Breezy...41º--50º

Warmer temps this morning, a slight breeze...Wonder if all of my leafy mulch in the garden, will blow away...Will try to anchor it with manure on top and maybe a fencing panel.  Read statistics yesterday about all of the nutrients in the leaves that most of us rake, try to burn or put in bags and haul away to the land fill...Leaf blowers have become common place...Noisy, polluting, drive me crazy tools, that are used without any thought...Most times leaves, grass clippings and dirt are merely moved from one persons property to the next for someone else to deal with...Out of "site," out of mind...Yesterday Herb picked up leaves with the riding lawn mower and they were chopped before collecting in the bags...Now they are on the garden to mulch during winter...Will work outside again today...A cooling trend with occasional snow showers, is headed our way.

Talked to Rusty yesterday, it snowed in New Jersey all day long on Saturday, only accumulated 3-4 inches in Elisabeth where he is at the present...On Thursday he will wing his way to Curitiba, Brazil for several weeks...The temperatures there will be in the 70s-80s...Didn't talk to Bobi yesterday, but from reading her blog, it sounds like she and Cienna are being the busy bakers and gearing up for the Halloween celebration...Wishing everyone a spooky day....Hugs   OWAV:)

Outside Work...30º--57º

Favorite fall photo

Finished the apples yesterday morning...Sliced apples for 3 pies in the freezer and Herb is doing another dryer full for winter snacks...A walk with Pat and then Herb and I worked at cleaning out the garden spot...Had sauerkraut, brots and mashed potatoes for dinner.

Have been trying to get a cold/sore throat for about two weeks now and by last night it was for sure that I had it...Did get a good nights sleep, so don't feel too bad this morning only congested and cranky (what's new, huh)...Today I hope to work in the flower beds after it warms up...Have chicken thawed for dinner...That's it for today...Have a good day, Hugs to all.... OWAV:)

Productive...40º--

The last two days have been somewhat productive...We have 13 more jars of pickled beets on the cellar shelves and apples have been cored, sliced and dried for winter snacks... Today I will fix more apples to dry and some for the freezer...Then on cold winter days we will have apple desserts.

Pat and I have been walking most days, her the prodder, pusher and inspirer to get me moving...Yesterday we visited the "Methodist Market", the church's annual fund raiser... Then we walked the streets of Joseph, talking, laughing and dodging potholes as we went...What a workout...talking relieves frustration, laughing is good for ones soul, and dodging potholes keeps us focused.

At home I fixed our dinner of deer steak, parsnips and sauteed squash and apple crisp a la mode for dessert...Good thing I went for a walk!  OWAV:)

Christmas Countdown...26º--55º

For several reason a few years ago our "Family" decided to have our Christmas at Thanksgiving... It has been named, "Thanksmas"...Reasons being, roads are sometimes better in November, usually time off can be arranged...The "kids" can then have their own Christmas in December, at home, without the added stress of traveling...Oma and Papa don't have to drive to the big city...Of course it won't alway work, this year Rusty might be in Brazil in November or maybe not...Come to think about it I haven't asked if Stan can get time off this year...We never know just how it will work...BUT I decided many years ago that even though I love having the "kids" home for Holidays, I wasn't going to freak out about it...Anytime they are home is a Holiday for us and we make the most of it whether it be July, January, November or March...Sometimes all of us are together, but not always...So as we head into November, I'm thinking about small gifts to wrap and exchange and a dinner menu...We have ordered a whole beef for all of us to share in the ensuing year, our gift to each other...Knowing that we will be well fed and healthy, for the time being, is in my opinion the best gift of all...Holidays are about families, but families make any day a Holiday.... Hugs to all... OWAV:)

????....28º--50º

Pat and I walked yesterday, then yoga class...Yoga was intense and maybe I didn't come out of the poses as soon as I should have...The concentration is so "concentrated" on staying there that I forget to breath, forget to relax my tongue and my jaw and forget to come out, relax and then go back into the pose...As we walked to our cars, Pat and I agreed that walking before was a good idea and we felt good after our workout...But when I arrived home I was wiped out!..I did nothing, except fix dinner...Should I have forced myself to finish the cleaning, go outside and work in the flowerbeds, slice apples to dry, pickle beets or was it right to veg on the sofa?..Where is my energy?

