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Sept-Trying again..

Sep28

Maybe  the internet and I will get along better today. You think?! Doc says, Yes I did break my finger. He gave me a new splint and congratulated Randy on his. He also said I’ll need to wear this thing for a month!! Trying to make apple sauce today. I can halve them with the cutting board and big knife but coring realty puts a strain on that finger so Himself will have to take over that slot for the time.  But I’ve got the first pot cooking. The Squeezo wall take care of the clean cores.

I spent most of yesterday in town what with Doctor, Chores for Himself, and my own list. Traffic was horrible, with fire hold-ups still north of town and Weaverville’s first traffic light being installed on the other end of town. Took forever to get from place to place so I didn’t get anything done on the shirt yoke.

But we got a lovely cool wet rain! It was so relaxing that I didn’t mind sitting at two road work stops on the way to and from town, just relaxing with the cool and wet and dim landscape. It was great. And hopefully did some damage to the remaining fires as well.

I’ve made and modified the pot holder. Have two more made and one test woven. It’s a light commercial “worsted” woven on the 5″ Quilt Weaver Square. So a test for both yarn and loom size. The dark on on the left is the first one I made using the 7″ and it was a little too long. I rewashed it to felt it a bit tighter and then cut it off shorter. The red one and the one on the skillet handle are both handspun felted max. You can see the pot with the apples there on the left, too.

But now I think it’s time for some lunch and by then the apples may be ready for the next step. Hope your day is moving along smoothly!

I think September is the start of Fall…?

Sep1

At least I hope so. The Weather Wizards have been speculating on La Nina, telling us we may get a colder and wetter winter this year. What a wonderful thing that would be. I’m afraid to believe it, tho because if they are wrong it is going to be just too disappointing! Anyone who has been watching the goings on out in the US west know we are drying up and burning up. Here in Coffee Creek we are under Evacuation Warning and the fire is creeping closer. We have the trailer parked in the driveway and are loading what we want to save. Have you ever had to make decisions on what you want and what you have room for? Then you know what it’s like around here these days. Not only that but we don’t know we are going to have to leave so meantime we have to go about our lives. There  are still looms to make, the garden to tend and veggies to can, he has unfinished jobs… It’s hard to pack what we need to take if we have to leave when meantime we have to live here and need those things for that! If you can figure that out!

Space station photo. I tried to mark the fires for those in the area. Not guaranteed, tho.

Here’s a picture of the fires on Aug 2 from the space station. That was before the Haypress fire (ours) got over the hill and down into Coffee Creek drainage. Since that time it’s been creeping down toward us. The canyon is filled with smoke from it and from the rest of the fires in N CA. But the fire people tell us that’s a good thing as it keeps the fires down, less oxygen for them. Also for us! But I don’t think we’re going to be able to count on La Nina to arrive in time to save us so we’re just going to have to count on the fire crews and our own resources. And your good thoughts or prayers!

But meantime…

Bread and Butter pickles from the basket of cukes.

Looking up at a Tall sunflower!

Meantime since I was disturbing the dust I decided to run all these dust collectors through the dishwasher. My, they are shiny!

He mulched the potatoes with straw and now we have a crop of wheat! I can make potato bread! ;-D

Himself thinks these old games are worth a lot of money to game collectors, but I think those guys want unopened new “old”
games and mine have a lot of miles on them! I played and so did every kid that came around. It was fun but I expect I’d get Zelda slaughtered these days. If I could figure out how to hook it up to the modern TV. But it just goes to show what you can find when you start digging out dusty corners. I didn’t find my wedding rings, tho. 😦

Is it history?

Weaving content is still missing for the same reason. But there will be projects in a couple of Little Looms magazines next year so is that something to look forward too?! I hope!

Meantime get out your dancing shoes and give us a rain dance or two!

The neighbor brought her kids over for lunch.

 

 

Yeah, still summer.

Aug14

 

Local fires. Coffee Creek is the yellow oval on the right. It’s about 14 miles mostly bad dirt road. 

https://zoom.earth/#view=41.058244,-122.847436,12z/layers=fires

But while the fires aren’t all that near, the smoke is! It was really bad yesterday. We were closed up and it got hot and muggy in here but we could breath at least. Today the smoke is higher and I have the house open to get some new air in here. I can’t smell it today at least. Not a good ‘aroma’.

