Another World...17º our last sunny day for awhile.

I'm changing the story line today, since not much to talk about, here on Barton Heights, except the weather and other mundane topics, like taxes, making bread, jam, doing laundry, all the usual stuff.

Instead I will reminisce a bit about our trip to Prague, last summer...The trip was precipitated by my only grandchild, Cienna, flying off to Europe to teach English in foreign lands...She took a month long course that would give her more clout to get a job out of the US...She had already taught  for two years in Oregon...Knowing that if we wanted to see her in the near future, we would have to go to Prague, where she teaches English in a preschool.

After what "seemed" like 24 hours on a plane we soon made ourselves at home in a 2nd floor, two bedroom, kitchen, bathroom "flat" in Prague, our headquarters for the next 3 weeks...It was in the middle of the noisy city and August was unusually hot...But as usual the "Allen's" made lemonade out of lemons...We tried out many new drinks. 😅

We navigated the cobblestone streets and sidewalks (I used trekking poles) with Cienna as our guide, we rode subways, buses, trams and bolt/taxi...We were soon regulars at the small grocery store and deli stores, where we purchased Prague style, cheeses, deli meats, fruit, veggies and breads to make our own breakfasts and lunches...On any given day we might ride a bus, then a tram and the subway to get to another destination to see all of the sights: Castles, churches, bridges, cemeteries, parks, rivers and to shop in malls or vintage stores...Another plane ride took us to Amsterdam for 3 days...to be continued... Hugs To All...OWAV:)

No I didn't buy that hat, 

but I should have.

stairs are treacherous 

there.

We didn't miss a meal.

Deco art in Amsterdam

Mid Week, already...18º Mostly sunny

 How the days, weeks and month has flown by, already the end of January...I had an early tax appointment yesterday...My taxes are fairly simple, so we can go over the basics, then finish them when additional 1099's arrive, in a few days...I was pleasantly surprised to be getting a refund from the feds, and have to pay a small amount to the state!

Pam joined me for the ride to Lostine, (for the tax appointment), and since we were in the vicinity we went for pizza at "Crows Store"...It was delicious and a nice way to finish the day...I got home before dark, fed the "cats," cleaned up the kitchen table of papers, that were leftover from my mad scramble to get tax papers ready, then relaxed before loading the wood stove, worked on my jigsaw puzzle and called it a night.

Today I have walking, acupuncture and of course feeding the cats and loading the stove...My days are pretty routine and I'm still pondering my plan to make jam...Maybe tomorrow...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

More snow in the forecast.

Busy Day...17º

 Looking forward to a FaceTime chat with my friend Pat, who lives in Maryland...Our chat usually turns into an hour long visit, as we catch up on news of families and Wallowa County...Mostly it is just to laugh and reminisce about the good times we've had together and see each other's faces and talk like we are sitting across the table from one another.

After our chat, I have to put food and water out for "Allie," short for alleycat and "Socks," the two feral cats that now live outback...And, Rusty caught another cat, on camera, who has discovered the food...This cat looks old and like he has been through many "cat fights." We don't begrudge him food on these cold winter days. 

Then I will finish putting a packet together for my tax appointment this afternoon...Oh joy!

Doesn't sound like much on paper, but a busy day for me, as Rusty is spending a few days at his volunteer job, so I have to keep the home fires burning...Yes I get to stoke the fire and load the stove, from the stack of wood, that he chopped...I'm hoping their are leftovers in the fridge for easy meals...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

My latest Amaryllis

Cats on Barton Heights...17º 6AM, very dark.

 My posts are kind of random, as I try to catch up on the happenings of the last few months...Yesterdays' post was mostly about making bread and cold weather...Today a new subject--"Cats."

In November when Bobi was here for "Thanksmas," she made her usual dressing/stuffing, a delicious concoction of artisan bread, artichokes, onions, celery, parmesan cheese, sage, turkey and broth. Two large pans of it, were covered and put outside on a high shelf (my winter fridge) for the night...During the night something helped themselves to a good portion of one pan...Rusty determined from tracks in the snow that it was a cat...That made sense because just a few days before, I had seen two strange cats/kittens in our backyard...Since our backyard is bordered by farmland, we have always had feral cats, that keep the rodent population under control...These cats were new and young!

We assume that the young cats had been abandoned, (dumped) somewhere near our place on Barton Heights...They took shelter in a neighboring barn and were surviving...Something had to be done or in a short time we would probably have a couple of batches of kittens in our neighborhood...I sent out emails to neighbors on the chance that they belonged to someone, before contacting the humane society, about their "spay and neuter" program...We got vouchers from them to pay for part of the cost of having the cats "fixed."

Our plan was put into action...We continued feeding the cats, each night, the rest of the one pan of dressing and then, tasty concoctions of dry cat food and leftovers from our fridge, for about two months...We occasionally saw them in our backyard, during the day, but they were very wild...How do you catch two wild/feral cats to get them to the vets office?..I made an appointment with the vet, Rusty set out two live traps, baited with tuna fish and the next morning he transported two very frightened cats to the vets office...And yes they are both females.

Two neutered cats spent the next week in my living room, in a large wire cage (thanks to Debbie), where Rusty and I fed them, talked to them, until the wild look, finally left their eyes and Rusty could actually, very carefully touch, pet and scratch them, just a little bit...

I had no intention of having house cats, so at the appropriate time they were put back outside, where they have a bed and are fed daily, still sleeping part time in the neighboring barn, but as the weather improves, they will learn to fend for themselves, with occasional food from us, we hope!...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Cowering in the corner

                   

                                                            Not so scared.

