Right Eye Done...46º

Living in an "end of the road" town, has its drawbacks...Nearest town of any size is LaGrande, Oregon, 70 miles away or Lewiston, Idaho, 80 miles away...We have good medical facilities here and one of the best small hospitals in the state, but for specialists we have to travel to a larger city...Herb and I both need an opthamologist for eye treatment, so we make regular trips to LaGrande...An early morning cataract surgery had us on the road at 4:30am, at the Grande Rhonde Hospital at 6:15 (half hour early for 6:45 check in) and Herb was soon dressed in the infamous, backless, gown, waiting...The endless questions, eye drops etc took way more time than surgery, he was back in his recovery room in less than an hour...We left the hospital shortly after 10am, home by noon!

After a good nights sleep, we are up and ready to hit the road again, for a 9am follow up appointment, on the first eye...We will repeat all of this in about two weeks for the second eye...I have more news but it will have to wait until tomorrow...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Black Currant in full bloom.

The first Poppy of the season.

Sunshine....49º

Outside early this morning, Herb was giving our fruit trees their only spraying for the year...That seems to keep the aphids and worms at bay...Our old gravenstein apple tree was loaded with blooms and we hope for a good harvest...Apricot, plum and gala apple trees did not bloom...Maybe next year.

Yesterday I made a big batch of sourdough bread and chicken/vegetable bisque...It was a yummy lite dinner and I had a second helping of bisque, when Pam came by for a bowl...Herb preferred second helpings of fresh bread and butter...The bread was an exceptional batch, rising to huge loaves in the oven and I could have eaten a loaf by myself.

Three double loaves and a small loaf for dinner

Two loaves in the oven

On Saturday I made two veggie trays to take to Rachel's graduation party (Pam's granddaughter who we have watched grow up)...H opted to stay home, I went, had a good time visiting with people that I haven't seen in years...Brought home the leftover veggies (not too many) and started with those to made the bisque, added sweet potatoes and jarred turkey...It was yummy...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Relish trays for graduation party.

Hard Rain Overnight...49º

Weather warning last night for thunder/lightening, rain/hail and possible flooding...We got heavy rain and it is cloudy this morning...Road to Imnaha is blocked with a rock slide, but Odot is working on clearing it so the Imnaha folks don't have to take the long way around.

Yesterday was perfect weather for spreading more chips and I actually started transplanting the geraniums to their planters, to adorn our front porch...Herb vacuumed (the porch) and hauled the chairs up from the basement, so we can spend relaxing days out there this summer.

A friend from water therapy came for a tour of our garden, to get ideas of what she can plant at the rental, that she moved into last fall...I always have lots of plant starts to give away in the spring...Always fun to get someone else started in the gardening scene and brings back memories of when my friends Pam and Willa gave me plants and encouragement to start gardening.

I have a few photos of the veggie garden and my makeshift greenhouses that get plants off to a good start...Wishing everyone a safe Memorial weekend honoring those who have gone on before us...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

plastic jugs covering cabbage starts.

Broccoli starts that filled the jugs and 

now reside under netting so the

white moth cannot get to them to lay their eggs.

Spring greens, will be on the 

table in a couple of weeks.

Cherry tomato plants, cozy in

their cages, covered with

garbage bags.

Spring Garden...50º

23rd of May, potatoes are planted...A different kind of planting, where we layer straw, leaves, alfalfa pellets, peat moss, compost, shredded newspaper and well aged manure...On top of all these layers ending in straw, we place the potatoes in rows, cover them with more straw and a thin layer of manure...Now all we have to do is keep them watered and add more straw as the sprouts start showing...Come late September we pull the dying potato vines and uncover nest after nest of lovely, clean potatoes...The yield is not as good as if you planted them in the ground but they are scab free and so easy to "dig."

Potato Bed

After the potatoes are harvested, we rake the straw to one side and uncover a 6 to 8 inch layer of loamy soil, perfect to plant the next years garlic crop...The photo below is this year garlic that we planted last fall, the same day that we harvested the potatoes...It has reached a height of 36 inches and will stay in the ground until mid July...It won't get much taller but will soon start to put up scapes (seeds) that we will cut off (give to friends and neighbors for stir fry or garlic pesto) and the plant will then put all of its energy into growing big healthy heads of garlic...I love this crop as it never disappoints...I still have, what I now call "Grammas Garlic," the variety my Mom always grew...Also we have a newer variety called "Music," she would have loved this because it grows huge heads made up of BIG cloves!

