SOCIAL MEDIA


Grass Hay

Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Here is a photo of the hay field outside the front door. This grass is ready to be cut into some fabulous grass hay. I especially like the two weeks when it is tall and beautifully green. The deer can barely be seen it is so tall. I cannot see the road in front of the house. The summer solstice has just passed, and wow! The weather has turned into summer. The strawberries are starting to bear, the broccoli, snow peas and asparagus are really producing! I have much to do...defrost the freezer, freeze extra produce. Water plants....in the garden and around the house. I am making lists..to keep me on track and moving toward completing tasks. I have put some things (bills) onto automatic payments, this works so well for me. I just have to find buyers for our beef and extra hay. Find two teens to help with hay this year. I find myself keeping hubby on task, and assisting him to stay organized and moving ahead. July 4th is just days away...hard to believe. Time is flying by, plans need to be made for the next several weeks. We are all doing well.

The Purple Blooms in My Garden

Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Johnny Jump-ups

Culinary Sage

Blue Violets

Purple Rhododenron


I decided take get my camera out and capture some of the blooms in my garden yesterday. I notices that I had a color theme going as I was walking around snapping some photos. The plants in these photos are really easy to grow. The blue violets are my current favorite, these are some newer cultivators that have wonderful colors and blooms. I am collecting the seed pods with the plan to sow the seeds around the house and get a bunch growing. Then they will naturalize and come back every year. The Johnny Jump-ups have naturalized and they have been coming back for many years now. Generally the deer do not eat them!! Yeah, I like that! I have been dealing with very hungry deer for a long time. The deer usually will not eat herbs, and really strong smelling plants. However, the deer will taste everything...unless it is a poison plant like foxglove, and rhododendron. Fence around the house generally doesn't work, I have found that just blocking everything helps. Last summer, I saw a deer inside my greenhouse eating on the Meyer Lemon. This summer I am going to use a wire gate in front of the greenhouse door to keep the deer out.


I love Tulips!

Friday, June 18, 2010

Here it is, middle of June, time is flying by. We are waiting for the weather to change....and turn to summer.
Tulips are blooming somewhere I'm sure. My rhodies are now in bloom. It is necessary to be really flexible with the farm...getting everything ready to bale hay....and wait to start. Meanwhile, I keep small projects handy, to fill the time that is available. I cut out some fabric for a tote, and cut up fabric from some clothing to repurpose into great aprons to sell. I keep myself busy, and don't complain about what isn't going right. I am living a life where I am creative and make the most of my time. I am always planning and thinking about projects and ideas. I would like to travel somewhere, sometime, this year...but, no plans yet. Maybe I can find a way to go somewhere in July, yeah.................that would be great. Hubby and I will go on some short camping trips to Wiciup. We have cattle at home on pasture, and 3 cats inside the house, and of course the garden! The camping trips will be much nicer this year. We purchased a 2007 travel trailer, that is larger than the old one....and it has a really comfortable queen sized bed. It will be like staying in a small cabin.

Bluebirds and Summer

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

I love bluebirds. Hubby and I have many bird boxes on our place. The boxes can accommodate bluebirds, and usually we are fortunate and have a pair raise a nest in one of the boxes. I hope to have some this year, they can be very secretive when nesting...so it takes observation and good hearing (to listen for the distinct calls) to know for sure. Have you ever seen a mountain bluebird? These birds are all blue, the most electric blue! We see them at the high lakes, and elevations in the Cascade Mtns. The mountain bluebirds like to raise their chicks in old woodpecker nests.
The garden is slowly growing, the weather has been so cold and wet that the plants have been stunted. Now that is appears that the weather is beginning to change into a normal pattern....the plants are responding. I hope with some fertilizer and warmth the plants will recover. Otherwise with growing season may be shorter than normal and some produce may not mature...winter squash and melons mostly. The one tomatoe that is planted in a pot inside the greenhouse, has many small fruit on it...hurray!!

Soap Making

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

**********************************I was Soap Making last weekend.

I took a class at Glory Bee Foods in Eugene.

I made my first batch of cold process soap about 2 years ago, and another batch 2 weeks ago. It isn't very difficult to do...regardless of everything you read and hear. Just decide to do it and get the things that you need, materials and supplies.

The class gave me ideas of different recipes and answered several questions that I had. Like...how much scent do I add? Combining several scents, and more advanced soap making. The gal that taught the class has only been making soap for about 6 months...but she is more knowledgeable than me. So, now I am armed with more knowledge....and I am going to make more soap. Tomorrow is the day for a more sophisticated batch, yeah, I am branching out. This photo is of the soap I will be making..it looks good!

My Daughters, Nicole and Trisha, May 2010

Thursday, June 3, 2010

These two are both extra special to me, my daughters. I dedicate this message to you,
Live your life, Love your life, Make to most of your life...and whenever you have the chance to meet another fellow traveler along the road of life...lend a helping hand whenever you can...An encouraging smile or a kind word or two. Be happy when good things happen to others and show compassion when difficult thing come along..remind those you know that it is meant for our growth and our ultimate joy.