This & That

Shutting It Down

My husband and I made a very quick, less than 12 hour round trip overnighter into the cabin to get it winterized, despite the threat of a winter storm warning.

We knew it needed to be done, and I was just very literally praying we wouldn't wake up to a foot of snow that would strand us at the cabin when I needed to be catching a plane to see Collin and his family. 

We woke up to a lot of soggy rain. We got the pipes blown out and traveled home in that same soggy rain, but there wasn't any snow to be found at our elevations.

Every, single pine needle had a rain drop at the end of it, though.

The Season

There are still a few things that need to be taken care off before the weather gets too cold.

I was a little late getting the porch decked out for the season, but I love the variety I was able to pick up at the farm stand. I wish I had the room to grow all these. We have a big garden, but not that big.

We harvested the pumpkins and butternut squash. For the past several years, I've grown a variety called Sugar Baby that I've baked and used for the pumpkin puree I've frozen. Last year I was really disappointed in how thin the walls of the pumpkins were. I had to bake numerous pumpkins to get any quantity of pulp to freeze. I was watching a YouTube video and this new-to-me variety was suggested, so it's what I grew this year. This kind is called Long Island Cheese and I'm pretty sure it will give me a lot more pulp. Each of these pumpkins are about 12-14 inches across and heavy. I haven't baked any up yet, but I'm optimistic.

On the last day of warm-ish weather, I also got the garlic planted. Kind of the same thing going on with it this year. The bulbs I got were very small. I'm not sure if that's due to me saving garlic bulbs from the same batch year in and year out, or whether I just got it planted too late last fall and the ground was too cold and it didn't get settled in right. So this fall, I'm starting over with new seed and I put it in one of the 2 raised beds we have. I'm hoping for a bumper crop this next year, so keep your fingers crossed for me.

On one end of the bed, I planted several giant cloves of elephant garlic.

And when I say giant, I really do mean GIANT. That's one, single clove there. I'll be a really happy camper if this works out.

Double the Fun

As I mentioned, Elise and the boys were here for several days. 

The leaves are all coming down in my yard,

and the boys really enjoyed them.

They were flying everywhere.

They even piled them on the slide so they could  slide through them. It was Leo's turn first,

then Jack took his turn.

We visited the local farm stand and they had this display of mums outside. Elise and I took turns trying to get a good picture of them together.

After we got home Disney Beepaw took them for a wheelbarrow ride, which was probably the high point of the day.

Elise had brought a couple of small pumpkins for them to paint. They ended up dipping those paintbrushes into every, single color without cleaning off the brushes, so all the little pots of paint became this sort of grey-green-brown color. The boys thought it was awesome and when they were done with the pumpkins, they moved on to the paper covering the table. 

One Big Windstorm

We've had a couple of really windy days this week.

I stepped out the craft room door a couple of days ago, into a pile of leaves that had been blown up right against it,

....as well as all over the grass. Look at all the different colors here. It's all from one tree.

This is what it looked like in the morning 2 days ago.

My daughter-in-law took a picture of these leaves on that tree last Saturday afternoon.

And this is what it looked like yesterday morning.

The wind also took off several branches of the weeping birch...

and decorated the ground around my roses. 

Fall is my favorite.

Just amazed by the range of colors off a single tree.

Reveling In It

The air has changed. I can feel it.

The garden has changed, too. I see the pumpkins turning orange. 

And so are the winter squash.

We harvested the last of the cabbage and Brussels sprouts. I had no idea that once you cut the main cabbage head, little baby heads grow back. No. Idea. My husband's going to guilt me into making him cooked cabbage. I have PTSD from cooked cabbage and creamed cabbage my mother used to make for my dad. The whole house stunk and it was one of those things I have memories of being made to sit at the table until I ate it. There's not much that's more disgusting that cold cooked cabbage. Somehow, I've managed to go 40 some-odd years in my marriage without cooking cabbage, but I don't think my husband's going to let it go now that we have these cute baby cabbages.

