The Products of Fall Harvest

 Each year, I spend time producing items from fresh produce to use in the winter. It is not that we actually have shortages of groceries, but more that I am used to making my own stuff and like what I make.

Let's talk Pumpkin puree. I make pumpkin bread, pumpkin soup, and pumpkin pie. I make those items for gifts or meals or fun. But I am not so sure that I like canned pumpkin. It always tastes canned and bland. So when pumpkins are available, I make my own puree from fresh roasted pumpkin. I blend different types of squash to get a rich flavor and deep color. I then freeze the puree in 2 cup or 1 cup measures. Over the next 3 months, I will have lovely pumpkin dishes right in my own garage.

And what about chili. Always a great dish when you are tired of cooking. It tastes better after the flavors have blended. I pack 2 servings in a glass container and freeze it, too. And fresh corn on the cob gets cut off the cob and frozen. I have dehydrated vegetables for making soups. Doggie biscuits made with real meat. Canned jams and jellies. The larder is full. 

But most people don't do this. Up here in the far north of Washington, we sometimes have shortages of items. The cost of fresh produce fluctuates and the quality suffers. Sometimes the roads are snowy and difficult to use. We get power outages, too. With a supply of candles and batteries, I can make a nice dinner on a gas burner and wait out the outage. A bit of effort and planning can relieve a lot of potential stress.

When I lived in Southern California, there was always the threat of earthquake or power outages, drought, and union strikes. I learned how to keep prepared for a week of trouble with supply and services. This knowledge and theses skills have transferred well to this northern area I now live in. But even up here, the skills are rarely seen in other people.

When Thanksgiving comes, I am so ready to stop working hard and start enjoying the bounty I have stashed away. I celebrate most of December with nice dinners and friends. As the various products work down through the winter, I am blessed with memories of the abundance of the summer and fall. I hope everyone has the abundance in their lives as well.

Enjoy each season and each blessing.

Travel Issues in Current times

 My last few blogs were about accessibility in Yellowstone National Park. But traveling along the roads has some ups and downs, too. We left from Bellingham, Wa, in the North west corner of Washington State. We can't drive straight east as there is no pass. But we could travel south on the 5 to the eastern part of Seattle and turn east there on the 90. We took the 90 straight to Cor D'Alene in Idaho.

When the weather is good, there is a road that winds through the mountains and gets to eastern Washington before turning south to pick up the 90. That is the 2. The 2 has a couple of rest stops up the mountain and turns East from Burlington instead of Seattle. Longer but more scenic.

On our way home from Yellowstone, we missed the last rest stop on the 90 and had to drive through awful traffic north. If I had known I would have taken the road to Burlington. It wasn't just the awful traffic, though. We encountered a mob of homeless people who had taken over the rest area when we finally got north of Marysville. It was a bit intimidating so we ate lunch in the car and hurried on.

The Burlington path, 2, would have put us out onto the 5 north of Marysville/Everett. So we would have missed the awful part of the traffic. But the situation at the rest stops has become so bad that the Highway administration is shutting down all rest stops north of Seattle to the Canadian Border. This closure will last until spring 2022.

As a driving society, these rest stops have become a necessary part of the trip. Toilets. Areas to eat lunch and stretch. Walk the pets. Or even rest your eyes for half an hour. These rest stops have become winter homes for the homeless. Toilets. Running water. Dry shelter and electricity. Trees for privacy. Flat areas for tents. Room to have friends and park your car.

We did not encounter any homeless people east of Seattle or in Montana or in Idaho. Or in Wyoming or at Yellowstone. But the situation on the west coast is dreadful. And it is so bad that traveling people are having to carefully plan their travel to accommodate their needs and avoid trouble, traffic, inconvenience and road work. Many of the common fast food chains have shut down their restrooms and dining areas for take out only. Gas stations have shut down their restrooms. Night or weekend travel is more precarious. 

For Accessibility, this means needing to take what ever you can get when ever you can get it. Or get a motorhome or trailer with facilities. Very Expensive option. Or don't travel in winter. Eduard and I have counted on Rest Stops on all of our trips. We now have to plan better and find options.

Yellowstone Park, day 4, accessibility

 This day is a bit different from the other three days. We were anticipating a 9 hour driving day to get back to Cor D'Alene where we would spend a night. We had to repack stuff for a one night hotel stay and we had to pack the car with everything again. Each day we had been putting our laundry into white bags and into the car so that the room did not get too full. The big suitcase was almost empty. We reloaded our small carry on cases with one night in mind. The box of equipment was organized and the ice chest was restocked with ice bags. Camera equipment was still an active part of the trip because were were spending the first 4 hours in the park. After eating breakfast and packing everything, we were ready to check out and hit the road at 8am. 

The goal of this last day was to drive to the NW entrance/exit and see the last part of the Grand Staircase/Mammoth hot springs. It was Friday and there was no traffic at the entrance to the Park. Odd feeling. We drove into the park and down the familiar 14 mile stretch to the junction. We headed north and this time we decided to enter the Norris Geyser Basin area. Parking lot was empty. There was a long dirt walkway between some tall trees and I could not see what was at the end. I could not tell how long the walk would be or what was at the end. I decided I had seen many geysers now and didn't need this one. We left and went north.

Driving North, we once again passed the Gibbon Falls and didn't stop. We passed familiar sights and debated whether we wanted to stop again. There was a place where the steam from a hot spring ran under the road and made a fog bank over the road. We stopped for some steamy pictures, then went on. There was no wild life, few cars, and not much to look at until we passed the upper level of the Mammoth Hot Springs. 

We wound down the hill to the bottom of the Mammoth Hot Springs area and parked in the first parking lot. There was a wooden path up to a viewing area but I didn't go. Stairs and tired legs from wandering around made me want to relax on this day. I wanted to conserve for the long drive. Then we went to the second parking lot. There was an area I could climb to and sit in my chair. The view was OK but to get the really good pictures you have to go up more and climb stairs. This is a massive feature and I preferred the top area to the lower area. The moon was setting over the springs so we got some artsy shots. 

 

About an hour later we were headed to the village at the North West gate. This was the first village at the park. It provided for the staff and rangers. There is a post office, some restaurants, hotels and housing. It is quite large and had some interesting architecture. We drove down the hill to find some restrooms before we exited the park. I didn't get out here to check for accessibility. There was lots of parking and handicap spaces but nothing I was interested in seeing. We skipped the gift shop and headed to the exit. Getting to the exit was a long drive. I was surprised. We drove along the Yellowstone river for awhile, through a gorge. People were fishing. Then we saw the Entrance/Exit gate and left. 

