Time For a Little R & R !!

Just quickly wanted to post a few of the photos I took Xmas evening....I have been slacking a little the last couple of days......hanging out with Molly and my mom, doing exchanges, a few lunches out. but also ....de-Christmasing the house, washing sheets and cleaning bathrooms ! It was a wonderful Xmas .....a full house for dinner, some great hours of game playing, of course, our "house band" was in great form and just a joy to all together with everyone.
I've got a blazing fire going right now and it's barely able to keep the house livable. The high today was about 30 and the low tonight's going to be around 9 degrees. That's Idaho Rocky MT temps......not Nor Cal !
I'm making French Onion soup in my new CrockPot.......smells wonderful and sure is an easy dinner ! This CrockPot thing could turn out to be a very good thing in my life !

Merry Christmas from the Family !

It's just about here ! The kids will all be arriving tomorrow, my mom will be driving up and there'll be "camping stew" for dinner , cream puffs for dessert, new Xmas jammies for everyone, but above all, family traditions carried on, love and laughter in abundance.

We'll miss the rest of the kids too far away to join us, but I know they continue with the "old ways" and our love for each other stretches easily over oceans and mountains.

Merry Christmas to you all........ peace, love and joy.

Santa Came a Week Early !

Oh, my goodness......Santa slipped down the stove pipe a week early this year !! I guess he knew we wouldn't peek until the Official Day ! Well....there"ll be eleven of us here Xmas morning......that's a lot of wrapping, name -tagging and arranging.......take it from me, I know !!
Up here the rain continues....on and on....combined with heavy winds. Over 2 " last night alone. Still no snow, but keeping our eyes out for tomorrow. The big news is.......no power outages !! It's stammered a few times, but managed to pull itself together. Good thing , too ! I've been baking all day and it's been nice to have my modern electric oven......I haven't attempted wood stove baking yet !
Molly and I spent yesterday down in Auburn, picking up little things here and there.........the fun times of Xmas shopping.....last minute gifts! I talked to her this morning and Ross made it safely home from his gig in Reno, but it must have been a harrowing ride home.
Still don't know when my Tess will be home.......if you read this, Tessy .......give me a call !!

Sunshine for January !

The storm-of-all-storms has arrived today and is due to continue through next week ! Hence, it's a cold and wet day up here. So far no snow, but I hear the snow level may be lowering as the days gone on. A good day for cleaning and so I put on some Xmas music and started in on kitchen cupboards. The kitchen is now shiny clean inside and out ! Now it's about time to start baking and soooooo...there goes the sparkling clean kitchen !
Someone at Jim's office gave him some grapefruit off their tree last week and since I've never had a homegrown grapefruit that I like......and even the chickens disdain grapefruit......I've decided to try something new with them. I sliced them about 1/8 of an inch thick and now they'll be in the food dehydrator for about 6 hours . When they're dry I hope to string them with twine and maybe a few pine cones and hang them as a swag in the family room window. I love decorating AFTER Xmas with paperwhite bulbs and now I'll have a bright yellow touch of sunshine to hang up also.
Molly may be up later to spend the weekend. Ross' band is playing all weekend in Reno , so I invited her up to hang out. I'm thinking of a few projects I might engage her in.....or we might just watch Xmas movies !

Alone and Forgotten !

This beautiful Xmas cactus sits outside on the front porch all during the hot summer months only needing a drink of water now and again. Then, about the first of November it begins to transform itself into a show piece. Right on schedule.......full bloom for Xmas Day ! It's hardiness and seasonal determination are a wonder to behold.
It's cold and wet up here today. No snow, but I guess it'll be here later in the week.......so......perhaps a White Xmas on the horizon ! It was a cozy day up here , Jenny curled up by the sofa...... and me........I finally got all the gifts organized , wrapped and under the tree...yippee ! Time now for baking........sugared walnuts, lace cookies, fudge and maybe chocolate dipped pretzels [for you, Ross !].
Today's is Johan's 10th birthday and I had a nice visit on the phone with him this morning.......10 years and he's been a joy each and every one .
I may venture down to Costco tomorrow for Xmas dinner fixin's , it's sure to be crazy , but such is the Season !

