New Year........New Product !

This is a photo of the future of Lupine Hill Farm! My dear husband, Jim, supplied the capital for the new equipment.........and I sure hope it works out !!!! On Ebay I always see all these people selling fabric that's been pre-cut and is for people to purchase to make quilts with.........cutting the fabric is one of the most time consuming aspects of quilting. Anyhow.........to my mind ........for the most part......the fabrics that are chosen always look horrible together or are just plain ugly fabrics. Sooooooo....I had the idea that since my favorite part of any sewing project is putting the fabrics together that might be the ticket for me! But ....as I've mentioned before...I can't cut anything straight for the life of me! Then.......along comes the GO fabric cutter !!!! It cuts fabric with a metal die........all sides straight and symmetrical.........it's Magic!!!!! I'm still trying to get the house back in order after all the holiday guests, but I hope to get cutting soon. The other folks on Ebay selling fabric squares seem to doing real well and if I can do the same I might be able to eek out a year round income!
Seth and Amanda are headed up this evening to have dinner and catch the King's game........the Kings which are so awesome this year after several years of boringggggg!

Tessy's Angels

The stockings are hung ...... the house smells of incense cedar.....and Tessy's angels proudly stand on display. Tess started collecting them when she was about five years old and I have vivid memories of her playing with them on the floor of our house when they came out with the Xmas decorations. This year I'll be their biggest admirer.....I just got word that Tess won't be home for Xmas this year. I understand how hard it would be for her......the chaos, the laughter and the excitement...... her life has changed in ways I can't begin to understand......none of us here can. I think the finality of Ryan's death has just begun to sink in.....she needs to regroup and settle in her new home. There won't be a moment I'm not thinking of her and hoping some peace comes her way.
I'm so fortunate to be able to be surrounded by so many of the people I love in this world.......it will indeed be a very Merry Christmas.....as I hope it is for you.

Rocky Mountain Christmas !

Check out what I scored on ebay......for 99 cents/ free shipping !! Go ahead ......roll your eyes.....but I love John Denver, especially at Xmas !! I love our beautiful home and amazing piece of land, but sometimes I miss the remoteness of living up at 6,000 ft. in the Rockie Mountains. You're in a world apart......the nearest freeway is 100 miles away......everything is snowy white and softly silent.....a below zero night, the crispness and the stars .......a sight to behold.
Well.....enough waxing poetic.......hey!!....I finished my last order today....I'm officially out of the retail business for the next couple of months !! Tomorrow Molly, Ross and I are heading up to Nevada City for a little last minute shopping....perhaps.....lunch at Pacos Tacos ?? This is my most favorite time of year.......the week before Xmas is the best !

# 1 Most Exciting Present...........So Far !

I think I know what this present is.......the shape and feel of it are dead give-aways.......and that's what makes it so exciting!!!!! Josh brought it when he and his family were here for Thanksgiving .......and right away my curiosity was peaked ! Will it have some kind of design on it........corn or nylon......I love brooms and they actually have always been a large part of my life ! When I broke my ankle several years ago ....the first thing Tess said was, "How are you going to sweep?" ! Well, I managed.......wheelchair sweeping ! I haven't had a new broom for at least 15 years and now I'm pretty sure there's one under the Xmas tree just for me !!

Brrrrrrrrrr..........

Baby, it's cold outside !! It hasn't gotten out of the low twenties for three days now and the lows at night have been in or near the single digits. I feel so sorry for my ladies, the chickens.......shivering all night in their little hen house. Through it all they've still been giving me eggs every day........what little troopers ! Even Jenny's condescended to come in and lay by the fire......she usually only grudgingly comes inside and can't wait to get back outside.
I think we may have lost our hardy lemon tree.......I can usually go out and pick lemons in the snow, but the fact that it just never warms at all during the day may have done it in. For sure many of my perennial flowers are toast.....oh well.....I'll get to stalk the nurseries come Spring.
Sounds like more snow on the way this weekend. I have an order to deliver on Friday......hope I can get them down to her. I also want to do some shopping with Molly on Saturday.....we haven't gotten to do any Xmas shopping together yet and there's this one store in Auburn that gives away fresh, hot caramel corn during the Xmas season.......a tradition for Molly and me !

