Hello Thursday!

This will not be my typical post.  I don't have enough time today to do that.  Sorry if you look forward to those!

We bought #2 son a smoothie maker for Christmas.  Sadly, it lasted long enough to make about 4 smoothies.  We have been without a smoothie maker for several months.  We got this Ninja one to replace the other (not the same brand).  I must say, it has been so much FUN!   Here we are having a Super Green Smoothie and a Berry Blended smoothie.  (Those are my own recipe names :-))

 I had some monster zucchini growing in the garden and last few weeks.  I made 6 batches of zucchini apple pie filling for the freezer.  This is one of the pies I made out of the filling.  Let me tell ya, it was DELICIOUS.  I made the crust with straight butter, flour and dash of salt and cold water.  It was also the best crust ever!

 To escape the heat we had been suffering, we went to our favorite little beach area and spent the Saturday of Labor Day Weekend.  It was Festival of  Sail days and we enjoyed watching a few brightly colored sailboats sail the river.

 After lunch of Popeye's chicken, I was serenaded by this handsome man.  He is teaching himself how to play mandolin and having a blast with it.

We took the Monster truck out for a drive in the mountains on Labor day.  The Toyota is still not put back together from the conversion to disk brakes.  We drove about an hour away to this country road taking us down the McCain Valley.  It was about a 26 mile trip down to the dead end and back with some really spectacular views down into the Salton Sea area .

 At the end of the road is a really beautiful campground that we be trying out soon.  It was almost empty Labor Day weekend.  Only one man was out there for the whole weekend.  We took a picnic of Subway sandwiches and ate here.  Just as we sat down to lunch, the clouds gathered, the thunder rolled in off the mountains, lightening flashed and it started to gently rain.  It was soo NICE.  When we left the house at 10 a.m. the temperature was already 92 degrees.  During the rainstorm in the mountains, it cooled down to about 68 degrees.  WOW it was nice.  I loved the sound of the thunder rolling down the mountain.  I can't wait to go back and camp up there.

 I didn't take a picture of the restroom.  That was my manly man.  He photographs interesting things!

 This is our picnic table.  #2 son is facing toward the mountains.  I am facing toward the food!

 I babysat an entire day last week on a day when the temperature was 105 degrees!  This is the children having quiet time with The Little Engine That Could.  The next day we helped their Mom and Dad move into their first house.  They are all very excited to have their own home and not be renters anymore.

 Last Sunday we had our friends Ian and Laura over for grilled chicken dinner and a jam sessions before we headed back to church Sunday night.

 I was making more of those really fantastic Zucchini 'Apple' pies.  Kitty Shadow is investigating.  Sometimes she is really nosey!

 The garden is doing very well in phase two.  In the picture above, are the tomatoes.  They are doing very well and growing very fast.  I have two littler tomato plants that need separate staking.  I also need to attach another hose out there so we wont be dragging the hose along the tops of the boxes any longer.  It's messing up plants.

This is the lone little pumpkin.  It is as big as #2 son's head.  It is starting to turn orange.  I was hoping for a big batch of pumpkins.  I wanted to let the children at church some and pick pumpkins in October.  I don't think I'll be getting anymore pumpkins. :-(

 I got the suitcase out yesterday.  #2 son and I are heading to Juneau, Alaska on Sunday morning.  We hope to make it for the birth of my first grandchild.  (I am praying that she doesn't go into full blown labor until Sunday night!)  Kitty Shadow must know something is going on.  Wouldn't you know it, she picked the baby clothes to lay on , getting kitty hair all over them! 

When we return from Alaska October 20th, we will repack the Monster truck and the camp trailer and head to the mountains on the east side of Yosemite for some much needed family time.  I am looking forward to exploring dirt roads in the TOYota, seeing  the San Andreas Fault, picking some Obsidian and maybe finding a hot spring for a cozy soak with my guys.  We should be home around November 1st.  

If you're friends with me on facebook, watch for pictures and updates from Juneau, Alaska!

Happy Fall!

With Love

~Betheelou