Another Year ...

Well Say Howdy!

A whole year has passed and a couple of comments came in jogging me into action.  So, I'll try and recap the year.

This winter we have had a bumper crop of snow ... probably the most snow I have seen since living here ...



... and the winter isn't over yet.  My neighbour took the above picture on her iPhone so hopefully it is clear enough.

Mingus and I get out pretty much daily for our walks.  Today the snow was quite smooshy (like walking in sand) and so we had a real work out.  I usually go walking with my neighbour and her dog Zak.  A dog from the next street comes racing over as soon as she hears Mingus bark and joins us on our walks.  Mingus is always most jubilant about announcing the start of a walk.  Bark, bark, bark, bark, bark ... the whole neighbourhood knows we are on our way.  Ha!

I rarely make the trip to the coast since Mither died and have become a real home body.  I love home very much with all the comforts of the familiar.

This last summer was a little discombobulating because we were evacuated due to forest fires.  I tell you, when I locked the house and drove off I didn't think I'd have a house to come back too.  I even had a plan ... to buy a van and live in it until I could resettle.  Thankfully, I didn't have to do that, as our settlement was saved (change of wind direction in, literally, the nick of time) ... and as you can see from my comment above, I really do like my home!  That is why I'm not complaining about all the snow.  We really need the moisture to bring up our water table.  Too many years of drought.  We were ordered out for just over two weeks.  A long time to be hunkering down with friends in the Fraser Valley.



The above picture was taken the morning (late morning) that the fire started.  The wind was blowing it straight my way (I could see the flames leaping up as it crested that hill).  By the next day noon we were ordered out.  Friends of mine lost both home and business.  Devastating.  Not an experience I'd care to have to go through again any time soon!  Fire was human caused.

I am still doing Bible studies in my home, two days a week but same study (two different groups of ladies).  We are currently working our way through Psalm 119.  I usually do a fall study and then one or two studies in the winter/spring.  Six years I've done that now and as of January, am starting on the 7th year.  Keeps me busy socially, and spiritually and mentally involved.

I'm still eating plant based and am doing so well (It will be two years in May).  My back is good and I can walk and shovel.  So chuffed.  I recently was experiencing tooth pain ... well actually was experiencing pain off and on for several months.  Finally, thinking I had a cracked root, I made an appointment.  The morning I headed out for the dentist (who is a 55 minute drive away) I prayed that he wouldn't find anything because I really didn't want to lose that tooth, which is what would have happened if the root was cracked.  Guess what?!  He couldn't find anything wrong.  Possibly a bit of infection at the base of a root canal that we would keep monitoring.  I did a yippee skippee dance in my head.  I had been treating it with little charcoal plasters (charcoal draws out infection) and oregano oil mouth rinses and now, no more pain and I would bet no more infection.  He did file down a couple of teeth that might have been a bit high.

And that is about my year in a nutshell!  My friend and her husband came for a wee overnight visit Sunday afternoon.  It was lovely to have company to break up the wintery days ... the visit just wasn't long enough.  I was sad for a couple hours after they left.

I am sorry I haven't been keeping abreast of the blogging world.  My days seem to fly by.  Now that my aunts are gone, who used to love reading my blog, I'm just not as motivated to write.  That, and I've just not been taking any pictures and what is a blog without pictures to make it interesting?!

So I'll bid thee adieu once again.  I always remain hopeful that I'll pop onto the computer again, a little more frequently, but I hardly come to the computer ... just use the iPod on the run.

Resurfacing Continued

Hmmmm ... wouldn't let me add any more to my prior post - some glitch I guess ... or maybe it is my iPad.

Further on the diet, I have been having fun experimenting with lots of new recipes.  The latest one was a chickpea curry made with the individual spices. (Yes I ordered in a small box full of spices). Yum!

I'm still doing two groups of ladies' Bible studies Thursday and Friday mornings. This winter we are doing the Book of James. Some very good discussions so far.

I've had a fire on all day as we woke to -16C this morning and I'm trying to keep my electric bill down. The last bill was the highest ever!!!  Yikes. The upshot - I'm sweltering here in my corner as I type.

I've now wearied you and me with my long winded-ness coupled with my fighting unsuccessfully with this machine to get everything on one post!  So I'll bid thee a belated happy New Year and a good night.  May your dreams be pleasant and your sleep uninterrupted!!

Resurfacing

Well, well, I'm sufacing after almost a complete year's absence.  I wonder if anyone has noticed my absence or will notice the bob up?

My friend (the one that lives a couple of hours notrth of me, whom I have known since grade 8) was just visiting for a few days and we got talking about blogging.

I revisited my blog as a result and, you know, it is kind off neat to look back on. Hence, I'm popping in with another entry.

The big news of this year past, me Mither up and died in early June, exactly one month before her 102nd birthday and two days before D.

She went downhill very fast and sadly, was just skin and bone when she passed. I talked with the care aide that found her. She said she looked so peaceful she thought she was sleeping and started to clean her to get her ready for the day but then realized she had gone. So now I'm an orphan as well as a widow!  I told the Lord He had double duty now,  where I'm concerned.  Smile.

So my trips to the coast have basically ceased and I've become more stay-at-home than ever. I love my home and being able to head out the door on walks with little Mingus is enough adventure for me at present.

