Hovering around 0º

The official low was minus 7.9º...A little warmer on Barton Heights and not near as cold as predicted...We are toasty inside our warm house and have no reason to go outside today.

Yesterday brought some sunshine as I cleared off the deck and Herb plowed the fluffy snow from the day before...Before leaving for Write People I asked Herb to start up the old snow blower that has hardly been used since he got the 4-wheeler...It started right up and works great so I took a picture and posted it on the Wallowa Valley Trading post...No takers, but will keep posting it in different places in hopes that someone will want an easy way to clear their driveway and sidewalks.

I sorted through photos (on the computer) choosing the best from 2014 and today will arrange them in a calendar for 2015...Send them off via iPhoto and in about a week we will have a lovely calendar to remind us of the highlights of the past year.

Cienna posted photos on Facebook this morning of her 3 day trip to Phu Kradung, National Park...This was included in a 10 day trip taken with Rotary Exchange Students living in Thailand...They also visited Cambodia and Laos...Looking forward to more photos and a blog post about the entire trip!..Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Snowy Day...14º

At least 5" of snow on the ground total, as it snowed off and on all day yesterday...Not as cold last night as was predicted but for the next few days cold temperatures will be our norm...That is the way winter is; snow falling, then temperature falling, maybe warming for another snow fall and starting all over again or maybe really warming up bringing a Chinook wind and rain to melt it all off...One never knows what January will bring...Yesterday should have been a great day at Fergie!

It is quiet at our house, both Herb and I reading, in between shoveling snow, he keeping the wood stove burning and me prepping and preparing meals...Spaghetti was on the menu yesterday and maybe leftovers today, then oyster stew for New Years Eve...Rusty will be home in a few days, then will go to Jim Creek with John and after that we will probably do the annual canning of turkey as well as pork, beef and elk.

I have Write People today but nothing else on the agenda until next Monday and I will do two Mondays in a row as docent at the Josephy Center...I've let December slip by without doing a Christmas Newsletter and "thinking" about one for the New Year...Also I must put together a calendar for 2015...Probably should start a list of New Years Resolutions with Number 1 being:--  Stop Procrastinating!!!!...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Snow Globe World...14º

snow globe

It is difficult to get a photo of a "snow globe day," it shows up a little around the flag when you click and enlarge the photo and on the deck is a sample of the monster snow flakes that fell off and on throughout the day...The sun kept trying to peek through and I wished for the days when we joined the crowd at Fergi...It was there that I at age 40 mastered the rope tow and then the Tbar and finally was able to keep up with my friend Tappy, who was at least 20 years my senior...I never got great on skis but good enough to have fun and after I got over the fear of the chair lifts and learned how to "stop and maneuver a turn," I 

remember it as one of the best experiences ever.

Herb and I got some fresh air and exercise yesterday when Herb shoveled and plowed and I did more snow "shoveling" with the push broom...Dinner was simple with leftovers of prime rib, green salad and garlic toast.

Monster flakes

Our thoughts were with Cienna as she climbed Pukradueng mountain in Thailand, and in a few days will return to her host family...Hugs To Cienna...OWAV:)

One inch of snow, overnight....22º

Not the snow storm that was predicted but hoping that it dumped a bunch on Fergie (our local ski area) so the Wallowa County kids can spend some of their holiday on the slopes.

Becky and John hosted the "Frolander Family" to the day after Christmas dinner and included us for a night of food and games...They furnished the ham and bacon wrapped little smokies, and everyone else brought "potluck."..We took dessert and garlic bread...Herb opted out of the games but I stayed to play 5 Crowns and didn't crawl into bed until almost 11pm.

Cherry Dessert

Rustic Apple Pie

Moving a little slow the next morning, I had the kitchen and baking area ready when Pam and Rachel arrived to make noodles...Rotisserie chickens boned our and the bones simmered with celery and onion gave us ample meat and broth (we added a couple of quarts from safeway) for "Chicken and Noodles."..The noodle recipe is simple---flour, eggs and salt---I opted to start Rachel out with a small batch, we used two eggs, mixed in 1 cup of flour and 1tsp of salt to make a very soft dough, then I had her add more flour, a little at a time, and showed her how to knead it in, making a very stiff ball of dough...We set it aside to rest and did two more batches...(guess who forgot to take photos) Now it was time to start rolling the dough...I demonstrated the first one making a 20" circle, using lots of flour to keep it from sticking...Rachel did the other two...We stacked them on top of each other, rolled all into a cylinder, sliced across then sliced them in half to make short noodles ( adding more flour to keep them from sticking)...Dropped them slowly into boiling broth added, celery, onion, carrots and red pepper and let them simmer for about 15 minutes before adding the diced chicken...A rough guess is that we ended up with 2 gallons of chicken and noodles, covered with a rich chicken gravy...It was delicious!...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

