May 31, Sunny...36º

My seven day forecast says sunny for the next week and highs in the 70's...Perfect spring weather when you put rain + sun everything grows by leaps and bounds...Yesterday found me making hamburger buns to go in the freezer and a pot of clam chowder for quick meals..

At noon we (24 Josephy Docents) were treated to a luncheon and briefed on upcoming events and changes on the calendar...Lyn Graig director, after getting the Center off to a rousing start, has moved on and Amy Zahm, interim director has been hired...After lunch we visited the Maxville exhibit (Gwen Trice) in its temporary space upstairs, along with the Josephy Library (Rich Wandschneider) in its permanent location...A week long quilt exhibit is on display downstairs, a prelude to the annual quilt show next weekend at the Joseph School Gymnasium...A new Art and Sculpture show will be on display starting next week for three weeks in June.

Maybe mushroom hunting this morning and looking forward to the afternoon at Amy's, should be a good weather...Enjoy this sunny day...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Rainy...43º

Herb and I thought about mushroom hunting yesterday but the rain storms, although sporadic, just kept coming...I opted to do some weeding between storms...The hypnotic fragrance of our many blooming lilacs bushes kept me company as me and my trusty digger found dandelions and yellow clover...Easy to dig, roots and all, when the ground is wet and loamy...I did some catch up on phone calls and inside stuff when the rain pelted down.

Talked to both Bobi and Rusty yesterday, rainy in Portland and Boise...Russ is still enjoying his job, will be taking a break in June, going to Bend to catch up on things there and then back to Boise, stopping in Joseph on his way...Bobi is busy with Ci winding down her freshman year and practicing for the upcoming Dragon Boat Races held in conjunction with the Rose Festival in Portland...They are planning a trip to Joseph after Ci's birthday, mid July.

Mid afternoon Pat stopped by on her way through town and we enjoyed a quiet visit as we sipped a glass of wine...Talked about our volunteer work and exploring another venue as the Wallowa County Museum will be adding volunteers to their staff this year....Still trying to come up with a trip the 4 of us can take sometime in June, maybe a boat trip or another train trip like we did last year (Sumpter Train Ride)...Thinking this year will be an overnighter as not too many day trips are possible from Wallowa County...It will be fun no matter what we decide to do.

It is still cool and wet this morning so since Herb is on his own for dinners the next two days, I will do a batch of hamburger buns this morning and maybe start a batch of clam chowder so we have meals ready and waiting in the refrigerator...Weather looks like it will improve so maybe mushroom hunting this weekend...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

PS....Lilacs are beyond beautiful this year, wish I could include the fragrance!

Imnaha, Soggy and Wet...46º

Imnaha yesterday was unusually wet...We arrived in time to visit the "Magic Garden" where about 10 volunteers were working with shovels and trowels...We were greeted by Caroline (new intern heading up the project), she handed us trowels and said, "Follow me"...She placed new collard starts down the row and we followed digging a hole and setting them in the ground...Others were planting other greens and tomatoes...Long straight rows with name markers were already in place...Robin the "brain child" of this garden greeted me, saying "Idella, I just planted lots of pickling cucumber for you"... Nice to know that I have a supply for this year...With muddy hands and sticky clay soil sticking to our boots we finished our row before going back across the creek to Janie's cabin and our "Write People" meeting.

Janie heated up the oven while the rest of us put the finishing touches on our potluck dishes, slicing and dicing...As Janie slid her loaf of sourdough bread in the oven to bake we gathered around her long, sturdy, farmhouse table and shared our stories...Soon the smell of fresh baked bread made our tummies rumble and we took a lunch break...Salads, warm sourdough bread, cake and fruit celebrating Maxine's birthday for dessert...A surprise visitor joined us, Chris a long time member of the Write People, now living in a care center, thanks to her daughter arrived to join us for lunch.

Mid afternoon the sun broke through...We all gathered around the front porch where Janie had picked the spot for her new peony, a gift from the Write People in memory of her grandson Rowdy...Pam wielded the shovel and Janie lovingly set the plant, tamping the soil around its roots...A fitting memorial to bloom each spring celebrating his life...All in all another day of sharing stories, written and oral, remembering other years and looking forward to many more...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Donut Weekend...43º

Oh why not?..Just one more...And so it went until the sack was almost empty...I love doughnuts or donuts, however you want to spell it...I eat them, with sugar, granulated or powdered, cake or raised with icing or plain...Although Cienna's donuts of last week were a little over the top for me...Too much topping not enough donut although, I've never tried one so how can I be sure?

