Sunday....48º

Guys are off hunting, I have jelly to make and tomatoes to roast, which means the end of the BLT's...I have had my fill of tomatoes and cucumbers but know it won't be long before I wish somehow I could have saved some fresh ones...I will have to be content with pickles from the cellar and roasted tomatoes from the freezer.

Had a good day yesterday, Russ and I got the Oregon grapes juiced, jars ready and this morning I will put it all together making jelly...I also have a quart of plum juice that I have been saving and I will turn that into jelly...Pat called with an invitation to go yard saling if I was feeling mobile...A great way to get me out of the house and an excuse to stop at Arrowhead Chocolates for a mocha...No luck at the yard sales.

Home again the sauerkraut and summer sausages were ready to go on the table, added a pan full of mashed potatoes and we had our own Alpinefest dinner...Wallowa County is having it's last HOORAY as it has revived Alpinefest this year, it seems to be a hit as Pat said the Lake area is crowded with people and the Joseph Main Street lined with cars and people of all ages enjoying the beautiful fall day...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Friends...49º

I have many things on my mind this morning...Friends at the top of the list...We had chicken in wine sauce for dinner last night thanks to the culinary skills of friend Pat...As Rusty finished his second helping he said, with a twinkle in his eye, "Tell Pat this was almost as good as Kentucky Fried." Seriously it was very good and we have enough left for someones lunch today...Neighbor Marsha and her granddaughter Haven arrived this afternoon with a bucket full of fruit from the Oregon grape bushes growing near the  abandoned Boise Cascade Office...This morning I will sort and wash the berries, Herb will set up the gas stove and juicer and we will watch the dark purple juice flow into quart jars and later make it into jelly for our morning toast...Another friend and neighbor, Jane, is in my thoughts this morning...She is nearing ninety and not well, living in assisted living for a few years, she has had a series of falls and her mind is in a state of confusion...she was hospitalized on Monday, I visited her briefly as I left the hospital after my surgery on Tuesday...She was scheduled for more tests as her family and friends waited anxiously...The MRI showed a series of strokes happening in her brain, nothing to be done but keep her as comfortable as possible...Another long time friend, Margaret is also close to ninety, still lives alone but is having severe back pain...She has been hospitalized and a procedure done to alleviate the pain...Our thoughts are with these two dear friends who have enriched our lives over the past forty years.

Now on to daily happenings: Rusty enjoyed a plane ride with Brian yesterday, on a beautiful morning they flew over the Cache Creek fire where he goes with John in the winter to check on horses, maintain the buildings etc...Herb and Rusty sighted in rifles as buck season starts this morning, Russ also has a bear tag...I went to physical therapy, had my bandage changed to large bandaids and Aaron said, "It looks very good so keep your leg flexible and let it bear more weight just so it is not painful." I will see Dr. Burgoyne on Tuesday with more instructions and renew the PT...I have the ice machine humming this morning, advil taken, time to start another day...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

P.S. Heard from our girls in Portland, Cienna scored a point for her water polo team and last night she and friends were at a HS football game, yelling for their team.

Approaching Fall...54º

Beautiful fall days, lots of sunshine with cooler nights...Herb and Rusty worked in the garden plot yesterday...After the rain and some sprinkling the ground seemed just right for a light rototilling...I have been avoiding the use of the tiller for about 5 years now by adding lots of compost to the garden in layers each fall then come spring we plant directly into the mulch with pretty good success...But this year with no rain all summer the ground was hard packed so after H & R spread manure, straw, alfalfa pellets and other compost Rusty did a light tilling and it now has the winter to decompose and should be ready next spring...The garlic can be planted anytime.

Pat stopped by in the afternoon for a short visit and one of her special dinners "Chicken in Wine Sauce" for our dinner tonight...Yummy

I spent the day mostly in my recliner and a short time on the deck soaking up some much needed rays...I felt good enough to be frustrated because I couldn't do things that I see need to be done and I especially wanted to be outside watching the garden work...I have a PT appointment and dressing change today so will unhook the ice machine and get dressed and moving...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Day 2...42º

Had a restful day yesterday, very little pain...I was waited on hand and foot by my two nurse maids...Took a little nap, played on the computer....Pat stopped by for a short visit...I will do more of the same today and tomorrow have a PT appt. to have the bandage changed...I will see Dr Burgoyne on Tuesday for a follow up visit...Read about the warming gown etc at this link. Nice and warm...It made my hospital visit very comfortable...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Knee is done...41º

I frittered yesterday morning away, trying to think what would make the next few days easier for Herb and Rusty...I cleaned more stuff out of the fridge so it didn't turn into a science project, cleared some of the things off of the counter tops and took the scrub brush to the toilet...Then I took my cleansing shower with the special antibacterial soap and dressed in clean loose fitting clothes...Filled out the information sheets (No one asked for these or even looked at them), made one last call to the operating room, making sure I was doing everything right...I went over the bank statement and balanced the checkbook...Anything to keep my mind off of the surgery...I've only had one minor procedure done, no broken bones and only one night spent in the hospital except for when our kids were born...So this is mostly new for me.

