Figuring out how to post a blog on my iPhone, while computer is getting a new battery. We are catching up after a getaway trip for me and a visit with Bobi and Cienna for Herb. All of us had a Sunday to visit. We have lovely fall days this coming weekend. Happy Halloween everyone. Hugs to all OWAV:)
It was a whirlwind trip, 3 nights, 4 days spent on the road and in McCall, Idaho for our 4th annual Hot Springs trip...Zims Hot Springs (now owned by the Nez Perce Tribe), located in New Meadows, Idaho, was the only hot springs open because of the Covid Pandemic...We stopped there on our way to McCall on Wed. Oct. 21 for a relaxing soak before arriving at our condo in McCall...The next two days were spent cooking, shopping, playing games, talking, laughing, walking/hiking and back to Zims for a soak on each day...Saturday morning the 7 of us split into two groups, one returning home by the 39 road, and the others, going north to Lewiston, shopping at Costco before returning home on hwy 3...The weather was mostly sunny but cold and we hit some storm coming home, but all in all it was a fun trip, and good teaveling.
I was happy to get home and visit with Bobi and Cienna, who came to spend a few days with Herb, and doing "honey do's" and will take home the beef (cut and wrapped) that is their annual Christmas present...A gift that keeps giving!..We have talked nonstop, cooked and played cards...They will leave this morning for Portland/Corvallis...Cienna is doing online college/student teaching and will graduate in June.
Bobi is taking my computer to Portland for a new battery, so I will not be doing a blog for several days, until it gets shipped back to Joseph...I will post photos on FB periodically.
Herb and I have a busy week coming up, weather is supposed to be decent, maybe the maple trees will shed their leaves and we can finish with the fall chores...Hugs To All OWAV:)
A few photos from our trip.
Looking ahead to finish the odd jobs to be done before winter...Looks like the weather is changing to cooler and wet, but we still have all the leaves left on our maple trees...We really need them to fall to the ground so Herb can mow over them and collect all to go on the garden...Don't know why they are being so stubborn.
Our eye appointment got canceled on Friday, but we took the opportunity to make a quick trip to LaGrande and work on the endless shopping list that I always have going...We shopped early before the stores got crazy busy, and before noon we were back in Elgin, at Billy Bob's Butcher shop, giving cutting instructions for the beef that will soon soon fill our freezer.
My 5th annual hot springs trip is right around the corner, so I'm continually making and checking the list for that trip...I will make bread today, including buns for sandwiches and a loaf to go with soup...Lots of slicing and dicing of vegetables will also get done...With the limited restaurants that will be open, we plan to buy groceries at the local Albertsons' store and cook our meals...We also have only one hot springs that will be open, so shopping at the thrift stores, cooking and playing games will fill the days...Should be a different but interesting time for all of us.
While I'm gone playing, Bobi and Ci are coming to get their beef and keep Herb company while I'm off galavanting again!..Hugs To All...OWAV:)
Town house that we will be staying in this year.
More fruit out of the freezer, and I added a dozen + jars of raspberry jam to the cellar shelves...We have a dozen huckleberry, strawberry and raspberry in case boxes, then the extra jars are out and easy to grab, when we need one...I have either plum or apricots to do this morning, but only have 1 dozen small mouth lids...(due to the lid shortage in the stores)...I have large mouth lids but am saving them for when I start canning turkey and chili.
It was a busy day yesterday, I made the jam early so I could get to water therapy, then grocery shopping, and home to fix dinner...We were early to bed and woke early this morning to wind, clouds, and sun breaks...Looks like cool weather for the next week...Hugs To All...OWAV:)
10/15/2020....The wind on Wed. night caused problems on "Sheep Ridge" with EONI's equipment that keeps our internet signal coming into Wallowa County...Eoni is good about putting a recording on their phone alerting Wallowa County to that kind of problem...So after hearing the recording, I moved on with my day and didn't worry about connecting to wifi...Instead I took the car to Schwabs' and had the snow tires put on, in case it snows on our McCall trip...Back home I did the last batch of jam for this year...I had Santa Rosa Plums cooking in no time and the most beautiful, flavorful jam possible, in 16 1/2 pints, cooling on the counter.