Speaking of Mingus, his birthday is coming up March 7th!  He'll be eight years old - already! He has already received a birthday present - a giraffe we named Gerry the Giraffe whom he desqueeked in short order, almost decapitated within two days and has since diligently but unsuccessfully worked at disembowling (ie getting the squeaker removed). Gerry was from another of his Aunties as she was grateful we looked after her dog, Kaylee, for a couple of days. She wanted to appease Mingus for having to share his space and his Momma..

Another Aunt, who I will greatly miss, sadly also passed ...

She was a real sweetie!

I got new glasses and a new hair cut just before Christmas ...

Early last May I went to a whole food, plant based diet and gradually lost the 30 pounds I had put on since menopause. My back also healed. This winter I have been able to shovel and walk in the snow like the good old days. No more creaking out of chairs half bent over until I could straighten up or laid up because of shovelling snow ... and we got a goodly amount of snow this winter.

March Sunshine

Hey!  March came in like a lion but today is a beautiful, sunny, springlike day.  Ahhhh.  We were just over having coffee on Zak's deck ... because they are on the sunny side of the street.  One need's to soak in that early, spring sun ... rejuvenate, regenerate!

Zak peeking in the corner with Indy, the evil cat, in the background.

Mingus has just left on a two hour hike with his buddy Zak.  Mingus will be 7 on March 7th.  Yes, he is really growing up.  He is ever alert, ever vigilant in surveying the territory.  There just might be SOMETHING to bark at or chase ... any moment now.

Spring came early with the geese arriving mid February, at least a few then and MANY more now.  A very mild winter, especially since Christmas.

I had Flat Stanley come to visit in the mail last month and had fun writing up and sending off info to his classmates, back in Barrie, Ontario, about the area we live in.  I have since sent Stanley on to a friend in Powell River to learn all about Island life.  Stanley was very well behaved and a pleasure to host ... so if you ever get a chance to host him, be sure you'll enjoy the opportunity.

Ladies' studies are over for now, I have a month off before starting something new for the spring.  Thursday and Friday we did bread making followed by potlucks for the winter wrap-up.

Mither has had a couple of falls lately (unhurt) and is not eating much any more.  I will soon head down to check on her.  She sure has sturdy, strong bones.  I got her income tax off in the mail but must do mine soon.

Roo-B had a major overhaul, getting ready for spring.  Sigh.  These cars do suck up the money.  Too bad they are such a necessity.

If you wonder why I don't post, well as you can see, there really isn't a whole lot to post about! Already I must bid thee adieu ... leaving you with not much in the way of news or entertainment!  Sigh.  Trust all is well in your worlds ... uneventful is safe if nothing else.  Smile.

Once Again, a New Year Has Begun

Belated Happy New Year

New Year's Day was beautiful and sunny.  Loved the snow squiggles in the crab apple trees.

Saw the New Year in with the neighbour's across the road.  There were five of us.  One couple brought Ukrainian dinner:  cabbage rolls and pirogies.  Yum.  Plus there were appies before hand.  I was SO full.  We ladies played scrabble and the two fellows watched a game and whatever else.  Mingus and Zak circled around vying for as much attention as they could garner.  Around 11:30 another neighbour joined us and we toasted in the New Year.  I haven't stayed up until midnight in years.

Mingus was very happy with all his Christmas goodies and promptly destroyed all of them except one, the one from his nephew, who takes much care to find him an indestructible toy.  

While this toy created much excitement at first, after a time, when it was discovered as not readily destructible, interest waned and it lays abandoned on the floor.  Seems there is no winning.

The neighbour who walks Mingus, (whose house we were at for New Year's Eve) her husband made us this great present for Christmas ...

Christmas day another of my Dad's sisters made her departure at the age of 92.  It is so sad to see all the old dolls moving on ... but great for them, getting to graduate to higher ground.

Just this last weekend I was off to my Aunt Helen's memorial in a town a couple of hours away.  It was great to see so many cousins and second cousins and even third cousins and to make some reconnections!!!  Some I hadn't seen in YEARS.  We made quite a group.  It was such a blessing because the weather was such that the roads remained good for travel.   Yay, says I who isn't fond of driving at the best of times ... but winter driving ugh.  The added hazzard in winter: one can get peppered with gravel by the passing speedos!  I am trying to be so careful and not get chips in my new windshield. 

Today, it has snowed all day.  So glad to be back in my cozy home with a fire glowing and emanating that nice wood heat.  Aaaaah.   I have shovelled twice already today and will have to get out there first thing in the morning.  More snow tomorrow too ... or so they say ... and the next day and the next.  Yes, it is that time of year.

And that about covers any news from my world ... at least the news that comes to mind.

I bid thee ta ta for now ....

Anticipation!

Mingus is geared up for Christmas now after getting to open a present at "Aunty's" house on Sunday (he has MANY aunties).  He spied his sock in the back room and thinks I'm a real cheat not giving it to him.  Sunday night he gave me no rest - kept trying to lead me into that room - as if I didn't KNOW it was there!!  I've had to hide the sock in another spot now as he is on to my first hiding place, until the unveiling Christmas morn!  Ha ...

