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.

Bird watching in the rain

 Today was a rainy day, a stay in kind of a day. You know we have these down days to recoup for upcoming busy dry days, right? I was reading and looked outside at the bird feeder to see this "Spotted Towhee and shortly after a "Yellow headed Black bir" came for a few seeds. It is amazing how all these birds gather to eat from our feeders. Sparrows of several breeds, Flickers, Doves, & Quail and I saw a yellow belly sap sucker the other day, but couldn't get a snapshot of him fast enough. We have also the Red wing blackbirds and tri colored Black birds.. that hang out around the pond in the cat tails.. Fun to watch especially on a rainy day. I keep my eyes open for the baby quail hoping they show up soon.

Here's what's happening at Blue Sky

"This way Dad, Mom wants this mound of dirt gone.. I like climbing on it but she said it has to go" because She wants a better view of the pond...

Our neighbor was so kind to lend a hand and big  equipment to move this dirt. Lucky for us he "likes to play in the dirt"Job completed, now we get to landscape. I think this can get abit expensive, so we save a lot of money having the neighbor Rick volunteer to tackle the job.

Now on to the back yard for my garden area...I can't wait to get started but the dirt is a bit clumpy right now until it dries out a bit more, Then Rick will come back in a few days to go over it again so I can plant the veggies.Wow, thats a great big garden spot don't ya think? and Buster agrees that we do need a fence to keep out the "golden girls & black beauties so a fence will be added so Mom can plant the seeds.. Dad and I will help mom get the fence up in a couple weeks. There sure were a lot of earth worms in that dirt and the chickens will love finding them.  Thank You Rick!

Birds of a feather...

It was a beautiful morning, near 70 degrees today, so Clay & I took the boat out on the lake. We are so lucky to have the lake so close. We half heartedly  fished for awhile but  none were interested in our bait..It was so pretty on the water &  I was more interested in these pelicans nesting in the rushes. As we approached, turned off the motor & drifted closer they decided we were clcose enough and one by one slipped into the water & swam in line away, Don't they look like boats in a harbor?

As we turned the boat around and headed in the other direction we came upon this Egret. Standing statue like in the rushes.

Thouroughly enjoyed our day,  we returned home with some sun- dried faces but well worth the adventure..I forgot the sunscreen... but I think We have finally received Mother Natures Gift of Spring...

Presto! My Potting Bench

     Okay all you garden friends.. I needed a potting bench/table and have hounded my husband for weeks. Today I got him to haul an old chrome table up to the yard so I could use it for my project. I had seen one last week at the beach when I was there and really got inspired.. So here it is... I used some mason blocks for the back (little cubbyholes for my tools & stuff) an old window with one glass pane removed cuz it was broken, some wire , an old mailbox to keep seed packets in and dry... An old sink sits in the middle with a drain bucket to catch water..lots of odds & ends I had laying around.. I think it looks perfect and very functionable. I was able to pot some basil & parsley to put in my kitchen window.. Now I hope they grow...

Catching up today....

Kick back  & played catch up  today, I had such a great week .. Free of all the everyday stuff  & laundry and well you know how exhausted you are after doing Nothing, Playing hard and totally relaxing, don't you? I spent time  looking at all my trip pictures  ( I loved this one)  drinking coffee, ..and then got caught up with the mail, email, phone calls and then started unpacking, doing laundry, made a quick run to town to the bank & the post office & grocery store. Sometimes, It feels good to get back into the swing of routine slowly.. like today... but tomorrow is another day and I will be headed out early to have an ultrasound scheduled weeks ago, ( nothing serious) just a recomendation from my doctor.
My thyroid appears a bit large and well.. I agreed to do it.. I have been on medication for years and have no problems but it has never been "ultrasounded".. Is that a word?  I am planning so much coming up I really have no patience for these "Just take a look sees" but I know it will  be best to do... Then watch out cuz this gal has things to do, people to see & places to go...

A stop on the way

We pass this Covered Bridge everytime we travel to the West side of the Cascade mountains on highway 58. It's  the Lowell covered bridge and  today on our way home we actually made a necessary (potty stop) here. I love these Bridges and it is my hope to see more of them here in Oregon. They are such great memory markers of the days past. Look at the water how smooth it was... The closer we got to home it started raining & even that nasty stuff .. yeah, SNOW falling only 73 miles north of our home.. I was tempted to turn around and head West and back to the beach...  but now here at home we are settled, laundry going and watching the rain.. At least my veggie starts look promising in my Kitchen window...they  popped through their little pete pots smiling at the warmth of the morning sun.. which must have happened a few days ago because they aren't seeing any sunshine today... tomorrow's weather shows promise a showing of the golden ball in the sky.... I am crossing my fingers for that.  I did have a fabulous time and the break with my mom & sisters was just wehat I needed... now I'm making plans for that trip to Denver in June...

