I have talked about the Blue Bird family that came to our Blue Bird House this last spring, and they were very successful having two nests and ten fledgelings. As far as I know they all survived, but for a while after the last batch left the nest we didn't see to much of them, partly because of the temps and the storms, I thought maybe they went were it was a little cooler. The other day I saw them back, flying around in the pine trees and in the vegetable garden, which is what I wanted, they are good little bug getter's. I was thrilled, because I thought I wouldn't see them again till next spring. When I get up in the morning, after a while I go out and water the fruit trees, and then I make sure that I didn't forget to close the gate to the garden, and the deer got in and had a feast. Then I noticed that a pea bush that I had missed when pulling the rest out had some pods that were ready to pick, so standing out side of the fence I bent over and picked them, when I turned around to go back to the house, there on the ground right in front of me was, and I'm sure it was Mama bird. This is what I called her when I called her to come and get the worms I fed her every day, and when she heard me she would come. Well she just sat there while I talked to her, I asked her how her babies were doing and if she was going to come back next spring. Well since then she has visited me many times, and always listen to me talk to her. We seem to have an abundance of these beautiful little creatures flying around, it's goood to have them back, even if it's just for a little while longer.

The simple things in my world

This has been a great summer, and I hope there is more to come before we get signs of fall. Some times I'm surprised at how excited I can get over the simple things that come my way. A few weeks ago I was up in Mazama visiting Jay and Vicki, well we were out in the woods walking the dog, when something caught my eye, and there was this little double stainless steal sink from their old fifth wheel trailer sitting there, well I asked Vicki if she thought Jay would mind if I took it, that I had a use for it. So I asked Jay and he said sure, so it got to me via their Daughter Kelly who was delivering other things to Lonny. Lonny asked me what I was going to do with the sink, and I said, you are going to build me a table that I can put the sink in and wash veggies at the garden and my hands too. He rolled his eye's at me, so I knew it wasn't a happening thing. A couple of weeks ago we decided, before Jens and Sam came over we better get a new barbecue, so I was looking at the old one and wondering what we would do with it till we went to the dump, then it came to me, and here's the results of my vision.
This has been the greatest thing since bread, I just love it and it's portable, I even got little plugs for the drains. So I'm still doing pickles, last year it was raspberry jam till I thought I was going to get sick, so this year it the year of the pickles. I still have lots of beets , potatoes and tomatoes. I've been drying the little tomatoes for soups and sauces and the bigger ones I think what we don't eat I will can.

I started some seed last winter that I got at a quilt show, they were handed out like a business card. Well they turned out to be these ten feet tall giants. The flowers are huge, but very cheerful.
We had a great visit with the kids while they were here, Sam and I went swimming one day, and she spent a lot of time in the little pool we got for this summer, it's been a real life saver, we have had some very hot day's. I'll have some pictures and more about thier visit next time. Diana