Sum Sum Summer Time 2014

Ok where did I leave off on my last blog about Spring.  Here it is the end of summer and I am camping right now so have some time to blog.   This is our first time to camp this summer and it is a few days away from the end of August, but we are here at our favourite place Davis Lake Recreations site here in BC Canada only an hour or so from our home.  So let’s just start from where I am right now Davis Lake.

Well the first couple days for me was just relaxing and reading.  Then weather cooled and I spent many hours inside the motorhome with a spectacular views of the lake working on photos and this blog.

My hubby of course was out fishing the whole time.  Finally when the weather cooled he was getting bigger trout, the biggest caught was 19 inches.

Mornings and evenings always bring a change to the lake scene.

One night we had some close friends come for dinner and enjoy a beautiful evening as the sun set behind the hills. 

 Trips

End of June I went to Oregon to a nephews wedding and while down there did a little sight seeing at Silver Falls State Park and Oregon Gardens Resort as well as stop in and see an old friend.

Wedding
I really do enjoy capturing special moments at weddings with my family.  However I would hate to do it professionally.  Way too much pressure.

Silver Falls State Park
It rained off and on my visit t here but the falls were spectacular. 

Oregon Gardens Resort
My sister and I spent one night at this resort that included acres and acres of these beautiful gardens that we first took a narrated tour on a small trolley, then later walked most the gardens.

 Visiting Old Friend
I always love to stop in a visit an old friend while going through Washington and we went and visited her horse for the afternoon.

Trip to Shuswap Lake
My hubby and I were invited by some friends to stay a couple nights at a resort they were staying at.  What a treat that was.  Luxury to us.  The drive down first was very scenic.

What a treat to relax here the weather just broke from a rain storm the evening we arrive and gave us nothing but sun the next couple of days.

I rose early the first morning to go down to the water.  I felt all alone on the lake.  It was so quiet with the sun just coming up.

The evening lights from the resort were just beautiful.

This summer was not all trips of course much time was spent at our ranch working and enjoying it. 

Gardening

The garden got off to a good start early summer.

But as we were gone often the baby marmots kept eating all my lettuce and greens.  Somehow flowers are now taking over the vegetable garden.  But something that I am getting for the first time this year is squash in the garden. 

I won’t have much to harvest in the garden this year just lots of potatoes, onions, turnips, kale, carrots and lots of garlic. but had plenty of berries to harvest.  It was a very berry couple of weeks.

 Flowers

The beginning of the summer found our deck very bare looking when I first set all my pots of flowers out I started in the greenhouse.  But it didn’t take long for the heat of summer to bring color to our deck again.

I wasn’t going to do flowers this summer, but somehow did and was surrounded by them all over our property. Right now I will begin collecting my annual seed to carry on the flowers for the next year.  I have been saving flower seeds for 20 years. 

Just a glimpse of the many perennials I have in my flower beds.

Wildflowers
This June and July we had so many wildflowers and many new varieties.

 Wildlife

I was blessed one morning to sit and watch a fly catcher bring food to her babies as they had just left the nest.

Well the marmots are still here, but we had some new visitor this year.  We have bunnies in around the house, not good as they have munched a few things now.  But I was able to see some otters that came down the creek and got some really great photos and videos of them.

 

Our Part Time Home

Well I guess for those of you who follow me know I spoke of a new property
we purchased last winter and was going to start work there is summer.  Well our tenant in our rental house in town moved out and we decided not to rent it right now as we had owned it for over 20 years and wanted to spend a little time there.  So many weekend from July through August we would go there and work a bit, and I was also able to go to a few Saturday flea markets in town and set up for selling my greeting  cards.  But mostly just enjoy being close to town yet right on the river and wonderful walks on the dikes and trail systems right from our back yard.  Now we may want to down size there.  Still will spend some time at the new property in October.  But here is a glimpse of the walks we take from our little house on the river in out town.

Going north east up the river we follow the trail to where our two rivers in town meet.

When we go South east up the river we follow it for awhile then cut over to the Kettle Valley Trail.  There is so much wildlife right here in our town.

Once back on the Kettle Valley trail we go through the old train tunnel and come out at the other river and the old train bridge.   The walk takes just over an hour.  Where the trail passes by town it is all lit with lights at night.

We are seriously thinking of downsizing to town as we really do love it there.   

My Folks New Business
Ok my folks are in their 80’s and have started a new internet business selling outdoor recreations and sports gear along with  emergency stuff.  I think my stepbrother got them all set up and started.   They only ship in the United States so check them out if you are interested in camping gear and more.  Great sales on right now.  Also check out their about page to see the cute photo of them.  My stepmom does the blogs for the sales site.  They just keep plugging away  in life.
http://yavapai-outdoorsupplies.com/

 

 Creations by Here I Am Carrie
Well I finally got out this summer to sell some of my greeting cards at our local outdoor venues. 
My first time out was at our local Saturday flea market and I didn’t sell anything, but was learning a great deal watching the other vendors.