Mingus LOVES presents ... thinks they are ALL for him.  We are going to visit another Aunty, in a wee bit, and there just might be another present ....

ttfn

Ten Years in the Cariboo

Merry Christmas!

My friend sent a Christmas card showing them haul in their first Christmas tree for their first Christmas in the north country 25 years ago.  (They live in a town a couple of hours or so north of where I live).  We got to reminiscing on the phone and I said, you know, on the 16th of this month I will have been here for 10 years!  Wow!  Where has the time gone?  It doesn't seem that long, I think because D died at the half way mark.  My whole life sort of recalibrated itself to that date ... so it feels more like five years!!!  Here is a little video of how we came to live here ten years ago ...




I love my house and the countryside BUT I do not like shovelling snow.  Sigh.  So thankful for a neighbour who helps me out.

Anyway, I thought it was blog worthy as it is a milestone.

Can you take it?  Two posts after nothing for a year.  Crazy I know.  But the fact that four people actually commented after all this time inspired me.

Hope your time with family and friends over the Christmas season is extra special and that the New Year brings personal growth, health and joy.

ttfn .....

(Who knows, perhaps I am on a roll?)

A Whole Year in a Post

So almost a year has passed since I last posted.  Wowsers!  Hard to catch up yet not hard at all because I can't say as I have done very much that is exciting.  Still, every now and again I think I should keep writing.  I used to write first thing I got up but now I've taken up other activities that rob that time.  Then there is always the problem of subject matter.  I seem to lack that.  Anyway, on to the update ...

Me Mither is still trundling along at 101.  I still go to see her regularly.  She has slowed up an awful lot now.  Sleeps a lot.  I don't have a recent picture that would do her justice, just one taken on the iPod which is all grainy.

We had an amazing summer with NO  BUGS  !!  Yay, my kinda year.  Loved it.  Could sit out and not be "bugged".  One day I was sitting out on the deck along with Mingus and thought, I'll just pop  my coffee cup in and check the time.  No sooner set the coffee cup down and I heard wild barking which lead to high pitched yelping.  I raced out and called Mingus who I could see was out on the road.  He started running toward me and from around the corner came loping after him, this big sleek, beautiful looking black bear.  I started screaming so the bear headed for the neighbour's yard.  Mingus looked over his shoulder, saw the bear was no longer after him so the dickens gave chase to the bear.  More screaming on my behalf.  (My throat hurt afterwards)  Finally Mingus reluctantly came to the house.  Such a cheeky little rascal.  Anyway, I am VERY sad to report that they killed a lot of bears around here.  So sad.  I won't tell how many ... you'd cry.  Here is the cheeky rascal himself ....



We were spared forest fires in our area for which I thank the Lord.  Late spring we got a goodly rain and then another rain a little later that spared us drying out completely.  The coast and lower mainland were really dry but we actually remained green ... because of those rains.  I live among trees so fire is always a concern.

This fall, almost winter, has remained quit mild.  We have only dropped once to -16C whereas we can go to -20 to -30 by now.  Here was a web taken this fall, dotted with frost ...



and another picture of the first snow ...



and Mingus in that snow ...



We are to get more snow today that is to fall until tomorrow noonish.  Sigh.  More shovelling.  My back is holding up for which I give credit to the taking of elk velvet for a couple of years now.  Plus, my neighbour helps me out every now and again ... for which I am very thankful.

Another neighbour has the nerve to be moving!  She sold her place just this last weekend and will be gone before next month's end.  Whew.  Sad for me but glad for her.  Mingus has claimed her yard as his own and defends it accordingly but I fear that will have to change now.  He loves his aunty neighbour.  Actually, Mingus loves just about everyone and greets most enthusiastically.  When the ladies come for Bible study, he races out to greet the first comers with wild abandon and then races back to the house, grabs a ball or whatever and races back to them and then escorts them to the door with exuberant barking.  (The first ones usually park out on the street - hence the time for all this).  He is too funny.  My greeter extraordinaire!!  He makes up for his blah Mom.

We are between Bible studies at the moment, pondering when exactly to start up again.  This fall I had two going ... Thursday AND Friday mornings.  Too many ladies to fit all on one day.  Kept me busy.

I bake bread every Friday morning so am up and 6:00 on those mornings.  Love my bread.  They go on and on about how bad bread is but phooey ... I love it.  I even bought a hand grain grinder ... which takes a LOT more muscle than I thought (gets the heart rate up) but I add a good cup of this hand ground flour to the mix.  I think it adds a nice flavour.  I use a mixture of Hard Red Wheat and Spelt for that.

I haven't done much for decorating this year.  A wreath o the door and the Chanukah candles (I love watching them flicker in the window) ... enough.  I don't get company this month and am happy with my meagre contributions to the season.



One of my Aunts died in November, the one who spent 50+ years in Cote d'Ivoire, West Africa.  It was kind of cool because this summer one of the "boys" she took in hand, sort of adopted over there and encouraged and helped over the years was able, through a speaking engagement in Montreal (presenting a paper), to come and see her and thank her for all she had done for him.  It had been a prayer of his that he could do this in person.  Then another aunt and uncle were able to spend three months this summer visiting her almost every day ... kind of a closure for her and a send off.

.

As a young woman she took a boat from South America, during war time, landed in Liberia and walked into Cote d'Ivoire.  Quite the gal and quite the story.