Ready, Set , Go....Ho Ho !

Yippee......we got the Xmas decorations up this weekend and I'm so excited !! Once again we used a manzanita branch instead of a traditional Xmas tree......once again I'm so happy not to be cutting down a tree !! The "branch" is a beaut this year.....our best one yet !
On Saturday I had my last show of the year and it was a good one......should take care of the rest of the Xmas gifts and maybe a little left over for my beloved after Xmas sales ! Molly came down and spent the day with me and helped me take everything down afterwards......it's kind of a tradition for us......Thanks, Molls....I really appreciate what a sweetheart you are.
After we cleared out of the craft fair we headed over to Mom's for her annual crab feed. Another tradition I really look forward to ! There were 9 of us and we ate almost 22 lbs. of crab !! Sweet, sweet bliss ! Thanks, Mom, it was a wonderful evening.
I just got a call from Jack and Donna this afternoon and very exciting news ! Their 2 kids and their families will be joining us for Xmas this year ! I think we'll be about 25 strong for dinner......a whole pork loin should do the job ! I haven't seen the kids for several years and I can't wait to see everyone. I don't know what I did to deserve all these awesome people in my life, but they all make life a joy .

Thanksgiving and Thanksgetting !

Wow....I've been meaning to post these photos for several days now.....I'll lose all my loyal viewers due to my tardiness ! There's always so much to do this time of year....I know everyone out there shares my pain !
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving....just local family and old friend, Ray. It was a bitterly cold day and we spent the day inside cozy and warm......pretty much eating the day away ! Everyone contributed something wonderful to eat or drink . It was such a mellow day......I could do it all again tomorrow.........well, maybe !
The next evening Tess and Boyce came down from a ski trip at Squaw Valley. They'd spent several days there enjoying the new powder and a new found love for Big Buck Hunter ! Molly, Ross, Seth and Amanda came back up for dinner and we sat around watching the Boise State football game ........very exciting ! Boyce actually had placed some money on the game so even Tess was into it ! Unfortunately Boise lost ........meaning Boyce lost also !
Granny, Molly and I also got in a little Xmas shopping in Auburn........AND......I ended up in the local newspaper. A man-on-the-street type of interview......a picture and everything !! Too bad I had nothing much to say, but it didn't seem to matter to the reporter......he still stuck it in the paper !
Tomorrow, no more fun for a while. I have a big show on Saturday and so my nose will be to the grindstone......or sewing machine in this case......for the foreseeable future.

So Sad to See It End !!

The "cozy weekend" is just about over......Jim heads back to work tomorrow and I head upstairs to sew. The storm turned out to be not as horrific as advertised, but we were without electricity for a good part of yesterday and today. We only got a few inches of snow, but some of the trees still had leaves on and they were hard hit....especially our Maple, which is now about half the size it was pre-storm. I'll venture out maybe tomorrow to document the damage ! Pretty sad about it as it was becoming a beautiful large tree......I hope it can continue in spite of this setback.
While the power was on yesterday I managed to get a bit of sewing done, but still not caught up......I have two weeks until my next show so I'm not too stressed yet ! Today we watched some football, courtesy of faithful "genny", but now the power's on and we're about to settle in for a Kings game. I've been cooking a pot of beans on the wood stove all day and just finished raising some yeasty potato rolls.....pop them in the oven in a few....and we're good to go !

Cozy Weekend Ahead !

I just got back up here from Auburn...car loaded with groceries, chicken food and 12 books from the used book store !! Whatever the weekend weather holds for us....we're ready for it !! So far just some gentle rain and cold temps.....high so far, around 40. Overnight temperatures are supposed to drop low twenties and then snow for the next three or four days. Jim stocked up on gas for the "genny" this morning so we're even all ready for the inevitable power outage.
I hope to spend a lot of the weekend baking for Thanksgiving with a little sewing thrown in for good measure.....and then there's always all those new books beckoning !
I'll get some Winter Wonderland pictures to post as soon as the snow shows up....right now I think I might check out Xmas CDs on Ebay ......Xmas music is legal in this house the day after Thanksgiving !!

