Early winter?

Nov24

We rarely get snow before Thanksgiving but Mother Nature did it with a vengeance this year! We only got about 11″ but it was very heavy wet snow and the trees, especially the oaks, had not lost their leaves yet. Bad with any snow but fatal for too many of them this time. And, of course, they took out the power lines. It was cold and wet and dangerous out there but the guys at PUD worked through it all to get us back to our normal easy life of lights and dishwashers and all that other stuff that makes modern life more pleasant and I’m sure we all appreciate their hard work. Especially if you’ve seen some of the stuff they had to deal with! For instance…

And these were all taken in our immediate neighborhood. Randy cut 4 trees out of Coffee Creek road so that PUD could get up here. The county got here first as PUD had much more work and harder to get to as well. But the guy driving the plow was happy to have that done, he only had to push the pieces off the road, did not have to get out of his warm cab to cut them himself! At least not here. There was a big mess at the intersection of CC rd and the highway. I didn’t hike down there to get that photo.

But it was a couple days that Randy had to work at getting us out as we had three oaks across our driveway! The one still standing may have to come out, too, as it is leaning much more after having the other three fall on it. But we’ll give it a chance and see if it can straighten itself up a bit.

Randy says the good part is that we already have a lot of next years fire wood! I won’t say things are back to ‘normal’ but we were really happy when the power came on last night and the dishwasher started up where it had left off and just about every light in the place came on! including my plant light at 89 pm to start the day for the houseplants. I unplugged that and will reset things today.

Now I have to get the little turkey out of the freezer to start thawing for The Feast! I have to go to Redding the day before thanksgiving to get my shoulder scanned so Sara can find out what to do about that painful issue. Old age is just as much fun as I was told it would be. That’s to say, it does have it’s ‘perks’ but by and large it is not comfortable! lol My Great Aunt Ada said that whoever called it the Golden Age had not lived it!

Well, there are looms to make now that the shop if warming up and bit and there are lights and power for tools. so I guess it’s time to get at it, back to the routine! Just not I’m loving that old rut! Hope your week goes smoothly and you get to share with lots of family and friends!

The end for fire season and the beginning of fire season!

Nov16

Yeah, I know but they are two different things. In summer it means be careful and aware of wild fire. In winter it means heat when the morning temp is 29 degrees! And the snow level is around 35oo’ this morning and there are snow flakes in the forecast for the next week! Whether it happens or not remains to be seems but it was enough for him to crank up the chain saw again. The wood shed is pretty full but we don’t usually need to watch for snow this time of year so just in case, he’s working on the pile of madrone logs. These were fire killed trees from a few years ago that he was asked to remove. He says it leaves a lot of ash but it is a good hardwood and does produce heat. We are ready for winter, I think.

This time of year is full of pretty mundane chores. Today it’s laundry and I am baking a pie from dried apples. We dried these for snacks but neither of us much cares for them in this condition so I am rehydrating them for this pie. I did make a new bowl of snack mix. I eat a little of it but it is mostly his. I get the big bags of nuts from Costco and I bought a jug of pretzel ‘pillows’ to add to it this time. I discovered when I got it home that they are filled with peanut butter. That’s okay, I guess, but not what I was after. I guess I’m going to have to learn to read labels a little better! This batch of snacks has walnuts (he requested fewer), pecans, and almonds. I added some white chocolate which he likes but I am offended by them even calling it chocolate! And the sweet part is dried cranberries. Last time it was cherries so I’m not sure what his response to that is going to be. They taste sweet enough to me but he really has a sweet tooth so may not see it that way. I can guarantee it’ll disappear anyway, tho!

But exciting new appliances! Well, yes, a housewifely thing, I suppose, but I really needed a new stove. I am still learning this one but so far I am delighted with it! It has an air fry and air bake setting on the oven which I have not tried yet. And a broiler which had died in my old one so that’s a good thing, too! And while we were there I also bought a new microwave as the number settings on the old one were quitting. For one, I could not set anything at 30 seconds, it had to be 31! That made for some interesting mental math for me. And the 5 had also quit. It was time!

