls we placed some sliced cream cheese.

Rachel's lovely lavender nails show well here too!

Two large platters were put together for the seven of us, and we ate most of them!

The dipping sauce was wasabi, soy sauce, and pickled ginger.

And then we had the DESSERT!

Lovella had made a Chocolate Cheesecake, and I had made a Pumpkin Pie.

Yum, yum, yum.

We all had a sweet time while Rachel was here, wishing she could stay longer.

Perhaps we'll visit her this summer...(BIG PERHAPS).

And here she is: Sweet Rachel Dee

65 Blessings

2011-02-27T19:36:00.000-08:00

I'm a 'Card-Carrying Old Person now! I have my medicare card because I turned 65 today,

and I'm very happy, which is a blessing!

Below and in the middle you can see a Shrike with its head turned sideways. He is checking me out as I watch him tear apart a mouse.

How many times have you witnessed that kind of drama!? My Dear Husband greeted me this morning with these lovely Primroses, my favorite chocolate bar, and a gift certificate to The Crema. He finally gets it!

Keep it simple, surprise me, and give me flowers, chocolate, and good coffee.

After church, Lovella had made my requested dinner: Fried chicken, cole slaw, baked beans, and Italian Cream Cake. It was all very yummy!

You can see my Dear Husband supervising the cutting.

Evan and Alina sang and danced for me.

Coffee with Lovella's gift of chocolate chip cookies began the day...with the Shrike and Jay's gifts, At church there was a surprise gift of cake and a computer carry-all, a bundle of pussywillows and cards with a PINT of Blackcap jelly, and many well-wishers, and a lunch date with all who can make it to our best eatery in town, a call from Kelly in Afghanistan, friends from my old township, my daughter, sisters and brother, and many greetings on FB. What a day!

There were at least 65 blessings in this day, and I am thankful to God for the good health I continue to enjoy, the Joy He gives me each day, and my family and friends.

Thank you all!

PhD in Snow!

2011-02-25T07:58:00.001-08:00

Every day we get more snow; it gets piled high and deeper (PhD).

We were able to 'get out' the other day to visit the library and The Crema. Here you see Alina and Evan reading up a storm. They hardly took time to eat their cookies! They are avid readers...just like their mother! We enjoyed a Peppermint Mocha and a visit before the next onslaught of snow. Every day it snows more, from sand-like flakes to spectacularly large ones. It warms up a little in the afternoon with blue skies and sun peaking through to melt a layer, and then the sky closes up again and begins to fall on us. The icicles are dangerously long and heavy outside my classroom studio.

The little boys, William and Wyatt love to build paths for me. This one winds out to the garden for me to dump the compost. This morning it was covered over again. We have about 18 inches in places, more where it has drifted.

The Piece de Resistance (said with a French accent!) is this little primrose I uncovered this morning. Last month I'd gone out to take pictures of the blooms on all the Primroses, and then it snowed. Since then it has snowed all month long almost every day. I needed a pick-me-up and donned all my snow gear to wade into the drifts to push away the snow in order to inspect the bed. I was difinately rewarded with the promise of spring.

Fortunately our snow is feathery light, so piles of it aren't breaking anything, like this bird watering station.

PhD in Snow?

Piled higher and deeper!

"New Kitchen" Tour, C'mon Over!

2011-02-18T06:53:00.001-08:00

C'mon in! Feast your eyes on new color, a few new decorations, and old stuff I can now display. My kitchen is really two rooms with the sink, dishwasher and microwave in the entry room, and the stove, refrigerator, and counters in the other room. It is 10 steps from sink to refrigerator, so it is not a particularly convenient kitchen.

There is nothing I can do about that, but I can color it pleasingly!

You can see as you enter the kitchen that straight ahead is the new Strands of Gold wall on which is now displayed some precious plates of Jay's mother. My new blue casserole dish and porcelain 'tea' spoons from Russia, a gift to me from Jay's sister, are displayed on the new shelf.
Upon entering, and just to the left is my new Apron Holder, a la Mary Jane Butters. The old silver spoons, bent backwards, and screwed into the wood is something I drew out for Jay to make for me for Valentine's Day.

The screws Jay used to attach the spoons were some his father had collected. I wish you could see the beautiful, flowery handles. Well, you'll just have to come for a visit, won't you? At the sales room in Moscow where Mary Jane Butters sells her linens and such, she displays aprons like this.

A close-up, below, shows the knicky-knacky stuff beside the new mirror.

In the first picture you can see reflected in the mirror, this old tin advertisement for apples, the old shelf unit that Jay's Uncle Buck made YEARS ago, and my new apple-green casserole dish.

I chose the tin pieces for their perfect color matches to the paint I'd chosen (Dried Tomato).

I love the presentation below; in fact, I could almost climb in the picture!

One more tin advertisement for Cadbury's Cocoa rests above the doorway to the dining/living room. The red is perfect too, and, as you can see, we have very high, white walls and ceilings. So, this fills it in a bit.

Hildi gave us the cross-stitch for a wedding gift, and now it is beautifully displayed too...as is one of the 'Salad Sisters' dish towels hanging on a drawer pull.

Looking back into the kitchen you can see that above the stove remains a blank palette; I'm working on it. I have one more tin piece, and I'll need a shelf for a few things. You can see back in to the entry room where I've hung an old embroidered dresser scarf as a valence.

The valence is hung from a bamboo scarf-hanger I bought from a gallery here in town when they remodeled. That's when I got the blue and apple-green casserole dishes (for CHEAP!) too.

This doesn't show the softness and comfort I feel in my new kitchen. So, you'll need to saddle your horse and c'mon over! I'll put the kettle on so we can have tea and stir some honey in it with those new porcelain spoons.

Faux Pas and the Rug

2011-02-12T15:01:00.000-08:00

The new addition to our family is this darling, soft cat.

Not being 'Cat People', and being pressed to acquire one, I decided, with the help of my dear sister Margy, to get a cat that would please my DH and me and those who think we should have one. Lovella came up with the name after hearing about a donkey we had years ago whose name was Donkey Otie (Don Quixote). Lovella is forever interupting our phone conversations to tell me what her cat Oliver is doing and how hilarious it is. Now, I interupt her to tell her that Faux Pas has gone catatonic, but that it is to be expected because, after all, in the cat show yesterday she went all out in her favorite event, the catapult, etc. Today I told her Faux Pas might get a big brother named Claudius Caticus, or she might get a baby sister named Catikitten.

And, of course, there is the ice-skating cousin named Caterina.

You can tell that here in the gray wilds of wind-blown, dusty, small-town G'ville, it is very slow!

My Auntie Lela made a beautiful braid rug years ago, and I ended up with it.

Because it was too big for any room in the house I moved into with Jay, I took some rounds off and gave them to my sister Barb who is so much like Auntie Lela. Then it became too large for the 'Wreck Room', so I took more rounds off and finally sent the smaller rug to my neice Mary whose new home with wood floors is perfect for it.

Now I'm ready to put some of the rounds back together as smaller rugs, but I don't know how. You see the hands of Sweet Rachel who came with her dear girls, Kate and Maggie, to teach me how to do this. Obviously these pictures are backwards in that I wanted you to see Rachel sitting on the floor sewing an end together first. Oh, well.

Her husband, Brian, made the handy lacing instrument she is using in the picture above.

And here she is on the floor in front of me while we visit as she begins the process.

I love this girl so very much for the treasure she is!

And I'm just one person in the long line who thinks the same of her!

You may notice the paint cans by the stove behind Rachel.

My next post will let you in on all the surprising changes in the kitchen...

TREASURES AND PLEASURES

2011-01-22T09:06:00.000-08:00

Little girls are Treasures.

Olivia wanted to start a Bible study group for the young girls in our community.

She began by inviting those in our church who are 6-12 years old.

Each girl takes a turn 'running the show', so to speak.

They study a Scripture, discuss it, pray, sometimes watch a Christian video; they do some activity or craft, have a snack and time of fellowship together.

Last week it was Naomi's turn to lead. Naomi and Tara had chosen a passage from the book of Esther to read and discuss. Naomi asked someone else to read part of the passage also.
Here is 5-year old Alina, my grandgirl, reading the passage. My heart swelled with pride that she could read such a passage with so little help from her mother and teacher, Lovella.

I'd been invited to teach the girls how to make aprons for the craft time this night.

You can see all the girls and mothers gathereed around to hear the explaination of the steps involved. I'd already cut them out knowing there'd be 3 smalls, 3 mediums and 3 large sizes. I'd already cut ribbon to go with each apron for the neck band and ties too.

You can see that Robin, whose home is used, had set up tables on which the moms set their machines. Naomi had created a 'treat' tray for afterwards,

and Robin had set out cups for tea.

Moms and girls got to work pinning right sides together with the bands and ties on the inside (they were reversible).

I had the distinct pleasure of teaching Alina.

