Cloudy Days for most of the week...44º

Usual fall weather, sunny and warm, turning cool with possible rain... It looks like the leaves will turn and fall this year and then the race is on to pick them up with the riding mower, that chop them up to use for mulch, before the wind comes and blows them all away!..Some will be used now and others stored until spring...They are a good amendment to the soil.

Another amendment arrived yesterday when a load of manure was delivered to our back pasture and dumped in its' usual spot...I call it "black gold," my grandmother called it "chewed hay," (she was very proper and probably never used bad words) and some times it is called a big pile of "s--t." and it does wonders for a garden...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Maple tree in front of

our house.

Pile of Manure.

It was a good day...54º

Outside early yesterday, cleaning up everything I cut down the day before, then hauled the last of the aged manure to the garden and top dressed the asparagus and raspberries...Pulled up the non ripe tomatoes, (too late for this fall), maybe next year and spread straw on other beds...Cleaned in the small garage, where I store gardening stuff, so we can hang a lamb in there that Rusty will butcher this week.

I have a PT appointment this morning and Connie will be here cleaning when I get home...Then we might do some finishing up outside in the flower beds before the leaves fall and cover everything.

FT with Bobi this morning, we are waiting for Ci to chime in with her news, since finishing school and moving to a new apartment...It's hard when she is     so far away...Rusty is on his way home from Bend, I must get moving...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Supper last night, no I didn't eat 

all the butter.

Me in the garden

yesterday.

Time Well Spent...52º...Going to reach 71º

 Several hours spent in the garden yesterday... Asparagus cut down to ground level, aged manure now covers this bed, and today I will cover that with straw for the winter...The last of the manure, I shoveled around the raspberry canes, and will also add straw to that bed...The fall rains will add moisture to soak and feed the plants, for next years bounty.

I remember a day last summer when I was spending a lot of time in the garden and Herb said, "Why are you going out there again?"...I replied, without thinking, "It is my happy place."...The hurt in his eyes was apparent, as I stumbled for words, "I like the sun, digging in the dirt, and watching the seeds grow into food for our dinner, I won't be long, just going to get greens for dinner." I think we both knew that that wasn't really the truth...Due to no fault of his, it was my "happy place," away from the person, who was changing into someone "we" both no longer knew...The insidious disease was taking its toll, on both of us.

In reality, the garden is still my happy place, and Herb no longer lives with the mental confusion, that had become his world...I try to keep our happy memories at the forefront but sometimes these others creep in...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

The season is changing,

leaves on the maple

trees that we 

planted, are turning

to gold.

A Day out of Town...47º Sunny.

 I always look forward to a La Grande trip this time of year, sunny, clear roads and the colors of autumn  at every turn...I drove out, Pam drove us home, we had lunch at Asian Fusion and did some shopping. 

Eye appointment, for me, was first on the list and my eyes had to be dilated...I dislike this process and had a feeling that my eyes have been getting worse...The Dr. says my eyes seem to be pretty stable, but with macular, they can also change abruptly...So I will just keep positive thoughts and move on, one day at a time!..And I will go ahead with a laser treatment that we had scheduled for last fall and canceled because of COVID, Herbs emergency hernia surgery, and his downward spiral with dementia...Now for the next month, trips to LG will be made on a regular basis.

We have a sunny weekend before temps lower, clouds move in with possible rain, typical fall weather...I hope to work on putting the garden to bed and soaking up the last of the really warm sunshine...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Coming home wasn't the best light for photos, but the Minam Canyon is always beautiful.

Early morning visitor...45º, Sunny

A beautiful fall day and the 4point buck in my yard, eating the fallen leaves, he has been a regular visitor the past two months.

Rusty is off with John for the day, hauling horses into Jim Creek to their winter pasture...Looks like a perfect day weather wise...So many things that I could be doing outside or another day of laziness...I haven't decided yet, still drinking my morning coffee.

I had a massage yesterday, oh so nice, and will go to balance class today and a brief stop at the grocery store...So I better get moving...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

The meaning of expired...39º

 While gathering ingredients for cookies in the cellar last Sunday, I moved a box of Chex breakfast cereal out of my way, trying to find chocolate chips...A light went off in my brain, getting my attention and I think "Wow, it is almost time to make Chex Mix for Christmas gifts." A closer look at the box and in plain sight, (not hidden on the bottom of the box in miniscule print) it said, "Best used by July 23, 2023." OMG now I have to throw this box of cereal away and wait for it to go on sale again...Christmas wouldn't be the same without Chex Mix." Then, I look again and another box is hiding behind the one i'm looking at, and I will have to throw away two boxes and the $$ signs come into my brain and my Mothers' voice says "Della, you can't be wasteful!"

What a dilemma?..My common sense brain kicks in,  it says "best used by, not totally expired."..So I just happen to have other ingredients that are not going to expire anytime soon, such as mixed nuts and  pretzels and all of the seasonings for Chex Mix...If I mix all of this together, it should renew the almost expired Chex cereal and make an entirely new product and I'll bet it won't expire until after Christmas and by that time all of my unsuspecting friends/family that have been gifted this "newest product" will have scarfed it all down!..Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Rusty and I have been

sampling and so far

don't show any 

signs of

 expiring. 

Baking Cookies on a perfect day....45º

Sunday, rainy, foggy, cold, was the perfect day for baking cookies...The first batch was the all time favorite of the Allens'...Molasses cookies...Herb's Mom made molasses crinkles, a cookie made for dunking and a favorite of the Allen family...New to me, but were soon to become a favorite in our family as well...Now I make a super molasses cookie, almost doubling the molasses, it is soft and rich.

I started early, measuring, mixing, testing the batter, and trying to keep Rusty out of the batter, so I would have something to cook...While the batter chilled, I mixed chocolate chip cookie dough, (still my favorite)...and while that chilled, I Face timed with friend Pat, in Maryland.

An hour later I scooped cookie dough onto sheet pans, baked almost 4 dozen, then started the chocolate chips, by this time i'm tired and resorted to making logs of dough and cutting into pieces with the bench knife...About 5 dozen chocolate chip cookies, that were too rich, spread out in the pans and are definitely dunkers...All cookies are now in the freezer, some to share and others to enjoy later, but mostly out of sight, out of mind, too much of a sugar fix...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Making fast work of chocolate chip

cookie dough.

Baked and ready to package

for the freezer.