Reminiscing...17º

Thinking about the years gone by and our Christmas celebrations...Many have been here in Joseph, with Grandparents joining us...Then Bobi started college and Rusty went to work at Mt Bachelor and Christmas could be anywhere and any day depending on schedules...One year found Herb and I at a movie in LaGrande, another year at a ski resort in Northern Idaho...There were Celebrations at Bobi's and Stan's in Portland or in Bend at Rusty's..We celebrated with margaritas and wine, prime rib and cheese cakes, stockings stuffed with crazy gifts...One year we all met at Coos Bay for a coastal Christmas, in a house with an ocean view from every room...We walked the beach under the rays of the winter sun.

When Cienna arrived on the scene we went back to Christmases of old, Santa and Reindeer were back on the scene, cookies and candy, snowmen and sleds reappeared...Again it didn't matter the day, only that we made it possible to be together...The last few years we have combined holidays and celebrated "Thanksmas," lessening the winter travel, and this year we canceled "Thanksmas" altogether...Well almost that is.

This year Cienna is revisiting Thailand, the country of her Rotary exchange when she was 16, spending a 3 week adventure, visiting friends, touring new places, experiencing time in a country she called home for 11 months...Click on Cienna's adventure to see her daily blog.

On last Friday and Saturday when our "Kids" would have been traveling to Joseph the weather and roads were particularly nasty...We counted our blessings and look forward to having Christmas in July? Somewhere, anywhere?..All of us together to celebrate another year.

Pam joined Herb and I for a quiet dinner yesterday, a simple dinner of tri tip, baked potatoes, green salad, cherry pie
 and glasses of wine to celebrate the many years we have celebrated together...Another year draws to a close...Hugs to our family and friends...Merry Christmas One and All...Oma with a view.

Busy Week on Barton Heights...22º

My mothers pressure cooker, that we use.

It was purchased in the early 1930's...

With Rusty's arrival, a whirlwind of activity started...He brought frozen turkey to can, lard to render, oysters to make into stew and panfry...When we weren't eating, rendering or canning he was working on the brakes and tires on Herbs truck...He had a deer tag to fill, but didn't get very serious about hunting, as a better offer came up to spend 4 days at Jim Creek, much more enticing...Also the honey-do list waited on the counter...One cold foggy day was spent helping Bob G. install a hand railing to our sliding doors on the deck, that would have been much easier if the sun had come out!..Now we old folks can get from house to car a bit safer.

Rusty left for Jim Creek on Tuesday, so H and I started the canning process, 6 cases of jars, pressure canner, stock pots and lids were all assembled...In four days we canned over 50 pints of turkey and 16 quarts of broth, the cellar shelves are groaning and Herb made countless trips up and down the cellar stairs...I think I heard him groaning as well. 😀

Turkey

Turkey Broth

I managed to keep up my social commitments as four of us ladies (Becky as the chauffeur), braved the cold, snowy weather Friday night, and made the trip to the Elgin Opera House for the musical "A Little Princess." Arrived home before midnight, tired but glad we made the trip, because it was another outstanding performance...On Saturday I enjoyed a lunch date with old friends, from my days working at school.

Rusty is back home in Bend, ready to report for jury duty on Monday, he is not sure what to expect, as it will be a first for him...Herb is hoping he gets to rest this week and I might make a batch of jam...Should be a slow week...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Frosty Morning...15º

Snow Bank

Frosty days, as the fog has rolled into our valley, blocking the sun and keeping the temperatures low...A cold winter wonderland...Our house is warm and snug, we will out wait the fog...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Another Snow Bank

Green Grass and Snow

Long Winter Days...12º

Nut Clusters

When posting my blog over a week ago either Facebook or Blogger decided not to include a photo in my post...So I will experiment today with a photo at the start and see what happens. 

Every batch of fondant that I made this year turned out velvety smooth, creamy and delicious...It has all been dipped, sampled and one package sent to our Portland family so they can enjoy it before Cienna leaves on her adventure (trip) to Thailand, where she will visit friends and host families from her Rotary exchange 3 years ago.

