Sunday Scribblings: "I Come From"

I come from a childhood entwined in Easter baskets, birthday parties, Dr. Suess, visits to grandmothers' houses, snowy winters, short springs, hide and seek, Leave It To Beaver, fruitcake at Christmas, burning leaves in October, Thanksgiving potlucks, slumber parties, Sunday School, orange Crush,books from the library, the city pool,and Friday night popcorn.

I come from teen years full of spring concerts, "Everybody's Girl", school newspaper, Sadie Hawkins dances, The S& R, Thursday night GAA, Wheat Thins, Pepsi, marching in the Torchlight parade, French, To Kill a Mockingbird, typing class, long phone conversations, stolen kisses, going up the river and out to the lake, and running track.

I come from college years brimming over with laughs, friends, Mort's Club, Taco Time, on the run, the landing, The Perch, the I Tower, Hello Walk, kiddie lit, afro hairdos, Benny and the Jets, student teaching at Ramsey, house president, sunbathing on the deck, working at "the cage", Boville Run, wind,and the arboretum.

I come from early adulthood packed with making bulletin boards, my first car,serious relationships, dancing on week-ends, a wedding, moving away, book groups, going back to school, happy hours, learning piano, teacher friends, "Bowling Babes", writing workshop, changing grade levels, first lattes, dinner gatherings, first dogs, lots of books, fresh pressed cider, recipe collecting, cabin in Idaho, wine tours, hot summers, family gatherings, illness,bird dogs, never slowing down, black holes,The Book Worm, broken marriage, growing flowers, alone, Oregon coast, therapy, moving, good-bye.

I come from a change in life that includes a small school, moving, Friday afternoon football,Lake Roosevelt, finding my place, the guy across the road, dogs and cats, The Hitching Post, coming out of the darkness, writing retreats, four seasons, depression, teaching and learning, therapy, Aunties Bookstore, gardening, July in Moscow, the ferry, family gatherings, pow wows, a camera, road trips, the reservation, camping, new friends and family, Starbucks, finding state parks,nesting, slowing down, blogging, memoirs, Garden Valley Church, being a true fan, red shoes, siblings,online book groups, Camp Aunt Christy, trips to town, love, contentment,peace and quiet.

To read other Sunday Scribblings on " I Come From" go here.

Sunday Scribblings: Coffee

Rewinding back to growing up vivid images come to mind when I think of coffee. Every morning when I came downstairs the familiar smell of brewing coffee filled the house. The clear Pyrex coffee pot on the stove was always full of enough coffee so Dad could have some with breakfast, Mom could have her morning coffee before school, and the thermos Dad took to the Zinc Plant could be filled. I remember removing Dad's thermos from his lunch bucket in the evening and washing it gingerly as not to break that magic glass inside that kept the liquid hot.When a can of MJB coffee emptied, I loved watching Mom use the little key to open the top of the new can. Even today with an electric can opener and a different brand of coffee I love that smell of the fresh coffee as the lid comes off the can. The only time coffee was made in the evening was when we had a special dinner and coffee was served with a dessert, sometimes during the holidays, or if Dad wanted some to go with brandy. It always seemed odd to me when people always had a pot of coffee going on the stove.
Grandma Woolum always said nobody made coffee like my mom. She loved to come to Kellogg and drink my mom's coffee. After each of us left and moved to other places we decided it was the good water in Kellogg that helped to make that good coffee. Grandma's house had that same smell in the morning when we stayed there and I think Dad always liked that comfort of coffee made at his mother's house.
We often stopped at Dick and Floyd's in uptown Kellogg. It had a counter out front with a soda fountain, magazines, candy, and doughnuts. There was a bar in the back. Oftentimes as I sat drinking my fountain root beer there would be the same people drinking the thick black coffee that had sat on a burner for most of the day. That coffee had a much different smell than what I experienced at home.

I don't remember exactly when I started drinking coffee. I probably made the mix of coffee, sugar cubes, and cream at church or at a wedding reception just because we loved sugar cubes and cups with saucers. I just remember always adding something to it in my youth.

Moving to college is when my serious coffee drinking started. Moscow, Idaho does not have good tasting water and the coffee we had at the house tasted horrible, but everyone drank it. We often went to a cafe that stayed open late to study and have "better coffee". Thus began my lifetime ritual of drinking coffee. I have carried coffee in a big Stanley thermos, a plastic to-go cup that came free at the service station, a cuter red cup that fits in the car holder, and a mug that stayed a bit stained all week in the teacher lounge. I was still living in Kennewick when the first drive-thru espresso stand opened. I drank these horribly sweet mochas back then and thought I was getting designer coffee. I survived moving to a rural area without espresso stands. When JEJ and I first met we would do Saturday drives around the area and stop for coffee at small town cafes, gas stations, and rest stops. I do like fresh ground beans at home, but now mix my own by taking a few types of coffee beans and mixing them in the bag at the store. Every time it tastes a bit different.

