Let it snow, let it snow, let......

We hoped for Indian Summer only to have an early blizzard drop in all over us. Ski resorts are happy and opening early. We just worked on snow removal and finishing last summer projects. Winter is establishing residence, like it or not. And, for the most part, we like it. The dogs LOVE it!
Stove is in place for the ba-rage and Kathlyn's potting shed is providing shelter to stubborn begonias that just keep on blooming! She calls it the GRAND experiment and is determined to keep those begonias alive. The albino deer loves the color protecting snow and is growing by "leaps and bounds!" It was last spotted yesterday minus its twin, so we guess they separated.

Most projects will be indoors for the next few months, and then spring arrives, bringing multi-colored splendor. Kathlyn and the gardner have put in an additional 1,100 bulbs!!! We look forward to your knock on the door!!! In 22 days, the days start to get longer!!!! Yipeee! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Don and Kathlyn

No doubt! Summer is over

Today is Election Day and complete painting on BARAGE day! We already had 1 inch of snow so now we are taking advantage of this Indian Summer day. Kathlyn was hoping for a long Indian Summer but Mother Nature nixed that notion. We've had cool and rainy days but, hey, that is what makes it green and lush in Oregon. We were able to finish the male and female winter play houses. The Barage (neither a barn or garage) was painted all but for the door trim and she moved into her potting shed, pots, plants, seeds and all. The albino deer (picture taken by our neighbor, Charles Wical) is probably quizzical why classical music emerges from out of this shed into the forest. The shed is a real hidey hole unlike the Barage which glows like a gem in the sun. (Guess who is writing this entry!) We are most satisfied and pleased with both projects, just waiting for you to view and enjoy.

Additional Pictures From Summer Projects

Work is fun, just ask Lauren, Dave, Nathan, D3, Chloe,Kate, or Ryan.

It Is Autumn!

The summer projects are almost complete and it is a good thing because it is definitely autumn at A Way Back. The leaves are turning and the mums, asters and Japanese lanterns are all blooming-that says it is fall. Autumn is a spectacular time of the year in Oregon.

And the best news is the ba-rage mahal(not a barn nor a garage) past its final electrical inspection. Now, it just needs a hoist and two big garage doors. I am quite sure that by winter it will be a haven for the man of the house, a sight to behold.

Cleaning of the woods is almost complete. Don has worked very hard at creating a managed forest. Besides being beautiful, this arduous job has resulted in new paths covered in cedar chips, and trees which have been felled, milled and are waiting to be planed. The dogs love the big piles of shavings from the milled trees as they burrow and wrestle in them. Skeeter comes out, shakes and no more chips on his coat. Buddy, on the other hand, leaves the pile covered from head to toe. He truly is a wood-land creature. And, speaking of woodland creatures, there is an albino fawn in the woods. It is a true albino-with pink eyes and ears. The little creature has a twin which is tawny and still spotted. They are still with the doe. An albino is pretty rare as both parents have to carry the recessive gene, but it is amazing to see. Hopefully, I will be able to get a picture.

Don is working on his winter schedule, so, let him know when you would like to have your retreat to the house in the middle of the woods, next to the creek and near the river. We look forward to your visit to A Way Back. There certainly are plenty of new projects for you to inspect.

Grandma's 100th Birthday

Roger and Myra's awesome blog

I can not complain about a one hour drive to town any longer. If you have not read Don's niece and her husband's blog-you must. It takes them four hours to get to town. Yikes, that is a long trip. And they find time to post their blog frequently.

I could blame Mr. Busy for not downloading pictures, but since he has been clearing the forest, creating paths, and staying extremely productive I won't complain. I will get some belated shots of A Way Back up in August.

We have had some fun times. Just last night, Matthew and Justin were here for dinner. Matthew Cuthbert is now taller than Don. I guess they fertilize well in southern CA. July was CA visitor month. We had Chaplain and Mrs. Chavarria, and later Dr. and Mrs. Tolsma visit. All visitors from southern CA.

We are awaiting the news that our friends, The Richisons, from San Diego have had their new son. He is due this month. His father is a computer whiz and actually started us on this journey of blogging, listening to pod-casts and so forth. Drdcubed actually has a facebook account, now how is that for keeping up with times? Actually we are pretty slow at texting and at posting updates, but we sure enjoy reading the twitters who tweet and the bloggers who blog. Whoever would have thought that our pens would become rather obsolete. Enough said on that topic.

It is always good to share the pleasures of decompressing at A Way Back. The quiet, the sounds of only water, birds, and the wind in the trees has a way of allowing a person a chance at just breathing rather than worrying. It is one of the gifts of life in the woods on a creek, next to the river, in the middle of the mountains. Just one. Another is the wild life-including a doe that is becoming increasingly more regular and more bold in her forays into our part of the woods. I just hope she can tell the difference between my garden and her playground.