I seldom ever buy donuts and if I do, it is only one or two...We fell heir to donuts on Saturday when Brian came bearing gifts of donuts...He wanted to share in the bounty of surplus donuts, left over from the Flying Clubs open house...Now anyone knows that eating donuts and going for airplane rides might not mix...Too much sugar, grease and not enough "barf bags" on the plane...(Sorry Brian, I'm just trying to make a good story...Creative non-fiction you know.)

When I thanked Pat for the generous gift of donuts she said, "We liked the sour cream ones best." and I without thinking, said, "Oh you must have because we didn't get any of those." And before I knew what was happening Brian arrived with another sack of donuts...I ate one sour cream donut (yes it was very good) and put the rest in the freezer out of sight...Not out of mind I might say because donuts for breakfast, not a bad idea, doesn't take much to thaw, another cup of coffee and I'll be flying high for the rest of the day minus the plane...Enough of this foolishness I must get ready, a trip to Imnaha is on my calendar....Hugs To All...OWAV:)

One lonesome donut

Busy Week...42º

Holiday weekend and a busy week to follow with only 4 days to get it all done...Tomorrow our write group goes to Janie's cabin on Big Sheep Creek, where we spend the day visiting, exploring, maybe planting seeds in the "Magic Garden" (Community Garden with spaces in Imnaha and Joseph, manned by volunteers) before we share our potluck lunch and read some of our writings.. Heading back to Joseph late afternoon...Thursday I have a lunch meeting of the Josephy Docents and Friday We 3 meet at Amy's new home for the grand tour inside and out where we meet her babies (dogs and horses).

Here on Barton Heights it rained most of yesterday so I didn't dig any weeds... When it dries out a bit the garden will need to be planted and flower starts moved from the greenhouse to planters...First week in June is planting time in Wallowa County, we can only hope the frosty nights are over...Enough for today...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Yard Sales...49º

With Pat driving we gave Amy a ride to Lostine...She is finishing her move to Joseph which entails moving vehicles, hauling hay and getting ready for a yard sale at her old place...We head back toward Joseph taking in the yard sales as we go...Signage is very bad this morning as we spend more time looking for and finding the places than we do at the yard sales...Of course it doesn't help when I'm in the navigation seat because I flunked map reading 101, PLUS I don't know north from south or left from right, so that makes it very challenging for the driver...We did buy a few things and as usual had a good time.

Back home about noon, Herb was on his way to mow Pam's lawn so I spent an hour catching up on scrabble, email etc...before fixing leftovers of roast beef in gravy over mashed potatoes with a salad on the side for our dinner.

Late evening I sprayed liquid deer fence as the deer have been grazing the "columbine salad bar"...Clouds today with a promise of sunshine, maybe I can find some more weeds to dig...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Spring time blooms...37º

7:30am, one more trip over the blues, snow threatened, rain showers gave way to sunshine and the patchwork scene as we dropped into the Walla Walla valley...Fruit and ornamental trees have finished their bloom, now is the time for rhododendrons, azaleas and roses, vivid with color after a spring bath...The hours and miles fly by as we talk and laugh barely coming up for air as one subject quickly moves to another as we discuss families, trips, friends, future, childhoods, daily life and lunch...It is a day to rejuvenate and relax but we are also on a schedule...Just enough time for Pat's doctor appointment, lunch, some shopping and back home by 5:30pm...We squeeze a lot into this day but always wish for more...We do have a good time!

After a good nights sleep, today dawns with sun peeking through the clouds and possible showers on their way...Yard sales are abundant this weekend and will fill the morning as Pat and I join friend Amy, taking in the yard sales and discuss plans for her upcoming yard sale in a couple of weeks...So goes life on Barton Heights...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Adventure...38º

Worked outside some yesterday, propping up plants and cutting broken stems...Plants are pretty resilient so most of them stand back up on their own.