It took us about 4 hours to get out of the park, because we dawdled at each stop, but now we were on the road home. We had to wiggle around in a small city outside of the Park to get to the main highway, but before we knew it we were headed west and out into the wild rolling hills. It was really rather boring landscape after seeing so much inside the park. We stopped to take pictures of a herd of pronghorn. Then we went on, and on, and on. Montana is a big state. There are some interesting differences at some of the rest stops. There is one kind that is mostly for truckers. Little out house, big parking lot. No other stuff. Then there area the regular rest stops with real toilets and picnic areas. There are look out points with no facilities and nothing really to look at. And we decided to stop at a Rest Stop for lunch around 2pm. This was OK because we were going to fall back one hour on the clock due to passing a time zone. It was really only 1pm. I made sandwiches. We had yogurt and fruit. 

 

The drive to Missoula was almost 4 hours from the Park Exit. It was 4 hours from Missoula to the West Yellowstone Entrance. We still had another 4 hours to drive to Cor D'Alene. We got gas in Missoula at the Costco and headed on. We decided to get gas in the morning in Cor D'Alene. I was really tired. We ate a salad and crashed for the night. The drive home somehow was more difficult than the drive out. We missed the last rest stop before descending into the Seattle vortex and there was no place to pull out and have lunch. We had to pass Marysville before we could change drivers. I was the passenger and Eduard was driving for 3 hours in stop and go traffic. Saturday in the Seattle suburbs. We pulled over into the rest stop after Marysville and ate in the car. There was a homeless group working the area and intimidating people.

This blog is about accessibility in Yellowstone National Park. I have to say there were limitations but there were also wonderful things to experience. I managed to get to most of the major sites, have some reasonable walking with a walker or cane and enjoy the experience. Nobody was rude or impatient. I did have to tone down my expectations. I cannot walk or hike like I once did. But it was still fulfilling.

Yellowstone Park, Day 3, Accessibility

 We are getting really good at packing stuff for lunch and getting equipment into the car. We ate most of breakfast in the room, but snagged a bunch of stuff for the lunch also. Bearclaws and yogurt and fruit. We had been supplementing our lunches each day with small things. I would make a large sandwich for each of us and we would have tea or coffee. I would grab fruit and desserts, but both of us decided that half a sandwich was enough. So I made one sandwich and cut it in half. Grabbed the ice blocks, chilled meds, various foods and we were pretty much ready. Trash bags- we pack it in and pack it out.

Every night Eduard off loaded his camera to my computer and then to his storage device. We were ready again before 8am. Got gas first. Then hit the road. There are no gas stations where we were going but some of the little villages had gas inside the park. Better to be full before you go in. Also it is good to know that there are some emergency services. We saw a car accident, fender bender, near a bunch of bison. There was a tow truck and an officer of some kind. There are several emergency medical stations in the park but we did not need them this time. Just good to know. Cell service is spotty or non-existent. No internet either, in the park. 

We got into the park in 10 minutes and headed down the 14 mile scenic road. People were already fly fishing in the river.  We turned north at the intersection toward Norris Geyser field and stopped again at the Gibbon water fall. Last look. It is beautiful and we changed drivers. I drove to the next intersection and turned east to the grand canyon area. There is a Canyon Village at the east end of the road and the north road was closed for repairs. We turned south to find the grand canyon Virginia Cascade gorge and water fall. 

 

We first visited the North rim of the canyon. Nice parking and viewing areas. Toilets. Lots of people. And a short walk to the viewing area. This part is off the main road, which goes to Inspiration Point. Beautiful views of the gorge and canyon. Colors, landslide areas, vastness and sense of size. But not really too photograph interesting. After visiting the different parking lots we headed to the south side of the canyon. My legs had been tired so I only walked a short bit and did some viewing, but it was pretty. Not as pretty as the Grand Canyon in Arizona, but interesting and beautiful.

 

The south side of the Canyon was more interesting. You can see the water fall and bridge, and river, and lots of people. Eduard got lots of great shots. There is a path you can walk to the bridge. It is long and rather flat, but I didn't want to do it. I only went a short distance. It is 6 miles to the other side of the canyon, over the bridge and up the path.  So people were going to make this walk. I wondered if they had a ride back to the car after they got there. No taxis here. No shuttle. 6 miles each way. One couple said it would take them all day and they would have lunch on the other side. I am about 8 years past this in my ability to hike a long way. So my mind was saying, "this is a job opportunity. Park on one side and drive people back to their cars for a fee." 

Eduard took lots of pictures before we headed to Artists Point. This is down the road from the main parking lot for the south rim. It is pretty much a small parking lot with a viewing trail down to a viewing area. I stayed in the car. Eduard took pictures. 

Next stop was the Mud Volcanos. We were headed toward the Yellowstone Lake and turned off to the mud volcanos. This area was easy to access but for some reason I don't have much memory of it. A bit of a hike, not much sulfur smell, but just not memorable for me. I don't think I walked very far. The bottom area near the parking is very accessible. A short ramp up to a walking platform takes you to more mud pots. One was the mud volcano and another was the Dragon breath mud pot. These are interesting features and shift with time to new areas. The walkway is nice up a bit, but kind of rough near the parking lot. Not long and worth a look. We were getting kind of ready for lunch, so it was not a really long stay.

 

After leaving the mud pots we found a turn out to a lake spur and had lunch near the car. We had brought a small folding table and a chair for Eduard. I used my walker/chair. We paused to enjoy the quiet and beautiful area with maybe 6 other cars well spaced apart. It was warm out and we found a shady area to pull over. Ducks were the entertainment feature. And trees. And a lapping lake. After a nice rest we decided to head back to the Hotel. We were now on the east side of the main center loop of the park. I wanted to go back doing the full loop so that we could drive past the places we had been the first day. It is about 2 hours back to the hotel. We passed wild life and Old Faithful. And it was beginning to seem like someplace we knew instead of a foreign environment. We stopped to swap drivers every hour so that we didn't get too tired. And we made it back to town. We decided to fill the gas tank before we went to the hotel. We were leaving in the morning to head back and wanted to drive through the park to the North West entrance.

There is a lot of driving in Yellowstone. If you take buses, you spend a lot of time getting on and off buses and waiting for people. Driving yourself is well worth the effort and gas. I did not see any buses with wheel chair lifts or ramps. This means that you need to have your own transportation if you are physically challenged. Buses go to the main attractions. If you are looking for some of the out of the way sights, you need a car.

Yellowstone Park again, Day 2

 Sometimes, when you take a trip with lots of driving, when you get home you are tired. But there is much to do to unpack, clean up, do laundry, buy groceries. About the second or third day home you collapse in exhaustion. That was yesterday. I could not even write a blog. All my effort just to make dinner. Eduard slept in a long time. He was feeling it, too.

So now I will proceed with my Yellowstone Park review of Accessibility- Day 2. Pictures will be included as they get edited.

We entered the park a little later in the morning. Almost 9 am. No line. Fast entry with passes. All the lanes are open to passes, but the far right lane is only for passes and pre-paid tickets. It moves a little bit faster than the other lanes, but on this day, there was little traffic. We entered and drove the 14 miles to the intersection. We had planned to head north this time. The north side takes you to the turn for the Canyon, Norris geyser basin, and the Grand Staircase- Mammoth hot springs. There are a couple of other things along the way.