Lookin' Like Christmas In and Out !

We woke up this morning to over two feet of light, fluffy snow ! Jenny was beside herself with joy....she's a real snow dog. I was pretty happy myself ! It even snowed a little down in Roseville.....Granny said she had a dusting on her front lawn. I spent most of the day decorating the inside of the house and I must say it looks darn festive ! Certainly not as much fun as it used to be when the kids were home .........but certainly a lot easier ! After cheering Jim on while he shoveled the driveway.....I headed in to do a little more sewing. I have a few more orders to fill and I'm making some Xmas gifts.
There's a pot of chili on the stove and a rip-roaring fire in the stove......I'm in the mood for Xmas!

# 7 Reason to Live in NorCal!

Yep, I'm talking about an abundance of fresh crab ! This is what's for dinner tonight....all this for just Jim and me.....plus a crusty loaf of sourdough [ the # 9 reason] and a big salad. Mmmmm......I can't wait!
Sorry I haven't been heard from lately....it's been sew and sell, sew and sell , but I'm almost done.......some orders to complete and then .....Xmas, I'm yours ! Speaking of Xmas.....we got our Xmas "branch" up today, using Manzanita once again. It looks real cute and seems to fit our personalities.......kind of shy and humorous. I also got the outside lights up just as it started to snow........I even remembered how to work the timer , always a tense few moments for me ! We're supposed to get quite a bit of snow this week and even some snow down in the valley tonight. That happens about once every thirty years. Tomorrow I'll deck the inside of the house with Xmas cheer....I'll try to capture some of it in photos.
I made a rough copy of my Xmas letter to send out this year and may print them up tomorrow......I hope it's not too "heavy", but the last few months have seen some "heavy" times. Tessy says she'll be home for Xmas.......can't wait to get my arms around her.

Precious Family Time !

What a wonderful weekend ! It's so awesome to have adult children and be able to enjoy them, their partners , grandchildren and extended family. We surely missed all of you who weren't able to be here ...........I'm so fortunate to have a houseful and still be missing some ! Let's see...on Thanksgiving we had Molly-Ross, Seth-Amanda, Josh-Melanie, Taige-Tia, Granny, Melanie's sister, Heather and Peg and Steve....Amanda's Mom and Dad. Also visits from Seth's friends Mike and Katie. A few additions to the dining table and we all fit.........as well as a ton of food ! There was wonderful conversation, exciting game playing, and a whole lot of eating. Thanks to all of you who came........you created yet another memorable day for me.
Friday we went with Granny down to In and Out for lunch and an action packed afternoon at Chucky Cheese.......Taige and Tia were in Heaven ! Yesterday we packed up some turkey sandwiches and headed out for a wonderful hike along the river. One of the perks of Northern California........winter hikes !! Everyone headed home today and I've been enjoying cleaning the house up......yep.....I said enjoying !!!!

Tick Tock.......

I should not be sitting here......I should be doing something way more constructive.....I'll give my self five minutes !! Thanksgiving is but 3 days away and I am nowhere near ready for the big day ! Working the last couple of days has really cut into my organization.......all you people who work for a "living"...I don't remember any more how you do it ! I suppose I'm the only one who really cares if the house is spotless, or even if I were to order pizza for Thanksgiving dinner.....well, I can think of at least one objection to that idea !........but, somehow I put all this pressure on my self. Everything must be homemade and all appliances must shine ! I might relinquish a little bit this year, but Josh and his family are coming and I get very little chance to spoil them.......so.... I'm off to make some gingerbread men !

Scorin' on the Road !