Off to Walla Walla with Pat to a doctors appointment...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Buuurrrrrrrr...29º

Yesterday was a crazy snowy day in May...The heavy wet stuff just kept coming down until mid afternoon...It was hard to tell just how much, 6 inches or 8 inches?...Herb and I kept clearing off the bushes and trees as much as we could...Slogged our way through the snow to put up a makeshift shelter for the goats, in our pasture...Put straw on the ground and alfalfa pellets in a feed pan...Goats especially need shelter when it is cold and wet...Of course they thought we were out there to play with them and they really wanted to get on top of the tarp after it was in place...They are fun to watch...Soon they were all bedded down in the straw and drying off.

Late afternoon it quit snowing, warmed up and melted nearly all of the snow before dark...This morning we have icy conditions and probably any hope for fruit this year is nil...Sun is shinning, grass is green and the lilacs are upright and still blooming...Spring/summer is still just around the corner... Hugs to All...OWAV:)

The goats said thank you!

Little greenhouse is zipped up

Warm cookies on a snowy day

I Wanna Cry...32º

For once the forecasters were right on...We got about 4 inches of snow last night...All of our bushes are leafed out, lilacs in bloom...They are covered, drooping way down and it is cold with more snow in the forecast..Usually when we get snow this late it snows then melts off, but I'm afraid this is going to stick around and the longer it does the more damage...At 4am I knocked the snow off of the red Japanese maple tree so the limbs wouldn't break...This is the little tree that everyone told me wouldn't grow here...We've had it for at least five years and it always seems happy, a little sad looking this morning.

As it lightened up I took a break from writing to take photos, then decided to knock some of the snow from lilacs and other bushes in danger of breaking...Herb and I donned boots and coats and each with a broom we lightened the load of snow on the branches...I was feeling really bummed and sorry for myself when a light went on...Visions of tornados, flattened cities, loved ones dead, homes and possessions gone... Real devastation and I'm complaining about frozen flowers, broken branches...I came back in the house in a much better mood than when I went out, thankful for my many blessings,  my life and a warm house...This little snow storm is nothing to cry about...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Japanese Maple

Old Fashioned Lilac

Changeable Weather...55º

It turned into a lovely day yesterday, with shears in one hand my "toad stabber" in the other I deadheaded daffodils and dug weeds...I was soon looking for the shady spots so I could stay outside, but still finish my job...In the house, hamburger was simmering for our dinner of tacos.

The morning had started out cloudy and cool, with Pat driving we left early for book group so we could make a stop at soroptimist (looking for bargains) and at the bookLoft for "flashes of War"...No bargains in the basement but as we climbed the stairs on our way out, chairs (folding chairs) had appeared...Ten of them labeled $3.00 each...Now Brian's flying club has just acquired a club house and he has Pat on a mission to help furnish it...They needed folding chairs...These were not your usual folding chairs...They had padded seats and arm rests and were very sturdy (heavy)...A quick phone call to Brian found him just a few blocks away...He said, "Buy them, I will be right there to pick them up."...Pat went to write a check and I was left guarding the chairs, telling eager buyers, "Sorry the chairs are already sold"...On our way to book group we spotted a yard sale where a friend of ours was selling everything and leaving the county...More things for the club house were purchased, we had a lively discussion at book group, got home about noon feeling very accomplished!!

Late afternoon Herb and I journeyed out the back roads and into the woods to Ruth's house ...She had purchased a washer and dryer at a yard sale and they were being delivered and help was needed to unload them and set them up.

People ask us what we do to keep busy in retirement...We do have many days of relaxation but more days when we keep active, which reminds me we still have a log deck that needs our attention...Write people and garden club is on my agenda today, I opted out of playing cards tomorrow but it looks like showers are predicted, maybe I should have said yes!..So goes another day on Barton Heights and enough of my rambling...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Colder...40º

It never did warm up yesterday, some sun late afternoon accompanied by a cold breeze...It was inside work for us...Herb did his usual Sunday laundry and hung things to dry in the basement...I was so desperate for something to do besides scrabble, jigsaw puzzles or reading that I cleaned the bathroom and the kitchen floor, after giving Herb a haircut...Dinner of sauerkraut and sausages simmered on the stove, we added, garlic mashed potatoes on the side and molasses cookies for dessert.