The next week I was back again and this time put a little music on behind my display and made some sales.  I always look so tiny compared to the other vendors as I only have a patio umbrella.  I usually had to pack up by 1pm as it got to hot.

We had a music fest in town my 3rd weekend and I set up on the closed street along with other vendors for 2 full days and did really well with my sales. I had a great display and was really getting the hang of talking to people.
 

So I am back at the ranch didn’t even get this blog finished up while camping.  Already put in 3 hours in the garden this morning.  We are heading camping again in 10 days so I am going to have a very busy week.  The temps. have cooled down finally after a very hot summer, but that also means soon we will be getting frost here at the ranch.  There no longer seems to be an end to the work ahead with too many properties and trying to squeeze in extra activities.  Feeling very overwhelmed again trying to do it all.  I swear next summer no annual flowers and only potatoes, onions in the garden. 

So I hope that as your season ends you were able to accomplish all that you set out to do and have a
Good Morning….   Good Afternoon…  Good Night…
What ever it is to you.

Photos & Words
by
Here I Am Carrie

 

 

September Camping, Harvest and Sunflowers

 After a summer of work finally got away for a short camping trip with friends in early September.  Of course I picked days I knew the weather would be beautiful and hot.  So for 5 glorious days we enjoyed our waterfront campsite and hubby enjoyed his fishing.

I did say waterfront campsite even with our own dock.
Our outdoor living area was set up near it.  The views were forever changing.

Also I enjoyed the chance to use my new camera.

I love using the panorama on my camera,
it always provide a better view sometimes on the scene.
This is at the end of the dock looking at our motorhome and camp area.

Trying out more of the settings on my camera
as well as a little floating with my i-pod. 

This was Sheba's first camping trip.  She was so good and never had to be on a leash.  We had other friends camping with us as well and she seems always more comfortable when there is more of our friends around.  However when they all left after a few days, she would hide under our motorhome and often growl at other dogs or people passing by.  She also loved the water, not to swim in, but loves laying in it.

There wasn’t to much waterfowl in the lake at this time of the year,
but lots of birds eating from the cattails.

Often sitting in the chair my eyes would roam around to things I could snap a photo of.  Was nice to sit and relax for short periods.

I tried to get up early a few morning to catch the fog coming off the lake.
But there wasn’t much there this time as I had seen in the past.

Well upon returning home from camping went right back to work as it was time to start harvesting our fruit.  Our trees were loaded this year.

There is plenty more in another room.  One more apple tree to pick as well.

Along with the fruit there were onions and potatoes to get out of the garden.

Now the canning and making of jams begins. 

September is the month my sunflowers smile.

I start many varieties from seeds in the greenhouse in the spring.

I love seeing their smiling faces all around the yard and garden.

The first hard frost has finally hit and most my sunflowers are now gone.

Was hoping to get out camping one more time, but we are having the worst weather with so much rain.  Just can’t seem to get a 5 day window of just sunshine.  Really don’t have the time to get away again, maybe I am just dreaming.  I am tired again these days without the sun and heat to keep my batteries charged.  More and more I find I am falling behind in things I used to stay on top of.  I think often of the days when we had no TV or internet  or even local radio and how I managed everything.  But also in those days we would go long periods without seeing or talking to anyone unless we went into town.  I had very little social life as there was no way to communicate with friends or family.  We had no phone then and still don’t, but the world has opened up to us filling our time with TV, internet, e-mails and Skype.  Oh I almost forgot it just dawned on me were so much of my time goes.  My hobby photography…..

Quit complaining….

So as the colors of fall begin to change
I hope for a renewed energy that it always brings.

May you find renewed energy in your everyday life
and have a
Good Morning…   Good Afternoon…  Good Night…
What ever it is to you..

Photos & Words
by
Here I Am Carrie

 

 

 

Where has the Summer Gone

Time seems to have just slipped by without blogging here for a couple of months.  I have myself spread a little to thin lately and having troubles keeping up everywhere. So lets just try and catch up on the last couple of months. 

Sheaba has had lots of visitors this past 2 months.  Each time she seems to come out of her scared shell and begins to act like normal dog.  But then when her animal friends leave, she reverts back to being so scared of many things.  I know this summer has been hard for her with flying tarps, construction around the house and an old screen tent I covered our back porch with.  She is so much worse when the winds come up.  But when another dog is here she seems so much more confident about her surroundings.  Her biggest joy is her two walks a day.  The rest of the time she prefers to spend in the house under our dinning room table where it is quiet and secure from the winds and flapping tarps.

Her best friend is now Cole who comes to stay for a few nights every now and then.  She loves to be chased and play with him.

