Sky Pie OFFICIALLY Joins the Fam!

On Monday, August 10, 2009, Skyler officially became a part of our family: April's adoption of Skyler was finalized! Skyler also chose that day to adopt Monday, his stuffed toy Macaw (named after the day of the week that this auspicious double adoption occurred).

A very happy April and Skyler in the Courtroom

Skyler and Monday the Macaw, in matching suits.

Congratulations, April, Skyler, and Monday - what a lucky family to have one another!

Springtime ... in the Snow:

Awake, thou wintry earth -
Fling off thy sadness!
Fair vernal flowers, laugh forth
Your ancient gladness!

~Thomas Blackburn, "An Easter Hymn"

Early this week was the first time I could actually feel Spring in the air. Smell it in the crisp, cool, February winds. So Wednesday I went to our local nursery and bought all the flower and vegetable seeds for this year's garden. I even bought some live plants - the lovely Fritillaria meleagrus (a.k.a. Snake's head) and promptly planted them in the ground, against the nursery staff's warning that it's still Winter and to wait until March. But heck, the bulbs are coming up, and they're selling the plants right now, so they must be safe to put in the ground now, right? So plant I did, right next to the Hellebore hybridus that is already blooming, I might add. Of course, that night, it just had to snow. The next morning, I went out to see if my beloved plants were still alive. And behold! They were doing just fine, nicely tucked in with their leafy groundcover from last Autumn's rakings:

Hellebore hybridus

Spring makes its own statement, so loud and clear that the gardener seems to be only one of the instruments, not the composer.

~Geoffrey B. Charlesworth

Fritillaria meleagrus (a.k.a. Snake's head)

So carpe diem and enjoy this lovely snowy Spring of ours. I know I sure am!

Our Third Edition of The PruHig Times

Behold one and all - our third edition of The PruHig Times!
Happy holiday greetings to you all!

"This holiday season, may you find love where once there was indifference, luxury in simplicity, blessings that endure in times of change, joyous light in the darkest of places, long walks with those dear, and tasty, bone-shaped treats in your doggie treat jar."

- Teddie Bear

Download our third edition (vol. 3, no. 1) of The Pruhig Times here (.pdf file)

The Tedster turns 13!!!!

My goal in life is to be as good of a person my dog already thinks I am.
- Author Unknown

Today Teddie turned 13 years old; I can't believe it's been 13 years since she climbed into my lap at the age of seven weeks when I went to visit her mom and siblings. As it turned out, she was the runt of the litter and the only puppy who had NOT yet been claimed by someone. I suspect she knew it, too; for I didn't pick her - she picked me.

Today we celebrated her wonderful autumn birthday with some ice cream and a lovely afternoon at the park.

"Ice cream? For ME? REALLY?!?!?"

"MMMMmmmm ... YUMMY!!!!"

"I'm ready for my close-up, now."

Happy Birthday, Teddie Bear - WE LOVE YOU!!!!

The Celebration of Summer's Sojourn

Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of
strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something
infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature— the assurance
that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.
- Rachel Carson

I have discovered that gardening is wonderful therapy for all of life's disappointments, challenges, and sorrows. As Autumn takes center stage, it's time to give Summer a proper send-off with a garden update.

Our garden is like another (albeit, uncovered) room in our house. We decorate, lounge, entertain, and eat it in.

I took a mosaics class and made stepping stones this summer.

Chris and I really enjoy our fire pit; feels like outdoor camping, with all the amenities of home (literally)!

We had lots of flowers in bloom this year.













Our fruits and veggies garden prospered amazingly well, given our wet, cold Spring and thus the late start we had in planting.

Our cleared garden space.

The fruits of our labor.

Our corn was planted late, but the husks are still developing so we will wait and see.

Wondering if the corn will make it before the frosts come....

Our pumpkins and squash unfortunately were taken by what we suspect was a fungus and did not make it. However, we DID succeed in our crops of tomatoes, snap peas, tri-color beans, radishes, carrots, spinach, arugula, broccoli, rhubarb, and zucchini.

Our little pea patch bounty.

Our fruits of strawberries, Italian plums/prunes, and pears also flourished.

We had SOOOO many pears for such a tiny tree, I was forced to make pear jam ... and plum pear jam ... and blueberry pear jam ... and peach pear jam ... and blackberry pear jam ... and pear bread ... and honey walnut pear pie (a.k.a. "angry squirrel pie").... You get the picture. Plum butter and spicy blueberry peach jam was also made. We picked blackberries with the Rodgers' clan on the Olympic Peninsula and made blackberry jam, too. And I was given apples and crabapples from neighbors and made apple butter and crabapple jelly.

One of our many resident squirrels, now without plums and pears, forced to dine upon a walnut from the next-door-neighbors' walnut tree. Thus the name "angry squirrel pie" was born.

From Left to Right: Plum Pear Jam, Blueberry Pear Jam, Pear Jam, Peach Pear Jam, another Pear Jam, and, in the front, Spicy Blueberry Peach Jam.

Crabapple Jelly

Soooo ... now you all know what you're getting as holiday gifts this year! (We're now working on planting our Winter garden, so stay tuned!)

Uncle Andy Lands the BIG ONE!

This past August, Uncle Andy landed the largest fish caught on Roche Lake this year:

A WHOPPING FIVE POUNDS! Congratulations, Uncle Andy ... we always KNEW you had it in you!

Uncle Andy proudly displays his GINORMOUS catch.

Dad Reaches Octegenarian Status

So Dad's now reached a new level of achievement: he's now an octegenarian.

We planned a big party for him (for, as you all know, I simply LOVE a good party).

Dad all ready to greet his plethora of guests.

The result was a guest for every year of his life ... and then some. The house was filled to the brim, which required the guests to seek the back porch and back yard so as to socialize and nosh on the birthday goodies.

Dad's Birthday Cake (part of the "then and now" party theme).

A good time was had by all, as cake, KFC, and Kokanee satiated our well-wishing guests.

Dad repeatedly tries to blow out the relighting gag candles!

Dad even relived his glory days in Osoyoos as the ever popular "Spike and His Bike"!

Spike and his bike ride again....

Many thanks to all of the family and friends who shared this special day with us!