"Noodley Day"...22º Snow forecast

What could be more appropriate for a snowy day than a pot of chicken and noodles...One of my favorite dishes growing up was often made when Mom had chickens that had stopped laying eggs...{Dad would catch a couple of hens early in the morning before they moved off of the roost, chop off their heads, scald, pluck the feathers... Mom would then gut and clean before putting them on to simmer all day making a rich broth)...No sure way to tell which ones had stopped laying...I always wished that at least one of them still had some eggs in her...Mom would always include the egg yolks in the chicken and noodles and we (the kids) would wait eagerly as they were dished up to see if an egg yolk landed in our bowl...As we didn't worry about getting too many carbs in a meal in those days, often the noodles would be served over mashed potatoes and we worked off the calories, working outside in the cold weather taking care of our farm animals.

It won't be quite the same today as Pam and Rachel arrive with rotisserie chicken (boned out) canned broth, eggs, flour, celery, onions and carrots...On my agenda is to teach Rachel how to make homemade noodles...Not a difficult task but one that takes a little practice...Another day after she has mastered the noodles, she can start with a whole, uncooked chicken, making her own broth for a tastier version...Rachel likes to cook and makes meals for her family on a regular basis, so this will give her another option for dinner...It should be a fun morning...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

PS...Yesterday we were invited to B & J's for the day after Christmas dinner, I will write about that tomorrow.

Quiet Christmas...20º

Fresh snow, sunshine, good food and memories...Christmas has been celebrated in many ways at our house, starting with Santa, chimney, toys, cookies and milk,...The yearly hunt for just the right Christmas Tree, hours spent making ornaments, cookies and candy...Grandparents visiting to share in the excitement...Gifts of new sleds and saucers, snow suits, parkas and boots, hand knit mittens and caps...Searching for enough snow so everyone could have the thrill of the hill...Laughter, board games, card games and the favorite Christmas specials on TV...Then the teen years, when new clothes were modeled, records and books, ski's and boots were high on the list...The empty nest brought all kinds of changes as we celebrated Christmas two days before the actual date or even a week later...Now margarita glasses were under the tree, gifts were opened and we toasted the New Year...One year when neither child came on Christmas day, Herb and I took in a movie, "Crocodile Dundee" and dinner in LaGrande...Christmas at the Oregon Coast, a rented house overlooking the ocean, 3 dogs, son, daughter, son-in-law, two sets of parents all joined in the fun...Jumping ahead, Cienna arrived and Christmas took on a new/old look as we did Santa, chimney, cookies and milk!..Sixteen years we had a new focus and the fun began all over again...As she reached the teen years we celebrated "Thanksmas" with less travel and more about quality time with our family whenever we can get together, whether it be July or December..This year it is really "empty nest" as Cienna flew away to Thailand where she is having one adventure after another...We at home are having a quiet, peaceful holiday and toasting the New Year...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Thanksmas 2013

It's A White Christmas...25º Cloudy

Lovely snow storm yesterday...Spent the day baking bread, no worries about kids coming home on bad roads...Made seafood chowder for our dinner, maybe starting a new tradition...Up at 4am this morning...Herb is already wearing his new shirt and my shoes are patiently waiting for me to put them on and get moving...Cienna chimmed in with a like so we know she is checking on us...Chatted with Bobi and have a facetime in to Rusty but said he was unavailable...Pam called with her usual Ho Ho Ho, and Pat left a Merry Christmas on the "chat line."...All IS WELL....Hugs to all...OWAV:)

Storm Predicted...27º

Mostly sunny today and now a storm is predicted for Christmas Eve with more snow possible on Christmas Day...None of our family will be traveling any distance on this holiday so I say let it snow, but I have to hope that all families travel safely for family gatherings...A white Christmas will be nice.

