englishrose's Blog at GardenStew.com

Is it spring yet II

englishrose — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 00:49:09 -0500

Author: englishrose
Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 5:49 am (GMT 0)

Is spring here yet?

englishrose — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 00:37:11 -0500

Author: englishrose
Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 5:37 am (GMT 0)

I haven't been blogging for the past three weeks because we took our first winter trip after children(more about that later) and I was really hoping that while I was away spring would have magicaly appeared here in the pataha creek valley but no such luck. So I shall just have to pretend for a while longer.
My husband Clay is a 3rd generation dry land wheat farmer here in southeast Washington State. Dry land meaning we count on rainfall not irrigation. We farm 3500 acres here in the county with one young man who works with us. Our four farms are located throughout the county in low to high rainfall areas. Since we moved here twelve years ago we have been working towards farming our land with toughts towards what is best for the land and the wildlife. This past year we changed our farm practices completely over to no-till which means we will never again plow our land and we seed directly into last years stubble ground.

Fund-raising mania

englishrose — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 23:39:16 -0500

Author: englishrose
Posted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 4:39 am (GMT 0)

When you live in an isolated community like ours it seems like when you are not working you are involved in some sort of fund-raising. A good part of our so called leisure time is spent trying to raise funds for the various clubs, teams, churches or boards we sit on. Just as an example of how crazy this can get our oldest daughter Laura and I spent the past week getting ready for the local Christmas bazaar at the community hall. We manned three large tables. Table one held Laura's business cards and samples of her budding cake decorating business. Table two held a sign up sheet for our P.E.O. pie sale and our selection of homemade chocolates. Table three held our crafts for missions from church including a beautiful fall rag quilt for raffle and finally homebaked cookies and decorated tree raffle for the local fairboard upon who's board we both sit! The sale went well today as all of us bought from each other. Such is life in small town America. Hope we have a good day tomorrow, maybe we will even get some customers from out of town!!! More Later ER

My adopted home town

englishrose — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 23:10:35 -0500

Author: englishrose
Posted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 4:10 am (GMT 0)

Pomeroy, Washington is my adopted hometown. Pomeroy is the only town in the County of Garfield in the southeastern corner of Washington State. 1,300 people live in the town and 2400 people live in the entire county. The closest town on either side is 30 or 35 miles away. Here you are either a pioneer(having been born and raised here) or an outsider(having married in or moved here.) We fall into the latter catagory having moved here 12 years ago. We fit in okay due to the fact that we were 2nd generation wheat farmers and the husband's family homsteaded across the river in Whitman county. We now have two adult children that have married into "pioneer" families so I am guessing we are here to stay. Acually it is a good thing to be an outsider in a town like Pomeroy because you don't have to be a part of all the family feuds that have gone on since the town was formed. Early on we realized that it was a good place to keep your nose to grindstone and your thoughts to yourself because around here someone is always related or married to someone else. You never know who you might be offending so you better just keep your lips zipped.

Home safe from Spokane

englishrose — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 18:57:57 -0500

Author: englishrose
Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 11:57 pm (GMT 0)

Well the trip to Spokane was smooth and I have returned home safe. Margaret went through her tests fine but they still did not find what could be causing her troubles. That is a worry but a least no surgery for now. Her son took her home about 6:30 last night. I got to spend the 21/2 hours with her while she was waiting to be released. Thank-you all for surrounding her and Toni just how did you know that I went up there just to see the "feisty" come back? That was exactly what I was looking for in her and she had it in spades the longer I talked to her. Bless you all and keep the faith. Oh and I had a wonderful visit with my youngest daughter last nite and this morning on my way back home life is good. ER

Thank-you for the thoughts and prayers

englishrose — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 22:54:54 -0500

Author: englishrose
Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2006 3:54 am (GMT 0)

Thank-you everyone for your thoughts and prayers for Margaret. My husband located the hospital they took her to. I was able to talk to her. They are setting her up for an angiogram tomorrow morning and another stress test. I will be driving up to Spokane in the morning so I can see how she is doing for myself and to tell her how much I love her. Her son answered the phone when I called which means he did not listen to her when she told him not to fly in from Seattle. I love sons like that don't you? I can feel your warmth here and I know she will too.

Please pray for Margaret

englishrose — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 17:47:53 -0500

Author: englishrose
Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 10:47 pm (GMT 0)

Last night my friends historical old barn burned to the ground on her homestead. During all the chaos of the fire she started experiencing chest pains. My husband was there as an emt fireman and they took her to the local hospital to observe her overnite. When we went up to check on her this morning they were going to airlift her to Spokane for further testing. They would not let me into see her. Margaret is the closest person I have to a mother she will be 76 this year and she looks 55. Her love for life adds so much to my life. All of the cuttings in my yard are from her garden. Please pray for Margaret.

How she looks now 4 years later

englishrose — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 23:28:13 -0500

Author: englishrose
Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 4:28 am (GMT 0)

This picture thing could be fun after I get the hang of it

The Dowager

englishrose — Sun, 12 Nov 2006 11:18:54 -0500

Author: englishrose
Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 4:18 pm (GMT 0)

Our house was built in 1920 it is a blond solid brick prairie four-square. We were contentedly living in a 105 year old gothic farmhouse two blocks away when "The Dowager" came up for auction and this is where the story began. The farmer husband came into church where I was crafting and said "I think I will pick up a cashiers check so I can bid on one of those houses in the auction that okay with you?" We had already talked about maybe helping the young man working with us into a house so I agreed and then didn't give it too much thought. As the day progressed and I didn't hear from him again I started to get a little nervous and he has a reputation of just making his mind up on the spot so my wife's intuition told me maybe I better quit crafting and make my way down to the auction. Well to make a long story short I was in the auction building just in time to hear the gavel fall as my husband won the bid on "The Dowager". It is a good thing that my oldest daughter was beside me because I nearly fainted right on the spot. Two weeks before this I had just finished the final room in our victorian where we had lived for eight years!

Come on in and sit a spell

englishrose — Sun, 12 Nov 2006 00:13:30 -0500

Author: englishrose
Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 5:13 am (GMT 0)

Here is just a short bio to introduce myself. My name is Sandy age 53 , Married 33 yrs Three children 30, 28, and 18 first time empty-nester after 30 years of child rearing. Dryland wheat farming for a living. I have more interests than there is time left... children,grand-children,sisters,gardening since childhood,quilting,pet-keeping,reading,cooking and restoring a historical home. First love in the garden ROSES then annuals, herbs and containers but I love it all and am looking forward to learning more. This is my first blog so I hope you can help me through the tech stuff LOL. Im excited to start this new adventure.