My heart soars just toying with the memory of it.

Another grandmother was there with her little one too.

Katrina's apron was made from two fat quarters I'd been saving for something special.

These aprons were reversible, so there was no binding or hemming...easy: sew almost all the way around the edge, turn right side out, press, and topstitch the opening.

Bailey had come for the first time Wednesday evening. I think she and her mother, Tina, were impressed with what goes on that she can be a part of.

All the girls are home-schooled, so social occasions like this are really important.

Olivia (in her newly created apron) is the originator of this Girls' group.

She approached her mother about creating a Bible study until Lisa got it organized and going.

Next week they will practice some etiquette arts.

Naomi is 7 or 8, mind you!

Anna loved the yellow fabric, and it went well with her complexion and hair.

Although we had a sewing machine for each girl, we had only one iron and ironing board. It worked out well to have one mom, Lovella, instructing and supervising there. You can also see little Cora with her grandmother (my friend Cindy) waiting her turn at the iron.

Naomi, Alina, Anna, Katrina, Olivia, Cora, and Bailey looking like Treasures in their aprons.

Thanks to Tara for inviting me and to Robin for hosting us;

It was my Pleasure!

Blackberry Pie...from scratch!

2011-01-17T17:01:00.001-08:00

Here is how it works:

You take a little more than a quart (5-6 cups) of frozen, handpicked blackberries from the freezer in the morning, putting them in a large bowl. When I run out of the blackberries I will use the 3-berry bags from Costco.

When they are mostly thawed add about a cup of sugar (I use evaporated cane juice crystals.), 3 tablespoons of flour (I use whole wheat pastry flour.), 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of lemon or orange zest (I used orange zest today.), and 1 apple (I used a Pink Lady.), peeled and cut in small chunks.

Mix all together, and then let it sit for several hours so the berries can absorb all the other ingredients. Sift and measure 2 cups of whole wheat pastry flour with 1/2 teaspoon of salt,

and cut in 2/3 cup of cold butter.

I have a 'pastry cutter' shown in the picture below for this part of the process.

Add 5-7 tablespoons of cold milk, depending on the humidity of your kitchen.

I live in a dry climate and in a home with wood heat,

so I used a little more than 7 tablespoons today.

Stir with a fork until you can form a ball of the dough,

and then roll it out on a pastry canvas like my Auntie Lela gave me back in the 1970's.

Place the first rolled out crust portion in the bottom of a pie pan. I use a 10" glass pie dish.

Pour the filling in and dot with two tablespoons of butter on top in various places.

Roll out top crust, place it on top, pinch the edges all around, cut a design on top for steam venting purposes, sprinkle about a teaspoon of sugar on top, and bake at 400 for 50 minutes.

Wait at least an hour before cutting into it.

However, it SHOULD be eaten warm.

An hour and a half is the maximum time for waiting, and you'll need to top it off with some really high quality ice cream (Bryers)...because you will have a high quality pie.

I took it out to 'The Ranch' where 'the kids' are building their house.

Lovella made coffee from Costa Rica to accompany it.

It doesn't get much better than this for a blustery day in winter that needs some spicing up!

Yum, yum, yum!

Mama's Visitors...and more

2011-01-01T14:35:00.000-08:00

My "Little Mither" loves little children,
so I invited two of my dear young friends, Rachel and Deb, with their small children to visit. Mama had last seen the older ones, Jesse, Mari, and Kate when they were about two years old. Now Maggie Pearl and Lillian Hope have joined the families.

Below, Kate and Maggie dug into the toy basket and played puppets right away. Rachel had a visit with Mom while I visited with Deb as the kids played on the floor together.

Mari and Maggie were VERY interested in 'Tita' as Mom is called by some of her grandchildren.

I switched up the gathering to a cookie making episode for some variety.

Stoplight cookies are easy for kids to make, and they are a great treat:

a half piece of a graham cracker square spread with peanut butter

and a red, yellow, and green M & M's on top.

When it was time for the kids to leave Tita told them the story of the woman with the alligator purse.

And that evening...

We had dinner in the sunroom while we waited for the Christmas Fire Truck to come by.

It is well decorated, plays Christmas music, and wishes folks Merry Christmas by way of a loudspeaker. I set us up in the living room so we could knit and visit together when we weren't out and about or entertaining company.

Mom's gone home; the New Year has begun; and this is what I did to celebrate this afternoon.

I haven't been X-Country skiing in several years, and it was very cold (10 degrees). But the sun sparkled on the snow and I wanted to celebrate with a bit of PIZAZ!

My Favorite Christmas Things

2010-12-21T11:15:00.000-08:00

I probably posted these Nativity scenes before, but it is Christmas again, and they are still my favorite decorations. We have a small collection of them beginning with the one below. It was a gift to Jay from one of his customers whom he helped. I have two pop-up Nativity books like the one below.
This one is my favorite because my children created it with my Wasband, Granger, when we lived in the state of Misery (some people call it Missouri). I love the little wooden horse leaning against the back, Kimber's horses in the coral, and Baby Jesus in the manger/basket.

I love making aprons, and this is the latest creation for Jay's daughter, Rachel, who lives in Hawaii. I like how it portrays the erupting mountains and vividly colored flowers.

And then, there is Family! MamaPajama arrived at the airport in Lewiston yesterday after a long day of flying and layover in Seattle before touching down.

She is resting today after such an arduous beginning to our celebration of Christmas this week.

I am so grateful she shares our values for what this holiday means. And I'm grateful for the fact that she is so spry at the age of 87 that she can still travel to share this holiday with us.

Snowy Greetings

2010-12-06T07:36:00.000-08:00

Tis sunrise over the garden area greeted us this morning as we finished our breakfast of yummy, rich and yellow-yolked eggs (from the farm up the road) and toast with home-made Blackberry Jam. An idyllic life we live, surrounded by astonishing beauty and filled with delicious and nutritious food. And I am reminded of one of my favorite verses from Psalms:

"The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places, surely I have a goodly inheritance."

We have received over two feet of snow, with more due today. The plows worked overtime to clear the roads so shoppers could attend the many craft fairs on Saturday.

One pile of snow plowed from the street is taller than I am!

This poor Elm tree lost a significant branch as we breakfasted several days ago. The snow was unusually heavy, and the temperatures were in the mid-teens...perfect for tree crashing!

There was a good turnout for church even though the roads were icey. And Pastor Brent joined the Praise Band yesterday morning accompanied by his newly-made mandolin.
He is quite an accomplished musican AND woodworker.

Plant Yourself!

2010-11-26T09:19:00.001-08:00

Give me a Fanny Garden!

Plant yourself down for a cruise through the pictures of my going west to see my precious son, Kelly, home for two weeks on leave from Afghanistan. I was blessed to be invited to spend time with him and his family.

He greeted me at the door in very non-military attire...bib overalls and a big smile, as he was happy to see me too! Marcus has REALLY missed his daddy and spent a lot of the time very close, if not on Kelly.
Marcus made his very own dinner...a jelly sandwich, and wanted NO help making it!!! There was a small dab of jelly spread thinly on one piece of bread with another piece of bread smashed to it. He later asked for more jelly. We love eating together, he and I.

My great-grandson Cameron was at the house too, with his mother, Mandi (my oldest grandchild). Brianna had made a breakfast with Kelly of scrambled eggs and French toast with strawberries and whipped cream. Cameron and Marcus are fast friends!

Here is the darling Brianna who rustled up the delightful breakfast. She had requested cooking b'fast with Kelly, and Alana had requested making spaghetti for dinner with him. We were well fed, believe me!

Clowning for the camera, Marcus isn't setting a very good example for Cameron, but Cam was watching his Mama, fortunately.

I stayed at the Comfort Inn with an indoor heated pool so that there would be plenty of room for the others at Kelly's house. We all went swimming together, another request of an activity the girls wanted to do with their dad while he was home. We swam Saturday morning before lunch and in the evening after dinner. Cameron and I are snuggling up to get warm and dry.

If I'd been in this picture it could have shown 4 generations.

After church with Kelly and his family I drove to meet my sister Margy at Borders Books in Vancouver for a couple hours before attending to Kimber's family.

Dante is now a year old!

He is still small and darling with some blond curls, mellow personality, and ready smile.

He KNOWS who his Grammy is!

He doesn't walk yet, but does stand alone when absorbed in some activity, forgetting that he's standing by himself.

Toys from Isabella's babyhood are brought out of storage for Dante's pleasure...and Isabella's

It was tough getting back home before Thanksgiving. The weather was not conducive for travel. So, I did it in spurts. First I left Kimber's later than I'd anticipated Tuesday morning. I stopped by Stacie's for a much-welcomed and encouraging visit with her and Margaret.

Stacie's hubby had taken the 5 older ones to the beach for 4 days to give her a mini-vacation. Lily (20 months) was the only one at home with Stacie, so our visit was nearly uninterrupted.