The book on my end table is from the library..."The Girls of Atomic City"...It is the story of the "Top Secret City" (75,000 residents, many young women), built in the Appalachian Mountains in Oak Ridge, Tennessee in the early 40's at the height of WW II...Civilians from the surrounding areas were recruited to work for the "war effort", sworn to secrecy and most of them had no idea what they were really doing until the war ended...Promises to be an interesting book...Got a phone call on Saturday that the book "Flashes of War", short stories by Katey Schultz (she is critiquing my writing) is in at the BookLoft.

Busy week for me with Book Group this morning where we discuss "The Orchardist"...Tomorrow is Write People and afternoon I can go to Garden Club or not, depending on how my day is going, I might stay home and deadhead or read...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

More Rain...43º

After several yard sales, Pat and Angie got some good buys and I came home with a tupperware container (the kind that fits in my pantry) and an oval cooling rack...It was time to start mixing dinner rolls for Becky's party and a lemon pudding cake that tastes kind of like lemon pie but will hold candles and goes well with ice cream...Herb was home from mowing Pam's lawn and a trip to the dump...We had a big breakfast of ham, eggs and toast because it would be many hours before eating again at John and Becky's.

Becky's party was wild and fun with all of the immediate Frolander clan, Hollenbeak clan, Herb and I and B & J's next door neighbors...Food including asparagus, mushrooms and a fresh veggie tray for appetizers...Tri tip (done to perfection by John on his Traeger grill) cheesy baked potatoes, 3 kinds of salads, rolls, cake and ice-cream...Weather was nice late afternoon but turned cold and breezy by 6pm, some hardy souls sat around the bonfire to eat while the rest of us opted for the house warmed with a fire in the wood stove...Herb and I lasted until nearly 9pm then home to our own warm, cozy house and in bed shortly thereafter.

It is cloudy and cool this morning, Herb will dry laundry in the basement and I'm hoping for a little sunshine and time outside to do some deadheading this afternoon...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Rain Came Down...43º

With sourdough starter bubbling away on the kitchen counter I measured water, flour and salt, dumped it along with a good measure of the starter into my Bosch mixer, set the timer for ten minutes and let it knead...I added more flour as needed until it was quite stiff...Shaped it into a ball, slathered it with bacon grease and left it to raise while I worked outside.

It was cool yesterday morning, looked like rain...Perfect temperatures...I repotted some annuals while Herb set up the little greenhouse on the deck...We have half whiskey barrels on the deck for annuals, so I removed some of last years potting soil, loosened what was left and added new soil...Another couple of weeks I can actually plant them...Until then the new starts will stay in the little green house and maybe fill out a bit...I just have to keep them from freezing...Have more pots to do but will wait for another day.

I alway intend to get way more accomplished than I do, but I find myself wandering aimlessly at times checking on the fruit trees now in full bloom, wondering will we finally after many years get an apple from our little Gala apple tree?..Maybe a few apricots for jam and I do hope for some Santa Rosa plums for jelly...As a wander the smell of lilacs fills the air, I see deadheading to do, weeds to dig and best of all more plants budded ready to bloom.

I took breaks, going back into the house to mix the bread dough down and started a jar of chili to simmer for our dinner...About 2pm the rain started just in time for me to clean up my potting mess and fix our dinner...Herb set the table and I shaped fresh bread dough into rounds for fry bread to eat with our chili...Later in the afternoon we basked in the smell of fresh baked bread and molasses cookies.

We got a nice soaking rain overnight, which we needed...Everything is washed and fresh, maybe a little sun will peak through...Yard saling with Pat this morning...Birthday and Graduation Party for Becky this evening...Another day on Barton Hgts...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Good Day...43º

Any day that the ophthalmologist finishes your exam and says, "Your eyes haven't changed" is a good day...Herb uses drops in his eyes daily to keep glaucoma in check and so far so good...I on the other hand have age related macular degeneration, not much to be done but watch it and hope that it continues to stay where it is.

