Yardsales...54º

A big weekend for yardsales in Wallowa County...Pat and Mason arrived at 9am sharp, ready to hit the road...From one end of the county to another we hunted for the illusive treasure...Pat was the big winner as she scored with six chairs (four kitchen and two folding lawn) all cramed into the back of the volkswagon Passat...Mason was getting a little bummed as he hardly had room to sit and treasures for him were few and far between..."Nana" decided it was time to get "the grandson" a bite to eat and then he was ready to roll again!

Back home Herb was holding down the fort and cooking short ribs for our dinner...I made it home in time to fix potatoes and peas for the side dish and relaxed on the deck for the rest of a lovely afternoon...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Almost smiling

Crammed in

Loaded

  

Almost smiling and ready to go home.

Brrrr...46º

Instead of sunny and 70º, we had sunny, cloudy..I started early using round-up on some nasty weeds while Herb was getting a crown prep at the dentist...Finished that job and moved to the veggie garden to check one or two garlic plants to see how easy they would come out of the ground...They came out so easy I couldn't stop...Some of them I had to use the fork on but many popped right out...Herb arrived just in time to start hanging them in the lean-to shed for drying...Always a sense of accomplishment when that job is done.

I was very warm and needed a rest, but a breeze had come up and I was soon chilled...Comfort food was calling me and it was a good day to use the oven and heat up the house...A chocolate sheet cake not only warmed the house and made it smell good but tasted even better...Been a long time since we had this favorite, baked often when our kids were young.

Dinner was easy with hamburger patties, creamed corn and chocolate cake...The day sped by and we bundled up to go to the concert at the Gazebo...Should have taken our heavy quilt as the wind was brisk but the music was good and we lasted until the last half hour, when we listened from the car...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

A big one

Yummy

Over 200 

Dreamy Day..50º

I was outside early yesterday, checking out the garden, moving water, just puttering around...It was cool unless I was in the direct sun so I followed the shadows, snipping, digging and all the while planning what I can move where to gets blooms next year...Gardening has job security, the payoff comes when a certain combination jumps out and says, "Perfect."...The day passed with me working awhile, resting awhile...Repeat, Repeat...Today might be the same.

Herb has marked a couple of things off of his list this passed week, seems Rusty got him motivated...A new hand rail has been installed on the basement stairway...When we moved here forty two years ago, Herb removed the old rickity railing and we were young and never missed it...Now it is a must...Another day was spent repairing grout/caulking in the shower that shrinks and dries out over time.

The new hatches of baby quail are keeping us entertained as they are now flying as well as running fast...They love the cover of the flowerbeds and the insects and seeds that are found there, while Mom and Dad try to keep them corralled...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Lavendar and Correopsis

Whirlwind Day...45º

Twelve of the Write People crowded around tables at the Josephy Center, to share writing, family news, laughter and tears...Of course that is what we usually do but our group was much larger on this day...We welcomed Ruth, Lyn and Maxine who spend winters out of the county and Leita now from Richland/LaGrande.

Two hours later some of us moved upstairs at the JC to attend a "brown bag lunch" where three old time Wallowa Countians, Jean, Janie and Dwayne Wiggins,  shared their story of how the Wiggins Family became owners of the Wallowa Lake Lodge and several hundred acres of the surrounding area...Some of this was later sold to the Park Service and became what is now "Wallowa Lake State Park." A standing room only crowd listened with rapt attention as the "Wallowa Lake Wonderland," as it was called in the 30's, lost its luster during the war years and became what it is today.

Pat and I left this event and made our way to Donna Butterfield's lovely garden on "lower Prairie Creek." A light sprinkle of rain, with occasional thunder didn't dampen the enthusiasm of twelve garden club members, who were there to learn responsible ways of gardening with the use of chemicals, mulching and amending ones soil for easier digging to eradicate weeds.

Sunshine is in the forecast for the next few days so you will find me in our gardens waging my own war on the weeds...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Donna's Garden Shed

And Green House

Cooler...43º

High today will be 70º, mostly sunny...A break from the mid 90's and perfect weather for digging and transplanting...Yesterday, Herb helped me dig up some "worn out lupines" and other plants just taking up space and with the cooler temps I dug volunteer gailardia and transplanted them to this space...They are a bit droopy but with extra water I think they will thrive and give us some fall blooms.

The veggie garden has slowed a bit waiting for the hot days to return...All seems happy except for the raspberries, which I had such high hopes for...Seems they are victim of something called a "crown borer."...After looking so good this spring, they now have stunted berries, yellowing foliage and dried up stalks...From what I read on the Internet it takes strong chemicals to kill the "beast" or else we dig up the plants and start over, but still have to use chemicals to keep it from returning...Makes me sad!

More positive thoughts, we have had beet greens and lettuce to eat, cabbage is getting huge and starting heads, peas are about ready to pick...Tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, and pole beans are blooming...Potatoes are almost 2 feet tall and it is time to let the garlic dry out so we can dig them and hang to dry.

Yesterday I took a quart of rhubarb juice, added sugar and boiled it for 30 minutes, then filled 4, 1/2 pint jars in the hopes that it will make jelly without adding pectin...Looks like it will make pancake syrup or Bobi suggested martinis?

Onward...Today is a full day, Write People, Brown Bag Lunch (maybe), then on to Garden Club (hope the rain holds off) in the afternoon...As usual when I made spaghetti yesterday, we have leftovers so Herb can heat that up for his dinner...Enough blather for one day...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Happy 17...54º

 Cienna Ashton Wall...17 years old today...Below are snapshots of the Girl with a smile...From 2 to 17 and to Thailand and back...Have a great Birthday today and keep smiling...Love you bunches...Oma  OWAV:)

   

                                      

Rain/Cooler...51º

As promised we had thunder storms with rain yesterday...A little more intense than what we need but moisture just the same, and more on its way for the next few days.

Yard saling with Pat and Mason this morning, then home for the afternoon and back to deadheading flowers and maybe spreading wood chips...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Gardens shots!

Cabbage

Beet Greens

Zuchinni 

Garlic

Pole Beans