Look what I found this morning on my daily walk ! No, not the cat , she's an innocent bystander........I found this wire and a bungee cord ! It was kind of a pain to carry it home, but worth the effort I think. Now, before you start thinking I've turned all " bag lady" you must understand that we use a whole lot of that wire fencing around here. And , believe-it-or-not, just before I came upon the bungee cord I was thinking, "I need a bungee cord so I can wrap the outdoor chairs in a plastic bag "! .........Ask and you shall receive !!
Could be I'm actually going a little "stir-crazy"......the walk was SO the highlight of my day ........otherwise .....you could find me upstairs all day sewing like the dickens.........whatever that means ! Better times are ahead for me, however........tacos for dinner and a King's game to enjoy !

Celebrate !!

A night for celebration..........Molly's 24th birthday, Denny and Joan's Bon Voyage [back to Maui for 6 months] and Molly and Ross's unofficial 1 year anniversary. On top of all that we were going to have big , succulent crab for dinner, but, alas, the storms prevented any crab harvesting so we "made do" with some delicious Scampi. ........and Granny's amazing Caesar Salad ! A wonderful, fun get-together ........ending with my homemade cheesecake for dessert. I'm sad to see D and J flying off for six months.......but they're glad to be headed to warmer waters.
This afternoon Granny drove up and met me , Molly and Ross and we took a scenic drive in the foothills.......so beautiful up here ! Tonight Jim and I are heading down to Mid-Town to enjoy The Bathtub Gins.......Ross's band. Good music and a wild, entertaining crowd !!!!

Autumn Hike !

Yesterday Jim and I took advantage of the last of the snowless days in the High Sierra. We headed to a beautiful area of the mountains that I bet 9 out of 10 Californians have never seen or even heard of........a little range north of I-80 called the Sierra Buttes......above photo is Upper Sardine Lake. We had the place almost completely to ourselves and although it was windy and cold......all that uphill hiking kept us pretty warm. Looking ahead to warm weather this Summer we found lots of great swimming lakes and a few we might be able to drag a raft up to for a little shore exploration !
Today was spent somewhere not nearly as scenic.......inside of Target !! I was finally able to run down some towels there........so it's back upstairs to work for me !!! But........not until Thursday ! Molly has the day off tomorrow [Wednesday] and so I'm meeting her and taking her "birthday shopping" because Thursday is her 24th Birthday !! I can't begin to guess want she would want .......so better to let her do the picking out ! I think my Mom may join us for awhile so it should be a real fun afternoon.

Another Day......Another Dollar !

Well, two shows down.....more to come. Not much spending going on out there this year.....if my little booth is any indication ! I probably still made more than the stuff I made is worth, but sales are down by at least 25%........however, we'll be able to manage a Xmas ham to go with the coal !! Today's photo was taken yesterday up at the log cabin in Foresthill.......as I mentioned , sales were so-so........but, I did get to visit a bit with friends I have up here , it's always cozy and Christmasy feeling and best -of -all....Ross and Molly came up for a visit and bought me a chili dog !!! I do love a good chili dog !........I also love Molly and Ross !
Jim has almost all of next week off.......he's using up his accrued vacation days......so one day, maybe tomorrow, we're going on a little exploring venture. Tuesday is towel hunting day......none of the suppliers I order my towels from are in business anymore....kind of an eye opener as to the state of manufacturing right now ! Wednesday is Veteran's Day so Molly has the day off and, since the next day is her birthday, we'll use Veteran's Day as a vehicle for celebration ! Lunch out and a little birthday shopping !
The Sunday football schedule is about to start......time to go !

November............Really ????

What a beautiful day.......hard to believe it's actually November. Even early this morning, when I was walking ,it was sunny and so warm......Jenny and I were sticking to the shady side of the road.....at least on the uphill portions ! I spent the rest of the morning on the house.......down with the Halloween decorations, sweeping and mopping, scrubbing tile ! The afternoon was spent getting stuff ready for a sale I'm doing on Wednesday.......I'm hoping there'll be a big payoff for all the time spent !
It's about 4:30 now and already just about dark up here..........kind of a drag , but very nice to have the sun up an hour earlier in the morning ! The weather forecast is for more of the same beautiful weather tomorrow and I can't wait to be out there enjoying it !

