Seaons and the 'Heat Wave'

The temperatures in my area can vary up to 15 degrees the 150 miles of coastline, but the islands are generally cooler.  I live a a hillside looking over a valley with a sliver of the Sound and an Island.  The high temps for this week are:  today 89, Sunday 90, Tuesday 90. These highs are predicted in the big cities that are about 30 minutes south of me.  One of the local saying here is 'Summer doesn't start until after the 4th of July".  And yes, we have had cold and downpours on the 4th in the past.

Summer has always been my least favorite time of year.  I love the the gardening and learned the early morning and dusk are the best times to be out working and taking care of animals.  I sit in the shade or stay in the house during the heat of the day to avoid getting too much sun (I don't mind being pale).  We are known for low 70's with the occasional heat waves.  My choice not to leave this area is because of the temperate climate and of course the beauty!

I absolutely LOVE spring and fall.  Spring brings lots of rain but the new greens are brilliant against the dark evergreen forests.  The first hints of spring are my favorites, the daffodils, crocuses, the unfurling of the ferns, the songbirds waking from winter.  Fall is the time of warm colors, browns, oranges of the pumpkin and leaves, yellows.  I love the warm days of 75 with breezes and cold nights down to 50 degrees.

And then comes winter, not many like winter here.  We get a LOT of rain!  Many grey days!  This has never bothered me, a good book, a cup of tea and the drum of rain has always soothed me.  We rarely get snow and it almost never sticks around, some years none.  Not many like winter around here and we do have a lot of SADD in the population.  So this is why the week is going to be unbearable for me and yes the temps around the country are going to be much hotter which is not comparable because I choose here.

I think the February can be a beautiful month, with 3 days now of warm sun, cold air and frosty nights so far. The mountains have been at their best, so clear you can see the valleys and the sun glints off the snow on the peaks like diamonds.  I wish the camera could capture the beauty I see!  I hear opinions that it feels like spring.  To me it's a promise of spring to come, that here in the PNW after days and weeks of rain and gloom the days are longer and it's time to plan for the garden!

I bottled my kombucha yesterday in to three jars and drank the fourth one right away, very good andwith no added flavor or juice!  It's was mild, I only brewed it 12 days and my house is cold.  So now it's the 3 - 5 day wait for fizz to build up.  Keeping up with brewing will take some juggling because it's so good and buying it is a little expensive ($3.50 for 16oz).  This is one of my  goals  (to learn new skills this year).

I had a great weekend starting with a quiet visit with E and the grandgirls, playing games and watching a movie.  My sister in law called me for an overnight, we had a ball. Lot's of laughs, wine and helping a little with putting her house in order after they put down new floors.  Then back to E's house to watch the girls while she went to an appointment.  We spent a couple hours outside gardening, pulling new weeds from the vegie beds and pulling compost from the bottom of the pile to the top.  I guess V. fell asleep on the floor (she is 3) after a very busy day.  She is the one who stuck with me thru all the weeding.  J helped thru half which is still pretty good.While locking up the chickens, J pointed out the full moon coming up behind the bare trees, another beautiful picture! At 7 yrs, she takes on the responsiblity of the chickens and goats like I haven't seen in a girls new to animals. She is amazing! I was holding V. and noticed the sunkissed cheeks, what a good day! And to my darling daughter, you're smile today is beautiful!

Summer Weather Update

I looked up the August weather for our area: half a degree below normal and only 10 sunny days.  Strange!  Because I have yet to go to bed, tossing and turning from the hot summer days, in fact the comforter is still on my bed.  I know we have way more sunny days than ten!  Summer gardens have already been in fall mode and yet produced very little. Half corn crops around here are not in tassel which means the roadside stands will not have a good profit. Another reason for worsening economy . . .  weather!

I will be starting on my preparedness plans.  Food, first aid, flashlights will be this month. Creating space will also be a challenge but not impossible.

Crazy, Busy Week!

Starting with following the truck up North (helping to move our daughter 'E'), a normal 1 1/2 hour trip took 2 1/2 hours.  One of the highways was closed for Blue Angel flyovers.  Our older grandaughter loved the trip in the big truck! The unload went great, with the living room and kitchen mostly set up by the end of the day.  With the help of her friend, we finished up to 90% of unpacking the next day.

I like to dabble in simple wood projects and put together a raised bed for gardening (it was an 8' x 8' changed to a 4' x 8'.  We built another and filled them with her transplants (fingers are crossed). I also donated my compost because it's done and has thousands of worms (need to keep 'a few' for my new bin which was started last month). Our 3 yr old granddaughter was picking them up and feeding them to the chickens and showing them to anybody interested!  E also bought chickens (six) and 2 baby pygmy goats she picked out before they were born (3 weeks now) and orphaned (they lost thier mom the day after birth).  Our grandaughters were happy with the chickens but are crazy about the goats, feeding bottles, running around and petting them. They will be a 4H project this next year.

So exhaustion and achy joints a week later but feeling good for a job well done!

Busy!

So busy this month . . . .
Trying to helpful  and supporting to our Daughter and 2 grandchildren since her husband went to Afghanistan for a year.  Her house is being packed up and they are moving closer (20 min awaywill be nice instead of 1  1/2 hours).  Last week we dug up most of her garden, the poor plants are starting to look better.  Also spending time with the girls, they are having a tough time.  Houses have been hard to find but one was found on a 60 acre cattle ranch, it is a second home with an acre to go with it. Looks like some fruit trees come with it too, Bonus! So, the coordinating begins!

Our son is hiking and climbing the Enchantments (WA), this year he is drying food to take.  He tried a can of baked beans, re-hydated with additions and said it was surprisingly good. So the dehydrator has been going for the last 4 days with beans, ground beef jerky, vegetables, fruit and yogurt. Trying to lend some help in this project too. What is hard to fathom is the amount of snow still up there compared to last year which heightens the danger factor (worry factor goes up too).

This weather is strangest ever!  I have never known such a summer, it's the worst. In all these years I have NEVER seen such an ugly summer.  So we had a great summer treat today, strawberry shortcake. Mmmmm . . . divine. Also today, we had a fire in the stove to take to damp out of the house. Crazy for the end of July. Our 'view' was totally obliterated with low clouds and fog. Crazy!

SUN!

Wow, 2 days in a row!  It cleared a again yesterday into a cloudless, slight breeze, beautiful day.  Today looks to be beautiful again, I am in shock . . . . .  just had to share.