Strawberries

I just got the most wonderful strawberries! A little roadside stand on Highway 34 just East of I-5. They are what strawberries should taste like. I had forgotten how good the sun ripened sweet strawberries were. We had shortcake and I found myself relishing every bite. No added sugar, just berries, yellow pound cake and whipped cream out of the can.

It is only in my later years that I have actually developed an affinity for berries. They were OK. I liked them but I seem to want to grow them now. I put strawberry plants in my green house and I think that I will covet each and every runner and develop a patch outside maybe. Course the birds will "relish" that. I also have blueberry bushes and I have finally started to keep them well hydrated so they will produce. Wonderful!!! And raspberries. I bought two plants and am excited that they are spreading. More! More glorious berries. Then there are the Marion berries that I also planted in the same area. Haven't had any berries off of them yet. I am looking forward to berry pies, jams, fresh berry compote, etc.

Probably one reason I was not overjoyed with berries before was that I grew up in the era when kids went out in the fields and worked all summer for their school clothes. Now days there are too many conditions and I don't think kids are into that physical labor anymore.

As soon as school was out we picked strawberries throughout June, raspberries in July and beans in August until school started. Our yearly vacation was to go down to California to visit relatives. Guess what. When the cousins got old enough they went out and picked boysenberries so we "got" to with them and pick too!! Oh joy. Come home with a fist full of stickers and some cash.

That is if we didn't spend it on clothes at the Goodwill. California had huge Goodwill stores and that was part of the ritual. Go and tactfully try to tell my grandmother why I was not interested in the "lovely brown frock from the 30's" that she was holding up. I had to wear a pair of my mother's old "granny shoes" in 5th grade because we didn't have the money for a new pair. Dad may have been on strike at the mill or it may have been when he was laid up after an automobile accident. Any ways I didn't die from it.

So, here I am again. This could become habit forming. 

Today I am trying my hand at adding photos. These are my cats:

Callie:

Original huh? She is a sweet cat.

She and Sadie are sisters or so I was told. I got them as a result of their owner having to go into a nursing home and my kids not wanting them to go to a shelter. Remember, I am  a soft touch. 

Sadie:

She is a shy sweet cat. She will not generally let you touch her unless she is pretty sure you will not try to pick her up. If she wants to be petted, she lets you know. Otherwise you don't see her. She is very timid. Sweet but timid.

YoYo:

This is my trouble maker. She was abandoned and nearly starved when I first saw her eating out of my scrap bucket out on the porch. My husband took her down to the barn because he is afraid I will become a "crazy cat lady". This could be a serious threat I admit. The barn is a half mile away. He thought she would make a nice barn cat "down there". She had other ideas, hence her name. She beat him "home up here". 

She is the instigator and the rebel rouser. She elicits hisses and scowls from the other two. She wants to play? Maybe. Sometimes yes, other times I think she just wants to get a rise out of the other two. I would love to have her cuddle with me and let me pet her. She has the softest fur. So, who does she choose to curl up with night after night? Yup. The dude that tried to relocate her. Not the person that feeds her. Oh well. She is curled up on the paper shredder in the office right now. She dozes while I blog and she does let me pick her up unlike Sadie but I am not her first choice when it comes to soft warm laps to wile away the afternoon or evening with. Could have something to do with the fact that I tend to jump up periodically to "do stuff". Dishes, computer, etc. Curt mainly stays put. Watches TV, dozes. I guess they make a good pair. She keeps his lap warm and he gives her a stable dozing area with fewer interruptions. 

My Greenhouse:

I LOVE my greenhouse. I am so glad that I finally have one. I go out and tinker in it most every night after I get home from work. Just noticed this is the back view. Hold on. Let me see if I can find a picture of the front.

This is the front and this is a gorgeous bougainvillea (thank Heaven for spell check) that lives in my green house.  I also have strawberries and veggies and herbs. 

Okay, I guess it is time to go "do something". 

I am back from Bend. My son and daughter-in-law moved so I went over to help. They both thanked me profusely and I told them I liked doing it. Not exactly the truth I confess. I do like being with them and helping. It is the actual physical exertion required by the verb move. Up stairs and down stairs. Up stairs and down stairs. It was neat though to see them happy in their new home that they just purchased. Maybe with purchasing they will stay in one spot? 

The things we do as parents for the love of our children. I figure I am depositing into the bank because you know that I am going to need help one day. I have already collected some by having them put up my greenhouse for me.  Oh, one good thing about the new house - single level home. Very nice.

Hi, Cat. I was totally thunderstruck to see that you found me. My first (and probably only) follower. I am honored seeing how it was reading your blog (btw last posts were wonderful!!) that got me started with my ramblings, uh I mean blogs.