Herb dropped me off at 11:30am in the turn-around at the Wallowa Memorial Hospital, parked the car and then joined me at registration...Pre-op nurse Leslie soon appeared to take me and my ice-man back to surgery...Remember those infamous hospital gowns, yes the ones that tie in the back leaving your "rear end" exposed to the world...Leslie instructed me to remove clothing and deposit then all in a plastic bag and then pointed to my new attire: "Purple Bair Paw socks" a new and improved lavender colored, paper gown (Yes it will still open in the back) but it is roomy and she points out that it has a special feature where it can be attached to a hose which blows warm air throughout to keep you warm in the operating room...I'm all for this as I've already started to shiver...Leslie takes my vitals and gets a vein on the FIRST try...Phew...Then the best part she brought me a warm blanket, tucked me in the reclining chair as Dr. Burgoyne walks through the curtain, blue eyes sparkling..."Are you ready for this," He asks... "I guess I better be, it is too late to back out now." "Oh no, it is never to late to back out, until we give you the sleepy drops." He marks the left knee, making sure we get the correct one and says he will see me shortly in the O.R...The last thing I remember is warm air blowing all around me in the lavender gown, a mask going on my face and the anesthetist saying breath deeply....That was about 12:30pm and I groggily woke up about 2:30pm in recovery...Then to room six where I came fully awake had something to eat, more pain meds and we were ready to go home about 5pm...Only one mistake the pain meds were taken on a partially empty stomach and I ended up eating crackers and sipping on coke until I finally took an anti nausea pill which put me to sleep about 7:30...Slept soundly until 5:30am...I can put weight on my leg, so had no problem getting into the house with a walker, going to the bathroom by myself and moving about the house...The ice man is humming away, knee feels good after taking advil this morning, had my coffee, don't feel so grumpy....Hugs to All....OWAV:)

Bear Paws

Grumpy...50º

Up before 6am after a good nights sleep but without my morning coffee and knowing that I can't have water or food until after my knee surgery, if I could sleep, I would go back to bed!!! Grrrrrr

So I will be as crabby as an old bear for the day...Speaking of bear---Yesterday afternoon up the hill came the ODFW truck making a big racket, towing the bear trap to a new location...In the middle of the night Herb and I thought we heard a noise that sounded like a slamming metal door...We both assumed it was the bear trap now with a bear inside...Not wanting to disturb the bear if it is in the trap we will wait for the ODFW to come and haul it away...Or maybe it was just a noise in the night.

Yesterday I started a batch of bread before going for my PT appointment...Herb did the driving so he could deliver stuff to Soroptomists and do other errands...I finished before noon and as we drove past the Senior Center I said, "Lets stop and have lunch."...It was an okay lunch, beef stew, salad, cornbread and 1/2 an orange...There was a small crowd, visited with Ruth, then made our way home to pan the bread and get it baked.

Now I must head for the shower, make phone calls, balance the check book and get to the hospital at 11:45am for my scheduled surgery...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Wonderful Rain...50º

I checked back in my blog to see when I posted our last rain storm...It was July 1, 2012...Little did I know then that we would have almost 3 months with no rain...We started work in the garden about 7am and thought it might open up and chase us into the house, never did so we just kept working and Herb turned on the irrigation when we finished about noon, not knowing if we would really get rain or not...He did the heavy hauling and digging, while I pulled spent plants and harvested the potatoes from their straw bed...We gleaned cabbages, carrots, zucchini, cherry tomatoes and a couple of cucumbers...Now the space is almost ready for Herb and Rusty to plant garlic sometime in the next month.

Early morning before we went out I started a double batch of buns and a batch of roll dough...After the garden was done I came into dough rising and roll dough, still in the sponge, patiently waiting for more flour...Two hours later we had fresh buns for our dinner of hamburgers and cinnamon rolls waiting for their frosting...When the cinnamon rolls came out of the oven I had a large pan of ham and beans ready to go in and cook for the rest of the day...You might ask, why such a flurry of activity?..Well it is count-down time to my knee surgery and I think my guys will appreciate some food cooked in advance.

I have a PT appt. this morning and have to fill out the pre-surgery paperwork (ugh) and take two cleansing showers with special soap to rid my body of all the bad bacteria before surgery...One tonight and one in the morning...I wonder where my "good bacteria" is going to hide out so I only kill the bad stuff...I believe in being clean but this doesn't make much sense to me!

