Trying this with a different ‘service’ as the whole notice bit is driving me nuts [yes, I know, did not have far to go, but really….]

It is either not working, or is incredibly slow.  I’ve subscribed to our own blog, updated with a new plugin, added widget and now am very impatiently waiting for a notice to arrive in my email that ‘yay, there is a new post!’ even though of course I DID the post.

WAIT, WAIT, I see another box to click or unclick.  Honest, it was NOT there earlier this morning….must be attached to the new plugin?

Do hope that at the very least these posts might give you a chuckle or two, and that some of you will look back through some of the previous ones as well.

Yes, I am STILL fighting with this!  Nothing that is supposed to work automatically is…working automatically.  Go figure.

With many new followers/subscribers, we are wondering what brought you all here?  Anyone care to share?  And…do you want a good laugh?  It may be that NONE of you were receiving notices of new posts on here.  Guess I am not a very good blogger, as I thought this was sending notices automatically.  Let’s see if I have ‘fixed it’ or not.

In the Homestead Line [play on words here, folks] we are in the early planning of another jaunt north next spring.  Yes, really!  Did not have enough time last trip to do all we wanted to.  Guess we’ll have to call it Epic Adventure #2.
One thing we kept wondering about was….is the old tractor still there?  If so, can we find it amongst all the brush?  Looking on Google Earth is NOT an option, as the open areas that were are just no longer there.
Any of you interested in tales of homesteading in Alaska?  Visit www.brainstormspublishing.com for a couple book excerpts.

If I’ve used that one before, please forgive.  How many of you have put something ‘in a safe place’ and it has never been seen again?  With over 500 subscribers, I’m thinking at least half of you must have experienced this, right? No? You have got to be kidding!

At any rate this seems to happen with some regularity around here.  No pattern, not coinciding with moon phases, just noticeable.  The culprit, or victim, this time was vacuum cleaner belts. Four of them, brand new, package unopened.  Not usable for any other purpose [no, I did NOT use them on my rock tumbler]  and something you must have for an upright vacuum to be worth more than a lousy anchor or floppy club.

You all know that distinctive smell when something jams in the beater bar and subsequently the belt WILL need to be replaced. Never smelled that? It IS distinctive, and I’ve come home from being away a couple days and knew instantly that hubby had vacuumed, gotten something stuck and had not clue what to do about it.  Points for him that a) he did a good job of vacuuming and b) owned up to “killing it again”.  This is what started the search for those belts.  They were not tucked inside the container of bags. Nope.  Even found another package of bags I didn’t know I had, but nowhere are there belts.

Three stores [none closer than 10 miles, mind you] later and although they have belts, there is no chart to cross reference and the numbering system is completely different than it used to be.  “How old IS your vacuum?” I kept getting.  I had the brand and model number in hand.  No, I do not remember when I got it, this century, but hey.  Sears store 18 miles away finally said, hmmm, give me your phone number and miraculously there it was in their system.  It is only 12 years old, who remembered?  It still took about three cross referencing moves to “Aha, think we’ve got it!” and they produced one.

Home, and amazingly it fit and works.  Was even less difficult than the last couple to install.  Quick run, and yes it works like a champ!  Now, that done, the ‘safe place’ belts should have come out of hiding.  Nope, still not seen them.  Beginning to wonder if I shipped them off to a customer with an order of memory bears [www.bellybuttonbears.com] or to a grandchild with their birthday pkg.  So if you are still wondering WHY I sent you vac belts….don’t ask!

I suppose to be really accurate, I should include a photo.  However, if I go back out to do that, this post will not happen because I will get sidetracked.  Happens every time (almost).
I was hanging around outside in the expectation of our young worker to arrive at 8 AM.  Already had one chore lined up for him, but knowing it would not take long, planned to have another ready.  There are always branches to be dragged to the appropriate burn piles. [Don’t get excited anyone, we do NOT burn during fire season.  This is ongoing every summer cleanup work.]
In addition to the stuff blown out of the trees, some as recent as this week, there is always dead wood to be trimmed, live branches that are encroaching and so forth.  If you live in the country you understand.  If you don’t and never have, just imagine it.

Up by our old chicken coop, there is a black walnut tree, part of which is dead, and several plum bush/trees.  Branches in them were damaged in last winter’s snows and the way they grow, it is almost as bad as ‘Bre’r Rabbit’s Briar Patch’ or could be soon. Okay, I’ll start cutting the bad wood out and dropping it where it can’t be missed.  I rather like brush and tree trimming, you can see progress and get to make the decisions. It is no secret that I don’t like actually hauling the brush.  Whenever we’ve had grandkids or friends kids work around the place, they always wanted to do the cutting and lopping. Nope, that is what I do, you are paid to do the part I do not want to!
On with the chore at hand, which was going pretty well with the loppers, then the limb saw (it is a bit weak, but has its uses).  Hmm, there are larger parts than I thought of the walnut dead. Time to go bring out the big guns, um saw.  Not the chain saw but an old familiar family tool.
As many of you know, we grew up on a homestead in SE Alaska.  One that could only be accessed by boat or air.  Our folks had four daughters, and we all learned all the jobs (dependent on our age abilities of course).  One that occupied much of my time when I was 12 was cutting green alder for firewood. (excellent firewood, the source constantly replenished because you can almost watch it grow up there)  Fall, trim and cut into kitchen stove lengths.  With a swede saw.  Many of you know this as a bow saw, which I also have.  The swede saw however is an antique, about 4 foot long, and has our family fingerprints permanently in the metal from so much use! (Must be a little psychic to sense them.)