Our first stop was Gibbon Falls. This is a lovely overlook of the river and falls. The base of the river is hard black stone. It contrasts well with the foaming white water. A beautiful river and the falls have several levels. The upper viewing area is great for accessibility. Railings, smooth walkways, gentle slopes, good parking. If you walk down a bit you get to a viewing platform for a better look at both the first and second falls steps. I stayed on top and enjoyed the sound and view of the river and first step of the falls.

 

We drove on north to the intersection of-  West to Norris Geyser, North to Mammoth Hot Springs, East to the Almost Grand Canyon. This time we went north. We were planning on going North again on the last day so we skipped Norris Geyser Basin. this is where we started to notice the smell of sulfur. It starts out smelling of gun powder or fire crackers. Then the smell gets stronger as you head north.

We did not see much wildlife or birds. The weather was cool and clear, the roads were nice. Not much traffic. We stopped at Artist Paint Pots. This area is pretty flat. Good parking. Out house style toilets. There is a 1/2 mile walk to the viewing areas. The right side takes you to some low level mud pots and a nice walk way for viewing them. The left side takes you to the not too accessible mud pots and geysers. I went left. I could do this with a walker. There were no benches or seating areas. There was one area of the walk that was messy, and there was a nice platform before the stairway. I stayed on the platform. I could see the continuous geyser and some other bubbling pools. The water in the stream was somewhat like the prismatic springs. Colorful but not large. Eduard climbed the stairs to the top and took lots of pictures. There is another geyser up there and some colorful pools. After he was done with the stairs, we walked over to the other viewing area. Flat with bubbling mud pots. Nice wooden walkway, but not very interesting.

 

Norris Geyser overlook- This is a nice parking lot. Not much else. You can look out over the geyser field hidden by trees and see a couple of frequently shooting geysers. Far away. You can skip this. We didn't even get out of the car.

Mammoth Hot Springs- This feature has an upper and lower level. We went to the upper level. The first parking lot has an accessible walk way for going out on the springs for a close up view. The next up parking lot is bigger and has lots of stairs going down. This is where we parked. I got out and walked around the upper flat area but did not attempt the stairs. Eduard took pictures for about a hour and we had lunch in the car. There were no picnic tables or other facilities, but the views were great. Like surround sound only visual. 360 degree features. The sulfur smell is strong but not unbearably. When we left we found even more lovely features. We stopped three times before we exited this area. I was able to walk with my cane to these sites. Close to the road and some you can see from the car. There were no toilets up here so we continued north to the lower level.

Traffic jam. Road work. Long wait. We made a U-turn at a pull out and headed south. It was a long day already and we were going to head home through this area, so we skipped the lower level for today. It took over an hour and a half to drive back but this was actually a shorter day than the first day. We stopped at an outhouse style toilet part way down to Norris Geyser Basin. 

This area has some mobility issues and some sulfur issues. If you have sensitive breathing issues you may actually need to skip this part. After we got back to the hotel, we noticed that we smelled of sulfur. Our urine smelled of sulfur for two days. You are breathing it in and ingesting it. 

Here I want to remind you that this is the inside of a volcano. It is a risky place all the time. The features change over the years. The trees die or fall, the ground moves, the ground has thin spots, the streams change paths, the air is less than good quality, but it is beautiful and exciting. Don't push yourself too hard.

Yellowstone Park again- Day One

 It took us about 15 minutes to enter the park from the Hotel. There was a line of cars, but it moved well. All 4 lanes were open. It was freezing cold out and there was some ice around, but the roads were safe. After we entered the park, we drove for 14 miles to an intersection. Where do you want to go? Plan this in advance. We headed to the Prismatic springs and Old Faithful. Then we would go on to Yellowstone Lake and have lunch. We packed a picnic and snacks for an all day outing. This picture is of Pronghorn outside the park on the drive into West Yellowstone.

 

Prismatic Springs- I needed my walker. A powered chair would have been nice, but too wide for the boardwalk. You can only have 1/2 of the width you know so that people can get by. There is a boardwalk that climbs the hillside. I stopped at the first platform. It was totally fogged in from the hot water hitting the cold air. And the boardwalk was frozen over. Very Dangerous conditions for the mobility challenged. But I could see enough color and experience the pools. We decided to return later in the afternoon.

 

There were about 4 handicapped designated parking spaces. The doors on the outhouse toilets were wide enough for a wheel chair or walker, but not a power chair. Would not be able to turn around your vehicle. Sidewalks and ramps were OK. I am glad I brought my own chair. There was one small, wet bench that could seat 2 on the walk and a couple of places at the bottom where you could sit and rest.

Old Faithful- great access. Lots of benches. Good walkways. Get there a bit early for a front row seat. Lots of disability parking. Need to stroll or walk a good distance but not a long way. There is a nice walkway around the viewing area. Suitable for motorized wheel chairs or walkers. A lovely area. Toilet facilities had ramps and flush toilets. We were there about an hour and had a great time. Eduard ran around taking pictures and I sat and took pictures. 

 

The south part of the park, Prismatic Springs and Old Faithful did not have a lot of sulfur smell. Lots of animals on the side of the road to watch. Seemed to have a traffic jam for every Bison. A pretty drive.

Around the Bend- at the junction in the south end you can head down out of the park or continue east to the Yellowstone Lake west Thumb area. We found a nice place to have a picnic on that side. We are now about 60 miles into the park and the lake is lovely. The road climbs up and over the divide a couple of times. If you have altitude issues it is good to be warned that Yellowstone, or most of it is above 6000 feet. My limit is now about 6500 ft and I had to struggle sometimes with breathing. Half way around the lake we headed back to the Prismatic springs for a warmer, clearer view. We found wild animals and some pretty little springs. The parking situation at the Prismatic Springs was awful. Long wait to get in but there was a parking spot. Hubby took photos for an hour and I sat in my chair and enjoyed the springs again.

 

Time to return to the hotel. We spent 7 hours driving around and looking at stuff. Most of the toilets were out house style. No water or concessions. Be prepared to pack most of what you need. There was toilet paper and sometimes hand sanitizer. 

This ends day one and I have not got the pictures in yet. I will write more tomorrow and add the pictures into this post.

Yellowstone National Park, accesibility

I grew old before I could get there. And with age there are sometimes disabilities or lower energy. So what was it like with a walker, walking sticks, or a wheel chair? Fabulous!!! Three exclamation points. Five Stars!

We had planned to visit the National Parks right after we moved to northern Washington State. We would be retired and have lots of time on a budget of course. I prefer hotels to camping or motor homes. I used to camp a lot but now I am having a hard time with it. So hotels are the choice. Soon after getting into our new house in Bellingham, my mom needed to come stay with us. 8 months of work and she passed surrounded with love and care and all her stuff. Another 2 months to clean out her stuff and have a memorial with the rest of the family in San Diego. Whew! That was a lot of work and driving and it was February 2020. On the way home from San Diego the world shut down behind us. Covid-19 was now in charge of our lives.