Late afternoon it did start to rain, a nice steady downpour, continued off and on until about 9pm, maybe we will get more today, then it looks like it will taper off and stay in the upper 70's for the week...I must get moving...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Lazy Saturday...50º

Yesterday I had planned to make a double batch of hamburger buns, some for dinner and some for the freezer...That didn't happen...After Herb fixed bacon and eggs for our breakfast, I did usual cleanup, iced my knee and before I knew it afternoon arrived...Pam stopped in after her morning hike and we spent the rest of the day "deck sitting, visiting and eating", something we haven't done much of for the past two years...Pam starts a new job on Monday, maybe one that doesn't demand so much of her time and energy and she can again have time for relaxation, as well as work...We wish her well!

Endless watering for Herb seems to be the norm this fall...Our ditch water is still running and supplies irrigation for our trees, shrub, flowers and garden...Usually by now Herb has started to drain and store hoses and pumps for the winter as fall rains soak deep into the root system and nourish plant life before it goes into its winter dormancy...We have had no measurable rain since early July and although thunder showers are predicted, nothing seems to be coming from the sky...Hopefully we can get the potatoes harvested today and clean other things out of the garden and then give it all a good soaking before planting the garlic.

But before going outside I must start some bread dough, think about what we are having for dinner and also maybe get a pot of beans going for another meal later this week...Wonder if I can wash a couple more windows?..Maybe not I have to remember to ice my knee...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Fiddle Dee Dee...51º

Time was all my own yesterday as Herb left early, with the list, for Costco...Short ribs were simmering in the oven, timed to be ready for dinner at 2pm...In my mind I was going to wash windows inside and out...I managed 3 outside and 1 inside before my knee began to swell and ache...By that time Herb was back home, we had dinner and I elevated and iced the knee through the afternoon...Windows  will wait for another day.

Pat and I video chatted, she from a beautiful B & B overlooking her childhood home of O'Dell, Oregon near Hood River...Smoke is also a problem there and they viewed Mt Hood through a haze...She said the "Mountain" looked ghostly as it's outline faded in and out of the smoke.

Late afternoon after a  refreshing shower, I dressed in my favorite capri's and pink shirt, swallowed 2 advil and headed out the door to pick Pam up for our outing to the Elgin Opera House and a performance of "Fiddler on the Roof"...It seems a short drive to Elgin as we talk non-stop arriving just in time to pick up tickets, a small bag of popcorn and a small pepsi to share...We climb the stairs to our favorite balcony seats, scan the program for familiar names, before the lights dim and our setting is transformed into a different time and place...Times passes quickly with singing, dancing, laughter and drama...Intermission and then the final curtain...Another amazing performance by amateur actors and actresses who have committed themselves to hours of rehearsals for our enjoyment...I arrive home shortly before midnight, no need to unwind, just crawl into bed and i'm out like a light until 6am.

Sun is shining this morning, again through a smoky haze...Thunder storms and maybe a little rain are predicted...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Mustard Pickles...49º

House is quiet, old routine resumes...It is an early morning today, woke up at 3:30 after a restless night...The continual ache in my knee makes it hard to get comfortable and something seems to be catching inside there...Sooooo I will be glad when surgery is over and hope it takes care of the problem knee, and that recovery is speedy. -:)

I made mustard pickles yesterday, 12 colorful jars all lined up before adding them to the cellar shelves...This recipe was handed down from my Mother, who got it from her Mother...It can be a planned assortment or simply what happens to be left in the garden...This year I added patty pan squash to the original recipe of cucumbers, peppers, cauliflower and onions...It varies every year but it is always sweet with sugar and sour with the cider vinegar...I love it with chicken strips and sometimes use the sweet/sour mustard sauce that surrounds the pickles for a honey/mustard dressing for our winter salads.

Middle (middle)

We had leftover meatloaf in a "tomatoey gravy" for our dinner yesterday, then iced my knee and relaxed on the deck reading and resting...Herb is making a Costco run today but I'm saving my knee from the cement floors, so I can go to "Fiddler on the Roof" with Pam tonight...More about this tomorrow...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Smoky Valley...54º

After my morning pre-op at Winding Waters Clinic and a blood draw at the hospital, I had some time to kill before Physical Therapy ...Since the hospital cafeteria is known for its good food and I left home before breakfast, I ordered a whole wheat hot cake with a side of link sausage...The hot cake was excellent the sausage not so, but I was hungry and slicked my plate clean...Next I took the new back road from the hospital to Safeway, bought red peppers and cauliflower for a batch of mustard pickles, circled around to Mountain View Glass where I paid for our shower door and completed the circle at WWC just in time for my PT appointment with Aaron...Aaron as always greets me with a smile, takes the walker I have borrowed from my friend Nancy and instructs me in the proper way to go up and down stairs after surgery, then he uses ultra sound on my knee to alleviate the swelling that appears when I've done too much walking...My surgery is now scheduled for Tuesday 25th about 1pm.