Huckleberry fondant

Huckleberry dipped in chocolate

Yesterday I started another winter project...Packages of fruit have been frozen, plums, apricots and strawberries, with the intent to make jam to share with friends, family and neighbors...Mixed berries, cherries and plums were defrosted yesterday...Juice, fruit, sugar and pectin added to a pot and soon the crimson colored liquid was boiling away on the stove...The first batch is in the jars and ready for the cellar shelves, just in time for Christmas giving...Actually Christmas has been canceled at our house this year, and will be held next spring or summer at an unknown location where all of our family can be together...But we will still be sharing the Christmas season with friends, sharing chocolates and jam with much loved friends...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

3 of the dozen jars of jam.

Thanksgiving Past...32º

The pile of bones has been made into soup, portioned out and in the freezer, for a single bowl of soup when I need food in a hurry...The other leftovers, we divided with Pam, and we will finish ours today...I don't usually do turkey, so it has been a good change for us.

Turkey soup in a Bowl

Soup in the pot

Sausage/Artichoke Dressing, so delicious.

Last Friday, since all the Chex Mix was made, I started making batches of fondant for our Christmas Chocolates...I know I should stop doing this because I love them too much, but after making them for some 45 years and loving (most of the time) the process, I made a batch on Friday, Saturday and Sunday...They all turned out creamy, decadent, mouth watering!..Yesterday I dipped mints and butter rum, Oh My!..Debating on what flavor is next, coconut, lemon, orange, huckleberry or raspberry...So many choices...Photos will appear in my next blog...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Mostly Rain/Some Sun...34º

Moisture is predicted for  the next week, light rain, with occasional sun breaks...Not bad for this time of year and in only one month from today, the days start to lengthen, as the new year approaches...It seems that I hardly get used to writing 2017 and it is time to change, time speeds on.

Our Holidays will be very low key this year as our annual "Thanksmas Celebration" has been canceled and rescheduled to next spring/summer...Place and time as yet to be announced as we continue to celebrate whenever we all get together!..While others are stressing about gifts, food, decorations and crowds, we are relaxed and happy to watch from the sidelines.

I will continue some of our Christmas traditions...Multiple batches of Chex mix has been made and is stored on the cellar shelves, waiting to go into Christmas boxes or packaged and sent by mail to distant places...Creamy, decadent fondant is on my list, waiting for me to get in the candy making mood, always looking for the illusive perfect batch, so creamy and soft...Makes my mouth water, just thinking about it...AND that is the difficult part of this process as my sugar demons never know when to stop, one chocolate a day or twenty?

I am keeping busy this week with water therapy 3 days in a row, one make up day and a Wednesday session as Thursday is a holiday...Herb finally lit our burn pile that serves as a shelter for the quail in winter...They will find other shelter and he will start building another burn pile...That's life on Barton Heights...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

A perfect burn.

Keeping Busy...34º

Leaving at daybreak for a Costco run, the roads were mostly bare, temperature below freezing...There was hardly any traffic and no wildlife jumped out in front of us.

It was misting rain when we pulled into Winco for our first stop, where we always stock up on fresh veggies and bulk items, before arriving at Costco just after it opens...Taking our time we both filled a   shopping cart, then checked out and made our way to "Tomato Brothers," for lunch/dinner...Since we split a burger for lunch, we made a rare stop for single scoop ice cream for our dessert...Herb stopped the car as we neared Anatone, as it was my turn to drive.

Up early as usual on Saturday morning, I had my work cut out for me...Soon two pies,  pumpkin and apple were in the oven...Earlier in the week, friend Katherine, asked if I could make pies for the Veterans' Chili feed, I said yes and also volunteered to help with prep work for the dinner...I arrived with pies by 9:30 and was put to work, arranging desserts on platters and slicing pies...The morning went fast and I enjoyed working in a kitchen with other people, most of them I met for the first time...Actually it went quite well, considering that none of us had worked together before nor had we worked in this particular kitchen...Texas Chili, cornbread and dessert was on the menu.

Pies

Cookies and Berry Cobbler

Roughly counting we fed maybe 50 veterans, had hoped for 100...Homemade Jam (a local band) entertained us with their lively music and everyone enjoyed a good meal, with friends...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Snowy Days...26º

Small amounts of snow, then sun breaks, low temperatures...It was the perfect day for making bread...I had sourdough bubbling away over night on the back counter, all it needed was more flour, kneading, and time, to become the perfect loaf...While the dough did its thing and while the loaves were rising, I mixed a meatloaf, then cut veggies to roast in the oven...Actually the bread came out of the oven first, enticing us to cut the warm loaf, cover with butter and eat as an appetizer, while dinner cooked in the oven.