By 5pm I knew I must start moving and get ready for a Halloween/salad supper/auction, hosted by a fellow sorority...I needed a gift to auction...that was easy...Put labels on 3 jars of pickles...gathered things up for a quilt raffle...oh now what to do for a costume...I found some of Cienna's hair bands, put my short hair in two ponytails sticking straight our from my head, grabbed the eyebrow pencil and dotted my nose and cheeks with freckles...Daisy Mae at her best...My neighbor, dressed as the "Ace of Hearts" (she had rented her costume)  picked me up and then Jane, who was dressed in her "Hiawatha" costume...At the party we joined 15 others and proceeded on with the evening...There were fancy costumes, or no costumes and others like mine, last minute costumes...We dined on yummy salads and lasagna, took part in a rousing auction, my pickles sold for $8.00 a pint (money will go to the senior mealsite), and got home at 9pm...I was in bed shortly there after.

Today I will walk again and concentrate on doing one project...I have a Mule Days meeting tonight...Hugs to all...  OWAV:)

Write Group....22º--60º

Janie

Write group is ever changing...It started many years ago as the "Write Group", some ground rules were set up and people were interviewed and voted in--or not as the group desired...Over the years the standards relaxed and when I started going as a neophyte about six years ago, it was for people who had a desire to write and you soon knew if the group was right for you...The group met in the basement of the Enterprise Library, we read our latest or pulled something out from long ago...Next we did a writing exercise, read that, and then went somewhere for lunch...I usually headed home to fix dinner for Herb and I, as we eat about 2pm most days...After a couple of years, Ruth offered her home to meet in, especially in winters...It was more comfy, warmer and she often had a crockpot full of soup to share, after we finished writing...Soon it turned into a potluck lunch with other bringing sandwiches or salads, and now I was enticed to stay, bringing a jar of pickles to add to the lunch...Then one day after lunch,  a scrabble board appeared and my writer friends said, you have to stay, it's fun playing scrabble on these long winter afternoons... After a few weeks of this, I was hooked and now every Tuesday is devoted to writing, reading, eating and playing scrabble...Oh and don't forget the laughter and the camaraderie of spending time with friends...As I said at the start, our group is ever changing...Ruth has just moved away, Annette joins us from Cricket Flat, Kathy drives in from Flora, Leita and Amy from Wallowa, Phyllis from Hurricane Creek, and Pat from the head of Wallowa Lake...We have been meeting at Janies (our mainstay) on Prairie Creek but will now go back to the Library, a more central location...I will miss the smell of soup and the warm cozy room with comfy chairs, but the people, some new, some old will still be the same...Write group has changed again, but the laughter and camaraderie will go on... OWAV:)

Brrrr it's cold....29º---45º

Guess we have to admit that fall is really here...Herb helped me haul all of the house plants in from the front porch last night, so they wouldn't freeze...(they love spending the summers out there)...Have been watching the larch trees as they slowly turn from soft green to lime and finally to gold before the needles drop to the ground... A sure sign that shorter colder days are about to arrive...Couple that with daylight saving time that is right around the corner and our evenings will get dark earlier...I have mixed emotions about daylight saving time but will spare you another "rant and rave" today.

One of the reasons for my blogging is to keep a record of daily happenings, weather, etc.  Was it colder or warmer last year at this time, are the leaves turning earlier...Those kinds of things...I have a couple of fall photos taken last year on November 3rd so have something to compare this fall...Certainly can't rely on my memory!

Didn't work outside yesterday as planned, stayed cold until late afternoon...Did get a walk in with Pat...Herb finished drying the garlic...Our neighbor Dave brought us beets and carrots...More work and today I have write group...Must get going, making soup to share... Hugs to all... OWAV:)

Rant and Rave...43º-54º Breezy

Another day to work outside, cooler so should be good working weather...Had a friend stop by yesterday for perennial starts...love sharing with others.

In the past couple of weeks I have read articles on our use of both prescription (thyroid and bone mass) drugs, and over the counter supplements such as antioxidants...The "latest studies" point our that the level's that these drugs have been prescribed at are changing... Maybe they have been over prescribed, just like premarin was a few years ago...Maybe antioxidants aren't the greatest thing since sliced bread, as they have been touted...Might do more harm than good...Who profits?

We the consumer (patient) are partly to blame for the overuse of drugs as most of us go to the doctor looking for a quick fix for whatever ails us at the moment...The doctors having just had a visit from a "drug rep" are happy to give us a prescription and a few free pills to get us started on the next WONDER drug...Makes me WONDER what the studies on this drug will be in a few years...My doctor and all the magazines tell me to take fish oil, good for the heart, good for the joints...(make sure it is wild caught and doesn't have mercury)... Last visit to the ophthalmologist he said NO flaxseed oil is better (Make sure it is organic)...We must take calcium, then add vitamin d because it doesn't absorb without it, who knows if we absorb any of it...Who profits?

Have you noticed the proliferation of flu shots in the last few years?..They are practically given on street corners..(Medicare pays for them)...Almost every age group gets them... Good for one, must be good for all...Who profits..?

