winter part 2

Winter is not my favorite season.

I struggle with depression and it deepens in winter. When I mentioned this to my doctor, she said that we might want to up the dosage on my anti depressant this winter. That might be a good idea.

Years ago, before Texas, we took up cross country skiing just so there would be something to look forward to each winter. Since Texas the skis sit an taunt.

When I was working I hated winter. Mud, cold houses, freezing supplies. Years ago PolySeamSeal first came out and it was in a tube. We used to carry a tube of it in our coat pocket, so it would not freeze in the tool box.

While we are healthy now (Miriam is fine except for her memory), but how long can I do all of this? No one knows, of course, but this year I can and I fully expect to keep it going next year.

This year I got behind on my garden and the weeds overshadowed some of my plants. I apologized to my neighbor who has the finest looking lawn in town. He laughed: “That show you were doing things that were more important.”

I liked his take.

Mom said that if I kept the garden in good shape until the hot part of summer, then let it go, that I might have trouble finding the produce but it would be there. I know that is not the best way to do it, but sometimes that is how it works.

This year I plated two hills of Pumpkins on the edge of the corn. It was too close and the corn was spaced too close and the pumpkin did not do well, I thought. But as we were digging potatoes we found a very fine 10” pumpkin. The only one for the year!

But as I look over my acre I can see an endless list of things that need to be done, or things that would make it nicer some way. But there are budget limitations and there are time limitations. I think I like both of those.

Miriam was good help this week. She can work with me, but she cannot do a task alone.

One thing she is good at is telling me what needs to be done. Our mail box post was driven into a few years ago and it is way off of straight now.

We hardly ever go by that she does not remind me that it needs to be fixed.

“When it falls I will fix it.”

She is not amused.

winter preparation

Grandma would be proud

Yesterday we dug potatoes, enough for the winter. Reds, yellows and whites. Good spuds.

Last week I harvested the flour corn. My neighbor, a vp in a corn seed company, took my corn, still on the cob, in burlap bags to their drying sheds to get it properly dried. I do have good neighbors.

This is supposed to be a very old strain of Indian corn (Anasazi, Flour Corn from Seeds of Change in Santa Fe). The kernels have lots of wild wonderful colors, I suppose the flour will be a shade or grey! I will save seed from the nicest and most colorful for next year.

Today we get started putting firewood into the shed. We have enough there now to get by if we were very careful, but I like to go into winter with the wood shed full (about 4 cords). That is a bit over a two year supply. I collect firewood all year and my wood lot is bulging.

Yesterday we picked up a big trailer load of oversized pallets made with good thick lumber, that will heat us for a few months.

Then I will blow out the water lines on the garden side of our property, coil the hoses and put them away with the sprinklers and get ready for winter. There is no end of things to do.

With all of this activity, I only put in a few studio hours this week. I guess that is how it works, there will be lots more time this winter.

Garrison Keillor once said that if you want to enjoy a Minnesota summer, you have to put in a Minnesota winter. In a nutty way I agree with Garrison.

I know a lot of life is being content with what you have, but I am one who thinks summer is sweeter because of winter, and that putting food and firewood up for winter is a good thing.

a "wedding"

We went to a wedding Sunday.

There was a bride and groom, attendants and bridesmaids, two or three flower girls, a little boy doing something, candles, an in your face photographer or two and a sit down dinner at the end of it all.

Not unusual I guess.

Except that the attendants were the sons and sons in law of the bride and groom, and the girls were daughters and sons wives, plus the bride’s sister.

The whole thing had all of the trappings of a wedding, but it was actually a 50th wedding anniversary celebration, along with a repeating of the marriage vows. The family are hispanic, and old friends of ours. Our kids grew up together.

The preacher spoke in spanish and another translated into english. The groom sang to his bride, the sons sang a duet to their parents (all did very well with it too).

Our kids grew up and went to school together. The groom told me that he and I were very good friends (we are) but that we do not see each other too often, (true).

