Clucks and peeps

 

Yesterday afternoon we watched an ominous-looking black thunderstorm roll in from the east. It dumped torrential rain for about an hour, then the sun came out like nothing happened.

The climate here is nothing like western Washington, where we get stuck in ho-hum temperate weather patterns. It doesn't fool around here, whether it's heat, drought, rain or snow. Ready or not. It was so exciting for the girls, they had to put my new umbrella to the test.

This morning it's cool and cloudy with more rain expected. Hopefully it holds off until after the Twisp 4th of July parade.

I woke up yesterday to some little peeping and clucking sounds. It was the turkey calling to her freshly hatched brood. Also the deer are bringing by fawns across the yard again, just like last year. One mom has twins, still with their spots. An enchanting sight...

July

 

An old English proverb:

If the first of July be rainy weather, 
it will rain, more or less,
for four weeks together.

Oh, goody. 

It's supposed to rain this weekend, then clear up after the holiday weekend is over. Pretty typical for Seattle. But what they wouldn't give for this weather in other parts of the country. And the roses are finally blooming their hearts out after the wet spring. 

Exactly one year ago today, we drove to Twisp on a scorching hot day to pick up the keys to our new house. And then the wildfires started and everything shut down. And I wondered, what have I done? Fingers crossed so far so good this summer. We're headed over tomorrow and looking forward to the small town fourth of July.

Cake

 

I'm a not much of a baker, except when I get on a roll with Christmas cookies. But I found this super easy chocolate bundt cake recipe on the Internet. My kind of scratch baking-- everything dumped and mixed in the same big bowl all at once-- no creaming oil and sugar or sifting the dry ingredients. 

I used Hershey's extra dark cocoa powder and buttermilk makes cake moist. Anyway, it's a big cake so I froze half for "later." Which may come sooner rather that later. There is something comforting about plain chocolate cake.

3 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, 2/3 cup cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tbs. baking soda, 2 eggs, 1 cup buttermilk, 1 cup vegetable oil, 1 tbs. vanilla, 1 cup boiling hot water. Greased bundt or tube pan, 350 degrees for about an hour. That's it. Whipped cream would be perfect. 

Well, summer was fun while it lasted. We're suddenly 30 degrees cooler after Monday's mini heat wave.

 

Carry their weight

 

Maya and Nova last week on the family backpacking trip at the Olympic coast.  Carrying 6 days worth of food, clothing, camping equipment etc. Memories are made of this. 

 

So we dropped from 90 degrees yesterday afternoon to 50 this morning with a brisk, chilly breeze. So long heat wave.

It was fun (not) while it lasted.   

Some like it hot

 

And most don't. The mini heat wave ends tomorrow when we go right back to the cool 60's. But the roses have been waiting for this moment to finally get some warmth on their faces. 

The stems on this old white plant are freakishly long-- over a yard. What a wedding arrangement that would make. The rampant stem growth from weeks of rain, then a burst of heat to force the bloom. The garden looks glorious and for once the "good" plants have forced out most of the weeds. Of course, getting the "good" plants cut back in the fall is another massive job.

Anyway, we love the warm weather in this house. Instead of heading downstairs after dinner with a fleece blanket, I actually sat outside after dinner in the warm sunlight. It doesn't get dark until 10 o'clock and people must be out carousing all night. In the morning we wake up to more news of multiple shootings. Even in once quiet West Seattle we hear sirens all around us. Makes a person just want to stay home.

June 27th already. Where has the month gone?

Myths and facts

 

A relic from the past. That's a bit of knob and tube wiring from our basement, looking like something from Roman times. On the bright side, it's been doing its job for over a century. Although now that I've educated myself, I'm glad I lived in ignorance for 40 years.

If you're interested click HERE for "myths and facts" regarding knob and tube. In our case, you can check off all the reasons why it could be "harmful." Time for an upgrade to the 21st century. 

Oh what a beautiful morning in Seattle! Wild horses couldn't get us out of west Seattle this weekend with I-5 south bound closed for construction. I went to the grocery store early and having my tires rotated at 11. Even the most mundane errand a pleasure on a bight summer morning. Temperature today in the perfect mid-70's. Up to 80 tomorrow for the first time since September 2021.

See you Monday.