Glad We Have These Things On Hand

Soda and Vinegar

helped put me to rights today.

I had a stomach ache

and a little bit of vinegar and water followed

later by some soda

made my tummy 

happy again.

Nail clippers!

Morgan is hiding under the table

to get away from the iPad.

She hates, really hates having her photo taken.

Even more

she hates having her nails clipped.

Today she was limping.

Kristine found that the problem was caused

by two of her nails overlapping.

Tomorrow she gets her nails clipped.

Like it or not!

This blog is about what happens around here.

Not much happening today.

Too hot.

Over 100 degrees.

Morgan is suffering from the heat.

She is getting lots of ice in her water.

Time to put more ice in her water.

Smiles

~:>

Pink Winter Socks

These are the first socks I have knitted.

Tube socks knitted with super saver acrylic yarn. 

Practice socks.

Next I want to learn to knit short row heels and toes.

These socks are for Winter use

with my muck boots.

Next socks I knit will be with sock yarn.

This pink yarn is thick and not for use with shoes.

Fun socks!

Smiles

~:>

Birds Are Always Welcome?

See the buzzards in the trees?

Well,

that's because I'm not fast enough with the iPad camera

to catch a photo of them.

They were there!

Around 10 of them

flashing their shadows back and forth over the house and driveway

and then roosting in the trees.

Large beasties!

At first I thought the shadows were from airplanes.

Strange...

Never seen that behavior before.

Kristine thought that perhaps they were after a squirrel on the roof?

We didn't see anything happening in the driveway.

Just lots of buzzards swooping around.

And sitting in trees.

Spooky!

Anyway, birds are always welcome.

Flying critters show up here regularly...

bats, owls, crows, finch, etc.

This year we haven't seen the blue jays.

And I have only heard one woodpecker.

???

Seems the birds have moved on to new places?

Have the buzzards chased them away.

We don't know why a lot of birds haven't shown up this year.

Their food sources have changed?

Maybe the drought has caused a change?

Lots of dead trees.

The birds are always welcome back.

Hope they show up next Spring.

Even buzzards.

Smiles

~:>

Back Home From Idaho

What can happen when your tall husband picks out

the new

washer and dryer.

First thing I do is unpack and do 

laundry.

This is neat!

I get to do wash and stair exercise.

Great washer and dryer.

Maybe I'll grow?

Nah...

I think I'm getting shorter.

Visit was too short.

But wonderful!

Test

Test

Posting From My iPad From Idaho

Well, I hope so...

I'll try to post a photo...

---

Second Try

These are photos of the two younger grandchildren,

Genevieve and Jaidan,

playing catch the stroller

on the driveway.

After I get these photos on here

it will be time for me

to go eat dinner.

Hope to spend more time posting soon.

Smiles

~:>

Trying to blog with Chrome and an iPad...

Catch the stroller!

There was supposed to be a photo here....

I suppose that this is going to be a test Post.

Blogger Help

Said that

Chrome would allow posting.

The blogger app is gone for iPad.

At least I can't find it.

Chrome may post this text?

But I can't get to my photos...

Ok

This is a test of posting with

Chrome on my iPad...

Tomorrow I'll try and post on a computer!

Smiles

~:>

I Packed!

The Mom parental unit is packed.

Well, Mostly!

Laid out clothes on bed along with list of stuff to pack.

Fold and roll shirts I want to pack.

Shoes ready to go into plastic bags.

Shirts rolled and packed.
There are jeans under the shirts.

The shirt and clothes on the bench

are for me to wear tomorrow.

Still have to pack last minute stuff.

I have a list for that too.

Busy.

Of course, I packed too much.

Thank goodness the suitcase is not very big.

The little backpack is just for shoes.

That backpack is a post all in its own.

Later?

Tomorrow?

I think I will go make more biscuits

to take on the trip.

maybe?

Smiles!

~:>

Must Pack!

I've been putting off packing...

