Summer Camping trip

We look so forward to our week long summer camping trip in the wilderness. What a stress free vacation, really the only problem if you want to call it that is making sure you can get to the shade in time, before the afternoon sun does you in. Now that is what I call good stress!

 It's always important to have the "luxuries" close by. Glenn was the best ever and put a nice bathroom together for us, the bathroom was tucked away down a hill  into the wilderness I have to say it's one "room" we really appreciated. Thanks Glenn ! Yes if you look closely that is the current copy of Mary Jane Farms:)

Having proper food available is good here is a good example cold beer in a glass and red vines! Then there is the camping bed room. Somebody slept all night long each night we were there do you blame her?

Juniper Berry was always standing guard she is one faith full camping dog. Except when she wants to be tucked in at night then you are on your own.

PS. I made her dog bed out of Glenn's old work shirts I used the panels with the front pocket on them so she can have treats waiting for her. She is always surprised to find a bone or a cookie in one of the pockets.

Camping isn't all roughing it, people pay good money to have their bare feet warmed on a hot bed of rocks in the cool night. Here we had it every night free of charge.

Wild flowers are one of my favorites, we had the opportunity to watch wild garlic in bud form when we 1st arrive to blooming after a short summer rain storm. WOW! Take a look for yourself:)

Another great past time is traveling around mountain roads to see what you can find. Like pretty things (see photos above) or a structure left from a sheep herder or maybe elk camp. Fun stuff to do that's for sure.

Sometimes we have accidents but they are taken care of quickly, I broke my finger. But I have to admit I actually did this before we left packing my camping pack.

Laying out and watching the starry nights is amazing another Wow that for sure!

The sunsets!

Thanks to my Husband I still can be fashionable, I just love this coat even though it's not snowing. I am sure some of you can understand:)

And then there is the "Best Friend Times" I am so glad we could be caught in a rain storm together. Great shot with the rainbow, Glenn. Thanks!

This bouquet of wild flowers and grass were with us all week. I miss this week allot and can't wait till our next trip. That's right we have a back packing trip soon, I can't wait:)

Have a wonderful day and I hope you enjoyed the camping photos as much as we enjoyed the camping trip!

Sincerely, Betty Jo and of course Juniper Berry

Monica's Graduation Bar-B-Que

Monica graduated from High School, 1 year early that calls for a family celebration:) So with the weather not really wanting to cooperate and the growing season getting off to a slow start, this made for quite a challenge to get the backyard in order.

But all worked out and Monica was able to even enjoy her Grandpa coming for the day from Salem, Oregon.

You couldn't ask for a better day, the weather was perfect. The lemon/mint ice water was a hit that is for sure.

Grand Daughter Lucy enjoyed playing with all her older relatives, she loved the attention the family gave her.

Some were not on the guest list and showed up anyways, but that's OK until this visitor ate this beautiful flower I have been protecting from all the deer the last week. That night after the event I didn't take the time to cover most of the flowers from the deer, so it took advantage of situation and enjoyed this beautiful flower for it's nights feast, why can't they go to someone elses house that is all I ask!

Pretty while it lasted!

Monica's Uncles and Father made it a point to coach and guide her into her next phase of life this day. But I am very proud to say she held her own that is for sure and this is one touch crowd, good job Monica!

The food was wonderful didn't get many photos though but I can always seem to enjoy snapping a shot of the sushi plate.

So here I am with my dear friend who always seems to fly into Redmond no matter where she is at in the United States to help me out at the last minute. The celebration is over and we took just a short time to sit in the sun and enjoy the moment!

Again Congratulations to Monica for a job well done all through High School.

Summer Time at the Ashfords 2010/ book review

Summer time blogging is going to be short and sweet, it seems like I am busier then ever just like everyone else this time of year.

Back from vacation and I was pleasantly surprise to be welcomed back with produce from my  garden :)

While I was on vacation I had the wonderful opportunity to read. The book I finished was 'Loving Frank' by Nancy Horan. This book was the story of Mamah Brothwick Cheney who was the "lover" of Frank Lloyd Wright. I always knew that this very talented and way before his time Man was eccentric but oh my gosh he was one different fellow. Mamah was one driven Lady, she knows what she wants and most the time had to take the high road to get there. This story was one of the best love stories, I would suggest this book to anyone and everyone. The Seattle Post summed up this book the best by saying "A beautifully orchestrated rendering of the affair and inner lives of its two love-torn principals.  Understated yet dramatic, painstaking and convincing, this is fiction with the heft of truth".