I had to wait out the storm one more night, so Kelly's invited me to camp on his couch Tuesday before braving the tough driving conditions on Wednesday. Marcus had found one red mitten which he loved wearing just after getting up on the morning of my leave-taking.

I could not believe the stark reality of winter's descent upon us.

I took this along the Columbia between The Dalles and Walla Walla as I drove.

I just pointed the camera at the river and landscape. My little all-wheel drive Subaru with new studded tires all around did just fine. It was a long journey home, many hours of concentrated driving, and I'm glad I made the trek to see my kidlettes and theirs.

I have been richly blessed!

GALEUX D'EYSINES SQUASH

2010-11-09T15:54:00.000-08:00

You see my delighted self holding one of the ten Galeux d'Eysines ( pronounced, gallo day seen) French Heirloom squashes. I bought one of these a couple years ago at the Farmers' Market and loved the flavor and texture. So, this year I bought plenty of the seeds. They don't grow where we live because they need plenty of heat and many more days than we get on the prairie. Several of my favorite gardeners agreed to grow one or two hills and return one squash to me. My DH and I just weighed them for a whopping total of 147 pounds!!This is the description from the catalog:

"(C. maxima) Possibly our most beautiful heirloom squash. This flattened, round, 10-15 lb fruit has gorgeous, slamon/peach-colored skin covered with large warts! The sweet orange flesh is used in France for soups and also can be baked. This is one of the best tasting squash I have tried; the flesh is so smooth, flavorful and deep orange; it's fantastic!"

Well, that's exactly what I thought when I first tasted it, so I'll be making LOTS of soup later on this winter. They ranged in weight from 6 lbs to 22 lbs.

Thanks to: Connie, Ellie, Tanner, Leah, and Kim for growing these beauties!

Next I will post my favorite squash soup recipe. Stay tuned.

The LORD has Spokane!

2010-10-31T09:24:00.001-07:00

It all began last April when I discovered Beth Moore would be in Spokane in October. I prayed up whether I should buy tickets and how many. Being led to buy 3 tickets, reservations were made and Jay's daughter Lovella and some other friends got into the spirit of it to join me for the event that Beth dubbed, "The LORD has Spokane!" Below you can see the fabulous lunch we had at The Aloha Grill upon our early arrival into Spokane.

Lovella has come (reluctantly) from Hawaii to live in the wilds of Idaho for some time, so this was a blast from the past for her.

There was ONE table for two, and we ordered 'Plate Lunches" of Teryaki chicken on veggies, rice, pea salad and macaroni salad...all very native Hawaiian things to eat for lunch.

Beth's message was from Ephesians 4:1-16.

She spoke on the ONE-ness of God, the theme being,

"The sum total of every Divine equation is ONE".

One Father, One Son, One Holy Spirit =ONE

The Word for me was: "Pay the price! Do what it takes to fire up the flame to produce, to expand your gift." My gifts are teaching, encouragement and giving, and I've been in the process of really cranking down on those, so it was an affirmation for me to hear this

iterated by Beth and reiterated by Lovella on the way home.

"All of your work is meaningless if there is no love in it!"

and..."Forgive offenses because WE are offensive," Beth said. Unity in the church is more important that when or how we are offended.

However, if you don't respect your leadership, move to another church.

Fortunately for me, the respect I have for the leadership in my church is VERY high!

Getting to a Beth Moore event early and standing around for 1 1/2 hours to visit with others at the front of the line is all part of going to hear what God has for me. We did exactly that and were rewarded with seats on an isle and close to the front.

Below you see the picture I took of Beth presenting the owner of the restaurant at which she had had the pleasure of eating her lunch.

Beth always dresses in somewhat interesting clothing, and we were somewhat taken aback to find she was dressed like ME...black pants and a black V-neck, 3/4 sleeve shirt for Friday night.

Below you see how she is on Saturday speaking from Ephesians 4:14-16 in her more Beth-ish outfit with lace shirt under colorful and 'interesting' blouse under a brown vest. She'd collected fall leaves to spread on the stage because they don't have fall in Houston apparently.

She cracked us up, as usual, with humorous family stories to accompany a heavy message.

Below she joins Travis and another singer in the praise team for the Victory in Jesus song. I love how you can see a small screen of what was projected onto the big screens in the arena.

Travis Cottrell is an awesome worship leader, singer and piano player, so the experiece was rich in that regard too.

Also, God did a wonderful work to bless me in that I had this extra ticket in my pocket that my daughter was unable to use. I didn't feel led to call at the last moment to find someone for it, but merely kept it in my pocket. Just before the doors opened a young woman came along the line asking every ten feet or so if someone might have an extra ticket.

When she got to me, I smiled and told her I did. She just about fell down.

She'd been counting on the LORD to provide...and He did.

We serve and awesome God who provides for our every need. I was deeply disappointed that my daughter couldn't join us, and am grateful for how everything turned out for the best!
And another thing: Just a few rows behind me, when I turned around to look at the full arena holding 5500 women, were four dear old friends from my Gateway church in The Dalles.

Was THATa wonderful surprise and blessing!

Seed Time and Harvest Time

2010-10-12T15:58:00.001-07:00

Yesterday before the hard frost last night I picked ALL the tomatoes on the vines...

All 60 pounds of them!!

This box weighed 10 pounds, and it was from ONE plant...a Rutgers.

I'm saving some seed from the biggest and best.I harvested all the green cabbage too. It doesn't look that great in the picture,

but once the outer leaves were removed, it was sweet, crisp and delicious.

I shredded all 5 pounds of it and put it in a crock for kraut.

So far, nothing is happening like it is supposed to, so I may fail as a kraut maker this year.

More tomatoes.

Would you look at the size of these puppies?!

They are 6 inches long, and more... called Opalka Paste Tomato

Below is the cart carrying 55 pounds of Burgess Butternut squash from 6 hills planted.

I am baking (whole) the 3rd largest as I write this, and we'll have a taste test tonight. If it is a 'keeper' I'll ax the biggest in half to save the seeds, and then bake it also.

Below on the right are the 7 (16 pounds) of a squash called
Uncle David's Dessert Squash, noted for it sweetness. In fact the Fedco catalog states that some folks bake it into pies without any other sweetening. Stay tuned; I'll let you know if that is true.
On the left is something out of this world. I planted 3 seeds for each hill. The hill the orange squashes came from was my Costata Romanesca Zucchini.
I DID get 2 of those, but I also harvested, today,
25 pounds of this Orange Mysterious...along with the two other Butternut-ish ones.

Not shown are the 23 pounds of Butternut-like squashes from ONE hill. My dear gardening friend, Connie, gave me the seed for these from her father's squashes in North Dakota.
I hope they are tasty because they did so well.

So, I've off to save some seeds from the harvest, make some pie,
and rustle up some squash grub for dinner for my DH.
We LOVE winter squash, and I'm grateful for the 124 pounds harvested today.

When I'm 64...to the tune of the Beatles' song

2010-10-09T10:30:00.000-07:00

My words to the tune of the Beatles' song are different from Paul, John, George, and Ringo's Anywho...

Here I am setting out on my camping trip with my new hair; it is a means to an end, really. Wanting to grow it out a bit and wanting it curled has led to my first perm in about 25 or 30 years. It will relax soon and I can fuss with it to make it more to my liking.

I took this picture of myself while driving for Margaret, who INSISTS on a picture.

;)

Here, the welcoming committee greeted me loudly as I pulled into their empty campground. There were no othere campers! There were several stalwart folks in their RV's and travel trailers, and some in a couple of the cabins at Chief Timothy Recreation Area to the west of Lewiston. The weather was pretty cool, but I wanted to see if I could still do this.

I CAN!

Looky here: Setting this up was cake-ish. I'm glad I'd bought a new stepladder for the kitchen on my way because reaching the top of this miserable tent was not in the cards I'd dealt myself. This was a miserable tent because, basically, it was a screen-thingy with a rain fly. I was SO cold in the night that my full-length, fleece bathrobe was needed for covering. The new cot was not to my liking either because cold air raced into the space beneath the it...and my underside. Shivering all night long until finally getting up at 5 to go potty was pretty much the extent of my sleeping in the new tent.

Bunnies romped around looking for some of my popcorn, I suppose.
They awakened me in the night as they gnawed on acorns from the oak treees.

This was the view this morning after my coffee and daylight dawning.

The river is between the trees and the mountains. It was simply divine viewing.

I stepped out from under the trees momentarily to take this 'dawning' picture just as the sprinkling rain began. By 7:30 everything was packed up, and I was heading home for a hot bath and putting everything away.

All in all, this was a successful outing. I found out I can, and like, to do this. I want better equipment, including a stove to cook on. Just as I was finishing my coffee and making the skillet ready for bacon and eggs the sprinkling began in earnest. Being only 1.5 hours from home was nice in that I could look forward to surprising my dear husband and move on to the weekend chores. I LOVED! this, and I'll do it again. You bet!