We had made reservations for the spring  2020 in Yellowstone, but everything shut down. Hotels. Federal parks. Restaurants. Rest stop toilets. The message was "stay home and stay safe", which we did. 2020 was happening in our house and on short road trips to the mountains to take pictures.

In August, we decided to go to Crater Lake. We could drive down and hotel camp one night, visit the park and hotel camp another night. Things were looking better and hotels were open so we booked one near the crater. Oh no! not going to happen. Fires were everywhere and the park was shut down. The hotel shut down. And Covid decided to spike again. We were just going to wait to get vaccinated before we traveled again. More home projects and local day trips. Outside of course. 6 ft separated. With masks.

This will eventually be about Yellowstone Park but the lead up is necessary. Near the end of 2020 I developed Knee problems and started using a walker or cane to get around. Slow, but functional. I can walk short distances with the cane but cannot stand in one place for any period of time. The walker is also a chair. I can use the cane at the grocery store or around the house, but for times when there is distance or standing, I use the walker. Getting up at night, I use the walker also. I started physical therapy. The Doctor said full knee replacement. One to two years of recovery time, if it doesn't reject or need a second surgery. I decided not to have surgery. 

2021-Time passes. We drove to San Diego to see my son's new house. It was Mother's Day 2021 and we had furnished their guest room. I was able to function and stay in hotels with accessibility rooms. I was still able to drive. On the way home we stopped at Crater Lake and a bunch of Bird preserves. We were vaccinated now, but still cautious. We ate every meal in the car or hotel room. It was a good trip and I enjoyed seeing my son and his wife again. When we got home we worked on the house for things we knew were coming. New roof. New paint. New deck. The summer passed and I was able to walk a bit more and sleep without pain. Still using cane and walker but more mobile.

Sometime during the summer of working on the house, the covid thing started to ease and we made reservations again for Yellowstone Park. Late September when the park is cooler and most of the crowds are gone, we would be able to drive there and see stuff. I could still drive and get around with the walker or cane, so I thought it would be good to go. We could camp in the room if necessary. Hotels were open. Parks were open. Gas stations were open. We packed the cooler and walker and clothing bags and hit the road in September. At the Autumnal Equinox. In the rain.

We had booked a hotel at the half way point of the long drive. And we shared driving one hour each time until we got there. We ate lunch at the rest stop and dinner in our room. So far so good. Day 2 was like Day 1, but ended at the West Yellowstone Best Western Hotel. Lunches on the road, dinner in the room. But the breakfast area would be open at the hotel so I could supplement our food box. 

Now we were there and tired and ready and excited. It was snowing and freezing cold.

This blog continues in a new page. With pictures. Read on.

Our Bird Feeder Experiment

 About a couple of months ago, Eduard and I decided to try to keep the squirrels out of the bird feeders. We have been feeding birds for many years at every home we have had. Also in other places where birds find us. But mostly at home. We have tried several different ways to keep the squirrels out of the feeders. In Southern California, the ground squirrels would climb the poles but we had a large bowl anchored upside down in the center of the pole. It kept the squirrels out of the feeders. 

After we moved to Washington state, we now have tree squirrels. Three different kinds. They are very acrobatic and can climb up the pole, swing over to the feeder, hand upside down, twist themselves up and get into the trays and bowls. Ingenious little buggers. And great entertainment. But they really eat a lot of the bird seed.

We were reading an article about how squirrels don't like hot spices like jalapeno peppers or cayenne, but birds don't feel it. So we decided to try an experiment to see if this would deter the squirrels. First I used some of my homemade Chinese style hot pepper oil. This seemed to work on some of the squirrels. But there was one who didn't seem phased by the heat. We called him Mikey, like from an old cereal commercial. Let Mikey try it. He will eat anything. It was a Life Cereal commercial. Mikey tried it and liked it.

The birds didn't care and ate just the same. One squirrel out of our group seemed undeterred by the hot spice. I added Cayenne to bump up the heat. Mikey ate even more. Next thing we knew, Mikey had convinced his other squirrel friends that burning lips were ok. Now we had three squirrels eating the hot oil, cayenne covered seed.

All in all this was a failure as a squirrel deterrent. We had a lot of fun playing with it though. Mikey is like a vacuum cleaner around the seeds. The others still can tolerate just a bit at a time. They dig holes and try to bury their noses in the cold soil. It gets on their paws and fur. 

I have now concluded this experiment. Hot pepper oil, cayenne pepper, jalapeno seeds and all such stuff do not deter a determined squirrel. And I will likely not make up more for them. But as we search for fun ways to entertain the  squirrels, and still feed the birds, I will keep you posted.

Making Yogurt at Home

I have some equipment and have tried this in the past with marginal success. So I started to do a bit if research on this subject to see if I could be more successful.

Issue one was Scalding Milk. Why? I found out that scalding the milk changes the protein to make it set better with the yogurt culture. Great! no Raw milk yogurt. But it is not about killing bacteria. It is about changing the protein.

What is scalding really? Most references said to "boil the milk". Or bring the milk to scalding. Or look for bubbles at the edges of the pan. Or 180 degrees F. I know that high degree sterilized milk does not get to 180 F. And the proteins are altered. So that would mean that 180f is not exact.

I have a food thermometer. I started by scalding at 170F. Worked great. Terrific thick yogurt.

 Cultures. You can buy commercial yogurt with active cultures. You can buy powdered yogurt cultures. You can use some of the last batch of yogurt you made. I started with one package of yogurt culture, 1/2 cup of commercial yogurt mixed together. Great, thick yogurt. Second batch cultures were from that home made yogurt. 1 Cup yogurt for 3 quarts of milk. Take the yogurt out of the refrigerator before you start to heat the milk. Let it come to room temp. Heat milk to 170f. Skin starts to form at 140f so stirring becomes necessary. At 170f turn off the heat and take the pot off the stove. As the milk cools down it will continue to make skin. Stir often until the milk is down to 120f.  At about 130f you take a 1 cup scoop of the hot milk and slowly stir it into the 1 cup of room temp yogurt. When pot of milk reaches 110 to 120f you stir the yogurt culture into the milk. Stir slowly and gently for a couple of minutes. Milk is now ready to become yogurt.

Heating and how long. I have a dehydrator that goes down to 95f I use sterilized 1 quart jars and a funnel for my canning. I measure a quart of cultured milk into each jar and cover with a press n seal plastic wrap with a canning ring. I set them on the lowest tray, not on the direct bottom, so that there is circulation all around. 3 to 5 hours, maybe more, but mine have been 3-5 hours in the dehydrator. .Some say that the longer you let it heat the more sour it gets. Also, some say that each successive batch is slower or more sour or less active or some other such thing. Yogurt is a living thing. It has its own agenda. Temperature makes a big difference but so does the social nature of mixed cultures. Be patient and look at 3 hours. Maybe need longer? don't sweat it. Let it keep going. But I would not let it go overnight. 10 hours might be too long.

