Blueberry cake YUM!

I'm changing my regular style of posting because I just HAVE to share this with you all!  Tonight, I made a blueberry (actually, huckleberry) cake for Bruce and myself, and it was SCRUMPTIOUS!  Here's the recipe- (which I found online at About.com)

BLUEBERRY CAKE

Grease a 9x13 cake pan. Preheat oven to 375

2 cups flour                         1 cup milk

1 cup sugar                        2 eggs

2 tsp baking powder               1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel                 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1/2 cup butter- softened      

Combine dry ingredients. Cut in softened butter.  Add milk, eggs and vanilla. Stir well.

Pour 3/4 of the batter into the greased 9x13 pan. Top with blueberries. Spoon remaining batter over the top.

Bake 35 min. at 375

Cool 30 min.

Blend together icing ingredients:

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 tsp almond extract

3-5 tsp. milk

Drizzle the glaze over the warm cake and DEVOUR! :)

enjoy!

Wynter on parade

So- all this is my sister, Candi's, fault.  I was telling her about watching Wyn in the pasture tonight, and how I'd taken a series of photos- all the way from her first noticing me by the fence, right up to her prancing her way over to see if I was handing out food. :) 

Candi wanted to see the entire series, so here goes!

I just never get over how beautiful she is!

Elk Calf

In the past week, Bruce and I have often remarked that the elk are staying on the Valley floor MUCH longer than they usually do. Elk usually calve around the last week in May/first week in June, and we've been hoping they had decided to calve down here. We've speculated that they are staying because of the established wolf pack in Deep Creek, or perhaps due to our weather. Whatever the reason, we're thrilled to see them every evening, and every morning- feasting on our rancher neighbors' lush fields.

Today, as Bruce was heading down the driveway on his way to the dump, he noticed BOTH mares staring intently at something. It's not in the least bit unusual for Wynter to be staring at something, but when Dakota joins her, then it's time for us to take notice. Bruce saw cows, some elk... and then... something else. An ELK CALF!!! The first one we've seen all year! 

He called me on his cell phone, and I rushed out with my camera. I didn't dare get too close- so the photos are terrible- but at least they document our first elk calf of the year!

The poor little guy was having a heck of a time getting through the cattle fence. He is WAY too small to jump over it, and he wasn't terribly keen at crawling under it. At one point, he considered adopting this yearling cow as his mother, but she wasn't receptive to the idea. 

Finally, Mom came over, got the little guy through the first batch of fences, and seemed to tell him to hide in the woods, because he quickly disappeared in the forest, as Mom hopped the fence, to graze with her buddies. 

I waited and watched for a long time, noticing that Mom would gaze over at the woods from time to time before going back to her meal. Finally, it dawned on me that Mom was probably hiding the little tyke from ME! *LOL* and I went inside, to leave the family in peace. It, honestly, is enough for me to know they are out there.

Look! G-rated bird photos!

Look! Bird photos! but this time, they AREN'T taking a bath!

G-rated. :)  Oh yeah! You KNEW I could do it, right?

(This is a Western Tanager, btw. Beautiful!)

A Trip to Visit Cade

On Friday, Bruce and I fed all the animals, cleaned the house, packed suitcases, set out a 4 page detailed document describing each and every idiosyncrasy of each and every fur child we "own", petted, loved, and made numerous promises of "We'll be back!!!" along with pleas of "Be good!" shut and locked the doors, and headed out to Moscow, Idaho to visit our youngest son. Cade.

We met Cade as he was getting off from work at Tri-State Sporting Goods store. We had just enough time to hit the Arby's drive-through, tear back to Cade's subletted house to drop me off, and then, Cade and Bruce rushed to a Baseball game, while I relaxed, read a book, and watched some TV. By the time they got home, it was time for bed... 

BUT the next morning, we were greeted by this view out the bedroom window!

The beautiful Palouse Valley. Cade was thrilled at our enthusiasm. :)

 

The house Cade is subletting, is in a lovely little subdivision in Pullman, WA. He has a cute little fenced yard, some lovely plants, and a clean, nice 5 bedroom house! in which he's the only occupant at the moment.

He'll stay here through the Summer, and move into an apt. in Moscow, ID when classes start up in the Fall. It's a sweet deal! with low rent, a stocked pantry, and fairly close to his work.

We went to breakfast, and then decided to take in the sights of the Moscow Farmer's Market. I can't say enough how much I LOVE Moscow, Id. and especially the Farmer's Market. The atmosphere is vital, and invigorating.  People buying and selling organic, environmentally sensitive products which they grew, or made themselves. I LOVE it! (have I said that before? :)

At one end of the Market, a band was set up, and playing music. There were people clapping, people beating time with their feet, even people dancing! Children played, laughed, giggled and ran, while leashed dogs occasionally barked through the murmuring crowd noises.

The town of Moscow is beautiful.  Old brick buildings, fountains, ivy, old time street lamps... The trees are numerous, and massive, and the stores are unique and often quaint. It's a treat to explore.

Since we were so close, we decided to take a walk around the Univ. of Idaho campus. Cade wanted to show us the Art and Architecture Building, and the studio where he spends most of his waking hours.

 The campus was breathtaking, per usual.

And here it is! The Art and Architecture Building. Cade's home away from home.

He took us up to the studio.

Cade showed us the locker where he keeps all his supplies and tools.

This is one of Cade's designs.

It's such a blessing to actually SEE the places that are so important to your children.  To be able to visualize them as they go about their day. To understand their lives a bit better.

And with that in mind, Cade took us to the apt. where he'll be living this Fall. It's almost directly across from the Univ. of Idaho campus, and about a block from the local grocery store. 

The view is, once again, very impressive! And I'm pleased to say that Cade actually DOES appreciate it.

Cade will be living in apt. 9, with 3 other friends.

It's a cute apt. with a balcony- Cade's room is a bit small, but nothing he can't deal with.

 With so many college students living there during the school year, it's almost like being in a dorm. His biggest problem, is that he has NO furniture- so we took him bargain shopping at Goodwill.

We found the deal of a life time!!! A nightstand for $6, and a desk for $10! Now, all he needs is a bed, a chair, and something to put his clothes in.

It  was early evening when we picked up a pizza, and rented a movie. Storm clouds were rolling in, and we were gifted to watch an exciting rainstorm move across the Valley.

Cade had to work again Sunday morning. We ate cinnamon rolls together before he headed out. The trip home is always a bit sadder than when you're looking forward to seeing the ones you love. Instead of dwelling on that, Bruce and I are just grateful for our weekend with Cade- thankful he WANTED us to come be with him for awhile.