Do you WONDER when you walk into Costco, for example,  and see their huge drug department...Do you WONDER who is the winner in this scenario?..Is it us, the over medicated public, who buys all this stuff in huge bottles...or I WONDER is it the drug companies, who PROFIT..?

Maybe we should try eating a better diet, moving away from the prepackaged, over processed stuff, then taking pills to fill the void...Think about what is really important, staying on your busy schedule or staying home and fixing real food, food that is not full of preservative, dyes, additives...When you consider all of the preservatives that most people eat everyday in everything, maybe we will live to be a hundred or more..."Perish" the thought...OWAV:)

10/23/11--40º--60º

Yesterday was spent at the computer, then taking a walk and visiting the Wallowa County Museum's open house...The remodel of that building has been completed, making records safe from fire and climate conditions...It is a great asset to the community...Herb took me out to dinner (for my birthday) at "Heavenly's" in Enterprise, newer restaurant, food okay...We had never been there so decided to try it.

Joe Pye Weed

Must spend today outside preparing flowerbeds and vegetable garden for winter...In the meantime a corned beef and cabbage will cook in the oven while I work...Herb has been drying garlic for the past two days so our house has that "smell"...It is good, not overpowering.

I planted this "flower, Joe Pye Weed", many years ago and it has yet to disappoint me...It stands tall, over seven feet, never breaking or bending over, no matter how hard the wind blows...blooms late in the fall and is still blooming today, late October...Always an attention getter...It is not like the ordinary weedy flower, as it doesn't reseed...I've transplanted it into several other places but it never does as well as in this original spot....  OWAV:)

Celebration...41º--60º

Birthday "Girl"

Joined Pat for a brisk walk yesterday morning...Then we stopped at Arrowhead Chocolates for a mocha...Pat had surprises in store for me as Herb joined us and Pat treated us not only to mocha's, but special sourdough, raspberry, chocolate scones...Mine included whip cream with a candle and the Arrowhead crew sang "Happy Birthday"...Pat tried to include more people but seems everyone was either working or out of town...While there we sampled the latest chocolate--A smoked carmel, covered with dark chocolate and a sprinkle of salt...There are no limits to what this wonderful little shop comes up with... Check out their website or stop in at the store...   www.arrowheadchocolates.com/

We took a side trip to feed Pat and Brian's mules, Celia and Anna Belle before we browsed some of the Joseph shops and then had a bowl of wonderful clam chowder at the "Old Town Cafe" in Joseph...Thank you Pat for a surprising and satiating birthday extravaganza... I didn't need to eat for the rest of the day...Herb and I will have dinner out today...  OWAV:)

Birthday...43º--60º

Idella and Mona

Celebrate!...I made it another year...Won't go into the aches and pains, joint stiffness, wrinkles, thin skin, and all the other stuff...Amazing how the years keep ticking away, and I'm just happy to be alive...Found this photo of Mona and I in my vintage photos...I'm about  4 and she 10, taken before we moved from Porterville to Lake Fork.

Pat and I are walking, then going to Arrowhead Chocolates for a decadent treat.
 http://www.arrowheadchocolates.com/  Herb mentioned something about going to dinner later in the afternoon... Talked to both kids on ichat yesterday with birthday wishes from them... A loaf of whole wheat olive bread arrived in the mail, yesterday, from the "Wall kitchen" just in time for Herb and I to soak up the juices of a dinner of ham and beans.

Speaking of yesterday, we planted our usual 200+ garlics, for the year... Herb makes the trenches and I push the large garlic cloves into the ground, cover them with dirt, pile straw on top and then we forget them until next spring... Easy to grow and such rewards they give us as we share them with friends, neighbors and relatives...After choosing the best cloves to plant, Herb will dry most of what is left, then I will chop it in the cuisinart and we will have garlic to last the winter.

Looks like decent weather for the next week so will spend more time outside cutting, digging and mulching before winter weather sets in.... Good day to all....  OWAV:)

Hectic...38º--60º

Twin Peaks

Yesterdays sunrise was quite spectacular showing both to the east and the west...I took a photo of twin peaks (west) and the clouds above...Makes me wonder, do other places have a "Western" sunrise?

I spent close to an hour on the phone and computer with Marija (Mar e ta) from Country Magazine...After having been told two weeks ago, to copy my photos and send them snail mail (Marija hadn't seen them) she wanted me to send a large attachment by email... We finally figured it out and she said they are really only interested in the one photo, not both and now they have everything they need to finish my story for publication in December...I hope.

