Keeping a 9 year old grandson

After seven days this becomes a challenge to keep Peyton entertained. He Brought along his scooter and since our weather changed to Summer he enjoyed playing in the sprinkler to cool off.  We went out to the lake yesterday and he fished, and drove the boat. We filled the refrigerator with food he likes. Fish Sticks, Brocolli, cheese sticks, apples, kiwi. Mac & Cheese. ( any form of  salad? No way). Every trip to the grocery store we manage to pass ( directly) the bakery for him to get a "free cookie" and I managed to steer him away from the candy aisle. (Ok I did give in to some gummy bears and red vines.) Some cheese & cracker snacks and a box of animal crackers. A box of frozen fudgebars and a small container of ice cream. He has been a real delight. Of course we have to keep the wii game available and plenty of unsugared drinks. His bedtime routine was altered since he is here, bedtime is 10 pm and he reads for about 10 minutes and falls a sleep until 9am. I find it amazing how he is able to play his brothers PSP ( btw thats short for "play station portable " and he also brought along a DSI but I have no idea what that stands for).

He earned some money helping grandpa & me so he was able to add a few dollars to his own cash and he spent $39.99 on a Pokeman game that he had to have.. Surprised that Gramma let him use his own money..Well he would have liked me to pay for it but I held my purse strings tightly. What happened to the simple games we used to play, Yatzee, Monopoly, Uno, or even Dominoes?  He brought along a camera ( took 3 pix) a circle a word book and 2 reading books..
He has begged me to play "Clue" tonight because he found it  among a few "old games" in the cupboard. So I guess thats what I will be doing later....He has been a joy to have visit but thank goodness his mom and little brother will be here by the weekend.. I will be ready for a rest come Monday morning.  Of course the house will be quiet again & we will definately notice.

A great time then & Now

Well I made it home at last... it was a great trip... Charles Nash VanderHouwen was so cute. He is 20 months and growing so fast and learning so much. I sure wish he didn't live so far away.  Dennis & Michelle have moved into a perfect home for them.  I will post pictures later with our Fourth Of July weekend with Peyton 9 year old grandson who came home with me for a visit. Company coming for the next few days so we will be busy.

Oh! We have babies!!!

They are here! I was fixing dinner when Clay came to tell me tonight that "We are proud parents of 5 babies." I grabbed the camera and hurried out to the pond.. But mama had already gathered the babes together and was in the cattails hiding. I was disappointed but determined to snap a picture. Came inside  ate my dinner quickly and returned to where he said he saw her.

I parked myself in a chair and waited quietly. All of a sudden the  daddy duck made a circular pass of the pond and flew in.. Landed, swam around in a circle, bathed and quacked..and  

    Here they came out of the rushes..
     1, 2, 3, 4, 5 .........

but wait look closely not 5 but  6  Babies

Before mama introduced the babies to daddy, I observed an  amazing behavior.  As I sat there Daddy duck swam over to another part of the pond and started quacking Very angrily and loudly. Then I saw  another hen was swimming there and he actually chased her out of the pond and around the side of the pond before she flew away...I don't know if he was threatened by her or was protecting his new babies..

Watching these babies grow is going to be a favorite pastime now for sure.... I don't even want to think about the day they fly on.

Can you come along?

It was so pretty today, A fabulous  Blue sky & sunshine day.  After our hard work yesterday we decided to take a break & head out for the forest. I snapped a few shots  to share. So pick up a walking stick , there are lots laying on the ground  and follow me for a while. The scenery is beautiful.  I am  sure it's finally Spring.

Here's a path to follow..The trees are so sure getting tall.  I love the smells of the forest, clean fresh, definately a woodsy scent.

We are almost at the bridge crossing the creek.. The water is rushing quickly from the melting snow.

Keep coming there is an Awesome view of Mt McLaughlin just around the bend.

Now wasn't that a great way to get some exercise? I hope you will come along with me on another day.  

Found it, Hauled it, Painted it...

Well it took some muscle and a lot of persuading but Here it is.. My vision of a great entry to Blue sky Farm from the road.
I found it in the field next door covered with wire, weeds & a ton of dirt. I begged yeah , begged my fabulous husband to just "Please come take a look~see  and to visualize it at the entrance to the property with the flowers tumbling out of the old bathtub ( we already had placed there.) He finally gave in and we drug the monster out of the field, up our road . Man it was H e a v y....It was really ugly & a  rusty red but with a couple cans of Flat black spray paint It looks  just as I pictured..It is 10 feet long with plenty more room to hang more baskets, old tins,  flowers, and more.. I can picture it with Lights  strung at Christmas and a Scarecrow for the fall can you? It made my day....