Sunny Days/ Freezing Nights!

Come on sun you can do it, keep the ground warm so the garden will grow. To garden in Central Oregon you have to be a little crazy, stubborn, and have a drive that just won't quit. Time is not on your side when you are trying to get your plants to produce vegetables before the 1st freeze of the fall season which is usually around September 15th. Most Central Oregon Gardeners don't even think about putting in a garden before July 1st but every year I get this "itch" to start in June. If you start your garden early you have to provide any kind of warmth you have available. Last night the temp. dropped to 31 degrees this is enough to wipe out your garden and not even think twice about it. All that hard work gone in a matter of minutes, so I actually with help from my Husband, I put the garden to bed. Yes I covered the whole garden in bed sheets, I bet the houses across the canal are having a fit because of the view they have out their back windows into my garden:) But I am going to do what I have to do, with what I have to work with and that would be 15 bed sheets all colors and varied in size! I also have to remember the view of my sunflowers are breath taking from their homes. As for me I have to walk across  the canal path to their yards to admire my sunflowers since my house blocks them from following the sun every night in July and August.

I forgot to cover the carrots but they did OK next to the house. I don't have very good luck with carrots so this year I am trying this little "round" type we will see what happens. Now the peas should be OK they like a little cold weather but these are still pretty small the raised bed should help and the morning sun.The flowers are surviving, I am pretty selective on what gets planted in the yard as far as flowers are concerned. They have to be deer proof! I do use a spray that works pretty well but you never really know for sure. Sun come on do your fine work and keep the frost away until the fall that is all I ask of you!

For The Love of WILDFLOWERS!

A wildflower (or wild flower) is a flower that grows wild, meaning it was not intentionally seeded or 

planted.

 Bitter Root

Red Clover

???

Harebell

???

???

 WOW! these wildflower photos were taken Saturday 6/12/10 in the Ochoco Mountain range where we will be camping in about a month. I am so excited to see what else we will find since we will have a week to explore this beautiful area.  I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I do.
So I got out my Wild Flowers spotters guide and still can't identify all of them. I bet my husband can tell us what some of these flowers are:) If you can identify any of these please leave me a comment.

Have a beautiful day, Betty

Outdoor Bathing!

Sometimes I think I should of been born in the 1800's. The everyday simple way of life they use to live is not that easy to pull off today. You know now that I think about it, I am sure it wasn't that simple then either; so here is what I have going on in a very small section of our backyard.

We gave one of our kids our hot tub, I was tired of the chemicals, and I am sure Glenn was tired of the electric bill:) I love being in water or around water so thanks to an article, "outdoor bathing...aaahhh" in a magazine called Mary Jane Farms vol. 9 #3 April-May 2010 I was inspired!

1st step - The Tub! Only cask iron will do so after "the search" we found one in Portland at Hippo Hardware Store, this tub was away from the rest, pretty much down some stairs in a corner with stuff piled on top of it. My new tub is pretty beat up and has been mistreated for some time now. The good thing about it is all 4 feet are present and we found a cold water knob that was missing so after some loving care this tub will look just like knew I just know it.

2nd step - Heating the water! Glenn has some ideas, that sound like it will work, more on that at a later date.

3rd step - Location! We have the perfect spot, I can't wait to blog about it when we get the tub moved to that area.

4th step - Pulling it all together!  This is where I will stop for now,  please feel free to check my blog in the future to see how things turn out.

Happy Bathing!

note: Hippo photo courtesy - Casey & Holly Rausch :)

I just know that summer is coming!

This time of the year is hard on me, like when I walk around my yard I see and take mental notes of what needs to be done before July 4th. That is the cut off date I have set for the yard to be "summer ready". I have found that if I take notes on what I see needs to be done then I can check them off when I am done with that task and that makes it a little bit easier, I guess:)

My cupboards are 3/4 of the way through, my goal was to be done by May 1st, but I didn't take into consideration some of my days off being occupied with other issues. So I have reset my new date to be June 1st and I am on target to make it, I just know I will. You see when I get the kitchen done then I can concentrate on the outside yard work the house projects will have to wait until this fall.

Also with summer coming means it is camping time, so when I get a weekend off we are "gone camping", it something that is very healthy for the mind, body and marriage I believe this whole heartily. I can't wait for the summer to come and spend some well deserved time with us.

Here is some photos of Glenn's spring camping trip I won't get to see this area but isn't it just breath taking. It is hard to believe that something so beautiful can be found out in the desert surrounded by nothing but sage brush and and few juniper trees. Take a look and enjoy!