Well that should do, after so long a time.  I seem bent on giving you all eye strain.  If anyone even reads this now after all of this time.  LOL  (D would say, you write for you and if anyone reads it, okay)

ttfn ....

It's a New Year!

Much time has passed since the last post!  We had a signifcant amount of snow pack the end of November beginning of December, I tootled off to the coast for three nights four days during which time a pineapple express blew through, and when I got home ... no snow!  Wow.

I always like the look of these trees ... they are imports ... not native to the area.  Love how the sun shining on them brings out the red branches.

For a couple of weeks Mingus and I could wander the bare golf course as though it were early spring.  SO nice.  We have snow again though, but not so much as to make walking difficult, BUT, enough to have to do a significant shovel.  We are supposed to get more snow over the next couple of days.  Mingus and I were on the golf course today, following a course where the wind had blown the snow thinner!

Speaking of Mingus, here is a recent picture of the little trooper ...

He is ALWAYS on the alert ... he does not want anything to get past his eagle eye, or sensitive ear, or sniffy sniffer!  It is his job to guard and protect ... at least alert!  

Did I tell you that the neighbour and her friend took this little guy on a 5 1/2 hour walk one day this fall?  No problem for this hardy little guy.  Wanted to play chase me later, when home.  He was also able to set those ladies right when they started to take a wrong turn!  He held his ground and kept pointing his head in the right direction.  He is no dummy.  (He does the same when he loses a ball under the couch ... points me to it until duh, I clue in.  Humans can be SO thick sometimes.  Here he is with Zak and Kaylee ...

Mingus is the closest one - the one licking his lips.  They DO love their treats.

Back on the subject of shoveling, the neighbour has a quad with a blade this year and he takes 4-5 sweeps down my driveway for me.  Big help!  Now all I have to do is the back and side and Mingus' trail to the back trail.  It is still a significant amount of shoveling ... enough to poop me out by the time I reach the driveway.

Hmmm, just looked out the window and two wee flies ... on the inside!  Now where did they come from?  On closer inspection, moths not flies.  Oh, oh.  Probably came in on the wood.  In any event, they are no more.  I have too much wool clothing.

I quite like this picture so I'll add it in as well ....

I've used it as my winter header on my Facebook page.  Poor old aspen.  These probably won't last much longer.

Mither is doing well.  I went to see her earlier in December and will need to head down once again in the not too distant future.  The home did call this last Monday to say she had fallen but that she was up and walking again, seemingly none the worse for wear.  She has such sturdy bones.

Christmas was relatively quiet this year.  Mingus had a blast with the goodies he got and he was royally spoiled.  I got him a stuffy, salmon treats and a new squeaky ball, Zak (his buddy) got him a Hedgehog squeaky/stuffy and the next door neighbour got him a stuffy/squeaker bone and another squeaky toy (which he promptly de-squeaked).  I did pretty well too.  Four new tichel scarves amongst other things.  Whooo-hooo.  I'm sorry, I've tried taking selfies wearing my scarves but they are DISASTROUS!   Ugh!  Every line, every bulge in your face every bag is MAGNIFIED.   People tell me, "you look way better in real life".  Doesn't make for much confidence in putting up selfies let me tell you.  Ah well, I'm not the young thing I once was! ... or that I see myself as in my mind's eye ... hence the shock when I actually look in the mirror or see a selfie ... not at all like I imagine myself to look ... imagination is better ... LOL.  So you can be thankful I have spared you.  I have never been much for standing in front of a mirror.  Sometimes, on Mingus' first morning constitutional, we are half way down the street and I think, "did I remember to comb my hair?" (on O.A. question) then flip my hood up just in case.  Good thing I rarely see anyone, LOL.

And that brings us up to ... Happy New Year!  Yes, a new year lies before us.  It will be interesting to see what it brings.  Hopefully good things to you and to me!!!

On that note ... ta ta for now!

P.S. ... Mingus and I got invited to Zak's house for homemade Chinese food N.Y.'s eve.  Yum.  We got home before midnight but when Mingus heard fireworks, he barked and barked.  So he and I ran around the house ... Mingus barking and me yelling "Yay, it's a new year!"  We spurred one another on.  So we are crazy.

November Cold Snap

Hey, just a quick update.

There was no snow in the forecast but we got this white stuff drift down all morning (mist, they said but it sure resembled snow) ... only enough to just dust the ground and the tips of the trees ...

Last year this same scene looked like this on November 4th, 9 days earlier ...

.... okay, a slightly different angle.

... and another picture from today (13th Nov) ...

We are in a bit of a cold snap at the moment, our first of the season so it feels colder.  Hopefully I have enough leaves piled on the garlic etc as there is no insulating blanket of snow before such cold.  I have a lovely fire on all day.  Cozy.

I have been dehydrating dog treats of late.  The neighbour gave me two turkey legs left over from a recent dinner so I ground them up with a cooked yam and dehydrated them.  Mingus thinks they are pretty good ... but I think he thinks ALL treats are pretty good ... and there are never enough of them!

Naught else for news so I'll say ta ta for now ...

Two Plus Months in a Nutshell ... Sort of

Yes, a very long time between posts but I see someone is asking how things are in my life so I'll give a crack at catching you up.

