Upgrades

Our family has always been the type that uses something long after it has lived its normal, useful life. Take lawn chairs for example - year after year we threaten to throw them out but they just keep showing up at our parties. Some of these chairs are older than my children. They really need to go.

So I waited until our local box store was down to their very last set to make sure I was getting the best deal...

and then I took the plunge and upgraded. Of course my son wasn' t happy I bought the set with 6 chairs to assemble when our family size has been shrinking lately. But he's so good at assembly - just give him bags and bags of small parts and assembly diagrams and within minutes you have finished products. Wow, I am sure going to miss him.

Having an attack puppy on site meant we still could only get the most basic of sets - no thick padded cushions will get shredded on my watch, b/c I don't have any. Just let her try chewing on these metal arms and legs.

Encouraged by that great success we decided something else had to be upgraded.

When we moved we suddenly had no television beyond what our antenna could receive and then when everything went digital we lost it all on our old set. So we have survived 2 months of no television at all. It was a real purging in our lifestyle. We all feel very cleansed actually. A little bored at times but it was a good thing. And we discovered we like watching shows online much better.

So we decided with all the money we've saved to buy a brand spanking new TV and plug it into a computer. And when we connected THIS new baby to our old antenna we were just tickled to find out we can get 2 network stations AND a couple public broadcasts. We are feeling just totally indulged these days.

Better than Bartletts

I had to invite some friends over just to distribute all the pears we have.

Some of us floated the river (now at the melted ice stage) before the picnic and some of us did not. The floaters got to be first in the food line.

You can be sure everyone under 20 braved it.

And Luna found a new friend

this morning she is pouting in the empty lawn chairs b/c the party is over and Makai has gone home.

31 Today

Thank you, Lord, for the best husband ever.

Bartletts, Baby

I'm sorry, but this may be one of those days when I should just share nothing. Still, beautiful Bartletts are exciting to some of us. Especially since, unlike the tree at my nursery house, my tree here is fully loaded with them for one, AND they're nicely unspotted pears for two, AND they're mostly within reach for three.

So we'll pick all of them and then wait for them to ripen. There's not much to be done with them unless you are the canning type. I'm trying not to be that type this year - didn't even move my canning supplies to this property. I may have to just invite alot of friends over to eat them all. Not sure I have that many friends.

Surprise

Most days I have no idea what tomorrow's blog post will be, or IF it will be. Because there's really not that much going on most of the time.

But then my dear hubby says, "are you up for adventure"? Depending on the time of day (he knows better than to ask in the pm), the answer is usually yes!



So we set off yesterday intending to hike or explore. But it was hot. And the road was blocked. So we ended up swimming (again). Just when I thought summer was about over.


This place is called Yellow Bottom. And it is.

We have a friend who has a gold mining claim up here. Possibly another reason for it's name?

But I think the real treasure is this deep pool of the cleanest creek water you can imagine. In a few steps it drops off to neck deep refreshment.

it's also very refreshing to just sit in it. The little baby fish are very friendly and nibbly. Thanks, hon, for a fun day!

Swimmingly

Ever since this girl discovered a great swimming hole early this summer we have been spreading the word.


We invite friends, and they invite their friends and all make the maiden voyage across this spot in order to reach the sweet spots that lie just below the little falls.


My experienced younguns are the first ones in.

Ooh, the temperature has cooled off just a tad since we were last here.

The rest of the party is slowly picking their way across the rocky cliffs.

This boy of mine is just showing them all how it's done, the little- uh big- show-off.

"you should try it, mom, or are you practicing your paparazzi skills?"

Logan is trying to convince his accounting teacher that she will love it.

She is not so sure that she will - being the calculated personality that she is.

The rest of the team cheer her on and she feels her confidence building.

Not sure if they pushed just a little or she did it all by herself, but it was a splashing success.

I eventually put the camera down, climb down to the water and swim across. The cliff however, I am saving for next year, paparazzi wimp that I am.






Ahhh ...... summer, you'll be back again.