And now I can check another 'when I'm 64' goal off the list.

Budding and Blossoming

2010-10-05T07:50:00.001-07:00

Fridays flow easily at school these days. Only one of the girls comes, and that is merely to do her homework. She is diligent that way, and it honors me. Her big brother comes because it is the day the big boys and the little boys are here. One of my big boys has been missing lately, for health reasons, so it is a light day for me...as opposed to Mondays where all the big boys and the 6 girls are present.

Below you can see the budding geniuses, Gracie and Wyatt working and thinking. William is Wyatt's sidekick,

and you can see him working away on his Cursive writing assignment.

Carson is persuing some wayward spelling words during the test.

And Dillon is focusing on writing his spelling words in cursive,
a task needing his full concentration!

A friend had too many blossoming Dinner Plate Dahlias; can you imagine???

She brought me this bouquet as a thank you for leading the Beth Moore Bible study we have each Wednesday evening.

Thank you, Jodi!!

The garden continues to grow some.

Tomatoes are slowly ripening, squashes are gaining size and thickening shells, and the flowers continue to bless us with divine color.

It is a good thing.

Such as it is...the Garden

2010-09-23T06:22:00.001-07:00

I've made nothing but disparaging remarks about my garden.

Here is our first tomato. We have tomato Number 3 on the counter in the kitchen ripening. They've both (Number 1 and 2) tasted like a little piece of Heaven. These three tomatoes are the sum total (is that redundant?) of the ripe tomatoes so far...and it is the end of September, the beginning of fall! I AM sorely disappointed in the harvest so far. The squashes are another story. They are flourishing and quite surprising.

I planted a Costata Romanesca in this spot but have a bright yellow/orange threesome growing beside a butternut-looking one. How does that happen????? I can hardly wait to try them out.
My DF (Dear Friend) Margaret came for a visit just before school began.
She is a lover of the sun and resting. Margaret taught me how to do the same.
And it was simiply Divine! Thank you Mago.

The zucchini production is disappointing also.
Here is one of 2...count them, One, Two zucchinis I've harvested.
And this was the big one!

Connie, this is for you. I did not plant zinnias this year. So, where did this come from ????? I didn't know they volunteered. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE red. So this is truly a gift from God.

The temps are dropping; we had a tiny nipping of frost in late August. It didn't touch anything by a few leaves of the squashes, so I'm hoping for an excellent harvest in a week or so when we get a hard frost. It has been a disappointing and dull garden year.

However, being a true gardener, I have higher hopes for next year.

Tomorrow is another day, said Scarlet O'Hara.

"The Time Has Come," the walrus said...

2010-09-15T16:52:00.000-07:00

This is a blog about my school days. You see below, Mr. William, Reader Extraordinaire.

He (as well as the other students) was challenged to read as many books as he could over the summer, and he read 14 books! I'm so proud of him.

He won this wonderful book by Avi called, Crispin and the Cross of Lead. He belongs in one of my groups, the youngest, that I call

The Nubbins or My Little Angel Cakes. Below you see all of the Angel Cakes, William, with his cousin, Olivia, and Wyatt.

They are third-graders who come to school from 8:30-12:00 Tuesday-Friday.

You see the darlings of my school, the girls, 5th and 6th graders

whom I call my Diamonds because they sparkle like the stars.

They are Gracie, Emma, Faith, Aurelia, Abby, and Lauren.

We are all so excited to be together from 8:30-12:00 Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

And you know these Cowboys below if you have followed my blog for long.
They are The Questers who are sometimes called The Big Boys.
They are rough and ready for action from 8:30-12:00 on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays.

I LOVE teaching school,

especially because all my students are GOOD kids whose parents care about them and want them to do well. This is the best job in the world, and I thank God every day for the blessings that are so many that I don't have room enough to receive them (Malachi 3:10).

Every good and perfect gift is from above, and they are!

Blue Trip, Two Trip to Harrison, Idaho

2010-08-30T06:23:00.000-07:00

This was the first of the sunsets we watched at Lakeview Lodge in Harrison.

To capture the halos around the sun and the reflections I merely stepped out on our balcony while others were down at the dock on a fishing expedition. The 'Rails to Trails' bike paths run for miles and miles.

On Thursday 'the girls' went to Pedal Pushers Bike shop to rent these perfect bikes.

They had a glorious time for two hours!

Steven and Evan COULD NOT stop fishing! These fish are tiny ones,

but the did catch keepers...Bass, Crappie, Catfish and Perch...YUM!

We did very little shopping.

Lovella posed for me because I thought she looked so darling in this hat.

Rachel bought each of the kids a soft, stuffed moose as a souvenier which they named Harry (for Harrison) and Mary (for St. Maries, a town close by).

Rachel is a massage therapists, mostly facials, but she chooses to work on her dad every day when she visits. Not much movement was gained, but he slept well.

We had a full kitchen and made all our meals.

I headed up the Thai Salad Roll expedition the first night,

and Lovella headed up the Sushi one the next.

Do I look like I'm having fun?????

Wildlife such as Herons, Osprey and Moose were everywhere. We didn't site any moose, but were told by other bikers that they had seen them.

Steven brought these lilies back from the 2nd day of biking when all the kids went.

Jay and I drove around the countryside for awhile after napping.

The last stop, on the way home, was Emerald Creek Garnet area.

We parked our cars, walked about a half a mile into the scene below.

This is a picture of the 'sifters'.

You can see in the background just right of the middle a person standing.

That's where we filled 2 buckets with shovels (all provided) with dirt and rocks.

You then take your buckets to the sifting area to sift out all the dirt, saving the rocks for sluicing across the road. My camera ran out of battery life so there are no pictures of that or the garnets we found.

Here is Evan at the digging area. We all had a blast with the mining and finding of treasures. The garnets are rough, round, dark and heavy balls of rock.
They have to be cut to see if there is a star in them, and then polished.
I highly recommend this whole trip. Harrison is a fine little town with wonderful swimming for kids and adults, a dock with diving board in the middle of a protected area, great fishing right off the dock and jetty, biking, THE BEST ice cream (nearly) in the world at a place called The Creamery. They also sell fudge, but didn't have any while we were there.
The week days were thin of tourists, but Fridy night and Saturday morning it was heating up with such. We left just then and went on the mining operation.
Oh, folks, it was so pleasant, relaxing and satisfying, a delightful place with sweet people.
I'm getting ready for school and more company today.

One Trip, Two Trip, Red Trip, Blue Trip

2010-08-25T06:17:00.000-07:00

This is my MamaPajama, my Little Mither.

My sister Margy and I took her to Anacortes so she could ride the ferry to Friday Harbor last weekend. It was to celebrate her 87th birthday.

And we had a splendid time with perfect weather, great food, and wonderful companionship. The first leg of the journey for me was to get to Kimber's, breaking up the 14 hour drive.

She and Dante were ready and waiting for me with smiles and exclamations of joy.

Some of the great food began at Kimber's too.
This was a picture-perfect chicken dish she'd watched a TV chef create.
Kimber knew she could improve upon it...and she did!

This picture of my sister's Hydrangea's will be turned into photo cards later in the year.

Mt. Baker is in the background as we boarded the ferry. We walked on, leaving our car in the parking lot because we were only going for a few hours that day and just to walk around some shops in Friday Harbor.

Here we are, the three of us. Accompanying us on the ferry was another set of "Mother and Two Daughters" celebrating a 90th birthday, so we took pictures for each other.

We came upon a Lavender Shop that encouraged samples of all kinds of lavender products.

The sailboats out on the water were ever-present as we returned to Anacortes.

Cloud banks were plentiful on the way home too.

It is almost as if you could stick your finger in and dip out a taste of this fluted meringue!

In La Conner we came upon a Quilt Museum that was in the midst of closing for the day, but they let us look at a couple quilts on the ground floor. This one reminds me of the Crazy Quilt my Grama made for me.

Isabella loves to play with my camera, and she took this shot of me with Dante on the last night of that trip...Sunday. I came home on Monday, recovered Tuesday (yesterday) and will leave today with more family for another trip, this one to Northern Idaho.

The Pause that Refreshes

2010-08-15T06:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning (Saturday) Rachel, Suzi, and Gail met at my house at 7:00 a.m. to take off for a trip to Moscow to visit Mary Jane Butters' Retail store, the Farmers' Market, and the Cowgirl Chocolates Store. We went other places and out to lunch at a wonderful Thai place too.

Here are the four of us appropriately dressed for the trip. The first person we met was an aproned salesgirl in MJB's establishement.

She called me The Apron Lady from Grangeville.

The store is tiny and filled with countless treats.

The decor is vividly colorful, and the salesgal was unendingly helpful.

I loved what they did with these spoons to hang aprons and such. I'm now looking for about 8 silver spoons or forks to attach to a long and pretty board to hang my aprons on in the kitchen.