Music & next to it the 

shorter ones are Grammas.

Temperature was perfect yesterday and I was on a roll so the tomato plants (I bought in LaGrande) needed to get planted...I covered tomato cages with garbage bags to protect them from frost and give them a greenhouse effect...Our season is very short here, so they always need help and I only grow "cherry tomatoes" because they have a better chance of ripening.

Tomatoes inside cages.

I got so involved with planting that I almost missed the end of water therapy BBQ, but managed to catch the last two hours, ate yummy salads and visited with old and new friends...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Big Thunder...54º

A beautiful sunset was followed by an extra loud thunder/lightning storm...It cracked all around us and ended with a quick flash of lightning and an immediate clap of thunder...Too close for comfort!..A downpour followed...Sunny/cloudy this morning.

I think I have to be happy if I accomplish one task a day...Yesterday I got the carrots planted and hope to get the potatoes in their new bed today...Mother nature is taking care of the irrigation part of the equation, hope it is not to wet!..I have a water therapy BBQ today and lunch tomorrow after our final WT session until October...Sad to see it end now but know I really appreciate it, come fall/winter...Enjoy your day, hugs to all...OWAV:)

Ahhhh, Sunshine...50º

Waking up to sunshine this morning, a big difference from yesterdays pounding rain and fog surrounding us...I did get out in the veggie garden, late afternoon, where I put well aged manure on the raspberry plants and on the "potato bed," and spread more straw on all the pathways...Maybe today we will get the potatoes planted and carrot seeds sown...I also have geranium starts to get in planters and rearrange the front porch for summer sitting!..That means I must get moving...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Lilacs

Sunday Dinner

A lone Quail egg.

Love this bouquet.

Busy Weeks...46º

Another road trip on Friday found Herb and I in LaGrande as we start the process for his cataract surgeries...A consultation with the Doctor, plus "eye measurements" and instruction for what will take place over the next month...Many road trips are in our future...Everyone says this surgery is a "piece of cake," and it is amazing how well you can see after it is done, but it makes me very nervous when someone starts operating on eyes!..One day at a time, think positive and it will soon be over, as time keeps flying by...We did a little shopping, a sunny and warm day in LG, but stormy as we got closer to home.

Dinner at the pizza place.

Yesterday was Becky's annual birthday BBQ, John, as always, working the grill, gave us choices of "brats, burgers, and chicken."..Everyone else brought potluck dishes including potato salad, veggies and fruit trays, broccoli salad, roasted potatoes and lemon cheese cake...Another night found us around a smoky campfire, until the rain chased us inside...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Yes Becky likes lemon.

Lots of Rain...48º

Spring rains, heavy at times yesterday...The rivers are rising, trees are totally leafed out, fruit trees  and lilacs are blooming all over the county...Clouds are on the horizon this morning and more rain is in our future...Spring has sprung!

Yesterday was pretty much a non productive day, a rejuvenation day, after our trip to Boardman...A rainy day usually gets my baking gene working but I was content to read, play on the computer, managed to sauté chicken breasts and made a salad for our dinner...Had blood work done at the hospital, took a short nap in my chair at about 6:30...In bed before 9pm and slept all night...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Photos below of the transitional flowers before the peonies, poppies and irises bloom.

Pheasant Eyes, the last daffodil to bloom

Miniature Iris

Trolius (buttercup relative)

Apple Blossoms

Pasque

Red Crocks (quick trips outside)

Family Road Trip...40º

Boardman Oregon, not a very exciting place, but it is a good half-way meeting spot for Bobi coming from Portland, Rusty from Bend and Herb and I from Joseph...Other pluses, it has a nice day park and a drive-in with good burgers...The reason for this meeting was our "two year supply of beef."...Rusty raises the beef, cuts, wraps and freezes (his new occupation.)..We supply the cash and it is Christmas in July...Initially Rusty was going to bring it to Joseph over spring break, but didn't make that family event, so we had to create a new event...Over the past 25 years we have all met somewhere in the "Gorge" for lunch, overnight camping, a birthday party, a farewell when Cienna left for Thailand and several times, it was a way to bring Cienna (when she was a wee girl) to Joseph for her many visits, meeting half-way worked...Yesterday, it was just the four of us, the way we started out, so many years ago...The weather was perfect, mid 70's, slight breeze, lovely setting, except for the freeway noise,  (reminds me of our get-a-way), we visited, ate, laughed and finally unloaded/loaded the beef and parted ways...Some how we forgot to take our selfie!!!!