I have my last water therapy for the year today...The pool will be closed for about a month for repairs and reopen late January...This morning we will put a couple of Christmas boxes together and Herb will deliver them while I'm at the pool and maybe we will go out to lunch...(that thought just came to me!) I must get a few groceries while we are in Enterprise, then home to our cozy, warm house and whatever happens with the weather we will enjoy watching...Hugs To Pat today on her Birthday...OWAV:)

Celebrating our special days before she left for the winter.

Christmas Concert...33º

Many talented people from Wallowa County entertained a full house, gathered at the Josephy Center last night...Hours and hours of practice led up to this concert...People, young and old alike played instruments, sang from their hearts...Food and drink was furnished for friends and families to enjoy while visiting on this "winter solstice."An evening to sit back relax and enjoy...Many children on stage had been taught how to behave in public and had spent many hours learning to sit still and be quiet, waiting to perform. (unlike some of the audience)

Pam and I found seats in the balcony, looking through the railing, we could hear and see all of the action...It was standing room only, people were in the holiday mood, most everyone conscious of their neighbor, all prepared for a lovely evening...Funny how two families with two children can be so inconsiderate of a room full of people...Continual talking, squirming, parents threatening (but never carrying out the threats...)A grandmother who obviously was sure that everyone thought her granddaughter was adorable, as she did, no matter how obnoxious she became...Another child moved to sit on the floor in front of us (which was fine) until she decided she needed a chair...Then she did everything but sit in the chair as she waved a glass of something around, intertwined herself on the railing, stood on the chair, while her parents ignored the display...Thankfully they all left, shortly after intermission...We didn't let it spoil our evening but it did put a damper on it.

Now looking on the bright side, today is going to have about a minute and a half more daylight than yesterday and right now we have snowflakes in the air...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Our view before the concert started.

Food

And more food.

"It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas..." NOT...40º

I'm happy it didn't snow, roads were bare, raining hard as we dashed into the Opera House shortly after 2pm, picked up our tickets at will call and climbed the stairs to our favorite seats...Only four seats in this balcony row, unobstructed view of the stage...We stayed standing, as other people started finding their seats all around us, knowing that we would be sitting for over two hours...Herb and Rachel were in charge of getting the popcorn and drinks...When I checked for tickets last week, all of the balcony seats were still available but the entire main floor was sold out...Now it didn't take long for the balcony to fill, looked like a full house.

The play "Every Christmas Story Ever Told" (and then some) wasn't what I expected...I thought it would be a medley of "shorts" from many Christmas stories with lots of singing...Three (1 female, 2 male) actors put on the entire show with a trunk load of wigs, hats, and capes to help them change from one character to another as they switched roles...A lot of "tongue in cheek jokes," innuendos of all kinds kept us laughing while we waited for the singing-- and there were a few Christmas Carols sung at the end...It was intertaining and fun, not one of my favorites but a great afternoon with friends...We left the Opera House, still sprinkling rain, for the trip home, to a bowl of chowder and salad...Chocolates for dessert.

Rained all night and more is predicted for the next two days...Power was off for over an hour this morning...It was kind of nice, I lit a lone votive candle, to light our living room, it flickered and gave just enough light, with darkness all around...Not a sound could be heard in our house, with all of the electric motors shut down, it was just stillness and quiet....Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Cloudy...29º

We got the predicted snow yesterday, maybe an inch of heavy wet stuff...Herb and I broomed and shoveled walks, steps and deck...Gave us some fresh air and a tiny bit of exercise...Hard to tell what is going to happen today as snow/rain is predicted with minor flooding in some areas.

I will make clam chowder this morning so a hot meal will be awaiting us when we (Pam, Rachel, Herb and I) return from the Christmas Musical at the Elgin Opera House...Looking forward to a fun afternoon....Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Brrrr

Short Days...30º

We are quickly approaching the shortest days of the year, before we start climbing the other way...Speaking of climbing, Cienna will soon be on a trip with her "Thailand Rotary Family." This includes all the exchange students in her district (about 17) going on a trip together over what would be, in the US, Christmas break...The group will be traveling for 10 days and it includes climbing a mountain and cooler weather....I hope she takes lots of photos and also lots of "notes" so she can write about it when she gets back to her host family in Nakhon Pathom...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Flashback Friday:

