There is a new restaurant that opened uptown called "The BackCountry Café". It serves breakfast and lunch seven days a week, and is open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Paul and I really enjoyed our meal. I had a Beef Lover's Sandwich, and Paul enjoyed a Reuben and Rachel. To see more information and to check out their menu, you can go here
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Go treat yourself to a great sandwich, or pick up an order to go!
I was looking at the front of our house today, and we seem to have a bit of a "hosta takeover" (pun intended!!). For whatever reason, the conditions in front of our house under the living room window are the perfect conditions to grow hostas. And I have split most of these in the fall to share with others, and they just keep coming back, bigger and better than ever. I got the small one from my brother's yard last fall, but it didn't get planted in the proper spot. I need to move it over the the right to center it better between the other two hostas on either side. I love that they grow like crazy in this front flower bed.
Paul and I scored in a variety of different ways today finding some quirky items to put in our themed gardens around the backyard. The first was "inheriting" a lawn swing from my sister and her husband, since they purchased a new one. But this will not be used as a theme. It will be the centerpiece in one of our themed gardens. Stay tuned as the garden progresses.
Paul had some items to take to the transfer station, so we decided to drive to Osburn and check out St. Vinnies. We were in search of a bowling ball that we will transform into a garden gazing ball. We scored and found a bowling ball, plus a white globe light cover and a perfect silver metallic vase to put in on that will also find a place somewhere in the yard.
Our local Ace Hardware Store put all their plants on sale half off today. I tried to be very careful and not overdue buying too many. I think I did pretty good. I focused mostly on some perennials, but found a yellow climbing rose that will replace the one in my bathtub of roses that did not come back this year. I purchased three black-eyed susan plants. For some reason, I cannot, for the life of me, grow this flower and have it winter over and return in the spring. Maybe if I have three, at least one will return next year. I also nabbed some salvia and a different coreopsis.
Then around 5:30 p.m. Paul and I hopped on our bikes and rode over to the Kellogg City Park to partake in the opening evening of the Silver Valley Community Market. There were lots of vendors, lots of people and the weather was beautiful. We saw lots of people that we visited with, saw lots of great vendor booths. Ethereal E provided awesome music. I look forward to visiting the market every Thursday that I am in town throughout the rest of the summer.
Radio Brewing provided beer and wine for sale.
One of the food vendors was making hot dogs.
Black Kettle Kitchen served some tasty Thai dishes,
Everyone I talked to enjoyed the new set up in the City Park.
We met the owners of Roo's Garden.
Sandy Pommerening was there selling plants with Riverview Greenhouses.
You could do yoga for an hour to the music of Ethereal E.
Terry Anderson sells his awesome Jala Sauce. Terry teaches at Kellogg High School with Paul.
More awesome vendors.
You have got to check out Creations by Christina. She takes copper, wood and many other materials to make unique, one of a kind earrings and necklaces. I bought a pair from her last summer and always get a lot of compliments on them.
More Yoga.
There were craft booths for the kids, and a bubble machine to play in that I saw many kids enjoy.
If you are in Kellogg on a Thursday night between 5 and 8, make your way over to Kellogg City Park and enjoy a great evening. It is worth the trip!!!
The view of the South Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River as you enter Kellogg from the east on the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes. Yes, I really do live here and get to experience this beauty every day!!
Paul and I finally got out for our first bike ride of the season together on the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes. We rode from Kellogg to Elizabeth Park. On the way to and from, and kept telling myself, "look at this beautiful valley you live in. Don't ever take it for granted!!"
First bike ride together for this summer season on the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes.
It was a beautiful evening, and perfect for a ride.
I spent some time this morning checking on the gardens. I have never really had this luxury of having the ability to keep a daily close eye on how things in the gardens are progressing. Ever since I have lived in this house I have always had some kind of job in the summer. I still have a job, but since it is working at home, and takes place in the wee hours of the morning, I have time to putter around in the yard and keep an eye on progress.
But, because of those wee hours, I need to be mindful of my nap times during the day. Yesterday I didn't quite nap enough. So today I had two naps. One in the morning and one in the afternoon. Both were very much needed. I thought this would happen this summer. Since the days are longer, I enjoy spending time outside in the evening so I am not getting to bed as early as I have been. But I just need to take my naps!
Throughout the years, I have always had a creative outlet, whether it was writing, acting, singing, performing, cooking, knitting, pottery, painting, stamping cards, or crafting. This summer I am exploring some new creative outlets and look forward to seeing what comes of it all.
I am really looking forward to being in Kellogg this summer and experience a lot of the events offered. Last Sunday, Paul and I went to a free concert in the park sponsored by Radio Brewing Company. It was a great bluegrass band playing named "Ginstrings". It was a nice turn out in the Kellogg City Park, and just a fun event to be a part of. We were sorry we missed local artist Travis Brown, who performed before "Ginstrings". Hopefully we will get to hear him at one of the upcoming Silver Valley Community Markets.
