Planting Trees

We replanted a few dead pear trees. This became a whole family effort. Earlier in the year, Rick cut down several trees, then he borrowed a neighbor's excavator and pulled the stumps out. We were asked to pick up the roots, and then we helped with the planting. Picture description: #1 stretching the measuring tape, so the tree is centered in a straight line with the other trees. #2 Peter testing out the dirt. #3 Michelle helping with the root removal, playing air guitar? #4 Current size of our pears. #5 The view from our orchard #6 ground after tree was removed, with roots for us to pick up #7 looking down a row. #8 Cristine sampling the snacks.

Updates

Here's a few more pictures. The first one is taken on a large old growth tree stump. The third picture is of Peter and my sister in law, Marianne, if you look closely you can see Abby's flaming marshmallow.

+++++

Bread update

I guess I am that sort of friend. I mentioned I was trying to make a batch of bread. After going to the store to pick up baking soda, I finished the loaf. Peter, Michelle and Cristine loved it. Abby didn't like the chocolate chips I'd added. I got rid of 3 sacks of bread, instead of giving them to friends, I threw them away. Yesterday I made my second batch, but I don't think I'll make any more. I can make very good bread all on my own, without having some stinky stuff telling me when I need to bake. So I think I'll stick to my own recipes for banana, zucchini or pear bread. Any bets if Peter will eat them if I add chocolate chips?

Clamming Pictures

We went clam digging, again. This time I took my camera. These pictures show the beach where we get oysters, Rick shucking oysters, Peter playing in the muck. Abby and Michelle helping, and the steamer clams we brought home. In the last picture, if you enlarge it, there is a small rock at the edge of the water, that is where we dig for clams. More pictures to follow.

Am I really that good of a friend?

10 days ago a friend gave me a ziplock bag filled with a stinky gooey mass. She said it was Amish Friendship Bread. She also said it was alive and needed to be squished daily and fed on day 5. Several years ago another friend gave me some. I forgot to squish it, then later used a metal spoon. I was worried I'd killed it, so I gave as a peace offering to the coyotes that roam behind our house. Now that I'm a mom, I've been able to keep a few things alive, so I thought I'd give this bread a try. I mixed a bowl full of ingredients to make a coffee cake like thing, but I forgot to buy baking soda, hopefully it will survive the night in my fridge. Now have 3 new 'babies' that need to find a home, are you a good enough friend to keep them alive?

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to TWO amazing women. Mom, I love you, thank you and Dad for driving all the way up here to visit us. It was so fun to see you, you really helped to make the day special for Abby.

Hana, thank you for being such a great Mother-in-law.

I love you both!

Heather

ps I've changed the comment section, so my mom (or others) can now leave thoughts.

Seeds and Water

Today I got off work at 2:30pm, just in time to meet the kids at the bus stop. After relaxing for a bit, we went to a local gardening center to buy seeds and plants for our garden. The kids had a fun time pulling the wagons around, and I enjoyed looking at all the beautiful plants and flowers. We stuck to our task, and just bought things for our garden, although we did have fun picking out some different varieties. We came home with tomato plants, zucchini plants, including one called an eight ball zucchini. We bought my favorite squash, sweet dumpling, Japanese eggplant, Japanese cucumber and edamame (soybeans). We bought radish seeds, Michelle found a variety called Easter Egg, showing colorful radishes so we bought those. Abby picked out our carrots, orange plus a rainbow kind. Peter found some giant sunflower seeds and stayed away from the vegetables, just like at dinner. We also purchased green beans, beets, green onions seeds. I think that is all. What are you planting? Did we miss anything?

Before we left, Peter was playing with a sink full of water. When we got home, he and Michelle went back to their pond. I noticed a LOT of water on the floor, and got after them for splashing so much. We got out towels and started drying it up, but I couldn't figure out why it was coming out of the cabinet. We then realized the sink was leaking. I quickly drained the water in it, and cleaned out all the junk in the cabinet and began sopping up the water. I showed Rick the sink when he got home, and he took it apart. For some reason the 'plumbers putty' dissolved and was allowing water to seep through. The sink full of water didn't help the problem, but the thing had probably been leaking small amounts of water. We patched up one side of the sink, checked on the other side and decided it too was leaking. Rick is now fixing the other side of the kitchen sink. Why would the putty be leaking when it's only been used for less than 2 years? Thank goodness for Rick, I wonder how much a plumber would charge for after hours on a Friday night?

Abby's Day

Abby, showing her new church dress.
Abby before her Baptism

Michelle and Zion
Anna, Zion and Juddah
Our family

Grampy and Grammy and the grandkids
Peter and Juddah
Cristine

Rick and Abby

Abby was Baptised on Saturday, May 5th. Several family members were able to attend. Rick's sister and her family from WA, my sister Anna and her 2 boys, also from WA. My parents from UT. Grammy K. was there along with her sister.

Abby was so excited. She radiated happiness. Our Bishop's wife made a cute memory album, she included pictures from the day along with hand written notes from those in attendance. We've enjoyed reading them. Thank you to everyone who was able to come, you really helped make the day special!