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Over the River and Through the Woods

In Search of the Perfect Christmas Tree

Our good friends and their enormous newfoundland dog joined us for the day. After much organizing and loading we all squeezed into our truck and headed for the forest with our US Forest Service Christmas Tree Permits in hand. It was a perfect winter day with lots of sunshine and some fresh snow. Not too much snow. Last year there was so much we could not get to our favorite spot. We were in luck this time. This is our fifth year here and Ken and I have gone out on Thanksgiving weekend each year to search for our own Christmas tree together. We have gone from taking four dogs with us to just one. Sam is no longer limber enough to traipse through the woods and is content to stay cozy and warm at home.

 

But first, their was a downed tree across the road blocking our way

 

Steve and Ken made short work of it

 

Dogs romped and played before the unfortunate dog incident where 120 pound Micah pounced on 60 pound Luna.

 

This is the place.

 

Em is ready to help with his own saw as his mom looks on

 

That’s our tree! Thank you tree. And thank you Steve and Kim for finding it!

 

Luna is no longer comfortable with Micah.

 

There’s the happy family with their perfect tree!

 

And through the woods we go.

 

It was a parade

 

Ken likes this

 

The tree is just the right size for our house.

Such a pretty day.

 

Here comes Kim with their small tree.

 

And the guys brought in a big one for them

 

Em got to ski while the trees were loaded on the truck

 

First time this year. I think he likes it.

 

Short days

 

Headed home

 

Vintage Travel Trailer

This morning we helped a friend who needed his old travel trailer moved from one spot to another spot. We were told that it might not be in the best of shape and feared the worst. However its tires had air, it was all in one piece and the hitch fit on our truck with no problems. Heck, the lights even worked. Its tabs were expired so we stuck to the county roads as much as possible and crept through town at or below the speed limit in hopes that no law enforcement would notice. We got to the new home with no incident and now it sits, waiting patiently for its owner to return.

 

 

I love this logo.

 

Those curtains can’t be original.

 

Who wouldn’t want a Princess stove?

The trailer is really cute and a true classic. I wonder at the tales it could tell! I do think it could use some cosmetic restoration work. Brad says it’s functional. I found this website that gave some details of a restoration of a similar model. It’s a lot of work.

An Everday Sighting in Twisp

I am always surprised to look up and see this guy glaring down at me.

Trees by the River

Yesterday I went to Wenatchee for a variety of errands and one of them took me to Hydro/Billingsly Park on the Columbia River. It is a place where my mom and her dog Kelly, walked every single day, rain or shine. My mom’s been gone now for more than six years now and her dog, Kelly who went to live with Ken before we all moved up here together, died in February. I needed to spread a few of Kelly’s ashes near the shore where she used to run with great abandon along the edge of the big river. I like to think of her and my mom together again – healthy and enjoying the crisp air of fall.

 

The park is a combination of manicured lawns and ball fields coupled with a sometimes tangled shoreline of the river.

Lots of beautiful fall colors among the non-native trees.

Why is one branch bright red while others are yellow?

Mom loved seeing the birds and learned many of them during the years she frequented the park. I saw this fairly tame group of Mallards and a Common Loon in winter plumage.

I was pretty obsessed with this leaf.

This photo of it, from my cell phone was my favorite

 

Leaves, like tears fallen from the trees

Baking Again

It’s SO nice to have an oven again. For more than four years since we have lived here, the oven in this house has always been touchy and didn’t always work and now that it has been replaced, just last week, I am tickled to be able to push the start button and know that I can cook using something other than a hot range (that won’t simmer) or a slow cooker! Yesterday I made a braised pork roast with ginger and garlic. Today I made some rolls and bread using local organic flour from Bluebird Grain Farms.

 

Dinner rolls in the oven. The dishwasher, that replaced the old one in February, is reflected in the window.

 

I’m out of practice. They varied in size and shape.

 

Almost perfectly golden. And trust me, they were wonderful.

 

And a small loaf of bread.

Can’t you just smell it? Nothing better than fresh bread from the oven.