I got several pair of jeans from my sister’s things and I took them up as they were too long for me, she having been a tall woman. However, they are all still too long for me. I know I’ve shrunk but didn’t think it was that much. It’s not fair, really, as I only seem to shrink in height, not width! Ah, well… That’s life, I suppose.

We’ve had rain for the last week and it was pretty heavy at times, bringing down the pretty autumn leaves. I am sorry to see them go but if we’re going to get early snow, it’s good as trees with leaves still on tend to get broken or worse, they’ll fall which is hardly ever good for anything around them. But the drives to town these last couple weeks have been lovely. I tried to get pictures but haven’t gotten many good ones. There are enough deciduous trees to light up the forest of deep green with their yellow and gold and orange and reds. Sometimes the gullies running down the mountain sides look like water falls of gold! We’re not the Ozarks but just as beautiful. I think the contrast of the pines and firs show up the color better. This one is our driveway.

Randy cooked dinner this week. He does that every few years! Made his World Famous Beef Stew. We invited company for this momentous occasion and had a lovely time. The stew was good, too, and we had home baked (by me) bread to go with. And for the next two days! lol But it’s gone now and I’m back to doing the cooking. He’s taking about making lasagna but I am not holding my breath.

As for yarn… Well, I have not done any weaving lately but have gotten out my knitting needles and made a dress for one of my mini AG’s and am working on a project for another. The idea is to make them all new Xmas outfits but they are not all likely for that. It’s been a couple years since I did much knitting, tho and am enjoying it. She’ll need some shoes for this season I think! And maybe a shawl. She’s young but my arms get cold these days. And like most Mom’s, if we’re cold, our kids need jackets!

But I think that’s probably more than enough for this posting! I hope you are having a lovely fall where you are, not too much rain or wind or snow. Thanksgiving in a week and then time to put up your tree if you have one of those. I think I’ll get out Momma’s Ceramic tree. It sets on the dining table. There’s not much room for a real tree in this small house and it’s just us two old people. I think the last time we had a real tree was when my oldest grandson was a toddler. Oh gosh, nearly 30 years ago! But I hope you are looking forward to having family or friends around this season.

Hazel

Another Monday

Oct14

Well, My sister who set up my original Blog named it “My Life in the Country” so today’s post is just that. Everyday stuff here in the woods.

More chores today, but household, not shop. Making bread, more on-going laundry. I washed sheets and the napkins. Somehow they all got in the trailer and all got used. We had to resort to paper towels for dinner last night! Cleaning bathroom was so I could put down my new rugs! I got new rugs for in there because the backing doesn’t last on these things. After what seems a few washings and it starts to peel off. Maybe I am going to have to find some more expensive rugs.

Cleaned up the corner by the bayout window because its time to move the house plants in. I lost my oldest one. One that moved from Florida. I’ve given starts all over but didn’t have one going this summer. Too bad. Still have two I brought with me, my String of Hearts & the Drunkard’s Dream. That one almost died from too much water last year. The Angel Wing Begonia died from a lack of it this year. Both I blame on him, tho I should have watched closer. He’s supposed to be in charge of the auto watering systems. Oh well, there is no lack of plants. I have three big geraniums. They’ll need pruning, and a small pot of starts I “collected” from the Dixon Fairground. Plus two plants of Rosy’s. My little corner of limited winter sunshine will be full!

The drunkards dream, the little one Is the start I gave Rosy. The big one is mine, recovering but not well.

I also printed out a bunch of photos for the travel journal. That’s his project mostly these days. I started it when we first got the 5th wheel, but seemed to have lost interest at some point. He adopted it a couple years ago. Our style is totally different, of course! I wrote about scenery and things that happened or that we did. His is more about routes from hither and yon and best free campgrounds, with some scenery and some notes on trailer maintenance. How long it took and where we fueled up. And he wants a photo of each camping spot with the trailer in it.

