Cold/Hot...31º

Spring in Wallowa County is always a mystery...What will tomorrow bring...So far this year we have a head start on spring, about a month earlier than "normal."..Usually one big question is will any flowers be in bloom for Memorial Day?..This year instead of hoping that the lilacs and peonies will be in bloom, (they will probably be done,) I think we will wonder if the iris, lupine and columbine might be ready...Our days seem to be hot for a few days then back to cold and breezy, not much in between.

Tuesday of this week was warm and sunny, yesterday cold...I started out thinking it was warm enough to trim the grape vine...I soon froze out and returned to the house to mix bread and a small batch of cinnamon rolls, knowing that having the oven on would warm up the house and would also be a good day for oven fried chicken and baked potatoes for our dinner.

Herb decided to make a dump run, mow Pams lawn and stop at Grain Growers for seed potatoes and alfalfa pellets, while I played in the dough and had dinner on the table when he arrived back home.

Pam had called about noon asking if we wanted a load of wood chips and I said sure...Late afternoon, still no chips, so I left Herb home just in case they showed up and I went to deliver cinnamon rolls...Of course I spent time visiting but made it home before dark...This morning it is cold but with the promise of sunshine and rising temperatures...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Barton Heights

Garlic patch

Cinnamon rolls

Movie Morning...35º

Up at a ridiculous 3:30am this morning I put the movie "The Theory of Everything" based on the life of Stephen Hawking, into my computer...Pat recommended and supplied the DVD from Netflix...Stephen, diagnosed with ALS in his early 20's and given 2 years to live, is still alive today...I didn't know it was possible to live a long life with this disease...Throughly enjoyed the movie and the acting and then googled the people to find out more about the story instead of just the movie version.

Now it is nearly 8am and I have meetings most of this beautiful day so am going outside now to take advantage of the early sunshine, water down a compost pile in the garden and get it coved with black plastic so maybe it will break down a bit faster...Herb is working on wood again this morning.

Card playing was fun yesterday, but I came home totally exhausted from listening to all the chatter and trying to keep the cards and counting in my head...Maybe that is why my night was restless!..Hugs To All...OWAV:)

lazy Day...33º

Sunday was a sunny but cold, lazy day...Herb has worked cleaning the ditch and repairing the head gate for three days and took Sunday off to rest...He could have asked for help but was enjoying the physical exercise and taking his time to do it...No rain.

We both read or listened to books, for most of the day...I did clean out my flour/sugar bin (one of those places that gets dirty but is behind closed doors..)..We had a patty melt and asparagus for dinner...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

The Girl...30º

Haven't seen hide nor hair of "The Girl" this week...Nary a photo or post on Facebook...So guess it is time for Oma to come up with a "Sentimental Sunday," as we look at photos of old, when Ci was just a "Little Girl."..Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Sunny--So far...25º

Forecast is saying possible rain or snow this morning, more rain this afternoon...Doesn't look like it now but that doesn't mean it won't happen...We had a good soaking rain on Thursday night and would really like another one!..But we will take what we get and be happy.

It was wet and cold yesterday morning so I busied myself in the house, started a pot of clam chowder for our dinner...While the chowder simmered, I dashed outside to the rhubarb plant and pulled about 10 almost foot long stocks...They are fat, bright red, plump and look good enough to take a bite, (but I know better.)..Herbs Dad always called it pie plant and that was Herbs first reaction but I said no, just a crisp, its easier...So I diced the rhubarb, sprinkled it with sugar and nutmeg mixed with a little flour, beat two large eggs and poured them over top before adding a mixture of flour, sugar, oats for the final topping...Baked 30 minutes in a 400º oven and we ate it with whipped cream on top.

Rhubarb Crisp

I learned something new yesterday...Having no whipping cream on hand and I didn't want to go to the store, I searched through the freezer where I keep cream and milk frozen in cup sized servings, saving it from going sour and great to use in soups, sauces or gravies...I had never tried to whip it, would that work, I wondered?..Many years ago I remember whipping canned milk into an "emergency" whipped cream by pouring it into a bowl then freezing it until the edges were frozen all around then whipping with a beater...It wasn't the best but it worked...So---I let the cup of cream soften, somewhat, before I started beating, It worked...I soon had nice fluffy whipped cream, perfect for our slightly warm rhubarb crisp...Hugs To All...OWAV:) 

