Settled Back In

We have spend the last few weeks out in the yard, rain and shine, getting it back into shape – and then some.  We took on a few extra projects like cleaning out the pond, spreading five yards of beauty bark around the borders, having gravel delivered on the driveway and doing some serious pruning.  It was all worthwhile and now our place looks as nice as it ever has.  Just in time for company that arrived last night from Norway.

I must say, the last two weeks have been heavenly.  Kaleb has been busy having sleepovers with his friends here.  Kory set up a trampoline for him which we thought was going to be used for exercise, but Kaleb soon discovered it serves better as a large playing field for his Pokemon cards. 

Last weekend all our neighbors got together for a welcome back party for us and we sat high and dry here on the ridge looking out over the valley watching the lightening and rain pound down on everyone north and east of us.  We live in a little banana belt so we don’t get nearly as wet as the rest of the county.  We’ve even enjoyed several days of sunshine since we got home here on Pleasant Ridge. 

Both Kory and I loved not having to go anywhere or do anything specific and just puttering around the yard has been a dream – except for the nightmare created by the moles.  I’ve even taken to swearing when I wake up and find new piles of dirt in the yard, but I’m determined to get rid of them all using my “death mole mix” – equal parts of sugar, oatmeal and dry concrete wrapped in wax paper and stuffed down their little holes.  That’ll get ‘em.

BEFORE AND AFTER - the lilac bush fell over while we were gone

Moles are the only critter in our yard I’m not happy about.  The slugs are a pest, but much easier to deal with.  The squirrels have been at the bird feeders every day stealing their food, but they don’t even bother me that much.  We did try to get one of our trees limbed to improve our view a little, but the guy cutting down the limbs encountered a squirrel nest up in the tree.  Not only did we NOT want the squirrel babies to die, but we didn’t want the guy to get chewed up by the mama squirrel, so we’ll have to wait a few more weeks before we have that task accomplished.

A few days ago I was up early and out on the deck enjoying the warm temperatures in the quiet of the morning, when two male deer came wandering through our yard.  They munched on the leaves of the plum tree and stopped to check out the clicking of my camera.  They stuck around a while and I didn’t even mind them eating some of my garden plants.  It’s not often we get deer in our yard.

We’ve had raccoons come eat most of our goldfish in the pond since we’ve been home.  I just bought more at Wal-mart.  They are “feeder fish” for pet piranhas, so I figured I’m at least giving them some kind of life and fighting chance before they turn into raccoon food in our pond.

BEFORE AND AFTER - weeding the rockery

Normally when I’m working in the yard I encounter dozens of frogs, but for some strange reason this year, I’ve only seen one frog in the last few weeks.  At least the rabbits are still plentiful.  The bald eagles haven’t taken all of them yet, anyway.  And only one snake has been sighted so far this summer, thankfully.  It’s a real “wild life America” on our end of the ridge.  Such a change from the life we have in Norway – living in the middle of the city and only seeing an occasional bird.  But people stop by for a visit there.  Here, it’s mostly just God’s creatures of the non-talking variety.  We have had a few friends over for BBQs, however, so that’s helped us not be too lonely.

Now the nature that surrounds us is also being enjoyed by our Norwegian guests.  It’s their first time in America so I hope they don’t think everyone has it as good as we do.  We live in a special place, for sure.  Kaleb’s friend, Andre, is here with his two older brothers and his parents.  They arrived late last night and hit the stores first thing this morning.  They spent more than a thousand dollars already on shoes and clothes for the five of them and they were pleased with every penny they spent, as those items are four to five times more in Norway than they cost here.  Happy we could help them support the American economy like that.

BEFORE AND AFTER

Weeding out the Pumpkin Garden

We are looking forward to the next three weeks, as it will be like we are on vacation, too.  The weather is looking warmer and the days will soon be filled with lots of new experiences.  I love the list of things they want to do while here – “go to a drive-in movie,” “go to the spa,” “go to a gospel church,” “go to a baseball game,” “eat at Taco-Bell.”  All easy wishes to fulfill with lots of memories soon to be made.  We are truly blessed.

(An Almost) Day of Rest

We had absolutely NOTHING planned today, which was a good thing. We all needed a little free time to take care of the necessities of life, like cleaning, washing clothes and shopping. Bjørn and Inger left the boys at our house and went to the mall to buy them school clothes. It was a hot enough day we had no problem keeping them busy. They all helped clean out and wash the motorhome, and when that was done, Kory set up the slip-n-slide. Kaleb and the twins had a blast squirting themselves with dish soap and sliding down the wet tarps. Tobias just sat on the sidelines and watched with the rest of us (a friend stopped by with her kids for a while.) It was good the boys had a chance to run around and play and relax and be out of the car, since tomorrow they will be in for a long, long drive, heading to San Francisco. My battery was dead on my camera today so I didn’t take any photos. It might be a record day, as I’m not sure I have ever gone a day without taking photos. I was desperate enough to capture the slip-n-slide moment, so I set up the web camera on my laptop and got a few video clips, but unfortunately, could NOT get them to load on the blog. (Today’s photo instead is the view from our camp site of the orange and yellow fungi growing on the rock face at Steamboat Rock, and all the debris that has built up over the years of those rocks eroding away. Somehow the look of it, felt like today.)




I stayed off my broken toes by spending a good part of today on the phone, calling every Best Buy store from the Canadian border down to central California, looking for an iPad for Tobias. It’s the latest in techno-gadgets and he just HAS to have one. They cost about three times the price in Norway, so he was sure he could get one here to take home and be the envy of his social circle, but the problem is, they are all sold out. I called store after store and no one has them in stock. They said that Apple can’t make them fast enough and as soon as they get a shipment in, they are gone within hours. Tobias’s face sank at the thought of going home empty handed. Finally, by day’s end, I just told him he needs to pray, because when things seem hopeless, there is always hope. God has a way of delivering, every time. I trust He won’t let him down.



Kory took the RV in town to empty the holding tanks and fill the gas and propane tanks. After Bjørn and Inger returned, we all met up with him and drove the motorhome back to its generous owners then went out to dinner at Outback Steakhouse. Inger said Bjørn has talked about that restaurant ever since she’s known him. He used to live in Texas, where he was first introduced to their “Bloomin’ Onion” and baby back ribs. He licked his lips just thinking about eating there, so tonight was his night – he ordered both. Kory then took all the boys back home to get them to bed, while Inger and Bjørn and I did a little late night shopping at Wal-Mart, buying things to keep the kids busy in the car tomorrow. I can see the concern on Bjørn’s face as the reality of 13 hours in the car starts to sink in. Welcome to America, where life is just one long road trip after another.