And Away WE Go!!!!!!

  "It was just right," Goldy Locks said.  That was the day yesterday. We had a picnic lunch with the Twinkies and then a 5 mile glorious and peaceful walk around Ponderay Lake.  Lots of sail boats were out.  Bikers and hikers too.  The water was warm and the girls went swimming.  Just a wonderful way to end the weekend.  And now, onto the onslaught of noisy hallways, late busses, frantic teachers and parents....and the school year begins this week.  Summer was way too short.  The year ahead looks so long and daunting.  One blessed day at a time.  Have a wonderful week friends---be back shortly--not sure what condition---off we go!

peaches, produce & pup

I had a lovely walk with farm-sis Sharon this morning along the Spokane River.  We've been meeting at 7 am and walking for an hour.  I love it--but alas, my morning jaunts must come to an end.  However, we will be able to meet after school on the way home, so I am looking forward to that.  Sharon was so kind as to bring me some fresh zucchini's.  She grows the good stuff!  So on the way home I HAD to stop at the local farmers market and pick up some other goodies to add to it.  I found some funky yellow squash to go with, and then the guy asked me if I wanted some fresh, but very ripe peaches.  I told I was think of making a peach pie--my 3rd pie this week....he handed a big box and proclaimed, "$2 bucks for the box!"  i looked in, some only a few bruises, and replied, "DEAL!"   Then I spied some local honey--always need honey, right?  So, by the time I got out of the market, I had $1 left and I was a happy farmgirl.  Got home and looked at all the peaches---way to many for pies--we'd have at least 5 pies---so I hauled out the food drier and loaded it up.  Then I made a pie and also froze some in a jar for later.  Now that's what I can farm sense.

Now I have to do something with the squash this weekend.  I may bake the squash and just have it with some butter, salt....not sure yet.  

And just when I thought I had made the bed for the pups, here is the queen herself, flung across the pillows...see that pretty blue afghan on the bed--that's for her royal highness, but NOOOO...we will root and then plop on the pillows.  sheesh! Mimi Marie--the prima-donna of the Corgi's.  G-girl under the bed in her cave.  Heavy duty sleeping going on whilst Mommy is up to her ears in peaches and produce.

Have a blessed weekend farmgals and boys.....

Here's the Skinny--(Not Me!)

This morning I had the pleasure of meeting a farm-sister neighbor, Sharon at the river for an hour walk before the roasting heat pickled us.  She brought me some homegrown veges from her garden and I brought her a loaf of homemade bread.  I think I made out better in the deal as you can see in the pix of what I was able to do with her organic farm produce.  My garden, this year, is still growing, and I'm not sure if it's going to survive.  I think I started it too late.  Anyway, I made this "bakeover" recipe that I learned from the Mary Jane Butters Idea, Living book I purchased a few years ago.  You gather up all the fresh veges and herbs/seasonings you like--saute them in a skillet.  You can add meat, rice...just about anything you want use up. Then you make the bakeover crust, which is a savory pie crust, put it on top of the sauteed mixture, throw the skillet in the oven at 400, and 20 minutes later you turn it out onto a serving platter and enjoy!  It is great for several days of din-dins or lunches. So you see I really made out better in the deal here.

Now, let me tell you a little about my farmsister, Sharon, who can sew up a storm and does one heck of a job. She is top drawer, I tell ya'. I met her on the Mary Jane Farmgirl Connection I was talking about earlier. I saw that she lives only 5 miles away from me. I also went to her Etsy site and saw her wonderful aprons and other items that she sews. Did you know folks, that aprons are really in again, especially here in the country. There are city-slicker aprons too for you divas in the burbs--but you must go see her Etsy and see what I am talking about. Below is the one I ordered. It has hummingbirds and flowers--perfect for me and my BYB's! Her handle is BobbinRobin at Etsy.

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7821849

I have a few days left until school starts ... so I want to get outdoors with friends as much as I can. And guess what? I even plan on sleeping outdoors one night in the lounge chair. BY~camping....eeeewwwww.

Pix of Seattle

Did you know you can wild blackberries all over the roadsides in WA? Even on the coast! They were delish!

I can't believe it has been a week since we were in Seattle!  I have to tell you something funny.  When we drove into Seattle on Friday night, we pulled into a parking lot near where we wanted to eat dinner (Cheesecake Factory).  After a late snack of appetizers and cheesecake that melted in your mouth, we walked back to the truck and found a lovely little parking ticket.  Odd, very odd, I thought.  As we looked around, we noticed the other cars also had lovely little tickets as well.  It was 10:20 in the evening and we arrived at 9:30 pm.  The stores were all closed!  hphmpf!

The explanation on the ticket said, "Walked off lot."  Okay, I started to laugh at that.  Of course we walked off the lot.  How else would we get to the restaurant?  Fly?  Beam us over?

So, this is NOT the end of the story, farmgirls and folks.....

The next day, we drove into Seattle again only to the wharf area where all the seafood and open air markets were located.  We had to pay for parking in these designated lots.  We shopped and had lunch, and 4-5 hours later, guess what we were charged to park?              $27.00  It would have been cheaper to get another ticket!  And you pay by email too.

It was fun shopping and eating---but I am a farmgirl at heart now and love the country.  

All's Well

Hi Friends!

We made it home safe--tired, and glad to be home.  My teacher's conference was WAY too much info to absorb and retain--let's face it folks.....the brain doesn't do power studying anymore.  In fact, it doesn't do a whole lot accept to forget things and then remember them at 2 a.m. and keep me up 1/2 the night.  I enjoyed the seafood VERY much at Pike's and the open air market was astounding.  Boy, what would I give to have markets like that near home!  But you know, it was nice to get back to dullsville and see the country scape for what it is.  We know now we are mountain country folk who just want to keep this madness down to a low roar and keep things as simple as possible.  Is that possible?  :)

It has rained today--and how beautiful it was.  Our BY birds (backyard) have forgiven us for being gone for so long and have returned to full feeders.  HHM made sure the water was set on a timer to fill their baths.  But the birds went bonkers today in the rain.  I laughed and called HHM.  He has had work this week and that is a another grace from God.

In fact he just walked in and it is time to get din-din.  We have our old folks rockers set upstairs by the big window so we can watch the BYB's play and eat.  HHM has a hummer friend who follows him around.  I told him it's because he looks funny.  :)  Big beak....

More later........

Fun no sun

Hi:

We made it out of Ocean Shores and into Bellevue WA--tomorrow Seattle and Pike's Fish Market for some seafood---the RV park has WiFi...never tried it before the laptop hooked right up--way cool.  The whole week at the teacher's conference was a blur.  My head can't hold that much.

We should be home Sunday night....will talk to my blogger buds real soon--hope all of you are well.  HUGS!

be back soon

We are heading out to Ocean Shores,WA this weekend and will be gone in the RV for about 10 days or so.  I have a special ed teacher's seminar all next week and HHM and the Twinkies are going to scout things out during the day whilst I listen and wish I was outside playing.  So then after my class is done each day they can show me what they did all day.  We are looking forward to seeing O Shores as we've heard it is really pretty.  Taking the kayaks and bikes too.  It will be good to see the coast as it has been 5 years this summer we moved from San Diego to the boondocks.  We still love it up in ID and would never move back at this point.  We have moose in our blood now.  :^)

Talk to all of you soon--hugs and blessings