Pat arrived promptly at 9:30 to pick me up and we spent the next hour and half at our yoga class...Then we were on our way to Walla Walla...The Elgin City Park seemed like a nice place to eat our lunch, warm enough to be outside and I could show Pat when my Mom used to live...On our way again, the drive to Walla Walla is so lovely any time of the year and more so now with the fall colors...We arrived at the dental clinic with minutes to spare and Pat was only there maybe 15 minutes...On to another medical office, where she finally succeeded in scheduling an appointment in December with a dermatologist...Stopped at Bimart to shop, then to Andy's and Edwards Farm...Back over  Tollgate, stopping in Elgin where we shared a burger and fries and home about 7pm.

Trivia: On the way home I was relating a story to Pat and used the word "defugalty"...She immediately said, "That's an interesting word, I've never heard it before."  So this morning I typed it in (Herb helped with the spelling) and it could not be found in any of the dictionaries, so I googled it...Hope your day is free of defugalties.... OWAV:)

defugalty-
	A great difficulty; a quandry. It is not located in any modern dictionary, and the references to the word are, for the most part, quite obscure. However, this word remains in common use and most individuals who use it say that they have used it since they were young. Can also be spelled defugilty.

Off Again...38º--65º

Crazy!  I've written this post twice and both times it has deleted it when I try to add a photo...So one more time.

Pat and I walked on a brisk fall morning, walking and talking our way around the school track, planning our trip to Walla Walla on Wednesday...Since we are leaving right after yoga class, she will make us a lunch and I will furnish dessert..Brian (Pat's husband) is on a practice flight, dips his wings at us as he flies overhead.

Ruth Wineteer

Back home I worked in the flowerbeds for a short time, transplanting and clipping before I freshen up and join with friends to wish our friend Ruth safe travels as her life goes mobile...Ruth has been a part of our lives for nearly twenty years and will be missed by all...We reminisced with stories about our adventures with Ruth while she has lived in Wallowa County...Her daughter Marsha is here to help in the move and joined us for lunch.

Pear Bar

Back home I make an apple bar dessert, originally a pear bar...Herb and I sample it late in the afternoon...It turned out moist, rich and delicious...A definite keeper for a luscious fall dessert, can be served with whipped cream or ice cream...Yummy

It is early to bed for me as I keep falling asleep while reading...Either the book is very boring or I'm very tired...Hugs to all.... OWAV:)

*#&+%$@Technology.com...32º--70º

Great beginning to our morning...A new cell phone tower has been installed in Wallowa County, so our track phones needed an update...Did that on Friday and had to call back  after 24 hours to see if it actually worked...So at 6am this morning, I was on the phone doing the call back before the lines got too busy...Got right through, piece of cake I thought-WRONG...Mine seemed to be updated but Herbs needed updates to his phone before the other update would work...So an hour later after we had punched in a bajillion numbers, called and woke up our neighbors and friends to make sure it was working, we think our phones are set to go....The company was nice enough to give each of us 60 free minutes for our long wait...And a good day to all of you.... OWAV:)

Lazy Sunday...32º--60º

Sunday was the perfect day to read a book and since it is book group this morning that is what I did most of the day...I finally finished "Major Pettigrews Last Stand"...I really liked the story line but the description, metaphors, similes, got a little mind boggling at times...Such as,

"My son?" ask the Major with surprise.
"Didn't you know he was here?" asked Alec, his eyebrows stretching like two rabbits getting up from a nap.

Really, "Can you picture this?"  I have never seen eyebrows that big or rabbits that small...Anyway it went on and on like that through the first part of the book...Several months ago I started the book and put it down for this reason....Now I persevered and finished the book...It was a delightful story and the second half of the book didn't seem so full of description or as Pat suggested I skipped over it or just ignored it.

Sunday morning the weather was dense fog, rain, cold and a little windy...I fixed baked potatoes (from our garden) and baked squash (I bought at the farmers market in John Day) for our dinner along with cole slaw and deer steak...Everything was fresh, local and wonderful...OWAV:)

John Day...45º Raining

I was up at 3:30am this morning and all thoughts of planting garlic today are on hold as I listen to the sound of a drenching rain, not fun planting in mud.

Many of the residents of Wallowa County , for the past six years, in January & February have immersed themselves in the "Big Read"...2012's book is "Joy luck Club" by Amy Tan...The planning committee is already hard at work planning activities for next year, hence the trip to John Day and the "Kam Wah Chung Museum".

