Thanksgiving Recap

Another Thanksgiving in Mazama is past. There was so much snow this year that it looked like Christmas. Nikki really loves rolling in the snow, but it was so deep and heavy that she had a hard time plowing through it. Arthritis in her hind legs is starting to slow her down.

 

Thanksgiving afternoon (and all day Friday) it rained, and then it got really cold, so the snow hardened up and the dogs could walk on top of it.

 

Jon Fewster carving the turkey (cooked by Victoria) while Evan checks his phone?

 

The feast spread out, ready for piling on plates.

 

Brent and Evan.

Weekend in the Methow

Brent picked Nikki and me up late Thursday afternoon, and we drove across the North Cascades. We made pretty good time, and the sun was just fading off these peaks on the eastern side.

Yesterday Boo and I went to the Twisp Farmer's Market, and then a number of other stops to run errands. It's been pretty hot over here for a week, but yesterday afternoon there were scattered thunderstorms and then a really good rain that cooled things down. Good sleeping weather. 

Morning sun across the dewy meadow. 

Their garden is thriving, and we've been eating the radishes and lettuce. 

The Methow River, from the trail crossing. 

 The dogs enjoy the water in different ways. Peco prefers to stand only ankle deep, and take delicate sips. Nikki thinks its too shallow, and flops down for full immersion.

I think this tree is really an Ent!

Nikki's New Cousin

Nikki and I went to Seattle last night, to see Boo, Evan, David and the new pup, Peco. Nikki's not always good with strange big dogs until she can play with them, but she is very tolerant of puppies. Peco was initially very defensive when this black monster charged in on his new territory, but in a few minutes they were play-wrestling. Here Peco looks innocent enough, while Nikki has a bit of a snarl. Peco is actually pulling on her ear.

Devil-dog.

Again with the ear, and Nikki just seems happy to take the abuse.

These are the calmer moments, when I could actually get a shot without blur. They played for a good hour and a half, providing plenty of amusement while Boo finished up with pie-making. Then we went out to dinner at Bing's in Madison Park. David had been back from the Olympic Peninsula for a few days and hanging with BT, Boo and Evan came home for the weekend to see him and go to a college fair. BT was off in Norway on business.

Trimming the Yard

Last week I had some guys come to do a yard cleanup. They did a pretty good job, although in some places they got rid of some plants I liked, and the grass is pretty well scoured. But overall, I was quite pleased. It finally has lost that jungle look. I can see down the front walk to the driveway, where before the rhododendron was crowding it on one side, and the forsythia and heather on the other: In the backyard, the steps and rocks are once again visible, as is the retaining wall above. The landscape timbers that compose that wall are starting to rot, so my next step is to replace with stone or pavers:
Nikki enjoys being in the back yard again:



Last week I had some guys come to do a yard cleanup. They did a pretty good job, although in some places they got rid of some plants I liked, and the grass is pretty well scoured.

Nikki meets Santa

I've never had a pet's picture taken with Santa before, but... they were doing this at the pet shop where I took Nikki for her pre-Christmas bath, so we did it. What do you suppose she wants for Christmas?

The past week has been quite hectic with preparations for Christmas. Thursday night, a party; Friday, met a friend at Bellevue Square for shopping, lunch and a movie (Enchanted); Saturday, Nikki's bath and an oil change for the car; Sunday, met 4 friends at University Village for shopping before proceeding to Queen Mary's for hight tea; Monday night, wrapping presents for Iowa and Wisconsin; Tuesday, mailing those presents. Whew, no wonder I'm tired!

Buddy and Nikki

Buddy is Sudha's dog, and he was staying with us the past week. Here they are, sitting politely waiting for their walk. As hard as it is to take a good picture of a black dog, it's even harder when next to a light colored dog like Buddy. Here's another picture of just Nikki. The red-eye adjustment didn't seem to work on dogs.

Naughty Dog

When you have a dog for a few years, and she reaches the mellow middle age of 4, you start to think she's finally over those pesky behavior problems she exhibited as a young dog. You think she sleeps most of the day when you're at work, and just calmly awaits your return. After all, you walk her in the morning and again when you get home, and give her treats and attention in the evening. Surely, she wouldn't feel the need to tear into something soft and squishy some day.



But you'd be wrong.

Labor Day

I went to Mazama again for Labor Day weekend. Boo and Evan went on Thursday with their dogs and Brent picked up Nikki and me Friday evening. Some rock climbers Boo knew were also staying at the cabin while shooting some pictures for a climbing magazine. Saturday was a nice day, with only a hint of smoke in the air, although more haze shows up in these photos. Boo and I hiked to Cutthroat Lake with Nikki and Chamix.

The lake is pretty shallow, at least on this side, and there was a lot of grass growing up through it.
Nikki heads for the water.

Chamix looking cute, but muddy.

Nikki went down to the stream first to drink, but then crossed on the log bridge. She didn't seem to mind being that high in the air.

Sunday was a lot smokier. We went to a play at the Merc Playhouse in Twisp called The Drawer Boy. It was well done and very moving. Monday Brent decided to cut down a dead tree to use for the corner poles in a new shed. When the army came through and did fire prep work around the cabin, they threw all the firewood out away from the house. It should be stored some distance away, so a woodshed is needed. Brent and Evan cut the tree into 4 lengths and I peeled the bark off using a peeler. It was pretty easy in this case; because the tree had been dead awhile, most of the bark came off in big chunks.

Memorial Day weekend

Spent the weekend in the Methow Valley with my sister-in-law Boo, nephew Evan, and his friend Sam. Sam brought along Charlie, I brought Nikki, and of course Chamix and Milo were there so we had a very full van and then house. It rained off and on the first day, but the weather got progressively nicer. The river was high but down from flood stage the week before. We caught a couple of events at the rodeo - barrel racing and steer riding. I didn't get any good pictures of the steer riding as they were only on a few seconds and didn't get far from the chutes. The rodeo arena is above Winthrop, up the road to Sun Mountain.




On Monday we hiked up past Climbing Rock for the views. The dogs had a great time. The Methow River:



Nikki preferred to rest in the shade, but I got this picture:

Mountain views.

Memorial Day weekend

Spent the weekend in the Methow Valley with my sister-in-law Boo, nephew Evan, and his friend Sam. Sam brought along Charlie, I brought Nikki, and of course Chamix and Milo were there so we had a very full van and then house. It rained off and on the first day, but the weather got progressively nicer. The river was high but down from flood stage the week before. We caught a couple of events at the rodeo - barrel racing and steer riding. I didn't get any good pictures of the steer riding as they were only on a few seconds and didn't get far from the chutes. The rodeo arena is above Winthrop, up the road to Sun Mountain.




On Monday we hiked up past Climbing Rock for the views. The dogs had a great time. The Methow River:



Nikki preferred to rest in the shade, but I got this picture:

Mountain views.