Diapering the Date palms and swatting the fly

A few days ago we went exploring around Yuma and came across these date palm trees.

They are so majestic .We didn't know why cloth like diapers were covering the fruit. Googling it I

found out that the diapers shade the fruit from the sun. They are removed when the

temperatures average out. Fruit is harvested from September to December. A couple of years

ago we treated ourselves to a Date shake. Extremely rich but delicious. I think they must add

chocolate to the concoction. Yum!

Last night we went to Bingo (no not the men) and I won $20.00.

The games are so strange. How about a fly swatter hitting a fly.

The fly is under the O in the bottom right hand corner.

As soon as someone dabbed the fly in the corner they swatted the table with their bingo dabber.

(don't you love that word "dabber) anyway

all I could think of was

Lori and Celeste saying, "mom it's not too late, leave the park"!

Although I am not quite there yet, slapping an imaginary fly

who knows what

little idiosyncrasies I may be par taking in when I am old!

Space Shuttle Viewing

Time 6:58 pm

Location: Over the park

Date: November 6th

Space Shuttle zooming across the sky

Here we are returning from the "viewing" and back to our dinner

Sun going down over the desert

Christmas is coming.....

Linda, pictured here, and I just can't sit around in the HEAT. We have to be crafting! This is the new craft she showed me. I made a fabric Christmas ball ornament.

We ate dinner outside and at 7 pm it was still 78 degrees. You have to love that!

Grateful Friday

Tomato plant Update

Jim has two tomatoes on his and I have one so far. All this in a week. So grateful~~

Hot weather

Learning new craft today

Jim is a wizard fixing techy nerdy things.

All our friends are arriving day by day and such LOYAL friends they are!

The lights in Vegas are still shining brightly!

The lights in Vegas are shining much brighter

because our wallets are much lighter

We bowed down to the keno gods

but lost all our wads!

The picture I posted was at the Silverton Casino. The massive fish aquarium is breath-taking and calming. We visited Lance and Debi and had lots of laughs and good times. We will be going back at the end of November with Don and Shirley. Hopefully our luck will change to the better.....

Crafty Critter I am I am

100 handmade item goal starting Oct 1 /2009

Have done 5 sweaters now these freshly made dish cloths brings me to #11

Saturday Sights

Captured this photo of a military helicopter flying low over us. I don't know what kind of helicopter it is because we don't have these in Canada.

Happy Halloween everyone!

Thursday thoughts

Just reading one of my favorite blogs Reyln at Come Sit By My Fire and she steered me onto another blog to which I added as a favorite.

A fellow Canadian named Lori has a delightful blog and is now doing a give away for her 100th post. You just have to treat yourself and look at her blog!

Today as well as the past two days is windy and slightly chilly. The temperatures however are going to rise by the weekend.

I am crocheting and knitting up a storm and my goal is to make 100 items this year. I already have 7 items done. 5 sweaters, a winter scarf and a pullover sweater ( I will take a picture today). Now I am making a bunch of knitted dish cloths. Nothing like a fresh pile of cloths!

Jim went golfing last Sunday and what a bargain. I just have to show you another Canadian/American comparison

Golf course near our house in Alberta Canada

$65.00 for 18 holes of golf

$20.00 more if you want a cart

$6.50 for one beer

$19.00 for a jug of beer

No food

Golf course near Yuma Arizona

$29.00 for 18 holes of golf

Cart Free

$10.00 coupon for the restaurant

$2.50 for a bottle of beer

$5.00 for a jug of beer

Snack type food and free beer delivered to the golfers on different holes around the course.

And to top it off a Golf Course manager who remember their names after not being here for 6 months. Talk about customer service~~~

It SAVES us money coming here!

MY tomato VERSUS HIS tomato

MINE
HIS

We bought two cherry patio tomato plants. Now we are going to have this "my tomato plant will grow faster than your tomato plant contest".

As I started with the larger plant I am sure if mine gets tomatoes first that will be the reason why... at least in his mind.

Let me Tell you this bar-b-que lettuce recipe~~

Last night Shirley made us this wonderful delicious appetizer. None of us had ever ate this before let alone even heard about it. It was absolutely yummy.

First of all make sure your romaine lettuce leafs are dry. Put some olive oil on the lettuce leafs and put them on the on the bar-b-que on low heat for approximately 3 minutes.
Each person then drizzles the sauce (recipe below) on top of their lettuce with boursin cheese.

