Completing the catch up...

As I type tonight, hubby is starting the first fire of the cold season.  We had nearly freezing temps last night and we expect the first hard freeze tonight, we picked the last of the green beans, tomatoes and strawberries this week in anticipation.  It is time for soups and stews and chili!!

After our trip to California for the wedding and our visit with son and daughter in law, my friend Anita and I had planned a trip to CA for over a year (son and wedding were a late addition to our calendar this year!) she had a family reunion to attend and one of her long time friend's daughter's wedding.  She doesn't like to drive the whole way alone and I do like to drive and she stays at my moms house with me, uses it as a base of operations and a good time is had by all!

I got a whole extra week with the adorable Lily!  It really was nice to have enough time that she got used to me and was very comfortable playing with the 'other' Grandma that she doesn't see very often.

You can see my mother in the back ground with her sling, she had rotator cuff surgery 2 weeks prior and was/is still in a sling.  It was also nice for me to be able to do a few things for her while we were there, so I felt a little better about not being able to just pop over when she needs a hand, (which doesn't happen very often!)

Don't know what they are but we got the picture on one of our walks downtown Exeter to see the new mural, just so unusual looking.

This was the new mural - fruit packing labels!

This bird of paradise was at the coast, we appreciated the flowers in California, knowing we were going to come home to fall/winter and pretty leaves but no flowers!

We went to the coast at Pismo/Avila for two days and one night.  Our first day there we had beautiful weather, warm but not hot and the ocean breeze.  These birds were waiting for the fishermen cleaning their catch to throw them the 'yucky bits'.  They seemed to eat pretty well

There were several seals playing and swimming along the pier.

Just a perfect day!!!

We also went to see the 'Great American Melodrama' and laughed a lot!  What a fun evening!


On the way home we stopped at the 'Jack Ranch Cafe' and saw the memorial to James Dean who's car accident happened just up the road. (and of course we used the bathrooms - it was, after all, 3 women traveling together!)

This is the quintessential California to me - live oaks and dead grass!  Californians will tell you it is the 'golden hills'!

You are looking west at the Coastal range

This was the top of the pass!!

 

We took a side road through Parkfield which bills itself as the earthquake capitol of the world.  It is on the San Andreas fault line and the sign on the bridge says "you are now entering the North American Plate" from the Pacific Plate.  They have a 6 or greater earthquake every 22 years and it is the most observed seismic area in the world.  The piers on the bridge have moved 5 feet apart since it was built in 1936 due to the creep of the plates!  We decided to take the road north to Coalinga and ended up on a winding, turning, single lane, dirt/rock road that had phenomenal views and made us doubt now and then that we were on a regular road!  We kind of thought maybe we missed a turn!

On the way to California and the way home we spent the night in Reno Nevada and made small contributions to the state in the form of penny and nickel slot machines!  We had a very good time, we are already planning the trip next year!

Need to get busy now - Christmas is 50 days away!!!

Company Comes and the Seasons Change!

I know fall is officially a couple of weeks away but we are getting a preview this weekend!  A cold front complete with branch breaking wind has moved through and reminded us winter is not far away! 

She just made herself useful!

We had almost two weeks with Mom, and her sister Evelyn flew out for the last 4 days.  We had a wonderful time!  Mom helped with the garden - she is comfortable pitching in around and doing whatever needs doing!  We picked beans and corn, went on a couple of sightseeing tours around the area, and visited a lot.  She has not been to our home since we moved as she was taking care of grandma so this was fun to show her around!

One meatball nearly fills the ladle!

We used Aunt Ramah's spaghetti recipe (she had an Italian mother in law!) and substituted fresh tomatoes, simmered it for hours and put in the marvelous meatballs!  Yum!!

It was warm but overcast - dining al fresco!

We drove around Boise and looked at the wonderful huge old homes, a couple of antique stores, the fair trade market and then we had fish and chips at the 13th St Pub in Hyde Park!  (Hyde Park Village in Boise!)  But it was good food and good fun!