Today is another day just like yesterday, and again puts me in the baking mood...Chocolate Zucchini Cake comes to mind, a perfect dessert for the Veterans Day dinner this Saturday...Baked today, I can freeze it, thaw it on Saturday morning before I help do prep, for the dinner itself...I like the occasional chance to work in a commercial kitchen again, brings back good memories of my life years ago.

The sun is breaking through, to brighten up my day, an early morning for me as I adjust to Standard Time!...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

 Yesterday, I think I might have

found the perfect Whole 30 breakfast...

Leftover chicken and veggies from dinner, and sliced apple.

Bread that smelled so good, I had to 

have just one slice.

Mostly Photos...37º

A few fun Halloween photos from the Rimrock, where Pam, Becky and I went to see fall colors, scary Halloween displays and eat...A fun afternoon with friends.

This past week with weather cooling I baked Soft Ginger Cookies and a Ham Quiche (using hash brown for the crust.) Both turned out good and I will make them again.

  

Dinner

Yesterday before dawn we left for eye appointments in LaGrande...It actually turned into a nice day (no wind) bare roads, a little rain...The sky was ominous but started to lightened up as we dropped into Elgin...Eye exams were again stable...We shopped, mostly at Grocery Outlet and before starting home, we got a take home pizza from Papa Murphy...Home by 1pm, the pizza baked while we unloaded the car...It was yum, yum GOOD...Hugs To all OWAV:)

Fall Photos...37º

A beautiful day, an incredible drive...Joseph, Imnaha, River Woods, Ollokot, Gumboot, circled back on the 39 road, coming home...Pam and I talked non-stop, laughed a lot, reminisced about the past 30 years, sat on rocks next to a creek to eat our lunch...Only the sounds of water running over rocks, otherwise we were surrounded by quiet...We visited the places where she worked this summer as she recounted her adventures and also told of the endless driving in a 3/4 ton truck that she does, checking, cleaning and maintaining campgrounds...It was a good day...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Favorite spots on the Imnaha River.

Getaway Wrapup...47º

My last post left you as we exited the pool at Burgdorf, dressed in the warm changing rooms before we sat at picnic tables, inside the small lodge and ate our lunches...Again we took the Warren Wagon Road back to McCall to our little cabin...We donned dry swimsuits and drove south of McCall, through Donnelly, Idaho to Gold Fork Hot springs...Last year we visited this hot springs but didn't soak...It is a large area with 5 soaking pools, surrounded by rock walls, all different temperatures and again quite crowded...We spent an hour there, trying out 3 of the pools, before deciding we had soaked enough for the day...Changed clothes one more time, took the Farm to Market road back to McCall, stopping at the historic town of Roseberry, continued on to "Ashton Lane" to tour Jughandle Estates, my old stomping grounds.

Gold Fork Hot springs

The last soak

Back at the cabin, after a long day of soaking, we were all famished...Sue and Jan put the finishing touches on macaroni salad and coleslaw and cooked hamburger steaks...It was a yummy dinner, that beat anything we could have ordered at a restaurant...After playing a game of Five Crowns, Jan served her special raspberry pie, ala mode, in celebration of my birthday...Another game of cards before an early bedtime.

Sunday morning we took our time packing, cleaning up in the kitchen before we had a wonderful breakfast at the Pancake House (a longtime restaurant) in McCall...Our plan had been to take one last soak in Mundo Hot springs, but by that time we were all done soaking...Our trip home was uneventful, we arrived in Joseph before dark, tired but content, thinking we would like to do it again or plan another kind of Getaway, another year...So many things to do and so little time...Our general consensus was that we loved our little cabin, and would return to Mundo and Burgdorf, but would only go to Gold Fork during the week, maybe less crowded...All in all, it was a great trip....Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Heading home over the Wallowa Mountain Loop road.

Salt Creek Summit

Road weary but still smiling.

