Write Group...08/31/11...6am...44deg...Sunny

Cold last night, maybe light frost...Fall is definitely in the air...Will have more sunshine and nice days, but that brisk fall air will greet us morning before the sun comes up and evening as it goes down...The garden didn't get a very good start in the spring and now will slow down.

Yesterday late afternoon in anticipation of the girls leaving today, we scoured the garden for veggies for them to take home...First "robbing" the potatoes without disturbing the roots, we found nice yukon gold potatoes, large, clean, smooth and crispy...On to the carrots, again good sized, but I must have a resident mouse that has found his own buffet, as several carrots were hollowed out, little teeth marks left as evidence...Next we cut a good sized cabbage and found the small green cabbage worms at work, darn! hope I have enough to make sauerkraut!..I don't mind sharing but I didn't plant a garden, just for the garden pests to feast on...We ended up with a nice bunch of veggies for our Portland girls to take home.

Cienna and Ginger

Write group was fun yesterday with nine of us there to share our stories...Cienna was the hit of the day reading two very different stories, one a dark murder mystery and the other a love story about an eccentric bachelor...She writes and reads exceptionally well for a budding teenager and intends to send continuations of these stories on a regular basis, to the 'Write People" ...Maybe she will be able to join the teen group at Fishtrap next summer...We finished our meeting with a  potluck lunch made easy with garden produce now available... Zucchini casserole, marinated cucumbers and onions, cabbage slaw and zucchini lemon bread graced the table.

Back in Joseph, Pat joined us for one last treat at "Arrowhead Chocolates", where we indulged in drinks and sampled chocolates bringing our visit to a close...So many conversations to finish and so little time.

Toasting

Lazed the rest of the day away on the deck, toasting our visit with glasses of wine, knowing it has to end but alway with the promise of another visit on the horizon...Rusty joined us on the chat line so we were able to catch up on what is happening with him in New Jersey...We hope to have our annual "Thanksmas" in November when we can all be together once again...~OWAV:) Photo's courtesy of Bobi

Annual Wiener Roast...08/30/11...5am...49°...Hazy

I think I said yesterday that we were winding down, wrong!..Now trying to get everything done before the girls go home...Not quite everything but more fun things...Bobi and I did the Sorop stuff, while Ci stayed home with Papa and finished her writing...All of us had a hand in cleaning more garlic and making garlic braids.

Hole in one

Two holes in one

Some where in there as we were getting ready to make a quick trip to play miniature golf, Bobi remembered, OOOOOH today is the day we are supposed to do a wiener roast and s'mores'...So madly we dashed around gathering marshmallow's, chocolate, potato chips, wieners, relish, mustard, and catsup...Papa took care of the drinks, firewood, chairs...We stopped for a visit at Alpine House with Gramma Jane, then we were on our way to the lake...The new miniature golf was a riot, of course for us the old one was also...The friendly bantering went on and on as first one of us was in the "rough" another in the pond and yes we each made a hole in one!..Bobi came out the usual winner, but Ci and I will continue to let her join us, as it would be pretty boring without her.

Another summer winding down

We met Papa at our usual picnic spot near the Wallowa river with a view of the lake...It is quiet and peaceful there...the fire was blazing by now and we settled in to enjoy a glass of wine and relax waiting for the coals to get just right...Several hours later, tummies full, sun now behind the mountains, mosquito's making their appearance, we packed everything up and returned to Barton Heights...Everyone was ready for an early bedtime in preparation for another busy day ahead...~OWAV:)

Monday Morning...08/28/11...5am...58°...Sunny

Sunny this morning, but cooling a little for the next few days...We had thunder and lightning throughout the night...a little rain, so we have that fresh rain smell, to start the morning...Ci and Bobi are still in bed, they were up off and on all night with Trixie, who is one nervous dog when it comes to the thunder and lightning.

Yesterday we walked, while Herb started a sausage and egg scramble for our breakfast...I mixed pie crust to chill and later made a mixed berry/apple pie to take to dinner at the lake home of friends Pat and Brian Adelhardt.

Berry/apple pie

We met Pat and Brian a year ago when we all volunteered at mule days...They are newbies to the county, moving here from Maryland...They have a "cabin" (a lovely remodeled home) at the head of the lake and spend many hours volunteering and attending events, becoming better acquainted with Wallowa County...Seems like Pat and I became friends almost at first sight...We talk and laugh nonstop when we are together, and enjoy a writing class and book group that we attend...Pat is a bubbly person with an infectious laugh and Brian a big guy with a dry sense of humor and many stories to tell...We shared drinks, dinner and stories with them on their deck, overlooking Wallowa Lake...Thank you Pat and Brian for a lovely evening...As we drove home the dark clouds loomed over Chief Joseph Mountain, a storm was brewing.

Today we plan to go to "the lake" and play the new miniature golf course that has been added this year...We have driven by it and it looks like something out of an exclusive resort in Cancun or Hawaii...While we are out and about we will stop to visit with Gramma Jane at Alpine house, maybe go to soroptomists, and we haven't been to the chocolate shop yet?..and slowly wind down as our "girls" prepare for their journey back to their home in Portland....Enjoy the day~OWAV:)

Annie Get Your Gun...08/28/11...6am...63°...Sunny

Scrabble done, sun shinning, girls here for only three more days...We have an invitation to Pat and Brian's for dinner today...Monday we plan to play the new miniature golf course at the lake and Tuesday we will go to the "Write Group"...Wednesday or just maybe they will wait until Thursday and get back to Portland in time for Cienna's afternoon orthodontist appointment...Time will tell.

Cienna & Rachel dressed for the theater

Yesterday we, Bobi, Cienna, Pam, Rachel and I went to the "Elgin Opera House"  to the matinee performance of "Annie Get Your Gun"...We have gone to summer musicals in Walla Walla, held at the outdoor amphitheater, for many years now...First Herb and I, then we invited friends to go with us...Then the year they did "Cinderella", Cienna and I and Pam and Rachel did a girls overnight trip... Now with plays being held at the newly refurbished Opera House in Elgin we can go for the afternoon...The performance was played to a nearly full house, will run for two more weekends and was enjoyed by all.