How about this old jello mold turned into a pincushion?

It almost looks good enough to eat!

The outside was as festive as the inside.

Here is Rachel coming out with her purchases.

The guests of the Farmers' Market danced to some music provided by accomplished musians play flutes, panpipes and stringed instruments. The song playing for this lady and child was somewhat Celtic.

Rachel ran into some old friends of hers and we stopped at a booth in which a young friend was selling sweet baby things she'd sewed.

The Cowgirl Chocolates store was killer too!

This delightful salesgirl let us sample from the little tins in front of her. We especially enjoyed the 'hot' truffles. I say they were hot because they had an aftertaste of chili.

Here you see some of the displays.

We shopped at the Goodwill-like store, dropped off a meal at the hospital where our dear friend is clinging to life, visited an antique mall and a home decor store. We were filled to the brim with satisfaction upon arriving home.

The exhaustion left quickly because the day was so full of blessings.

I wish you'd been with us!

Finally, a Garden...of sorts

2010-08-13T06:25:00.000-07:00

The garden this year is really challenged. We've had temperatures in the upper 40's at night so the tomatoes and squashes are just surviving. My ankle is sprained, so I've not even finished spreading the mulch of straw...as you can see. The sunflowers in the background are volunteers, and I've maintained recently that if I knew how to freeze and eat flowers for the winter we'd be set. But we love tomatoes and winter squash. You see the northeast beds here.

And, below, are the south east beds.

I do love the eclectic approach of inter planting flowers, herbs, greens and squashes in a bed like the one below. That is rhubarb chard, my favorite in the middle.

It has been a great year for cool-weather crops like this cabbage. The maroon flower on the right is part of the perennial called Nautica Macedonica.

The size of the squash below indicates there isn't enough time for it to mature. My sadness over this year's garden can overtake me sometimes because I LOVE gardening. I've been off on trips to visit family, sprained my ankle badly, and accepted the cool wet weather. Fortunately, I've given seeds for my favorite winter squash to about 6 other gardeners who live in warmer areas nearby. I've asked for just one squash from them. We'll see what happens.

The tomatoes are finally appearing, not many, and not ripening.

I love Green Tomato Pie, so perhaps it is a year for that instead of Salsa.

Twins Visit

2010-08-13T05:01:00.001-07:00

Jackie and Stacie are twins, and they are my firends.

Jackie is a Homestead Wannabee, and Stacie is a Firefighter's Wife.

That's who they are on their blogs, and in real life. It is so obvious they love and care about each other, and I couldn't resist taking this picture of the genuine care they have for each other.
Jackie makes EVERYTHING from scratch including her own graham crackers and cheese,
and Stacie is busy raising 6 kids.

We made Thai Salad Rolls the first night they came.

Don't these look delicious...and beautiful? We put tofu in some and chicken others for our protien. The other ingredients are shredded cucumber, carrot, chopped cilantro, and rice noodles.

We talked non-stop from Friday afternoon until Sunday afternoon about gardening, children, homeschoooling, scheduling our lives for fitting more in with ease, husbands, God, Bible studies, friends, food and blogging. It was a divine weekend to make new memories because the last time they came (4 years ago) Jackie fell down our stairs in the dark thinking she'd stepped into the bathroom. She broke a piece of bone off her collarbone, and it took a very long time to heal. I love these two girls!

Marcus and His 4th of July 'Sparklish'

2010-07-31T10:16:00.000-07:00

Here you see us the first evening of the visit where Trenton and Marcus had made whipped cream together for the celebration of Marcus's 4th birthday. While 'the kids' did the art project, he 'played' a game. He does SO well entertaining himself.
Below is a picture of Alana (outside) taking a picture of Marcus and Grammy (inside)

watching the vintage car parade going by our house.

We strolled to the nursing home on the next block to watch the parade two of the days. There were a lot fewer people, so the kids could run into the street to pick up candy.

Marcus loved waving the flag at all the princesses.

Oh, he looks SO tired after the late night of whatever went on Saturday night. This is Sunday morning, and he had borrowed my little pink knife to cut up the front cover of the Netflix.

He did this for 45 minutes...completely quiet behind Grampa Jay working on his Sunday school lesson.

There were 4-wheeler rides of every kind and combination on Sunday, the 4th, out at the ranch. Here you see Evan checking the gas tank. Marcus and Cheyanne were in awe of Evan's knowledge and abilities. And, for a 7-year old, we are too!

Grampa always lets the kids 'drive' too.

Yum!

I love that I caught the fire on these marshmellows!

This was just before we went up on the hill with what Marcus called 'the sparklish'.

He is SO DANG CUTE!

That's it on the 4th of July...I guess, since this is the LAST day of July, it is good.

I found a real live cucumber in the garden this morning, so that will be my next feature.

I pray this blesses you, my son. I love you, Kelly!

More for Kelly..."The Kids"

2010-07-27T08:05:00.000-07:00

These are the siblings Marcus calls "The Kids".

Marcus, being just 4 now, doesn't have the same needs or interests as 'the kids',

so they are grouped together watching videos, listening to mp3 players and such

while Marcus sits near Mama and plays with a small toy in the car. When they arrive at their destination "the kids" take turns being with and playing with Marcus, but they are really good at playing among themselves while Marcus is good at entertaining himself.Alana is drinnking tea with Grammy, Mama, and Auntie while playing a game of Rummy-O.

Alana's "Keep Away" project came together very well.

And this is Alana's friend from several years ago when she first began coming

to Grammy Camp.

They just 'happened' to meet at the playground when we all converged there.

Brianna, celebrating her 10th birthday.

Brianna watching the first of the 3 daily parades. Marcus was trying to be funny.

He sure is!

Here is Brianna's colorful "Keep Away" project.

Trenton, below, was busy climbing trees while he waited

for the first of the 3 daily parades to commence.

Here is Trenton with Marcus.

They were helping make the whipped cream for the Strawberry Shortcake dessert

that Marcus and Brianna chose for their birthday dinners.

And Trenton's "Keep Away project is embellished on the frame with acorns.

Cheyanne is interested in climbing trees too!

Cheyanne is very talented gymnastically!

And, below, Cheyanne's "Keep Away" project is equally as colorful as the rest!

I will focus on Marcus next, Kelly.

He is SO photogenic, and it is hard to stop taking pictures of him because he doesn't usually pose.

For My Son, Kelly

2010-07-22T08:29:00.000-07:00

My son, Kelly, is gearing up in Texas for deployment to Afghanistan as a Chinook helicopter mechanic. He views this blog from time to time, and I want to share a visit his family had over the 4th of July holiday in my small town where the festivities abound.

His wife, Melissa, shares a cup of tea with me and Lovella as the kids play a game of Rummy-O in my studio.

Kelly has few pictures of Melissa, and he can download these to his computer for his viewing pleasure in Afghanistan.
I taught the five kids and Melissa how to do an art project called "Keep Away".
This is her final copy.

And, here she is working on the project as the kids worked beside her. She is a lovely woman, strong and wise for her young age...with three foster kids and three of her own. One of Kelly and Melissa's foster kids, after graduating high school, has come back to join the family and help out while Kelly is gone. She works next door to the family home and can help with the household when Melissa is in need. She doesn't replace Kelly, by any means, but she sure is helpful, Christina is!

For this project you draw three or four shapes in various places across the middle of the page, and then draw lines from the top to the bottom frame "keeping away" from the shape you initially drew. Outline all the lines in black permanent marker, and color the project using three colors. I'll do a post on the project later.

This is for you, Kelly, my precious son! I love you.

Baby Sister's Garden

2010-07-18T09:38:00.000-07:00

This is my Baby Sister, Babs.

She is exceedingly creative, as you can see from the shawl she is wearing,

and she is a gardener extraordinaire!

Babs grows Cardoon (a relative of artichokes) in the narrow strip of her driveway,

and we were fascinated by the activity going on.

Aphids have set up colonies all over the plants,

and ladybugs are generating many eggs which, when hatched, will feast on the aphids.

This is something all gardeners love to see...nature working its best without us to interfere.

Below you can see in the middle of the picture some pale orange ladybug eggs on the underside of the leaf.

The ladybug larvae is lavender-to-purple with orange spots and kind of a 'lizard' look, and about 1/4 inch long.

I once had the opportunity to watch a Tricogamma wasp lay eggs into the body of a Tomato Horn worm which the lady whose garden this was occurring gave us for our own garden so that we would have the benefits of this fabulous wasp to the horn worms inhabiting our own garden.
The process was fascinating to watch!

Above and below you can see the wonderful display of flowers reminding me of Chicory, a daisy-like pale blue.

When traced to the ground we found they were a lettuce blooming all in the tomatoes and peas of my Sisty's garden.