Actually, life flows along in a very mundane sort of way, nothing leaping out in my thoughts as newsworthy over these last couple of months.

Our lake came up a whole foot this year ... made quite a difference.  Hopefully more next year again.

There were a lot of bluets around this year ... at least that is what I call them.

Our fall came but without the usual show of colour.  Colours were muted it seems, some trees dropping their foliage early and others lagging way behind so that it seemed to come in spits and starts.   We've had a bit of frost here and there and even a skiff of slushy snow one morning but nothing serious weather wise ... yet.  Today it is very grey and a bit rainy.  Today is halloween, by the way, and I have my goodies at the door in readiness -- Hawkins Cheesies and WagonWheels -- my standard halloween fare.

My neighbour had a BIG bon fire this fall, so we roasted a few marshmallows (ick) and then went on to roasting apple wedges and then dredging them in a brown sugar/cinnamon mixture (much better).

The garlic got taken up, a good crop this year, and has since been replanted.  I got enough potatoes this year for me ... not a particularly good crop.  That's about it for bounty other than a bit of kale and a few cucumbers that I used in making my morning juices.  I have taken to doing a bit of juicing as I don't feel I get enough veggies plus I ,feel juicing once a day seems to curb my sweet tooth a bit.

Mingus is doing dandy.  Currently he is out on a walk with the neighbour lady and her dog Zak.  He adores going out with them.  Just a few days ago Mingus was with them on a 5 1/2 hour hike ... and it didn't slow him down a bit!  That little fellow has stamina.  My Dad would say he was built like a brick you know what, house!  There, he just came in ... wet and a bit bedraggled and relegated to his bed to dry off.  Soon it will be his supper time.  My own supper is warming.

I've been to the coast a couple of times since Mither's birthday and she seems to be doing about the same though I thought she was a tad quieter, perhaps a little depressed this last time.  Coastal trips are always a bit challenging to me and to Mingus and we are always happy to get back to home sweet home.  I had company on the last trip both down and back.  Company does seem to make the trip go faster ... at least I don't go through that real sleepy spell where it would be oh so easy to nod off!!!

My wood shed is full enough.  One of the ladies from my Bible study group, her husband and kids brought me a load of dry wood (for free, split and stacked into the shed) that topped it off nicely.  I also think I have enough kindling ready to last at least most of the winter.  So I think I am set wood wise.

This fall we have 3 ladies' Bible studies on the go.  I don't actually facilitate the Wednesday night one (other than the first two sessions as the two leaders were away) but I need to be there to play the video as we are playing them off of my computer and the other two leaders don't have a laptop that they can use.  Then I do a study Thursday and Friday morning in my home.  Whew.  I am finding it harder than I thought.   Doesn't help that the study material is very challenging ... in the area of personal growth!  There has been fallout ... especially in the evening class.

Just before the last trip to the coast I had the car in for an oil and tire change and oops, one of the CV boots was slit right open.  Had I gone ... it would have seized up.  It would have been awful.  The road to the coast doesn't have a lot of "help" places along the way as the little towns are almost ghost towns. However, as it was his wife that was coming with me to the coast, he managed to fix it just in time.  Yay.  I have found the Lord's provision in these drives amazing.  Deer also can be problematic and there are a LOT of them around this year.  People hitting them left right and centre.  One doe screeched to a halt not far from me on one trip down so that I missed it and then further down the road, this fellow that whizzed by me at a great speed, ended up hitting one a few miles further on.  We passed him, over to our side of road, and the deer splayed across the other side of the road.  Ugh.

I also had a tooth chip and then get capped.  It is a bit sensitive to cold every now and again but am hoping for the best as I do not want a root canal if I can get away without one.  I actually must go this coming Monday for a cleaning.  Sigh.  A new hygenist.  Yes, I did get a dentist closer to home but still about an hour's drive away.

... slight interruption ... Mingus had his supper and I did too ... plus Mingus got to lick my plate with a few leavings ... oh so yum ... he says.

... and I think that does it for news from my corner of the world.

ttfn ...

Goofiness

Say Howdy!

A series of thunder showers are moving through today.  The sun will come out, then all goes dark for a while, then a cloud burst.  "Violent thunderstorms" are forecast for later in the day with the possibility of hail.  I pray no hail ...  I don't want my garden to get shredded or ....  We had rain through the night.  Yay! It had been SO hot and SO smokey the preceding days that rain was a relief.  One night the smoke was so bad I had to close my windows as my throat was sore and I had a bit of a headache.  The neighbour said his car had ash on it in the mornings.

When the "Band of Brothers" came by this spring (fellows from the church that come and help widows and single Moms with yard work one evening in the spring) gave me a a lovely flowering basket before they left.  It has been so pretty ...

A couple of interesting bugs have made their appearance ...

Looks like a toad, this bug!!

Are polka-dots back in?

I was poking through some African pictures (taken some 30 years ago now - where did that time go?) and found these ant hills ...

Ha, ha.  Here in the Cariboo we have no end of ants ... but none with so interesting dwelling places.

Mingus has already been for a walk and I'm thinking I might make a couple of individual lasagnas.  I found a neat way of doing this in a magazine.  You make your own long, wide noodle (though you could probably use a bought one which you have precooked a bit) and zig-zag it back and forth in your individual sized dish, layering it with whatever you like.  Voila, a mini lasagna.  Cool eh?  I've done it once already and yum.  Good idea for single folk and folk that may have definite food preferences ... like no onions.

