Campfire Songs

Ever since we moved into this house, we've talked about building a campfire area.  Originally, we were going to build it out in a clearing beyond the barn, but the idea of traipsing back and forth to the house to use the bathroom or get more S'More supplies in the dark didn't really appeal to me.

Last summer, the lawn in the side yard between the house, barn and garden pretty much died.  There was a big patch of dirt where the grass used to be.  And a lightbulb came on: why not build the campfire area there?  It's an open area for star gazing, and the sparks won't ignite any trees above.  Close to the house, I can run in and out without worry of Bigfoot getting me.  And it would cover up that ugly dirt patch.

We got to work, dragging and carrying logs in from the various piles Bruce has made on the property, felling dead trees.

There was an old rusty campfire ring already on the property, so Bruce hauled that over and filled it with rocks dug up from the pet cemetery.

Bruce then started cutting up the logs and forming the outer circle.

We then bought 1" Montana river rock (to match the 2" Montana river rock in our driveway and garden) and Bruce filled the ring.

I wanted to connect the campfire area to the path leading out to the woods that the previous owner had made.

Done!

So my next project will be to line the path steps with rocks and fill them in with either rock or decomposed granite (if I can find it up here).

We're very pleased with this spot.

Nestled between the house, garden and barn...

And it's Teddy-approved!

Here's the view from my sewing loft:

The deer weren't sure what to make of it at first, but they're getting used to it.

For the final touch, Bruce customized the fire ring just for me.

Can't see it?

It's a "Y" for "Yami", his nickname for me.  Awwwwww.  His version of writing my name in the sand.

So now we wait for the seasonal burn ban to be lifted so we can have our first campfire.  I need to stock up on graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows.  Oh, and I can't forget the campfire songs: B-I-N-G-O, Little Rabbit in the Woods, and Sweetly Sings the Donkey.  Better start practicing...

Whirlwind College Tour

My niece, Christy, came for a visit from Wisconsin with her husband, Mike, and kids, Jake and Abbey.  They were on a whirlwind tour of colleges here in the wild west.  Jake is going to be a junior and is starting to shop around.

The blueberry bushes are prolific this year.  Bruce made us delicious blueberry pancakes for breakfast.  Abbey did her best to help us out with the hundreds remaining on the bushes.

They only had one full day here, so we took them over to Farragut State Park, the WWII Museum, and the overlook of beautiful Lake Pend O'reille.

Bruce and Jake studied the lake information. I'm not sure what they were talking about. Bruce waved his arms around and pointed at things. He was probably talking about the geology of the area and how the lake was formed. Or maybe the yellow jackets were after him.

As is their vacation tradition, the boys struck a yoga pose. In this case, it was Warrior I.  Fine form, boys!

So we're pulling for MSU-Missoula.  It's only a couple of hours away, so Jake can come visit for a weekend here and there, bring his laundry, go shooting or boating or fishing with us (depending on the time of year), or just hang out and eat brownies.  Not that I'm trying to bribe him with chocolate or anything.

Whichever college you choose, Jake, we think your future's so bright, ya gotta wear shades!!!

(And Abbey, Gonzaga University was really nice, right? It's even closer than Missoula!)

It was so fun to see all of you. Come back again sometime. I guess you will if we get both of your kids going to college out here, right? Bwwaaaaahaaahaaa!

Charlotte Goes a'Walkabout

Our oldest cat, Charlotte, is over seventeen years old now. Her coat is matted, she has arthritis and struggles to hold her tail up, she wobbles sometimes when she walks, her kidneys are struggling and she has a thyroid issue, but hey, we all have problems, right?

However, for an old lady (119 in human years) she gets around pretty darn well. She walks (occasionally runs) up and down the stairs about fifty times a day and still has a healthy appetite. And she loves her treats.

Several months ago, she started having a real battle with balance. She fell down the stairs a few times (just a few steps, not the entire length of the staircase), and seemed to be unable to control her back end as she walked. She looked like she'd gotten into the whisky bottle.

After some tests, our vet prescribed a thyroid medication for her, along with special food for her kidney condition and meds for her arthritis. We set up the master bath as her assisted living quarters. Quite a nice little apartment for a kitty!

After just a few weeks, she started making quite a turnaround. She was walking straight, and jumping up on furniture and jumping back down without doing a face plant or somersault.

Since she hadn't been outside in quite awhile, we thought she might like some fresh air and a little adventure. We took her outside to let her have a supervised romp.

Bruce, always looking for an opportunity to clean up some of her mats, did a little plucking on the way out.

OK, Charlotte, you are free to roam. Call if you get work!

She glanced around to see if Dad was going to follow her. Am I really free to wander? Woohoo!

Into the jungle she disappeared...

and we never saw her again.

KIDDING!

But just to be sure, Bruce stealthily followed her to ensure she stayed out of trouble.

She wound around out in the woods and emerged at the edge of the driveway.

What is this look?

Defiance?

Victory? 

After looking around for a few minutes...

Charlotte got very, very sleepy. Or maybe she was bored. It's pretty quiet around here most days.

We took her back inside, and she promptly headed upstairs and took a nap...

No doubt dreaming of grass, bugs, deer, trees, birds and squirrels.

Sweet dreams, Princess Charlotte!