He’s getting the woodshed filled. There’s a lot in there but not enough for the winter, apparently, so the spliter is getting a workout, as is he! I don’t do wood anymore. My back says no. I can bring some in if I need it but the stocking up is left to him these days. When he can’t do it any more we’ll have to rely on our cheap electricity.

And the Woodbine is turning red!

He used the weed eater to mow the meadow– our lawn– as it is too wet to use the mower. We’re hoping this will help it dry a bit. It needs it’s last ‘haircut’ before winter. And he’s exploring ways to put power out in Le Shed so I can see what I am doing out there. It is badly in need of organization. A lot of that will be getting rid of stuff and yarn. If anyone is interested in some misc. yarn it’s free but you’ll have to come get it.

Okay, I guess that’s enough life in the country for today. It’s nearly time to start dinner. I think that’ll be beans and maybe corn muffins. Sounds like something fitting for a cool evening. Hope you have a nice dinner and a lovely week!

After Lambtown

Oct12

We headed up into the Sierra’s looking for some cool! It was hot in Dixon that weekend. We found some, too. Our last morning at just under 6000′ it was 29 degrees! That was cooler then our first night at just under 7000′. I wanted to get a picture of the 8000′ sign but there was no place to pull off the road so had to compromise with this one!

It was lovely up there, I haven’t been since Pop took us all when I was a child. We explored a lot back then. But even for a mountain girls, this was an adventure. Our mountains are also lovely but not nearly as rugged as these and our rocks are different, tho also plentiful!

We got lost a few times so saw some country we would have missed otherwise and there was this, of course:

Standard for summer since it is difficult to do road work in the winter. Up there it would be impossible! The snow will hamper that just a bit! The small green sign says 7000′. They were putting in culverts.

Quacking Aspens in full color and a nice breeze to set them shimmering. The Ponderosa forests are impressive, too. I didn’t get a really good pictures but here’s one. I love the red trunks.

And some shots just for the Beauty of them.

We came down into Nevada on the way home. We had a nice surprise there, too. Diesel at $3.49! If you’re in California, you’ll know why that was exciting!

Nevada and back into California. Janesville is near here somewhere! This lake has always been dry when I’ve seen it before but is nice and wet this year!

We enjoyed the trip and have the trailer mostly unloaded. The groceries are hauled in and the laundry has been washed, the looms and teaching stuff is put away for next year and he’s working on firewood. We had rain last night and it never got over 60 today. Time to bring the houseplants in. Winter’s on the way.

Hope you are having a lovely fall and missing all the exciting weather they’re having back east.

In hot central California…

Oct6

In hot central California..

Its Lambtown in Dixon. There were 7 enthuiastic weavers signed up for my lace class on Friday. We spent 6 hours exploring possibilites for the 4 inch looms. We also discovered that the one extra pin on the Multi loom does make a slight difference for weavers using that plastic one. And since the old Weave-its & Weavettes are also short corner pins, for them as well. But its not a big difference. If my row ends o1, u1, those will end o1. Or if it works better for the pattern, you can modify the start instead. Be creative… or buy a proper loom! ;-D

The other exciting thing this weekend is that Jane Grogan is here! If by any chance you are not aquainted with Jane, she is a well known teacher on our looms from Michigan & a friend. I will have a picture of us weaving on a peg loom, but will have to add that later. This afternoon I’Il be showing more weavers how to get going on tbeir peg looms.

We’re having a last blast of summer heat here in Dixon. Its predicted to hit 100 today. But they are keeping it cool in Madden Hall to encourage shoppers to remember that even here those lovely wool yarns will soon be timely and weaving sweaters and socks comfortable again!

We’ll leave here on Monday morning, Katt will have to spend a few more days in the Weaverville Pet Motel, while we explore highway 88 & Carson Pass. Up there where the high for that day is predicted to be 68 degrees! A few degrees cooler than home. A ’few feet’ higher in elevation, too, of course! It sounds like a lovely place, just the right sort of vacation spot for a mountain girl! But then its home to finish the tag ends of the garden & making sure the woodshed is topped off and the summer tools put away… you know the sort of things that need doing before winter sets in.