Not that easy to hold in one hand while you take photos of!

I just recently acquired that tool as we sorted through our Mom’s storage shed.
I had not used it in probably 50 years, but it fit my hand perfectly and the black walnut’s dead branches are history!  Okay, they are just laying on the ground waiting for someone to drag them off because, well, you know I don’t do that part and also I must have lost track of when our young worker was coming back because he didn’t! There is however another job lined out for him if he makes it next week.

How many of you have experienced remodeling? Of a bathroom that has not really been improved since house construction in 1972?
Couple points to note: the original contractor was known for his, ahhh, shortcuts.  House only has one bathroom so one notices the inconvenience.
Happily we are nearing the end of the process, thanks to the young men who did the worst part and knew what to do when they encountered problems.  Whew! Almost made one wish for the old outhouse and catalog.
By the way, I’m happy to report that several improvements have been made in SHOWER DOORS.  The track allows free flow of water back into the tub instead of capturing it in a track that gets clogged and gunky.  Wahoo!!

and no apologies!  [this is from our own newsletter, July 2004]

As the 4th of July approaches, we reflect on what it means to us. Subsequently this issue contains a few anecdotes and thoughts past and present regarding patriotism and July 4th celebrations.

~~~

“I remember picnics on the beach, with hot dogs and Campfire marshmallows roasted over an open fire. Campfire brand marshmallows still have the same scent when a new bag is opened! Takes a person back in that funny way scents can do.” We had a discussion the other day about how different marshmallows were ‘back then’. Campfire ones came in a box, two layers but not very many. They were much firmer than they are now, and when cooking them we had competitions to see how many times you could skin a marshmallow. A careful roaster could easily manage 5 skins. You can’t do that with the newer ones – any of you readers do that?

“I also remember having great fireworks that actually went WAY up into the air and one year we had some that had little parachutes that came out of the rocket and fluttered to the ground. I remember that one of us was always the Queen of the Fourth of July, although I never remember it being me! 🙂 :)”, says Ruth. Here Ruth pulls Nancy on our 4th of July ‘float’, the only Queen picture we seem to have.

I am very thankful for the freedom we enjoy in this great country. We tend to take it for granted until we see pictures of folks in other countries where they have no freedom. We could have been born there and maybe some of us were and came to America for the freedom it affords us. WE have the right and freedom to go out and vote for our leaders and I say we all need to get out and do that very thing.

I think it is good that we, as Americans, take the time to celebrate the 4th with family and friends because we can. In some countries there is no celebration of any kind. We are lucky.

A freezing Fourth of July in Idaho! From Ruth

Some years back when we were leasing and living on a ranch way out in the Southwest corner of Idaho, we invited family to come stay for the Fourth of July weekend. It was over a 100 mile trip for all of them and some much further, plus the last 50 miles were dirt road. So, everyone was to stay a couple nights at least.

It had been beautiful weather and promised to remain so. We had planned a big feed and then fireworks out in the green hay meadow, near the river (for safety sake), that evening.

We all got up the morning of the fourth, ready for the big day’s event, all ready to deck out in summer clothes, only to find it had frozen in the wee hours of the morning! What a surprise! The weather did warm up for the day and we had a terrific time, but had to don coats, scarves, hats and gloves for the fireworks that night! They were beautiful, though! [Mom emulating Statue of Liberty at the 45 Ranch.]

So, the next time someone says…”That’s as likely to happen as frost in July” well, look out ‘cuz it does happen and not just in the Northern states! Let’s hope this Fourth of July in Eastern Oregon, is not that cold!!

Good news:  scattered showers across the state
Bad news:  scattered showers across the state

WHAT?  This time of year, we are usually happy for any moisture, especially when not accompanied by lightening.   We are into a (predicted) serious fire season along with potential water shortage.   So, yes, good news!

Bad news part is if you have hay cut and down, because it is that time of year as well. Or family gatherings, or house painting, or just ripped off your roof to replace. Another problem is you decided to empty a room onto the deck and sort everything, clean the entire room, because of course it is nice weather, right?

Good news: plants grow so much better with natural moisture, we’re saving on the electric bill if we don’t have to pump water (or the water bill if we live in town).
So, readers, what is YOUR Good News/Bad News response? Must be some funny stories out there [okay, maybe not funny when they happened, but looking back….]

Heading out to do some random things [and make sure my car windows are up!].

Mabel Anne & Eliza Beth are always talking….

Yes, I am serious, we have over 200 subscribers, plus others who have the link and just visit. Not sure what the draw is, what you each found interesting.  However, we’ll just muddle along as always.
It may be time for a quick rundown on who we are.  First there was then: http://www.homesteadline.com/About/Honk.htm and http://www.homesteadline.com/Greetings.htm