I forgot to mention in my last blog, that one day out walking we came across a Momma deer and her baby.  Ooops ... she put the run on us and we made a hasty retreat!  Gotta watch out for those Mommas boy ... of all kinds!  Those human Mommas, for instance, are wicked come after school.  Clear the road ways and if you are out and about in traffic make sure you have your eyes and reflexes on high alert!  Not a summer worry, however.  Nice.

So I digress.  You can tell, my life isn't all that exciting at the moment.  Ha!  Now yourselves, I'm sure are out and about and doing fun and wonderful things.  So enjoy.

TTFN ...

Mither Turns 100!

Happy Birthday Mither ...

Picture courtesy  H. Armstrong

Yes, 100 years.  Quite a milestone.  Here is a little video of the event ...

She enjoyed the day but, sad to say, she didn't remember the event a couple days later when a friend visited and quizzed her.    Nevertheless, it was fun while it lasted and that's what counts!!  Ha!

My friend from further north came with me to the coast (so nice to have the company on the drive). she and her sisters were responsible for the cake, the decorating and the all around festive atmosphere.  I'm hopeless at parties.  My brother and his wife also came up here for a couple of days afterwards so from June 30 to July 6 was busy--eeeeee.  While at the coast I saw more people than I thought I knew down there!  Whew!  A whoop-em -up time.

The garden survived my absence.  We even had a lovely afternoon of rain a couple of days after I got home.  Freshened things up a bit.  Good thing too as we are into a hot, dry stretch.  The redeeming thing about living up here in the summer ... the evenings cool off nicely ... for the most part.

Tonight I did a 1st ... I blew up a potato in my toaster oven.  Kerboom!  I looked at Mingus and Mingus looked at me.  "Should I be concerned," he asked?  "Shall I bark madly?"  Fortunately I, puzzled at what caused the noise (I momentarily forgot about the potato in the oven) but calm, arose to look into what happened ... hence no mad barking ensued.  I don't know what possessed me to put the potato  in the oven unpricked!  I was even thinking, while I washed it, what side I was going to poke.  Fortunately I keep my toaster oven clean and the potato exploded nicely in half.   I scooped all the insides up and out and made a double baked tater out of it ... after cleaning the toaster oven ... which was a little messy ... it was an explosion after all.  The resulting modification was quite yum.

And that is it for my news so,

ta ta for now ...

What's New??

Hey Everyone!  Life has been rolling along at a relatively slow place these days.

Garden wise, the potatoes and garlic are growing great guns but nothing else!!  Carrots get mowed down immediately they pop up their wee heads (by the slugs) and the beans just about as fast.  Sigh.  The peas are coming along okay.  The lawn also REALLY grows and everything is very lush around here weed wise as we have had a goodly amount of rain (for us).

Remember I was full of woe because our lake was going down, down, down?  After much research it was finally discovered that a couple of farmers had diverted the water.  They've had to reverse this and the lake is on the rise.  It will probably take a couple of years but it was up 12" this spring.  Yay!

Ladies' studies are finished for the summer as of last Friday.  Happy for a break though I miss the gals.

Got invited out for a weekend at a near by lake and got a good picture of this White-lined Sphinx Moth:

Noticed this baby out the window today so grabbed the camera and voila ... it actually stayed put ... (if you can be sure it is on high definition when you view it)



And that is it from my neck of the woods.

TTFN ...

From Moose to Squirrels

I am a poor communicator these days! I've been reminded from two sources that I need to move on from moose ramblings ... so from moose ramblings to squirrel babies ...


Glorified rats, I know! Someone felled a tree and got more than they bargained on. I stumbled along at feeding time.

My life is not very exciting. I go for the odd walk with the neighbour lady. I have not gotten enough exercise this past winter and am paying for it now.  Mingus is a good boy and goes regularly for LONG walks with the neighbour, even when I don't go along.  On yesterday's walk we saw a moose that had been taken down, probably by wolves as there is a pack on that side.  I wondered if it was my moose ... just about the right size.  Sigh.  I know, the predators need to eat too.  The dogs found it all very interesting but I wouldn't let Mingus get too close.

I have planted a few potatoes and some peas which I see are just starting to come up. This morning I planted a few beets, carrots and multiplier onions. I will plant a bit more tomorrow.  I've heard the odd mosquito but so far no bites.  But soon!  Hence the push to get that garden in!  You should have seen the dandelion crop this morning.  Wowzers!

I have a bit of kindling chopped for next winter but need to keep pegging away at that as I find bending over doing that bothers my back ... so a box at a time.

I am taking Elk Velvet for my back and I think it has started to help! Most certainly recovery time is faster.  It is good for arthritis and joints. I've taken it for almost a month now.

The ladies' study continues and will continue until June 20th. Then FREE for the summer. Yippee Skippee.

Have still been trying to cull "stuff" with some success but still ... WAY too much stuff. Sunday was gorgeous but yesterday was cloudy and cool.  Today is a mix of sun and cloud.  I actually prefer some cloud cover as I like things cooler as opposed to HOT.

