No need for Plan B (sort of)

Well the park is no longer closed so we can have the Oakes Family Gathering where we planned, with a few changes. First of all the septic system for the park is still under water so we will be using porta potties (oh joy). Secondly, the road that I gave everyone instructions to use to get there is still under water. That means that I need to get there bright and early to figure out the new way to get there and put up signs.

Today I will put the finishing touches on my power point presentation and also my family picture slide show. I also have to complete as much of the family names and birthdates etc for the family tree as I can. Then there is the shopping and the wrapping of 25 mystery door prizes as well as buying the table cloths and picking up the flowers for me to arrange tomorrow. I will be making 13 gallons of tea too and baking about 4 dozen cookies (little oak leaves and acorns).

Yesterday I spent a good part of the day working on Cranfest and getting things done that we can get done now, so they are out of the way. Our radios have not worked correctly during the festival for 5 years so we had them move the antenna. As they were moving it they found out that a part of the repeater had been broken years ago and has never worked. No wonder we had dead spots before. They fixed it yesterday and boy does that change things. We were running all over with radios asking "Can you hear me now?" and they could!

After all of that I went over to my sister Dale's house and picked strawberries. She is remodeling her house and does not have the time to do anything with her strawberries this year. I can sympathize and then I also can run over and pick them.....her loss is my gain.

I have made 4 batches of Rhubarb strawberry jam lately. It turns out well and people seem to love it. The last batch had more rhubarb and less sugar. We'll see how people like the difference. I want to get it just right and write it down. Then I can go onto the next. I also want to work on a Rhubarb Cranberry and a Rhubarb Blueberry jam too. This year, I want to put up as much canning as I can.

Will and Jake really worked hard around here. They weed-eated and then they put up the fence around my garden. Of course last night when I took the dog out to potty, the deer were all checking out the fence. They are SO nosy. If we move anything in the yard or change anything, they check it out that night. If the ground was softer we would have deer tracks all around it, every night.

Speaking of wild life we saw the bear again on Wednesday as we were leaving for church. I looked in my rear view mirror and saw it as it finished crossing the road. I guess I should say not "the bear" but we saw "a bear". This one was smaller. We're still trying to get a photo for the blog, but never seem to have the cameral when we need it.

Another thing we have had a lot of around here lately are MOTHS. If you get a chance to look them up check out pictures of LUNA Moths and Evening primrose moths. They are just two of the moths that hang around, but boy are they beautiful. It's interesting to go out and look at what is hanging around under the yard light. I have never seen as many different kinds. The Luna is light green and the primrose is yellow and pink. Beautiful. God does good work!

Well time to get busy on house work so that I can get everything done that I need to before I go to work. Then I will be working on the Gathering. My goal is to have everything done and packed tonight so that after a few last minute things in the morning, we can just head out. You know what they say about "best layed plans". Remember the stupid things rule. It just makes you wonder what's going to happen this time. Oh well, it keeps life interesting.

Hope you all have a blessed weekend.
dea