Surprises I Never Expected: More Thoughts On Moving Back

When it became a realization that I would be able to move back to Kellogg, and move next door to my mother, there were things I knew would work out well. Mom could share the beauty of her backyard and the infamous Seven Sisters Rose We would share meals. Any time I wanted to I could be brought up to speed on General Hospital.  I would always be informed on the best deals at the grocery stories each Wednesday when the ads came out.

Then there were surprises I never expected to happen.

I never expected to have birds coming to our backyard so quickly.

I never expected the cats to adjust so well. We wanted them to be indoor outdoor cats and they have adjusted by staying close to home, avoiding the street, and getting along most of the time with each other.

I never expected to be sitting in a backyard on Cameron Avenue sitting around a fire with my mother!

I certainly never expected to have the longest, mildest late summer/ early autumn I can ever remember allowing us to plan and plant for next year.

I never expected to feel so much at peace so quickly.

Gathering Leaves, Words by Robert Frost

Robert Frost captures the simple thing in life. That is why I love his poetry so much.

Gathering Leaves

take up leaves
No better than spoons,
And bags full of leaves
Are light as balloons.

I make a great noise
Of rustling all day
Like rabbit and deer
Running away.

But the mountains I raise
Elude my embrace,
Flowing over my arms
And into my face.

I may load and unload
Again and again
Till I fill the whole shed,
And what have I then?

Next to nothing for weight,
And since they grew duller
From contact with earth,
Next to nothing for color.

Next to nothing for use.
But a crop is a crop,
And who's to say where
The harvest shall stop? 

Robert Frost

Freshening Up And Giving Myself A Break

Every so often I like to freshen up my blog. It is a bit like thinking and writing. It clears the cobwebs, gives me more motivation, and it challenges my computer skills. I still don't have buttons linked and other parts added, but it will come in time.
When we went on our retreat away from home last week we did the same thing. We cleared some cobwebs, came back more motivated and we gave ourselves a huge break. JEJ and I needed to do that. We think Rome can be built in a day, so when it comes to projects around the house, we feel the urge to get everything done before the weather gets colder, before the snow flies, before November comes, before the first frost.

We have moved into November. When I was teaching I dreaded November. It was a weary part of the school year with grades, conferences, darkness when you arrived home, changes in weather, and lack of energy. I had an ongoing struggle with depression during that month. This year I like November.  We are giving ourselves a break. We decided last week while retreating we don't have to work on a project every day. If we want to read books in front of the fire, we have given ourselves permission to do that.  If there are leaves on the living room floor that should be picked up, we know they will eventually get off the carpet.

It is a better way to begin the shift in the seasons and weather. We are privileged to be able to do it because we are retired. As November has begun,I  have enjoyed reading four books, working on my blog design, doing some writing,  learning how to use a different camera, and giving myself a break.

Happy November!

Six Things I Still Love About Moving Back to My Hometown

As most of you know, in July I returned home to Kellogg, Idaho when I left my teaching career. People keep asking my if I like it, and every single time I smile and say, "Yes!" I wrote a similar post in August. Here is an update. Many  of the reasons are still the same.

For the first time in twenty years I can go grab groceries in five minutes. The days of  preplanning meals and stocking up are gone. I love it. I feel so much more creative in my cooking.

I hardly have to visit a gas station. I had a set routine when I lived in Martin Creek and commuting. I knew each Saturday it was fill up time. I keep checking my gas gauge, thinking I must be on empty. No sir... and what a money saver.

The sunsets. Everyone that lives on the west side of Kellogg knows that if the sun is out, prepare for a spectacular show of beauty as the day comes to a close.

The family is close. It has been over thirty years since I have lived in the same town as family. Not only is Mom next door, but sister Carol and family are five minutes away. I love it.

A choice of restaurants.  Again, for many this is a small thing, but to able to have food delivered, go to good restaurants close by, and have lots of choices is something we love.

