shoo fly ... now go away

It has been so beastly hot that even the flies are trying to head inside.

And, despite the fact that we don't have littles running in and out, they're managing.

The shade of the patio was starting to feel like the backside of the barn,

with more fly shooing than north country mosquito swatting going on.

Yuck.

Recently I had pinned this on Pinterest and figured I'd give it a try.

I've been avoiding walking into WalMart or Target so am out of Ziploc bags.

For some reason, I have a box of gallon size bags with ties sitting in the drawer

taking up space so I gave it a whirl.

Each bag is filled with water (I probably overfilled them) and I added 5 pennies to each.

I have no clue what the pennies are about, but I saw one place where they added

one penny to the bag and another place where they added 5 pennies.

Being as our change jar is a bottomless one, I figured I could stand to part with 10 pennies. 

I hung a bag at each end of the patio in the heat of the afternoon

when it was probably 115F and expected instant results.

It took until the next day.

The flies were not giving in easily and it was much cooler hanging out on my clean laundry,

under the cover of shade, than flying off somewhere else.

The second day, and since then, I usually have one fly keeping me company.

I'll take his company.

His entire relationship took off and left him behind.

He's probably lonely.

Apparently, the reason this works is that a flies eye is actually

hundreds of eyes and they don't like the reflection of light.

Whatever the reason ... I'm grateful to Pinterest and this website (from where it was pinned)

 on natural fly repellant that has given me peace while enjoying the summer outdoors!

mother and daughter camp

where the air is cooler, the sun feels warmer and I was able to wear a jean jacket for an hour.
Maybe two hours. I sort of lost track of time.

Tia, Anna, Aimee and Bethany rode up to camp with me on Friday. Tia said it was the funnest ride she has had up there. We took the car and let me tell you .... it was a barrel of laughs. The car sort of had a mishap last winter and when there is weight in the back seat (never mind the trunk was full) the passenger side rear tire rubs on something at every dip or bump in the road. Aimee probably needs a chiropractic adjustment after riding on that side of the car. We could probably rename her Angling Aimee. That was all before we hit the camp road. I've been driving the truck up to camp ... not the car. Since the last time we were there it rained a great big gulley washer and we had some serious ouch moments for the bottom of my car. We made it and I'm so glad these girls came along .. even if three of them ditched me and came back a bit earlier.

We were able to enjoy flag raising and Morning Devotion on Saturday outdoors. The sun was bright enough that some of us found shade to sit in. Presentations for the remainder of camp were held indoors. We had good reminders and I wonder what all those little girls took home with them. I am always amazed that so many of these young people aren't scared to get up in front of a crowd of people and put together a rip roaring howling skit. They aren't afraid to speak when a microphone is put in front of them. I would have turned 59 shades of red and not been able to open my mouth at that age! 

I just love the peace of this special place. Visits around coffee cups at night and water bottles during the day. Friends to share our journeys with. Friends to help us ..... from great tips on packing kids' lunches to sharing the joys of being mothers and daughters. Sunshine filled weekend capped off by a good bout of rain.

Not that I'm counting or anything ... in about 23 days, 2 hours and 29 minutes I can head back up there again. I wouldn't be anxious now, would I?

a day in jerome

Sometime the middle of July about two days after I came home from Minnesota

and a day after Jari headed for Alaska,

Ronda and I headed to Jerome for the day.

We really weren't interested in museums or mine tours.

I was more in tune with browing shops, having lunch and clicking a shutter. 

Being as shops and lunch didn't take too many hours, we headed for Flagstaff

to get in some visiting time.

I'm doing this again .... sometime soon.

I'm attempting the scheduled publishing.

If this should show up on the blog over the weekend, it doesn't mean I'm blogging.:)

I'll be at Kamp. Most likely with very scattered internet access.

thursdays ....

are grub nite over here. For now ... it works. Lately I've been working shorter days on Thursdays. Here's positive thinking. By the time I'm working longer Thursdays, I'll come home and dinner will be served. Positive or delusional? Maybe a wee bit of both.

I did get cranky yesterday. The temp was somewhere in the 100 teens. The air conditioner running nonstop and not cooling the house below 84ish degrees. About the time the oven had to be turned on I was sort of losing it. I could have nearly died for a dip in my little swimming pool but didn't think I had time. Enough of the cranky. The hard work was done in the kitchen ... without any photos. Shoot!