I arrived home and decide the tomatoes need attention...I sort, wash, core, slice and chunk, then pile them on two oiled cookie sheets, sprinkle with dried garlic, basil and salt and slide them into the oven, where they will roast for the next 3 hours while I fix BLT's for our dinner, ice my knee and relax on the deck while Herb takes a 2 hour nap, after doing laundry and watering all morning.

Our Valley was so smoky this morning on my trip home from Enterprise that the sun and mountains were non existent...It looked like a foggy winter day instead of a fall day...Fires are burning in Idaho, Washington and Oregon and will continue until we get rain, none is predicted for the next week.

Mona called around 7pm, their car was unpacked, dinner eaten...Their trip was uneventful and as with the rest of us they are always glad to be back home.

One last chore for me as I scoop the roasted tomatoes into ziplock bags place them in the freezer next to the roasted peppers for use later this winter...Now it is time to crawl into our line dried sheets (smelling a bit smoky) but clean and crisp just like I like them...Hugs to All....OWAV:)

Visits End...54º

For the last two days we have continued with our chores and did more relaxing on the deck visiting with Mona and Jerry about old times, families and our future as the older generation...Our aches and pains, knee surgeries or replacements, previous back surgeries, nursing homes and on and on were included in the conversations...We were not dwelling on this stuff just being realistic, trying to keep it light and at the same time facing the facts of our creaky joints that are wearing out and seem to lock up every time we are immobile for a period of time.

Monday morning Mona and I met Pat and MariEtta for a drink and conversation at the "Red Horse Cafe"... Sat outside near the irrigation ditch on a beautiful Wallowa County morning...Back home, Herb and Jerry were reading on the deck and Mona and I spent time in the kitchen dicing and slicing, trading recipes and kitchen hints...For breakfast we had eaten leftovers made into omelets, then made meatloaf and stuffed peppers for our dinner, then made another apple pie, called friends and shared our pie a la mode with them...Finished the evening, again playing cards trying to stay awake until 9pm.

On Tuesday we slept late and after the morning "chores" decided that while it was still cool, we would go to the lake and play a round of miniature golf at the new course...We stayed upright and our creaky joints held up long enough to make it around the 18 hole course...Amid much bantering and laughter we all made at least 1 hole in 1 and finished the course none the worse for wear...Seriously considered having an ice cream cone to celebrate but then apple pie was mentioned as an alternative...While the guys drove to Enterprise and picked up our order of broasted chicken, Mona and I whipped out ANOTHER fresh apple pie...We enjoyed our dinner on the deck...Mona has been saying since they arrived here that when the food ran out she was going home...That time has arrived, they will leave this morning making the 600 mile trek back to Centerville, Utah where home and family awaits them...It has been a fun few days and a good end to summer.

One last note...On our way to the lake yesterday we saw yet another bear as he crossed the road in front of us and made his way over the guard rail and down the steep incline to the lake...Below are some photos of miniature golf and the last apple pie....Hugs to All...OWAV:)

 

Morning Sunshine....46º

Another lovely Sunday in Wallowa County...Mona and I sliced and diced in the kitchen getting peppers ready to roast and freeze...I plan on using them when I start pressure canning later this winter...My sourdough was working well so I took a chance and started a batch of bread...It felt good after it was mixed and with help from the sunshine it rose above the pans, browned beautifully in the oven and tasted so good, warm slices for our dinner...We had BBQ'd lamb chops, fresh green beans, gorgonzola stuffed "HOT" jalapeño peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and corn on the cob...Mona keeps saying if the food runs out she is going home...The guys kept mentioning that another apple pie a la mode would taste really good...Maybe today?

During the day we enjoyed a short walk, conversation on the deck, laughter, good company and food...Spent an hour or so on the front porch, visiting with Pam and watching to see if the bear might saunter by...(Not today) A few hands of "Gramma's game finished the evening and today we have another beautiful sun filled day in the making...What more could anyone ask for?..Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Warm September...53º

After a few cold nights, Herb had made sure our beds were covered with down comforters (so our company would be warm and cozy) windows were closed to prepare for fall weather...After four nights of freezing temperatures, Friday night staying at a warm 55º, I spent a restless hot night, up three times  going to the bathroom and opening windows, looking for a breath of fresh air...Not the restful night I had hoped for.

A leisurely morning, we made breakfast of toast, fruit, eggs and salsa...Started outside to take a short walk but only made it to the comfy chairs on the deck...There we sat, sun shining, surrounded by flowers and the view of our Wallowa County Mountains...Pat and friend, Marietta, (visiting from Pennsylvania), stopped for a short visit.