Joseph to John Day is a 400 mile round trip...Two car loads of people left Wallowa County about 7am and arrived in John Day at 11am...Time for us to tour the interpretive center, learning about early Chinese History of Eastern Oregon...Then we had time for a quick lunch and visit to the Farmers Market in progress just off main street, before our scheduled tour of the "Kam Wah Chung Museum", the Main purpose of our trip...The following web sites give good overall info about Ing Hay or"Doc" Hay and Lung On or "Leon" as they became known... Make sure you view the OPB clip included in the second link.  http://gesswhoto.com/chung.html & http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_8.php

Our trip was long but the company was good, as we visited and became better acquainted with friends and neighbors...We arrived back in Wallowa County before 7pm after a hectic but fun day packed with information about Oregon history...OWAV:)

Flower Beds...45º

Yesterday morning was spent in the flower beds, cutting down, digging, mulching for winter...New friend Leita arrived about 9am ready for battle...On Tuesday I shared some of our gravenstein apples with her and she wanted to pay...I said no we just give them away...In the following conversation, as we toured the remaining flower garden,  I said "Sure is hard to get this stuff all cut down for winter."  Leita said, "I will help"...Wow, a gift from heaven...So for two hours today we talked, chopped, snipped, cut and made good headway and had fun while doing it...Thank you Leita!

I was back in the house at 11am spruced up a bit and met with Amy and Pat for "We 3"... Another lovely afternoon at Pat's "cabin", buffalo brots and chips, chased with red wine for lunch and onto our lively discussion...Life is good.

In bed at 7pm (yes that's right) slept until 4am, up refreshed and ready to hit the road...I'll be back tomorrow to tell you all about our trip to John Day and the Wah Chung museum...
OWAV:)

Crazy--Busy---42º--61º

I love being busy, but sometimes it feels like a Merry Go Round--Roller Coaster--Ferris Wheel all rolled into one...The first is gentle, with a little up and down, a wave here and there as the world goes by, then the Roller Coaster takes over and I'm plummeting toward earth at high speed, hanging on for dear life...Then a little curve and I slow, going up an incline...Here I catch my breath as the Ferris Wheel effect lets me soar above the clouds and bask in the rewards of a life in perpetual motion...For the next week I seem to be in free-fall, dreading the crash as I hit bottom, but surely it will be a trampoline landing and I will spring to my feet again to start another week, back on the Merry Go Round.

Don't ask me where this came from or what it is all about, something to do with similes and metaphors that Katey keeps telling me I have to develop...I don't get it!

Pat and Amy will help me today as "We 3" meet for lunch and discussion...but first I have to work in the flowerbeds...Tomorrow Pat and I are joining others for a trip to John Day and the Wah Chung Museum, and learn more about the thousands of Chinese laborers who came to this part of the West when gold was discovered and railroads were being built... Next week lunch for Ruth as we wish her well as she moves into her motor home and heads south...Then a trip to Walla Walla for Pat's visit to the periodontist---I'm hanging on AGAIN!...OWAV:)

Yoga (again) 36º--60º

My second adventure into yoga started yesterday...With Pat's encouragement I purchased my own mat this time, one with a little more "cush" for our mature bodies... this is a morning class called "gentle yoga" another plus for me...I joined four other students and our instructor, Amy (the same Amy in my "We 3" writing group)...Amy is a Wallowa County "girl" and also the one and only acupuncturist in the county...She is a kind and gentle person herself, so I knew the class had to be okay!!.She took special care to make sure that all of us young and old alike were aware of the fact that we should do nothing that made us hurt...Hold the pose as long as it felt comfortable but come out of it for a rest, if needed... then go back into it...I rested several times, so did others...It is not a competition...I was surprised how quickly the time passed and we were soon resting and relaxing as the session came to a close...I made the remark at the first of the class that I would pay for the entire session, otherwise I probably wouldn't be back for the second class...But as promised it was gentle, rejuvenating, yes even relaxing...See you all next week...OWAV:)

Yesterday...39º---70º

Yesterday we had Write Group in the AM, where we read, laugh, cry...Give out encouragement, always acting as each others cheerleaders and add some constructive criticism ...Then we eat our famous potluck lunches...Happily departing until we meet again in a week.

I came home to glean the garden knowing that mid October we are past due for a frost...I bring in a bowl of ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, onions and patty pan squash...Leave the beets and carrots for another day...Stir fry is on the menu for today.

Sun is shinning this morning and I have bread mixed and rising, so maybe will spend some time in the flower gardens this afternoon...~OWAV:)

Fall...42º--60º

Still bloomin' on the front porch.

I awoke to the sound of light rain this morning, but when I looked our a dusting of snow covered the ground...

We picked our apples yesterday, the latest ever...Normally they are ready by mid September...Many years we have picked four large boxes from the tree, shared them with neighbors and friends and donated them to the Enterprise Home-ec department so kids can learn the fine art of canning...This year we have three boxes to share.