Through the years we raised kids, held full time jobs and still the crafting crept out in a myriad of ways.  When we get together, or even gather in a chat room, it is worse! We give each other ideas. On top of that, we all qualify for senior citizen discounts [tho not perhaps medicare!].

Subsequently, we each have our own home based business and partner on several crafts as well.  In this group, retired only means being able to leave that job where you worked for someone else.

Denise is the eldest, [traveled to Alaska in 1948 when she was just over a year old, according to “Children of Glacier Point, Book One” so you figure it out!] is retired and has a Memory Teddy Bear business Bellybutton Bears.  She is supposed to maintain the websites, and manage this blog and our Facebook pages.

Linda is next and our true ‘Child of Glacier Point’ [that same link will take you to Book Two as well].  Retirement means she now works full time with her husband on their produce farm and makes beautiful quilts and other Fabric Creations.

Nancy, #3, with retirement a few years out yet, in her spare time does custom embroidery with two large machines at Only1Co.com.   She makes soaps as well!

Ruth, #4 and the youngest, still ranches full time with her husband and works with wood.  Woodshop Wonders began with unique frames and now makes a wide variety of one of a kind furnishings.  Many incorporate re-purposed items.

Because of our varied interests and skills, things tend to follow us home from fabric stores, tool/hardware stores, yard sales, junk stores, and each others stashes.
Our combined skills also include administrative, publishing, management, postal, bookkeeping, varied tech skills, customer service and don’t forget gardening, trapping, canning, fishing.

That is it for today, almost dinner time and today I think it will be breakfast.

Linda spring ’51

Excerpt from Book #2, Children of Glacier Point  http://www.brainstormspublishing.com/

May 21, 1950, Herb’s notes read as follows: “Was intending to take Teresa to town to have the baby but it came a week early so at the expense of some gray hairs I officiated.  Everything and everyone okay but me.”

Teresa recalls that, although no entry was made in the diary, the day before Linda was born the creek was running wilder than usual.  “Herb and I spent a considerable amount of time and effort moving rocks trying to get the creek to not eat into the bank on the cabin side.  Whether that had anything to do with her arriving early I don’t know, but very well might have been.”

May 21, 1950…continued.

 “The morning Linda was born I remember getting up, starting the fire, fixing breakfast for Herb and Denise. I served them hotcakes, and I made coffee but never did get it poured! Herb said something about going to town but I informed him it was too late for that since I knew the baby was on its way.  No way was I going to have that child in the boat!   Herb was all for going and getting Terry Teston but I said NO! No time for that either just stay here and help me.  I put my bundle of prepared, sterilized supplies next to the bed.  Herb put Denise in his shop, much to her dismay since she wanted to help Mummie.  Really was not long until we knew we had another little girl.  I will always remember Herb saying, “How in the world do you get a hold one of these slippery things?”  It really made me laugh but he did not think it was funny at all!  So I took the little one and was able to cut the cord as per the doctor’s instructions and cleaned her up as best I could.  Herb let Denise in then and she was so please to see her little sister.  However she poor kid had not been able to keep from messing her pants and Herb was not thrilled at having to help her clean herself up.  Again I couldn’t help thinking it was humorous since men seem to have such a time under these conditions!  As soon as Denise and I and the baby were settled, Herb walked up to Teston’s to get Terry.  She told me later that when she answered his knock on their door she knew by the whiteness and look on his face what had happened!”

Denise: I also remember that day and being told by my Daddy to “sit down there and don’t you move.”  He was so frazzled that I did not even think of doing anything but that, and was quite embarrassed at the result. It was also some while before he remembered I was still waiting as I had been told. The little sister was exciting however, as at long last I would have a friend and companion, someone to play with.   Not sure I realized it would take a while until she could keep up with me!

Diary entry continues on May 21, 1950:  “Linda Mary born at 10:10 AM.  Weighed approximately 6 lb. 2 oz [later revised to about 5 pounds 2 ounces!]  Herb delivered same.  All went well.  Ken and Terry came down after lunch.  Herb and Ken ran skate, got a halibut and 2 cod.  Had gotten a porky (porcupine) at 2:30 AM.”

So the nights sleep had been interrupted with the dogs fussing about the porcupine, and Herb shooting it.  Then the afternoon after the birth went on with business as usual, checking the skate line out in the bay.

Yesterday was Armed Forces Day.  I believe that it was May 20th, when it ‘began’, but the important bit is that we still honor our service men and women. Past, present and future. 

From the Spirit of ’76 (painted by one of our ancestors) through the current day…

Both of our parents served in WWII, as did my father in law.  Several sons, nephews and more have and continue to serve.

Whether you have or had family ‘out there’, you know someone who is on the front line of preserving our freedoms.  Give them a tip of the hat, a hug, an handshake.