Romaine lettuce
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons rice wine or dry sherry
3/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger
1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash of Tabasco sauce

Boursin cheese crumbled on top of lettuce leaf after bar b qued.

Cheers!

Out with the old, In with the New!

Jim put in a new kitchen sink. The old one was so small I could hardly put a dish in it. It was also that horrid plastic that becomes stained and yucky in a minute. This sink is HUGE with the added bonus of a soap dispenser. I told Jim it was so beautiful I can't stop looking at it!

What's missing in this picture???

What's missing??

Why, it's Wally and Linda's motorhome!

Wally hurry and bring us your shade

and your neighbourly

selves!

Welcome back Don and Shirley

Christine invited us over for chicken fajitas. Good company, lots of laughs and looking forward to the months ahead!

Grateful Friday according to Jimmie

Fridge shot...

30 Bud in United States........................ $19.95

30 Bud in Canada............................. $ 59.95

Grateful Friday

Hummingbirds hovering

Temperature of 93 degrees

Knowing that today is Friday

But everyday is Saturday

Schwans was just here

delivering

icecream

Hurry Linda or it will be

all gone!

p.s.

fast internet

it takes me sometimes 2 hours at home to load

a blog picture

I have the patience

of a saint or I need

a life

one or the other!

And the wheels go round and round

One of my favorite pictures from this summer.

Beautiful sunset closing a "Do Nothing Day"

Today we did nothing. The highlight of the day was eating outside and I went to water volleyball. It was such a treat after working so hard at our place all summer.

Surprise More lawn chair pictures!

LOOK: new poolside deck chairs My kids back home really tease me about taking lawn chair pictures so I just had to take pictures of these ones! They can see what there is to look forward to when they are retired!........

Just me and one other lady enjoying the pool yesterday.

Yuma Winter has now begun!

Isn't this pretty? Yes it is pretty but...

This is prettierWarmer!

We are now in Yuma!

The first day (last Thursday) we didn't get away until noon and only made it to Dillon Montana. The roads were free of ice and snow. We at one point were driving on fumes, as hubby likes to challenge the mileage...We stopped at Robert Montana and Robert is a blink of an eye town with one service station. With maybe two gallons left, Mr Murphy's law kicked in and the pumps at this one service station were covered with plastic as they were out of gas. We motored on and made it to Idaho Falls with a hope and a prayer that my little car would make it. It did!

We stopped at Jackpot Nevada for a leg stretch and gees there happened to be a casino there. Who would have guessed that! Jim won 200.00 on his 6th quarter. We were then on our way thankful we needed that leg stretch!

A little past Ely we came as close to a head on as anyone would want to experience. A fool decided to pass a semi going up a hill on a double sided yellow line. It was so close I didn't even have time to scream. Jim made eye contact with the guy and immediately took evasive action driving two wheels into the ditch as there was no road shoulder. We were so glad the guy didn't panic and take the same ditch we did. I guess it wasn't our "time"!

We planned on staying overnight at Primm Nevada but there was no rooms at the inn.

After 13 hours of driving we finally stopped at Laughlin Nevada for the night. I did my gambling fix and had no luck. Our luck and Jim's driving skills earlier in the day saved us from a horrific crash.

We arrived in Yuma on Saturday around lunch time. The temperature was 105 degrees F.

A few things inside the RV suffered with the heat but over all it wasn't bad.



1. Wood kitchen table 3 cracks across the top. Apparently we should have put a tub of water underneath the table before we left for home last year.



2. All the roof vents inside are yellow. Discoloration from the heat.



3. The temperature thermometer yellowed (picture below).



4. The fridge in the shed had some yellowing to the trim that was nearest the shed door.



5. Our fridge handle to the freezer in the RV fell off.



6. The tires on our bicycle were flat.



The dust was minimal and there was no crawly bugs anywhere inside the RV. Tha is a good thing!

Thinking of summer on this cold day in October

these pictures were taken by Jenny

one of my granddaughters

She took these pictures in Duncan BC

this summer

I am going to get them printed

and framed

for my

craft studio

Bobbing for apples, puddng eating contest, all in the snow

Before the party started, empty room waiting for the family.