I have write group this morning and Pat and I will walk before that if it isn't pouring rain...Think I will get up now and make a pie or a crisp to take for our lunch, Janie said she is making chili and cornbread...Another delightful lunch with friends...~OWAV:)

New Background...45º--60º

Any comments on the red background on my blog?..Wonder if it makes it harder to read, any suggestions, or did anyone even notice?

Worked both inside and outside yesterday...Will try to make progress in the flowerbeds a little each day.

Herb BBQ'd a yummy steak for dinner...I did oven fries using our Yukon Gold potatoes.

We are supposed to get rain off and on today, but will walk this morning with Pat and work between showers...~OWAV:)

Sunny, Brisk...33º--60º

Morning sunrise

A beautiful Sunday morning, up late and trying to plan my week...Calendar is bare but only because I haven't written anything down...Tuesday is write group, Wednesday I start a gentle yoga class, Thursday night is sorority and Saturday a trip to John Day to the Chinese Museum, in conjunction with this winters Big Read and Amy Tam's book "Joy Luck Club".  All in addition to picking apples, preparing garden space for planting the garlic, gleaning the garden, as we still haven't had a hard frost and have cucumbers, beans, tomatoes, squash and of course beets and carrots...I still haven't mentioned the flower beds that haven't had anything done to them for over two months, except Herb has been keeping them watered, weeds and all...Now they need to be cut down and mulched for winter...One step at a time.

Yesterday I helped Ruth, not many people but still she sold some large items and her house is looking very bare...Stopped to see Jane on my way home and had a nice visit with her.

At home Herb had cut up the front half of his deer and saved out steaks for our dinner...I fixed mashed potatoes, gravy, new carrots and cukes from the garden, sliced tomatoes, then dredged the steaks in flour with salt, pepper and garlic...fried them lightly in olive oil... What a meal, and we topped it off with "day old" apple pie, topped with ice cream.

Had visitors in the afternoon...Dan Price stopped by for a chat, Dave Bright dropped off some beautiful red onions (huge) and Becky and John stopped by for a short visit, Becky has been home for a few days and must head back to Salem Sunday...

This morning Herb is hanging sheets on the line and will soon be calling me for breakfast, so I had better get moving...Hugs to all~OWAV:)

Yard Sale...36º--60º

Last yard sale of the year...This time instead of a shopper I'm a helper...My friend Ruth has bought a motor home, is selling most of her belongings, rented her house with the hope of selling it and is going south...She will be nearer family and can come back to Wallowa County and spend time here in the summer...She is an adventurer and home is where ever she happens to be.

I've always liked yard sales except for the early birds...Most of the time they are dealers, looking to skim off the best buys before others get there...I arrived at Ruth's yesterday at 7:30am, sale starting at 8am...Cars are already parked in her driveway...Everything is inside, so all the doors are still closed, I go in the front door and we finish marking items...  close closet doors posted with STAY OUT signs...Now people are lined up at the front door...we wait for the clock to tick down and Ruth opens the door...In they come like a stampede of cattle...People really are crazy!!!

I work steady for the next two hours, outside and in the garage, where most everything is... We sell a lot of stuff, people get bargains, the free stuff is almost gone...The main crowd has come and gone, now just a few people at a time, they browse, maybe buy, all in a more leisurely manner...Ruth brings out coffee and cookies for the crew...I leave about noon, with the promise of returning on Saturday for the first two hours.

Apple pie

At home I start dinner... Squash, chicken thighs in the oven...Herb brings in apples from the tree in our yard...This tree was here when we moved into this house in 1973...I peel and slice apples and made pie crust...When dinner is cooked the pie goes into the oven and later apple pie ala mode is dessert...Gravenstein apples fresh off the tree make the best apple pie ever...~OWAV:)

COLD...40º--55º

Indian summer turned cold, it snowed!..Not enough to stick for any length of time but forced us to pull out coats, turn on the living room heater and feel the dread of winter, as it encloses us like a black shroud.

Winter was fun when I was a kid, and again when I learned at the age of forty to ski...Couldn't wait to bundle up in all of that gear and head for the ski hill...It took a while to get over the sick to my stomach feeling as we left home but that was mostly because of the chairlifts...The exhilaration as I "sped" down the bunny hill and later more advanced runs, remains with me still...Never got expert by any means but for ten years it was so much fun...I still love watching a snow storm, sweeping the walk and immersing myself in the clean, fresh feeling of winter...Time passes so quickly at my age that winter will be over in the blink of any eye!