Cienna and a visit to Santa 2006

Playing in the snow 

At a water park with friends in Thailand 2014

Murphys' Law...30º

All week it has been saying possible snow---30% and it hasn't snowed a flake...It is almost Christmas and I wouldn't mind a few more inches of snow and no travel was planned for us until this Saturday which until this morning was still only at 30%...This morning all has changed...Friday and Saturday the % is up to 70 and snow LIKELY....Grrrrrr...So this is where Murphys law comes in to play...If I'm going to be traveling it is going to snow!...Come hell or high water or a raging blizzard, the Elgin Opera House is where we will be on Saturday afternoon...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Talk about a Dumbbell!...23º

My daughter was right...I should never have gotten a smart phone...Just when I think I'm getting the hang of it I screw up royally (is that a word?)!

Here goes the story...A pot of beans, sharing with friends...That pot of beans in yesterdays blog would last Herb and I more meals than we can stomach...Yes we love beans in small batches, but that seems to be impossible for me to make...I always manage to fill the pot...It just so happens that Becky and John love beans and often come home, wondering what to have for dinner...So when I make beans I always call and say, "We have beans, stop by or Herb will deliver."...Now I have a smart phone all I have to do is text a message...RIGHT....I did, no answer...Hmmm, they must have missed the message and gone out to eat or they are out of town...Soooo, next day, I text again, something like, "H will deliver beans and cornbread to your fridge." Now this always gets an enthusiastic response....NOTHING...I text Pam, "Where are B and J?" she replies, "B is at work and J is in Jim Creek." Herb takes the beans and corn bread and puts it in their fridge, now knowing that it will get eaten...This whole senario is not making sense to me...B is good at answering texts, she loves that we share food with them, could it be that I screwed up?..

I check my smart phone, my messages were there with no answer and I looked at the top and see that I had sent them to "another friend" who just happens to be in Mexico and is out of service for a few days...Do I feel stupid or what?...Yes really stupid....My "Mexico friend" is going to think I have lost my mind totally and is probably hoping that she doesn't have a pot of beans in her fridge.

What can I say, if either or both of you read this, please don't think I'm totally crazy, my heart is still in the right place, (brain must be on vacation) my fingers just don't always work right or do what my mind is telling them...I can only hope that this is good for a laugh for anyone reading this...And I may as well laugh at myself because crying won't help...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Clouds, Fog...23º

The fog continues to move around our valley, giving Joseph sunshine most of the time...Cold, fog, cloudy and possible snow is in the forecast...I know the ski areas are hoping for more snow over the Christmas holidays.

Book group was small, with tasty candy/cookies and chex mix adding a little salt...Next months book choice is Luis Urrea's "Into The Beautiful North" as Wallowa County kicks off its "Big Read" on  January 8th, for a month of reading and discussing...Luis Urrea will made an appearance in the county as he is a long time Summer FishTrap presenter and teacher.

Early yesterday morning 8am, I chopped celery and onions, measured out 3 cups of dried beans (rinsed well) and dumped all into the dutch oven, covered with water....Added a frozen package of sliced ham (thanks Pat) put the lid on and slid it into a 200º oven...9:30 I gave it a stir, added more water and put it back in the oven...I got home shortly after noon, stirred the beans again, added some chicken broth and back in the oven...At 2pm I turned the oven to 400º, chopped more celery and onions, added them to the pot, mixed a batch of cornbread...Put it all in the oven for about 20 minutes, and with the addition of a green salad, we sat down to dinner...Comfort food at its best...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

PS.... I had packages to get in the mail and a ladder to deliver...About a week ago I saw in the local trading post--- ISO small wooden ladder 22" tall, 15" wide at the bottom, 2/3 steps...Hmmmm I have one of these stashed away, haven't used it in maybe 10 years and then only as a plant stand...I had bought it, stained it and enjoyed it but soon got tired of dusting it...So I replied "Have one of these, asking $15.00."...I knew the lady advertising and the deal was made, no counter offer just, "Yes, will you hold it for me, until I come into town."...Yesterday we met, downtown Joseph and she was delighted with the ladder...It will be a Christmas present for her husband who had a ladder (painted green) just like this that he used for years, carrying it in his truck for whenever he needed an extra step or two...About a year ago he mistakenly backed over it with his truck...He and the ladder were crushed!...She went to buy a new one and found they don't make them anymore, hence her ad on the trading post.

With a bow added

this will be under the tree Christmas morning.