I think some of the best friendships fit into that category.

As a photographer I went to more weddings than I care to think about, but this is the first like this.

I told granddaughter Emily about the ceremony. She thought I should do something like that with “grandma”. I said: “No.” She said: “even for grandma?” “No, even for grandma.”

Her suggestion was cute and not offensive at all, but I promise you I can and will love Miriam without going through a wedding again.

We are throughly married, and I like it.

male friends

We once were photographers In a smallish town with a largish small college. I photographed every one on campus several times a year, student, faculty and staff.

We were on a first name basis with hundreds of people, but during that 20 odd year period we developed very few real friendships.

We guys have trouble with close friends, male friends in particular. We just don’t make many. In fact I have read that if a guy has two real close male friends in a lifetime, he was doing well, and anything above 2 puts you in a high realm. (Jesus had 12 friends, but only three were really close).

When we went to Texas I met Carl. He was a dairy farmer (and a closet millionaire). We started spending time together going and doing. Before long we were very close friends. We could finish each others sentences, and often did.

We went to Belize and to Mexico on church mission projects with high school and college kids. We slept on floors and in king beds in fancy hotels. (Carl was the chairman of his local school board and there was a school board chairman convention each year. I would go along and sleep in the extra bed!)

I really missed Carl when I came back to Idaho. He promised he would come see us, but Idaho is a LONG way from texas. We went back a couple times, but now that is off budget both time and money wise.

I met David here in Idaho. I went to see him. “I am looking for a friend.” I began. I do not know if that is the proper way to start a friendship but that is how that one began.

That was a dozen years ago. We have hiked, we have camped, we have shot the bull, we have spent countless hours together doing all sorts of things, and that friendship has deepened.

He did not move away to get away from me (at least that is what he says), but his wife’s parents needed care and since David and wife had just retired, it seemed obvious, to every one but the Davids, I fear.

I am not sure, at this age, that I have the patience to develop another real close male friendship.

But I will read, and I will remember.

Thank you Carl

Thank you David

Bless you each.

jim and holly

In the last year and a half or so I have done a lot of work on the remodel of our church. When I was a kid this church was one of tradesmen and farmers. Now there are a few electricians and a couple of old construction generalists. Most are computer geeks of one sort or other, it seems.

I am one of those old generalist guys. We are the last of a breed I am told.

When the remodel project began I was interested in protecting Miriam’s stained glass window, and I volunteered to do the work so I could protect that window.

And I had the skills necessary. Lots of cabinet skills, tile, painting, some carpentry, carpet, and so on.

It has been a labor of love for the most part, but now I am getting tired (and we are almost finished with this phase, and the money that was raised for the work has been spent).

Any way, last summer as I was working Jim showed up (this is the same Jim we lost last christmas). He walked with a cane, but he had that million dollar smile. He offered me a envelop.

“I cannot help, so this is my part.” It was a check, large enough to be serious, but not so large as to mess with my life or head! I was impressed with his smile and his attitude. I used it as part payment on my new MacBook.

A while back Holly (the same one I mentioned a couple of weeks ago) asked me if I would accept a gift for the work I had done, a gift of appreciation. I told her that I thought a big part of christian grace was receiving grace, as well as giving it, and yes, from her I would.

I mentioned her words to David and pretty well forgot about it.

Today as I came into church, Holly caught me. “I want to talk to you after church.”

I am not an official deacon now, but the deacon of the month was having trouble getting bodies, so he asked me to take the offering.

As luck would have it, Holly and her family were sitting at the back of the section I was serving. As I came by she pushed a folded paper into my hand and smiled. I thanked her, not knowing what she had given me, but some how remembering our conversation.

When I returned to my seat I looked at the paper. It was a check. Like Jim’s it was enough to be taken seriously, but not enough to corrupt my life!

I told her later that, more than anything, it was the motive of her gift (and Jim’s before) that was most appreciated, and that I was humbled by her gift.

