Camping Chronicle # 1 with tips

Once upon a dandelion, there was a young married woman.  She was expecting their first child in a couple of months.  A neighbor (and co-worker), had just purchased a camp trailer, and was selling his pup tent.  "Well", the young woman thought, "Wouldn't it be fun to surprise my husband with a weekend  getaway?" "We could hike away from the bright lights of the city, and go camping at that cool park we've passed a number of times out on the highway!"  The young woman had waffle stomper hiking boots that were a couple of years old and quite comfy.  She compiled a list: they would need a good pair of waffle stompers for Hubby, a orange external frame back pack for each of them, and the Pup Tent of course.  One Friday after work,  the secret purchases had all been made; the young woman enthusiastically sprung the surprise on her unsuspecting husband.  She packed their backpacks, and they set out.  The couple navigated their way down neighborhood streets, out through the sub-divisions, and past the little ranchettes.  It had been a full work week, and they started this little adventure, already tired.  The orange packs began to feel heavier and heavier.  It began to get darker and darker and they had not reached the park.  Hubby's boots began to feel uncomfortable, and the little mini-breaks became more frequent.  By the time the couple reached the park, it was midnight.

There were tall iron gates to the entrance, and they were closed tight.  The flashlight illuminated the mean little sign "DAY USE ONLY".  The temptation to just collapse right there on the spot, was great.  But the young couple trudged back, from whence they had come.  They had passed a little abandoned gas station, with a pay phone on their way.  It was 2 a.m.  They called their VERY good friend to come pick them up.  He even drove them through an all night drive through in town, as they hadn't eaten, and then drove them home.  We   I mean, they backpacked for hours and miles, only to spend the night in our their own bed.

Camping tips:

l. Know where you're going! Make a reservation.

2. Don't pack baking potatoes and everything you own in a back-pack, Grapes of Wrath style   (even if you are in Steinbeck country!)

3. Don't wear brand new boots, or else be prepared to nurse blisters the size of quarters.

4. Start out in the morning, refreshed.

5. Always carry phone money

6. Always, Always, Always, be thankful for good friends.

Oktoberfest 2011

Just like the lebkuchen we got in Germany's Nuremburg Christkindlmarkt.
There was good participation in the chicken dance.

This little liebling reminded me of our Sarah at that age.
Aren't they cute?  They're a yearly fixture.

fraulein
He marched to all of the songs and little sister followed like a shadow.  It was so sweet.

The girls did a great job with the maypole dance
as shown by their completed weaving

Whee!

A little violin solo of "Eidelwiss"
A cute group including 2 expectant mommies

The girls picked their partners from the circle of boys

Pretty hops
Townsquare

We ventured up the hill to the Weiner dog races

and to listen to The Voices of Hope concert in the beautiful St Mary's Parish Church.

I love the strong sense of community at Mt. Angel.  It warms my heart to hear the locals greet one another by name as they pass one another amidst the throngs of visitors.  It was nice to be able to share Oktoberfest with Sarah and her family this year.  Of our girls, she has the most memories and emotional attachment to Bavaria/Germany from when we lived there.  It was like stepping back in time; seeing her blonde, braided hair, daughter in a shop, admiring a dirndl set for her doll.  I found some more candles for our Christmas pyramid. (They're kind of a tricky size.)  Seeing all of the hops adorning the booths, reminded  me to pick some of ours and bring in the house.  I usually forget about them until they're spoiled by the fall rains. I'm enjoying them on the dining chandy.

Aunt Laurel's

On our way home from the family reunion, we took a little trip down memory lane.

There used to always be barking collies to greet us as we drove in the driveway.

Recollections of: Hot summer nights sleeping on the porch, shrieking and hiding under the covers when bats would pay a late night visit. Listening with nail-biting intrigue to the scary stories of older cousins. Breathing in the warm fragrant smell of the unruly yellow rose "wall" on the south end. In the yard next to the rose bush, a bunch of kids all piled on the old gray mare. I always tried to sit right behind my oldest cousin, because she would make the horse rear, and everyone would go sliding off the back end, falling like dominoes. I would hang on for dear life. If I went....she was going too!

The dining room. The room where if there weren't other adults around, Aunt Laurel would let us "chopsticks" the ivories off of the old upright piano to our little hearts content. The room where she let me cut calico patches out and sew them into a doll quilt on the sewing machine.

So many yummy family meals of spaghetti, baked salmon with lemon, and sandwiches she cut out with cookie cutters for a summer day lunch for us girls. Extra special to me, considering she had been up before daylight, milking dairy cows.

When I stayed there, I was assigned calves to feed and take care of. Aunt Laurel gave us each an allowance, and took us to town to spend it as we pleased, while she washed clothes at the laundromat.

The old milk house. It was always wet and cool in there. And it seemed so much larger then.

One time, they returned me home after a visit, my cousins and I rode all of the way (over 150 miles) in a homemade camper on the back of this pickup. At a stop I remember my uncle getting us each soda pops and a bag of those orange peanut shaped marshmallow candies to share.

One year, Mom and Aunt Laurel got 100 baby broiler chicks. That was my first experience in butchering chickens. We set up work stations, and a pot of boiling water. Everyone teased and horsed around and we were all covered in wet feathers. It made a less than wonderful task another fun reminiscence.

