Category: Front Porch Musings

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There’s no place like home!

YES!

Ok… yes! – the situation is still a bit dicey, no containment on the fire but there is a significant fireline and much in place for protection of South Fork, so residents were given an option to go home with the caveat that they were on pre-evacuation notice and should be ready to leave IMMEDIATELY if notified.

The weather looks somewhat better, the fire behavior has modified.

The Mineral County Miner ??? – it has been my go to news source. It is a Creede, CO paper but it has been the best at updating online. GO Creede!

My folks are going to stay in their home, not unpacking and in fact are getting some additional things loaded…just in case, but hopefully they will be able to stay and all will continue calming a bit.

Meanwhile, in my own home territory…

It did get to 84F today and we are forecast to continually get hotter through next mid-week.

BUT…One day at a time – today was warm-hot, but beautiful and it is Friday and we are all home!

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Buckaroos

There were three bucks hanging together…

But the third never got in the picture.

Buckaroos.

***my folks are still out of their house, but also still at the ranch of their friends where 4 dogs, 4 cats, 2 horses and 4 humans are so far all getting along. They had the chance to go to their house briefly this morning to check their freezers and water plants and garden. The house and grounds were in good shape. The wind was blowing the smoke away. They will probably be prohibited from going home for several more days – much depends on the weather. But, so far, so good. No structures lost and some fire boundaries around structures and the ski area are holding.

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Longest Day

This first full day of summer, the longest day – it has been a long day for me but even longer for my folks. My folks live in South Fork, CO. The entire town was evacuated this morning in front of the West Fork Complex fire.

It was a scary day yesterday (Thursday) as the smoke from the fire was thick, sometimes red and full of ash and burnt pine needles. My folks started organizing to leave late afternoon and kept at it through the night so when the order was given they were ready to go with their three dogs and cat. They were able to load some keepsakes, various supplies, a good amount of food, clothes and medications. After checking into a motel, a good friend that lives on a ranch called and offered accomodation so they are in a good and safe spot that is comfortable for all. I am relieved and grateful that they are where they are. The fire conditions in Colorado are fearsome – deadly dry, hot and windy and this fire blew up and appears to be making its own weather so is burning hotter, moving faster and not “sleeping at night” like a “normal” fire**.

My thoughts and prayers are with all of the firefighters and responders that put themselves in harm’s way to protect what they can.

On the good news front, Bob, Bear and I are all well and I had a good work week – YEA!

Bob has finished a round of the latest medication and although the photo below might look funny, it is an incredibly good sign – this is the first he’s been able to groom normally. He’s been doing some – the easy stuff, but this was a full out, full body bath – HOO-RAH!!! He is only slightly wobbly, a little bit of head shaking but no “sloshing” that I can hear and he is now hearing me. We are switching to a different med combo next week just to be on the safe side as the particular bugs he had have a reputation for developing resistance and we do NOT want any back sliding.

From all of us to all of you, a happy Friday and Summer Solstice and thank you to all who sent emails of concern for my folks.

**Wildfires typically drop down as temperatures fall and relative humidities rise overnight, i.e. they “sleep”/smolder.

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Saturday, June 1

A beautiful Saturday.

Hard to believe it is JUNE 1 !!!

Herbs and Bob…on the front porch.

Mr. Bob.

Mid-afternoon on Saturday…nap time for Mr. Bear.

The road home, the big sky, the green, the blue: Saturday, June 1

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Rhubarb Chutney

I’ve lived in the north Flathead Valley of Northwest Montana for 19 1/2 years. This past Memorial Day weekend was only the third that had sunshine and OMG! – there was sun ALL THREE DAYS!!

And the temperature was in my personal range of perfection: mid-60’s.

Bear, Bob and I enjoyed being outside a good part of all three days. I puttered about doing some yard chores, potting my herbs, cleaning the Jeep, cleaning Wild Thing (motorhome), some minor maintenance chores on both vehicles – all alternating with sitting on the front porch with a cup of coffee, tea or glass of wine.

It was mah-ve-lous!!

It was SO marvelous that I’m thinking of taking the entire 4th of July week – or at least the 4th and 5th – off to do a similar amount of nearly nothing.

But, I digress.

Monday morning, I picked rhubarb. I ended up with slightly less than a cup after cleaning and chopping.

I searched recipes with rhubarb and settled on a chutney which I adapted to the following:

1 cup rhubarb
3/4 cup chopped sweet onion
1/4 cup currants
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp cloves

Combine all, boil and then simmer until thickened – stirring frequently. SO easy and my house smelled wonderful.

A side note about some chalkboard labels and stakes. I first found the garden stakes: ceramic with a chalkboard glaze – so much fun for the herb pots! Those have been working so when I noticed the labels and wine charms, I bought a quantity of those also. The labels are particularly useful in that I can date items and have my own private “use by” date system. Much better than the sniff and guess method. Both items were found on Etsy.

Onward.

I intended to make a stir fry to test the chutney but ended making a pizza topped with thin sliced mozzerella, carmelized sweet onion and some grilled chicken. I added some goat cheese and the chutney after the pizza was ready.

Oh boy – that worked.

A perfect blend of savory-sweet-tangy-hot-cool goodness.

I should get another similar harvest from my little rhubarb patch and another batch of this chutney.