Thanks for all the cards - Gabe's writing looks just like Blake's did at that age - EXACTLY - I can even tell that he is trying to make the letters. Cool . Also thanks for the calls - sorry I missed you - I haven't left the house in a month, literally, and we just sat at the restaurant and talked and talked and then we went to the library and the drug store and came home.
Alicia and my friend Margret took me out for Chinese food today and we made a date for next year - same time, same place - so I can't die this year, because I have a date for lunch on my 56th birthday. Margret is from Germany, you know, and as we sat there, the song, "Edlewiess" came on and we all got all misty. She is going home next week and taking her 2 youngest to visit her family and the song reminded her of a cabin in the mountains she went to when she was young and she is going to take her kids there on their visit, now. So that was fun to think of that and plan it with her.
I think I've been going out for Chinese on my birthday for about 50 years now. Amazing, isn't it? Then we ran in to a person we worked with 12 years ago - and hadn't seen since. And we saw Shannon, who has been away at college for a whole year, so it was a good day.
I also got a bunch of books at the library book sale to make into journals to sell on ETSY - and yes, all you book protectors out there - they were all poorly written, unheard of books. Alicia was overseeing my purchases and you know she won't let me deface anything close to classic. If you want to see what they look like when I'm done - you can check one out at our ETSY shop - thewindfarm.etsy.com
Then, since I was downstairs and outside, I went out to meet Gretta and Gabby and the chickens and turkeys. The turkeys are really getting big and a couple of the chickens are really large. And I was surprised how strong Gretta was - she couldn't figure out where to push me since I was wearing a dress and the wind was blowing - it was funny as she tried to push into it and the wind was there.
Okay - time for Top Chef - I have to go see who gets thrown under the bus. hahahaha Love, Charlotte
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Big Day for Charlotte
Well, today is a big day for me. When I was 16, I looked around at everyone I knew and I decided that no one really needed to live more than 55 years. I mean, it was okay if you did, but it just wasn't for me. After the age of 55 it seemed to me that your body just couldn't do all the stuff that a 16 year old wants a body to do......
so flash forward a few decades and today i turn 55 and I am terrifyed that I have jinxed myself and that I am going to die this year. I keep trying to convince myself that if I change my thinking I won't die, but I'm not sure if it is too late.
So I'm trying to think lots of positive thoughts and make plans for future years and such, but in the back of my head, I'm still 55. YIKES ! ! !
so flash forward a few decades and today i turn 55 and I am terrifyed that I have jinxed myself and that I am going to die this year. I keep trying to convince myself that if I change my thinking I won't die, but I'm not sure if it is too late.
So I'm trying to think lots of positive thoughts and make plans for future years and such, but in the back of my head, I'm still 55. YIKES ! ! !
Friday, May 23, 2008
Funny Birds this year
We have this funny robin in our yard this year. He has the weirdest songs I have every heard from a robin - and I have been a fan of robins for more than 50 years now.
This one has a screechy sound when it comes into the yard which is really weird and then it sits in the tree every evening and sings and sings. It can imitate the chirping/chortle of a hungry eagle (which isn't really a sound we like to hear in our yard, but it is funny that the robin makes it). Then if you sing a song to him, he only has to hear it twice and then he adds it to his song and so then every time you hear him, he will sing robin songs for a while, then throw in a couple eagle chirps and then sing your song to you. And he can learn a new song from you like every day, so it is really fun.
I've had other birds do this, but not to this extent and I don't remember a robin being this way before.
The swallows came late this year, and they are not really here in numbers and haven't even begun to nest yet. I hope that means a long hot summer, but up here, we never know what that means.... it might just mean a late, cold spring and we can attest to that. brrrrr
Brian and Alicia went mushroom hunting this morning and found a foot of snow still covering the mushroom ground.