We also pulled and cured the onions. The harvest is gradually coming in. I have mixed feelings about that. In some ways, I'm ready to be done with minding the garden and canning. On the other hand, I'm so grateful for the bounty. 

My neighbor's ash trees got a haircut. Yes, it look tidier, but it's a little disconcerting to see it look so different.

The leaves are starting to fall in my yard, and we've had a couple of rainy days recently.

My favorite Red Maple tree is just barely starting to turn. Fall's in full swing, and I'm totally here for it.

 

A Winter Cabin Trip, aka How Many Moguls??

Last weekend my husband, Evan, and I made a trek into the cabin to check things out. 

It was a beautiful day, but the road was absolutely terrible....ruts and mounds all the way in. Just one ski mogul after another. I can tell you I had sore arms and shoulders for several days from trying to keep the vehicle steady on the trail.

It took us 2 hours to get from the trailhead to the cabin. When the trail is groomed or we drive in the summer, it takes about 40-45 minutes. I was driving the rhino, and occasionally I'd see the tail end of the snowmobiles Evan and my husband were driving. They'd stop and wait for me at designated places along the trail just making sure I hadn't driven off the side of the mountain or anything.

Winter is a beautiful time of year at the cabin, but through a series of mishaps I've been through with winter cabin travel, I've become very anxious, even downright fearful of driving in and out. Once I'm there I'm fine, but it's become a struggle for me.

We finally got into the cabin and I got fires started while they guys went out to fetch Evan's boys for an overnighter. While they were gone, the sun set, and this was my view as I sat huddled in front of the wood stove, waiting for the cabin to warm up a little.

The next morning, the walls had warmed up enough that the water was working, which makes it lots easier to prepare and clean up meals. I took a shower and the guys all went out on the snowshoes to tromp around.

Now look here. This is Edward, my eldest grandchild. You might remember him as the SGB, the squeezable grandboy. Holy cow, when did he get looking so grown up???

They made it over close to the river and spent some time rolling around in the snow.

Lunch came next and then blowing the water pipes out. About the time we were ready to head home, the temperature in the cabin was tolerable enough that I didn't have to wear a coat inside.

The trip out was as rough as the ride in, with only brief, straight stretches that were smooth. Another 2-hour trip. My husband took this picture of Evan and Frederick on the snowmobile while they waited for me to catch up. I was driving the rhino again, this time with Edward, Roger and Quincy with me. I'm not anxious to do this again very soon. 

Fall's Coming!

Yes, it is!

We've been treated to some cooler days this week. Days that required I put an extra blanket on the bed while sleeping with the windows open...my favorite. Fall changes come a lot faster up in the high country. 

These pictures were actually taken a few weeks ago, so you can see how soon it actually happens in the mountains. The flowers are all done. Some turn to fuzz....

...others form these pods....

...and still others change color.

Colors have appeared.

My favorite, favorite time of year. I love everything about it, from the colors to the temperatures, the smells...just the whole feel.

Summer Days, Drifting Away to, Oh, Oh Those Summer Nights

And now you have that song stuck in your head....you're welcome. I got a passel of pictures from Eric's wife, Elisa a few days ago. If I put them all in the usual Saturday post it would be huge, so I split them up to scatter here and there.

Lots of summer fun going on at Eric and Elisa's house. They had a grand water fight.

Where it was apparent that Gwen learned the value of holding the high ground.

They tried a water balloon sling shot, and I'm sure Eric could explain the physics of trajectory to us all. It probably involves conic sections.

Ephraim looks like he's got the attack stance down.

Wonder where he learned it.

High ground.....control the high ground.

Water war at its finest.

And as for summer nights, they spent one out on the deck under the stars.

Ephraim was still sleeping strong after all the other siblings got up. One thing about summer days. They can be exhausting.