Who's minding the nest?

It appears Mr. Mallard swimming, eating &  taking it easy, while Mrs. Mallard sits on the eggs doing the mom bit right?

... But wait.. here's the nest with nobody home sitting for these "egg- lets"... seems mama decided to take a bath, eat and exercise a bit too... I had to go take aother peek..I wondered  how the eggs would stay warm & safe, and found  

The nest was totally covered with feathers.. Mama did a great  job of conceiling these eggs,.,. I carefully removed the top layer of feathers and there they were.. I counted 7 maybe 8 covered the nest after taking the photo and returned to the pond where I found both ducks happy taking a break.. I think this is going to be a nice family.... soon..and Daddy is hanging around waiting for the big day..... He's got babysitting to do when they hatch....or does she not get a break then too?

Rainy day surprises

Okay.. Its either sit home & watch the rain fall or get in the car and take a day trip to the mountains  in the rain..  You can guess what I did.. We packed our lunch stuff and off we drove. Headed south towards Medicine Lake in Calif. We  almost made it in to the lake but that white cold stuff stopped us frrom getting through  about 5 miles from the Lake entrance.

Taking another road we came to this clearing.. well sort of a clearing.. clouds & mountains in the background and the rain started pouring. Still a pretty drive.  I snapped that  photo and happened to look down and saw this beautiful Morrell Mushroom peeking through the fauna. I picked a few for breakfast.

We will return in a month to enjoy the fishing on the lake but that will be another day.  Once we got home  Another surprise waited me. 

You see a few days ago I was walking in the field and up on grassy hill where Buster had come upon the nest of the female  mallard that has been swimming in the pond. I was sure he had scared her off. I saw her nest was there hidden with at a dozen eggs left unattended. Fearful  and fretting  now for two days that he had scared her away for good. I slowly walked back up there (with my camera  just in case) to check when I saw the Drake fly to the pond...I was delighted  to see right back there doing her mom  to be thing..sitting quietly. Now I can't wait to see how many babies hatch.. Oh yes.. Many surprises today... Plus the deer had not touched the flowers inthe tub....

Rub a Dub Dub...

Yes, those are Petunias planted in the old bath tub. . See their pretty red, purple, yellow & white faces. When they get settled into their new home some with grow tall and reach for the sun while the rest will grow to overflowing and  cascade down over the sides.. Well, that is what I hope they do... They will look pretty no matter where they decide to flow from the bathtub at the top of our property driveway..don't ya think? The rain was starting to sprink just as I finished planting.. so they will get an extra drink of water today & possible tonight to help make them happy  there..Now lets hope the deer will continue to ignore them.. so far so good, as some of the lower plants have been there all week....just waiting for these beauties to show up. I really do love Petunias! Now I need some marigolds to plant in the back garden. I bought tomato plants today  too & will set them out  maybe Sunday..as the weather is to warm up and dry out a bit next week... we shall see....

Taking it off slowly

Two week weigh in today and I must toot my own horn. I have lost 7 pounds and  2 inches off my waist..
The cleansing diet  has been worth it! Now, I get to add a few carbs back  into my menu.. I never thought a small potato  could taste so good. It is said that a goal written down is more achieveable and shared with others is very beneficial..So I have laid it out my friends.. I am Ready, willing and doing it!
I have more to lose and I am aware it will take perserverance  and determination, but with the recipes I have at my fingertips now and added fruits & vegetables my goal will be within reach. Anyone trying to lose a few pounds can relate.
Now with more fruits & nuts I will be in heaven.. cherries, melons, berries, apricots, plums apples, pears, peaches .. Yum, and  all the vegetables I want..cooked, steamed, roasted.. no peas, carrots or corn .. yet however...but  These fruits  and vegetables will be fresh in season  soon in my garden and at the  Saturday Market place. I will be posting a few new recipes for dressings, crock pot meals & more over in the kitchen where "this hens a cookin". Drop by,  Pull up a chair and celebrate with me as I continue drinking those 8 glasses of water.. Gee, It feels  Good to get into those "too tight jeans.."

The Project begins at last!