Foggy...20º...down to 15º

The fog rolled in and the temperature dropped...Wonder if we are in for a foggy day or if it will move back down to Enterprise or Wallowa...Only time will tell.

I have book group this morning including food for our annual Christmas social...Thinking hard about what I'm going to contribute...Couldn't really get into the book so will see what the discussion is and maybe read it later this month.

I finished dipping all of the candy yesterday, have Bob's and Rusty's box ready to go in the mail this morning...Nothing more than the usual things happening this week, write people and water therapy...Maybe we will have soup for dinner...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Leaning Tree...25º

Yesterday was cold but with enough sun that much of the snow melted...John arrived late afternoon, armed with knowledge and tools to take care of our problem tree...He used the hand saw for delimbing before using the chain saw...Herb loaded branches to be hauled away and will finish the job today...A tall stump was left until later when we will decide whether to cut it ground level or try to pull it out as it is loose, but we don't want to disrupt the irrigation ditch...I hated to see it go as it sprouted from a seed many years ago and I kind of get attached to certain trees and this was one I liked.

While the guys were outside working on the tree, Pam and I were inside eating chocolates and drinking wine...Also eating crackers and cheese and having a very good visit...While I sauteed finger steaks, Pam made a salad for our dinner...It was a good day.

This morning my kitchen is a mess as visiting is more important than tidying up...Freshly dipped chocolates are waiting on cookie sheets to be put away or put into packages to go in the mail tomorrow...Must get busy...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

PS...Photos below I took yesterday...Top is lemon fondant (it is yellow but looks green (sorry)...ready to roll into balls before dipping...Next is orange fondant, rolled and ready to dip and the third photo shows chocolates with a smear of yellow chocolate on top to identify the lemon flavor...This is my first year doing the "smear" and I need a lot more practice!

Winter Wonder...32º

Yesterday morning was calm, warm, bare ground...Nothing like what December should look like...Late afternoon, the temperature dropped and rain turned to snow...There is not a lot of snow, maybe 2 to 3 inches but the landscape is totally different and it seems much more like Christmas...Maybe add a little music and I will be dip dip dipping chocolates, sleigh bells jingling and soon it will be Christmas day.

Friday started with a yard sale, nice stuff, well arranged but nothing that I needed, so came home empty handed...Dipped some chocolates and started filling containers for Christmas...Fixed chicken tenders for dinner and watched the snow come down. 

We chatted with Cienna last night via FaceTime, so good to hear her voice and see that smile just for us...She has a blog up this morning, go to squid and read about her latest adventures...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Butter Rum

Peanut Clusters

Start of a turtle

Turtles ready to eat.

No Wind...40º

The quiet is almost deafening this morning...Not a whisper, not a breeze, nothing stirring...The weather forecast is predicting "calm wind" for this afternoon, possible rain...Many trees are down in Wallowa County, don't know what other damage was caused...The "tree companies" will be very busy and we are looking at our tree along our driveway that "a company" was supposed to look at and give us a bid to remove  two months ago...Never showed....With the hard winds of yesterday it is leaning precariously over our neighbors drive way...Call a company? but I know what they will say..."Lady, we can put you on the list, you have one tree, others have MANY trees...Do we hope the tree doesn't fall, before "a company" has time to do the job, or do we ask "Our Friend" to fall the tree and Herb and I clean up the mess, while our neighbor is out of town for the next two weeks, a perfect time to take care of it...Todays quandry...What to do, what to do??? Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Warm December...50º WINDY

The wind only calms down for a few minutes, then starts in again gusty and strong...Supposed to continue throughout the day...Herb got a load of wood from the log deck yesterday, now it needs to be split and stacked, will wait for a calm day...Just talked to Rusty via FaceTime, he plans to come home after the new year...Two packages to go in the mail...Fondant better turn out good today!

I booked tickets for the Elgin Opera House Christmas Musical...Not on Christmas day this year so we opted for the Saturday before Christmas...It is a fun production of several Christmas stories...Will for sure be entertaining.