BOO !!

Happy Halloween to all you witches and goblins out there.......spooky times......spooky times...... You're all welcome to find refuge up here...not so much going on. I plan to spend a lot of the day upstairs in my torture chamber creating bewitching aprons and spellbinding towels.......perhaps trying to revive the dead....ie. watering my flowers ! Jim just left for the dump where he's likely to encounter all sorts of gruesome garbage......and we'll probably watch the UC Berkeley game later and they're likely to be massacred.......it could be scary. Tonight we're headed down to Ross and Molly's for a little Halloween get-together ..........Yikes !........going out after dark.....way out of my comfort range !

A Friend's Visit !!

Yesterday as I was out walking, my good friend, Pam.......who moved from here to Oregon.....was driving around up here searching for me in all the places we used to walk together. Her intention was to surprise me....unfortunately, I was walking a route that we'd never gone on. Anyhow...she tracked me down here at home and brought me this pretty flower ! She was on her way back up to Oregon after visiting one of her sisters in Monterey. It was wonderful to see her and ,of course, we picked up right where we left off and had a great visit.
Today, after another brisk walk, I headed down to Auburn and went to the feed store and took care of that dreaded chore........having the oil in my car changed. I hate sitting in little waiting rooms and reading old, yucky magazines ! I stopped at the grocery store on the way home and after putting the groceries away I had all the good intentions in the world of heading upstairs to work.......one thing lead to another and I never did get up there ! After the lousy sale I had last time I'm having a real hard time getting myself going. I hope this coming show on Wednesday will reverse that trend.........I'm freaking out a little bit......what if all Santa brings anyone this year is lumps of coal !!!
Too bad people don't get more excited about eggs.....I'm just about to go out and collect more of those........maybe I should make Xmas ornaments out of the shells.......hold on....wait a minute......I'm might be on to something !!!!!

A Day at the Pumpkin Patch !

In a nick of time.... before the weather's supposed to change........cold and windy starting tomorrow......I met Molly and her class at a farm in Auburn. The owner of the farm is really into what he does and it all really rubbed off on us........ all organic and such a variety of produce ! I learned a lot and really wished I'd had a paper and pencil to take notes. He even grows chestnuts, which I thought only grew in the Northeast.....but there they were...huge old chestnut trees right smack in Auburn and huge chestnuts all over the ground ! He roasted some for us.....I hadn't had one for years.....and they are every bit as delicious as I remember ! I bought some from him and plan on roasting them this weekend. The kids and their parents seem to love Miss Molly......as I knew they would......
Been thinking a lot about my blue-eyed girl, Tessy.......I wish she lived close enough for me to see her more often......I hope all is going well and that she knows how loved she is.
I talked to Jilly a few days ago......so busy.....full time job and 3 active boys......I wish she was closer too......I would love to be able to help her out with everything. I know there are times she wishes she was closer too , but I think she belongs to Norway now and I don't blame her a bit !!! .........who wouldn't want to live in Norway !
Actually...right now ......I'm glad I'm right where I am.....headed up to my big, soft bed on a cold cozy night.

Streets of Nevada City !

On this beautiful Saturday afternoon Molly and I decided to "do" Nevada City.......an awesome little locale close by. First stop was, of course, Pacos in Grass Valley......there we shared some great veggie burritos and caught up with each other's lives. Molly loves her teaching position and adores her kids........a great situation ! I love Jim and my life on "the farm".......also a great situation !!! After patting ourselves on the back we left and headed on up the road to Nevada City. Molly and I have spent so many pleasant amblings up there and today was no exception. We both got a couple of little "gifty" items for Xmas gifts and a few ideas for later. This is all so my- dream -come-true.....days just like today.
Amanda and Seth are coming up for dinner tonight......Amanda's a big Angels fan so we'll be watching and rooting tonight when the game's on. Grilled steaks and Jim just picked a big bunch of lettuce for a salad.......Go Angels !!!!!

A Perfect Autumn Day !