Needing to move our bodies we climbed in the car and headed for Imnaha, down, down into the canyon on this hot day, knowing that at the Imnaha Tavern we could find a cold drink and  lunch on chicken gizzards and fries...The Imnaha Canyon is dry, brown and hot in late summer and the difference in the scenery from Joseph is startling...In the short 30 miles the elevation drops and the terrain changes dramatically...Bare canyons rising on all sides, rimrocks jutting out, not a pine tree in sight...Along the narrow river bottom, small home sites are nestled in, surrounded by orchards and gardens...Irrigated with river water these small oasis line the bottom of the canyon.

We return to Joseph, relax for a few on the deck then Mona peels apples while I roll out a pie crust and we soon have a rustic pie in the oven for our dinner...We decide to go meatless tonight and dine on fresh veggies, corn on the cob, wait an hour and then dish up pie à la mode for dessert...As we are taking our last bite, Mona says, "Is that a bear?"

I haven't talked about the bear sightings on Barton Heights even though it has been the talk of the hill for several weeks now...Supposedly a sow and 2 cubs...We (along with the neighbors) have seen the signs--bear poop in the flower beds, garbage cans disturbed, a small bear on Haines' back porch and a large "live-bear-trap" set by the ODFW, down the road in the meadow...Occasionally in the last forty years we have seen bear scat in the meadow and logs and rocks turned over by Hayes' pond but only for a few days and then winter came and the bears went away...Last night we actually saw one of the bears with our own eyes and even caught it on camera as the four of us stood on our front porch and watched it walk down the road, stop for a crab apple before ambling away down the trail and into the meadow...Now the question is will the bear (s) be trapped or will the weather turn cold and they will return to the woods?...Hugs to all....OWAV:)

Reaching for an apple

Looking back at us after Herb whistled

Ambling down the road

Mona and Jerry arrived...55º

Herb and I worked most of the day as I finished in the bedroom and he vacuumed, mopped floors, moved water and picked the apples...No one wants to know how much dust and dirt I found as I dug deeper into the corners but it was way tooo much...What a good feeling to know that it is now cleaner and cleared of all the containers and piles!..I didn't get everything done I wanted to, but it will wait for another time.

About noon I called Mona's cell phone to check on their progress...They had just arrived in Boise so that meant that I had about 5 hours before they would arrive in Joseph...I fixed us a little lunch and sat down to ice my knee, then went back to work...They pulled into the yard about 4:30pm with a trunk load of nectarines, corn, tomatoes and cucumbers...I had buns ready for the oven, bacon in the pan and with the fresh veggies and fruit, dinner was soon on the table.

We visited late into the evening, catching up on family news, before turning in for the night....Hugs to all....OWAV:)

Sourdough....49º

I had such good luck with my sourdough bread for several months, that I just assumed it would continue...So last week when I made 5 loaves and they turned into bricks, I blamed the cooler weather, when putting them in the hot sun to raise and the dough turned to a soggy lifeless glob, i decided they got too hot...BUT yesterday I thought I had it all figured out and when Herb suggested the new heated floor in the bathroom would make a good place for the dough to rise I took it to a higher level and decided that the shower might be even better, I ran hot water in the shower, and with the heated seat thought that would be the perfect place to let it rise in the moist environment...I did the first rise, it was okay but not moving like I wanted it to...Sooooo I keeping the bowl covered set it on the tile floor of the bathroom where the tiles seem warmer...Eh, moving but still not just right...I tried my old tricks used when Herb and I did bread for the market, I heated rice packs and set them under and on top of the bowl...By late afternoon I decided enough was enough and started to shape the loaves...Damn, it had the same soggy (not spongy and elastic) feeling of the week before...Yup you guessed it last night at 8pm Herb took them out of the oven for me and yes they are bricks...Didn't stop us from sampling one of them warm from the oven and it tasted good but I know that cold they will be better to start building a wall instead of making sandwiches!..Today I will make a quick batch of the HB buns for bacon, tomato and lettuce sandwiches that will be our dinner tonight when Mona and Jerry arrive...Since I don't give up easily, I'm thinking that I need to add more flour in the kneading process but I have to get the sourdough starter built back up before I try another batch...Any ideas for the bricks?...Hugs to all.....OWAV:)

Count Down....38º

Mona and Jerry will arrive in two days....I have myself on sort of a schedule for cleaning our bedroom, where they will sleep....Yesterday I sorted the closet, now I have 3 bags full of clothes, a few shoes, 1 bag of yarn (very old synthetic yarn) to donate to Soroptomists and 1 small bag of Bobi's clothes (YES, you read that right) I wonder if Cienna will be dressing up for a 70's day anytime soon or if they should go to Sorop?????...Now the closet is looking pretty empty and I have room for??...Soooooo on the list for today is to sort the "stuff" and my armoire, putting everything neatly away...Then on to straighten the bookcase, sort the new yarn and the old felted sweaters and my unfinished knitting projects...Aha!..Maybe there is room for these projects in the newly cleaned closet?..By tomorrow I should be able to clean out from under the bed and with Herb's help vacuum the room and have it ready for occupancy on Friday night....Herb will see that they have clean line-dried sheets and a down comforter for their slumber...Not a 5 star hotel but close, because the food at this establishment is darn good...Since that is probably more than you wanted to know I will end the blather and get moving.