I still look forward to drinking coffee at my mom's house. Nothing fancy. She has moved to a coffeemaker you plug in, but she doesn't grind her own beans, buy Starbuck's House Blend, or use a French press. She opens the can of whatever brand she had a coupon for and it was a store special. I think last time I was home it was Yuban French Roast. I often take a cup for the road when we leave after a week-end visit.

For other Sunday Scribblings on coffee go here.

The Miracle of Mums

There is nothing that says autumn like mums. Chrysanthemums come in such a variety of colors. They will bloom even after frost hits. They are one of the longest lasting flowers in a bouquet. They look great whatever the size or color. They really are a miracle perennial. I still have mums that I carried with me from Kennewick, to a temporary apartment, then on to be planted at this house. They are still with me.
If you are a novice gardener and want something that can be easily grown in the inland empire climate zones, buy chrysanthemums. You can go out right now and purchase them for a reasonable price at garden centers and you have instant color that will return next year. I have moved, pinched, divided, and stepped on mums ( on accident) and they still look great.
The kind you see here are called Chrysanthemum morifolium.
" C. morifolium encompasses all the varied plants collectively knows as florists' mums. They're the mainstay of the autumn-blooming perennial show- both in garden borders and in containers-not only because of their ease of culture and profusion of bloom but also because they are the most varied and versatile of mums, available in many forms, colors, sizes, and growth habits." Perennials, Sunset Publishers.
They love sun, regular water, and good well-drained soil. For other Sunday Scribblings on miracle go here.

Sunday Scribblings: Observations

It is hard to get much by these two dogs. They are good observers!





For other Sunday Scribblings on observations go here.

Sunday Scribblings: Ask

our campsite at Potter's Pond on the Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge

Any time a traveler comes across unfamiliar territory, you can assume a homesteader lived there if there are lilacs on the property. photo by kathystanczak.ca

The beautiful flowering bush just doesn't grow in the wild on its own very often. In the spot we camped this week we started seeing clues that somebody had once lived there. I wanted to ask somebody, " Who was Potter of Potter's Pond or who lived here before 1939 when they changed this to a wildlife refuge? "
After noticing the lilacs, we discovered pieces of hand- mixed cement around our site that led us to believe there was a foundation close to where we were camping. Further investigation by JEJ found a old shower drain and pipes. All these clues made us wonder just who had lived here before.
Later that day I took a hike through the grassland into the cedar grove. There was quite a find, but I had to go back and ask JEJ just what in the world I had found. He always seems to know about things like this.There was a cement- like trough with moss and water that flowed down toward our camp site. It wasn't running much water this time of year.He explained it was an underground spring and the inhabitants of this land put in their own hand- mixed cement holding tank that kept water close to where they were living. It was like stumbling across another place and time. I was amazed how the whole thing had been preserved.I am sure the trees around the spring have grown. I am also sure the water has dried up a bit. Now I want to ask more questions and find out if there was a cabin or homestead at this site. Did they stay after it became a refuge, or did they have to move? Does Potter's Pond right by our site have anything to do with what we found? This week I hope to find some answers.
To find other Sunday Scribblings about ask go here.
this morning after the thunderstorm as the mist lifted at Potter's Pond

Sunday Scribblings: Do I Have To?

here I am as a child

The topic for Sunday Scribblings this week is " Do I have to?"
How many times did you utter these four words while growing up? The question may have been spoken in a bit of a whine. There may have also been some begging involved.
Do I have to come inside?
Do I have to sleep with clippies in my hair on Saturday night?
Do I have to turn off my light and stop reading?
Do I have to go to bed just when the good part is starting?
Do I have to ride in this hot back seat with my two siblings close to me and you smoking in the front?
Do I have to wash woodwork instead of going to the pool?
Do I have to sit still while you comb the tangles out of my hair?
Do I have to sit and visit with Uncle Jack even when he hides behind the couch, then jumps out and scares us?

Growing up my mom seemed to be the one that answered the questions for me.
here is my mom

Now that I am an adult this nagging question comes up often. Sometimes I want Mom to be here to say, "Yes... you have to" and then I will just do it. No procrastinating. No second guessing. No questions asked. Just do it. here I am today as an adult

Do I have to weed the gardens when it is ninety degrees outside?
Do I have to scrub my grill in the BBQ every time I use it so it looks brand new?
Do I have to decide myself if it is time to put Emily to sleep?
Do I have to cut coupons and drive to three stores to "save"? Can't I just buy the brand I want?
Do I have to eat right, exercise, drink filtered water, take vitamins, wear sunscreen, and floss every day?
Do I have to read a book because it is on a list that somebody said was a "must read" book before you die and the plot doesn't interest me?
Do I have to drive slower and keep my trunk empty to conserve on gas?
Do I have to be nice to people that go against everything I believe in?
...and do I really have to wash down my kitchen once a year? Who made that rule?

Sigh.... maybe I don't want Mom here today.... I think I would have too much to do.

To read other Sunday Scribblings go here.