I love October.........because of days just like this one ! When Jenny and I were walking this morning there was a definite "bite" to the air......I was actually beginning to question my decision to wear shorts ! When we got home , I was so invigorated I couldn't wait to dig in the household chores........the house was spic and span when I was finished. I just couldn't bear the thought of hanging out in the work room upstairs so I decided I'd do a little early Xmas shopping ....... off to the thrift stores I headed ! This Xmas will be a little different than a lot of previous Xmases[spelling?].......I've got to get a whole lot more creative......I'm looking forward to the challenge. I scored a few potential gifts and felt pretty satisfied with myself ! Oh......I forgot.....as I was driving to the store I passed Seth on his way to the store....so we each stopped for a quick hug. I LOVE when that happens......running into one of the kids somewhere in Auburn !
When I got home I forced myself upstairs for a while.......soon ended up wandering around outside.......so beautiful !!!! As I was walking around my pocket started to vibrate........a phone call from Amanda ! Sorry to report that she has the crud that's going around......I hoping she feels better soon.
Thanks to Friday Furloughs this is the start of the weekend for us......time to rev up the chainsaw !

Jack and the Magic Mushroom !

About a week ago after a big rain, I noticed these huge mushrooms taking up residence all over our front lawn. When Jack was here last Saturday he noticed them and so we headed out to inspect them. Jack said that they're highly poisonous and I think he said they're called "Death Angels"..........pretty scary, huh ?? Good thing I didn't saute them up to go with our steaks !!! But.......now I was doubly fascinated by them.......they're deadly .........a horrible painful death..........and all just in time for Halloween ! I promised Jack I wouldn't mess around with them and then HE had a great idea to immortalize them. He removed one from the lawn and set it carefully on a piece of black paper........then covered it with a bowl. Today I removed the bowl and found a beautiful "spore print"..........how cool is that ! Thanks, Jack........you should have been a mad scientist .........perhaps you are !!

Celebrate !

Yesterday was our annual Fall Birthday Bash.......somewhat sparsely attended due to illness and that old bugaboo........work ! We had enough of a crowd, however, for a lot of fun. My mom had some battery issues with her car and so we had a couple of extra attendees from AAA ! Since it was a smaller than usual group the gathering turned into a kind of sit-around-the-kitchen-table kind of day. Lots of wonderful conversation......and way too much food ! Just my kind of event !!!
Mom ended up spending the night because of her battery issues and so we had a nice "German Pancake" breakfast and a bit of a morning visit, which was very nice. Since she left Jim and I have been enjoying an afternoon of pigskin action........so far Ross and I are even-steven today.
It's getting real cloudy and I guess we're in for more rain tomorrow......hopefully Jenny and I get our walk in before it starts. ........although I can't really say I mind a walk in the rain.

Bubanda !

Last night we had a rather impromptu birthday celebration for Seth .....who turned 30 on Sept. 27. We just haven't seemed to have been able to get together before now. It was just Jim , me , Seth and Amanda......but we managed to have a celebration! I can't believe Seth is 30 !!! He can hardly believe it ! I think Jim believes it.....and pretty sure Amanda does also ! I don't think I've ever seen Seth happier and so satisfied with his life.......and I couldn't be happier for him.......he's so deserving of a full and loving life.
Today Jenny and I took a very wet walk and then since I was wet anyway we decided to stay outside and put up the "outside " Halloween decorations. Looks pretty cool out there ! Saturday is the big Autumn Birthday Celebration......so there'll be lots of guests to appreciate my silly whimsy.
It's getting so dark so very early that I guess I'd better get back out there and feed my ladies.....otherwise known as chickens.

Rain, Wind and Chutney !

