Good times and good food...

Time flies and before you know it is time to spend a week at Aunt Bonnie's.  We always manage to keep quite busy.  There is always giant jenga, bean bag toss, football, and the girls love to dance.  We went on lots of hikes around the cabin, in Spearfish Canyon, Mount Roosevelt, and Devil's tower.  We fed the fish at the Spearfish fish hatchery.  There is always a craft and baking day.  This year we made dream catchers and as always pies.  The oldest two proved to be hard to catch with all of their summer activities, so my sister brought out the youngest three.  This was my nephew's first time at Aunt Bonnie Camp.  I would say he enjoyed the week.

One of highlights of the trip was when I took the middle niece for a ride in our little jeep, because she didn't get one earlier in the week.  We went to get the mail.  Lo and Behold, my brother knew she would be at our cabin this week and sent her a painting.  The look on her face when she realized she had a letter was worth a million dollars.  It couldn't have worked out better if we had planned it.  Which we hadn't.  

We tried the Devil's Tower hike again, despite warning texts from the older nieces.  I told the kids we were going to climb the tower.  The younger two were all over it and the middle one just sat quietly.  She knew their excitement would fade. The closer we got to to the tower the less adamant they were about climbing to the top.  When they saw two mountain climbers halfway up the mountain, they wanted nothing to do with seeing the top.  In fact, the youngest proclaimed he was going to buy the mountain and make a rule that nobody could climb it because it was too dangerous.  This time, instead of taking the long route with no trees in 100 degree temps, we chose the shorter more shady trail.  You could say we took the road more traveled and the trip was much more enjoyable.

 We did a little mid-baking stretching.  My nephew made a phenomenal smoked apple pie under the careful tutelage of his uncle.  He was on a cooking roll and even helped make a macaroni salad.  The middle niece made a delicious rhubarb crumble pie. The youngest niece followed her Aunt's love of S'mores and made a S'mores pie.  My husband smoked some venison and we had a fabulous Sunday dinner, on Wednesday.  As you can see below, it was hard to say patient with so much good food around.

 Pie smoking lessons.

 Water was the theme on Monday, as we went to the fish hatchery for fish feeding.  Then we had a picnic by Spearfish Creek.  We drove up Spearfish Canyon and took two hiking trails to various waterfalls.

 After four days packed with picnics, hiking, baking, and crafting, they headed home.  The cabin is suddenly very quiet.  I think poor Ella slept for two days.  I admit we also took a couple of naps.  It sure was a nice time.  It has been forever since my sister stayed and she has never stayed during Aunt Bonnie Camp.  It was wonderful having her here.  

Do you have memories of a week with family during the summer?  What was the most fun?  It is a tradition that I look forward to every year.

Dandelions and rhubarb...

My orchard is full of dandelions.  To most people that would be a horror to hear, but for me I am pleased.  I have come to love my dandelion wine.  The more dandelions the more wine.  Also they bring in so many pollinators, which assures that my berries will come to fruition.  There is something to be said for a 'bee loud glade.'  I know the hum makes me think of the golden and delicious honey the bee keeper shares with me.  He informed me that my bees not only made it through the winter, but are flourishing.  He has divided the hives twice now.  He is not a commercial keeper, just a hobbyist.  I sure enjoy having the hives on our property, not just for the honey, but also because they keep my berries plentiful.  The bumblebees have also done well this year.

Sitting on the porch watching them landing and launching off of flowers is a most enjoyable way to pass the time.

Not only are there berries, dandelions, and bees in the orchard this year.  My husband began his great pumpkin project.  He dug up three hills and we planted three different types of pumpkin.  Connecticut Field, Big Max, Dills Atlantic Giant.  We put three pumpkins per hill and will later cull out the weak ones if need be.  It should be an interesting experiment.  Meanwhile, I re-planted my squash, watermelon, melons, and zucchini.  I also added okra, artichoke, basil of every kind, and cucumbers to my many greenhouse pots.  At some point we are re-doing the greenhouse, so I have been trying not to plant anything to permanently.  How much longer the little buggers can hold out is the big question.

