New Snow Globe Pictures



Mt Spokane was out today

    We had more snow yesterday. We got about 10 inches. It's really pretty outside, but really frigid. Neither dog wants to go out, but the cold is hardest on Chip, the wimpy poodle. I'm crocheting him booties. Chip always wanders to far out and it hurts his feet to walk back to the house. I've been sending him out on the leash, so he can only go about 13 feet from the house.
   We are suppose to be really cold this weekend. It's a good weekend to stay home, but we need to make a quick trip into Deer Park and then we'll just stay home.
   I'm finally feeling almost normal again. being sick over Christmas is no fun, but then again, being sick anytime is no fun.
   I hope everyone has a safe New Year and 2011 is good to everyone.

We had sun today, but no warmth

 

All's Well Up Here

   The last few weeks, we have been having 2 different flocks of male turkeys come through and eat who knows what. We can tell they are two different flocks by their size. One group is obviously older since they are much bigger. They look like they would stand about knee high on us. The other flock is smaller and not nearly as heavy. It just dawned on me that we have the male turkeys in the fall and winter and the females in the spring and summer. Beats me why, but I'm sure there is a reason for it. Of course, during turkey hunting season we don't see any. I guess maybe they aren't quite as stupid as I thought.
   Yesterday morning, when Tim was going to work, he saw about 100 deer all in one field, grazing. We usually don't see that many together at one time. They weren't that far from here, either. We have our usual deer and they are comfortable enough to bed down about 50 feet from the front door. Jake and Chip don't faze them, and lately the deer don't faze Jake or Chip, either.
   We also have a pair of woodpeckers that are around a lot. They start out at the compost pile and end up at the tree we have the squirrel feeder on. (The turkeys also like the same spots.) Too bad, the squirrels don't like it. Anyway, we know when we see one of the woodpeckers, the other is close by. I'm pretty sure they are the metal peckers we have on the roof. Right now, I see a few finches in that tree. It's a very popular tree. Wouldn't you know it, every time I get my camera, they all magically disappear.
   Chip has become a storm watcher. He goes from window to window checking out the storm. I'm still pretty sure Chip is nuts. The other night, he spent the evening growling at the second hand on the clock on the wall. I held him up so he could see what it was, and he really checked it out, so I thought that would be the end of it. The clock has been in the same spot since we moved in and he's never done it before, and he hasn't done it again. Tim and I have joked that he sees ghosts.
   We still think it would be nice if a moose or an elk wandered by. Life is slow and quiet up here, just the way we like it.

I'm Back

   I'm back. I got back Sunday, Dec 19. Writing this reminds me of one of those "What I did over summer vacation" papers we had to write at the beginning of every school year.

   It was snowing when I left Spokane. I was disappointed I didn't set off the metal detectors at any of the airports. No pat downs or body scans, which was fine. I didn't get lost. I could have used the mobility assistance Amy said I needed, when I left Spokane, but I didn't. I did use it leaving CA. It's a good thing I did since the gate  I was suppose to leave at was changed 3 times in Seattle. I did feel kind of funny getting pushed around in a wheelchair and riding in their golf cart. I got a lot of stares.

   Danny took me to Kingman, AZ to see Alyssa, David and the 3 grandsons. I had a good, but short visit. Alix kept me awake all night long, talking. Too bad, I couldn't understand most of it. Every time Danny or I picked up a camera, he was saying "sheese". We made him say different types of cheese before we took his picture and then we had him say "eggnog". Eggnog got really big smiles.

   Micheal wanted me to help him put stickers on his calendar. I put them on the right holidays, but not the right direction. Micheal had to take them off and put them on the right way. Micheal was fun to watch when Danny, Alyssa and I tried to play Mario Brothers on the wii. He jumped and moved live you were suppose to move the game controller. There's nothing like being shown up by a 5 year old.  Danny gave me a wii so I can practice. When we left, Micheal told me "See you in a long time." Too bad we live so far away.

   Nathan decided I was OK. He didn't scream when he saw me. He is a very cute baby, even if he is my grandson. Some of his favorite things to do are bother his brothers and "help" with the puzzles and play in the new diapers. I bet Alyssa wishes he'd learn how to change his diapers. Nathan has to do things earlier than Micheal and Alix did just to keep up with them. Once all 3 boys are off and running, Alyssa is going to have fun. They are a cute bunch of boys. Also, I was able to see that Nathan really does have hair, it's just really light. Nathan has the prettiest blue eyes.

   Michaela was finally born on Dec 16, 4 days late. She weighed 8 pounds 10 ounces and was 21 inches long. She has A LOT of black hair and pretty blue eyes. I hope her eyes stay blue.

   Of course, there were the trips to Walmart in both AZ and CA. What's a trip with out Walmart? I also went to Kmart and Michael's. Amy and Daniel gave me a Magic 8 Ball. I've wanted one of those since I was a kid. Now, I'll know all the answers to life's questions.

   Amy and Daniel took me to Mission Inn in Riverside CA to see all the Christmas decorations. I thought if we walked Amy a lot, she'd have the baby. Nope, but Daniel did get tired.

Santa's reindeer

The only kind of snowmen you see in Riverside CA, but they are a cute family.

Some of the numerous Christmas decorations.

More of the decorated Mission Inn.

More of the picture above.

Decorated palm trees. The red lights were really multicolored, but my camera thought they should be red.

A horse drawn Cinderella carriage.

   When I left Spokane, I saw white out the window. I couldn't believe the brown air in CA. I thought it was bad when Tim and I ran away.
   It rained most of the time I was in sunny So. CA because we all know it never rains in Southern CA, it just pours. I was drenched just walking from the parking lot into the airport. It was snowing when I landed at the Spokane airport, no big surprise there. I had a very good time, but am glad to be back home.