The old place is up for sale now. It's not hard to imagine someone coming in and "cleaning it up". Someone razing all of the existing buildings and replacing them with new pole barns and a new house. I'm thankful the memories are with me forever.

Cranberries Dreams

The sheen of the yarn photographs wierd. The color of this sweater is actually much deeper than it shows in these pictures. The buttons match it. It is another Presto Chango sweater with 2 cables in the field of the front panel.

PATTERN: Presto Chango by Valerie Wallis
SIZE: 6 months

YARN: Bamboo & Ewe in "Lipstick"

This little sweater is for Anna's baby. I remember years ago, sitting in the car in Eugene with Anna, when we'd been having a girl's day out. We were waiting on Kate and a friend, talking, kicked back, and listening to The Cranberries sing "Dreams."

Last Weekend

I know things have been quiet here in Dandelion blogland. I haven't been posting...lots going on. A trip over the Santiam Pass to Central Oregon to Mom and Dad's. Mom had another surgery.

Kate's get well bouquet to Nana

Mt. Washington

Three Fingered Jack

Lost Lake, completely covered in snow. This place has very fond summer childhood memories for me. We picnicked there with family and the cousins all had a blast on an abandoned wooden raft. Another time, our family camped there, and it was wonderful. We picked wild huckleberries and took home for jam.

This trip, we went over on Friday and came back Sunday...it was nice have Jen's company on the trip back to the valley. Mom is doing well, I'm sure from all of the prayers. She has to wear "body armor" for a couple of months, and no BLT...bending, lifting, twisting. Her attitude is good, and I'm sure she's looking forward to walking amid her flowers this summer. Can't wait for her to be well enough to come over this side of the pass for a visit!

The Big "O"

O' lovely, Saturday morning, a surprise. Jim took me to breakfast at The Original Pancake House. We used to go there occasionally when he had Dr. appointments on "the hill". It's my very favorite date place with him. It's at it's very best in the dark grayish rainy days of winter when it's little lamps glow against the warm honey colored knotty pine. When I was a freshman and sophomore in high school, our home kitchen had knotty pine like this, and little lamps like this, but with amber shades. It was my favorite room in that house. Going here for breakfast always brings back fond memories of that kitchen. And all winter I've been craving their pancakes. I love, love, love, their tender buttermilk pancakes. I really enjoy Saturday morning breakfasts out. When we were first married, it was something we did often. People aren't tired and grumpy like a Friday night after a rough work week. They're a bit groggy, but smiley and happy to be in their weekend. There's no pressure to be all dressed up, everyone's comfy in their jeans and hoodies. Although, I did notice we were in the city, with a number of 20+ yr old gals in leggings, baby dolls and ballet flats, so very cute...i was envious.

We got our favorite usual booth. Yay! With a view of the rhodies and mossy sweatered tree.

O' sweet: We went over to Kate's for the day. It was good to spend time there with them. Chris went to Buster's Barbeque and got us all a wonderful meal. O' speaking of Buster, here he is resting up, getting ready for his next bout of mischief!

Celtic Fare

The weather outside was very cooperative and set the mood with the gale winds a blowin'.
Inside, lively Celtic tunes were playin' and hearts were merry.

Little Farmgirl and I made oatcakes from a cookbook my cousin, Martha gave me years ago. It's called Company's Coming: Cookies. It's well worn now. This is another rolling pin Dad made me, pretty too, huh? We tried the first batch on the silpat and that was a mistake. They do better on just a lightly greased sheet, get more crispy and tasty. They are a very bland, not sweet cookie that goes sooooo good with a nice strong cup of Irish Tea. I made Grand Central Bakery's Irish Soda Bread. The silpat worked nice for them, but soaking our homegrown currants before using them to soften them a bit....huge mistake. The teensie seeds worked all through the dough, and I hated that texture. Thank goodness my chickens love it when I make kitchen flops. Thinking about currants, I remember back in the early 80's in Colorado, I needed currants for a Tasha Tudor Christmas recipe. There wasn't a single market in the city that carried them. Bless Jim's heart, he took me way out of town to a hotsy totsy shopping mini mall to get some.

Beginning the first year we were married, I started doing a corned beef and cabbage dinner every year for St. Patrick's day. I'm not sure why exactly, as I don't remember that being a tradition at our house growing up. But we have always enjoyed it. Last year with just the 2 of us, we just had reubens. This year, I made Beef and Irish Stout Stew and mashed potatoes. We LOVED it.

I used this recipe, but added 3/4 cup well chopped pitted prunes during the last 1/2 hr. of cooking. I read in a different recipe for the stew that they help the stew to not be bitter from the Guiness, and it's true. Also true: "you don't even know they're there."

What do you do with a leftover cup of Guiness if you don't want to drink it? Our local morning news showed a famous local restaurant that was serving dessert of Guiness chocolate cupcakes with Bailey's Icing. I made the cupcakes and thought I would serve them unfrosted with a spot of Baileys' icecream. I had just came across a little Haagen-Dazs container of it when I cleaned the freezer. Talk about a rude surprise! New Orleans Shrimp Gumbo??!! May 2009, when Dot and I went to the coast, we wanted to bring home leftover gumbo. The only containers we had to put it in was a washed out water bottle, and a washed out icecream container! I guess i just tossed it in the freezer when we got home.

Good gravy, is this place a comedy of errors or what?!