I took these pictures this morning. The smoke is starting to settle now so I’ll be closing up soon.

Where we can’t see Bonanza King Mt.

Where we can’t see Morrison gulch.

I think we’ll be safe, at least for some time yet, You really can’t predict where these things will go and until we get a good rain they won’t be out. They are usually pretty good at protecting small towns, tho we’ve seen examples where there is just nothing anyone can do. I’m looking on the bright side. but if it happens and we burnt, I seriously doubt I could bring myself to come back. That would be a issue I hope we don’t have to face.

On the more cheerful side, I’ve finished with the peaches. We have a bowl of sliced in the fridge for dinner and then we’re done for another year. I’m knitting a “meet dress” for my new used American Girl Kirsten. That’s been interesting making up the pattern as I go along. As you can see from the pro photo, I have a way to go! I’m thinking I may embroider one row of little red flowers on her bodice but no way are they going to be all over!

 

The long view of the garden that’s my potato bed ther in the front. his corn, cucumbers on the trellis and really giant sunflower out in the middle. it planted itself, likely with the help of the jays last year!

 

The kale and green beans make a nice back drop for some pretty zinnias in the garden.

Hope your August is going well!

June- It’s summer fur shure!

Jun4

We’ve managed 103 already, but it’s going down again. Just 94 today as a high. Well, I like summer but I’d prefer a more moderate  kind. And add to that, we’re short water. The springs that supple the water company are not producing as they should. It’s going to take some work and, of course, some money. Haven’t run out yet but we’re all conserving like heck. I had to run the dishwasher yesterday. Even having rinsed everything, the kitchen was starting to get … Well, less that fragrent! And we were out of forks. I used paper plates that we had but really, it only saves two dinner plates, pots and pans and all the rest still have to be used. But with the heat I’ve been going to meals that don’t require much cooking and no oven & that’s helped a bit, too. Got the Air Fryer out to bake the potatoes for last night’s stuffed ‘taters. I put it away this winter as it takes up most of my available counter space and the oven works just as well when it’s cold outside.

The only weaving I’m doing is for the magazine submissions. It’s just too hot for yarning. But I’ll take another look at projects and find something to share. I may get inspired!  I found one little thing that could be of help with a project. If you need to weave a strap and don’t have an inkle or some kind of starp weaving loom you can use your square! I’ve done this a couple times. The last time I got one that’s 65 inches long. I wove it on the 12″ square. I cut my warp and rolled it up in Butterflies. Then warped the loom by tying it at top and using double half hitches at the bottom.  Once I wove as much as I could, I undid the half hitches (one at a time) and slid the whole thing up, putting the end of the weaving just outside the top nails to hold it in place. Then re-hitched the half hitches at the bottom.  Just keep moving it up like this until you have woven the length of your warp! Eaiser than it sounds! lol

 

We’ve been lugging water to the garden in buckets, but he fimally got the pump in the creek so we should be able to eliminate that job. I was reluctant to plant without it and have not got much planted. Don’t want to watch them dry up a the summer goes on. But I found I not only still have these big red poppies in the side garden but they have actually seeded a few more!

And the roses that have always (knock knoco) bloomed profusly are doing a great job this year as well. BUT… I just vacuumed, which I pretty much have to do daily, as my carpet looks almost like the deck looks under them! Himself has never figured out that walking over the door mat does not wipe his feet! It will look like a wedding out there for at least half of June!

The only other thing going on is the ubiquitous diet. I’ve managed to gain back most of the last 10 I lost this spring. I could claim it’s muscle from my workouts but my clothes tell me different!   Sis amd I had a conversation about Addictions.

Yes, and in my opinion sugar is more addicting that heroin, at least it is for me.  And much easier to get as well!  
Yeah, Good point. I would not have any idea how to find that or be able to afford it, either. No problem with sugar. Maybe the feds ought to add it to the list! Can you see them going after C&H? lol Hershey bars being peddled on dark street corners & school grounds! A dealer standing outside the WW & Tops meetings. Boggles!

It does boggle but it’s really is a hard addiction to shake. I guess I’m goiong to have to go back to salads only. Seems to be the only way I can keep losing. And I got so close to my goal. Well, my first goal, I still have more to go. Always something to look forward to, huh?!