It is almost midnight on Memorial Friday which usually means miles and miles of cars from Anchorage, but a semi overturned this morning up by Cooper Landing and at 10:00 pm, they still hadn't fully opened the road, so it is unusually quiet. YAY !!! All the traffic really gets to me on Memorial Weekend. And Mya and Heathcliff have decided that the highway is now part of their territory to defend, so they bark or scream every time a big or noisy vehicle drives by. You can imagine how restful that is. Plus of course, we have had a steady stream of boats and trailers in here this past 2 weeks getting ready for fishing season, so Mya is all distressed about the customers driving in her driveway and bothering her dad out at the shop.
Looks like they got the highway open - the crowds are starting up. Usually some of us would be down at the bridge waiting for someone to look at their watch and yell, " IT'S MIDNIGHT ! ! " and then splash, splash, splash all up and down the river as the king season opens, but the river is really high and full of mud, so nobody here is going fishing at midnight - not to mention we all have the flu and / or a cold or both in some order. Thank you Brian and Justin for bringing home different illnesses for us to all catch. hehehe
So if you guys like videos, I will try to get a sound byte of the bird singing, but if videos don't work for you, I won't bother.
Love you guys - have a good weekend. Love, Charlotte
This one has a screechy sound when it comes into the yard which is really weird and then it sits in the tree every evening and sings and sings. It can imitate the chirping/chortle of a hungry eagle (which isn't really a sound we like to hear in our yard, but it is funny that the robin makes it). Then if you sing a song to him, he only has to hear it twice and then he adds it to his song and so then every time you hear him, he will sing robin songs for a while, then throw in a couple eagle chirps and then sing your song to you. And he can learn a new song from you like every day, so it is really fun.
I've had other birds do this, but not to this extent and I don't remember a robin being this way before.
The swallows came late this year, and they are not really here in numbers and haven't even begun to nest yet. I hope that means a long hot summer, but up here, we never know what that means.... it might just mean a late, cold spring and we can attest to that. brrrrr
Brian and Alicia went mushroom hunting this morning and found a foot of snow still covering the mushroom ground.
It is almost midnight on Memorial Friday which usually means miles and miles of cars from Anchorage, but a semi overturned this morning up by Cooper Landing and at 10:00 pm, they still hadn't fully opened the road, so it is unusually quiet. YAY !!! All the traffic really gets to me on Memorial Weekend. And Mya and Heathcliff have decided that the highway is now part of their territory to defend, so they bark or scream every time a big or noisy vehicle drives by. You can imagine how restful that is. Plus of course, we have had a steady stream of boats and trailers in here this past 2 weeks getting ready for fishing season, so Mya is all distressed about the customers driving in her driveway and bothering her dad out at the shop.
Looks like they got the highway open - the crowds are starting up. Usually some of us would be down at the bridge waiting for someone to look at their watch and yell, " IT'S MIDNIGHT ! ! " and then splash, splash, splash all up and down the river as the king season opens, but the river is really high and full of mud, so nobody here is going fishing at midnight - not to mention we all have the flu and / or a cold or both in some order. Thank you Brian and Justin for bringing home different illnesses for us to all catch. hehehe
So if you guys like videos, I will try to get a sound byte of the bird singing, but if videos don't work for you, I won't bother.
Love you guys - have a good weekend. Love, Charlotte
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Another day, Another kick in the pants
Two items to report today - 3 if you count Blake's XBOX dying again - but you'll have to go to his blog and read his story and the comments about his story to get all the details. (For those that don't know - Blake is our son that lives in Seattle).
Anyway, the saddest of the two events is that Brian's Uncle Roy died this weekend. Thank goodness for the Wallowa County paper being so timely in reporting these things....... No one from the family has called or written to let us know, even now. Uncle Roy had been very sick for a long long time so his death was not unexpected - we just worry most about Aunt Leona being alone now. They were so close - like my grandparents did, Aunt Leona moved into the nursing home to live with and take of Uncle Roy and to help him to not be afraid while living there. May we all be so blessed to have that much love in our marriages when the end nears.
Secondly, Brian called this evening and said that because of lower enrollment figures, his hours will be cut to half-time in August when they start back to school. Major bummer. It isn't that much money, but it is steady and has great benefits. Major, Major bummer. It is still possible that it will work out - but they won't know until August and who wants to sit around for 4 months while they decide if you will have a job or not. GRRRRRRRR I am so bummed, I can't even put it into words. Just the idea of trying to support all 4 of us and knowing that one of my other kids is in job flux as well, is overwhelming.