Besides a plethora of dandelions, I have a ton of rhubarb.  I was happy to chop it up for wine, syrup, jelly, muffins, and cake.  I saw on Pinterest that someone used the leaves as a mulch.  I figured I would give it a try.  I had to put jars over my melons and such to keep the voles at bay.  In the black tub are beautiful broccoli.  I'm very excited about how wonderfully they are progressing.  The blank space is where my beans are planted.  Hopefully, now that the slug population is in check I will actually see some beans.  I just want to say Sluggo is AMAZING! The slug population went from everything had those squirmy suckers under them to I've seen one all spring.  Yahoo.  One garden pest down several more to go.

I have one more gardening project.  The voles have been eating my strawberries down to nothing this spring.  I wanted to move them anyway, because my rhubarb has taken over their bed.  Well, I asked our prairie property neighbor (who raises sheep) if he had an old sheep water tank that no longer held water.  I asked if I could buy one and he looked at me like I was crazy.  Obviously he isn't a gardener.  He gave it to me for free.  The bottom is completely rusted out, but it suits my purpose just fine.  I filled it with last year's compost on the bottom and compost from 3 years ago on the top.  Then I plopped my strawberries in.  You cannot believe how quickly they have recovered.  They love it.  Already they are growing new leaves.  Maybe I'll even get a few strawberries this year.  The voles have yet to find them.  I think they will have a difficult time getting up the sides.  I put a net over the top, because deer also find strawberry leaves lovely.  This project could be successful:  Vole proof, check; net to keep out deer, check; and no slugs, check.  I will keep you updated as to what new garden pest enjoys strawberries.

That is all for this week.  Next weekend could be quiet on the blogging front, as I plan on grabbing 3/5th of my nieces and nephew for the week.  Due to some complications, they are coming out sooner this year and because of that the older ones are not able to visit.  I remain hopeful that after rodeo season is over they will be able to slip out for a weekend.  

I hope you are all enjoying your gardening season.  What pests do you battle during the year.  Has it changed?  Are there things you managed to tame?  If so what were they and how did you do it?  I hope you all have a fabulous week.

Lots to accomplish...

Quite a bit was accomplised this weekend.  We got plenty of exercise between shoveling, yoga, and snowshoeing.  Ella wasn't the only one tired out.  

I made this amazing peach cobbler.  There is nothing cozier than enjoying warm cobbler, with ice cream, in front of the fire, with big flakes of snow drifting down.  Heaven on earth.

I started cutting the flying geese border for my quilt. Since it

was all about feathers, I figured the flying goose was the best border to use. It's been awhile since I've done these blocks, so it took a bit to do the first ones.  Hopefully, I'll get faster.

Today was definitely a spa day.  I let my hair reenergize with honey/olive oil hot oil treatment.  I used the dry brush to exfoliate and increase circulation.  The lemon sugar scrub coupled with my homemade lemon lotion bars gave some much needed moisture to my skin.  The chamomile hair detangler helped me get a comb through my hair.  Finally, a long cold drink of refreshing raspberry/basil water.  It was better than going to the spa.

I did my monthly wine racking.  I bottled my Pearly Legal pear wine and bottled some Golly Gee Grape from the oak barrel. I have made 131 batches of wine.  I really enjoy making wine and cannot believe that it is so simple.

Ella and I sent a little message to my husband for Valentine's Day.  It was a beautiful day to be outside.  We're you able to accomplish much this weekend?  Did you have a good Valentine's Day?  I have been able to keep busy this winter.  Just three more months.  I hope your winter has been as productive.

Life is fabulous...

There is nothing we appreciate more than Sunday dinner.  We both work together to make a nice meal.  My husband does an amazing job with our smoker/grill.  I'm usually in charge of the side dishes and sometimes homemade bread.  Today I made some fried potatoes and my favorite rosemary and sea salt flat bread.  We finished everything off enjoying a white cake with raspberry filling that my

husband made. Even better with a glass of homemade raspberry wine.  Little things like this make life good.   