Have a great day!

May already

May20

Not much to talk about. Been staying home. Gardening, a Weave Along with Gabi, Daughter sent me an Instapot for Mother’s Day so I’ve been learning how to use that appliance. So far all the summer shows have been canceled. Still  to be decided is OFFF and Lambtown in Sept & Oct. but they aren’t looking good, either.

DH complains he needs a hair cut but does not trust me to do it. I did Ex’s and son’s and Dad’s and a couple non family members. no one complained. Did my own for years but have a hard time reaching behind my head these days. I did manage to trip my bangs as I can’t stand it in my face. Looks like it’s back to the pony tail age! lol My Gramma used to wear her long thin grey hair in a bun, could be I’ll be following in the ancestral foot steps.

I finished the WAL. Not sure what its good for.  Am working on projects for magazines, they won’t be seen until next year, tho.

 

We have a robin’s nest just above the deck door. Does not seem a great place for it but I guess they settled on this spot while the weather was still cold and wet and that door was not getting much use. Busier now but they are sticking with it. We try not to be to riotous. You can see her here. I took this from inside , it’s a glass door.

The pea bed  a week and a half ago. They are double that now. The board is over germinating carrots. They all come up but as soon as i removed the board they were all but two eaten off by something. We did have two peas each for dinner last night from the volunteer eatable pods in the bulb bed! lol But these and the shelly peas in the garden are now blooming so it won’t be long.

Have a group of friends and relations  I’ve been sending jokes, puzzles and inspirational stuff to, trying to help keep people cheered up a bit. it gets difficult to keep chin up sometimes. But I am usually of a optimistic frame of mind. There are times, tho…

    My apologies for the bit of pessimism. Here’s a bit of Happy!

 

I think it’s springtime!

Apr19

Did I say that before? Well, I think it really is this time. Our lows have been in the 40’s and the garden is already growing. the early guys anyway. Flowers, too. And the trees are leafing out. All but the oaks, but they are always last, not really trusting kind of plants. Kinda like my Pop, he said don’t plant out until the Oak leaves are as big as squirrels ears. Yes, for most things but the peas like it early! And the daffies have been blooming, they never want to miss the last snow!  But the tulips are now blooming on my new bulb bed, too.

    

And Grandmother’s favorite wild flower. She said they look so cheerful in the lawn, the first to bloom in her yard. They always make me think of her. She was Randy’s grandmother but we cared for her in her last 20 or so years and I was closer to her than to my own grandmother so I just leave the in-law part off. A great lady. Too bad the new owner does not like them and has killed them all off, along with the wind flowers and English daisies. Only hawkweed left out there now. I suppose it is pretty too but way too invasive.

And The PUD says the power will be out from 8am to 4pm on Tuesday so I am designating Tuesday as Weaving day! Got my bins ready!

 

The Mystery Weave Along using the 3.5″ Quilt Weaver Square and a couple projects for patterns I’m writing up. I think it’ll be enough to keep me busy all day!  But weaving today, too, working on some color designs for the big triangles. And I badly needed a haircut so I figured I may as well re-dye it, too, as I cut most of the pink off. Himself & dog have gone firewood cutting, you’ll see why I like to do this when everyone is gone! Now, while the Kool Aid is doing it’s thing, I’m going back to weaving!

Almost done with November, Already!!!?

Nov23

Yeah, time is flying again! Don’t know how it does that, seems we just started this month. sigh. Well, I dont’ have much to say, been trying to keep up orders and clean up around the place in preparation for winter. Which the Weather Wizards say is to arrive mid week! Needless to say we aren’t ready for that, either.  Well, the pantry is pretty well stocked and the wood shed is over flowing this year so the important stuff is done anyway. Garden clean up has not gone so well, better get myself out there today. It was 26f this morning, tho, so I think I’ll let it warm up just a bit first.

Have an appt Dec 2 to see a surgeon about knee re[placement. I think I’m changing my mind about that, tho. It has not been bothering me this summer or fall. At least not to that degree. I have never liked the idea of someone cutting on me, at least not to that extent. My doc has ‘froze’ off those mysterious growths that old people get but that’s pretty minor. Well, I’ll go talk to the man, anyway.