We woke up this morning to wind and rain......we've been warned about it's imminent arrival all week....and so far it hasn't disappointed. This storm will bring a definite end to the fire season......and the start of a Foresthill winter. I'm enjoying our new wood stove and so far it's keeping me warm and cozy . I think it even may be burning the wood more efficiently than the old one.
I got out the Halloween decorations and have the inside of the house all "Spooky".....the outside will have to wait until nicer weather ! I also used some of our apples and made a batch of chutney.........so good and so expensive to buy. Guess I'll have some of the kids up for a curry dinner soon !
Speaking of kids........I talked with Tessy yesterday and she seems to be doing well. Her friends up in Humboldt are keeping her busy and she sounded pretty positive. By the way......thanks to all of you for your good thoughts and kind words.......we all appreciate them so much.
So.....on this cold and stormy day......cozy up and give each other a big hug !

Happy Birthday to Mom !

Today is my Mom's 87th birthday.......I was so fortunate to be able to spend the day with her. I meant to take some great photos of all of us , maybe some gift opening shots, the party at the restaurant....but I forgot my camera and so all you get is the left over carrot cake. And a yummy cake it was! Denny, Joan and Molly joined me for the festivities....as always it was great to get together. Mom looked wonderful dressed in one of her signature colorful t-shirts and, as always, was in great humor ready for whatever the day held. I enjoy so many traits of my Mom.....none I cherish more than her sharp wit and incredible sense of humor. Happy Birthday, Mom.........looking forward to another great year of hangin' with you !

A Woodcutter's Wife !

The squirrels are out all over the place making their winter plans......therefore...... time to venture forth in the 4-Runner , water bottles in hand, and find the biggest, best dead oak we can find! Way out on Deadwood.....our favorite foraging spot.....we found the mother lode of oak ! Jim is so good at spotting fallen oak.......wayyyyyy off the road! And I'm such a big help to him ! First he has to split into quarters all the big rounds he just cut so I can even lift them to put them in the truck........then I whine a bit about scratchy bushes , because I don't believe in long pants and......excuse me......but, I ONLY wear sandals.........and all the way home I ask strange questions about everything we encounter......I'm sure Jim thinks he's riding with a 5 year old..........but, these ventures are strangely affirming.......we're so glad and fortunate we have each other and that a trip down Deadwood can be a rousing, loving good time.

Ryan....Aug.30, 1981 - Sept.28,2009

Ryan , I've gotten to know you so well this past week.............through your amazing and wonderful family............your legion of warm and caring friends.......and the loving eyes of my precious daughter..........I love you,Ryan.........peace.

Ring-a-Ding-Ding !

Since this week is choosing to go down in a blaze of searing heat , I decided it was too hot today to sit around and suffer ! Good decision on my part because it did turn out to be really hot up here....101...hotter than I've ever seen it......and because I ended up having a really fun day . I headed down to Molly and Ross'.........they have AC.....and Ross and I sat down and figured out our picks for this week's football games......I think I'd better prepare myself for big losses! Next, we took off for an afternoon of antiquing......maybe junk shopping is a better term ! My big purchase was this sweet little bell......if I ever get sick I can summon Jim to my side. Molly and Ross found a few goodies.....including a birthday present for Seth, who'll be 30 tomorrow!! Actually this will probably be one of Seth's best birthdays ever.....he's so happy right.....even he will tell you he's in love......and we love Amanda too !
I stopped on the way home to pick up some Chinese.......food that is !.......Jim recorded the Cal game so we'll have dinner time entertainment. Tomorrow Molly and Ross are coming up to watch the 49ers....I hope they don't lose because if they do I owe Ross another $1......such is the fate of a gambler !

Foresthill, Hawaii !

Bravo for this amazing bromiliad...... a decidely tropical plant , this one has taken on mountain living ! Snow and freezing temps have not stopped this hardy lady from blooming this year ! I have it just sitting out on the front porch railing.....kind of hidden from view.....for ...oh...about 10 years now. I've been amazed that it stayed alive at all.....but now this ! The blooms are a little strangely shaped , but hey......most people can't get these to rebloom even under the best of conditions......like being indoors and not being covered in snow ! Now I don't know if I should leave it as-is....or move it to a better suited environment. I guess I shouldn't argue with success......if it blooms again in another 10 years I'll be sure and let you know!
Some sad news this week......Pearl Dreyfuss , my Dad's partner's wife died in her sleep. Pearl has been a part of my life since I was two years old......I have so many wonderful memories of Pearl and her family. My mom, Molly and I are going to her funeral tomorrow.....I look forward to giving her children , my childhood friends , a warm smile and hug.

