Catching up...52º

 The nice weather had Pam and I on the road again, paved, rough, rocky, potholes...We traveled all of them on a trip out north, including Chestnim, Buck Horn, Vigne, and Red Hill (just some of the names)...We had packed a lunch, sandwiches, drinks, chips, and found Becky lounging in her hammock at a "no name" campsite...We visited for many hours, before returning in a circuitous route back to Enterprise/Joseph. 

The drive was lovely and we were amazed at all the thinning projects going on in the forests out North...Finally some of the land is being managed like it should be, as they open up spaces, remove trees, pile them into stacks, that will later be burned, or grind them into chips, and scatter them on the forest floor...It makes for healthy trees, that now have room to grow...So many beautiful places, so close to our towns, that we can spend time in the peace and quiet...It was a very good day.

Rusty spent his birthday, yesterday, milling slabs for more raised beds...My friend MaryB came to visit, with me on the deck and took home garlic scapes from the garden...Today I will make Rusty a cherry pie (he much prefers that over a birthday cake) and he will BBQ something for our dinner...Our celebrations are low key.

We heard from Cienna, as she ventures away from Prague, and flys away for an adventure in Greece...That girl knows how to make the most of her time when she isn't teaching preschoolers, English as a second language...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Lighting wasn't great.

Buckhorn Lookout view.

Forest thinned a few years ago.

Lunch with Becky

Cienna in Greece

Perfect Temperature...70's, sunny/few clouds

 Maybe the last frosty days are over as summer slips in, no more covering gardens at night, moderate temperatures and gentle breezes, while we relax on the deck...After we water, mow and weed!

Rusty has been working at his house, on these cold, wet, dreary days...One of the rooms has been insulated, sheet rocked, sanded, primed and is almost ready for a coat of paint...Then the finishing touches of reframing the windows and other trim.

It doesn't take much to keep me busy as I do the endless household chores of picking up and putting away!..Seems my energy level has gone south, for whatever reason...Enjoy these first days of summer, Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Field of Poppies

Lovely Iris

Moving into Summer??. Sunny 43º

 A promise of warmer days and nights is in the forecast, maybe summer is in view...We never get too hopeful here in Wallowa County because it has been known to get snow/freezing temperatures every month of the year...But we never give up and look forward to any summer days that come our way.

On that note, it looks like watering, mowing, weeding, sitting on the deck basking in the sun is in our future.

Yesterday I took advantage of our last chilly day for awhile, to make and bake a big batch of bread and cookies...The heat from the oven and wonderful smells not only kept us warm but reminded us of how lucky we are to be alive in such a beautiful place and still have the energy to make such yummy food...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

PS...Rusty still doesn't believe that eating raw cookie dough is bad for ones health.

Cooler Weather...44º cloudy, breezy

Last week flew by, with niece Diane and husband Kim, here for a few days of fishing...They did a lot of fishing but not much catching...Diane got the biggest Kokanee on the last day...Maybe next time the fishing will be better.

Very proud fisherman

Packed up ready to try a new fishing hole.

Rusty is busy cutting more slabs with his portable mill, so he can finish the garden beds, when we harvest the garlic in late July...Garlic scapes are growing and will soon be ready to harvest...The garden is finally all planted, with sprouts showing, it is late this year and now we are having very cold weather for a few days with freezing temperatures. Typical June, I think we had snow at this time last year...The water system is set up, pumps woking well and even though is is cold outside, the ground has dried out quickly and we need to keep the sprinklers going...I love spring and summer but the jobs seem to be adding up.

We do what we can do, but still take time to relax on the deck and enjoy the view...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Who said, orange and purple

 don't go together.

Busy day on Barton Heights...55º

 Rusty arrived early, yesterday 7AM, ready to work in the cool of the morning...We had breakfast, then he started water, before attacking/pulling the weeds that climb the bank to an extended flowerbed...A nasty weed that we call "beggars Lice, sticky weed" or just "that damn weed."...I stayed in the house mixing bread, and pasta salad, so we have something to eat, with leftover ribs, later in the day.