Here’s a couple pictures just to spruce up this post. I’m sure I’ll be [posting some snow pictures later this week!

Drying some persimmons from a neighbor.

The first rain in a couple months. It did end up really wetting these rocks, tho most was gone the next day.

Maybe a little smile. 🙂 But turkeys here are safe from us at $2,99 to $6.99 pound. We’re having beef- it’s cheaper!

Have a lovely holiday! Don’t forget the Thanks part! No matter how it’s going there is still something to be thankful for, we need to acknowledge that!

Indian Summer?

Oct22

No, I don’t think so. Thermometer says it’s 71, that’s a nice temperature, I guess. The day started out at 35 and a fire in the wood stove. Nothing summery about that. Lovely, tho. I canned 9 more pints of apple sauce. I think that’s about 18 so far. Many more apples to deal with. I need to put some in the freezer for pies. More applesauce. He wants to try his hand a cider. I’m thinking of drying a few, maybe chopped bit for adding to oatmeal or snack mixes. Below are from Noel’s tree, not sure what they are but good. Crispy, sweet tart. Good for cooking or eating. There’s 3 lugs of these, two of the Romes and a half bucket of Hyde Kings. Plus the pears are still hard tho turning yellow.

Sarah and Rachael came by the other day to visit. It was good to see them . She’s bought a house in Weaverville so will be almost a local! Rachael is 13 now, hard to believe. Karen’s been gone 7 months. We’re getting old. My mom told me it would happen, tho I didn’t believe her, of course. On the brighter side, they brought me a pumpkin! A decorative one this time, prettier than my wagon load. Not going to carve it, we get no trick- or-treaters up here. The school in Trinity Center has posted a map showing houses and groups  who will have treats to pass out. So the kids all go down there where the houses are closer together. Can’t blame them I guess, but I used to enjoy seeing them in their costumes.

Himself just brought home another load of fir fire wood.  And some oak. A neighbor took out a bunch of fallen and broken firs this summer after the storm last winter and offered it to us. Can’t say no to free firewood, but I think we’re working on next year. He doesn’t leave this winter’s wood supply until fall like he used to. The wood shed is almost full plus this.

Well, That’s pretty much all I have to say. I’ve done a little weaving on my winter pants project but have been spending most of my time in the shop or the kitchen! But it’s a quiet time of year. Summer folk and hunters all gone home. Our closest neighbor has moved down south, San Diego or someplace at that end of the state. Well, Noel’s here but he comes and goes. Here now, asking for apple pie! lol I gave him apple cake. I can do that in one bowl without counter space that pie crust’s take. The kitchen is full of canning stuff now. Pies later.

So anyway, I hope you are all enjoying a lovely fall. It’s been the prettiest one we’ve had in a few years. And, of course, I never remember to take my camera when I go out. But I guess Autumn leaf pictures are like sunset pictures, it’s the immediate impact that counts and it never translates into photographs.

Happy Halloween!

First 12″ square Multi project… and a little more.

Sep8

I finished my 12″ square project, I guess you can call it a sort of sampler. I’ve always thought this was a cute saying  so decided to use it here. I think this is going to stay on the 12″ as it’s frame for the time, at least. If I decide I need it again I’ll come up with something else. Or have Himself make me another one! 🙂

It took me most of the summer to weave the square, not because it was hard, but there were just too many other things going on. Then between trying to chart it out (no, there is no pattern!) and doing the actual embroidering, there went another month. But it’s done now & I’m hunting a place to hang it.

So now it’s back to garden and  weaving for my sweat pants, another long term project. This time because it needs so many of them! I have about 24. I’m afraid to calculate how many I’ll actually need, but I am on my first skein and still have quite a bit of that one left. I knew this would take awhile but I wanted to do it and I have the yarn for a top to go with when I get the pants done. Maybe I should challenge myself to lose weight while I’m weaving these and lessen the # of squares I need as I go! Good idea, I wonder if it would work?

But today I need to take care of this stuff!

