Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Up on the roof...

I like when James Taylor sings it...
"When this old world starts a getting me down,
and people are just too much for me to face.
I'll climb way up to the top of the stairs and all my cares just drift right into space.
On the roof, it's peaceful as can be and there the world below don't bother me, no, no."
For once I was glad it wasn't too hot... it felt perfect for working on a warm roof!

It is amazing to see the things Aunt Pat wants to do...
Connor and I visited sweet Aunt Pat this past weekend. She and Uncle Alan have been working on painting their eves/fascia for a long time. I really don't like the idea of Pat climbing on ladders that put her over two stories high in places... so we went up to help get some of the work done. It was very successful. Finished scraping and priming.  I will probably go back in a few weeks to ensure that the paint is finished before the rain comes.
She could have been a florist.
As usual, Aunt Pat spoiled us with pretty things all over the house (fresh flowers in every room, pressed linens on the bed and table, healthy and delicious foods).    We recreated the thai dinner for her... spring rolls and pad curry thai... on Saturday night..  Also snuck in a gorgeous walk on Ediz Hook.
The bed was ironed so perfectly...of course we proceeded to wrinkle it all up.
Grandmother Milliren made this tablecloth...
Pat loved helping roll the spring rolls.
Of course, Pat asked lots of questions about all of you...
The moon was huge ...and the clouds were in the valleys of the mountains... sun shining. Gorgeous.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Willie entered the fair...

...and won.  Big time!  The Southwest Washington Fair is about the most fun you can have in this part of the state during the second week of August. Farmer Willie entered 8 items and got 8 ribbons.  7 blue ribbons for 1st and 1 red ribbon for 2nd. Also one best in class ribbon!!
Acting like he wasn't sure if he would win anything...
First place on a huge sunflower head.
First Place and Best of Class on Chocolate Mint. First Place on Peppermint.
Corn. Tall and productive.
Table carrots. Beautiful to look at...better to eat!
He also entered a full sunflower plant. Beautiful flower and big stalk. First place!
Heirloom yellow pear tomatoes. So yummy!
I think his pie pumpkin would have gotten first if it just had a few more weeks on the vine.  The one that got first was totally orange and  slightly bigger.
Still not bad considering our pumpkin patch is primarily volunteers!
He didn't enter any of the onions... but they would have been good contestants.
Just look at these beauties!

So many gorgeous flowers. I wished I was a flower gardener. I will be some day. Mom would have LOVED this section!!
Not bad for a Thursday night date. :)

We had a lot of fun walking around. Ate way too much fair food.  Watched a lot of interesting people. Of course, I mostly spent the evening bursting with pride over my talented hubby. He is a rock star! 

Monday, August 12, 2013

71st Loggers Jubilee

Saturday Blake and I headed east to Morton, WA to the 71st Annual Loggers Jubilee.  This is an event I have been trying to see for the past 5 years and I made it a point to see it this year.  We rode the CL and CB 360's on the old hwy 12...each way for 50 miles....sun was shinning and it was a blast going there.  Upon arrival many people came up to us with astonishment and questions about the vintage bikes that took us there.

Oh...I forgot. You don't know about the 1974 Honda CL 360.  I picked up this bike a week after the CB 360 in an estate sale in Maple Valley, WA.   Basically like most bikes I get.....change the plug, oil, gas, and add a battery.  There you have it!
1974 Honda CL 360 Scrambler

80' spar pole climb
tree topping competition
spring board competion
The event was amazing.  I couldn't keep up with my camera because I was so impressed with the competitor's physical ability to cut, saw, climb, chop, and choke.

The events were:
Tree Topping
Speed Climb
Double Bucking
Single Bucking
Obstacle Pole Bucking
Standing Vertical Bucking
Spring Board Chop
Horizontal Block Chop
Choker Setting
Stock Saw
Hot Saw
Axe Throw

Wow....what a show!

Here is footage from a previous event that World Champion Brian Bartow did in 2006 at the Lumberjack World Championship.  Brian climbed the 80' spare pole Saturday in Morton in a record time of 19 seconds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS6nR2p8WdY&list=UUUExIXOtyqiOxukW1axWVQw

A slow motion video to see how speed climbers slow down on the fall.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_fouKWNl4o&list=UUUExIXOtyqiOxukW1axWVQw





Sunday, August 4, 2013

The Blueberry Bandits

That's us - the Blueberry Bandits.
Connor just plopped down to pick in one spot... check out the beautiful backdrop.
That's right... a full bucket = 11 lbs of delicious blueberries.  It is a huge farm called "Black River Blues" in Rochester WA.  Of course, it doesn't hold a candle to the blueberries on Love Drive, but we have to take what we can get!
Loading up the berries into containers so they will fit in the backpack for the 25 mile ride home. It was so much fun! A little chilly, but a lot of thrills!
Made lemon blueberry cake...
And blueberry mark-bear pancakes.
And we ate A LOT of them fresh.  Plus, gave some to friends.  And still managed to freeze 6 pint bags.
Another great weekend at the Tucker House. Hope yours was good too.