Ginstrings in the Park
Speaking of the Silver Valley Community Market, tomorrow night, Thursday, June 13, kicks of the Silver Valley Community Market season. The market is moving from the Silver Valley Chamber of Commerce area to the Kellogg City Park from 5-8 p.m.. Ethereal E will be performing as part of the free summer music series. There will be free yoga from 6-7. It looks like there will be about 20 vendors selling things at the market tomorrow night. Some from last year and some new vendors. I am looking forward to a wonderful evening!! What a fantastic weekly community event this has become.
I love that my garden is a nice mixture of perennials and annuals.
We were fortunate that when we moved into this house, the landscape already had many established perennials growing in the front and back yards.
Come and take a tour of my backyard and see some of the beautiful perennials, those flowers that return each year. It is like welcoming back an old friend as they return each spring.
Daisies are such a cheery flower, and I have clumps of them here and there throughout the front and back yards.
I think this particular Columbine was Paul's Grandma Taylors. I love having "heirloom" plants in the yard.
I also have this pretty pink colored Columbine.
I have two Gibraltar Azalea bushes that stand out with their lovely orange blossoms.
I have many clusters of yellow day lilies throughout the yard. The nice thing is they all don't bloom at the same time. This one has yet to bloom.
This Dianthus weathered over the winter in this pot. These come from Mom's yard. I also had some white ones, but not sure they weathered as well.
This Centaurea Montana came with us from our former house uptown on McKinley Avenue. It returns faithfully every spring.
My "big pile of dirt" is a holding place for some of my newer perennials I acquired at different nurseries last fall, or were taken from my Mom's garden beds (now belonging to my brother) last fall as well. Some may stay her, and some may be moved to another spot somewhere else in the yard.
Weeping willows and day lilies. A wonderful combination in my backyard.
It has been a while since I have written anything on my blog. May was a crazy, hard, exhausting, emotional and tiring month. But I thank those of you who sent me messages, telling me you missed my blog and gave me encouragement to keep writing. Your encouragement meant the world to me during a very difficult time.
The craziness began with Paul's dad Burt Roberts being hospitalized at the beginning of April, and being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He passed away about three weeks later on April 30.
We traveled to Meridian to be with family the first weekend in May.
We traveled back to Meridian for the service, which was held on May 11th.
I had a convention I needed to attend in Burley, Idaho the following week. I flew to Boise on May 16, and flew out of Boise on May 19th.
Memorial Day weekend was full of family as we all gathered for a special dinner on Sunday of that weekend to celebrate and honor our daughter Molly, who graduated from Lewis Clark State College with a degree in Education.
On the following Thursday, my sister Christy and I drove to Moscow to do some preparations for our upcoming Delta Delta Delta sorority reunion that will be June 21, 22 and 23. We are in charge of the Saturday afternoon activities, so we went and met with the people in Moscow who are running the activities.
We spent the night in Moscow, then Christy headed back to Kellogg, and I drove to Boise and attended a special retreat on Saturday, then headed back home on Sunday.
I was so glad to be home and not have to travel again until June 20th. I have my sorority reunion this month, then a trip back to Meridian mid-July to see "The Music Man" at the Idaho Shakespeare Festival with some of our family, and celebrate our anniversary.
And I have made a vow to do NO TRAVELING during the month of August. I just want to be home.
Already, this past week, I can't believe how wonderful it has been to have time to work in the yard and garden, and not have impending deadlines. I have needed this respite in my life. It is really good.
My blog may look a bit different from here on out. I have some different ideas, and I have a whole lot of things I want to share, from the fun we are having creating our special backyard garden, to craft ideas, to community events and just everyday family stuff.
Thanks again for reading!! Grief is a funny thing. You aren't prepared how it is going to affect things you do on a daily basis. For some reason, I needed to stop writing for a while. But now I am ready to start telling my stories again.
P.S. The service for Burt was absolutely amazing. If you would like to watch a video of it, you can watch it on YouTube
This year for our Easter Family Dinner, I decided to forgo the traditional ham dinner, and fix something Paul and I have been enjoying over the past year on our Keto Diet.....Lamb Chops.
When I started thinking of what things to accompany the lamb, I decided to do mostly Greek-type side dishes, with a few others thrown in for fun.
*We started the afternoon off with an apertif....an Italian Spritzer. (Hey, Italy is on the Mediterranean. This is a refreshing drink using the Italian liqueur Aperol, some Prosecco and a splash of club soda. There was also a slice of orange and a sprig of mint in the drink. It was very refreshing! I served some nuts and some Kalamata Olives with the drink.
Nuts and olives, with the Easter Lily purchased at church in memory of Mom and Dad.