When you do a huge volunteer project, it is easy to think no one notices and no one cares. I know they do notice and Holly showed me that they also care.

Soon I’ll post a series of pictures of the remodel and Miriam's stained glass window.

home

Ahh, we are home.

A trip that started out to be a long weekend and ended up two weeks is over. We are back in our cozy/nutty idaho house.

Leo was not sure about it all and still hasn’t settled into his usual bed, but he will adapt.

Because my house is so nutty (and sits 4’ into the ground) the temp was not too cold, but a good fire warmed it up quickly.

When we leave on a trip I often turn off the water heater, but I did not this time, do we arrived to a tank of hot water.

I remember when we were going to graduate school in Texas. By no means was Texas home, but after 3 grueling days on the road, (about 1600 miles) we were so glad to be in our tiny apartment. It may not have been “home” but getting there was so wonderful.

This house has been our home a long long time, it is truly home and it is so good to be here again.

By the way, it is forecast to snow tonight! If it is measurable it will set a new record!

barn sour

Yesterday Miriam and I went to the Portland Ikea store.

I am always amazed and intrigued by good Swedish design.

We did not have any extra money, which is the time to go looking, I guess.

If you have never been to a Ikea store, it will take you a couple hours just to stroll through the displays.

We saw clever sinks and vanity tops, boxes and chairs. There were glasses of all sorts, and stainless steel that seemed endless.

When we walked out I had a garlic press. With that kind of frugality, we stopped at the food court by the front door. Two cinnamon rolls for $2. They were pretty good and held us till we got back to daughters house.

The day before we went to Powell’s Book Store. I found a couple of good books on book making, so we sat down while I looked them through pretty careful, even made some notes.

We left a birthday card for granddaughter Jessica who will be 15 in a bit over a week.

We have had some really cold temps on this trip, ice on the tear the last couple of nights, but we have slept very warm and cozy.

Linda’s neighbor was sure it was foolhardy for us to sleep in the trailer, but we did just fine (thanks to a good wool blanket we borrowed from Arline).

But the idea of going home is wonderful.

If I were a horse they would say I was “barn sour.”

portland

We are in Portland Oregon this week.

There are a lot of things back home that need to be done. Firewood cut and in the wood shed; garlic planted; potatoes dug; flour corn and beans brought in to dry, but when you think of the long run, being with a family trumps.

Our youngest daughter and our 2nd oldest granddaughter (Lia and Emily) live here in Portland. Lia works for a Moonstruck Chocolates as the art director. http://www.moonstruckchocolate.com/ She art directed or designed most of the graphics on that page, and if you notice on one page the chocolate has a name on it: “emily”!!

When we visit we get chocolate!

Emily attends a private high school and takes the bus and train each day to and from school. There is a parent teacher meeting and Lia and I will go. I would love to talk to her teachers. (“Emily is bright and capable, do not let her get away with sloppy work” that would come from grandpa).

In the northwest Portland is famous as the place it always rains. That title is shared with Seattle, though it does not ALWAYS do anything. In fact they can have serious droughts as well.

Dallas and Portland get about the same amount of rain. A 4 or 5 inch rain can fall in 30 minutes in Dallas and take weeks in Seattle or Portland.

Any way it is fall and the mood is cloudy and grey, but not too cold.

We parked our teardrop trailer under an old apple tree in Lia’s yard and made ourselves right at home.

Miriam keeps wondering when we are going home, but I work at keeping her happy, and content. I give her lots of hugs and compliments. Like the rest of us, she reacts to love.

Leo the dog actually belongs to Lia and Emily, and he feels right at home here.

Tomorrow while Lia is working and Emily is in school, Miriam and I will go visit Powell’s books. I have heard it said it is the largest book store I the world. We go to the one in a nearby superb. Used and new books are shelved together by topic.