Additives. I am not a fan of thickeners or gums. Some commercial yogurt has gelatin or pectin or other gum type thickeners. But I do add 1/2 powdered milk to my milk before I start heating the milk. I like the flavor and thickness without being chewy or cloying in the mouth. I do not flavor mine either. Plain is my thing.

To strain or not to strain- Greek style  yogurt is strained which means you line a strainer with thin muslin like for cheese but not cheese cloth like at the store. Place the strainer over a large bowl. Pour the yogurt into the strainer. One quart of yogurt makes 1 pint of strained yogurt and 1 pint of whey. Approximately. The longer you strain the yogurt the thicker it will be. Place the whole thing in the refrigerator to drain. At this point I tie the ends of the muslin up together so they don't lay on the shelf of the refrigerator. They will leave lots of whey inside the shelf. When tied up, they leave lots of whey inside the bowl. At 2 hours check the bowl to see how much whey you have.  First batch was strained for three hours and was thicker than sour cream. Second batch was two hours and very nice for lots of things. But I also like the not strained yogurt. Just so you know, strained yogurt still has active cultures and can be used in the next batch. It takes up less space in Pint jars instead of quarts. 

Whey- what is it good for? Liquid for bread. Liquid to mix up concentrated fruit juice. Liquid to add to soup broth. I started using whey when I was making cheese. It is pretty useful. Keeps about 1 week like milk. It may have cultures in it but it would be rather thin. My favorite use is in fruit smoothies.

Hummingbird Issues

When I was down in San Diego, I had lots of flowers that hummingbirds liked. I abandoned the nectar feeders and went native. But up here, in the PNW, I am a bit unsure about the plants and the seasons. Nectar freezes in deep winter. Hummers have migrated south. Exactly when is it time to put out the feeders again? So I started in late march. I heard a hummer buzz me and knew they were around. This property doesn't have lots of flowers, so feeders needed to happen. I bought 2 at the local Lowes and went home to research nectar recipes.
The basis nectar recipe is 1 cup sugar, 4 cups water, heated or boiled or not. My birds were completely uninterested. 2 weeks went by with almost no noticeable reduction in the liquid level. I decided to adjust the mix to 1 cup sugar and 3 cups water. All of a sudden, I had the most wonderful displays of hummers. They love this mix. They are sucking it up so fast, I am making more every 4 days. (I make a quart at a time). Noisy, colorful, suspicious, and beautiful, I have a full selection of the available birds. It is keeping me busy cleaning and filling feeders, and of course just sitting and watching the action. I don't have another post or feeder, but I am considering putting out more.
So why is this mix better than the other one?
Information on the internet is full of holes. There is missing information. I think what has happened is that this recipe has been repeated on every site yet is lacking a specific fact. Nectar mixes from a store are super fine sugar so that it will dissolve quickly. Home sugar is not super fine. So when you measure by Cup instead of weight, you don't get as much sugar as the commercial products. Ease of the recipe may actually up the water to make it easy to remember. Instead of 3 1/2 cups it is 4.
For the products to be easy for humans doesn't necessarily make them good for the hummers.
YOU MAY HAVE TO ADJUST YOUR RECIPE to please the birds.
I have found that 3 1/2 cups water to 1 cup sugar keeps them pretty happy. 4 cups and they ignore it. 3 cups and they are ecstatic.
The Birds will tell you by their actions what they want- usually more sugar.

Surprise extra stuff

When I first got into my new digs in Pacific Northwest, I decided that I wanted to fill my freezer with beef. I planned to buy 1/2 a grass fed steer. I ended up buying 1/2 steer and a whole veal. This totally filled the freezer and will probably last over one year.
When I picked up my order, I also received about 50 pounds of fat trimmings. That is a lot of fat. And now I had to figure out what to do with it. The freezer was full of meat.
This is what I did. I thawed the fat and ran it through the meat grinder to make ground fat. I then simmered most of it to extract the oil to use in cooking. The remaining suet (connective tissues, meat, and skin) was packaged into zip bags and scattered in nooks and crannies in the freezer.  I had about 12 jars of fat for cooking and about 12 bags of ground suet. As winter approached, I realized that this ground suet would make perfect bird food for my jays, robins, flickers, thrushes, and juncos. We sprinkle it on the ground under the bird feeder and enjoy the show.
It was a lot of work to get everything packaged up. But the butcher tossed in the 50 pounds for free. That means my birds are getting fed for free. That is a good deal for everyone. We are more than 1/2 way through the winter and I still have food for them. I have started mixing some seed in with the fat, just in case some of the smaller birds return, but the meat and fat are for birds who normally eat bugs.
There are other birds who would benefit from additional meat/fat in their winter diet- chickens, guinea hens, turkeys, etc. And we have had an occasional cat. I have not noticed any rodent activity. The feeder is far enough from the house that there is no real way for rodents to get comfortable (think owls and hawks). But it might not work out well for a close patio or condo.
I would like to get one of the wire cages and shape the suet so that I can hang it, but most of the birds are ground feeders here, now. Maybe in the spring, when they still need extra food, I will have some left over to try the suet cage.

Confessions

In 2008, I went to BSG (Black Sheep Gathering) for my first time. I bought some fleece. As I remember, there were two and some alpaca stuff.
The following year, Eduard went with me to BSG. Then I missed a year. Then I went with some friends. It is now 2012. After that I went every year and it seems that each time I bought a fleece. I had brown, morrit, gray, and white. I stopped going in 2016 because I had many other pressing things happening. But in that year, 2016, I bought 1/2 of three fleeces- Cool and the gang.
I had sent some of the fleeces to be commercially washed and combed. Some fleece I do myself. But over the years I have built a rather large "stash" of washed fleece and yarn.
I am just now finishing spinning the 2009 and 2010 white fleeces. I did the dark brown and morrit fleeces awhile back. And I have partially spun the Cool n the gang group.
I have been spinning about 1 pound of fleece per month for 6 months. I have made a dent in the fleece pile. At the rate of 1 pound per month I will possibly complete all the spinning in my lifetime. But there is also the cotton, the luxury fibers and the weaving. And Sewing.
What was I thinking...infinite time and energy? Like a teenager?
So I have set completion goals. When I am done spinning this bag of white wool, I will start weaving it. I have enough for several blankets. When I am done weaving the blankets, I can spin again. I will finish up spinning Cool n the gang and make a blanket of that one too.
As much as I love buying fleece and spinning it up, I just can't do it without making something from the yarn.
The confession is that I am addicted to fleece. I love it raw. I love it washed. I love combing and spinning. I love fondling the yarns. I just love wool. And I love cotton also. I still have about a year's worth of home grown cotton to spin. I don't knit fast enough to make much with the yarn. I have numerous projects started and not finished yet.
So I am going to use my blog space to keep track of my progress on spinning and weaving. It will keep me honest.
Current knitting project- socks, teal, commercial yarn, gift from friend. I need to finish the rib cuffs, about 4 inches.
Swirl shawl- commercial yarn, green, has cashmere in it. Slow project with lots of little ends. Could finish in about a month if I tried.
Hex blanket using left over yarn- intended to last forever on the needles. Eventually it will be too large to continue.
Cashmere shawl in beige- need to rip it and start over.
Sewing- finish the Christmas table runner (part 2), reindeer quilt, dresden quilt, and two baby quilts.
Weaving- blue rug, silk placemats, first white blanket.
There are more, but we will start with these.