Another busy day in store for me today...Last spring when "Spit Shine" advertised car detailing gift certificates, I bought one for myself for Mothers' Day...It is Mothers' Day in October and today I take my car to get the inside spic and span...Never had this luxury before...Pam will pick me up and we will meet our Hot Springs Buddies, to finalize our trip to McCall...After that I have water therapy and hope my car is done, when I finish...If not I will wait for it or borrow Pams' car to get home.
When I arrive home the house should smell like a roast beef dinner, cooking in the oven...That means I must end this and get the roast, potatoes and carrots prepped...Hugs To All...OWAV:)
Herb was up early yesterday morning, anticipating his routine bloodwork at the hospital sometime after 7AM....I managed to roust myself out of bed about 6AM and we arrived at the hospital shortly after 7AM...We both checked in with masks on and got our temperatures checked...I left Herb waiting for the phlebotomist and went back to move the car closer to the "out" door, where I would pick him up...It all went like clockwork and we were back home before 8AM to fix and eat breakfast.
Working on the check list this week, frozen fruit from the freezer is being made into jam...We have a half of beef ordered and must pick it up in a couple of weeks, thus the freezer needs to be somewhat empty...Monday I made 16- 1/2 pints of huckleberry jam and yesterday added 16-1/2 pints of strawberry...Today raspberries will soon be made into jam...We actually don't eat very much jam but it is good for special occasions to top ice cream, or put on pancakes or waffles or give as a gift with a loaf of homemade bread.
After some glorious fall days, our weather has turned rainy and cold, with sun breaks...The geraniums are still blooming and I cover the house plants at night, so they don't freeze...Maybe if I get through "jamming," on Friday we can bring them inside and get the windows washed, depending on the weather...Hugs to All...OWAV:)
Front porch photos.
An early morning phone call from Imnaha, "apples were on their way."...For the past 3 years we have gotten Cameo apples, a variety I had never heard of before, but they are a good keeper and wonderful eating apples...We are able to store them in the "little garage," (that I just got cleaned out)...We leave them in the boxes, and cover them with old sleeping bag liners and wool blankets and can leave them there all winter, bringing in a bucketful at a time to put in the fridge downstairs...They are good for breakfast and sometimes a snack before bedtime.
The last of the Gravenstein apples from our tree were in the garage, waiting to be peeled and sliced for pies...I checked that off of the list and Herb took the 4 bags to the freezer for apple pies this winter, while I kept enough apples and made a small pie...We finished up the leftover meatballs/sauce on spaghetti noodles, savoring the apple pie for dessert...I made the crust using lard, that Rusty brought and ended up with crust so rich, that I had to piece it together...It was sinful...Hugs To All...OWAV:)
I have no excuse now, not to do inside work...Supposed to have rain/rain showers off and on for the next week, with cooler temperatures for sure...The geraniums on the front porch are still blooming and beautiful...I don't have the heart to cut them down, until they frost, then it will be time to move the house plants and chairs back in the house and clean the front porch and wash windows...That is on the list along with making jam from the frozen fruit, that needs to be cleaned out of the freezers.
We had a wonderful visit with Diane, mostly reminisced about the years when her parents were first married, me telling stories that she has never heard about her Mom, Marlene and Dad, George (my brother)...Also stories when I babysat the 3 oldest girls, Susan, Pode and Diane, and other family stories...When we weren't talking about family we were talking about cooking, gardens, crafts, we talked fast, trying to get it all said!
Our house is quiet this morning, Herb reading, me doing puzzles and now writing memories, so next year I can look back and reminisce about the good visit, food and fall colors...Hugs To All...OWAV:)
Our traditional breakfast for company, Huckleberry Compote over pancakes and a side of sausage...Diane is savoring the last bites...😀
