Rodeo time!

Pretty self explanatory.... we went to the Rodeo up in Orick....

The mutten busting (kids riding sheep) is hystarical!

then on to the big boys....

5 finger shoes and some trail mix

Aren't these just the ugliest things you've ever seen? Alex wanted to get a pair... I thanked my lucky stars that there was a really good chance that no one in Eureka would be carrying them! Unfortunately for me (well I guess not really) we went to San Fran the other weekend and we just happened in a store that had them. He tried them on but they didn't fit right- hurt his toes (go figure!) So I don't have to worry about him owning these ugly shoes- if you can even call them that! Alex has a history of ugly shoes in our neighborhood.... Ned ate his crocs but he insisted on still wearing them.... so all the neighbors made fun of him! I feel it's my duty to save the neighborhood from any more ugly shoes! (I had already replaced his crocs)
Alex made trial mix! lots of it! the only thing big enough to hold it was my 6 quart trifle dish! It was yummy though!

fire pit!

We've actually used our firepit 2wice in the last week or so! I'm so proud! We always talk about using it...but its usually while we're out and about enjoying a Saturday or Sunday. So by the time we get home and have dinner we crash out and don't make it outside. New neighbors and summertime makes for great excuses to have a fire! Ned loves playing with Justice (our neighbors little puppy) He's real gentile with her- but in a few months she'll be as big as he is and they can really wrestle!

Ladybugs!

I have an aphid problem!
The've infested my green beans! Thankfully it seems they haven't affected the production of beans.... they're just all over the stems! So I got ladybugs to eat them! The guy at the store said to keep them in the fridge till evening- then water the garden and let them out once it's dark. I guess this helps them from flying away. They're more inclined to go to sleep then when they wake up they look for food- find my aphid and chow down!
So we went out the other night to release them- a whole container full! There has been a huge spider web out there but I hadn't seen any spider on it- apparently he only comes out at night. And he's HUGE! The water made his web look really cool!This one was jut really freaky! click on it to enlarge!Unfortunately when I got home from work the next day there were not that many ladybugs left on my green beans. Some had migrated through the rest of the garden- and there were still a few on the beans. I hope the spider didn't eat them all! I also hope there is enough left to take care of my aphids!

Lewiston Lake for the 4th

We drove up to Lewiston Lake to camp over the 4th of July weekend- well actually it was Thursday and Friday nights since Alex had duty on the 4th. We left after work and got to our campsite with just enough light to quickly set up the tent and make a late dinner. There was a rustling in the trees while we sat around the campfire- the dogs went to check it out but weren't concerned too much with it. When we woke up the next morning it was still there and we found out it was a little baby bird! There was a nest way way up in one of the trees over the campsite that we think he fell out of- poor guy!
We then headed down to the lake! We were surprised at how empty everything was given that it was the holiday weekend! As soon as we stepped in the water we found out why... it was COLD!!! cold cold! cold cold cold COLD! you couldn't stand in it for more then about 30 seconds before your feet would go numb! COLD! THAT would be why there were only boaters and fisherman around! Alex figures that it's because Lewiston Lake is fed out of the bottom of the dam in Trinity Lake- so all the water comes from the deep dark depths!Thankfully we did have the boats with us! The pups didn't mind the cold while we were paddling around- but they quickly got out to soak up the warm sun when we got back! I took Ned out for a paddle!Hanna was still crazy enough to stick her head in and pull big rocks from under the water! She only did this in the begining- the water soon got too cold even for her and she spent most of the time up on shore!Alex decided to practice rolling the kayak!

This only lasted about 3 rolls before he was too cold to move!We drove up to Trinity Lake in the afternoon to check it out- this is the view overlooking it from one of the scenic spots.The water level was SUPER low!But that let us drive down close to the waterWe let the pups out to run behind us... not really thinking about all the dust that we'd be stirring up! Hana was slow and far enough behind us that she didn't get too dirty- but here is Mr. Ned! He was a totally different color- the picture doesn't do it much justice.The water in Trinity Lake was much more tolerable! Still a little chilly when the clouds were covering the sun (which ended up being most the time we were there) but toally swimable! We hung out there for a few hours and then headed out to explore the area some more!

We had to head back to Eureka Saturday morning so Alex could get to duty on time. I spent the evening haning out with the pups while they freaked out at the loud booms! Someone up the street was settign off relativly big fireworks that I could see from the front window- so I didn't even have to get off the couch! Then on Sunday friends of ours had a 5th of July party- since he was on duty with Alex they missed the 4th too! Good food, good friends, good times!

Hope you all had a great 4th!

Here are some pictures of our garden! It's our first one and we're definitely learning! But it's been fun!

We've got....

Snow Peas

Sugar Snap PeasLots of LettucePole beans- just starting to see itty bitty beans now!CarrotsGreen OnionsLeeks

and Broccoli that we left too long and it started to flower- they're pretty though!
We got one head cut on time- it was yummy!
we'll know better for next time.


And here are some shots of the flowers....

paddling

Sunday night we took the pups out for a sunset paddle. We hadn't gotten much time to run them throughout the weekend and swimming most certainly tires them out! the current was really strong so we tried to keep them to the side so they wouldn't be swept out into the bay! There were a family of sea lions (or seals... we're never sure) lounging on the far shore and when we got too close they all started making their way into the water! It was kind of freaky at first because they were between us and the sun so it was really hard to see them- it looked and sounded like a heard was running into the water.... but because they were so low and with the sun I couldn't actually see them right! Weird! Ned didn't get to chase any because of the current..... but he still had a good time!

It must have been a good feeding time because the pelicans were dive-bombing the water for fish! It was the coolest thing! of course I'd sit and watch them fly around with my camera ready and just when I'd put it down to keep myself from drifting too far they'd dive in.... so I missed all the shots of them! I swear both them and the seals are camera shy! The seals will look at you the whole time till you go to click a picture... then they dive under and your left with a big splash of water!

Rafting the Trinity River

This past Friday was the morale rafting trip! It was a blast! We were expecting the weather to be warmer (was only high 70's) and the water was COLD! The Trinity never really warms up! But the rafting and goofing off was awesome! Since I was the one with the camera the only shot we have of our whole raft is the one that they take for you on the hardest rapid (this is Hell's Hole). But I got a lot of great shots of everyone else! Thanks Joyce for the waterproof camera bag! It worked great!
There was definitely a lot of horsing around! The water actually felt colder when you were just splashed by the rapids then it did when you jumped (or were pulled) in!