*The main course was Greek Lamb Chops. This is my go-to recipe for preparing lamb chops...something I had never prepared until this past year. But this time I used the cast iron dutch oven to fry them in, and I think that was a good choice. That morning, I put them in a marinade of olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper. About 15 minutes before dinner I fried them in olive oil, about 3 minutes on each side, took them off the burner, covered with a lid, and let them rest for about 10 minutes or so. They were DELICIOUS!! The recipe is here.
Greek Salad
*I found a Tomato Salad with Avocados, Cucumber and Chickpeas with a Greek Lemon Dressing to start off the meal. I served it up in small bowls, and topped it with Feta Cheese. There recipe is here.
Lemon Rice and Green Beans with Garlic and Bleu Cheese
*A couple of weeks ago I had bought a bag of green beans and thought this would be a perfect accompaniment to the meal. I looked through my recipes, and remembered saving this recipe and thought I would give Green Bean “Almondine” with Garlic and Bleu Cheese a try. You roast three bulbs of garlic before hand, and mix it with the blanched green beans and toasted almond slices and then add bleu cheese at the end. If you like those flavors, you will love this dish, which you can find here.
*Our Keto diet does not normally include rice, because of the high carb content. But I splurged a bit today to include rice, because it just seemed like it would go together. (Maybe next time I will try this recipe with riced cauliflower for a lower carb version.) I found a Lemon Rice recipe, here, that was made with basmati rice, garlic, lemon, dill, oregano and cumin, with some feta cheese added at the end. I could have sat down and eaten the whole bowl! The recipe is here.
Keto Strawberry Trifle
It*I did go keto with our dessert. I found a delicious Keto Strawberry Trifle, with the cake made with almond flour and coconut flour. Again, a wonderful light, not too sweet dessert to end the meal. This yummy keto creation can be found here.
*One thing I was going to make, but time got away from me, was some Low Carb Naan bread, and serve it with hummus. I will try it sometime this week with another meal Paul and I will share. I will let you know how it comes out!!
*Our family coming together for Easter Dinner was a much needed comfort in the midst of a very difficult week for our family. Between dealing with my brother and sister-in-law saying goodbye to a pet dog, my sister saying goodbye to a pet cat, Molly and Travis learning the news on Easter Sunday that Travis’ grandmother had passes away (it was also her birthday), and with Paul’s dad’s health continuing to fail, the comfort of knowing death has no sting, because of Jesus, the Risen Savior, the feeling of being surrounded by family in our home, and good food and good drink, and all this, after a particularly spirit-filled and touching church service, was the perfect recipe to celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord.....the Lamb of God....who takes away the sins of the world.
*Last night I gathered with some of my P.E.O. sisters and their guests at French Gulch Farm and Garden for an awesome dinner. We had a wonderful time, and the food was delicious. They have a new indoor facility that can accommodate up to about 60 people for a sit down meal. It is cozy, and worked perfectly for our function. If you need a place to host a dinner, check them out. It was such a great time. Thanks so much Debby Scudder and Tisha Whatcott for making the evening so special!!
*My day was spent preparing things for the above mentioned dinner. It was fun to work on some “Cowboy Poetry” to share (the dinner had a western theme), and do some other little touches to help make the evening special.
*During the afternoon Cosette called with some great news!! She applied for a job in Moscow at the University Inn. She had an interview on Monday, and they called her back for another interview this morning. Soon after she received a call saying they would like to offer her the job as an Event Planner/Administrative Assistant. Cosette is really good with people, and customer service, and I think she will really do well at this position. She will begin her new job in a couple of weeks.
*Paul’s dad Burt remains in the hospital at this time. I talked to Paul and Zoe this evening, and it was not an easy day. I am so grateful for our loving family and friends near and far that are surrounding Burt and our family with prayers, love and support. It makes such a difference in times like these.
*What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:31-39
*Paul headed down to Meridian today with three of his students for State Speech Competition. When he arrived in Meridian, Zoe came and picked him up from the hotel, and they found out his dad had been taken to a local hospital, so Paul was able to go see his dad and visit with him. My world view does not call the fact that Paul was able to be in Meridian at the exact time his family needs him there a coincidence. I believe God, in His infinite grace and mercy, allowed Paul to be there when he needed to be there. And I am so thankful it worked out this way for Paul, for Burt, for Pat, for our daughter Zoe, and for the whole family.
*I got caught up on my sleep today, and decided, since I am on my own for a couple of days, that I would get some take out for dinner. I just really didn’t feel like cooking.