My toilet rebelled a bit ago and needed the valve and the flapper replaced.  Flappers I can handle but someone did the valve for me, for which I am very grateful.

Washed my winter jackets this morning and they are outside drying.  Yes, the clothes can go outside to dry now.  SO nice.

There you have it.  My life is very uneventful.  But then, I'm not seeking any excitement either as I quite like the calm (though some people might think it dull), peaceful life.  When I go to the coast and observe life there, I wonder how people can live at that break neck speed.  Certainly, break neck isn't all together healthy ... I guess that is why they call it break neck ... or break down body .... or break down mentally ... or .... !  I watched an interesting video on intuition ... one doesn't intuit well unless one is calm.

Enough!  I will say ta, ta for now ...

That and This

Say Howdy!

My but I have been remiss.  Not  much exciting happening in my world.

Spring has been very slow in coming and my driveway is still not clear though finally some odd bare patches are appearing.  The trails are usually quite slippery in the morning!  The main roads are all dry.

The most exciting thing was, I had a moose hanging around my yard for a couple of weeks ...



Taken through my window so not as clear as I would like.

I've been doing a little purging of "stuff" out of the cupboards and even got rid of a small cabinet.  One wonders why one bought the stuff in the first place.  I remember when Mom started to purge.  She was better at it than I am.  I set it all out on a small love-seat every week and the Friday girls get first dibs at it before it goes to the 2nd hand store.  Some of it is almost new or barely used.

Starting with a new group of girls on Friday for an eleven week study.  The table is set and basically ready.  I was able to borrow an extra little table to fit on the end as there will be 12 of us.  Ten is a squeeze around my table.

My back has acted up this year so that snow walking has been difficult.  I have been very fortunate that Zak's Mom (Mingus' friend) doesn't mind taking Mingus along with on their walks!   Zak got attacked by another dog yesterday while they were out walking.  Zak looked okay when they dropped Mingus off but she was going to check him out at home as his ball kept getting blood on it.   I'm sure amazed it wasn't Mingus that was attacked as he is such an aggressive, bossy little monkey ... in that he comes on strong but then is all friendly.  He is really a chicken and a bit of an instigator!

I've come down with a miserable cold having avoided being sick all winter and for a couple of years for that matter.  Ugh.  The first 2-3 days of a cold are so miserable.  This is day 3 so I'm feeling up to it enough to attempt a blog.

Since buying my new iPod I hardly turn the desktop on anymore so that is one reason I forget to check blogs and write posts.

I am racking my brain and come up with no news.  Pretty sad!  Cooped up too long.

So I'll say ta ta for now ...

And Time Marches On ... Towards March!

Say Howdy!  We have had quite the cold stretch!  Brrr-rrrr.  Still not as cold as some places though so I guess I should not complain.  Especially when we had that great long, super mild stretch in January!

Here is a recent snow pic with Mingus dashing through in the distance ...



February is my birthday month and it is one of those milestone birthdays so I did a collage (I saw someone else do this and thought it a good idea!) ...

... me through the ages ... okay, the years ... sometimes it feels like ages!!  I went gray really young ... truly ... I'm not pulling your leg!  Me Mither went gray young too but she dyed her hair for YEARS.  I am too lazy to dye my hair and don't mind looking my age.

Here is Mingus with his best pal Zak ...

Zak's Mither took this picture one day when I didn't go along.  Notice Zak is wearing booties and Mingus should have been ... they had to cut their walk short because of that oversight!  Sigh.  Zak is an Australian Shepherd and normally has long hair but he was recently shaved because he had become matted.  Now he looks like a pup!

Not much else for news.

Happy Valentine's Day coming up!

TTFN ...

January End

Wow, only 8 days since I last posted.  Must be a recent record!  LOL

Did I tell you I signed up for snowshoeing?  Well I did.  I've been at the program twice.  It actually runs at night for 5 weeks.  The first night was just last Wednesday.  It was a beautiful, clear, starry night, not too cold.  Very nice ... exceeded my expectation ... which was very low.  My neighbour joined me in this endeavour.  Also included was two Saturdays with this last Saturday being the first.  A local biologist led us on a nature walk and we enjoyed that VERY much.  Here is part of the group ...

The biologist is the fellow in the red jacket but the program leader is the gal on the left.  Not a very good picture I fear but you get the idea.  I go again tonight.  It won't be so beautiful tonight and we may even get some snow.  We did have snow last night and I figure I had my exercise already, shoveling the driveway and walking the dogs (I'm dog sitting Kaylee).

We recently had some ice fog which coated the trees in a ghostly white ... especially the trees hung with witches' hair (a lichen)!

Not much of the hair like lichen on the above trees.

The sun peeked through for this picture (love the dark sky in the background) ....

Hmmm ... not too much for news.  That's what happens when one tries to post too often!  So I'll love you and leave you and save you eye strain ...

TTFN ...

... and the Time Races On

The New Year is well underway and I'm finally getting around to a post.

We had a number of beautiful, sunshiny days in a row so I actually took a couple of pictures ....

Okay, more than a couple!

Mingus thought all the long walks and sits in the sun were fantastic ...

Nothing like a good back rub all over the hard packed snow mobile track ...

Ahhhh, that feels SOOOOOO good.

The dog sled races were here just before the good weather set in ...

