May 31, Sunny...36º

My seven day forecast says sunny for the next week and highs in the 70's...Perfect spring weather when you put rain + sun everything grows by leaps and bounds...Yesterday found me making hamburger buns to go in the freezer and a pot of clam chowder for quick meals..

At noon we (24 Josephy Docents) were treated to a luncheon and briefed on upcoming events and changes on the calendar...Lyn Graig director, after getting the Center off to a rousing start, has moved on and Amy Zahm, interim director has been hired...After lunch we visited the Maxville exhibit (Gwen Trice) in its temporary space upstairs, along with the Josephy Library (Rich Wandschneider) in its permanent location...A week long quilt exhibit is on display downstairs, a prelude to the annual quilt show next weekend at the Joseph School Gymnasium...A new Art and Sculpture show will be on display starting next week for three weeks in June.

Maybe mushroom hunting this morning and looking forward to the afternoon at Amy's, should be a good weather...Enjoy this sunny day...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Rainy...43º

Herb and I thought about mushroom hunting yesterday but the rain storms, although sporadic, just kept coming...I opted to do some weeding between storms...The hypnotic fragrance of our many blooming lilacs bushes kept me company as me and my trusty digger found dandelions and yellow clover...Easy to dig, roots and all, when the ground is wet and loamy...I did some catch up on phone calls and inside stuff when the rain pelted down.

Talked to both Bobi and Rusty yesterday, rainy in Portland and Boise...Russ is still enjoying his job, will be taking a break in June, going to Bend to catch up on things there and then back to Boise, stopping in Joseph on his way...Bobi is busy with Ci winding down her freshman year and practicing for the upcoming Dragon Boat Races held in conjunction with the Rose Festival in Portland...They are planning a trip to Joseph after Ci's birthday, mid July.

Mid afternoon Pat stopped by on her way through town and we enjoyed a quiet visit as we sipped a glass of wine...Talked about our volunteer work and exploring another venue as the Wallowa County Museum will be adding volunteers to their staff this year....Still trying to come up with a trip the 4 of us can take sometime in June, maybe a boat trip or another train trip like we did last year (Sumpter Train Ride)...Thinking this year will be an overnighter as not too many day trips are possible from Wallowa County...It will be fun no matter what we decide to do.

It is still cool and wet this morning so since Herb is on his own for dinners the next two days, I will do a batch of hamburger buns this morning and maybe start a batch of clam chowder so we have meals ready and waiting in the refrigerator...Weather looks like it will improve so maybe mushroom hunting this weekend...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

PS....Lilacs are beyond beautiful this year, wish I could include the fragrance!

Imnaha, Soggy and Wet...46º

Imnaha yesterday was unusually wet...We arrived in time to visit the "Magic Garden" where about 10 volunteers were working with shovels and trowels...We were greeted by Caroline (new intern heading up the project), she handed us trowels and said, "Follow me"...She placed new collard starts down the row and we followed digging a hole and setting them in the ground...Others were planting other greens and tomatoes...Long straight rows with name markers were already in place...Robin the "brain child" of this garden greeted me, saying "Idella, I just planted lots of pickling cucumber for you"... Nice to know that I have a supply for this year...With muddy hands and sticky clay soil sticking to our boots we finished our row before going back across the creek to Janie's cabin and our "Write People" meeting.

Janie heated up the oven while the rest of us put the finishing touches on our potluck dishes, slicing and dicing...As Janie slid her loaf of sourdough bread in the oven to bake we gathered around her long, sturdy, farmhouse table and shared our stories...Soon the smell of fresh baked bread made our tummies rumble and we took a lunch break...Salads, warm sourdough bread, cake and fruit celebrating Maxine's birthday for dessert...A surprise visitor joined us, Chris a long time member of the Write People, now living in a care center, thanks to her daughter arrived to join us for lunch.