This garden is located in Bellingham, Washington where the marine air cools things a bit for gardening. My sister is able to grow a great crop of blueberries, raspberries, lettuce, chard, peas, tomatoes, squash, eggplant, and beans.

Babs is an extraordinary woman!

Thanks for the good time with you and Mom last week.

Now, I must go out and string up some support for my own beans...pole beans, which I've never grown before. It has come to me that I'm too old for bush beans now; the bending and stooping are too much, so this is my new endeavor.

The tomatoes are still 'just surviving", but the squashes are really thriving.

Aprons Galore!

2010-06-30T12:50:00.001-07:00

Stepping outside to put mail in the box this morning I found the mail lady just pulling up. We made the exchange and heading into a lovely conversational exchange as well. I had my apron on because I was beginning to fix lunch, and she commented on it. Thank you, Kristen! It is the one Dillon, a student of mine who did some mission work in India, brought me from there. It was shockingly thoughtful because I make and wear aprons, and, for a 12-year old boy to notice, that amazed me.

Anyway, I thought I'd take you on an apron tour of the latest creations. They are all reversible, so I've turned a corner over for you to see part of the other side.

Below are the kidlette aprons which are also reversible.

When the grand kids come over we can cook together!

I realized that when you have an apron on...even if you are merely lounging about on the couch with a good book...you look VERY busy. I like that! ;)

Straw Garden Girl

2010-06-28T11:29:00.000-07:00

Here is Alina the Queena the Straw Garden today.

She is cooling off from the hard work of pulling the "straw train" that we worked together on this morning.
She pulled, and I pushed the train to the garden to make pathways for us to walk when the rains come and make mud.

Her job was to walk the paths when I finished laying them.

TA DA!!

We are finished with this one pathway.

You can see the squash plants to the left along the line of the soaker hose.

The tomato plants are barely visible in their cages to the right of Alina.

And you can see some wayward garlic to the far right.

Part 2, Kimber's Visit

2010-06-24T06:23:00.001-07:00

Isabella brought two 'Leo's' with her so she and Alina could do gymnastics.

She let Alina wear her Tinkerbell leotard/swimsuit.

Isabella is quite acomplished, and shy about it too.

And she was so helpful to Alina for the headstands.
This was darling to watch.
They just couldn't get enough of each other.

Alina, the ballerina showed me how she stands on her toes.

They practiced many 'moves' that little girls like to pretend as they live out their gymnastic/ballet lives.

Steve, Lovella's hubby, took his turn with Dante too. Everyone had to have some of him!

Ever-helpful-Evan,

carrying out all the condiments for our hotdog roast.

We ate in shifts, that is, hotdogs first, then a round of coleslaw, then the corn of the cob as it finished.

Last, inside out of the sudden rainstorm, we savored the chocolate pie with a good cup of coffee.

Here are the girls with Grampa and Steve waiting on the fire for their hotdogs.

Oliver, the new kitten,

was quite the hit...almost as popular as Dante.

We had to make the kids go outside in order for Oliver to get a break and a rest sometimes.

This was taken at "The Crema", our European coffeehouse, where we met.

The girls compared new shoes, Isabella with her patent leather, bow-back, open-toed 'slippers' and Alina with her patent leather MaryJanes.

Then it was on to the playground where the kids played for 3 hours without needing us much at all. Kimber, Lovella and I visited, laughed, watched the kids and played with Dante.

More of Isabella and her famous hair...

One of the sweet pleasures of this small town is that the 4th of July is really big.

So, the rodeo girls have to practice with their horses every morning, and they do this on OUR street!

Isabella was in heaven petting and watching.

This girl and her mother were training this horse for town and people and noises, so it was perfect that we needed them to stop for us.

They were quite generous.

That's it on our visit.

The garden is next. I'm going out to pull some weeds and plant some flowers.

We had a sunny day yesterday, but it looks 'iffy' again today.

Kimber's Visit Part 1

2010-06-23T14:23:00.000-07:00

My Precious Daughter, Kimber, came for a visit.

She drove without her helpful hubby (because he had to cover for someone at work) and with five-year old Isabella and baby Dante. It takes 8 hours to make the drive, and I am unendingly grateful that she was willing to make the trip for us. This is a picture of her out at the ranch at the trailer we fondly call our version of the third world. She and Lovella have become fast friends, and it is dear to me to listen and watch them. Here is Lovella with her Evan, both admiring Dante.

Kimber chose one of the aprons I'd made, and here she is making Dante sing. He loves it when someone moves their finger back and forth over his mouth while he says, "aaaaaaahhh".

Grammy and Dante have a very close relationship.

I love Dante's 'sausage toes'.

It looks like his toes are too big for his little foot.

He is too precious!

Good byes...

2010-06-17T10:46:00.001-07:00

Since there is new snow on Grangeville Mountain and my heart is wanting to take a dip in the shallow end of the pity pool, I'll focus on something else besides gardening.

Below you see my lovely granddaughter, Alana, at her 8th grade promotion ceremony. The venue was way too small, so we ended up sitting in the isle on the floor! But, here is her dad, holding Marcus, as he lifts a bouquet for her.

Alana is truly a lovely girl, and especially so in her beautiful dress for the big ceremony. Her smile says it all!

Another event that occured while I was there for the ceremony was that my favorite son left his family to begin serving his 400 days of war duty.

He had pictures made of each of us with him, and below is mine.

Of course, while there, getting some cuddle time with my great grandboy, Cameron, was a plus.

Marcus and I got some cuddle time too.

And, below, you see my granddaughter Mandi with her Cameron.

She is a wonderful and attentive mother. They were visiting for their last hugs with her daddy before he left to begin his 400 days.

I was able to deliver Kelly to Pendleton before the transport to McCord Airforce Base where his unit was flown to Ft. Hood, Texas for 30 days of special Afghan training.

He is a Chinook helicopter mechanic and had me get into one of those HUGE things at the hanger, sit in the pilot's seat, and wear a heavy headset as if I were a real pilot. We hugged quickly and I drove off. This is the hard part, knowing he won't be available for many, many days ahead, knowing that Marcus will notice that he hasn't come home for a long time, knowing that birthdays and anniversaries will pass without him. My heart is heavy sometimes.

And one last one of baby Cameron. He is well-behaved and LOVES his truck Grammy gave him for Birthday Number ONE!

Garden Soup/Soggy Vegetables

2010-06-11T13:14:00.000-07:00

This is what the rain looked like late yesterday afternoon.

I think we've gotten over 4 inches in the last week, maybe more, so my garden is not worth even looking at...but I do because it always holds so much hope in it. The pathways are small ponds, and the beds are full of soggy, limp, bedraggled tomatoes that SOMEONE has been pulling up. Now why would that be?

Two days in a row the south bed was strewn with the plants I'd carefully planted on the one sunny day two weeks ago.

It is so disheartening to see this.

The robins love sucking up the easy worms.

And you can see to left of her that the pathway is muck.

This north bed of tomatoes was undisturbed by the vandals.

The cabbages are doing okay.
I wouldn't say they are thriving, but at least they survive at this point.
Gardening is such a challenge here with clay soil, the late frosts in June and July, the early frosts in August and September. And now the monsoons. We are trying our best to grow as many veggies for our own consumption and dealing with so many forces against us.
I'm beginning to whine so look on down to see what I'm doing while stuffed inside my house cage.

Aprons! I've made four this week and have three more to finish up.
It is so fun to create these cute reversable aprons for myself and others!

AND!

Today is our 5th anniversay, so I've picked some bouquets, fixed a lovely lunch and await my husband's gift of taking me to dinner.

I fixed up the table sweetly with a tablecloth and these bouquets around the dining/living room. It has been special.

We are doing well in this thing called marriage that neither of us excelled in before.

It is good!

Bright Spots on the Bingo Card of Life

2010-05-31T14:31:00.001-07:00

I sip a very good Italian half cup of coffee, black, right now as I write this on ANOTHER rainy, drippy, soggy, wet day. But yesterday was the bright spot weatherwise. Sunny, warm and perfect for a picnic we headed to Winchester Lake immediately after church. I had prepared before leaving for church by packing up some fried chicken, salsa and chips, black olives, Perrier with slices of lime, and a scrumptious dessert of meringue pillows, whipped cream and strawberries. A thermos of coffee and more chips followed along with Jay's daughter's family. I'd packed bread, butter and bananas in case we needed more food for the kidlettes.

It has rained for months (when it wasn't snowing), and the forecast is for continued rain in our near future. So, yesterday was especially wonderful. Jay and I pose together after the particularly scrumptious dessert

pictured below with small paper cups of coffee.

Evan was not fond of the Pavlova (meringue pillows), but he gave them a try, and then passed the remains to Grampa Jay who is a nut for sweets.

Alina's description:

"It melts in your mouth like cotton candy!"

Isn't she the cutest little pixie...with a dot of strawberry on her bottom lip!?