Fabulous Mother's Day Weekend

I had the most wonderful start to a fabulous week in celebrating Mother's Day.  I was in Woodburn Oregon and met up with a blogger new friend. June from Heart of Junebug.. She lives a short distance from my sister in law and her husband. What a treat to meet a farmgirl sister. We enjoyed wine & salad and chatted for several hours. I am sure we will meet again. ( next time I am in Woodburn, for sure)

The next day I went to Rockaway Beach with my mom & two sisters. We had the best weather of sunshine and lots of picture opportunities.  Especially the sunsets! The days were gorgeous and we stayed in a great VRBO these shots were taken from our patio.  I wish you could have been there.,

May Day! May DaY!

 No it was not a distress call but my neighbor across the road called us at 8:00 pm tonight to see if we were looking out our front window because some of  our neighborhood  mule deer herd of  (all does ) were approaching the pond. Here they are about 30 feet from our side window.. We certainly were glad she called them to our attention. I don't know how many times I have seen them this close but each time it is as thrilling to me as the first. I think theyare beautiful and even though pests to our green vegetation. I love them.. and really they lived here first didn't they? We are hoping to see more and perhaps a baby or two.

A Great day with Good Farmgirl friends and New Places to visit again

What a great day I had today..  because a couple days ago when it was so ugly outside I called up two Charming chick friends April & Mary Gail and insisted we take a trip today (come rain or shine..) to Merril to a fabric store there. April has been taking quilting classes there so I knew she would be game.. I wanted to get some fabric to use on a project  I have  in mind.( embroidery red work) and making it a pillow center. I will post when I get  it together... So back to my story. We went to a really neat shop " The Country Cork Collectibles,"I had never been to but they had. WOW did I score on a  small 50"x 60" throw quilt or wall hanging ( I have not decided yet what to do with it) Couldn't pass it up and sure couldn't make it for the price  of  only $ 79.  What do you think?  Yes,  I had to haved it!  Then we went to another of our favorite shops "Simplier Times" and a cute chicken feed tin sign caught my attention .. A great one to hang on the exterior wall of  my chicken studio. A fabulous find for $8 Don't ya think the coop will look cute too...? After this great adventure we headed downtown for a bite  to eat for lunch where I had the best panni wrap... A place I also had not been .. "The Mermaid Garden Cafe" I will be reproducing that recipe on my cooking site tomorrow for all to see.
To wrap up the story here it was like  a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow for me as   I looked outside saw a patch of Blue sky peaking through the clouds hanging over April & Mary Gails way & quickly  I drove  the 15 miles  to enjoy a good time with two great  Chick sisters. Wouldn't you like to come with us next time..... We do have some  adventures planned... I will share those details as they develope too. Now I must have a cuppa tea and reflect back on my great day.  It was indeed my Lucky day...  Do Come visit again soon..

But..wait..!!!

Yesterday was a perfect day to hang out my laundry..And they smelled so nice & fresh when I brought them in to fold. But wait.. this morning when I got up I had big plans to plant a poppy plant I purchased yesterday afternoon..
 but wait..  OH My! Its Snowing  big flakes out my front window, ... But wait....  it's snowing harder.. I can hardly see across the road..

But wait... look  on the positive side  it looks like another cookie baking day. * recipe for oatmeal cookies on my "This Hens a cookin blog" follow the link on the right.. But wait...

Maybe Buster has it right... Looks like its nap time. Now that the cookies are finished I think I will also take a nap.. until the sunshines... But wait.. what? More snow predicted for tomorrow... (why  is Mother nature playing tricks on me?)

Hanging out there

Monday morning  Laundry day...Warm breeze, partially sunny means I am hanging out my first laundry this Spring.. shhh   don't tell Mother Nature this  she thinks it is still  winter here ...I can't wait any longer to be hanging my clothes to dry in the sunshine. They smell so good when they are dry.. and clean. What true farmgirl  wouldn't agree? Some people don't like the neighbors seeing their "laundry hanging out" but not me.. and it really never mattered to me, I hung my clothes out when I lived in town... I just hid the "old stretched out & torn undies" between the rows of nice white towels & sheets..pretty nightwear.... I do have some pride....

Recycle, Cute, Easy & fun to make.