Today we also have a lamb to cut up, wrap and get in the freezer, as well as clean up the rest of the house, pick the apples, and tomorrow, wash the windows and make an apple pie....Ooops, there I go with the blathering again...Hugs to all....OWAV:)

16 Jars of Salsa...33º

For the second night in a row we had a killing frost...Zucchini, cucumbers, cherry tomato plants all bit the dust...We can glean a few veggies from them and then it will be time to clean up the garden, let the potato vines die down and after we harvest the potatoes we will plant the garlic in that very spot...I think that will be a job for Herb and Rusty as it won't get done before my surgery...I know that with me wielding my cane, they will have it done in no time -:)

Yesterday I left the house about 9am, straight to the produce market and then to Safeway intent on getting onions, peppers, limes and cilantro...Had physical therapy from 10 to 11am and made it to the last 1/2 hour of write group, then to the Range Rider for lunch...2pm I arrived home where Herb and I immediately started on the salsa...Jars were scalded, tomatoes, peppers and cilantro all washed...I peeled and diced the tomatoes while Herb chopped the hot stuff...He shed a few tears but kept at his job and three hours later without stopping for a break we had 16 jars of colorful salsa to add to the cellar shelves...After cleaning up the mess, loading the dishwasher, he treated himself to a bowl of ice cream topped with cherry/rhubarb syrup and I ate leftover chicken, tomatoes and cucumbers, then we collapsed into our respective chairs until bedtime...Salsa is not our favorite thing to make and we say every year, NEVER again!...But it is so pretty in the jars....Hugs to all....OWAV:)

Angry Birds....34º

Okay, Angry Birds, that's what I've been doing for two hours but I am finished with this level and can leave it be until the next one shows up....Yes I must admit, I'm addicted and I used some cheats to find some of the magic spots, and the last golden egg.

And now, one last time, today is the day that the salsa is going to get made...It is not always easy to get the ingredients here in Wallowa County but this morning with a fresh food stand in Enterprise and Safeway getting fresh shipments in on Tuesday, it just has to happen!

Yesterday while Herb was in Enterprise picking up the last of the garbage from Mule Days, I roasted 3 sheets of tomatoes, made a batch of hamburger buns, simmered ham and beans, made more pickles (6 jars) then Herb and I went to Lostine to pick up our fall lamb and now have it hanging in the garage (lucky that the weather turned cold last night to cool it out)...Also we have it just in time so Mona and I can get our fill of fresh lamb...Lamb was a staple of our diet as kids and is still our favorite.

I have a PT appointment this morning and write group then will come home to get the salsa in the jars...We are still eating tomatoes and cucumbers daily along with the fall melons...I'm always so sad when I put the last one on our table...Mona and Jerry are bringing peaches so we will have a busy few days eating our fill and canning the rest...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Salsa, today for sure...42ª

A few days ago I posted that I (we) would be making salsa...Well it didn't happen...So today is the day along with roasting tomatoes..Now I've worked or procrastinated myself into a corner....It was easy with Mule Days to say oh I'll get it done tomorrow as I sat visiting with friends...TOMOROW is now here...The house is pretty much upside down, cucumbers waiting in the patch, tomatoes in the back room, write group and lunch tomorrow, company coming on Friday...OH MY!...Deep breath, one thing at a time and the first is to get out of this chair and get busy....Hugs to All....OWAV:)

LAST DAY....60º`

Yesterday went well for me...Belinda and I work well together, we fed 250 people, baked beans were a hit!..Few minor snags, nothing big...Walking on cement floors after all these years is not good for me but I'll make it through one more day...Got home at 6pm, quickly changed my shirt and got to the wedding reception for Erica and Tyler (Arrowhead Chocolates) in time for dessert (chocolate and pies)...Held outside at the ranch, it was a a warm balmy evening, tables made of planks and hay bales stretched across the lawn under trees trimmed in mini lights, band playing, people dancing...Lovely, lovely party....I visited and watched, got to talk with Brandon and Annie who came from Missoula, didn't stay long and sorry I missed the ceremony that was held in a grove of trees nearby...Arrived home, Herb was still up and it was after 8pm, his day had gone well and we visited about the different people that had crossed our paths during the day...Beautiful weather, friends, hard work and play...It was a good day...Hugs to All....OWAV:)