Sunrise...30º

A misty rain yesterday morning while the sun was coming up made our world look fresh and clean...We hope to get more rain...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Daffodil Spring...37º

Since my friend Willy, gave me daffodil bulbs from her garden, over twenty years ago, I have planted more bulbs each fall...All in bloom this early spring, they have multiplied into over a thousand blooms...Well it seems like there should be that many anyway...New varieties appear each year and now I have paper whites (from my sisters Oklahoma garden,) Heritage daffodils dug from an old homestead out North, Pheasant eyes (late bloomers, not out yet,) some daffodils with fragrance, some that are double, but most of them are King Alfred, big, yellow and tall, (they make a statement and they multiply more and more each year.) Below is a bouquet of all the different colors and kinds that I picked yesterday morning, as I walked through deadheading blooms and snipping a sample of the unusual blooms...Daffodils make me smile....Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Road Trip...30º

Walla Walla was the destination and the trip was twofold...Pat had a Dr. Appointment and had put in an order for 100 pounds of asparagus, at a local farm on the Old Milton Hwy...A bonus to the trip was lunch with friend LeaAnn at "Bacon and Eggs" one of the many new eateries in Walla Walla...Everything went like clockwork and we got to enjoy a lovely spring day with the dogwood trees in bloom, along all the streets...Temperature was in the high seventies when we started our trip home...Looks like our spring weather is on the way out as a rain storm moves our way into the weekend...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Spring Photos...28º

It was a lovely day yesterday...Early morning Herb loaded the wheelbarrow with llama manure and I took my time side dressing the 12 rows of garlic, over 200 plants...I stopped periodically to rest, snap photos and visit with neighbors...Lunch was a burrito with salad and the rest of the afternoon was spent on the deck, reading...Hard to believe it is only the middle of April...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Spring is in the air...38º

Looks like we have spring for a few days...Yardsales were a bust yesterday, but Pat and I did more catching up, before coming back home to work outside for a bit...Then I sat in the sun on the deck, listening to the last few chapters of "A Man Called Ove." I think it is a very good book and enjoyed it both by reading it in real book form and also listening to it...It should be coming out in paperback soon.

Looking forward to more time outside today, soaking up the sun and getting some much needed vitamin D....Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Spring Day...28º

Yesterday was a perfect spring day, cold morning, warming up by noon....I needed fresh air and a new bouquet of daffodils...It is amazing the flowers that are blooming since we have been home...The plum tree is in bloom, grape hyacinths and Grecian wind flowers are everywhere, very pretty along side the daffodils...A surprise bouquet of tulips is blooming on the south side of the garage, normally the deer have eaten everyone.

Bunch of tulips

Herb worked outside all morning, loading and hauling wood from the backyard to our "woodshed" in the basement, so it is dry and ready to burn, keeping us toasty warm.

Will take my last antibiotic pill this morning and feel good enough to do a couple of yardsales this morning, then outside again to maybe spread some manure on the garlic plants as they are growing fast and need food to nourish the bulbs.

Cienna has posted her latest blog...Only about 70 days before her return home and she has mixed emotions about ending her stay...It seems that maybe she hasn't missed us like we have missed her, but on the other hand rather have it that way than her being homesick and begging to come home...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Chilly/Sunny....25º

Feeling better, but still pretty worthless...Following the doctors orders to rest, doing only what has to be done...Heated chili for dinner yesterday, roasted a potato, which Herb and I split...Pat arrived with asparagus just in time for our dinner...Food is starting to taste better, which is good and bad...Some day I would like to feel really good, without having the appetite of a horse or a pig!...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Baked potato with chili/cheese on top 

and fresh asparagus from Walla Walla

Gaining...25º Sunny

Slept almost 10 hours last night, woke up groggy and moving slow, but feel like I am among the living again...Herb is fixing freshly made sausage and banty eggs for our breakfast, a good way to start the day...I will continue with my meds, drink more orange juice and water and keep listening to the books I have ordered from "Sage and Library 2Go..." A great way to get regular books, ebooks and audio books from the "internet library"...If you haven't checked this out you are missing out on a world of books made available through your hometown library...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Under the Weather...28º

Sometimes this blog is about the weather and today it is about being "Under the Weather..."...After fighting this bug for almost a month, I gave up and went to the doctor...I now have a perscription for antibiotics and permission to rest, drink, rest, drink...Repeat...Since that doesn't mean tequila sunrises, screw drivers or mimosas, I grudginly have my tall glass of plain orange juice, at hand...Maybe I could find one of those little umbrellas and a piece of pineapple to dress it up!..Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Sunny/cool...25º

A bit on the cool side but a nice sunny day looms ahead of us...Yesterday we had a nice morning with rain showers and sun breaks but then it turned cold and breezy late afternoon and a skiff of snow overnight.