Mid afternoon the sun broke through...We all gathered around the front porch where Janie had picked the spot for her new peony, a gift from the Write People in memory of her grandson Rowdy...Pam wielded the shovel and Janie lovingly set the plant, tamping the soil around its roots...A fitting memorial to bloom each spring celebrating his life...All in all another day of sharing stories, written and oral, remembering other years and looking forward to many more...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Donut Weekend...43º

Oh why not?..Just one more...And so it went until the sack was almost empty...I love doughnuts or donuts, however you want to spell it...I eat them, with sugar, granulated or powdered, cake or raised with icing or plain...Although Cienna's donuts of last week were a little over the top for me...Too much topping not enough donut although, I've never tried one so how can I be sure?

I seldom ever buy donuts and if I do, it is only one or two...We fell heir to donuts on Saturday when Brian came bearing gifts of donuts...He wanted to share in the bounty of surplus donuts, left over from the Flying Clubs open house...Now anyone knows that eating donuts and going for airplane rides might not mix...Too much sugar, grease and not enough "barf bags" on the plane...(Sorry Brian, I'm just trying to make a good story...Creative non-fiction you know.)

When I thanked Pat for the generous gift of donuts she said, "We liked the sour cream ones best." and I without thinking, said, "Oh you must have because we didn't get any of those." And before I knew what was happening Brian arrived with another sack of donuts...I ate one sour cream donut (yes it was very good) and put the rest in the freezer out of sight...Not out of mind I might say because donuts for breakfast, not a bad idea, doesn't take much to thaw, another cup of coffee and I'll be flying high for the rest of the day minus the plane...Enough of this foolishness I must get ready, a trip to Imnaha is on my calendar....Hugs To All...OWAV:)

One lonesome donut

Busy Week...42º

Holiday weekend and a busy week to follow with only 4 days to get it all done...Tomorrow our write group goes to Janie's cabin on Big Sheep Creek, where we spend the day visiting, exploring, maybe planting seeds in the "Magic Garden" (Community Garden with spaces in Imnaha and Joseph, manned by volunteers) before we share our potluck lunch and read some of our writings.. Heading back to Joseph late afternoon...Thursday I have a lunch meeting of the Josephy Docents and Friday We 3 meet at Amy's new home for the grand tour inside and out where we meet her babies (dogs and horses).

Here on Barton Heights it rained most of yesterday so I didn't dig any weeds... When it dries out a bit the garden will need to be planted and flower starts moved from the greenhouse to planters...First week in June is planting time in Wallowa County, we can only hope the frosty nights are over...Enough for today...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Yard Sales...49º

With Pat driving we gave Amy a ride to Lostine...She is finishing her move to Joseph which entails moving vehicles, hauling hay and getting ready for a yard sale at her old place...We head back toward Joseph taking in the yard sales as we go...Signage is very bad this morning as we spend more time looking for and finding the places than we do at the yard sales...Of course it doesn't help when I'm in the navigation seat because I flunked map reading 101, PLUS I don't know north from south or left from right, so that makes it very challenging for the driver...We did buy a few things and as usual had a good time.

Back home about noon, Herb was on his way to mow Pam's lawn so I spent an hour catching up on scrabble, email etc...before fixing leftovers of roast beef in gravy over mashed potatoes with a salad on the side for our dinner.

Late evening I sprayed liquid deer fence as the deer have been grazing the "columbine salad bar"...Clouds today with a promise of sunshine, maybe I can find some more weeds to dig...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Spring time blooms...37º

7:30am, one more trip over the blues, snow threatened, rain showers gave way to sunshine and the patchwork scene as we dropped into the Walla Walla valley...Fruit and ornamental trees have finished their bloom, now is the time for rhododendrons, azaleas and roses, vivid with color after a spring bath...The hours and miles fly by as we talk and laugh barely coming up for air as one subject quickly moves to another as we discuss families, trips, friends, future, childhoods, daily life and lunch...It is a day to rejuvenate and relax but we are also on a schedule...Just enough time for Pat's doctor appointment, lunch, some shopping and back home by 5:30pm...We squeeze a lot into this day but always wish for more...We do have a good time!

After a good nights sleep, today dawns with sun peeking through the clouds and possible showers on their way...Yard sales are abundant this weekend and will fill the morning as Pat and I join friend Amy, taking in the yard sales and discuss plans for her upcoming yard sale in a couple of weeks...So goes life on Barton Heights...Hugs To All...OWAV:)