Marshal's Cabin

Marshal found this hide-away on Craig's List this year and after much deliberation, signed on the line this past week to own this little piece of wilderness. Marshal took the week off and we set up house (cabin), visited my brother on his homestead, and finished the week at Marshal's folks who helped out with the venture to share in this retreat. Here are a few pics of our cabin/property to start.

The water source, one of two creeks. This one is drawn from for household water.The front door.

Deck to shed/shop and flush toilet shed behind.

Happy man in his cabin!

A bit of my domain. My mom lent her indispensable vision and cleaning drive to have the cabin functional, clean, and pleasing to the eye in a day.

Sierra's Culinary Studio

I had to include these photos, featuring the inner cabin (the heart) of the homestead posted below, and Sierra's art of cooking and living!
Sierra proves that a real chef does not need a gourmet kitchen! Here is Sierra's kitchen composed of a propane apartment stove/oven, a wood stove with a flat top for a kettle and pot, a second hand farm table, a few driven nails for hanging hooks, cast iron, mixing bowls, and glass mason jars for storage. Her meals were extraordinaire!
My mom is cooking up the tortillas, homemade by Sierra, just whole wheat flour, water, olive oil, and sea salt. They were the best I'd ever had! They went with her beans, rice, cooked salsa, cucumber feta salad, organic jack cheese, and sour cream. You can't imagine the flavors with her blend of finely diced veges, scattered herbs, and honey that were stirred into the pans and pots.

Uncle David's and Aunt Sierra's Homestead

These photos miss the daffodils, ground cover of wild strawberries, cold rushing creek, young green tamaracks, and the sound of the nesting cranes. Davey and Sierra are being pioneers on the land. Marshal was ready to do this and asked if I'd be willing to join him in such a life in seven years.

The A-frame cabin with washing station out front.The "comfy" outhouse, well-ventilated, smelling of new wood, and foam board seats that never feel cold.

David's shower station. It is a spa experience! David has collected 100s of feet of black pipe laying in coils in the sun for a long hot shower. Mom said it was the most awesome shower she'd ever had.

Refrigerator in the creek until summer heat brings the water temp too high. A forked limb holds up the plywood top and a stainless steel chest holds food in the cold waters underneath.

How you get around!

Yesterday at Grandma's and Grandpa's

Grandpa and Grandma are quickly making the little old farm their own.
Lydia had leapt from the stage, flagging down her brother who had zoomed off in battery operated child's jeep.

The morning was warm enough to initiate a little squirt gun war.

Driving tractors and little lambs.... Gabe and Lydia cried when it was time to go. They were promised a week later this summer.

Honoring Mom

Even though the tooth fairy was running very late in her duties, my son went to church with long nails and wax coming out of his ears, and we went on a road trip without water bottles, snacks, or wet-ones... I still got honored for being Mom. They outdid themselves.

Lydia chose this centerpiece yesterday. It's fun to receive something I would have never chosen and be so pleased with it. Doesn't that orange and green look splendid?
There was the construction paper, crayon, and marker scramble this morn. Lydia put on worship music while Marshal prepared breakfast.

Marshal found the recipe and produced Finnish Oven Pancake. It's as good as it looks! Yum! Although I know my husband is capable, he hasn't cooked for me much in our marriage besides some hard-cooked fried eggs. Not many months ago, I criticized his method of scrambling eggs, horrified that he was scrambling them in the hot pan, leaving little bits of white and so on..... Then I realized they tasted just as good as mine, and adopted HIS method the next day for efficiency and speed! So I learned my lesson; my way is not always better, and I better not scare away my co-chef from the kitchen! He is the best!
Happy Belated Mother's Day to all you Mommies! You are the best, not for all you do, but just for being you!

More Tulips!

See posting below.... The last of the seasons Skagit Valley tulips.

200 foot kite above the field!

Tulip Town on Mother's Day

Marshal suggested a ferry ride to Skagit Valley this afternoon. The Tulip Festival had lasted from April 1- April 30. We hoped to see some late tulips, but found all the fields cut and tilled when we arrived. We went to lunch/dinner in La Conner at a little restaurant, The Seed Cafe, that served fresh, local food and then drove through the farms, admiring old houses and barns. We noticed a great kite in the sky, and I exclaimed that that must be Tulip Town! We turned around and went to the touring farm. We still had an hour before closing, and Tulip Town had the last uncut tulips for a final viewing in honor of Mother's Day. We saw tulips after all! The tulip rows were beautiful, and being the last of the season's gawkers, we talked with the owner who was making rounds in his pick up truck, watched the kite come down, and were drawn into conversation with the kite man's wife. I was honored with a good day, and reminded again what a beautiful state we live in !

Lydia lost her first tooth last night!

My Two Peas in a Pod

Sharing a Sucker

May Gartersnakes have been the ultimate pets for a day.