I took advantage of the mild morning weather and got my hands in the dirt...When in LaGrande last week BiMart had onion starts called "Sugar."...I picked up two containers of 30 each...In our garden the garlic (planted last fall) is about 10 inches high and when we planted I left a vacant row on the south end thinking that would be a good place for onions, radishes, lettuce come spring...I used a 4 tine digger to loosen the soil then made a row using my fingers, (the soil felt damp, fine textured and anxious for new starts...After planting the onions, room was left for a small patch of lettuce...I scattered mixed seeds (several kinds of lettuce) over the roughed up soil, tamped them in, lightly and sprinkled straw over top...As I put my tools away a misty rain started to fall...Perfect I thought, just enough to dampen everything...I know it is early to plant anything in Joseph but I think it is worth a try...I have to buy some radish seeds and try them in this loose, fluffy soil...whenever I have planted radishes they are stunted and hot...Maybe I better pick up some spinach seeds as well.

We had chicken, baked potatoes and fresh salad greens (from our friend Erica) for dinner...I'm still fighting this crazy bug that I picked up in Utah/Arizona, maybe the sun will chase it away....Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Only in a small community...40º

Since Pat has been gone for 5 months, we have been busy catching up the past two weeks...We have both rejoined the water therapy sessions, gone for mochas at Arrowhead and took part in Write People this week...So it was only natural that we scheduled Friday morning to go yard saling...Only one sale was advertised on Sunrise Road in Enterprise...We got an early start, anticipating what we might find...It was held in a riding arena and many people were leaving with treasures...Much of it was horse and outdoor related and we didn't find anything to our liking, as we browsed the tables.

My eye caught a rack of clothes and as I walked toward it, I saw familiar fabric, something from long ago...A simple blue/gray dress in silky fabric, hung among sweaters, mens shirts and other assorted clothing...I held the dress out and said, "Pat, Bobi made this dress when she was in high school."...I looked at it more closely on the inside checking seams etc. to make sure it had been handmade and that my mind wasn't playing tricks on me...The price was $5.00 and I suppose the new owners consider it vintage clothing...And that it is, from the late 70's, made in a home ec class, worn for a few years, before I packed it up and donated it to Soroptimist...I reached for my phone/camera, darn, I left it home...Thought about asking the young girl taking money if she knew anything about the dress, but didn't...We left it hanging and I will alway wonder if it sold and if so will I see it again at a future yard sale or maybe back at Soroptimists.

Back in Joseph we stopped at the "Local Loaf", Pat had tea, I decaf coffee and we split a berry pastry...We still have much catching up to do....Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Mountain Tops...24º

Sun is shining on Barton Heights this morning and many weeks have passed since I last posted Cienna in a "flashback Friday"...In 82 days she will be back home in Portland, ending her 11 month stay in Thailand...This morning on instagram she posted a photo of her and a fellow Rotary exchange student on the highest point in Thailand...The Rotary students are on a 10 day trip in Northern Thailand, the last big trip of their year...Below are a few photos of her in high places in Joseph...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Mt Howard

Joseph

Mt Howard

Buckhorn Lookout

Highest Point in Thailand

Soup of the Day...35º

Hearty Soup

The weather was perfect for soup and the fridge was full of leftovers...Since I had a busy day ahead of me, I started the soup early...A quart of home made turkey broth was boiling on the front burner...Diced celery, onions and carrots were added to cook while I pulled leftovers from the fridge...Seasoned taco meat, stir fried veggies, roasted red pepper sauce and a couple of tablespoons of ham broth...This mixture, then put aside to cool until I returned home in time for our dinner...At that time I put the soup pot on to heat, cut up leftover ravioli, chopped kale and added it to the soup pot and brought it just to a boil...We ate it with gusto, adding oyster crackers, to each bite.