Fire pit blazing
spider hangingpumpkin waiting to be foundchildren looking for the little white creaturesBraden showing Grampa is I pod touch Everyone just chit chattingblindfolded pudding eating contestcard gameapple bobbing in minus temperatures, kids don't care!

turkey dinner outside

Thanksgiving Day started out with temperatures of minus 20 cel.

Early morning I scampered around the forest and hid the pumpkins.

I placed all the clues where they belonged and I froze! Jim got the wood stove going in the cabin and we prepared the turkey and all the fixings.

Grandchildren arrived and the games began. They loved running around on the frozen ground through the yard and collected most everything I had hid. There may be some creatures still out there but come Spring they will appear, even (Rhianna's missing gloves)!

The kids bobbed for apples with full on enthusiasm, putting their heads right under the water to grab the apple with their teeth. I did fill the pail with warm water and you could see the steam.

The pudding eating contest was a blast. As much fun for us watching and laughing. One child was blindfolded and had to feed their partner pudding. The pictures speak for themselves.

The turkey and ham was gobbled up and some chose to eat outside. Brrrr not for me, I stayed in where it was warm.

Feedback tells us it was the best party yet and I look forward to next years!

Halloween Party Tomorrow

Spent the day cleaning and re-arranging the cabin so we can entertain our troops tomorrow. I think I may be as excited as the kids.

Turkey and ham,

yams and mashed potatoes,

tons of stuffing,

cranberries,

buns, salad, vegetables

and dessert.

I will keep the kids busy before dinner with games and a scavenger hunt. I hope Sarah will participate this year in the apple bobbing. She was a little leery of it last year and chose not to get wet!

With temperatures in the minus and the snow on the ground, it will be a bit of a challenge hiding the pumpkins in the forest and getting the scavenger hunt set up.

We then finish the last minute stuff on Tuesday which is a ton of last minute stuff and then we should be ready to go south on Wednesday!

LoOk hE CoOkS tOO

The snow is falling

and it is so cold

however..

our cabin is deliciously cozy and

warm. We have the wood stove stuffed with firewood

and Jim is cooking us supper on my new stove.

A mother deer and her two fawns meandered through the yard tonight .

I love collecting these moments of joy.

Happy Thanksgiving!

All five done and on to the next project.

Green for my daughter and the red one for another granddaughter. I just took a baby sweater pattern and increased it for the bigger sizes. Now I want to make some winter toques for the boys and bring them back at Christmas. Yes, I said Christmas! At first we had not planned coming back but the plans have changed and we will be driving back. I really am happy about that as I have never been away from home for Christmas. We have always driven back. It gives me a grandchildren and children fix and breaks up the six months so I don't get too many stomach pains from missing everyone. I love getting away for the winter to the sun and fun but it all comes down to family. What can I say....

Halloween Party At our Place on Monday~~~

Filling this bucket with games and prizes and instructions for a halloween scavenger hunt in our spookey ole forest. The scavenger hunt details came to me at 4 am and I couldn't wait to get up and start putting it altogether. If this doesn't make fun memories for my grandchildren nothing will.

Wind bringing down the trees once again!

Just when I was wishing we had more fire wood...

Alvin and Christine came to visit yesterday and thank god they parked their truck further up the driveway. As it was, when the huge tree came down in the wind they were trapped. Alvin and Jim had to get out the chainsaw and clear a path so they could drive home. Another tree fell right behind our carriage house. As soon as the wind comes up I seek shelter.

So with going down south and so much preparation to do that, we now have two trees to split and stack. No rest for the wicked.....

Alberta? British Columbia? Baddest spiders. BC wins!

Thanks Garry and Sharon for sharing these yucky spider photos. With warmer temperatures you get bigger and badder spiders!!

Three done two to go

CROCHET BY GRANDMA DEL

Strange Happenings here in the Forest

I used to be an non-believer in the paranormal but we have had past and present experience with ghosts as told in one of my previous posts . I am not talking about scary events just strange unexplainable, almost mischievous pranks. Yesterday when I was not home Jim went to the cabin early in the morning to get the stove going. He made several trips back and forth from the cabin to the house. He then decided to make breakfast in the cabin. He never leaves the house without his keys. As relayed to me he said he looked at his keys laying on the counter and was going to put them in his pocket but then dismissed it and went out to the cabin with his breakfast supplies. After making breakfast he gathered up his dishes and headed back to the house. Much to his absolute surprise the door was locked. He actually looked up the driveway thinking I had come home went in the house and locked the door. He emailed me from the cabin and told me he was locked out. All the way home I thought how the heck did he lock himself out. I could see myself doing that but not Jim. We talked at length about this and he really believes there is a ghost presence here. I can't logically explain any of these past and present occurrences, they just are what they are. A little creepy but ironically I don't feel threatened or scared by any of this. It is just weird......