I did get one while I was still at work. How many potatoes do we peel? I have to say that I did some gulping when I saw this picture come via text. Uhm. Cut down that number please ... these things are mammoth!

When you teach your children to cook, do you start with simple stuff or do you start with tripling recipes? May as well do it BIG ... we went for the tripling of Salmon Chowder. Anna probably developed caluses from the vegie peeler and the dicing knife. It probably qualifies for Marine boot camp in the kitchen. Red Lobster cheese biscuits (I found the recipe I really wanted after the ones we made came out of the oven.) added a bit more to the menu. The poor child won't know how to cook for 2 when we sort of planned to feed about 22 last evening. I really have an ulterior motive going on here. I'm counting down the days years that I'm doing Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. Don't tell these girls of mine!


It isn't just about the food and it really doesn't have anything to do with my New Years Resolution, but it is a great way to shareour lives with others. A great time for food, fun and fellowship.

Clockwise from upper left: Dustyn (the sole child in the group last evening), Carita Keranen & Ben Wuollet, table of Monopoly Deal,

Ken & Betty Forstie, Bethany Simonson & Anna, Logan Simonson

We'll see who is here next Thursday ... it may be the same crew. They all know what is on the menu.

This morning (and it's time to shag girls to school work as soon as I hit publish over here) I've managed to give up on my scrapbooking program, back up photos to the external hard drive and enjoy a few hours of peace and quiet (the older I get the more I appreciate it!) playing on the laptop. Time to hit the pool, spin another couple loads of laundry ... and pack for camp. The girls and I are headed up to Kamp Kipa this afternoon for Mother & Daughter Camp. Yippee!!! The temp there was a breezy 81F yesterday. You have no idea how ready I am for that.

My July photo project is still underway ... it might just end up being July of 2013 if it takes any longer. August was splendidly cool. I did have to cheat and use one picture from my phone because I loved it and wanted to capture it.

sea breezes

My house is full again.
School started today.
I have no computer time.
Period.

I am going crazy needing to share some photos with you, so gave in to using the Instagram ones off my phone from this past weekend. I'll eventually get around to the others. I promise. Sometime after my scrapbooking program quits freezing up on me. Read that as serious frustration. You have 30 minutes and spend it fighting with computer software. Not good.

Last week Jari got home on Tuesday from his Alaska journey. I was at work when they pulled in and didn't get home 'til late (at least in my books!) that day. Sometime during the day he texted he and asked if I wanted to go to San Diego for the weekend. A serious what?! He had just taken his buns off the car seat after traveling something like 4,200 miles and he wanted to go drive again?? I'm starting to think the man has some issues. 

What would you say?

We left Friday night, sharing the weekend with Frans & Jenny, and came home Sunday evening.
I know we run a lot.
Some folks might even call it excessive ... and somedays when I'm yearning to just veg on the couch I might agree with them.
However, we have not spent a weekend away by ourselves in at least 5 years. I'm guessing that the last time we did that was a trip to Seattle for Eric & Rosella's wedding in August of 2007. It was long overdue.

Imperial Beach

Smoothies in La Jolla

Cigars at Seaport Village

I hope we don't have to wait another 5 years to do this again.

the good dishes

She is on a roll!

Last night she made dinner.

The crockpot was nearly overflowing with barbeque meatballs.

I might need an electric can opener because I had to open the corn cans.

Jari and I peeled the potatoes.

She put it all together, invited them all,

and served it on china.

Followed with a good game of Monopoly Deal.

Oh ... and hot fudge brownies with ice cream and coffee.

Yummy! 



You moms of youngins ... there is hope.

Lots of hope.

My girls were sort of arguing about which one gets to make Salmon Chowder next week.

I think it is time to introduce them to starched linen table cloths and napkins.

I'll let you know how that one goes!



i'll give you one guess

 You didn't even need the question did you?

Isn't it amazing what little snippets of memory catching photos will do?

If you made the astute observation that the kids came home, then you're

probably not a stranger to these scenes.

You won't believe it.

I even made dinner in a 9x13 pan again.

Life is good.