Time for me to close and get on with the day, we must take a short walk, make a pie and sit on the deck...Hugs to all...~OWAV:)

Chocolate Cake...08/27/11...5am...60°...Sunshine

Chocolate cake was first on the Friday morning list...Bobi and Ci busy measuring and mixing as I finished my blog..."Texas Sheet cake" has been a favorite at our house for many years...It is always a hit at potlucks, doesn't last long when we make it at home and we have changed the recipe over the years...Ours no longer has cinnamon in it, we double the chocolate in both the cake and the frosting...In summer we add 2 cups of grated zucchini, so it doesn't seem so decadent!


Texas Sheet Cake (revised)

Chocolate Cake adorned with fresh raspberries

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp salt 

½ tsp soda          SIFT ALL TOGETHER

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1 cube butter

½ cup oil

1 cup water

½ cup cocoa powder       BRING ALL TO BOIL

Add hot mixture to flour & sugar.  Add 3 beaten eggs, ¼ cup sour cream and 2 tsp vanilla.  Pour into 18x13 rimmed cookie sheet either greased or covered in parchment.  Bake 400º for 18 minutes.

FROSTING

1 cube butter (can use less)

½ cup heavy cream or milk

½ cup cocoa powder   

                                HEAT & STIR UNTIL SMOOTH

ADD 3 Plus cups of powdered sugar, 1 tbl vanilla stir to a spreadable frosting and frost cake right out of the oven.

Next came yard sales...I drove, Bobi navigated, Ci chattered in the back seat...Our first stop was an estate sale of a longtime local resident, recently passed away...Jo Whittaker had been a substitute teacher for our kids, and worked with Herb at the Forest Service...A casual acquaintance of all of us, always a smile on her face and friendly greeting...She dealt with many health problems in her later years...Her heirs had sorted her belongings and placed them in her front yard for sale...Kind of sad to see people pawing through all of her treasures... Cienna made our only purchase, a new cookbook from the 70's like the one both her mother and I have and a couple of pins to add to her collection...We spent the rest of the morning checking out more yard sales and were back home about 11am to take photo's and sample the "Cake"...

I seasoned a leg of lamb and put it in the oven, for our dinner later in the day...We congregated on the deck to spend some time before the heat of the afternoon...We miss the tall trees that grew on our south property line for many years, now gone because of wind damage and disease...The deck still stays fairly cool from the aspens that grow through the deck...But by 3pm we were all in our cool house, reading or dueling on the laptops...

Bobi coming up with a name and finally started her blog after much nagging and encouragement from family... Bobi's Blog "Writing on the Wall" will appear occasionally...Check it out!

Today we will go to a couple of yard sales and then Bobi, Ci and I will join Pam and Rachel for a Saturday afternoon at the Elgin Opera House to watch the musical, "Annie Get Your Gun"...Herb will dog sit, water and read until we return home. Hugs to all ~OWAV:)

Foundry Tour...08/26/11...5am...59°...Sunshine

Joseph is famous for it bronze sculptures...approximately ten years ago, Joseph's main street was revamped, with new lighting, planter boxes filled with trees and rocks and then planted with flowering plants by volunteers...Bronze pieces were added, some are on loan from the artist and others are there permanently...they line the streets and tourist flock to our town to take in the incredible mountain view that is the backdrop for our main street...Joseph use to be a cowboy town and a mill town...The mills went out almost twenty years ago and the cowboy's (ranchers) lively hood is now threatened by the return of the wolves.

Cienna, Bobi and I went on a foundry tour yesterday, the foundry located only a few blocks from our Barton Heights home, is as nondescript inside as out...It can be noisy, dirty and dusty...We toured the different rooms where the technicians practice their art, in the slurry room, casting room, chasing wax, finishing room and the monument room...Now we understand why the price is easily a thousand dollars for a small bronze...The photo I have included is of my favorite piece that adorns our main street...Cienna took this photo a couple of years ago on one of her visits.

Back home we joined Papa on the deck, fixed left over dinner, had a glass of wine and enjoyed our view...That's all from Barton Heights this morning...the girls are starting to make a chocolate cake in the kitchen, I must get in on the action...OWAV:)

Back Up Day…08/24/11…5am…58°…Sunshine

Got so involved yesterday, writing about 57 years ago that I completely missed a day in our life on Barton Heights.  

Oma

Cienna picking raspberries

I woke Cienna early on Tuesday morning, we skipped our walk and had a quick breakfast, arrived at "Crooks you-pick raspberries" just outside the Joseph City limits, at 8am…Treva soon had us outfitted with cartoon character buckets tied around our waist and directed us to the "G" row to pick our berries…They have quite a system for picking…Everything is labeled, and flagged so the berries are continuously harvest without being over picked…An hour later Cienna and I had a full flat of the most beautiful as well as delicious berries and our tummies were also quite full…Tom and Treva started u-pick berries with only six rows of thornless berries, some u-pick cucumbers, squash etc…Now they concentrate mostly on berries having added many more rows of raspberries, and strawberries as well.

Janie's Pie

Home again, we changed clothes, gathered up our writing, a zucchini casserole to share and were on our way to Prairie Creek to meet with the "Write People"…Only Pat, Janie, Cienna and I were present…Cienna read her story first, leaving Janie and Pat amazed that, she at thirteen is such a good writer…Cienna hopes to send stories via email over the next year so we can see how her story progresses…After reading we shared a pot luck lunch and each had a piece of Janie's apple pie.

Wednesday was a day spent catching up on sorority "stuff" and making dinner rolls to take to the sorority potluck...

Bobi arrived from Portland about 4pm.

Today we have a foundry tour planned and them time on the deck to visit…~OWAV:)

"1954"...08/24/11...5am...53°...Sunshine

Had a notice on my face book page that one of my friends was having a birthday today, so have taken the opportunity to remember that time 57 years ago..I wish I had photo's of this time but sadly not, so you will have to use your imagination and I will go through the photo albums and at least pull up a photo of Blanche when she was a child.