A true bookliophiliac will go nuts there. We will spend a happy time and even if we don’t buy anything it is so much fun.

I had an uncle who lived less than a mile from Lia's house. My mother's brother, he was a dentist and a real fine guy. He fell out of a tree he was trimming (he had no business being there, but that is another story) which brought on head trauma and early Alzheimer’s.

He died when we were still in Texas. She died a few years later. They were really good people. I wish I could go visit with them.

"I know . . "

We’ve been away from home a week.

Up till now it has gone pretty well. Today the trance was broken. It was shower day, but she refused to shower, then she agreed but did not.

Short of starting a ruckus I backed off and let it go.

We had planned on going to church this morning, but I think we will stay here and watch church on TV. That will take some persuading but I think I can pull it off.

All of this reminds me that change is not good for her.

Arline (daughter) and I were gone the other day, when we came back, Miriam was sitting in a lawn chair, purposely not looking at us.

I went over to talk to her and she was genuinely unhappy. “I figured out what you are going to do with me!” She exclaimed.

“Really.” I said, knowing that we had not even talked about any change.

“What are we going to do with you?”

“You are going to move me up here.” We did think of that a few years ago, but it is not an on table discussion point now. 


So, when I assured her that we would live a long while in our own home, she was so grateful, she smiled her sad puppy smile and hugged me like I had saved her life.

It ain’t always fun.

candy store

Today I was the kid in the candy store.

Daughter 1 has been a serious fiber artists for years, beginning in high school, and before, when she learned to sew her own clothes.

Any way for a lot of years she has been very serious about quilting. I don’t know a lot of quilters, but from what I gather, she is more typical than not. Her fabric shelves groan under the weight of her "palette."

She showed me her cache. Boxes of neatly ironed and folded fabric pieces, mostly cottons, separated by colors. She gave me instructions to go through and when I found one I thought would make a good book cover, to cut off enough for a book or two.

So I did, and did and did.

I was intoxicated by all of these choices of wonderful fabrics. One series I was especially fond of, and she told me I should be, because they were the most expensive in her collection!

Then I mentioned that I planned to go to 2nd hand stores and find some worn leather clothing to use for book covers.

Her eyes lit up. She sent me on an errand to find a plastic tote. It was full of leather pieces. Pieces from coats and pants she found here and there. She had made a series of stick horses years ago and had used this leather for those horses.

Now she has moved on and I became the owner of that box of leather. She even had a skirt and coat made of Ultra-suede. Ahh the queen of imitation leathers. That piece will cover a LOT of books.

And she taught me how to dye leather with Kool Aid to get a larger variety of colors.

But she had one request: she wants a book made a half page size (5 ½ by 8 ½) with leather spine cover and a beautiful embossed paper on the cover. With pleasure I will make that book!

There are a lot of things that get an artist to thinking and creating but having a supply of new materials is high on the list.

I think I might come down with “fiber diabetes.”

fall camping

My family have always been campers.

Sometimes it was recreation, but it the old times, it was a necessity. My mom and her family (mom was about 12 at the time) spent the winter in the idaho mountains in a pair of tents. Imagine the amount of firewood they went through.

We lived in a tent while we built our house some years ago. The girls were teens!

But now we camp for recreation.

Last weekend was our final camp trip of the year, though we will sleep in our tear for another week. (We area daughter visiting, and the tear is our bedroom!)

Fall in the mountain west has warm days and cold nights. Temps often dip close to freezing.

Last weekend we camped with our 2nd daughter's family. We were not at great elevation, but it was cold at night. The campground was in a narrow box canyon. The sun came up at 10:30 and went down about 4. Without the sun it was cool to cold.

Miriam used to take care of so many of the details of any adventure, and now that I do, I forget some things some times. I make lists and try to remember, but there is a lot she used to do that I did not fully appreciate.

So we took our tear drop, with the big comforter on the bed, but no extra blankets. (I try to always have two extras). It was just cold enough at night that I always was on the edge of being fairly uncomfortable.