 

We had an unexpected visitor for almost a month.  My neighbours little donkey I came across while on my walk in the forest and she followed me home.  We loved her so much and she went for walk with us everyday and was spoiled getting brushed and fly wipe put on to keep the bugs away.  Her name is Annie.  I know her owner wanted her back so after a month I finally walked her the 3 miles back to her ranch.  We love Annie, but the extra work was taking away from other projects for me.  Like blogging…

 

During the time Annie the donkey was staying with us her owner and dear friend of mine for over 30 years had been diagnosed with cancer.  She was in the hospital for 2  weeks so during that time I had her smallest dog Jack,  who was soon getting spoiled with walks as well everyday.  Yes the donkey Annie, the small dog Jack and Sheaba our dog would go for 2 walks a day all together.  Also during this time I was going to my friends house and feeding the rest of her dogs, turtle and watering all her plants. 

My friend has since come home, but for how long I don’t know, so if I disappear for awhile again it’s because I am concentrating my energy and time helping her.
Please pray for her……

 

I did manage in middle of June  to get  away during all the animal care, hubby stayed home to care for them while I went to my nieces wedding in Redmond Oregon.  I so can’t wait till I get my new camera to take really good photos.  But I do think I caught some pretty good moments.

 

Our whole family out on the dance floor at the wedding.  I was up on the balcony spying on them.  My sister did get one of me in the upper left hand corner during a Bob Seger Song.  I can’t help myself playing air guitar and singing.  I spent a whole week there and it was so special to bond with my great nieces and nephews as will as seeing all the rest of the family.

 

While down there I really wanted to get at least one good long hike in.  So I went to near by Smith Rock State Park and did an almost 4 mile hike in 2 hours.  I was alone and took the Misery Ridge hike up over the rocks the cropped out of the landscape.  It was almost straight up for a mile the trail making switchbacks the whole way up along with some stairs.  I was so happy to know I could still do such a climb in elevation.  The view from the top was awesome.  Then I went back down the other side switching back and forth to get to the bottom.

Smith Rock State park is very popular for rock climbing and I was able to see many climbers ascending rock faces.  But mostly the scenery on the trail that followed around the rocks and river was so beautiful.  The whole area of Redmond Oregon is filled with so many things to do and see. 

This summer has been designated as a work summer.  So many repairs and maintenance had to be addressed.  So hubby has been working 8 hours a day, 6 days a week for almost 2 months on our deck project and fixing leaks in roofs.  The deck project is taking so long as he is cutting all the lumber on our sawmill, which for every few boards cut, it breaks down and needs a few hours of repair.  We could have bought the lumber, but he is so stubborn and wanted to use the logs we had cut last summer for lumber.  The deck isn’t finished yet only a new extension addition we added to the old deck.  All the old decking still needs replacing, but as the weather has been clear and hot it was a perfect time to get on with the roofing project.  Another week  and it should be done.  Then to our deck on our greenhouse which needs replacing as that is leaking into the bedroom below.  Then it will be back to finishing our deck at the house.  Poor hubby, he made a comment the other day saying “how much can body take”  I knew he was getting tired of all the work.  I have helped when and where I can, but most he has to do.  I have another nieces wedding end of August in Oregon again, I am hoping to get hubby away for a little holiday together.

 

I have been keeping busy with my flowers and garden.  As hubby was busy I had to weed the whole garden and am doing all the lawn mowing.  I did not get my automatic watering timers up this year, so watering takes a lot of my time.  But with the heat and sun we have had for a month now everything is in full of color.

 

Between all the work around here I have manage to make baby steps in my creating my hand made creating cards from my photos.  I am hoping to have a good variety ready for a Christmas sale here in November.  Also trying to slowly get some sort of sales set up on the internet.  So much to do there and very little time for it.  More a winter project. 

To speed things up just last week my satellite internet was upgraded to a new system that is way faster and even cheaper.  To add to that I had purchased a new laptop ( Acer/M Intel core i5 ultra book) last winter and also now for the first time in 5 years have a wireless router.  The speed of getting stuff done on my new computer is a hundred times fast then my old one.  Hubby now has his own computer and I have my own.  He mostly only reads his newspaper on it.   I also got  an iPod which I love.   I think I finally have all the apps and everything  I need to sync on my computer and iPod.  So while laying on the couch in the greenhouse watching TV I can still get a few things done with my iPod and still get my internet connection in there.   I was so tired before to even sit at a computer in the evening, but laying down with a little handheld I can handle.  So just need to get another blog out at my other 2 blogs God's Garden of Nature and Quotography by Here I Am Carrie and then I can finally get out and catch up visiting all my blogging friends which I hope will go much faster then it has in the last 5 years.  But always trying to catch a moment here and there to read here enjoying our new deck extension.

 

Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer or winter
and have a
Good Morning… Good Afternoon…   Good Night…
Whatever it is to you.

Photo & Words
by
Here I Am Carrie