But now it looks like its time to go to work. I’ll post pictures when we get home. Hope you are keeping cool & dry!

September– Autumn?

Sep4

I guess it must be autumn since the Poison Oak is turning red again.

The maples are still a kind of green, tho.

Our garden was pretty much a bust this year. I got maybe a half dozen tomatoes so far. There are quite a lot of green ones on the Rome and a few on the (un)Early Girl. Cut 4 scranny, miss-shapened bell peppers and harvested on ice cabbage, the lone survivor. The squashes were doing good until the mole arrived and started digging around the roots. I did get one nice acorn, which we had for dinner last night, and there’s still a butternut out there alive. Even the Zucchini Were pretty much a low producing crop this year. We had a fairly good crop of peas early on, but the beans refused to even germinate. My beets did germinate but failed in the end, too. Have a couple cukes producing but they are bitter. None of my kale, which has never failed me before survived. Oh well, Good thing last year was a bumper year, I still have canned things from then. We’ll try again next year. I have to admit that it was not a good gardening spring with being gone with Rosy so much so it may not be all the early too hot weather, which we are blaming it on.

But at least I didn’t have to spend the summer standing watch over a pressure canner! There’s always a bright side, isn’t there!

We’re now getting ready for the fall shows. First will be OFFF in Albany, Oregon Sept 21-22 and then shortly thereafter is Lambtown in Dixon CA, Oct 5-6. I don’t have classes at OFFF this year, thankfully, but two at Lambtown assuming anyone signs up. I’m offering a beginning peg loom class and a full day Weaving Lace. Lace That Shouts instead of Pale Pastel Whispering lace! Well, these patterns work for both, really, but I think more people today want to see bright colors and there’s no reason lace has to be saved for traditional weddings or baby things or old ladies nighty’s. When I was a teen you did not wear sequins or rhinestones on your jeans, in fact, you did not even plain wear jeans to school or church like I see today. But these days you can wear pretty much anything you like so why not lace? I can dye my hair pink or purple or even green if I should want to, another thing you just Did Not Do back then. I love that I can now. So we’ll be weaving some colorful lace to decorate jeans, tee shirts, or even those baby things. And if you are planning an unconventional wedding… Go for it!

In the Peg Loom class we be making a headband, it’s a fairly fast project and also a useful product, practical me has to include that virtue. But the loom is good for much more. This is one I did this summer. I bought some cleaned skirtings from a shepherd at fiber Fusion NW this spring and wove this rug on my 22″ Peg loom. It is so lush! Soft and thick and, I think, nice looking. I am not sure how well it will wear but I joined an peg loom weaving group on face book and see that this is a very popular rug among those weavers so I’m thinking it must hold up pretty well or it seems there would be some mention of that. Anyway, here it is. I didn’t have all the weft tails cut when I took this, but you can see how cozy it looks. I can picture my always cold feet snugged up on that this winter!

So… what else? Well, I want to find time to dig up my over-crowded iris and transplant them to a mostly barren flower bed in front of our rental BnB cabin. There are iris out by the mailbox that were planted by the snow plow digging them up from the neighbors across the road and they are thriving and blooming each spring without the hand of man (or woman) helping at all so I think being in this mostly ignored flower bed and maybe being watered a few times in the summer, they ought to thrive nicely! There are day lilies that need thinning, too, but they seem to like more water so not sure they’d like it in that bed and frankly, I’m running out of room!

The weather has been pretty nice lately, highs in the upper 80’s, but they are ‘promising’ us 100+ later this week before that elusive rain they see in the future that keeps disappearing is set to arrive… again!! lol But be that as it may, I think I am nearly ready for winter. Not prepared, just ready, if you see the subtle difference! I hope you are also looking forward to the future. I hope it’s going to be a brighter one. This world could use some bright and we can help if we refuse to follow the nay sayers and Walk on the

Sunny Side of the Street!

with Louie Armstrong, this was a big hit for him years ago.