Yesterday we made a quick trip to LaGrande, where I had an eye appointment...Did some shopping and made a speedy trip home...Ate more soup for dinner but added a grilled pastrami/swiss cheese sandwich...Yes we stopped at Kaufmans store as we headed home...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Snowy World...28º

A small amount of snow has everything covered this morning including daffodils and apricot blossoms...Every branch is covered with icy snow making a winter scene...This is the reason that flowers and trees should not be blooming in early April, in Wallowa County...Looks like the rest of the week we are in for more of the same.

Herb and I had a quiet Easter Day, He did the usual laundry while I made a trip to the grocery store to buy a ham...We read and relaxed while the ham and scalloped potatoes slow cooked in the oven...I made deviled eggs and salad to go with our dinner.

I have a busy week ahead, Josephy center, water therapy, write people, eye doctor in LaGrande, and Pat and I are going to meet this morning and catch up over mochas...My cough and plugged up head is still hanging on, so energy level is not what is should be....Hope it goes away soon!...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Ham just out of the oven.

Dinner

Brunch/Chitty...27º/Cloudy

When you have the right ingredients, brunch is perfect and was the perfect end to our visit with Bobi...We Facetimed with Cienna the night before, so caught up on her news as she leaves on her last trip with fellow Rotary Exchange Students, to Northern Thailand and another adventure...86 days left before her return home to Portland...Also caught Russ on FaceTime, so it was like having not just one but all of our "kids" here for a visit.

Yummy

Side Pork and Bacon

Huckleberries in a Glacè

Fresh Lemon Curd

A sandwich

Which one shall I eat first?

Bob's car loaded,

 box of fresh lemons ready to squeeze and freeze

 we took the final photo of the visit

 on the deck in a snow flurry.

After a couple hours of rest, (zombie like in my chair) a shower revived me and my old friend Janice, (as in, from my working years) joined me for the drive to Elgin and the Musical at the Opera House, "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang."..What a production it was, because no matter the theme, I enjoy the singing, dancing and all around energy and dedication that goes into a show...The amazing car and sets were over and above what one would expect from a small company...They finished this show last night, 16 performances...Janice and I enjoyed the show as well as the drive through the beautiful Wallowa Canyon and Valley as it comes to life in spring...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Lemon Pie...32º...snow

Pie in the oven

We only juiced enough lemons to make a pie and a batch of lemon curd...Bob made the curd and we took turns working on the pie...She mixed the pie crust, I rolled it out, I did the filling she did the meringue...My filling was sweet for some reason, the meringue kind of crazy, but we didn't have any trouble getting rid of the pie!..Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Sugar Pie (leftover pie crust with sugar and cinnamon)

baked crust

Bob making sure the sugar is all dissolved.

Before the Meringue

Almost ready for the oven.

Wonky Meringue.

Eat/Visit/Veg...21º

Sunny this morning, but weather still unsettled...Today we start the process of juicing lemons, packaging and freezing juice and probably making lemon pie.

We did taco salads for dinner yesterday, rubbing butter on flour taco shells, then placing them over upside down bowls and baking them in a 400º oven until crisp and starting to brown...Makes a perfect bowl for all the lettuce + other veggies plus seasoned hamburger, beans, cheese and all the good stuff on top...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Cloudy/Sunny...22º

Weather can't make up its mind, cloudy then sunny, looks warm outside but the breeze is off the North Pole...Content to spend our time indoors, I gave Bob a haircut, then she trimmed the back of mine...Still trying to undo the lawn mower cut I got in Sedona...Now she will go home to Portland, hoping that the cut I gave her will hurry and grow out.

Bobi made our dinner, treating us to a new recipe of ravioli with a roasted red pepper sauce, served with fresh asparagus and garlic bread...It was very yummy and I think there is some leftover for breakfast...Nothing really on our agenda today, we had planned to have taco salad but if it is cold maybe that will turn into taco soup, will just play it by ear...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Roasted red pepper sauce over ravioli.

Ho-Hum...27º

Yesterday found Bob and I in Enterprise, first at Soroptomists, then at Safeway...No bargains to be found, we came home with groceries to restock the fridge...A pork roast with sauerkraut was simmering away in the oven and soon devoured for our dinner...Bobi spent time with Herb, giving technical support for his ipad...Then it was time to play cards until bedtime...Like I said, a ho-hum day, no adventures or accidental fires, just leisure time with our girl, so not really ho-hum at all!..Hugs To All...OWAV:)