Party Time !

Another wonderful party at Granny's house.....thanks for letting us invade, the free flowing wine and beautiful setting ! It was, as always, great fun.....great laughs.....and warm hugs.

Buckwheat's 25 Today !

Today is my baby girl's 25th birthday......how is that possible !!! For most of Molly's young life she was called Buckwheat by her older brothers, their friends , me and my friends .......almost everyone that knew Molly ! I don't really know why or how this nickname came about......or I've blocked it out of my mind.....but I'm pretty sure it had to do with Josh and his rowdy friends !! Regardless, Molly was loved by all....she was everyone's baby sister........but it's no wonder she was happy to move to California and make a new start in life as Molly Quinn ! Miss Molly brings me joy in more ways than I ever imagined......thanks for being here, Molls.
By-the-way.....I chose this photo because it's probably the only time I bothered to coordinate Tessy and Molly's clothes and I was quite proud of myself. I'm sure I only managed to do so because of Tess' great energy to get things done. But really........aren't they adorable. What fun we've had......what a wonderful life !

I'm Still Alive !!

Just wanted to say "Hi" and let everyone know that all is well here at Lupine Hill ! I 've been ignoring my computer lately and focusing all my attentions on my sewing machines . Not nearly as fun, but certainly more profitable !!
I took a break today and spent the day with Molly .....she had the day off today and since tomorrow's her 25th birthday we headed down to Roseville to do a little shopping and maybe have some lunch. However.......I've never seen so many people !! There were no parking places anywhere......we ended up going to ....where else......but Target !! Was a very fun day, nonetheless, and we found plenty at Target to occupy us ! Tomorrow there's a big get-together to celebrate her quarter century of life......I'll try and remember photos !
Jim and I have big plans tomorrow morning for a huge firewood haul......wish us luck !

Happy Halloween !!

Halloween is such a wonderful day......all about fun, candy and alter egos! Does it get any better ??? However, I understand that since Halloween falls on a Sunday this year that many locales had kids Trick-or- Treat last night on Saturday. I protest !! I remember a lot of the excitement of Halloween was seeing what day it would fall on each year......and it never mattered if it was a school night.....kids were allowed to run wild regardless !! In fact, staying out late, running in a pack was so much more sweet on a school night ! Also, back when, the church folk were not so threatened I guess.......Halloween reigned supreme! .....Sunday be damned !!
I bought Jim this Halloween candy AND just in case some poor soul wonders up our driveway tonight ! These are Jim's favorite two candies and thankfully some of my least favorites ! However, I just found out on one of my NPR podcasts that Robert Welch.....founder of the John Birch Society.....was not the owner of Welches grape jelly, like I always thought, but actually owned the candy company that makes these little Sugar Babies and Suger Daddys. Had Jim known this before he most likely would never have cultivated this craving for Sugar Babies ! Well, we all have our small failings in life and I love Jim in spite of it all !
Yesterday was a wondeful day for me. I went down and met a ,literally , lifelong friend . Belle and I first met when I was 2 and she was 4. We were close friends until she left to attend UC Berkeley in the mid-sixties. We had so much fun and mischief during that early sixties period......two cutie blonde surfer girls looking for trouble ! ........and we usually had no trouble finding some ! We hadn't seen each other for about 20 years , but the love was still there, we've made plans to see each other often. Belle lives in Berkeley .....always one of my favorite places to visit.

Go Giants !!

All is not lost for Northern Californian sports fans......the San Francisco Giants have prevailed!! It was indeed torturous to watch, but they're headed to the World Series !! They're an easy team to love.....quirky, a group of misfits.....easy senses of humor.......for sure, my kind of team ! So another week of spine tingling games.......we'll be cheering them on every step of the way. Speaking of cheering.....we had a pretty good cheering section up here last night. It was very impromptu, not coming together until late in the afternoon. Luckily I had stew makin's on hand and whipped up some gingerbread for dessert. Jim and Ross even managed to get in some music playing. The game was so exciting ......Jenny was in the house also and didn't know what to think of all the yelling and jumping up and down.......she finally decided being outside on the porch was more to her liking !
Speaking of outside......over 5 inches of rain has fallen since last night and it's still pouring outside. It's supposed to continue until tomorrow morning.......glad we live up on a hill.....no threat of flooding here !