Six word Saturday

1. 
   
   A


2. 
   
   Ghost


3. 
   
   Lives


4. 
   
   here.


5. 
   
   story


6. 
   
   tomorrow

If you want to get in on the fun click here

Grandchildren and their racing weekend!

Emma racing her little quad



Sarah proudly showing her trophy that she won on her dirt bike.

Fall into October

~~Until three years ago I never realized how beautiful Alberta is. We live in a valley with a forest , river and the Rocky Mountains to the West all in our daily view~~

Banana Loaf Anyone?

Sandi gave me her recipe for Banana Loaf

It turned out scrumptiously delicious

I will have to pack some baking pans to take to Yuma

as I will be definitely making this again!

Happiness comes in "recent conversations"

The ultimate joy in my life is my grandchildren and I have been blessed with seven. Here are some recent conversations with three of them.

Recent conversation with 9 year old granddaughter

Grandaughter: "Grandma can you buy me a pony or a donkey?"

Me: "No I don't think so, where would you put a horse or a donkey?"

Granddaughter: "In my backyard, okay then, can you buy me a small laptop like Grandpa's"?

Me: "Uh that is a lot of money!"

Granddaughter: "They are only $298.00, okay how about a turtle?"

Me: "How about some goldfish?"

recent conversation with 11 year old grandson

Grandson: "I have a girlfriend"

Me: " Who?"

Grandson: " The tall girl that liked me last year, She is hot!"

Me: " Oh yeah."

Grandson: "Yeah, today I asked her out".

Me. "What did she say?"

Grandson: "She said okay"

Me: "So where are you taking her/"

Grandson: "I don't know I don't have any money."

Me: "Maybe you can take her for a slurpee..."

the next day

Me: "So did you take her for a slurpee?"

Grandson: " No I was on cafeteria duty, so I bought her a present."

Me: "Oh.......what did you buy her?"

Grandson: "A headband and a bracelet".

Me: "Did she like it?" (crossing my fingers)

Grandson: "She loved it!"

recent conversation with 9 year old granddaughter

Me: " I am just about finished crocheting this sweater for you."

Granddaughter: "Hurry Grandma, I want to wear it everyday "

A few minutes later.

Grandaughter: " Are you done yet?"

Super Soft Sweater for a Baby Girl

Finished this crochet sweater set today

for a customer

The yarn is divine

Soft, soft, soft

I added my "yo yo's" on the hat

and

I covered a button with a

yo yo

Had to take a picture as it is going

in the mail tomorrow.

Six Word Saturday

Today

Making

Soup

and

crocheting

sweater

If you want to get in on the fun click here

Best of Borscht

As promised my borscht soup recipe:

Dice and slice 5 peeled beets
5 small potatoes
2 onions
approximately 10 yellow beans
5 carrots
Cover with water (approx 3 cups)
add a small can of tomato paste
Add 1/2 lb. of cooked bacon
Add 2 cans of beef consome
Spice it up with salt, pepper, and a dash of garlic salt
Let it simmer on stove until the vegetables are cooked but a little firm
In a cup mix one cup of milk and 1/4 cup of flour, stir well.
Add to soup to thicken and make it creamy
Serve with a dab of sour cream
and "wa la" the perfect Borscht!

It's a Borscht Soup Day

Today isn't a "cold need soup day" however Davey and Bonnie brought me beets from their garden so I was in the mood to get creative and make my own version of borscht soup. Stay tuned for the results later today!

My name is not as unusual as I thought!

I am one of those people with a name no one can remember for more than a minute. I have had to repeat it and spell it most of my life. You would think my brother and sister would have unusual names too- but oh no -not at all. Jane and John.

So I was rather amazed when I found out there is more than a few Delena's in the United States. I would like to know how many there are in Canada??.
The other night I was catching up on my favorite blogs and LIZ posted this site where you can check out your name and everyone else you know(which I did) so there are two Delena Johnston's!