Where I left off

I was going through my lists of stuff we needed to do and what we had done. Then, for some reason, I got sidetracked and didn't write again. So here is the next bunch of stuff:
We finally got driver's licenses, car registrations, car insurance, and hair cuts. I have a doctor now and have had an eye exam. We celebrated Thanksgiving and ate one of the ducks. I have decorated for Christmas, mostly and baked cookies.
But the most wonderful thing for me right now is that my sewing, weaving, spinning studio is up and running. There are still boxes in the other room that need unpacking. There are bags of fluff on the floor in a pile. But I have been able to complete one table runner and two blankets, with a third blanket about to go on the frame. I have spun the cotton crop for  2018 and am spinning some wool roving I have had for three years. Slowly, I am working the piles down and getting through the projects I had planned.
We had the dead tree cut down along with some other near dead trees and have a giant pile of wood in the yard that needs to get split into fireplace size pieces. I have been very busy and the list is getting shorter, but I am no where near the end.
So, now that we are settled in, we are planning a trip down to San Diego. Just can't seem to stay away. I am having a party for my mother's 92nd birthday, visiting my son and daughter in law, and spending time with some friends. It is a long drive and we will take pictures along the way.
I have worked really hard to get to this place. It seems kind of weird to go back and visit as a tourist, but I still have many people I love and adore there. It is worth the time and effort to go for a visit once or twice a year.
And it will give me a break from all the work here.
Still no winter weather- 50f today and a slight drizzle in the evening. Maybe the weather will get cold in January.

Run over by the Moving Van

Well, not exactly, but I feel pretty tired and achy.
We managed to get moved. Total stress, total fatigue. And we are still unpacking. The house closed on Aug. 24 with the tenting for termites. We had already moved the furniture and camped in the house until we packed the last stuff and stayed in a local BnB until we were ready to drive.
We took the long way home, via the coast route, 101 north, until we just needed to speed through at the end. It was beautiful.
We are now unpacking and getting repairs done. The fireplace works, the water system works, the water heaters work, the heater works, the kitchen works, the garage door works, the septic works, the ....list has been long and we are working slowly through it. We have internet, and a phone signal enhancer. We have made some friends and are working toward finding what we need- Doctors, dentists, hair stylist, driver's license, car registration, insurance... the list is long.
So the question is, "How do we like it?" All the rain, dreary overcast, cold. We so far love it. There has only been 4 inches of rain so far this fall and summer. The driest year on record. So much sun, warm days, the warmest year on record. We got here just in time for the California heat to move north with us.
I have managed to get some of my personal goals met. I have 1/2 cow and a whole veal in the freezer from a local butcher. I have 2 ducks cleaned in the freezer for the holidays. I have canned some apple butter and made apple sauce. I have gotten us set up for a long and lusty winter. I hope it shows up. We have had two fires in the fireplace and the wood pile is full. It just has not been cold enough yet.
So hopefully all this planning will actually pay off. We plan to hang out at home most of the winter until it is time to chase the birds. I will keep you posted about what that means, but it is around Christmas time.

Things Are Moving Fast

We are now in Escrow on a contract for sale of our house. I have been wandering down memory lane as I sort and pack, but now I have to get really focused and let stuff go. No more time to goof off and wonder about whether or not I will eventually use stuff. STUFF must GO. Our original plan was to move the furniture and boxes out, clean up the house, and then show it. New plan now. Package every thing as fast as possible and get the hell on the road.
We are still trying to determine the best way to get both cars up there. The end of August is looming large. We may have to park a car here, somewhere, for a couple of weeks so that we can get Stuff moved. Or drive separately for three or four days.
This post will continue as things develop.
So we have a plan, I think. Furniture is moving. We are boxing almost everything. There will be a bunch of stuff going in the Green van first. We will follow the movong van by two days to head up and meet the furniture. Then we will leave the van there and take the train to the airport. Well, to the city and then the light rail to the airport. Then fly home and ask my son to drive us from the airport to the house. It is a plan. It sounds tiring and long. And involves many steps.
The last phase of the plan is to clean the house and pack the small car with all the remaining stuff, have the junk guys haul stuff away and go to a party.
Sometime during this plan, my computer gets disconnected, or moved onto the top of a box in a different room. It is a plan, even if it is a really inconvenient plan.
I have hauled toxic waste away. I have had junk hauled by the Junk guys. There will be at least one more load. I have worked to clean out the garage of stuff and hauled 4 more loads to the Goodwill.  I have taken papers to be shredded. I have cooked down lots of food. I have cleaned out the garden shed. It still looks like there is two weeks of work and not two weeks left. I must work faster and toss more stuff.
The kitchen is not empty yet. We have at least 4 boxes of food items to pack. And I have not even started the sewing room. I know I will get this part done, but I am fighting the panic anxiety. 18 years in one house is about 10 years too long.
Ok, we are on the final countdown. Today, Aug 4, Moving van Aug 9 instead of 10. I have started packing the food items. The laundry room cabinets are cleared and cleaned. Wooly room is packed out and I am starting to clean it. Sewing shed is packed and waiting for large items to move. House is so full of boxes I can 't find any place to put more. We are taking more stuff to the shredder today. I am still on course to pack 4 or more boxes every day and have done 3 already, before breakfast.
It is so hot I can only work in the early morning and late evening. Sweat pouring down, multiple showers.
Eduard was funny today. He said it is so much easier to put things away in the cabinet when there is lots of room. He put away one thing and left the rest on the counter. Apparently, no that much easier.
As we pack out stuff, we have a pile that will travel in the van with us and a pile that will travel up at the last minute in August. The van will be packed to the max. THe list is long and the items large. TV, computer, and valuables. Need a bigger car. I will look into it when we get up there. But I suspect, I will have the van for another 5 years.