Do check out Roger and Myra's blog. It is a treat. And, yes, pictures of A Way Back to be posted soon.

One additional request, if Don officiated at your wedding, would you send a picture (yes, Don knows how to download and print) as he is completing his memory wall. It looks quite nice.

July at A Way Back

It looks like I will not post more frequently than once a month. The goal was at least every two weeks, but that is just not going to happen. We stay too busy. By the time I think of updating, I am busy into evening activities. Mornings are dedicated to gardening or sleeping or yoga.

The barn has had some nifty additions worktables, lights, and now pavement to and from. So, a little less mud to deal with. I guess less mud is a good thing.

Don's new project is clearing and thinning our woods-BIG job! After last year's freak lightening strike, we thought that would be a great idea. I usually am the helper, but today we have a very reliable day worker. So, I am reassigned. I do need to freshen up the guest quarters. Our last Sunday's guest has left, and now I need to freshen it up for this Sunday's guest. This is a job I love doing-it is a great quarters.

We are also preparing for our niece and nephew who will be here for a week the first week of August. They too will be on forest clean-up. I do believe it will look quite nice by the end of summer.

The garden's are very nice. They change daily. My edible pea pods are producing and we are eating them as they come in. My tomatoes are not doing as well. They have flowers, and seem healthy, but I am not sure that we will get tomatoes, however, we have not given up hope just yet.

So, that catches you up on the happening at A Way Back. Know that there is always a place for you here and we look forward to hearing from you. Enjoy summer!! Better yet, enjoy some of it here.

More flowers

Gardens and flowers at A Way Back

Here is an idea of some of the flowers and gardens that are blooming this year. We have had croci, jonquils, clematis, irises, lilacs, and trillium. Now the diantus, lupin and foxglove are opening up.

When Don returns from the Chaplains' conference, I will have him take new pictures of what's up, but here are a few for you to get the idea.

More on the porch

We had a front porch to the guest room that extends to the front door. It is a great place to read a book, or have a cup of coffee and greet the morning. It is also a great place to stay dry.

Also the barn got a new floor. Both are ready for your inspection.

So much has happened in the last few weeks

The flowers continue to bloom and change weekly, and summer is finally making it up river.
We have been so busy working between storms. I will show you the updates on the John Deere barn, which has past all of the inspection. (Now that is a very LONG expensive saga-better told over a beverage of choice.) We have all put in long days, but it has paid off - A Way Back has become even a better place to relax.

Tomorrow I will update you on the gardens. Know that you are welcome any time you need to retreat and relax. Hope to see you soon.

Work and Having Fun

No pictures today, but I did want to let everyone know that the John Deere garage (I call it the barn) is almost done. Today it was painted, and it looks great. It is also the house for the atv.

This week we have been busy, busy, busy. We felled a tree. Well, actually Don and Craig felled a tree. I was just a part of the clean-up crew. A big job, but the guys made quick work of it.

I have worked in the gardens. The jonquils and daffodils are done, and the tulips are on their way out, but the irises, lilies and lilac are ready to pop open.

Skeeter and Buddy have helped with weeding. Skeeter makes sure that I am guarded from every mole, vole or ground squirrel. He frequently looks like he is digging to China in the process, but it must be working, because I have not seen them. Buddy is more like Ferdinand the bull, he likes to chill and eat a few weeds or forget-me-nots.

Don had a wedding this weekend, that's why there is not a single photo to put with this posting, but it does catch you up on the happenings at A Way Back

Busy, busy, busy, but we almost have a barn

Oh my how time flies. I think that it is a lifestyle choice to be this busy, but maybe that is an excuse for not keeping the blog updated.

It has been a cold and wet April. The flowers love it, and so do the weeds. May has not been different from April. Still wet and cold. The daffodils and flowering fruit trees are just about finished with their glorious blooming, but now we have tulips and dogwood. Pretty soon we will have lilac and iris, but not quite yet. Today and tomorrow promises to be in the 50's with no rain, so, Don and I will be outdoors cleaning up winter debris and manning the fires.

The great news is the barn is ready for inspection.

Other good news is that there are three weddings this month and Art nd Jo will be staying at A Way Back.

June will be "busting out all over.." and we look forward to your arrival. Enjoy spring, we are doing precisely that at A Way Back.

Oh, I promise to not let two weeks go by without a note on life up here in the middle of the woods next to the creek and by the river.

