Monday, September 4, 2017

Catching Up

Hello!  I hope your weekend was good.  I missed posting on Friday as I took Dayle to the hospital for another cortisone injection into his back to see if it would help with his pain.  My cousins from Oklahoma arrived back while we were gone and my 2 sisters came out to visit with them and keep them company until we returned home.  So.. too busy to post.  The wooden bowl of pears below are from our tree in the pasture.  We don't spray our trees so they aren't pretty but they sure taste good!  Dayle lifted our son up into the top of the tree in his tractor bucket to pick them.  :-)


Kristi made a fantastic dinner on Friday to celebrate my cousin's Mark and Karen's anniversary and her birthday.  She made home made lasagna, Italian salad with artichoke hearts, kalamata olives and Parmesan cheese and homemade Southern Style butter yeast rolls!


And for dessert she made homemade zucchini cake with cream cheese frosting, using Fiori di Sicilia flavoring, made with citrus, flower essences and vanilla.  YUM!!


I realized I hadn't taken a photo of my delightful cousins, Mark and Karen, so we got this photo before they headed to bed after a weeklong cruise to Alaska and the drive from Seattle to our house.  They had left their 5th wheel trailer here during the cruise.  They are now in the Redwood Forest in California. :-)  They live in Watonga, Oklahoma, where I was born and my parents were born.  We moved here when I was 4 1/2.


On Saturday morning I watched as Dayle used his tractor and Travis and Kristi to move the old gazebo off the deck so they could finish re-decking in that area.


They placed it in the middle of our horseshoe shaped driveway - we call it "the circle".  By the time I got out there to see where they put it, I said.. "the pretty side is on the wrong side."  So, they turned it.  Caleb said.. "really, Grandma?".  :-)  We are thinking of putting a fire circle there.


Here it is in it's new spot.  Do you think we should paint it white or leave it natural?  We've ordered a new gazebo from Costco which has a metal roof and is a bit bigger that will go on the deck.


Kristi single-handedly removed all these deck boards so Travis could add the new ones today as he has Labor Day off work.  


My younger sister Denise just got home from a 3 week photo safari in Africa.  She is so sweet and always brings me a few mementos from her trip.  This is a beaded key ring from Kenya, I adore it!


The colorfully beaded bracelet she got in a real Masai village and it's made by the native people there.  Isn't it neat?


A flock of Goldfinches arrived to feast at our thistle socks.  I think they are almost all juvenile males that have not turned the brilliant yellow that the mature males usually sport.


They are very cute to watch as they bicker and fight over their space at the feeder.


I counted 20ish of them at one time!


I took this photo last night, the moon is almost full.  With the smoke in the air some images of the moon are orange.


On Hayden's second day of school and Caleb's first day they both were excited and were drawing.  Hayden drew this picture of the moon.  Isn't it great!  I'm so proud of his artistic skills.


We are a bit edgy over the last few days.  Our beloved Cascade Locks area is on fire, so far 3000 acres has burned and it's no where near contained as yet.  Many homes have been evacuated.  The smoke in the air here is awful.  And if the wind gets bad the fire could blow our way.  I've already thought of what needs to be packed in our cars if we have to be evacuated.  It will kill me if our house and all our antique treasures burn to ashes.  But as long as we can get our family and our dogs out, that is the most important thing.


I'll update you on Wednesday.  I'm so glad that much of the flood waters have receded in Houston and the clean up has begun.  But so many people have lost their homes and everything they owned.  I do hope that they are helped to relocate and rebuild their lives.  Also - our leader has decided to end DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) - putting the lives of hundreds of thousands of "Dreamers" - to be deported to Mexico although they've lived their entire lives here.  I'm so crushed that this might happen.  I hope they can be saved.  They live here, have jobs and go to school and pay taxes.  

We all need to stand up for those in danger and need help.  I pledge to be one of them.  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

21 comments:

  1. The smoke got really bad today in canby. I do hope the fire gets contained soon. The long range weather forecast is calling for rain on Thursday.....
    Two gazebos now. You'll need a porch swing next.

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  2. I pledge right along with you. First of all I am so sorry about the fires out your way. It is so horrible all the damage to the trees, structures and of course all of the animals. It is so dry by you and so wet in Houston and Louisiana. Your family time looks wonderful and it is not surprising to me that Kristi made that scrumptious dinner. By the way the boys are so big!