Or maybe you like Frankie?

Cyndi Lauper

Well… not my decade! lol

How about Willie Nelson?

Actually l like his version.

But judging by how many popular singers have recorded this song, I think it tells me a lot of people are looking to walk in the sunny side! I hope you’ll find me there!

August!

Aug6

Summer is nearly over, heading into fall. Boy! This year is going fast. I have managed to get some of my List done this summer. I think I have the lace class for Lambtown ready and the Peg looms class as well. I am working on the fleece rug, that’s for Show and Tell. I bought this pound bag of clean skirting from a shepherd at Fiber Fusion in Washington this spring and am weaving a rug with my 22″ peg loom. I want to be able to take to show students in my class at Lambtown this fall. It’s very lush! Peg looms are so easy to weave and are a lot more versatile than you’d think. I’ve woven hats and bags and dog leashes to name a few. It’s not yet as long as I want it. I intend to full it some once it’s finished. Haven’t decided yet how to go about that.

Randy met another yarn lady from Trinity County today at the rest stop coming home from town. She expressed an interest in pin looms so I’m hoping she’ll join Pin Loom support Group. Even tho she lives at the other end of the county it’ll be nice to have another ‘local’ person who weaves on pin looms!

The moles got into the garden and dug up one of my good winter squashes. Looks like one might survive but the other didn’t make it. I hope it stays out of the rest but am not holding my breath. The squashes are about the only thing that has done well this year. We got a late start because of the weather and being gone taking care of my sister. He did managed to get a pretty nice corn crop tho. The peas were doing okay until the hot weather. We only got a few bean plants but I have a two year supply canned up last year so that’s not going to be a problem! lol But I have to buy chard and kale, none of mine germinated this year. I think it was new seed so I’m not sure what the problem was.

The weather has been moderate here the last few weeks. We’ve had some days over 100 but also some under that number. In fact the forecast for this week is there and I’m looking forward to that. And my ‘lawn’ is blooming! It’s self heal and a few others. The bees love it and it is pretty. Actually my lawn is more plants than grass, tho there is quite a bit of that, too. We call it a meadow. In the spring it’s crocus and daffodils and then ox-eye daisies and red clover. Now the self heal and thyme is blooming. Bees love that, too. We have assorted Butterflies, different kind of bees and wasps, also other insects I can’t name, as well as hummingbirds and a bunch of other feathered neighbors. I am fond of the Stellar Jays. A lot of people think of them as noisy pests. I admit they are noisy but pretty and funny. They are smart birds.

Looking out the window, I see orange on my peach tree. I think its too early for them yet but I guess I’d better get out there and check. This might be the poor tree’s last crop. I can’t remember how old it is, they don’t live forever like apples, but it is getting old and has had a rough life the last few winters. I have a pretty nice crop on the little jam plums. I haven’t picked any, letting the jays have them this year since I inherited quite a bit of plum jam from Rosy. But I do look forward to the peaches. I’m wondering if I need to get a new tree already or if I can wait. This is some of last years crop.

Okay, I guess I’ve chatted on enough for this time. I hope you’re all safe and not too hot or too wet and not on fire at all!

Back to playing with yarn! Happy weaving y’all!

It’s summer time…. July

Jul26

Hot last week, not quite as hot this week, repeat… We’ve been going to as much as 107 one week down to 89 the next and back again so far this month. Last heat spell was not quite as hot, which is a good thing. But mostly we stay indoors when it gets extreme. Mornings and evenings become time for outside tasks. The garden is pretty sketchy this summer, What with the last start and the extreme weather early on, it didn’t get planted on time and some things just don’t like the temps, I guess and aren’t doing well. But we are eating zucchini now at least! lol My chard and kale wee among those that didn’t like conditions so I’m having to buy my greens this year. But the black berries are starting to ripen.

Been getting some weaving done and working in the shop. I have two classes at Lambtown and have been getting stuff done for those.