Sunny Sunday, very cold...12º

 I love the sunny cold days of winter, but I don't like them lasting so long and especially when there is a little breeze along with the cold...

I don't like to go outside!!.Looking at a little warmer temps this week and maybe snow by the weekend, after all it is winter!

So much for the weather report, not much happening on Barton Heights, just trying to keep warm...I stoke the wood fire, first thing in the morning, when I get up and Rusty keeps it going the rest of the day and fills it full, when he leaves in the evening...Also the oil furnace kicks on when needed.

I'm trying to get myself in the mood to make jam/jelly...I have all the ingredients, just have to get everything up from the basement to start the process...Frozen fruit, jars, new lids, big cooking pot...But first I have to clear off the utility room counters, making a place to assemble everything...I don't think Sunday is a good day to start and tomorrow Connie will be here to clean and and???Maybe Tuesday will be the day!

Over a year ago, I lost my sourdough start, left it in the fridge too long and now i'm wanting to make bread, using the sourdough instead of yeast...So I kept potato water last week, added a few grains of yeast, then a small amount of flour and it is now bubbled up and running all over the kitchen counter...UHH that's an exaggeration...It is bubbling nicely and I will test it today on a batch of buns for our Ruben sandwiches for dinner...Wish me luck!...Hugs To All....OWAV:)

Food from last week!..

Chicken Thai Soup

Taco Salad

January Road Trip...14º Sunny/cold

Our aim was to leave Enterprise by 7:30...That way we arrived in LaGrande in time to shop at Grocery Outlet for an hour before Pams appointment...We have done this for many years and it works well, the store isn't crowded with people and we take out time shopping...The store has had a major "renovation" and Pam kept prodding me along, so she wouldn't be late...It was mind boggling, trying to take in all the new stuff...We love that store.

Lunch for us was again at Asian Fusion, where we ask for extra veggies in our usual Thai dishes and bring half of it home for another meal. 

Next stop is BiMart, then we brave the crowd at Walmart for a few items...A quick stop at Coffman's for bulk pectin (I must get started on making jam from my frozen fruit) and frozen pie cherries, that make delicious pies!..Also on their shelves was blackstrap molasses, priced much lower than "Gramma's." I use it in my bread instead of sugar, so I snagged a couple of jars!..Last item, was thin sliced pastrami for Ruben Sandwiches...I would usually buy this for Herb, as he loved pastrami and cheese for a snack...We vow to make a trip each month, especially in winter, if the roads are good!

It was a good day, scenic trip and wonderful coming home...The first sight of the mountains always takes my breath away!..Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Driving home.

Garden Gleaning and Thanksmas...22º

 It is hard to remember all that has happened in the last four months...We had some nice fall weather late September, so I texted Bobi, "Sunny days in Joseph this coming week, maybe we can spend some time on the deck?" I think it was the next morning, her text said, "Leaving Portland." It was a good visit, harvesting potatoes, carrots, onions, the last of the cherry tomatoes and cucumbers...This is the first year that our garden produced enough cucumbers to make about 2 dozen jars of dills!

I mentioned yesterday that Rusty planted garlic and then we did more cleaning up, picked the grapes, prepped the new raised beds with more compost, leaves, manure and covered them with netting to keep everything in place...Asparagus and strawberries were cut down, fertilized and also covered with chopped leaves and straw...We have an abundance of maple leaves from our trees, Rusty gathers and chops most of them to use and some to save for next spring, when we add another layer to the garden...It makes me sad when I see people burning leaves when they are a great amendment to gardens.

The flower gardens also needed care...A pile of wood chips, from neighboring trees (that had to be cut down) waited to be scattered...Rusty filled the wheelbarrow many times and I spread chips over fallen leaves and put the beds to rest for the coming winter.

Bobi returned in November for our usual Thanksmas, only the 3 of us this year...We just have to be thankful that we can celebrate together.

Cienna is still in Prague, working 2 jobs, playing when she can find the time and money to travel to other cities and countries...She has moved to another apartment, sharing a 5 bedroom house with 4 other girls, cheaper rent and still close to her jobs, either walking or riding a bus...It's not so hard to have her so far away, after we spent time with her in August and now have first hand knowledge of where she is and what she is doing!..Enough for today, love and hugs to all...OWAV:)

last apple pie

carrots bagged

and ready for the fridge

tomatoes ripening

in the basement

Ace waiting for

his morning walk.

Puzzles or Blog or Both?

Looking back, my last blog was in September and we had only been home from Prague for a couple of weeks...Now here it is, closing in on the last of January...Can I get going again with my usual blathering about the happenings on Barton Heights and continue doing puzzles, that I seem to be addicted to, or do I stop doing puzzles and give my brain a rest and get back to writing?

Update since last Sept...We had a wonderful garden and are still eating potatoes, carrots and just finished the last of the onions and of course we have powdered garlic to last until the new crop is harvested in July/August...Rusty planted garlic in late September, 240 bulbs, the most ever!..They are covered with straw and snow but will start poking through the ground in March, just around the corner.

In September, I traveled with my nieces to Boise for a 3day adventure, where we dined out, shopped, caught up on all the family news of the last year and reminisced about times long ago, and saw a wonderful "Patsy Cline" show in an outdoor venue, on a warm summer evening.

Back home Rusty and "I" worked tierlessly the month of October to prepare for the winter and took a much needed break, driving to Burns, OR and a visit with niece Diane and Kim...While there we took advantage of the nearby hot springs, Crystal Crane, continuing a tradition of spending my birthday, soaking away another year.  to be continued

Bobi and Rusty

havesting potatoes..