The Doctor did talk to me about supplements (vitamins, minerals, etc) but didn't push it when I said, "I take Lutein but the others kill my stomach"...I almost got on my "soapbox"...I could have said, "I think the supplements are simply a way for the drug companies to line their pockets...They have the American people jumping from flax seed to fish oil (just to name one, I could go on and on) depending on what study is being done and who is doing it...Every time I go into Costco, Walmart or a Health Food store for that matter and see rows and rows of bottles of supplements (natural or chemical) my blood pressure goes up up up!..We are like a bunch of sheep following one quick fix after another changing in mid stream when another study comes out...This is just what those companies want, they have us hooked...So go ahead eat at the fast food joints, buy all of the packaged "crap" in the grocery stores, anything quick and easy, then take a handful of the supplements and we will all live healthy, happy lives!!! WRONG...Sorry I got carried away.

I must start my bread, mix up some more cookies to bake as it is a chilly, wet looking day...The perfect day to stock the freezer...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

...Helping a Friend...44º

Two years ago friend Ruth at 81 years young got the wanderlust again...She decided to sell most everything and hit the road...She rented her house (with option to buy) bought a medium sized motor home and hit the road (she had done this before so knew about towing, setting up and "dry camping")...She spent time in Southern Oregon with family, winters in Arizona and summers back in Wallowa County...Now she has sold her house, is ready to sell the motor home and ready to settle again.

Herb and I volunteered to help move "stuff" from the motor home into a rental house on property outside of town...Many trips were made as we loaded boxes, unloaded boxes...Back and forth we went...Pat arrived to help about noon, we stopped for a pizza lunch and continued until nearly 3pm...Some stuff is put away, lots of boxes are patiently waiting...New living room and bedroom furniture had arrived the day before...We made sure Ruth's bed was made so she had a place to crash because we were sure that would happen shortly after we left...The 3 of us were ready to crash as well...At home I finished cookie batter that I started early morning and baked 1 dozen molasses cookies and told Herb that was dinner...He was happy...We made it until 8pm before crashing...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Noodles...37º

A busy day yesterday with write people and an acupuncture appointment to follow...I knew I had to take care of the chicken broth from the day before and really didn't want to bag and freeze it so instead I made more work for myself and decided to make soup for our write people meeting...We have been going to a cafe for lunch most weeks and I for one soon tire of even the best restaurant fare.

What goes with chicken broth, noodles of course...I put flour in a mixing bowl, grabbed a pinch of salt, stirred, made a well...Broke in 3 eggs with dark yellow yolks and stirred adding more flour as needed...I like a soft noodle so I dumped the gooey dough onto my marble slab and gently kneaded in more flour...Divided the dough in half and on a heavily floured surface I started rolling the dough...The secret here is to keep adding flour (lots of flour) to both top and bottom, flipping the dough as you roll it into a large misshapen round...I fold this round, still adding flour, making a "cylinder"... Then with my bench knife I cut across the cylinder to make fat or skinny noodles and to make short noodle pieces I cut across these pieces, with the bench knife...I separate these as quickly as possible and drop them into the boiling broth...I chopped onion, celery and added to the mix...A quart of home canned soup veggies (carrots, corn, green beans, ) was added after the noodles cooked for about 15 minutes...Now I have a gallon of soup, a loaf of frozen sourdough bread and a quart of pickles...LUNCH...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Below are two different kinds of bench knives, one of the handiest tools in my kitchen...I have both kinds.

PS....While I was off galivanting Herb finished hosing off the deck and vacuumed the living room/kitchen...What a guy!!!!

Rain, Wind, Thunder...43º

Yesterday morning found me in the garden layering leaves, alfalfa pellets and straw...Now I have to cover it with manure to decompose...We will plant potatoes in more straw over top of one plot and in the other plot I will dig small holes to plant cabbage starts...I was just finishing up when Pat arrived with mocha's so we could sit in the sun and catch up on their trip...A wonderful 3 weeks on a viking river cruise, with stops and tours at major cities and free time for them to explore on their own.

After a dinner of leftovers with thunder booming Herb and I relaxed in the living room...For some reason my computer locked up and refused to let me use the cursor or shut down with keystrokes...I called my faithful "Tech", bobi, who was busy and said she would call back in about an hour....To fill the time Tate and I decided to brave the wind and hose down the deck...Me spraying the water and he trying to catch it...Only got it half done before getting wet and cold...About the time Bobi called the laptop had run out of battery power, shut itself off and then started right up...Maybe it needed a rest!..Thanks Bob for coming to my rescue again.