Lovella and I took a walk around some of the lake while Grampa and Steve helped the kids catch a BIG trout, 3 brim, and 1 perch. We saw this heron fly up to the tree, and then take off a few moments later. The walk was invigorating, the conversation was sweet, and the time together was special because they are all caught up in building/sheetrocking/painting their house out at the ranch. The weather cooperated right up until we took our leave (4:00); it sprinkled on us the whole way home after the dark, gray clouds moved back in.

I thank God for the bright spot in the weather, for the bright spot at the lake, and the bright spot of a picnic. We don't do picnics much anymore because they are so labor-intensive. It was worth it to plan a very simple one with such perfect treats and perfect companions.

Years ago, and as a child, we celebrated this holiday with my Grandma Boothby in Portland, Oregon. My sister, Margy, and I would pick all the flowers in Gram's yard with her help, put them in the trunk of the car, and go to Grampa's grave at the veteran's cemetary where we decorated his spot lavishly. We called it "Decoration Day" back then, and we always had a picnic where my Grandmother would much on 'redishes' (she called them), and raw green onions with great enthusiasm. I miss her and those days when things were so simple. I tried to relive that simplicity yesterday, although we don't have but 2 tulips. We did have a conversation with an older fella who was fishing and wearing a United States Marine Corps cap.

It made me feel good inside.

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

2010-05-28T11:16:00.001-07:00

Class Picture

on Costume Day.Dillon as Agent 007, Carson as Chef Gusteau, Faith...as our Lady,

Hunter as William Tell,

and me as Granny Smith.
Hunter is all decked out as William Tell with his famous popcycle stick cross bow.

Lady Faith dressed up for our pleasure.

At first I thought Dillon came as a preacher,

and then he put his glasses on and pulled out his airsoft gun

for an Agent 007 impersonation.

Carson, the French chef Gusteau.

Faith is not particularly happy about being the target,

but she is a good sport putting up with these characters.

We roasted marshmallows in the stove to make S'mores, and now my darlings are

playing with the science project, Flubber.

There is no end of things that can be done

with Flubber.

You don't want to know!

Spring Flavors

2010-05-27T10:41:00.000-07:00

This is the view from the ranch where we run some cattle and are in the process of building a house for Jay's daughter's family. You can see the Camas Prairie in the background with brilliant yellow canola growing. And in the foreground is wild Camas, a lovely blue flower blooming in patures everywhere.

Here is Sir Evan.

We are crazy for a series called Monarch of the Glen, and I think Evan is taking Scottish plaids pretty seriously!

Canola, up close and personal.

More wild Camas

One MORE Pleasure of Homeschooling!

2010-05-19T11:34:00.001-07:00

This is Part 2 of the homeschooling pleasures.

I left off with Faith and I going outside to 'play' with the bubble wand.

Here is: " Faith Framed by a Bubble"!

Below, we caught the picture just as the bubble begins to pop,

which you can see from the end moving toward Faith.

Yikes!

And...up into the wild blue yonder.

She sits beside me as I write this, helping me decide the colors of the font.

Truly a sweetheart,

my Faith is!!

One Pleasure of Homeschooling

2010-05-19T11:09:00.000-07:00

This is Faith,

my darling girl who shows up every morning (unless she's sick).

Today Hunter called in sick; Dillon is at a band concert with his public school band class;

Carson called to tell me he'd rather stay home

to do his work since the other boys won't be here.

Faith?...well, she's faithful!

And her mother is the darling Aminta

who brought us maple bars and a mocha from our favorite coffee shop.

It doesn't get much better than this. I've been able to work with Faith all by herself as she catches up to be ready for 6th grade next year.

It has been a memorable morning, and I highly recommend this style of teaching!

And now? I'm off to make huge bubbles with Faith using our bubble maker because she's finished with her work and not ready to go home yet.

It's a bird; it's plane; it's an Impreza!

2010-05-15T15:46:00.001-07:00

Okay, it is not every day that a girl gets a new car, a 'stylin' one at that. So, here I sit writing this up for you as I sip on some bubbly Perrier and nibble some chips as a celebration. Not a one of my friends is home, as it is an unusually sunny and warm day. They are probably all out with their families hiking.

I decided to begin looking for a 4-wheel drive car that Jay can get into and out of more easily. He test drove with me this morning all three cars in our town that met with my criteria. What was shocking to me was that he wanted me to get the more expensive one, and conservative as he is, it was a good choice. Neither of us had a single check in our spirits about it at all. I'm SO excited. Jay let me go back this afternoon to do the dickering while he went out to the ranch for a fence-building project with Stephen.

Below, you will see all the views possible of my 2007 Subaru Impreza. It is silver and has a 'spoiler', a huge trunk, plenty of leg room, automatic everything and even a radio that I can get hooked up to satellite... if I'm so inclined.

Oh, my, I can hardly wait to go to Lewiston for the big test drive on Tuesday to get my hair cut.

I'd had my Toyota for over 10 years. It was a '98 and still in very good condition, so I feel like a traitor to have gone over to the 'other' side with a Subaru.

I'd had Hondas and Nissans and Toyotas in my adult car life. Once I even had a Nash Rambler Station wagon that didn't have reverse in it.

The trade-in value for that car was a spare tire on the new one!

So, what do you think? Isn't she Pretty??????

And she has a sunroof.

Bluesday

2010-05-09T08:49:00.000-07:00

As the snow blew sideways on Thursday my spirits went with the sideways snow. Before I knew I'd slid into the sideways-double lowdown blues. Fortunately I took all those thoughts and feelings captive and capitalized on a good thing...Christmas! I put in a Christmas CD, got out lights to string upon a glass table, picked a bouquet of red flowers from the sunroom and made fudge to pass around as I ran some errands.

My sister used to dub me the Silver-Lining Queen, so I guess the name fits. Anyway, my spirits were lifted, the snow melted and many where happy to share a piece of fudge around town.

The day before I'd visited with my daughter-in-law at her humble abode where she'd livened up the dining room with festive cloth hanging to make a sort of fort for her and Stephen as they celebrated their 15th aniversary. I'd provided Costco's cream puffs with some rhubarb jam drizzeled over, and which she shared with me the day after when I arrived for the inspection.

It is another of our few sunny days today, Mother's Day. I've heard from my precious son who is off to Warrior School with the National Guard before he deploys to Afghanistan, his wife, Melissa who is caring for their many children and enjoying it, and my daughter who is SO happy to be sharing a holiday with her sweet hubby home from Iraq.

God is good...ALL the time!

The Last of the Beach Photos

2010-04-27T07:42:00.001-07:00

Ah, he loves his Mama. Kelly 'wands' some bubbles at sunset for Marcus's pleasure.

Melissa frolics with Brianna. She is a fairly serious mother, so watching her PLAY filled me with unspeakable joy!

Alana LOVES her mood ring.

We all love to feed the squirrels.

I'm unendingly grateful to have had this significant time with Kelly and his family before he goes off to war.

My heart wavers sometimes when I think about it, so I don't often think about it.

My son-in-law is home from Iraq and is weaving his family together with some time off before he goes back to the job his boss saved for him.

In fact Chris was offered a $3/hour raise,

a cushy route. and some ready cash to sustain him until May 10 when he returns to work.

We serve an awesome God!

ANOTHER! Spring Break

2010-04-22T08:28:00.001-07:00

This is the picture of our first break.

I love traveling with my son's family because they like me to sit up front with him and they like to stop often. Kelly was REALLY on a break with some fine headgear. And Marcus LOVES his Grammy!

This was at Multnomah Falls on the Columbia River as we headed for the ocean on a Sunday. Kelly's boss appreciates his work ethic and has rewarded him with 3 weeks of paid vacation when he hasn't even work for a complete year yet.

He chose to take his wife on the first vacation to the ocean to scope out what we would do on his third week of vacation. I think he stayed home with the kids during their spring break for the second one. Anyway, before we left the boss called and offered him a $3 per hour raise.

Kelly heads for the Afghan war in May with the National Guard, and my heart is torn over the implications of that. But here you will see the pleasures we shared for 5 days together.

The view from the balcony of the condo we rented thanks to Melissa's boss. You see the splashing of high tide above and part of the family enjoying a meal our first night on one of the two balconies below.

When we were all tired that first night Brianna took Marcus under her wing to read a story as we set up the bedrooms and other organizing.

Trenton and Brianna ordered 1/2 a crab for their first seafood experience, Marcus and Alana chose chicken strips, Kelly, Melissa and I ordered scallops and jumbo shrimp with several orders of killer slaw. It was warm and sunny...perfect for a picnic.

One of the amenities at the condo was an offering of classes each day. Kelly and Trenton took an oil painting class, and you see, above, the results.

I was stunned at their talent.

Kelly's last art class was in 6th grade (he is 40, remember!), and Trenton has shown talent in that regard. This class was incredibly rewarding for both of them!

A closer view of Kelly's oil painting.