*Teaching children in China has got me curious to find out more about the country. I am really rather ignorant about a lot of things to do with China. I did a little research, and found a fascinating documentary on Netflix titled Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry. As the film’s website states, “It is the inside story of a dissident for the digital age who inspires global audiences and blurs the boundaries of art and politics. First-time director Alison Klayman gained unprecedented access to Ai while working as a journalist in China. Her detailed portrait provides a nuanced exploration of contemporary China and one of its most compelling public figures.” His vision and the way he forms his art reminds me some of the films I watched on Dale Chihuly at the museum of his artwork in Seattle. Both of these men have these incredible visions of what they want to express through their art, and use other people to help them create their large pieces of art. I find this type of vision incredible.
*My prayers continue to be said today for those I hold dear. Thank you to those who are praying. We so appreciate your prayers.
*Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. I Thessalonians 5: 16-1
*Happy Sibling Day!! I am very fortunate to live in the same town as my two other siblings. Most of our lives, since I was in junior high and high school, did I live in the same town as one of my siblings. But over the past years, both have moved back to our hometown of Kellogg, Idaho. In fact, they are next door neighbors. And we have moved into a nice rhythm of seeing each other at least once a week (most weeks) as we enjoy our weekly family dinners together, each taking our turn to host. It has been a wonderful time of re-connection with one another. Now that the weather is getting better, I am hoping a sibling outing is sometime in our future!!!
*I got two big items taken off my “to do” list today. Do you ever get other things accomplished that maybe aren’t as important, but you do them because you don’t want to tackle the big, complicated tasks that at on your list to do? That is what has been happening today. But today I tackled two of the looming tasks. One was creating about nine bank deposits to go to bank. The other was writing a “Cowboy Poem” for a dinner I will be attending Friday night. Once I sat down, and buckled down, I got them done. Whew!! Now what projects can I get done so I don’t have to do my taxes? Wait, I think there might be a deadline coming up for those!! I can’t put them off much longer!!
*Paul and I enjoyed a nice evening together before he heads to Meridian with three of his speech students for the State Speech Competition. God’s timing couldn’t be more wonderful, as Paul will be able to be with his dad and mom and all his siblings as they gather together at his parent’s house on Thursday evening.
*The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning. Great is Thy faithfulness. Lamentations 3: 22-23
*I hadn’t been on the computer much today, so I was unaware of the flooding happening in the towns of Moscow and Pullman. Molly sent a picture of their parking lot at their apartment complex, and it was flooded. But fortunately the elementary school she works at has had no flooding.
*Later Cosette reported she was working at McDonald’s around 10 p.m., and all of a sudden, water started coming up through the drains in the floor. Yikes!! They had to shut down the store and spend some time cleaning up the water, sweeping it into some of the other drains. Cosette said it was not fun at all!!
*I saw my sorority at U of I, the Tri-Delt house, did get some flooding in the basement. That is never fun, either!! I don’t think I ever experienced flooding at Delta Delta Delta when I was in college there. But I was awaken by an earthquake while live there!!!
*Silver Valley Dental Care was first on my list of places to go today. At 8 a.m. I arrived to get my teeth cleaned, and possibly have them set my crown permanently. The cleaning went great! But they took some X-rays, which then led to having a CT Scan of that tooth, and it looks like there are some things at the root level that may not look good. I am waiting for Dr. Bird to call back to see what recommends be done with the tooth. When someone mentions “root canal”, I laugh at the scene from The West Wing when C.J. Cregg had to have an emergency root canal, and she came back unable to speak. If she did speak, she sounded a bit like Elmer Fudd.
*My prayers continue for my father-in-law, mother-in-law, my husband, and all my wonderful brothers and sisters in laws, to give them strength and love and courage and wisdom as they face the days ahead.
*Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
*Thank you to everyone who reached out with messages, saying your were praying and sending good thoughts. It means more than you know.
*I spent the morning waiting to hear results from Everett’s trip to the Emergency Room. Christy took him in this morning. It turned out he has an urinary tract infection that has been causing some of his problems. This is such good news, because that is treatable!!
*Burt had a procedure done to put a stint in his liver to get it working better, and to get rid of the jaundice. Reports are the procedure went well.
*I am glad I could be home today to wait for news, rest, pray, think and be comforted by the surroundings of my home.
*The day ended today with two wonderful men in our lives battling some health issues. Paul’s dad Burt Roberts and my sister’s husband Everett. Both are men of God. Both are men of prayer. Both can use your prayers.
*The scripture gives me the answer to the question, “where does my strength come from?” in Psalm 121. “My strength comes from God, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.”
Psalm 121
121 1-2 I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains? No, my strength comes from God, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.
3-4 He won’t let you stumble, your Guardian God won’t fall asleep. Not on your life! Israel’s Guardian will never doze or sleep.
5-6 God’s your Guardian, right at your side to protect you— Shielding you from sunstroke, sheltering you from moonstroke.
7-8 God guards you from every evil, he guards your very life. He guards you when you leave and when you return, he guards you now, he guards you always.