Anyway, the saddest of the two events is that Brian's Uncle Roy died this weekend. Thank goodness for the Wallowa County paper being so timely in reporting these things....... No one from the family has called or written to let us know, even now. Uncle Roy had been very sick for a long long time so his death was not unexpected - we just worry most about Aunt Leona being alone now. They were so close - like my grandparents did, Aunt Leona moved into the nursing home to live with and take of Uncle Roy and to help him to not be afraid while living there. May we all be so blessed to have that much love in our marriages when the end nears.
Secondly, Brian called this evening and said that because of lower enrollment figures, his hours will be cut to half-time in August when they start back to school. Major bummer. It isn't that much money, but it is steady and has great benefits. Major, Major bummer. It is still possible that it will work out - but they won't know until August and who wants to sit around for 4 months while they decide if you will have a job or not. GRRRRRRRR I am so bummed, I can't even put it into words. Just the idea of trying to support all 4 of us and knowing that one of my other kids is in job flux as well, is overwhelming.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Now what do we do???
I was looking forward to naming one of our Desperate HouseGoats after Edie. Now she has left the series I don't know what we'll do..... I guess we will name one of the next ones after Ben (although I think that is a weird name for a nanny goat, but since Ben asked us to name one after him, we will). I guess Ben and Bree sounds good when you hollar it across the yard. We have two "G" names now. hehehehe
Desperate Housewives News
Will Edie ever return to `Desperate Housewives'?
When Edie packed up and left Wisteria Lane at the end of Sunday's "Desperate Housewives," viewers were caught by surprise.
The sudden exit of the neighborhood's blond troublemaker has fans wondering how this plot twist will affect the ABC hit series, and whether Nicollette Sheridan, who has played Edie during its four seasons, will be back.
For weeks, rumors swirled that Sheridan was out of the show. Both ABC and Sheridan's publicist, Nicole Perna, have been tightlipped in response to inquiries about her imminent departure.
But creator and executive producer Marc Cherry was slightly more forthcoming. Yes, Edie's gone, he told The Associated Press on Friday. Then he added: "She won't be back for a few years."
What could that mean? Hadn't Cherry already announced he will bring his series to a close at the end of the 2010-11 season, just three years from now?
Desperate Housewives News
Will Edie ever return to `Desperate Housewives'?
When Edie packed up and left Wisteria Lane at the end of Sunday's "Desperate Housewives," viewers were caught by surprise.
The sudden exit of the neighborhood's blond troublemaker has fans wondering how this plot twist will affect the ABC hit series, and whether Nicollette Sheridan, who has played Edie during its four seasons, will be back.
For weeks, rumors swirled that Sheridan was out of the show. Both ABC and Sheridan's publicist, Nicole Perna, have been tightlipped in response to inquiries about her imminent departure.
But creator and executive producer Marc Cherry was slightly more forthcoming. Yes, Edie's gone, he told The Associated Press on Friday. Then he added: "She won't be back for a few years."
What could that mean? Hadn't Cherry already announced he will bring his series to a close at the end of the 2010-11 season, just three years from now?
How 'bout those Lakers
All 8 of them that are on the floor at once.....
I watched the middle of the night rebroadcast of the Laker/ Jazz game tonight. And in the middle of the overtime, I remembered why I quit watching NBA.
If I couldn't win a game without buying off every ref in the league, I would be too embarrassed to show my face in public - especially, if I was always going around claiming to be the best player ever in the entire history of the game... past, present and future.
In other words, if any other team or player had backed into another player and forearmed them to the floor, it would have been called as a big foul, but not Sir Kobe or his lackie.. I think it was fisher. Ticks me off more than I can say.
Thank Goodness that Boozer and Kyle Kover saved the Jazz. Stupid Lakers, I just cannot stand them. Char
I watched the middle of the night rebroadcast of the Laker/ Jazz game tonight. And in the middle of the overtime, I remembered why I quit watching NBA.