It was August, the year was 1954, I was 12 years old and would start sixth grade in a few weeks…The summer in Lake Fork, Idaho, busy as always… Our big barn now full of hay for the winter and soon it would be time to combine the wheat, still swaying in the breeze, on the hundred acre dry farm…That summer Steve and Loraine's six children stayed with us, to give Loraine a rest as she was expecting another baby in August…Relatives had come and gone all summer, staying a few days or a week, helping with the endless work on the farm… My cousin Orin Parkin and his wife Wanda, with two boys near my age, Alan and LaMont were the last of the summer visitors and ask if I could go with them as they returned home to Salt Lake City…Then I could return home with Steve and Loraine after the new baby's birth, when they made the 500 mile trip to get their older children….It was a time of great excitement for me, a country girl, who had never gone on a vacation, never spent time in a big city, never been away from home…Also I would be able to get away from the nieces and nephews, who I had tended and bossed around all summer and had to share my Daddy with…

I remember packing a small suitcase, Mom gave me an envelope with a few dollars in it for spending money, which I tucked into a corner of the suitcase… I was told to be a good girl and mind Orin and Wanda…Early on the morning of our departure, I climbed into the back seat of the car with Alan and LaMonte and we were on our way…We stopped for lunch and given a choice of having a burger and a milkshake or a dinner sandwich with a soft drink…Evidently on the trip up one or both of the boys had ordered a dinner sandwich AND a milkshake and then couldn't eat all of it…I happily settled on the burger and milkshake, one of my first restaurant meals…I ate every bite!

My time in Salt Lake City, was spent with Alan and LaMonte getting to know the neighborhood kids, watching television and going to the movies…I don't remember having much supervision while there, evidently the boys knew the rules and I just tagged along…The one movie I remember was "Gone With the Wind"…In my mind the screen was a mile wide and I was in the middle of a world that I knew nothing about…Of course I remember the southern estate "Tara", the beautiful dresses worn by Scarlett O'Hara, the dashing Rhett Butler, the fire, and the death of their little girl, Bonnie.

My niece Blanchie was born a few days after we arrived in Salt Lake City…Wanda told me to dress in my best clothes ( I have no idea what I wore, since we never dressed up on the farm) she proceeded to fix my hair, in a more stylish "do" added lipstick and dusted rouge on my cheeks…We were going to the hospital to see the new baby and you had to be 14 (I was only 12) to go into the hospital and peak through the glass at the new babies and visit with Loraine in her room..So with heart pounding, I followed Wanda through the long halls, knowing that somebody would take one look at me and out the door I would go!..No one paid any attention to us and I breathed a sigh of relief as we left the huge building with its medicinal smell..

Wanda also took just me (no boys) and we went to Lagoon, a huge amusement park, that is still operating to this day…We arrived there as the gates opened and went to the swimming pool where we spent the morning…Then we proceeded to go on all of the rides for the rest of the afternoon…I did fine until the last ride of the day on the "hammer"…I was very dizzy and to the point of throwing up when we got off of that one!..From there Wanda took me to Devil Slide where Steve and Loraine and the new baby were waiting for me and I would stay with them for a week before we made the long journey back to my home in Lake Fork.

The week I spent there was jam packed…First along with the new baby, Loraine introduced me to her "real" father, Dewayne Fields, usually called "Bus"…He had recently contacted Loraine and was there for a visit…I had known forever that Loraine and Barbara had a different father than the rest of us kids, but they had had no contact with him for over twenty years…However they did stay in touch with his mother, their "Gramma Dine"…But my Dad had been the only father they knew and he was "Daddy" to all of us…Bus had had a slight stroke, so walked with a cane, and seemed ancient compared to my Dad… I helped Loraine by doing dishes, housework, and whatever else she needed…holding Blanchie was my main job…Loraine took me shopping for fabric to make a "poodle skirt" for me and her two girls, Stephanie and Vickie…A circular skirt with a poodle dog at one corner, very popular in the "Fifties…She also looked for a new fabric, that was drip dry and didn't need to be ironed…This could be used to make clothing for her three older children, who were school age…She needed some things to make her life easier as she now had seven children under the age of ten…

Time was going fast and we were very busy…I had a tooth that was aching off and on but didn't want to bother Loraine with it so kept quiet…But one night it was really aching and evidently I cried in my sleep and Loraine thought I was homesick and mentioned it the next morning…I finally told her about the tooth and she after looking in my mouth, made an appointment with their dentist…The dentist gave me ether to knock me out because the tooth was badly abscessed and had to be drained, then packed and later would have to be refilled..All of this because the dentist that filled it in the first place hadn't done it properly…We later found out that he was an alcoholic and soon would be barred from practicing…I wasn't his first patient to have problems…Soon it was time to pack so we could make the return trip to Idaho…We left after Steve got off of work and drove all night, Steve, Loraine, new baby Blanchie and me all in the front seat of a pickup with a home-made camper on the back…They spent a few days in Lake Fork, then loaded their six children in the camper, Blanchie, Loraine and Steve in the cab of the pickup and all returned to their home in Devil Slide, Utah.

A summer to remember and on the first day of school, thanks to my sister Loraine, I had a new "Poodle Skirt" and was the envy of all the other girls.

Happy Birthday Blanche, Love Aunt Della~OWAV:)

Write People...01/23/11...5am...51°...Sunshine

Another full morning ahead of us...Raspberry picking at Crook's u-pick then off to write group, for our weekly discussion...

Yesterday Cienna and I took a quick walk then had breakfast of toasted pancakes covered with peanut butter and jam, before we left for the day...Leaving Papa and Ginger home again!

First stop at soroptomists, Ci found felted sweaters for Bobi's stash...Then we drove to Community Connections where my sorority was serving for today's meal...Darlene Turner soon joined us and we washed tables, put out sugar, cream and salt and pepper, just in time to start serving iced tea and water before lunch started, on this warm summer day in Wallowa County...The kitchen staff was busy preparing taco salad for the days lunch... Promptly at noon the dinner bell rang and people made their way to the counter, picking up plates full of a delicious taco salad with brownies for dessert...We joined them for lunch, then cleaned the tables, swept the floor and were on our way.

