After the Storm

A few made it through the storm..

I think I will wait till all the debris in the yard dries and then blow as much as I can to the side like I did when we had massive needle fall.

How to clean the river rock patio?  Clean the mud or wait till it is dirt?

I think the storm probably cleaned off the hammock better than I could have....all the sticky sap and dirt...now to just brush it off!

Happy to see mother bird saw it through the storm....

Flash Flooding and Hail on July 3

"Yesterday was just awful"--from ANNIE which I watched yesterday and I was in the middle of "Days of Thunder" when it started thundering and lightening and raining hard and then hailing violently and mud was rushing to the patio and down both sides of the yard and I was like a crazy person trying to decide whether it was safe and trying to take pictures and the wi fi on my phone wasn't working and I could not reach anyone.

I finally reached Maryanne and the rain had not hit Chester yet and she was on her bicycle when it did.  I did not realize my phone was not working right.  She could not get me back till a little later but she had not heard about the flood warning either.

I have never seen the water flood quite so violently and fast.  I had seen a note earlier about a flood watch in Plumas County and I discounted it as how could it flood where  I was?  Now I know.  I ruined a lot of pix trying to take them through the window or screen as it was too scary to open the door.

What a mess.  All my plants pretty much ruined, for the moment anyone, if not the whole summer. The lilies were just ready to bloom, bloom, bloom, now it is a lot on the ground.



The yard was looking it's best in years and now is just a big mess to rake up.  What a bummer, life is not fair, I was keeping it up and it was so clean,  but I am safe, so that is what is important right, yeah right.  Scared to death for a few moments though.


I thought the windows were going to break for sure and the roof sounded like it could come through.  Just glad the damage was all in the yard and in the plants, there goes a few bucks down the tubes or I should say street...

Making Peach Frozen Yogurt

My favorite thing to keep in the freezer since the rich ice cream is not on my dietary menu are these yogurt sticks.

I use 1 cup pureed fruit to 1 -2 yogurt plus honey to taste.  This batch had 6 peaches or 2 1/2 cups puree and 4 cups yogurt and about 3-4 t honey.  I then put them in my Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker for about 15 minutes and in the cups, put in the sticks, cover with foil and put in freezer bags and put in freezer.  Yummy good.

Sadie is Looking Fine and Lily Time

Sadie gets groomed at "Kritter Klips" in Susanville and is looking so fine.  I should keep it up!  Last week when the Hardys were here there was this sticky sap coming down and Sadie would run off to play with her friends and come back with needles and dirt stuck to her, I gave her three baths so now she has to stay on her leash, at least until the sap is gone!

Love Lily time!

Oh, No, Not the Washer!!!

So as soon as the Hardys leave I start washing and what?, water on the floor, all around the washer and dryer?

After draining the tub and hanging very wet towels on Sadie's runline (it is hot and they will dry fast) I start cleaning out all the stuff on each side of the appliances and then clean everything in there.

Through detective work I determine the washer is leaking from the tub and not the hose and make the executive decision it is better to replace the 16 year old machine than pay $200 for repair especially when I see Sears has a 40% off the machine my size and it is only $299!!

Negotiations on line and a good deal is made but cannot install till July 9th--yes they gave me more off to quit trying to get it sooner and be happy.  Yea, but...no washer for two weeks!!!!

It's always something, can't life ever just coast along without something going wrong?...plus I didn't send my brother Dave (who I called yesterday and wished a happy birthday) or James, whose birthday is tomorrow or Linda, whose birthday is Sunday birthday cards.  What is happening to me???  Where is my mind???  What ekse have I forgotten to do?

The Hardys are Here!!

James called early Sunday the 21 and said they were in Yuba City and would be coming straight to church and how to get there.  They had sent some pictures from their trip up the coast earlier.

He had a meeting in San Jose on Saturday and talked about coming late.  I told Camber it was a very dark road and there had been a lot of deer hit and they should wait till morning but they stayed at a little motel on  the way.


Anyway they got there just as the first song was started and we left after Sacrament Meeting and talking to a Jean, Ann, Maryanne and Ron.  I put chicken enchiladas in the oven and the vacation began.

 

Jimmy got in a lot of computer time while he was here.  This is how we saw him most of the time except when gone or playing games.

They rented a boat a couple of days

 

Jacob fixed one of the skateboards and got a few runs in down the street.

Lea liked listening to her music and watching movies in her room part of the time and the hammock is always fun.

It was so fun having them here.  They boated twice, played golf, and played a lot of monopoly, chinese checkers and cards.

Even Lea and Kelsi played golf.

James was getting up early every morning and doing business calls on the hammock.  One day he accidently broke one of the supports.  Without missing a moment on the phone he finds a board and tools in the garage and fixes it still talking on the phone.  How does he do that?

Jacob did some cutting of weeds and Lea collected a lot of the branches in the wagon.

And here is where Jimmy was a good part of the time!

 James had a meeting Thursday night in San Jose so they left in the morning and headed to visit friends in Reno and then on to San Jose.  So glad they could come after nine years!!  The children all wrote in my book about the good food and fun they had had!

Father of the Year

Here the Daddy bird is relieving the Mom for a bit but usually he sits on the runline all day watching for birds to chase away or critters to nip at until they leave.  He is so dedicated, what a great job he does.  He should get the Father of the Year Award!!!!

A minute ago I saw a big deer staring at me outside my window.  I yelled at him and Sadie, who was napping, instantly is on alert and runs with me to the patio door.  She immediately chases him (or her) away.

There are a couple of lilies almost ready to bloom and they are a delicacy for the deer.  I hope they don't get chomped when I am not looking, usually it happens in the early morning hours before I am even awake.  Of course, they usually wait until they are fully in bloom!!

Camber's Birthday

Camber's birthday today.  I have no idea how old she is but she will be forever young I believe.  So beautiful.  James will turn 49 on the 27th!!!  Wow, how can that be, time is going faster and faster, for me anyway.

Camber and James were coming up this weekend, now they say it will be next weekend!!

I always appreciate that Camber sends me pictures of the children and keeps me posted as to what is happening in their lives and tries to get them to talk to me occasionally.  She has always been good at that.   With all the driving she has to do for them she leads a very busy life.  She is so good at talking to their teachers and coaches and making sure all her kids are fully involved.  What a great Mom...and what a  big job in today's world!!  Thanks Camber...