Invited Cousin Dan down for dinner last night. Pizza. But just before he arrived the oven which was preheating, started smoking, and we discovered something under the bottom, was afire! Flames coming up though the vents. It got a little exciting for a bit, but Cuz enjoyed the fun, too. Turned out Katt has not been doing his job! A mouse had been stealing from his dry food bowel and, for some reason, storing it in the oven, just under the burners where it proved to be quite flammable. And it hadn’t been there long as I baked bread 5 or 6 days before and it was fine. But we got that out and we ended up baking the pizza in the Silver Fox Cabin oven. Good thing it was not rented this week! But we had a nice dinner and visit in the end so… all’s well that ends well, as the bard said. A little excitement for the day, humm?

It was pretty good. Katt is heck on rubber snakes even if he does sleep though mouse raids.

My old peach tree has lost another branch so not going to have much of a crop from it this year, wither. it lost several last winter. It is reaching the end. I guess I’d better start looking for a replacement. I think I’ll try to find the same kind if I can find the name tag and identify it. it was a good producer for a long time in spite of spring weather, bloom time when it wants to rain or have a late freeze.

From August 2022.

Still missing Rosy. It just makes no sense that she should leave before me, being the youngest of us girls. I send her an email now and then but so far she hasn’t answered. It’s the pits.

We were just goofing off,

July…

Jul3

Just returned from Black Sheep Gathering. Not horrible but little disappointing profit wise. The peg looms are still having their day. sold out of 36″ and have 5 orders at home. He’s got orders and contractor work to do here, too, and is gone off this morning with Search & Rescue to find a lost person. He’s their tracker.

Katt was happy to see us. He escaped from the cage twice before we left. We gave up and let him stay outside. A neighbor came over and fed him. He did lose some weight having to share with the Jay who found his food bowl under the porch bench. Dc. Spencer was kind and did not charge me for having to cancel at the last minute. We’ll bring the cage in a few days before leaving next time so he’ll get used to it and not panic when he sees it coming out. I understand some cats will go in the travel cage on their own but I’ve never had one of those.

Brought a lot of canning jars home from Rosy’s stash. I can use some of them but a lot will likely go to the Farmers Market. Our garden is pretty meager this year. We did not get it going very promptly this spring. Partly the weather and partly our schedule, and to be honest, partly because we kept putting stuff off.

So theoretically I have July, August and most of September to get ready for the fall shows. Have no classes at OFFF this year, I guess they didnt’ like my offerings. but have 3 at Lambtown! Hope I’m up to that! lol One is an all day weaving lace class. I think that’s going to be fun. I also promised several people that I’d try to get a book of pattern stitches for the looms done this summer. Don’t hold your breath but I really will try to get that done. I need an advisor as I tend to get right to the point and so my books are short and not very pretty. There’s always a bunch of stuff before the books get around to the main topic. I guess that’s the part I need. Well, as I said, I’ll try.

Picked peas last evening when we got home. There’s a nice ‘mess’. which we’ll have for dinner tonight. It’s going to be hot today and Very hot for the nest couple before it cools a little. However, Himself got hot last night and pulled the 2nd blanket off the bed. I woke about 3 am freezing! It only got down to 53 last night so I guess freezing is a bit of an exaggeration, but I was cold. I got up and closed my bedroom window but it didn’t help much. finally gave it up about 5:30 and got up.

I carried my camera along this trip but never thought to use it. Truck and trailer made it up and back with no surprises this time. I did get the kitchen cotton patchwork shirt finished and wore it in the booth. It was quite popular. I did weave those ends in first, tho!

We sold Rosy’s Schacht Matchless double treadle spinning wheel and her Duncan carder. The Duncan’s were at BSG and the buyer took it over to him and Mr. Duncan went over it and tightened everything up and put on a new belt. I thanked him later and he said he just wanted to make sure they kept working. A nice elderly couple. Is that PIC* coming from me?! lol

*I’m learning to speak text… this means Politically InCorrect.

