Block of Month

Is anyone out there doing the Thimbleberries block of the Month this year. I signed up and although I am making the blocks, they aren't too exciting. I like a little more challenge than this one is giving me. It will make a nice quilt when it is all said and done, but not what I expected. I will look a little closer next time.

I am also doing a $5.00 quilt with one of the shops in Oregon. Just a little drive once a month. I signed up with a friend but her husband got seriously ill and she dropped out. It sure isn't the same going alone. There are lots of people attending, but it seems they come in little groups and so far, no new friends. I keep introducing myself and trying to take part, to no avail. I even take a shower before I go. Nope, not that! Oh well, the quilt is fun and very challenging, which I like. I'll show pics later.

Block of Month

Coup du jour

Can you believe this title? Coup du Jour is the title of an event going on in Vancouver, WA where you buy tickets to tour urban chicken coups. Now I like excitement as much as the rest of you, but I don't know if I could take this much in one day. CHICKEN COUPS! You pay $10.00 and you get a map. Kind of like the tour of homes around the holidays where you see the lovely decorations.

What are we coming to where we need to tour chicken coups? Can you just imagine our ancestors shaking their heads and thinking we are not "quite right". (that's a term I see in reading pioneer books). Well, I'm not going to buy tickets, I have to work that day. DARN! I won't have any guilt for not learning all I can about urban chickens. By the way . . . are urban chickens different than Country chickens? hummm.

SUN, finally!

Here in the Pacific Northwest, we have had an unusually rainy spring and early summer. We broke a record from 1866 or somewhere near that, back when they first started keeping records.

You know what rain brings out??? Mosquitoes! We can hardly go outdoors without getting bombarded. They love me and seek me out of a crowd to nibble on my sweet skin.

I had to get up at 5:30 yesterday to get through Portland to go to Salem, Or before traffic and I was so tired last night that I started another journal project and left it and the dishes all over the place (well, the counter in the kitchen) so that is my goal for today. I planned to sleep until 8:00, get ready for my massage with Helga and then chiropractor and home to finish yesterday's jobs.

Great plans seldom happen around here and today was no exception. The little Yippy dog we are sitting for co-workers, started barking at 6:00, so I got up and watered the plants before the predicted 90 degree day. I even pulled a bucket or so of weeds! (I hate gardening with a passion except for trimming, harvesting flowers and vegetables and fruit). I feel like I need a crown today for being so good, so early.

Have any of you out there in blog land heard of a spaghetti salad? It has thin spaghetti noodles and eagle brand milk in it. It is so good, but I lost the recipe and can't remember what else it has in it. Everyone I have served that to just loves it. It is a bit unusual, but a big hit. I've torn my recipe box and notebook apart looking for this. If you do could you please share it with me. Thanks in advance.

Make it a good day! Carline

Happy Independence Day!

This past year and all that it has brought with it have me thinking about independence and how Freedom is NOT free. I have a son in the military and many friends with sons or daughters in various branches as well. Whether we believe in what's going on politically or not, our children are trying to preserve our freedom and putting their lives on the line to do it.

Yesterday at a celebration breakfast (held early, since the 4th fell on a Sunday), we had a flag ceremony, sang America the beautiful and the Star Spangled Banner and had a man speak who had just returned from Kuwait. He could hardly get through the talk because he kept choking up. It was very emotional. He reminded us that the military here in the U.S. is Voluntary and that most of the soldiers, including him would do it again to preserve this country and all it stands for. He said after being in the Middle East several times and seeing how others live and what lack of freedom exists, that he is even more determined to serve. It was quite emotional and really gave me something to think about.

The breakfast, cooked by the men (fathers and leaders of the Boy Scouts) was nice, well the idea was nice, the food, well..... cold pancakes, cold scrambled eggs, cold sausage and fruit. It is hard to cook outdoors for 100 people and keep things warm. The company was great and it kicked off the holiday weekend nicely.

Our Scout troop has a fund raiser where they sell subscriptions for flags. This means they pay $50.00 and on every holiday, the scouts put a flag up at their curb. My dear hubby is in charge of the behind the scene work. Well, at 11:00 last night, it was determined that we were short two flags. Earlier in the day, DH, also known as HRH, bought 10 flags, the poles and all the stuff to put them together, so we were prepared (scout motto). After much sorting and rearranging, it was all figured out and this morning the flags flew! What a sight they are!

Well, another week rolls by uneventfully. I had an easy week at work since the bosses are gone. I just went in for 3 hours to check for messages, etc. I could get used to this real easy.

Kim mentioned her cat's hunting prowess in catching moths and bringing in mice, well My naughty girl brings in everything! Mice, snakes, voles, moles, birds and rabbits and they seem to all be alive. The biggest problem is that we have a dog door for Maggie and it has to be big for a standard poodle with such long legs and that makes it real handy for the cat and her prey. I came home from work yesterday and smelled something foul, Yup, a dead "something" and we can't find it. That cat and me are going to part ways one of these days. We have a very large entertainment center and it is so heavy it takes 4 men to move it when empty, so no way to look under that. How long before decomposition turns into mummification? YUK! That's one reason I like winter, I don't have to worry about her bringing in "stuff".

I had one of my twice weekly massage and chiropractic appointments yesterday, and today, I'm so sore I had trouble getting out of bed. I hope I survive these treatments. One of these days I sure hope I start feeling better instead of worse! The doctor says this is normal because I have so much scar tissue at the injury site and as long as I'm getting more movement, which I am, that things are on track. I sure wish I would have taken better care of myself when I was younger! Ahh, hindsight, aint it wonderful.

By for now, Carline