Here we all are at the Oregon Coast Aquarium ready for the treats inside.

I love this picture not only for the octopus, but also the reflection of Trenton.
There will be more to follow this post. I wanted to get started with these pics for my mom who doesn't get to see her grandkids or great-grandkids often.

The Last of the Spring Break Pics

2010-04-10T07:08:00.001-07:00

Just out of the pool, we snuggle and get warm.

Kimber and Isabella had great fun as they swam and splashed.
Kimber did impressive handstands for Isabella
in water that let only her feet show!

and then!

We found a fabulous Italian restaurant, A Taste of Tuscany where we ate this Caprese Salad.

Insalata Caprese (salad in the style of Capri) is a simple salad from the Italian region of Campania, made of sliced fresh buffalo mozzarella, plum tomatoes and basil. It is seasoned with salt, black pepper, and olive oil. [1] This dish is also known as a Tricolore salad due to its three colors, which mimic the Italian flag.

The entire vacation was excellent, and I'm delighted to have had this time with my youngest child and her two before her dear husband returns from his military tour in Iraq.

More Pics of our Spring Break

2010-04-10T06:51:00.001-07:00

She's ready for a trip to jump the waves in her little pink outfit!
They turn to wave at Mom/Grammy/taking this pic from the balcony of our room as they head out to jump the waves. One lady was taken by surprise when a wave came from behind her (as she watched Kimber and Isabella) and snatching her purse! Her Hubby stood in waist-deep waves trying to recover it for her, but he failed. It was a sad event for all of us.

My Jackie-O imitators as we all head out to shop for a bit on the main street of Seaside.

And the mild-mannered Mr. Dante continues to look, coo, and smile for everyone.

Spring Break at Seaside

2010-04-07T08:35:00.001-07:00

My daughter and her two escorted me to the ocean for Spring Break. Here are a few of the pics showing what fun we had. Isabella rode the carousel once with me and once with her mom. For the first time since she was about 16 my daughter is not working. She is now a SAHM (stay at home mom). I think she looks relaxed and deliriously happy with her little ones.

We frolicked in the ocean even with Dante. Isabella was determined to wear her birthday dress for the trip over and back, so here she is in all her glory. She and I ran from the incoming tide while Kimber kept Dante warm and snuggled up close.

We inhabited a coffee shop to warm up with a latte and hot cocoa. Dante had fallen asleep by this time and was still snugly.

The three of them were so happy with our accommodations (oceanfront, fireplace with kitchen).

More pictures will follow to show what a wonderful time we had.

Glory Hallelujah! I'm INTO it, finally!

2010-03-24T16:43:00.000-07:00

I got into to the garden today, and I am thrilled. This morning I measured the soil temperature to find it was 40 degrees which is the perfect temp for greens, lettuces, and cabbage.

My little starts all had their true leaves, and I'd hardened them off, and it won't free tonight.

You can see that I planted only one side of the bed.

The other side with have cucumbers grown on a tilted frame that will shade these lettuces

in July and August so they don't bolt.

Greens and leaf lettuce can be planted 8 inches apart.

I've protected the cabbages, below,

under a new fabric cover from Gardener's Supply Company.

The last event in the garden was to sprinkle crushed egg shells around all the greens to protect them from slugs.

My dear young friend, Hayden, dropped by, and she graciously took my picture.

That's it for now.

I'm taking off on Saturday for a few days at the ocean with my daughter and her two darlings. These starts needed to be IN before I left. The weather is wonderfully warm and there is a slight breeze...a perfect day for the first of many days of gardening.

I got INTO it, finally.

These plants can take frost and snow if it comes again too.

The varieties planted:

Lettuce: Cracoviensis, Winter Density Bibb, Forellenschluss, Crisp Mint

Cabbage: Gonzales, Super Red 80, Early Jersey Wakefield

Greens: Ruby Red Chard

This is Why!

2010-03-14T16:11:00.001-07:00

This is why YOU, whoever YOU are,

have daffodils and crocuses

and why I don't!We got dumped on Friday night by a big snowstorm which left about 6 inches as it passed.

It was sunny on Saturday, and it is sunny today, so it is melting fast.

I feel especially tender towards my tiny primroses that, a couple weeks ago,

I pictured on a blog.

The buds have opened, but cautiously.

And these, above, are the extent of my daffydowndillies so far.

They are afraid to venture out too far, and for good reason!

When I turned from my photos to come in to write this a horse came down the street.

It was riderless and made me a little nervous.

On close following with my camera I saw that a lovely woman was behind it

'leading' it up the street. She was going by the nursing home to give the

residents a treat. When we spoke she said her mom was there.

This is why I love this place!

How many of you saw this today????

"Be End," as Jacob says.

2010-03-12T08:52:00.000-08:00

Everyone put on a swimsuit, gathered a towel, and planted themselves in one of two vehicles for the ride to the Super 8 motel for a celebration of swimming, especially fun for the kids. However, when we arrived there was a party going on, and the pool was full. Lovella came up with the brilliant idea for the 'little 'uns' to make painted paper, while the men took Alana to the ranch for some 4-wheeling. Alina, the Queena the Trailer, inspects her hand for paint; she's kind of picky about how she looks...darling, of course.
Marcus was the paint mixer extraordinaire!

Evan loved making all kinds of patterns before texturizing his paper.

Isabella LOVES red and pink!

Kelly loves to get the kids lined up for funniness!

This is definitely NOT funny! This was my piece de resistance!

A Rhubarb Custard Pie

made with whole wheat pastry crust, and it was delicious, if I do say so myself.

It was one of many desserts ordered up for the celebrations.

Cream Puffs, Chocolate Cake with ice cream, and Liliquoi (Passion Fruit) Cheesecake were among the treats.

We know how to eat; and we know how to celebrate, don't we?

I couldn't resist this angelic pose, below, of Dante as he napped.

...of Isabella as she slept in on the last morning,

oops, I guess he was cute enough to picture twice!

My nephew, Jake, always used to say, "Be End!" at the end of a story.

That's how this one ends too.

Bonding Cousins...and More Bondings!

2010-03-05T06:07:00.000-08:00

Isabella Rosalini Fettucini and Alina the Queena the Trailer,

both 5, both Girlie-Girls

had SO much fun coloring, dressing up dollies, pretending tea-party and playing house.

Precious memories we have from this weekend together.
Marcus wanted in on the action with the baby too, and Isabella was helpful.

Lovella headed up the tie-dying activity while Kimber rocked Dante and I played outside with the girls. The men, Stephen, Kelly, Grampa, and Evan were out at the ranch fooling with some piece of machinery.

Kelly is THE best uncle!

More bonding in the evening before bed. And Isabella is such a good big sister!

We looked forward to seeing and hearing the bonding conversations and activities of the little ones, as they don't meet up often. Here you can see 'Lisabella' (as Marcus called her) and Marcus. I'd set up a tent in the spare room for them to "camp out" in. The lights had gone out the first night, most everyone was in bed. And I thought I'd peak in on the campers. This is how they were poised, watching for Kelly to lie down on the couch. I fetched my camera for this shot, and they applied smiles. The loved sitting in my computer chair to watch the screensaver pictures of themselves rolling by. Since we had a camping theme I gave them each an old marshmallow left over from the camping trip we took in August. Their sweet nibbling sounds as they shared the chair and enjoyed the passing of their lives before them blessed my socks off!

There were very nearly inseparable, brushing their teeth together too. Because the house is so gibbered up in its floor plan they ALWAYS lost their way to the bathroom!

Kelly loves babies; and Dante is no exception!

Grampa Jay was enamored of this darling baby too.

Big "4" B'days

2010-03-03T08:46:00.001-08:00

On Saturday, February 27th I turned a wonderful 64.

Both of my children came for a visit. Kelly, who turned 40 on Sunday, brought two of his dear ones: Alana, who turned 14 on Monday, and Marcus, 3 1/2. Kimber rode along with her two, Isabella, 5 and Baby Dante, 4 months.

Here I am on the first evening with the Baby Dante. He is SO mellow, rarely fusses over anything, and smiles often.

He appears to have a bit of a Charlie Brown look with his round face and serious expression. On Saturday, I was blessed with a few turns at holding him. Grampa Jay, Uncle Kelly, Auntie Lovella and Uncle Stephen all got in line behind me, so my turns were short.

This is my big boy, Kelly. We had tie-dyed 3 shirts as an activity to celebrate Alana's b'day when we found the swimming pool closed to us. Kelly honored us by wearing his to church! He is my precious one who will be training in the month of May to go to Afghanistan in June with the National Guard as a Chinook helicopter mechanic.

Alana had a great time tie-dying her shirts, eating Turkey Wraps and cream puffs, riding the 4-wheeler out at Grampa's ranch and taking her turn at holding the baby.

This is the first of several posts, mainly for my family who lives elsewhere and will want to see some of the 89 pictures I took.