That’s todays news, not very exciting but more exciting then the rest of my day which will start with vacuuming, I think, then unloading the trailer. I was hoping he’d undertake that but I expect he’s going to be gone the rest of today looking for the lost guy. But I hope your 4th is going to be fun, safe, and (however unlikely) cool!

This year…

Jun17

Is it just me or is this year even stranger than the last few? Weather wise it’s more than halfway thought June. 40 years ago the last frost date for our area was June 1, a few years back it jumped back a month to May 1. Yesterday and tonight we have frost warnings, all the frost sensitive plants are already in the garden! I can only hope they have exaggerated this warning. But it is cold this morning. Well, I am getting old, 46 is a long way from freezing but I was almost thinking of building a fire this morning! lol Instead I just bundled up in housecoat, afghan, and a warm purring cat on my lap! After a couple cups of coffee I was warmed up a bit so managed to get dressed and make breakfast which warmed up the kitchen, too. Sour dough French toast & applesauce. It was good. Himself drowns his in syrup, of course. I like a little real maple syrup now and then but rarely buy it because he does, too, and I hate it when his plate comes back to the kitchen with a pool of expensive syrup on it, so he gets the cheap stuff. He doesn’t care, he just likes a lot of sweet. My applesauce I make with apples and a bit of water and it’s plenty sweet. But now I need to make bread again!

Yesterday I got the patchwork yoke assembled. Today I have to full it in the washer and hope it does not shrink too much! It’s kitchen cotton so that hope is slim. It’s the first time I’ve used that for this project. It’s a little on the heavy side, too. It may not work so I’m not sure what will happen then. I hope it does, I’ve got these two shirts that I bought a few years ago for this purpose and they as still waiting. It’s not that I don’t have plenty of demo woven 7″ squares I could use. It’s just one of those things I’ve been putting off. I wove these squares out of Rosy’s stash while I was up there. Something to do in the evening while she slept. So probably not a rational choice for this project, but it’s done now. I’ll let you know how/if it works!

Our fellow residence was back this morning for an easy breakfast of pumpkin seeds. These Stellar Jays have been nesting in the trees and bushes at this cabin since before we bought it from Randy’s dad who bought it from his grandparents. Their line may even go back to the gold mining days of yore! We enjoy watching the young ones grow up. I can’t tell one from another but I know they are mostly ‘our’ babies. Some people don’t like them, say they are noisy and chase off other birds but there was a pair of new comers, Robins, the other day trying to chase the jays off! And if the grackles are nesting around the yard or garden, you’d better watch your head and they will try to run everybody off, no matter species! lol And the jays have personality & like crows and ravens are quite smart. We don’t have crows here and we try to discourage the ravens who only come around in the spring when there are nests to rob. Yeah, everybody has to eat, but they can forage in someone else’s yard.

Randy is cleaning the cabin this morning, brought me a pile of sheets and towels. The young men who just rented for the weekend had a great day fishing in the lake on Saturday morning and headed to Whiskeytown Sat afternoon to try there and nearly had a disaster. A hot rodding boater nearly ran them down in their kayaks. He swerved at the last minute just barely missing one but his bow wake swamped them and he kept going. I call that hit and run! They lost equipment, including the drivers car keys, into the lake. We were concerned when they didn’t come back that night but got a message later that they were okay but stranded. They came back up Sunday afternoon, we offered them another night as it was not their fault they missed one but they declined as they both have jobs but said they’d be back. Our cabin guests usually say what an interesting time they’ve had here but it is not usually as “exciting” as that! They’d better stay with Trinity Lake, now that it has water again!

Well, it’s nearly 9:30 am so I guess I’d better get started on my Monday. I seem to be blogging more now that I don’t have Rosy to email with. I still find myself wondering when she’ll be back from her “trip”. It’s weird. But my other sis and my daughter have been emailing and I do enjoy hearing from them.

It’s warming up a bit out there but the wind is blowing again. It’s cold enough that Katt has come back in. He usually spends most of the day out and only comes in to snack and at dinner time. So it’s not just us old ones who think it is cold for June!

Hope you’re staying warm. But not too warm!

Hazel