The day has come.... with a tiny bit of rain... The project is underway.

We have worked with a local landscape & Nursery to beautify our homesite. 25 trees, bark &  evergreen shrubs going in.. a drip water system and some flowering shrubs and I probably won't remember the names of everything ..some will not bloom until next spring but the folage will be green for summer & turn fall colors in the Autum. I will post more as they continue....

Potatoes, Peas & Beets

 Well the day has ended and this farmgirl is "pooped".  Clay & I went ahead and planted the potatoes, peas & beets just before dinner... Will  get tomato and Pepper plant starts next week... It sure feels good but I am exhausted.. Soaked in the tub  while dinner was cooking . Thanks to my wonderful husband for  grilling the meat & veggies tonihgt...now Dishes done and a movie awaits... Sure wish I could have some popcorn... Nah.. I feel fine with fruit...Baked  Apple anyone?
Then nightie night for me.....Until tomorrow...

Gated garden ~ Finally ready to plant

The girls were unhappy I had chased them out of the garden area today. We finished fencing  & put a gate at the entrance by my potting  bench and thats the end where their studio also is, and easy access to give them garden clippings as the vegetables begin to grow. We  have to keep them out now that we are ready to plant potatoes, beets, peppers, peas.  They will get plenty of the garden goodies as I weed and

they have plenty of area to roam & snatch up those yummy bugs & grubs chickens love. The earthworms in the garden are mine for now. As you can see 3 left and headed out to the field next door and these three hung around just incase mama left the gate open.. Sorry chickies "It's just Not  happening".

Want to come along?

 The weather looks nice  a "blue sky  sunny  today"...Let's

Take a walk into the forest. It is still chilly but the sights are heart warming if you love the outdoors. Bring along a light jacket,  it could get breezy & there may be snow still on the ground....

I hope you brought your camera.. I am sure glad I did...

It looks like nobody is home... or maybe they are.

Careful there are small branches, don't trip. Did you bring a walking stick?

These blooming bushes are so pretty. I don't know their Botanical name do you?

Turn around and get a look at that view of Mt Theilsen.. A sight worth too many words.. I hope you enjoyed  our day in the forest. I  will be searching for more sights to capture..Will you be coming along? We should bring a picnic lunch next time...

Celebrate Girl Time It's Healthy

A thought to share for all my girlfriends.. Sent to me by my sister in law...

.. I just finished taking an evening class at Stanford. The last lecture was on the mind-body connection--the relationship between stress and disease. The speaker (head of psychiatry at Stanford) said, among other things, that one of the best things that a man could do for his health is to be married to a woman whereas for a woman, one of the best things she could do for her health was to nurture her relationships with her girlfriends. At first everyone laughed, but he was serious.

Women connect with each other differently and provide support systems that help each other to deal with stress and difficult life experiences. Physically this quality "girlfriend time" helps us to create more seratonin--a neurotransmitter that helps combat depression and can create a general feeling of well being. Women share feelings whereas men often form relationships around activities. They rarely sit down with a buddy and talk about how they feel about certain things or how their personal lives are going. Jobs? Yes. Sports? Yes. Cars? Yes. Fishing, hunting, golf? Yes. But their feelings?--rarely. Women do it all of the time. We share from our souls with our sisters, and evidently that is very good for our health. He said that spending time with a friend is just as important to our general health as jogging or working out at a gym.

There's a tendency to think that when we are "exercising" we are doing something good for our bodies, but when we are hanging out with friends, we are wasting our time and should be more productively engaged--not true. In fact, he said that failure to create and maintain quality personal relationships with other humans is as dangerous to our physical health as smoking! So every time you hang out to shmooze with a gal pal, just pat yourself on the back and congratulate yourself for doing something good for your health! We are indeed very very lucky. Sooooo let's toast to our friendship with our girlfriends. Evidently it's very good for our health.

Mia Simmons, EFT Cert-1, ADV

Certified Practitioner

My new Rainy days project

Since the weather is so nasty wet and too cool to do my garden outside, I have started another  inside project. I have always love the look of Red & White embroidery on pillow cases & towels. I am going to give it a try and make a small pillow top for my guestroom bed.  I think it will be fun to do some others too.