Picked up ice cream on the way home to go with raspberries, picked by a friend and shared with us...Our usual afternoon was spent inside, where it was cool...Cienna and I started our writing projects, played scrabble and Angry Birds when we needed a diversion...OWAV:)

Lazy Sunday...08/22/11...6am...60°...Sunshine

Can't believe Cienna and I stayed home all day yesterday, except for our morning walk... We all took a hand in fixing breakfast of sausage and hotcakes with huckleberries on top, Cienna's favorite...Then Herb vacuumed while I swept, mopped and cleaned kitchen and bathroom, did a load of laundry, then he hung out the clothes while I started water on the flower beds... Then we  relaxed on the deck and Cienna played with Ginger in the sprinkler, accidentally giving all of us an extra shower or two for the day...Very refreshing!..

Sweet Peas

As I made my rounds deadheading, I picked a bouquet of sweet peas...Neighbor Marsha had given me starts in early spring...Their lovely fragrance filled our house...Even though they are one of my favorites I haven't grown them for several years.

When I first started gardening, (nearly twenty years ago now) they were one of the first flowers that bloomed profusely on a south wall...I always planted them on Good Friday, no matter the weather, usually in a snow storm...They loved it there, grew to the eaves of the garage and produced endless blooms all season...I shared many bouquets with neighbors and friends...Next spring I will try planting them again... Thank you Marsha for the gift that lasts all summer!

By mid afternoon the heat drove us inside to the cool of our house where we played on the computer and read until dinner time...We had, fresh from the garden peas, carrots and potatoes in a light cream sauce along side a BBQ'd steak fresh from Herb's grill...waited until later for the last of the pie and ice cream.

Cienna and I played cards, caught up on scrabble, worked at Angry Birds, trying to get more three stars for Papa...Chatted with Bobi, then called it a day...On today's agenda is Soroptomists and maybe serving at the senior meal site...Must wake Cienna and get on with it, hugs to all~OWAV:)

Ranch Rodeo...08/21/11...6am...58°...Sunshine

Saturday morning yard sales were first on our list...Herb had toast for break fast, Ci and I ate pie...With Papa driving, me riding shotgun and Cienna and Ginger in the backseat hanging on for dear life, we hit the dirt roads of Alder Slope, take in the view of the lower valley and find ourselves at the home of Connie and Jeff, friends from way back...We visit and shop their yard sale, books for Herb, then on to the next one, main highway, "Stoffel Brothers" local well drillers...more visiting, little buying...Back in Joseph last yard sale, day old, prices high...Walmart greeter was there, but didn't have any bargaining power... Cienna found an interesting book on dogs and we soon arrived home...I changed water, watered flower barrels on the deck, caught up on scrabble games and by 11:45 Cienna and I were on our way to the Ranch Rodeo.

The Ranch Rodeo is unlike other rodeo's as it features all the things that local cowboys do on any given day, such as roping, branding, penning and driving cattle, with help from their dogs... Also featured was a "rock jack" building contest...Six contestants, each started with a five foot tamarack log, using splitting malls and wedges, lots of muscle and sweat they soon had the log broken down into posts...The posts were them assembled, nailed together, and rocks were added to keep it in place...Fifteen points was awarded to the cowboy who finished first, when all were finished each rock jack was judged by "vintage" cowboys, grading them on looks and sturdiness for longevity...Little cowboys and cowgirls got into the act, they rode their stick horses, pulled the ribbon from a goats tail and galloped back to the starting line, as fast as little legs would carry them...Horse racing was also featured, as a fast horse with stamina and agility are a must for any cowboy or cowgirl!..Some four hours later, after sitting on hard bleachers Ci and I were ready to go home...It had been a fun day as we met Pat and Brian there, so Pat and I visited while Cienna (with her good ears) listened to the announcer and kept us informed of what was happening.

Back home I fixed zucchini patties for our dinner, then Ci and I delivered zucchini to Pat, visited, had a glass of bubbly, then back home where Papa fixed us pie ala mode to finish off the day...Forgot to mention, Ci and I split strawberry shortcake at the rodeo (it was so-so)... Guess we will have to call this the day of "just desserts"...Sorry no photo's, took the camera, just forgot to use it...~OWAV:)

Imnaha Adventure...08/19/11...5am...51°...Sunshine

Janie's Big Sheep Retreat

I was in such a hurry to get ready and out the door yesterday that I forgot to tell you where I was going...So here goes...Last fall, friend Janie Tippett purchased property near Imnaha on "Big Sheep Creek", fulfilling a life long dream...She has a rustic cabin sitting next to the creek on 14 acres...A view up the canyon, a small orchard, room for a huge garden and a place to pasture a couple of horses...While having lunch yesterday she mentioned that the blackberries were getting ripe at the cabin and would anyone like to go picking?..Didn't take long for Ruth, Phyllis and I to accept that invitation.

Friendship Garden

We left Janie's Prairie Creek home at 9am armed with berry picking buckets...We were wearing boots, jeans, long sleeved shirts, and floppy hats...The Imnaha is much lower in elevation than Joseph and fruit and vegetables grow in abundance...It is famous for its black berries but also for its rattlesnakes...First stop was to view the "Friendship Garden" on Janie's property, planted and tended by local people, as a way to give to local schools and people who can't afford fresh produce...Nearly an acre is planted in tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and corn...A green lush spot amid the rimrock country of the Imnaha.

Taking a quick tour of the two bedroom cabin, we oohed and awed over the screened in porch that sits next to the creek and the front porch covered by a grape arbor for shade... Janie is repairing and cleaning a little at a time with help of family and friends as the property and cabin have been neglected for several years...Her face glowing with pride as she showed us each room and the furnishings that she has found at local yard sales.

Now it was time to tackle the berry bushes and be on the lookout for snakes...Black berry vines are wicked, they grab onto your shirt sleeves, tangle around your legs until it feels like they will swallow you up...They are very reluctant to give up their berries...We persevered and by noon had enough berries for desserts and some to freeze...We relaxed under the grape arbor, ate our lunch and had a hard time dragging ourselves away from this beautiful oasis...We picked a few apples to add to our bounty helped Janie clear a spot to stack a supply of winter wood and arrived back on Prairie Creek at 2pm...What a day!

As I arrived home Herb and Cienna were finishing up their lunch after a leisurely morning of reading, laundry and walking the dogs...I had promised Cienna a trip to the lake with Ginger...Gathered up towels and away we went...She spent her time getting Ginger used to being comfortable in the water and retrieving a ball...I sat in the sun, with a nice breeze and did some people watching.