Reasons, I always find reasons for why I should wait until tomorrow.

Well, tomorrow is upon me.

At least I got the cases out of the closet...

I did get all my laundry washed and ready to pack.

My excuse for not packing then

was that I needed to make sure everything was

dry!

My sister got me the little Callie Critter.

Didn't want to pack damp clothes.

Well, stuff is dry.

So, must pack!!!

You notice that I'm writing a post about packing

and not packing?

Yep...another excuse.

Must post!

Ha!

I'll pack tonight.

Must!

I have only one more day before we leave.

I know!

 I will do a post about packing 

my suitcase, etc.

Please, self, pay attention!

I have a block about this whole packing thing.

Travel?

I love to get there.

Not so much the travel part.

I guess not packing until I have to pack

is my way of

dealing/not dealing with the issue.

Gee, glad I worked all that out!

Now I have to go pack...

And take photos...

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.....

Smiles

~:>

Meal In A Cake

Well, That's what I tell myself.

I mean that there is lots of:

salmon, veggies, eggs, yogurt, whole wheat biscuits, 

and etc. good healthy stuff

in the cakes.

The cakes are easy to make,

fun to shape

and 

good to eat.

So, what's not to like?

I put two of the cakes in the freezer 

as an experiment.

I want to find out if they are yummy good to eat, 

after thawing.

If they are, then I predict

a freezer with freezer bags full of dated 

salmon cakes. 

This photo is a peek at the other end of 

my "cluttered" happy counter.

Ahhh, life should be more fun.

Really don't want naked counters.

There's only so much organizing I can stand.

I suppose that if I had more room

to actually put stuff away

the counter would not be so busy.

You know...

a place for everything and

everything in its place.

Well, that won't happen here

unless I have way less stuff and it would

still be a problem to find 

homes for stuff.

There is just not much room.

So, my idea is to enjoy the stuff I use

and have it where

I can "play" with it...

use it.

The fire is being mopped up!!!

Smiles

~:>

Wow! Surprise In The Mail

This package was sent from Australia

over 6 months ago

and

just showed up at the PO today!

Gee, could it be the missing package?

The box was stamped:

Wonder where that was?
I can make up all kinds of scenarios.

Inside was:

It's a wok! Yay!

Along with candy!!!

Pretty Neat!

The Trail Fire containment date is still
July 9th, 2016
And that is way better than pretty neat!!!

Smiles

~:>

Smoke And Socks

Ok

I know this photo is pathetic.

But I have spent a lot of time yesterday and today

trying to figure out

how to knit a German short row sock heel.

I have never knit a sock before.

YouTube has provided lots of videos on the subject.

But, I have yet to find a video that 

gives me all the answers.

I am finding out a lot of facts.

Like... the toe and the heel are knit the same.

Some of the videos are contradictory. 

I stopped knitting on the sock 

and decided to concentrate on learning

the heel and toe stitches.

I'll keep looking.

Everything in the photo is ok.

Now I just need to find out the next steps.

If short rows are easier to knit,

then wraps and turns must be really difficult.

Maybe I should just design my own sock!

Patterns!

I don't like reading and trying to follow patterns.

Sigh...

I think I will ask my neighbor if she knits...

Fire News:

It is smokey outside now.

So all the windows are closed.

The most active part of the fire is located 

down in the canyon  

on the opposite side of the river.

The SouthWest part of the fire.

But the firefighters are holding their own

and containing the fire.

They think the fire will reach the river there

tonight or mid tomorrow?

The containment date has moved up

to July 9th!

Hooray for the FireFighters!!!

Yay!!!

!:>

Happy 4th Of July 2016

This was the view today from the grocery store parking lot

toward the American River

down in the canyon.

Yep, that is a news van parked on the left.

Lots of smoke.

I haven't heard any planes flying today.

Just a few helicopters.

The parade and the celebration at the park

were pretty much cancelled.

