Friday, July 29, 2016

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
~:>

Thursday, July 28, 2016

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
~:>

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

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
~:>

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

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!

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

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
~:>

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

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
~:>


Saturday, July 09, 2016

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!
~:>

Friday, July 08, 2016

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
~:>

Thursday, July 07, 2016

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
~:>

Wednesday, July 06, 2016

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
~:>

Tuesday, July 05, 2016

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!!!

!:>


Monday, July 04, 2016

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
~:>

Sunday, July 03, 2016

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.

~:>

Saturday, July 02, 2016

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
~:>

Friday, July 01, 2016

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
!:>