Standing on the Banks of the Snake River,

When the 3 girls were little they came west on a trip and thought they remembered the Snake river, so we went to see it and do a little family history sleuthing as well.  They had to see all the places that our family settled or lived in many years ago that I had found in the area! (In this post)

Standing in the actual ruts made by wagons on the trail!

And since we have found relatives all over the family tree that came west on the Oregon trail it seemed only right that we would visit the Oregon Trail Interpretive site in Baker City OR.  If you are ever in the area this is definitely worth the trip!

All good things must come to an end and eventually they left to continue their adventure.  The two of them will drive up to Glacier National Park (it has snowed while they are there) and then over to the Pacific Coast and down to California to visit with sister number 3 for a few days and then to Mom's house for awhile!  I think they are kind of amazing - Mom will be 81 this month and Aunt Evelyn turned 78 last spring!  They take after their mother!




The house is back to normal and I have been busy freezing the corn and beans, but it is a little quiet with them gone! 

Slow Living September Review

I am late doing this for September. The kids were here and then I rode along with them to my Moms house so my September went by really fast!  Slow living Essentials is the link to follow if you are interested in participating, it's kind of fun to look back and organize your thoughts and memories!

Nourish – sent some of my canned stuff home with Son #2, he lives in a house/dorm with 10 guys and he is a foody, he said all the pickles were awesome and the sauerkraut is so good he has just been eating it out of the jar. So satisfying for me to hear!

Took the kids to the mountains - Son #2

Prepare – Hubby stayed home and cut up all the wood from the trees the boys helped him fell while they were here. Pretty sure they just wanted to play with the chainsaw! (BOYS!) Good start on next years woodpile!

I never let them do this when they lived at home!

Green – I'm thinking taking the bus instead of driving or flying counts – yes?

Grow – Came home to some serious cold and the growing season is over – for now we will go over what did well this year, what we need more of or want to do differently next year.

Create – Started another cross stitch, and am almost done with my idea for cold weather curtains, quilted, to try to help keep the house warm.

Discover – Since our youngest (Son #3) and his wife found out they are expecting my first grandchild due in May I have been pouring over baby craft ideas – this is so much fun!

This is the only time your hubby lets you touch him with a stick you peed on! :)

Enjoy – Truly enjoyed spending time with all three boys together and each separately, loved having the time to visit with my Mom, I think I had way more fun in September than hubby! I will have to make chocolate chip cookies here pretty soon!

Mom

   Behind this giant root is a giant tree in the fog!

 Mom and I took a day trip to the closest Giant Sequoias to her house, it was foggy and eerie and beautiful!

Son #1 and DIL #1  Cute couple!

 I had a wonderful September - and knowing the kids were coming motivated Hubby and I to get a couple of things done that we had been putting off (the other bathroom - pics next time!)

I'm Home Again!

Just a quick post to say hi I'm home, after my 27 and a half hour bus ride with 3 transfers and 3 hours in layovers - I'm home, showered, brushed my teeth, washed my hair and feel pretty human again!

Had a wonderful time with the kids and my Mom - so many times I go to visit her and we have an 'EVENT' going on and the event takes up a lot of time and energy (weddings and the like).  This time it was just me wanting to see her and it was lovely to just hang out and visit a lot.  I will post more I'm sure but for now I'm getting to 'must lay down' stage, so will share my favorite bus station from the trip, it is in Pocatello, Idaho and surrounded by cool buildings and it just made me go back in time in my mind.  I'm sure the folks who work there might like an upgrade (noticed the doors were a little drafty) but oh it was cool looking. The old train station and the Yellowstone Hotel (I think every good sized city and some not so large in the Rocky Mountain West has a Yellowstone Hotel!  It's like a rule or something!)

Union Pacific Railway Station

Yellowstone Hotel

Isn't this just a cool looking old station?!

So good night and when I eventually wake up again I will show a few more photos!  And tell how much money I saved by taking the "long way"