July 31, 2024

The fires are still going. What was nice we had rain Monday night in the area. That helped a little and cooler temperatures. and less smoke. A lady at Church shared this list in case anyone needs to evacuate from their homes.

It is heating back up here and down in the valley big time. Today  80's and into the low 90's tomorrow. We will be mid 90's F. Friday, but down there 108 plus. They take the temps up at the airport where it is always a bit cooler than the lower valley. Friday will be the hottest but they will have 106 Sat. not that much cooler.

Stella the summer mule was throwing her bowl around this morning. I guess she thought I hadn't given her an adequate enough amount of oats. She went over and pushed Clara away from hers and spilled what little was left in Clara's bowl. Then went back to hers and was making all kinds of noises on how unhappy she was. She is a real talker. That's smoke all around us not haze.

I did manage to get a huge of pork shoulder roast Dave found on sale canned up on Monday. Ended up 5 quarts of meat and one of broth. We did it in 2 crock pots. Turned out nice and tender. The fat was reserved and bagged up for Bear dog to be doled out to him a little at a time as a treat. Don't want to give him to much and upset his stomach with to much richness. After being cooked up and stuffed in jars it doesn't seem like as much. I was glad to get that done before hotter temps came back in.

Full Blown Summer

 The heat of summer is here. We pretty well had a cool June. Th window AC is in our bedroom and then we open up at night and have fans in the windows at night. One blowing in and one on the other side of the house blowing out. The nights aren't to warm yet and that helps. One just has to get used to it. :)

All kinds of Birthdays in July. I think I got them all.

We've been on level one evac for a week. But it looks like the fire is going more to the west, northwest. Called the Cougar Creek fire. We were getting ash fall on Wed. but none now. This is looking south west from our barn on Tuesday the 16th.

The field to the south of us on Wed. the 17th.

Helo with water bucket going over. The planes were going around to the west and the trees were always in the way.

The garden is doing so so, looks like we will have mainly potato's and pumpkins, lol. The to cool June kind of did it under. The onions also look good. To many nights at or below freezing.

Onions that went to seed for next year.

Pumpkin patch, hopefully we get some good pumpkins before the cold weather hits. Should be around the middle of September but one never knows.

I have slowly been writing my next book. Seems very slowly.

The turkeys like their new extended yard. There are 4 of them, 2 are the neighbors.

We have never had a light feathered one like the one on the left before.

Everyone take care and God Bless.

July 2024

The first week of July is under our belts. We have been getting little chores finished that add up.

The garden has been in for 3 weeks, late because of the cold weather and now it is turning hot. 

Not a whole lot has been going on besides, playing catch up on needed work around here.

Still some needed fence work and post replacements to be done.

We have been making jams and preserves from the fruit we froze last year.

Some of our new crop of chickens. Barred Rocks and Rhode Island Reds. The old California Whites are now old age.

Clara and Stella are here.

Still sewing as time permits. Bucket hats and Tulip hats. The Tulip hats are the easiest.