Not the biggest but a yummy catch...

We took a short trip to Crescent Lake to "forget our stress and for some sanity". We had a great couple days and were able to get out on the lake to fish. Kokenee were our desired catch and Clay caught 2 one day & released them, unsure of he'd like them or not so yesterday We went out again at 6 in morning to catch the "big one." Although this was not the Big one we did keep it and cooked it up  for lunch. Yummy...Now he is hooked, no pun intended but he did change his mind after eating it.  We hope to return when Clay is feeling better.. It was nice to get away  for a few days, while his eye heals..Fortunately for us we can go again and it's not too far.

A peaceful place...

Today is a reflection day for me..A day to gather my thoughts and find a peaceful place in my world. Here a captured photo of our sky a few nights ago. It looked like rain, peaceful, no wind and a calming feeling.  I am thinking of family, My daughter, Nancy  (many may know her as "Self Care Girl}" is in Australia, Her Husband has a chance to move there with her for a whole year..She is there working on a 3-6 months project and  it looks like she will be there longer, so fitting that her husband can be sent there as well working for Boeing has some great perks.. My youngest daughter  has just interviewed for a teaching position in her children's school district ( where she has be substitute teaching for two years) So that sounds positive for her. My son is working as is his wife as Artists in their own fields, He is a Comedy Magician entertainer and she is an excellent artistic muralist.  That brings you to my husband who has just completed a treatment of many days radiation therapy for Basel cell cancer  on one of his eyelids and one on his temple. We hope the treatments are successful as the pain on  his eyelid is really bad. He suffers not so quietly sometimes and as his wife and sole caregiver  You know how husbands can be "babies", but I must sympathize with him as it looks really yukky, and I can only imagine it does  present painful situation and wearing an eye patch * as a pirate may be his Halloween costume..(Joking..) He is just very verbal on pain issues right now..and I will accept him as he is.. most of the time a wonderful man..  So all that said I think I need a cuppa tea and sit back a bit and count my blessings...

Time to Decorate for that"Curb Appeal"...

 Preparing for the Fourth of July a bit late but still the driveway  and patio welcome our visitors, family, neighbors and friends. What will you be doing this Holiday? We had planned to go camping but now will perhaps take a drive, have a picnic and watch the fireworks from the lake. I love being able to decorate the Gate and front  patio of Blue Sky Farm for each holiday as it happens, it really makes me feel good when I look out there and see the decorations.We enjoy breakfast and coffee every morning sitting out  on the patio.  I call it my "spirit lifter." when I am feeling not so cheery... it seems to work!..

Pictures from Washington

On the way to take my Mom home,  (She was here only a week. and had some blood pressure issues so I took her home to her cardiologist) I managed to captured this great barn scene

I love the barns and have several pictures previously posted.  This one falls into the favorite file.

The trip was a long  yet beautiful one this time of the year.  Along with this picture is a shot of my Grandson Alex and his first car.I was shutter bugging and captured these other shots of my iris  in the back yard finally bloomed and Mt.McLaughlin. I wish My mom had felt better before we took her home,  so we could have spent more time together this trip. She has seen her cardiologist and is getting stronger each day.

SURPRISE!!!

SURPRISE TWINS!! I have been watching this  mama pacing all day in the field above our  house.. Through the binoculars  and  now there are three.. Adorable twins!

Just born tonight about 5:30pm.

Mama & 10 New Babies

We were delighted to see our wild mama mallard yesterday swimming on the pond with her new babies. They are so cute.. ( We haven't seen daddy with her since these have hatched.) We are happy she and daddy have returned yet another year to lay their eggs & enjoy our company as we spend a lot of time watching & feeding them. This is the 4th year they have returned to our pond. It brings a smile to my face every time I see them... ahhh Spring time is finally here...

Let Summer begin....

Alex's Graduation Ceremony over, home now with my mom here visiting,  A few family Birthdays. Father's Day coming this month and We have many things planned for good weather.. starting with planting the garden. 

  Clay doing the hard part.. preparing the space.and  the chickens have found the worms.. Here is one of  our new  "babies" loving the tasty treats.