Mules Days 2012 Joseph Oregon...50º

We are in the midst of Mule Days, here in Wallowa County....Herb dedicates most of 5 days each year to this cause...Picking up trash, putting up canopies and signs and whatever else needs to be done...I do less hours, working in the souvenir and ticket booths, cleaning bathrooms and this year helping with the Saturday night BBQ...Over the years we have volunteered for different things, Air Life of Oregon, Eagle Cap Excursion Train plus other things with different organizations...We don't do  as much as other "career" volunteers and I think except for the occasional few hours at an event that we might do in the future this will be the end of volunteering for me...Can't speak for Herb!..Am I getting old or just tired, maybe both...I just know that I will be very thankful when Sunday night arrives this year....Hugs to All....OWAV:)

Salsa...52º

Today is the day for salsa making, that is if the jalapeño and bell peppers arrive at the farmers market this afternoon or if they don't I will go to Safeway and see what I can find along with fresh cilantro, then we will add all this to the ripening Roma's, homegrown garlic and onions, after they are chopped...Simmered to blend the flavors, then ladled into jars and sealed before it ends up on the cellar shelves...Mule Days, where Herb and I volunteer, starts tomorrow and chores at home will have to wait.

Yesterday I had two things on my list...First was to turn the treasurers books over to the new treasurer of sorority...A simple act I thought, until arriving at Community Bank where "Betty" was waiting for me and Kate said "So you called and the paperwork is in place to make this change?" "UH no, we just want to change names on the account for the new treasurer to write and sign the checks," said I, thinking how difficult can that be?..I won't go into the entire story but the change didn't happen...Our card hasn't been updated since 2008 and we have to have signed papers from 3 people (one has moved away) to remove them from the card before we can add someone else to the card...GGGGRRRRRRR!

Second on my list was to buy chickens on sale at Joseph foods...They started stocking Ranger chickens about a year ago and have them on sale periodically...To me they have a better taste and firmer meat than Foster Farms chickens...I quit buying "Southern raised chickens years ago"....Herb and I made a quick trip to Joseph Foods to buy these chickens because they sell out fast...Home with 5 of them I proceed to wash, cut up and package them for the freezer...Herb helps with the packaging and soon I'm cleaning up the sink and cutting boards and the job is done until the next time they go on sale and we can stock up again...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Janie's Haven...48º

An old cabin, meandering river, grape arbor, 1/2 acre of vegetable gardens, fruit trees, blackberry vines,  rimrocks and rattlesnakes...It can be called many things such as Janie's Haven, Heaven or Retreat, a special place where Janie goes to relax, work, write and refuel her batteries to continue her busy life on Prairie Creek...A life filled with family, friends, animals, hard work and play...Friends are also invited to share this special spot and yesterday our Write Group drove down, down, down the curvy road into the Imnaha Canyon to the little cabin...We started by walking through the community gardens full of zucchini, cucumbers, corn, ripening tomatoes, squashes, pumpkins and melons...Then our attention turned to the blackberry bushes, we picked a few before the sun chased us onto the grapevine covered front porch where we read and critiqued our stories...Janie served her special iced coffee and before long our grumbling stomachs signaled time for lunch...Our potluck lunch of corn of the cob, coleslaw, zucchini casseroles and lemon bread filled our tummies...We wished for a quick nap, but instead loaded our cars and drove back to Joseph and the reality of our own busy lives.

Back in Joseph, where Herb kept the home fires burning (so to speak) I was greeted with the news that our shower door had been installed...The shower is now complete, the yard sale shower curtain gone forever, replaced with a glass door, that is so clear you can hardly tell it is there.

Shower door

News from Bobi about Cienna's first day in high school, slightly traumatic going into a new school with 200 students after going to K- 8 in the same comfortable school building...Cienna's saying she is not quite sure of this new experience of high school.

Do I really want to do this?

Rusty is back in Bend after a camping weekend at Fishers in Mitchell...Now he has to finish his building before returning to Joseph in a few weeks.

Late afternoon with blackberries sitting on the counter, apples on our tree, I put flour and butter in the cuisinart and soon had pie crust in the making, apples peeled and sliced, blackberries rinsed and by 8pm the pie, was cool enough to scoop into bowls, cover with ice cream and enjoy before bedtime...Hugs to All....OWAV:)

Blackberry for me /Apple for Herb

Labor Day....46º

As we celebrated Labor Day I wondered how it started and what it was all about so I googled and this was just one of the sites I found...So you can read this one or choose your own.