I’ll be loading the dehydrator this morning. I make veg soup mix for winter use. Very handy and can be used for other things, too. The cherry tomatoes will be juiced. I will probably pick this many again tomorrow to add to then. The garden has done well this year. Probably more than we need for two people. This time of year I start thinking we’ll do less next year and then comes January when the seed catalogs start coming in… well, you know how that goes. Sort of like yarn sales. No, I don’t need any more yarn but this is a great price and I’d really like to make this project etc etc. next thing you know … 😀 Well, I only planted two zucchini this year! Next year I will try to restrain myself and stay at one! The peppers were an accident, really. I wanted a six pack but when I got home from the nursery and went to plant them I found there were two plants in each little ‘tub’.  So I could plant one and kill the other or plant them all. What would you have done? I couldn’t bring myself to kill a healthy looking plant. Besides I like peppers so it was a bargain really! And the beans! They have been producing from early on! They are ratty and bug eaten plants but still blooming and making beans! It’s disgraceful! I have canned and eaten and am now reduced to putting some of them in the dehydrator as well. It’s like that 70 some year old woman I read about who just had twins. Just not respectable at her age or the age of these beans! They should be retired by now! I have even thought of euthanasia, just pull them up, but could not bring myself to do it.

And there’s some pretty stuff out there in the garden that I’ll add just for that reason, too!  They can keep blooming, I don’t have to can them!

Marigold and borage. It’s little blue stars don’t photograph very well but the bees dont’ have any trouble finding them! There’s  gloriosa daisy in there and the chard in the back ground. That’s keeping us in greens for the long term, too!

The zinnias. There was a butterfly in there but I can’t find it in the photo.

I just like this picture. I have no idea how many of these little pie pumpkins are hidden in there. It’s big patch!

Hope your summer is cooling off and you are getting ready for a lovely autumn! See you in Oregon at OFFF soon!

 

 

 

A Sunday off.

Aug19

Yesterday we took a picnic lunch & with dog, headed up Coffee Creek road to Mt. Meadow. The dirt road is 14 miles and dead ends up there but it took a good hour to drive. It’s in pretty horrible shape (county had no $, same story all over) and not advised for vehicles with low clearance. Not that that stops them! It’s the trail head into the Alps and hikers and packers love it. There were Prius’s at the trail head! And it was going home day for hikers and for the resort up there so the traffic was heavy and I guess those guys don’t value their cans all that much. On the ONE lane road as they were driving like it was paved! We tooled along slowly, more or less enjoying the bumpy trip and watching out for on-coming as most of them don’t know how to drive roads of this kind. Their idea of passing on a one lane road is to stop when they see you and let you figure out how to get around without climbing the bank or going over one! But we made it and I hope all them did too. Oh yes, there was another factor in the back woods ‘freeway’ traffice- opening day of bow season. These two photos might give you an idea of the road. But no photo can really show it.   

Off the edge. That’s Coffee Creek way down there.

But before the trail walkers started coming back to their cars the campground was totally delightful! The quiet so thick it was almost tangible.  Sis is right, it is not so much just the lack of noise as it is the lack of background noise. The noises we all have grown so used to that we don’t really hear until they are missing. The distant traffic, the lawn mowers & leaf blowers, the electronics and appliances in our houses, we just don’t really hear them anymore. But when they are missing it is very noticeable! The quiet falls softly on your ears. Talk about stress relief! It’s amazing. I just sat and listened. Once in awhile there was a bird chirp, and a breeze came up later adding a soft whisper above. Then around 1pm, as we were were finishing lunch, the hikers stared coming out of the woods. But even with added people noises it was still a lovely day.

We took a walk about the camp ground & down to the meadow. Most flowers were already done and the little  patch of aspens have not yet started to turn. But it’s still pretty. Looking up to the resort & the old historical cabin.

Then while Randy and dog walked down to play in the Salmon River I sat at the table and got out my loom.

Weaving in the Wilderness

I don’t trust my bad knee on that very steep trail but He took pictures. Used to love wading the the stream. Dog enjoyed it!

  Salmon river,

Salmon river, down stream it gets a bit more rugged.

And the view across the meadow into the Alps is just beautiful, anytime of the year. You can see there is still snow up there. The hikers told us there is a lot more than shows here on the sunny side of the hill.

And there are still some flowers blooming in the first meadows.

But now it’s Monday. He’s back to deck building, I’m canning plums, peaches, and zucchini relish. I managed to fit a peach pie in there, too! Dog is snoring in her bed, staying out of the heat & dreaming of that nice cool stream for wading!

Hope you’re finding some cool too!