Before

After

Home again, I just wanted to sit down, but instead, with Cienna's help we made a huge pie with apples on one side and blackberries on the other...Later in the evening Pam arrived just in time for warm pie ala mode...at 10pm I fell into bed exhausted but happy...OWAV:)

Busy Friday...08/18/11...6am...50°...Sunshine

Joseph Canyon Overlook

Got our walk in yesterday, then did some watering before Ci and I left to meet Ruth, Janie, Phyllis and Annette at Fishtrap...Soon we were all piled in Ruth's van for the 30 mile trip out north to meet Cathy for lunch at the Rimrock Cafe, where we celebrated birthdays...

Lunch was served on the deck overlooking "Joseph Canyon"...Another beautiful view in Wallowa County...We orderd a large platter of "real" french fries to share, then each made our choice from the menu of panini sandwiches and burgers...Janie threw in an order for "bottle cap" japaleno's and we topped it off with home made pie ala mode...Choices were apple, cherry and marion berry...A few of us took a stroll around the grounds, checking out the three teepees that are for rent...they are furnished with mattress's (bring your own sleeping bag) and a port-a-potty sits nearby (just out of site)...Ci and I think it might be fun to spend the night sometime, especially on a starry night...Soon we were back in Joseph, spent an hour on the deck with Papa then packed up the car and off to Enterprise and the gazebo to visit the Farmers Market and listen to the weekly music while visiting with friends...Music was mellow and easy listening...perfect end to our busy day.

Now it is time to wake Cienna and get ready for another busy day...Must takes stuff to snack on, lots of water, berry buckets, hats and long sleeved shirts...AND my camera!  Hugs to all OWAV:)

Fall Harvest...08/18/11...5am...50°...Sunny

Up early this morning to find Cienna asleep on the sofa, she must have wandered downstairs last night and stayed...The dogs were antsy to go outside and explore all of last nights deer tracks... Soon Ci will be awake and dragging me out the door for our morning walk...On today's agenda is lunch at the Rimrock (cafe north of Enterprise) with the write group...It is a birthday celebration so should be a fun outing.

Yesterday we made 18-1/2 pints of our special rhubarb/maraschino cherry jam...I first tasted this jam at age 14...It was made by Aunt Carrie and she left the cherries whole and I loved maraschino cherries...She always had it along with toast whenever we visited her and Uncle Harold...I never got her recipe so just made up my own, and it has become a family favorite...The second batch stayed soft so we had it over our ice cream last night... YUMMY!!!

For dinner yesterday we had homemade noodles and turkey...Ci mixed and rolled all of the noodles (with just a little help) and left them to dry on the cutting board, while I boned the turkey and heated broth and made coleslaw from our garden cabbage...After dinner I cleaned more garlic, then Ci helped me make garlic braids (using plastic zip ties)... She gathered lavender and oregano flowers for decorations...She is good at helping me arrange everything...We added some raffia bows and now have gifts for everyones birthday today... These braids are fun to make and more fun to give away.  

We chatted with both Rusty and Bobi during the day, played Angry Birds and Scrabble...Ci is reading, but seems her book is very slow and she is struggling to stay with it...Also she has been wearing her birthday present from Uncle Rusty and wondering if she is learning how to walk all over again...For several years now she has envied his wooden clogs that he buys in Austria...Now she has a pair of her own and we have renamed her "Clod Hopper Sue".

It has only taken me an hour and a half to get photos in and blog written...Whew!..Now we must walk, have breakfast and get moving....Hugs to all~OWAV:)

More Jam...08/17/11...5am...50°...Sunny

Yesterday started out kind of slow...Our raspberry picking was canceled due to lack of raspberries at the Joseph u-pick, so Ci and I took Ginger on our walk, we meandered near the rodeo grounds reminiscing about other walks, rodeo's and carnivals...then back up the hill to Barton Heights... Back home Papa fixed his special cold cereal and banana for us, and as we started eating, Debbie drove into the driveway with truck, horse trailer and five dogs, to pick up the two rams that have been in our pasture for about two months...After a "ram and dog rodeo" with all of us herding, or watching gates, Cienna slammed the trailer door as the two rams jumped inside the trailer, to get away from the sheep dogs.

"Huckle Raz Jam"

As Debbie was driving out the drive she said, "Do you want to pick my raspberries, I haven't had time?"..."Sure, we said in unison!"...Back inside we finished eating our now soggy cereal and tough toast, put on long sleeve shirts, Papa got our berry picking buckets in the car and Ci and I were on our way, leaving Papa and Ginger home...Several years ago we had given Debbie raspberry starts so we knew the berries would be big and plentiful... We soon had almost two gallons of beautiful berries and home again the work began...Jars, lids, and pectin were brought up from the cellar...I have done this so many times, don't really have to think, just start with a large pot, sterilized jars, rinsed berries, Cienna measured sugar, we added the pectin and boiled away...Soon I'm ladling hot jam into the jars as Cienna moves the funnel from jar to jar, hands me the rings, which I screw on tight and the jars full of raspberry jam are left to cool on the kitchen table...We continue making three batches all together, I find a bag of mixed berries in the freezer, so we add those and make a  berry medley jam then add a quart of last years huckleberries to raspberries and have a new jam called "huckle-raz"...It turns out a bit soft but will make a wonderful spread for waffles or pancakes...Several hours later and thirty 1/2 pints of jam we are done for the day...Always a satisfied feeling when the cellar shelves start to fill up.

With all that fresh garlic hanging to dry Cienna and I start another project...Since Becky is leaving and will be living in a new apartment we decide to make her a garlic braid to hang in her kitchen...We gather nine nice heads of garlic, a few small flowers, lavender and oregano put them all together, and bind them together with plastic zip ties...Add a raffia bow and VOILA we have a lovely gift...and can you believe NO PHOTO!!