We see some competition also in the yard here.. I know the quail can't  take ownership of this home... the  guard is at the door... we are sure there are eggs inside. Perhaps these birds know something we don't. Or  the quail was getting a "birds eye view" of  his own nest.
Today we will plant the potatoes and  beets & beans..Pictures will follow of the work accomplished. Make your weekend a great one...

Graduating class 2011

Tomorrow night I will be in Yakima. My second oldest grandson will be   graduating from High School. I remember so well the day he was born. Time flies when we are so busy with our lives doesn't  it? I hopefully will have a picture to post of him. Funny I will be celebrating my 45th year since graduating high school  myself this year.. OMG that makes me feel really old... 

Weekend trip Camping

The boys fishing, unfortunately they didn't catch anything.. but they did have their lines in the water all of 5 minutes. They really like to cast the lines best. next to swimming.

Happy Hour with the girls

Clay took the picture of our group.

We sure hated to see my Dennis, Michelle and Charlie have to go home to Denver. .. 

Our "Prince Charles"

We think he is adorable, and are thoroughly enjoying  our visit with him this week. He is our Prince Charles and know he will  be some lovely princess's Prince charming when he becomes of age... we figure that will be awhile but in the mean time hes already charmed his way into our hearts.  Later this week we will join his 3 cousins when we go camping over Memorial Weekend. Our family will be camping and fishing and playing for three days. We only wish Aunt Nancy& Uncle Simon were joining us but  this year they couldn't make it. I am sure we will be sending them many pictures.  I will  be sharing those pictures here with my readers when we return.  I hope you all have time to enjoy your love ones this week.. 

The House is pretty much Child proof

Spent the day childproofing the house, covered a few  reachable electrical sockets, put away glass "pretties." Moved most of temptation... I think..Because Charlie will be here tomorrow.  He will undoubtedly find something that will be a "do not touch" but there will be a lot of things he can handle.. Buster may not like it to be kid handled but he can always move out of sight.  It has been years since a toddler has  been in our home so we are kinda excited to say the least. We are sure hoping the forecast is correct and this awful rain is going away tonight.. Gosh I  hope so.. My son and  his wife will be here for only about a week.. This is the first time Papa Clay will actually get to meet Charlie in person..  Oh yes, Gramma went to the store & there are treats & cookies did you doubt that? 

Company coming for dinner

 Tonight we have company coming for dinner.. I planned a small dinner party with a couple of friends and their spouses. I  Love to entertain and cook for guests.  I don't know why but when I do these thing I tend to work  for hours prepping and cleaning so I can relax when the guests arrive. 
While my husband has been sprucing up the outside, I have been preparing food, setting up a mini -bar, setting the table and pre-cooking what I can. Do you do this? It makes perfect sense to me.. and  makes the evening stress free.
My menu has been planned for a week. I am sure  it will be a great dinner. How can I go wrong.. good friends & yummy food..now I should go chill the wine. marinade the fish and I will be set...or yeah and post my appetizer pictures on "thishensacookin  blog. You can see them, just go on over to the sidebar and click on the egg carton. 
I think I am set....

here they are...4 new chickens

Here they are ... the 4 babies. They are adjusting to their new home.. Clay & I clipped their little wings before we moved them into their new home. I have been trying to go out & pick them up daily so they get used to that.. It really helps if they are tame & not afraid of you, in case you need to pick them up later.. I made the mistake before with the older ones and it is quite difficult if I need to gather them up to move them to their coop.  So far these babies are doing fine.. There are 7  resident chickens now. It is amazing how big the others seem now..  and  I am hoping that no more predators come near these.. We lost two last week to a hawk I think...  and that really cut down on my egg production.. getting only 2 eggs a day right now... These new chicks won't start laying until mid July... Keep checking back as I  document how they are growing.. Enjoy your day and be safe.

New girls will share the coop

And then there were 7.. hens.
 Today I brought the babies home from Gail's. They look so cute. Growing quite quickly.
As you can see here are two of the 3 older hens,  wondering where these babies came from ..
Tonight  they will share their space.
I am sure a pecking order will be re-established.  Two more months and we can start seeing the new hens laying... I hope.