If I couldn't win a game without buying off every ref in the league, I would be too embarrassed to show my face in public - especially, if I was always going around claiming to be the best player ever in the entire history of the game... past, present and future.
In other words, if any other team or player had backed into another player and forearmed them to the floor, it would have been called as a big foul, but not Sir Kobe or his lackie.. I think it was fisher. Ticks me off more than I can say.
Thank Goodness that Boozer and Kyle Kover saved the Jazz. Stupid Lakers, I just cannot stand them. Char
Sunday, May 11, 2008
For all Moms and Kids
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?cl=7769235
You'll have to watcha couple times to get all the words. But it is Hilarious ! ! !
You'll have to watcha couple times to get all the words. But it is Hilarious ! ! !
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
what is Festevus???
Denae asked about Festevus and I realized that maybe others weren't up on TV or movie speak like our family is... well, we aren't "up" on it, we are obsessed with it.. I don't think we have any original conversations anymore, we just do a bit from some TV show or movie. There is one for almost every situation when you watch as much TV as I do. That's actually an interesting story, too. When I was young, TV was new and I literally grew up and old along with TV. I was very active as a child, but i LOVED Tv and my parents always said I watched too m uch. I guess they can take that back no - I have put it to good use.
And actually, I used to do bits from TV when I was a kid and a teenager and drove my mother crazy with my antics. but that is another story. ON TO the explanation of Festevus. OH, another side note - if you google Festevus, my blog is like the 8th entry that shows up. hheheh
Festevus comes from the Seinfeld show. I didn't realize until I looked it up today that it is actually part of the Christmas season. I was thinking it could be any time of year. George worked for this company that let you have off for religious holidays and he wanted an extra day off for something, so he told his boss he needed Festevus off. and his boss wanted to understand, so he makes George bring him to the family Festevus celebration. so they throw this together.
The part I remember is before the meal, you have the : Ceremonial airing of the Grievances.. and everyone goes around the table and airs their grievances for the year and then you have feats of strength and then you wrestle to see whose grievances get to be settled.... so it ends up like all family dinners - a giant screaming match and people punching each other out.
The holiday begins as all are seated around the table and the head of the house says, "Let the airing of the grievances begin..."
And actually, I used to do bits from TV when I was a kid and a teenager and drove my mother crazy with my antics. but that is another story. ON TO the explanation of Festevus. OH, another side note - if you google Festevus, my blog is like the 8th entry that shows up. hheheh
Festevus comes from the Seinfeld show. I didn't realize until I looked it up today that it is actually part of the Christmas season. I was thinking it could be any time of year. George worked for this company that let you have off for religious holidays and he wanted an extra day off for something, so he told his boss he needed Festevus off. and his boss wanted to understand, so he makes George bring him to the family Festevus celebration. so they throw this together.
The part I remember is before the meal, you have the : Ceremonial airing of the Grievances.. and everyone goes around the table and airs their grievances for the year and then you have feats of strength and then you wrestle to see whose grievances get to be settled.... so it ends up like all family dinners - a giant screaming match and people punching each other out.
The holiday begins as all are seated around the table and the head of the house says, "Let the airing of the grievances begin..."
Saturday, May 03, 2008
EEE - EYE -EEEE -EYE - OOOOOOO
Well, We have done it. We have finally and completely lost our minds. Today the kids went and bought 2 milk goats. One is milking now - Gretta. She is 2 years old. The other was born in Feb. or March - Gabby. And she will have to grow some and have a kid before she can give milk. We had them out in the pig pen, but we couldn't see them out there and it was too windy.
so Justin quickly put wire around the lean-to at the bottom of the back stairs, where the goose usually eats. It is still pretty windy today so he is going to put some plywood up to enclose them in a little. Gabby is shivering from being too cold. She keeps trying to nurse on Gretta, but Gretta wants nothing to do with it. She isn't Gabby's mother.
I didn't realize they would bleep bleep that much. Gabby's sounds just like a baby crying, but Gretta sounds like a goat.