A Farewell to Summer !

It's supposed to be the first day of Fall today , but it seems the heat of summer holds on. Since Jim took the day of .......we decided to do a little summertime hike to send the season off in style. We loaded Jenny up , threw in a couple of sandwiches and off we went ! We hiked into one of our favorite lakes......Long Lake. A little picnic, some stick-throwing-in-the-lake, a little more hiking...........time to head home. Yes, it was sort of brief , but it's a short drive and was a fitting goodbye to Summer.
My sale on Saturday was dismal......all indications are that this will not be a very profitable season......I heard lots of sad tales from other vendors that were there. Maybe as it gets closer to Xmas it'll pick up a little.
The days are getting a lot shorter.....and even though the days are hot, it cools off nicely at night. For now....I'd better start dinner and pay attention to Monday Night Football......Ross and I are wagering and I already owe him $2.00.....!

In the Heat of Battle!

My visits with my computer have been few and far between lately.......however.....I've reestablished my tormented relationship with my sewing machine! My first sale of the season is this Saturday and so the past week has been all about making my dreams a reality!!!! I guess my dream this year is to delve further into "green" products.....customers seem to respond well and I can only keep this business going if I can think of new things to make.......I hate the drudgery of sewing the same items over and over. The new additions this year are........mousepads [I know, does anyone but me use them anymore ].......clothespin "clippies" [no more plastic clips to hold your chips closed!]......hand towels for the bathroom [not really so green, but clean!].......organic lavender-shea soap [a natural tie-in for the towels].......and my favorite.......clothespin bags so you all will start hanging your clothes on clotheslines and give up on your energy guzzling dryers!!! Well, we'll see how it goes on Saturday.....of course ,I still have my aprons and kitchen towels if all else fails .

49er's Win !

Opening day of the San Francisco 49ers ....and after a few miserable seasons , they started out with a win today! It was a little bit of a nail biter, but they pulled it off. A perfect day for football, cool, cloudy and windy....with rain forecast for tonight! There were, of course, barbequed sausage for lunch and the chip bags stayed open throughout the game. For penitence......tonight will be a light salad.......but what a wonderful cozy day it's been!
Last night we went down to mid-town Sac and listened to Ross' band. My cousin Bev and husband Shel were there, as well as their son and daughter-in-law. It was a very interesting crowd and of course the music was great. I couldn't stay seated and was soon up on my feet movin' around. We had dinner about 10 o'clock at Mah Jong's .....a great restaurant down town. Sometimes living way up here we forget anyone's even awake at 10 o'clock!
Tomorrow will be all about sewing.....a show on Saturday and my inventory is not lookin' so good. At least it sounds like it'll be a good day to stay inside.

Another Peaceful Day at Peaceful Valley !

Another big trip over to Grass Valley in the old truck.....always kind of a bonding experience for me and Jim.......I don't really know why,,,,,we just seem to love each other a lot on this particular trip. Maybe it's the Paco's tacos we always get......perhaps it's the great music on my Ipod.......but, probably......most likely.....being around all those organic gardener types at Peaceful Valley remind us of being two young hippies in love !

Rollin' On Ebay Again !!

A few days ago I decided to list some of my aprons that haven't sold in the past year on Ebay......sort of a Lupine Hill Farm closeout sale ! I discounted them ......a lot......starting the bidding at 99 cents , but I figured something's better than nothing and I really wanted to cut down on the inventory I haul around....plus, I always add a little "handling" charge to the shipping cost. Well, it paid off.....sort of.....I sold all 6 of them ranging in price from $6.60 to $9.oo each.....plus my dollar handling charge per apron. Still much less than I sell them for usually, but I'm happy ! Guess I'll list more "slow movers" next week.......it's a good little supplement between my shows.
Tessy came yesterday for a short visit......wonderful to see her. She seems very happy and looks great. Seth and Amanda came up last night also.....we had a fun dinner and a rousing conversation! This afternoon we all went down and had a delicious lunch with my Mom.......and more robust conversation ! The "kids" went to the discount stores......I went to Costco and then headed home.
No cooking dinner for me tonight!!!!!......Tessy's making her famous fish tacos!