Goodbye Until Spring !

Even though the sun shines today my clothesline is empty ! It's just too cool out for anything to dry and so I put to bed my favorite chore of the day......no more hanging out the clothes until warm weather returns. Inside here my dryer is clunking around , making a racket, not nearly as calming and peaceful as hanging the wash out in the sun.
The birthday celebrations of this month are all over for another year. Of course, I forgot to get photos of any of the celebrations, but they were all a lot of fun. Last Saturday we had 16 people up for a big Fall Birthday Bash......my Mom, father-in-law Jerry, brother-in-law Jack and big brother Dennis were the birthday kids. Lots of hilarious gifts, way too much cake and lovely Fall weather. It was a fun day and thanks everyone for coming......hope to see you all again soon !
Last night my Mom hosted a party for Denny, it was his "real" birthday. I think there were about 12 of us there. Mom made a delicious lamb dinner and I brought down some pumpkin pies for dessert. It was a lovely party.......Mom continues to create great dinners for us all........even at age 88 !
Today I spent the day packing up Ebay orders and getting more items listed.....business seems to really be picking up.......wish me luck !

Essence of Halloween !

As I was putting up our Halloween decorations last week I was once again distracted by how exciting this day used to be for the kids. It wasn't just Halloween they were excited about , but the portal it opened.......2 months of exciting holidays, presents and treats. When I came across this little decorative box I so vividly remembered the day my good friend Terry gave it to us. When you lift it up out comes an eerie little tune. Not such an astounding feat in this era, but back in the early 80's it seemed like magic ! The kids were in awe of it.......I think they believed it possessed magic powers and so they were always very careful not to "lift it" too often least the magic disappears ! Well, to this day.....some 25 years later......it still emits it's magical scary sound when lifted ! It either has the world's best battery or it is indeed magical ! I think it must be the latter, because when I lift it I hear the hustle and bustle, the shrieks of delight and can just about reach out and hug each of those precious little witches and goblins of mine.

10-10-10 !

Happy Birthday number 88 to my wonderful Mom ! I'm so very lucky to be living nearby so we're able to spend so many wonderful days together. And......yesterday was one of the best !! Molly and I picked Mom up about 10:00 and headed toward the coast.......stopping in Davis for some decadent coffee to go. We arrived at Bodega Bay about 1:00 and stopped at The Tides restaurant for some delicious chowder and sourdough bread. We had a great table on the water and it really felt like we were on vacation .......a feeling I barely remember !!! We drove up the coast aways and found a pull-out and stopped and enjoyed the sights, sounds and scents of the ocean. It's been a really long time since my Mom's been to the beach and I know she really enjoyed it. We drove a few more hours up the coast.....it was so hard to turn around, it gets more beautiful the further you drive. When we got back to Jenner we headed down the Russian River.......a journey of memories for me as it was my home in the late 60's. We stopped in Forestville for a milkshake and Mom opened her presents at a wooden picnic table..........quite the party as across the street we had some drunk white boy rappers serenading us ! We got home about 7:30.......exhausted.....guess we were just partied out !!
Also Happy Birthday today to my awesome brother-in-law Jack !! Jack has the gift of being able to always make the most of life ....a trait I very much admire.

Two Backwoods Chicks !

My old friend and neighbor.......who now lives in Portland......is nearby ! Pam is staying "down the hill" at her daughter's house for a week minding the grandkids while her daughter and husband enjoy life on the beaches of Hawaii. She called the other day and we made plans to hang out together today. Pam was my Foresthill walking partner for about 5 years and also a "Mom " to a large family......she loved living out in the middle of nowhere and together we roamed the most remote trails nearby......usually ending up in scaring the sh** out of ourselves , but it was always a fun distraction from , in those days, the near constant cooking , cleaning and chauffeuring!
It was great to see her and, as always, it's like we still talk everyday. The conversation flows easily, the laughter almost constant and a bond that will exist forever. I'm so lucky to have so many "close" friends that are actually very "distant" friends.......living hundreds of miles away, but my relationship with them all remains so strong. I've never collected a lot of friends, but manage to hold on to the ones I've made !
This Saturday....the day before my Mom's 88th B Day.....Molly and I are driving my Mom to the coast for a festive lunch.......hopefully a bowl of killer chowder ! I haven't be to the coast for quite a while ......I think we're all looking forward to the day. Hopefully I-80 will cooperate and traffic will be light.
Cold and cloudy up here today and I wrestle with the dilemma of when it's appropriate to start having a fire going. I think of all the work involved in getting a year's worth of wood and .........it's hard to strike that match. Sounds like it may warm up a little this weekend.......maybe no decision needed for a while !