Back home in Joseph, beef unloaded and in the freezer by 7pm, a glass of wine/beer and we were ready for bed...It was a good day...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

PS I post these photos here for my friends not on FaceBook..

The road home

Stretched our legs at the top of Minam

clouds and hills

Not sure where this was.

Minam in all its greenery.

Beautiful Days...40º

The last few days have been picture postcard days, plus perfect days to work outside...Mostly I have been deadheading daffodils, digging weeds, that is when I'm not just sitting on the deck, soaking up our amazing view.

We had a lovely afternoon/evening with friends on Sunday...Becky and John hosted their annual Mother's Day BBQ, the weather was perfect as was the food and company...Big thank you to them.

Becky and John

Wandering through the flower beds, I imagine what it will all look like this summer and how I can change it for another year...The daffies are at the end of their bloom, looking forward to Iris, peonies and poppies...I think my garden totally changes about every 3/4 weeks as it moves from spring to summer then into fall...Last evening as the sun moved behind the mountain, I planted cabbage starts in the garden...My Mom taught me that late evening is the best time to transplant, not such a shock to their system...Mom has been on my mind a lot lately, she was the gardener, I didn't intend to be one, but with her genes and friends giving me plants, it just happened...It gives me untold joy...Also thinking about my Dad, it was his birthday yesterday...So many memories running through my head...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Apple tree and Forget-Me-Nots

Japanese Maple

So many colors.

Sunbreaks...45º

I did early morning photos of the sunrise as it comes in our front window...After a rainy day yesterday, everything is sparkling clean and green...We are hoping for some sun for the next few days and warmer temperatures...I did edit the photo's trying to lighten them up...They look better if you click on them...(It makes them bigger)

I did bake cookies yesterday, tried a new recipe, not sure it is any better than my tried and true recipe for chocolate chip cookies...Seems my cookies always get hard as bricks on the second day, luckily I like cookies dunked in milk or coffee...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Made 5 dozen

Rainy Days...38º

What do I do on a rainy day?..Baking comes to mind, will it be bread, cookies, brownies or pie, oh my!!!But first I must get dressed, think of something for dinner on this rainy day?..Will it be chowder, left over turkey/noodles, hearty soup and fresh bread?...I could start a sewing project?..A quilt, a bag, or just do some mending UGH.

I think the kitchen is calling, maybe I will have photos to share tomorrow, wish I could capture the fragrance to share!..Hugs To All...OWAV:)

No more Daffies....45º

I promise that today will be my last daffodil photos for this season...Eleven fellow gardeners came on Tuesday to view daffodils and other spring flowers...The sun was high in the ultra blue sky, a slight breeze ruffled tiny new leaves as we walked and talked about spring flowers...It was truly a magical day.

Click on this link to find our all you wanted to know and more about....Daffodils

So many questions, I answered, hoping my answers were correct...At times I racked my brain to come up with a name, usually the common name, Pasque, Peony, Meadow Rue, Leopards Bane, Windflowers, Grape Hyacinths, Poppy and Columbine, easier for beginning gardeners to remember...We soon left the flowers for the vegetable garden to view the garlic, asparagus, grapevines and newly planted onions...I dug under the straw and came up with a handful of loamy soil produced over the years by layers of leaves, straw, alfalfa pellets and manure...We no longer till our garden, just keep adding layers...I love sharing ideas, plants and information, while I learn more from those who come to visit.

Pasque (one of my favorites)

Fern Peony (gifted to me by a dear friend)

Below are the daffodils I have collected over the years, same came from commercial variety packs, others from family and friends...I know spring has arrived in Wallowa County when the daffodils bloom, always happy, they appear in May and then disappear come June, giving way for new flowers to take their place...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Paper Whites (from my sister in Oklahoma)

King Alfred (common)

Fragrant

Heirloom (Homestead out north)

Busy Days/Sunshine...40º

Mostly photos today as I keep plugging away, getting things done before Garden Group...Most important all the dead daffodils have been deadheaded and the others are still in good shape...The lawn is freshly mowed, mulch has the beds looking fresh and clean and the forecast is for sunshine...Should be a stellar day!..Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Photos from yesterday of clouds, blue sky, shades of green, new leaves.