Dinner yesterday I finally thawed out the flank steak from two years ago, not knowing what to do with it, is why it was still in the freezer...I seasoned it with salt, pepper, garlic, left it folded over, browned on both sides in the dutch oven, covered it loosely with foil and put the lid on...Into a 200º oven...Started to smell good about 2hours later so took a peak, sliced off a thin slice and wow it was good...Cooked up a batch of rice pilaf, sliced the flank steak, added a little water to the drippings and drizzled them over the steak....Herb and I just about foundered, not much leftover...Maybe fried rice and beef stir fry for dinner today...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Joy, Joy, Joy...38º

I think I'm turning into Scrooge, maybe not in the miserly fashion but in the Christmas Season of trees, lights, decorating, Ho Ho HO...Maybe it is because everything is so commercialized, yes it's all about money!..I don't want to get on my soapbox so with stop with that.

I have a quiet day today, time to finish up with the candy, maybe do a package or two to put in the mail, general cleaning, cooking and enjoy the mild weather that we are having...Looking forward to December 21 when the daylight starts to lengthen and on into a new year.

Also thinking about years gone by when I helped my Dad harness up the horses, hitched then to the bobsled and away we went looking for the perfect Christmas tree...The horses seemed to know that we were on an important mission as they snorted and pranced, excited, waiting for the slap of the reins, their signaled to pull, and pull they did...The cold, wind, smells and sounds come back to me like it was yesterday...Dad with the reins in one hand and the other arm around me we stood, faces to the wind and let the horses take the lead...A tree had been spotted sometime in the summer but now it didn't look like the perfect tree so we kept looking...Finally with at least two trees loaded and back home where Mom greeted us, ornaments unpacked and waiting...She looked the trees up and down, made her choice and Dad wired in a couple of branches until she deemed it the perfect tree, now ready to decorate...The tree was always beautiful when done, packages wrapped, stockings hung, another Christmas to remember...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Foggy...35º rain possible

My week started with docenting at the Josephy Center...I did the usual cleaning, then perused the used book sale that will remain on display for the rest of the week, before boxing everything up again to get ready for the Christmas Music program hosted by the Music Alliance...They are looking forward to a full house again this year as local musicians perform...It is always a fun concert with a mix of music and people from young to old, putting everyone in the spirit of Christmas.

My Tuesday agenda is again Write People, leave early for water therapy, then home for dinner...Right now I must start a batch of rolls, some for dinner and the rest to freeze...They thaw quickly and make a great addition to any meal for both of us or for Herb when I'm off galavanting.

I'm not real happy with they way the caramel turned out, much softer than it should be...I will try chilling some then wrap it around a pecan and dip in chocolate for turtles...Caramel is way to expensive to dump so may end up eating it by the spoon full...Guess we could have a caramel party...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Frustration...38º

My fruit bonbons did not cooperate...Batch of fondant on Saturday turned to sugar...Hating to waste it I added raspberry jam and additional cream to half of the sugary mass and recooked it to a soft ball stage...It looked good, felt good, started to set as I stirred and stirred and stirred...But it would not set!..In the stage it is in, it is impossible to dip...I will admit failure on this one and move on to the new recipe for caramel...Wish me luck as we haven't had turtles for several years!

On the bright side, we had sun for most of the day until fog moved up the valley and enclosed us in an eerie world until dark...Rain is in this weeks forecast.

Our Sunday dinner was simple, ground beef patties, topped with a slice of blue cheese, juicy and pink just like we prefer...Yucan gold potato (from our garden) baked, with a side of fruit salad...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

PS...I totally spaced a flashback photo of Ci..Here she is in 2007 and 2014

Cienna 9 yrs old

Snowy December with friends

Sunny December in Thailand

Swimming, what she loves best

Posing for the camera with friends

Weekend...42º

Chief Joseph Mountain in winter.

Weekends/weekdays all run together when one is retired...They can be separted by events, which there are many of in our small town...Christmas Bazaars, Parades, open houses, late night shopping, music programs, ski swaps and book sales are planned for the weekends...People from LaGrande sign up and pay for a bus trip to visit Wallowa County on a Saturday in December, so they can leave the winter driving to someone else and visit all of our little specialty shops, have lunch and enjoy a day of Christmas shopping while viewing our beautiful scenery.

We (Wallowa Countians) on the other hand, brave the weather and the roads, as we drive to LaGrande or Lewiston for a different kind of shopping...We join the crowds at super stores/big box stores to finish our Christmas list...I have to qualify this as We (Herb and I) mostly know that this unfolds by what we read in the paper, see on FaceBook or happen to hear through the grapevine...We have our Christmas shopping done, wrote one check in November, told the kids it was wrapped and ready, come and get it...Now we all have beef in our freezer for another year or maybe two...Christmas taken care of.