October Rain !

It's happened....I can stop holding my breath......there'll be no fires to threaten life and limb............the rains have started !! There's always such tension this time of year.......waiting for the rain. The trees and bushes are parched , the ground has become cement and my patience is tried. One hour of rain and all that disappears.......all living things breathe a sigh of relief.
Saturday Jim and I took advantage of the seemingly last day of Summer and headed to a little lake we've never explored. It was not as scenic as we'd hoped it would be, but we had a nice little stroll along the beach and even Jenny waded out to test the waters. We haven't had the time for many hikes this Summer, but there's still time before the snows impose their will.
It's cold here today........I'm not giving in yet though......no fire going....... just a cozy flannel shirt. Big pot of minestrone soup on the stove and the first of the Winter squash from the garden baking in the oven.

Bubba's B-Day !

Yup........today's Seth's 31st birthday ! I have to wish him a "Happy Birthday" in this post as I haven't seen him for about a week and a half......even though he lives a mere 15 miles down the road ! Seems the climbing weather has been near perfect and so climb he does ! Climbing remains his passion, his salvation and his true joy.........and I hear he's never climbed better than he has been lately. Go for it, Bubba !.........when you climb it's a thing of beauty and I'm so proud of you've chosen such an awesome way of life !........kisses to both you and your lovely lady, Amanda.
Tomorrow my Mom is driving up to Auburn and we're excited about having lunch at Max's.......a bay area restaurant that just opened a place up here. ......best cole slaw ever !! It's so freakin' hot the last couple of days just to eat lunch in an air conditioned location will be a treat
My old friend from high school, Stan is coming up on Wednesday......both Jim and I were good friends with him and it's always a treat to have him visit.

One Year Ago.

A year ago tomorrow, a little before midnight, I got the call from Tess that Ryan was in the hospital.......as you all know Ryan died that night. As Tess said recently, " What a difference a year makes". .........Life , indeed , goes on........as it should, as it must.

Afro-Werewolf Goes to the Fair !

Yesterday Josh's band Werewolf-Afro played on one of the main stages at the Utah State Fair !! I was thinking about him all day and wishing I had gotten my act together and driven there to see them........I'm sure they were awesome, plus I think I may have been able to kick-butt in that popcorn eating contest that preceded them! Way to go Joshy ! I guess Josh's kids were not so thrilled with seeing their Dad on stage......apparently they couldn't wait to go see the pigs!!!
It was supposed to rain today , but so far not a drop in sight.......now I feel guilty that I didn't water anything today. Guess there's still time for a drop or two......time for Jenny and I to get our "Rain Dance" on !
I've been spending the day so far prepping apples and green peppers for the freezer.......and, in able to get them in the freezer, I spent a good deal of time cleaning and rearranging the inside of the freezer. Plenty of room for all now and nothing falls out when I open the door !
Now if I can get Jim to stop working on the deck I can curl up with a book without feeling guilty ! Probably an impossibility, but a girl can dream.

Goodbye My Sweet Ones !