Cement Day

Everyone is excited, even Buddy and Skeeter who are required to stay indoors during the pour. Today the cement truck is coming. The garage foundation will be poured. By the way, it is raining, but apparently not hard enough to stop progress. Once the foundation is setting up, I may sneak out and put in our initials. Maybe in a heart, would not that be sweet? (I took lessons on how to write in cement from Andrea and Ted.) It's here IT'S HERE and it is HUGE. Yikes, it truly is cement day.

And the end result-forms.

Obviously, this project is far from completion, but I promise to keep you updated on John Deere's open ended garage as it unfolds. This is an exciting project.

Right now we are preparing for winter like weather. The weatherperson is projecting 4.2 inches of snow tonight.(How can they know it will be point two and not point five? I think point two sounds so official and that that is why they choose such a number, but maybe it truly is something that can be projected to the tenth of an inch.) My guess is it will look like rain and icy conditions here, if it materializes. I am hoping this is just a quick little reminder that it is not spring yet. By quick, I mean gone by tomorrow. That may not be realistic, but one can always dream.

In the meantime, I need to start channeling my inner Julia Child and think dinner.

Spring Project

It has been fun at A Way Back!! Projects,projects, and more projects. Don decided that John Deere needed a garage. So, after clearing ground, burning brush, bringing in sand and getting a permit (the hardest part of this project)the fun began. This is the fun you are missing.

We have had spectacular weather for most of this month. Although there was some rainy days that the guys worked through.

The dogs LOVE rolling in the sand. Buddy has had more baths since the clearing stage of this project than he had all year. As the project continues, we will post new pictures. For those of you that are unfamiliar with the property, the J.D garage is going in right next to the truck port. We now have 4 out buildings. . I think it is time for a Kathlyn project. Do I hear potting shed in the future?

Is it Spring Yet? No, but...

We keep getting closer to spring, and from the looks of the weather map the west coast is closer to spring's arrival than the east coast.

After a few days of rain, we once again had a beautiful day. It was in the 50s today and sunny. Two things happen as a result of such great weather. The first is we get itchy to be outdoors,playing in the sun. For Example, Don and DJ washed vehicles. Kathlyn just wanted her hands in the dirt and "the boys" just want to play in the creek and get muddy! The second is that we each feel the need to complete our winter projects. Now, however, we check the weather forecast. All winter projects are postponed until the next rainy day. The good news for completion rate is that this is still Oregon-so rainy days between now and June are never too far away. Anticipation for spring is harder to predict. We need to be a little cautious about planting anything less than winter hearty plants, unless in our neighbor's potting shed. We still have freezes on clear nights.

We do have a few weekends where we are already busy. Call Don and he can advise you as to when there will be an opening with your name on it. Buddy and Skeeter are looking forward to accompanying anyone on walks or ATV rides. They love to show off the area-they know the best hikes. Buddy is eager to show off new tricks and Skeeter is just eager to show off. Kathlyn will share her newest favorite titles, although she is practicing re-cyclying them, and trying to use the library more frequently. But, she is always willing to give you a list and to transport you to Blue River library.

By the way, there is still time to do some great chainsaw work in either winter cleanup of trails, or in clearing the new space for John Deere's garage. There is always something happening in the big woods next to the creek in the middle of the mountains and near the river.

Spring is right around the corner

Away back is getting ready for spring, even though the ground hog says it is still sixs weeks away. Well to be honest, we need the six weeks to get things ready. Oh the house is nice and toasty, but we are just starting to clean up the gardens. Soon they will look like the picture.

Don is busy with a new project for the John Deere. He is creating its own garage. The Deere has been a deer. It sure saves our backs and just about everyone who comes to Awayback helps out in a project or two with the Deere's help. It is not a requirement. You certainly can just relax, read,or hike, but you always have the option of getting in on the fun!

Anyway, the gardens are getting ready and the bulbs are up, getting ready to bloom. So, start planning your retreat.

A WAY BACK in February

The days have been filled with productivity. February is an interesting month, more wintery than spring-like, but there have been some beautiful days with the sun shining and blue skies above. Of course it still is freezing at night, so apparently the ground hog has it correct-6 more weeks of winter. However, Away Back will be a beautiful retreat by the end of the six weeks. The early bulbs will be in bloom and the new garage will be on its way to completion. Don always has at least one major project going-I think he likes the sound of hammering and chain saws, not to mention that there is nothing as great as a fire being used after clearing a major section of forest debris. Don will plant new trees yet this spring for all the ones that were felled, but they will be in places where they should grow nicely-he has a manageable forest. Away back remains a wonderful way back. It is a way back in the woods, but more importantly it is a way back as in a path to finding whatever it is you need to make your life whole again and to quiet the noise of busy days. It remains a wonderful retreat, even in winter.