New stage of packing

In May, I was tossing and sorting and packing items to ride up in the van to the new house. Now I am back with a lot of empty boxes and a rather confused plan. Where to start?
This batch of boxes will go to the new house in the moving van. It must be items that we want but don't need here, so there is plenty of sorting and donating to do. But we also need enough stuff here to "live" and "work" until the last minute, when ever that is.
I am preparing to toss towels that are really old and nasty. And bedding that is no longer comfy. But there are other things that need to be disposed of- like tools. Getting rid of tools is like getting rid of spinning wheels. I just can't seem to let them go.
While we were at the new house, we bought a new chainsaw. Wonderful thing. We had to take down a tree for some of the repairs and we cut it up and stacked it in the wood bin in minutes. Eduard was actually enjoying it. Old chainsaw down here- donate. It is not coming with us. But those are the easy things. The tough stuff is- socket sets, wrenches, screwdrivers, boxes of nails and screws. Just how much stuff to we really need to take with us? There is an entire strip mall up there of those things.
So part of the sort/toss experience will be about changing life expectations. There is much work to do up there, but how much of it will we actually do ourselves and what will we hire done?
I have the most lovely power drill, but I still need some tools for the work on wheels and looms. I have decided to clean out the drawers of stuff and pack only the most obviously useful item, in small boxes. And get rid of the obvious stuff I will not use- like glue guns. 10 years and have not glued a thing.
So this blog post will continually be updated until the end of July with info on how the tool toss is going.
Day  two- tool sort from lower cabinet, left side. We pulled out all the tools from this side and started sorting, which led to other areas of sorting. Things I had pulled from drawers in the brown cabinet- mostly socket sets- needed to get tossed. We now have about 3 full US measurement socket sets and the remaining duplicates are in a box to donate. Today, I sorted all the metric sockets and removed duplicates. It is ready to pack. We have maybe 5 socket drivers of different sizes. The little size sockets need the tiny end extender. It is packed in one box somewhere. There was no duplicate. What is that about. We have at least 3 of everything, but that. All small socket ends rely on the one reducing extender.
BUT- this is a really big clean out. After I get the top of the cabinet cleaned off and sorted, the cabinet will be almost empty. We have chosen to keep out a few tools we may need before the end, but as we use the to finish projects, those tools are packed up. The Right side of the cabinet has the soldering iron and solder, a hand saw that is leaving, and some detritus also leaving. I am packing the soldering iron today and the others go with the junk guys. Eduard will buy a new hand saw when he is ready.
Tomorrow- we will tackle the top of the cabinet. I want to get the cabinet cleaned out and only leave tools we are going to use to fix up the last stuff in the house. They will be in a cabinet that we will donate at the end and we will take the tools with us in the van. It is a plan. Yet, once again, I see the van as having way more room that it really has.
RANT- when Eduard's mother would go to the store, she would buy lots of different chemical cleaners, and yet never clean her house. I think she was hoping that it would clean itself if there was enough stuff there. So when she was sick her housekeeper caretaker only used vinegar or windex and dish soap. Pretty much what I use. All the unopened cleaning supplies came to my house for inspection and disposal. 6 years later, I am still disposing of this stuff. Today- 4 bottles buried in the back of my regular cleaning items hit the land fill/ and sewer system. This took 1 hour.
This blog is getting long. So much cleaning and sorting. The junk guys come today and will haul off a full truck load of big stuff. We have needed to get rid of this stuff for years now. Old ladder, building materials from three years back, old furniture pieces, old tools. As I clean out the garage I find more and more stuff that was just, well, stuffed. I am hoping to have only one last load before we leave, but I suspect there will be more. The last items may include appliances. I have not tackled the freezer in the garage yet, but most of the fruit in there is years old and needs to be dumped into the composter. Guess what happens today.
I abandoned the Macadamia nuts. The freezer was full of them and I really don't like them. I never liked them. But I felt obligated to eat the nuts from my own tree. Why, oh why, do I feel guilty about this. I made Macadamia milk. I used the milk in cooking. I made a torte with the remains of the milk. I didn't like it and don't want to do it again. Really, I prefer almonds or pecans. The trash is so heavy from the macadamia nuts - must be 10 pounds of them. Guilty and at the same time, kind of free.
I also packed up the larger, newer dehydrator. I have decided to let the old one go to the thrift store. I bought it sometime in the 1990's after S and I divorced and it has been with me since- making jerky and dried fruits and pastes. Time is up. I still have the newer, bigger one and I really only need one. Truth be known, I "need" none, but I am keeping that one.
The kitchen cabinets are starting to look bare. The hutch is empty. The bookcase is empty. Half of the cabinets in the kitchen are empty. I packed a lot of tea. I tossed a lot of tea. Things are getting simpler here. Fewer tools to work with. Fewer pots and pans. I am ready to head to the wooly room for a bunch of boxes there.
But first, I found a couple pairs of shoes in the closet that still fit!!! And look like new. I will pack them in the red suitcase and take them with me when I fly up to the new house.

Sort and Toss

While packing delicate things to take to my new home, I have found way too much stuff that I don't want anymore. Excess jars, kitchen gadgets, towels that are way past the rag stage. Really, how many measuring cups do you really need?
So much of the stuff that is heading north will be duplicates. The less desirable ones are staying here and will be donated at the end.
Three turkey platters. We don't eat turkey. How did this happen? His mother, my mother, and one I had for myself for the duck. I don't use any of them even one time a year. So only one is heading up with us just in case we have a party. But there are many other serving pieces that I am not going to keep. I have three gravy boats. Don't need. And many serving bowls in all different sizes. How about those little individual salt and pepper shakers? or crystal salt cellars with tiny spoons. Too much stuff.
As I sort and toss, I am going to list things here.
Starting with platters and gravy boats.
Excess coffee mugs and creamer pitchers that were hard to clean.
Did I say that I got rid of creamer pitchers? I have such a nice collection why would I let those go? I need to think about this again.
Tea pots- three so far. I don't really drink much tea and had a selection for visitors. Some were gifts from friends. Three left yesterday. I am seeing a bunch of threes here. His mom, my mom, friends... too much stuff from other people.
Awhile back, I decided that I would only give consumable stuff during the holidays. There is way too much stuff here and everyone I know has the same problem of too much stuff. So food items, home made items, gift cards to restaurants or grocery stores, experiences like entertainment places. That is it for me.
Now back to the list-
Clocks- three, one is an antique. I hate all of them. I am totally digital now, and silent.
Vases- you got it, three. I don't keep flowers in the house because of allergies. Why do I have vases at all?
So as I clean out the pantry, I am finding cake mixes and stuff. I am trying to use it up. Today was a german chocolate cake with coconut/pecan frosting. Two more mixes to go. Anyone having a birthday. I could bake a carrot cake, with cream cheese frosting.
I managed to pack up the drawers of the rolling cart. And tossed some things. The top is still pretty busy looking, but I am getting a lot of things sorted (don't look in the garage).
Paper, plastic and glass. I have been looking at my pantry storage chaos and realize that when my mom downsized I took most of her storage containers. At one time, my goal was to have everything in glass jars, within reach. The glass jar thing was good for me, but not so  much for other family members. Nevertheless, I found that the jars held a certain amount and the packaging was often more, but the plastic containers were much larger.
As I prepare to move, I am looking to get rid of lots of older plastic containers. As I tell people I am leaving my tupperware years behind- except I still have a massive amount of plastic ware. I am going to re-purpose some of this into the garage to hold- nails, screws and small items as I pack. And some will go into my wooly room to hold small parts and knitting items. And the tupperware is going away- because I can't get lids. I have replaced them several times and am so tired of trying to find a place to get lids. I hope Tupperware company can hear me- lids need to be available without a party.
Three, yes, three cereal containers. Three oval containers with no lids. I am beginning to hate the number three.
Another load went to the thrift store, but the house is still so full. Eduard commented that even with lots of stuff in boxes, and sent to the thrift store, the kitchen counters are more full than ever. As the cabinets disgorge their contents for the sort and toss plan, the counter is where all this is happening. Today- Sterno heating unit for fondue with sterno, second hot water kettle (three if you count the electric one), covered cheese plate, all the chenois (three), and the last of the bowls. I have one smaller box left to pack up stuff and a lot to take to the thrift store, again. 
When you contemplate the size of a house- say 1800 square feet- you are looking at the footprint, but often fail to notice the size of the leg, or torso attached to the footprint. I have been clearing out one cubic foot of stuff at a time. I am in fact making some headway. I have empty cupboards now. But it is hard to see the progress because they are behind the closed doors. And the full boxes are stacked in the garage taking up lots of space. This is why it doesn't feel like anything has happened. But I am seeing empty spaces where there once was clutter. I am taking it in stride.
So today's load for the thrift store is beading stuff, art supplies and jewelry making stuff. The last needlepoint stuff is being chased out. And duplication of things is being reviewed. I don't need two dye pots since I don't do the classes anymore. I am not going to make the little wooden cars, so the wheels can leave. No more spindles, no more painting. As I stare at the fairy wings, I am thinking that there may not be anymore Renfaire stuff either. Time to grow up and let the toys go. But there is a little fairy in me left that is not sure about that.