My sunrise

See that? No you can't see it, at least not totally. That's Snow Peak and the very tip has disappeared from my morning view - in the fog and mist. That means just one thing - summer is coming to a close.

This peak is the one that lets us know when summer begins. The old timers say that you can't plant your garden until the snow is all gone from its peak. Well, now Dave's tomatoes are filling all the kettles in my kitchen along with many other garden goodies.

I wish I could just continue to walk right at sunrise, it's my favorite time. And it has really helped me to be healthier since I started back with that discipline. But with fall comes schedules and so I will have to fit my walk in between breakfast and break and rain showers.

Still, we are grasping at summer today while it's still here. One last dip in our new favorite swimming hole is planned!

A wanna-be

He had to come with me again and he was willing as usual.

although he will need to get to bed a little earlier if he keeps up this evening job.

But I love him for it - and I took this photo just so I could tell you all.

Did I mention that I know someone with long dark hair who will look amazing in these shots? I'm sort of taken with long hair of any kind. The last time I had long hair was in third grade. I always wore it in a pony tail so it didn't blow around in the wind or get in my face. What a pity.

It's gonna hurt

It's been non-stop for this girl the last 2 weeks: a week at camp, a long weekend down in K Falls, several all-day outings, couple full days of babysitting ... but now, the daily doubles begin. Of course, that means, school is only 2 weeks away!

Reality

It's great to be home again

even though the sights and colors of the trade show are spectacular

it is all somehow not very real

it's very much a show,

an illusion, like this hydrangea tree that's not really a tree b/c they don't really grow like that or look like that.

This is how they looked at home this week, you could call it a hydrangea slaughter maybe.

or a nursery atrocity. Life is brutal sometimes back at the plant factory.

But it is home and it is real. And I'm glad to be back.

Sweet

That's what I would call the hubby who let me sleep in while he got up and drove the hour and a half back to the farm with a customer so that we can hopefully sell more of those plants that surround us on all sides. And me? I got to sleep in on my king motel bed, go buy a mocha and then find not one, but two pre-paid credit cards on my purse. Because of course when we come to this event every year we stay just a few blocks from this mall. One of the best in our state complete with a skating rink right under the food court.

I realized it's been 2 years since I've repeated this trade show/shopping experience. Last year at this time I was making a road trip with my daughter to college.

In other news my baby boy just registered for college - all by himself without me. Guess I'm not needed there, but at least he called to tell me about it. He's just sweet like that. Hopefully I'll get to take him clothes shopping one last time.

The Big City

Hubby and I have left the farm to go to the city. We hope to sell some of these. Because we can't eat them or wear them. And because they would look good in someone's yard. Maybe yours?

Floating

We floated the river today - I can't believe it's mid-August and this is the first time I got in. Note to self, the river is much colder in August than in July. Yet, it was good and as a bonus we got to chase 3 river otters away from our exit ladder in order to climb out. Brenna and I provided loud screams that definitely did the trick.


I would have taken a photo but that would be just about as dumb as the time I took my cell phone with me on an inner tube.

Sweaters in the Making

You remember these guys. Well, maybe you don't, b/c I can remember their names half the time. I call this one Earnest George, he's very headstrong and definitely the boss.

And this one I still call Ringo, even though he's been renamed by my daughter. But she has been out of town and since I am doing her chores I can call them whatever I want. So there.

They're just not sure they trust me on this fine day, BUT I have the pellets: the yummy, crunchy, tasty, even the sheep want these pellets.

So they conquer their fear of humans and dig right in. I worry about my fingers momentarily but then realize these guys are all lips and only very small nibbly-size teeth.

They quickly pull back if you move too suddenly or try to whisper sweet nothings in their ear. They are just here for the food!

"Although that camera looks mighty tasty, maybe I'll just get a closer look. "

"Did you know that someone has begun making yarn from the high-micron fiber of my wool? They actually haven't had it tested, but I'm sure it will get high marks, coming from me, Earnest George. "