So, within a couple days, we will have goat cheese and goat yogurt and butter and milk to drink. I hope we like it. We also can use it to make soap. Alicia makes really good soap and the goat milk makes a really really nice soap. I guess we will be spending our Saturdays down at the farmer's market this summer after all.
When we first moved to this house, I planted about an acre to 5 kinds of clover and about 7 kinds of grasses/ grains. We will be staking the goats out to graze on that and also on the weeds in the front by the highway. We just traded our neighbor last fall for possession of the land right on the highway so we can keep the weeds trimmed down now and keep it looking better.
Also, thru our etsy site: thewindfarm@etsy.com, we are going to be selling alder chips for BBQs and smokers. Blake gave me the idea on his birthday because he puts hickory chips on his BBQ and I was thinking how many acres and acres of alders are here and going to waste and they make a wonderful BBQ smoke so we are going to harvest them and sew little cotton bags and sell them. Hopefully, we will sell some in town, too, especially to the tourists. AHHHH, you have to love an economic recession. It's really keeping us on our toes.
Look for pictures and a video of the goats and the chicks on Alicia and Justin's blog later. Also today, we moved all the chicks and the turkeys out of the green house and into their newly expanded chicken house. The poor turkeys had grown so much they had to walk all slunched over inside their coop. Our corn is almost 2 feet high, so Justin wanted to get the chicks out so there would be room for his corn to keep growing in the green house.
Busy Busy fun times. Brian is thru building the foundation for the oyster plant. They are waiting for a grant for the money to build the building part of it. So for now, he just has the school and all the boats and tractors getting ready for the start of fishing season. on some days, he gets to sleep 6 full hours before going to work (and one day last week, he slept until almost 8 0'clock. WOW). Of course, now the dog is used to getting up at 6, so by 7 she really has to go out and comes to wake Brian up anyway. No rest for the wicked, I guess. hehehe
Charlotte
so Justin quickly put wire around the lean-to at the bottom of the back stairs, where the goose usually eats. It is still pretty windy today so he is going to put some plywood up to enclose them in a little. Gabby is shivering from being too cold. She keeps trying to nurse on Gretta, but Gretta wants nothing to do with it. She isn't Gabby's mother.
I didn't realize they would bleep bleep that much. Gabby's sounds just like a baby crying, but Gretta sounds like a goat.
So, within a couple days, we will have goat cheese and goat yogurt and butter and milk to drink. I hope we like it. We also can use it to make soap. Alicia makes really good soap and the goat milk makes a really really nice soap. I guess we will be spending our Saturdays down at the farmer's market this summer after all.
When we first moved to this house, I planted about an acre to 5 kinds of clover and about 7 kinds of grasses/ grains. We will be staking the goats out to graze on that and also on the weeds in the front by the highway. We just traded our neighbor last fall for possession of the land right on the highway so we can keep the weeds trimmed down now and keep it looking better.
Also, thru our etsy site: thewindfarm@etsy.com, we are going to be selling alder chips for BBQs and smokers. Blake gave me the idea on his birthday because he puts hickory chips on his BBQ and I was thinking how many acres and acres of alders are here and going to waste and they make a wonderful BBQ smoke so we are going to harvest them and sew little cotton bags and sell them. Hopefully, we will sell some in town, too, especially to the tourists. AHHHH, you have to love an economic recession. It's really keeping us on our toes.
Look for pictures and a video of the goats and the chicks on Alicia and Justin's blog later. Also today, we moved all the chicks and the turkeys out of the green house and into their newly expanded chicken house. The poor turkeys had grown so much they had to walk all slunched over inside their coop. Our corn is almost 2 feet high, so Justin wanted to get the chicks out so there would be room for his corn to keep growing in the green house.
Busy Busy fun times. Brian is thru building the foundation for the oyster plant. They are waiting for a grant for the money to build the building part of it. So for now, he just has the school and all the boats and tractors getting ready for the start of fishing season. on some days, he gets to sleep 6 full hours before going to work (and one day last week, he slept until almost 8 0'clock. WOW). Of course, now the dog is used to getting up at 6, so by 7 she really has to go out and comes to wake Brian up anyway. No rest for the wicked, I guess. hehehe
Charlotte
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