Yes I'm making chocolates and will probably get a package in the mail this coming week so "the kids" can savor a childhood memory at Christmas time... Next spring/summer when the weather is warm, roads are good, we will plan our own celebration, no tree necessary, no last minute shopping, no oh s--t I forgot to to buy----NO buying, just our usual cooking, playing cards, doing puzzles, laughing, loving, driving each other crazy until we part ways, back to our own homes, own routine, until next time...Now I better get dressed and finish those chocolates as there is only 19 shopping days until Christmas...Maybe we should do a little decorating and get a newsletter done?...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

A hint of sun...31º

Yesterday after a false start, retracing our steps, we left for LaGrande and our eye appointments at 7:30 am instead of 6:30am...It was pitch black as we left Joseph on the first try, misty rain, freezing temperatures, I was nervous and Herb was driving 35 miles per hour down the Hurricane road...It was slick and the constant threat of deer crossing the highway prompted the slow speed...Decided to return home and give it time to warm up a bit and it did...We were maybe 5 minutes late for the eye doctor but no problem as they were just glad to see us there safe and sound...Freeways were closed going in and out of LaGrande due to freezing rain and wrecks blocking the highway...Rain continued most of the day but with temps in the 40's it was no longer a problem.

We met up with some of our Ashton nieces at the Thai Restraurant for lunch...(Sue helped us make choices off of the Thai menu while others stuck to the basis Chinese menu.)...The "girls" 3 of the 6 sisters were in charge of making final arrangements for their Mom who passed away the previous evening...A visit at the mortuary and decisions to be made there...Then the job of removing her possesions from the care center and deciding where they were going to be stored or who wanted what and all of those decisions...Most of us have been through this at one time or another as we loose our loved ones...A difficult time, but part of life that we all have to face but seldom talk about except in a joking manner such as "I know I'm going to hell, along with most of my friends."...The girls are thinking of a memorial come spring when maybe Marlene's sister from Wyoming could make the trip, as well as neices, nephews and grandchildren...Taking care and planning is all part of the grieving process in the time before death and in the following months, and then it is done together or separately, dealing with it in our own way...It is never easy...My love to all of you, remember the good times, let the bad fade away, face each new day with love in your hearts...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

More Sweets...23º

Keeping at the candy making a little each day makes it seem less of a chore...Don't get me wrong, I love making it, experimenting, trying new things, coming up with more delicious combinations...But I have to spread out the stirring, shaping and dipping or I get burned out...I've been doing this now for over 40 years, have given classes, both to groups and private but don't think I've had any students that have continued on like I have...It is very labor intensive...My family and friends appreciate my efforts as they savor each bite, but keep telling me I need more practice...You would think I would catch on after so many years!...I promise to take photos today....Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Below Bobi has gifted me with two projects made possible by her serger...(I have the jammies on so didn't get a photo of them...:)

Calendar dishtowel

New potholders just in time!

Hint of a Sunrise...17º

Cold and crisp this morning, stars sparkling in the sky and diamonds dancing on a skiff of snow...Moisture is predicted for today.

A somewhat productive day yesterday as I formed and dipped Almond Joy Bites then tried a new Rocky Road Delight by cutting small squares off of the R R fudge and dipping them in chocolate...On my list to try are some Berry Bonbons made by simmering jam into a thick paste before adding it to creamy fondant...A new recipe for caramel, (to try) add a pecan, dip for the much loved  Turtles...Yesterdays batch of fondant turned out creamy and smooth, waiting this morning for butter rum, plain, and also with pecans.

Cheryl kept me busy at the Josephy Center yesterday, using the new paper cutter making tags for the upcoming show...Also had time for some housekeeping, cleaning in the kitchen and doing the trash...Ida and I split the shift and she took on the job of vacuuming before I arrived...Home at 4pm where Herb had the table set and we enjoyed a glass of wine and a bowl of hot turkey soup with a dinner roll on the side...Leftovers are gone I'm back to "what is for dinner?"...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Miniature marshmellos and chocolate chips

Rocky Road Fudge

11º... Cloudy

Monday morning December 1st...Nothing pressing on the agenda today with a 2 hour docent duty this afternoon...Will fix turkey soup today, cleaning up the rest of the Thanksgiving leftovers...I got sidetrack this morning when I saw photos of Cienna in a bathing suit obviously having a great time at a water park somewhere in Thailand...I googled it but will wait for her blog to give us the full scoop...Now I must get some breakfast and get something done...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

PS...Thanks Bob for the new jammies made with the serger...I stayed toasty warm last night.