Getaway Day Two...34º

With a busy day ahead, we were all up early, not moving very fast, but up and ready for more "soaking."...We decided on leftover soup and brownies for breakfast, instead of going out to eat...We made snack bags for the four of us for lunch...Swimsuits worn under our clothes, we were on the road before 9am, ready for the trip to Burgdorf. (click on the link)

The paved "Warren Wagon Road" hugs the North/West side of Payette Lake all the way to North Beach (the head of Payette Lake.) Upscale homes and vacation Cabins line both sides of the road, everyone looking for a view or room for a boat dock...McCall started out as a Mill town, morphed into a tourist destination for boating, fishing, water skiing and later when Brundage was built in the early 60's, it became a winter ski area...Now tourist season is year round and the small town of McCall, where I grew up is no more!..I actually grew up on a ranch/farm in Lake Fork,  6 miles down the road, 3 miles off the main road that is now called "Jughandle Estates," filled with upscale homes,  built on the land, where we rode horses and tractors, where my parents tried to eke out a living.

Burgdorf 

Burgdorf is about 40 miles from McCall on a paved road except for the last 2 miles...Again we traveled in single tracks, 4 to 6" of snow covering the road...We arrived just after the resort opened for soaking...Only a few heads were visible in the fog/steam, temperature just above freezing...The two changing rooms, Mens/Ladies are heated with small wood stoves, no stalls, just hooks on the walls and baskets to stash your clothes/shoes...Out houses are "out back."...Thankfully it is a short walk to the steps into the pool where, I could stand flat footed in the 100º water, up to my chin..The pool is large with 2 small very hot soaking tubs at one end, (none of us ventured into them.) Noodles and other floating devices are available, so we floated/bobbed our way around the pool, visited and relaxed until noon, when the pool started to fill up fast with people who seemed ready to party...It had been a wonderful soak...(It is difficult to keep a phone/camera handy in this kind of weather, so not many photos.)...Hugs To All...OWAV:)....Come back tomorrow for the final installment.

Another shot.

Hot Springs Getaway...33º

Friday morning, the car was loaded, no snow in Joseph, but snow was in the forecast...Four ladies, Pam at the wheel, Sue co-pilot, Jan and I back seat drivers...We didn't even get 5 miles out of town, before we encountered snowy roads...For the next 50 miles, we followed the two lane "road," made by hunters on their way to hunting camp...Luckily, traffic was only going "one way."

Headed toward Salt Creek Summit

Fall Colors?  Not what we had in mind, but 

beautiful anyway.

Without getting out to measure we estimated the snow to be about 4 to 6 inches, but with a great driver and our all wheel drive subaru we had no problems.

Smiles of relief, the snowy roads ended.

We made a side trip into Halfway and enjoyed the autumn colors and think that might be a place to visit on another trip...Cornucopia, twin lakes was mentioned as possibilities...We oohed and awed our way along Oxbow reservoir, crossed at Brownley dam and continued to wind around and up until we arrived at Cambridge, when we stopped for lunch...Tummy's too full, we made our way to Mundo (Moon Doe) hot springs, where we quickly changed into swim suits and soaked for the next two hours in the sparkling mineral water...It was sunny with blue skies...We relaxed, visited and unwound, before continuing our journey.

Doesn't this look wonderful?

Then it was time to move on to our destination, a cottage nestled in the trees in McCall, Idaho...The town where I grew up, many years ago.

Quaint Little Cottage, our home for the next two days.

We soon had the car unloaded, Sue and Jan chose their bedrooms upstairs, Pam and I downstairs, food put away, we were already thinking this cabin suited us and felt like home...We took a walk, only a few blocks to the shore of Payette lake, then returned to heat our soup and bread for dinner, before dealing cards for a game of Five Crowns...We were in bed before 11pm...Hugs To All...OWAV:)  (To be continued)

Sunset over Payette lake

Happy to start a new adventure.

Windy/Rainy...36º

Coming home from Enterprise last night, the wind was blowing huge "tumble weeds" across highway 82 along with leaves and other debris...It was 7pm and the temperature was 64º, probably the warmest it had been all day...The predicted rain started during the night and is steady this morning.

Four of us "ladies" will leave this morning on our Getaway to McCall, Idaho, soaking at Mundo Hot Springs and then onto McCall where we have a cottage rented for 2 nights...We plan to drive to Burgdorf Hot Springs on Saturday for another "soak."...We may get more soaking than we had planned as a rainy/snowy weekend is in the forecast...But we are determined to have a good time no matter what the weather does...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Yesterday on my walk I snapped some random photos of the fall colors:

View from our street

View from Mill street

Looking over the bank to the river

Maple trees

Golden leaves

Our mountain view