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  3. Sorry to hear about the fires. I hope they get under control and don't head your way.

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  4. I'm hoping the fires near you become contained and go away! Amazing how much smoke we have as well..👀 itch. I like gazebo the color it is or paint it red to match the house! Hayden's moon drawing is nice. You're photo's nice too. Ours has been red and sun looked red this a.m.with all the smoke. Hope Dayles's back feels better soon.

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  5. Power wash the gazebo then give it a nice thick spray of sealer. That way it should last longer.
    All these fires sure have made the air thick with smoke. It's been a chore to work in the yard as breathing is harder. At night the moon has been blood red. Reminds me of the fires in and around San Diego several years back. We had a heavy layer of ash all over the yard. Poor dogs had to have their feet washed every time they came in from potty breaks.
    Hope the fire fighters can stamp out all the fires soon.

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  6. Praying that the fires are contained and that you and your family remain safe. There seems to be so much going on with the the weather lately, scary times. So sorry to hear about the pain Dayle is in, hope the injections start to kick in soon. Looks like a great family meal and celebration with your cousins.

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  7. I hope you're ok, I've woken up to see Taci posting about the fires on IG.

    We've finally got BB again, yesterday, so I can begin catching up on blogs I missed while moving and then while we were without it. Sorry about our game, it's timed out again!

    Best wishes to Dayle; I hope his back is feeling better soon with the injection.

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  8. So sorry about the fires, it must be terrifying for all concerned. I do hope they're contained soon. What an amazing moon drawing by Hayden, and how grown up he is looking. Glad you had a lovely visit from your cousin and what a scrumptious meal. I quite like the natural look on the gazebo, it's very pretty. I hope the cortisone helps Dayle with the pain in his back. My other half has suffered back pain in the past and it's a horrible thing, I do sympathise. Look after yourselves Teresa. CJ xx

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  9. Kristi's cooking looks amazing, I'd tuck right in. Lasagne is one of my favourite foods. Coincidentally, I also made lasagne with salad on Sunday. I hope the fires are contained soon, it is worrisome to say the least. xx

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  10. I hope that you will be safe from the fires and that all will be well.

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  11. As always, beautiful pictures. Love the pears from your tree! Hoping you are safe from the fires. So much damage these days from nature - whether by fire or by water. Oh, and I would leave the gazebo natural.

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  12. You've surely been in my thoughts, Teresa; we've been inundated with smoke here but no threat such as yours. Stay safe! Hugs, too.

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  13. Thinking about you guys constantly with a breaking heart. You're in my prayers.

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  14. Praying for you and your beautiful home. Praying hard. Our apples from our woods trees are not too pretty either. THe horses at the Barn dont' care. THey love them. I say paint the firepit decor white or dark green.

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  15. I hope you will stay safe from the fires dear Teresa. Thinking of you all and your lovely home. Sending love xox

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  16. So busy at your house! These fires are terrible. We can't see across the road at our house and our phones and internet were out completely at the lake for at least 29 hours and counting. We came home to check email and see if all was well at the house. As bad as the smoke was 2 years ago, this is worse. Spokane and Sand Point, ID were tied yesterday for the worst air quality in the WORLD! Not a good thing at all. So many things happening in the world. Sure keeps us busy praying and on our knees constantly.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  17. Dear Teresa I am so sorry to hear about the dreadful fires ( and the floods) and I will pray that you,your family and beautiful home are all safe. Hugs Anne x

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  18. Praying that you, your family and your home are safe. So very heartbreaking...

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  19. Oh gosh Teresa those awful fires are so near...I hope they can be contained. Your home is looking gorgeous the gazebo looks happy in its new place. Thinking of you and your family. Hugs xxx

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  20. Just checked FB and your blog on my phone. Thanks for the link on FB and your update here. My sisters and I are concerned for you and all in harms way... And for the losses everywhere and I will do all I can to make life in and around us better for all just as you are committed to doing...sending love and hugs.

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  21. So glad you posted about the fire because I read about it in another blog and immediately grew concerned for you. Please keep us posted. Sending peace your way.

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