It's that time of year.......this will probably be the last of our sweet Asian eggplant. If I had to choose, these little purple eggplant would win my vote for favorite veggie ! They're so versatile and easy to build a meal around. Some years we are still harvesting them well into October, but this year the garden in general seems to be giving out early. Tonight I'm also using the last really big tomato ........the tomatoes from now on out will be pretty small. So, tonight's dinner will be the last of one of my favorite Summer meals.........tomato on whole wheat sandwiches, carrot casserole and baked eggplant. Adios, fresh veggies...........you will be missed !!
This afternoon I headed down and had lunch with Seth and Amanda.......they've both been so busy.........Amanda working, Seth rock climbing!......that I haven't seen much of them lately. It was great to see them and I'm looking forward to having a Birthday Barbecue for Seth in a week or so.
Maybe rain this weekend........that will be a hard adjustment.......however, on the bright side.......no more watering the gardens !!

Gold Country Fair !

Darn ! No colorful pictures......I forgot my camera, but what a fun night it was !! Small town fair......foothills people.....hogs, chickens, cows and lots of greasy food thrown in for good measure! Ohhh, I loved the smell of the barns......those of you that know me know I really mean that !..........I want a cow or a pig and I really want a barn to put them in !........childhood fantasies die hard ! I got Jim to concede that he also digs that barnyard smell........maybe there's hope for the future !!!
After the barn browsing we headed to the food wagons.......and I must admit they smelled good also !! It took us a long time to choose.......deep-fried what shall we eat ? Jim decided on chicken wings and I wimped out and went for a somewhat healthy chicken wrap.......and immediately wished I'd gotten a corn dog ! Life is so full of poor decision making ! I made the best of my meal and we headed over to the hypnotist's tent......pretty entertaining stuff. Toward the end of the show I got a call from Molly .......they had arrived at the fair with surprise guests......Dan and Anna !
We made our way over to the stage .........hugs and kisses.....planted ourselves amongst the crowd and waited for the headliner to begin.......Jackie Green ! Jim and I have been following Jackie almost since the beginning of this career......he was a 19 year from Placerville , amazing songwriter- guitar player. He's made it into the big time now and plays all over the country. We hadn't seen him for several years and he's changed his style and music......I don't think for the better......but he's still pretty awesome ! I eventually made it up to the stage.....total immersion ....and much more to my liking ! I danced all night long , big smile on my face !
We walked back to the car with the kids.......kisses and hugs goodbye......and drove home......ears still ringing......big smile still on my face !

Thirty Years !

What a wonderful weekend !! Josh and his family arrived late Friday night. They got a late start because their 14 year old dog, Kiowa, woke up in a bad way and they needed to put her down. Always such a sad occasion , certainly not how they wanted to begin their weekend. Kiowa had been in pretty bad shape for a while so it wasn't a total shock, but still so sad.
Saturday we headed up to "downtown" to the Foresthill Heritage Festival. The kids got to gold pan and came away with a little vial of gold. Jim and I headed down to my Aunt and Uncle's 50th wedding anniversary...it was a lovely party and great to see all the relatives. Afterwards some us went over to Mom's for a little "after-party" and Josh, Mel and kids came down and met us there. We had a delicious Chinese dinner and more hilarious visiting !
Sunday was the highlight of the weekend.......my Mom and Dad were actually in the same room at the same time and everyone enjoyed it !!! Yep.......for a variety of reasons this was the first time in about 30 years. Denny and Joan also came up , as well as Dan and Anna, Molly, Ross and Ross's sister Jesse and of course, Josh and family were there also. We enjoyed lunch on the deck with lots of conversation and lots of reminiscing. I hope now that he's tested the waters my Dad will feel more comfortable joining all our family get-togethers........life's way too short to not share them with the ones you love.
We ended the day with an all out competitive basketball game in the driveway.......Tia was awesome in her little pink skirt, flip-flops and scary game face on ! Half the crowd left after the game and then we gained one when Amanda came up and joined us for dinner. Standard on- the- deck summer barbecue..........kebobs, pilaf and huge green salad.
All- in-all.......an amazing, fun and emotionally fulfilling weekend.......as Ross always says........."Life is good"..........yes, indeed.

Fresh From Norway !