Sunrise Sunday...11º

Herb is checking the weather forecast this morning as our temperature was 11º when I got up at 4am and now at 7am it has dropped to 6º...Looks like this might be our only sunrise this week as the days ahead look snowy and cold...Yesterday was a "blustery day" and my thoughts go to "Pooh" as he was always floating around, umbrella open, singing a happy song...After making fondant and fudge yesterday and both turning out smooth and creamy, I decided I needed some fresh air...The cold blast that hit me as I opened the door almost changed my mind but I really needed to cool off and limber up so I grabbed the snow shovel and cleaned snow off the deck...The sunshine didn't last long as a storm moved down the mountain, wind whistling and snow swirling every which way...I definitly wasn't singing as I finished the job and hurried back inside to our warm abode...We had a simple dinner of kielbasa sausage and sauerkraut on a homemade bun...Later we ate cinnamon roll, bread pudding, drizzled with cream.

Sentimental Sunday finds Cienna and I playing in the snow on Barton Heights about 3 years ago... Another photo where she is just this week attending a Rotary meeting in balmy Thailand...Hugs To Cienna...OWAV:)

Cienna with Trixy and Ginger

Ci and a sad snowman

Thanks "Nakhon Pathom Rotary" for this photo

Snowy Saturday...33º

Took a day off yesterday, didn't even have a reason, just didn't have the usual blathering at my "fingertips."...Herb and I spent a quiet Thanksgiving day, I was cooking and doing the balancing act of getting the turkey done and out to "rest" while the dressing and rolls baked and have everything done and ready to go on the table at the same time...Pam joined us for dinner and it was reminiscent of other Thanksgivings, just the three of us, which was common when we all stilled worked and had limited days off for this holiday...Our kids stayed at their homes and Pam's kids spent the day with their dad, grandparents and cousins...We sent Pam home with leftovers and yesterday we had leftovers that tasted as good or better than the original meal...Maybe today we will have soup or maybe beef of some kind and let the turkey soup wait a day or two.

I had texts from two nieces this morning from LaGrande...Their mother, my sister-in-law Marlene has been in hospice for a few days now and isn't expected to live much longer..."Molly" hasn't been well for several years, so hopefully she will soon be without pain and at peace...My thoughts are with all of my nieces and their families at this time...With snow falling outside at this moment, I will share a brief memory of her now and maybe more later.

I remember Marlene not liking the snow...She was born in New Mexico and lived there until her early teens, before the family moved to Utah...She grew up wearing only minimal clothing and going barefoot in the hot, dry climate of New Mexico...She loved it there and always longed to return...She must have felt trapped, when soon after marriage a move to McCall, Idaho, famous for its winters of deep snow and -40º temperatures...Soon she was Mom to 5 towheaded girls, paths to shovel, snow banks covering windows, freezing temperatures and a wood stove, that was always hungry for more fuel...She went barefoot in the house, no matter how cold it was outside...Hugs especially to my Ashton nieces...OWAV:)

Throw Back Thanksmas...50º

On what would have been our 4th annual "Allen/Wall Thanksmas" we have decided to limit the winter travel and work toward having an annual celebration during spring/summer/fall when the weather is warm and roads are bare...Other reasons are: Cienna is far away, both our "kids" have been home recently, it just seems to make more sense...This family has a great deal to celebrate, health/warm homes/love/abundant food/friends and we can each celebrate with friends or quietly in our own homes eating, drinking, toasting and making merry in anyway we choose...With that said...Happy Thanksgiving Family and Friends...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

To start the celebration off, I give you in all our glory "Thanksmas 2013 and the year of the Teeth/Hats/Tatoos."

Gifts

Rusty teeth/tatoos

Stan teeth/tatoos

Della's great smile

Herb with a rare smile

Ci showing off the teeth and tatooed muscle

Rusty teeth/hat?

Cienna's real smile and Bobi with a hat and her own teeth, the only one I

didn't catch on camera with "the Teeth."