All the preparations are underway!

 First!  Happy Birthday to our nephew, Brian Jon!  I'm sure they're celebrating big time in Edmond! 

I'm posting some photos from past Thanksgivings.  It's that time of the year when cooks everywhere are making preparations for the big dinner.  Baking pies and making side dishes.  We're just looking forward to getting to visit with everyone!

That year, Jason was up at the crack of dawn and ready to go to grandma's house.

Aurora Borealis

 This is probably the best look we've ever had of the aurora here.  I'm hoping our rain clouds clear so that we can see them again tonight!

The forecast for the rest of this week is rain.  Rain, rain and more rain.  I have no problem with that because it means it's not SNOW.   I'm definitely not ready for the cold white stuff.  I'm driving to Coeur d' Alene today to see another doctor about my back pain.  

Yesterday was my first appointment for physical therapy at Caribou PT, which is located here in Hope.  I am hoping that the therapy is going to get me some relief.  Both Jon and I have had PT with Paula and Kendra in the past and had very good outcomes.  

 With all the rain in the forecast it's time to do some serious thinking about rainy day projects.  Nothing to ambitious though.  Happy Wednesday.

 

Tickets - when you left, and when you returned.

This morning we're remembering and thinking of all the veterans in our family and honoring them.  There are dozens of veterans in our family and also many friends who also served. 

I knew we had Jon's plane ticket home from Vietnam, but during our discussion Jon told me that he still had his bus ticket which took him from his home in Missoula to Butte and then by train to Fort Lewis to be inducted into the army.  January 1968.   He has kept it in his wallet all of these years and never told me about it.   Even after more than fifty years of marriage there are still things to learn about each other.  I love it!  I am also very proud of him and what he did for our country.  

This is a photo of his airline ticket home.  His flight flew from Vietnam to Alaska, to Seattle and then almost home to Great Falls, Montana.  Back then you couldn't fly into Missoula so his parents met him there.  September 27, 1970.

Thank you!

They served their country and it wasn't easy. 

Fall Back

 The end of October and it's almost that time.  

What has been happening here:

Jon found some chanterelle mushrooms.  We don't usually have many of those around here so that was a really great find.  They were delicious. 

This is Lady's new favorite toy.  The bear.  She likes it so much that she is ignoring the rest of the toys in her basket.  Unusual.

I canned the last of the salsa.  I think I have 32 pints.  That's not bad considering how late I planted my tomatoes. 

My sister Kathy sent us these cute Halloween flamingoes.   I should have zoomed a little closer.  

Yes, I have a few leaves to rake and blow away.  It's still on the list although I have already done some of them.  For some reason they keep falling out of the trees?

This is Jon's last big project.  This slash pile is huge and he was very particular about when and how this pile was going to get burned.  It had to be the right day with no wind with the ground wet enough.  Also had to be a day when it was not going to rain that night so that the pile would burn clean. 

He had a hose available for water if necessary and his rakes and shovels to work the pile and our friend Bill to help.  It burned without an issue although it took some time. The ladder was part of the pile.  Time for that one to go.

Sorry, you have to turn your head sideways to watch part of this video.  It's still good tho.  

There are a few things to do outside before we're set for winter, but we're getting close.  I have one raised bed to weed and then cover plus a little bit of fencing to keep the deer from eating my plants in the early spring. 

I am very happy to have it done especially since all of it aggravates my back problems.  It seems that health issues jump from one thing to another these days.  PT has been recommended so I will be seeing my favorite PT, Paul Lund.  

Saturday we all get ready to do our "fall back".  Ugh!  A true sign that winter is on the way. 

We're cheering for the Blue Jays in the series!  We even managed to watch that 18 inning game.  

They say there's another one of those atmospheric rivers headed our way.  When you wish for rain around here, it's one of those "be careful what you wish for" moments. 

Happy Halloween from the past!

The Missoula Burkhart's Jack-o-lanterns!  

Happy Halloween!

The frost is on the pumpkin...

 This is it.   The end of the 2025 summer season.  Yesterday afternoon Jon and I tagged his dahlias before the frost so that we know what variety each tuber is when we dig them up to store.  

This morning the frost was everywhere including the south side of the house.  I had picked the final dahlia bouquet of the year last night. 

I have been picking my tomatoes and freezing them in gallon bags so that I could use them for salsa.  This past week I made my first two batches.  I think I have enough tomatoes for 2 more.  That should be about 32 pints, which is a good amount for one year.  

Jon is an avid Mariners baseball fan so he is really enjoying watching them in the playoffs. We both watched the more than 5 hour game last week.  What a game!  We're looking forward to more of the same today!  

I've been listening to a collection of Bob Dylan's "early" songs.  I have to say that I never cared for his vocals, but he certainly can write lyrics.

I Ain't Gonna Work on Maggie's Farm No More!