This post will be edited as I sort and toss.

Shifting my world north

For most of my life, I have wanted to move out of the southern desert and into the northern weather. Weather- like spring, summer, fall and winter. Weather- like rain, snow, wind, dark days and long daylight days. Weather- like cold nights by the fire place and hot days by the bay, for more than one day at a time.  I have finally made the move. Well, almost. My sweetie and I have found and bought a home in PNW and will be moving there in a couple of months.
It is very exciting and difficult. Trying to pack everything and stage each trip so that we accomplish all the stuff that we need to do. Sorting stuff, getting rid of stuff, packing stuff. Eduard and I have great quantities of stuff. Many duplicates. Some antiques, so new, some just worn out.
Stuff- what stuff do I want up there? cooking stuff for sure. My addiction to gadgets is noteworthy. And spinning/weaving/sewing stuff- all going. Tools, you bet. I love tools. Camping? hmmm. Time to sort stuff. Gardening- old tools leave, new tools will be purchased. Furniture? lots of stuff leaving.
Garage is full of stuff. Most of it I can't recognize any more. Old paint, wood, extra parts to items we no longer have. Time to fill the dumpster.
I have done a lot of work on this place. Painting, tile, landscape, caulking, electrical and other minor issues. It is time to let it go. I was sorting spray paint awhile back and emptied about 4 cans. Still have lots to go. Stain- mostly gone now. Paint is old and needs to get dried up. There is so much stuff here that I can't really begin to do it alone.
But this must be done soon. My time is running out. In three weeks I will drive a van load of stuff up to the new house. It will be essential to move some clothing to keep there, most of my craft stuff, and all of the china and crystal. It will barely make a dent in the great pile of stuff.
Boxes, bags, bundles and a few shelves. Room by room, this house will empty and get cleaned. I am feeling lighter just thinking about it.

A Changing World

For a few years now, E and I have been getting ready for his retirement. Not just not working, but finding a place to live that fits our needs and wants. We started looking about 2 1/2 years ago for a place we could call our new home. I have actually been looking for several years, but he was not sure he was interested. Lately, though, he has agreed that what we want is not here in San Diego or Encinitas.
We decided on Bellingham, Washington, which is close to Canada, has wonderful mountains with lots of wild life and many fewer people. Last week, we bought a house there. Our plan is to move slowly over a few months. He stops working in November. By then, there will only be a small amount of stuff here and we will make our permanent exit.
There are many memories here. Some good and some bad. We have buried 3 parents and all of our children are grown and into their own lives. It is time for us to explore the things we want to do before we run out of time. This is a really happy and scary adventure.
I am looking forward to a real winter and some real rain. I have lived in southern California all my life. The desert environment has made me miserable every summer. It looks good on vacation but it is a bitch to work in. I look forward to coming to visit as a tourist.
Eduard and I plan to drive down once a year to visit friends/children and escape the house for a bit in the winter. It is the only time I like the environment here. We may also travel to Hawaii a few times. I like to work in my garden and do my crafts. I will be looking for new friends and people to share time with up there. But I won't forget my friends down here either.
Hoping for a wonderful new adventure with lots of birds and other animals.

Spinning linen

It is 2018, March, and I am getting that feeling I get every year that I should be hanging out with sheep at some shearing day. My cotton plants are blooming and making squares. But I am devoted to a project that has been in progress for 10 years.
In 2008, I went to Black Sheep Gathering in Oregon and took a class on spinning cotton and linen- bast fibers. I got so excited about it that I came home and bought a full pound of Irish linen/flax from an on-line seller. I had a few small bags that I had picked up at the gathering. It all went into the pile because as much as I like spinning it, I was not sure what to do with the yarn.
2010-Then I took up weaving. I was told that weaving linen was tricky so I needed to practice a lot on other stuff first. Ok. I finally got enough experience to weave linen and I found that it was really easy and not the problems I had been told about- 2012. Hmm. It was time to find those bags and start working through the flax stash.
Unfortunately, life is complicated and there were a lot of events and time consuming activities happening. It is now 2018 and I have spun through 1/2 pound of my box full of stuff. I have enough yarn for the warp on something. But what loom shall I use. Ok, part of that busy time was accumulating looms and weaving other things. But I have successfully woven linen now and want to finish off this box of stuff. There is bast bamboo in there, too.
I started spinning this batch of linen in October 2017, but had to put my wheel away while I had extended house guest. I was able to start spinning again in March 2018. I managed to finish about 6 ounces of the 8 ounce bag within a week. I now have a full 8 ounces of spun linen. One bag down. I will start the next bag soon, but need to do a little house work first.
At some point I will warp up the loom and weave this as hand spun warp and weft.
I have joined a Yarn Moratorium group with the promise not to buy yarn for 12 months. Easy, peasy. But making my own yarn adds to the stash so I need to weave more to get this stash down.
There is no time for housework now. I just want to spin and weave until my piles are manageable fabric. Then we can look at the sewing room and see what must be done.
Linen is pretty easy to spin. I use a wet method so my fingers are damp most of the spinning. When it is cold out, this is not as much fun. We have had a fire in the fireplace for the last few days and it had made the spinning go very quickly. I don't have to stop to warm my fingers. I am hoping this will be a trend and that I can get through all the linen in a couple of months. Yea, right.