I'm Leaving On A Jet Plane

   Tomorrow, I leave on my trip. My very first trip, all by myself. I have packed and repacked and repacked again. I decided it was too much work to walk with a cane and carry a duffel bag, so I decided to check a  bag instead, and since I'm going to check the bag, I'm using a bigger one and I can fit all of Michaela's baby stuff in it and things for Alyssa, too, when I go to Arizona. The polar teddy bear is going in my carry on backpack along with a book, mp3 player, and other things to keep me occupied. I'll probably be seated by someone who wants to talk, which would be ok.
   Even though my flight is supposed to leave at 11:30AM, I have to get up at 5:30AM to get ready and for the drive in the snow and ice and slush to the airport.
   I have the dogs' things ready to go, since they are going to my mother-in-laws house while I'm gone. It wouldn't be fair to keep them in the house all day while Tim is at work.
   Reading the weather forecast for sunny So. CA, I will be hot. The temperatures are suppose to be anywhere from the low 70's to the low 80's. I am leaving a place with snow, rain, ice and freezing temperatures. I'm bringing sandals. I'd bring shorts, but I wouldn't want to scare all those tanned Californians by my Washington white legs.
   I'll let you know how everything goes when I get back. I can do this. I'm a big kid now.

Green Chicken Enchiladas - No The Chicken Isn't Green

   I make green chicken enchiladas a lot because we like them and I have a quick and easy way to make them. I hope you like them as much as we do. I know the name of them just really wants you to go and make them, doesn't it? Who in their right mind wants to eat green chicken? Yuck! It's the sauce that's green.
   I stopped rolling the enchiladas years ago, and now just layer everything in the pan. It all gets mixed up anyway, and it's much quicker this way. I'm getting lazy in my old age.

Pleasantly Surprised

   Wow! I'm pleasantly surprised. I started this blog out of boredom and so my family and friends can see what I'm up to since we moved up here. I see I have visitors from all over the world. I think that's great. Now, first thing every morning, I check to see where my visitors are from.  So does my mother. OK, I do this a few times a day.
   I do feel kind of bad that I lead a boring life. Since I have all of you visiting, I think something exciting should happen sometimes just to break the monotony.
   When I get back from my trip to sunny, warm So. CA, I will let you know how my first trip by myself ever went, as well as my experience with airport security. I really hope they enjoy the old, flabby body that they will see in the body scanners. I think that will be a truly scary sight for them, but I'm pretty sure they see a lot of that during the day.
   I need to add more recipes, but being the uncreative cook that I am, I just follow recipes and don't really come up with much of my own. I do change them after I cook them the first time. I will post more recipes since I've finally got the hang of it. If there is a way to put the current recipes first instead of at the end of the list, I haven't found it yet.
   Maybe, I'll even stop jumping from one subject to another, but my mind doesn't work that way. So here I'll jump again.
  When I'm gone, Tim says he's a big boy and can fend for himself. I'm sure he can, but I really wonder where I will find things in the kitchen after he puts them away. I guess I can think of it as a treasure hunt. I know I never did/do put his tools in the right place, so I guess it's only fair.
   Feel free to stop by often and thank you for stopping by. I'm going to have to get a map and mark where you visit from.

Snowiest November Since 1897

   Well, it's official. November was the snowiest month since 1897. Spokane International Airport is the official rain/snow measuring site, and they said we had 25.9 inches of snow this month.
   When we moved up to this area in 2006, we didn't have much snow, and residents here and in Rathdrum, ID, where we lived first, said they hadn't had much snow here for 7 years or so. They also said, it was time to start again.
   The winter of 2008-2009, we had about 123 inches at our house here in Elk. Last year, we had much less. The airport measurement was 13.7 inches. Big difference. We're off to a snowy start this year. I also slipped on ice and broke my arm and had to be surgically but back together again. That's why I'm not allowed out in the winter anymore.
   When I was 7, I was swinging upside down from one of our clothes line poles, flew off and hit a tree. My first broken bone. It was also a bad break. if I'm going to break something, I might as well do a good job of it. Anyway, a neighbor's son wanted to know if they screwed my arm back on. They didn't, but almost had to, so having screws in my arm the last time was kind of funny.
   On top of all this snow, we have had warmer temperatures above freezing, and rain. This makes for very icy conditions. I can see where Tim has cleared, about 3 inches of ice.
   Investing in a snow blower (snow thrower?) was a wise decision. The first winter we were in our house here, the snow was so bad, we had to hire a guy with a bulldozer do clear the driveway so we could get in and out. Before we hired him, Tim tried to clear off the very long driveway with the snow shovel. Last year, he didn't need the snow blower.
   Last night when Tim got home from work, it didn't look like he needed to get out there and clear snow. About 6:00PM, I looked out the window and broke the bad news to him. The snow was falling much harder and out he went. He came back in grumbling and said the snow blower was frozen. He got it working and spent 1 1/2 hours clearing. He was just so thrilled. Tim's been saying that people who have lived here all their lives, or many many years, can't believe the snow this year. Once again, it could be worse. It has snowed in July, or so I've heard. It has snowed in May or June since we've been up here. I would still rather have the snow than tornadoes or hurricanes.
   Since we can't afford to move, and have no intention of moving anyway, I guess we should get used to it.   We did want seasons other than brown. Maybe not so much white, but that's how it goes. Our first winter up here, the newscasters were complaining it looked like they were going to have a brown Christmas, since it hadn't snowed yet. We thought that was pretty funny since they had green grass still and we had just moved from the Mojave desert and we really know what a brown Christmas looks like.
   Since we have maybe 4 more months of this, guess what a lot of blogs will be about?