Weeds and Harvests

I almost always wander the yard early in the morning, mostly because it gets too hot later in the day for me to set foot outside.

I love the garden at this stage, when everything is all neat and orderly,  and it isn't a jungle you need a machete to get through yet.

This particular morning I was after lettuce.

I cut a good bowl full and it was delicious....tender, sweet and it made such nice salads.

I found this right out in the middle of the gravel where the horse trailer is kept. I think it's a sunflower, so we'll see if it survives.

I found a few strawberries in my little patch and I sent this picture to my family members.

It prompted a picture from Jan of the berries she picked that morning,

...and then a picture came in from Rachelle. 

Then Bryce sent this one, which made us all laugh.

I washed up the lettuce for storage in the fridge and we ate off it all week. I've had another cutting this week. There are more earwigs in that one than the first one. I'm blaming it on summer. 

I planted mostly herbs in the pots this year. I don't know why, It's just what I felt like doing. I've got oregano that overwintered, Italian parsley, thyme, and basil in this one.

And nothing but basil in this one.

Checked out the fruit trees in our little orchard. The Red Delicious tree is loaded. I know Red Delicious apples get a bad rap for not tasting as good as the more exotic, modern varieties, but a Red Delicious, cold, right off the tree is as good as any trendy type you can find.

The Golden Delicious tree also has lots of baby apples on it. That makes me happy, since they're my favorites.

This is a baby peach. The #savethepeaches project wasn't entirely successful, it appears. There are branches that are naked and have withered blossoms on them, and others that are loaded. We'll have to see what kind of yield we get.

Pretty excited about these baby Elephant Heart plums. I can hardly wait to cut one open and see PURPLE inside.

The hostas have unfurled their dinner-plate-sized leaves. It makes me happy to see them....like old friends coming back to say hi.

I planted some flower seeds in the back bed, in some of the blank spots. I planted money plant seeds, miniature sunflowers, zinnias, and cosmos. There are seedlings popping up, but I should have drawn a diagram of what I planted, where, because I have no clue what's what. It will be a grand revelation to see what blooms. I had to stop weeding that area until the seeds came up to make sure I wasn't plucking out baby flowers.

There's a rose show going on in the back yard as well. Dead-heading is going to become a full-time job.

Along with peonies blooming.

Some of them are starts I planted a couple of years ago from my husband's grandmother's plants.

Others were some I bought and planted all over the back flower bed. 

I've lived in this house for almost 30 years and have spent a lot of time developing the flower beds. 

I've planted things and ripped things out and planted different things. It always seems to be a work in progress.

But I sure like some of the results I get.

Eric's wife, Elisa, sent this picture of her beautiful peonies. I think I need the name of this variety. I can probably find a place to put it.

This was the year's first bouquet of roses.

I have probably mentioned this before, but I don't cultivate red roses. It's the only color I don't have in my yard, and that's by my choice. They're not my favorite. Give me all the other colors. So there's early summer around the place. 

A Wander

I'm seeing things come to life in the yard.

My chives came back for the second year, and I've already given them a haircut so I could use them in a recipe.

The bleeding heart is blooming. Last year for whatever reason, it didn't bloom....weird.

And the different varieties of daffodils keep showing up.

Again, just so fun to see things I put in the ground make a return visit.

It kind of makes me want to give it another try, but I have no idea where I'd put anything else.

The tulips always come a little later, and you can see that the rock cress has appeared.

Now in the orchard, the peach tree is covered with blossoms, and so far it looks like we won't have to tarp the poor tree.

The stupid plum tree......yeah, no matter how cold it gets you can't kill any of these.

HOWEVER, it looks like the baby plum had a few blossoms on it this spring.

but it does look like they got damaged with the cold weather we had a couple weeks ago. So there you go. A yard wander and what's happening this spring. I'm still looking forward to seeing more tulips appear. It looks like the deer chomping the ones in the back flower bed won't prevent them blooming.