Herb and I started off Labor Day with a breakfast of corn fritters or corn cakes as he called them, way back when we were first married...Just one of many things that I've added to my diet over the years...His Mom made corn cakes by adding corn, grated off the cob, to pancake batter and served them with fresh made applesauce and/or maple syrup...Our kids grew up thinking that everyone ate corn cakes and looked forward to having them, mostly in the fall, (fresh corn and apples)...We ate them for breakfast or dinner depending on how desperate I was for something quick and filling to start the day or even on a Sunday afternoon when we arrived home from a boating or camping trip...We've used many toppings over the years but my favorite remains as with other pancakes--peanut butter topped with homemade berry jam/syrup and a side of bacon.

Corn Cakes without the toppings

The 50# of Roma tomatoes were still residing in the back room and now looked like they were ripe enough for me to start the roasting process...I sorted out the ripest ones, washed, cored and arranged on cookie sheets...Added a generous sprinkle of chopped fresh garlic, basil, sea salt and drizzle of olive oil, and popped them into the oven..For the next 7 hours our house smelled like an Italian Restaurant and I couldn't wait for the first batch to finish roasting so I could have a sample...Our neighbor Marsha came knocking at the door to "borrow" some dill weed and said, "What is that wonderful smell?" We then traded ideas of roasting tomatoes and all the other canning stuff we are doing now...The tomatoes were almost done when I got a call that cukes had been picked at the Magic Garden and they were mine...Herb and I made a quick trip to pick them up, then back home we filled a gallon jar for more sweets and a quart jar of more dills...I love this time of year!..Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Tomatoes ready to roast

...44º

Cool nights find Herb and I looking for a heavier shirt both in and out of the house, also a small quilt morning and evenings...It was warm enough midday that I spent time on the deck making garlic braids for special friends...Now I have more garlic to clean before it is time to plant and dry the remainder for winter...We haven't had a frost yet but the cool nights keep the garden from producing...Soon the potato vines will start to die back and then it will be time to plant next years garlic crop.

We dined on slow cooked pork ribs, finished off on the BBQ, with fresh green beans, tomatoes, corn and cucumbers...I love the summer meals, easy to prepare and wonderful to eat...I feel like royalty with meals like this, no special sauces or fancy names just fresh food from the garden, add a little butter and salt.

Sun is up, looks like another glorious day in Wallowa County and I have tomatoes ready to roast....Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Holiday Weekend...42º

Holidays don't matter much to Herb and I unless our kids are coming home...For us Labor Day weekend is just that...Yesterday we harvested cucumbers and Jostaberries from the garden...Made 5 jars of dills and 7 jars of yummy jam, along with watering (still no rain in sight)...Had dinner of stuffed bell peppers, corn on the cob, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers...Also took time out to sit on the deck before we delivered zucchini to Becky and John and stayed for a short visit....Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Our own Cukes

Jostaberries

Yard Sale Bust...46º

Makes me wonder what drives people to have a yard sale...Are they lonely? Do they think it will make them a few easy bucks? Did they just clean out one closet and the stuff is too good to take to Soroptomists?  They advertise in the paper, make itty bitty signs, find a building, set up tables or erect a canopy in a grain field, in the middle of nowhere and put it all out there!!! Occasionally everything is clean, marked and well displayed but usually it has been drug up from the basement or down from the attic intact with dirt and cobwebs from many years...Sometimes it is just one table, other times the entire neighborhood or town bands together for a community yard sale, garage sale or estate sale or living estate sale, all believing the trite but true saying "One persons junk is another persons treasure".

NOW I also wonder what drives people to go to yard sales?..First there are the "Dealers", they come early or the night before, circling like vultures ready for the first bite...They grab the best deals and make a quick get away...I quit yard saling for several years just because of the "greedy dealers"...Next come the ebay people, dealers as well, they also are early but spend more time digging deep into the boxes looking for buried treasures...Then the ordinary yard salers of which I am one are just looking for the occasional bargain...Over the years I've drug home my share of junk such as bed frames and other "yard art" but I've also come home with my share of bargains such as the oak coffee table, oak ice box and mission oak chair that grace our living room...Also a rare find of a Bosch bread mixer with wheat grinder included for a ridiculously low price and other bargains as well...I was disappointed in the yard sales on Friday, Pat and I spent several hours perusing one after the other, her driving, me in the co-pilot seat...Both of us came home with one small item, had fun in the process but decided afterwards that a better option would have been to visit Arrowhead Chocolates sipping our favorite mocha's.

I started sourdough bread before leaving the house yesterday morning, came home to dough that was not rising, set it out in the sun, think it got a little toooooo warm, so it turned into a soft, sticky dough that I somehow managed to get into the bread pans, partially raised and later on baked...It is not my usual batch of bread but should make good toast (maybe door stops) at least until the sourdough starter gets built up again and I can do another batch...Times a wasting, I must get busy....Hugs to All... OWAV:)

Black Eyed Susans