EGG Ventures at Owl Moon Meadow :)

Some of my friends and I just asked each other the question:  What is a favorite "Simple Pleasure" you have?  What would you say to that? Well, the warm egg I gathered today was certainly one. Not that I want to consider WHERE it just came from (!?!) but I love the idea that it is SO fresh and pure and perfect and good for you. I also found a tiny egg and don't know if it is the new chicks already laying or not but it's ridiculously tiny!

Two Boats and a Bike

Packed and ready to go!  Going to see if we can really ride this tandem in the hills of the San Juan Islands - but if not, the kayaks will do just fine..ahhhhhh :)

My Iowa Soybeans :)

Picked these seed soybeans up out of the end rows of my dad's favorite field last spring when Shannon and I were scattering mom and dad's ashes. It's not the best yielding plot of land, but holds special memories like gathering wild berries in dad's stained cap, secret mushroom spots, and always hosts an abundance of wildlife. The field is also rich in history of the old farmers long before dad. When farming at night and the stars came out, he said it was the old farmers turning on their porch lights to say hello.  My beans are growing like mad in my Spokane garden this year and makes me feel connected to my roots :)

Hard Work = Major Fun

Vern has re-varnished, re-sanded, and spent about 50 hours this week on our kayaks in preparation for a big trip. He is READY to be done with the new spray method, which has backfired a few times. I'm just glad I wasn't out there when the varnish peeled to orange flakes!?! Bet the air was a bit bluer...

Gone but Not Forgotten

Well, the era of lots of critters is coming to an end at Owl Moon Meadow. We've had dogs, cats, bunnies, guineas, snakes, hamsters, tortoises, ferrets, and chickens in abundance for well over 20 years and loved them all (well, maybe not the ferrets so much!). With Moby passing away last year and the recent very sad disappearance of Adam's awesome cat, Stella, I searched out a new home for lonely Luna. Got an immediate answer from a lady in Spokane who had lost her dear cuddly cat and wanted another one to spend hours in her lap. Luna begins a new life tomorrow with someone who is HOME a lot and far, far away from coyotes...

Down but NOT Out!

Here's the lesson from my giant sunflower which decided to slowly bend over and grow along the ground for the last two weeks. Life is all about perspective and embracing change! Sometimes there is more than one "right way" to do something. Maybe a few new critters will get to enjoy some sunflower seeds this fall! :)

Lily Blossoms Gone Wild!

I brought this three foot tall Trumpet Lily (from my favorite Green's Greenhouse in Cheney) in from the garden last fall after it frosted and it looked like a shriveled green tree. Well, that Lily decided to live through the winter so I replanted it in the garden and voila!  Today it is flourishing with 8 huge fragrant blooms. I have never "wintered over" a plant, so this one must be tough! My garden is home to the hardy ones which survive just about all by themselves :)

Surplus Tomatoes and Cukes Anyone? :)

Here are two recipes for some roasted tomatoes and my brother, Shannon's, stellar dill pickles! Tomatoes:  Use smallish or Romas. Slice in half and lay cut side up on a pan lined with tin foil. Salt and pepper, then spray lightly with oil. Cook at 425 degrees for 45-50 min or until the edges begin to turn golden, but they are still very moist. Peel off and discard foil and enjoy immediately. Keeps for a couple weeks in frig, or several months frozen. SO tasty!  Dills:  Boil 4 c water, 4 2/3 c white vinegar, and 1/2 to 2/3 c pickling salt (I use the lesser amt). Cool. Fill quart jars with cucumbers (sliced or whole), 2 cloves of garlic, and 1-2 heads of dill. Fill with liquid and put lids on. Keep in frig. They are good THE NEXT DAY! Yum. When I ran out of room in the frig, I put several quarts in the canner and boiled them 15 min and put them on the counter until they sealed. Hope this works!

First Breakfast in the Grapehouse!

We know little to nothing about remodeling inside - have re-painted the interior and re-wallpapered once - in 26 years!  BUT this new addition to my garden is SO much fun :)  I actually have Iowa Broomstick Sorghum and Soybeans growing right next to it. Two new hammock chairs are coming next week so, if you are in the neighborhood, come on over to "hang out" soon!

Too Many Miles?

We've downsized to one rig now for the past 13 months - our faithful little Toyota Tacoma pickup. So is it OK that we've put 47,777 miles on it so far? Yikes! Time to stay put for awhile, I'd say :)

The TRUE Tomato Sandwich

Vern always complains about our typical homemade or wheat bread when it comes to tomato sandwiches. He says you need to use bland and tasteless bread so the true tomato taste comes through. After all, the bread is only a vehicle to get as many thick red juicy slices to your mouth as possible :)

Home, Sweet, Home

Picked a BUSHEL of tomatoes, dragon's tooth beans, and cucumbers from my overgrown garden this evening and both cats welcomed us when we drove in...ahhhhhh. We are done driving for awhile!

Topless Tuesday Near Motorcycle Mad Sturgis, South Dakota

Oh my, my, my.  HERE'S where the hundreds of male motorcyclists were headed!  The traffic thinned considerably after we passed this bar called Topless Tuesday... and today is Tuesday.

Hellos and Goodbyes

New beginnings and friendships for Sydney as orientation begins and goodbyes for us as we head home to Washington. I loved capturing dad and daughter in this photo as she started walking to school and we prepared to leave. Life really does begin at the end of your comfort zone, Syd! :)

Midwest Sunblazes

Whatever the midwest lacks in forests and mountains, it certainly makes up for it in terrific sky paintings! Clouds showing off over Nebraska :)

An Iowa Feast! :)

Our first dinner in Sydney's new apartment was the best. Fresh picked corn and watermelon from the Des Moines Saturday market...ahhhhhh. Nothing beats it...well, maybe except for fresh Washington peaches which we hope to have next week! Oh aren't those beautiful summer feasts tastebud treats? :)