There was a tiny parade

and a few people

brought food to the park 

and cooked. etc.

Usually. the park is full of music,

people, booths, games, etc.

Not today.

We did get hot dogs and chicken.

You can see the parking lot in the background.

Not many cars.

But a few people did get together.

We both got water to ease the smoke cough.

More cars at the grocery store than at the park.

Took this on the way home today.

Wish everyone a very

Happy 4th of July



4th of July bling.
Fun to wear once a year.

Smiles

~:>

Smoke And Socks

The smoke didn't lift out of the canyons today

which meant that the fire fighters couldn't use their planes to fight the fire.

At night the canyons fill with smoke as the wind moves down

while in the morning the wind usually moves up 

and clears enough smoke

so the planes can see to fly and drop retardant, 

water or whatever they need.

So, the fire grew and is now over 5,000 acres

and thankfully has not burned toward us and come up 

to the top of that ridge.

Our town is where Kristine is standing

while she took this photo.

(the grocery store parking lot)

The fire fighters are doing a fantastic job of

keeping the fire down in the canyon

but it is moving East

up toward another town.

This is all very scary since it is so close

and so much depends on the weather.

The fire fighters are amazing!!!

I can't say enough.

Tomorrow, our town is going to have its

4th of July Annual Parade

and after the parade

there will be 

the Annual Independence Day Celebration 

at the Memorial Park

with all kinds of booths, games, music, food, etc.

Even if it is smokey

I don't think anything will be cancelled.

Hope not.

I want to go and take some photos.

So, what have I been doing?

Not much.

I slept in again to catch up on lost hours.

Then I decided to learn to knit socks.

Akin to fiddling?

Anyway, I have got as far as the toe.

Pretty funny.

I think it would make a neat dolls hat.

Kinda...

Hope the smoke lifts tomorrow.

And the planes can fly.

Ahh...

I hear a helicopter flying over the house.

It might be one of the helicopters

that have IR that lets them see through the smoke.

A spotter helicopter.

They have found and then put out several fires

in the area.

Happy the day before the 4th.

~:>

Fire... How Close?

Right now the wind is calm to none.

Hardly any smoke around the house today.

I asked Kristine for a smoke update since 

I slept through the morning.

Staying up until 5:30am will do that...

Kristine went out today and stopped to take some photos.

Trail fire is over 3,000 acres now.

I liked this photo best.The fire is down on the American River and in the steep terrain.

Google maps distance 

says that it is about 1+ to 3 miles away from us

as the crow flies. 

Depending on where you connect us

up to the American River.

I always think of "distance" as driving distance

but if you draw a straight line to the fire it is close.

And even closer in some areas.

But the good news is that mandatory evacuation

orders have been lifted for some areas.

They are still advisory though.

Anyway, I freaked myself out a bit...

didn't realize how close the fire is...

Morgan is huffing and puffing with the heat.

So, I made her some ice for her water bowl.

She likes the little pieces and I don't have to worry

about her cracking her teeth.

Happy 4th Weekend!

Smiles

~:>

Getting ready for the 4th

Kristine hung the flag

while I walked Morgan around the property.

We forgot to put out the flag last year

because there was so much going on around here.

The fire is uppermost in our thoughts but 

Kathleen showed us

a beautiful flag decorated cake.

That reminded me to go get the flag out and ask

Kristine to put it up.

Happy Getting Ready For The 4th

There was a lot of smoke today.

I didn't realize how close we are to the fire.

We are right above it.

Very glad the main direction the fire is traveling 

is not  toward us. 

The fire fighters are doing a terrific job

holding the line,

also the planes dropping the retardant

and the dozers making fire breaks are amazing.

We are so fortunate!

Hope the wind stays calm.

I stayed up all night to keep the windows and doors open

so as to capture the cool night air.
(And make sure no critters came in the house.)

I'm really sleepy.

Hope things will be better tonight and tomorrow.

Night zzzzzz

Smiles

!:>