Have to go help my friend Ruth with her yard sale...At the age of eighty one she is renting her house, has bought a motor home and is starting on a new adventure...I wish her luck and happiness...~OWAV:)

Published...38º--48º

Country Magazine contacted me via email three days ago, with the following message...

Hi Idella!

I'm writing from Country magazine. Back in February 2010, you sent us a story called Country Learnin' and I'm just wondering if you have the original photos that go along with that piece? If so, it would help if you could make copies of them (at your local Walgreens, Wal-Mart, Target, etc.) and send them to us.

If I don't hear from you soon, I'll give you call. Or feel free to call me at 414.423.0100 ext: 3854.

Thank you!
Kirsten Sweet


What did this mean? I wasn't sure...Yes, I had on a whim, nearly two years ago, sent in a story about my first day of school at Wood Grove...A one room school house in Lake Fork, Idaho, suggesting they do a series on one room school houses...So I called and talked to Kirsten, asking are you just interested in the photos or are you using the story, will it be published?..I ask these questions in a calm, quiet voice, instead of...

REALLY, YOUR GOING TO PUBLISH SOMETHING I WROTE... YOU'RE KIDDING ME RIGHT!..


Come December of this year my Vignette "Country Learnin'", plus photos will be published in "Country" magazine...Pinch me!..I don't know how much of the original story that they will use or how they might change it and didn't ask...I can't believe it is really happening and probably won't until I have the magazine in my hands and read it for myself...Maybe I should get a subscription?

Idella 

I met Pat at the Joseph school track that morning walking about two feet off the ground, we did a little happy dance...think we made six laps, don't know if I was out of breath from the walking or the excitement...We went to write group, shared the news with them...and did another happy dance...I'm back to earth now, but there is a little spring to my step...But maybe that's from my new shoes that came via UPS yesterday...
Hugs to all~OWAV:)

Deer Season...44º--55º

A little rain, cooler temperatures, after an extremely dry August and September...It feels good...Also good for hunting season as yesterday Herb left on his 4-wheeler to cruise the 160 acre field behind our house...Not even five minutes later I heard one shot, opened the back door and listened, quiet prevailed...He must have gotten it, I think to myself.

Nice three point

Deer hunting has always been a part of my life, Daddy hunted during season but also other times if meat was needed on our table...hunting was not much of a sport for him, but another way to provide for his family...My mom really liked to hunt...Herb bagged his first deer at fourteen hunting with his father...Over the years he has hunted with a rifle and a bow, hunted for deer and elk...He thought I should hunt when we got married...I resisted...I loved going along on the "road" hunts, spotting deer from the pickup, I was good at that...Also I did like the meat...Finally in Utah, I signed up for "hunters ed", learned how to load, unload a rifle and  the other safety issues...We bought a gun, Herb shortened the stock, to fit me, I practiced and went on my first hunting season...I wounded a four point buck, Herb and I tracked it and he finished the kill...I still liked the spotting part best and when Bobi and Rusty got old enough my gun was turned over to them... They did hunters ed, I think Bob went once or twice, then Rusty was old enough and has hunted most seasons since then.

Easier than packing it out on his back!

Guess it can't really be called hunting anymore as the deer roam by our house daily, eating from the smorgasbord of plants and flowers in our yard...We feed them, now they are food on our table...Liver and onions for dinner tonight...OWAV:)

Salsa done...Potatoes dug...47º...light rain

Salsa 2011

Started early yesterday morning, scalding, peeling and cutting Roma tomatoes into large chunks...Roma's are better for salsa because they are a "meatier" tomato...I still "squeezed" them, drained them, and got almost three quarts of juice before putting them on the stove to heat...Meanwhile Herb was using the chopper on the onions, jalapeños and bell peppers, garlic and cilantro...Soon this was all simmering on the stove with salt, lime and lemon juice added...The recipe calls for vinegar, but I think it gives the salsa a "harsh" flavor...So after checking the internet, the "experts" say I can substitute lime or lemon juice for the vinegar, so that's what I'm doing...I've ended up with a huge batch so split it in half to cook...Something doesn't look right, too much green not enough tomatoes...So quick thinker that I am, I pull two frozen bags of roasted tomatoes out of the freezer and add one to each batch, ahhh, much better...The salsa cans up a beautiful red color, it tasted wonderful as Herb and I sampled it "raw" and will taste good this winter when we get a "hunger" for tomatoes and a little extra heat!..We added 18 jars to the cellar shelves.

Yukon Golds

Next project was to harvest our potato crop...Potatoes grown in straw are easy to harvest, just a slight tug on the vine lifts some of the potatoes out of the ground and the rest lay nestled in the straw, kind of like finding a nest of eggs...Digging potatoes is a lot of work but this way it is just plain fun...Herb and I are both gathering potatoes, amazed and exclaiming at the beauty and size of our crop...When we finish the small patch, we have over 50# of clean, mostly smooth, Yukon Gold beauties...The largest one weighed almost two pounds...More bounty to add to the cellar.

