Sunny Days Ahead...29º

The last few days have been cooler with gusty winds and threatened rain/snow...A warm rain would have been welcome but didn't happen...Herb and I worked outside early in the week, he rechopped the leaves from last fall, (with the riding mower) then I layered them on the garden beds along with peat moss, alfalfa pellets and straw...A top layer of aged manure should keep the wind from blowing everything into the next county!..I'm itching to plant but I know it is too early here in Wallowa County, most things would just sit dormant in the cold and maybe rot in the ground before our weather warms up enough to sprout the seeds...So I will wait.

April, as usual, has flown by...Daffodil's are blooming, apricot and plum trees are budding out, with apples not to far behind...It is a tricky time of the year here, when blooms struggle to open and await the bees to pollinate, while the temperature can drop suddenly and wipe out the hopes of any fruit...So goes our spring weather.

Yesterday was another cool day, trapping me in the house, wondering what to fix for dinner...I did manage to clean the bathroom, then swept the kitchen floor, while Herb vacuumed...Before I could get comfortable listening to my mystery series, Pam arrived thinking we should celebrate, since she would be returning to work on Monday and our card games would be put on hold...The wine bottle was soon empty, chips and hummus quickly disappeared, we laughed and bantered for a couple of hours and she came out the winner again!..It was a fun afternoon.

If it warms up enough today, Herb and I will start a new project...Our friends "The Gilberts" have loaned us their wood splitting machine, so instead of splitting malls and wedges we will use the machine to split, then load the wood and haul it from the pasture to the wood room in our basement, getting prepared for another winter...That should keep us busy for several days, since we work in short shifts and rest often...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Amazing Spring...42º

Easter Sunday brought a balmy 60ºs, warmer in the direct sun, a few clouds, slight breeze...A perfect day to be outside playing in the garden...Last Wednesday in La Grande I succumbed to a bunch of Walla Walla sweet onion starts...So even though it is early I planted them, next to the eleven rows of garlic that are 8 to 10 inches tall already...Then it seemed to be the perfect time to side dress the garlic with well aged manure, giving it a boost...The rains of the last few days have greened everything up and and literally made them jump out of the ground...All in all I spent about 3 hours outside puttering in the yard/gardens, picking up debris from the winter, pruning off dead growth and enjoying the warm rays of sunshine and the bobbing daffodil blooms.

Garlic 

It was to be a quiet Easter for Herb and I, there were leftovers in the fridge for dinner, that could be made into a special meal, with the addition of a lemon pie...I spaced the eggs that sat in the fridge waiting to be made into deviled eggs, guess they will be the main dish for today's dinner...😁 Or maybe on this warm spring day, we will have a Chef Salad?..Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Lemon Meringue Pie

                                         

Spring Getaway...32º

We always look forward to a Lewiston/Clarkston trip in the spring, where trees and flowers are in full bloom...It was a warm sunny spring day...We saw a small herd of elk, grazing on the green hillsides (across the canyon), as we neared the top of Rattlesnake Grade...We found that the Saturday traffic was more to our liking...A quick stop at Winco and on to Costco for their 9:30 opening, where we finished up about 11:30, as the store started to get crowded...An hour later found us a Boggans Oasis, eating burgers and sharing a beer...It was a good trip and now we have today to rest up.

Snow is falling this morning and storm of some kind is predicted for another week, wonder if spring will arrive before April comes to an end!...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Greening up

Lovely sky

The elk are somewhere in here.

Entertainment...41º

Musical entertainment is easy to find in Wallowa County, but Saturday afternoon found us following the winding road for 50 miles to the Elgin Opera House and the live performance of "Mamma Mia."...For several years now a "bunch" of us ladies, have purchased season tickets, so we are sure of having a seat at all of their shows...This started many years ago, when Pam and I bought our first tickets, sat in the "nose bleed" section but were none the less enthralled than we were on Saturday, when we sat front row balcony and enjoyed yet another show...It was again a wonderful show of dancing, singing and acting on a stage turned magical with the hard work of many dedicated people...The two hours passed in the blink of an eye.

Mamma Mia is playing weekends this month and has just added more shows for the first weekend in May...Don't wait, click on the link and buy your tickets now...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Wallowa County Spring...28º

I wish I could say "Spring has sprung," here in Wallowa County...To be honest, it is struggling as usual...We have had some warm rains, melting the snow, but still have snow banks, hanging on and the next week, snow showers are in the daily forecast...I have a few blooming crocus and windflowers and a few budding daffodils, in the sunnier parts of our flower beds...Spring will come, but we have to be patient and watch closely because it can be a fleeting thing...Luckily the school track is bare and dry and in between snow showers, we have resumed walking on a regular basis.

This week Herb and I dug the last of the overwintered carrots, another gallon bag full of scrubbed carrots are stored in the basement fridge for our eating enjoyment...While digging carrots, tiny shoots of garlic caught our eye and yes the ever faithful garlic, in only a few days of warmer temperatures, has grown inches!..In the garden I have a spot for sweet peas, so I gently loosened the soil, came directly into the house and put the sweet pea seed to soak...In a few days I will plant the seeds...All of these things are signs of spring and we celebrate the moment.

 

     Crocus                                                            Wind flower   

Crocus

Yesterday Pam and I had haircuts scheduled in La Grande, the roads were bare and dry, temperatures warm, with a few misty rain showers...We shopped before haircuts, ate Thai food in the newly renovated underground in La Grande and shopped some more before ending our 10 hour day, back in Wallowa County...It has become a day to look forward to...Actually we have another getaway today, as we join friends and journey to the "Elgin Opera House," for the play "Mamma Mia."...The play has almost sold out for all performances and has added another full weekend in May so more people can enjoy the show...I always think it would be fun to see a second performance but so far we haven't done that, maybe this time?..Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Thai Food

Willows turning orange before green.