It didn't rain much but settled the dirt and cleared some of the pollen from the air and cooled the temps   for the coming week...I have loved the heat and sun but rain is always welcome...We will continue to irrigate as the rain was minimal....Hugs To All...OWAV:)

No Showers...52º`

A great day yesterday, digging in the dirt, watering and planting a few seeds...Showers did not materialize, another hot, sunny day in May...I texted off and on with Bobi all morning about Cienna's big event, shopping for a dress and the prom...Herb and I looked at the photo's and again were so amazed in this instant process of watching Ci grow up via cyberspace...You can read about Ci's prom and see the photos at Bobi and Cienna, also a video from the Tech Awards that Ci attended last month...We are so proud of "The Girl".

Cienna ready for the prom 2013

Another miracle of cyberspace...Around noon Herb and I tuned into a "live stream" from Willamette University and watched our friend Becky walk across the stage and receive her law diploma...We sitting in the comfort of our own living room rather than driving 800 miles, fighting traffic and crowds, sitting on hard chairs to share in her moment of hard work and dedication...We also are proud of this girl that has shared her life with us since she was a 7 year old.

We topped this day off with a great Mothers Day dinner...Herb cooked the steak, while I cooked shrimp and pasta, steamed asparagus straight from our garden, toasted to another year and later relaxed in the shade of the newly leafed out aspen trees on our deck...Flowers blooming everywhere!..Pat texted that she and Brian arrived home safely to their snug cabin at the lake after a 14 hour flight from Budapest, another miracle of this modern age...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Mother's Day..56º

No long diatribe today, just a photo of what makes me a Mom...And so thankful for them...And also for the "Son-in-law"who's birthday gets lost in the shuffle...Happy Birthday Stan...To all the Mom's out there, have a great day...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Mom and Oma

Stan and Cienna

Planter Boxes...57º

I resigned from sorority a year ago but still committed to killing weeds in the planter boxes that I have helped take care of for over 10 years...Planter boxes line main street, are cared for mostly by volunteers and add ambiance to our little town...I went downtown early with 3 things in mind...Kill weeds, buy potting soil and shop for fryers on sale at the local grocery store...Mount Joseph foods had a couple of outdated items that I couldn't pass up...Butter $1.50 per pound (2 left)...Local eggs $2.00 a dozen in instead of $4.50...I picked 4 dozen...So what do I do with 4 dozen old eggs...1 dozen was put on to cook for hardboiled eggs and the other 3 I will break into small baggies 2 to 4 to a bag and freeze them for use in cookies, pies and cakes this summer...They thaw out quickly and work great in baking...Someday I'm going to try frying them and see how that works.

It is warm but cloudy this morning so maybe won't heat up so quickly...Herb has gone to start the water in the irrigation ditch, usually takes a couple of days to get a good stream going...I did more dirt in the flowerbeds yesterday and also covered it with chips...More is waiting for me this morning along with planting or repotting some of the bedding plants that I bought on Wed...Must get busy...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Temperature still climbing...52º

Finished watering flowerbeds yesterday, emptied the wheelbarrow of the dirt Herb had loaded...It was about 10am and hot...He left to mow Pam's lawn and I made a trip to Alder Slope and the greenhouse...I picked out pansies, alyssum, lobelia, herbs, snapdragons and geraniums...Also a few packets of seed and forgot the Walla Walla onion starts...It was very warm in the greenhouses so I didn't browse long and now I have an excuse to go back.

Late afternoon the clouds moved in, thunder rumbled with storm on the mountains...I scattered a few seeds of arugula in the lettuce row...Gave it a good watering from the sprinkling can...Storm moved to the south west of us...We didn't get a drop.