Sunday Scribblings: Abound in Hope

Today when I thought of ghosts for the Sunday Scribbling topic, I thought of the holy spirit. I snapped these pictures recently by Barnaby Island on Lake Roosevelt in Washington state. I enjoy taking tree pictures because it reminds me of the vastness of our father's world. Also photographing trees provides another perspective of the heaven above.

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13 To read other Sunday Scribblings about spirits and ghosts go here.

The Garden Primer Makes My Heart Soar

" Gardeners make the world a better place. So when they show me battered, sun-bleached, mud-spattered copies of my book and tell me it has coaxed them into the garden, I feel that I have done the job I set out to do." -Barbara Damrosch

When I got serious about gardening one of the top five books in my gardening collection was The Garden Primer by Barbara Damrosch. I learned so much practical information about soil, plants, composting, and garden planning in this book. Barbara and her husband Eliot Coleman also had a show on the Learning Channel called Gardening Naturally. I gained even more gardening knowledge from that show.

My heart soared over spring break when I saw a display of a new Second Edition of The Garden Primer advertised as "The Classic, Even Better". I love how Barbara has aged gracefully in the twenty-two years from the first cover to the second and how the front still has a familiar look. Also the book is deemed "The Completely Revised Gardener's Bible....100% Organic." That is one big difference with the second edition. The gardening wisdom is 100% organic. I have just begun to use the new edition as I prepare new beds, rearrange some gardens, and amend soil.

Our spring blooming trees and shrubs are benefiting from the knowledge I have learned from Barbara. To read other Sunday Scribblings using soar go here.

Sunday Scribblings: Family and Camera Critters too

The Sunday Scribblings prompt this week is family. With this topic I could have focused on my immediate family, school family, or my extended family. Instead I chose to focus on my pet family. If you have read my blog at all you know we have two dogs and seven cats. Each of them provides entertainment and unconditional love on a daily basis. Here is our critter family tree: starting at the top left is Finnigan, Sweet William, Lily, McDuff, Annie and Shelby, Kit and Isabelle, Kit, Iris, and Isabellebaby McDuff

I love to call JEJ the cat whisperer. He has a certain way with cats. When he moved across the street to my house when we were married, he tried to bring his cats. They did not appreciate our dogs and never really made the move. That was eleven years ago.Ten years ago our neighbors had a mamma cat that would just show up at their house to give birth to kittens. We decided we were ready to have cats, thus Cosmo and Camille came home with us. They are no longer with us, but they turned me into a cat lover and I saw what a cat whisperer JEJ really was.

A year later that same mamma cat showed up at our neighbors to have kittens and we knew we HAD to have two more kittens. McDuff and Finnigan came home to join their siblings and they are now almost ten years old. It is hard to imagine all four of these cats came from the same mother.

In the spring of 2001 I got a call from my sister saying that The Princess had found two kittens in a box behind the grocery store. They couldn't keep the cats and she wondered if there was any way we could take them. Welcome home Iris and Poppy. Poppy vanished as cats often do a few years ago, but Iris is the Queen Bee of the household now.In the fall of 2005 we were down to three cats and we saw an ad in the paper about abandoned cats that needed a home. We went to rescue Isabelle and Lucas. A few months later we were all saddened when Lucas died of feline leukemia. Isabelle still misses him, but Kit has helped fill that void.
That following spring our dear friend SH died. She had two kittens that were about five months old. They had been inside a enclosed porch and had really just had each other. Her grieving husband didn't know what to do with the cats. He was afraid to let them go outside because of wild animals and he already had an inside cat. We knew what SH would want. She had loved those kittens to pieces. We brought a part of our dear friend home the spring of 2006 when Lily and Sweet William became part of our cat family.Did we ever realize another kitten would need to be rescued? Are we just the kitten magnet house or what? Kit showed up in a tree last fall and needed a home. He was not in good health, but had a personality even in sickness that won our hearts. Now we have quite a cat family. Four of the cats are mostly outdoor cats and three others come and go inside and out. They have all been fixed so we don't repopulate the neighborhood. They have all been a blessing and I have began training as a cat whisperer myself. (The last picture with all three dogs before we said good-bye to Lucy.)

Added to this critter family are two dogs. After the death of my dog Lucy we had two older dogs at home- Bluey and Emily. We were at WalMart on day and saw a woman holding a blue heeler puppy. We stopped to ask her about the dog and found out their were more in the litter. All the rest were red heelers. What I learned that day is that JEJ had always wanted an Australian Cattle Dog. The rest is history. We visited the farm and fell in love with Shelby. She is now three years old. We lost Emily in December of 2004. I didn't really think I was ready for another puppy, but when I was reading ads in January 2005 one caught my eye: springer spaniel puppies for sale. After much discussion I made the call to Garfield, Washington and that week-end we took a trip through blowing snow to find our dear Annie. From the first trip home with Shelby they have been loyal friends. Shortly after that Bluey also died so we enjoy the companionship of two dogs. Bluey taught Annie and Shelby "the ropes" before she left us. What a mentor she was!


You can read other Sunday Scribblings about family here. You can see other Camera Critters here.