A Walk Down Todd Valley Road !

Today I've decided to share my "walking trail" with all of you. I started walking Todd Valley Rd. about 5 years ago with my good friend Pam.......Pam has since moved to Oregon......I miss you Pam !.......and my walking routine sort of fell apart ! I used the treadmill for several years , but it never felt quite right.....and it certainly didn't look right ! A couple of months ago I decided it's outside or nothing ! I think I shared several of the routes I tried out and each one had it's pros and cons.......but something about the peace and quiet of Todd Valley Rd . kept me going back. It's about the right distance .....3 1/2 miles.....it's beautiful......the Mountain Misery smells pungent and fresh.....and it changes so much with each season. The history is also pretty awesome........the name Todd's Valley comes from the Todd family, as in Mary Lincoln Todd.......wife of Old Abe Lincoln ! They were early settlers around here and Mary herself had a home here after her husband was assassinated. Scattered around in the forest there are lots of remnants of the old homestead that dotted the valley, as well as old abandoned orchards that miraculously still bear apples every year. I routinely find bear scat on my walks , but I'm not scared a bit........Jenny walks with me and is my constant protector !
I can't wait until the tall Pines and Cedars start singing in the Autumn winds.....and one day before too long I'll be strolling in a Winter Wonderland !

Peaches and Plums !

We had a great crop of plums and a decent amount of peaches this year.......and here they are dried and put away until the coming Winter. The plums , of course, make delicious prunes when dried and the peaches, well.....they actually taste like fresh peaches ! I love dehydrated fruits.......they taste wonderful...especially mixed with some almonds .....but the thing I love most is the fact that I don't have to can them !!
Speaking of winter.........will it ever cool off ??? Pretty much my whole adult life I've lived where September is a Fall month.......cool days and cold nights......but, here, summer goes on and on. I'm sick of summer clothes, sick of summer food .......even sick of my flip-flops! I guess the "up-side" are the tomatoes we're still harvesting, my ice water tastes a whole lot better this time of year and I guess I'll put late season baseball games in the plus column.........but that's about it ! Be gone hot weather !!!

Let It Snow !

Today they came and removed a trusted friend......our old wood stove ! In it's place we have this new ,shiny, much bigger replacement. I'm sure on, or around, the first snowy day up here I'll grow to love this stove also, but for now I kind of miss the little , scarred and knicked stove that took such good care of us. Jim said it didn't have much life left in it and we were afraid of a "burnout" sometime in the near future..........hence, the new stove. I actually like the looks of this one better than the old one , but I have issues with throwing out anything !
I don't know if any of you heard about the fire down in Auburn yesterday.........60 houses burned ......in a matter of several hours. Very scary.......really hits home the reality of how precarious we are up here. All it takes is a bit of wind, a spark from somewhere and lives are changed.
Tomorrow Molly starts her first day as "Miss Molly" K/1 teacher. I think her pupils are very lucky indeed !

Morning Glory !

The first Morning Glories of the year.......perhaps my favorite flower we grow up here.......it doesn't hurt that they bloom in late August, a harbinger of the coming Fall. The color is amazing and it's so cool how they climb the pine trees......an early psychedelic Xmas tree !
I met Molly down in Auburn and we headed to Home Depot. Molly bought some plants for her classroom and I bought some gross chemicals for our pool.......but so far this year I've won the battle with the algae.
This morning Jenny and I took our walk....we're up to about 3 1/2 miles and we've found a very peaceful , relatively flat route. It's amazing how many other women are out there truckin' along......all of us remembering our "30 something" bodies!