I picked our last zucchini, grated it, added eggs and fried it in patties...Added the last two ears of corn to our plates and sliced tomatoes...We lament the fact that summer is winding down and the delicious veggies are coming to an end...Soon it will be soup and beans...It rained last night...What am I going to fix for dinner?..

Finished my essay last night and zipped it off to Amy via email...I have write group today, may go to Imnaha to Janies cabin...Herb is off on the 4-wheeler for his morning hunt in the back field, wish him luck...Hugs to all...OWAV:)

Cellar Shelves...40º--70º

Filling the cellar is a compulsion with me...It starts with jams and jellies in the early summer, fruit and pickles in the summer and fall, and goes clear into winter canning turkey, beef, pork and wild meat... The house doesn't always get cleaned or the garden weeded but the cellar is kept stocked...I started canning early in our married life and stopped briefly when I worked full time...Then after my mom moved to Elgin, with her prodding it started all over again...We spent many hours canning together, her working harder than I...Finally when she was in her nineties she sent her sixty year old pressure cooker home with me, still not sure if I could do it on my own.  

Now Herb and I have a system where he sets up the camp stove when I need it, carries all the jars, fruit etc upstairs for me and I wash, peel and slice, filling the jars...On occasion Herb grinds and chops and even helps fill the jars...Then he carries it all back downstairs to the cellar...Couldn't do it without him...If the kids are home they also get in on the action, especially when Bobi brings tuna from the coast and we have a two day canning marathon with all of us "cutting up", stuffing the jars and keeping close watch on the pressure cooker...More fun is eating home canned tuna!!

Yesterday we did 15 jars of cabbage relish, 12 jars of zucchini relish and 14 jars of sweet pickles...This morning we will harvest our potato crop because rain is in the forecast and yes the tomatoes are ripe and the salsa will be done today...OWAV:)

Pickled Again...44º--72º

Yesterday didn't turn out quite like I envisioned...Thought I would have sweet pickles and salsa in the jars...BUT FIRST, as our kids used to say...I needed to go to the store for celery seed for the relish and cilantro and limes for the salsa...While in Enterprise I stopped at Ruth's, (friend who is moving away) to fix the bobbin in her sewing machine, so she can sell it at her yard sale...A simple task but frustrating to people who don't know much about bobbins.

At Safeway, whole chickens were on sale for 79¢ a pound...Bought five of them...Back home Herb had the onions, peppers and zucchini ground up and ready to add salt, and set overnight for the relish...Not enough zucchini for two batches so decided to try a cabbage relish as we have extra cabbage in the garden...Aha now we have two batches of relish to can...Now should I start on the salsa or maybe cut up the chickens...Tomatoes will wait...Two hours later the chickens are cut up packaged and in the freezer and I have the bones etc to make soup stock.

We both needed a break so head for Alder Slope and "Sunrise Iron", where Pat and Brian are hosting their last mule ride and dutch oven cook off for the season...We dine on enchiladas, visit with folks that are there to view the old time machinery as well as Pat and Brian...Take the long scenic route home the full length of Alder Slope.

Decide that the pickling and salsa making will wait for another day and Herb relaxes with his book while I do scrabble and write on my essay.

Now it is Sunday morning and the relish is waiting as well as the sweet pickles and the salsa...Herb just came back from his hunting excursion, out in the back field...No luck, just does and fawns this morning...I must get moving...~OWAV:)

Walla Walla...Relish...57º---75º

Trip to Walla Walla was fun, stopped at Edwards' fruit farm, choosing fruits and vegetables to pick up on our way home...Next stop Andy's, the "Seventh Day Adventist Store" in College Place...Pat was in awe of the huge produce department and the bulk food selection and is excited about taking Brian there on their next trip to W.W...Next stop WalMart for odds an ends that are not available in Wallowa County...We lunched at the "Green Spoon", Pat and I split a "BLAT" bacon, tomato, avocado and lettuce, chips and salad on the side...LeaAnn had the lamb burger with a special cucumber/yogurt sauce...While Pat was at her appointment, LeaAnn and I perused the book store and visited non-stop...Trip home was uneventful...Pat will be making more trips to the periodontist this fall...Bummer!

I must move now, Herb is grinding zucchini, onions and peppers for relish...Then I will be chopping tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic etc for salsa...it is time to slice the brining cukes and make them into sweet pickles...Love this time of year...~OWAV:)