Must finish this and go outside to unload more dirt as we are in for another hot day...Tate is staying with us for a few days as John is in Salem for Becky's graduation and helping her to pack up and move back to Joseph...Her bar exam isn't until the end of July...Friends Pat and Brian leave the long ship early tomorrow morning for the Budapest airport and a 14 hour flight to Portland...With the change in time they arrive in Portland just an hour after they leave Budapest...I think?..Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Watering...52º

An unusual year, we are actually having spring/summer in May...Daytime temps in the high 70's and nights in the 50's...The row of mixed lettuce, spinach, chard, radishes is growing like crazy...Plum tree is totally white with blooms, apricot is still blooming and apple trees are just showing pink before they burst forth!..A sea of blue for-get-me knots under the old apple tree opened up yesterday...Aspens and maples are leafing out...I'm deadheading the daffodils daily as new blooms appear...Herb strung hoses and hooked up to the city water...I'm giving everything a good soaking, rain showers have been in the forecast but haven't happened...We hope to get the ditch water running this coming week...Yesterday I luxuriated in the sun and slight shade of the aspens, sitting on the deck reading and watching everything come awake...I feel a "little bit guilty" just sitting but one never knows what June will bring as it could rain/snow all month and I could be housebound...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Daffodils from Oklahoma

For-get-me knots

Fern peony

Incident on Main Street...50º

After write people yesterday, we went to Red Horse again since few other cafe's are open on Tuesday...As I was placing my order someone announced from the doorway "Anyone here own a black truck?"...I looked out to see a black truck across main street backed off of the road, almost teetering at the edge of the irrigation canal...Janie said she saw this truck backing down the road, wondered what the crazy driver was doing and finally realized that no one was driving...The truck missed a street light, grazed a huge boulder and came to rest (sort of high centered) in one of the planter boxes that line Joseph's main street, just inches from backing into the canal..Didn't hit the other cars lining main street or run into any cars driving up the street and did minimal damage to the truck...A "lady" after surveying the situation got in the truck, put it in 4 wheel drive and drove it out and off up the street...Lucky for everyone all around as this could have been quite a disaster...That's it for today...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Mothers' Day?...50º

I hate to think about it but we will pay for these beautiful warm days and nights that we are having in May...Right now though we will just enjoy them...Sat on the deck a good part of yesterday, watched the plum tree come into bloom and the columbines grow a couple of inches or so it seemed...Herb and I talked this morning about setting up hoses connected to the city water to soak some of the flowerbeds that are drying out, while we wait for the spring rains to come...I sprayed liquid deer fence last night as they love Leopards Bane and Columbines that are just starting to bud.

Got a Happy Mothers Day call from Rusty yesterday...He said, "I'm not sure if i'm early or late as the days and weeks all run together...Weekends and holidays mean nothing on this ranch and without a calendar I don't even know what day it is." I gladly accepted the greeting and who knows he might even call again next week...AND I know "The Girls" will call from Portland.

The Docent dinner was fun last night...The board of the Josephy Center treated us royally with wine and appetizers, roast beef and salad dinner and yummy desserts...Hugs To All...OVAW:)

Calendar Check...43º

I have a docent appreciation dinner tonight...So far they have been doing these lunches/dinners about once a month to get all of us together, recruit more volunteers and show that they really can't run the Josephy Center successfully without us...Many man hours go into keeping this new center open for the public shows as well as for classes being held there on a regular basis.

Write People is the only other scheduled event for this week...More gardening is on the agenda for me and maybe a trip to Alder Slope Green House/Nursery to get geraniums and cabbage plants and arugula seed...It is still early to plant much here except for cool weather crops and even they are slow to germinate.

While Herb did laundry yesterday I used some roundup to kill weeds that are difficult to get by hand...Late afternoon for dinner, we had rack of lamb, potato salad and lima beans...The day was warm with a breeze so sitting outside required a light jacket...Trees are just starting to leaf out and the apple and plum tree will soon be in bloom.

We talked to our Portland family but didn't hear from Rusty so assume he is out of internet service...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Reviewing....39º

I've just spent about 20 minutes going back over last years blog posts for May...Life is much the same but not quite as busy for me this year...I'm trying a more leisurely pace so I can "smell" more flowers...So along with the weeding I take more breaks where I can gaze at our mountain view...I worked outside yesterday morning before going to the Josephy Center for my stint as a docent...It was a rather slow day so I mostly did housekeeping chores of emptying trash and making sure there is tissue and paper towels in the bathrooms for tonight opening...Lyn (Josephy Director) mentioned that she didn't have any flowers for last nights opening...So I made a trip back to my house picked a bouquet of daffodils and made three nice bouquets to display with the Rock, Paper, Scissors show.