 Day trips are easier. We loved our day trips in northeastern Washington, but we always had to drive quite a ways. We can be at the river, the lake, the mountains, or on the gondola in no time.

I think I will stay awhile.

Sibling Assignment #170: Memories of Montana

I gave this sibling assignment this week. It was simple:Memories of Montana. I will link the other sibs' posts when done.

There have been conversations between the sibs recently about a place to visit when we are all together in November. Montana kept coming up. It reminded me of how much I love Montana. In my whole life I have not been to Montana many times, but each time I visit the state I grow more attached to it's beauty.

Each August around our anniversary and close to when school started, we always tried to plan a getaway  to rest and recharge before getting into the routine of the school year again. In August 2013 we found a lovely cabin on the Clark Fork River by Clark Fork, Idaho. We discovered two things on that trip. We were very close to the beauty of Montana and there was a cedar grove close by.

There is something about hiking through a cedar grove with camera in hand. I love being surrounded by natural history, coolness, green, moisture, and quiet. We found Ross Creek Ancient Cedars and I captured a series of photo images I really liked. It was fun today to revisit the cedar grove through the pictures. Now I want to return.

Sibling Assignment #169: Keep the Obsession Strong!

Brother Bill gave the sibling assignment this week. "We all have our little obsessions.  What are you currently obsessed with?  A book? A movie? An idea? A song? A project? An activity?  Write all about it ." I will post links to the other siblings' assignment upon completion.

Having a new home and yards to landscape creates lots of opportunity for obsessions. Right now inside decorating is a low priority. The walls are decent colors. They have recently been painted. There are new wood floors and carpet so we are content with the inside of the house for now.

The outside is a different story. The yard looks similar to how our yard look next door in the sixties when we were growing up. A few lilacs, the original cement patio and sidewalks, the original long clothesline in front of the lilacs, and mostly grass. JEJ's obsession has been to get the grass green, which he has succeeded in doing. His obsession will continue as he maintains it. 

My obsession is plant choices. I went from over a half acre of gardens to a back yard that is 100x100. ( I do have flower beds in front of the house also). The main obsession is choosing plants for the backyard. I mentioned in a recent post the lessons I learned and plants I have grown to love from 18 years of creating gardens at my former house. You can find that here.

Somebody recently asked me what I was going to plant here.  I couldn't even answer. I am obsessed with revisiting garden plants from the past, studying successful flowers in Mom's gardens next door, remembering plants I loved that never made it in my last garden, and what color schemes I want. We love roses, but don't have good locations for roses here. We may have to narrow our choices to roses. Everett loves the Iceberg Climbing Rose above,  so we may try two of those the ends of the shed. We have one I brought to fill in also.

Right now the burning decision I must make with this obsession is which spring bulbs I want since they need to be planted soon. I love all of them, but don't have the room to plant them. I think tulips may win out. They are showstoppers in the spring. Somewhere I must find room for some lilies also.

The two sunflowers that just emerged on their own before we arrived inspired me to keep sunflowers in that corner at the end of the patio. Whew! One easy decision. We want vines again, but will wait until the fence is built to see how that will work. The Silver Lace Vine will definitely find a place in our back yard, plus we love honeysuckle, trumpet vines, and hops.

I want to try again my list of "plants I have never been able to grow".  This list includes lupines, delphiniums, bee balm, and foxglove. Alas, another obsession. 

Obsessing over all these plants is timely because now is the time to buy perennials at garden stores. They are marked down for quick sale. It is also a good time to get starts from other gardens. Cooler weather makes replanting much more successful. Creating gardens isn't a cheap hobby so this project will be spread out over a period of time. Obsessing over all these plants is also exciting, energizing, and it keeps my head full. Now off to the magazines, catalogs, articles, pictures, and notes I surround myself with. Keep the Obsession Strong. 

Stay tuned for a follow-up of what I decided.