Did you know Redwork is believed to have originated in Europe in the 19th century and traveled to America prior to the War Between the States. Redwork was extremely popular among people who were not a part of the fussy Victorian culture of "collect and embellish." Redwork found a niche among peasants, immigrants and the middle class, especially in America. Much of its popularity was due to its economy, sublime simplicity and widespread availability. In America, dry goods stores sold 6 inch muslin squares marked with a variety of designs for a penny each. These "penny squares" are often seen incorporated into old Redwork bedspreads and linens. Not only were the materials relatively inexpensive, but the basic outline stitches meant less thread was required than in Blackwork or Whitework and they were easy to master. Penny squares were often given to youngsters to occupy their time, as well as improve their embroidery skill. Even children in orphanages were taught to sew and embroider, because it would be invaluable to them in finding employment as a maid. It was an essential part of raising all young women, they might very well be expected to furnish their own linens as part of a trousseau. In fact, it was girls from the Kensington School in England helped popularize Redwork. The school's name continues to be intimately associated with this style of embroidery, as is evidenced by the fact that the split stitch is also called the Kensington Stitch. * Information taken  from the Redwork Embroidery Primer*

Time for me...

Today is a Self Care day for me...it's day #6 on the Cleansing Diet and I feel pretty good. I am going to have a manicure, pedicure (a Mother's Day gift) and a  hair cut.  Do a bit of grocery shopping and buy a nice vanilla candle. I think I need it today.. The weather is Cloudy and I see no sign of a Blue Sky in there.. So I will pamper myself a bit and make it a great"sunshine day".  I am linking my daughter Nancy's Self Care Girl Site to invite you all to check it out...http://myselfcareblog.blogspot.com/if  you haven't already.
She is back from her holiday in Hawaii and is offering a nice Giveaway. You can find her also on Facebook.  Make your day a special one too... You deserve it!

Seeds Planted.....

I certainly hope the sunflowers grow.. I love the way they look standing so tall in the garden. I planted 12 started plants and some smaller variety. I will by trying to keep the birds & my lovely chickens away from those delecate sprouts. (At least until they mature to hold their own..) I had a chat with the "girls" told them I will harvest the big heads in the fall for them.But they gotta let themgrow... Do you think they understand? Not, but I can hope... We also planted ( scatter planted) over 50,000 seeds of wild flowers again hoping some will make it and we will be surprised to see their pretty faces in a couple months.... Hurry up sunshine, Rain showers in the forcast all week..but that can mean little rain here actually.. just as long as the nights stay above freezing.. The back veggie garden is not even close to planting and my potato seeds are bursting through the box they are stored in... Hope we can get them in the ground sometime next week... Somebody please chat with Mother Nature...I need some help here...

I- 2- 3 go~! Day 4

I really had a burst of energy this morning, Completely cleaned out the hen house , refilled their water supply and moved their feeder higher  (cuz the darn Mice like the food too*, did laundry, watered all my outside plants. I guess the weigh plan is working. I even  made a trip to the grocery store .No Headache and Ready for Life....
I hope to feel as good tomorrow...
Pork with Chili Sauce for dinner.. recipe Onthe kitchen blogsite.. see ya over there...

What are these cold white flakes?

Can you believe it? May 22nd and Snow? Klamath Falls is 54 miles from Crater Lake, It was  only a snow shower here so We decided to take a drive to Crater Lake today even though our temperature was only 36 degrees. This is snow piled up on the open side of the Lake. The entire loop will be open by July 1. So this isn't a surprise, except with so many reports of drought in our area we question the truth of that... As we approached the lake the flakes started falling again and my view of the Lake was  very limited and quite cloudy.

We drove around to the Visitors Center to see that the main enterance was blocked with Snow but the other side of the building has a snow tunnel to enter. The Lodge is higher up the road by 4 miles and is open. There were many snowshoers and hikers about. You can see how much snow there is up close to the enterance. I have posted pictures previously of the views of Crater Lake inthe summer.. I must say  The winter scenery was gorgeous even without the sunshine. We'd like to take the cruise to Wizard Island maybe this summer. It is a very pretty 2 hour cruise offered by the National Park there in the summer months..  The Lodge is  very nice and has a very nice restaraunt open in the summer.. During off season the coffee shop cafe is open year round along with the gift shop.

This may Inspire You....

Today I will be posting a blog Everyone should read. My blogger friend June posted it today and I wanted to pass the link on.... http://decortoadore.blogspot.com/2010/05/ultimate-diymay-you-be-inspired.html  What Inspiration! A very strong woman.  Thank You Laura Ingalls Gunn.