The other night Jim and I enjoyed a wonderful fresh salmon dinner.......from Norway ! It was delicious fish and seemed extra fresh and clean......just like Norway !
Hopefully Raleys will be carrying this brand from now on.
Apple pies have been consuming my life the last couple of days......I have a freezer full . I'll keep my fingers crossed.........no power outages !!! We've been drying peaches from the orchard by the pound. So delicious and I know those will be safe and sound....no matter what the electrical situation . The next onslaught will be peppers of all shapes, colors and taste. Most of those I'll freeze and enjoy in recipes all winter long.
Josh and family will be here day after tomorrow......I'm so excited. Cookies and casseroles to make tomorrow.......I don't want to waste time cooking while they're here. Real hot the next couple of days , but cooling off this weekend......perfect weather for visiting and game playing out on the deck .

Molly's New Wheels !!

Yesterday Molly and I spent a "fun" day at the Auburn Subaru dealership !! And surprise, surprise....even though she hadn"t really planned on it .....Molly drove home with a new Subaru !! Funny how that happens once you set foot on a car dealer's lot ! Actually, she was shopping for a new car since her old one was on it's last legs , but she just didn't think it would happen so soon ! She's very happy to have her little "Subie" and I'm happy she has such a safe little car. I was proud and impressed how she "wheeled and dealed"........remind me never to negotiate with her !
This morning it was back to the mundane........bread and butter pickles ! I snuck out for a quick lunch with my Mom and then back home to apple pie production. I saved one out to cook for Jim and me for dessert tonight.......smells mighty good !

A New Beginning !

A few weeks ago my Mom gave me custody of this plant..... the heat has fried my brain, I can't think of what kind of plant it is!.....but,it was suffering greatly in the Central Valley heat ....barely alive. This photo shows what mountain air can do for living things ! It's covered with blooms and sprouts many new leaves every day. My front porch has nursed many forlorn plants back to good health, but this one stands out from them all !
At last the hot weather of the last couple of days is gone. It was 102 up here yesterday.......very unusual for this elevation. Today it's about 15 degrees cooler.....and I'm in a much better mood !! Jim need not be afraid to come home tonight!!
Lot's of canning plans for the weekend.....it's been too hot to get the kitchen all steamy, but this weekend sounds cool and breezy.........perfect days to make up for lost time !! ........more chili sauce , bread and butter pickles and apple pies.
Most exciting thing to happen today was a phone call from Josh.......they're coming for Labor Day weekend !! He wants to see everyone so sounds like a few barbecues need to be planned. It's been a year since we've seen them......way too long. I'm so excited .......I can hardly wait !!

P.S> not brain dead yet !.......plant is a fuchsia !

Garden Bounty !

Today was spent taming the garden overflow........tomatoes were made into Sweet Chili Sauce , plums are in the dryer turning into prunes and the apples are soon to turn into apple pies for the freezer. Such satisfying work .......such great eating all Winter long !!
It actually was a perfect day for such endeavors as food preservation.......cool and cloudy, so the kitchen stayed bearable. Sounds like more cool weather in store for tomorrow and then BAMM...100 degrees by Tuesday. Perfect weather to vacuum the pool !
I got ahold of Josh this afternoon and had a wonderful visit with him and Tia. Tia said she had nothing to do today and I so wished I was close enough to go pick her up and spend the day enjoying her. She starts 2nd grade on Monday......time is moving way too fast !
Jim's finishing up some of the painting this weekend......maybe by next weekend we'll be able to start hitting some of those Sierra trails and lakes, the crowds should be starting to thin out ......late August and September are so lovely up there.

Remnents of the Summer !

I know, Summer's not really even close to being over, but things seem to be winding down. The flowers are kind of exhausted, the veggies are hanging in there, but showing signs of fatigue.......and the pool is empty most days........and very much in need of a good vacuuming ! Johan and Anders left these ghosts of long evenings out playing on the driveway. We each had designated parking spots and a gas station right there next to the garage.......so convenient ! I sure miss all the hustle and bustle of those hot Summer days........but......only 11 months to go before I'm headed back to S.F. to sweep them all up and bring them back !
I guess the reason I'm so missing the heart of Summer is that today I started gearing up for the upcoming craft show season........UGGGG! What to make......what will sell.....and then there's all the people to deal with.........I'm a hermit at heart carefully picking and choosing the people I like to be with. I'm sure the whole selling thing is good for me.........but let me tell you,,,,,I'd rather be doing almost anything else!!
Jim should be home soon............Spanish macaroni and zucchini for dinner and a recorded Giants game to watch !