... so they have some wonderful, wide tracks made through the golf course ... marvelous for walking on in the aftermath.  One must stick to the beaten path, believe me, when it comes to snow walking.

Today it has turned gray and they say there is a 40% chance of flurries this evening.  Gray equates into unmotivated but Mingus and I did get out for a little walk ... enough to satisfy him.

Mingus is busy gnawing a bone.  Scrunch, crunch, crunch, crunch ... while I sip my coffee and clickety clack on the computer.

I have a new neighbour across the street and they have a dog, an Australian Shepherd, named Zac.  Zac and Mingus are the BEST of pals, from the day they moved in.  Sometimes, even if I don't go walking, she takes Mingus walking and wears the little guy right out because she walks further and faster than I do.

I have totally ignored the blog world ever since I last posted.  I can't believe that I haven't even read blogs.  I will blame this on the iPod because hardly sit down at the computer anymore and just check mail etc on the run.  Too hard to read much on those little things let alone try and comment.

I was down to visit Mither, arriving on the day she turned 99 1/2.  She is looking good.  I think she will make 100.  I have the paperwork all ready to send so she will get her letter from the Queen.  They say to send it a couple of months in advance.  I am well ahead of the game ... now I just need to remember to send the works in when the time arrives.

I best tootle but I hope your New Year has started out in a positive, joyful way.

TTFN ...

Belated ... Sigh!

Belated Holiday greetings ... though I can still wish you a Happy New Year!  With the onset of winter I thought I'd be writing more, not less posts.  What can I say?  I have put a few things up on Facebook but many of you aren't on Facebook.

Hmmm ... what can I tell you?  I've drawn a blank.  We'll start with the weather!

We have had quite a bit of snow but then for a couple of recent days we had rain.  Not enough to wipe out the snow because the snow was/is still quite deep, but enough to make the roads quite icy as now we have gone down to the freezing point again, at night.  Today it was up to +2C.  The good thing, the snow is now firm enough to walk in the skidoo tracks and not fall through.  Yay!  Makes walking a lot easier.  Mingus and I went walking today as a result, with two of my S-I-Ls and Mingus' half sister.  The sun was still out in the morning so it was, all in all, a lovely outing.  I am redeemed in Mingus' eyes ... at least for the day ... maybe Mom is not quite so boring.  It clouded up soon after and we are supposedly to get some snow tonight.

Early (5:30) Christmas morning I went out to the kitchen to get the base to my Pavlova in the oven.  At the same time I assembled Mingus' stocking.  I don't know how he knew but by the time I walked into the bedroom he was BOUNCING on the bed ... even harder when he saw the sock.  Trust me, he is not an early riser.  How did he know?  I had to make him sit while I tried to get a video of him getting his "dragon" with the blue wings out of the sock.   Videos take too long to upload so I'll put up a rather poor picture, taken on my iPod ....

He loved, loved, loved his new toy.  He also had a soft ball in his sock and a couple of treats ... all much appreciated.  Here he comes with that ball now!

I made those treats by the way, raw hamburger ground fine, raw carrot ground fine, cooked/mashed yam ... formed into little round flat pancake treats and dehydrated for about 3 1/2 hours.  HUGE hit.

There were a couple of family dos and lots and lots of food.  The waistline complains.  The Pavlova was a huge hit by the way ... many had not even heard of Pavlova so it was a good choice.  No leftovers.

Did I tell you that I made calendars for all D's siblings?  Well I did, through iPhoto and sent them off to Apple to be printed.  Was I ever pleased with the quality when they arrived ...

Paper quality, image quality ... all excellent.  I recommend this ... for those of you that have looked at the option and wondered.

For a Christmas present for myself I bought a new, state of the art, red iPod Touch.  I'm very pleased.  AND I've discovered Bluetooth speakers so I ordered (with Airmile points) a solar powered one for the car so I can listen to music and podcasts and books on my way to the coast and back.  Nice to be able to shuffle the songs so one doesn't have to listen to 12 songs by the same artist before moving on to the next one.  And also great to be able to listen to podcasts.  I do not like ear thingies ... ugh.  I like to be aware of other sounds around me ... like sirens and clunks in the car etc.  My old iPod was truly on its last legs but it has done me very good these last 5-6 years.  My iPod is my computer and means of communication when on the road though I do need to find a Wifi spot to use it.  I do not have a cell phone.

I made a lot of bread type items over the Christmas week and delivered them to some of the neighbours ... here are some of the butterhorns ...

Not so sweet but still yum, yum, yum.

As for sending Christmas cards ... I did not do so well at that.  Sigh.  We won't go there though I got a few out ... a very few.

My Bible study gals met on the 13th for a potluck.  A fun time.  We started a short, discussion only (no home work) series called "Sacred Secrets" by Beth Moore to tide us over until something more official gets going.  We don't meet again until Jan 10th when all the holiday furor is over.  I also started a Facebook page for our little group, to keep in touch on, as we are spread out over the area and sometimes miss each other at church as there are two services in the morning.

Awaiting an opportunity to visit Mither ... road conditions being the main concern.

Surely I must have covered everything by now ... enough in any event before your eyes start to glaze over and your head nod!  I hope your Christmas celebrations went well, with much good will and cheer.

TTFN ...