So today we are headed for a walk, then make rhubarb jam, more garlic braids and Tate is coming to stay for three days...Never a dull moment...I promise more photos ~OWAV:)

2nd Day...08/16/11...5am...45°...Sunny

Off to a great start yesterday...Cienna and I battled the crowd at Soroptomists, meeting up with John's crew that I had shared a beer and toasted marshmallow's with on Saturday night...I had mentioned this to Cienna describing the boys, one with dreadlocks and all originally from the east coast, working here for a few weeks this summer and now ready to return home, look for jobs there or continue their schooling...Cienna tugged at my shirt sleeve and said, "Oma is that one of the boys, the tall one with dreadlocks?"...Of course it was, not many guys in Wallowa County with dreadlocks, and he being tall he was easy to see over the crowd...We visited briefly, agreeing that this is the best place to shop in WC...They paid for their purchases and were gone while Ci and I continued to shop...Ci got two plaid shirts for her and found one felting sweater for her Mom.

Next stop was Fishtrap House and my book group, we each talked about books we have read... discussed books for next months read "Major Pettigrews Last Stand", "Blind Your Ponies" and finally chose Ivan Doigs latest book "Work Song" for next months read, and put the others on our list for later this winter...Cienna joined in our discussion about her favorite books of the summer..."Something Wicked this way Comes" and "My Life in Dog Years".

One bunch

We moved on to shop at Safeway, picked up prescriptions, bought chocolate at Cienna's insistence for a daily treat and back home to join Papa and Ginger (Cienna's dog) on the deck...Soon a cold breeze started and clouds moved in...We decided to harvest our garlic patch, before we get another rain storm...Both Ci and I started digging, then Herb took over my shovel and I cleaned each garlic head of dirt and piled them in bunches of ten to hang in the lean-to...We now have over two hundred heads of garlic hanging to dry...(I'll add a photo later).

The front row

Fixed enchiladas and salad for dinner, which Ci loves and inhaled like she was starving... Neither Herb nor I could finish all of ours...Spent the rest of the afternoon inside because of the cold...Ci and I played scrabble game on the antique board, played more angry birds, read books and chatted with Bobi and Stan...Had ice cream and chocolate cake late in the evening...Another day on Barton Heights...~OWAV:)

Cienna's visit...08/15/11...45°...6am...Breezy

Oma and Cienna

Ci prodded me into a walk shortly after 6am this morning...It was invigorating but I was sweating by the time we got home...Now we have done the scrabble games, Ci has eaten a biscuit and Papa has the laundry started... I'm still trying to finish my coffee...

After meeting Bobi, Cienna and Gramma Jo yesterday in Boardman, splitting our usual Bozo burger and milk shake for brunch, we hit the road to return to Joseph...Bobi and Jo were going to visit a couple of cemeteries around the Hermiston area leaving flowers on Jo's daughters grave and then on to look for Grampa Walls grave...

With Herb driving and Cienna chattering in the back seat, we made a nonstop drive, arriving in Joseph at 3pm...Just in time to unload the car and go to Becky's going away party...We ate John's special BBQ'ed ribs, all kinds of salads, really hot stuffed japaleno peppers and Oma's hot rolls...All the kids and dogs played in the two ponds below John and Becky's house, soon they were all shivery cold and ready to towel off, change into dry clothing and call it a day.

Back on Barton Heights we settled in for the evening, chatted with Bobi, then Ci and I worked on the finer points of Angry Birds until bedtime...

Cienna and I will go to soroptomists, then book group this morning and hopefully be able to sit on the deck this afternoon, enjoying the peace and quiet...Hugs to all...OWAV:))

Get Moving!..08/13/11...6am...54°...Sunshine

This is the last day before Cienna gets here...Need to do some cleaning upstairs, finish up some of my list...Have a few things planned to do, but mostly will just let things happen and see what she has in mind...Will do some cooking today for a BBQ at John and Becky's tomorrow evening...Ci is pretty easy to have around and has alway been good at entertaining herself...I'm sure we will have lots to talk about!..She has been saving up conversation.

In all my glory, new glasses,
 bed head and all! 

On Thursday night we enjoyed the outdoor music at the Gazebo in Enterprise, lovely evening...tasted some wine and bought fresh corn on the cob...Went to LaGrande yesterday to pick up my new glasses, mostly just out and back but it always takes all day...We did a little shopping, stopped for more cherries, they have been so good, we just keep eating and eating...Didn't stop anywhere to eat, so Herb and I just snacked all afternoon on whatever we could find in the fridge or cupboard...Today I will fix chicken, fresh corn, broccoli salad and hot rolls.

Angry Birds finally got their new update so I have been playing that in my spare time...I have twenty pounds of pickling cucumbers ordered for this morning...Will check the market at 10am and see if they came in...Guess that means I better get dressed, and moving...That's all the news on Barton Heights for today...Hugs to all...OWAV:)

Friday

Have a great day, will write later...OWAV:)

Catchin' up...08/11/11...7am...54°...Sunny

Spent yesterday morning making phone calls, balancing the check book for sorority and organizing stuff to do...Found ham and bean soup and meatloaf patties in the freezer so had that for dinner...Finally have everything returned to the fridge and freezer...Seems to be running and keeping the proper temperature...Did some reading and deck sitting.

Not much to write today so will post some photo's on here and call it good...Then I'm going out to thin the apple tree, change water and just check out my world...Hugs to all, have a good day...~OWAV:)

Volunteer Shasta Daisy

Sea Holly

Clematis climbing old lilac tree

                                 

                                     Day lily

Quiet Wednesday...08/10/11...6am...50°...Sunny

Tuesday morning started with reloading the fridge, throwing away more stuff and organizing what is left...The fridge is amazingly bare looking, clean and shinny...Herb vacuums first thing, between changing water and checking the inlet...fixes us cold cereal for breakfast, while I'm cleaning the bathroom, kitchen and utility room...Pat arrives just as the rhubarb crisp (todays dessert) is ready to come out of the oven.

On our way out we look at what is blooming in the garden and pick out plants that Pat can landscape her hill with..."We 3" writing get together is about to happen...Lunch at Embers was good, eaten outside in the company of Amy and Pat...Talk is nonstop between bites... We finish up and go to Barton Heights...Then each of us with a glass of wine, we discuss Katey's comments on our essays, and look for ways to improve our stories...Four hours later we have talked and laughed ourselves silly, eaten dessert and adjourn for another month to work on our August assignment.

