Thursday, July 30, 2009

Cooler?

I know it is supposed to be cooler in the Portland/Vancouver area today, and I am happy for them - although when it gets above 90º it is just HOT! Here, however, it doesn't seem to be "cooling down" yet. There were some big thunderheads last night, but nothing materialized - thank goodness. The fire season could be horrible this year!

I had the most fun this past weekend! I got to go on a camp out with a bunch of adult Girl Scouts!
Here are a few photos that show the fun we had!

Janet and Nancy
Nikki, Barb, and Marian trying to keep out of the sun!
We spent a good deal of time on Saturday sitting with our feet in the kiddie pool - which was filled with water balloons - for water fights and for the balloon toss. No one minded getting wet!
Especially our hostess - Ginger - who found her own way of cooling off.
She filled her hat with water and really felt good!
Cooking was all done outdoors - in Girl Scout tradition. Good food, good fun, good company!
Mary and Barb are making pancakes for breakfast on Saturday morning.
Did I say good food? Saturday dinner also included salmon. Yum! Breakfast was a casserole and muffins, both cooked in dutch ovens. Also eggs, fruit, and more.
You really can't tell, but Janet is attempting to play badminton. Nice form! Big tourney!Fran and Janet in the shade. Denise crawled into her sleeping bad inside out and folded in half the wrong way..........
Ginger's yard is wonderful and full of surprises. An imaginative way to use her fruit tree prunings and old wine bottles.More wine bottles used as a garden border.
We learned how to make leaf castings from Pat. She demo'd and I was so taken that I have already attempted one at home. This is one of Pat's leaves - beautiful, isn't it?
On to another subject. A few people have asked about the progress on Shannon's "cabin". It is pretty much finished and he is enjoying having his own "space" although it has been incredibly hot out there the past few days.
This is his vanity/kitchen combo area.
The garden is doing well in the heat - here are the gourds - climbing up on the deck. I hope we get a few different gourds this year - they may have been planted too late.
This is the largest lavender I had seen - until I saw Ginger's.
The hops have outgrown the strings we put up for them to climb on. I'm going to try to make some hop infused hummus like they have at Deschutes pub in Bend.
A closer photo of the hop buds. It's our first experience with hops - we'll see!







2 comments:

Janet Hendrickson Cottingham said...

Sue great pictures --you should send to Helen Strange for newsletter.

Erin Kaiser said...

Wow, Pat's leaf is awesome!! It looks like you all had a wonderful time. How fun!! I love the pool with water balloons, I will have to remember that as a great way to cool off. My kids would love it! Great pics, Sue!