After  we returnd from our drive yesterday I was thumbing through a new copy of Romatic Home magazine and came across this charming tricket box idea..Made with an empty matchbox.."Who wouldathounk it..?"
and If I can make one so can anyone.. see...how pretty..
You just cut pretty paper or fabric to cover the box, glue in place.. line the inside with a smaller piece and trim with ribbon, glass beads or buttons. I found  some pretty paper & a small crystal & pearl bead for mine. Secured them with glue and there you have it.
I will  put my tiny pieces of "sea glass or also known as "mermaids tears" inside.  (I love finding pieces on the sea shore.)  these I picked  up on the sea shore on a trip to Washington Beaches last year.. to remind me of that trip...but You could put anything small inside couldn't you? Wonder what I can do with the fabric covered one?

Nature at its best.

   It was kinda warm..low 60's so Clay & I drove to the mountains today. Checking out yet more future campgrounds & boat launch pads. Found a couple we think may just be fine. One was at Willow Lake.  The lake looked really green.. because there is a species of algae in there blooming right now. Fishing is fine there catch & release, but the water not good for dogs to be swimming in or anyone drinking this time of the year. When the weather warms the "flowering blue algae" will die and then it will be ok to swim  and play in..The campgrounds are very nice & the campsite drinking water is funished by an artesian well.. I was a bit concerned but re assured by the camp host ... but even so   any tent camping is  a few  months away. 
Further up the road is a turn off to get to LostCreek Lake State Park very nice and clean, just North of Butte Falls,  Oregon. (a very quaint  and friendly logging town. ) We stopped for a bite to eat there and the cafe owner was very nice.. Good small town hospitality... of years gone by...We felt as though we stepped back in time....On our way home we got this great view of Mt McLoughlin.  A very Nice day.  both places are less than 90 miles from our home.  I do hope the summer allows us to camp at one of these nice spots.

Maybe Mother Nature is not deaf

 Or so it might seem. After all my griping ,whinging, and crying about it not being spring yet..

Today was an exception and perhaps the begining of the season... Crossing fingers yet  however.. This morning I went to the Nursery and purchased a few plants to add some color to the outside planters. Including the Bath tub that sits at the entry to our drive/lane. Clay & I painted it flat black and hope the deer will stay away from the colorful plants, once they get a good start. We have not had many deer around yet so perhaps they think  like me the Spring flowers will never come.   I also planted a cute basket for my porch table  and a couple pots on the porch steps and as you can see the "girls"  also think it nice enough to have a little dust bath. The landscapers come in a couple weeks  to add major changes of trees, flowering shrubs and bushes to our yard.   I can hardly wait to see the results. We met with the designer yesterday and picked out some nice colorful plants that will do well in our climate. Maybe next week I will get the wicker couch pad recovered and set it out  onthe porch too...

Okay Enough! This was the weather report this morning when I woke...
*A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW, that  MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOWCOVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES.
I awoke to Ugly at 4:30 this morning..  crawled back to bed,  pulled the covers over my head and thought  for crying  out loud..I know how badly I felt yesterday... and hoped for a change... This was Not what I had hoped for....Enough Enough Enough...Fortunately it is supposed to decrease to rain and wind gusts will drop to 15-25 instead of 40 mph . According to our faithful weather report. Canceled the trip to Medford for Dr appointment as its 70 miles there and over a snowy pass. Thank you for all  my readers nice supporting comments left on yesterday blog entry...I do have a bit clearer outlook today even if I am snowbound again so today with a vision of me baking those chocolate chip cookies,  I will sip yet another cup of coffee and plan my day accordingly... maybe just read some of my friends blogs and work on my gratefulness journal...
Cheryl

Today,I have come to a full STOP

Is it me or does it just seem like winter is taking a long time to leave? One day last week I felt like it was really Spring..I spent a day at the Lake, grabbed another photo op of the area in which I live and felt very positive.. warm and comfortable with  a smile and a spring in  my step. I updated my calendar with fun activities coming up, a trip to the beach, a theater night, yesterday I shopped for fabric to replace a patio cushion. Browsed the craft store & had a lovely Sunday with my "farmgirl" friends including a great lunch. 

Something is not right... I am never like this.. Never bored, or un inspired...but Now  I am looking outside at rain, a dark cloudy sky with cooler temperature than yesterday...

Thinking of the things that I could be doing, but have no energy to get out of the chair to do.. like embroider the piece I started last week, straighten my craft room, or even bake some chocolate chip cookies, but no  here I sit even making  tonights dinner overwhelms my ambition.

I think it would rather  curl up in a quilt and read for the rest of the afternoon or perhaps take a short nap.... I am sure you have had days like this too... haven't you? How does going out for a burger sound? That may be just what I do....Wake me when its Sping please...