Begonias and Alyssum

I spend the rest of the afternoon catching up on scrabble, try to chat with Bobi and Cienna but the connection is very iffy so we text a message or two and say goodbye for another day...I deadhead day lilies, spray liquid deer fence and snap more flower photos...All the time my essay "Whistlin Joe" is running through my head, mentally composing what I will write to finish up the story.

Today I have phone calls to make, sorority stuff to work on, apple tree to thin, etc...All things to finish up before Cienna arrives and another whirlwind starts in my life...~OWAV:)

Best laid plans...08/09/11...5am...54°...Sunny

As I finished my blog yesterday and was ready to start a day of shopping and cleaning to get ready for the "We 3" write group, I heard Herb say from the kitchen, "Della, the refrigerator doesn't seem to be working."...Oh great, I thought to myself...I vaguely remembered taking lettuce from the fridge on Sunday, and thought it wasn't very cold, but then I had just brought it in from the garden, washed it, put it the salad spinner and then bagged it, so it hadn't had much time to chill...Didn't give it another thought...So in checking the fridge,.. It was not running or making any kind of a sound...main compartment was luke warm, the freezer stuff was starting to get soft but still cold and frozen in the center...So after checking the instruction manual, fridge is less than ten years old...We think of all the things, did it trip the breaker, no, the light is still working...Herb gets his tool kit and fixes the fridge so it will roll out of its spot in the corner,..I think maybe if we vacuum front and back it will run...No such luck...I call a repairman, the only one in Wallowa County, and he can be here between 4 and 5pm today...That is good, since if I called the Sears toll free number I would probably be on hold for that length of time, just waiting for someone to turn off the damn music and come to my assistance!..

Now the fun begins, fridge is slowly emptied, I examine things carefully in the freezer, guessing at what some of it is and find myself thinking, "I might use this" but then throw it away since it has been in there since 2002 when the fridge was new!..Herb carries everything downstairs to store in his fridge and freezer until this one is fixed...I proceed to clean the fridge inside and out, removing all of the shelves, washing them and putting them outside to dry in the sun...Herb says, "Wow the fridge is all sparkling and clean, just like new, but what if it doesn't work?"...GRRRrrrrrrrrrr!

I call Pat, relate my story and suggest we meet for lunch in downtown Joseph, and then come here, sit on our deck and discuss our stories...Thought runs through my mind, that she is thinking, this woman will do anything to keep from cleaning house!..(Just kidding Pat, remember I have to make this interesting, with a little humor.)...She graciously offers her house until I remind her that she is flying to Maryland in just a few days and has way too much to do...So it is set we will lunch at "Embers" then to Barton Heights to share a glass of wine and discuss.

Herb and I decide to go to town for a burger, finally choose the "R and R" and order two of their R&R specials; burger, milk shake, large fries...Hold one of the fries as we will share one...good thing as they were really bad fries (does anyone make real french fries any more?) and dry burger not much better, milk shake good... just reaffirms why we don't eat out very often!..Herb had suggested we have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, maybe next time.

Repairman Dan arrives early, diagnoses right off that we have a "stuck defrost timer" but takes him an hour to find it, of course it is in the last place he looks...I never knew that there were so many hidden places inside a fridge that can be opened up!..Now it is all back together and slowly we will start filling it back up, throwing away more stuff and vowing to date and use up in a timely manner all the things I put in there...I was pleasantly surprised at the bill...New timer, generic, $12.00, 1 hour labor $50.00, milage $14.00, Total $76.00.

Now if I've bored you long enough I will quit for the day but I have one question...Why do they spell fridge with a "d" in it and refrigerator without the "d"?...~OWAV:)))

Monday...08/08/11...6am...54°...Sunshine

Barton Heights Sunset

Looks like we have a week of sunshine to look forward to...with temps in the high eighties.. That means we will be watering nonstop, keeping everything green and growing...It is so nice to have our two small electric pumps connected to a 2 inch siphon out of the irrigation ditch...don't have to use expensive chlorinated water from the city supply... We have our hoses set up so moving hoses is kept to a minimum...The main problem for me is this time of year my flower gardens are so packed with greenery and blooms that it is difficult to get the water on the roots...By deadheading and cutting back I make it work.

Will spend the next two days getting ready for our "We 3" writing group...We are meeting here on Barton Heights so I'm cleaning house, tending gardens and fixing lunch...Should be able to eat and talk on the deck...Also have to work on my essay, highlighting parts that Pat and Amy can help me with...I'm looking forward to a fun afternoon.

 15 year old, Nuisance the finicky cat

Will make a quick trip to Soroptomists and Safeway this morning, then back home and get busy...Stay away from the scrabble games or speed through them and keep focused on cleaning!

I spent a lazy day yesterday, sitting on the deck, reading mostly...I'm rereading "Burning Fence", Craig Lesley's" memoir...Hoping some of his good writing will rub off on me, IF, I pay attention to his writing...I tend to focus on what is going to happen next in the story.

Thanks to all my readers for reading and/or comments...Keeps me writing...Enjoy your summer day...Hugs to all~OWAV:)

Sunday...08/07/11...6am...55°...Sunshine

Typical Sunday morning for Herb and I...Not much on our schedule today, Rusty just called, he flew to to New Jersey last night, starts to work tomorrow...Talked to Bobi yesterday, Ci had her last regular swim meet and has district next Saturday...She will be ready to come to Joseph for a week, then Bobi will join us and we will all have a great visit before Cienna starts school after Labor Day...

Herb has the sheets in the washer and soon they will be flapping in the breeze on the clothes line...Brings back memories of another wash day many years ago...

WASH DAY IN LAKE FORK

I pushed open the back door, coming out of the cold into the warm house on a dark December morning.  I took off mittens, heavy coat and wool hat, then struggled with cold fingers to remove my buckled overboots.  The milking and chores were finished for another morning.  As the welcoming warm air of the house surrounded me the odor of lye soap permeated my nostrils; it mingled with the smell of ham and beans already cooking for dinner.  Mom had the washing sorted; big piles of whites, light colors, darks and really dirty clothes covered the floor.  She had the twin-tub Dexter washing machine filled with first warm then hot water with lye soap grated into each of them so it would have time to dissolve before the clothes were added.  Daddy followed me in from the barn and we would have breakfast before the laundry was started.