Scaling the Heights !

I think it might have been a 5.14 single pitch , Jim was safe and secure in his harness and quickly soloed to the top !! Well, of course, I tease Jim........that's what I do......but he's not comfortable with heights and there he was way up on a precarious roof line.....all so he could paint the steep pitches of the house. He works so hard around here.....so much of it uncomfortable, hard work, just to keep our home in tip-top shape.......thanks, love.......all kidding aside, it's much appreciated !
Big news on the music front ! If you haven't read it on Facebook yet........Josh's band Werewolf Afro is now available on iTunes !!! I'm so proud of Josh......he provides well for his family and also finds time to play a killer bass and make great music........well done, Sweetie........you're one of the nicest guys on earth !
My Dad just called this morning and Molly and I are going to meet him for lunch today. Been quite a while since I've seen him......he sounded great over the phone. Tomorrow I think Mom, Molly and I are headed down to Ikea.......always a fun afternoon. I rarely buy anything, but enjoy the hunt !

A Wonderful Sunday !

Actually this whole weekend was great ! Saturday was a peaceful kind of "errand day".......grocery shopping, flower gardening and pickle making......all followed by great barbequed ribs for dinner and an exciting baseball game. To top the day off Tess and her new "friend", Boyce, showed up about 9:00. It was wonderful to see Tessy and a pleasure to meet Boyce. They spent the night and so after Sunday morning waffles we got down to the serious business of visiting !! It was a wonderful morning which we spent out on the deck enjoying a cool morning........and enjoying ,also, the great conversation. We enjoyed getting to know Boyce so much and it's great to see Tess so happy and optimistic . Thanks for coming by, guys.........hope to see you both again soon !
We left about noon to head down to Stockton to help Dan and Anna move into their apartment.......of course a second story apartment !!! Anna's family was there to help also and it was wonderful to see everyone. Anna starts her new job as a school psychiatrist on Wednesday and they're both so excited about this new chapter in their lives......and we're so excited to have them close by !
We stopped and picked up Chinese to go.......took much needed showers.......devoured the food and fell quickly into a sound sleep........perfect ending to a wonderful weekend !

Ready, Set, Go !

The summer canning season has officially started !! The first of the pickles are done and the kitchen smells so deliciously like dill. It'll be almost Thanksgiving before they're done "curing" and ready to eat, but will be so worth the wait !
It was.....and is .....a pretty wonderful Sunday. Jim and I drove down to Auburn to buy some lumber at a store that's going out of business and all the lumber is 40% off. It's sort if like Ma and Pa Kettle when Jim and I go to town in the 4Runner, we look like we haven't been off the "hill" for 10 years ! Afterwards I did the pickles and then escaped the hot , steamy kitchen and jumped in the pool. Felt sooo good and after about an hour of soaking I feel cool and refreshed.
A S.F. Giants game just started.......against the Dodgers no less ! Beat L.A., beat L.A. !!
Fresh peach shortcake made, potatoes in the oven and steaks ready for the grill........sweet,sweet August.

Lazy Summer Days !

Summer has decided to make a comeback ! After a couple of weeks of unusually cool weather it started to warm back up today . Nothing too drastic......highs in the 90's in the valley......80's here , but warm enough that the pool's starting to creep into my mind ! In fact, I just got home from taking the recycling down........$29 worth !.....and then using that money to go purchase $45 worth of of pool chemicals. It's a battle this time of year to keep the pool algae- free, but I got some pretty strong stuff.......next time you see me my hair will probably be green......shades of my childhood !
While I was in town Molly called to let me know that they had safely landed in New York......although I guess it was a scary landing. Apparently a strong gust of wind almost blew the plane off the runway as they landed ! However, she was calling from their rental car and they were safely on their way up to Woodstock. It's going to be such an exciting weekend for them.....I'll try to share some of Molly's photos and video of the performance when they get back.
Not much going on this weekend......at least nothing I'm aware of now. Always a chance, however, that something exciting will come up........cross your fingers for me.....I love a little excitement!