It's National Pepper Day on the mountain.

One last photo of the garden this morning before I start taking it out.  Today is the day to take out all of the cornstalks, broccoli plants, peppers, frosted green bean vines and till up the vegetable garden.  I am leaving my tomatoes for a few more days but it's almost time to bring them indoors to finish ripening.  Another frost and cold temperatures will show up soon.

Yesterday was Pepper Day!  These are Sweet Banana Peppers that I am trying to prepare to taste similar to a Pepperoncini.  I decided that the addition of a 1/2 t. of chili powder to each jar might do it.  We will find out in a month or so.

I also put up a few jars of Jalapeno Peppers.  They are nice to have on hand when you need to add a little heat to a dish.

Mandolin Ellie brought me beautiful bouquet from her garden.  It is so cheery on my table.

On Sunday at band practice we celebrated Neil's birthday.  He wasn't able to be there, but that never stops the band members from a celebration.  It is a General Robert E. Lee birthday cake.  I don't attempt baking many 3 layer cakes, but this one turned out good.  The lemon curd filling was yummy.

Thompson and Maggie each in their "toy heaven" spot.  They really do want someone to throw that ball, but it's a little rowdy attempting to throw the ball in the house instead of outside in the yard.

The End of Summer

We're trying to make summer stay with us, but the killer frost ended my monster green bean crop.  The only veggies left in the garden are the tomatoes and a few carrots and beets.

These deck chairs are just waiting for someone to sit in them and enjoy the last few days of warm weather.

On the lookout for Sasquatch

We have our first freeze warning for 2014.  That means it's time to get the peppers picked.  Yesterday I picked the first row and I am trying to harvest the rest of the onions, carrots and beets.  

The first row filled two 5-gallon buckets and one two and a half gallon bucket.  My goal for today is to get these in the freezer and then to pick the next row before frost hits us.  


The two dogs, Maggie and Mackie, look like they are guarding my harvest but actually it's a game of who is in charge here?  They spent their entire time together running around the yard at breakneck speed.

Jalapenos and some sweet yellow bell peppers

Anchos and Sweet Banana Peppers


There were so many that I had to spread them out on the counter, in the bay window and on my dining table.There's going to be lots of salsa this year!

and more of the same

It is also possible that the two dogs were on the lookout for the Sasquatch? He has been sighted here more than once.

A Mean Green Bean Mother from Outer Space.....

My vegetables have been growing and growing and growing while I have been doing other things.  August has been action packed!   What is happening?

Our neighbors on the hill are tearing down their house to get ready to build a new one.  We have had several nasty wind storms with heavy rain and lost our electricity for many hours.  It's August and the weather is changing......

The view from where the band is setup at Trinity on Friday nights.  The last two Friday gigs have been cancelled due to the bad weather

On my way back from Montana and the Paul McCartney concert, I stopped to take some photos of the fire near Thompson Falls.   Yes, more about the mean green bean later.....

David and I went to hear Trombone Shorty at the Festival at Sandpoint.

Ann and I went to Trinity to listen to Mr. Bruce and Drew play.  Yes, they are really good at it.

The Oyster Party happened!  I think everyone had a very good time.  I did not have time to take any photos except this one of the kids.  I think we had about sixty people attend.  The food was incredible.  Barbecued ribs, Alaska salmon, lake trout on the barbie, clam chowder, fresh corn on the cob, oysters and clams......

It was definitely a feast of food and music.  The Cougar Creek Band played and we finished off the evening with our usual songfest.  The vocalists were awesome!

Yes, they can all sing The House of the Rising Sun.

I rescued my Begonia Beauty from the high winds.  I didn't realize how big it was until I set it in my bay window, which is about 8 feet wide.

Retired Mountain Man's April Dawn Dahlia is blooming it's heart out, as always.

The Cougar Creek Band has a gig on Thursday at the Hope Farmer's Market.

Retired Mountain Man and his sister both had birthdays and also Lester Bug.  Lyndsie Kay went off to college.

I have a new grand nephew, Chase Justin!   I also have a new niece in-law, Angie, and another grand nephew will be due to arrive soon.  Not to mention that my youngest grandson, Ben will be 5 in just a few days and one of my favorite brother-in-laws, Malcom, will be having another birthday before the end of August.

Whew!

August isn't over yet.  My vegetables in the garden just keep on growing.  I think my green beans are on steroids.  I'm starting to be afraid to go out to my garden.


I am reminded of the plant in The Little Shop of Horrors.  Don't feed the plants!  I'm a mean green bean mother from outer space!

She was just seventeen.....

and a very crazed Beatle fan.    Forty-eight years later I am finally going to my first rock concert, Paul McCartney's "Out There Tour" in Missoula, Montana.  Can you believe it?

The concert was sold out.  25,000 fans were trying to get to the event.

 And we are walking......

 from downtown Missoula.....

Our first look at the stage.

The very crazy people who climbed Mount Sentinal to watch the show for free.    It was 90 degrees.

He hits the stage!

Let It Be

The beginning of Live and Let Die and the pyrotechnic show.  On the front of the stage there were 10 foot flames shooting into the air.

I did not take video of it, but I found this online.   It was the same show.    Wait for the "Live and Let Die" refrain.  It's the best.  Enjoy.

This is my best shot of the flames.

How much of a Beatles fan was I?   At one point I painted a life-size mural of them on my bedroom wall.  My parents were not too happy about that.  I had every album they recorded.  On each of the Beatles birthdays, my two best friends and I would bake birthday cakes in the shape of guitars...  we also sent a message in a bottle down the Loup River.....

Now the only memorabilia I have left is this letter, from George Harrison's mother?

which also included this photo card.

She still loves you, Sir Paul.  Yeah, yeah, yeah!