I washed up, started the toast and set the table, putting thick cream and sugar out for the oatmeal and coffee.  Mom was at the stove cooking bacon and eggs.  We had hearty appetites after milking ten cows, separating the milk from the cream, putting the milk in ten-gallon cans, and into the cooler.  We also fed the bucket calves, chickens, and pigs.  There would be more to do after breakfast, but for now we concentrated on eating everything Mom had cooked.  Soon Daddy finished his second cup of coffee, and went back to the barn to feed the sheep and cattle and clean the barn for tonight’s milking.

Usually, I would have to get ready to go to school, but it was Christmas vacation so I helped Mom with the wash.  She had the gyrators going now and the first batch of whites in the machine sloshing back and forth.  I checked all the pockets a second time to make sure nothing had been left in them; maybe I would find some loose change that Daddy had missed.  Also I turned down and cleaned the rolled up cuffs on Daddy’s bib overalls, because they always had dirt and hay chaff in them and Mom didn’t want that in her washing machine.  Mom was very particular about how things went into the washer; first, only lightly soiled whites, sheets etc.; then, light colors and continuing on until last came the really dirty clothes.  I loved running everything through the wringers, but had to be careful to keep my fingers away from the wringers and to fold the buttons to the inside of a garment or they could get popped off and maybe broken.  Everything went through two wash waters and two rinse waters, the whites going first into warm water, then into the second, hot water.  All the socks had been turned wrong side out before they went in.  Then after they went through the wringer, they were caught and turned right side out before going into the second wash.  There were usually ten to twelve loads of washing to be done.  If the day was sunny, even in the winter all the clothes (after the last rinse), were shaken, to get rid of the wrinkles, then laid out straight in piles.  They were then put over your arm, and with the clothespin bag tied around your waist, a heavy coat and hat on, you made your way to the clothesline.  Usually, in winter, the snow was frozen hard enough that we could walk on top of it.  If not Daddy had dug a narrow path and cleared snow from under the clothes lines.  No matter how cold it was, you didn’t hang Mom’s washing haphazardly or mix things up.  Every towel, pillowcase, sheet etc. were hung together in a group very straight.  When we were finished washing, all four tubs had to be emptied by draining, the water into buckets, and then dumped down the sink drain or in the summer we carried it outside to water the flowerbeds.  The wash tubs were then cleaned and rolled back into the corner and covered, with an old sheet, until the following week. 

Our dinner of ham and beans with huge slices of homemade buttered bread was eaten about noon, with a short rest afterwards.  Later in the day, we would bring the washing in, most of it frozen, stiff as boards.  It was then hung upstairs on lines, also downstairs over chairs in front of the wood stove.  When the sheets were dry, we would remake the beds, with the clean, fresh smelling sheets.

 Afternoon would be over by now and it was time to again milk the cows and do all the chores that had been done that morning.  Supper most nights was bread and milk with left over cold meat from another meal and home canned fruit from the cellar.  Bedtime soon followed because 5am came early.

Daddy had a surprise for Mom that year, when the day before Christmas an electric clothes dryer was delivered and installed.  Every winter, she treasured the dryer that made her life a little easier.  But come spring, clothes were again hung outside to dry, because nothing smells better than a bed made with line dried sheets.  Unless, of course, it is the smell of lye soap mingled with the smell of ham and beans. 

Hugs to all, hope you enjoyed the story...~OWAV:)

Canning...08/06/11...6am...56°...Sunny

I had fun about a year ago writing and designing this while I was in the middle of a canning frenzy...Since I posted a blog late yesterday afternoon, I don't have anything to write this morning...I know the print is small but maybe you can enlarge it on your end...Mac computers press command+...don't know about PC's...Hugs to all, until tomorrow...OWAV:) 




Sorry but the collage I tried to post here didn't work.

Wasted Day...08/05/11...75°...4pm...Cloudy/Sunny

Where to start?..Yesterday in LaGrande went well...Arrived there early enough to get our WalMart shopping done before the eye appointment...As we pulled into the empty parking lot Herb said, "Did you get the times mixed up as to when it opens?"...Noooo, it is open and this is the only time to shop at WalMart, and he agreed...Eye exams went well and we were on our way to BiMart...Made a quick stop at the book store then to Bear Mountain for pizza buffet, they have a good meal deal with a very good salad bar, soup, pizza, etc...Grocery Outlet was the next stop where we shopped almost every aisle and spent $50.00 and saved $45.00... What a deal!..My biggest purchases were chocolate and wine...Took some of the scenic route out of LaGrande so we could stop at Johnson's cherry orchard...bought seven pounds of lapins, yummy...Stopped in Elgin at the market as that is the only place I can find bread flour in a twenty five pound bag or any size bag for that matter...Arrived home about 3pm...

Canisters

It was early to bed for both of us and we were rudely awakened before 2am by a clap of thunder that rattled the entire house...I got up and closed all of the west facing windows, because we usually get strong winds and rain when we have thunder...we were awake off and on for the next two hours with more loud thunder and really hard rain until the storm wore itself out and moved on...I slept until 7am...Did scrabble then went to yard sales...got a vintage scrabble game with it own turn table, has a plastic top with raised grids to keep the tiles in place, copy write 1948, $1.00...Also another set of tupperware canisters for compost bins... They work great on the kitchen counter because the lid is one that you push down in the middle and it seals, easy to clean and comes in bright colors...I keep two for my own use and give any extras to friends.

Herb and I then went to Enterprise to a couple of sales and found a Bernina sewing machine (a mini version of the one Bobi and I have), thought it would be good for Cienna...Got it home and did a test run, sounded really good but when I tried to refill a bobbin it wouldn't work, nor did it have the extra presser feet that should have been with it...Also didn't have a couple of the other features I have on mine that I really like...It had a nice fold up table... BUT, I decided to take it back and now keep questioning myself if it was the right thing, maybe I should have offered less and then had it fixed?..I don't know...guess it wasn't meant to be...

Soooo feel like I wasted the entire morning almost and now I'm sitting on the deck soaking up the sun until the next storm moves through..Hugs, from Barton Heights...OWAV:)