Just took timeout as I chatted in with Pat and Brian on their cruise...They have just completed the changeover from the Rhine into the Danube River, going through 80 locks...Quite a process...Brian gave us a tour of the ship from the lounge areas down to their stateroom with his iPad and we stayed connected the entire time!...They have one more week to go....Below are a few more photos coming from Germany...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

A beer commercial

Pat looking out from their balcony

Regansburg and the Danube

Spreading it on...38º

Herb loaded the wheelbarrow with well decomposed Llama poop yesterday and I spread it on the garlic plants that are about 10 inches tall...I side dressed each row and now will wait for the rains to come and slowly soak it into the root system...The end of July these plants will be ready to harvest and hang to dry...The garlic is used early on, first using the garlic scapes as the plant tries to bloom and then as green garlic when the bulbs first start to form and I can't wait any longer for the taste of fresh garlic.
http://theupturnedspade.blogspot.com/2012/04/fertilize-fall-planted-garlic.html.. I continued spreading straw on the garden paths and in and around the rhubarb and raspberries to keep the weeds at bay...I also used some of the manure to amend the soil where I plan to start cucumber seeds and cabbage starts.

This afternoon I will put in a session as a docent (a person who acts as a guide, typically on a voluntary basis, in a museum, art gallery, or zoo.) at the Josephy Arts Center...They are starting a new exhibit today called Rock, Paper, Scissors...I'm anxious to see just what this is all about.

Had a visit from Omega (neighbor girl) yesterday, who is interested in gardening...We toured the flower beds and I sent her home with gardening books, a couple of starts and a bouquet of daffodils...It is fun to see a young person interested in growing...Time to get moving...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Balmy, Cloudy...40º

One of those 4am mornings...Now the sun is up and covered with clouds...I've spent the morning doing scrabble games via the internet from as far away as Germany (friends on a long ship Viking Cruise day 7) and as close as LaGrande and Portland...Also enjoying the photo's coming from the "cruise" of castles, gardens and mountain scenery...Also I've been playing with my iPhone entering and organizing  contacts...My sim card is in the mail...(More about all of this later).

Yesterday was a perfect spring day spent outside in the garden and flowerbeds...Doesn't get much better...This morning Herb and neighbor Joel will be walking and cleaning our Barton Heights irrigation ditch in preparation to turn in the water coming from Wallowa Lake...Our Cove ditch is the  only ditch remaining in the city of Joseph...Others have all been filled in and abandoned...We love using this "cheap" unchlorinated water for our summer irrigation...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Below a couple of photo's from the Viking Cruise.

Pat with the long ship in the background

A scenic photo along the way

Sunny, little warmer...33º

Slept in this morning...That two hours at the log deck tuckered me out and Herb as well...It is a good tired, now we can rest up for the next time...It was perfect weather to work in but a little cold and windy to just be outside.

Today is starting out nicer, so it is back to the gardens for me digging weeds and deadheading daffodils, as the first bloomers are now going to seed...The pansies I planted last week are perking up nicely and will withstand the cold nights and brighten up the deck...Looks like a quiet day on Barton Heights....Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Cold and Sunny...20º

Well so much for the apricot crop as our tree now in full bloom probably won't withstand the 2 nights of below freezing weather...I am still hopeful that a few blossoms will survive so I can eat an apricot or two right off the tree, juice running down my chin!

Before write group yesterday I was out cutting daffodils for our house and a bouquet for Jane, who is moving back into the Alpine House (assisted living) in Joseph...Keep kind thoughts coming, that this works out for her...She was delighted with the bouquet and my visit and feels at home.

Write group was good and later over lunch at LaLaguna we visited before I left to do errands in Enterprise and shop at Safeway...A stop at the BookLoft where I ordered Katey Schultze's new book "Flashes of War"...Probably not something I would pick for myself but I know Katey and she has been critiquing my writing for the past two years...So even though the subject matter is not for me she is a talented writer and I will buy and read in support of her and her career.

Back to a warm house and a new book from the library..."The House Girl"...I finished "The Orchardist" not my favorite but it has gotten wonderful reviews.

I popped into Arrowhead Chocolate where I visited with Bruce and Wendy and tasted Bruce's newest treat...A "candy bar" reminiscent of a Snickers bar only soooo much better...That guy really has a way with chocolate...If you haven't tasted this one, you must stop in...Hugs To All...OWAV:)