The 3rd night, granddaughter Brianna (who is a dear soul) found us an extra blanket and it was so wonderful.

It is amazing how important some of the little things can be.

campfire cake

Sunday was our son-in-law’s birthday.

Cliff is 45. Wow. Anyway his older daughter Brianna and I conspired to make him one of my upside down cakes.

I had the stuff with me. Brown sugar, walnuts, butter, cake mix with oil and eggs, the whole thing. So I put it together with a bit of help from Bri.

This time daughter had a big bed of coals in the fire pit so we decided to use that, besides I had put the charcoal briquettes some where and did not find them until later.

So we put the dutch oven in the coals. I took a little shovel I had and put some coals on the top. It looked good.

Every 5 minutes I would rotate the lid one direction ⅓ turn and the oven the other way to keep the heat even. The box said to bake it 30 minutes I thought, so had one of the boys set his wrist watch for a timer.

I remembered being told to be careful opening the oven door while a cake is baking, so I skipped that and stayed with the timer.

At the 25 minute mark I peeked inside.

It was an awesome sight. It was uniformly baked on all sides.

It was as black as soot, and stayed black for the first ⅜ of an inch every direction.

We cut it in 8 pieces and picked out the good parts in the center.

Later we did it again and this time used those briquettes and did a lot of peeking, and it turned out wonderful.

I am learning and I am living. I hope the former is on a shorter curve than the latter!

travel day

Today we are driving a couple hundred miles west to go camping with daughter 2 and her family. There are 6 of them, so it will be a good group.

We are taking the teardrop trailer, it sleeps well and it is warmer than sleeping in a tent, and it is getting towards fall, and the night temps in the mountains can get pretty nippy.

I will make my upside down cake, and maybe something else in my dutch oven, but there are plenty of good cooks! We will eat well.

Then early next week we will drive the 45 miles north to visit daughter 1 and her family. Her oldest is married and living out of state with his bride, but the remaining family will be there. It is always good to spend time with them.

So, we will be gone from home about a week. We haven’t done that much this year. The cost of travel somehow limits the number of trips! I had hoped to go for a week long camp trip, just Miriam and I but not this year.

We are planning a run to Death Valley in late winter. It should be warm there, when it is still cold in Idaho. That trip will be a tent trip. The hot springs where we go is at the end of a long rough road. We will meet an old friend there. There are no services available, so we could stay until we ran out of food!

So, I will hook up the teardrop trailer to Miriam’s Cavalier, which qualifies as a little car. Leo, the dog will go with us, and we will have a good time.

I want to enjoy these trips and visits with our kids and grandkids. I know that the time is coming when that will not be possible.

My neighbors across the street are a wonderful hispanic family, Juan feeds our fish while we are gone and brings in the mail. He tells me that his father in law has been diagnosed with AD. He is dropping very fast. He is just a few years older than us. That makes me sad.

And, we will take a lunch. Freeway food is bad and spendy both.

the piano

Yesterday we were working at the church -- again.

When some one asks if I am retired, I say yes, that is I work but I don’t get paid for what I do. In fact I figured that if I got paid as a contractor for the work I had done on various church projects, I could buy a new Caddy with the cash.

But I digress.

I was grouting tile yesterday on the stage of the church. Miriam was with me and she sat down at the grand piano and began picking out a song.

Miriam is not really a piano player, but she enjoys sitting and playing a few hymns. This time I encouraged her to play more. I liked to hear it.

It reminded me of the old days when she would do just that. Sit at the piano and play a hymn that was buzzing in her head.

We don’t have a piano in the house anymore. I bought her a decent keyboard some years back, and she will play it on a rare occasion.

So, as I spread grout, I listened to my sweetheart, and old memories flooded my mind.

Did I say that grouting is quite physical, but has very low intellectual demands, and that my mind wanders?

early hand made books

The top one holds my iPod shuffle!