Overall, it was a good weekend.  I finished the feathers on my quilt.  They all turned out great, except the last one.  It fought me the whole way.  I'm still debating whether to rip part of it out and fix it.  Ella and I enjoyed the sunshine today and went snowshoeing.  I entered several recipes in the family cookbook.  Somewhere in that the house got cleaned.

We are supposed to get a blizzard tonight, so one must enjoy good weather when possible.  The photo below was last night's sunset.   Breathtaking.  I've really enjoyed reading about everyone's winter projects.  I'm so impressed with all the different talents people have.  Here is hoping you have a fabulous week.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

There is construction down the road.  We are not the least bit excited about having neighbors.  It was great being the end of the road.  There is only one positive to this... Somebody will actually see our Christmas lights.  We are super excited because nobody ever sees our lights. In fact, we even added a few more lights.  Now if they would just drive by when the lights are on.

 I've never been very good at taking photos of Christmas lights.  The camera doesn't quite capture the true feelings lights evoke.  Anyway here is my attempt.  The brilliant blob in the corner of the porch is our one horse open sleigh.

We have always wanted an outdoor Christmas tree.  Our cabin is too small to have one inside.  My wonderful husband stomped down the snow and put lights on our new little tree.  It is out in the middle of nowhere, but it looks fabulous.  I also made a wreath for our door.  We really got into the Christmas spirit. 

 We saw the bighorn sheep for the first time in a long time.  We were on a four lane highway with nowhere to stop.  I wish we could have as they were so majestic jumping around on that sidehill.  You have to look really close to see them.  Below are Mother Nature's Christmas decoration.  Isn't it a beautiful little nest?  It is stonger than it looks.  It is in there pretty solid.  It amazes me they can weave it on there so we'll using only their beak.

That is all I know this week.  Do you have your Christmas lights up?  Do you have an outdoor Christmas tree?  What is your favorite part of the Christmas celebration?

Bah humbug...

 Sorry, I'm a little behind.  It snowed all yesterday.  I didn't post because when it finally stopped around 10:00 pm, we started snowblowing our way out.  It was a long slow process as there was over a foot of wet and heavy snow.  

 Then to top it off, we have another packrat.  I cleaned up the front flower beds on Saturday, because there were still mice making a home there.  Sunday night I went to put something in the shed and two wheelbarrows worth of garden leaves and corn stems were shrewen all over.  It was clean Sunday morning.  I knew right away it was a packrat.  My husband set the live trap and. Sure enough a fat little packrat was peering at me this morning.  His new home is by the golf course halfway to work.  I'm sure where there was one there will be more, so the trap is reset.  I know it wasn't the same packrat as the one we had a few years ago, because that one only had three legs.

That's all I have.  Lots of snow.  On the positive side we have had some beautiful sunrises and sunsets.  The weatherman says it is from volcano eruptions last year.  Have you had colorful sunrises and sunsets too?  Any ideas for making my shed unhospitable for packrats?

Fabulous Fall...

 Fall is always such a busy time of year.  I've been harvesting the little that I have to harvest.  Two pumpkins, some small ears of sweet corn, and peppers.  The only things I've had great luck with this year are my herbs.  Yesterday the weather was so terrible that I hurridly brought all of my herbs inside.  My basils went nuts this year.  We also picked the apples and crabapples.  I left quite a few for the birds, as most were pretty scarred from hailstorms.

This year I tried roasting my peppers and freezing them.  I have to say they are as good as broiled tomatoes.  Yumm...

 I still have quite a few flowers blooming.  My butterfly garden looks great.

The fall fog rolled in fast.  Another weekend came and went as quickly.  I was glad we were able to get the lawn mowed.  I think we set a new record this year.  We mowed every week except for two.  Are you enjoying your fall?  Did you mow a lot?