The flower gardens and lawn got a good watering, now for the veggies and the pasture...Pumps are set up hoses laid out, everything seems to be working outside...Inside I emailed claim forms to BCBS, and almost forgot to put the bread in the oven...It was over proofed but didn't totally fall in the oven...Rusty sliced it hot out of the oven and slathered with butter we each had a slice to eat...It was heavenly!..Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Ready for the over.

Such a lazy guy!

My latest jigsaw puzzle...53º Sunny

 I always have a jigsaw puzzle in progress on my laptop and this last one took me forever to finish...I think it said, it took me 16 hours...I'm sure I should be doing other more productive things, but this usually helps me to unwind after a day on the phone with Blue Cross/Blue Shield...Yesterday I finally got connected with Maria S (I've talked with her before and she is kind, helpful and knows the ins and outs of getting my claims processed).

Three days in a row of beautiful Wallowa County weather, ditch water is in and Rusty has the pumps up and running, everything is mowed, now time to start watering...And I think I have to make bread today...Life is good on Barton Heights...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

A cool puzzle

A sunfilled day, temp up to 70º

 Our irrigation water is in the ditch and Rusty is trying to hook up sprinklers, make new drippers out of pvc pipe, that will fit the new raised garden beds and regulate the flow of the ditch for Barton Heights.

We/Rusty planted carrots and cabbage yesterday and we still have a big bare spot...Thinking sunflowers in a row with pumpkins/squash as ground cover to keep the weeds at bay.

I spent yesterday morning shuffling papers and on the phone with Blue Cross, trying to get full payment for the claims I've sent in...After paying into this insurance for over 50 years, I think it is their turn to pay me...They make it difficult and of course I get a different person, every time I call them...Thankfully my provider made a call to them and got a person that actually understood the claim and is refilling.    Now I wait a month to see how that turns out, meantime they hold on to the money...I'm not desperate for the money, but it is the PRINCIPLE of the thing...Now I understand why small offices can't afford to do the billing...Okay I'm done with the rant.

On that note, we are looking forward to a day of sunshine, soft breezes and beautiful views in all directions...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Columbine growing up through

forget me knots and 

purple cone flower.

I love the clouds

in this photo.

Cloudy but perfect to plant the garden...50º

 Rusty does the heavy work and I do- mostly the looking on to make sure he does it right...We make a good team...Irrigation water is on its way down the long ditch from Wallowa Lake, just in time for June watering...Hoping to finish the planting today.

Two of the new planter boxes are now layered with chopped straw, leaves and manure with lots of little red wiggle worms...This will decompose over the summer months, while the potatoes on top of it, will grow and produce nice clean, mostly scab free Yukon Gold potatoes...We layered old "Wallowa County Chieftain" newspapers over these layers, (Rusty quickly dampened them with water, to keep in place) then we carefully placed seed potatoes 4 across, 8/10 down and covered them with at least 6/10 inches of newly chopped straw and a layer of well aged manure covering all and gave it a good soaking with the hose...For the next month we will water regularly and continue to add straw so the new potatoes won't get green spots on them from sunlight.

In July I will reach into the straw until I find new little potatoes and "rob" a few for our dinner of creamed peas and potatoes...Yummmy...September is harvest time and also time to plant garlic... The garlic will go right into the recently vacated bed without tilling, because it has been decomposing all summer!..Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Newspapers

Potatoes on top

Covered with straw

        Covered with manure

Nice Days in the forecast...43º

 Had a good day in LaGrande yesterday, eye appointment, (eyes are still stable), shopping, lunch, hectic but good...Rusty, Pam and I all had a list, early shopping at Walmart, done before my appointment, very few people, actual checkers waiting for us to check out...Next was BiMart, then Grocery outlet and lunch at Asian Fusion for Thai food, niece Sue joined us there.

Last stop was at D&B where we browsed but didn't buy...Took a round about way home along the foot hills of LaGrande into Summerville, coming out on the Tollgate highway, and into Elgin...Then a "straight shot" home, Minam/Wallowa canyon, for a beautiful drive all the way!

I slept 10 hours last night, up early, have breakfast started, time to get dressed, busy day ahead...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Garden Gnome

Trollius