Click Here to check your own name

Grateful Friday

Don't you just love it when

your friend

listens

and "gets it"

Sandi bought me these

awesome

cool

playful

Salt and Pepper Shakers

I had mentioned how much

I

loved hers

so

she goes to the

store and

buys them for me!

Not mine but Love this Million Dollar View

I tried to get a better picture of this "million dollar" view near where we live but short of driving into the resident's driveway this is the best I could do. They are on the hill and we are in a valley about a mile away.

Everyone knows that "everything is for sale". Well.... if I had a million dollars guess what I would do. Drive right up my their driveway and guess what I would ask!

STUDIOUSLY Working and a STEP closer

i AM sO EXciTEd

about

my

Studio and the inside won't

be done

until we

get back

in

APriL!

Just for the Halibut Second Annual

As you can plainly see

the September Long weekend

started

with

Love!

Don and Shirley

our friends

From Alaska

saw their SIGN

on the highway

and Found us!

Sue and Doug

pitched their

tent

in my

"to be finished'

Craft Studio

Don brought his Halibut catch

to our table

of friends and

family

Happy Birthday

Shirley

and

Sue

The full moon

shone

and the music

echoed through

the trees

Day Three

and

here we are

out in the fresh air

making

jewelry

and fighting

with the wasps.

The men were.....

putting the roof

on the

craft studio

All my whining

and stories

about being a carpenter's

wife

worked

and these men

really did this for ME!

THANK YOU!!!!!

It's really all about Style.....

In a pair of cowboy rubber boots

Jim always thinking of my safety

I started mowing the lawn in my

flip flops

and he was worried I

would lop off a toe or two

Soooooooooooo

here I am in all my glory.

Craft Studio Reaching New Heights

Today I told Jim to take a break and go golfing. Awfully sweet of me....Tomorrow we get the door (hope to have a glass door) and finish the roof. We are having a September Long Weekend get together so I am HINTING hoping some men with strong backs will help bring the windows over from the shed to the studio!
I put a lawn chair in there today and just day dreamed and gazed around. I imagine what the finished studio is going to look like and I can hardly wait. I don't think there will be time before we go south for the winter to finish inside but the outside should be completed.

All that I know right now....

Today I made a list. Making lists is what I do now since I have started blogging. I carry a notebook around and make lists and such....

Living in the country

at
Serenity Now

1. When a deer runs out of the ditch in front of your car (before you have a heart attack) have presence of mind to know that at least two more of his buddies will be following him.
2. When the wind blows, for god's sake take cover or you may become a widow. Trees, dead or alive may snap in seconds.
3. Did you know that dragonflies always land in the North direction. (do you think the government would pay me for this information? Like a grant or something....
4. Road kill observations- yucky unlucky animals every time I drive somewhere.
5. I am very happy to be retired and not working in an office of PEOPLE who spread germs and made me sick.
6. Foxes are cute but when they were here, then the chipmunks left or were ate. not. The noisy crows were casing the joint eating the chipmunks and small animal carcasses that the foxes left. Now the foxes have moved on and the chipmunks are back and the crows are probably now following the fox. The balance of nature just goes on and on doesn't it.
7. The birds snack down on our lawn seed.
8. The wind blows the lawn seed on our curbed pathways. So basically the grass grows everywhere but where it is supposed to!
9. Squirrels are starting to prepare for winter. Don't they know there is a noise restriction here when we are trying to relax. They hurl the pine cones to the ground like they own the place!
10. Make sure you have milk and bread for Sunday because the nearest store on Sunday is a good drive of 20 minutes dodging the deers and avoiding the road kill!

With that said

I will now delight you with my chair pictures

Have I now become that CRAZY quirky lady in the forest...?

The best apple pie in the land!

Another hidden gem in the forest.

Piersons Berry Farm

Saskatoons

Raspberries

and the Best Apple Pie

in the Land

This quaint little

shop is only a mile away from our

place

and it is really hard to stay

away from the

PIE!

Yesterday and 9 years ago~~~

Grandson Braden

Age 2 at the Zoo

Braden yesterday

Age11 at the Zoo

Another "blink of the eye" and they grow and grow !

Grateful Friday

Grateful Friday couldn't come soon enough this week. Enjoyed our day at the zoo.
p.s. it was hot!